Homebrew Dryad Species Details

Physical Description

Dryads are humanoids who live within the woods. They blend in with nature itself due to plant-like properties that grow out of their bodies, like twigs, grass hairs, bark skin, leaves, and even flowers. For the most part, dryads are almost exclusively female, though some may be androgynous, as they are merely spirits of nature in the end. Dryads embody the trees usually, but some are found in other plants like river reeds and flower bushes. They usually wear loose clothing made of plant material. Dryads are typically described as fleeting and beautiful.

History

Origins for dryads starts with the trees. Primal forces of nature within nature mature and form a humanoid form to protect and tend to the forests. These are the dryads. They are usually bound to the trees they inhabit as a result. Some dryads will even die if their home tree does. There are also stories of dryads born through the communion of nature gods, created to be attendants by Chauntea and such.

Society

As dryads are bound to their forests, they fear encroaching modernity from civilization. Usually, they live in the forests their whole lives, particularly for their tree's sake. Within these woods, they are usually frequented by travelers and other interlopers within the natural world. Many dryads host parties with fey entities like fairies, leprechauns, and boisterous satyrs. They otherwise live very simple lives, merely subsisting off the nature around them. Even the dryads who adventure, having been able to leave their forest, live sparsely. They feel uncomfortable in cities and will rarely indulge in excess.

Dryad Names

A dryad takes their name from something in nature or a name that relates to their home plants.

Male: Dryope, Erato, Eurydice, Balanos, Epimeliades, Igeiros, Olivis, Oake

Female: Chrysopeleia, Phigalia, Tithorea, Kraneia, Daphnaeae, Morea, Kissiae, Meliae

Dryad Traits

Humanoids made of Wood. Guardians of the Forest. Watchers of Nature.

Forest Blend

You have advantage on Stealth checks made to hide among foliage, trees and other plant life.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Alignment

Humans tend toward no particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.

Size

Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan. Some Dryads that deal with druids folk know Druidic themselves.

Barkskin

You have a naturally occurring tough skin covering you from head to toe. When unarmored, your Armor Class is equal to 12 + your Dexterity modifier.

Photosythesis

Being a plant-based life form, you create your food through photosynthesis. At the end of every hour you spend in direct sunlight either walking or standing still you regain hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. Likewise the longer you spend away from sunlight you begin to decay. After a day you become vulnerable to fire and your vibrant colors begin to fade, after 2 days you gain 1 exhaustion point every proficiency and constitution modifier hours and become vulnerable to cold damage. For every exhaustion point gained you lose more of your color.