Nymph
Nymphs are a Seelie Fey creature, primarily native to the Spring Court and Summer Court of the Feywild, though communes of nymphs also exist in the Autumn Court, and Winter Court, as well as on the Material Plane.
Four main families of nymph exist: dryads (or wood nymphs), sylphs (or air nymphs), rusalkae (or water nymphs), and peléans (or volcanic nymphs). Each draws some lineage from a type of Elemental (earth, air, water, and fire, respectively). Sages believe that the nymphs originated from fey portals or fey-windows near the edges of each Elemental Plane. However, only one of such possible portals has been discovered by mortals: namely, the one within the the Crown-Fire Grove in the Western Woods, which is heavily guarded by a colony of peléans.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Nymphs appear similar to beautiful young Elf or Half-Elf women, though there is something otherworldly in their large green eyes and sharp cheekbones. Their skin tones range from ivory to deep brown. Occasionally, it draws a tint from the nymph's elemental heritage: blue for rusalkae or sylphs, green for dryads, and red or orange for peléans. Their facial features and hair colors often reflect particular elements of their environments (for instance, the famous poetic example of "golden-haired nymphs of the Rádeghrein Sea").
Genetics and Reproduction
All nymphs are female for most of their existence. Every seven years, there is a mating season in which a few temporarily become male. There seems to be no specific hierarchical reasoning behind which nymphs change sex; most sages believe it is a matter of personal preference. Mating pairs seem to have little significance outside of the mating season, and nymphs take multiple mates over the course of a lifetime.
Growth Rate & Stages
Nymphs reach maturity between 200 and 250 years, at which point they are able to mate. Unless destroyed by violent or accidental means or separated from their parent element, nymphs are believed to be immortal. Some sages theorize that nymphs dissolve into wisps after several thousand years or when under emotional distress.
Ecology and Habitats
Nymphs are unusual among fey in that they can easily survive in three realms: the Feywild, the Material Plane, or their parent Elemental Plane. However, all nymphs must exist near large amounts of their parent element, or else they perish. Colonies of nymphs on the Material Plane can be found in many particularly dense areas of their parent element: rusalkae in reefs, lakes, and brackish water, dryads in deep woods, sylphs on high mountaintops, and peléans near active volcanoes (or near the western Endless Magma).
Additional Information
Social Structure
Nymphs live in communes with little discernible social structure; with the exception of occasional interpersonal disputes, all nymphs are effectively equals. However, some nymph communes residing near particular fey portals or archfey domains may look to a nearby archfey, such as Galatea, Selúne, or Jezibaba, for aid or guidance.
Civilization and Culture
Historical Figures
Alsbeta Líbera began her life as a rusalka living in the Near Isles colony, near a hidden portal to the Winter Court. She fell in love with a human man and bargained with Jezibaba to make her mortal, in exchange for losing her voice and becoming Beholden to her. This is the first known incident of Jezibaba's Cauldron creating a Soul. Alsbeta later became a powerful adventurer under the name Rusalka, and succeeded in breaking her pact with Jezibaba, killing her, and delivering her cauldron to Telwyth-Teg, who used it to offer souls to goblinkind. In the fall of Y1111, Rusalka told the Rose Reefs colony of rusalkae about the possibility of gaining souls for themselves. A number of nymphs (mostly other rusalkae) have since sought out Telwyth-Teg and created souls for themselves, similar to the goblins.
by Сергей Панасенко-Михалкин
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