Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Table of Contents
Compiling a Tome...................... 5 The Circle of Caed Myrkvid.................... 64 Mages of Interest................... 152
The Circle of Gedyneith........................... 65 Artorius Vigo...........................................154
Ley Lines..................................... 8 Wandering Druids.................................... 66 Bronwyn Deadeye...................................155
The Druid Profession................................ 67 Cadfan of Ebbing.....................................156
Mages........................................ 10 Forces of Nature........................................ 70 Dormyn of Gemmera.............................157
A Background on Mages......................... 11 Dorregaray of Vole..................................158
Mage Lifepath............................................ 18 The Magical Mundane............. 72 Elgan of Verden.......................................159
A Little Knowledge................................... 33 A Background on Magical Talents......... 73 Francesca Findabair................................160
Magical Gifts.............................................. 74 Drystan of Nazair....................................161
Priests........................................ 34 Tactical Pursuits........................................ 76 Fringilla Vigo............................................162
A Background on Priests......................... 35 Istredd.......................................................163
Dana Meadbh............................................. 39 A Compilation of Chaos.......... 78 Keira Metz................................................164
The Eternal Fire......................................... 40 Mage Spells................................................. 81 Margarita Laux-Antille..........................165
Freya............................................................ 41 Priest Invocations...................................... 91 Philippa Eilhart........................................166
The Great Sun............................................ 42 Druid Invocations..................................... 96 Sile de Tancarville...................................167
Kreve............................................................ 43 Witcher Signs...........................................101 Stregobor of Kovir...................................168
Melitele........................................................ 44 Rituals........................................................102 Xarthisius..................................................169
Coram Agh Tera........................................ 45 Hexes.........................................................105
Epona........................................................... 45 A Binding Clause................... 170
Lilvani.......................................................... 46 The Magical Marketplace...... 109
Morrigan..................................................... 46 Glyphs........................................................110 Bestiary................................... 195
Nehaleni...................................................... 47 Enchantments..........................................111 Bes..............................................................196
The Prophet Lebioda................................ 47 Elixirs.........................................................115 Casglydd....................................................198
Svalblod....................................................... 48 Magic Items..............................................117 Corpse Amalgam.....................................200
Veyopatis..................................................... 48 Purchasing Magic Items........................123 Great Bear.................................................202
The Priest Profession................................ 49 Trophies....................................................124 Living Armor...........................................204
Wine or Wisdom....................................... 52 Mari Lwyd.................................................206
The Dark Arts......................... 126 Penitent.....................................................208
Druids....................................... 54 A Background on the Dark Arts..........127
A Background on Druids......................... 55 Necromancy.............................................129 Components & Mutagens..... 210
The Circle of Gwyn Carn......................... 61 Mutation...................................................134
The Crow Clan........................................... 62 Goetia........................................................139 Index........................................ 211
The Circle of Bleobheris.......................... 63 Portrait of the Artist...............................150
4
5
Compiling a Tome
“Ban Ard has proven a haven for a sorceress who’s repudiated her homeland. I can argue aca-
demic minutiae with Brandon of Oxenfurt one day, then spend the evening with cups of wine
hearing the doings of the world as filtered through Merchant Kazmer’s eyes. One should never
ignore an opportunity to learn.”
−Glynnis var Treharne
You may be wondering how I, Brandon of Oxenfurt, renowned I will leave the sordid details of our long trip for another
historian, have come to write the tome you hold in your time, but we did finally arrive at Ban Ard with all extremities
hands—a tome concerning magic in all its forms, a subject intact (if slightly blue). From there, we went directly to the
some might consider dangerous knowledge for the average boy’s school of magic. I thought perhaps some crusty old mage
reader. The quest for knowledge sends one down all manner wanted to leave a legacy of magic behind. But imagine instead
of dark and twisting corridors. But in the end, I have survived that the person I was to meet was elven, Nilfgaardian, female,
the journey and returned to bring this knowledge to you. And and a sorceress. I can’t imagine anyone I would trust less. And
besides, a friend of mine suggested that if I didn’t write it, a sor- yet she didn’t have the arrogance of most elves, nor the unimag-
ceress might, and one can only guess how that would come out! inative nature of a Nilfgaardian, nor the flighty, self-indulgent
One blustery day, I opened my door to find Rodolf, my old nature of most women. And, well, you know how most sorcer-
friend (who you may remember from our discovery and publica- esses are—superior, scheming, always looking to start a con-
tion of the personal journal of Erland of Larvik). He was excited spiratorial cabal, unwilling to let magic knowledge creep from
about something but seemed hesitant to divulge it. I plied him their grasp. Thus, I was introduced to Glynnis var Treharne, a
with the contents of my liquor cabinet, and it loosened his tongue former director of magic at Gweison Haul. In a level way, she
a bit. He said there was someone I should meet—someone who, explained that, while she wished no harm on Nilfgaard, nei-
were I to collaborate with them (as I had with him), might bring ther could she tolerate their systems of oppression nor endorse
me fame and perhaps some money. I glimpsed one of those their expansionist policies, fearing that victory in the North
aforementioned corridors stretching out before me. would not end aggression but encourage the army to seek new
targets. Unfortunately, due to the cloistered status of mages in
“But you must come with me to Ban Ard,” Rodolf said with the South, Glynnis had few options in her current position, nor
his trademark grin. could she teach her students anything beyond the controlled
I glanced out the window with a sigh. “Can it not wait until status of magic. She felt that, were the knowledge of magic made
Spring?” more accessible, then perhaps its study might be less stringent
in the South, and knowledge could be brought to shore up the
“No, you old fool! We must be on our way immediately.” or
weakened nations of the North. But mostly, when she spoke of
something to that effect.
bringing all magical knowledge, from the North and the South,
I gathered a few meager belongings and a great deal of paper, together in one volume, I glimpsed a light in her eyes that I
pens, and ink. Rodolf had brought his wagon, of course, brim- understood immediately.
ming with unlikely things to sell along the way. I commented
Beyond politics, Glynnis is a scholar—and I have great admi-
that he may not find much business with the bears and wolves
ration for the difficult and dangerous path she walks. She will no
who would no doubt be our primary company along the long,
doubt be outlawed in her homeland. I asked her why she had not
snowy road to Ban Ard. I should have been more tactful—were
sought out the sorceresses of the North. She said she knew them
it not for the pickling salts, wolverine hides, and cooper’s ham-
only by reputation. That was enough for me.
mer, ours would have been a much shorter story indeed.
6
And so, we started out on an overwhelmingly large project. ance, and how the world interacts with these oft misunderstood
We have tried to encompass as much verifiable magical knowl- shepherds. Additionally, we’ll take a deeper look at the six larg-
edge as possible. When one of us lost faith, the other reawak- est druid circles on the Continent with information concerning
ened their determination. Many, many people have helped us their practices and culture.
through firsthand observations, or the loan of many excellent
but forgotten tomes of magic. Read on and learn, as I did. The Magical Mundane
-Brandon of Oxenfurt
Below the more powerful mages, priests, and druids exist a cast of
magical individuals ignored by magical society at large: the major-
The Contents of the Tome ity of magic users, capable of only a single magical effect. In this
chapter you’ll find rules for giving your character a magical gift.
Within the pages of A Tome of Chaos you will find many
exciting options for the magically inclined player or the devi-
ous Game Master. The many spells, invocations, rituals, hexes,
Magic Compiled
alternate rules, and monsters presented in A Tome of Chaos are A Tome of Chaos’ bread and butter is new magic for all types of
designed to work hand in hand with the material in the Witcher magic users. In this chapter you’ll find spells, invocations, signs,
TRPG Core Book, adding both danger and excitement to your
rituals, and hexes compiled into a comprehensive list of new
gameplay. Across these nine chapters, you’ll find:
magic from which to learn.
Ley Lines
ic as 'the other.' A force that exists
"Those not attuned to chaos are quick to label mag
ely separate from the natural world and , with its alien nature, cannot be trust-
complet
Magic permeates the land we walk
ed. But the matter is not quite so black and white.
the pathway s it follows form a com plicated web of beauty that could only be
on and
brought about by magic."
−Glynnis var Treharne
Ley Lines are invisible semi-physical pathways of magic that Ley Lines and Places of Power
crisscross the world. Where these lines converge, the forces of
magic are most powerful. Ancient elves built standing stones All Ley Lines eventually lead to Places of Power linked to
at these intersections, which came to be known as Places of the element of the Ley Line. This is where two of the same
Power. Though individual Ley Lines are bountiful sources of elemental Ley Lines cross. In general, this intersection hap-
magic, most magic users focus entirely on Places of Power.. pens at a location befitting the element of the Ley Lines: a
Largely, this is because tapping a Ley Line is inherently less river delta for water, the rim of a volcano for fire, or the top
controlled than using a Place of Power. A Ley Line can be of a mountain for air. This being said, Ley Lines traverse the
drawn on by mages, priests, and druids alike to empower entire world, which means following one could lead you on
their magic—but if drawn on improperly or overdrawn, they a long and possibly epic journey. It’s also important to keep
are far more dangerous. One must also know how each ele- in mind that the location of Places of Power are sometimes
ment of magic functions to know what to expect from a Ley inhospitable or dangerous to humans. Luckily, Ley Lines
Line. Each Ley Line is linked to a specific element of magic are largely metaphysical and can be found and accessed at
and each behaves differently. any altitude, even when moving toward the peak of a high
mountain or the depths of a cavern.
