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HAG, WOOD (By WebWarlock)

Appearance: The Makva, or the Wood Hag, is a relative of the Night Hag and other Hags. The Makva makes her home in the deepest forests where she feeds on unsuspecting travelers. She is particularly fond of children. Her normal appearance is very hag-like, tall, green skin with black hair, although some have been spotted with green or red hair. Long clawed hands with nails as hard as iron talons. Their mouths are filled with rotting black teeth and a foul breath. The Wood Hag can appear as kindly grandmother, or a fetching young wood nymph as she chooses. The wood hag loves nothing more than to temp men of good character into a wanton embrace and then switch back to their normal form before killing them. She is also fond of attacking people as they sleep in the woods.

Combat: The wood hag is very strong (18/00) and will attack with her claws and a bite. The bite of a Wood Hag also drains blood. Any successful critical (natural 20 rolled) bite hit will drain one point of Constitution. Any character drained to zero will become a wraith haunting the woods around the wood hag.

The Makva can also employ the following spell like powers three times per day: Ray of Enfeeblement and Magic Missile. They can cast an Advanced Illusion four times per day and can use the following powers at will, Know Alignment, Polymorph Self and Sleep. Wood hags are immune to Sleep, Charm, and Hold spells. The Makva cannot touch iron and takes double damage from weapons made of pure or cold forged iron.

Habitat/Society: The wood hag is more solitary than the other Hags. More often than not a wood hag will be found alone. Covey's that include Wood Hags almost always include another type of Hag, in particular an Annis or a Green Hag. A wood hag can use the special powers of a covey when she is in one, including a Hag Eye. A solitary wood hag will never have a Hag Eye.

Wood hags often employ trolls to protect their homes and for mutual protection. At any given time there will be 3 to 6 trolls around the wood hag's home. They will fight for the wood hag, but they are not commanded to do so. They will retreat or flee if the combat goes against them. The wood hag will also ally her self with evil witches and warlocks. They have also been known to consort with demons and vampires as well. Makva do not get along well with Night Hags. Some have theorized that Makva were once part of the Night Hag “society” but were removed for being too chaotic.

Wood Hags have often been confused with witches and many of the tale told to frighten children about witch have been about wood hags. It is almost certain that the tale of Hansel and Gretel could have been about a wood hag (or even the witch Baba Yaga).

Makva are believed to live up to 800 years, but this has never been confirmed. They have been known to keep harpies as pets.

Ecology: Found only in the deepest of forests, wood hags do not reproduce as often as her cousins do. The wood hag can mate with any human or elf male. Since some wood hags have been spotted with green or red hair, and their “allergy” to iron, some speculation has been prompted about their relationship with dryads. Like other hags and dryads, wood hags only produce female offspring.

Makva also have a draining attack similar to a succubus, thus reinforcing the apparent relationship between all of the Hag types. But unlike a Night Hag, a wood hag cannot Gate or become ethereal or astral.

Variants: The common hag