D&D 5E The Hags of 5E

[Stormonu]

So, something that's been gnawing at the back of my mind for a while...it seems that every 5E adventure (since Curse of Strahd) in it has a named hag in it, which I find somewhat interesting. One or two, and I might not have noticed. But every adventure? Named threats? What's going on here?

Mad Maggie - Descent into Avernus
Granny Nightshade - Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Morgantha - Curse of Strahd
Maud Chiselbone - Rime of the Frostmaiden
Thuluna Maah - Princes of the Apocalypse
Nanny Pu'pu - Tomb of Annihilation
3 sea hags (unnamed!) - Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Wormriddle the Night Hag - Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Mother Lorinda - Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft

Are there more that I have missed?

 

[BookTenTiger]

Interesting! I wonder if it's purposeful, or if named Hags just make for great, scary NPC's.

Come to think of it, I've got a powerful hag named Granny O'gwa in my own game! All her daughters are various other types of hags, but all have different animal heads, and are all called Sister S___, with different animals starting with an S. So Sister Snake, Sister Spider, Sister Skink, Sister Salamander, Sister Stoat, etc.

 

[toucanbuzz]

The name of a hag should strike fear and infuse mysticism into a party, but their abilities and combat stats rarely do. That's a pretty good list!

It's my experience by giving a name, the adventure is saying (1) this NPC is dangerous/special (2) this NPC is worth communicating with and (3) this NPC probably can lead to quests.

 

[J.Quondam]

Just three more and WotC can publish cheesecake calendar!

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Just three more and WotC can publish cheesecake calendar!

Sora Katra
Sora Maenya
Sora Teraza

 

[Alzrius]

Sora Katra
Sora Maenya
Sora Teraza

Or "Sora Riku"

...no, wait, the shippers have already done that one:

 

[Quickleaf]

So, something that's been gnawing at the back of my mind for a while...it seems that every 5E adventure (since Curse of Strahd) in it has a named hag in it, which I find somewhat interesting. One or two, and I might not have noticed. But every adventure? Named threats? What's going on here?

Mad Maggie - Descent into Avernus
Granny Nightshade - Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Morgantha - Curse of Strahd
Maud Chiselbone - Rime of the Frostmaiden
Thuluna Maah - Princes of the Apocalypse
Nanny Pu'pu - Tomb of Annihilation
3 sea hags (unnamed!) - Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Wormriddle the Night Hag - Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Mother Lorinda - Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft

Are there more that I have missed?

Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden has Maud Chiselbone, a sea hag, and the night hag coven in the Necropolis of Ythryn including Auntie Pinch, Auntie Pillage, and Auntie Plunder.

Also in Tomb of Annihilation: The Sewn Sisters – 3 night hags named Widow Groat, Peggy Deadbells, and Baggy Nanna.

 

[Voadam]

The 3d12 name generator and the traits charts from the hag entry in Volo's Guide to Monsters work really well on short notice to give a fun evocative individual.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

Candlekeep has lots of hags.

• Dread Morgana
• Vile Sazha
• Auntie Greenbones
• Lanedrie Staggersoul

There may be more.

And yes, I've noticed as well. Lots of hags lately. Then there's the whole hag race in Van Richten's Guide---the Hexblooded.

 

[Lyxen]

So, something that's been gnawing at the back of my mind for a while...it seems that every 5E adventure (since Curse of Strahd) in it has a named hag in it, which I find somewhat interesting. One or two, and I might not have noticed. But every adventure? Named threats? What's going on here?

Mad Maggie - Descent into Avernus

Also has Red Ruth in a very interesting environment (although I agree that Maggie's environment is absolutely brilliant).

Granny Nightshade - Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Morgantha - Curse of Strahd
Maud Chiselbone - Rime of the Frostmaiden
Thuluna Maah - Princes of the Apocalypse
Nanny Pu'pu - Tomb of Annihilation

There are actually 3 in the tomb itself, their coven is "the sewn sisters" and their names are Widow Groat, Peggy Deadbells and Baggy Nanna, and for me they have a very much "Witcher 3" feel.

3 sea hags (unnamed!) - Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Wormriddle the Night Hag - Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Mother Lorinda - Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft

Are there more that I have missed?