Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Dungeon Siege II and Dungeon Siege II: Broken World.
Dryads appear for the first time in Dungeon Siege II.
A Dryad Watcher in armor the style of those made in the outposts after the second cataclysm.
The Dryads are a natural race, born from seeds as a result of Turmanar, the first cataclysm of the Shield of Azunai, and the Sword of Zaramoth.
Ther appearance is similar to Elven women, though they have leaves for hair, sap runs through their veins, and their skin represents the colors of nature. The known hues for Dryads are orange, brown, and green. Since there are no Dryad males, it is unknown how Dryads reproduce, perhaps using nature magic to create seeds of which the Dryads are grown from. It is also noted that no Dryad adolescents or children have been seen or mentioned.
Fighting Skill[]
Dryads were known to have an excellent attunement to Nature Magic, many healers, ice mages, and earth magicians lived in their population. In addition to their magic, many Dryad women perfected the art of ranged fighting, hunting with bows, and more commonly, throwing knives. Some Dryads, such as guards and sentinels, choose to use melee weapons, such as clubs, and (after the second cataclysm) tree-like swords.
When in outposts in the mainland, after Greilyn Isle was sunk, many Dryads took the position of watchers, standing in pairs on lookout-towers high above the ground, with bow and arrow ready to strike at foes that threatened to come too near to their new homes. It is also noted that Dryads formed a type of leech magic, able to suck magic from a being and put it into themselves. This method was demonstrated various times in Dungeon Siege II: Broken World, once on the insane mage Kanred.
| 1 Point in Natural Bond |
| 1 Point in Dodge |
| -2 Strength |
| +4 Dexterity |
| +10% Death Magic Resistance |
As seen above, the bonuses of
creating a Dryad character are geared
towards Nature Magic and Ranged,
and is steered away from Melee.
Culture[]
The culture and customs of the Dryads surround their natural attunement to the land. Dryads are greatly attracted to the water and thunderstorms (the more violent, the better), and often sing hymns to their trees. Dryads are highly regarded by other races for their weaving and carvings, and have practiced a form of smithing that combines metal with other natural materials such as bark, leaves, bones, and shells. Dryads are generally prejudice of all races besides the Elves, however this changed after their Great Leader was killed.
The Dryads lived in close-knit communities, even more so than Humans. Many times they are compared to packs of wolves, for conflicts are often, but quickly resolved. Dryads are all related, it is said, as they call their brethren sisters.
History[]
When a great storm blew the homeless Dryads to Greilyn Isle, they took residence in old Sea Elf ruins. When the Elves travelled to Greilyn to help the Dryads develop their own society, the Dryads learned smithing and building. In a location chosen by the Elves (for it was near an ancient underground Elven water Shrine, and the Temple of the Coast, where the Aegis of Life was guarded), a tree-top village called Eirulan was built. The Dryads lived here, establishing small outposts on the ground of the jungles.
After the second Cataclysm, Greilyn Isle sank into the Sea of Mists, killing many Dryads, and resulting in the remaining population having to leave their island in rafts. After being led by the Great Leader (of whom was really the Overmage of the Cinbri in disguise of the first and only male Dryad), the Dryad women established outposts throughout the Plain of Tears, and the lands around Arinth's Ravine. The Dryads became the lead race in the resistance after the second cataclysm, as the humans were kept to the north by Princess Evangeline, and the Elves struggling for survival within their homelands.
Word eventually reached out to other races that the Dryads had built a city, Solanum, of which their Great Leader ruled from. When the Overmage was slain, the Dryads continued to build their civilization, and they became less prejudice and more trusting of other races, aiding the Elves and Humans as well.
Famous Dryads[]
Taar - Taar is a curious and kind Dryad, first available to be recruited after the player has gone through the Elven Shrine. Taar is a Nature Mage, and it is hinted that she is young for her type. It is also noted that Taar puts magical rings on prisoners (rings of light that would choke and kill the Dryads' prisoners if they became rogue or hostile), as well as taking them off. After the events of Dungeon Siege II, Taar goes to the Dryad Outpost, where she can be recruited in the game Dungeon Siege II: Broken World. After Zaramoth Reborn is defeated, it is said in the epilogue that Taar travelled with Princess Evangeline to the Northern Reaches, where she became the newly crowned Queen's advisor.
Deru - Deru is an adventure loving and eager Dryad. While she bears more skill in Ranged weapons in the Mercenary difficulty of Dungeon Siege II, she appears as a Nature Mage in the Veteran and Elite modes of play in Dungeon Siege II, as well as in Dungeon Siege II: Broken World. As stated in the epilogue of Broken World, Deru returns to the Dryad Outpost where she rules for some time, but her love of adventure soon brings her to the Northern Reaches, where she leads the ranged armies of Queen Evangeline.
Celia - The warden of Eirulan, Celia is very distrusting of the player from the very beginning of the game. She reluctantly lets the player out of his prison, later sending him to Taar for his prisoner ring to be removed. Celia is seen again in Dungeon Siege II: Broken World as the leader of the Dryad Outpost. At an early point in the game, the player and his party must find Celia in order for her to open a passage to Aman'lu. Because of this and her demonstration of taking magic from various rogue mages, Celia is presumed to be a mage of some sort. Celia is killed along with the other leaders (save Kirani) of the various Dryad outposts by Zaramoth Reborn, after being tricked into going into a 'promised land.'
Kirani - Rescued by the player in his first quest in Greilyn Isle, Kirani expresses kindness towards him, later urging Warden Celia to remove his Ring of Submission, freeing him of being a prisoner in Eirulan. Kirani survives the sinking of her island, and becomes a deputy of the Dryad Outpost where Celia is in command. It is here that she expresses disappointment in the player, for his actions cause the sinking of the Dryads' beloved homeland. Kirani is the only survivor of the handful of Dryads that were killed by Zaramoth Reborn. She returns to lead the Dryads, perhaps from the newly built Dryad capital of Solanum.