hexblood
where wishing fails, ancient magic can offer a heart’s desire—at least, for a time. hexbloods are individuals infused with eldritch magic, fey energy, or mysterious witchcraft. some who enter into bargains with hags gain their deepest wishes but eventually find themselves transformed. these changes evidence a hag’s influence: ears that split in forked points, skin in lurid shades, long hair that regrows if cut, and an irremovable living crown. along with these marks, hexbloods manifest hag-like traits, such as darkvision, and a variety of magical methods to beguile the senses and avoid the same.
while many hexbloods gain their lineage after making a deal with a hag, others reveal their nature as they age—particularly if a hag influenced them early in life or even before their birth. many hexbloods turn to lives of adventure, seeking to discover the mysteries of their magic, to forge a connection with their fey natures, or to avoid a hag that obsesses over them.
- unearthed arcana, gothic lineages (2021).
hags
first of all, hags are basically the malevolent witches of the fey. their pastimes include entrapping victims to cause them misery and maybe even eat them, but they're also known to grant wishes and knowledge for a price. unfortunately, the price is almost always a manipulation that leads to the misery and/or eating pastime.
in dungeons & dragons lore (and probably other lore), hags are inherently evil and grotesque but may disguise themselves to be more approachable. a chaotic evil hag is unrestrained in their cruelty and passionately seeks out their prey. the more classical hag is a neutral evil hag: still evil but awaits her victims to deliver themselves to her. she will accept long-term suffering as currency in exchange for a foolish visitor's desires (basically, life as it is already but magically cruel). it tickles them to watch mortals bring about their own downfall.
- chaotic evil: chaos for cruelty for the joy of it.
- neutral evil: transactional cruelty to inhibit suffering.
one commonly-known hag horror is their consumption of infants. the action alone is frightening enough but, unbeknownst to some, this results in a hag "pregnancy". after the birth, the hag rarely raises this child but may place it under the care of mortal parents either through a bargain or some trickery. thus, the hexblood is raised among mortals, slowly revealing their fey nature.
hexbloods
hexbloods are not inherently evil but are usually the product of hags seeking to create more daughters of their own kind. though, the full transformation into a hag involves a ritual and some type of consent. although hags are known to play long games, it is possible to escape them (and this fate) and choose one's own alignment at least for some time.
hexblood origins
- seeking a child, your parent made a bargain with a hag. you are the result of that arrangement.
- fey kidnappers swapped you and your parents’ child.
- a coven of hags lost one of their members. you were created to replace the lost hag.
- you were cursed as a child. a deal with the spirits of the forest transformed you into a hexblood, now free of the curse.
- you began life as a fey creature, but an accident or crime changed you and forced you from your home.
- a slighted druid transformed you and bound you to live only so long as a sacred tree bears fruit.
- you made a deal with a hag, but they twisted your words and transformed you.
- you are a child of the wilds. animals and mysterious whispers were the only family you ever knew.
- unearthed arcana, gothic lineages (2021).
hexbloods are considered part-fey, retaining some of their original humanoid characteristics. though, this dual nature may cause tension between mortal life and fey influence.