Sylvan |
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| Sylvans are wild and teriomorphous nature spirits. They are villous, with red to black disordered hair; their body is human overall, but with animal hears and tail and, in some cases, animal legs and horns as well. They are pretty when child, beautiful and bestial when young, and horrible and hoggish when old: as their age increases, they become half-bald and their noses turn flat. At that point they believe to remedy such a ugliness by adorning themselves with thick beards. Sylvans live of hunting, overall by means of very effective lace traps. They are agile and noiseless and almost undetectable (90%) in thick vegetation; their smell and hearing are exceptional, thus they can be surprised but 1 in 8. They are malicious and usually hostile to men; sometimes they damage harvests, attack herds or use violence against women. And in effects they love a little too much wine as well as beautiful girls, Nymphs in particular. Yet these latter generally try to avoid them, for Sylvans have huge reproductive organs, are subject to easy itiphallism, and are very lewd. Sylvans like also music, and many play double pipe, syringe or reed-pipe, sometimes with snappers and tambour accompaniment. Some play really very well: it is famous the dramatic musical challenge between sylvan Marsia and god Apollo. Many can magically affect with their music all within 6" radius: those who don't make successfully a saving throw against spell will be affected either by charm, sleep or fear, at the sylvan's choice. Commonly they are reputed to exist only of masculine gender, but this is due just to the fact that female sylvans must hardly work at home and very rarely can be encountered elsewhere.
There are three Sylvan races: FAUNS. These form the most numerous and spread race, and the most human-like: their bestiality is limited to general traits, pointed hears, and a long horsetail that starts from their loins. They are the less hatred by nymphs and the more clever in weapon use, being at times equipped by daggers, clubs, slings or javelins. They can run at 14" speed. SATYRS. These prefer forested mountains and are the roughest ones. They have goat-like legs and horns and a thick hairy tail at loins, and can run at 16" speed. Satyrs are hardly having any weapons with them; if they have to fight, quickly stones and staffs appear into their hands and are used with proficiency. Alternatively they can strike with their horns for 1-6 hit points damage, doubled if they charge. SYLENS. These prefer grass fields rich of water and cool caves. They have horse-like legs and tails, this latter starting at loins, and can run at 18" speed. Sylens can use stones and staffs like satyrs do; they can also strike in the same round (thus 2 attacks) using either of their two hoofs for 1-3 hit points damage.
By Gianluca Meluzzi, 1992, 1999.
For AD&D 1st Edition, TSR Games. |
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