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Well I have been running a campaign where I have some hags as players in the story line and I would think hags would use alot of minions.
So the party might not even meet their first hag until they get around 5th level or higher. So I think standard goblin types, orcs and the like could easily work as they are working for the hags maybe lizardmen or bugbears any sort of mook type. Throw in splash of grimlock to taste if you want more underground fighting.
You might even use vermin (ie giant spiders, centipedes and the like) perhaps the hag is a druid or something? Sea Hags are only CR rating of 4 so that could be a final stage villian before you move on to mid levels.
Those are some intial thougths I had at least. What sort of terrain are you thinking to start the campaign at least?
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I agree that Hags would use minions as their primary henchmen. I would use imps and maybe some low level Charmed creatures. An Annis Hag would use forrest animals and twist the heck out of them. Remember that not all hags are physical and for that matter witches either. While the characters are low level, let them see a Night Hag on a Nightmare. Let them cringe a little before she rides off letting them know the they are beneath her. A powerful Hag would terrorize the heck out of low level PCs just for the fun of it. At mid level you might want to consider Hagspawn toughs or maybe have an above average Hagspawn villain as a re-occurring bad guy.
Hope some of these ideas helped.
I second the use of grimlocks for minions. I've always found them particularly creepy. I would have the PCs encounter the grimlocks when they are nearing the hag herself, or maybe in the adventure before they will meet the hag, as a good way to build up the creepiness.
I'm fond of hags as purveyors of discreet magic to the desperate for a cost, especially while masquerading as wilderness witches. I've toyed with the idea of having a Romeo and Juliet plot in which the love is the product of an elixir provided to a hapless or even corrupt noble by a hag, possibly to arrange an advantageous marriage. It would be easy to make the hag continue blackmailing the corrupt noble as part of a larger scheme. Alternately, if you went the hapless route, the hag could have given the elixir of love to the lover knowing that someone would find the circumstance suspicious, and it would only be a matter of time before somebody (the PCs?) discovered the truth of the two lovers' affections, perhaps ruining the otherwise innocent man who made a bad deal with the hag (a maneuver which could also feature into a longer term plan).
In my current campaign, I used a hag as a witch selling information in return for services such as collecting spell components, etc. She was disguised as a beautiful young woman, of course. The party suspected something was up and even suggested amongst themselves the witch might have been a hag, but they never confirmed their suspicions. She actually proved to be a great help to them, though they don't love her any more for it.
One of my players borders on being obsessed with hag covens and the magical eyes they possess. Half the random rocks he finds he suspects of actually being hag eyes.
Back to (hopefully) useful suggestions, whatever minions (orcs, goblins, etc.) you opt for, I'd make them have some kind of voodoo theme to emphasize the witch aspect of the campaign. Perhaps that could be the kick-off. A local wizard hears of these tribes performing some kind of strange magic and wants to know more, for the safety of the realm (or unscrupulous personal interest?).
You may also introduce the hags in an ambiguous role, as well. I'm thinking the Weird Sisters from Macbeth. Undoubtedly, they are evil. But you could introduce them early to the PCs in a non-combat way (especially if they are 1st level or so and find themselves amidst a covey of hags; combat would certainly be a poor option then); and keep the players guessing as to what the hags' agenda is and which side of a multi-faceted conflict the hags are really on (trick question: their own, or the side of their secret fiendish overlord; so long as they spread misery and discord, and/or prepare for the master's arrival by doing so, the hags are happy).
Finally, trolls simply seem right as strong bodyguards for hags.
If you're open to mixing Pathfinder with 3.x, there are a couple of options available.
In the Advanced Player's Guide there is a new base (20-level) class called the Witch. One of the options for that class is the Coven hex, which allows a Witch to count as a hag for the purpose of joining a hag's coven. See here or here.
In Ultimate Magic there is a new Sorcerer bloodline called Accursed. One of that bloodline's features is that the Sorcerer counts as a hag for the purpose of joining a hag's coven. See here.
In both cases, the coven must contain at least one real hag. I'm actually uncertain as to whether or not the Witch or Sorcerer needs to be female.
These options will allow you to create human (or elven or whatever) foes who can sling spells just as easily as the party and who can move more easily in civilised society than a normal hag (no magical disguises or transformations). And the party could be even more confused if the coven allows male Witches and Accursed Sorcerers to join them! :)
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Thanks everybody. I planned on going with minions, just wanted to see everybody's opinions.
I have Advanced Player's Guide and Ultimate Magic and will utilize them extensively (you can check some of my other non-pbp posts to see how hag crazy I am).
Ogres will probably crop up a lot, and I'm trying to decided upon goblins, kobolds, and other weenie-rush minions that are easily duped and controlled...
They have that new changeling race in the Haunting of Harrowstone. I reckon you could make "hag lites" out of those if you were so inclined.
The campaign I am currently running is based on an ancient coven of Hags.
They were banished when the Cauldron that corrupted them was shattered.
Currently the party is roughly 3rd level. What I have done for minions is take classical animal that can be associated with witch familiars and created a mythology where the Hags raised them up from their base creatures into hybrids. One for each hag of which I have six.
Ratmen (from the creature collection)
Toadmen (bullywugs)
Goatmen (3.5 MM3 i think)
etc...
These "minions" worship the hags as their mothers and are trying to reforge the cauldron to free the Hags.
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The campaign I am currently running is based on an ancient coven of Hags.
They were banished when the Cauldron that corrupted them was shattered.
Currently the party is roughly 3rd level. What I have done for minions is take classical animal that can be associated with witch familiars and created a mythology where the Hags raised them up from their base creatures into hybrids. One for each hag of which I have six.
Ratmen (from the creature collection)
Toadmen (bullywugs)
Goatmen (3.5 MM3 i think)
etc...
These "minions" worship the hags as their mothers and are trying to reforge the cauldron to free the Hags.
The shattered cauldron is a very neat idea.
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The shattered cauldron is a very neat idea.The campaign I am currently running is based on an ancient coven of Hags.
They were banished when the Cauldron that corrupted them was shattered.
Currently the party is roughly 3rd level. What I have done for minions is take classical animal that can be associated with witch familiars and created a mythology where the Hags raised them up from their base creatures into hybrids. One for each hag of which I have six.
Ratmen (from the creature collection)
Toadmen (bullywugs)
Goatmen (3.5 MM3 i think)
etc...
These "minions" worship the hags as their mothers and are trying to reforge the cauldron to free the Hags.
So did you start the campaign?
I am starting a campaign soon that has a heavy influence with witches, hags, and all things related.
What are some initial/low-level encounters that people think would be a good fit for this style of campaign?
It's not world specific currently, just open.
Thanks everyone.
You might might want to check out Hollow's Last Hope (free paizo adventure for 3.5) there's a great low level encounter when the party searches the abandoned hut of a hag. Also a good way to introduce a potential villian or some background.