DCC Bestiary - Dryad

Okay, I just used a Dryad in my game last week -- and while it was just a story beat, and friendly, I thought I should finally stat up what dryads look like in my game.

I didn't want them to just be simple maidens swanning around the forest for no reason.   Why would they allure humans to their glade?  I think it's more like Steven King's Misery or Grimm's Fairy Tales -- they're lonely and want companionship.  They think they are doing that poor mortal a favour by letting them live for centuries, safely and peacefully.  They aren't evil, but they sure are dangerous.

So the dryad's traditional charm person ability I've replaced with a very DCC-appropriate Curse of the Dryad, that slowly turns their victim into a wooden statue, and then a tree.

Looking at my old AD&D Monster Manual, dryads had an AC of 9 (11 in DCC terms), 2 Hit Dice, and Magic Resistance of 50%.  I upped their AC slightly to 13, kept the 2 Hit Dice but gave them a small Stamina bonus, and gave them a small bit of magic resistance in the form of -2 to any caster check targeting them.

Thoughts?  Opinions?  Horrified messages from your players?  Drop me a note at archadethered@gmail.com. 

(2024-08-04 - Thanks to some savvy editorial advice from Nick Baran, blog is updated and tweaked)

 

Dryad

     Appearing to be beautiful elfin maids carved and polished from wood, dryads are capricious fey that live amongst the trees.  They crave the warmth of human touch, and often lure travellers to their homes amongst the oaks – however, their touch causes mortals to turn to wood, and eventually they become the trees of the groves the dryads dwell within.

 

     Dryad: Init +1; Atk touch +1 melee (curse of the dryad), or dagger +1 melee (1d4); AC 13; HD 2d8+4 (13 hp); MV 30’, Climb 20’; Act 1d20; SP curse of the dryad, resistant to magic (-2 to any caster check with a spell directly targeting the dryad), wood walk; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +2; AL N.

     If a dryad desires, they can spend an action to merge with any tree, disappearing and becoming undetectable, and immune to harm so long as the tree stands (AC 16, 200 hp).  While merged with the tree they can still ‘speak’ with the rustle of branches and leaves forming words.  If the dryad wishes or their tree is facing destruction, they can travel from one tree to another within 200 feet, but this transfer takes a turn.

     The kiss of a dryad, or even it’s touch can cause a victim to be cursed to join her grove – make a Will saving throw (DC 13) or be cursed, losing 2 points of Luck and begin to slow and become wooden, immediately taking 1d3 Agility damage, and a further 1d3 Agility every hour.  If AGL is reduced to 0, the victim is fully turned to wood and is immobile.  After that, in the months to come, the victim will start to spout leaves and their arms will slowly reach to the sky becoming branches, turning into a tree added to the dryad’s grove, unable to act but fully aware of their surroundings for years to come.

     If a cursed victim willingly stays in the dryad's grove the curse's effect is slowed to 1d3 AGL damage per day.

     The curse can be removed by drinking water from a mountain spring before being fully turned to wood, or the Remove Curse spell with a spell check of 22+.