Wondrous Boon (Cursed)
Requires: A willing bargain made with a hag
A strand of ancient fey magic binds your soul to the hag who granted this gift. The tether is invisible to ordinary sight, but it exists beyond the physical world — a connection between your essence and the hag’s own twisted magic.
The hag does not own your soul… not yet. But a piece of you now belongs to her.
The Gift of Stillness
You may cast Gentle Repose once per long rest without expending a spell slot or providing material components.
When you cast the spell through the Soul Tether, traces of the hag’s influence appear upon the target. Frost may gather upon their skin, flowers may briefly wilt, shadows may stretch unnaturally, or a faint whisper may accompany the spell.
The spell functions normally.
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The Hag’s Witness
The hag always knows your general location while the Soul Tether remains intact.
Additionally, the hag may perceive the world through your senses. She may see what you see, hear what you hear, and experience the sights and sounds around you as though she stood beside you.
She cannot control your body or force your actions, but she may use this connection to learn your secrets, observe your choices, and influence you through dreams, visions, or whispered messages.
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Hag-Touched Soul
The hag’s magic slowly alters the bearer. Over time, subtle signs of the tether begin to appear.
Possible signs include:
* Your reflection occasionally moves a moment slower than you do.
* Animals become uneasy around you.
* Your shadow appears distorted or unnatural.
* You dream of unfamiliar forests, ancient ruins, or places you have never visited.
* Your voice occasionally carries a strange echo.
* Plants near you may bloom out of season or decay without cause.
These changes are harmless at first, but they are evidence that the hag’s influence is taking root.
If the tether remains for too long, the bearer risks becoming permanently marked by the hag’s power.
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The Unpaid Debt
The Soul Tether was not given freely.
At a time of the hag’s choosing, she may call upon the debt owed to her. The exact nature of the repayment was established when the bargain was made, though the hag is free to interpret the agreement in the most advantageous way possible.
The hag’s request may include:
* A service performed on her behalf.
* A secret revealed.
* An object retrieved.
* A promise upheld.
* A person delivered into her hands.
* A sacrifice of something meaningful.
The hag cannot demand what was explicitly forbidden by the original bargain, but hags are masters of finding meaning in the words that were spoken.
Until the debt is paid, the Soul Tether remains.
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Breaking the Tether
The Soul Tether cannot be removed by ordinary means. Ending the bond requires powerful magic, the destruction of the hag who created it, or a bargain of equal or greater significance.
Even if the tether is broken, the mark it left upon the soul may never completely fade.
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