NPC - The Night Hag's Daughter

NPC - The Night Hag's Daughter

When the Temple of Elemental Evil was overthrown many powerful entities were released. One of them was a Night Hag named, on this Oerth, Solonia and her daughter, a strange combination of Night Hag and Demi-Urge, Valera.

The race of Night Hags is born from the essence of the Plane called Hades and a strict number of them exist at one time. When one is slain there is a black viscid pool that releases the larval form of another Night Hag. On the fetid banks of this pool they squirm about and consume the bodies of evil creatures who are captured by Night Hags brought to Hades and transformed into parodies of the Night Hag larva.

Somehow a being, a user of magic no longer human, captured the Night Hag Solonia and conceived the mad but immensely powerful Valera. Solonia would have vengeance upon this Demi-Urge but his power is too great, so great that he has put a compulsion upon the Hag to watch over her daughter and remain bound to the Oerth.

The Demi-Urge conferred upon both Solonia and Valera the ability to mask their true nature and unless powerful magic is used to pierce this illusion they appear as a comely matron of middle years and a strikingly beautiful young woman just past the first blush of youth.

Since being released from the strange prison within the Temple of Elemental Evil Solonia first approached the lands of the Horned Society but the power of the Hierarchs proved to great for any direct confrontation so she settled among the Bandit Kingdoms in the city of Freehold where she runs a prosperous inn called The Black Kettle.

Valera requires a steady diet of creatures changed to larvae by her mother and the inn has proven to be the perfect solution. People of malign and evil nature pass through Freehold on a continuous basis and many are never missed. Solonia is careful about who she transforms and Valera lacks the true hags ability to transform them herself.-*

Where the Bandits Are - Freehold Part 1

 Where the Bandits Are - Freehold Part 1

It is said that Eab Hulder, a powerful wielder of magic, summoned demons to help construct his great tower in the middle of the old fortress. Freehold, mighty Freehold, sitting against a lone southern arm of the Fellreev Forest is viewed with some respect by the other Bandit Kingdoms due entirely to the power of Eab Hulder and the forces he has gathered. He commands over a thousand warriors, one third of them horsemen including a small tribe of Rovers banished from their brethren. His guardsmen include a large contigent of foresters and rangers, half-elves of a disreputable sort and troop of halfling archers.

Eab has attracted a number of apprentices and has with him three journeymen wizards of moderate skill. His castle is a three tower affair, the central building the largest and his dwelling, place of instruction and great summoning chamber as Eab specializes in such dweomoncraft. 

His foremost tower is his great hall where he dispenses justice and hears pleas from the farmers and villagers under his dominion to the south. Normally Eab lets his war chief Cynfor, a exiled Geoffite, sit in his place as the wizard has little time or interest in rulership; He just requires supplies and tribute arrive in a regular and uniterrupted fashion while he involves himself with more important affairs such as summoning demons, devils and whatnots.

The first tower also houses part of Freehold's garrison and Cynfor's chamber. His contingent of Geoff archers as well as the leaders of the various other small bands within Eab's overall force dwell in this tower where Cybfor can keep an eye on them as trust and loyalty do not rank high among the wizard's followers.

The third and smaller tower is a combination guest quarter and prison. Eab is something of a broker for those help for ransom among the Bandit kingdoms and he is often sent 'guests' who await the arrival of interested parties who have paid the ransom. This is a popular service among Bandits who do not want their identity revealed and find the cost of Eab's services as a neutral party worth the anonimity.