The following is a selection of the more useful notes from Norkas Carnoa, a renowned Monster Hunter. Now deceased, his literary work will continue his legacy of eradication of all things Wyrd.
Norkas Carnoa
To fully appreciate this information, one must understand who Norkas Carnoa was. He was born in an unnamed island village just at the edge of the Krithian border. Raised as an only child, he had little in the ways of peers. His mother, a Krithian, raised him while his Vadathan father was nowhere to be seen. On his 13th birthday, his mother sent him to the mainland in order to obtain an education. Despite him coming from a commoner family, his mother did receive a large inheritance from her uncle, who was nobility. This fortune was used to give Norkas the education he needed and allowed him to freely begin training in the church.
At the age of 16, Norkas was chosen to train as an inquisitor. This is where he learned many of the skills which would be vital for his future career as a monster hunter. The first Wyrd creature he slew was a gnarled man with the power to ignite a fire with a touch. Over the next three years, Norkas took part in many monster hunts, helped disband a puppet auction, and lost several friends. It was then, after much scrupulous thought, that Norkas discovered every mission his mentor, Yorfyr, had given him was connected. Each one harbored a hatred for a certain warlock. One with the power over loyalty.
The investigation led Norkas to discover the truth. Yorfyr was, indeed, the warlock. Yorfyr was also the first warlock that Norkas slew. Discovering his weakness was a pure accident. To slay the Warlock, a loyal servant must do the killing. Norkas was loyal, but he was loyal to what Yorfyr taught him. Which was to accept no excuse from monsters.
From then, Norkas left the church and became a solo monster hunter. His hunts were funded by several nobles who wished to rid the world of evil, as well as from gifts given by those he saved.
Witch Hunts
The first step in hunting a witch is to find it. This is done by honing your "Witch Sense" as I put it. Your Witch Sense is your ability to notice and piece together themes and ideas. A witch is just that, an idea. It is an idea given an evil form and without a soul. Every Witch has its theme, and you must be able to spot it. Strange mutation, deaths, and animals all falling under the same idea is probably witch work. For example: If a child is born with spider legs, a dead horse splits open and webbing falls out, and a corpse is found bound in rope you are likely looking for a Spider Witch. Follow the spiders.
The next step is to learn your enemy. DO NOT APPROACH. Talk to the locals, investigate deaths, and question Fae if you can. You need to understand who the Witch is. It can be hard. You can find yourself empathizing with it. Do not fall into this trap. They are monsters. However, once you know your foe, you will know how to kill it.
This is the third step. To discover its weakness. Every Witch has a weakness. A Witch is immortal, but it can be killed by its weakness. This is usually poetic or ironic. Use your witch sense and think of stories you heard as a child. The witch who burned her family alive may be weak to fire. A water Witch which had a fear of the sea might be killed by keeping water from it. If at all possible, hunt down a Fae and extract the information from it. It knows.
The final step is to confront the witch. Prepare for everything. However, prioritize defenses again the Witches theme. Do not confront in the witches lair. Sometimes, that is unavoidable. Especially when innocents have been kidnapped. Again, remember the theme and expect the unexpected. A Witch can control reality, but they will likely toy with you before killing you.
Fae
Finding a Fae is similar to finding a Witch, but they always lead to a Witch. If the fae is free, you likely only found it by chance. Kill immediately, because they can hide very well and this may be your only chance. For a Fae that has a Witch, you should do your best to capture it. Torture is a lengthy, but reliable, method of learning about a witch you might be hunting. Fae die just like humans. But try to explore. Find a weakness, because that weakness is likely the same as a Witches. And don't assume something like stabbing a water Fae will do you any good. Use logic and your Witch Sense.
Puppeteers
Puppeteers are human, but they have tossed away their humanity in favor of control over the dead. Luckily, Puppeteers follow a few unsaid rules. Most Puppeteers are artists of a sort, so suspect them first. Prioritize actors, dancers, and sculptors. Second, check for recently dug graves, unusually high missing persons, and strange ships arriving at night. These are the most common signs. If these signs are here, then try to find information on the black market. The best time to find puppeteers is during their auctions. The auctions are held at night in secluded areas. Look for warehouses, caves, basements, and abandoned buildings.
Killing a Puppeteer is easy. But I suggest imprisonment. They are human and should be treated as such. However, be wary of their puppets. Some can be dangerous. If possible, cut the wires immediately. After killing the Puppeteer, burn the puppets and take the pearls.
Cultists
Cultists are hard to find. They live among us as normal people. However, some signs of them can be found. Reclusive people whos neighbors pets go missing, people to leave their homes for seemingly no reason with no sign of where they went, and paranoid individuals are a few signs. Luckily, most cultists are not very smart, aside from those who follow Kinath, and will become angry when mentioning Occultism. Imprison if possible, but kill if too dangerous. Each cult does have inhuman monsters which have their own methods of hunting.
Magus
Magi know who you are. They know you are coming. Expect them to know everything. They are cold, calculating, and ruthless. Search places of knowledge to find them. Such as libraries or old museums. Expect strange magic and mind tricks when approaching. More importantly, keep a hidden journal on your person, memory loss is common. When battling a Magus, do not use your usual tactics and try to be unpredictable.
Coveter
Look for coveters in places where wealth gathers. They are greedy and love to amass wealth. If possible, befriend the wealthy and corrupt in the area. They may know the Coveter, without even knowing its misdeeds. When you locate it, attack fast and keep your distance. They are strong. A physical confrontation will end in your death.
Esthetics
Seek out social events for the strange and perverted rich. There will likely be an Esthetic. Do not be fooled by their illusions, sand or salt is an easy way to determine if an illusion is real. Do not memorize an esthetics appearance, only their mannerisms. Their form can change as easily as their clothes. When battling an Esthetic, insult their beauty to enrage them. Then use this rage to your advantage.
Sorcerers
Finding a sorcerer is tricky. It is similar to locating a Witch, except there is no theme. Only chaos. If you manage to find one, be careful. They can change your form. If you are changed, you are not wyrd or evil. Seek atonement from any sins and hide your mutations. Others will not understand, but you must still fight.
Druids
In forests, jungles, and wild lands where people go missing, you will likely find a druid. Be careful hunting a druid and keep your distance. Bring a gun, and remember they know their woods better than you can. They are fast, so you need to be faster.
Timeworn
Old men which are deceptively fast. They can speed up their own time. While not always elderly men, they usually have a distant, anti-social behavior and speak slowly. Act fast, they are patient but tend to think things through. If they disappear, set up camp and wait. It may be hours, days, or months. Eventually, they will come back.
Necromancers
Necromancers are often found around puppeteers. They are easy to spot, usually wrapped in bandages or multiple layers of clothing when in public. Their skin rots, follow the stench. When attacking, be weary of the dead under their control.
Ghouls
Be brave. It will try to terrify you, but you cannot let it happen. Keep calm and listen. They can turn invisible but cannot silence their breath. Find them by searching for horror stories.
Rippers
Likely the most dangerous to attack up front. Do your research. The Ripper was built for a purpose before it went mad. Find out what it was and, if possible, study corpses of its victims. Guns are necessary. The fire arms can penetrate their natural armor. Do not approach in close combat.
Alchemists
Hardly worth your time, but if you can find an alchemy lab, destroy it and imprison its owner. Search the black markets for alchemy. It is often easier to search for ingredients rather than the alchemy. They will be easier to find.
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