Annis

An annis, or annis hag, is the most feared type, spreading fear through fiction and reigning in reality. The child-eating hags are the undisputed barbarian queens, mixing dark fey malice with demonic giant might.
Annis hags are the tallest of their race, at 7 feet minimum and sometimes 8 feet tall. Contrary to the notion of the withering crone, they are muscly, albeit their builds vary. Some are characterized as slender and swift with long limbs, while others resemble Ogre with twisted muscles and jutting bones. Even having stooped backs and humped shoulders, annis hags are huge, weighing around 325 lbs. Their stretched skin is covered in scars and imperfections, and their flesh appears blue-black from deep bruises.
An annis hag's nails are formed of iron that magically develops like humanoids' keratin nails. Annis hags typically stylize them into long spirals that can inflict frightening, circular wounds. Their sparkling nails will rust with time, turning them into rusted corkscrews. Their razor-sharp teeth and filthy hair also gleamed. An annis's dull, greenish-yellow eyes are topped with a pair of black, upward-arching horns. The nubs aren't long enough to reach foes or tough enough to pierce them.
Annis hags are known to deep scar themselves and use grafts to increase their already horrific appearance to make them even scarier. One annis is claimed to have stitched her coven members onto her back, trapping their struggling sisters in a semi-conscious state. When required, they can use their illusory skills to integrate into other communities in a variety of ways. They can appear as wise old women, gorgeous amazons, tall people, small giants, Ogre, or even animals like bears.
While annis hags are equally smart as the alluring Green Hag, they outperform them in terms of physical strength and egotism. Annis, the most egotistical of hags , are readily seduced with sorcery and living prey. Their narcissism stems from their height and strength, which they see as virtues. They enjoy being recognized for such features and hence control powerful humanoid brute races, the stronger the better. They are also very territorial, and may destroy entire communities to protect their rule.
Annis hags enjoy dominating the weak, especially other hags , and intimidating them. They like killing, as well as creating suspicion and uncertainty, therefore they put scarecrows on the edges of their domains. An annis enjoys spreading fear and anxiety throughout a once-vibrant society, and leaving frightening signs isn't their only approach. One method involves approaching children as friendly old women and progressively corrupting their morality. Vandalism and wandering can escalate into arson and dangerous deeds like throwing someone down stairs, forcing a terrified community to punish or exile them.
An annis hag's flesh is as tough as leather armor with plate-mail resilience, making them difficult to kill. Cutting and piercing their skin is ineffective, however bludgeoning them is simple due to their weak bones. For offense, annis hags rely on their tremendous power to crush or shred and rend their victims.
An annis' teeth and nails are likewise magical and can be plucked out to form little iron tokens like money, rings, or mirrors. Then, if within 10 miles of each other, she and the recipient can have private talks only they can hear. An annis can detect the approximate location of tokens but can only have three active at a time. She may disable and magically inert them from afar.
The magical skills of annis hags include disguise and the ability to produce frigid clouds of dense fog.
Those who regard the strength-obsessed annis as savages are wrong. Despite their might, annis hags avoid direct combat, preferring splitting and distracting their opponents before battle. Prior to fight, they disguise themselves as commoners to lower their enemies' guard. They exploit the fog to confuse opponents and postpone strikes.
In fights, an annis hag like to close in and grapple, sinking her talons and teeth into their victims until they die. Their twisting nails are neither a hindrance nor a benefit in combat, but the deep wounds they leave are unsettling. They may train as berserkers or fighter, but they may also train as Sorcerer.
Unlike other hags, annis hags aim to control less intellectual beings. They typically adopt Ogre, trolls, giants , and other brutes, acting as the vocally harsh matron of a potentially racially mixed community. With raw force and superstition, they conquer them, acquiring valuable information, friendship, security, and food. They often assume the position of the chieftain's wife, ruling from behind the throne rather than atop it.
Whether acting alone or in covens, annis hags rarely treat their sisters better than their other slaves. Aggressive annis hags form covens by physically overcoming weaker hags . These approaches rarely work on other annis hags who share their brawn, wrath, and superiority. In either case, covens with more than one annis hag are only perpetuated when the two are continually apprehensive and scheming towards each other, or they are only formed temporarily.
Their presence is identified by the marks of their leatherworking; they flay children to make more supple skins. Grandmas and aunts can create caustic clouds of thick black smoke from their lairs. Small, random avalanches or the sourceless laughter of individuals or children may also be evidence of the presence of such hags. The existence of tiny cairns, possibly holding bones, haunted by Ghost, Specter, or angry fey.
Annis hags speak their own language, Sylvan, and some Common. Smarter ones speak Common fluently and know other languages.
Annis hags are the most willing to recognise the superior power of others, especially if it is beneficial and the entities in question are sympathetic to them. Some, like Qyrad and Khydar, have been known to grant clerical powers.
Due to their strength, annis hags prefer mountainous or hilly terrain. In cold, dark decaying regions like moors or marshes, they will claim entire forests or swamps as their own.
Their darkvision is average, but their sense of smell and sound is exceptional. Despite their sharp senses, they are greedy eaters who will eat anything, especially humanoid flesh, particularly infants.
According to some, annis hags can live longer than elves or even dragons.
Some experts believe annis hags are related to Ogre Mage due to their blue complexion and mysterious horns. The same traits are used to support the theory that Night Hag are connected to annis hags, albeit this is controversial. Some argue that annis hags are the degenerate grandchildren of Night Hag and humans . Those who believe in this genesis also claim that the union produced Green Hag, who bred with Ogre and giants to create the magically inferior and shorter-lived annis, even down to their language.