Fae-Folk, Nymphs

From Clearing up Racial Misconceptions

Previously, we explored the culture of the Pixies; a race derived from the Faeries. We explored the origins of the conflict between Pixies and Faeries, and the reasons the Pixies agreed to be summoned by Thaumaturgists. Now we shall explore the Nymph species.

The Nymphs are a rather mysterious branch of the same species that produced the Dryads and Naiads (respectively, the sprits of trees and rivers). Whereas Dryads and Naiads are far more specialized in where they live, Nymphs have more freedom. Nymphs are nature spirits, like the Dryads and Naiads. They live in many variable climates: forests, rivers, lakes, and on rare occasions in mountains as well, though they shun deserts as being too barren for their tastes. They'll have nothing to do with icy regions, swamps, marshes, and bogs either.

As far as organization goes, Nymphs have none. They dwell in numbers ranging in size from a single nymph to many hundreds of nymphs spread out over a chosen area. The Nymphs, like their cousins, often choose to dwell within a natural object, such as a tree, a rock, or a lake. The Nymphs are a very individualistic culture, acknowledging no leader or group of leaders. They interact where there is more than one of their kind, but each Nymph goes her own way.

That is another note: the Nymphs are an entirely female species. Being spirits of nature and not mortal flesh-and-blood they have no need of the normal laws of reproduction. Nymphs also are startlingly beautiful, standing about two-to-three feet tall, with the bodies of grown human women. They have long hair of various shades: silver, red, black, blue, dark-purple, brown, blonde, and green. Typical eyeshades are blue, brown, hazel, silver, gold, lavender, and green. Enhancing this appearance is the fact that Nymphs generally do not wear clothing, except when travelling to an alien clime, in which case they dress accordingly.

Nymph cultural traditions are surprisingly strong considering that they have no leader or social structure. They celebrate the changing of the seasons through elaborate dances and ceremonies, often taking weeks to prepare. At the beginning of winter, by unspoken agreement, the Nymphs gather for the Festival of the Dark Solstice, an elaborate and sorrowful festival that marks the end of the seasons of planting and growth and the beginning of the season of death and darkness (for that is how winter is perceived in Nymph culture). Nymphs are very scarcely seen in winter, hiding from the evil beings that they believe haunt the world during the winter months. On the day of the Spring Equinox, the Nymphs gather by unspoken agreement to celebrate the Nymphfest, a joyful occasion marking the end of winter and hailing the return of the sun. There is the smaller Summerfest on the first day of summer as well.

Nymphs relate their history and traditions to younger Nymphs by oral storytelling, not bothering to keep written histories or pictographic works in any form. The Nymphs share the raising of their young, passing children from one Nymph to another randomly. On a similar note, Nymphs have been known occasionally to find lost children of other species, whom they raise as their own.

Nymphs generally are indifferent to all other species, save the Elves, Faeries and Pixies. They respect these species because of their closeness to nature and sometimes will work with them. The Nymphs have a strong dislike for the Dark Elves, viewing them as corrupters of nature, and they shun undead entirely. However, they will not attack these species unless provoked. The Nymphs don't really care what anyone does, or about world events, except insofar as it affects nature. The Nymphs usually prefer to use misdirection and confusion to draw hostile invaders away from their homes, but when that doesn't work they are not afraid to permanently deal with hostiles. They do not kill since they are not fighters, but since they are spirits of nature they often manipulate nature to "remove" persistent invaders. Nymphs don't recognize that they use Arcana, tending towards Druidism naturally and often taking up Mysticism or Elementalism as a second art to confuse invaders and instill in them a sense of respect for nature.

All this begs the question: how is it that master Thaumaturgists can summon Nymphs? That is an interesting story. According to several Nymphs, some several centuries ago some Nymphs found a young girl whose parents had been killed by brigands, leaving her on her own near a lake. The Nymphs took pity on the child and took her own, raising her as one of their own. When the child grew up, she was told of her finding and she left to find the slayers of her parents. She found them as they camped after a robbery and slew them all without mercy or pity. Shortly after the incident, the young woman had a crisis of conscience. She went to the Church and was forgiven her sins. She stayed there for many years, becoming a renowned priestess and an archmage of Thaumaturgy. The Nymphs were worried for her, and, despite the Nymphish abhorrence of cities, some went and found the woman in Diana. After being assured that she was well, the Nymphs decided to stay. The woman felt that they should be free, but as a compromise she created a spell by which she could summon them if ever in need. Her apprentice sold this spell to the Institute of Magical Studies upon her death, hoping to get rich by selling his former teacher's possessions, but the Nymphs keep their part of the agreement anyways, out of fond memories of the archmage who created the spell.