Forest Hag
Ware, beware strangers of the wood, and offers of respite off the traveled roads. Beneath dark boughs, strange things prowl, hoping to feast on your bones. Foul magicks, ancient arts, practiced amidst the dark. Trust not strangers, be wary of danger, of powers ancient and fell. For in the darkest places, beneath the boughs of tees most ancient, do hags of the forest prowl, practicing magicks forgotten and foul.
A translation into Valarian of an old Koltani folk rhyme, a warning passed through nursery rhyme-esque structure down between adults and children.
What might have once been a recognizable humanoid entity of some descent stands before you mis-shapen by fell and ancient power. Bulbous growths protrude from shoulders and back, legs to long, arms equally so. To tall, to lanky, with hair foul, thin, and rotting, and foul teeth to match. Skin the tone of bark and leaf, darkened and splotched as the old and dead leaves uncovered after winter's thaw. Eyes of a pure and envious green, flickering with malice and hatred, and glinting with an intellect that feels ancient, truly ancient. As it steps fully into view, you cannot help but notice its hands, which end not in proper fingers, but transition from finger, giving way after the last joint to no finger tip, but vicious and knife like grey and black mottled claws.
Basic Information
Anatomy
It is commonly believed that hags, or the hagreaven to give them a more proper, and less gender specific sounding title, were likely at one point recognizably humanoid, but were changed through any number of means. Some theories suggest profane rituals of coupling with Nightmares, entities from the Void, in exchange for power. Others suggest they come about from those whom simply wield arcane forces improperly, mixing the corruptions of various manna sources unchecked, those whom practice sorcery, not the arts of Arcanium, with proper discipline. Others believe the conception of a hagreaven is tied to these creatures fascination and general desire to kidnap children, suggesting perhaps that they need to corrupt and forcibly mutate such innocence to birth a fellow Hagreaven.
However broadly there are three subtypes, the first of which is most properly known as the Boreal Hagreaven, or in more common parlence is oft simply referred to as the Forest Hag. The true form of these creatures are of a disjointed but identifiable bipedal and humanoid shape, though with limbs to long and a torso to mis=shapen to be mistaken as anything but a monstrous entity. They oft have bulbous protrusions, growths of lumpy flesh not unlike tumors, though generally of a seemingly benign nature. Their hair slimy, slick to the skull, what little of it there may yet remain, seeming as if rotting plant matter, or lengths of dead braided hair or animal fur. The long lanky arms end with very humanoid-esque looking hands that bear claws some six to seven inches in length, claws of a grey and sickly nature that seem sharp like knives.
Study of specimens killed by Exemplari in the past do indicate that though they possess strength beyond the norm for most any humanoid alive today, and are obviously of a mutant persuasion, being much taller and so oddly mis-shapen, they do seem to possess a rather comparably normal anatomy, with things like heart, lungs and other organs and systems exactly where they would be expected to be found, though simply of a size appropriate for the stretched and bulbous body. Similarly their skeletal structures match up with what one would expect, though generally amongst the bones of the arms and legs, as well as the vertebrae of the spine one can see the shadowing upon the bones of recovery and healing from breaks and cracks that are likely formed from the forceful growth and extension of limbs growing beyond their natural intended size, lending credence to the various mutative growth theories in regards to how such creatures come to exist.
However broadly there are three subtypes, the first of which is most properly known as the Boreal Hagreaven, or in more common parlence is oft simply referred to as the Forest Hag. The true form of these creatures are of a disjointed but identifiable bipedal and humanoid shape, though with limbs to long and a torso to mis=shapen to be mistaken as anything but a monstrous entity. They oft have bulbous protrusions, growths of lumpy flesh not unlike tumors, though generally of a seemingly benign nature. Their hair slimy, slick to the skull, what little of it there may yet remain, seeming as if rotting plant matter, or lengths of dead braided hair or animal fur. The long lanky arms end with very humanoid-esque looking hands that bear claws some six to seven inches in length, claws of a grey and sickly nature that seem sharp like knives.
Study of specimens killed by Exemplari in the past do indicate that though they possess strength beyond the norm for most any humanoid alive today, and are obviously of a mutant persuasion, being much taller and so oddly mis-shapen, they do seem to possess a rather comparably normal anatomy, with things like heart, lungs and other organs and systems exactly where they would be expected to be found, though simply of a size appropriate for the stretched and bulbous body. Similarly their skeletal structures match up with what one would expect, though generally amongst the bones of the arms and legs, as well as the vertebrae of the spine one can see the shadowing upon the bones of recovery and healing from breaks and cracks that are likely formed from the forceful growth and extension of limbs growing beyond their natural intended size, lending credence to the various mutative growth theories in regards to how such creatures come to exist.