How Do You Find Ley Lines?
Drawing from Ley Lines
Despite being around six meters wide and spanning hun-
dreds of miles, Ley Lines are difficult to detect due to their Once a Mage, Priest, or Druid is physically touching a Ley
invisible, intangible state. Luckily, there are two surefire Line, they can try to draw from it by taking an action. To
ways to find a Ley Line for the observant magic user. Firstly, do this, they must make a DC:16 Spell Casting check. If the
a magic user can search for the Ley Line’s magical signature. magic user succeeds, they have unlocked the power of the
Each Ley Line radiates a magical signature which can Ley Line and can benefit from it as long as they are touch-
be sensed by anything that is capable of sensing magic. Any ing it. However, they also suffer extra Overdraw and Fum-
character attuned to magic (with a Vigor Score) gets a cramp ble Effects as per the element of the Ley Line. If they move
in their ring finger when within 10 meters of one. If a Mage away from the Ley Line, their connection to it is severed
uses Magic Training to sense for magic within 10 meters of and they must attempt to draw from it again when they
a Ley Line, they sense a great deal of magic and know the come back in contact with it. If the magic user fails to draw
direction of the Ley Line. from the Ley Line, they immediately suffer an elemental
fumble of their type with no additional damage. While
For the non-magically adept, there is a more mundane
connected to a Ley Line, a Mage can only cast spells of the
way to find Ley Lines. Each Ley Line has a minor physical
element of the Ley Line.
effect on the area that it passes through. If you find an area
with unusual rock patterns, frequent dust devils, or unnat- Priests and Druids are able to cast their invocations
ural humidity, its likely you’ve stumbled across a Ley Line. despite not being aligned with the element of the Ley Line.
9
After years of training, many mages can the North. By contrast, while mages are no
Mage Abduction profitably use their powers, and most live doubt used as agents in the South, they are
comfortable lives. Often, they are placed in more commonly employed as assassins and
While the practice of kid- the courts of nobles, remain at their school saboteurs than battle mages.
napping magically po- as teachers, or become experimental mages. −Brandon of Oxenfurt
tent children ended many Sorceresses are free to move as they wish, but
years ago, it was a very responsibility to their school or their teach-
real issue in the early ers generally drives them to find positions of
What is a Mage?
days of the Brotherhood
power. Before the Northern Wars there were A mage is someone who is born with a pow-
of Sorcerers and led to a
bad reputation for mages many mages working as advisors and prob- erful innate ability to channel Chaos to effect
across the Continent. lem-solvers to the Northern Monarchs. In material changes in the world around them.
those days, the mages were organized into the What most people think of when describing
Chapter and the Council, who determined mages are those who have sufficient control
magical policy. Unfortunately, after the coup over Chaos to learn the versatile applications
at the island of Thanedd, the Chapter and known as spells. They are not the only ones
Council dissolved and the fact that some capable of using magic; priests and druids
Northern mages were shown to be working do things their own way when utilizing the
with Nilfgaard caused the Northern king- same forces, which is inherently incompre-
doms to drive most of the mages out of the hensible to the academically inclined mages.
courts. In recent years, the mage hunters of Additionally, there are myriad Chaos-wield-
King Radovid of Redania have driven many ers with minor talents, some are able to direct
mages to the outer lands of Kovir and Poviss. their magic in a narrow, specific area, while
While many Southern mages live under others can only use one or two Rituals, where
the control of the Empire, powerful North- Chaos is focused through specific instruc-
ern mages are drawn back into magical poli- tions. Witchers can, through their mutations
tics as the mages seek a way to return to their and training, learn to use Signs, a limited and
places of power and influence. But they all simple form of magic, but this does not make
use the same power—the energy that mages them mages. To have any hope of becoming a
call upon and shape to their desires is inher- true mage, one must be born to it.
ent in the land. Ley Lines of magic run across Mages rarely know what they can do right
the countryside. Places where they meet are from the word go; those with the potential
especially powerful. It is not for nothing that come to that realization in a variety of ways.
many elven cities stand at the intersections of Some are precocious enough to understand
Ley Lines. In the South, experienced mages that sparks from the fingertips or burying your
chart the strongest Ley Lines. In the North, family in a sinkhole is not normal; in this case,
mages are more often taught how to find they may try to train themselves. This study
Ley Lines when they wish to use them. Due rarely goes well, however, and can be devastat-
to the less regimented nature of Northern ing, with lingering psychological effects. More
mages, they sometimes draw more magic, commonly, the first magical experience is born
or primal Chaos as it is known, than is wise; out of high emotion, and the easiest and most
their magic can be greater in effect but more powerful emotions for a child to reach for are
difficult to shape. This is sometimes referred negative. Anger and hatred tend to have a spe-
to as Wild Magic. A powerful spell may not cific focus, so curses are not an unusual way of
be entirely under the mage’s control and may discovering one can do magic. Even if they are
rage through their body, leaving them weak- excited at discovering the beginnings of their
ened. Drawing beyond one’s capacity can talents, it doesn’t follow that their family will
kill. But with greater training, one can safely be thrilled, making estrangements the norm.
draw more energy. At the battle at Sodden Some trained mages, with a range of motives
Hill, great spells were pulled up and thrown from benign to manipulative, can spot the
at the Nilfgaardian front, bringing victory to potential in a Chaos-influenced child. A con-
13
fused and scared family may be persuaded, bribed, or forced host gatherings of honored guests from the magical commu-
to put their offspring in the hands of someone better quali- nity and visiting alumni of the academy. Its walls have been
fied to deal with them. infused with a powerful aura that blocks the effects of magic.
Without formal training, mages are highly at risk of det- The academy proper stands adjacent to Garstang, and below
rimental effects when using their powers, so those surviv- both is Loxia. This palace guards the bridge to the mainland
ing long enough to merit the title will have undergone some and is the only place visitors and students may mix, as out-
form of training. The nature of this education varies accord- siders are banned from entering the school and the students
ing to the innate power of the subject and the environment cannot leave. Thanedd is accessed by one of two means: the
in which they grow up. Some regions are highly organized bridge to the mainland, or via secret sea caves allowing boats
when it comes to dealing with their young magic users, but to land inside the hollow mountain.
outside of the Nilfgaardian Empire, a baby mage might find Aretuza has a strong academic focus and a traditional
themselves learning from one of the established academies, private school structure, with fees standing at 1,200
taken as an apprentice, or secretly taught in a less formal crowns per year and an atmosphere somewhere between
environment. a dedicated university and a girls’ finishing school. Study
is intense and girls develop a firm grounding in both the
Aretuza theory and practice of magic as a science first, art second,
with little romanticism around the subject. Nor is magic
The Isle of Thanedd in Temeria is home to Aretuza, an the only lesson, as they expect students to learn in detail
academy of magic attended by daughters of some of the the history and politics of the world in which they will
most prestigious families in the North, though they accept function. Once they have joined, adepts cannot leave the
girls from anywhere in the world with the right potential. school until graduation without facing punishment. This,
Thanedd is an isolated rock, which has been sculpted over coupled with the high costs, means that girls studying
the centuries into terraces and soaring towers, forming there tend to remain, retaking classes until they graduate
a series of distinct structures. Garstang is a palace used to
14
as fully trained mages. Those few who drop face expulsion if they commit certain offenses.
Tuition out go on to parlay their training in social Petty theft, for example, is looked upon far
manipulation to win influential roles usually more severely than outraging public decency
“It baffles the mind that denied to women in the world at large, such after successful exams.
anyone should have to as becoming lawyer. In keeping with the feel of the region, Ban
spend thousands of flo-
rens to attain a magical
Isolating the students for their entire educa- Ard students are positively encouraged to train
education. Brandon tells tion promotes a hothouse atmosphere, but also their combative and militaristic sides along
me that this fee can be makes interpersonal politics a survival skill. with their magical talent. Advanced students
waived if a girl shows Aretuza students are magically sterilized to may take time to engage in monster hunts or
proper potential but still avoid the unpredictable effects of giving birth even mercenary contracts to develop their
the concept is troubling. to potentially unstable children. This redirects skills. Such activities take place under the aus-
Regardless of potential, their energies toward success and personal pices of the Academy, as internships, so the
magic can be dangerous power and makes strategic alliances more students can expect to see the school take a cut
if untrained.” common than trust. The only external con- of any fees they receive. This adds up to a lack
—Glynnis var Treharne tact they are permitted is in Loxia, where they of focus on magic in day-to-day studies. Aca-
can meet and mix with visitors and dignitaries demic topics are important but the boys in Ban
Agent of the under strictly controlled conditions. Here they Ard do not have that constant pressure that
State practice their social skills and see the practical drives the girls studying in Aretuza. Indeed,
results of political interactions they have stud- there are regular contests between the schools
In the years before the
Winter War, the Kaed-
ied. Graduates of Aretuza frequently attain and Aretuza consistently dominates. One the-
weni Secret Service was influential positions as the—sometimes lit- ory is that the Ban Ard students’ ambition
known for commonly eral—power behind the throne. Their magical exceeds their grasp, and they overreach them-
employing drop outs acumen does not protect them from a world selves, whereas Aretuza’s better understand
from Ban Ard. These that, at best, distrusts mages so some turn to their own capabilities, what is possible, and
partially trained mages mundane protectors, seeking to influence mat- back this up with focused academic training in
could be turned into “su- ters through wit and charm while maintaining magical theory.
per human” agents of the
a certain aloof, determined superiority. The lack of pressure may have some-
state. Now, with Redania
storming across their bor- thing to do with the higher rate of Ban Ard
der, that recruitment has Ban Ard students failing to complete their studies,
expanded even further. though it may also have something to do with
The Academy of Ban Ard resides in the city the relative opportunities afforded children.
