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Huldra, “The Enchantresses of the Forest”

Huldra, "The Enchantresses of the Forest"
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The Huldra (plural: Huldra or Huldrefolk) are captivating yet dangerous creatures from Scandinavian folklore, often portrayed as alluring, beautiful women with long, flowing hair, radiant skin, and enchanting voices. Their most distinctive feature is a cow’s tail, which they conceal beneath their clothing, and in some versions, they possess hollowed-out or rotting backs resembling a hollow tree trunk. This eerie detail often reveals their true, supernatural nature to the cautious observer.

Behavior: The Huldra are dual-natured beings—sometimes they are benevolent, offering aid or shelter to travelers lost in the woods, but more often, they are mischievous or vengeful. They use their beauty and charm to lure men deeper into the forest, where they may be lost forever or fall under their spell. If a man falls in love with them, they may exact a price, either by turning him into stone or keeping him enchanted for eternity. In some tales, they seek out men to marry, often turning them into their servants or pulling them into the forest to never return.

Habitat: The Huldra typically reside in the deep forests, hidden away from the human world. They are most powerful in remote woodlands or near streams and rivers, where their influence over nature is strongest. The secluded wilderness is their domain, and it is said that they may even control the weather and the animals of the forest.

Modus Operandi: Their primary tactic is seduction—using their beauty and irresistible voices to attract unsuspecting men into the forest. Once they have ensnared their target, they may offer him promises of treasure, love, or comfort, but there’s always a catch. Men who stray too far into their domain may lose their way, wander for days without direction, or be transformed into one of the forest’s many creatures. In other cases, they demand a pact or vow from their victims, who often find themselves bound by a curse or trapped in the forest itself.

Motivation: The Huldra are driven by a mixture of loneliness, a desire for control, and a deep connection to the wild, untamed parts of nature. They seek to protect their domain by ensuring that humans either respect it or remain lost within it. They also crave companionship, though their methods of achieving it are often cruel, trapping men in their web of enchantment or luring them into eternal servitude. Some versions of the myth suggest that the Huldra are spirits of the forest, ensuring the forest remains undisturbed and punishing those who disrespect it.


  • Huldra 5e
  • Huldra Pathfinder
Huldra 2
Create

Medium fey, chaotic neutral


Armor Class: 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 135 (18d8 + 54)
Speed: 30 ft.


STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
14 (+2)18 (+4)16 (+3)14 (+2)16 (+3)20 (+5)

Saving Throws: Dex +7, Wis +6, Cha +8
Skills: Deception +8, Insight +6, Persuasion +8, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances: Psychic, Cold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13
Languages: Common, Sylvan, Elvish
Challenge: 8 (3,900 XP)


TRAITS

Fey Charm. The Huldra can magically charm humanoids within 30 feet of her. Each creature must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 hour. While charmed, the creature regards the Huldra as a trusted friend and ally. The charm ends if the Huldra or her allies harm the creature.

Deceptive Beauty. The Huldra’s true form is hidden by an illusory appearance. A creature that succeeds on a DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check can notice her cow’s tail or the slightly otherworldly nature of her beauty. On a failure, the creature remains unaware of her supernatural traits.

Natural Camouflage. The Huldra has advantage on Stealth checks made in forested terrain. She can also meld into trees and bushes as a bonus action, becoming invisible until the start of her next turn or until she moves.

Luring Tail. If a creature touches or attempts to manipulate the Huldra’s cow’s tail, they must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed, they are incapacitated and unable to take hostile actions against the Huldra.


ACTIONS

Multiattack. It makes two attacks: one with her Enthralling Touch and one with her Glamorous Gaze.

Enthralling Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) psychic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or be charmed until the end of the Huldra’s next turn.

Glamorous Gaze. Ranged Spell Attack: +8 to hit, range 30 ft., one creature.
Hit: 15 (3d8 + 4) psychic damage, and the target has disadvantage on saving throws against being charmed for 1 minute.

Forest’s Grasp (Recharge 5–6). Vines and roots erupt from the ground in a 20-foot radius centered on the Huldra. Each creature in the area must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute. A creature can use its action to make a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check, freeing itself on a success.

Entrancing Dance (Recharge 6). The Huldra performs a magical, seductive dance. Each creature of her choice within 30 feet that can see her must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed and incapacitated for 1 minute. The effect ends if the charmed creature takes damage.


Spellcasting

The Huldra is a 10th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following spells prepared:

  • Cantrips (at will): Druidcraft, Minor Illusion, Vicious Mockery
  • 1st Level (4 slots): Charm Person, Entangle, Disguise Self
  • 2nd Level (3 slots): Suggestion, Mirror Image, Calm Emotions
  • 3rd Level (3 slots): Counterspell, Hypnotic Pattern, Plant Growth
  • 4th Level (3 slots): Greater Invisibility, Dominate Beast
  • 5th Level (2 slots): Dominate Person, Awaken

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The Huldra can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Huldra regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.

  • Luring Call. The Huldra targets a creature within 60 feet that can hear her. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or use its reaction to move 10 feet closer to her.
  • Beguiling Whisper (Costs 2 Actions). The Huldra telepathically communicates with a creature charmed by her within 30 feet. The creature must make a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
  • Fey Mirage (Costs 3 Actions). The Huldra creates an illusory duplicate of herself in her space. The illusion lasts until the start of her next turn. Attacks against the Huldra have disadvantage while the illusion is active.

