Serenity#

• Night hag (real name Old Polly Pigtooth) who served the Cult of the Eclipse as a field agent
• Over 300 years old, disguised herself as a beautiful dark-haired singer called “Serenity” who performed at the Raven’s Perch Tavern in the village of Tannis
• Responsible for the magical darkness that enveloped Tannis — a curse taught to her by the Weaver using a defiled holy symbol of the Dusk Lord
• Communed with Nidhogg through a seeing stone (crystal orb) and was driven to earn his favor
• Obsessively fascinated by Shadicar’s darkness and sorrow — stole a hair from his cloak during their first meeting
• Permanently defeated by the party; body and cabin burned to prevent resurrection

The Singer’s Disguise#

• Used her Change Shape ability to appear as a beautiful human singer in Tannis
• Performed at the Raven’s Perch Tavern where she first encountered Shad earning coin on his lute
• After her set, she approached him as “a kindred spirit of musical talent” and flirted while stealing a hair from his cloak
• Chose the singer persona deliberately — her journal notes: “The artist? The beggar? The warrior? No…the singer would be just the thing!”

The Curse of Tannis#

• Used a ritual taught by the Weaver to plunge Tannis into impenetrable magical darkness
• Curse components included a defiled holy symbol of the Dusk Lord (stolen from Father Samael) and a diorama of Tannis kept in her cabin’s altar room
• The curse created a magical barrier that prevented light and darkvision, with shadowy hands attempting to drag villagers into the abyss
• Motivated by hatred for the Dusk Lord — “My lord’s hatred for the ‘god’ runs deep. I must find a way to make them suffer”
• Required the Arbiter’s divine intervention to contain and cleanse

Connection to Nidhogg#

• Communed directly with Nidhogg through a seeing stone crystal orb kept in her cabin
• Her primary loyalty was to Nidhogg rather than the Weaver — actively sought to please the shadow dragon through acts of darkness
• Believed Shadicar’s suffering “would surely please the great shadow”
• Organized darklings with promises of power from Nidhogg and harvested pixies for unknown purposes

Relationship with the Weaver#

• Served the Weaver as a direct agent and lieutenant within the Cult of the Eclipse
• The Weaver taught her the curse ritual used on Tannis
• When interrogated via Speak with Dead, she refused to divulge the Weaver’s location — loyal even in death
• Confirmed the Weaver destroyed Shad’s village “for amusement”

The Hag’s Lair#

• Cabin deep within the enchanted elven forest, surrounded by a colorless region where nature withered to grayscale
• Interior contained a desk with notes, spell scrolls, and a chest of clothing from her singer disguise
• Guarded by a Rug of Smothering (nicknamed “Sassy Tassels” by the party) and a Flameskull (later resurrected as Francis)
• Underground chamber held an altar to Nidhogg, the seeing stone, and the defiled holy symbol with diorama of Tannis

Serenity’s Journal#

• “I’ve never encountered a creature of such sorrow and powerful longing. If only I could share the depth of his darkness with the realm…”
• “I can’t be the only one to have been engaged by the beauty of his darkness. I must find someone who understands my experiences.”
• “the dusk lord?!? What a joke. His suffering would surely please the great shadow… would it not?”
• “I knew it! My lord’s hatred for the ‘god’ runs deep. I must find a way to make them suffer. The curse the Weaver taught me would be perfect!!!”
• “The darklings have their uses… I have seen many pixies around. Maybe they could harvest first for me? No need for it now, but it is an intriguing substance. I’m sure I’ll find a use for it eventually. And if not, at least I will get to enjoy the tiny creatures suffering”

Defeat & Aftermath#

• The party infiltrated her lair across Sessions 9-10, defeating her Flameskull guardian and discovering the seeing stone and defiled holy symbol
• Serenity confronted the party demanding the orb’s return, but they escaped to Vidrir’s grove
• Final battle (Session 15): The forest drained to grayscale as Serenity revealed her true night hag form; she animated the party’s shadows and deployed a manta ray-like cloak creature
• Party slew Serenity; Shad cast Speak with Dead on her corpse, learning she was 300+ years old and that the Weaver destroyed his village for amusement
• Party beheaded the corpse and burned the cabin and body to prevent resurrection
• Her seeing stone later became a crucial trade item — surrendered at the Chained Library gates as a toll for access

Loot#

• Emerald Ring — opens a small pocket dimension storage space
• Gold Necklace — protects the wearer’s mind from magical probing and scrying
• Seeing Stone (Crystal Orb) — long-distance communication and divination; later traded to the Chained Library

Stat Block#

Medium Fiend, Neutral Evil

• Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39)
• Speed 30 ft.

