Zorada/Zoradi are the same person btw. She will respond to either no matter what, though depending on whether she feels more or less feminine, they'll swap out the last letter.
Zoradi just sounds more neutral to them. Still need to figure out a proper tag for them.
The swamp hag Zorada has quite the reputation, but not all of it is true. What IS true is that she can grant wishes, though in her own way. She does this with a method of magic she calls "Fatespinning," which combines aspects of many other magic schools with bits of her own design mixed in. She speaks about it in terms of sewing and weaving, partially because that's how she can see it (strings connecting everything together), and partially because that's the easiest way to describe it.
She can freely tug on those strings, causing small events to happen. Small events are easy, fun, and simple. Pulling more can have more major things come to light, especially if all her minor events lead up to it... But she has to keep it plausible. This is the main restriction of her magic: Everything must happen as if it were natural. She can't turn a pauper into a prince or change someone's blood color... Not overnight, at least. Things take time to happen, or else it seems like an impossible deus ex machina.
And doing that too often will cause the actual deus ex machinas to take note, and calling their attention to her is not something she ever wants to happen again.
While people, especially people who know they are being manipulated, can buck off her influence and defy the fate she has set out for them, such is the strength of her weave that without magical assistance it may be impossible to escape it entirely. Even without her direct intervention, you will still be heading down the path she has set. You CAN fight fate, but often it merely finds different angles to attack from, with some help from Zorada's watchful eyes.
Her poppets are not merely for decoration. These creatures are animated by the aether, the remnants of mischievous souls gathered up and poured into a corporeal form. She can see and hear through them, and sends these living dolls across all of Alternia to serve as both her eyes and to serve as scrying points... And to cause the occasional bit of mayhem or steer her targets in the right direction. These poppets also act as foci for her power, giving her greater control over the area than she would from her cabin in the swamp. Their hands strum the threads of fate in her stead. Limited, but more powerful than what she could do without a poppet nearby.
The poppets act as foci in other ways, too. If someone wants a spell to be especially strong, they can contribute part of their body (or someone elses) to be made into another doll. These personal puppets can have all sorts of fun things carved into or pinned to them, each glyph, picture or trinket stuck to their body means whoever they are connected to is fated to have the same. A gold ring around the waist can mean wealth or fame, just as pinching off one of their arms can cost the connected a limb.
So in short: Zorada's magic is powerful, but it can take a while to do much of anything, and even then it's not obvious when it's begun to work unless she puts some serious effort into it.
Hag is a bit rude, don't you think? But most people who see you tend to agree almost instantly, so it's kind of moot. Besides, you don't really care WHAT people call you (to a point), because they bite their tongue in your presence anyway. This is because most people in your presence have come for a specific reason. Not many travel so deep into the swamps, where the gators are always hungry, where every snake is venomous, and where mosquitoes get so large they can drink mice bone dry, without some goal in mind.
And that goal is usually making a deal with you.
Your name is Zorada, and you are a weaver of fate. To many who meet you, they may see your strange rituals closer to hoodoo, or some form of druidic or witch magic. But in reality? Those rituals are just for show. Most of the ingredients you gather that you use in them are merely garnishes for your meals or things to help you relax. Or stuff you just think looks pretty. Your true magic is subtle and slow acting, but powerful. You DO dabble in other schools now and then, but your talent lies with manipulation.
People often ask you for things and, once your price is paid, you're obligated to give them what they want. Money, fame, power, the usual fare. But if they're more creative in their desires, they can expect you to be just as creative with your practices. Like a master weaver looking over a massive tapestry, fate itself is laid out before your eyes. You can strum its threads, clip them, tie them, alter them, and even weave in your own designs should you so desire. Or, rather, should someone else.
You are an artist, and everyone elses luck is your massive project. Left to your own devices, you'll muck with people at random, picking on whatever poor soul fits the loose criteria you toss into your scrying cauldron. Some times you may help them, some times you may hinder them, it all depends on your mood. Whatever path fate has set out for them can be easily changed... As long as you don't stretch the threads too far. You've learned a thing or two in the past about messing with fate too much.
For a rust to start down the path of becoming the empress, for example. A minor joke on your part, and boy did that cost you. At least you got off somewhat fine, aside from the painful transformations, but you make sure from now on to make things more probable, easier for fate to handle without straining too much. Like I said, your magic is powerful, but it takes time. Riches, fame, and power are all easy to do because they can be gained over time, something you must assure your customers of because not everyone is as patient as you.
Of course, impatience can easily lead to punishment. Riches to rags, fame to infamy, power without the ability to wield it. Ironic punishments are popular for you, because Bad Things Happen on Alternia all the time. It is not hard, nor does it take long at all, for fate to cause unfortunate accidents to people who become impatient or hostile. Good luck or bad, though, you alternate between merely strumming the threads to set people down the path you want, and hacking your way into the pattern to weave them towards the destination they deserve. You're a big believer in karma.
When you're not entertaining yourself at someone's expense, you can be found carving, whittling, pottery, knitting (of course), and making small potions of the mundane and magical variety. You love crafting poppets, imbuing them with some form of life, and sending them tottering out into the world to see how they do. Sometimes you give them a purpose, but often it's merely another thing to help keep you amused. Those same poppets act as focuses for your power; you cannot cause too much trouble for people without one made in their image, with some part of them helping make the connection stronger. And wherever they go, you can see, and wherever you can see, you can work.
You have a somewhat good-ish relationship with the mucklurk clan that inhabits roughly the same patch of the swamp as you do. Especially one, a curiously curious little guppy who you know watches you from time to time. They don't allow you to get close to them, despite what you all have in common, but you leave out small offerings for them from time to time, and they do the same for you. You live a pretty peaceful life, aside from the occasional stirring of forces beyond or the customers.
