Dryad

As you walk along the road, you see a figure resting against a wooden fence: around average human height (perhaps a little short), you initially don't notice much wrong from a distance. But as they stretch their limbs before heading back to work, you notice that their arms are wrong- skinless, their green-brown vine-muscle sinews flex with only small shards of barklike material for protection.
As they turn to face you, you notice this isn't a human at all. Smooth wooden plates sitting on more green-brown vines make up their facial structure- which feels only human-adjacent. Pure black eyes, almost insect-like, peer at you, and their nose is more of a bump with holes in the wooden plating. Their broad farmer's hat sits on a large bustle of yellow wildflowers that mops over their head like hair. They give you a timid smile, showing you the grinding blocks in their mouth of jet-black hardwood (completely square and flat, like the teeth of an herbivore). Their throat expands slightly as they speak in a whistle-like, almost sing-songy voice: "Howdy stranger."
Getting out of the road, they traipse down the hill back to their farm, and you hear a Thunk as long, hooked claws emerge from one of their hands. Back down in their field, you see them raking along the ground with their claws, gathering the detritus and clear the way for planting. As you continue strolling down the road you see them scoop the detritus into their mouth as a snack.
You have just encountered a Dryad- one of the most populous species on Halika. In cities, in the countryside, anywhere you might find human life you will find Dryads alongside them. They are the chosen people of Halycon , made in the earliest of days.
As a Character Race, Dryads have the following statistics:

• +2 Wis , +1 Stat of choice
• 15 ft Tremorsense
• Natural weapons: 1d4 + Strength claw attack
• Disadvantage on perception checks based on sight

A specific bloodline of dryad, often found in the Southern hemisphere (and most commonly, Ekraht) has unique powers over air and wind that increase as they gain experience. These Wind Dryads have the following Character Race statistics:

• +2 Wisdom
• 15 ft Tremorsense
• Natural weapons: 1d4 + Strength claw attack
• Disadvantage on perception checks based on sight
• Gets the Gust Cantrip for free, with Wisdom as the casting stat
• At level 3, get either the Gust of Wind or Levitate spell as a 2nd level spell once per long rest
• At level 6, get either Wind Wall or Fly as a 3rd level spell once per long rest

Another bloodline of dryad is the Cave Dryad. A fusion of fungus and plant, Cave Dryads develop from prolonged underground living near Halpara Mushroms - a common arrangement in Kima Cities. Cave dryads are not mechanically much different, other than an inability to photosynthesize- they do not need and cannot use the sun, but rather eat traditionally for all nutrients.

Basic Information

Anatomy

"Dryads- have a typically lean build, with an average height of about 5'6", ranging from about 5'-5'10". They are usually some shade of brown or green, and it's common for a mix of 2 or 3 colors. Body is made of several vines of different thicknesses (anywhere from a quarter inch to about 2 inches) wrapped around each other for support, which can expand and contract, essentially acting as both a musculature and skeletal system in one. Hands taper off into 3 "fingers", essentially a middle and pointer finger and a thumb. Decent grip strength, reasonable dexterity. Feet are "stumps" that have around 6 roots spreading off of them, which they use for stability and intaking nutrients. Instead of vocal cords, they have an empty space below their "throat" that fills up with air, which they then expel in order to approximate a voice. They use their "mouth" to manipulate syllables, which lets them communicate with non dryads! Consequently gives them a really breathy, wind like voice. Also, they supplement their communication with other dryads with specific fragrances.

Genetics and Reproduction

Like their plant counterparts, they have both male and female sexual components within them, so they don't really have a concept of gender within their culture. Their pouch holds their sprouting young and contains some super rich nutrients in there for development. Also, they have a cute flower on their head, which is how they detect scents! It can be any kind of flower, doesn't really affect much, so it varies mostly for aesthetic purposes. In rare occurrences, they can have two flowers.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Dryads in the wild eat detritus and soil, using root-appendages on their legs to leech nutrients from the soil and using their claws to rake detritus to eat via their mouths. In cities, they tend to eat carbohydrate-heavy foods, often including hay, grains, and other foods grown for livestock as well as curated mashed and sometimes baked leaves.

Biological Cycle

Dryads have a similar growth cycle to humans- they are infants (usually staying in their parent's pouches), grow to childhood, and become adults by age 20.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Dryads are fairly evenly distributed across the world, though they have difficulty surviving in the arctic and antarctic tundras.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They have eye analogues that are mostly for identifying heat/sunlight, and aren't much help for long distances and fine details. Sense of hearing is average, but sense of smell is above average. Finally, they have a sort of tremor sense that helps them make sense of motion father away.

Genetic Descendants

• Half-Dryad

Lifespan

75 years

Average Height

5'6"

Average Weight

200 lbs