Nykthos
| Nykthos | |
|---|---|
| Shrine of the Gods | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Plane | Theros |
| Colors |
 |
| Part of | Mount Carian, Oraniad Mountains, Mortal Realm - and also Nyx |
Nykthos is both a sacred shrine and a figure of myth on Theros. Revered as the Shrine to Nyx, it stands as the greatest point of communion between mortals and the starry realm of the gods. Named for the first Nyxborn artisan who shaped the altars of Theros at the gods' command, Nykthos remains a conduit where devotion gathers like starlight, allowing the divine to manifest in the mortal world.
Description
Nykthos crowns the summit of Mount Carian in the Oraniad Mountains, built upon a wide marble plain that offers an unobstructed view of the horizon in all directions. The temple forms a vast semicircle of gleaming stone, set with pillars and alcoves, each dedicated to a different god. Towering shafts of divine light rise from each altar, vanishing into the star-speckled sky. These pillars connect the mortal shrine to its mirror in Nyx — the antechamber to the realm of the gods.
Statues of deities, champions, and oracles adorn the temple, while the air thrums with quiet reverence and potent mana. Pilgrims who reach the peak and sleep within the shrine often dream of divine beings, and some awaken with visions, omens, or even fragments of prophecy. Despite its serenity, Nykthos is not without danger — as a nexus between realms, it is a place where time, memory, and reality can blur under the gaze of the divine.
History
In the mythic past, the Nyxborn known as Nykthos was formed by Kruphix, the god of horizons, as the first divine artisan. Tasked with crafting altars worthy of the gods' splendor, Nykthos built shrines across Theros to focus mortal belief and draw the presence of Nyx closer to the world. His greatest work was the Shrine to Nyx atop Mount Carian — the place that now bears his name. He was later murdered on the Four Winds Plateau, but his legacy endures in the divine architecture that channels belief into power.
Nykthos exists in two reflections — one in the mortal world and one in Nyx itself. The celestial version, a radiant echo of the original, gathers the prayers and mana of worshippers, anchoring divine presence to the material plane.
During the chaos of the Great Revel, Xenagos, a satyr ascended to godhood, used the Nyx-version of Nykthos as the stage for his cosmic celebration. There, among starry revelers and burning Nyxborn, Elspeth Tirel and Ajani Goldmane confronted him, aided by the goddess Nylea. In the starlit shadow of the shrine, Elspeth slew Xenagos with the god-forged blade Godsend, ending his reign and restoring balance.
However, this victory was short-lived. As the heroes fled from the divine shrine back to its mortal reflection, Heliod, driven by pride, betrayed his champion. Within Nykthos's sacred ground, he struck Elspeth down, killing her as a final act of divine preservation. Since then, both the earthly and Nyx shrines serve as reminders of the delicate bond between god and mortal, and the cost of trespassing divine pride.[1][2][3]
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
References
- ↑ Wizards RPG Team (2020), D&D Mythic Odysseys of Theros, Wizards of the Coast
- ↑ Jenna Helland (May 2014) – Journey into Nyx: Godsend, Part II, Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Trick Jarrett (September 24, 2013). "Checking Out Nykthos". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
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