Naiad Sylph
Avg. Height: 5'10"
Avg. Weight: 140 lb
Avg. Lifespan: 150
Physical Characteristics:
Eyes: | Have a slight film. | Hair: | Shades of coral and underwater plantlife. | Skin: | Pale greens or blues; webbed fingers and feet. | Body Type: | Softly scaled, finned and gilled; have small dorsal fin. | Clothing: | Scant; fond of simple jewelry and adornments. | Notable: | Tattoos considered barbaric, but body piercings are supported. |
Region: Water
Languages: Common
Stat Adjustments:
Strength: | 0 |
Reflexes: | 6 |
Endurance: | 8 |
Dexterity: | 0 |
Reasoning: | 4 |
Wisdom: | 6 |
Will: | 6 |
Intelligence: | 4 |
Special: Breathe underwater.
Bonus to Fishing learn rate.
Penalty to Thrown Weapons learn rate.
Naiads are those whose nativity was the tides, and who were softly scaled, finned and gilled. They carry the glorious blue-green shades of the waters in their coloring, their skin pale greens or blues, their tresses the shades of coral and the vegetation of the underwater. A people at one with the oceans, yet protected from the deep melancholy that was Shaellis by the gift of free will from their Moon mother. A gift that demanded a lifelong price, that they must return from the land to sojourn in the water for one revolution of the moon at the time when Tempest is full or die.
Naiads possess small delicate gills that rest behind their ears, and have naturally webbed fingers and feet to allow for ease of movement within the waves of their watery homes. They have a slightly developed dorsal fin down the lengths of their spines. Their eyes have a slight film that coats the iris to maximize eyesight beneath the surface of the water. Although it is not uncommon for a Naiad to never venture for long in the worlds of the land dwellers, many do wander forth. They make their way as best they can and return to their watery abodes as prescribed by the blessing of She that created them. A few naiads have dared to test the prophecy but never survive the night as they are reduced to the brine of the Moon Mother's tears. And she does cry for the needless death of one of her aquatic children.
Naiads dwell in cities of exquisite beauty. Spires of coral and mother-of-pearl reaching upwards towards the surface, the very essence of phosphorescent sea creatures lighting the streets and homes. Sculptures lovingly carved from the horns of narwhals often stand guard over lush anemone gardens. Carriages fashioned from large clamshells pulled by sea horses are the preferred mode of transportation for the upper class citizens.
The Nairoe or the Nairoess rules over the Naiads as a sovereign. Upon the death of the current sovereign the elders of the empire gather and decide on succession from amongst the most suitable candidates. They gather in a grotto far away from prying eyes until the period of mourning as passed. It is upon their emergence that the elders announce their decision and the coronation follows swiftly thereafter.
Clothing and fashion is scant to allow for freedom of movement swimming. Both male and females are fond of simple jewelry and adornments are often used to show standing within the society. Tattooing is considered barbaric as it is disfiguring to the form that Moon Mother lovingly created. However both sexes do support body piercing to accentuate their bodies and to best show off their accessories.
Naiads, due to the isolation of their natural realm, are a close knit society. Violence and acts of aggression amongst their own kind are dealt with harshly, either with permanent exile or death. Justice is swift. Children of the water tend to gravitate towards astral and Vedic professions. As the bountiful kelp harvests and fish farming judge wealth, thievery and rogues are somewhat a rarity and a subject of great curiosity. More than one Naiad has forsaken his or her home to chase and seduce a rogue. Nicknamed by land dwellers as 'sirens' due to their mesmerizing vocal abilities it is not a difficult to find many a bard amongst their numbers.
Because of their requirement to return to the sea for their very survival, the Naiads feel a very deep affinity for the Moon Mother that breathed life into their lithe bodies and keeps them safe from She of utter despair. So devout are they to the teachings of the Moon Mother, that to stray in worship of her can be grounds for exile or death. Sea opals are loath to these sea dwellers for it represents Shaellis; to possess one is seen as an affront to Serene. Long ago the Naiads learned of the greed of the land dwellers for this coveted stone and began a healthy trade for the few land objects of worth to them. Marble, crystal, and pottery are but a few examples of what the water children trade for.
It is very uncommon for a Naiad to take more than one lover in their lifetimes. It is often said "To win the love of a Naiad, is to reap the passion of a hurricane and the constancy of the tides." Adultery is not tolerated, the lives of both parties' forfeit. Unless they run to the land for sanctuary, the lustful couple dies upon the beaches of land at the time of ordained return so that they will perish in agony and apart from the element which is their home.