Hamadryads are dryads who have the deepest connection with the forest and form a life-long mental bond with a given tree. As in the case of normal dryads, their descendants remain female, even generations later without drinking the Water of Brokilon.
History[]
a wild hamadryad
Some legends claim that the origin of dryads, and thus hamadryads, lies in the elven scheme to use enchanted human women in battles against Nordlings.[4] While the dryads were indeed spotted in certain elven ruins as guardians of the nature,[2] according to the dwarves they were already present on the Continent ages before the arrival of either Nordlings or Aen Seidhe.[5] There are even assumptions that dryads, especially hamadryads, came here as early as the first trees, thus grouping them among the earliest colonizers of the world.
Hamadryads hated dwarves for harming forests,[2] and the dwarves perceived them as savage barbarians like other nymphs.[5] They perceived the elves better as they shared their love for the nature, even if elves sometimes tended to shape it to their will.
When the Nordlings arrived, they perceived hamadryads as monsters, tree demons who had to be either expelled or destroyed in order to obtain the wood. Most of the hamadryads found shelter in Brokilon[2] though some of them remained in other forests, in areas where humans decided to befriend rather then to commit a genocide,[6] such as in Riverdell.[1]
Culture[]
Hamadryads do not form a separate culture of their own. Instead, they live either with other dryads or with less-prejudices humans. Many of them live alone in the wild, as the last guardians and keepers of given tree.[2]
Characteristics[]
Physical features[]
As the other dryads, hamadryads are usually short and slender. Their skin tones may take tints of olive, chestnut, green or red,[2] but sometimes it appears to be green.[3]
While similar to humans, hamadryads and their descendants have some "weird" physical features that allow to recognize them among normal dh'oine.[1]
Mental traits[]
The bond between the hamadryad and her tree makes drawing Power from earth and air easier for her. Because of it, hamadryads are the most powerful sorceresses amongst dryads and some of them may have mastery over magic comparable even to that of human archmages. These sorceresses usually accompany dryad sentinels at borders of Brokilon, helping to fight off the invaders with such spells as the terrific Earthen Maw.
Hamadryads are excellent healers, skilled in use of conynhaela and knitbone. They are also able to influence the growth of plants so that they take shape of huts and houses where other dryads can live in comfort.[2] The most skilled ones are able to create treants.[4]
Despite all these possibilities, the bond have also a drawback: when the tree dies, its hamadryad goes insane and usually follow it not much later. The same effect might occur when a hamadryad leaves the region where her tree grows.[2]
Notable hamadryads[]
Gallery[]
Footnotes[]
- ↑ Only according to Wiedźmin: Gra Wyobraźni; her subrace isn't specified in the books.