Hag¶
When fear of death or hunger for power grips a mortal spellcaster, often a druid or a witch, they might forge a pact with an evil archfey. The mortal becomes a hag—aged, clawed, and cruel. A ruthlessly powerful fey in their own right, a hag uses their magic to bring about the misery their archfey wills.
Hiding in Plain Sight¶
Though hags typically appear as older humanoids, their true form is as vicious and nasty as their nature. They prefer to show the world a charitable face, but the general wisdom concerning hags is that the more beautiful their appearance, the deeper the rot within. This theory has never been confirmed, however, as few who see a hag's true form live to tell the tale.
Dealmakers and Heartbreakers¶
As old age can't kill them, the oldest hags accumulate swathes of knowledge, magic, and repute over time. They are happy to share their wares... for the right price. Rather than ask for paltry coin, a hag usually bargains for something dear to the customer—perhaps their ability to love, the sound of their child's laugh, or their left pinky toe.
Adding insult to injury, those who deal with hags almost always discover the product is worse than advertised. Mortals should pay close attention to the precise wording of their agreements, lest they end up with a hex they thought would be a gift. Such curses often lead to the corruption of good but desperate folk, with some getting so twisted up in fey deals that they become hags themselves.
What's in a Name?¶
Hags give themselves whimsical names, and older hags often select monikers such as Auntie, Uncle, or Nanny. Such relatable names help entice their favorite prey: the innocent. Who would fear Granny Gumdrops or Uncle Twothumbs?
Loyal Underlings¶
Hags are treacherous by nature, and they only recruit creatures they can trust to be loyal underlings. Most of these creatures lack sapience (such as animals, constructs, and undead), though hags sometimes command weaker fey who are too scared to betray them.
Hag Languages¶
Most hags speak Anjali, Caelian, Khelt, and Yllyric, with older hags often knowing several more languages.
Hag Goodies¶
Hag Goodies
Hags collect, craft, and trade a variety of trinkets and talismans over the course of their lifetimes. Most of a hag's prized possessions—a stove with living human feet, a porcelain doll that cries real tears, a book that details the reader's most humiliating memories—are of no apparent use to anyone except perhaps for a museum of the macabre, but a few of a hag's baubles are more generally useful.
The following are sample treasures from a hag's hut. A hag might have two or three of these goodies on hand and know how to obtain the others. These items can be found in Draw Steel: Heroes.
- Treasures: Evilest Eye, Imp's Tongue, Float Powder, Buzz Balm
- Components: Rare or extinct cooking ingredients, hairpins, gecko tails, roses, werewolf blood
- Project Sources: Notes in Khelt for the Awe armor enhancement or the Displacing I implement enhancement, notes in Anjali for Stygian Liquor or a Color Cloak (any color)
Wode Hag
- Solo MonsterTrait
- Supernatural ResistanceTrait
- Corrosive ClawsMain actionSignature
- Soul StealMain action
- ShapeshifterManeuver
- Turned Upside DownTriggered action2 Malice
- Snackies for SweetiesVillain Action 1
- Predator's AlacrityVillain Action 2
- Open the OvenVillain Action 3