Crimson Worlds

Cuckoo Hag

7 min read

columns: 2
forcecolumns: true
layout: Basic Pathfinder 2e Layout
source: "Pathfinder Monster Core"
name: "Cuckoo Hag"
level: "Creature 9"
 
alignment: ""
size: "Medium"
trait_01: [[hag]]
trait_02: [[humanoid]]
modifier: 18
perception:
  - name: "Perception"
    desc: "+18; Darkvision"
languages: "Aklo, Chthonian, Common, Daemonic, Diabolic, Fey, Jotun"
skills:
  - name: "Skills"
    desc: "Arcana: +18, Crafting: +18, Deception: +21, Diplomacy: +19, Intimidation: +19, Occultism: +19, Religion: +18, Society: +18"
abilityMods: [5, 4, 3, 4, 3, 6]
speed: 25 feet
sourcebook: "_Pathfinder Monster Core_"
ac: 28
armorclass:
  - name: AC
    desc: "28; __Fort__ +16, __Ref__ +19, __Will__ +18; +1 status to all saves vs. magic"
hp: 170
health:
  - name: ""
  - name: HP
    desc: "170; __Immunities__  sleep; __Weaknesses__ cold iron 10; __Resistances__ mental 10"
abilities_top:
  - name: ""
 
  - name: "[[Bestiary Ability Glossary/Coven|Coven]]"
    desc: " (mental,occult) A cuckoo hag adds [[Spells/Dominate|Dominate]], [[Spells/Nightmare|Nightmare]], [[Spells/Outcast's Curse|Outcast's Curse]], and scrying to their coven's spells.\n* * *\n\nThis monster can form a coven with two or more other creatures who also have the coven ability. This involves performing an 8-hour ceremony with all prospective coven members. After the coven is formed, each of its members gains elite adjustments, adjusting their levels accordingly. Coven members can sense other members' locations and conditions by spending a single action, which has the concentrate trait, and can sense what another coven member is sensing as a two-action activity, which has the concentrate trait as well.\n\nCovens also grant spells and rituals to their members, but these can be cast only in cooperation between three coven members who are all within 30 feet of one another. A coven member can contribute to a coven spell with a single action that has the concentrate trait. If two coven members have contributed these actions within the last round, a third member can cast a coven spell on her turn by spending the normal spellcasting actions. A coven can cast its coven spells an unlimited number of times but can cast only one coven spell each round. All covens grant the 8th-rank [[Spells/Cursed Metamorphosis|Cursed Metamorphosis]] spell and all the following spells, which the coven can cast at any rank up to 5th: [[Spells/Augury|Augury]], [[Spells/Charm|Charm]], [[Spells/Clairaudience|Clairaudience]], [[Spells/Clairvoyance|Clairvoyance]], [[Spells/Dream Message|Dream Message]], [[Spells/Illusory Disguise|Illusory Disguise]], [[Spells/Illusory Scene|Illusory Scene]], [[Spells/Scouting Eye|Scouting Eye]], and [[Spells/Talking Corpse|Talking Corpse]]. Individual creatures with the coven ability also grant additional spells to any coven they join. A coven can also cast the [[Spells/Control Weather|Control Weather]] ritual, with a DC of 23 instead of the standard DC.\n\nIf a coven member's departure or death brings the coven below three members, the remaining members keep their elite adjustments for 24 hours, but without enough members to contribute the necessary actions, they can't cast coven spells."
 
abilities_mid:
  - name: ""
  - name: "Sound Imitation"
    desc: "  A cuckoo hag who succeeds at a Deception check to Lie can mimic the sound of any feminine voice they have heard (in cases where this may be unclear, the GM is the final arbiter) and have a +4 circumstance bonus to this check."
 
attacks:
  - name: ""
 
  - name: "**Melee** `pf2:1` Claw"
    desc: "+20 (agile, magical)\n__Damage__  1d6 spirit 2d8 + 8 slashing"
 
  - name: "Occult Innate Spells"
    desc: "DC 29, attack +21; __9th __  _[[Spells/Seize Soul|Seize Soul (At Will, See Soul Covenant)]]_; __5th __  _[[Spells/Dreaming Potential|Dreaming Potential]]_, _[[Spells/Illusory Object|Illusory Object]]_, _[[Spells/Illusory Scene|Illusory Scene]]_, _[[Spells/Mirage|Mirage]]_, _[[Spells/Nightmare|Nightmare]]_, _[[Spells/Subconscious Suggestion|Subconscious Suggestion]]_; __4th __  _[[Spells/Acid Grip|Acid Grip (x3)]]_, _[[Spells/Clairaudience|Clairaudience]]_, _[[Spells/Clairvoyance|Clairvoyance]]_, _[[Spells/Fly|Fly]]_; __3rd __  _[[Spells/Dream Message|Dream Message (At Will)]]_, _[[Spells/Sleep|Sleep (At Will)]]_; __2nd __  _[[Spells/Invisibility|Invisibility (At Will)]]_\n__Cantrips__  __(5th)__ _[[Spells/Daze|Daze]]_, _[[Spells/Detect Magic|Detect Magic]]_, _[[Spells/Message|Message]]_, _[[Spells/Prestidigitation|Prestidigitation]]_, _[[Spells/Read Aura|Read Aura]]_"
 