• Skills Deception +7, Insight +6, Perception +6, Stealth +6
• Damage Resistances fire, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from mundane attacks
• Condition Immunities Charmed
• Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 16
• Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal, Primordial
• Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
• Proficiency Bonus +3

Innate Spellcasting. The hag’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

• At will: detect magic, magic missile
• 2/day each: plane shift (self only), ray of enfeeblement, sleep
• 3/day each: dream, legend lore, mirage arcane
• 1/day: scrying

Magic Resistance. The hag has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions#

Multiattack#

The hag makes two Dream Claw attacks.

Dream Claw#

Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) psychic damage.

If a target is hit by this attack more than once on a turn, they must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target falls unconscious for 1 minute (save ends at end of turn), until the target takes damage, or until another creature who can reach the target uses their action to wake them. Creatures who can’t be supernaturally put to sleep automatically succeed on this saving throw.

Vicious Visions (1/Day; 6th-Level Spell)#

The hag releases magic dream dust in a 60-foot cone. Each creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute or until they deal damage to another creature. While charmed, the creature sees all allies as enemies and all enemies as allies.

Change Shape#

The hag magically polymorphs into a Small or Medium female humanoid, or back into her true form. Her statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment she is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. She reverts to her true form if she dies.

Etherealness#

The hag magically enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. To do so, the hag must have a heartstone in her possession.

Reactions#

Aren’t You Tired?#

When a creature within 5 feet of the hag hits them with an attack, the hag spits sleep dust at the attacker. The attacker must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, until the end of the hag’s next turn, the attacker feels tremendously sleepy, they can’t take reactions, and they have disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws. Creatures who can’t be supernaturally put to sleep are immune to this effect.

Villain Actions#

Summon Shadows#

The hag summons 2d4 shadow creatures to appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of it. The shadows are friendly to the hag and obey its commands.

Banish#

One creature within 120ft must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be banished to a prison demiplane. To escape, the creature must use its action to make a contested Charisma check contested by the hag’s. If the creature wins, it escapes the demiplane. Otherwise, the effect ends on initiative count 20 on the next round. The creature reappears where it left the material plane.

Telekinesis#

The hag targets up to three creatures who must succeed on a DC 15 Con save or be flung up to 30ft through the air. A creature that strikes a solid object or is released in midair takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10ft moved or fallen.

Nightmare Haunting (1/Day)#

While on the Ethereal Plane, the hag magically touches a sleeping humanoid on the Material Plane. A protection from evil and good spell cast on the target prevents this contact, as does a magic circle. As long as the contact persists, the target has dreadful visions. If these visions last for at least 1 hour, the target gains no benefit from its rest, and its hit point maximum is reduced by 5 (1d10). If this effect reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and if the target was evil, its soul is trapped in the hag’s soul bag. The reduction to the target’s hit point maximum lasts until removed by the greater restoration spell or similar magic.

Additional Abilities#

• Shadow Step. The hag teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space she can see.
• Nightmare Gaze. The hag targets one creature she can see within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Chilling Curse. The hag targets one creature she can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6) cold damage and have its speed halved until the end of its next turn.
• Invisibility. The hag magically turns invisible until her concentration ends or until she attacks or casts a spell.
• Blackened Talons. The hag makes a melee attack with her claws. On a hit, the target takes 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute.
• Shadow Curse. The hag casts a curse upon a creature she can see within 60 feet. The target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become cursed for 24 hours. While cursed, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls against the hag, and the hag has advantage on attack rolls against the cursed target.
• Spectral Chains. The hag conjures spectral chains to bind a creature she can see within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute.
• Dragon’s Breath. The hag exhales a blast of magical energy in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) damage of a type associated with the shadow dragon (cold, necrotic, or psychic) on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
• Darkness. The hag magically creates an area of magical darkness that spreads from a point she can see within 60 feet. The darkness spreads around corners and lasts until the hag uses this ability again, casts a light spell, or dies.