Homebrew Dryad Species Details

 

Dryads are magical fey of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not part of it. They live in forests, swamps, and glades if they so choose to enter the Material plane. they may set up a small hut or tree platform to serve as a home but they tend to live as wild as they can, nomadic almost. Some have seen civilizations rise and fall while others have only just gained a forest of their own. Not many Dryads exist in the Feywild let alone the Material Plane, but those who do will share any knowledge they can with their fellow dryad.

Tall and Graceful

With their unearthly grace and fine features, Dryads appear captivating to humans and members of many other races. Their skin ranges from greens to browns, hair made from leaves and branches, and ranging from 5ft to well over 14ft, making blending in with humans a difficult task. They are leaner than humans, weighing between 100 to 400 pounds. Since Dryads typically reproduce asexually, they don't necessarily have a defined gender and can present as Female, Male, or anywhere in between.

A Dryads’ coloration encompasses the range that trees and shrubs would have, ranging from dark russet brown, a light shade of green, to a rich redwood, and can change shades and colors for up to 1 minute at a time. Their hair is made up of strands of ivy or vines, leaf-covered branches, or any type of foliage; various "hair" colors range from whatever flowers or leaves they are able to produce. Their eyes can be any color with a pupil of any shape. They choose to wear little to no clothing in order to keep their range of movement fluid and fast, later developing their own aesthetic depending on how close they are to whatever region and civilization they are closest to. Although you are built like a humanoid you are not restrained to the looks of one, whether it be hooves, horns, or tails, your looks depend on chance and the environment you are built for.

A Sappling's Perspective

Dryads can live well over 100-1,000 years, giving them a broad connection with life and death and the presence of nature around them. They are more often amused and excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof to the ways of large civilization lest the town itself has a deeper respect for the landscape. When protecting their claim of land, however, whether it be from poachers, miners, or loggers, they are relentless and show mercy in the way that nature does; by showing nearly none at all. They are quick to make friends and even slower to make enemies. They reply tend to live as happily as they can and not to waste what time they are given.

With their ability to communicate and understand the flora and fauna around them, they can sense danger quicker than others and will retreat into the nearest tree, striding from one tree to another in order to scope out the threat and take care of it if need be. They believe in the order of nature and survival of the fittest, eat or be eaten as is the circle of life. 

Hidden in the Woodland

Dryads rarely leave their Plane of birth or the forest thy have claimed as home; thus they are more known as myths or legends. They appreciate the history of the land and will watch towns turn into cities from a distance, only interfering if they throw off the balance of the circle directly. They help those asking for it and will assist nearby villages if their farming is unsuccessful or during a famine; so long as they live fairly by natural standards.

Dryads found outside their claimed land either have chosen to leave it to a younger Dryad or have lost it due to environmental or humanoid destruction. they will either wander the world collecting knowledge and stories or return to their birthplace via a natural gate or magic they have acquired through their life.

Dryad Names

Full blood Dryads aren't born like other humanoids, they emerge from special trees in the Feywild with a full consciousness like that of an adult; though they still lack social mannerisms and the ability to speak. If another Dryad or a partnered Pair/ group decide they want to "raise" an offspring, they combine their magic into an already established sampling thus creating a Dryadid Tree. The Parents then care for and look after the Dryadid tree as it grows and matures at an exponential rate over the course of about a year. Once the Dryadid tree is full-grown, the leaves of the tree simultaneously fall and surround the trunk like a blanket. After a few minutes, the leaves coalesce to one side and a new Dryad emerges from underneath.

This newly created Dryad is then named and raised by their Parents and after 3-5 years is mature enough to venture off on their own and to choose who they want to be. Their gender and self-identity can be fluid as they don't normally reproduce as mammals do.

Dryad Names: Indica, Ihrone, Tamarix, Corydalae, Ravannae, Tykiphe, Sose, Lydia, Ferne, Ianisse, Bormea  Hibiscae, Merope, Lantana, Sage, Silene, Cinnamoris

Dryad Traits

Your Dryad character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of their connection to the earth and life.

Ability Score Increase

Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age

Dryads don't necessarily age in the traditional sense, they grow and age in mentality but they do not have a consistent maturity cycle; as many dryads are created as full adults (though this is not true for all). From the time of creation to its eventual death,  a dryad can live from 100 years to over 1,000 years.

Size

Dryads Range from under 5ft tall to over 14ft depending on age, with long slender builds. Your size can range from Medium to Large.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Barkskin

Being as you are not only Fey but considered a plant as well, you have the same natural defense that a tree would have. you can also alter the color of your skin for a short amount of time so long as it is a natural color found in nature (1 minute at a time). You can alter the toughness of your skin 2 times per long rest; giving an additional +2 to your AC so long as you are wearing leather armor or none at all.

Natures' Gift

You have proficiency in the Nature skill.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Literally a Tree

Because you are technically considered a plant:

• you gain a vulnerability to Fire Damage
• you're able to regenerate health at the end of each hour you are in natural bright sunlight (CON mod+Proficency)
• Beasts and Plants can understand you as if you were a best or plant yourself, though you cannot understand them as well, only knowing a general sense of what they are trying to relay. Beasts and plants have free will and do not have to listen to you if they are not persuaded to do so.
• Tree Stride: this is a natural ability for you. You can walk through a tree and out of a different one within 40ft of each other so long as they are alive and within 5ft of you, this can be done an unlimited number of times. During combat, however, Striding is used as a bonus action during your turn and uses 20ft of your movement speed, but allows you to pop out of a different tree. If used as a reaction, you can hide inside a tree, giving your opponent disadvantage on their attack roll; but you are to remain in the tree until your next turn, using a bonus action and 20ft of movement to appear out of a different tree.

Tree Trance

Dryads need sleep but can acquire it in one of 2 ways. The traditional 8-hour sleep cycle, or through a 4-hour trance within a tree. the tree must be alive and big enough to fit your form. While resting within the tree, you enter a lucid dream-like state as if daydreaming, and can be woken if the tree you reside in its either harmed or if enough noise is made nearby.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan. Sylvan is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar.  Sylvan is based on Elven script; Known mainly by creatures Native to the feywild.