Lying Darkness

The Lying Darkness or Nothing was around before the three who could not be named and Onnotangu and Amaterasu. When Onnotangu and Amaterasu created the world and named everything in it Nothing fled, and hid in Onnotangu's shadow. From there it whispered doubts in Onnotangu's ears, causing the god to attempt to kill his own children and the Fall of the Kami.

It is called the Foul by the Naga.

Creation of Nothing
The Lying Darkness was existential void that pre-dates the existence of the world. The world was born from Nothing in three stages. One-third of the world was created out of its fear of loneliness, another third out of its desire for companionship, and the last third came from its remorse for accidentally creating the world and therefore ruining the perfect, empty void.

Naga Tale about the Nothing
Once, the People stood beneath the Bright Eye's radiant gaze, and felt her warmth alone. She was our lover, a mother to the creatures of the world and the beloved lady of the People. Her eye was that of kindness. Her mate, the Pale Eye, was jealous of the things of the world, and he caused her to weep for his hatred of her beloved people. The Pale Eye, cold from anger and envy, watched as the People sang praises to the Bright, and so he hid his face in the Shadow. He gave no warmth to the People, no friendship or hope, and to his mate the Bright Eye, he gave pain.

As they walked across the land, prepared to give names to all, the Pale Eye lagged jealously behind. Alone, his eye was caught by a small slip of Shadow which hid beneath a rock and did not want a name. "Let us make a deal," the Pale Eye said to the Bright. "I will provide the names, and you will choose which creature to give them to." The Bright agreed and it seemed a fair agreement, and so they spread the Names among the world. Jealous of the love that the People had for the Bright Eye, the Pale chose not to show the hiding Shadow to his mate, to let it stay as it wished and be free. And when the Bright had used all the names he had given her, the Pale did not offer more and the thing within the Shadow remained as it was, unnamed and unmade. After the Bright and the Pale stepped again into the Sky, the Shadow greedily used its power to feed upon the People. Pleased to avenge its father, the Pale Eye, it devoured the bodies of the People, twisted them beyond bone and scale.

Yet among the people rose a hero. His name, at the time was Qatol. He was a warrior, a dread-mind-hunter, bringer of food. The Qatol fought the darkness with weapons of steel and jade, but nothing drove it away. More died. More vanished into the Shadow, never to be seen again, their souls lost forever. The Bright Eye, weeping as her People died, could do nothing. She could not break the bargain with the Pale, and she had no other names to give. Angered, she sent her youngest son to steal a name from the Pale, but he fell to the earth with his brothers and sisters, defeated.

No name was ever given, and the Darkness that Walks remained free.

Scheming
This Nothing became the Lying Darkness, its one goal to un-create existence. While it hid, it watched the world and schemed of ways to destroy it. Eventually Nothing found a being of suitable potential to accomplish this goal, and revealed itself to Fu Leng. Fu Leng learned magic from it, but ultimately refused an alliance. The Nothing was enraged by this and attacked him, but Fu Leng's powers had grown too strong for him to be beaten. Fu Leng used a crystal sword to cut off a part of the Darkness, and it retreated back to hide in the shadows once more.

When the Kami fell to earth to escape their father, the Nothing attempted to turn the realm of Jigoku against them, warning that Fu Leng especially must be destroyed. But this inspired more curiosity than fear within Jigoku, which seized Fu Leng as he descended. Having failed once again, the Nothing again retreated to the shadows in fear.

Shosuro
Shosuro was created by the kenku Mukashi and his brother Takashi using the small piece of Nothing cut off by Fu Leng Following the Day of Thunder, Nothing watched as Shosuro and Shinsei fled. They were being pursued by many demons, including the First Oni itself. Nothing whispered to Shosuro, offering to aid them if she would be its ally. Shosuro doubted its intentions, but with the arrival of the horde following them she accepted. Nothing drew the attention of Shiba, who had been scouring the Shadowlands for days. Shiba arrived just in time to defeat the First Oni and allow Shosuro and Shinsei to escape, but at the cost of the Kami's life.

""I am Nothing. I only wish to help. There is one near who can aid you, but I want something in return.""

- Nothing

Obsidian Hand
After the first Day of Thunder, the Nothing stole the severed obsidian hand of Lord Moon to be used as a weapon against Fu Leng when he returned. Through Shosuro it was able to corrupt the Scorpion Clan, using them as eyes and ears.

Goju
The Lying Darkness approached Goju, who had fled the Kami in fear of their influence. In Goju the Darkness found a tool for acting in the Empire, and the Goju family was created.

Shinjo
Shinjo was kidnapped by the Lying Darkness when she was with the Ki-Rin Clan in the Burning Sands. For centuries she was held in the Black Earth, with dark jinn whispering in her ear. Nobody tried to find her but the Nothing did not corrupt her soul. The Lying Darkness, an ally of Fu Leng at that time, was forbidden by the Dark Lord to twist her, and Shinjo remained uncorrupted until she was released.

War Against the Darkness
Following the Second Day of Thunder in 1128, the Lying Darkness began its attempts to destroy the Empire. Slowly but surely it attempted to gain control over the Emperor Toturi I. Its power was at its peak in 1133, but the Battle of Oblivion's Gate proved decisive in the fight for the Empire.

Naming
When Lady Sun and Lord Moon were replaced by Hitomi and Hida Yakamo they named the Lying Darkness, so as to give it form and take away its power. The Lying Darkness was named Akodo, a name that was unused, but already strong, a name that stood for all that was Samurai and Bushido.

Avatars
The Lying Darkness had had several avatars within Rokugan:


 * Shosuro
 * Goju Adorai
 * Shadow Dragon