Nymphs

Nymphs
Name	Nymphs
Affiliation and Identity
Identity	Public
Physical Characteristics
Body Type	Humanoid
Number of Limbs	4
Number of Fingers	5
Number of Toes	5
Origin and Status
Reality	Earth-616
Base of Operations	Olympus Formerly Thuria (Valusia, Thule)
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Don Rico
First	Venus #3 (September, 1948)
First	Venus #3 (September, 1948)

Nymphs were humanoid creatures hailing from the Olympian realm and ancient Greece, among other places. They were divine spirits similar to Fairies, being capable of animating the nature, and usually appeared as young women. They lived in mountains, forests and various bodies of water; and were virtually immortal. Nymphs were the frequent target of Satyrs.

Preface

The Nymphs can be broken down into other sub-groups:

• Oreads - Nymphs of mountains,
• Dryads - Nymphs of the forests, but their scent is apparently close to Dryads' or Sirens'
• Maenads -Followers of Dionysus, having control of beverages like alcohol and known for being virtually indestructible. They were able to shapeshift into beast-like creatures.
  • Hamadryads - Could be described by "those of less intellectual attainment" as Wood Nymphs, spirits who dwell within trees, who are the trees.
• Sea nymphs / water nymphs
  • Naiads or Naiades - Nymphs of the freshwater rivers and streams. The Siren Venus has been stated to be a Naiad on occasions. Their scent is apparently close to Dryads' or Sirens'.
  • Nereids - Described as sea nymphs, and water nymphs.
  • The Oceanides were the 3000 daughters of Oceanus and Tethys. They were the Nymphs of the waterways and clouds,
  • Hyades - Described as rain nymphs.
  • The Sirens were the daughters of Achelous and Terpsichore, sea Nymphs who could lure men to their deaths through their singing, The Siren Venus has been stated to a Naiad on occasions.
  • Mermaids/Mermen were sea Nymphs with the head and torso of a human and a fish-like tail. They were born from Triton, the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite.
• The Hesperides nymphs were either the daughters of:
  • the Titan Atlas and Hesperis.
  • the sea monster Ceto and the primeval sea god Phorcys.
• Pleiades were the seven daughters of Atlas and of Pleione, a sea nymph.

Some of the Nymphs, such as the Water Nymphs, are considered elementals.

History

Origin

The Hesperides nymphs (Aegle, Erytheia, Arethusa) were sired by the Titan Atlas and Hesperis.

Atlas also sired the Pleiades (Maia, Alcyone, Electra, Celaeno, Sterope, Merope, Taygete) with his wife Pleione, a sea nymph.

Achelous and the divine muse of dance Terpsichore sired the Sirens, who lived on the Sirenum scopuli islands.

Pre-Cataclysmic Age

During the Pre-Cataclysmic Age, Water Nymphs lived (at least) near Kamula in Valusia, and in Thule (where Bakas. One such, Acuea, tried to have Kull slain.

Hyborian Age

During the Hyborian Age, the Water Nymph Miri was enslaved by Kezan Val, who bound her to lure a score of ships onto the rocks with her Siren call. She helped Conan challenge him for the leadership of the Western Corsairs and was freed by the Cimmerian. She later repaid the debt by shipwrecking the Argossean Man of War led by King Thamos.
It is unknown if Miri was a Siren, or if the Siren call was a power also possessed by the Water Nymph.

Ancient Greece

Amphitrite was the wife of Poseidon.

Penelope was the name of a beautiful young Nymph and the lover of Hermes. She was horrified when she saw her son who was the Satyr, Pan.

Scylla was a beautiful Naiad who was claimed by Poseidon, and turned into a monster when the jealous Amphitrite poisoned the water of the spring where she bathed.

A Nereid, Thetis was a sea-goddess and the daughter of the sea-god Nereus. Along with fellow Nereid Eurynome adopted and raised Hephaestus. She later wed Peleus and gave birth to seven son, including Achilles.

Ekho, a Nymph whose constant chattiness earned her the ire of the goddess Hera, was cursed by the goddess to only speak last, and only repeating the last word spoken to her, so that she would never speak first. Filled with grief, Ekho faded from physical form and remained a disembodied voice.

Tiresias was the son of a Nymph.

On the Quest for the Golden Fleece, the Argonauts landed on the island of Mysia, where Hylas went to collect water and ended up being seduced by some water Nymphs. The beautiful creatures dragged the boy into their pond and he was never seen again. Hercules searched him for days, but the Argonauts were forced to leave their friend on the island to hunt for their missing friend.

Modern Days

In the modern era, Ireland-based Dyke claimed to be the last of the Nereids.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

The Nymphs possess many powers:

• Immortality: The Water Nymphs cannot be slain.
• Seductive Magnetism: The Water Nymphs can control any man they seduce.

Weaknesses

The Water Nymphs had no power over people they could not seduce, such as Kull or Bakas.

See Also

• 12 appearance(s) of Nymphs
• 1 minor appearance(s) of Nymphs
• 6 mention(s) of Nymphs
• 1 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Nymphs
• 2 image(s) of Nymphs
• 4 representative(s) of Nymphs