Nereids are the nymphs of the sea, found primarily in the Great Sea ocean where they form an underwater society together with merpeople and sea witches. As in the case of other nymphs, they are exclusively female but it is unknown whether do they have a mutagenous substance similar to the Water of Brokilon used by dryads.
History[]
Nereids sunbathing atop a rock
According to the dwarves, nymphs appeared in the world centuries before the arrival of civilized races,[3] possibly among the first living species to appear on the planet.[1] By the 8th century, nereids and merpeople were influenced by Aen Seidhe culture and developed a distinct variant of the Elder Speech.[4]
Around the 1240s, an odd boat with an equally strange girl named Sha was found ashore Cidaris city. Speculated to be an emissary of the kraken that was terrorizing the area, King Mathen wed her to his son and successor Ethain. While the marriage did not cause the attacks to cease, the subsequent violent events resulting in Mathen's death and Sha's jumping into the water never to appear again, eventually did.[2]
Characteristics[]
Physical features[]
One thing that makes them stand out near rusalki, their close kin found in lakes and rivers, is nereids' bluish or sea-greenish skin tone and often likewise hair.[1] As other nymphs, nereids are attractive to humans, who sometimes depict them in erotic art along with the mermen.[5]
Mental traits[]
Sea nymphs rarely possess notable magical abilities, but can easily counter offensive spells targeted at them, as well as some mental attacks. They are however less resistant in this area than their naiad cousins.[1]
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt[]
Nereids were supposed to appear as monsters but were removed during the game's development in 2013-2014. The description from leaked documents can be read below, while the image (by Łukasz "Ortheza" Matuszek) is displayed in the infobox.
- Monster living in the water, can also walk on the land, uses female skeleton. This monster changes its appearance and behavior when in water. It's more human-like when it gets out on land.
- Role in the group: Individual
- Preferred behavior: tries to fight in water if she can. Tries to summon the Wipper first.
- Special attacks and actions:
- Fast attacks - when in close range, attacks with fast paced strikes, dealing medium damage.
- Summon a Wipper - Nereida screams and summons a Wipper. There can be only one Wipper summoned at the same time. Wipper can be summoned only if Nereida is in water.
- Dive and regenerate - Nereida can dive to regenerate its health. She can only use this ability in water.
- Defence
- Dodge - Nereida can dodge all strong attacks and sometimes perform a dodge when player tries a fast strike
- Counter - after the dodge, Nereida performs a counter jump attack.
- Vital points:
- Instant kill:
- Cutting neck artery - this action is available only when Nereida is not in water. Normally in water Nereida has thick scales, protecting her neck. On the land those scales disappear (to allow Nereida resemble a normal woman and lure sailors).
- Protection: none.
- Critical effect/disable ability:
- Cutting the gills - prevents Nereida from diving into water (cost: 2 points).
- Cutting the vocal cords - disables the Summon Wipper ability (cost: 2 points).
- Massive damage: none.
- Instant kill:
- Immune to: Silver, Axii
- Vulnerable to: Steel, Igni[6]