Buy me a coffeeBean Nighe, Washer by the Ford, “The Hag by the Bloodied Stream”
“The Bean Nighe, a ghostly washerwoman of the ford, scrubs the blood from clothes of the soon-to-die—spot her, and your fate may already be sealed.”
The Bean Nighe resembles a withered, haggard woman clad in tattered gray or green robes, perpetually damp with stream water. Her hair is long, matted with moss and riverweed, and her skin is pallid and blue-tinged, like a drowned corpse. Her eyes, clouded with sorrow, fixate on her task with an eerie calm. She may appear one-breasted or deformed—folk tales vary—yet always bears the mark of death in her sunken features.
Behaviour
Solitary and silent save for the sound of weeping or murmured dirges, the Bean Nighe is single-minded in her task. She obsessively washes bloodied garments—tunics, kilts, armor pieces—belonging to those fated to die. She shuns direct interaction unless approached with great care or cunning. If interrupted, she may flee, curse the interloper, or—if properly restrained—reveal grim truths or even alter fates.
Habitat
Bean Nighe dwell near remote streams, river fords, and misty glens in the highlands. These liminal spaces—neither land nor water—mirror her nature as a threshold spirit, forever caught between the living and the dead. She avoids sacred or blessed grounds and cannot cross running water unless already bound to it.
Modus Operandi
She appears only when death nears. Without notice, she manifests at a ford to begin washing the symbolic remnants of the condemned. Those who see her are said to be either doomed or offered a rare opportunity: if one approaches her from behind and seizes her, especially by touching her mouth or breast, she is compelled to answer three questions truthfully or grant a boon, such as knowledge of a loved one’s fate—or the means to change it.
Motivation
Bound by ancient curses or divine edicts, the Bean Nighe does not kill—she merely warns. Her eternal washing is both penance and purpose, as she seeks to cleanse death’s stain. Some believe she was once a woman who died in childbirth, cursed to wash until the day of her natural death would have come. Her only desire is to complete her task, and perhaps, to be released.
Bean Nighe 5e
Bean Nighe, Pathfinder
Bean Nighe 3.5 (Homebrew)
Bean Nighe
Medium fey, neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 136 (16d8 + 64)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 20 (+5) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Wis +9, Cha +8
Skills Insight +9, Perception +9, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities poison, disease
Condition Immunities frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19
Languages Common, Sylvan, Goblin
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Traits
Fey Nature. The bean nighe is a fey and cannot be charmed or magically put to sleep.
Fear Aura (Recharge 5–6). Any creature within 30 feet of the bean nighe that can see her must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to this aura for 24 hours.
Prophecy of Death (1/Day). As a bonus action, the bean nighe chooses a creature she can see within 60 feet. That creature must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is cursed: the next time it takes damage from a weapon attack within 1 hour, it must make a second DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature dies. On a success, it becomes stunned until the end of its next turn. This is a magical curse effect.
Washer at the Ford. The bean nighe can spend 10 minutes ritually washing a bloodied garment or armor piece. Doing so curses the next creature to wear or hold that item. The curse functions as a bestow curse spell (save DC 16).
Boon of the Bean Nighe. If approached respectfully or surprised during her washing, the bean nighe may be compelled to offer a boon. The supplicant may choose one of the following benefits:
- The bean nighe names the next creature destined to die in the upcoming battle.
- End one curse or disease affecting the supplicant.
- Gain advantage on death saving throws for 24 hours.
- The bean nighe watches over the supplicant, granting a +2 bonus to AC and saving throws until the next long rest.
Only one such boon may be granted per day, and no creature may receive more than one boon in its lifetime.
Actions
Wail of Fate (Recharge 5–6). The bean nighe utters a keening wail. Each creature of her choice within 60 feet that can hear her must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. On a failed save, the creature also suffers disadvantage on saving throws against curses for 1 minute.
Curse Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be cursed: while cursed in this way, it cannot regain hit points by any means. The curse lasts until removed by greater restoration or similar magic.
Legendary Actions
The bean nighe can take 2 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 bean nighe regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
Whisper Doom. The bean nighe targets one creature she can see within 60 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or suffer disadvantage on its next saving throw.
Fade Into Mist (Costs 2 Actions). The bean nighe becomes misty and indistinct until the start of her next turn. During this time, she gains resistance to all damage and can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain.
