Nymphomania (Part 1)

No, not that kind of nymphomania. Get your mind out of the gutter.

I’m talking about the myriad varieties of nymphs in Greek mythology. A few have made their way into the annals of fantasy gaming, but there are so many more, and I need a blog post, so you do the math.

For the nymphs that follow, I’m going to assume that they have modifications of the basic nymph stats and abilities from Blood & Treasure. In other words, I’m not going to put in a full block of monster stats for each one, just list where they differ from what is below.

NYMPH
Medium Fey, Lawful (NG), High Intelligence; Solitary

HD 6
AC 17
ATK Dagger (1d4)
MV 30 (Swim 20)
SV F 12, R 10, W 9
XP 600 (CL 7)

Nymphs are female fey of astounding beauty. The daughters and grand-daughters of the gods, they represent the beauty and mystery of nature. Nymphs speak Sylvan and Common.
All humanoids within 30 feet of a nymph that look directly at a nymph must succeed on a Fortitude save or be blinded permanently. A nymph can suppress this ability if she wishes.

As a gaze attack, a wrathful nymph can stun a creature within 30 feet with nothing more than a sidelong glance. The target creature must succeed on a Fortitude save or be stunned for 2d4 rounds.

Besides their spell-like abilities, nymphs cast spells as 7th level druids.

Spells: 1/day—dimension door

Typical Druids Spells: 0—cure minor wounds, detect magic, flare, guidance, light, resistance; 1st—calm animals, cure light wounds, entangle, longstrider, speak with animals; 2nd—barkskin, heat metal, restoration, tree shape; 3rd— call lightning, cure moderate wounds, protection from energy; 4th—rusting grasp

ANTHOUSAI (FLOWER NYMPHS)
These are the nymphs of flowers. They are smaller than the basic nymph, and have hair that resembles a cascade of hyacinth flowers. Anthousai have 4 HD (and XP 400, CL 5) and AC 15. In place of the nymph’s gaze attack, the anthousai can emit a perfume in a 20-ft. radius that acts as a dose of charm monster and suggestion. Anthousai usually suggest that people leave, or perhaps perform mundane tasks for them.

ASTERIAE (ASTRAL NYMPHS)
The asteriae are the nymphs of the Astral Plane. They have porcelain skin, sapphire eyes and silver hair that floats wild and free in astral space. Astral nymphs are wild and carefree. They are capable of moving as they like in astral space. In place of the normal nymph’s gaze attack, an asteriae can bring blessing or bane with their gaze (per the bane spell or bless spell). In addition, they can gather the energies of the Astral Plane and project them as a sapphire ray from their eyes (per searing light) three times per day. Asteriae cast magic-user spells rather than druid spells.

AURAE (WIND NYMPHS)
Aurae are nymphs of the winds, nestled and caressed by the air spirits, which are fiercely protective of them. They have pale skin and windswept hair of white, and eyes they always seem to reflecting a clear blue sky. Aurae can fly (speed 60) and are unaffected by wind conditions. They can cast gust of wind at will and wind walk once per day. Aurae are chaotic neutral in alignment.

HECATERIDES (ELDER NYMPHS)
The hecaterides are the mothers of oreads and satyrs. They appear as stately, almost matronly nymphs, full of breast and wide of hip and bedecked in silk gowns and wreaths of flowers and spun gold. They are immune to mind control and possess magic resistance 15%. Hecaterides can cast irresistible dance once per day with their gaze attack. Once per day, a hecateride can attempt to summon 1d4 oreads or satyrs with a 60% chance of success. Hecaterides are chaotic neutral in alignment.

HYLEOROI (WATCHERS OF THE WOODS)
Hyleoroi are warrior nymphs charged with the protection of the woodlands. While most nymphs are content to play all day, the hyleoroi are patrollers, often joining other woodland folk like satyrs, brownies and rangers.

Hyleoroi have 8 Hit Dice instead of 6, and therefore have the following saving throws: F11 R9 W10. They wear leather armor and carry a longbow and bronze short sword. Their gaze attack is replaced by an at-will true seeing ability, and they have the special abilities of 4th level rangers.

KABEIRIDES (FORGE NYMPHS)
Forge nymphs are the nymphs of metal, glorying in the riches of the earth. They have skin that runs from bronze to gold and hair in the same colors. Their eyes are like white hot embers. A forge nymph’s gaze acts as a heat metal spell. They enjoy a +3 bonus to sunder metal weapons and armor, and when such items are saving against a sundering attack from a forge nymph, they do so at a -3 penalty. Finally, they are capable of summoning flaming hammers (1d4 + 1d6 fire damage) into their hands.

LAMPADES (TORCH NYMPHS)
[I think I covered these nymphs when I did my Hellcrawl, but I frankly don’t remember and frankly I’m too lazy to look …]

Lampades are the nymphs of the underworld, devotees and companions of Hecate and her priests and magic-users. They have pallid skin that they can cause to become pitch black at will, allowing them a 4 in 6 chance of surprise in darkness. Lampades carry magic torches which they can extinguish at will. The light of these torches forces those in sight of them to pass a Will save or be struck with insanity that lasts 24 hours. At the end of 24 hours, those who have succumbed to madness must pass a Will save or they acquire a random phobia permanently. Lampades do not have the gaze attack of a nymph, but their touch causes 1 point of wisdom damage. They can rebuke undead as 6th level clerics, and cast spells as magic-users rather than druids.

D10 RANDOM PHOBIA
1 Fear of rats
2 Fear of slime and ooze
3 Fear of flying
4 Fear of vile odors
5 Fear of spiders
6 Fear of heights
7 Fear of disease
8 Fear of pain
9 Fear of confined spaces (like dungeons, maybe?)
10 Fear of the dark

When a person is faced with the source of their phobia, they must pass a Will save to overcome it for the encounter. If they do not, they become frightened.

MAENADS (WILD NYMPHS)
Maenads are the nymphs of Dionysus – berserk man-killers drunk on the wine of their god. They look like normal nymphs, save their hair is wild and unkempt and their eyes are bloodshot and savage. They wear leopard furs and have vines tangled in their hair and wrapped around their bodies.

Maenads fight like berserkers, having 2 attacks per round. They can control wolves within 30 feet of themselves (wolf companions of characters may make a Will save to resist this), and can summon 1d4 wolves once per day. A maenad loses a nymphs gaze attack and their blinding beauty, but gains a touch that causes one of the following effects depending on the target’s Hit Dice and if a Will save is failed:

HIT DICE EFFECT
0-2 Confusion (1d6 rounds) + Hideous Laughter (1d6 rounds) + Drunkenness (1 turn)
3-6 Hideous Laughter (1d6 rounds) + Drunkenness (1 turn)
7+ Drunkenness (1d6 rounds)

A drunk character suffers the same effects as a fatigued character.

Maenads can rebuke lycanthropes as a 4th level evil cleric rebukes the undead.