Nilfgaardian of the same name, in the kingdom of Kaed- Academic success is often key for women to
Reeducation wen. While not controlled by Kaedwen, Ban achieve rank and status in their own right,
Ard is influenced by the uncouth energy and whereas boys who only partially complete
Contrary to popular strength of personality of the nation constantly
northern belief, teach- their studies can still find a range of opportu-
in conflict with both its neighbors and its less nities across the board. Even a poorly trained
ers at Gweison Haul do than hospitable climate. Unlike Aretuza or
not employ mind-con- sorcerer may find success in a mundane occu-
Gweison Haul, the exclusively male students of pation, for example, and charge a premium
trolling magics or devi-
Ban Ard are not sequestered from the outside for their services, where they are not expected
ous alchemical elixirs to
“reeducate” mages who world. The Academy stands just outside the to face fully trained mages. In addition to
have acted against the city proper, an imposing, stone-built structure their classes, Ban Ard houses clubs and secret
Empire. and it is far from unusual for students to take societies where the wealthy boys can make
—Glynnis var Treharne themselves around town. Older boys find great connections that may prove profitable long
amusement in drinking, socializing, and tak- after they leave the school.
ing in all the sights and pleasures that the city
can offer a young man of means; High fees and
a preference for boys of noble families makes Gweison Haul
for classes full of the sons of the wealthy. This The Nilfgaardian Empire takes a different
“boys will be boys” attitude encourages a lack approach to mages than the Northern King-
of discipline to a point, although students can doms. It is deemed a civic duty for anyone
15
with magical potential to be trained, whether that is by instills a certain resistance to the alloys effects in much of
a mentor or at the school of Gweison Haul. Once simply the student body.
the state magic school of Vicovaro, Gweison Haul now Despite these somewhat authoritarian practices, stu-
stands as a complex devoted to training the mages of the dents of Gweison Haul are well taken care of and often
Empire. The school was built up over the years as Nilfgaard excel in their studies. The school maintains a well-stocked,
conquered territories and shipped the remains of enemy strictly curated library, and students are allowed to roam
Mage’s laboratories and studies back from the front. This the halls and courtyards of the campus when not attend-
has lead to the architecture and furnishings of the school ing classes. The rigidly structured lifestyle of Gweison Haul
being somewhat eclectic. This sets the tone for the way combined with the ever present expectations of the Empire
students from across the Empire are treated. Students of can lead to fast friendships among students seeking trust-
Gweison Haul may come from any of the imperial nations, worthy confidants with whom to share their concerns and
even the heart of the Empire, and they arrive at the school fears. Education is thoroughly standardized in Gweison
with attitudes as widely spread as their origins. Rebellious Haul, putting little value on an individual’s feelings or opin-
Northerners and loyal subjects are all treated with the same ions. Once students graduate, they are assigned a value
heavy hand once they enter the school. While it is never based on their skill which informs how easily they can find
directly stated, every trainee mage has it impressed upon employment and what that employment might entail.
them that they are tools of the Empire. Teachers often dis-
courage unconventional thinking and common areas are Recently, rumors have come out that deep within the
under magical surveillance. The penalties for breaking the catacombs of Gweison Haul, curious students have found
rules can be harsh and the school houses a platoon of Mage secrets dating from before the Usurpator’s reign. There
Hunters, who are empowered to deal with rebellions and are untold secrets to be found in dusty corners, hidden
threats to the faculty as they deem necessary. These Mage away from the world. Ancient tomes, records of audacious
Hunters carry dimeritium shackles and regularly patrol research, and long-forgotten scrolls of lore missed by the
the halls. These shackles are rarely used but their presence prying eyes of the Empire.
16
The Imperial Magic Academy those of the capital. Upon their graduation,
Parental students usually take up positions of service
Guidance Magic-inclined children of nobility and wealth with their families or as adjutants in the armed
need not learn amongst the commoners of the forces, acting as advisors and organizing the
A little over a century Empire in Gweison Haul; in return for a substan- most effective deployment of mages.
ago, before the empire tial annual fee, these young minds are sent to the
was as regimented as it
is now, I studied magic
Imperial Magic Academy. This highly defensible, Apprenticeship
secure castle on the banks of Loc Grim is staffed
under my father. He by the most prestigious mages in all of Nilfgaard Not every mage can or wishes to study in
wasn’t a powerful mage,
and protected by veterans of the Imperial Army. one of the official schools. Ban Ard and Are-
but he was well-versed in
the science of magic and The academy is just as focused on loyalty tuza in the Northern Kingdoms are expensive
there were no sages where and service to the Empire as Gweison Haul, but and thus exclusive; though allowances can be
we lived under whom I the students are afforded greater luxuries. Each made for particularly talented students, the
could apprentice. student receives a lavish personal room and the wealthy generally do not wish to rub shoul-
—Glynnis var Treharne school is staffed by servants who are at the stu- ders with the magically-inclined children of
dents beck and call. During holidays the acad- shepherds. In Nilfgaard the problem is less
emy hosts feasts and celebrations on par with one of cost and more regarding the distance
to Gweison Haul or the strict regulations of
the school. Meanwhile, in the elderlands, they
have always practiced a less rigid structure
when it comes to educating their magic users.
Some magic training can literally start at
home, with parents or friends of the family
who have some skill and knowledge. Magic
users who have children sometimes pass on
their gift and these children must receive the
proper training or risk horrible side effects.
Alternatively, gifted children may be picked
out by traveling mages to be their appren-
tice. Currently, the North holds a deep mis-
trust of mages as a whole, so someone taking
it upon themselves to educate a gifted child
would certainly wish to do so quietly. In Nil-
fgaard, most mages attend Gweison Haul but
apprenticeship is still considered better than
no training at all. Said student might, how-
ever, be considered less qualified than a mage
trained at an academy.
Elderfolk mage training has traditionally
happened under mentors, with a one-to-one
relationship where a student might seek out
a teacher to study under, or a teacher see the
potential in a child and take responsibility
for their training. One tool that can be used
by any teaching mage, independently or in
a school environment, is the apprenticeship.
In this relationship, the student is leashed
to their master, and their magic is linked.
This can be positive, imposing a more mea-
sured pace to learning on an impulsive and
17
Mages in Society
Prior to the First Northern War, mages and mundane rul-
ers often held themselves broadly separate, with kings claim-
ing no dominion over mages’ studies and mages likewise
interfering little in matters of state. The pact that cemented
this distinction was called the Novigrad Union and, while
there were numerous blurrings of the line between the
mages’ academia and leadership, each side was content to
keep to their own spheres of influence. This perceived neu- by rulers and adopted as valued and dangerous counselors,
trality allowed mages to be regarded as impartial mediators, court diviners, and healers. Most mages still preferred to
having no inherent loyalty to either side in a dispute as they stick to their studies, but more and more began to dabble
were independent irrespective of the outcome. As such, they in politics as the newfound respect went to their heads. This
were no threat to the ruling classes and were free to organize culminated in the Thanedd Coup, a planned rebellion by
themselves to better further their research. mages in league with Nilfgaard and the Scoia’tael anticipated
by mages still loyal to Northern kings. This brutal battle saw
The oldest organizational body was the Brotherhood of the end of the Supreme Council, the Conclave, and the trust
Sorcerers, formed from the co-operation of the preeminent rulers placed in their court mages, as the shocking news of
mages of the time. This was born after a brief period of the Nilfgaardian sympathizers’ treachery emerged.
internecine warfare that cleared the board of many inde-
pendent individuals resistant to the formalization of rules In the wake of the Thanedd Coup, the women-only Lodge
and regulations that governed practitioners. Later, the lead- of Sorceresses was established, comprised of both Northern
ership of the Brotherhood split into two governing bodies, and Nilfgaardian mages and geared toward establishing
the Chapter of the Gift and the Art and the Supreme Coun- political power. Today mages are alternately hated, feared,
cil of Sorcerers, who had the responsibility of policing and and seen as both useful but also untrustworthy. Many faiths
enforcing standards. Despite these bodies, though, most preach that they participate in dark magic and the populace
mages were still involved in pure research and experimen- is as keen to turn on them as they are on non-humans, in
tation, holding themselves above the pettiness of the mun- some kingdoms. With their organizational structures largely
dane world. gone, it falls to mages to police themselves against forbid-
den arts such as necromancy. Some still endeavor to pursue
During the First Northern War, though, this detachment research while others seek political power both for its own
was abandoned when Northern mages stood with their sake and as a shield against the scapegoating that has seen
nations in the Second Battle of Sodden, turning the tide of mages burned at the stake in the North by Witch Hunters.
the invasion. After this intervention, mages were courted
18
Mage Lifepath
The life of a mage is long and often filled with the kinds of the hallowed halls of their alma mater, they are sent into
opportunities and dangers that would never even occur to a world that will likely come to revere and hate them in
the average craftsman or merchant. Training in a school equal measure. For most mages, every movement is cal-
of magic can be grueling and oppressive, cutthroat and culated, every word is weighed, and every risk is assessed.
duplicitous, or raucous and chaotic. The forces of Chaos To replicate this life of difficulties, when creating a Mage
swirl around sorcerers and sorceresses almost constantly, character, you can roll on this Mage Lifepath rather than
and the drive to expand one’s power can lead to terrible rolling on the standard Lifepath in the Core Rulebook.
losses and triumphant victories. And once a mage leaves
Life in Academia
No matter what school you attended, every mage goes ing Chaos. For many mages, these formative years are full
through roughly 20 years of magical training. During this of exciting incidents and “character-building” moments. For
time, they learn how to control their gift, study the science of each of the two decades, you must roll 1d10 on the column
magic, and familiarize themselves with the process of wield- of the table that corresponds to your School.
