The Old Befana
by Paolo Davolio // Echidna Design
Art by James Lewicki, from “The Golden Book of Christmas Tales” (1956)
Once per year, in the night of the 16th day after winter's solstice, the Befana visits every house by climbing through the chimney and delivers gifts to the children: toys and candies to the good ones, and garlic, coal or sticks of wood to the mean ones. Often confused with a hag (a vile fey creature that resembles an old witch) the Befana is quite the contrary of that: she's a benevolent fey that embodies the renewal of the new year and the rebirth of nature that will follow winter.
Her presence favors the regrowth of crops and cleans from the malevolence of the previous year. She has the ability to help people leave behind what afflicts them, both morally and magically, since "the old" belongs to the past year, and after winter comes the rebirth.
People can gain her favors (and possibly benefit from her magic) by offering her a small glass of wine and a plate with a few morsels of food, that she can consume before continuing on her travels.
The Befana has the ability to see what lies deep inside of everyone, knowing exactly who's a "good one" or a "mean one" just by looking at them. The old lady has a good heart and treats children with great kindness, like a lovely grandmother, but she is known to have few patience with adults. The Befana doesn't wish to fight, but if forced to do so, she can hit very hard with her broom of flying (that she can use as a melee weapon). The hits delivered by her feel like a deserved punishment and bring bad luck to her enemy.
The Befana as a Patron
The Befana can channel a higher power and act as a patron for warlocks, usually the ones of the Archfey (see Chapter 3 of the Player's Handbook). She prefers simple people with a kind heart and a love for travel, and people that need to start a path of interior healing and are willing to do so.
The Old Befana
Medium Fey, Neutral Good
- Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 150 (20d8 + 60)
- Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (with broom of flying)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 19 (+4) 15 (+2)
- Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +4, Wis +7, Cha +5
- Skills Insight +10, Nature +7, Perception +7, Stealth +6, Survival +10
- Damage Immunities cold
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, paralyzed, stunned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., truesight 30 ft., passive Perception 17
- Languages Auran, Celestial, Common, Sylvan
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Befana's Bag. The Befana carries a magical old sack or basket that works as a bag of holding. When the Befana dies, her bag becomes a normal, non-magical sack.
Freedom of Movement. The Befana ignores difficult terrain, and magical effects can't reduce her speed or cause her to be restrained. She can spend 5 feet of movement to escape from nonmagical restraints or being grappled.
Legendary Resistance (2/day). If the Befana fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Prodigious Night (1/year). During a special winter's night of the new year (usually in the night of the 16th day after winter's solstice) the Befana magically visits in secret every house of her choice (during the same night). While doing so, she can use her 3/day spells at will (see Spellcasting). When she enters in a house, she instantly gets information on everyone currently at home as if she was seeing them with her Sense the Heart ability. If she finds food and wine prepared for her, she consumes it and uses her Giver of Gifts or Spellcasting action on every person of her choice currently in that house. The Prodigious Night lasts until dawn.
Rejuvenation. If she dies, the Befana returns to life right after midnight of the next winter's solstice, holding a brand new Befana's Bag and broom of flying.
Sense the Heart. Through her truesight, the Befana can detect her surroundings as per the detect evil and good spell and she instantly knows the alignment and traits of the creatures she sees in that range.
Actions
Multiattack. The Befana makes three attacks with her broom. She can use her Spellcasting instead of one of these attacks.
Broom of Flying. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (1d10) psychic damage. This is a magical weapon. Additionally, the target is cursed and has disadvantage on its next ability check, attack roll or saving throw. A remove curse spell or similar magic removes this disadvantage and lifts this curse.
Giver of Gifts. A non-magical item of the Befana's choice that costs up to 50 gp appears inside of her Befana's Bag and she picks it. If the DM wishes so, the item can be a more expensive one, or even magical.
The befana can infuse one of her spells in the item, and establish a trigger condition for it to activate on the receiver of gift (like when the receiver picks it up, or is in a time of need).Spellcasting. The Befana casts one of the following spells, requiring no components and using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
3/day each: bane (includes giving coal or garlic to the targets), bless (includes giving a small gift to the targets), dispel magic, invisibility, plant growth (can cast the 8 hours version as an action), remove curse
1/day: plane shift (self only)Legendary Actions
The Befana can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Befana regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The Befana attacks with her broom.
Broom Flying. The Befana flyes at her speed using her broom of flying without provoking opportunity attacks.
Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The Befana casts a spell.
