Dryad
Nature is more than you would think. The roots in the ground, the connection of the plants, the pheromones in the air, and the never-ending fight to get enough light for yourself. We dryads protect this balance and want to prevent civilization from destroying it.
by Drackzahn
Abilities
Nature is power
The stronger the nature around a dryad is, the stronger the dryad is itself additionally to her own strength that comes from her experience and age. A dead place, like the middle of a big building of concrete, will do no good for a Dryad. There her powers are nearly non-existent and weak. But, in the middle of a big swamp or forest full of life, a dryad is an enemy that you can’t defeat easily. In such natural hotspots, a dryad has full control over the plants around her. She can create new plants, let plants grow quickly, or move according to her will. Some powerful and old dryads are even capable of creating fully new plant species on their own.Bloom of Nature
A dryad is a bringer of nature. If the ground is fertile and the dryad strong, then she can use a bloom of nature. She will grow roots and combine herself with the ground. In this form, she is hard to differ from an Alraune. Her powers will be sucked out of her body and let the area around her bloom with nature. Most often a big and thick forest will grow around her, but it may also be a field of flowers, a swampland with enough water, or a jungle if the temperature and the humidity levels are right. When meeting with other races, a Dryad will often use her bloom ability in small doses around her feet to give her meeting partner the illusion that everywhere she steps, a new life is created. Most dryads can’t hold this for long, but often long enough to gain the high respect of other races. Depending on the strength of the dryad and the duration of the bloom of nature power, the area can easily be several kilometers in each direction from the center. But a dryad must be careful with this power. If she overuses her power, she can easily bind herself for a long duration to that place and become an Alraune till she is strong enough to free her roots again. Most dryads that experience this will stay and live on as an Alraune thought, as they automatically become the queens of their own nature hotspot as the biggest and mightiest plant inside.Combine with Plants
The power of a dryad comes from the nature. She is able to combine herself with any plant, may it be a piece of grass, a flower, a tree, or even another plantgirl like an Alraune or Molly. A combination gives a dryad new powers depending on the plant she used. The possibilities are near endless for a dryad, especially if she is strong enough to create her own plants just by touching the ground at a nature hotspot. A combination can be split at any time by the Dryad. In some cases, the dryad will not take the plant in herself, but hide in the plant. She can decide if the plant continues to exist, or her own body. Often Dryads hide inside big trees and appear from them when they want and where they want. Alraunes are very popular for Dryads as well, as their roots reaches far and allow the dryads a quick travel via a fast combination and splitting from the Alraune. Following are some examples that are often seen by Dryads.Flowers
Flowers have often a very nice scent. Dryads can use this as a perfume for themselves. It is mostly used to smell and look better, but there are some flowers that have more to offer. The thornes of several flowers like roses can be used as a defense against a dryad and there are flowers with hypnotic substances in their DNA that can be cultivated by a dryad as well.Molly
A combination of Molly and Dryad is rare under normal conditions but can happen if they share a common goal. The dryad will increase the powers she gets from the Molly, like the hypnotic spores. But she will also alternate the powers and combine it with her own. The mollyfication is often modified by the dryad as she has no big interest in increasing the numbers of the Mollys too much. She uses the transformation power to transform her victims into plants or more dryads and other plantgirls.Alraune
An Alraune is a very powerful plantgirl who often brings a variety of abilities with her. A dryad will often use her combination power with an Alraune for relocation for the Alraune. For example, if there are too many Alraunes at one location, Dryads will be called to combine themselves with certain Alraunes. Then they go to another place together and root the Alraune there again. The mix of Alraune and Dryad creates the most powerful plantgirl individuals. They easily have access to the powers of both sides and can let a very big area bloom of nature.Tree
If you ever meet a brown Dryad, whose skin looks like wood and her size is bigger than most other dryads, then you have probably met one that has combined with a tree. This dryad not only take the hardness but also very often the size of the combined tree. Depending on the tree, she can also produce fruits or control strong wood roots.Mushrooms
Mushroom Dryads are often dangerous for humans. They can produce poison spores or sleep spores, depending on the mushroom they use for the combination. Their body is often fluid inside and very soft. Some strong dryads that have mastered the network of mushroom spores are able to clone themselves for a certain amount of time, controlling two or more bodies at once with the help of the spores. For this cloning, she can use a Human or subhuman and convert them into herself for a while.Grass
Dryads that have fused with grass are often very green and have a soft fur-like grass hull over their own skin. Some humans often joke about them as grass furries or grass plushies but that’s not too far off. A grass dryad can grow fast and uses her combined power of the grass to alternate her own body heavily. Old and powerful dryads can become a grass-like blob to get through holes or under door frames.Basic Information
Anatomy
The appearance of a Dryad differs with the amount and the kind of plants she combines with. A dryad that has not combined herself with any plants at the moment almost looks human.
