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Crones

The land of Barovia is harsh, but there are some who find it perfectly agreeable. A long time ago, before even Strahd, an old Crone named Lysaga wandered into land. She lived here for a long time, and when the vampire took power, she sent for her sisters, and the three of them--Lysaga, Jabra, and Eva--settled down.

On Crones

Crones are born in groups of three and represent the final stage of evolution for any trio of hags. They are older, craftier, and wealthier than their kin, having survived for centuries or even millenia, backstabbing and undercutting mortals, fiends, fey, and even deities on occasion.

Monstrous pregnancy

Crones will have three children, no more, no less. They become pregnant spontaenously and with regularity until they have three living children, who will become hags, with no chance to become a Crone--unless their mother is the Arch-Crone. If a daughter dies, the Crone will become pregnant again. Their children are always female and treated with contempt, often becoming a disposable workforce for the Crone.

Arch-Crone

Eventually, a Crone's mother will die, and this triggers a selection process wherein the strongest or smartest of the three Crones will become the Arch-Crone. Her daughters will be born with the potential to succeed her and her sisters, and she will be blessed with great power. She will have to fight hard to keep her status, however, as her sisters and their allies will do their best to kill her, transferring her title and power to them in a huge midnight Sabbath at a place of ancient magic.

Baba Lysaga

Baba Lysaga is the eldest of the three sisters. She is quite insane and ferociously powerful. She is pregnant at all times: when she gives birth, she immediately devours her children in a vicious ritual that allows her to shunt their souls into constructs she prepares. In Lysaga's case, she infuses them into the scarecrows she constructs, giving them life and even granting certain among them magic powers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jabra Bonegrinder

Jabra is the middle sister. She lives under an old windmill between the village of Barovia and the village of Vallaki. Her daughters are Morgantha, Belia, and Offalia. She is massively fat and spends her time in a cavernous living room under a cursed old mill that has come to bear her name over the years. She is surrounded with magical trinkets and components she and her daughters have accumulated and wields enormous power over various denizens of Barovia, having gained their servitude through magical or mundane means. She is constantly plotting to overthrow her older sister and take her position as Arch-Crone.

Eva Soulseer

Eva is the youngest of her sisters, and as far removed from her nature as she can be. A long time ago, she grew tired of the constant power struggle that lies at the core of a Crone's life and sought the means to give up her position. When Strahd came to power in Barovia, she made a deal with him, facilitated by the dark powers, and infused her evil spirit into a huge crystal gem she constructed for the vampire. Known as "The Heart of Sorrow", it provides magical and physical protection for Strahd, and, in exchange, he keeps her darker nature imprisoned inside. Alas, Eva abandoned a great deal of her indepence: if the heart were ever to be destroyed, she would die. Finally, she agreed to cede her first-born to Strahd as a tool: this daughter became the shape-shifter Empaiva. Her second and third daughters were adopted by Arrigal Nimirovich and Mikhail Drazkoi, and their names are Arabelle and Ezmerelda, respetively. She has no interest in the affairs of her sisters.

Jabra, Bonegrinder

Large Fiend, Chaotic Evil

  • Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 147 (14d10+70)
  • Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 16 (+3)
  • Saving Throws Wis + 9, Cha +7
  • Skills History + 10, Nature + 10
  • Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Bludgeoning, Piercing, And Slashing From Nonmagical Weapons That Aren't Silvered
  • Condition Immunities Charmed
  • Senses blindsight 120 ft.w passive Perception 19
  • Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal, Primordial, Sylvan
  • Challenge 11 (7,200)

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

Spellcasting. Jabra is a 16th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). Jabra has the following spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): primal savagery, druidcraft, thorn whip, mold earth, resistance

1st level (4 slots): ray of sickness, engtangle, cause fear, hex

2nd level (3 slots): spike growth, enlarge/reduce, locate object

3rd level (3 slots): plant growth, counterspell, bestow curse

4th level (3 slots): polymorph, vitriolic sphere, summon greater demon

5th level (2 slots): dream, scrying, insect plague

6th level (1 slot): freezing sphere, wall of thorns

7th level (1 slot): power word: pain, regenerate

8th level (1 slot): dominate monster

Actions

Serpent Tongue. . Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Hag's Hoard: As a bonus action, Jabra can utilize one of the many trinkets she's acquired over the long years. This action can have any number of results: it is left to the DM's discretion exactly which items Jabra has access to, but this variation can have a significant effect on Jabra's CR. Some examples include:

  1. Casting a low-level spell.

  2. Summoning a lower CR fiend, fey, elemental or undead under Jabra's control,

  3. Aging or rejuvenating one target for a temporary period.

  4. Reduce or increase a target's ability scores by 2 for a temporary period.