SNEAK PEEK - BRECK THE DRYAD - PATREON EXCLUSIVE (Patreon)

There are forces of nature that hold a will all their own, and to deny them is to deny the very dirt we rose from and to which we shall all return.   

Nymphs, drayds, and nerieds are often seen as little gods of the natural world, entities which must be appeased before humans can trespass upon their territory. Once, when there was a great deal of overlapping between the worlds of man and the realms of everything else, they were plentiful, inhabiting every stream and grove one could wander upon. In the far north they are said to have some relation to the Vanir, the early deities which intermingled with Aesir and Jotunn alike. To the Greeks they were the offspring of the gods and their dalliances with demi gods or natural forces. In North America, there are sightings of strange creatures, said to resemble their surroundings to such an extent that they weave themselves in and out of them effortlessly. It is thought that all of these creatures share some link to one another, though it's often difficult to trace direct lineage in such cases.   
 
What is understood is these these entities are often locked to the place where they first sprang up. They are said to be fully formed an adult from the moment they obtain consciousness, often appearing as attractive young men or women to the humans who see them. However, this is a method of preying upon those foolish enough to trespassed in their area without making proper obeisances. They invite the humans into their groves, luring them with laughter and smiles until they are ensnared. Once the human is thoroughly befuddled, most drayds will release a pollen into the air that makes mortals drowsy and languid. As they sink to the ground, the drayds will constrict their roots around the body until it can not move. They then bury their unfortunate victim deep under ground, keeping them alive to feed from them for ages. Nymphs are fond of this trick as well, though nerieds prefer to drown their victims.   
 
However there are ways to placate the dryads and minimalize risk to yourself. They are fond of offerings, as most demi-gods are. Milk, honey, goats cheese and yeasty bread being among their favorite treats. They can also be kind if they see someone taking special care to treat their environment kindly by not breaking branches or collecting only wood that has already fallen. They are fond of people who protect their areas, and have been known to offer little favors to people they see cleaning rivers or planting trees.   
 
There was once a terrible forest fire that ravaged the countryside in a French province. While people struggle to renew their lands, a young man found a small green vine, struggling to grow up from under the blackened earth. He took the vine home, a reminder that good things can grow even from tragedy. Every day he would water the vine and speak to it, encouraging it to grow. He believed that if he could make this little plant flourish, then perhaps even after all he had lost, he could find a way to flourish as well. Within a year, his farm was the most productive in the province. Even as others struggled, he managed to eek out enough to survive the oncoming winter. He was never stingy with his goods, and often gave to his less fortunate neighbors. He attributed it all to the little plant he has salvaged, which was now strong and producing many lovely flowers. The years went by, and once day the plant outgrew the pots he had for it. He returned to the forest where he had plucked the little bud, where thousands of little green buds had begun to return to the once bleak woods. He replanted the vine and petted it. “Thank you for all you have done for me. But I think it is time to return you home.” He laid the plant to it's place and returned to his farm, expecting that all was finished. That night, he awoke to the fresh scent of flowers, and strong arms curled up around him. He turned over, astonished to find a handsome, green skinned man lying next to him with eyes dark as oak. The dryad touched his cheeks and kissed him, tasting of fresh grass and the woods after a rain. For the rest of his life, he would be visited by the dryad from time to time, and his crops never failed to yield a harvest nor became subject to blight.