Lore
The Bean Nighe is a harbinger of death in Scottish legend—a spectral crone seen washing bloodied clothing beside lonely streams. She is believed to be the spirit of a woman who died in childbirth, cursed to linger between worlds until the day she would have naturally died. To encounter a Bean Nighe is to meet fate. Some who confront her respectfully may receive cryptic omens or a rare boon; others are doomed from the moment her eyes meet theirs.
A creature of eerie silence and sorrow, the bean nighe rarely fights, preferring to manipulate fate and fear. Her presence is a sign that death walks close behind.
Bean Nighe
Washer at the Ford
CR 13
XP 25,600
NE Medium fey
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, deathwatch; Perception +22
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 22 (+3 Dex, +12 natural)
hp 91 (14d6+42)
Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +14
DR 15/cold iron and magic; SR 29
Immune disease
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee bite +15 (2d6+7 plus disease), 2 claws +12 (1d6+3 plus contagious touch)
Special Attacks boon, contagious touch, disease, fear aura, prophecy, retributive curse
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +17)
- Constant—deathwatch
- At will—contagion (DC 17), curse of impending blades
- 3/day—bestow curse (DC 19), fear (DC 19)
- 1/day—divination, song of discord (DC 21), true seeing
STATISTICS
Str 24, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 21, Cha 16
Base Atk +7; CMB +14; CMD 27
Feats Ability Focus (song of discord), Great Fortitude, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Concentration +20, Diplomacy +20, Disguise +20, Knowledge (nature) +18, Sense Motive +22, Perception +22, Survival +9 (+11 in natural environments)
Languages Common, Goblin, Sylvan
SQ boon, prophecy, change shape (humanoid; disguise self)
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate or cold marshes, rivers, or lakes
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Boon (Su)
If reduced to 0 hp and not slain outright, a bean nighe may offer a boon in exchange for her life. The victor may choose one of the following:
- End up to four of her inflicted curses or diseases.
- Grant a +5 luck bonus to AC in the next battle (must begin within 13 hours).
- Grant a +5 luck bonus on all saves vs. disease for a year and a day.
- Cause the death of a specified creature (as per greater bestow curse or indirect manipulation).
A bean nighe only grants one boon per day. She will pervert poorly worded or ambiguous requests.
Contagious Touch (Su)
Her claw attacks carry contagion (DC 20; CL 14th). The save DC is Charisma-based.
Disease (Ex)
Filth fever—injury; Fort DC 22; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con damage; cure 7 consecutive saves.
Magical healing requires a caster level check (DC 29, equal to her SR).
Fear Aura (Su)
Any non-fey creature within 100 ft. that sees the bean nighe must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or be shaken for 24 hours. On a success, the creature is immune to this aura for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Prophecy (Su)
Once per day as a standard action, she can declare a creature fated to die. That creature, if wounded by a weapon within 2 weeks, must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or die instantly. On a success, it is dazed for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting, death effect. The save DC is Wisdom-based.
Retributive Curse (Su)
Any creature that deals damage to her must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or be affected by bestow curse. A creature only makes this save once per 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Lore & Behavior
Bean nighe are ominous fey spirits of death, fate, and ruin. They are often mistaken for banshees or hags but are neither—though they share a kinship with both. These spectral washerwomen haunt lonely riversides and fords, washing blood from shrouds and armor that will soon belong to the doomed.
Legends say they are the ghosts of women who died in childbirth, doomed to wander until their natural time of death. A hero who sees one may be cursed—or may win a favor if he can catch her unaware.
They rarely enter cities, but they subtly influence battles and plagues from afar, preferring to manipulate warlords and cursed champions. Their prophecies may be cryptic but often prove fatal.
