Hag Physiology

The power to use the abilities of hags. Variation of Mythic Physiology. Not to be confused with Beldam Witch.

Also Called[]

Crone Physiology/Mimicry
Hag Mimicry
Witch Physiology

Capabilities[]

A user with this ability either is or can transform into a hag, a magical being in the form of wizened old woman. Hags are often seen as malevolent although not necessarily as wholly beneficent nor malevolent beings connected to the wild and destructive forces of nature. They are also wise and highly knowledgeable, especially about occult and arcane matters, and sought for advice.

Broadly speaking hags can be divided into two groups:

Mythical Hags are ancestral deities of wild natural forces like winter, guardians of barren lands and the shapers and creators of natural features, especially mountains.

Folkloric Hags are often lessened Mythical hags, cannibalistic beings that resemble bogeymen as they were used to frighten children into being good (however even these figures are not always fully malevolent and may do good, albeit in a more gruesome manner or with less frequency than the mythical hags).

All hags share a common theme in that they represent nature (the good, the bad and the neutral aspects of it) - this is another trait that separates them from beldams, who go directly *against* nature.

Hag, Witch or Beldam?[]

When categorizing mythical creatures there is often a degree of confusion and overlap, none more so than when dealing with hags - thus in order to try and ensure information is as clear as possible we have a short guide on how to differ hags from witches and beldams:

Hags: Nature-based (whether it be good, bad or otherwise), do not have human (or mortal) origin - they can be ugly in appearance but usually are depicted more as extremely old women. The more malicious hags do have uglier appearances and more monstrous traits, but they still retain links to nature (for example, a swamp hag is monstrous and violent, but she embodies the darker elements of nature, thus will manifest powers related to her element.) Many hags also have a sphere of influence over which their magic works (sea-hags only control water, forest-hags only control woodland, etc.).

Witches: Neither hag nor beldam, a witch is simply a human (or other mortal creature) that has developed skills in magic or esoteric energies - thus they should not be added to hag or beldam (instead use human mage or the like) - if a witch corrupts her body and soul sufficiently however, she may become a beldam. Despite their names being linked in popular culture and folk tales a mortal witch can never become a hag (since hags have always been spirits and thus were never mortal to begin with).

Beldams: They may of started life as humans (or mortals), but they gave up any resemblance to true humanity in exchange for black magic. In other tales, they were never human at all - in all cases they are absolutely malevolent. They seek to destroy natural balance and have no positives whatsoever. They exist as extensions of humanity's fear of the unknown and are fantastically hideous. They also have a wider range of influence than hags but are limited to the use of evil magic. Some beldams are also the ghosts of witches that continue to linger after their mortal forms have perished (especially if these ghosts are malevolent in nature).