Nereid

Dwarf shelves, Mycenas, and Cindershrooms… Fairy Ears, Leechroots, and Blue Entolomas… these are what Nereid lives for. She is an expert mushroom forager. She loves grabbing her little satchel and heading out to root around for fungi. A bright light fills her large eyes when she starts babbling on about all the strange, rare specimens that can be found in the underwater caves of Sornieth. Some are nutty and flavorful. Others are earthy and subtle. All of them hold a special place in this excitable Fae’s heart. This is what brings her joy and delight. This is her purpose. Perfect and simple, simple and perfect. Mushrooms are always at the forefront of Nereid’s mind.

In order to access her beloved spores, this curious explorer must delve deep within the submerged caves that host enough air for mushrooms to take root. It’s actually the perfect environment for fungi: damp, gloomy, and filled with the ocean’s nutrients. Nereid is quick and tiny. She’s easily able to maneuver her way through the twisting, winding channels of the caverns. She is completely unafraid of these small, dark spaces. How could she have any fear when she knows a mushroom is waiting for her on the other side?

Once Nereid has found enough fungi, she brings everything back to the lair for her second favorite activity: science experiments! Funky smells permeate the atmosphere as the Fae mixes mushrooms into potions. There will be the occasional explosion, but Nereid’s always quick to clean up. She’s looking to see if any of the fungi have medicinal properties… or non-medicinal properties. Her best discovery was the one she made mixing an oddly-colored Emeretic Russula with some crushed shells. The result was an extremely potent stink bomb! As well as being a spelunker, mushroom-gatherer, and potion-brewer, Nereid is an avid prankster. The stink bomb ended up being very useful for her best, most hilarious tricks. Her clanmates were less than pleased, but Nereid had lots of fun.

This little trickster hopes to uncover new species in the caves so that perhaps a mushroom can be named after her. Nereid’s very own mushroom! How exciting! She’s even begun to grow clusters of spores on her wings, in the hope that something revolutionary will sprout. They do just fine even in salt water, which is absolutely fascinating. Perhaps this particular species is immune to being submerged. Whatever the reason for the colony’s perseverance, these particular mushrooms accompany her wherever she goes. She insists that they’re pets– mushrooms are not plants! The other dragons chuckle and shake their heads. What an odd little forager she is. The good news is that many of her experiments do yield medicinal results, making her a valuable asset to her clan.
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