Biological Traits
Forest Hags present in a rather humanoid fashion, though with clear and obvious markers that they've long since been altered and changed physiologically speaking. Their limbs will seem mis-shapen, elongated and perhaps somewhat mis-matched. They will generally be taller and larger, seeming almost Joten like, though much leaner, knobbier, with protruding lumps and growths upon their back. Their hair will be foul, seeming as if damp, whilst being thin and rotting, and their teeth will match. There hands and fingers will be missing the last joint where there would be a finger tip. Instead of finger tips, there will be claws of some 3"-5" in length, viciously sharp. These claws are thin but sturdy, and not just pointed but with a sharp edge running down their length on the inside, making them excellent weapons for slashing and tearing.
Part of the mystique of such creatures, both in their behavior and in the way they portray themselves, both in their more monstrous form and even when utilizing their altered shape, is that they seem of impossible ages, often they will speak in fashions and dialect fallen by the wayside decades or even a centruy or more removed from common parlence. They may speak of individuals in powerful positions long since deceased, or events far removed from modern day.
Part of the mystique of such creatures, both in their behavior and in the way they portray themselves, both in their more monstrous form and even when utilizing their altered shape, is that they seem of impossible ages, often they will speak in fashions and dialect fallen by the wayside decades or even a centruy or more removed from common parlence. They may speak of individuals in powerful positions long since deceased, or events far removed from modern day.
Genetics and Reproduction
There are many stories about the Hagreaven and how they are born, stories of kidnapped children forced to partake of vile concoctions, rituals and magicks, stories of pregnancies mutated through dark and hateful means. Stories of adults tricked, manipulated or misguided into mutating by means of vile sorcery, foul rituals and dark magick.
Mild Content Warning below, as well as spoilers for any campaigns being run in Valerick with a Hagreaven as a meaningful foe or foil to the party.
Show spoiler
The truth of the matter is a dark tale indeed. Hagreaven of all kinds kidnap children in specific for a variety of needs, of which this is in fact one. They choose to reproduce very rarely for they are so long lived and generally distrusting of each other that they care not to, and thusly this is far from their worst intention for targeting and kidnapping children. However if a Hagreaven intends to reproduce, that process will begin with the kidnapping of a child, preferably actually a babe still but a year or two fresh from the womb, though children as old as four or five years are believed to have been targeted successfully.
They will suckle these children on milk of sheep, goat or deer but from a mother creature they've caught and killed, utilizing rituals of darkest nature to force the milk production to continue for many weeks past death, and the vile substance and nature of this diet, imbued heavily with entropy, will begin the mutative process. From there they will weave spell after spell, foul magick after foul magic, upon the child, and as the child grows, the corruption spreading, seeing claws develop, seeing the skeletal and tissue expansion, they will begin educating this entity in the ways of their foul magicks and rituals. All the while, the diet of this foul entity will consist of all manner of humanoid creature mixed in with everything from newt, frog, rotting vegetation and more.
They will suckle these children on milk of sheep, goat or deer but from a mother creature they've caught and killed, utilizing rituals of darkest nature to force the milk production to continue for many weeks past death, and the vile substance and nature of this diet, imbued heavily with entropy, will begin the mutative process. From there they will weave spell after spell, foul magick after foul magic, upon the child, and as the child grows, the corruption spreading, seeing claws develop, seeing the skeletal and tissue expansion, they will begin educating this entity in the ways of their foul magicks and rituals. All the while, the diet of this foul entity will consist of all manner of humanoid creature mixed in with everything from newt, frog, rotting vegetation and more.
Growth Rate & Stages
The maturation cycle and growth of a Hagreaven is obviously not well known as their methods of reproduction are at best rumor and myth.
