Night hag (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
, the night hag is an outsider
that comes from the Gray Waste of Hades
. The night hag's relationship to other types of hags
is unclear. Night hags are perhaps best known for being the harvesters of larvae, or the souls of the dead as they appear in Hades.
. The book states that night hags form larvae (the most selfishly evil of all souls who sink to lower planes after death) from evil persons they slay, and sell them to demons
and devils
. The Monster Manual was reviewed by Don Turnbull in the British magazine White Dwarf
#8 (August/September 1978). As part of his review, Turnbull comments on several new monsters introduced in the book, referring to the night hag as "splendid" and notes that the illustration of the night hag is the best drawing in the book.
The unique night hag Sytrix appears in Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II (1993).
The night hag was further detailed in the first Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994).
The article "Pox of the Planes" in Dragon
Annual #2 (1997) described the night hags as the creators of the altraloths
, powerful unique yugoloths.
The night hag was detailed in Dragon
#324 (October 2004), in the "Ecology of the Night Hag".
entry.
." This process eventually transforms the victim into a larva unless some force capable of affecting ethereal beings puts a stop to it.
Night hags are believed to have created the altraloths
, powerful unique yugoloths.
Night Hags, being exclusively female, can only reproduce by mating with a male member of another species, typically a member of a civilized race. The hag often slays her mate. The child born looks like a normal member of her species with black or blue hair and is often given into foster care by the hag disguised as a normal woman. When the young girl reaches puberty, the mother Night Hag might visit the child several times and, after several rituals, transforms her offspring into another hag. Interrupting one of the thirteen rituals that takes place ceases the process of transformation.
For reasons unknown, some night hags give birth to accursed offspring known as dusk hags. (see Eberron
campaign setting
)
Cegilune
is the goddess of the night hags, or possibly just the most powerful one of their kind who has since gained a shred of divinity.
.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, the night hag is an outsider
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
that comes from the Gray Waste of Hades
Gray Waste
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Gray Waste is a strongly evil aligned plane of existence...
. The night hag's relationship to other types of hags
Hag (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, hags are witchlike beings that use magic to spread havoc and destruction, and slay all whom they encounter.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
is unclear. Night hags are perhaps best known for being the harvesters of larvae, or the souls of the dead as they appear in Hades.
Publication history
The night hag was introduced to the D&D game in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
The night hag appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), where it is described as the ruler of the convoluted planes of HadesGray Waste
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Gray Waste is a strongly evil aligned plane of existence...
. The book states that night hags form larvae (the most selfishly evil of all souls who sink to lower planes after death) from evil persons they slay, and sell them to demons
Demon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demons are the most widespread race of fiends. The demons are chaotic evil by nature, and are native to the Abyss...
and devils
Devil (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, devils are a powerful group of monsters used as a high-level challenge for players of the game. Devils are Lawful Evil in alignment and originate from the Nine Hells of Baator. True to their Lawful Evil alignment, devils are locked in a strict and brutal...
. The Monster Manual was reviewed by Don Turnbull in the British magazine White Dwarf
White Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
#8 (August/September 1978). As part of his review, Turnbull comments on several new monsters introduced in the book, referring to the night hag as "splendid" and notes that the illustration of the night hag is the best drawing in the book.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
The night hag appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix (1991), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).The unique night hag Sytrix appears in Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II (1993).
The night hag was further detailed in the first Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994).
The article "Pox of the Planes" in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
Annual #2 (1997) described the night hags as the creators of the altraloths
Yugoloth
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, yugoloths are neutral evil natives of the lower planes of the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna and the Gray Waste of Hades...
, powerful unique yugoloths.
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
The night hag appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The night hag appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).The night hag was detailed in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#324 (October 2004), in the "Ecology of the Night Hag".
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
The night hag appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), under the hagHag (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, hags are witchlike beings that use magic to spread havoc and destruction, and slay all whom they encounter.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
entry.
Description
A night hag is always neutral evil. A night hag has an array of magical powers, and can transmit a disease called "demon fever" by biting a victim. Night hags are also able to torment chaotic or evil individuals by invading their dreams using a special item called a "heartstoneHeartstone
A heartstone is a fictional artifact common in dragon-related stories of high fantasy. It is a crystal of concentrated magic, and can be extracted from the heart of a slain dragon. It is believed that the heartstone is the source of a dragon's magic power, but this has never been proven definitively...
." This process eventually transforms the victim into a larva unless some force capable of affecting ethereal beings puts a stop to it.
Night hags are believed to have created the altraloths
Yugoloth
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, yugoloths are neutral evil natives of the lower planes of the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna and the Gray Waste of Hades...
, powerful unique yugoloths.
Night Hags, being exclusively female, can only reproduce by mating with a male member of another species, typically a member of a civilized race. The hag often slays her mate. The child born looks like a normal member of her species with black or blue hair and is often given into foster care by the hag disguised as a normal woman. When the young girl reaches puberty, the mother Night Hag might visit the child several times and, after several rituals, transforms her offspring into another hag. Interrupting one of the thirteen rituals that takes place ceases the process of transformation.
For reasons unknown, some night hags give birth to accursed offspring known as dusk hags. (see Eberron
Eberron
Eberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
)
Cegilune
Cegilune
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Cegilune is the hag deity of larvae, hags, and the moon. She is the patron goddess of all hags, including night hags...
is the goddess of the night hags, or possibly just the most powerful one of their kind who has since gained a shred of divinity.
Video games
The night hag Ravel Puzzlewell is a major character in Planescape: TormentPlanescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and released on December 12, 1999 by Interplay Entertainment. It takes place in Planescape, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy campaign setting...
.