Witch
Three old crones stoop over a boiling cauldron
filled with all manner of bizarre filth, churning and
bubbling with a noxious fume. In the smoke and
vapor above the pot, the trio can make out shapes
and figures of great import, and one cackles loudly at
what she sees.
A young girl sits underneath a tree, far from where the other children play. She glances about to make sure no one is watching, and snaps her fingers once to the empty air. After a moment of silence, a black cat appears around the tree’s bend and locks eyes with the girl, staring with a strange intelligence for a long moment. She gestures at one of the playing children, a heavyset boy with a permanently affixed scowl; the cat understands. It wanders close to the boy, stretches its claws, and gets very low, ready to pounce for the boy’s eyes.
A young elf intently mutters something under his breath each time he exhales. Visible only to him, a string of the foulest magic winds out from him and seizes a charging orc, which drops to its knees in agony.
Witches are stricken by magic so dark it imprints a lasting shadow upon their essence. Through force of personality alone, they can spin this darkness outward, hexing creatures, casting manipulative spells, and even commanding a familiar with their thoughts.
While others are blessed with magic, witches are cursed by it. Afflicted by some hateful arcana, whether accidentally or intentionally, witches are twisted inside and out by its daily tortures. With grueling effort, they can warp this power into spells to wrack others with the same torture that plagues them.
Almost without exception, witches are feared and hated. They are victim to a number of misconceptions, usually relating them to hags and other evil creatures of the night. As a result, known witches are in great personal danger and can usually be found dwelling on the outskirts of civilization where townsfolk seldom tread. This does little to stop witch hunting and burnings, but provides some measure of safety from them.
In reality, very few choose to become witches, and many of them can hide adeptly in society, using their magic to fill a number of roles, from seer, to healer, to apothecary. Being accused as a witch carries grave consequences, no matter the validity of the claim, so wise witches relocate frequently, never residing in one place for too long.
It is rare to find a witch without his or her constant companion, the familiar. Though familiars might be conjured by other spellcasters as well, a witch’s familiar is ubiquitous to common folk for good reason. Witches command intuitive magic, and have a deep link to their familiars. As a result, they can conjure more exotic familiars, and command them more swiftly than other spellcasters.
Creating a witch necessarily involves a powerful, malicious curse in your backstory. Who cast it? Did you take a curse upon yourself for power? Was your entire lineage cursed generations ago, leading to a bloodline of witches, or did another spellcaster use sinister, forbidden magic to curse you for life? Decide on the nature of your witch’s curse and think about how you relate to it. Do you feel like the curse was secretly a blessing, or does the desire for vengeance burn in your heart?
What negative effects does the curse leverage on your personality and mind? Are you haunted by spirits, or is your mind plagued by destructive thoughts? How do you feel manipulating the power of this curse outwards into hexes and spells? Work with your GM to determine how witches are perceived in the world. Are they feared, burned, and persecuted? Are you an openly known witch? Do the other characters in your party know of your witchhood? Some witches keep the source of their magic a secret, or claim to be wizards or sorcerers to conceal the true darkness of their magic.
A young girl sits underneath a tree, far from where the other children play. She glances about to make sure no one is watching, and snaps her fingers once to the empty air. After a moment of silence, a black cat appears around the tree’s bend and locks eyes with the girl, staring with a strange intelligence for a long moment. She gestures at one of the playing children, a heavyset boy with a permanently affixed scowl; the cat understands. It wanders close to the boy, stretches its claws, and gets very low, ready to pounce for the boy’s eyes.
A young elf intently mutters something under his breath each time he exhales. Visible only to him, a string of the foulest magic winds out from him and seizes a charging orc, which drops to its knees in agony.
Witches are stricken by magic so dark it imprints a lasting shadow upon their essence. Through force of personality alone, they can spin this darkness outward, hexing creatures, casting manipulative spells, and even commanding a familiar with their thoughts.
Cursed
While others are blessed with magic, witches are cursed by it. Afflicted by some hateful arcana, whether accidentally or intentionally, witches are twisted inside and out by its daily tortures. With grueling effort, they can warp this power into spells to wrack others with the same torture that plagues them.
Pariahs and Outcasts
Almost without exception, witches are feared and hated. They are victim to a number of misconceptions, usually relating them to hags and other evil creatures of the night. As a result, known witches are in great personal danger and can usually be found dwelling on the outskirts of civilization where townsfolk seldom tread. This does little to stop witch hunting and burnings, but provides some measure of safety from them.
In reality, very few choose to become witches, and many of them can hide adeptly in society, using their magic to fill a number of roles, from seer, to healer, to apothecary. Being accused as a witch carries grave consequences, no matter the validity of the claim, so wise witches relocate frequently, never residing in one place for too long.
Familiar Masters
It is rare to find a witch without his or her constant companion, the familiar. Though familiars might be conjured by other spellcasters as well, a witch’s familiar is ubiquitous to common folk for good reason. Witches command intuitive magic, and have a deep link to their familiars. As a result, they can conjure more exotic familiars, and command them more swiftly than other spellcasters.
Creating a Witch
Creating a witch necessarily involves a powerful, malicious curse in your backstory. Who cast it? Did you take a curse upon yourself for power? Was your entire lineage cursed generations ago, leading to a bloodline of witches, or did another spellcaster use sinister, forbidden magic to curse you for life? Decide on the nature of your witch’s curse and think about how you relate to it. Do you feel like the curse was secretly a blessing, or does the desire for vengeance burn in your heart?
What negative effects does the curse leverage on your personality and mind? Are you haunted by spirits, or is your mind plagued by destructive thoughts? How do you feel manipulating the power of this curse outwards into hexes and spells? Work with your GM to determine how witches are perceived in the world. Are they feared, burned, and persecuted? Are you an openly known witch? Do the other characters in your party know of your witchhood? Some witches keep the source of their magic a secret, or claim to be wizards or sorcerers to conceal the true darkness of their magic.
Subclasses (Witches Craft)
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Black Magic | Practices the necromantic arts and wields dark spells of suffering |
| Blood Magic | Lays terrible curses and draws power from blood sacrifices |
| Green Magic | Practices magic associated with plants, animals, and the natural world |
| Purple Magic | Wields illusions and enchantments in equal measure |
| Red Magic | A destructive spellcaster wielding magic that ruins and burns |
| Steel Magic | Melds swordsmanship with wicked hexes |
| Tea Magic | A peaceful witch that practices tea ceremonies and divination |
| Technicolor Magic | Makes friends with just about everyone they meet |
| White Magic | A natural healer and practitioner of restorative magic |