Helped with
Law Bringer Apothecary
Unsanctioned Research
Teacher’s Pet You helped the Part of your learning
Roll once on the
You got preferential authorities with a involved being able
Knowledge table on pg.
4 treatment from a teacher. magic related crime. to diagnose and cure
31. If knowledge of this
Start with an extra Gain a +2 Reputation ailments for the people
research comes out, you
known Novice spell. with Nilfgaardian of your community.
will be in major trouble
authorities. Gain a +2 to First Aid.
with Ban Ard Alumni.
Cursed Harbored a
You were cursed, either by Renegade Mage Defended a Village
Found Clues on the
your own hand or the ire You helped shelter a from a Monster
Location of a Relic
of another at your school. rogue mage. You gain a You used your magic to
8 Consult with the GM to
Work with the GM to Mage Ally. Roll on the repel a monster attack
determine which Relic
pick an appropriate curse Ally table on pg. 30 to from a village.
and what you know.
from the ones listed on see how close you are Gain +1 to Monster Lore.
pg. 230 of the Core Book. and what their value is.
Cursed
Better Part of Valor
You were cursed, either by
You were trained in the Crafted your Own Focus
your own hand or the ire Translated a Tome
basis of spy work. You You built your first
of another at your school. You helped translate an
10 gain a +1 to Disguise and focus item. You gain an
Work with the GM to old elven tome. You gain
can attempt to disguise Amulet which counts as
pick an appropriate curse +2 to Elder Speech.
yourself without a a Focus (2) item for you.
from the ones listed on
disguise kit at no penalty.
pg. 230 of the Core Book.
23
"I have had the honor of being the mentor of a few young mages in my lifetime and
I have always found the experience to be a pleasant one. That's not to say I haven't
had my fair share of troublemakers leashed to me to temper their disruptive tenden-
cies. But I haven't met a student yet that I couldn't teach."
−Glynnis var Treharne
24
Danger
Roll Cautious Politicking Experimentation Magical Study
Magical Block
In your studies you neglected
Grudge
Overdraw one of the elements in favor
Someone hurt
In your arrogance or of others. Pick one element;
your feelings, or
Debt your ignorance, you drew earth, air, fire, or water. When
you hurt theirs.
1 You fell 1d10 x 100 too much power into casting spells of this element,
Nevertheless, one of you
Crowns in debt. your body and suffered you take a cumulative-2 to
is holding a grudge from
the consequences. Lower the Spell Casting check. Each
this event. Roll on the
your Hit Points by 2. time you get this Danger
Grudges table on pg. 28.
you must either choose the
same element or a new one.
Monster Encounter
Demonic Encounter
You had a near death
At some point, whether
False Accusation experience while studying a
it was your own doing, or
You were falsely accused monster. Choose a monster
Addiction the workings of a fellow
of something. Roll 1d10. from the Witcher TRPG.
You developed an student, you came in
1-2: Theft, 3: Treason, 4: You now have a phobia
addiction to something. contact with a demon.
2 Cowardice, 5: Rape, 6: of this creature and take
You can pick your You may have fled or
Murder, 7: Fraud, 8: a -2 to Courage checks
poison. See Core perhaps you fought for
Forbidden Magic, 9: Tax against it. Additionally,
Book (pg. 32). your life but either way,
Evasion, 10: Unethical you must make a Courage
you bear the demon’s
Practices. check at DC:15 when first
lucifuge and they always
encountering any instance of
know where you are.
this creature or be Staggered.
Overdrew from a Place
Betrayed
Fell Ill of Power
You were betrayed by a Deemed Dangerous
You fell ill from a You found a Place of Power,
friend or acquaintance. Something you
wasting disease. You but in your inexperience
Choose a friend and did labeled you as
eventually recovered, overdrew from it and was
3 make them an enemy. dangerous to the people
but it left behind some permanently scarred in the
If you don’t currently of a kingdom. In this
lasting fatigue. You process. Every Place of Power
have any friends make a kingdom you are wanted
lower your you draw from requires an
new one and then mark by the authorities.
STA by 2. Endurance save as if you were
them as an enemy.
drawing from it a second time.
Accident
Loud Telepathy
Roll 1d10. 1-4: You
You learn the Telepathy
were disfigured. Caught Red Handed
Spell. You tried to improve
Change your social You were caught Lasting Scars
upon the basic telepathy
standing to Feared, attempting to One of your
spell, but the result was not
5-6: You were manipulate others into experiments backfired
what you expected. When
bedridden for 1d10 doing your dirty work. horrendously,
5 you spy telepathically on a
months, 7-8: You Roll on the Grudges deforming your face.
target, you cannot help but
lost 1d10 months of table on pg. 28 for an Change your social
emit a low mumble in their
memory from that year, enemy. This enemy standing to Feared.
mind that may alert them.
9-10: You suffer from must have a Power
Anyone you spy upon can
horrible nightmares based in Minions.
roll an Awareness check at
(7 in 10 chance each
a DC: 15 to sense you.
time you sleep).
Magical Allergy
Polymorphed
You have developed
Social Faux Pas You spent the decade
an allergy to magic.
Imprisonment You made a terrible polymorphed by another
Whenever you drink
Something you did social faux pas at a mage. It took a long time
a potion or elixir,
6 (or a false accusation) gathering of mages to find a way to reverse it.
in addition to the
had you imprisoned and are now treated To this day, you have kept
standard effects, you
for 1d10 months. as Tolerated by other some of the mannerisms of
also suffer from the
mages instead of Equal. that animal. You suffer a -2
Nausea condition for the
to your Social Etiquette.
duration of the elixir.
Arthritis
Your hands have trouble Wanted by Hunters
Rival
making the intricate Lost a Sense You did something so careless
Through your actions,
gestures required for Your experiments have and heinous with your
you have made a rival
spell casting without cost you much. You lost magic that a church sent a
of another school
9 pain. You suffer a the sense of taste, smell pair of Witch Hunters (or
member. Roll on the
-1 penalty to your or touch. You have a -2 Mage Hunters in Nilfgaard)
Grudges table on pg.
Spell Casting checks penalty on skill checks after you. They are enemies
28, but they must be
whenever you cast that rely on that sense. that will do anything to
the offended party.
a spell that requires subdue or kill you.
hand movement.
Retained by a Noble
Hexed
A minor noble hired you
You were hexed, either Mutation
for your magical abilities Cursed
by your own hand or Your attempts at
and arcane knowledge. You cursed yourself by
someone you irritated. understanding mutagens
Each month, you gain a accident, trying to understand
Work with the GM to backfired. You gain
stipend of 100 crowns. the workings of curses.
10 pick an appropriate the physical changes
However, you must go Work with the GM to
hex from the ones of a Minor Mutation
to them immediately pick an appropriate curse
listed on pg. 105 or pg. of a Mutagen of your
whenever they summon from the ones listed on pg.
120 of the Core book. choice and the changes
you and perform any 230 of the Core Book.
Your character has in Social Standing.
tasks they require of you
yet to undo the hex.
or risk angering them.
Grudges
Roll Profession The Cause Escalation Power
1 Criminal Sold out the offended party They/you have forgotten about it Social
2 Mercenary Backstabbed the offended party They/you are on the lookout Social
Turned down the They/you have forgiven the aggressor
3 Merchant Knowledge
offended party but could be pushed back
Kept the offended party They/you are actively scheming
4 Artisan Knowledge
from acquiring something against the other
Stole something from
5 Scholar They/you want nothing to do with the other Physical
the offended party
They/you are planning to go
6 Druid Caused the offended party harm Physical
after the other’s loved ones
Tried to ruin the offended
7 Priest They/you are trying to sabotage the other Minions
party’s reputation
8 Mage Manipulated the offended party They/you are just spreading harmful rumors Minions
Tried to poison the They/you are mad enough to fly into
9 Knight Magic
offended party a rage at your next meeting
10 Noble Insulted the offended party They/you are looking for allies to hurt the other Magic
29
Benefit
Roll Event
Scouted out a Prospective Mage
You found a young person gifted with Chaos. You helped them
1 bring their powers under control and trained them to be a mage.
You are in constant communication and can ask them to re-
search magical matters for you. You gain a Mage Ally.
Moved into a Community
You moved near a small village. The people there slowly
opened up to you as you helped them with their woes. You
2
will always be welcome there, and they will even offer shelter
and food should you need it. While in this region you are
always treated as Equal.
