Boo Hag

This malevolent creature prowls the shadowy streets of Midnight, hunting its prey with relentless determination. Its twisted modus operandi involves putting its victims into a deep slumber, during which it stealthily steals their life-giving breath. Once the Boo Hag has drained its victim's essence, it commits an even more gruesome act, taking their skin to don as a ghastly disguise, enabling it to approach its next target undetected. This creature's appearance is a grotesque amalgamation of the living and the dead. In the gloom, its glowing, malevolent eyes peer out, striking terror into those who dare to confront it. Stripped of human skin, its crimson hued, wet form leaves red footprints wherever it treads
Under the cover of night, the Boo Hag stealthily seeks out its prey, slipping through the dark and deserted corners of town, and drawing upon dark enchantments, to cast a slumbering spell upon its victims, lulling them into a deep and dreamless sleep. As they lie unconscious, the Breathstealer silently approaches, stealing their breath with a sinister embrace. With each stolen breath, the Boo Hag gains sustenance, its power growing stronger with every victim it claims, but its vile desires do not end there. Consumed by its insidious thirst, it takes a gruesome trophy, its victim's skin. By wearing this as a horrifying disguise, the Boo Hag can seamlessly infiltrate the realm of the living, approaching its next target with diabolical cunning.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The creature's body lacks any semblance of human skin. Instead, its fleshless appearance is bathed in a sinister crimson hue, as though the essence of malevolence courses through its very being. The bones of its hands are elongated and twisted, extending in ghastly proportions, giving the Boo Hag an unsettling and otherworldly silhouette. Its limbs are long and sinewy, allowing it to move with uncanny agility and silence. The claws, sharp as razor blades, are formidable weapons that it uses to skin it's incapacitated victims. The Boo Hag's most haunting feature lies in its face, or what remains of it. Where once might have been eyes and nose, there are now glowing, malevolent orbs that burn like crimson embers.

Ecology and Habitats

These creatures can be found anywhere in the area of Midnight, as they are voracious hunters.

Behaviour

The Boo Hag is a malevolent and cunning creature, driven by an insatiable hunger for life essence. With a predatory nature, it preys on the slumbering inhabitants of Midnight, seeking to steal their breath and consume their vital energy. It is a creature of darkness, lurking in the shadows and perpetually in pursuit of its next victim. It is patient and calculating, selecting its targets with meticulous care. It tends to prey on those who are vulnerable, burdened with worries, and weighed down by fear, as their breath and life essence are richer and more satisfying to the creature. It is said that the Boo Hag can detect the faintest traces of distress and unease, which only serve to lure it closer to its prey.
The creature's existence is one of hunger and emptiness, leading it on an eternal quest for sustenance. It is a being devoid of empathy or compassion, driven solely by the primal need to consume life energy. The Boo Hag's malevolence is insidious, perpetuating a cycle of dread and fear in Midnight as people begin to vanish, leaving behind only their lifeless, skinless shells.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The Boo Hag's vision is not hindered by light or darkness, allowing it to see perfectly well in pitch-black conditions. The creature's sense of smell is equally uncanny. It can detect the faintest scent of a potential victim from afar, enabling it to track and hunt with preternatural precision.

HP: 6

Stats:

• Body: 5
• Strength: 4
• Agility: 2
• Mind: 2
• Luck Points: 1

Skills:

• Initiative: 4
• Stealth: 5
• Grappling: 4
• Melee: 3
• Ranged: 1
• Soak: 3
• Dodge: 2

Abilities:

• Breath Stealer: As a master of stealth and manipulation, the Boo Hag possesses a unique ability called "Breath Stealer." When the characters encounter the Boo Hag, it can initiate its chilling aura, causing those within its vicinity to gradually fall into a deep, trance-like sleep. Characters must make a Mind + Body + 1d6 roll against a (13 to 14) Daunting Difficulty check to resist the effect. If characters fail the check, they become susceptible to the Boo Hag's Breath Stealing. Once the characters are asleep, the Boo Hag will slowly drain their life essence, one Body Point per minute, each point lost allowing the character another chance to resist the effect and awaken, weakened from the ordeal. This does require the Boo Hag's full concentration, and should another individual disturb the process, the Boo Hag will flee, leaving their victim in whatever state it was at the time. 
• All Done Up: Once it successfully steals a person's breath and life essence, it carefully removes their skin, turning it into a grotesque and haunting mask that perfectly mimics the victim's appearance. This enables the Boo Hag to move among the world of the living without suspicion, blending seamlessly into the community of Midnight. As the Boo Hag dons its stolen skin, it takes on the exact physical characteristics of the individual it had preyed upon, including their voice, mannerisms, and even memories. This illusion is so convincing that even those closest to the victim may not realize the deception until it's too late. The Boo Hag uses this ability to infiltrate the lives of its next potential victims, perpetuating a cycle of terror and death. The disguise is not just physical, it extends to the Boo Hag's aura and presence, allowing it to walk freely among the inhabitants of Midnight without raising any alarm. Its true nature remains concealed, hidden beneath the façade of the stolen skin, making it an even more insidious and dangerous threat. The Boo Hag, if among the active denizens of the session, always begins the game in its true form, and will not be able to use this ability on any of the Citizens, but instead is limited to Player Characters for the sake of balance.

Combat:

• Claws: 5' reach, damage: 3+Strength, Plus a (5 to 6: Moderate Difficulty) Bleed Effect
• Bite: 5' Reach, damage: 2