Nymphs

***A Legendary tale…** This player-written lore is non-canon and may not exist within Elysium until revived and approved by Staff upon request.*

**Note:** *There are multiple articles on Nymphs. See Nymph Lore for the other article.*

Nymphs are the embodiments of nature and mythical spirits of the land, sea, and air. They were created from the magical energy that seeped into the world of Elysium during the First Age. Some of this energy coalesced with various aspects of nature and gained sentience over time. Eventually these sentient energies became spirits who took on human form and came to identify themselves as Nymphs. These nature spirits can be categorized into four main types:

* Aurai - Air nymphs, who embodied the winds and breezes
* Dryad - Tree nymphs, who embodied the forests
* Naiad - Water nymphs, who embodied the seas and rivers.
* Oread - Earth Nymphs, who embodied the mountains and valleys

# Types of Nymphs

Nymphs can come from various backgrounds. As nature spirits, they are as diverse as the many physical features that make up the world. The land of Elysium, for example, is comprised of mountains and valleys, scorching deserts and freezing tundras, plains, meadows, forests, swamps, and so on. Each of these can host a multitude of nature spirits with their own culture and identity.

## Dryad

Dryads or the Forest Nymphs are a race of pacifistic beings who embody the plants of nature. Commonly found in forests and swampy areas of Elysium, they are usually secluded but aren’t above helping a weary traveler.  Their goal with the majority of things is to keep and achieve balance in nature.

They are typically gifted with the ability of plant manipulation or emotionally-based skills such as empathic perception or emotional manipulation. Dryads normally detect the condition of forests and plants near them, but with enough practice, they can detect the emotions of other sentient beings in the same manner. Particularly skilled dryads can even read an opponent in battle and predict their moves. Such a dryad would be extremely rare, however, as they are pacifists who tend to avoid conflict.

### Subtypes

**Hamadryad** – Dryads whose life force are connected to one specific tree rather than areas of forest or nature in general. They still feel the effects of damage and healing done to nature around them but to a much lesser extent than most dryads. In return, what is done to their companion tree, to them the effects are practically the same in damage (and healing).

**Leimakid/Leimoniad** – Nymphs of meadows and flowers respectively. Leimakids control the grasses and greens of the fields, while Leimoniads controls the colorful flora of the fields. They usually stay together and mate with each other, creating children that can control both.

**Anthousai** – Also Flower Nymphs, they earned themselves their own name for a very specific reason. As some groups of Leimoniads did not stay with Leimakids, it was quickly found that not doing so resulted in a near guaranteed mutation in the resulting child. Them having purple hair resembling that of a hyacinth flower, the generation spawned before this knowledge was widespread was named Anthousai, from the Nymfi term ‘ἄνθος’ meaning flower as an Anthousai was a true ‘flower child’. No mutation was found if Leimakids strayed to other races.

**Napaeae** – Nymphs of wooded valleys, glens and groves. Often viewed as the guardians of the hidden areas of woods, like the small orchards and thickets shielded from humans and other creatures viewed as outsiders to Nymphkind via magical forces. They are unlike the very similar Alseid in the fact they only protect wooded areas.

**Dryaides** – When danger first entered the world of Elysium and threatened to destroy the land, a large number of dryad spirits decided to make a pact with mortals in order to protect themselves and their world. Together, they formed a new race of flesh and blood mortal dryads who could interact with the world far more strongly than the original dryads ever could. This new race became known as the Dryaides, descendant of Dryads.

## Aurai

Aurai or the Air Nymph, are a race of surprisingly mischievous, pixie-like beings who embody the air, the winds, and the weather that occur day-to-day in Elysium. Commonly found in deserts, windy mountain regions, or even over the oceans of Elysium, they love to mess with travelers by causing windy storms of sand or snow, blowing people off track, lifting their belongings into the air, and so on.

Aurai are typically gifted in the ability of air manipulation and spiritual abilities like extrasensory perception, sensory scrying, and even small-scale possession. Aurai often use their abilities for petty trickery and mischief and as such do not develop them seriously. Though if an Aurai did try to master their abilities, they can become skilled enough to possess people, experiencing entire lives through another’s footsteps and even control them for days on end.

### Subtypes

**Asteriades** – These nightly nymphs are believed to have been the original Aurai. Short-lived and mysterious in their existence, according to legends, the race died out quickly to ensure the continued existence of Aurai. They were reincarnated as the stars in the sky.

**Hesperides** – These nymphs earned their name of “Nymphs of the West” as they are a nocturnal group, that are known to soar through the skies at sunset in some areas of Elysium. With other attributes include their golden hair and pale skin tones, the Hesperides are playful spirits of the air and are known to have night-faring birds as familiars, particularly owls.

**Nepheids** – The Nymphs of the clouds, they were created by a crossing of Aurai and Naiads but took more after the former as they still retain their ability of flight but can meddle with the water-made clouds in the sky.

## Naiad

*For more information, see the full article on Naiads.*

Naiads, or the Water Nymphs, are a race of battle-loving, ambitious beings who embody water and the seas and rivers that flow throughout Elysium day after day. Commonly found in bodies of water and coastal regions of Elysium, they were formerly secluded but in present day have begun to interact with those on land again, though they can’t resist their love of war and fighting. Clans of Naiads commonly fight each other both for fun and for power.

