Innate Spellcasting. The hag’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, inflict wounds
2/day each: antilife shell, create undead
Multiattack. The grave hag uses its Twist the Innocent, if available, and makes two attacks, only one of which can be a tongue attack.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Tongue. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) poison damage. lf the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way the creature is blinded. If the target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed for the same duration. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Twist the Innocent (Recharge 5-6). The twisted specter of a child appears near the grave hag, protecting it and attacking its ennemies. The hag gains 30 temporary hit points. While it has these temporary hit points, when a creature enters a 20 feet radius area around the hag for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 14 (3d8) necrotic damage as the specter slashes the target with its claws. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage. If the hag takes force damage she loses all her temporary hit points, forcing the specter to retreat.
The grave hag can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The grave hag regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Tongue (Costs 2 Actions). The hag makes one tongue attack.
Command Undead. The grave hag commands an undead within 60 feet of it to immediately make an attack or to make a dash action as a reaction.
Description
Cremation, now that's one thing men could learn from gnomes. Burying bodies out in the fields, why, it's like laying out a welcome mat for monsters! Best case scenario, some ghouls will sniff them out, eat their fill and be on their ghoulish way. But if, gods forbid, a grave hag takes to feeding at your cemetery, you'll have no end of trouble. — Jacques de Villepin, Oxenfurt Academy
Deformed Scavenger. Few monsters' names fit as well as the grave hags'. As one might guess, these creatures resemble aged, deformed women and loiter near graveyards and battlefields. Grave hags feed on human corpses and in particular on the rotten marrow which they slurp from human bones using their long, prehensile tongues. Most grave hags rarely attack humans, preferring instead to feed on the rotten remains they dig out of graves. Yet some individuals grow bold over the years and begin sneaking into huts to steal children and kill the elderly. Once a hag has devoured all corpses within reach, she turns to killing men and burying them in the cemetery as she waits for them to decompose or raise them as servants.
Child Killer. Grave Hags are notorious child killers, making them one of the most despised monster there is. They typically kidnap wandering children or sneak in their home at night, attracted by their innocence, glowing like a beacon in the dark for them. After they ate a child, they then use its remains as magical focus, building altars of little bones to practice their magic. The skull of a child is of special importance to them, as they craft powerful talismans with it, enslaving its soul. Some hags are even known to strap the entire skeleton of the child on their back, wearing it as a protection charm.
Territorial Shrew. Grave hags are territorial and aggressive when provoked, they will put up a fierce fight, using their great speed to rapidly close on prey. The tongue of a grave hag can surprise even veteran fighter with the speed and range it can lash out. Being struck by it can cause temporary blindness, or even paralysis, leaving the victim unable to properly defend themselves. The claws of a grave hag are sharp, but not enough that skilled swordplay cannot defend against them.
Grave Hag Items
A grave hag carries two very rare magic items that she must craft for herself. If either object is lost, the grave hag will go to great lengths to retrieve it, as creating a new tool takes time and effort.
Ebon Skull. This burned black skull allows a grave hag to use her Twist the Innocent power while it is in her possession. A creature holding the skull can use an action to cast the speak with dead spell to communicate with the dead child. Crafting an ebon skull takes 10 days and the sacrifice of a humanoid child (whose skull is used to make the item).
Hand of Glory. A grave hag can craft a hand of glory out of the hand of an elderly humanoid. While the item is in her possession she can use her Command Undead feature. Only the grave hag who crafted the hand of glory can use its power. Crafting a hand of glory takes 30 days and a humanoid sacrifice (whose hand is used to craft the item).
Eerie Pipe
This singular looking pipe is carved in the ribcage bones of a child. When used by any other creature than a grave hag it acts as a pipe of the sewers, but when in the hands of the hag, it reveals new powers. The hag can play an eerie tune from the pipe as an action, expanding a charge and creating the following effects:
- The tune can only be heard by humanoid children and creatures with advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. Only humanoid children are affected by the eerie pipe. Children that are deafened, cannot be charmed or can’t be put to sleep with magic are immune to the pipe’s effects.
- While the pipe is played, all children within half a mile of it (as determined by the DM) are called. Called children move toward the music by the shortest available route.
- Whenever children come within 30 feet of the hag while it plays the pipes, the children are swayed by the pipes' music and become charmed, acting friendly toward the hag for as long as it continue to play the pipes each round as an action. Charmed children obey the hag’s commands, even if they are obviously suicidal (“jump by that cliff, walk in this river…”). If no command is issued to a charmed child, it defends itself but otherwise takes no actions. If a charmed child starts its turn and can't hear the pipes' music, it is no longer charmed and behaves as it normally would. After that the child can't be swayed by the pipes' music for the next 24 hours.
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