From the introduction: Long ago this world was warred over by the feuding gods. Each of the seven gods had dominion over one of the seven kingdoms and complete control over one of the prime colors: super-violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, and sub-red. They tore the world apart in their wars for dominance. When the blue god was slain the world had drought after drought. When the green god was slain the fields grew no crops. When the red was slain the world had an age of ice. The gods would eventually be reborn from another drafter, but the many people slain by their drafters and they them selves would not. Whichever god was winning, the world lost.