TACTICS

  • Ambush and Seduction: She uses her Natural Camouflage to hide until enemies approach, then opens combat with Entrancing Dance or Glamorous Gaze to disable as many foes as possible.
  • Divide and Conquer: The Huldra focuses on charming and incapacitating the most threatening characters first, using her Entrancing Dance or Fey Charm to turn them into allies or render them harmless.
    Hit and Fade: Leveraging her Natural Camouflage, the Huldra strikes with her Enthralling Touch and then retreats into the forest, melding with the environment to become invisible.
    Target Manipulation: By using her Luring Tail or Luring Call, the Huldra isolates vulnerable targets, drawing them deeper into the forest or away from their allies.

    Appearance in Encounters
    It often appears as a stunningly beautiful woman in a flowing gown of leaves, moss, and delicate bark. Her beguiling eyes and alluring voice mask her dangerous nature, while her cow’s tail remains hidden unless revealed by her illusory magic breaking.
    Environment:
    The Huldra thrives in dense, enchanted forests, which she can subtly manipulate to confuse or entrap intruders. The forest often seems alive, moving subtly to protect her from harm or aid her in ambushes.
    Mood and Personality:
    The Huldra is playful yet dangerous, often toying with her victims before revealing her true nature. She sees herself as a guardian of her realm, punishing those who disrespect the wilds. However, she may show mercy or even genuine affection to those who treat her with reverence.
Huldra
Create

This beautiful woman smiles coyly, but as she turns, her foxlike tail and the wood-lined hollow inside her back reveal her true fey nature.

Huldra CR 4

XP 1,200
CN Medium fey
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect snares and pits, low-light vision, scent; Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural)
hp 38 (7d6+14); regeneration 3 (acid or fire)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +7
Immune charm effects, compulsion effects; Resist cold 10

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam +7 (1d6+4), tail slap +7 (1d6+4 plus 1d4 Cha damage)
Special Attacks lashing tail, manipulate luck
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +8)

Constant—detect snares and pits, endure elements, pass without trace
3/day—charm person (DC 15), daze monster (DC 16), wood shape
1/day—deep slumber (DC 17)

STATISTICS

Str 19, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 19
Base Atk +3; CMB +7; CMD 21
Feats Deceitful, Dodge, Mobility, Power Attack
Skills Bluff +16, Disguise +16, Escape Artist +13, Knowledge (nature) +11, Perception +12, Stealth +13, Use Magic Device +14
Languages Common, Giant, Sylvan

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Lashing Tail (Su)

A huldra’s tail slap is a primary attack. In addition, each time a huldra damages a creature with her tail slap, she deals 1d4 points of Charisma damage, causing her target to grow progressively more deformed and ugly with each strike. A successful DC 15 Fortitude save negates the Charisma damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Manipulate Luck (Su)

Once per day, a huldra can manipulate another creature’s luck by spending a full-round action, during which the huldra must remain in physical contact with the target creature. When the huldra uses this ability, she must choose whether she is imparting good luck or bad luck. A creature granted good luck gains a +2 luck bonus on all saving throws, attack rolls, and skill checks, while a creature afflicted with bad luck takes a –4 penalty on all saving throws, attack rolls, and skill checks. A successful DC 17 Will save negates the effect. Huldras cannot be the target of this ability. This effect lasts for 24 hours and is a curse effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

ECOLOGY

Environment cold forests or mountains
Organization solitary, pair, or family (3–9)
Treasure standard

Huldras are fey creatures that legend claims were originally created by troll witches to lure humans into their clutches. Every huldra is aware of this tale, finds it insulting, and denies it at length—yet the legend persists. There’s no greater way to inflame a huldra to anger than to speak about this myth (especially while expressing distrust or contempt for the huldra), and the huldras’ hatred of all things trollish is well known among scholars of the fey and those who regularly encounter the less common fey creatures.

From the front, a huldra appears to be a beautiful human woman, yet two distinctive features mark the huldra as something supernatural: her long, foxlike tail, and the fact that she doesn’t have a solid back—merely a hole that reveals her body to be a hollow, bark-lined shell. Most huldras wear their hair long to mask the hole in their backs, and they prefer long gowns to hide their tails when interacting with humanoids.

Though huldras are not ashamed of their status as fey, they react rather negatively when someone points out their tails. So long as humanoids are respectful, however, huldras tend to be curious about other races, and may aid those who pass through their territories by telling them the best places for hunting or fishing.

Huldras sometimes become enamored of woodcutters or others who adventure outdoors, and invite these paramours to share their beds, but such romances usually end in disappointment and misunderstanding on both sides. Despite their relatively lithe frames, huldras are deceptively strong, and stories abound of them performing astonishing feats of strength such as straightening horseshoes and tossing aside attackers, and their natural weapons are quite potent.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 4 © 2013, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Savannah Broadway, Ross Byers, Adam Daigle, Tim Hitchcock, Tracy Hurley, James Jacobs, Matt James, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Tork Shaw, and Russ Taylor.

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