Defiance of the Fall 2

The escalation of conflicts in Defiance of the Fall 2 felt intense but also a bit rushed at times. Was that intentional to keep the momentum?

The magic feels so integral to the story but also layered and mysterious. I wonder if it was planned from the start or evolved as the series progressed.

The setting feels so immersive and detailed, especially the different factions. Did the author draw from specific mythologies or create everything from scratch?