Her eyes and her ears in combination with her green hairs are the only things that let humans identify her as dryad. And her lack of will to wear synthetic clothes, but as many humans prefer wool or plant-based clothes as well, it is hardly enough.
In a combined state, a dryad will often grow clothes that match her plants and her own definition of beauty.
Dryads have no sex, as they reproduce asexually. They often choose a certain way of looking and have a behavior that fits certain genders.
Genetics and Reproduction
Dryads reproduce mostly by two means. One is by transforming other species into their own kind. This may also be done by an Woodscale Lamia or the goddess Aliry. The other way is natural reproduction by infesting a plant with its essence. They take a part of themselves and put it into a plant. The essence will use the plant as an incubation pot and grow inside. Eventually, a new dryad will be born out of the plant. The newborn is a naive, but fully grown adult dryad.
If a dryad is at the end of its life, then they can put their whole essence into a plant, preferable a big tree. Over many years, the dryad will clean her essence through the plant and is eventually reborn as a new dryad. They still have access to their old memories, yet they are reborn as a new being but with the same Soul.
Ecology and Habitats
Dryads prefer to live deep in forests, swamps, and jungles. Anywhere where nature flourishes and their powers are strongest. Towns are only acceptable for them for a short duration or inside big park areas of the town. Any place where no nature at all exists is hated by them and they avoid being at such a place.
Additional Information
Social Structure
They live often alone in their chosen nature hotspot. Sometimes they live together with other dryads or Alraunes. In some rare cases with Mollys as well. Beegirls are also welcome by them as they help the dryads spread and protect nature. From time to time dryads rise to rulers of their nature hotspot. Then they will form communities with other nature lovers and plantgirl races.
In rare cases, they leave their nature hotspot and go into the town. That can be for negotiations, for doctor appointments that can’t be done in nature, or simply for shopping for very special things they need and can’t produce themselves. When leaving their forest, it is typical for a dryad to produce a pair of shoes and fill them with dirt and seeds. Like this, they always have a bit of their beloved nature with them, even deep in the cities of the humans.
On Earth, many Dryads refer to a certain Naga as their goddess. That Naga; Izimir, transformed the first humans into dryads on Earth and is the source of most plantgirls in Slimea and the reason for their variety. But not all follow her as a goddess, most see just a very powerful plant manipulator in the naga. Nevertheless, it is very unlikely that a Dryad or plant girl, in general, will speak ill of Izimir as the naga protects nature. Izimir herself is no goddess in power, but only a follower of Aliry. On Bardor, most dryads pray to the goddess of nature Aliry directly.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Dryads have a special sense of the plants and general life around them. They can feel the pains of nature and can instinctively tell if a plant has all it needs or if something is bothering the plant.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
A dryad harvest and protect their nature hotspot. They will help others in their domain and protect life in any form if possible.
There is no true social structure in their ranks, as all are equal in the eyes of nature. Older Dryads often have earned themself a reputation that is accepted by the younger dryads.
On Bardor, there are many different regions with dryads. Most of them follow the goddess of Nature Aliry.
The Queendom of Slimea often uses Dryads to help in farming and renaturation. The farms they are helping out often resemble more forests or chaotic nature areas than modern farms, but bring similar high harvests. Renaturated areas, like the volcanic isles, have many of, which are often given to the dryads as their territory.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Protectors of nature, bringer of nature. These are two titles that are often used when speaking about Dryads. They love nature and love to see it flourish. Anything that threatens nature or life itself is hated by them, even though they can understand that nature needs to be held in bounds as well for other life forms to flourish.
Dryads are very responsible and hard to negotiate with.
Lifespan
800 years till rebirth by nature
Related Organizations
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