Nymph
Nymphs are the daughters of the demigod Cenarius. Many of them vaguely resemble female night elves in their upper bodies, while their lower bodies more resemble woodland cervids or similar creatures. They are the female counterparts to the keepers, and they can be found in all biomes around Azeroth as well as within the Emerald Dream.
Types
The term "nymph" is used to describe all daughters of Cenarius, but more specific terms are used to identify individual types of nymph based on the biome they occupy.
Dryads
The term dryad is frequently used in describing nymphs that occupy the various forests of Azeroth and the Emerald Dream.
- Alseid - Dryads that reside in temperate and tropical forests. They are among the most common type of dryad, and they have the lower bodies of deer.
- Meliae - Dryads that reside in cool locations, like ash and pine forests. They have the lower bodies of caribou
Oreads
Oreads are nymphs that dwell within mountains and rocky places, including deserts. Conventional oreads have the lower bodies of mountain goats.
- Lampad - Oreads that dwell in caves and underground mushroom forests in the Barrow Deeps. They have the strongest connection to Ardenweald of all nymphs and have the lower bodies of moose.
Oceanids
Oceanids are water nymphs who dwell in oceans, lakes, and other wet locations. All cceanids are ichthyocentaur, having the lower body of a hippocampus (half fish, half horse). The types of fish reflect the water they live in.
- Naiad - Fresh-water oceanids that dwell in lakes, streams, rivers, etc.
- Nereid - Salt-water oceanids that dwell in the seas.
Other Types of Nymphs
- Auloniad - A middle point between dryad and oread, who live in mountain pastures, vales, and valleys. They have the lower bodies of elk.
- Eleionomae - A middle point between dryad and oceanid, who live in wetlands. They have the lower bodies of sika.
- Auraiad - Flying nymphs who dwell in high places, like mountaintop peaks or World Trees. They have the lower bodies of hippogryphs. After Aviana's death, auriads became even more rare as G'Hanir withered, and they offered up their lives to keep it from dying.
Life Cycle and Rebirth
Nymphs are born from special seeds that, when planted and water, grow rapidly into a tree (or similar organism) on both the material plane and the Emerald Dream. If a nymph is killed, they are then reborn at their nymph tree in the Emerald Dream (or on the material plane if they were struck down in the Dream). If their connected tree is damage on either plane, however, its twin will gradually wilt and die. This will eventually cause the nymph to perish if the tree is not healed, and it will prevent them from being reborn if slain.
