| “ | Grandfather has interrupted our natural cycle. Imagine! Green leaves in winter. It's truly an age of wonder, sister. | „ |
| ~ Prince Aspen to his sister Princess Alder in Fables #91 — "Geppetto: Chapter Five of Witches" |
Dryads are a supernatural species who are living trees. They debut in Fables #90 — "Ozma: Chapter Four of Witches."
History[]
Prince Aspen and Princess Alder were first seen accompanying Geppetto as his personal bodyguards. While acting as his servants, they originally assisted in Geppetto's attempt to seize control of the Farm. When Rose Red recovered from her depression, she took back control of the Farm and ordered the dryads to return to the woods, as they were not necessary and troublesome.
Since their banishment, the pair of dryads remained on Geppetto's service. Eventually, Alder was allowed back onto the Farm's grounds and lodged with Bo Peep. Around this time, Aspen began secretly seeing Briar Rose romantically. During one of their trysts, Goldilocks murdered Briar and Aspen, however Briar rose was resurrected at the cost of Aspen's life.
Psychological characteristics[]
Dryads seem to be somewhat at the mercy of their creator, as was the case with the only two dryads who served Grandfather Oak. While they may maintain some type of supernatural loyalty to their masters, they do have a sense of individuality and can act on their own accord.
Dryads also have no qualms about being nude and are comfortably in public without clothes. They are also offended at the idea of being given a bouquet of flowers, likening it to giving a human a bouquet of slaughtered gerbils.[1]
Physiology[]
Dryads are humanoid in appearance, although they have wooden-colored skin and various plant-like attributes incorporated into their person (i.e. leaves in place of hair and grass-like pubic hair). While dryads have wood grained skin, it is soft and pliable. Like ordinary humans, should the leaves on their head be removed (e.g. via fire) they will eventually grow back.[1]
According to Princess Alder, when she reaches maturity she will take root and become a tree. A dryads diet is varied and similar to a conventional tree's (e.g. eating manure, mulch, and a dead carcass).[1]
Powers and abilities[]
Limited chlorokinesis: Dryads can control plant life and vegetation to an unknown extent. When threatened, Aspen rapidly grew roots to ensnare Brock Blueheart.
Weaknesses[]
- Fire: Dryads have repeatedly shown a fear of fire, and this most likely stemmed from their tree-like nature. After being killed by the Sword of Regret, Goldilocks used Prince Aspen's body as kindling to provide a pyre for Briar Rose's body.[2]
- Magic: Dryads are susceptible to the powers of magic. This is inclusive of mystical objects such as the Sword of Regret.
Known dryads[]
| Dryad | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
 |
Grandfather Oak is an ancient oak tree who is the patriarch of all the trees in the Great Woods of the Farm; and presumably others beyond it, according to Geppetto. What scant magic there is in the mundane world flows into him. Grandfather Oak made an alliance with Geppetto and gifted the former Adversary two of his sapline to serve as his guards. | Alive |
 |
Prince Aspen was a dryad assigned to be Geppetto's bodyguard by the Grandfather Oak along with his sister, Princess Alder. He was inevitably killed by a psychotic Goldilocks and Cinderella chose to revive his lover Briar Rose instead of him. | Deceased |
 |
Princess Alder is dryad assigned to be Geppetto's bodyguard by the Grandfather Oak along with her brother, Prince Aspen. | Alive |
 |
Even though he is not designated as such, Lord Rowan seems to embody the characteristics of a dryad, akin to those of Prince Aspen and Princess Alder. He appears in an alternative universe where Mister Dark was never defeated, and is one of the Great Powers who appears before Mr. Dark in his castle, in a futile attempt to persuade him not to claim their territories for his own, with Rowan representing the tree-kings. It is presumed that he was killed when Frau Totenkinder destroyed the entire universe in an effort to thwart Dark's invasion of other dimensions. | Deceased |
Original source[]
They are based on the dryads from Greek mythology. Dryads, also known as hamadryads, are nymphs or nature spirits who live in trees and take the form of beautiful young women. The term originally referred to the spirits of oak trees, as drys translates to "oak"; however, it subsequently came to encompass all types of tree nymphs.[3] Dryads preside over forests and trees,[4] and it was believed that they lived only as long as the trees in which they dwelled.[3]
Trivia[]
- Mister Kadabra described the only known dryads as being "saturated in power."[5]
- In Fairest #14 — "Aldered States," Geppetto claimed he could "grow" Alder a dryad husband.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fairest #14 — "Aldered States"
- ↑ Fairest: In All the Land
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Stefon, Matt. Dryad, Encyclopædia Britannica. "dryad, also called hamadryad, in Greek mythology, a nymph or nature spirit who lives in trees and takes the form of a beautiful young woman. Dryads were originally the spirits of oak trees (drys: "oak"), but the name was later applied to all tree nymphs. It was believed that they lived only as long as the trees they inhabited."
- ↑ Augustyn, Adam (November 20, 2024). Nymph, Encyclopædia Britannica. "the Dryads or Hamadryads presided over forests and trees."
- ↑ Fables #91 — "Geppetto: Chapter Five of Witches"