Nymphless
RARITY: ★★★★☆ | THREAT: ★★★★☆ SIZE: Human-sized.
HABITAT:
Typically near the biome or element that they died for.
OVERVIEW:
When a nymph’s domain is threatened in a way that is impossible to recover from naturally, they may be given an opportunity to make a sacrifice. This powerful use of fae magic, relatively unheard of outside of nymph circles, demands a nymph give their own life in order to restore life to their domain. In doing so, the nymph themself is killed, but the domain is allowed to flourish. In cases such as this, especially when the threat to the domain that forced the nymph to give their life to protect it has a human cause, the nymph’s spirit may remain to continue protecting the domain the nymph loved in life. These spirits, referred to as nymphless, devolve into poltergeists almost immediately after death.
A nymphless is the raw protection of the domain. It cannot reason or think, other than to identify threats to the domain to attack them. They will attack anything that might harm the domain. Unable to feel pain or fear, there is little that will stop a nymphless in its tracks. Nymphless have been known to destroy entire towns for a faulty sewage system, or destroy a motorway for a single cigarette butt thrown out a window. Because these spirits are solely focused on their own domains, they may even target the domains of other nymphs, even those they were friends with in life.
ABILITIES:
Like nymphs, nymphless have a deep physical tie to their domain, and can tell when a tree, ocean or rock is unbalanced or in threat, depending on their domain.
They have a raw, fae magic ability to manipulate the environment around them, depending on their domain, and to become elemental forces in their own right.
Nymphless are typically more powerful in their domain specific abilities than nymphs are.
Unlike nymphs, the more their environment is in danger or harmed, the more powerful they are.
Nymphless are lacking in sentience, and therefore do not feel pain, fear or hesitation.
WEAKNESSES:
Nymphless have a limited ability to interact with the world around them, and are only able to interact directly with their own domain.
They maintain the weakness of iron, and are also vulnerable to salt much like other ghosts.
While most ghosts are only visible to a select few species, nymphless are visible to all fae, though anyone who isn’t fae and doesn’t otherwise possess the ability to see ghosts will not be able to see them.
As they are not sentient, nymphless do not attack with any kind of strategy, and can be outsmarted. Of course, there is only so much you can do to outsmart a tornado.
As they are a kind of spirit, nymphless can be exorcised through a ritual known to some more knowledgeable exorcists and a few well-read wardens. Wardens and exorcists may work together to rid an area of a nymphless. Occasionally, a nymph or nix whose domain is threatened by a nymphless may join this fight as well.
