From the introduction of the second edition rulebook:
Athanor is part Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom, part Mike Grell’s Skartaris, and a large dash of random inspirations from film, television, comics, and books throughout my life. This is a game of swashbuckling adventure and lurking horror set in a dying post - apocalypse world.
Athanor is a game of weird fantasy and planetary romance, filled with elements of political intrigue, romance, action, terrible monsters, and ancient evil.