Payment Due
3 Someone owes you 600 crowns and you have kept the right to
collect at any moment, even after decades.
Familiar
You have gained the friendship of an animal that follows you ev-
4
erywhere. This can be a cat, a dog, a bird, or a serpent. This an-
imal is trained and follows your commands unless you abuse it.
Love Affair
You found a lover who appreciated your magical talents and
5 made a meaningful connection. Roll 1d10. 1-6: it lasted a few
months, 7-8: it lasted a few years, 9-10: it’s still going on and
off.
Won a Duel
You fought another mage in a magic duel and came out the
6 victor. You took an item of theirs as a trophy. Roll 1d10. 1-4:
An Elven Walking Staff, 5-8: A Gnomish Staff, 9-10: A Crystal
Skull.
Found a Portal
You discovered the location of an old elven portal. Roll 1d10.
On an even number it is still active; roll 1d10 again for the
7 destination: 1-3: An old glade in Dol Blathanna, 4-5: the Tir
Tochair mountains, 6-8: a swamp in northern Kaedwen, 9-10:
deep under the city of Novigrad. The portal can also, at the
GM’s discretion, lead to another destination.
Battle Magic Training
8 You spent the decade training to battle other magic users and
resist their power. You gain +1 to Resist Magic.
Place of Power
You have found the location of a Place of Power and harnessed
9
its energy. You gain 5 Units of Fifth Essence. Work with the GM
to determine where it is, and which element it is attuned to.
Armored Casting
You have practiced casting in armor. Subtract 1 from the total
10
EV of all the armor you are wearing for the purposes of spell
casting. If you already have this benefit you re-roll this result.
30
Allies
Roll Profession How You Met Closeness Value
1 Criminal You studied with them Acquaintances Social
You saved them
2 Mercenary Acquaintances Social
from an accident
You supported them
3 Merchant Acquaintances Knowledge
at a tough time
You backed them
4 Artisan Acquaintances Knowledge
against a betrayal
You were one-time
5 Scholar Acquaintances Physical
romantic partners
You set out to
6 Druid Acquaintances Physical
manipulate them
You showed them
7 Priest Friends Minions
genuine kindness
8 Mage You set out to study them Friends Minions
You helped them
9 Knight Friends Magic
backstab someone
You met during
10 Noble Bound by Bond Magic
some punishment
31
Knowledge
Roll Knowledge
Stumped by a Curse
You began delving into the workings of a particularly vile curse that has been affecting a
1
family for generations. While you could not dispel it, your findings gave you insight into
the nature of curses. You gain a +1 to Magical Training and a +1 to Hex Weaving.
Memorized Formulae
2 You spent your decade memorizing spell formulae. Choose one Novice and one
Journeyman spell. You begin the game knowing both of these spells.
Magical Biologist
3 You spent a great deal of time studying the inherent magic of monsters like leshen and fiends. You begin
the game knowing the Imbue Trophy Ritual. If you already have this knowledge you re-roll this result.
Zerrikanian Alchemy
4 You spent your time studying the alchemy of the Zerrikanian scholars. You
begin the game with the Formula for Zerrikanian Fire memorized.
Encyclopedia Arcana
6 You spent this decade diving into the laws of Chaos, its evolution, and its uses. You gain a
+2 to Magic Training. If you already have this knowledge you re-roll this result.
Teacher’s Assistant
8 You spent your time helping a teacher or perhaps your mentor. When teaching new
spells to other mages, you halve the number of learning checks required.
Apprenticed to an Alchemist
9 You spent some time studying the finer points of alchemy. You begin the game
with any 2 novice alchemical formulae and gain a +1 to Alchemy.
Divination Expert
10 You delved into the study of divination and clairvoyance. You begin the game knowing
either the Hydromancy, Pyromancy, Tyromancy, or Oneiromancy Ritual.
32
A Little Knowledge
1271, Gweison Haul • Transcribed by Alec von Karst
33
“...So, by positioning your hand over the dish and focusing on bring- Aleister, briefly taken aback at the sudden opportunity, started
ing just enough flame to ignite the candle without melting, we can see clambering over his classmates to the stairs. His last obstacle was a
how controlling breath controls thoughts and thoughts control Chaos…” boy who sat transfixed, wide-eyed at this boldness. Aleister met his
Glynnis held her palm flat above a deep terracotta bowl in illustra- gaze and the child retreated, bolting from the room as the new lec-
tion, and her candle flickered to life, floating in the water. She glanced turer took to his stage with the confidence of a performer.
at the ranks of students ranked above her lecture space, encircling the “We learn to deal with the minutiae of power, with petty, limited
hall. Black-clad in the uniform of Gweison Haul, most likewise wore tricks that must never be demonstrated to a wider audience lest we
expressions of concentration as they worked the experiment. scare them. In the priesthood, initiates our age are trained to glory
A flickering giggle drew her scrutiny to the back of the room to see in their abilities! All is done in honor of the Great Sun; the people
a student rewarded for his lapse in attention with a flash of flame and can see what their leaders accomplish in its name! We are capable of
a face full of steam as the liquid performed its dual function of safety much more than we are permitted to show!”
valve and salutary example. The sound of the door and heavy footsteps drew Glynnis’
“Master Kai, if you are uninjured, kindly replace your water. attention, but her gaze remained fixed on Aleister, her mind rac-
Everyone else, snuff your flames and try again. As Kai has demon- ing. Always sincere in his beliefs, this was a whole new level. He’d
strated, in losing concentration you lose control. This is a minor been attending extra-curricular classes with priests of the Great
working in a peaceful room—imagine you stand in the ranks in bat- Sun; what had they taught and why hadn’t she made time to mon-
tle, drawing power to aid your comrades while men scream and die, itor their activities? She drew in a breath to remonstrate, calm the
purely to distract you.” situation, regain control.
That earned a ripple of shy laughter. It usually did. At least one “Aleister, you raise interesting questions we should discuss,
calmly.” Too late she felt the unmistakable prickle of the boy drawing
student received an impromptu steam bath every time she taught this
in power.
experiment, discomfiting them without true pain. Glynnis was mildly
surprised only Kai the joker had washed his face, she’d anticipated “I’ll show you what I’ve learned—what I can do! Then you’ll
over-enthusiasm from another source… understand!”
A strangled intake of breath from the front row she knew from Aleister drew in fire, pointed both hands at Glynnis’ bowl and
experience meant “I have an opinion and you may not appreciate hurled a stream of flame that splashed like oil and washed out in a
it.” There we are. wave, filling the lecture floor. Glynnis barely had time to throw up
a defense; the flames split and flowed past her, lapping against the
“You have something to add on the topic of self-restraint, Mas-
front-most desks as students recoiled from the heat.
ter Aleister?” Glynnis kept her face neutral, but a smile touched her
The table and paneling were cracked and blackened; Glynnis
voice. Aleister was talented and intelligent and instructing him was
stood untouched while fragments of her notes rained embers around
a welcome test of her own control.
her. It was so much worse for Aleister.
“Mistress Var Treharne, this is ridiculous!” The words burst from
The boy let out a wail of agony and collapsed to his knees as his
a boy in the center front row, his accustomed place. “Why do you not
arms scorched away, revealing twitching tendons and blackened
truly test us? Why do we play with candles and hold our breath when
bone without the mercy of allowing him to faint.
the forces of Chaos are ours to command?”
From the doorway, a cry.
“As your classmate has just demonstrated, Master Aleister, not
“See! I told you—he’s dangerous!”
everyone has yet attained your finely-tuned self-control and preci-
sion. Were it not for the lessons you learn here, your emotions might Suddenly, armored men were running down the steps, filling the
overwhelm you in stressful moments. I have engravings to pass floor, while the boy who had fled pointed accusingly as Glynnis tried to
around of the injuries that may be sustained through unwise power summon the coherence of thought to cast a healing spell on the wreckage
drawing and I caution you they make for grim viewing” of the child before her.
She was jolted from her spiraling thoughts when two of the men—
Aleister flushed and Glynnis realized something was amiss. He
Mage Hunters, she now registered—gripped Aleister by his shoulders
challenged her teachings daily, but this was new, harsher, and out of
and pushed his head down. Glynnis started forward, a plea for pity
step with their usually amicable exchanges.
on her lips, but powerful hands stopped her in her tracks. There was
“That’s a failure in your students, Mistress! Their faith failed them, nothing to be done as their captain declared Aleister’s crime and sen-
and they lost control. If we hold to the Great Sun, surplus Power is tence, their right and duty within Gweison Haul. In another breath
safely channeled away, protecting the faithful mage! All you’re doing is the axe swept down, ending Aleister’s torment and sending his sev-
holding back more capable students to save the slower feeling foolish!” ered head rolling across the floor, an expression of agonized confu-
Fervor shook his voice and Glynnis felt a growing chill of concern, sion on his face.
though her own lessons in control kept it from her face. This needed A ripple of approval spread through the class as the Hunters released
defusing; if Aleister didn’t vent he’d burst and if she could isolate his and saluted Glynnis, their task complete, a dangerous rogue dispatched.
ideas, this might be turned to a lesson for the class. One to hopefully They filed out, all shining mail and heroic stature and only the force of
prevent a favorite student from immolating himself one fine day. ingrained habit prevented her from dropping to the floor and wailing.
