Nyx Nightborn

### Theme Song

"Were-Owl" by S. J. Tucker, "The Shadow's Bride" by Peter Gundry, "Shadows in Silence" by Enigma

Alexandra Stephanie Wilson, also known as Nyx Karesinda Nightborn, is the main protagonist and narrator of *Shadowbook.*

## Physical Description

In her original Conscious form, Nyx has strawberry blonde hair, pink skin, and sea-green eyes. In her Shadow form, Nyx's hair turns a dark cherry red, her skin turns white, and her eyes turn violet to match Astor's and symbolize her connection to him.

Her folds are midnight blue and black. They're four layers thick, though each individual layer is a bit thin because they're still developing. Nyx enjoys molding them into flowing velvet dresses with sheer scarves, skirts, or capes.

## Personality and Traits

Nyx used to be much colder before the events of Shadowbook, because as a foster child she was constantly moving around and having to deal with new, sometimes threatening people. Her response to the foster system was to become defensive, hard, angry, even violent, and acting defiantly whenever she could (in contrast to her sister, who's response was to conform, keep her head down, and do her best to fit in whenever she could). By the time Shadowbook begins, Nyx has already become much happier due to her discovery of the Shadow Complex, and having real friends-- called Senka, Atra, Noire, and Lela-- for the first time in her life.

Nyx longed to be a Shadow because to her, being a Shadow meant having the freedom to be who she chose and do as she pleased. Astor offered her the promise of love and security, which she never had before. As a Shadow, Nyx is much gentler, warmer, and kinder than she used to be. After the stress of her childhood, she can relax and enjoy a lavish life in the Palace of Eternal Night with people who love her. Security and consistency are essential to her happiness, but wildness and freedom are also important to Nyx. She still retains her powerful determination, stubbornness, and toughness, and she is very loyal to Astor and to Umbragard. When Astor decides to go off after Abaddon, she insists on going with him, at great risk to her own life, and ultimately is the reason Astor got back alive. Nyx is fearless and stubborn, because she feels she has been through the worst. She's more resilient and self-reliant than Astor realizes. She has little trouble supporting someone as emotionally turbulent as Astor.

## Magical Abilities

In Shadowbook, Nyx shows budding magical abilities, because her folds are waterproof and she is able to heal Astor after he nearly drowns by inadvertently channeling some higher force. The Shadow Queen, Hecate, helps Nyx develop her magical abilities in the future.

## Relationships

### Astor

Nyx is willing to do almost anything to make Astor happy (and vice versa). Like Astor, she is passionate and authentic. Astor and Nyx are an almost perfect match for each other, because he can provide her with the love, security, and comfort she needs, and she can be a relentless emotional crutch for him. They also have similar personalties and bring out the best in each other.

At first, Nyx idolized Astor and saw him as someone almost godlike, but then she realized that Astor was a vulnerable human being like any other. Astor had saved her, and now she had to save him. The bond between them is unbreakable.

### Friends

Nyx wasn't used to having friends until she met Senka, Atra, Noire, and Lela, who helped her research Shadows and started to make her a happier person. Nyx relies on her friends' optimism for support and enjoys sharing the liberation and mystique of the Shadow world with them. For Nyx, one of the best things about moving to Umbragard was knowing she would never have to permanently leave her friends behind.

### Karesinda

Nyx could barely believe it when she unexpectedly met her mother at a Shadow festival, and discovered that her mother had been Shadow nobility and a close friend of the Queen. Though Karesinda is rarely in Umbragard and Nyx still doesn't know her very well, Nyx loves her mother and takes every opportunity she can to be with her.