Nymphlopedia

Entry 46: Power Nymphs

Beginning AN:

Unintentional Gurren Lagann reference when you take the names of this and the last chapter, whoo.

By the way, after this one is probably one of my favorite setting ideas.

"Yeah, you're right." said Darnell, polishing his guns. "This is a good spot for me."

"Really?" Vince asked him. "I would have thought this is more of a place for melee-fighters-"

Sonata went up behind the Terrarian and the Arms Dealer and wrapped her arms around their shoulders. "Did somebody say 'melee fighter?!' Someone called me, hahaha?"

They - and Tania, of course, but she and Darnell weren't exactly on speaking terms at the moment (it was rare that they were) - were standing in a blue-purple cave with some glowing pits. The ground appeared to pulse in a few spots.

"Um... no." Said Vince.

"Well you don't really have any residents that, like, sell you melee melee stuff, do you? You've got a lot that sell you ammo or magic tools or things that help you summon... I'm trying to think, who would help a melee fighter like me... I guess just myself."

She turned to Darnell. "So, how does it feel to be away from Ada and Hiram?"

He shrugged. "I'll miss having them as my neighbors, but I can always just tap the Pylon and be on my way. I just want to try out this 'place of power.' It sounds like a good place to kill monsters."

Then three blurs matching the biome's color scheme dropped down, each of which left a strong pound when they hit the rock below.

Tania was already on the defensive, her recently-upgraded staff out for combat. Sonata on the other hand rolled her eyes.

"Oh, now the Nymphs here show up." She said. "I patrolled this place by myself. Hung up flyers. Nothing. Now with Darnell here, probably scaring them off with his flirting."

"I won't do that!" The gun-maker was clearly sweating. "Not here! I promise! Or with any Nymphs!"

"I'm a type of Nymph." Tania said. Then she turned to the Power Nymphs that dropped besides them. "So, what do you want?"

"A building permit!" The one in the front with particularly... all over the place hair said. All three of them had the same midly smug smirks on their faces. "You Humans are just running around making houses out in the wild without any permits. Other people live here, you know?!"

"It's not our fault you don't have an established public community." Tania said.

"Yeah." Added Sonata. "You could at least, you know, let people know you're here first before we get ass-deep in to building homes."

"It's basic history." The 'leader' said, flipping her hair. "The wilds - lower-case 'W' - are the homes of the Nymphs. Stick to the Forests or those Jungles or the open sky for your houses, we have our territory and you have yours."

"Your territory is over two thirds of the surface and a lot of that remaining third is a giant blob of Corruption." Vince said.

"Eh..." she shrugged. "That's life. What, do you want to challenge us or something."

Darnell and all three of the people in 'Team Sonata' (guess who came up with that name) looked at each other.

"You know what?" Said Sonata. "Sure, we will! We'll take you on in a fight! What can you d-"

The leading Power Nymph threw a punch to the side, which sent a shockwave that rippled through the air and blew a hole in the nearest wall. And the wall behind that. And the wall behind that.

And the wall behind that.

Darnell was wide-eyed. But Sonata just shrugged.

"Whatever! We got this." She said.

Power Nymphs.

Energy of raw power radiates around these Nymphs. They like to get ripped, and rip people apart.

Preferred Environment: Power Fields.

Environment Threat Level: Beneficial.

Environment Stats: Dry. Warm. Fantastic. Rare. Spots underground lined with glowing indigo energy, with various plants that can boost strength.

Other Names: Strength Nymphs, Strong Nymphs, Wrestle Nymphs, "Gym Nymphs" (this is usually considered an insult).

Affinity: Earth.

Color: Dark Indigo.

Traditional Costume Weapon: "Belts" made from the skin of native creatures or from the vines of native plants. Helps them focus their strength to certain levels.

Vince's Comment: No, the cartoon gag of the strong people breaking backs by hugging by accident doesn't happen. I'm friends with a few of them, they don't do that. However, they CAN easily break your back on purpose.

Sonata's Comment: I have "done my research," "done my research," and "done my research" again. I cannot for the life of me feel any big difference from them in bed. I don't think how strong you are really makes an impact when you're trying to make love and not, you know, kill. Two Power Satyrs and a Power Transnymph were all kinda "short-fused" so to speak, but I think that might just be because I have that effect on people. Ask Vince!
...
Vince punched me in the shoulder after I showed that part to him, hahaha. He didn't outright say I should get rid of it, but... he didn't say anything either. He's being silent with me right now. I don't think he took offense to that per se, so much that I shoved this book in his face while he was trying to golf and he messed up a shot. Hahahahaha.

Tania's Comment: Power Nymphs.
Nymphae Potestas.
Emerging from caves are the Nymphs that, by far, have the most raw physical power, yet this is offset with their relative difficulty in finding other magic. Despite this, they are not especially more muscular than the standard Nymph body type, likely as their strength is derived directly from their magic rather than any workout routine. Some of them do work out, which does appear through a muscular build as expected. Their power appears to even have some connection with the spirits - taking on more phantasmal beings and giving them a temporary bout of tangibility. The exact reason for this is currently unknown.

Closing AN:

Jesus I think this might be the first chapter to pass the Reverse Bechdel Test. Just an observation. That might not even be correct.

Yeah another Pikmin-inspired Nymph.

Or maybe Nymphs sort of are like the Pikmin of this world, with more magic? Or Pikmin evolved from Nymphs after some apocalypse? Or Nymphs evolved or transformed through magic from Pikmin and this was in a world where humans and Pikmin just co-exist?

I'm just gonna throw that in your head, are Nymphs Pikmin.

Oh yeah, I kept forgetting to say this, but the thing about Sonata sniffing back in the Steel Nymph chapter, that was not intended to be a reference to this "Jack-O Pose" thing that I've seen trending on fanart sites and whatnot.