An ancient, mysterious, and powerful medicine woman living in a secluded homestead in the King’s Forest near Espar, Mother Malkin is known throughout Cormyrian folklore for performing unnatural bargains and unholy miracles. Though she presents herself as a kindly, grandmotherly healer, she is secretly a dangerous Hag whose domain exists entirely outside the tapestry of celestial fate. She is the adoptive mother of Rose, whom she rescued as an infant after her biological mother was murdered.

Collapsible Infobox

Mother Malkin

Basic Information

Type	Stat
Titles	Medicine Woman of the Forest
Aliases	Mother Malkin
Race	Hag
Sex	Female
Date of Birth(Age)	Ancient / Unknown
Date of Death	Alive
Home	Hidden Homestead, King’s Forest (near Espar)
Class	Hag / Magic User

Family

Type	Stat
Parent(s)	-
Sibling(s)	-
Children(s)	Rose (adoptive daughter)
Other(s)	-

Appearance

Mother Malkin appears as a small, elderly woman with heavily wrinkled skin and a slightly hunched posture. She wears a simple dress similar to Rose’s beneath a dirty apron, presenting herself as a harmless, grandmotherly figure.

Despite her fragile appearance, Mother Malkin moves with unnerving speed. With subtle flicks of her wrists, she can conjure ceremonial blades, glass vials, baking trays, and other objects out of thin air. Her outwardly comforting demeanour conceals the power and danger of the Hag beneath.

Life Details

Mother Malkin has resided for years in a homestead hidden deep within the King’s Forest near Espar. Her cottage, garden, and surrounding grounds are concealed by a massive perception illusion that turns unwanted travellers away and prevents entry unless she permits it.

Throughout Cormyrian folklore, she is spoken of in hushed tones as someone to seek when the gods fail or forsake a person. Tales attribute unnatural bargains and unholy miracles to her, including curing incurable ailments and bringing stillborn babies back to life. The price for her favours is unpredictable, with rumours claiming it can range “from a pie to a firstborn”.

Years ago, a woman approached Mother Malkin seeking poison to kill her abusive husband. Before she could administer it, her husband beat her to death. Mother Malkin arrived at the scene and discovered the woman’s infant daughter, Rose, covered in her mother’s blood. She took the child in and raised her as her own, calling Rose her “perfect little angel”. She also created Tiptoe, an animated ragdoll rat, to assist her in caring for Rose and managing the homestead.

Beneath her domestic comforts and grandmotherly demeanour, Mother Malkin is a dangerous Hag whose domain exists beyond the influence of celestial fate. Her homestead is an unholy sanctuary where the tapestry of fate holds no sway, making it a place that even divine powers cannot easily govern.

Interactions with the Party

• Arrival & The Unholy Threshold: Guided by Tiptoe, the party stepped around a massive oak tree and entered Mother Malkin’s hidden garden. Crossing the threshold caused Cinovas to experience severe physical nausea as he realised the domain existed beyond the reach of celestial fate. Mother Malkin welcomed the party and clicked her fingers to temporarily ease his sickness. She then served them warm chocolate chip muffins and floral berry tea, creating an unsettling contrast between her hospitality and the unholy nature of her home.

• Revealing Cerunnos’ Secret: After inspecting Myravyn’s cold brand and shield emblem, Mother Malkin pointed out that Cerunnos’ heraldry normally features antlers and a skull, whereas Myravyn’s brand incorporated his hunting horn. She revealed that Cerunnos’ horn had been stolen, leaving him controlled against his will. She explained that he had branded Myravyn in the hope that she would return to the Feywild and free him.

• Blood Pact with Myravyn:

  -Mother Malkin extracted a vial of Myravyn’s blood using a crooked ceremonial blade as payment for her initial answers.

  -She then demanded a binding blood pact. Myravyn and Mother Malkin sliced their hands and shook hands as part of the ritual.

  -The pact obligated Myravyn to retrieve and deliver a vial of Cerunnos’ blood to Mother Malkin within 100 years on the Material Plane.

  -The ritual left Myravyn’s hand scarred with dark, spiderweb-like lines that failed to heal naturally.

• Taunting the Companions: Mother Malkin addressed the party members with unsettling omniscience. She remarked upon Cinovas’ alienation from the Raven Queen, taunted Vael’ric about his painful past, and referenced Merritt’s strange physical changes, demonstrating her ability to perceive deeply personal details about those who visited her.

• Rose’s Origins: Mother Malkin recounted how she found Rose as an infant after her biological mother was murdered. She explained the circumstances of Rose’s adoption and referred to her as her “perfect little angel”, revealing the maternal affection underlying their relationship.

• Party Realization: When the companions crossed back over the threshold into the forest, Cinovas immediately doubled over and vomited from the unholy nature of the site. Later, at their riverbank camp, Vael’ric and Sir Merritt quietly agreed that Mother Malkin was a dangerous Hag. They vowed to avoid her domain in the future and keep a watchful eye over Rose.

Powers and Abilities

• Perception Illusion & Spatial Isolation: Maintains a massive, impenetrable perception illusion over her cottage, garden, and homestead. The illusion turns unwanted travellers away and prevents entry unless she grants passage.

• Domain Outside Fate: Her domain exists as an unholy sanctuary detached from the celestial tapestry of fate. Those connected to divine fate-weaving, such as Cinovas, experience severe nausea and spiritual rejection upon entering or crossing its threshold.

• Blood Magic & Interplanar Binding: Uses blood vials and ritualised blood-handshake ceremonies to forge binding pacts lasting up to 100 years. Her magic can also initiate interplanar trances, allowing her to commune with Archfey such as Cerunnos across planar boundaries.

• Unholy Miracles & Deals: Known throughout regional folklore for unnatural bargains, curing otherwise incurable ailments, and bringing stillborn babies back to life. Her favours come at unpredictable prices, and the consequences of her agreements can extend across generations.

• Automated Homestead Magic: Controls household objects through magic, allowing scrub brushes to wash dishes while floating in mid-air and keeping teapots perpetually hot. Her homestead operates with an eerie, effortless domesticity.

• Instant Healing & Conjuration: Can instantly close fresh lacerations with a gesture of her wrist. She can also conjure ceremonial blades, glass vials, baking trays, and other objects from thin air, allowing her to perform rituals and maintain her household without visible preparation.