Nyktiphoros

To understand Nyk's origins is to understand a little bit about Greek mythos [and my own slight bastardization of it]. Prometheus is the Greek god of fire. He was known for defying Olympus by taking fire from the Olympian gods and giving it to humanity [which manifested into forms like technology, knowledge, and general civilization things]. He's an all-around champion for mankind, inspiring human arts and sciences, a god known for his intelligence. Prometheus was punished for this act by Zeus, where he was basically tied to a rock and had an eagle eat out his liver again and again [because it regenerated, as he's a god. Also Ancient Greeks believed the liver was the seat of human emotions. So, I guess Mr. Lightning was trying to peck Prometheus's love for humanity right out of him]. Prometheus was later rescued by the hero Heracles [yes, that one].

The energy that was ultimately produced with humanity's spark of sentience, coupled with the shadow cast by Prometheus's first fire, created something in the shadows. That something, was Nyk. At this stage, he was a very tiny, young... sprite of creation, nothing more than an inquisitive little blob in the darkness. He was curiosity. He was excitement. Nyk remained this way for many years, always there on the edge of the shadows, observing and absorbing the activities of the mortals, trailing behind Prometheus. He was the hunger for knowledge. [cue an extreme love and knack for languages later in life] Nyk heard humanity's laughter, watched the creation of stunning art. The creation of communities. He was... the yearning for connection.
The spirit was, unfortunately, also with Prometheus during the years of the god's torment, and subsequently when Heracles saved him. [ngl, this is definitely where the seed was planted for his heroism and bravery later in life]

In more Greek mythos, Erebus is the personification of darkness, and he is the offspring of Chaos. Chaos is the mythological void state preceding the creation of everything, the universe and the cosmos. [Greek kháos (χάος) means, emptiness, vast void, chasm, abyss.] This is where Nyk spent a majority of his youngest development, his godling form solidifying into something with a humanoid shape, expanding over time. He grew an understanding of the shadows that surrounded him [later in life, Nyk will generally refer to this place as 'the in-between', and it's essentially his home domain]. To Nyk, casted shadows work like doors, and those doors all connected via the vast, empty plane of infinite darkness that was Chaos. It was like a thin layer of that void state that encompassed the planet in its own separate layer. Every shadow on earth is connected, and this was how Nyk taught himself to shadow walk. At some point in his development, he had disconnected from Prometheus, having evolved enough to become his own separate entity. When that tear in their bond occurred, it took with it the memory that Nyk had ever been connected or associated with the Greek pantheon at all. Nyk was... lost. Nyk was alone.

It took an immense number of years to come to his next stage of life development, and it was quite the transformation. Having been left with an even greater desire for community and connection, he decided to try getting a human form. Other gods had the power to create their own human forms, but Nyk didn't possess such an ability. So, he thought he might borrow one. In essence, he tried a possession on an old man. In doing so, he shoved the man's spirit out of his body, taking the place of that lost soul. The severity of this act, once he realized what he had done, horrified him. In an immediate flee from the stolen physical form, he would watch the old man's body crumble to the floor, devoid of life. Nyk had spent so much time watching these people he cared for so dearly, and his first attempt at being one had resulted in a murder. [an unintentional one, an honest mistake, he had no way of knowing and this is basically his first field test, but he's a sensitive guy at this juncture and it really stuck with him]. It would be a few tests later that he decides on something... different.

Hearing the echo of a mother's cry through the shadows, he eventually ends up in a room with a stillborn child. Nyk isn't sure what his essence might do to the child, but seeing as its spirit was already gone, he thought, what could be the harm? Now, stuffing a god-like nether creature into the mind and body of a baby required some...loss of things previously learned. Nyk became the baby. The same spark of life and sentience that created him from a god's shadow became the child's new soul. Nyk's godling essence burned fresh life into the small, limp body.

He wails. He is naked and cold and uncomfortable. He is...scared. There are sensations he's never felt before, and he's as close to an exposed, raw nerve as he'll ever get. Maybe this was a terrible idea. Maybe he just wasn't meant to be human.
Then, he's enveloped in warmth. The press of skin against skin, the steady beat of a heart much bigger than his own. The stroke of fingers on his little bald head. A soft, shaky voice of a woman. My son, I've got you. I'm here.

Nyktiphoros, his mother calls him. [basically just made the spelling cooler for myself from the name Nikephoros (Greek: Νικηφόρος), meaning bringer of victory.] For all intents and purposes, Nyk grew up as a human boy, living the years out that it takes for his ethereal essence to completely bind to his flesh and blood form. By the time he's around 30, his body stops aging entirely, preserving the appearance he still maintains to the present day. His true demi-god form is still present, but it's now something he has to consciously summon and control.





There have been a handful of sightings throughout humanity's history, the timeframe of them strewn across centuries and millennia. In half burnt passages from the Library of Alexandria, to mentions left to fairytale stories and forgotten myths, there are texts that speak of a great, dark creature. As a reference point throughout history, the name Ṣildalḫu emerged. Roughly, it translated to 'troubled or disturbed shadow.' Most of the information from early civilizations have been lost to time, but were they ever compared, the notes would all read about the same.

The stature of the great dark beast is described to be well over the tops of the largest trees. Even the grandest of buildings barely brush its kneecaps. A humanoid form, with a faceplate of flat white bone, dark tendrils trailing off its back and shoulders. Where it's expected that such a behemoth would crush and destroy everything in its path, the entity moved in silence. Its body seemed to pass through obstacles with little to no disturbance. When in the shadow's presence, its body language exudes a sense of unrest, and the way it was described to move was that of an animal in distress; however, there was never any accounts to suggest that the creature hurt, hunted, or killed anything. In fact, the common thread among Ṣildalḫu's appearance was... tragedy and death, on a grand scale. Throughout human history, from the fall of empires, bursting revolutions, holocausts, wars, and natural disasters, the dark spirit would appear.

From his origins and by the nature of his powers, his gateways across the in-between keep him connected to the world at large. Nyk's tie to humankind, the deep emotional bond he's formed for these enduring souls, when tragedy strikes them, it overwhelms him. His massive shadowy form consumes and protects him from the crushing weight of it. Nyk becomes Ṣildalḫu, drawn to the areas of disaster in his demi-god form to help how he can. When Nyk passes through these areas of disaster, his body soaks up the pain and the misery, easing mortal minds and instilling a sense of calm. He takes their suffering upon himself, and in turn, their spirits are lightened of the burdens of grief and loss. They're given a sense of encouragement to just keep moving forward. [On much smaller scales, this is why Nyk is ultimately drawn to lots of charity work and humanitarian efforts, and why he has a long history of being a medic or working in medicine]

In a way, this was the eagle that would eat his liver again, and again, and again. Nyk's selfless act is a twisted recall to his forgotten beginnings. Prometheus would bear the pain and punishment from a gatekeeping god so the humans could prosper. Nyk would bear the pain of the mortals themselves so they could prosper. He would ease their suffering so they could know peace beyond tragedy and have the strength for regrowth. Unbeknownst to him, he was following in his 'father's' footsteps. [The act itself takes a heavy toll on him each time, but recovery is usually a nice long nap that he's in desperate need of anyway.]

Nyk is something very old and very dark. He came into being with the help of humankind, and he has loved them ever since.