Hag

Among the denizens of the Fae Realm, few inspire as much fear and revulsion as the Hags. Resembling decrepit old women, these Fae creatures are well known for their wicked and malicious personalities, and their fondness for causing misery to any creature, Mortal or Fae, unfortunate enough to cross their path. While few in number, Hags have still managed to earn themselves a terrifying reputation, with many a folktale warning of the danger they pose to any who encounter them.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Hags have a humanoid physiology, and commonly have features such as claw-like nails, wrinkled and/or warty skin, stringy to nonexistant hair, sunken in eyes, and beak-like noses, though other traits exist depending on the specific Hag.

Biological Traits

While Hags typically look like decrepit old women, individuals have various unique traits depending on their personality and/or environment (e.g. a swamp-dwelling Hag may have traits resembling toads or mosquitoes, while a forest-dwelling one might appear to be made of rotting wood).

Behaviour

While the Fae are known for their bizarre personalities, Hags are one of the few that can be considered outright malicious to others, seemingly going out of their way to harm and terrorise those who come into contact with them. Fortunately, they are still beholden to many of the same constraints as other Fae (unable to lie, honouring agreements), though they are also known to find various ways to work around them.

Additional Information

Social Structure

While Hags tend to be solitary creatures, they have been known to band together in groups, with three being the most common size. All Hags in a group defer to whoever's shown themselves to be the strongest among them, though it's not uncommon for other members of the group to conspire to take their place.

Facial characteristics

Hags have wrinkled faces, with stringy to non-existent hair, sunken in eyes, a hooked or beak-like nose, and missing teeth.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

While native to the Fae Realm, Hags have also been known to frequent various locales in the Mortal Realm, with a preference for isolated areas.

Average Intelligence

Hags are intelligent creatures, skilled with magic and deception.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Hags have a keen ability to sense any magic used in their presence. Additionally, they are highly skilled spellcasters, with a particular focus on glamours to disguise themselves, and hexesto curse victims with.

Civilization and Culture

History

While the exact origins of the Hags remains shrouded in myth, it's generally agreed that they were not native-born inhabitants of the Fae Realm. According to the stories, the Hags were originally a group of sorceresses who had crossed over into the Fae Realm in pursuit of powerful magics to use for their own selfish purposes. It was during this incursion that these sorceresses would encounter one of the High Fae that ruled over the Fae Realm, and whether it was due to them directly doing something to offend the Fae or the result of the Fae being offended by their personalities and motivations for entering their realm, the Fae placed a curse upon them that altered their physical appearance to reflect the wickedness they saw in them.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Hags are widely feared by all Mortal races, and even some Fae are wary of dealing with them, with only the Fae of the Nightmare Court being willing to regularly interact with them.

Lifespan

Immortal

Average Physique

Hags have a stooped, frail physique, though they tend to be stronger than they at first appear.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Hags have skin tones similar to mortal humanoids, as well as other fantastical colours, often of an unhealthy shade.