Homebrew Dryad Species Details

DRYADS

Usually found in the Feywild or in places of magical power scattered around the mortal realms, Dryads are a secretive, highly intelligent race. Living communally in Groves, Dryads are often wary of passers by and loggers for the same reasons; unless they’re willing to take a cutting of their tree with them, they are often limited to the same 500ft radius for most of their lives.

Wise and learned, Dryads are given access to the collective knowledge of their Grove the moment their seed pops through the soil, and all experiences are added to the system. Dryads who venture away from home are seen as heroes, taking their collective knowledge with themselves to add and expand upon in places where no Dryadic trees grow. Knowledge can be passed from Grove to Grove, as all dryads are capable of interbreeding with each other, regardless of perceived gender.

Secretive and Intelligent

Dryads are, at heart, a secretive people, having to keep their Groves safe from prying hands with large axes. They make excellent spies, and take well to glamours; the only problem being that their tree cutting must travel with them, as they are bound to a 500ft radius of their sapling. Once a tree roots somewhere, the Dryad can take a cutting of this new growth and continue on again.

Dryads can share their grove’s knowledge with those willing to undertake the trials to become worthy; A Trial of the Mind, a Trial of the Flesh and a Trial of the Soul. What those trials are varies from Grove to Grove, but they mainly consist of knowledge sharing and various feats of physical prowess.

 

Growth and Lifespan

Dryads live for as long as their central tree reminds standing at the Grove. Freak accidents like natural disasters or lightning strikes have been known to burn a Grove out before their time, but if left alone they can live for as long as their tree survives. Truly killing a dryad means destroying their tree, because they can manifest within a year or so after their “death”, their memories intact.

The oldest known dryad is over ten thousand years old, and resides in a secret location that other, roaming Dryads, search out every hundred years or so. Dryads manifest from their trees at Sapping, or their sapling breaking through the ground, to both protect their sapling and provide it with the nurture it needs to grow. They are fairly small once they Sap, but as the years pass, until their trees are about two or three, they grow steadily until they reach their mature form. They tend not to have the common conception of “male” and “female”, breasts being grown for purely aesthetic purposes, and no genitalia to speak of because they propagate through their blooms.

Dryadic Lore

Dryads, as a species, store their communal knowledge within their Groves. When two subspecies interbreed (most dryads can and will interbreed with each other, making for interesting foliage and bloom combinations) their communal understanding of the world is shared with their partner(s). They tend to enter into open ended relationships, as there isn’t the same concept of family, insofar as flesh beings seem to subscribe to.

Groves are led by the pair of oldest Dryads, who have the oldest and most deeply rooted trees; they make decisions for the Grove, and choose whether to share, or not (as the case may be) their knowledge with the outside world. They have no concept of the afterlife, as they often do not die outright, instead believing that any body lost is a chance for another Grove to start.

If anything, they believe that the good of the many outweighs the good of the few.

 

Dryadic Names

 

Often, Dryads take a name for themselves based around their tree; Fern, Oak, Eucalyptus, so on so forth. When travelling with fleshbound beings such as humans, orcs, gnolls and the like, they will often allow their travelling companions to give them a name that they think suits them; this so called TravelName is something they wear with pride, no matter how ridiculous or gendered it may sound.

 

Subraces

 

Tropical: Dryads that come from Tropical climates tend to be based around Mangroves, Palm Trees, evergreens and brush-like growth and foliage. They tend to be strong and move fluidly, and are brightly coloured. Tropical Dryads gain a +1 to Dexterity, and become proficient in Sleight of Hand.

Temperate: These deciduous tree dryads have a blooming season, much like all of their cousins, but their tree-like branches protruding from their bodies lose their foliage through the winter. They’re nominally green, some fading to amber in the autumn, moving with careful consideration. Temperate Dryads gain a +1 to Intelligence and become proficient in History.

Mediterranean:  These dryads are hardy and deep rooted, their groves closely packed together. They trim each other with single minded precision, as uniformity is as valued as wild growth. It depends on the individual. Meditarranean Dryads gain a +1 to Wisdom and become proficient in Survival.

Icebound: These bracken-like dryads are proud, strong and very spiky; their foliage is needlelike and very closely bunched together, and they tend to travel in packs of three or more. It’s rare to see these dryads alone, and they keep their constant supply of saplings closer than most others.

Icebound Dryads gain a +1 to Charisma and become proficient in Persuasion.

Mountaintop: These solitary dryads are bent impressively by the wind, and long legged to make their way through snow, like their Icebound cousins. The difference being in the way they interact with others; like lone wolves, they are slow to trust but once their loyalty is earned, it is there for life.  Mountaintop Dryads gain a +1 to Strength and become proficient in Athletics.

Dryad Traits

Your Dryad characters all have the same base characteristics, with geographical variants providing different abilities and boons.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Age

Dryads mature after three to ten years, and remain alive as long as their original Tree remains standing.

Alignment

Community minded and independent, Dryad's tend to be some flavour of Neutral, but lean towards Good or Chaotic.

Size

Dryads can range in size from four feet to seven feet tall, depending on factors like growth rate of the parent tree, or growth environment. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your base climbing speed is 40ft. Your base swimming speed is 20ft.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan, as well as two other languages of your choice.