Ngv

Ngv is a Phaelist deity. He is often referred to as the Trickster, though his actual role in the pantheon is unclear in the scriptures of Phaelism and is heavily disputed among theologians.

Name
'Ngv' is always the written name of the deity. It is understood to be an approximation of his name, which appears to be unpronounceable by humans. In verbal communication, and sometimes in writing, he is referred to by a number of titles and descriptions. The most common such names are Trickster God, Unnamed God, and the Unknown.

Hebral, a Phaelist theologian of the third century, wrote an extensive treatise on Ngv in which he noted that every Phaelist deity has a name that is identical to, or clearly borrows from, the aspect of creation that they represent and control. The only exceptions to this are the Ancient, the Banished, and Ngv. In the former two cases, the name represents a role within the pantheon itself, and may actually be substitutes for actual names that simply haven't been revealed to man. Ngv, however, seems to have no basis in any relation or practice of the deity, and this served as the foundation for Hebral's argument that Ngv is a far more complex, and possibly important, being than is commonly supposed. While not directly condemned as a heretic, the True Phaelist Council has discouraged Hebral's teachings. Others, however, have borrowed and revised this theory throughout the centuries, often in works of fiction.

Other Religions
Sylanthal teaches that Ngv is the deity who appeared to Herot and challenged him to a wager for control of creation.

Ristarianism associates Ngv with the Nameless One, leader of the corrupted justicars.

Cult of Ngv
Like many deities within Phaelism, Ngv originated in more localized worship before Phaelism. The earliest records of Ngv worship are inscriptions found on the southern edges of the Black Forest, dating earlier than the -17th century Reformed. Ngv himself appears to have originally been the center of a monotheistic local faith, though records from around the same time suggest a complicated relationship with Shast who may or may not have been seen as a goddess by these early petitioners. Both Ngv and Shast have monotheistic cults focused on them to this day, though it is unclear if they have direct ties to these early faiths.

The Cult of Ngv teaches that Ngv is the only true god, but differs on what this means. While most writings by the cult are written from the apparent assumption that each other deity in other religions is a mask or image that Ngv portrayed, there are more rare records that suggest that Ngv himself actually lied about other deities in order to turn attention away from himself and his work.

Appearances
Ngv appears in the Sylanthal version of the story, the First Fatebinder, which serves as the basis for the webcomic story arc of the same name.