What they all get so wrong about hags? (Dungeons & Dragons)

Hags for your roleplaying games have never been so well explained. Join professional paranormal investigator Aten as he explains hags through mythology and the lore from the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.
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"hag (n.) early 13c., "repulsive old woman" (rare before 16c.), probably from Old English hægtes, hægtesse "witch, sorceress, enchantress, fury," shortened on the assumption that -tes was a suffix. The Old English word is from Proto-Germanic *hagatusjon, which is of unknown origin"

[@dantherpghero2885]

I always loved the scene with the three hags in Clash of the Titans (1981).

[@welovettrpgs]

Same! I was thinking of that with the Hags Eye!

[@oj3730]

you invented elsa in the 90's, great video!!

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks. technically Madonna did since I copied her song

[@vadaritis]

I always thought the idea from hags originated in ancient greece with the Moirai, aka The Three Fates. Though as cultures changed, im not surprised the concept was bastardized from neutral forces beyond the will of the gods that actually kept the gods in chec. To the concept of mortal women who worshipped satan. Its just sad that now adays they are considered little more than green potion brewing witches that hate everything. In my own games i try to bring back some of that ancient flavor, while still not straying to far for my players to still be able to recognize modern tropes. Hags in my world are still fae, but they feed on the emotions of others (kinda like flumphs now that i think about it). For example, there was an Annis Hag living in the city, specifically the worst part of the slums. And all the townsfolk in the slums protected her, as she was one of the few neutral forces between the gangs that took care of everyone. When the party asked for information about her, the cost was they had to help her with charity work. Specifically they had to help her produce stew from a couldron in the street for those that showed up. Which took all day and the cauldron never ran dry. The emotion she fed on, was the sense of a community, and hope. I made no intentions of hiding her monstrous form, or that strange magics were constantly happening around her. And boy did that throw my players through a loop. Though i also have a coven of night hags sowing false prophesy dreams among the populace for a certain bbeg i am running. Though these hags too feed on emotion. They currently work with this villain not because they are evil, but because of a bargain that was struck. So they wont do any dastardly deeds besides the occassional nightmare. However, this power gives them vast control of the populace, which can be dangerous, if they think thier god told them to do something.

[@welovettrpgs]

Thank you! Great feedback! Yes, the hag is a universal theme. If you haven't seen my witches video I go into greater detail there. Night Hag will be the first creature-feature hag video. Their connection to real world myths really fascinates me - and the fact so many people still believe they're real - even in the year 2023! Thanks for watching, you're awesome!

[@vadaritis]

@@welovettrpgs Glad you mentioned it, cause KZbin failed to notify me when you posted your video to witches. Great watch, and wholly agree with your thesis in both videos.

[@welovettrpgs]

@@vadaritis Thanks!

[@colinleat8309]

Excellent use of the good nature Hag in your game 👍. Very original. It's good to take a monster trope and turn it on its side. Keeps things fresh 👍. 🤘😁🖖🇨🇦

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

Some of my favorite NPCs have been hags. There's the recurring expository NPC called "Nana" that I often use. She's a night hag. Always interesting as a quest giver or expositor, with the added benefit of scaring the dog biscuits out of low level PCs 😂

[@welovettrpgs]

Night Hag is the first on my list to receive its own dedicated video since they are based on the real world myths stemming from Sleep Paralysis (just like succubi) and there's just so many possibilities.

[@therealGibralter]

I like a lot of this, I'd say that there could be male hags as well but very rarely. (or shape changed if you want) Also your beard is immaculate good sir.

[@welovettrpgs]

You're too kind! Thank you! (I was super annoyed at the beard, it seems kinda ragged, gotta get it trimmed/shaped before i record next video tomorrow night. I'm very happy to hear I'm my own worst critic though!)

