Winter Hag

On long, dark winter nights, folk at the edges of civilization have learned to be wary of old women who come knocking at their door. They look for her tracks in the snow and other telltale signs to make sure she isn’t a winter hag who plans to drag them off and feast on their bones.

In truth, winter hags are more subtle monsters, entrapping humanoids in schemes that create mistrust and anger within a village before picking off the residents one or two at a time, heightening the fear and anger of those who remain. When her work is done, a winter hag revels in the silence of a frost-rimed village in which no hearth fires are left burning.