“A river is water in its loveliest form; rivers have life and sound and movement and infinity of variation, rivers are veins of the earth through which the lifeblood returns to the heart.”

Roderick Haig-Brown

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Nimeda was the name given to Thalia‘s dream-self by Jon Little Bird during Glimmers of a Dream. It means girl who dances among the stars. Before that, she chose no identity in the Dream.

Her soul was originally tied to the Wheel and Tel’aran’rhiod in the 2nd Age, and persists there even when she has no Waking life. As she is now at the final revolution of her Seven Ages, Nimeda is the amalgamation of all previous lives, but has no specific memories of any — including her current one. Memories and insight may surface randomly, but in particular when in the company of reborn souls with whom she experiences a resonance or recognition. She retains a particular affinity with those in her own pantheons, however as she exists in the Dreamworld between lives she may have familiarity with any souls that are habitually born dreamers.

Nimeda retains cohesion between visits to the Dreamworld. While always starting out innocent, her progression is dictated by those she meets and befriends.

Every rebirth resets this process.

Her personality always closely relates to the core traits of her reborn soul. Nimeda trusts freely, and is somewhat childlike in her enthusiasm — though it is underpinned by something ancient. Innocent as she appears, she is no lost child. Even lacking memory her mastery of the dreamworld is formidable. However, for now, she lacks purpose and is mostly benign.

She’s naturally attracted to the dreams of reborn gods. A somewhat lonely soul, especially in ‘quiet’ ages, she seeks out random dreams — usually those she feels she can help move on in some way.

Thalia remembers nothing of Nimeda when she wakes, but has recently become aware of her abilities as a Dreamwalker, and now understands her morning sketches reflect this other life.

During Soteria, a symbol appeared on Nimeda’s chest. It’s function and meaning are unclear. There was no evidence on it on Thalia when she woke up.

Acquaintances:

• Yana — the human name given to the supernatural being that Thalia encountered in both the dream and the waking world, who helped formed the block that allowed her to survive the Sickness. Her likeness is the focus of the tattoo on Thalia’s back. She was a Yakṣaṇī and responded to Nimeda’s distress concerning Thalia’s Sickness in much the same way the Grey Lady answered the call for Mara’s rescue.
• Jon Little Bird — Jon gave Nimeda her name, and was a friend until he disappeared. She uses his name as a touchstone from time to time. Thalia met Jon in the real world shortly before he disappeared, but she ran from him, frightened to discover one of her drawings brought to life.
• Calvin — A wolf brother Nim met in the centre of his nightmare, drawn to his distress. Though she tried to help, Calvin lost his wolf companion. Thalia later met Calvin in the waking world when Nim asked him to check on her, as she was not sleeping.
• Nox — Nimeda entered one of his nightmares, drawn by his grief and sadness. Thalia later met Nox by chance, although she did not remember drawing his dream. The two are now friends.
• Mara — drawn by the resonance she feels from this reborn soul, Nimeda considers Mara a close friend, as they were in a previous life. Recently Nim has come to realise that Mara is trapped in the real world, and has enlisted Tristan’s help to try and free her. Thalia has never met Mara in the real world, nor knows her true identity. Unknown to her, Daiyu is one of her sister Aylin’s patients.
• The Grey Lady — one of the huldufolk, the Grey Lady drew Nimeda into a pocket in the dreamworld after sensing her need. Though Nim had wanted help to free her friend Mara, the riddles imparted may in fact have further reaching ripples — most likely in connection with Nimeda’s prophetic abilities. Recently they have led Thalia to find a ter’angreal in the waking world (the adventure of which landed her with the scar on her hand)
• Tristan — The Grey Lady led Nimeda to the “river monster” Tristan, a wolf brother with an old soul, whom she often refers to as Vanagandr. She asked for his help freeing Mara from a mental institution in Moscow. Recently she has called upon him again to ask for his protections for a river creature she believes to be in danger. Thalia has recently met Tristan in the waking world.
• Soren — Known to Nimeda as the grimnir, or Grim, as he has never shared his name. There is a resonance to his soul, but not a deep connection. Grim uses Nimeda to help hide magical objects in the real world. Recently Thalia uncovered one of these, earning a scar that marks her as a thief. Grim has vowed to recover the item. Thalia has never met him in the real world, but unknown to her he is her patron.
• Noctua — Unbeknown to Nim, but recently discovered by Thalia, he is the Pope. She gave him the name Noctua after Athena’s owl. They shared a vision in the Dream, heralding significant changes to the world. Nimeda feels great affection for him, and was stung by his later rejection.
• Tuuru — the arboreal construct met by Nimeda and Noctua in the dream.
• Marcus — Nimeda was drawn to Marcus’s dream because of the way she perceived his soul to be split. Thalia has never met Marcus in the waking world, however their interaction in the dream proved instrumental in integrating Marcus and his alter, Malik.
• Watcher of the Unseen Eyes — a dream denizen Nimeda has met in his Sandman form, and felt watching her at various times prior to that. She understands some resonance of familiarity, but he is elusive, and she has grown disappointed and bored with trying to get his attention. She refers to him simply as The Watcher.
• Adrian — The Sandman’s “real” face

