The Green Hand is a mysterious entity that seems to enrage or control animals in and around the province of Atherdale. The being emblazons its underlings with a glowing mark of a green hand that sears into their skin. The Green Hand's current intentions and machinations remain unknown.
Description
The Green Hand appears humanoid, standing around 6 or so feet tall. Their body is obscured by a tattered, dark brown cloak, and they wear a mask obscuring all facial features but their piercing brown eyes. They carry a large, gnarled, wooden staff that seems as if it were plucked from an ancient tree, and their right hand glows green, emitting a sickly glow. Generally, the Green Hand is seen levitating instead of walking.
Not much is known of the Green Hand's personality beyond the ruthlessness of their actions. In combat, the Green Hand seems fueled by a primal rage, and generally attacks those they deem a greater threat. They do not speak, instead only making low, guttural growls.
Skills and Abilities
The Green Hand is likely a powerful magician of some sort, able to control animals and bend them to their will. Additionally, they are quite resilient, able to shrug off a Firebolt without reaction.
Some of the magic the Green Hand is capable of commanding:
- Levitation and flight at high speed
- Tunneling through the earth
- Stepping into plants and moving through them
- Powerful telekinesis
- Control of animals through a mark
- Allowing an animal to cast magic through a spell carved into its back
- Control of plants
- Ability to animate skeletons like puppets through vines
- Use of powerful necromancy
- Some sort of abjurative magic
Interestingly, the Green Hand is capable of leaving and reentering their body to "reboot" it, allowing them to shrug off attacks that would otherwise knock them unconscious. When this ability is used, a dark, spectral figure can be seen for a split second.
History
It is unknown just how long the Green Hand has been active in Atherdale, though it would have been in Iron 988 or earlier, before the tabaxi Claw Jumps Through Lies was killed by the Rampager. The Green Hand likely continued to create minions out of the wildlife in the province for some time. Early in Iron 989, they commanded a large pack of controlled wolves to occupy the village of Rostern, and created a tree that held a strange eye at the center of town.
When the group the Cursebusters came to liberate Rostern, the Green Hand appeared following Mera Acrido's destruction of the strange tree, taking the eye as the tree burned and fleeing. Despite Mera striking the back of the Green Hand with a Firebolt, their escape did not slow and it managed to flee successfully.
The Green Hand made another appearance to the Silver Stakes as well as Erdo Elfast after their defeat of the Rampager deep in the Scratchwood. Despite attempts to stop them, the entity was able to abscond with what remained of the lathotas' corpse. It seems likely that is also controlled the ancient beast that clashed with Eliza Millheart earlier.
The Green Hand continued to spread its influence across Atherdale, enraging many creatures, particularly in the Scratchwood and around the Dancing Peaks. The Iron was badly injured after the Green Hand sent a small army to invade Unknown, though the guild member managed to repel them. The Cursebusters later discovered that the Green Hand had a number of spying trees around the Ruins of Eberid and within the Dancing Peaks themselves. When the party entered the mountain pass, they were attacked by a number of skeletons animated by the Green Hand, as well as the mage himself. In a nearly even match, the group managed to turn the tables on the Green Hand, nearly killing him before he escaped into a tree. Using her boon of Unavaranu, Caedali was able to discover that there were two consciousnesses inside the Green Hand's body. One held the name Anathen Millheart, while the other was recessed and hidden from her power.