Hello friends, and welcome back to the latest episode in the definitive shard series, in today's entry we will be deconstructing the shard of Naya, the combination of White, Red and Green. A unique shard in that it's the only one to have neither blue nor Black in its composition, the colors of manipulation and control— instead it embraces a way of being that is far more primal, a philosophy grounded in harmony with the earth and revelry in life's abundances. So let’s not waste any more time, because I can’t wait to show you how Naya challenges the way we see power, community, and what it means to truly live.
Representation
When dissecting the color pie, the best place to start is obviously with its application in Magic: the Gathering. What I mean is by observing how a section of colors is used to create worlds, factions and characters, we get to see the combination in action. For Naya the best place to start is the mini Plane that shares its name, from the set Shards of Alaraa. Naya is a Plane devoid of Blue and Black mana, with a focus on Green. The result is a world where life is both celebrated and left unchecked. It is a world were growth is endless, and beast reach for the clouds. The inhabitants here lead a simple life, flowing with the whims of nature. A showcase in what happens when we remove self desire and the need to manipulate life to our will.
When it comes to factions, we can look to the Plane of New Capenna and specifically the Cabaretti. Here we have a faction who facilitates the festivals and feasts of the Plane, held in great dance halls. To this faction, culture and celebration are what drives society. An act of community strengthened through parties, and shared experience. This faction, as you might guess, leans more into its Red side, while facilitating the community found in Selesnya. Our final observations comes to us through the most common creature type and class for the shard of Naya, and those are the beast and the Shaman. Beasts come to Naya in the form of towering creatures who stand like stoic mountains.
They are not beasts of viciousness but instead are an extension of nature. Like the seasons who may bring both growth and destruction. They are to be observed for what they are, and in some cases worshipped like gods brought to earth. Through them, we gain insight into the art of embodying quiet strength, radiating a presence that commands respect without intimidation, serving to guard rather than to harm. Our final example is that of the Shaman, those that are connected to the land itself and live through the examples of the elemental force that courses around them.
A person who calls themselves a shaman understands that we are one with the greater forces around us, and because of that understanding can call upon it through themselves. Now with these examples we have a core grasp on what makes Naya what it is, but I know you came here for something deeper still. This is now the point in the video where we will dissect the true philosophy hidden within Naya. To do so I will present three different versions of the combination of White Red and Green, each one focusing on one color more than the other.
White Focus – Wild Harmony
Each of us is an animal, unique in design; different by our very nature and born to be free. And yet we as a society always aim to bind the animal within, call it a defect in our morality. This idea goes against our very nature. We are animals born from the dirt and no matter how much we replace trees with skyscrapers this fact cannot be erased. Further more Naya would argue that it's this binding to law, and structure that has degraded the true morality of humanity. You see a white focused Naya still sees the value in the coming together, of the shared burden of responsibility, but this should never come at the cost of our freedom.
This becomes apparent when you realize the other side of this combination is Gruul. What we should build instead is a world that facilitates our nature without binding it to rigid ways of being, ones that turn us into a husk of what we once were. Naya believes that true morality lies not in restriction, but in understanding and embracing the wildness that lives within each of us. The more we deny our natural instincts, the further we drift from who we truly are. Laws and structures, while intended to create order, often serve to stifle the very essence that makes us human—our ability to feel, to act, to live without constraint.
In Naya’s view, a society that imposes rigid boundaries only weakens the spirit, turning vibrant individuals into cogs in a machine. Instead, Naya envisions a world where we are free to express our primal urges, to live fully in the moment, while still respecting the bonds that tie us together. It’s not a rejection of community or responsibility, but a call for a world where those things coexist with the freedom to be who we are, without fear of judgment or suppression. To live in harmony with the animal within is not to descend into chaos, but to rise into a state of true balance, where we honor both the wild and the communal aspects of our nature.
Red Focus – Community Through Festival
Community flourishes through acts of shared experience. A festival of like minded people is more than revelry for its own sake, it's an act of forging bonds. Bonds that last with us for the rest of our lives. This act is all too common in Red, but where Red does the deed for its own sake, the introduction of Selesnya puts that focus on building communal bonds. It is through the sweat of dance, the sharing of food and the making of merriment that humanity grows stronger as a unit. I ask if you have ever taken part in any form of community gathering with people who share the same hobby, taste in music or spiritual alignment.
Can you recall the friends you made or the experiences you had with those strangers. In most cases we come back from these events feeling fuller, and having felt as if we were part of something more than ourselves. Ritual, festival and feasts have long been a part of the human experience, and a way to forge lasting bonds, and Naya sees the value in tapping into such rituals. It’s in these moments of collective celebration that people find a sense of belonging, a deeper connection to those around them. The laughter, the music, the simple act of coming together—they all remind us of our shared humanity. In Naya’s eyes, these rituals are vital, a way to not only strengthen the bonds of friendship but to reaffirm our place in the world. The joy is real, but so is the purpose: to build something lasting, a community bound by shared experience.
Green Focus – Ancient Guardian
Whether through coincidence or destiny humanity is burdened with the stewardship of this planet. We have manifested control of the waters, the animals and the climate. And yet we have let ourselves become cruel in our control. Cleaving forests for own comfort, slaughtering countless animals for our own gluttony and poisoning rivers through own disdain. To Naya this is a transgression that cannot be forgiven, as it sees itself as a protector of the gift we have been given.
With Green as its core Naya feels a deep connection to the earth that gave it life, and with Boros at its side this feeling is paired with retribution. A person who is Naya aligned will be one who cannot sit by as nothing is done, and the world around them is stripped away. They refuse to be complicit while they hear the cries of mother nature. This feeling turns to action, and this action can take many forms. For some, it might be the quiet rebellion of living sustainably, rejecting consumerism in favor of simplicity.
For others, it may be the roar of defiance in the face of corporate greed, risking life and limb to defend the earth's creatures and landscapes from destruction. Naya’s warriors are those who do not flinch in the face of adversity. Their cause is just, and their resolve is as unyielding as the mountains they protect. They know that every act, no matter how small, contributes to the larger battle to restore balance between humanity and the world we are meant to steward. And in their hearts burns the knowledge that to protect this planet is to protect the very soul of humanity itself.
The three colors that make up Naya, aren't exactly the kind that you'd think could bread anything interesting. How can anything of substance be gained without the use of Black or Blue, and yet there is something substantial here. A way of looking at the world that sheds some of shortcomings of the more selfish colors in favor of a more holistic outlook. Naya, is a protector of the very mother that gave us all life, it is able to find community through revelry and believes that harmony can be found once we have accepted the animal within us all. Naya does not see the world in what it can take but rather in how we can weave ourselves into it, coexisting without losing what makes humanity special. But do not think of Naya as passivity, it seeks all that is provided, and finds joy in all things. So shed those false deities of consumption and progress, and instead be like Naya seek the rhythm that beats within us all, and in that song find your place.
Thanks for reading, and if you enjoy this sort of thing then be sure to become a site member that way you can be notified when the next one goes live, as I am working on giving the rest of the shards and wedges the same treatment, and with the friends, I will catch you in the multiverse, bye!
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