30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 20: Favorite Monster (Humanoid/Natural/Fey)

Day 20: Favorite Monster (Humanoid/Natural/Fey)

Odd choices. I do like fey creatures. It is all the celtic myths and stories I have read over the years as well as A Midsummer's Night Dream.  If I had to pick one I would say Hags. For the obvious reasons to be sure, but also I reclassified Hags in my games to be more faerie like. Yes they are still ugly, mean old crones that will rip out your arms and love to eat children.

One of the hags I "created" for my witch book was the synthesis of these ideas.  The Wood Hag is a new hag type, but all the ideas came from fairy tales of hags, the Wicked Witch archetype and some things I read in "Man and His Symbols" by Carl Jung.

Wood Hag (Makava) Basic Era

Armor Class:	2 [17]
Hit Dice:	8d8+8** (45 hp)
No. of Attacks:	2 claws/1 bite
Damage:	claw 3d6, bite 2d6
Special Attacks:	Witch spells
Special Qualities:	Dark vision 60’, Iron Vulnerability
Movement:	40’
No. Appearing:	1 (90%) Solitary or 3 (10%) Hag Covey
Saves As:	Witch 10
Morale:	9
Treasure:	4d6 CP, 6d8 SP, 8d8 GP, Gems: 50% 1d8, Magic 50% any 1d6, +1 2 potions
Alignment:	Chaotic (evil)
XP:	1,700

Wood Hag (Makava) 3.x
Large Monstrous Humanoid/Fey (Hag)
Hit Dice	8d8+8 (45 hp)
Initiative	+2 (Dex)
Speed	40ft.
AC	17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural)
Attacks	2 claws +12, bite +12
Damage	claw 3d6, bite 2d6
Face/Reach	5ft. by 5ft/10ft.
Special Attacks	Blood drain, Spells
Special Qualities	Dark Vision 120ft., Fast Healing 5, Iron Vulnerability
Saves	Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities	Str 20, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 9
Skills	Concentration +12, Hide +10, Knowledge (Witchcraft) +9, Listen +8, Spot +8,
Feats	Alertness, Blind-Fighting, Combat Casting, Fear Resistance
Climate/Terrain	Any Forest
Organization	Solitary or Covey (3 hags of any type plus 2-12 trolls)
Challenge Rating	6 or 13 (covey)
Treasure	Standard
Alignment	Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement	As witch

The Makva, or the Wood Hag, is a relative of the other Hags and possibly the Night Hag. The Makva makes her home in the deepest forests where she feeds on unsuspecting travelers. She is particularly fond of children. Her normal appearance is very hag-like, tall (7’ tall), green skin with black hair, although some have been spotted with green or red hair. She also has long clawed hands with nails as hard as iron talons. Their mouths are filled with rotting black teeth and foul breath. The Wood Hag can appear as kindly grandmother, or a fetching young wood nymph as she chooses. The wood hag loves nothing more than to temp men of good character into a wanton embrace and then switch back to their normal form before killing them. She is also fond of attacking people as they sleep in the woods.
The wood hag is more solitary than the other Hags. More often than not a wood hag will be found alone. Wood hags often employ trolls to protect their homes and for mutual protection. At any given time there will be 2 to 12 trolls around the wood hag’s home. They will fight for the wood hag, but they are not commanded to do so. They will retreat or flee if the combat goes against them. The wood hag will also ally her self with evil witches and warlocks. They have also been known to consort with demons and vampires as well. Makva do not get along well with Night Hags. Some have theorized that Makva were once part of the Night Hag “society” but were removed for being too chaotic.
Wood Hags have often been confused with witches and many of the tales told to frighten children about witch have been about wood hags. It is almost certain that the tale of Hansel and Gretel could have been about a wood hag (or even the witch Baba Yaga). Makva are believed to live up to 800 years, but this has never been confirmed. They have been known to keep harpies as pets. Wood Hags usually have a grove of Elder trees growing nearby.

Combat
The wood hag is very strong (strength 20) and will attack with her claws and a bite. She is also a competent spellcaster and may use spells from the witch’s spell list.
Spell-Like Abilities: The Makva can also employ the following spell like powers three times per day at will: ray of enfeeblement and magic missile. They can cast an Advanced Illusion four times per day and can use the following powers at will, Know Alignment, Polymorph Self and Sleep. Wood hags are immune to Sleep, Charm, and Hold spells.
Blood drain (Su): The bite of a Wood Hag also drains blood. Any successful bite hit can permanently drain one point of Constitution unless the victim can make a Fortitude save (DC 13). Any character drained to zero will become a wraith haunting the woods around the wood hag. Constitution points can be healed normally.
Vulnerability (Ex):A Makva cannot touch iron and takes extra damage from weapons made of pure or cold forged iron. Weapons made from this material grant an additional +3 to hit and damage per hit.


Section 15: Wood Hag (Makava) Copyright 2013 Timothy S. Brannan