The Civilizations:
A lot of the nations are named for Christian (or perhaps Jewish) Angels types. I didn’t know them mostly, I had to look them up. Here is a reference from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_angelic_hierarchy.
Another reference is:
http://angelstoday.net/index.php?lang=en&way=1information/1angels
Apparently Pseudo-Dionysius book ‘The Areopagite’ is a key source (which draws from the New Testament). In looking this stuff up, I’ve discovered some differences in sources. So my comments on them below may be wrong, I’ve never studied them.
In Jewish tradition, Maimonides wrote Yad ha Hazakhah, list angels but this is as prominent in the religion.
The roleplaying game In Nomine includes these angel ‘groups’ and Kael may be accessing them. Almost all of the angel reference are in this game, a role playing game published in the late 1990’s.
Amurites – The Amorites were a very important ancient people. For instance, the ‘Classical’ Babylonians, including the famous Hammurabi, were Amorties. Unfortunately, there are a lot of names in different languages and it isn’t 100% clear exactly who is being referenced. For instance, pretty much everyone in the Bible that isn’t specifically identified in Canaan is probably an ‘Amorite’, similar to how Herodotus and the Greeks viewed ‘Thracians’ as anyone north or east of the Greeks who aren’t identified. Specifically, there were 5 Amorite kings that the Israelites defeated (under Joshua), including some ‘giants’.
Generally, the Amorties appear to be hill people coming to Mesopotamia from the East, and their rise coincides with the fall of the Akkaddian power. They are Semitic, and their zenith was clearly in the Babylonia Empire, which lasted pretty much until it was sacked by the Hittites (1530 BC or so). (I’m not sure when it was founded, 1900 BC?)
Balseraph – Seraphs are a form of Angel in Judaism, meaning literally burning ones. I guess Balseraphs are ‘bad Seraphs’ of some sort but I hadn’t heard of the term before playing FfH. They are sometimes considered the ‘highest’ angels. Seraphs are also the highest angel type in the Christian hierarchy.
I suspect that Kael took them from the Role playing game In Nomine, where Balseraphs are demons who have mental corruption abilities and are very prominent.
Bannor – Kael confirmed in a post from Ur_Vile_Wedge that he did come from the major character in the Thomas Covenant books. Bannor was a member of the Bloodguard, who was Covenant’s personal bodyguard. He was a stark but powerful character – he was one of the Bloodguard, who’s oath was so powerful that he didn’t eat, sleep, age, etc.
Calabim – Also a demon race from ‘In Nomine’, I guess they got them from ancient demons somewhere.
Doviello – Not sure. If I had to guess, they are based on the species Dovii, which means ‘wolf cyclid’ and Kael used his imagination from a fish species with the name ‘wolf’ in it. Or I can be totally off base.
Elohim – Elohim is generally a name for God in the Hebrew Bible, but it is quite complex as to exact meaning and origins. It is more generic than the God of the Israelites, which itself appears to have changed in concept over time.
However, it appear Kael is taking them as one of the Christian ‘mid-level’ angels, below Seraphs and Cherubs, they execute the orders from higher angels. They are supposed to keep order in the universe. I think this is the source of the FfH Elohim. They are also listed as a mid-level angel group by Maimonides.
Grigori – A Greek word (I think) for an obscure group of angel-like creatures, who are mentioned in The Book of Enosh mostly, perhaps the parent of the Niphilim, who are also obscure, mentioned in the Torah. The Niphilim are perhaps half-human half angel creatures, and the Grigori are then angles who mated with humans.
In Christian lore, they are low level angels who work with humans. I suspect this is Kael’s source (or perhaps In Nomine). This description is reasonably appropriate for the FfH group.
Hippus – Yup, Hippos of Hippus is simply Greek for horse.
Illians – Not sure here. Illian is a city in the Wheel of Time series but I don’t really see a connection to the FfH Illians. Ilus was the son of Tros in Greek mythology, best known as the eponymous person for whom ‘the Iliad’ is named. However, again I’m not sure how that is connected to FfH’s Illians.
Khazad – I agree with Dracosolon, I suspect it comes from Khazad in Tolkien – even though Kael has said he uses little/no Tolkien material. Maybe he got it from someone else who got it from Tolkien.
Kuriotates –Christian – One of the Angel orders, another name for ‘Dominions’ Usually spelled ‘Kyriotates’ . They are supposed to defend heaven and earth from demonic attack.
Lanun – Don’t know, sorry, I never studied Polynesian mythology.
Ljosalfar – Probably the elves in Norse Mythology. The problem with Norse mythology is that we don’t have a lot of it, and I think only the Prose Edda mentions them. The Alfar, elves, are mentioned more often, but even they don’t appear much. Frey is mentioned as their king so they are related to the Aesir or Vanir. (Again, in the Prose Edda).
The Alfar and Svartalfar are mentioned some more. I guess we should view Alfar and Ljosalfar as light elves and dokkalfar (dark elves ) or svartalfar (black elves) as forms of dark elves.
Luchuirp – A form of fairy folk (Celtic). Once again I’ve never heard of them, I had to look them up.
Malakim – Mid level angels (Christian and Jewish) – they are supposed to encourage humans to do good.
Mercurians – Christian – Low level angels (also in In Nomine). Protect cities and the like.
Sheaim – I can’t find a reference, I never heard of them. (Dracosolon, do you have a source here?)
Svartalfar – The Black elves in Norse Mythology, they are prominent. Actually, they are the ‘dwarves’. We know them again only form the Prose Edda, however, they are in two very important stories. For example, they forged the weapons of the gods. They were great forgers, magical, and could turn invisible.
