“The fields have eyes, and the woods have ears.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Hearts of the woods and forests. Japanese.
Quick Look
Alignment: Ulong Lai / Summer
System: Medium
Environment: Forest
Avg Height: ???
Avg Lifespan: 500*
Magic
Dryad Magic is built upon quid-pro-quo relations and goodwill built between Nature Spirits and their Nymphs.
Dryad Nymphs work to spread nutrients, remove pests, and eliminate any individuals who might cause harm to their forests.
In return, the Spirits of said forests bend to the desires of their resident Dryads.
The Dryads are a race of Mortal trees who fall under the influence of Ulong Lai / Summer.
Helpless on their own; seasoned Dryad groves will often pool resources in order to form 'Nymphs' - mobile puppets with which their Dryad groves may remotely mimic animal life.
One should never mistake a Dryad Nymph for real flesh.
Some time during the First Era, a precursor to the Alkhakh / Fae race hunted Dryad precursors to near-extinction. Even with Xurhuan Zhi / Elysia's help, only the tree-based Dryad forms remained.
Dryads grew in power immensely during the Second Era, as expansionist Human-Elven societies spurred increasingly more Nature Spirits to work with local Nymphs.
Society
Wild Dryads are often hostile with one another; competing for resources and spiritual goodwill. They are even more hostile amongst other intelligent races - viewing themselves as superior yet also threatened by firestarters and woodcutters.
Within organized society, however, Dryads must oftentimes coordinate to position Nymphs in positions of political or economic import in order to ensure their grove's safety.
Appearance
Notes
Originally, a predecessor race to the Dryads had all manner of variants.
Plants, rocks, atmospheres, water, etc.
Though Dryads typically live around 500 years, their Nymphs are a product of entire Dryad groves.
Provided that any dying Dryads are continuously replaced with new ones, a Dryad Nymph could theoretically live forever.