Demi-goddesses, the daughters of Naiya. Third generation of entities being vested with a portion of Naiya's power in her experiments on grounding ascended beings to mortal affairs--this being the prototype of the effect the Pantheon later used for calling paladins.
Dryads are jealously protected by Naiya. They are beings always shaped as beautiful, normally buxom, women. They carry an intensive amount of internal fae magic, although they are not normally able to wield magic outside themselves. They are tree nymphs animated and infused with Naiya's transcension field. Generally they are apex predators and somewhat selfish and self-centered. They are physically powerful and well nigh indestructible, apart from the harms which Naiya wrecks on any who attempt to harm her children. Dryads exhibit all of the unusual and indechiperable thought processes of other high level fae. They are classified as level eight monsters by the Tiraan Imperial Army. Huntsmen of Shaath, Rangers, and Elves are have a high but cautious regard for Dryads.
Naiya's treatment of Dryads is greatly affected by the harms and heart-break she suffered in relation to the two earlier generations. Naiya's first paladin-type entities were the immortal Kitsune, who were mischievious and too powerful resulting in their banishment from the Tiraasian Continent by the Elder Gods. The Kitsune were sent to Sifan and a quarantine was imposed on them to keep them out of the Elder Gods affairs and experiments. Having failed with the Kitsune, Naiya created the Valkyries. She personally educated them and taught them almost everything she knew, including culture and history from old Earth, as well as computer programming, science, and a great deal else. However the valkeryies were deemed to powerful and destructive by the Elder Gods who moved to exterminate them. The Valkeryies were saved by Vidius through a compromise by which they were banished to the space between dimensions and gifted with Scythes. When Naiya got around to creating a third generation of children, she chose to not be emotionally invested in them. She did not educate them She is very protective of Dryads, but all of them are uneducated and have the emotional maturity of children. Those Dryads who have, without the guiding hand of a teacher, discovered knowledge and self-awareness have almost always suffered horrific transformations that leave them stuck and broken like a computer which has suffered a fatal logic flaw. Juniper, and recently Aspen, are the sole exceptions thus far.
| Name | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Juniper | Attending Tellwyrn's University as a proto-ambassador from the Fae Kingdom to the mortal governments. Part of the Class of 1182. | |
| Aspen | Journeying with Ingvar, after tramautic near transformation upon realizing nature of mortal life. | |
| Larch | An older dryad noted for her gruesome inclination to kill simply for the enjoyment of extinguishing life of all sorts. Also known for her macabre habit of wearing the skin of her kills. | |
| Banana | Ranging up and down the West Coast of the Tiraan Continent. Particularly Stand-offish. | |
| Apple | Part of the Emperor's Hand program in the Infinite Order spaceport under the Imperial Palace in Tiraas. | |
| Mimosa | Part of the Emperor's Hand progam in the Infinite Order spaceport under the Imperial Palace in Tiraas. | |
| Hawthorne | Part of the Emperor's Hand program in the Infinite Order spaceport under the Imperial Palace in Tiraas. | |
| Jacaranda | Formerly the Pixie Queen. Her aura is unique for emitting magic, where other Dryads are unable to exhibit external magic. Her aura gives rise to pixies, creatures of pure magic. She is a capricious rule. She is also noted for a remarkable decay in mental faculties. Kuriwa believes she needs to be exterminated.
Currently transformed into a human by Salyrene after being placed in her tower by Ekoi Kasia. |
Deep Wild, in the Pixie grove. Exhibits strong hatred of other Dryads. transformed when her heart was broken by a man who refused her love. |
| Poplar | A particularly old dryad still resident in the Deep Wild, know for her proclivities as a sex fiend. | |
| Pine | In the Deep Wild | |
| Maple | In the Deep Wild | |
| Rowan | In the Deep Wild | Delivered a gift from Naiya to the Order of Light, in the form of a seed which grew to become the Great Tree which blocked the hell gate in the Garden of Desolation |
| Cedar | ||
| Cherry | Became aquatic monster. Likes drowning mortals just because she can. | |
| Sequoia | Turned into a tree, in a sleep like state. Protected by a grove planted by Elves. | |
| Beech | In the Deep Wild | |
| Willow | In the Deep Wild | |
| Ash | Well-acclimated to human society. Works for Lord Vex and Imperial Intelligence. | |
| Oak | running Kitchen at Last Rock University | |
| Coconut | Currently pretending the role of a mountain goddess inside Arachne's domain the Kingdom of Suffering. |