Monsters and Other creatures.

Nymph.

Nymphs are spirits of place and bound to a tree, a grotto or a mountain spring.
Hit Dice 2d6 (9hp)
AC 15
Attack +3 to hit, 1d6 damage (staff or other weapon)
Alignment Any
XP 35
Notes: False Friends (Nymphs can cast the spell False Friends at will)
Home Bodies (Nymphs must stay within one mile of her mystical home)

The lady in the pool.

The companions and their moose leave the temple that served them as their resting place for the evening. Rested, and strengthened by a feast of wild Boar and fine wine from the Enibrian Abbey at Winterton where Culdus is a first year acolyte, they feel ready to begin the final part of their journy through the Far Mountains to the Monastery where Crea is a cleric.

Crea leads the party through a poorly defined forest path. Half way through the forest, they happen upon a lady bathing in a warm spring, The lady has long violet hair, pale skin and two small horns protrude from the head, a dark violet gem hung on a fine gold chain hangs around her neck.

The companions are not just surprised to see her but are surprised that she has more than a passing likeness to Strawberri.

The Fae Lady, as surprised to see the companions as they are to see her, suddenly disappears along with the spring she was bathing in, leaving only a withered tree with a dark violet gem hung on a low broken branch.

Hew has an Amulet of True Sight, which allows him to see through illusion and detect hidden threats. I ask the oracle if the amulet shows any illusion here. 50/50. d100 roll = 82, Yes.

Hew is the only one who still sees the Fae creature in the spring, the gem still hung around her neck, he tells his friends what the amulet shows him.

Rhian asks Strawberri if she has any idea who or what the girl is, “she could almost be you Straw, only your hair colour makes you different”.

Strawberri has Faerie Lore skill, so I make a Wisdom check to see if she can shed a light as to what is going on here. She needs to roll 14 or less on d20, roll = 13.

Strawberri says she only knows the girl to be a Fae Nymph, bound either to the withered tree, the spring or perhaps both. The likeness to herself is as much a surprise to Strawberri as it is to the others. She advises them to not try to take the gem from the tree, as Hew knows, it is still around the girls neck.
Removing her hat to reveal her own horns, Strawberri approaches the tree, hoping the Nymph will reveal herself and be willing to speak to them.

(The gem neckless is in fact a protective ward, creating a protective barrier around the bearer, shielding them from harm and negative energies)

Strawberri approaches the tree and kneels down in front of it, she bows her head and speaks to the tree, “I am Strawberri Cottoncloud of Winterton, Fae like you, indeed very like you. We mean you no harm , I would just hope you would talk to me.”

Question. Does the Fae Nymph reappear? 50/50. d100 = 100, Yes, and..

As abruptly as the Nymph and her pool disappeared, she reappears, still bathing in the spring water, she turns to Strawberri and casts a Friend spell towards her. “I now you, be pleased to enter my spring, it is warm and soothing, I have much I can tell you”.

Strawberri makes a Saving Throw against the spell, she needs to roll 17 or higher on d20, rolling only a 15 she fails and is under the spell.

Strawberri thanks the Nymph and steps into the pool.

Rhian looks a little worried, “be careful Straw, this could be a trick”.

Under the spell of the nymph, Strawberri sees her only as a friend and ignores Rhian’s pleas. As Strawberri enters the pool and steps towards the Nymph, they vanish, leaving only the withered tree and the gem hanging from its broken branch.

Strawberri and the Nymph.

“Strawbeeri!” screams Rhian, seeing her best friend vanish before her eyes.

Hew, able to see beyond the illusion of the tree, sees that Strawberri is alive, she seems to be talking to the Nymph. Rhian doesn’t listen and grabs the gem hanging from the withered branch, “I have to get her back”.

Hew sees the neckless around the Nymphs neck being pulled as Rhian tries to take it. He shouts out a warning to Rhian, but the protective ward does its job, it flings Rhian backwards causing her 1d4 damage, (she loses 2hp).

While Culdus and Karina rush to help Rhian, Hew continues to observe Strawberri and the Nymph through his amulet. Crea is becoming a little impatient, willing to leave Strawberri to her fate. Hew tells her that she can go on alone if she wants to but they are not abandoning Strawberri. Crea has little choice but to wait.

