Selimar Crone

The Crone of Selimar was a Hag that hunted the areas around the forest known as Selimar Chase in the Ward of Selimar. The terror inflicted by the Hag lasted nearly 25 years and cost the lives of at least 200 souls over that span of time.
The Crone is known now as one of the most deadly creatures to ever threaten the people of the Kingdom of Cobal in its near 300 year history.  No one is certain of exactly how many victims the Hag tortured and killed, but the confirmed number of dead currently stands at 202.  Some estimates place that number as high as 318, however, and it is a tragedy that might never be fully understood.
Reports of the Crone's attacks are first recorded in letters to the capital of Jemptal in the fall of 35 AF.  A letter dated October 10 of that year describes a family of Halflings that were gathering mushrooms and acorns on the fringes of the dark forst known as the Selimar Chase were attacked by a terrifying "old woman" wearing a stinking, rotting cloak and screaming with a voice that made rational thought almost impossible.  The family consisted of a husband and wife and five young Halfling children between the ages of 12 and 4 years.  Only the eldest child, a female of 12 years, escaped to tell the chilling tale of the attack.  When the girl's story was investigated, torn and half eaten body parts were found in a deliberately laid trail leading directly to a dark and secluded valley deep in the forest now known as Witch Vale.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

5' tall skinny and very old-looking female humanoid.  Palid, decaying skin, dark knotted hair on the head, pale milky eyes, rotting teeth.

Identifying Characteristics

Many first-hand reports of the creature and descriptions of the corpse when it was finally dispatched noted a suppurating opening or wound on the Hag's forehead that some arcanologists believe to have been the Hag's "third eye".  Witnesses that survived to tell of the creature often told of the stinking discharge that would appear from the sore whenever the Hag spoke of future events or described specific details of victim's pasts.

Special abilities

The Crone was renowned for screaming in a manner that made all rational thought impossible and caused those that heard the scream to tremble in fear and loathing uncontrollably for minutes afterwards.  It was also well known to keep the deadliest creatures as pets and familiars.  One party that encountered the creature deep within the Selimar Chase reported the Crone to have a 20' long Wyvern as a pet.  Another report said it had a massive cat following it that was covered in weeping sores and smelled of rotting meat and spoiled milk.  At the time of the creature's death, it was reported to have enthralled a Harpy that would instantly attack anything the Hag pointed at with its gnarled thumb.

Apparel & Accessories

Universally described as clad in rotting clothing that smelled of vomit, filth and death.  Witnesses to the corpse of the beast described patches sewn into the Hag's cloak that could only have been Human or Halfling skin flayed from living flesh.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

The Selimar Crone was seemingly driven to kill and eat as many innocents as it could catch during its time within the Chase.  Beyond the killing and eating, however, it seemed to gain immense pleasure and satisfaction from terrifying and torturing its victims long before they were actually killed.  Attack after attack was noted and confirmed by the discovery of very carefully arranged body parts of each victim placed in areas where they were definately going to be found, and all evidence always led right to the Crone's lair, every time.  It was as if it wanted to be found and located from the very first attack.

Representation & Legacy

The Crone of Selimar was one of the most investigated Hags encountered in the last two centuries.  Its body was carefully examined by experts from the City of Jemptal and by two Masters of the Order of the Votaries of Knowledge.  Several scholarly works were written about the creature and its habits (at least as they were understood at the time), and images that have been made since the creature's death are thought to be extremely accurate because of this wealth of knowledge.

Wealth & Financial state

At the time of the creature's slaying, its lair was found to contain somewhat more than 270 lbs of the purest silver bars ever seen and this horde was valued at 540 Guineas (roughly $130,000).  In addition to the silver was a large basket full of highly polished black river stones about 3" across and all having a single rune carved into them.  The purpose of these stones is still not known, and their current whereabouts is also unknown.

The most common image relating to the Selimar Crone, dating from the first few years of its reign of terror

Another image, painted from the actual corpse of the Crone just after it was slain

Species

Hags

Age

Unknown

Year of Death

59 AF

Circumstances of Death

Cut in half with a magical axe

Place of Death

Witch Vale, Selimar Chase