“I don’t recall any teachings referring to protecting ourselves Without removing her gaze from Aleister’s as his remains were uncere-
from our own foolishness, Aleister. But please, I am always willing to moniously carried away, Glynnis spoke with all apparent control.
learn. Come, the floor is yours.” “Class. Dismissed.”
34
35
Priests
“Faith is important; it can give comfort, strength, and help believers extract sense from a confus-
ing world. But a gentle faith in another climate may turn harsh; a simple belief twisted and com-
plex. I walk cautiously as a stranger around the faithful until I discover the flower or the flame.”
−Glynnis var Treharne
I believe this will be the most controversial chapter in their magical power by their Goddess but do not believe
the book: priests and magic. The standard explanation is that they are being used as a conduit for their Goddess. The
that priests can use priestly magic, like invocations and priestesses of Melitele especially are keepers of knowledge
incantations, because their gods or the powers they wor- and often have schools within their temples. The religions of
ship use magic through the priest. This is an important the goddesses are common throughout the North and in the
point because in this age of backlash against mages, many northern provinces of Nilfgaard. They exist quietly among
priests draw a thin line with their invocations on one side, the people. In Nilfgaard, because of the official status of the
and the terrible, ungodly mage spells on the other side. Great Sun, the faith of Melitele may be somewhat overshad-
Let’s look at where priestly power comes from. Priests of owed but temples and priestesses can still be found. In the
Kreve and the Eternal Flame claim their magic comes from a North, besides education the priestesses are alchemical as
holy being. They are trained by old, venerable priests of their well as magical healers. They encourage people to live with
faith who have spent decades manifesting their god’s magic nature and they dispense common sense.
through themselves. The concept is that the priest is taught Then there is the Great Sun. The power of the Great Sun
how to contact their god, and how to receive his power. As is seen in different ways in different parts of Nilfgaard. On
far as we know, the power of Kreve or the Eternal Flame can the fringes, the small local farming villages, some still believe
be used for good or evil purposes. I think we can agree that that the Emperor is in some way connected to the sun and is
the work with the Order of the Flaming Rose was morally a focus for the power of said heavenly body. The main tem-
dubious at best. These priests are generally found in towns ple of the Great Sun is adjacent to the imperial palace. It is
and cities. In larger cities they may have many beautifully beautiful inside and out and its exterior contributes to Nilf-
decorated temples with an “eternal” flame in each. These
gaard’s capital being named the City of Golden Towers. All
are faiths for people who want a well-controlled, predict-
temples of the Great Sun, large or small, are subsidized by
able faith that will tell you what you should and should not
the government. Priests and priestesses can marry and have
be doing. Besides keeping the temple, and listening to the
families as it is consistent with the values of the Great Sun.
supplications of followers who come to them with concerns,
As long as one is loyal to the Empire and fulfills their civic
priests may be involved with local charities and local pol-
responsibilities the faith encourages the comforting values
itics. They usually encourage conformity and promote the
of home, family, filial responsibilities, humility, hard work,
absolute power of kings.
and charity. Education is overseen by the Imperial Office of
The priestly power wielded by the followers of Mel- Education and is not related to religion.
itele and Freya the Great Mother of the Skelligers are less
straightforward. In both cases the goddess is one with the In all of these religions, incantations and invocations of
natural world. A lot of their magic is healing of mind and the power of their god is trained but functions primarily
body, and fertility. It suggests that Melitele and the Great through focused will and piety.
Mother are focuses for the natural powers. As far as I know, —Brandon of Oxenfurt
the priestesses of both of these groups believe they are given
36
Why is a Priest not a Mage? recipes to follow, both for their casting and their lifting.
These imposed misfortunes are cast simply by following the
To the literal uninitiated, a priest and a mage may appear to be instructions to the letter. Like baking an unpleasant cake.
capable of exactly the same feats. They draw and channel power Does priestly magic come from a god? Something powers
laypeople don’t understand and change the world around them their invocations, but these are designed in such a way as
to a degree both incomprehensible and terrifying. And yet a to render mages incapable of comprehending the necessary
fully trained mage cannot attempt to perform an invocation mindset. Priests internalize prescribed portions of lore and
that a novitiate can perform with relative ease. Both are gener- chant, declaim or mutter these to invoke the power of their
ating supernatural effects, so what’s the difference? deity, working themselves into a state approaching self-hyp-
A mage approaches the study of Chaos and its manipula- nosis. It does not seem to depend upon how “good” or “evil”
tion in terms of science first, art second. They learn to chan- they are, simply that they deploy their belief in the power of
nel the quantities of the correct form of Chaos that they need their chosen divinity to accomplish their goals.
to achieve their desired effect. Casting spells in a heightened
emotional state can lead to overdrawing power, with undesired Priests and the Common People
consequences. Priests draw upon their own fervor and faith to
perform invocations. They have passion, depth of belief, and Irrespective of the dominant faith of a region, the dedication
a certainty that their abilities come from their spiritual con- of priests in their training and work garners the respect of
nection to a power greater than themselves. That is anathema common folk, if not their belief. Unless running up against
to the analytical soul of many mages, and hence invocations someone actively opposed to their god, or to gods as a con-
simply make no sense to them and are mere words. cept, priests are regarded as responsible parties, and their
opinions carry weight. This influence is especially strong
Where they find common ground is in the most formu-
over followers of their own deity and magnified where there
laic of workings. Anyone capable of channeling a thread
is one dominant faith, such as Nilfgaard, where the Great
of power can learn how to cast a Ritual, with its clear rules
Sun often over-shadows all alternatives. A village priest may
and defined effects. Hexes likewise come with standardized
be all a peasant ever sees of the clergy, so to them, they are
the embodiment of the faith.
Leadership and political squabbles are entirely outside the
purview of the man on the street; all they see is someone who
heals the sick, rallies the faithful, and can pull lightning from
the sky to defend their flock. They perceive priestly magic as
“cleaner” than the more incomprehensible mage workings
without the associated taint of dark arts. Thus, priests repre-
sent a bulwark against what might harm ordinary people, be
that monsters, rival faiths, or subversion. Priests of almost all
stripes hold positions as pillars of the community, holding
the responsibility of being trusted by the people.
The Nonbelievers
Despite a plethora of gods and mystical powers to choose
from, there are still those who simply do not believe. These
people do not disbelieve in the effects of priestly magic
but do not call them “miracles.” They don’t get to ignore
invocations, nor gain any special defense against them—
it’s their source they doubt, not their efficacy. Nonbelievers
normally fall into one of three groups: gods exist but are
unworthy of worship, gods may or may not exist, or gods
are simply a justification for the spell casting of priests.
The first includes those who feel failed by their faith
or representatives of a deity. This can destroy their belief
37
their ranks whose task was to oversee the peaceful relations This model ultimately fell out of favor as over time the
between priesthoods of different deities, serve as negotiators Hierarchs began to pick favorites from the pantheon. Cyrus
between local clergy and monarchs, and help with the orga- Engelkind Hemmelfart, elected in early 1250s as the Hier-
nization and funding of new temples in areas of their care. arch of Novigrad, chose the Eternal Fire as a force to lead
The Hierarchs were, at least officially, equal in importance, the hearts of his subjects and promoted its worship with the
but it soon became apparent that in practice the most esteem help of Novigrad’s Chancellor of Security, Chappelle. Simi-
was tied to the five Hierarchs close to seats of powers in the larly, Krevenic Hengist Pikker, the Hierarch of Ard Carraigh,
Four Kingdoms and Cintra, with the Hierarch of Novigrad started to promote Kreve, the heavenly god of expansion, to
who was often chosen to act as a mediator between con- justify King Henselt’s conquests. The last truly ecumenical
flicted Nordling kings. Hierarch who strove to keep intact the balance of power
between churches in the realm of his care was Olcan Gran-
demot, the Hierarch of Vengerberg who cared even for Freya
who was revered by Skelliger mercenaries who were hired
during the Loremark War. Olcan’s death at the hands of King
Henselt marks the final step to the end of this dialogue.
The aforementioned monotheistic tendencies might ulti-
mately lead to a situation akin to the position of the Church
of the Great Sun in the Empire. Here, only one faith is
officially recognized by the state, with others not officially
banned but often overshadowed. Each province has a clerical
Council called a Synod that is composed of arch priests of
regional Great Sun temples. In the major provinces, there are
also hierarchs, called Incandescents. Unlike in the North, the
Great Sun’s Incandescents hold supreme power over lower
clergy, and are themselves held accountable to the Emperor.
On the other hand, the organization of the priesthood is
very different in Skellige. Here, while Hindarsfjall is treated
as the spiritual center of the kingdom, all temples are entirely
autonomous. Despite a lack of centralized hierarchy or cler-
ical Councils, Skellige is refreshingly devoid of theological
conflicts. Druids, and worshipers of Freya, Sea Gods, or the
Heroes, don’t feel the need to squabble about the primacy
of their school of thought as they are bound in one culture.
An entirely different matter are the Dark Cults, as their
followers tend to be unwelcome even in the most tolerant
regions of the Continent. Worshiping gods with a deep
interest in blood and death requires secrecy. Dark cultists
determine the wishes and goals of their deity on a far more
localized basis than the mainstream “cults” and the leader-
ship of each circle, cell, or web is determined by cunning and
strength rather than assigned from above by a hierarch or a
council. Promotion via “Dead Man’s Shoes” is the usual way
of climbing the ranks for people prone to meeting masked,
in isolated places, with the goal of bringing misfortune in the
interest of personal power.
