Pyroead

Pyroead — Fire Nymph

“I hadn’t much time before my protections from flame gave out, but before I had to leave the flaming rock of Muspelheim, I witnessed a most hilarious tormenting of fire giants. A lone nymph was flying about on the thermal currents pelting a group of giants with obsidian. She wasn’t doing much damage, but fought with…fiery passion, so to speak.”

— Pirjo of Eilistraee, a drow from Svartalfheim

Fire Nymphs, or Pyroeads, are beautiful maidens with fiery hair and skin of rose. They are lithe with eyes that burn like oak embers, and wear garments of coloured flame. Pyroeads rarely stop fidgeting and flicking about, and can’t sit still for long.

If prime races could survive the eternal flames of Muspelheim, they would eventually learn to appreciate the natural beauty of its fires, as do the fire nymphs. As dryads are to aesthetic forests, the fire nymphs are the protectors of especially beautiful fires. Fire nymphs speak a dialect of dryad, the language of fire elementals, fire giants, efreeti, azer, oreads and sylphs.

COMBAT: Fire nymphs are quick to fight, but are not berserkers by any means. When given offence, they will resort to any tactic to succeed, including trickery, ambush and traps. They have an innate burning hands ability which can be used once per round to inflict 2d4 points of magical fire damage to an opponent. Victims can save versus spells for half damage.

A pyroead can cast the following spells once per day as a 9th-level caster: produce flame, produce fire, affect normal fires, and pyrotechnics. They can also bestow flame walk on up to 6 others, which lasts for but a turn.

Pyroeads make judicious use of their innate fire charm ability, which they can use anywhere within Muspelheim, Elemental Plane of Fire, or within natural fires on the prime. Charmed creatures are often advised to cease and desist any actions that may affect their home flames, or to torment the pyroead’s natural enemies, the fire giants. The duration of the charm lasts for one day.

Fire nymphs can ride thermal air currents if they so choose, which resembles flight. They use this to escape overwhelming battles, to fight their opponents another day.

The pyroeads have few allies in Muspelheim, but can summon 1d4 tiny fire elementals to assist them. These fire devils resemble dust devils, but have an AC 5, HD2, MV 120′ and can inflict 1d6 points of fire damage to opponents and flammable objects.

HABITAT/SOCIETY: Fire Nymphs cannot survive outside their native flames for longer than an hour, but may wander to the prime to witness occasional rejuvenating forest fires. They despise the destructive nature of the fire giants. While on the Plane of Fire, they often work to free mortals enslaved by the evil efreet.

ECOLOGY: Pyroeads can mate with several humanoid species to produce young, for there are no reported sightings of male pyroeads. Using their fire charm and flame walk abilities, they prefer to seduce azer, Svartalfheim (good) drow and an occasional jann. Planewalking humans and druids are also ideal targets for procreation. They can conceive a single child each year, which is raised to maturity and sent off to protect her own sacred fire.

Roughly every tenth child of a fire nymph cannot withstand the natural flames of Muspelheim, and must be cast out of the fiery realm or perish. No pyroead enjoys losing her child, but tries to send the infant to a good home on the prime or adjoining plane with a less hostile environment. These fire orphans can be ran as a player character, and can be treated either as a fire genasi or as a tiefling with the following suggested abilities: +1 to Charisma and Dexterity, -1 to Constitution and Strength, 60′ Infravision, 1/2 damage from fire, +2 saving throw versus fire, charm person once per day, burning hands once per day, pyrotechnics three times per week. They can be fighters, rangers, druids, fire priests, thieves, bards and fire elementalist mages, or a multiclass combination of two. They will have fiery red hair, an ashen complexion, yellow irises, and a lithe, graceful demeanour upon maturity. They can be male or female. The parents of a pyroead child will have to learn to deal with a very wilful, hot-headed child.

It is said that fire nymphs consider diamonds a delicacy, as a prime human would crave chocolates. They are also known to eat roasted nuts, freshly cut oak wood, and peat moss for salad. They prefer to have their salad after their main course, thank you.

Pyroeads rarely gather, but will join forces to fight against a particularly menacing fire giant threat in Muspelheim.

CURRENT CHANT: Sensates have recently been alerted by a pyroead about a possible alliance between the efreet and fire giants. It seems the fire giants seek quicken the onset of Fimbulwinter, which could lead to Ragnarok. Sensates claim there are pyroead agents in the City of Brass to assist those of good intent. Fire nymphs have been known to guide planewalkers around the more intense flames of Muspelheim.

Source: Jim Barrett