Homebrew Dryad Species Details

    "No one, not even the Nymphs themselves, are sure where they come from, but the best theory is that Nymphs are born of plants that grow in a forest that is imbued with strong magic. They are the product of nature and magic in its rawest and truest form.

They are bound to the plant that they were born from, unable to roam far from their forest, but some dryads have been seen uprooting their plants and either carrying them around, or replanting them elsewhere. This does not go without consequence. Their plant is the most sensitive part of themselves and if it is destroyed, so will they be. It is also incredibly frowned upon in the Nymph community to uproot your plant for any reason, so those who do are often ostracized from their people.

Nymphs believe they are duty-bound to their forest, that they are meant to protect their forest with their lives from outsiders."

                                                                  -Kyreshi Retunda

                                                                         Historian and Student of Nature

Untouched Beauty

The primal and raw beauty of the Dryads is one that can only be compared to the beauty of nature itself. A beautiful cliff face or a tangled forest that feels homely are descriptors that work for both nature and dryads alike. They are similar in height to humans, though heavier due to the density of wood. There are no discernible biological differences between male and female dryads. Many dryads can also self pollinate.

Dryads have a vast variety of colouration, seemingly based upon the plant life they are born from. Their hair tend to mirror what their plant has, whether that be vine, leaves, or many things between. It also very common to see splotches of bark on a dryads skin. They favor simple and natural clothing, if any. Many do not wear shoes, as to not obstruct their connect to the ground.

A Well-Lived Life

For the most part, Dryads reach adulthood around the same time as humans, but they can live far long to around 250 years old. 

Some Dryads have been rumored to live much much longer depending on the quality of the air, solid, and water of where they live.

Like the branches of the trees they come from, Dryads can be quite flexible when their life depends on it, but too much stress will snap a branch, just like it will cause a Dryad to snap. If they don't have clean water, soil, or air, they can catch diseases or rot. 

Protected Forest Homes

Most dryads live in the forests they were born into. These forests have magic flowing throughout them that feeds the inhabitants, as well as protects them. But this protection isn't perfect and sometimes intruders make their way too close. Dryads will not hesitate to take up arms to in the protection of their forests and forest-dwelling friends. They will fight and play mind games with any would-be intruder. Very few leave a protected forest alive if they were not welcomed in first.

 

Exploration and Adventure

In some cases a dryad will uproot their plant and take it with them to either a new location, or to be a wandering dryad. This is incredibly frowned upon and leads to the ostracization of the dryad from it's people. 

Some do it anyway for the adventurous soul of the fey is too strong. This is quite dangerous though, as their plant is the most sensitive part of a Dryad and the death of this plant would be the death of the Dryad.

Pretentious

Many people view Dryads as pretentious because they tend to look down on anyone who is not of the forest. They also are disgusted by the blind expansion of cities without the thought of the nature that was there first.

 

Dryad Names

Most dryads take names based on their physical attributes. This can include, but isn't limited to, eye color, fruit color, skin texture, flower pattern, and much more. 

Dryads don't tend to have family names, but wondering Dryads are known to change their names to better fit into a society outside of their forest.

Subrace

Dryads races are based on the plant from which they came. Some are more common than others, like the common Oak or Pine dryad, but Dryads of fruit bearing trees are quite rare.

Dryad Traits

Your Dryad has many innate skills from their connection to the forest.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Ability Score Increase

Your Wisdom and Constitution scores are increased by 1.

Age

For the most part, Dryads reach adulthood around the same time as humans, but they can live far long to around 250 years old. 

Some Dryads have been rumored to live much much longer depending on the quality of the air, solid, and water of where they live.

Like the branches of the trees they come from, Dryads can be quite flexible when their life depends on it, but too much stress will snap a branch, just like it will cause a Dryad to snap. If they don't have clean water, soil, or air, they can catch diseases or rot. 

Size

Dryads range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan. Sylvan is the language of the fey and is very rarely used.

Speak with Critters

Due to your connection with the forest you're able to share basic feelings and simple thoughts with tiny animals and they are able to do the same to you.

Barkskin

Due to the bark that encompasses spots along your body, you are vulnerable to Fire damage.

Tree Stride

You have the ability to enter a tree and move from inside it to inside another tree of the same kind within 100 feet. Both trees must be living and at least the same size as you. You must use 5 feet of movement to enter a tree. You instantly know the location of all other trees of the same kind within 100 feet and, as part of the move used to enter the tree, can either pass into one of those trees or step out of the tree you're in. You appear in a spot of your choice within 5 feet of the destination tree, using another 5 feet of movement. If you have no movement left, you appear within 5 feet of the tree you entered.

You can use this transportation ability twice per long rest.

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.