  - name: "Coven Spells"
    desc: "DC 29, attack +21; __8th __  _[[Spells/Cursed Metamorphosis|Cursed Metamorphosis]]_; __6th __  _[[Spells/Dominate|Dominate]]_, _[[Spells/Scrying|Scrying]]_; __5th __  _[[Spells/Augury|Augury]]_, _[[Spells/Charm|Charm]]_, _[[Spells/Clairaudience|Clairaudience]]_, _[[Spells/Clairvoyance|Clairvoyance]]_, _[[Spells/Dream Message|Dream Message]]_, _[[Spells/Illusory Disguise|Illusory Disguise]]_, _[[Spells/Illusory Scene|Illusory Scene]]_, _[[Spells/Nightmare|Nightmare]]_, _[[Spells/Outcast's Curse|Outcast's Curse]]_, _[[Spells/Scouting Eye|Scouting Eye]]_, _[[Spells/Talking Corpse|Talking Corpse]]_"
 
  - name: "Rituals"
    desc: "_Animate Object_, _Control Weather_"
 
  - name: "[[Bestiary Ability Glossary/Change Shape|Change Shape]]"
    desc: "`pf2:1` (concentrate,occult,polymorph) The cuckoo hag can take on the appearance of any Medium female humanoid. This doesn't change their Speed or their attack and damage bonuses with their Strikes but might change the damage type their Strikes deal (typically to bludgeoning).\n* * *\n\nThe monster changes its shape indefinitely. It can use this action again to return to its natural shape or adopt a new shape. Unless otherwise noted, a monster cannot use Change Shape to appear as a specific individual. Using Change Shape counts as creating a disguise for the [[Actions/Impersonate|Impersonate]] use of Deception. The monster's transformation automatically defeats Perception DCs to determine whether the creature is a member of the ancestry or creature type into which it transformed, and it gains a +4 status bonus to its Deception DC to prevent others from seeing through its disguise. Change Shape abilities specify what shapes the monster can adopt. The monster doesn't gain any special abilities of the new shape, only its physical form. For example, in each shape, it replaces its normal Speeds and Strikes, and might potentially change its senses or size. Any changes are listed in its stat block."
 
  - name: "Cuckoo's Lair"
    desc: "  A cuckoo hag is intrinsically connected to a pocket dimension that serves as their home domain. The lair is an extradimensional space that is 40 feet wide, 40 feet deep, and 30 feet tall. It contains whatever mundane food, buildings, landscapes, and objects that the cuckoo hag desires, though anything removed from the cuckoo's lair dissolves into nothingness instantly.\n\nIn order to enter or leave the plane, the cuckoo hag must create a door in the physical world as a single action, which has the concentrate and manipulate traits. The door is [[Conditions/Invisible|Invisible]] by default, though the cuckoo hag can choose a target creature that can perceive the door normally. The cuckoo hag can [[Actions/Dismiss|Dismiss]] this door from reality, but only if they (and no other creature) are inside of their lair and alone."
 
  - name: "Soul Covenant"
    desc: " (occult) **Requirements** The cuckoo hag can cast [[Spells/Seize Soul|Seize Soul]] at will, but only to target a creature who has agreed to stay with them forever. They typically do so as soon as the agreement is made but might hold off to gain leverage over a situation.\n\nThey typically place the soul into a construct, typically a soulbound doll if they want a companion or a more powerful construct if they want a guardian."
 
name: Cuckoo Hag
creatures:
  - 1: Cuckoo Hag

Cuckoo hags seek out youths who are unhappy with their lives, disguising themselves as a trusted figure such as a friend or family member. These hags then weave magical, idealized worlds out of illusions and dream stuff to trap their victims. Once they convince a mortal to stay in their magical world forever, the cuckoo hag drains their prey of life force and imprisons their soul.

A cuckoo hag’s true form is a creature with the cracked pale skin of a broken porcelain doll and an almost impossibly thin neck and limbs.

Hags are malevolent predators who use magic and manipulation to lure children and young adults into their clutches. Though their true forms are eldritch and horrifying, hags spend much of their lives disguised as ordinary women. They seek out targets who are unhappy, innocent, or otherwise vulnerable, preying on their weaknesses before snatching them up. The typical hag is abusive, controlling, and narcissistic. Though less malicious hags possibly exist, they rarely reveal their true forms, making them nearly impossible to find.

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