Nima

Nima is one of the Secondborn, and together with their sibling Tesni, they make up the cycle of night and day.  Nima is playful and mischievous, and is just as likely to offer actual help as they are to mislead mortals for their own amusement. Nima is not terribly invested in mortals, but does find them amusing; their presence in mortal affairs is as changing as the moons.

## Sphere

God of the moons, Nima is the guardian of the night sky, the watchful light in the distance. Their light is gentler than that of the sun, but also capable of hiding many secrets; indeed, mystery is a part of the allure of their sphere.

Nima is also the god of time, having not only woven it into existence, but also guiding its stream. Daire may bring mortals to this world, and Maris may take them, but it is Nima alone who draws the length of their times on this plane.

Finally, they are the god of space - of planets and stars that become visible when they govern the skies. The vast, unknown expanse belongs to them alone, and many have tried to decipher her will from the movements in the astral plane.

### Secondary Sphere

The god of moons and space is, perhaps naturally, the god of night. They are also the governor of cycles - cycle of life and death, cycle of day and night, the seasons, the cycle of the moon, and countless others. It is they who make sure the other Bones do not fail in their duties to upkeep the natural cycles. Nima’s season is spring.

Like Tesni, Nima’s sphere includes one element that is solely reliant on mortals - that of prophecy. As the time god, Nima has access to what was, what will be and what could be, and sometimes, they choose to share this knowledge with mortals; although they tend to be as cryptic as they are vague.

## Mythology

Nima belongs to the Secondborn, and is the younger sibling of the Firstborn, but older than the Soul who came after.  Nima gets along well enough with both of their older siblings, but seems to be especially fond of their sister. Nima’s relationship with their twin is tumultuous, and the two seemingly hate each other, despite how interlinked their spheres are. Out of all the Bones, Nima is the most likely to meddle in the affairs of the Soul for their own amusement.

They interact regularly with mortals when it suits them, often in the form of omens, astronomical events or even the occasional prophetic dream. Nima can be mischievous, and things they show should be taken with a grain of salt. Nima can also be jealous, but rewards dedication with omens and gifts of farseeing to those keen enough to see their signs.

It is said that originally, the stars were few and silent, but once the Soul were born and the mortals came to gaze skyward, Nima chose to paint constellations for them to admire. They fell in love with the idea of mortals keeping such a close eye on their skies, and so more and more constellations were created until the sky looks as it does today.

Nima is usually shown as androgynous.

### Appearance in Art

Nima is usually split in color - dark with white markings, or vice versa. They are usually depicted as petite, with long flowing hair and oft slightly curled ears. They are accompanied by an owl - a dark one if Nima is primarily white, and white if they are primarily dark. Sometimes both colors of owl are present. Nima usually wears a large hourglass as their necklace. Occasionally they are depicted manipulating a massive hourglass instead, but this element is always present in some form.

Their halo is that of a moon, pale and emitting a soft glow. Nima is usually shown as a part of the night sky, surrounded by planets and stars, with their halo literally becoming the moon. When shown in a more symbolic setting, stars are often woven into their hair.

Sometimes Nima is shown with their sibling Tesni, usually being chased by them, or fighting with them over dominance of the skies.

## Worship

Compared to the other Bones, Nima is a somewhat esoteric god. Being neither as dangerous as Tesni, nor as ever-present as the Firstborn, many laypeople give them little thought in their day.  There is a celebration dedicated to them at the end of each winter, but for most outside the scholastic life or clergy, this is where their knowledge of Nima ends.

For the initiated, Nima is much, much more. They are beloved by astronomers and cherished by those who seek to see beyond the veils of time. Astrology, prophecy and all other ways of attempting to see the future fall solely within their sphere. Clerics dedicated to Nima tend to be part-priest, part-clairvoyant.

Nima’s favored offerings are spring flowers, owl feathers and clear white sand. Worshipping Nima is less about outward actions, and more about vigilance and quiet contemplation of omens - a very meditative and self-searching way of communing with a god.