Psyiad
Psyiads are a Nymph subspecies. They are the guardians of the cold regions of Cartyrion where permafrost makes up the predominant terrain. While these regions usually appear to be barren wastelands, they are not completely devoid of life. Hardy plants and small animals eke out livings in these harsh conditions, and the psyiads are tasked by Berdea to tend to their needs just as dryads watch over forests and naiads watch over rivers and streams.
A handful of psyiads were created with exceptionally strong magical abiilities, as well as the ability to move freely throughout any regions where permafrost terrain is found. These are referred to as Greater Psyiads. At present, it is believed only two such creatures remain on Cartyrion.
As with almost all other Fey first created by Berdea, some of the psyiads have been altered by Corizzea to create Gremlins. The corrupt gremlin form of a lesser psyiad is that of a Froststalker. The two known surviving corruptions of Greater Psyiads are Frost Hags.
Lesser Psyiads are bound to a specific geographical region in much the same way as other "guardian" nymphs. These regions tend to be much broader than those of their meadow or forest cousins, though, and typically span hundreds of square miles. They tend to avoid casual contact with living things not under their care, so contact between the Folk and the psyiads is extremely rare. Adventurers tell of strange folk - sometimes helpful and sometimes adversarial - when traversing the tundras of the northern and southern reaches of the world; many of these are tales of encounters with psyiads.
At first glance, psyiads are often mistaken for Elves or perhaps Half-elven folk. Their body form and facial features are quite similar to those of Elves, but psyiads have some distinctive physical characteristics. One is the long, ropelike tail, tufted at the end. Another is the immense physical strength the creatures possess. When the need to interact with any of the Folk arises, a psyiad will usually go to great lengths to disguise the fact that they are not of the Folk themselves, dressing in a manner that conceals their tails. They often, however, fail to take into account the difference between their strength and that of mere mortals; this is often the giveaway that a psyiad is not what it at first seemed to be.
Name
Psyiad (Lesser or Greater)
Type
Fey, Nymph
Gremlin Corruption
Froststalker (lesser)
Frost Hag (greater)
Size
Medium, 5.5ft (165cm)
Habitat
Common: biome: tundra, permafrost plains
Like their guardian cousins, psyiads have the innate ability to communicate with the hardy plants and small animals that populate their home regions, and they rely on this communication to remain aware of almost everything that goes on within their domains.At first glance, psyiads are often mistaken for Elves or perhaps Half-elven folk. Their body form and facial features are quite similar to those of Elves, but psyiads have some distinctive physical characteristics. One is the long, ropelike tail, tufted at the end. Another is the immense physical strength the creatures possess. When the need to interact with any of the Folk arises, a psyiad will usually go to great lengths to disguise the fact that they are not of the Folk themselves, dressing in a manner that conceals their tails. They often, however, fail to take into account the difference between their strength and that of mere mortals; this is often the giveaway that a psyiad is not what it at first seemed to be.
Frost Hag (greater)
A handful of psyiads were created with exceptionally strong magical abiilities, as well as the ability to move freely throughout any regions where permafrost terrain is found. These are referred to as Greater Psyiads. At present, it is believed only two such creatures remain on Cartyrion.
As with almost all other Fey first created by Berdea, some of the psyiads have been altered by Corizzea to create Gremlins. The corrupt gremlin form of a lesser psyiad is that of a Froststalker. The two known surviving corruptions of Greater Psyiads are Frost Hags.
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