[@colinleat8309]

It is ironic that in the past 30 years that witches ( Hags, etc deemed by the church as being Heretical for centuries) have been embraced by Pop culture, through music, movies, TV, and other media. The idea of the Coven, and the Power of 3, going back to antiquity, has even been adopted by Disney: Ever notice Cinderella has 3 Fairy god mother's 🤔. Many year's ago our group went up against a particularly ornery swamp Hag. There were 4 of us at 5th level I think ( 2nd edition) and were feeling pretty confident...she had friends...😂. We made it out alive... barely. ALWAYS have a Cleric or some kind of serious Healer in the group!! 🤣 Thanks for another fantastic video brother! Looking forward to more 😉. 🖖😁🤘🇨🇦

[@mikeb.1705]

Yeah, to me it seems very rooted in Shakespeare ~ MacBeth! I remember reading that in HS during my early D&D days. That forever sealed hags in my mind as fortunetellers / having the power to see (and influence) the future. I use them as such in my games, along with a dash of the typical wickedness that D&D imparts on them >:-]

[@cernunnos_lives]

I'm convinced the Slavic Baba Yaga is a remnant from an even older goddess (probably from the Stone Age). The idea of Hags maybe relic & mythologized remnants of older beliefs. Like the World Serpent as well (Turned into malevolent versions).

[@welovettrpgs]

That seems a logical conclusion.

[@harryravenkiller8580]

This was pretty thought provoking. I am considering a Hag as one of the "toys" in my next campaign.

[@welovettrpgs]

thank you! thants cool!

[@KabukiKid]

Always so well-researched and well-presented. Keep up the excellent work... I can't get enough of these videos! :-D

[@welovettrpgs]

Thank you very much!

[@mikeb.1705]

Great video, as always, Aten! "...kind and beautiful forest maiden with her entourage of forest creatures..." vs "...this hag and her ogre guards..." Oh man, I can see it in my mind... suddenly things take a dark turn and all of her forest creatures transform into ogre guards, putting down the serious intimidation vibe on the party! LOL! Hmm... makes me want to throw in birds that transform into harpies too >:-] My current game includes a local Hag (Maab Shimrax, aka "Old Maab"), but the PCs haven't been introduced to her yet. However, they are currently adventuring in the vicinity of her lair... so I'm contemplating having them smell gingerbread baking as they pass close to her home. While I respect the idea of subverting expectations, I also find it entertaining to lean into the tropes sometimes. "Gingerbread house in the deep dark woods? Oh man... do we really want to mess with this?? I say we get the F' out of her before she finds us!" Queue the creepy woodland creatures watching every move the party makes >:-]

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks Mike - and I also agree that leaning in is good too. All depends on the rhythm you're creating for the adventures and what's needed to hit the right beat. I'm mostly just trying to give newer DMs "permission" to do things their way and not feel obligated to follow the books. Thanks for your support!

[@arthurbrockway8949]

The tripartite coven, I think, though having no correspondence in real practice, must have its origin in the overall archetypal notion of 3 as a significant. occult number. Three Nornes or fates in Norse mythology, the three Moirai in Greece as mentioned by a comment below , the Christian trinity, three faced Gods in India (Trimurti) and Slavs (Triglav) and more trinities or trios than I know or could mention here. There are some scholars that believe this reflects three functional roles in society : war, worship and toil.

[@AdamTehranchiYT]

Great video 👍🏻👍🏻 It's given the ol' imagination a good dusting, that's for sure. 😊

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks!

[@zacharyspires8271]

Excellent, as always. Looking forward to Graz'zt and Iggwilv.

[@welovettrpgs]

Thank you!

[@thiagof414]

Fun! Thank you!

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

I was missing your videos.

[@welovettrpgs]

Thank you my friend!

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

@@welovettrpgs Welcome back! BTW, I like how Palladium RPG 1e & 2e differ in their approach to whitches as class character, and Hyperbore 3e is funny as well. I'm working in my own rules for withces, but this video will spicy my ideas.

[@welovettrpgs]

@@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115 Oh, have you seen my witches video? That info might be more useful to you! Thanks!

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

@@welovettrpgs I've been following this series with great interest.

[@welovettrpgs]

@@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115 THANK YOU!!

[@benschrose]

wasnt the content of Volo's Guide compiled in Mordenkainen's Monsters of the Multiverse? Or did they cut down on the lore and text while rehashing?

[@welovettrpgs]

Mordenkainen's Monsters of the Multiverse doesn't have anywhere near the amount of information contained in Volo's, at least for hag lore (and for some other creatures as well.) If you can find it on pdf I recommend it for all the useful information that hasnt been reproduced.

[@dantherpghero2885]

Smile when you call me pagan heretic.

[@mikeb.1705]

Always ;-)

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

💚

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks my friend!

[@occupationallystrong1606]

What is the difference between coven and covie?

[@welovettrpgs]

Same thing. I had to look it up too because I wasn't sure if I was saying it wrong but in my research I found it being labelled with both names.

[@occupationallystrong1606]

Nice.

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks!