Eru

Overview

Eru (150 AC - 245 AC) was one of Niavhe’s earliest true disciples and the first person—besides Niavhe herself—whom Kaibara allowed upon her back. He was one of nine individuals chosen to live an ascetic life dedicated to nurturing The Skein’s blossoming.

After death, Eru became an Oneiroi, a guardian spirit of harmony between humans and animals prayed to by shepherds and herders. His Eidolon still manifests at the Musk Refuge, where pilgrims on the Nine-Stage Pilgrimage may speak with him.

Early Life

Eru belonged to the first generation of Muna born with an innate connection to The Skein. His parents had left Kirighai years before his birth, starting anew on the Enosha peninsula just across the strait. Their small community grew under Niavhe’s guidance, far from war and the devastation of The Nifir.

For Eru, the Skein was simply part of reality—another one of his senses. He was astonished that some people could not perceive it at all. More and more of those awakened to the Skein arrived in the village, drawn instinctively to Niavhe’s community.

Disciple of Niavhe

The Nine Keepers

Early on, Niavhe knew she had to help the Muna strengthen their relationship to the Skein. She taught what she had come to understand of the sacred link and the wisdom Kaibara allowed her to glimpse. Knowing that time—the span of a single life—was painfully short for all that needed to be done, she had to cement and secure the Muna’s existence through transmission, legacy, and continuity.

Eru became one of the keepers of her wisdom. From his earliest years, he received her direct teaching. He was one of nine chosen to live an ascetic life, dedicating body and soul to nurturing the Skein’s blossoming. Together with Niavhe, Eru and the eight others were granted permission by Kaibara to enter the Katkera—and even to dwell there.

Unique Gift

The way the Skein unfurled within Eru made him uniquely close to animals. Among the Nine, if Sewit communed most easily with The Spindle, and Kiyiya could make flames dance like no one else, no one matched Eru’s ability to communicate with creatures of the wild—to make himself understood, or soothe their fury when the moment demanded it.

Niavhe’s Secret

Eru was the only one to whom Niavhe revealed the nature of the primordial spark that awakened the Muna, and the heavy sacrifice required to bring it forth. This knowledge, still understood by only a handful of Muna even in the present day, represents a profound mystery at the heart of the faction’s founding.

Life in the Katkera

As a teenager, Eru chose to settle in the nature reserve as a hermit, with only the wild species of the primordial forest as companions. His place of residence eventually became the Musk Refuge, dedicated to the animals of the Peninsula.

Saving Arkaster

People often honor Yong-Su Tenzing during the Ryukkōsai festival, but they frequently forget that Eru played a crucial role in saving Arkaster. It was through him that the animals understood the Alterer’s pleas. Eru gathered all the fauna of Kirighai, visiting every creature to persuade them to heed Yong-Su Tenzing’s call during the crisis that threatened the capital.

Veneration

Eru’s statue is the first to be honored on the first islet of the Mugen during the Midori Matsuri, standing alongside the statues of the Oneiroi of nature as processions pay their respects. He is also honored during the Ryukkōsai festival.

Those who undertake the Nine-Stage Pilgrimage stop at the Musk Refuge for a time, between the Refuges of Wind and Flow. During their stay, pilgrims may speak with Eru’s Eidolon, who still manifests in that place. In every such encounter, he advocates harmony among all forms of life, teaching that cooperation is the unmistakable sign of a strong and enduring ecosystem.

Appearance

Eru appears seated, with a ferret companion that nips playfully at his finger. Flamingos are drawn to his presence, tilting their long necks toward him in greeting—a gesture he returns.

Training Kauri

When Kauri’s parents refused to let him leave for Kirighai to join the Muna—as the family could not manage their farm without him—they arranged for the village Alterer to summon Eru. The Eidolon came three times weekly to continue Kauri’s training in The Skein, supplementing the instruction Niavhe had begun during Kauri’s summer transhumances.

Eru counseled Kauri: “Let instinct speak. Don’t think.”

Timeline

393 AC - Presiding Over Kauri-Puff Musubi Ceremony

Eru presided over The Musubi bonding ceremony between Kauri and Puff, conducted with Kauri’s parents in ceremonial dress and ritual face paint as woodland animals gathered as witnesses.

Relationships

• Niavhe: Founder of the Muna; Eru was her earliest true disciple and sole keeper of her secret
• Kaibara: Leviathan who allowed Eru upon her back; granted permission for Eru to dwell in Katkera
• Kauri: Muna Exalt whom Eru trained in the Skein; presided over Kauri’s Musubi ceremony with Puff (393 AC)
• Puff: Chimera bonded to Kauri; Eru presided over their Musubi ceremony (393 AC)
• Yong-Su Tenzing: Muna Alterer whom Eru assisted in saving Arkaster by rallying Kirighai’s fauna
• Sewit: Fellow disciple among the Nine; communed most easily with The Spindle
• Kiyiya: Fellow disciple among the Nine; could make flames dance like no one else
• Musk Refuge: Location that became Eru’s place of residence; where his Eidolon manifests
• Katkera: Forest sanctuary where Eru lived as a hermit
• Mugen: Bridge where Eru’s statue stands on the first islet