39
The Flaming
Rose Now
The Eternal Fire
After the catastrophe in
Vizima and the death of
their Grand Master just
a few months prior, the
chaos at the Loc Muinne
Summit, and a crushing
defeat at the hands of the
Nilfgaardian war ma-
chine, the Order of the
Flaming Rose has been
all but destroyed. King
Radovid V has reclaimed
and sold their fortresses
and estates and effective-
ly disbanded the order The Eternal Fire is not a deity—the scriptures describe It as a divine force, the power that fuels the hearts
in the eyes of the church. of both gods and mortals in a perpetual fight against evil. Its Church stands as a light in the world’s dark-
The few remaining mem-
ness, a guide both spiritual and toward progress and advancement. Its focus is on defending the faithful
bers have largely gone
their separate ways with against evil, whether that be within themselves or from external forces that would harm or corrupt them.
many of them joining Representatives of the Eternal Fire can be found spread across the North, in most towns and many
Radovid’s Witch Hunt- villages. The church is centered in the Free City of Novigrad, which houses a full nineteen temples to
ers and a small faction the faith. Largest and most imposing of these is the Great Temple of the Eternal Fire, seat of the Hier-
turning to drug-dealing arch of Novigrad. An elected position, they are voted in by the Electoral College of Novigrad, a body
to make a living. Still, a of priests and high-ranking local worthies, as part of their civic duty. The power of the church in the
few knights have not giv-
city is growing rapidly, and there are concerns that it will eventually undermine the city government.
en up on their order and
wander the realm seek- In the towns and villages of the Northern Kingdoms, the Eternal Fire offers a sense of security to
ing to carry on Jacques the populace. It is strident in its morality but has no desire to lose congregants to the forces of darkness
de Aldersburg’s goals. and will take steps to hire aid or distribute charity to those of the faithful in times of need. When an
enemy is less immediately obvious, the faithful might look to their purses and wonder what exactly
it is that the church does for them. Here, it has proven necessary for the priesthood to expand their
definition of “evil.” The true cleansing wrath falls upon non-humans, practitioners of sorcery, and any
who threaten the congregation. The harsh principles of the church are attractive to zealots and fanatics
who then act according to their own interpretations of its scriptures.
An effective and popular way of disposing of evildoers is through the cleansing power of flame, specifi-
cally pyres and stakes, depending upon the occasion. Burning the local witch in the town square is the sort
of statement that makes people consider their own beliefs, and cling to them even more vocally, lest they be
judged “evil.” The Eternal Fire has its own Inquisitors to ferret out and interrogate suspects, through tortures
frequently involving flames and branding. Priests are known by their red and white robes, often adorned
with a black cross with golden filigree. This faith primarily appeals to men, though it numbers some women
within the zealous ranks of its priests. The church also maintains lay members, including Witch Hunters,
and a dedicated unit of Temple Guards in Novigrad.
The Spread of
the Great Sun
The Great Sun
After the end of the First
Northern War, the faith
of the Great Sun began
to spread north. Fanat-
ics, mystics, and priests
began to preach the good
word of the Great Sun,
linking it to the prophe-
cy of the legendary Elven
oracle, Ithlinne aep Aeve-
nien. Ithlinne’s Prophecy
declared that the world
would be destroyed by
the White Frost and The Church of the Great Sun is the official state religion of the Nilfgaardian Empire and the Em-
would be born anew by peror, Emhyr var Emreis, is also the Head of the Church. While the Emperor has no part in the
the White Flame and church’s day to day affairs and is not a trained priest of the Great Sun, it has been tradition for
the White Queen. These the Emperor to be the Head of the Church since the time of Emperor Torres var Emreis. During
itinerant priests claimed Torres var Emreis’ rise to power, his followers claimed that he was the literal incarnation of the
that Emperor Emhyr var
Sun and held the divine right to rule over the land. There are speculations that this belief came
Emreis, the White Flame
Dancing on the Barrows from more ancient beliefs held by the humans who lived around the River Alba but regardless, this
of his Enemies, was the belief in a divine right of rulership helped found Nilfgaard. As time passed, the faith evolved and
legendary White Flame the Var Emreis family came to merely be blessed by the Great Sun and not descend from the Sun
which would bring life itself. Still, a few people in the most rural regions believe this to be true.
back to the world. While
the Northern Monarchs While its political power is now limited, the church of the Great Sun lies at the heart of the
quickly cracked down on Nilfgaardian Empire. The banners of the black-armored military bear the emblem of The Great
these preachers, there are
Sun, and most imperial citizens follow its tenet. Among the knights and aristocracy of the Empire,
still Nordling worshipers
of the Great Sun who see the tenants of the Great Sun exist as a set of guidelines for living and a reminder of the power
the Emperor as a savior of the imperial family. The church extols the virtues of bravery, loyalty, and cooperation while
who will usher in a new, also giving the nobility of Nilfgaard a clear way to distance themselves from the commoners.
utopian world. Those who support the Emperor are seen highly in the eyes of the church and are often rewarded.
Among the commoners of the Empire and beyond, the Church of the Great Sun offers a light in
dark times. The faith teaches that if one lives their life by the virtues of the Great Sun and shows
their loyalty to the Empire they will flourish and the Empire will protect them from the ravages
of the world. Despite all of the morally gray actions of the Nilfgaardian Empire, the Church of
the Great Sun is a supportive organization which encourages familial devotion, community, and
respect for the natural world among the often beleaguered people of the Continent. On a day-to-
day basis, priests of the Great Sun organize celebrations, hand out small gifts or cakes at festivals,
and involve themselves in every emotional beat in the lives of the faithful, with ceremonies for
births, marriages, and deaths.
Shrines and temples to the Great Sun are common throughout Nilfgaard and its territories.
The priests themselves are distinguished by their robes, normally black accented with gold or
silver. At significant occasions such as eclipses or the sitting Emperor and High Priest’s birthday
priests will wear gold or yellow vestments with complex patterns of embroidery. In addition, they
bear white enameled masks on chains around their necks, which are worn during services and
heavily painted with stylized images of the Sun. Among some priests blonde hair is considered
most fashionable and some rising priests commission wigs, formally styled, and worn as part of
their ceremonial garb.
43
Church
Protectors
Melitele
“Heh, funny thing about
temples of Melitele. Plenty
folk think they’re good
targets for raiding and
what not. All staffed by
scholarly women, plenty
of statues and herbs to
steal. And ya might just
get away with that in a
tiny town somewhere in
the backwoods. Plenty of
The archetypal goddess of fertility and birth, Melitele’s cult is one of the oldest in the world
temples that don’t train
their priestesses to fight.
and stands despite the effort of newer faiths to subsume it. She is the classic embodiment of the
But let me tell ya, they maiden, mother, crone vision of womanhood and has a great deal in common with Freya. So
don’t have to. I personally much so that it is possible both deities are simply different aspects of the same being. Whatever
watched a group of ban- the truth, her cult has proven resilient and expansive. Melitele is primarily worshiped in her
dits try to break down a aspect as a mother but her shrines may show any of her faces and her temples house three-
temple’s doors in Aedirn sided statues displaying her in her entirety. As a guardian of women in childbirth, her name
a few years ago. ‘Course is frequently on the lips of women in pain, as they are tended to by her clergy. In this, she is a
I was about to get my powerful protector of women, adapted from the primal beliefs of the earliest human cultures,
crossbow when I see folk merged into the form and worship of the goddess.
comin’ outta every hut.
Heh, every brother, son, The Cult of Melitele can be found throughout the Northern Kingdoms, whether in large tem-
husband, and father in ples or rough, but carefully tended shrines. Although her appeal is predominantly to women,
the damn town turned many men are numbered among her worshipers. Men with wives or sweethearts going through
out carrying every- difficult births, or those hoping for children are especially likely to make offerings and prayers to
thing from wood axes to Melitele. In addition, people who work closely with and depend upon the natural world for their
kitchen knives!” living; farmers, herders, and similar may worship her in her aspect of an embodiment of kindly
—Rodolf Kazmer nature and fertility.
Although the regional leadership of the cult may act according to their own guidance, the
leaders will meet from time to time to discuss and agree on future policy and direction for the
faith. This spirit of co-operation extends to other churches; while priests of Melitele may not agree
completely with those of Kreve or the newer and more aggressive Eternal Fire, they debate them
in clerical councils and attempt to foster peaceable agreements, so that their ministrations are
unhindered. They are generally on good terms with druids and the followers of other nature-wor-
shiping sects, recognizing their common ground and shared origins.
The priesthood of Melitele accepts only women, though men are free to worship her and serve
her as laypeople. There is a strong tradition of service within the cult, and you can find priests
of Melitele working as healers and midwives or supporting populations during times of war or
plague. The structure of the priesthood has evolved to be quite formal and fairly scientific; novices
learn biology, botany, medicine, and arithmetic alongside the scriptures of the faith. This renders
them eminently practical and capable in their future careers as healers and helpers. In terms of
dress, Melitele’s priesthood wears red, gray, or white dresses or robes, with close-fitting hoods or
wimples. During formal occasions or when they wish to be more visible, such as in war zones or
other crises, they wear a headband over the wimple fronted by a tall, polished bronze miter. They
frequently carry pouches with medical supplies at their belts when in their temples or satchels
with similar when traveling. They are respected by the population, as they save lives when people
are at their most vulnerable and are known for their practical and unflappable demeanor.
