Dryad

Dryads are lovely, clever tree sprites, hard to find unless caught off guard or willing to be seen. Their delicate, finely sculpted faces resemble those of elf maidens, with high cheekbones and eyes of amber, violet or deep green. Skin and hair change with the seasons for camouflage. In autumn the hair turns gold or red and the usual light tan skin darkens to match, blending with falling leaves; in winter both go snow white. At those times a dryad is often taken for a pretty, perhaps elven, young woman. Nobody makes that mistake in spring and summer, when her hair turns oak-leaf green over lightly tanned skin.

She typically wears a simple, loose garment in the colors of her grove for the current season. Dryads have their own language and also speak those of elves, pixies and sprites, and they can talk with plants.

Gentle and timid, dryads seldom carry weapons, though some keep a knife as a tool and will use it only under real threat. Their true defense is a potent charm person, usable three times a day but no more than once per round, against which targets save at -3. A threatened dryad tries to charm whichever attacker would be most useful turned against his friends. Elves, with their natural resistance, are charmed only as a last resort.

The charm is not reserved for danger. A dryad who meets a man of Charisma 16 or more will usually try to enchant him and lead him off to her tree as a devoted, lovestruck captive. There is a 50% chance he never comes back; if he does break free, it is after 1d4 years.

Unless surprised, a dryad can step into a tree and emerge from her own oak as if by dimension door. Her plant speech works like the 4th-level priest spell of that name, letting her learn about travelers near her home and even having the undergrowth tangle her enemies.

Some tales say dryads are the living souls of ancient oaks. True or not, each is bound for life to one huge oak and can never stray more than 360 yards from it; one who does weakens and dies in 6d6 hours unless brought home. The tree gives off no magical aura, yet anyone who finds it holds great power over her, since she takes any damage done to it, and an attack on the tree provokes her wildest defense.

Dryads are loners. Up to six may be met together where several dryad oaks stand within 100 yards of each other, and they may help one another, but they never truly socialize. Their treasure, mostly gold and gems given by charmed adventurers, is hidden near the home tree. Knowing that most people fear their charm, dryads avoid strangers, but a careful, respectful approach may win help or knowledge of the surrounding lands, which they know thoroughly.

Dryads fiercely guard their forests and groves, and anyone who damages the area, above all its plants, can expect little patience.