Náiluv

Náiluv
Image	A representation of Náiluv
Realm	Woncu
Aspect	Darkness and the Night Sky
Osia	Path of Náiluv
Wardens	Nuworno

Introduction

Náiluv is the Primordial Spirit of darkness and the night sky. It was the first of the seven Primordial Spirits to arise from the interaction of Umalyu's consciousness and Pavkanai's imagination in the Napadéh.

Nature and Influence

Náiluv embodies darkness, the night sky and the hidden depths of existence, and is associated with the unknown.

Dalel lies between the realms of light and darkness, Qaaniguaq and Woncu. The Dawn Wars, the endless conflict between Náiluv and Tñarilu, shift the balance between them back and forth, creating the cycle of day and night.

Relationship with Other Elements

Náiluv was the first of the seven to emerge, followed by Tñarilu, the Primordial Spirit of light. When time emerged, near the end of the Great Erosion, the Dawn Wars began: an endless conflict between Náiluv and Tñarilu for control of space. Náiluv created the Nuworno to fight for it. Neither side can win; their balance, the Great Equilibrium, constantly tips back and forth.

Realm

Náiluv's realm is Woncu, the realm of darkness. It formed when Náiluv and Tñarilu drew darkness and light apart, ending the Era of Isolation, and it lies beside Dalel, opposite Qaaniguaq. No light exists in Woncu. Its inhabitants, among them the Nuworno, perceive through vibration, sound and movement rather than sight.

Osia

The Path of Náiluv is the branch of Osia that works with the spirits of darkness. Its disciples command Nascent Spirits of darkness and negotiate with Mature ones, and can use darkness to conceal or protect. Those who spend too long in darkness risk losing themselves in it.

Cultural Practices

Depictions of Náiluv are only interpretations; its true form is pure darkness. In art it is almost always drawn in charcoal and is customarily depicted as a man.

Philosophical Interpretations

Whether darkness existed before everything else is debated. Some hold that the Napadéh was itself dark, so that darkness existed before Náiluv and the other spirits arose; others hold that darkness came into being only with Náiluv. A related question is whether darkness is merely the absence of light or a presence in its own right.