Nymph

Nymphs are beautiful fey who appear as humanoids with elven features. They generally take female forms, but nymphs of all genders and presentations exist. While many nymphs live on planets and act as protectors of natural ponds, forests, caves, and cliffsides, other nymphs—often called space nymphs—are known for their association with celestial bodies. Like their planet-bound kin, space nymphs guard their bonded territories from exploitation or harm.

As admirers of the arts, nymphs are especially friendly toward creatives, and offering to depict a nymph in story, picture, or song is a sure way to win their favor— unless the nymph doesn't like the final result and lashes out at the artist for insulting them with a mediocre product. Vidcasting and livestreaming are popular pastimes among more sociable nymphs, whether to show off their remote environments or find audiences for performances. Some nymphs entice movie crews to film in their territories, with two provisos: first, that the production not damage the environment, and second, that the nymph receive a prominent role in the film.

Unless their territories are threatened, most space nymphs are friendly or indifferent to mortals, but they have long memories. Anyone visiting a space nymph's territory would be wise to research that nymph's grudges, past encounters with mortals, or any recent events in the area that might color the nymph's perspective of those traveling near their home.

A mortal who demonstrates the right attitude and abilities, such as by protecting a stellar body from destruction or creating an especially beautiful work of art, might draw a space nymph's attention. From time to time, space nymphs will offer their services as mentors to solarians or mystics, though they seldom seek pupils on their own. Space nymphs rarely enter into more than one such arrangement at a time and typically only make commitments that promise to last decades or centuries, so they're extremely selective in their choice of mentee.

Nymph Queens

Nymph queens are powerful nymphs who rule over immense celestial bodies. Every variety of nymph can become a queen, though sterieid queens are the most frequently encountered type in Near Space. Heliad queens are perhaps as rare as gwereiad queens but far more likely to make themselves known to mortals. Gwereiad queens are extraordinarily rare and reclusive, often appearing only in the most remote corners of the Vast, but they can theoretically exist anywhere black holes are found.

Nymph Queen Abilities

A nymph queen is 6 to 10 levels higher than an ordinary nymph of the same type, with enhanced statistics to match. The territory of a nymph queen is vast, encompassing much larger celestial bodies than an ordinary nymph, as she empowers and balances her realm with her presence. Nymph queens aren't dependent on their territories and lose the corresponding ability (such as a sterieid being asteroid-dependent); instead, they gain astronomical ties, as described below. A nymph queen gains the Broadcast Allure, Celestial Step, Change Shape, and Fan Mail abilities. Finally, she gains spontaneous spells as a mystic of her level.
Astronomical Ties A nymph queen is intrinsically tied to a specific celestial body, such as a supergiant star for a heliad queen. As long as the queen is healthy, her territory thrives, and she can attempt to counteract spells and rituals that alter its physical properties using her spell attack roll with a counteract rank equal to the highest-rank spell she can cast. If a nymph queen is injured or unhealthy, however, her celestial body also weakens: asteroids wobble out of orbit, stars dim, and the gravity of black holes diminishes. Restoring the nymph queen returns her celestial body to its equilibrium.
Broadcast Allure [three-actions] (emotion, primal, visual) The nymph queen magically superimposes her image on all technological items capable of displaying it, such as datapads or comm units, within planetary range. Alternatively, she can send this image to any comm address or addresses that she knows. Each creature that can see the image must succeed at a Will save against the nymph queen's spell DC or have their attitude toward her improve by one step (two steps on a critical failure). Affected creatures' attitudes revert to their previous level if the nymph queen uses a hostile action against them or their allies.
Celestial Step [three-actions] (primal, teleportation) A nymph queen can traverse her celestial body near-instantaneously. A nymph queen can use Celestial Step to teleport to any area on or within her territory, vanishing into its surface and reemerging at her intended destination.
Change Shape [one-action] (concentrate, polymorph, primal) Nymph queens can transform between their original form, which looks much like a typical nymph of their kind, and any Small or Medium humanoid form, typically choosing a version of their natural form with the appearance of the chosen species.
Fan Mail [three-actions] (emotion, mental, primal) A nymph queen can inspire a single intelligent creature by sending them a motivational video or text message. As long as the creature keeps the message saved and remains in good standing with the nymph queen, they gain a +1 status bonus to all Crafting, Performance, and Lore checks related to art or performance. As a 1-action Interact action, the creature can play or view the message to bolster their spirits. Doing so allows the creature to attempt a counteract check against a single emotion effect affecting them, using the nymph queen's spell attack modifier. When the nymph queen's message is used in this way, it becomes a mundane video or text afterward.