Bean Nighe
Medium Fey (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 14d6+42 (91 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 25 (+3 Dex, +12 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+14
Attack: Bite +15 melee (2d6+7 plus disease)
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (2d6+7 plus disease) and 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+3 plus contagious touch)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Boon, contagious touch, disease, fear aura, prophecy, retributive curse, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/cold iron and magic, immunity to disease, low-light vision, spell resistance 29
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +14
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 21, Cha 16
Skills: Concentration +20, Diplomacy +22, Disguise +20, Listen +22, Knowledge (nature) +18, Sense Motive +22, Spot +22, Survival +5 (+7 in natural aboveground environments)
Feats: Ability Focus (song of discord), Great Fortitude, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Any aquatic or marsh
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 15–28 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: +9
Washer at the Ford
At the edge of a lonely stream, a hunched figure lifts a sodden, bloodstained garment from the water. Her blue-green skin glistens like algae, her long hair tangled with moss. With a sigh that sounds like a funeral dirge, she resumes her endless work.
The Bean Nighe (“ban NEE-uh”) is a malevolent fey spirit rooted in Scottish legend—an omen of death and a herald of war. Believed to be the spirits of women who died in childbirth, they are cursed to wash the grave-clothes of the soon-to-die until their original fated lifespan ends. As such, they are obsessed with fate, mortality, and decay.
Though solitary by nature, Bean Nighe are often seen as harbingers of war and plague, preferring to manipulate others from afar. They rarely attack directly, instead preferring to curse their enemies, provoke violence, and sow confusion.
Combat
Bean Nighe avoid close combat unless cornered, preferring to manipulate and weaken their enemies first. They begin by using prophecy, curse of impending blades, or song of discord to destabilize opponents. If engaged directly, they rely on their diseased bite and claws, along with their fear aura to disrupt coordination.
Their natural weapons count as magical for overcoming damage reduction.
Special Abilities
Boon (Su):
If reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, a Bean Nighe must grant a single boon to her slayer (once per day). The slayer may choose one of the following:
- End all curses and diseases inflicted by the Bean Nighe on up to four creatures.
- Gain a +5 luck bonus to AC in the next battle (must occur within 13 hours).
- Gain a +5 luck bonus on saving throws against disease for one year and a day.
- Have the Bean Nighe work to ensure the death of a named creature.
If the request is poorly worded, the boon may be twisted or fulfilled maliciously. A mortal can only ever receive one boon in their lifetime. A Bean Nighe can grant only one boon per day.
Contagious Touch (Su):
A successful claw attack inflicts the effects of contagion (CL 14th, DC 20). The save DC is Charisma-based.
Disease (Ex):
Filth Fever—bite, Fort DC 22, incubation 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dexterity and 1d3 Constitution. This disease is exceptionally virulent. Magical healing requires a DC 29 caster level check to succeed (equal to the Bean Nighe’s spell resistance). Victims must succeed on seven consecutive daily saves to recover. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Fear Aura (Su):
Any non-fey creature within 100 feet who sees the Bean Nighe must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or become shaken for 1 day. Creatures that succeed are immune to that Bean Nighe’s aura for 24 hours. This cannot escalate beyond shaken. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Prophecy (Su):
Once per day as a standard action, the Bean Nighe can declare that a visible creature is fated to die the next time they are wounded. The target must see (but not hear) the Bean Nighe. If the target takes weapon damage within the next 14 days, they must make a DC 22 Will save or die instantly. A successful save leaves the target dazed for 1 round. The same creature cannot be targeted more than once in 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Wisdom-based.
Retributive Curse (Su):
Any creature that deals damage to the Bean Nighe must make a DC 20 Will save or suffer a bestow curse effect (caster level 14th). A creature only needs to make one saving throw per 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp):
Caster level 14th. Save DCs are Charisma-based.
- Always active – deathwatch
- At will – contagion (DC 17), curse of impending blades¹
- 3/day – bestow curse (DC 17), fear (DC 17)
- 1/day – divination, song of discord (DC 20), true seeing
¹From the Spell Compendium.
Ecology & Lore
Bean Nighe are drawn to the edges of battle, decay, and tragedy. They rarely dwell near cities but love to see them fall. They are subtle agents of death, preferring long wars, spreading disease among soldiers, and provoking violence with oracular manipulation.
Though sometimes linked with the Morrígan, Bean Nighe are not deities—rather, they are ancient fey spirits or restless souls bound by curse and grief. They occasionally appear before pivotal battles, and those who see them washing bloody garments are said to be doomed.
Bean Nighe rarely serve others directly, but they do ally with hags, the Unseelie Court, or mortal tyrants when their goals align. They are patient, manipulative, and terrifyingly wise.
Languages: Common, Goblin, Sylvan