“You are the woman of my heart. The one I have been awaiting the whole of my life, though I didn't know it until I spied you. there isn't one thing that makes you special to me, but all things...”
-Gena Showalter, The Nymph King
Nymphs favour natural settings, whether they be ponds, fields, or forests.
Renowned in legend, the rare and elusive Nymphs are a dying kith, regarded as Inanimae by their Changeling cousins. Nature's chosen, these mysterious and whimsical beings are usually shy of Kithain and mortal alike, and are dying as the natural environment they embody falls to corruption, bringing them sickness and insanity. As the destruction continues apace, their numbers dwindle ever smaller. Sadly, few Changelings have sought to aid them, barely seeing beyond their own petty concerns and squabbles.
Description
For all the evils perpetrated against them, the Nymphs find violence and aggressive action difficult, preferring to frighten off interlopers. Many live as recklessly and carefree as ever before, perhaps hoping to forget the death that looms ever closer. Growing up as mortals, just like Changelings, the Nymphs find themselves 'called' by a deep felt urge; lured to a place of great natural beauty and peace. These areas of natural wonder become their glade, and they usually awaken to their Fae nature there, bonding with the glade as their new home, abandoning all ties with their previous lives. They become the heart of these isolated refuges, and protect them as best they can.
Found throughout the globe, Nymphs are known by many names. Those of the land include the Dryads (of forest and tree), Napaeae (of glens and groves), and Oreads (of cave and grotto). Those of the water include the Crenae (of springs), Limnads (of pond and pool), Naiads (of stream), Potamids (of the river), and Nereids (of the sea). Nixies are the Crenae and Potamids of Germanic lands, Gwragedd Annwn are the Limnads of Wales, and Undines govern water in Britain.
They have an affinity with the Nature realm.
Appearance and Lifestyles
Nymphs epitomize the natural beauty of their environment, affected greatly by its health and seeming. Sadly, as their homes become polluted, so do the Nymphs, the poisons manifesting as pox, insanity and sickly pallor. Perhaps 90% of all Nymphs are female, and nearly all of these are Wilders. Connected to their glade, they age incredibly slowly, and few ever become Grumps.
Extremely comely, they disdain clothing, and resemble graceful and beautiful people with pointed ears. They take on the elemental form of whatever they are near, becoming translucent when in watery environs, or having bark-like skin and green leaf-like hair while emerging from a tree for example.
Childling Nymphs are unusual, but not unheard of. They are wild-looking and attractive children, fond of playing tricks on those who enter their glades.
Wilder Nymphs are fond of dance and mischievous love, and often watch trespassers with great curiosity.
Grump Nymphs are extremely rare, most preferring to scare off strangers as soon as possible.
Nymphs live as part of their glade. They don't have a lifestyle.
A Dryad Nymph.
Birthrights and Frailties
As with any Kith, Nymphs have a few traits exclusive to them.
Birthrights
Heart of Nature: Nymphs can meld with any natural element (a tree, water, the earth etc.) in their glade, 'disappearing' into it. This renders them immune to most damage (save for massive land destruction and pollution). In addition, as part of nature itself, they do not require food, air or water, and nothing natural to their realm will ever harm or attack them. They only age at 1/20th the normal rate, living for centuries, and their beauty is enchanting (+1 Appearance, even over 5). They can use one chosen element from their glade to heal minor wounds (only Wounded or less) at the cost of 1 Glamour per level. They can also command their glade to do small things, such as water to bubble and swirl, trees to sway slightly, leaves to rustle, the earth to shake slightly etc.
Frailties
Chains of Green: Nymphs are bound to their glade. Every 12 hours spent away from it inflicts 1 temporary point of Banality, and causes 1 chimerical health level of damage.
Banality's Curse: Exactly like Sidhe, Nymphs find Banality a particular curse. Always treat it as if it were 1 point higher, and they gain 2 points for every 1 they would normally gain (except for Chains of Green).
Views on Other Kith
Given their solitary nature and intense ties with their home, Nymphs haven't developed much of an outlook on the other Kith.
Notes
Nymphs may gain Glamour from their glade, harvesting it in the same way that Nunnehi do (Changeling the Dreaming: Player's Guide pg. 146). They never ravage or reap their glades.
External Links
http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/dataweaver/play/changeling/nymph.html