Ecology and Habitats
This particular subspecies of Hagreaven, the Forest Hag, their name whilst not a misnomer is not as properly descriptive and indicitave of their home ranges as some might initially think. They are generally quite rare, but adept at hiding in plain sight by virtue of their natural ability to alter how their form is percieved. This ability makes them a monster that is actually quite a notable risk to encounter even amongst higher traffic and urban areas, or at least near them, as they can attempt to blend in. However they are quite rare, thankfully. This particular subspecies of Hagreaven prefers woodlands, swamps, mires, marshes and jungles/rainforests, and they are by far the most common of the three subtypes. They are also the most conniving, convincing and are notably more skilled in the deceptive arts tied to their ability to change shape and blend in with normal humans than their Mountain or Sea cousins.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Forest Hags, as with all Hagreaven, seem to have a need for the flesh of sapient entities, of humanoids, to survive. However, besides this they seem to live mostly off berry, nut, root and small game, eating very rarely the flesh of anything larger than squirrel, salamander or robin. It is a notable oddity, given the size and shape of their forms, as one would expect far more food, and far greater density of nutrition would be necessary.
Behaviour
Hagreaven are generally, and Forest Hags are no exception to this, quite secretive and naturally very distrusting of each-other, almost universally so. Even when some come together to form covenants, these alliances do not normally hold beyond a few months or years at the very longest, eventually coming undone due to paranoia and petty squabbling. They are solitary beings for the most part, and their mistrust of others very much seems to be, at least in some part, a sort of psychological ramification of their own nature, a mirror of their own deceitful and hateful psyche.
Forest Hags, much like their cousins of Mountain and Sea, the real threat, given their ability to hide their true form, and their surprisingly well practiced and honed altered shape identities and personalities. Stories of these foul mutated monsters hiding, living and hunting amongst villages and small frontier towns, playing off as a trusted elder, herbalist, or old huntsman, or something of that ilk are thankfully not rampantly prevalent but are not unheard of either.
Forest Hags, much like their cousins of Mountain and Sea, the real threat, given their ability to hide their true form, and their surprisingly well practiced and honed altered shape identities and personalities. Stories of these foul mutated monsters hiding, living and hunting amongst villages and small frontier towns, playing off as a trusted elder, herbalist, or old huntsman, or something of that ilk are thankfully not rampantly prevalent but are not unheard of either.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Forest Hags, like all Hagreaven are generally greatly secretive and territorial, not very trusting at all of their own kind. Because of this They are by and large solitary creatures, preferring to not interact with each other, ideally almost at all. However they are reasoning beings, relatively speaking, and are not opposed to working together for mutual benefit, even if such alliances are almost never a permanent fixture, though some may last years or decades. Notably along this vein, is the forming of a Covenant. This term refers to a small group of Hags, generally no more than 3 or 4, join forces and knowledge, working together to bring benefit to all of the group. Such group structures will likely have lairs/homesteads that are interconnected through special and magickal means of both communication and transit between them, powerful magicks worked by the group through ritual and great effort.
Facial characteristics
Often a roughly humanoid shape, though generally the nose or jaw is mis-shapen, swollen or misaligned.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Forest Hags are, like much of Valericks more monstrous ecology, seemingly quite rare, and are generally only found in forested and overgrown biomes when they are found at all. Forests, swamps, marshlands, jungles, that sort of thing. Hagreaven in general are a family of species that hold the distinction of having a near mythos like presence in that they are rare enough that in some regions stories of such a thing would be seen as partially just that, ghost stories told around a fire in the dark to scare people. In truth their rarity, whilst likely no exaggerated persay, in all reality might have just as much to do with their methods of hiding in plain sight, and their own illusionary tactics just as much as being due to their actual population.
Average Intelligence
Forest Hags are generally depicted as of middling intelligence amongst the three subtypes of this family, though they are also generally depicted as very smart in comparison to regular people. They possess a wide variety of esoteric knowledge, and are generally portrayed as excellent actors, able to hide their....monstrous and predatory behaviors and their foul magicks quite well behind acted behaviors.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Forest Hags, as one might expect of a magick wielding creature, have Aethyr Sight, able to see into the weave of the Aethyr and are well versed in the various flows of manna and their behaviors, and can tell when someone or something is manipulating manna and shaping spell-forms. They seem to have a notable sensitivity to the flow of manna.
Forest Hag Base Stat Sheet
Scientific Name
Mutawyrd Homosapiens Boreal-Hagreaven
Lifespan
Uncertain
Average Height
2.3-2.9 meters (7'6"-9'6")
Average Weight
200-250 kgs (440-550 lbs)
Average Physique
Forest Hags in their true form are generally mis-shapen lanky and misproportioned vaguely humanoid esque bipedal creatures, seeming very dead tree-esque.
Geographic Distribution
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