The Stars Behind the World: The Inspiration Behind Pleiada
Hello! I am so excited to unveil the next major piece of inspiration behind my book!
In this post, I’ll be sharing the story behind the main setting of my novel: Pleiada.
Pleiada is inspired by the real astronomical star cluster, the Pleiades (also known as the Seven Sisters), nestled in the constellation Taurus. The Pleiades has always been my favorite star cluster in our night sky. Whenever I get a chance to stargaze, finding that little cluster always brings me so much joy and peace. I knew I wanted to take that inspiration and build a world around it, making it the central stage for my first book.
Astronomically, each star in the Pleiades cluster has its own distinct name. I took inspiration from several of these names to shape the major cities, hubs, and regions across Pleiada.
Below is a simplified map concept of the planet (before the war breaks out!). Even though my story takes place in the middle of a massive galactic war, I thought it would be a meaningful touch to ground this world in the beauty of real-world astronomy.
(Refer to the map below and on my Instagram post!)
Location Map Breakdown
*Note: This map represents Pleiada in its prime, prior to the events of the war.
Alcyone → Alcione: The sprawling capital city and heart of Pleiada.
Atlas → Port Atlast: A major coastal resort port featuring luxury hotels and an expansive amusement park—a popular attraction for both locals and off-world travelers.
Maia → Maya Landing: The main planetary transport hub (marked by the circled "L"). Think of it like a futuristic interstellar airport for public, commercial, and private ships. It’s also surrounded by major entertainment and sports arenas.
Pleione → Pleyon Heights: A vibrant residential region nestled in the northern territory of Pleiada.
Taygeta → Tayghete Valley: A lush, wooded valley housing eco-friendly manufacturing facilities that produce and distribute essential materials across the planet.
Merope → Merohp’s Point: A mountainous region dedicated to planetary communications and weather forecasting. While it doubles as a pleasant retreat during the warmer months, winter brings severe snowfall and extreme temperature drops compared to the rest of Pleiada.
Looking Ahead
And that is a quick look into the astronomical inspiration that built the foundation of Pleiada!
While these locations were built as hubs of innovation, community, and beauty, the threat of an upcoming off-world invasion changes everything. Pleiada’s peaceful cities and starry heights are about to face a battle for survival from forces beyond their skies.
I can't wait to dive deeper into the lore and history of Pleiada in my next update. Thank you so much for following along on this worldbuilding journey—stay tuned for more, and let me know in the comments which region of Pleiada you'd want to visit first!