Homebrew Nymph Species Details

"We heard a musical laugh and saw a splash. None of us could turn away. A girl, impossibly beautiful, bathed alone in the spring. The sway of her hips made the ogling men groan. Soon, it was all we could do to please her. Even the caravan's livestock obeyed her. And we would have done anything for her to scratch us behind the ear the way she did my horse. We fought to give her everything we had, and she rewarded us with a touch on the chin. It was more than generous so we wished her happily on her way. Eventually, we came to our senses. None of us wanted to report to King Jorsen how we'd given away all our treasure to a forest nymph, so we pummeled one another and told him we'd been robbed by bandits."

Elves are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, where soft music drifts through the air and gentle fragrances waft on the breeze. Elves love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.

Slender and Graceful

With their unearthly grace and fine features, elves appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds. Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females.

Elves’ coloration encompasses the normal human range and also includes skin in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of green or blue, and eyes like pools of liquid gold or silver. Elves have no facial and little body hair. They favor elegant clothing in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry.

A Timeless Perspective

Elves can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, elves can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with disdain and to serious insults with vengeance.

Like the branches of a young tree, elves are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in diplomacy and compromise to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their woodland homes, confident that they can simply wait the invaders out. But when the need arises, elves reveal a stern martial side, demonstrating skill with sword, bow, and strategy.

Hidden Woodland Realms

Most elves dwell in small forest villages hidden among the trees. Elves hunt game, gather food, and grow vegetables, and their skill and magic allow them to support themselves without the need for clearing and plowing land. They are talented artisans, crafting finely worked clothes and art objects. Their contact with outsiders is usually limited, though a few elves make a good living by trading crafted items for metals (which they have no interest in mining).

Elves encountered outside their own lands are commonly traveling minstrels, artists, or sages. Human nobles compete for the services of elf instructors to teach swordplay or magic to their children.

Exploration and Adventure

Elves take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries of exploration and discovery. They dislike the pace of human society, which is regimented from day to day but constantly changing over decades, so they find careers that let them travel freely and set their own pace. Elves also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so. Some might join with rebels fighting against oppression, and others might become champions of moral causes.

HAUGHTY BUT GRACIOUS

Although they can be haughty, elves are generally gracious even to those who fall short of their high expectations—which is most non-elves. Still, they can find good in just about anyone.

Dwarves. “Dwarves are dull, clumsy oafs. But what they lack in humor, sophistication, and manners, they make up in valor. And I must admit, their best smiths produce art that approaches elven quality.”

Halflings. “Halflings are people of simple pleasures, and that is not a quality to scorn. They’re good folk, they care for each other and tend their gardens, and they have proven themselves tougher than they seem when the need arises.”

Humans. “All that haste, their ambition and drive to accomplish something before their brief lives pass away—human endeavors seem so futile sometimes. But then you look at what they have accomplished, and you have to appreciate their achievements. If only they could slow down and learn some refinement.”

Nymphs are nature’s embodiment of physical beauty, and they guard the sacred places of the wild. They are so unbearably lovely that even a glimpse of one can blind an onlooker. Most nymphs hate evil and any who would despoil the wilds for any reason. A nymph’s demeanor is wild and mercurial. Like nature, she embodies both great beauty and fearsome danger. She can be kind and graceful to mortals who revere the wild places of the world but is also quick to strike against mortals who take more than they need or who treat nature thoughtlessly. Most nymphs are bound to a glade, or pool of some kind, however, there are a few that wander the Feywilds and the prime material unbound.

Wild Personality

The personality of a nymph is also a reflection of nature. Nymphs are mercurial creatures who may act with kindness but are also quick to strike against those who tread on nature by acting greedily or thoughtlessly. As caretakers of the woods, they favor deep forests and often shun the other races. However, due to their playfulness, curiosity and carefree nature, the strongly individual nymph can be found all over supporting a wide variety of different causes.

Embodiment of Nature

Nymphs, unless they choose to do so, do not reproduce, but are rather generated by the beauty of the natural world. The beauty of a nymph is so difficult for the mind to comprehend that the brain of an onlooker often simply stops processing visual stimuli to avoid sensory overload. Nymphs are not merely reflections of their environment but are intimately intertwined with it. If the home of a nymph is burned, used as a dumping ground, or otherwise despoiled, the nymph may fade away or become twisted. Similarly, if a nymph is injured, the beauty of the surroundings is likewise diminished, and if a nymph is killed, the area will become twisted and wither.

Sacred Places

Although the nymph may embody a forest or some larger aspect of nature, a nymph's home is a particularly secluded and pristine area, such as a grove, a pool, or a hilltop. Nymphs will defend this area against all intrusion. Nymphs will often use non-lethal force at first unless given reason to believe the intruders have ill-intent or if they reply with deadly attacks of their own.

Friends of nature, such as druids or rangers, may be given an opportunity to explain their presence, and if there is a good reason, maybe offered aid.

Nymph Names

Nymphs have several names. Their first name is in the fashion of the nearby civilization. Their secret name is in Sylvan and usually has to do with nature such as river, wind, deer, jaguar, willow, spring, etc. Many Nymphs choose to have a "last name" to reflect their personality such as a Nymph of the Tree named Tyrande Whisperwind.

Female: Aegle, Aglaia, Alcyone, Amphitrite, Arethusa, Atropos, Calliope, Calypso, Celaeno, Clio, Clotho, Clymene, Chrsothemis, Daphne, Dione, Dryope, Echo, Electra, Erato, Erytheis, Euphrosyne, Euterpe, Galatea, Hesperia, Lachesis, Lotis, Melpomene, Merope, Penelope, Polyhymnia, Procris, Maia, Scylla, Sterope, Taygete, Thalia, Thetis, Urania

 

Nymph Traits

Your nymph character has a variety of supernatural abilities, due to their fey blood.

Unearthly Grace

While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC is equal to 10 + your Charisma modifier.

Blinding Beauty

As an action, you can force all humanoids within 30 feet of you to succeed on a Willpower saving throw or become blinded until the end of your next turn. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until after you finish a long rest.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Nymphs are born of nature and do not physically age; they manifest fully gown and they reach an adult emotional state in around 10 years. They cannot die of old age, however, most will usually choose to 'return to nature' at around 300 years of age.

Alignment

As beings of nature, nymphs are generally of neutral alignment, though many of those that are not bound to a specific natural place are of good alignment. It is very rare for a nymph to be of evil alignment.

Size

Size

Nymphs are slightly shorter and lighter than elves. Your size is Medium.

Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
4'5″	+2d8	80 lb.	× (1d4) lb.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.  You also have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Fey Ancestry

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

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Elvish. Elvish is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Elven literature is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires.