Innate Spellcasting. The hag's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, magic missile
2/day each: plane shift (self only), ray of enfeeblement, sleep
Magic Resistance. The hag has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Aura of Stubbornness. The hag subsists entirely on spite and loathing, and despite appearing truly unwell both mentally and physically, is too stubborn to die. This permanent condition increases the hag's constitution score to 21.
Seat of Power. When the hag first settled in the Wychwood, she made a deal with the mayor of the nearest town. The terms of this deal are unknown, but one of the consequences is the mayor's refusal to acknowledge that she is a hag, even when confronted with evidence. While the mayor holds office, the hag cannot be killed. When reduced to fewer than 30 hit points, she retreats into the Ethereal Plane, where she will regenerate 4d8 hit points per day, returning to the Material Plane when her health is fully restored.
Claws.(Hag Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Brand Anathema. The hag magically brands a creature as the target of her ire, inflicting them with the Anathema's Erosion curse. The brand is invisible, but the target is aware that they have been marked. While branded, the target has disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws against the hag, but has advantage on any rolls that would allow them to discern the hag's true nature. The creature can only regenerate half of any hit points that were lost due to psychic damage inflicted by the hag through healing spells or potions, and during long rests. The brand only disappears if the hag dies, if the target is killed, or if the hag willingly removes it. The hag can mark up to two targets at a time.
Spite Lash. (2/Day) When a target cursed with Anathema's Erosion interacts with the hag in any way, she can unleash a vile retort in the form of a command or insult. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. A target takes 1d8 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the target also hexed, and has disadvantage on all Wisdom-based ability checks until their next long rest.
Change Shape. The hag magically polymorphs into a Medium female humanoid, or back into her true form. Her statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment she is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. She reverts to her true form if she dies.
Etherealness. The hag magically enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. To do so, the hag must have a heartstone in her possession.
Nightmare Haunting (1/Day). Even in sleep, the hag's anathema cannot escape her wrath. While on the Ethereal Plane, the hag magically touches a sleeping creature cursed with Anathema's Erosion on the Material Plane. A protection from evil and good spell cast on the target prevents this contact, as does a magic circle. As long as the contact persists, the target has dreadful visions. If these visions last for at least 1 hour, the target gains no benefit from its rest, and its hit point maximum is reduced by 5 (1d10). If this effect reduces the target's hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its soul is trapped in the hag's soul bag. The reduction to the target's hit point maximum lasts until removed by the greater restoration spell or similar magic.
Spite Lash. (2/Day) When a target cursed with Anathema's Erosion interacts with the hag in any way, she can unleash a vile retort in the form of a command or insult. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. A target takes 1d8 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the target also hexed, and has disadvantage on all Wisdom-based ability checks until their next long rest.
Inescapable Oration. The hag focuses on a humanoid she can see within 30 ft. and begins to tell a story. Roll on the Mind-numbing Tales table, or choose a fitting option to determine what story she tells. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of their next turn. This magic has a verbal component, and requires concentration. To use this action, the hag says either "Well, this is a funny story!" or "You're going to love this!"
| d8 | Mind-numbing Tales |
|---|---|
| 1 | The time her son Nilb got in trouble at school. |
| 2 | The time her son Norb had a romantic partner that she didn't like. |
| 3 | The time her son Nilb went to a healer. |
| 4 | The time her son Norb went to a healer. |
| 5 | The time the healer was wrong about a disease she had. |
| 6 | The time her friend said something racist and she agreed. |
| 7 | The time her sons Nilb and Norb were pardoned for a crime by the mayor of Raithra. |
| 8 | The time her husband Jim had a strange encounter with a criminal. |
Slander (Costs 2 Actions). The hag moves to within 5ft. of a creature and begins to whisper lies and falsehoods into their ears about a creature she has cursed with Anathema's Erosion. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they become hostile to all creatures within 150ft. that are afflicted with Anathema's Erosion. On a successful save, they gain advantage on attack rolls made against the hag for 2 turns.
Lair and Lair Actions
The hag's lair is a cottage in the northern reaches of The Wychwood, tucked into the mountains. The cottage appears quaint and cozy to all visitors, until the hag ends the enchantment. Player characters with a passive perception of 17 or higher feel uneasy approaching the cottage, and can, on a successful DC 25 Wisdom saving throw, see through the enchantment, revealing a dank and rotting cabin festering in a grove of dead trees. Player characters that have already encountered the hag and have been marked using the Brand Anathema ability make this roll with advantage.
The hag has created the following regional effects within 1 mile of her lair:
- Shadows seem abnormally gaunt and sometimes move on their own as though alive. This effect is noticeable even if the player characters have not succeeded on the saving throw to see through the hag's enchantment.
- Creatures are transported to a harmless but eerie demiplane filled with shadowy forms, waxy corpses, and cackling. The creatures are trapped there for a minute or two, and then returned to the place where they vanished from. This effect is only triggered if the player characters have succeeded on the saving throw to see through the hag's enchantment.
- Intelligent creatures see hallucinations of dead friends, family members, and even themselves littering the hag’s realm. Any attempt to interact with a hallucinatory image causes it to disappear. This effect is only triggered if the player characters have succeeded on the saving throw to see through the hag's enchantment.
These effects take up to 2d10 days to fade away if the hag dies or abandons the lair.
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