| “ | 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 species who are living trees. They debut in Fables #90 — "Ozma: Chapter Four of Witches."
History
Grandfather Oak is a sentient oak tree native to the mundane world, who grows in the forest surrounding the Farm.[1] He is implied to be a fully grown dryad, who are known to take root and become a tree when they reach maturity.[2] He is one of the few magical beings that are native to the mundane world and is regarded as the patriarch of all the trees in the woods in not just the area around the Farm, but in others. What little arboreal magic lies in the trees of the mundane world, flows into him.[1]
Geppetto wanders into the deep woods of the Farm and meets Grandfather Oak. The old woodcarver recognizes the tree's power and proposes an alliance between the two.[1] Grandfather Oak complies to Geppetto's offer and gifts the former Adversary two of[3] his sapline[1] to serve as Geppetto's bodyguards: his grandchildren, the dryads Prince Aspen and Princess Alder.[3]
Prince Aspen and Princess Alder are first seen accompanying Geppetto as his personal bodyguards. While acting as his servants, they originally assist in Geppetto's attempt to seize control of the Farm.[3][4] When Rose Red recovers from her depression, she takes back control of the Farm and orders the dryads to return to the woods, as she finds them troublesome.[5]
Eventually, Alder is allowed back onto the Farm's grounds makes friends with Bo Peep and goes on dates with several male Fables, including Reynard the Fox.[2] Around this time, Aspen begins secretly seeing Briar Rose romantically. During one of their trysts, Goldilocks murders Briar and Aspen, however Briar Rose is resurrected at the cost of Aspen's life.[6]
Later, Geppetto informs Grandfather Oak once Sir Woldred, a tiny wooden soldier infected with the magic of the Sacred Grove, sprouts into a fully grown tree, he will couple with Grandfather Oak's children, both parties sipping from each other's abilities and be able to create an army to conquer the mundane world.[7]
After three centuries, Geppetto has been gathering the wild magic awakened in the mundane world, planting satellite groves of Grandfather Oak's sapline across all forests in the world in preparation of world domination. He now commands an army of indestructible super soldiers who never tire or suffer pain or need to eat, armed with modern weapons and geared towards conquering the mundane world.[8]
Alternative universe
Even though he is not designated as such, Lord Rowan seems to embody the characteristics of a dryad,[9] akin to those of Prince Aspen and Princess Alder.[3] He appears in an alternate 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.[9]
Psychological characteristics
Dryads seem to be somewhat at the mercy of their creator, as is the case with the only two dryads who serve 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.[3]
Dryads also have no qualms about being nude and are comfortably in public without clothes.[3] The dryad Princess Alder is offended at the idea of being given a bouquet of flowers, likening it to giving a human a bouquet of slaughtered gerbils.[2]
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).[3] 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.[2]
According to Princess Alder, when she reaches maturity she will take root and become a tree. A dryad's diet is varied and similar to a conventional tree's (e.g. eating manure, mulch, and a dead carcass).[2]
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.[4]
Weaknesses
- Fire: Dryads have repeatedly shown a fear of fire,[2][5] which most likely stems from their tree-like nature. After killing Prince Aspen with the Sword of Regret, Goldilocks uses his body as kindling to provide a pyre for Briar Rose's body.[6]
- Magic: Dryads are susceptible to the powers of magic. This is inclusive of mystical objects such as the Sword of Regret.[6]
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 makes an alliance with Geppetto and gifts the former Adversary[1] two[3] of his sapline[1] to serve as his bodyguards.[3] | Alive |
 |
Prince Aspen is a dryad assigned to be Geppetto's bodyguard by the Grandfather Oak along with his sister, Princess Alder.[3] He is inevitably killed by a psychotic Goldilocks and Cinderella chooses to revive his lover Briar Rose instead of him.[6] | Deceased |
 |
Princess Alder is a dryad assigned to be Geppetto's bodyguard by the Grandfather Oak along with her brother, Prince Aspen.[3] | Alive |
 |
Even though he is not designated as such, Lord Rowan embodies the characteristics of a dryad,[9] akin to those of Prince Aspen and Princess Alder.[3] He appears in an alternate 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.[9] | Alive |
Appearances
|
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.[10] Dryads preside over forests and trees,[11] and it was believed that they lived only as long as the trees in which they dwelled.[10]
Trivia
- Mister Kadabra describes Prince Aspen and Princess Alder as being "saturated in power."[3]
- Geppetto claims he can "grow" Princess Alder a proper husband.[2]