The Hag: Bad to the Bone - and Ugly Too!
The Hag of the mist is a spirit being in Welsh folklore,
comparable to the Irish banshee.
Like the banshee, the Hag of the mist is portrayed
as an ugly woman, whose wailing cry is said to forewarn
of a death in the household.
It is known in Welsh as Gwrach-y-Rhibyn,
and also goes by the English name of Hag of the Dribble.
Normally invisible, it stalks its victim and can be
seen and heard when near a crossroads or stream.
It is associated with water, and lives in fog bound areas.
She has been described as hideous, with filthy hair,
dark eyes, and wearing ragged black clothing.
Her cry warns of a death, calling out the name
of the victim. The person is usually either
the person hearing it, or someone in their family.
Terraxia, Half-Earth Elemental/Half-Annis
The largest and strongest of the hags, the annis is a
demon in physical combat. When her natural abilities
are enhanced with the strength of the earth,
she becomes nearly unbeatable in melee.
In her normal form, Terraxia looks like an 8-foot-tall,
elderly woman with mottled blue skin and
a shock of black hair.
Like most annis hags, she prefers to conceal her identity
for as long as possible, so she often poses as
a friendly stone giant traveler.
After lulling her hapless victims into a false sense
of security, she uses fog cloud to obscure their vision,
then rips into them with her claws.
Her Blind-Fight feat usually gives her a considerable
edge in melee combat.
Vyrdahlia, Half-Fire Elemental/Half-Green Hag
Smaller and less physically powerful than the annis,
the green hag is nevertheless a dangerous opponent
with a wide range of special abilities.
When her natural advantages are combined with
the destructive power of fire, she is like a force
of nature fueled by sheer hatred.
Vyrdahlia typically poses as a female human druid,
disguising her sickly green complexion and tangled
scarlet hair with magic. To reinforce this image,
she keeps a Large viper around -- mostly for show,
though the animal is trained to defend her if necessary.
If enemies are near, Vyrdahlia turns invisible
to watch them. Before engaging opponents,
she typically uses ghost sound and dancing lights to
confuse them and wall of fire to divide them.
Then she uses produce flame to lob fiery missiles
from a safe distance.
(With enough dancing lights effects around,
foes aren't likely to spot the flames burning in her hand.)
She also frequently employs hit-and-run tactics,
delivering a Strength-damaging touch attack,
then turning invisible to flee.
The Sea Hag
The Sea Hag is a hag-like being who can
control water. She is a very interesting evil specimen
who can trap her victims in columns of water,
and has control over the environment, allowing her
to cause rainstorms, hurricanes, and even tidal waves.
She is a trickster, for she usually tricks mermaids who
have grown tired of the sea and their immortality by
offering them legs, so they can enter the
mortal world; but at a price.
Should the mermaid fail to find true love with
a mortal within one month,
the Sea Hag takes her immortality.
Trillobia, Half-Water Elemental/Half-Sea Hag
The sea hag is simultaneously the weakest and the
deadliest of the hags. Though it is the least physically
dangerous, its evil eye and horrific appearance are
extraordinarily powerful weapons.
Unlike the typical sea hag, Trillobia enjoys spending
time among humans, and she often hunts for prey in
port towns and similar locations. She particularly enjoys
posing as a lady of the evening so that she can lure
greedy sailors to their doom. She enjoys allowing
them to see her true form -- complete with oozing,
yellow flesh and filthy, blue-green hair --
just before unleashing her evil eye.
If facing a competent foe, she uses obscuring mist
and fog cloud to conceal her escape.
The hag often represents the barren land, who the hero of the tale must approach without fear, and come to love on her own terms. When the hero displays this courage, love, and acceptance of her hideous side, the sovereignty hag then reveals that she is also a young and beautiful goddess. So keep kissing the frogs!
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