Expedition Journal: The Hag of The Hague

Date: December 13, 1889
Location: The Frozen Alleys of The Hague
Lead Magizoologist: Alexander Blackwood

Introduction: A Whisper in the Dark

The Hague, a city of power and politics, hides secrets beneath its regal facade. But some secrets refuse to stay buried.

Reports from the magical underground spoke of children disappearing, eerie whispers carried by the wind, and a creature that thrived where the gaslights did not reach—a Hag.

Hags are not mere dark creatures; they are predators, ancient and cunning. Their magic is primal, rooted in shadows, hunger, and curses. They do not hunt—they wait.Our mission was clear: find the Hag, stop the disappearances, and hope we weren’t too late.

Creature Profile: Hag

Classification: XXXX (Highly Dangerous)

Abilities	Weaknesses
Primal magic and curses	Vulnerable to enchanted silver bells
Supernatural stealth and illusions	Weak against protective spells
Sharp claws and teeth	Disoriented in bright light

Did You Know?

• Hags are ancient creatures tied to the land, making them nearly impossible to track in their territory.
• Their magic is primal, rooted in shadows and hunger, rather than traditional spellcasting.

Expedition Log

Lillian Hawthorne’s Entry: The Vanishing Streets

The city was eerily silent, muffled by December snow. But the silence felt unnatural, as if the air itself was holding its breath.

We followed the reports to a forgotten alley near the docks, where the cobblestones were cracked, and the air carried the faint stench of rot.

As we approached, the street seemed to shift, as if The Hague itself was swallowing its own secrets. And then, we heard it—a low, wet cackle. The sound of something breathing just beyond the edge of sight.

“The wind carried a whisper—my name. But no one had spoken it.”

Tobias Hawthorne’s Entry: The Hag’s Lair

The Hag was hiding beneath an abandoned bakery, in a cellar that shouldn’t have existed. The wooden door was warm to the touch despite the cold. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of old bones and damp stone.

The Hag sat hunched in the corner, its eyes glinting like shards of ice. It was taller than I expected, its limbs gnarled, its fingers ending in yellowed claws that twitched with anticipation.

It knew we were here. And it was not afraid. When it moved, it did not step—it slid, melting into the darkness and reappearing behind us before we could react. A single, elongated hand reached for my throat.

“Its fingers were colder than the grave.”

I barely raised my wand in time.

Evelyn Rosethorn’s Entry: The Hag’s Trickery

I had faced creatures of deception before—banshees, boggarts, even a Lethifold once—but none compared to a Hag. This was not mere trickery; it was manipulation.

The moment Tobias struck back with his wand, the Hag let out a shriek—not of pain, but of delight. I turned to warn the others, but suddenly, they weren’t there.

The walls twisted, the air became thick, as if I was drowning on dry land. My wand flickered. Spells would not work here.

Then, in the distance, I saw a figure—a small child, barefoot and shivering. Her face was turned away. I knew better than to approach. I knew. But when she turned, it was my own face staring back at me. The Hag had dug into my mind.

Alexander Blackwood’s Entry: The Witching Hour

The battle was not one of brute force—it was a test of survival. The Hag did not attack conventionally. It whispered, it cursed, it played with our perceptions. One moment, Lillian was beside me. The next, she was gone. The alley warped. Shadows deepened.

The Hague itself became a maze of twisting, endless streets, leading us in circles while the Hag laughed from every direction. But we had prepared for this.

Lillian’s research had revealed a weakness—hags, despite their cunning, were repelled by the ringing of pure silver bells, a sound that disrupted their magic. I reached into my satchel and rang the small enchanted bell.

“The shriek that followed was not of pain, but of fury.”

The Hag’s form twisted and recoiled, its illusion shattering. Reality snapped back into place. Lillian reappeared, gasping for breath.

Tobias raised his wand—one final spell, and the Hag collapsed into dust. And just like that, the street was silent once more.

Conclusion: The Shadow Fades

We left The Hague with a city restored, but a lingering unease. Hags do not die so easily. They are ancient things, woven into the darkest corners of the world. This one had been defeated, but others lurked in places yet unseen.

As we boarded the train out of the city, I looked back one last time. And in the distance, beneath a flickering streetlamp, a shadow moved.

Key Discoveries

1. Hags are masters of primal magic and illusion, making them nearly impossible to track.
2. Pure silver bells disrupt a Hag’s magic, providing a rare but effective weakness.
3. The Hag of The Hague was defeated, but its kind still lurks in the shadows.