Naiads are typically gifted in the ability of water manipulation and mental abilities such as telepathy, telekinesis, and prophecy. With mastery, skilled Naiads can read a person's life in minutes, lift whales with ease, or perceive cryptic prophecies of great wars in the future. Although to achieve such level of power takes centuries of devoted training.

### Subtypes

**Crinaeae** – Naiads that took to protecting as well as living in fountains and wells, both natural and later on man-made. A single well may host a single crinaeae or multiple.

**Eleionomae/Eleionaid** – Naiads commonly found in clans around swamps and marshy areas. They’re known to be skilled illusionists, misleading travelers who cross through their lands. They can make illusions of anything, even creating illusions of a traveler’s loved ones without knowing them beforehand. They commonly lure in young men and ladies from surrounding towns into their lands and induct them into their bloodlines as their clan sizes are usually very small.

**Hyades** – The Nymphs of the rain, they were created by a crossing of Aurai and Naiads but took more after the latter. They specialize mostly in rain manipulation, controlling rain clouds at will but can still control all water and survive underwater.

**Hydriades** – A group of mostly female Naiads that broke off in the ‘Great Separation’, inspired by the land group known as the Amazons. The females took their children along, regardless of the child’s gender, and people aren’t entirely sure where they are now.

**Limnads/Leimenids** – Naiads often born from river naiads who took to living in and protecting lakes and ponds. They are avid animal enthusiasts and are usually the reason behind the existence of lake monsters.

**Nereid** – A cult of naiads who believe themselves to be descendants of the minor sea god Nereus himself and who break off during the ‘Great Separation’. They were led by a Naiad whose real name is unknown, but he re-named himself Neresius after claiming Nereus to be his father.

**Oceanid** – A line of Naiads believed to be extinct, their history has been lost after their disappearance in the Third Age following their split in the ‘Great Separation’ of Naiads. It is rumored that the spirits of these Oceanids are the spirit protectors of various bodies of water around Elysium waiting for a living Naiad to take over their protective role. Others believe their kind was lost in a vague sacrifice to the Naiad race as a whole and they are waiting to be repaid with either ascension to another plain, reincarnation, or simply being revived.

**Okeanides** – A truly advanced line of ‘Naiads’ technically, they descend from the purest line of true Water Nymphs, the ones who originally went by the name of ‘Naiad’. They are rumored to have the longest lifespan of Water Nymphs as a whole but are very rare in present day.

**Pegaeae** – Naiads of natural springs. Usually male, they tend to be lax and just hang out in each other’s springs. It’s not uncommon for the villages near these springs to have their women be whisked away by the Pegaeae.

**Potamides** – Naiads of rivers, usually female, who guard their rivers with their lives. It’s said that these spirits are, upon death, the most likely to be reincarnated into river spirits. While any type of naiad can be reincarnated into a water spirit, Potamides are usually viewed as the ‘purest’ type of Naiad, being the least likely to be involved in war or battle.

## Oreads

Oreads, or the Earth Nymphs, are a race of literal ‘down-to-earth’ beings who embody the lands of Elysium from its softly rolling hills to its sharp, jagged mountain ranges. Commonly found in caves and the mountainous regions of Elysium, they tend to interact with whatever villages and towns are around their beloved homes. Oreads believe in training their body and minds and often retreat from the world and isolate themselves in order to train in private. While they do train their physical strength, Oreads don't participate in wars like Naiads do, nor do they hide themselves away like Dryads do. They often act as the middle ground and mediator between the other Nymph races.

Oreads are typically gifted in the ability of earth manipulation and have enhanced strength, speed, and agility. Oreads train by isolating themselves in the wild. Some become so focused on their training that they remain in the wild forever without bothering to return to civilization. Oreads who endure centuries of such training become masters in their abilities, able to lift fallen trees, run as fast as cheetahs, and jump over buildings.

### Subtypes

**Oreads** - Mountain Oreads are often named after the mountain that they dwell in. Oreads from the Himmel mountains, for example, may be called the *Himmelides*.

**Alseids** – Nymphs of glens (narrow valleys) and grottoes (small caves). They are often found guarding areas to mountain springs that Naiads might live in or caves that hold valuables like crystals or diamonds. They are unlike the very similar Nepheid in the fact they only protect open areas and caves.

**Auloniad** – Nymphs of mountain pastures and vales. These are likely one of the Nymph-types that are closest to animals, sometimes having horns like mountain goats. And much like mountain goats, these nymphs occasionally spar with each other.

## Other Nymph Types

**Lampads** – Nymphs of the afterlife, born usually of demons and various beings of the lava-rivers that flow throughout the nether. These nymphs are often gifted into necromancy and high majority follow the Cult of Cehaet. They believe Cehaet to be the creator of magic in its entirety and believe she will one day bless them all with the ability to be free of their entrapment in the Nether.

**Saliades** – Nymphs of Fire, usually viewed as destructive, irrational beings that aren’t to be trusted. They technically are a branch-off of Oreads, who crossed over into the element of fire with the creation of magma – a mix of lava and rock. But since that time, they’ve strayed so far from the word Oread, they are now beings of their own. They were originally very small in number and there likely aren’t any pure-blooded Saliades still in existence.