The Nymph turn to back to face Strawberri, “Your companion tried to take my neckless, I though we were all friends, is that how you treat friends?”

“Rhian would mean no harm, just wanted a closer look at your wonderous jewel I have no doubt. We have enemies in the far mountains, but you are not one of them, we are no threat to you my friend. But you have things to tell me you say?” replies Strawberri.

“Maybe, ask me what you want to know and I will tell you all I can” The Nymph becomes calmer and more personable again.

“You say know who I am, we share a likeness, who are you and what do you know of me”, asks Strawberri.

The Nymph smiles at Strawberri, “I will tell you what I know, you where left in the reeds by the river that runs through Winterton, you human foster parents gave you the name Strawberri, they brought you up well but know nothing who you are or of your destiny “.

I want to know what the Nymph has to tell Strawberri, so get 3 Random Words from a online word generator. I get ‘Wander’, ‘hateful’, ‘gracefully’. What to make of these words?

The Nymphs voice becomes more ethereal as she tells her story to Strawberri.

She tells Strawberri that her mother was once a high ranking and influential lady in the fairie court, privy to many secrets and ancient pacts within the realm of the fae. She was revered in the realm, known for her wisdom and grace and possessed an ancient magic that could command the very elements. However, her allegiance to the court wavered when she discovered a dark plot led by Natritha, Lady of the Fay.

Natritha, angry and full of hate, banished her mother from the realm, forcing her to wander the lands of human kind. She had no option but to abandon Strawberri, leaving her behind in the fae realm. That put Strawberri’s life in great danger, so the Nymph took Strawberri away from the Fae realm, placed by the river near Winterton, hoping someone would find her and keep her safe from the Lady of the Fae.

“and for that I was banished too, and bound to this spring and its withered tree”.

Strawberri asks the Nymph what connection she has to her mother.
1. Strawberries Older Sister, 2. Her Mothers Sister, 3. Mothers Confidant, 4. Ancestor’s Spirit, 5. Magical Doppelganger, 6. A cursed form. d6 roll = 2, Her Mothers Sister.

The Nymph goes on to tell Strawberri that she is her mothers sister, and although bound to within a mile of this pool, she watches over Strawberri from the shadows, guiding her to her destiny.

“my destiny?” questions Strawberri.

“You carry the potential to reclaim your mothers honour and challenge Natritha’s rule as Lady of the Fae, that child is your destiny”.

“And my mother, where is she now, I must find her”, Strawberri asks.

“That will not be easy, your mother had a gift that allowed her to change forms, to help keep her hidden from Natritha. Who knows what form she has taken now. If you seek her, it will lead you on a dangerous path. But if you must find her, seek out a place known only as ‘Quest’. You will need to go North, the far North”.

The Nymph talks a little more, telling Strawberri her mothers legacy was wiped from the Fae court history and that it was her mothers love that kept her safe all these years and that she is destined to reclaim her heratige and face the challenges ahead with bravery and strength.

Strawberri asks one more question, “but Natritha, Lady of the Fae has aided us in our quest, if I pose a threat to her, why would she aid me?”

“Then all is in your favour, she does not recognise you and knows not who you are, if she did, you would not be alive, believe me.”

Suddenly the warm spring, the Nymph and Strawberri reappear in front of the other companions, Rhian rushes toward her friend.

“Go now child, join your friends, I can tell you no more. Resume your journey and fulfil your destiny, so that I and your mother can return to the land of the Fae with you”.

Rhian hugs her friend, “are you harmed?”

“No” Strawberry shakes her head, “but I am troubled with who I am supposed to be. Lets be on our way, we have a long climb ahead of us”.

I get strawberri to make a wisdom check with +1 bonus for her Fairie Lore skill, to see if she believes the Nymphs tells the truth, needing 14 or less on d20 she rolls 1. She believes every word. (but is it all true?)

To be continued.

Some final thoughts.

I have always been interested as to why Strawberri was left by the river in Winterton. The Nymph, a random encounter, gave me a chance to begin to explore her history. The question though is the Nymph telling the truth, part truth or a lie to further her own return to the Fae court. Will Strawberri seek out the place known as Quest in the Far North, will her companions follow her, indeed, will any of them survive the journey to monastery in the far mountains?