Sylph

Sylphs are beautiful, humanoid women with wings like dragonflies. Their wings are 4-5 feet long and translucent, clear, or spotted with iridescent color. Their long, bright, hair may be any "normal" color, or blue, purple, or green. They wear flowing, diaphanous robes which accent their wings or hair. Sylphs are related to air elementals and to nymphs, perhaps originating as a cross-breed between nymphs and aerial servants.

Sylphs are friendly and sometimes befriend adventurers and give them aid in exchange for a favor. Sylphs defend themselves only with magical abilities. They can cast arcane spells, preferring spells of elemental air. In addition, the sylph can become invisible at will and summon an air elemental once each week.

Sylphs rarely touch ground in the lowlands. They are fond of travel, and it is rare to find one near its home. Sylph nests are highly individualistic, some formed from whatever materials are available, others are elaborate retreats perched in tall trees or carved into mountains. Sylphs prefer simple and light possessions, and often trade wealth for furnishings, such as light draperies, silks, and pillows.

All sylphs are female and mate with humanoid males, preferring Elves, but sometimes accepting a Human or Halfling mate. Three months after conception, the sylph lays a pearly egg in a special nest, and summons an air elemental to guard it. Six months later, the egg hatches a baby girl with wing buds. The child grows at the same rate as a human child, gaining magical abilities at age five, and full flight by age 10. Sylphs live for up to 1,000 years, retaining their youthful looks throughout their lives.

The sylph has the innate ability to levitate; wings are needed only to provide thrust. If a sylph's wings are injured, it can only glide or hover. Anti-magical attacks may ground a sylph by negating its power of levitation.

Sylphs usually maintain their distance from the more mundane humanoid races, but associate freely with nymphs and dryads. Aerial monsters occasionally feed on them, but they are in greater danger from evil humanoid males who attempt to capture them for dark purposes.

Note: Sylphs originally appeared in this form in the 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual for the AD&D game from TSR. Their use here is for the purposes of providing context for the campaign only.