Nylea, Goddess of the Hunt

Nylea is the wild, carefree god of the hunt. She claims dominion over the whole of the natural world, particularly hunger and predation, the seasons, metamorphosis and rebirth, and the forest. Nylea is among the most gregarious of the gods, and can be spotted frolicking joyfully with her Nyxborn lynx, Halma, or her favorite nymph, Theophilia. But she also savors solitude, and on the hunt she is deadly serious, almost animalistic, in her mood. She is nearly as quick to anger as her brother Purphoros, enacting swift revenge on those who harm the natural realm. Nylea usually appears as a green-skinned dryad with woody extremities. Her hair is made of vines and leaves that change with the seasons. She might also appear as a majestic specimen of any animal, most frequently a lynx or a wolf. When she desires stealth or solitude, she might take the form of a tree, usually an oak or an olive.

Nylea’s Influence

Nylea is worshiped by hunters, but her concerns go far beyond humanity’s ability to subsist on the bounty of the natural world. She controls the turning of the seasons. Usually, she ushers each one in and out on schedule, but when angered, she might refuse to change to the next season, or even call upon one out of its proper time. Mortals pray to her to ward off unseasonable weather, both natural and supernatural in origin. Nylea is the best archer in the world, and contests of archery are often held in her name. Those who hunt their own food pray to Nylea for success, and Nylea blesses their natural predation. Poachers and those who kill for sport, however, know that she loathes such activity, and they try to stay hidden from her at all costs. Nylea has personally slain many of those who killed wantonly in her sacred Nessian Wood. Nylea’s association with metamorphosis makes her the target of prayers from those who seek to dramatically change their own nature or identity. She is worshiped by those who want to reform or transform society in ways less violent than those favored by gods such as Purphoros and Mogis. She is also revered by those who cherish the solitude and serenity of the forest. Birth falls under Nylea’s influence as well, and her priests often double as midwives in their communities, blessing babies as they come into the world.

Nylea’s Goals

Compared to the other gods, Nylea’s goals are modest. She wants only to keep the natural world free and healthy, shepherd the seasons through their yearly cycle, and enjoy the beauty of the land. But in her darker moments, she realizes that the very existence of civilization on Theros is a mounting threat to nature—perhaps even an effort by the rest of the pantheon to destroy her. If it were up to her, she might well wipe away all the poleis and larger communities, leaving only scattered tribes of mortals to live in an enforced balance with nature. She isn’t out to eradicate sapient beings, blaming her fellow gods for the spread of civilization rather than the mortals themselves.

Divine Relationships

Nylea seldom comes into open conflict with the other gods, and she would say that all her clashes with them result from their encroachment on her territory. The most frequent targets of her irritation are the gods who encourage the spread of civilization. Heliod and Ephara brought law and ambition to mortals, persuading them to congregate in stone-walled cities and consider themselves separate from her realm. Purphoros oversees some of the natural processes of earth and fire that help Nylea’s realm flourish, but he also gave mortals the gift of bronze, enabling them to make axes and spears. In both his destructive and creative guises, Purphoros might threaten what Nylea holds dear. As a result, she remains wary of his designs. Nylea is disappointed in Karametra, precisely because of the overlap in their spheres of influence. Karametra insists on transforming nature into a mockery of itself, yoking once-wild beasts and contorting plants through agriculture to feed the ever-swelling population centers. Iroas and Mogis are harbingers of warfare, which is always devastating to the natural world. Nylea is virtually incapable of distinguishing between the “noble” and “brutal” aspects of their shared bailiwick, considering all forms of war a senseless waste of life and energy. Nylea acknowledges death as a crucial part of the life cycle, but scorns Erebos’s obsession with the afterlife. What matters is that nature takes nourishment from the bodies of the deceased, not from the disposition of their intangible souls. She blames Erebos, Athreos, and Phenax in equal measure for the existence of the Returned, which she considers abominations.

Worshiping Nylea

Mortals all over Theros pray to Nylea when they rely on hunting or nature’s whims for their livelihood. Her most ardent followers are satyrs, centaurs, humans (particularly those who live in Setessa and in the wilds), and nymphs of all kinds, especially dryads. Few leonin worship any of the gods, but of those who do, many favor Nylea with their prayers. Nylea blesses those who are kind to animals, considering such acts as wordless prayers. Those who must kill a dangerous natural animal or cut down trees often pray to Nylea for forgiveness, sometimes leaving food for other animals or planting new trees as atonement.

Nylea’s Champions

Alignment: Usually neutral, often good Suggested Classes: Barbarian, cleric, druid, ranger Suggested Cleric Domains: Nature Suggested Backgrounds: Folk hero, hermit, outlander Most champions of Nylea understand the cycles of nature—embracing life, death, and rebirth. They might commit violence when necessary but never revel in it, advocating for the proper treatment of animals, plants, and the natural world.

Nylea’s Favor

Nylea chooses champions who will tirelessly defend the natural world, regardless of their mortal ties and associations. She cares more for consistency of actions than for vows of loyalty and expressions of devotion. Whether you are silently devoted to her or vociferous in your praise, it is your actions in her name that will prompt her to continue her support—or withdraw it. Because her interests are often tied to natural forces, Nylea’s attentions can be unpredictable. What made the god turn her attention to you? What act of charity or feat of skill made her think you would be a good champion? The Nylea’s Favor table offers a handful of suggestions. Nylea’s Favor

1 You were born at dawn on the spring equinox, a sign of Nylea’s favor.

2 You healed an injured wolf, which then revealed itself to be Nylea in disguise.

3 You won an archery contest with a truly stunning shot, but afterward chastised onlookers who compared your skill to Nylea’s.

4 Lost in the forest as a child, you were raised by wolves. Nylea intervened to teach you language and enable you to one day take your place in society as one of her champions.

5 A unicorn has appeared to you several times in your life, often after protecting animals or nature.

6 You lived alone in the wilderness for a year. In all that time you never heard another mortal’s voice, but Nylea spoke to you regularly.

Devotion to Nylea

Nylea calls upon her followers to defend the natural world and oppose those who would bring it harm through cruelty or greed. As a follower of Nylea, consider the ideals on the Nylea’s Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background. Nylea’s Ideals

1 Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what she stands for. (Any)

2 Nature. The beauty of the natural world fills me with serenity. (Neutral)

3 Freedom. I yearn to run wild. (Chaotic)

4 Stewardship. We must care for the natural world as it cares for us. (Good)

5 Savagery. It’s eat or be eaten, and I plan to be the one with the full belly. (Evil)

6 Purity. I won’t sully my body or my soul with the taint of civilization. (Any)

Earning and Losing Piety

You increase your piety score to Nylea when you expand the god’s influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these:

Healing a sick or injured wild animal
Stopping those who hunt for sport or profit
Proving your worth in a contest of archery
Slaying an aberration, a fiend, or an undead

Your piety score to Nylea decreases if you diminish Nylea’s influence in the world, fail to defend nature, or offend her sensibilities through acts such as these:

Killing an animal for any reason other than necessity
Dedicating a building or making a sacrifice to any god, including Nylea
Protecting a city or farm from natural dangers

Nylea’s Devotee Piety 3+ Nylea trait As a devotee of Nylea, you have proven yourself a guardian of the wilds. You can cast hunter’s mark with this trait a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Nylea’s Votary Piety 10+ Nylea trait You can cast speak with animals with this trait a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned. Nylea’s Disciple Piety 25+ Nylea trait When a beast is about to attack you, it must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses you. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this trait for 24 hours. Champion of the Hunt Piety 50+ Nylea trait You can increase your Dexterity or Wisdom score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.