Tel’aran’rhiod:

Core Traits:

“Nimeda’s soul had ever been a wild thing, too inquisitive to truly tame even when her loyalties were beholden. Ally and enemy were labels used by others, and she disregarded such rules with the cheerfulness of water slipping through cupped fingers when they were imposed upon her. It was why her friendship with Mara sustained even across ages, despite His disapproval in each turning he was her father. No cage ever kept Nimeda out, not even one gnawed upon by the bristling shadows of nightmare. Or the stronger bars of time.”

Soteria

She is possessed of a soul that blossoms bright under the right influences, but can be easily twisted to something darker.

She is always born inherently curious and highly compassionate, and with an enthusiasm often mistaken for a child-like nature. Naturally she is always a little odd, perhaps owing to her longevity and the nature of her memories. She trusts easily and quickly, and revels in the company of those around her. Loyalty is staunch, but does not dissuade her from pursuing friendships among those considered enemies. Hers is never a spirit easily contained, or kept out of places she is not meant to be.

A profound loneliness leads her to seek connections where she may, and this can in turn lead her to dark places, for she will accept love from any source. Thus she may be easily exploited, manipulated, and influenced by those for whom she has affection. In addition, she does not judge those who seek her aid or her friendship, and is naturally drawn to those most outcast or monstrous.

“Warm waters soothed a soul meant for the sun. But how often she found the cool hallows of the dark places instead.”

Caerus (Almost)

Compassion forms the core of her soul, and she is compelled to answer the Need of others in all lives. No sense of morality drives her, and she might as easily soothe the guilt of a murderer as ease the pain of a grieving spouse.

Throughout the Ages she is always born into a body marked for its innocence; large eyes, delicate features, diminutive stature.

Abilities

As yet we have seen little of what Nimeda might be able to do. She has offered to remove uncomfortable memories from those in distress, but has always been declined. She maintains an uncanny ability to find others in the dream, shows recognition of reborn souls, and appears to be able to feel the Need of other dreamers and use it to bring her to them (or them to her). It was in this way she discovered the water guardian, who at the time was being hunted by Elias and Soren.

She is able to form pockets in the dream, but rarely does. The last time she did was to protect the little girl Auri from her nightmares. It formed strangely, an amalgamation of Nimeda’s previous lives. This was due to a head injury Thalia had sustained in the waking world, which ultimately caused the pocket to be unstable, and nearly killed them both when it collapsed.

More recently Nimeda invoked an ancient memory in another, using it to protect herself from Grim, and unleashed in uncontrolled anger at his intentions to kill the water guardian. As this also occurred at the time of her waking body sustaining injury, it’s not certain whether she can easily replicate the feat.

There has also been some indication that Nimeda is able to see things in water reflections. These are not prophetic visions, but what they are is yet unclear.

Other Dreaming Lives:

Between rebirths, Nimeda remains in the Dreamworld, however the lives where she is anchored in the Waking world and had a significant presence are detailed below. For more information on her Waking lives, see Thalia’s page.

2nd Age: Alethea Sayre Maelsouvra. The life in which her soul first becomes tethered to the Dreamworld. Distinctly, this is the only life in which her Waking and Dreaming lives are connected.

3rd Age: Miraseia Breakwater. The most dual-natured of her lives, and always the first after her tethering, and thus usually her hardest life. There is a large disconnect between her Waking and Dreaming selves, who often never come to know of the reality of the other. She is highly susceptible to influence in this life, seeking belonging wherever she may in an effort to understand what she is. Often it leads her to the Shadow, particularly if she falls under the wings of one of the Forsaken.

5th Age: She is born as Sothis, and later trains with the Tārās. Her dream self is a formidable force, owing to cohesion discovered through the Tārās’s practices. Though of course no memories are shared between her Waking and Dreaming selves, they are aware of the other in this life. Depending on her life experience and those she befriends, she might take on healing or wrathful aspects, but even in her vengeance she is usually a force for good, owing to the positive influences of Buddhist teachings. She is particularly skilled at protecting against nightmares and bad omens found in dreams during this life. As per the teachings of the Tārās’s boundless compassion, she is drawn to the Needs of others, a trait Nimeda still strongly retains. As per the tenets of her soul, she is most drawn to those outcast. Thus her name in this life never lasts into myth.

6th Age: Lethe. Owing to her influences in this Age, Lethe is an immoral creature, but not an unkind one. She is a potent weapon of Hades’s court, and acts at his behest without question. Lethe’s awareness of her previous life is perhaps stronger due to there being no Age in between, and much of her skill with memory is formed from this. Left to her own devices she is curious and childlike, and perhaps not entirely sane, yet she is well liked by those she meets and befriends.