Nylea
| Nylea | |
|---|---|
|
The Great Hunter God of the Hunt | |
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| Information | |
| Colors |
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| Species | God |
| Birth, Life & Death | |
| Birthplace | Theros |
| Divinity | |
| Abode | Nessian Forest |
Nylea (/naɪliə/, nigh-LEE-uh[1]) is the God of the Hunt, Seasons, and Wilds on Theros. She serves as the protector of the untamed forests and all creatures within them, overseeing the natural cycles of predation, renewal, and rebirth that maintain ecological balance. Nylea is associated with the forces of nature and governs the changing of seasons, shaping the boundary between wilderness and civilization. Her influence encourages respect for the natural world and punishes those who threaten it. She is known for her fierce yet playful nature and commands loyalty from a variety of forest-dwelling beings.[citation needed]
Description
Domains
Nylea is associated with the hunt, the seasons, and the forests.[2] Her reign over the hunt extends to predation and hunger, while with her rule over the seasons, she is also a patron of metamorphosis and rebirth. At the center of her grove, there is a chrysalis, in which Nylea usually sleeps to receive strength and peace.
Personality
The God of the Hunt is usually aloof and thoughtful, but she is playful and joyful with her loyal companions.[2] However, she has a feral, animalistic side and bears the responsibility of keeping the forest a haven and safe for animals, preventing the spread of humans into her domain, and letting the natural world have free rein. Nylea is quick to anger and vengeance if something threatens her realm. She has complete dominance over the seasons, so that she can change at her whim and delay if angered.
She is allied with Purphoros and permits him to unleash fires on the forest to grow new life or to keep humans away when they are encroaching too far into the wilds. However, she has a tumultuous relationship with Karametra, the God of the Harvests. Karametra is infuriated by Nylea's interference in the seasons. In turn, Nylea is disgusted by agriculture, which she sees as an aberration from the natural cycle of the world.
Worship
Nylea dislikes the construction of temples and cities in general.[2] For this reason, she has no temples, buildings, or holy sites, save for trees surrounded by clouds of butterflies. When a similar tree is spotted, people know that Nylea is near. Most of her human followers are loners and outcasts. Nymphs of all kinds pay homage to her, as do sentient humanoids such as satyrs, centaurs, and many citizens of Setessa. Some city dwellers come into the forest to honor her, especially to pray that the seasons will change on time. Nylea hates sacrifices and is notoriously hard to please: worshippers could as easily anger her as win her blessing. One thing she likes is acts of kindness and the protection of creatures, both domesticated and wild.
Signature Item
Nylea is the best archer on the plane, and as such wields a short bow called Ephixis.[2] It is said that an arrow from Nylea's bow never fails to find its mark.[3] The nymph Theophila, Nylea's companion, conjures illusions for target practice, such as fireflies or minuscule silkworms. Nylea permits predation, but she hates hunting for sport: she kills poachers in the Nistos Forest who don't ask for her blessing to hunt her animals herself. Nylea watches over all the creatures of the forests, except snakes, which, thanks to the blessing of Pharika, can take care of themselves.[4]
History
As one of the original gods of Theros, Nylea has watched over the forests and wilds since mortals first told stories of the hunt. Hunters, rangers, and those who live at the edges of civilization invoke her name to ensure prey is plentiful, predators are kept in balance, and the seasons turn in their proper time.
During the Silence of the Gods, a period when Theros’s deities fell quiet and were unable to communicate directly with their oracles, Nylea’s influence waned enough to allow the satyr Xenagos to ascend and seize godhood for himself through the Great Revel. Xenagos’s reckless revelry spread unchecked, throwing the natural balance into chaos and imprisoning Nylea in the form of a beast within her domain.
When Elspeth Tirel and Ajani Goldmane entered Nyx to confront Xenagos, they found Nylea bound and powerless. The pair freed her from her magical prison, restoring her true form and rallying her aid to hunt down the false god. With her legendary bow Ephixis, Nylea had previously struck the arrow that enabled Elspeth to slay Xenagos once and for all — the deicide in Nyx.
In that moment, Nylea forgave Elspeth for two past transgressions that had wounded her deeply: the slaying of her favored hydra, Polukranos, and the tragic death of her beloved oracle Daxos at Elspeth’s hand. Though she urged Elspeth and Ajani to flee before Heliod or Erebos could interfere, she could not protect her champion from betrayal. Heliod killed Elspeth with her weapon, Godsend, sealing the mortal heroine’s fate.[5]
After Xenagos’s fall, Nylea’s authority over the wild places of Theros was restored. She remains wary of mortal ambition and divine pride alike, her forests ever a refuge for beasts, outcasts, and the endless cycles of life and death she so fiercely guards.
Inspiration
The character of Nylea is inspired by Artemis (and her Roman equivalent Diana), the Greek goddess of hunting, forests, and archery.[6]
Gallery
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Nyleas' Bow, Ephixis. -
Nylea, God of the Hunt. Art by Chris Rahn. -
Story appearances
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
- Depicted in:
- Quoted or referred to:
External links
- The Magic Creative Team (August 21, 2013). "Planeswalker's Guide To Theros part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Theros: Godsend, Part I
- Journey into Nyx: Godsend, Part II
References
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (September 26, 2013). "Theran Pronunciation Quiz". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-30.
- ↑ a b c d (2013). Theros Player's Guide. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Flavor text of Plummet (Theros Beyond Death)
- ↑ Flavor text of Moss Viper
- ↑ Jenna Helland (May 2014) – Journey into Nyx: Godsend, Part II, Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (December 30, 2013). "Theros Mythology Quiz". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022.
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