Background Info

[hantale]

Disclaimer: This is a revised version of an old roleplay setting I created Fran for. In summary, it's a somewhat grim high fantasy, with heavy restrictions on magic. To those familiar with D&D worlds, it's quite similar to Greyhawk (a darker tone version of the Forgotten Realms), with more of a Good v Evil focus.

World Setting

The most recent half-century or so of Fran's life has taken place in a large landlocked kingdom called Elegrave. It is relative secluded and well-defended thanks to the mountains along its borders. The kingdom has become quite prosperous thanks to the excavation of rare crystalline stones which grant their wielder access to magic. The overall strength and impact of each stone depend primarily on its size, though it is suspected that colour and shape also have an impact.

With great power comes great responsibility, you can probably guess where this goes. Greed, corruption, and ignorance eventually led to the kingdom's expansion and subjugation of the nearby species and their land. Groups were placed in isolated but controlled reserves and communes or sold into slavery if they were unlucky, such is life, as it were.

Far from the harsh and unpleasant reality of expansion and war, the kingdom's capital city, Ionia, bustles with life on a daily basis. A castle centuries-old stands in the royal district, elevated above the land with stalwart defenses and it's stone walls tinged green with the Ivy that has grown over it. A sizeable city, all manner of standard medieval fantasy tradespeople can be found inside, especially those with more specific professions that can only be maintained in large populations such as instrument makers, higher ranked religious and political figures and so on.

Despite the kingdom's growing power, it's not absolute by any means. Neighboring it, albeit with large borders, is the fearsome demon kingdom. Industrious, methodical, and befitting most 'demon' stereotypes you can think of, a war between the Demons and the Humans eventually broke out, raging on for many years. At least... until another group of countries stepped in.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the third part of this political power triangle was the Diora Kingdom, really more of a collection of more neutral countries primarily populated by Celestials. While smaller in number, they were a much stronger force due to their powers and structure. Too powerful, one might say.

Though they merely wanted to stop the warring, their perceived threat was too great, leading to a temporary treaty between Elegrave and the Demon Kingdom. This is not one of those worlds where good wins out, Diora was invaded and dealt with, their almost god-like leader killed in a tumultuous battle that split the good-intentioned kingdom into pieces. Over the decades the Celestials retreated from the lands, few remaining that aren't captives, most of which are highly valued for their nature and strength.

Perhaps ironically, joining with the Demon Kingdom has led to an unstable era of peace, short-lived though it may be. Demons mingling with humans and vice versa is not terribly uncommon, and the countries conduct trade in between years of wars, on and off like an indecisive rainy day.

Notable Groups

There is a fairly large diversity of peoples within these lands, quite similar to more common fantasy settings with reduced frequency due to the political climate. While I gave you an overview of the main historical situation, it should be stressed that the kingdoms themselves are quite large and could easily be subdivided into more manageable sections with still impressive borders.

Elves: Humans+ as some people like to say, the Elves of Elegrave and neighboring lands are quite similar to any other you've read about quite like. Old, Wise, and with a focus on tradition, due to their insular nature they're probably more akin to Tolkienian elves than anything you might find in the Elder Scrolls or Forgotten Realms.

Anima: A separate population derived from humans or elves that bonded with the creatures of the world through transformation and druidic rituals. They bear some similarities to whatever animal they represent. Much like were-creatures, they can stay in a hybrid or fully animalistic form, never fully human/elven.

Fey: Diverse as the other races combined, from merfolk and sprites to nymphs and dryads, fey are small in number and range from a dastardly mischievousness to a serene joy and wisdom. There are as many stories and names for different fey as there are stars in the sky, and some of them are even true! Like the celestials and elves, Fey smart enough or able to stay well clear of the major kingdoms do so. Their unique nature and strong magic are especially valuable, thanks to their exploitable weakness to magically enforced iron.

Supernatural: Uncommon but not unheard of, these creatures are usually quite unique and region dependent. It's unclear whether many were once humans corrupted through some strange magic, or if they had started out as some other species and survived in small numbers. This also includes spirits, ghosts, and other less living issues.

Humans: There's little to be said about humans that you likely don't already know. While they possess the ability to manipulate magic, it is not inherent and requires a great deal of training for even minor abilities. The exception, of course, is for those who wield the rare stones mined from the mountains and have learned to harness their power. Joined together, especially with elves or demons, large ritual based magic can be achieved.

Nymphs: What ARE they?

Basics:
As seems to always be the case, a simple question has a very long answer if we start from scratch. For those who are familiar with both Greek Mythology and fantasy RPG systems like D&D or Pathfinder, Nymphs in Fran's world are a combination of the two. The inherent magical and charming nature of Fantasy mixed with the diversity and historical backing of Mythos. Though they are not quite as deadly/dangerous in this world as they are in those games.

While many nymphs are indeed generally tied to their haunts (locations of interest or protection), this isn't true of all of them, especially the more vaguely defined nymphs. Especially the more celestial based nymphs based on stars or even clouds. In theory, a nymph could represent just about anything: rustic dances, the wind, specific flowers, honey bees, even the core concepts of memory, knowledge, and art! A nymph's nature does tend to influence their personality, but it's fair to say that on average they share many common traits. For example, while Fran is a nymph of the Moon, they're still inherently concerned with the well-being of nature around them but tends to be more nocturnal.

Most nymphs have the ability to use magic, their magical connection to the world is a part of their existence after all, though not all are as good at it. Particularly well practiced or strong nymphs can be incredibly competent. This connection with the world around them allows nymphs to 'sense' their surroundings, knowing if something isn't quite right or is disrupting the balance of nature (such as pollution, invasive species, destruction, etc)

Personality
Being nature spirits and fey, nymphs are generally playful, curious, teasing, and emotional. Their moods come in large sways or leaps and bounds as opposed to subtle shifts. They are connected inherently to the world around them, reflected in a somewhat primal nature. That connection is also the source of their magic, as it is the magic of the world they live in and their natural surroundings that empowers them.

In general, you could call them ‘open’ and ‘simple’ with their emotions, having no reason to hide their feelings. This will depend on the nature of the individual nymph though, as it's not uncommon for them to take after the aspect of nature that they most closely align with (A mountain nymph might be tougher, more stoic than playful or elegant, for example). Usually denoted by some marking on the body, it could be anything from a tree, the ocean, fire, a pond, the sun, and so on. The nymphs that aren’t bound to more specific locations are prone to wanderlust and have a tendency to spend most of their long lives traveling and sating their curiosity. This is probably a bit more fey-natured than most traditional sources you may be familiar with.

Magic Extras:
Nymphs do not particularly rely on their magic. Much like how a wizard might be fully capable of doing everything in a mundane way, the use of magic is more a form of convenience that comes naturally to them. It eliminates the need to spend long periods of time hunting and gathering food (often removing the need for food for extended periods), can clean clothes, allows them to be comfortable in most weather given their apparent disposition for clothes.

As mentioned above, they are magically connected to the world around them. In theory, every creature is, that connection is simply stronger and recognizable by nymphs and other fey.