Niwali (Neh-vah-lee)

The Dreamer Beneath

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For more information on all deities and patrons, see: Deities & Patrons

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Samsarans, mystical beings of endless birth, death, and rebirth, are said to exist beyond the grasp of Cocytus due to a divine accord with Niwali, their patron goddess. The Dreamer Beneath teaches that the soul’s journey mirrors water’s cycle—rising as vapor, falling as rain, and returning to the sea. To her followers, dreams are echoes of past lives and glimpses of future incarnations, guiding introspection and growth. It is said Niwali first set the Wheel of Samsara into motion, creating the samsarans as living testaments to her teachings. Though she governs reincarnation, her ultimate lesson is that enlightenment lies beyond the Wheel—a soul’s final merging with the infinite, like a drop returning to the ocean.

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Physical Description

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Niwali is often depicted with four arms: one holding a lotus flower, another a carved conch shell, a third a chalice pouring an endless stream of water, and the fourth raised with an open palm. Her shimmering dark blue skin and half-closed eyes evoke eternal meditation, while her indigo hair flows like a river. She stands upon water, draped in translucent silks of blue, orange, and tan.

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Divine Realm

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Niwali's domain, Shaanti, exists beyond the boundaries of the Evergates, accessible only through profound meditation, astral projection, or the rare vision. It is not a place of fixed form, but a vast, ever-shifting ocean of memories, dreams, and echoes of past lives. Here, time flows like the tide—one moment a fleeting ripple, the next an endless current pulling souls deeper into self-discovery.

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Tenets of Faith

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• Explore the dreaming depths of the mind. Through introspection, meditation, and wisdom, strive for enlightenment.


• Life, like water, is in constant motion. Embrace the cycles of change and adapt to them.


• The imagination is as boundless as the sea, and creativity brings the self to life.

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Worshipers

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Niwali holds profound significance for samsarans, who see her as their creator and guardian of the cycle of reincarnation. They believe she oversees their soul’s transitions and guides them toward liberation. Her teachings of balance, introspection, and enlightenment deeply resonate with samsaran monks and non-samsarans who embrace reincarnation.
Followers of Niwali—especially monks and mystics—seek to connect with their past lives through meditation, often near water, using its sounds to enter trances. They record dreams in scrolls and consult clerics for guidance, aiming to uncover wisdom and progress toward enlightenment.
Under Niwali’s influence, art becomes a spiritual tool, reflecting the subconscious and channeling emotions, memories, and glimpses of past lives. Artists, favored by the goddess, explore their inner depths through spontaneous creation, transforming fleeting thoughts and dreams into timeless works that echo the soul’s eternal journey.

Paladins of Niwali

Niwali's paladins are sworn to protect the flow of reincarnation. They uphold that all souls must move freely toward enlightenment, and ensure no force—be it necromantic corruption or spiritual interference—disrupts this journey. As guardians of the cycle, they often face those who bind souls outside their destined paths. Yet, they do not seek conquest nor impose their beliefs upon others. Instead, they walk the world like flowing water—guiding, cleansing, and sometimes crashing down upon those who would desecrate the natural order.
Paladins of Niwali hone the arts of lucid dreaming and astral projecting, allowing them to traverse both the waking world and Niwali's sacred realm, Shaanti. The most gifted among them, known as Dreamwalkers, are said to fight even in an unconscious state—manifesting the visions of their mind as reality with devastating effect.
Followers of the Dreamer Beneath swear these vows:

• Flow Like Water: I must adapt to change and move with purpose. I can never allow myself to stagnate in mind or spirit.


• Balance Strength With Serenity: Just as the ocean can be both gentle and violent, so too must I know when to guide with my wisdom and when to rely on my strength.


• Dream Deeply, See Clearly: True understanding comes not just from waking life, but from dreams and visions. I will meditate and reflect to seek enlightenment.

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Holy Books & Codes

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The Shantisara

The Shantisara is the central scripture of Niwali's faith, written in flowing verse and philosophical prose. Its pages are a collection of hymns, parables, dialogues, and meditative reflections, compiled over generations by sages, mystics, and Niwali's most devoted followers. It is said to have initially been revealed through divine dreams to enlightened mystics who recorded their visions upon waking. The text explores the nature of reincarnation, dreams, and enlightenment, offering seekers a path to liberation from the Wheel of Samsara.

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Contacts & Relations

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Cocytus

Cocytus views reincarnation as a delay of the soul’s final rest, while Niwali sees his finality as incomplete, believing souls need multiple lifetimes to reach their full potential. Despite this, they share a mysterious accord: Niwali may reincarnate select souls under unknown conditions, while respecting those claimed by Cocytus. Their roles meet at death, where a soul either moves on through Cocytus or returns to Niwali’s cycle of rebirth. Over time, some followers have come to see their relationship as symbiotic—Niwali prepares souls for the final journey with Cocytus.

Divine Traits

General Information

Alternative Name(s)
The Dreamer Beneath
The Dreaming Cycle
Samsaran Goddess of Dreams
Samsaran Goddess of Reincarnation
Samsaran Goddess of Water
The Waking Tide

Alignment
NG

Follower Alignment(s)
LG, LN, NG, N, CG

Tier of Divinity
TEXT

Pantheon(s)
Samsaran Gods

Area(s) of Concern
Cycles, dreams, reincarnation, the subconscious, water

Favored Weapon(s)
Chakram

Sacred Animal(s)
Jellyfish

Sacred Color(s)
Blue, white

Symbol
Blooming lotus flower floating on water

Worshipers
Artisans, believers of reincarnation, monks, mystics, samsarans, seers

Worshipers' Adjective(s)
Niwalian

Divine Realm
Shaanti

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Dungeons & Dragons 5e

Domain(s)
Knowledge, Nature

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Pathfinder 1e

Domain(s)
Good, Knowledge, Liberation, Luck, Water

Subdomain(s)
Flowing, Imagination, Memory, Redemption, Self-Realization (Liberation), Thought

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Pathfinder 2e

Domain(s)
Dreams, Introspection, Knowledge, Water

Alternative Domain(s)
Creation

Divine Ability
Wisdom or Charisma

Divine Font
Heal

Sanctification
Must choose holy

Divine Skill
Occultism

Cleric Spells
1st: Creative Splash
3rd: Dream Message
4th: Confront Selves