Hag

X Worldbuilders:

GM James R

A Hag is a creature born of 'weird magic' that is still not properly understood in the realm. Hags often (but not always) resemble elderly women, and prey on the most needy. Like Devils, Hags are prone to making deals or bargains with travelers, but unlike Devils, Hags do not tend to have loopholes or rules that they lawfully abide by. A Hag may change the rules of a bargain or deal just to entertain themselves with the helpless reactions of those involved.

Types

Sea Hag

Sea Hags have been known to envy the Fey, and have a history of spreading diseases that eat away at their natural beauty, distorting their features and leaving them scarred and ugly, transferring all of that magical charm into the hags themselves, who become beautiful.

Sea Hags will ALWAYS accept a child as payment.

Weird Magic

A grandmother or some other hag of great age and renown might know unique rituals that can temporarily or permanently alter or transform a creature, bring back the dead for a limited time, rewrite memories, or siphonemotions. At the other end of the spectrum, even a hag without lofty status is likely to have strange, single-use items that don't emulate common spells or even follow the normal rules of magic.

A hag carefully shepherds her use of weird magic because the items in her repertoire are often impossible to duplicate or replace.

Notable Hags

• Malagard, also called "The Hag Countess", former ruler of Malbolge
• Granny Mathilda and Auntie Agnes Greenteeth, and Rickety Peggy, the hags that brokered Drake's Deal and caused a small genocide of elven refugees at sea.
• Zilla, a hag who lived in the Oppidan wilds and preyed on the success of others, and turned the elf noble Ynnis Valenford into a Goblin.