Dryads (ドライアド, Doraiado), or Tree Nymphs, are a mono-gendered (female) pseudohuman Liminal species that appear as tree spirits in Greek mythology. An incredibly long-lived species, Dryads have more in common with the common plant than they do with any animal; for example the leaves on a dryad's head are fully capable of photosynthesis and their "legs" act as roots that they can imbed into the ground to absorb soil nutrients.
Culture[]
A taciturn species with little social interaction, when a dryad chooses to "set roots" within a forest, the forest's natural health greatly increases and the dryad acts to protect and preserve the forests they inhabit. They have a love for the trees, forests, and music and have learned to master abilities to shape trees to their will while not harming the tree itself. They tend to hate individuals and species who wreck forests for lumber and farmland and pyromaniacs.
Dryads are not very talkative and do not interact socially as much as other liminal species do. Due to this, some Dryads end up being nearly mute due lack of practise in communicating.
As a plant-base species that can absorb sunlight through their bodies to become healthy, Dryads do not see the value in covering their bodies behind clothes like other liminal cultures do and so remain purely naked to expose as much of their bodies to the sun's rays as possible.
Physiological Attributes[]
- Lifespan: A Dryad's natural lifespan is comparable to the lifespan of trees.
- Nutrition: While they can eat like biological beings, Dryads can also feed and absorb nutrients through the root systems in their legs. To this end they can "eat" plant fertilizer if it is placed around their root system. They can also gain sustenance through absorbing sunlight through the hair/leaves via photosynthesis.
- Roots: A Dryad's "legs" are actually a root system that they can use to dig deep into the soil to extract nutrients and water. However, doing this means they become immobile until they decide to retract their roots from the ground again. As is explained in Monster Musume: Monster Girls on the Job!, a Dryad can transform her lower half. Usually she has roots, but she can form them into two bipedal legs like a human, although they are still covered in bark.
- Body Proportions: Much like a plant, a Dryad's body proportions and overall health is dependant on the amount of nutrients they are receiving. While their default forms seem to be that of a adolescent humanoid child, a Dryad's body can "grow" to possess the proportions of a humanoid adult with the right amount of healthy nutrients. As nutrients are stored within their body, excessive nutrient intake (absorbing more nutrients than is required) may result in their body becoming chubby much in the same way a human becomes chubby from eating to much food.
- Dryads can store excess water and nutrients within their breasts as a type of reservoir. The more water and nutrients they have, the larger their breasts become, making their breasts a handy way to gauge a Dryad's health level. The water and nutrients within their breasts mix to become a type of sweet sap. This sap can be extracted/milked from the Dryad's breasts via their nipples (a process that is demonstrating enjoyable for the Dryad), however, it may be possible to completely drain a Dryad of all of their body's nutrition if their breasts are continuously drained. The loss of the nectar means the Dryad will have to reabsorb more nutrients or else become unhealthy.
- Vines: A Dryad's vines are prehensile and they can move them as additional appendages to ensnare objects once they are within reach. Dryads can use their vines as defensive weapons, often times the vines themselves possess thorns which may sometimes be laced with sedatives, poison, or nectar.
- Seasonal Rhythm: In spring and summer, Dryads are active and amicable, but in fall their mood takes a gradual change for the worse, as their leaves begin to die. In winter, their skin will turn a dull brown and they hibernate until the coming spring. These seasonal changes can be controlled in an environmentally controlled environment.
- Absorption: Much like how a Slime's disposition and abilities can be altered depending on what they absorb, a Dryad's body chemistry and form can be altered depending on what nutrients and chemicals they are absorbing from their habitat.
- Dryads are exclusively female and use males of other races for mating purposes, taking strong ones to pass their traits onto their children. They do not acknowledge intimacy without procreation.
Subspecies/Other plant-like Liminals[]
Alraune[]
Alraune (アルラウネ, Aruraune) are a pseudohuman sub-species of dryad with flower-like qualities. Like other plant-like species, they are timid and prefer to not move around a lot, but as they use cross-pollination rather than self-pollination to procreate, they do require interaction with other species (primarily humans) and as such are noted for being more friendly toward other species than other plant-like beings.
Noted for being carnivorous (both literally and sexually), the species is known for sharing a symbiotic relationship with Papillions where, as the Alraune lures prey in with their sweet smelling nectar (which also doubles as an aphrodisiac), the Papillion would paralyze the prey with their scales, whereupon they would both feed upon the helpless prey.
The humanoid body of the Alraune is referred to as their "pistil" (the reproductive bodypart of the flower). Over time the Alraune pistil evolved beyond the typical pistil seen in most flowers to possess the appearance of an attractive humanoid female so that it could act as an attractive lure for a more diverse range of pollination partners.
Barometz[]
Barometz are a psuedohuman species possessing characteristics of a sheep or goat. With legends surrounding the race stemming from Central Asia; where they are said to be birthed by an as-yet-unknown plant, while possessing numerous similarities with the Pan, Barometz are actually plant-like beings like the Dryad, Mandragora and Alraune.
Like the wool on a Pan, Barometz possess a coat of cotton that requires occasional shearing.
The name of this species is a reference to the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary, with said plant having a "scientific name" (the name actually predate the modern usage of scientific names) of "Planta Tartarica Barometz"
Mandragora[]
Mandragora, also known as Mandrakes, are a pseudohuman sub-species of dryad with rootlike qualities. Preferring solitude, even among the timid plant-like species, Mandragora are known for being exceptionally timid and cowardly, although this is not so much due to xenophobia as being due to extreme shyness.
Unlike the legends associated with them, the scream they emit when removed from the ground is not fatal, but as their scream is very loud, it does sometimes cause loss of consciousness in those standing in the vicinity.
Matango[]
The Matango is a mysterious Liminal species which, despite being classified as a plant-like Liminal, actually has more fungal qualities.
Due to their spores, which have a hallucinogenic effect on other living beings, Matango are considered dangerous and are generally forbidden from participating in the Inter-Species Cultural Exchange program. In fact, however, Matango have no control about her spores, causing them to harm others without meaning to. Apparently there are different species or subspecies of Matango as the hallucinating effect of the spores varies depending on the species of Matango that spreads them. In contrast to fungi, Matango require other requirements for reproduction than just their spores, although more precise information on this are not known.
Treefolk[]
Treefolk are pseudohumans that are best described as anthropomorphic trees. Varying in appearance, it is discerned that Treefolk match the appearance of the trees or forests that they reside near. They also share the same strengths and weaknesses of trees. While their skin is extraordinarily tough, and very much like wood; they are vulnerable to fire and chopping blows.
Treefolk are said to be an extremely patient and cautious race, with a sense of time more suited to trees than short-lived mortals. The largest of their kind are said to be strong enough to tear apart stone.
Members[]
In the Manga[]
In the Game[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- It is said that a dryad's sweat smells like willow's leaves.
- Matango systematics is odd, as fungi are more closely related to animals than plants.
- The Treefok may be based on the Ents from "The Lord of the Rings".