Choosers of the Slain

The action scenes felt very immersive, but I wondered how much of that was planned versus written on the fly. Did the focus shift during writing?

The choices about duty and sacrifice really made me think about what I would do in their place. Was that the aim, to make readers question their own morals?

The aliens felt fully realized and distinct, which added a lot to the story. I'm curious whether this was based on existing lore or original ideas.