(Monster Week) - Hearts Crone

 

Hearts Crone 
Medium humanoid (hag, shapechanger), chaotic evil

Armor Class 16 (preternatural grace)
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	14 (+2)	17 (+3)

Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +6
Skills Arcana +5, Deception +6, Insight +5, Persuasion +6, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances cold, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Infernal, Sylvan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Traits 

Spellcasting.
The Hearts Crone is a 5th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). She requires no components for her innate spells.

She can cast the following spells, each once per day unless otherwise noted:

Frequency	Spells
At will:	Thaumaturgy, Minor Illusion, Chill Touch
2/day each:	Disguise Self, Fog Cloud
1/day each:	Charm Person, Charm Monster, Witch Bolt (2d12, sustained with concentration)

Actions 

Multiattack.
The Hearts Crone makes two attacks: either two daggers, or one dagger and one bite.

Dagger.
Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.

Bite.
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take an additional 7 (2d6) necrotic damage as the Crone drinks their life-blood.

Kiss (Recharge 5–6).
Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature charmed by or willingly interacting with the Crone.
Hit: 14 (4d6) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or have its maximum HP reduced by the same amount.

This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. A creature slain by this attack has its heart wither to ash.

Grapple.
When the Crone hits with a melee attack, she can attempt to grapple (escape DC 13). While grappled, she may use her Kiss on that creature as a bonus action.

Reactions 

Spell Resistance.
The Hearts Crone can use her reaction to impose disadvantage on one spell attack targeting her, or grant herself advantage on a saving throw against a spell. She can do this 5 times per day. 

Notes 

• Strakird's foe is one of the Heartscrones. These witches who haunt the woods around Colwyn, preying on travelers or the innocent who stray too close to the border between farmland and dark forest that surrounds the region. Heartscrones are said to be able to change self, appearing as normal, harmless old women or beautiful strangers in the forest, but their form is sickly green and dark lipped as they drain the life out of their targets.
• Heartsbane are able to attack quick with multiple slashes of their ritual knives and bite with their fanged teeth. If they can grapple a target, they will plant a life stealing kiss causing 2d6 damage of necrotic energy. A target reduced to 0 HP via this kiss adds to the toll of sacrifices a Heartscrone needs to ascend to a higher rank and become a full hag.
• A Heartscrone has the ability to Charm Monster. They often like to charm bestial trolls or beasts, causing such a creature to fall into total corruption under the thrall of a crone.