45
Also known as the Lionheaded Spider, Coram Agh Tera The Lady of Horses holds sway over horses, mules, ponies,
is revered as a deity of death, black magic, and the night. and those who rely upon them. Her worship is unevenly dis-
It is an enigmatic figure which has been depicted in many tributed; on the Continent, she is strongly revered by those
forms from a monstrous spider lurking in the darkness to an whose fate she governs but little elsewhere. Some aspects of
unfathomable being weaving a massive web beyond reality. Epona’s worship are reportedly shared by horse cults in Ofier
Unlike many other deities, the Lionheaded Spider offers and Hakland, but the details of this relation are yet uncon-
direct favors in return for dark sacrifices. Priests of Coram firmed. Epona’s good graces are sought by riders, stablemen,
Agh Tera give themselves to this dark force in return for farmers, and racers; anyone who lives with and uses horses
aid, spending their lives maintaining its temples in secluded or horse-adjacent animals. She protects and loves the beasts
areas of the Continent. They adorn these temples with carved and those who harm them risk her wrath—rumors persist of
bones and braziers of acrid green fire and act as middlemen brutal owners beating their mounts and being found tram-
between the Lionheaded Spider and the people of the Con- pled into the sod in the morning. Epona is associated with
tinent. Priests of the Lionheaded Spider master the art of fertility, both as it pertains to horses and also crops, making
weaving potent curses and learn to induce a trance-like state her doubly important to those working the land. Farmers
in those who come to the temple, allowing them to bargain will invoke her name in hope of a healthy foal and when fol-
with Coram Agh Tera. Coram Agh Tera’s blessings always lowing the plow behind their hardworking mare to encour-
require a meaningful sacrifice of equivalent value. This price age a bountiful harvest.
is communicated directly by Coram Agh Tera and rarely do One specific aspect of the goddess is venerated by sol-
two hopefuls receive the same price. The only guarantee is diers; this started with cavalrymen but spread downward
that this price will be bloody and will require personal sacri- through the ranks of many continental militaries over time.
fice. Frequently, people are drawn to the Cult of Coram Agh In this aspect, Epona appears as an archer on horseback,
Tera when they have nowhere else to turn. When other faiths standing as a protective force for those that fight in defense
refuse to help, the desperate few are drawn into the Lion- of their homes. Homemade altars to Epona sometimes
headed Spider’s web. spring up in barracks and military encampments, and her
It is unknown how the cult of Coram Agh Tera was ceremonies are often conducted by devoted cavalry officers
founded but the Church of the Eternal Fire claims that before great battles. Outside of the military, Epona’s worship
Coram Agh Tera is a demon manipulating the weak. How- includes people of all genders, all of whom are skilled at rid-
ever, despite the many rumors, priest of Coram Agh Tera ing and handling horses. There is no dedicated priesthood of
are not bloodthirsty murderers. They do not force anyone to the Lady of Horses but particularly pious knights, farmers,
sacrifice, only give them the incentive. There are, however, and travelers have been known to dedicate themselves to her
unaffiliated cultists who believe they are chosen by the Lion- worship. These acolytes travel the Continent performing fer-
headed Spider or have awakened another dark force trying tility ceremonies and animal blessings in Epona’s name and
to contact it. These individuals are genuinely dangerous, sac- tending to her shrines which usually stand on roadsides and
rificing others in droves in hopes of gaining dark power. frequently include natural springs.
46
Lilvani Morrigan
In centuries past Lilvani was worshiped in the North as God- Morrigan, known to some as the Queen of the Veil, is an
dess of the Moon and of peaceful death and burials. Her cult ancient goddess of war, knowledge, fate, spirits, and magic.
was particularly prevalent in Ellander, Nazair, Mettina, and Reliefs of this warrior goddess were first found among the
Velen, the latter housing a large temple to her in the cave menhirs of the Dauk people of Nimnar Valley. Similar depic-
system near Toderas. Unfortunately, this ancient goddess fell tions have been found as far south as Angren and in caves on
out of favor and her temples were neglected and destroyed, the islands of Skellige suggesting that her worship was once
as much by time as by rivals. Many suggest that the wor- widespread among early humans. The modern worship of
ship of Melitele was the primary factor in the organic demise Morrigan is relegated to small remote communities across
of the older cult, as her worship spread widely among the the Northern Realms though interactions with the traders of
women of the Continent. Some even go so far as to say that the Far North suggest that she is more commonly worshiped
Melitele is another face of Lilvani or vice versa. beyond the Dragon Mountains.
Where Lilvani is still depicted it is as a naked, beauti- The Queen of the Veil is depicted as being a wise mon-
ful woman with a somber expression on her face, but with arch, capable of outright bloodshed but also possessed of the
her arms spread in welcome. Her visage can still be found wisdom to understand when guile and cunning were more
in ancient crypts and other burial places and her shrines in useful. She is depicted as wearing heavy armor of metal and
alcoves and caves where the moon can shine upon them, leather and carrying a bearded axe. Her symbol and sacred
directly or through holes carved in the roof. One of the only creatures are ravens, and her followers revere them.
remaining artifacts of Lilvani is the Moon Blade, a powerful When humans from the Landing of Exiles expanded into
silver sword blessed by one of the Goddesses few surviving Angren, they discovered Ard Gwyd, a forested mountain
priests to combat a powerful demon. among the Slopes with the ruins of an ancient fort at it’s peak.
The priesthood of Lilvani tended toward women but also The ruins showed signs of having once been a grand fortress
numbered a significant proportion of men. Historically they and the remains of tattered tapestries and ruined murals
were involved in preparing the dead for burial and making depicted Morrigan. At the heart of the ruin stood a massive
sure that the appropriate rites were followed. In the heyday sycamore tree growing at a convergence of earth ley lines.
of the cult, worshipers would gather at shrines to observe The explorers were soon forced abandon the ruin when an
a cycle of ceremonies tied to the phases and forms of the unknown force began to stir, darkening the sky with a terri-
moon. A ritual of protection against evil on the night of the ble storm and a vicious flock of ravens.
New Moon and a jubilant celebration on the night of the Full Morrigan no longer has a priesthood, but her tenets live
Moon with fertility ceremonies dedicated to Harvest Moons on in her sages who are knowledgeable in battle tactics, his-
and cleansing rituals performed on the nights of Eclipses. tory, and rituals of magic. These sages believe that magic
Lilvani’s priesthood is not completely extinct but has permeates all things but is a naturally chaotic force that can
dwindled to the dedicated few. A low-level of belief may run only be controlled by a clever mind, a strong will, and stron-
through family lines descending from more powerful wor- ger conviction. They consider knowledge and courage to be
shipers, though many of her duties have been subsumed into the key to success in all things but stress that respect is para-
the worship of Melitele. mount, especially the respect of the dead.
47
Svalblod Veyopatis
Before the worship of Freya and the full dedication of the Veyopatis is an ancient, protective deity whose worship-
Skelligers to honorable bloodshed and the joy of battle, ers relied upon him to keep them safe throughout what is
some followed a darker and more visceral deity, Svalblod. now the Pontar Valley. The cult of Veyopatis has lessened as
This entity, a distorted and furious mixture of bear and man, newer gods took over and people spread more widely, but he
reveled in the pain and slaughter of battle. Svalblod’s wor- is still revered by a few of those who live alongside the great
shipers included warriors, but his ties to nature, red in tooth Pontar river. He stands as the embodiment of the river val-
and claw, attracted druids fallen to the more brutal aspects of ley, capable of calm protection and capricious cruelty, as the
their faith. Some worshipers could shape-shift into gigantic moods of a river may change along its length.
bears when the blood lust took them, the better to rip and As human populations arrived and migrated across the
claw their foes to pieces. Legends held these powers came lands, they stayed close to the rivers. The land was fertile
from a rite wherein worshipers took hallucinogenic herbs and the visibility good, so they could see danger coming,
and offered themselves to cave bears, who would consume unlike the woods which housed all manner of monster. As
them. This deadly ritual was said to bond the berserker’s soul settlements expanded along the valley and into the wild for-
with that of the bear. ests, carvings of Veyopatis were used to mark the bound-
The jarls took steps, distressed at the vicious cruelty Sval- aries beyond which danger lurked. Camps became villages
blod inspired in their people. Most of the cult was wiped and then towns; stable and better defended. Worn poles
out, the cultists sentenced to death. Tied to their ships and with Veyopatis’ face carved into them may be seen in the
sent without sail or means of navigation into the teeth of undergrowth where the forest reclaimed the land outside
the stormy seas, their fate was intended to deter any further their walls. The appearance of Veyopatis is a scowling man’s
deviants from taking up the torch in the future. But a cult of face with an open mouth, as if shouting or blowing, his fear-
blood and strength will always hold an appeal to some, and some image being held to have defensive properties. Coming
not all the altars were destroyed. Warriors, brigands, lovers across such a carving is disturbing, stumbling into one of his
of violence, and human monsters abandon much of their larger shrines in the middle of the forest, with wild eyes and
humanity to join the cult despite the price Svalblod demands gaping maw is an experience.
in blood and cannibalistic feasts. Veyopatis has no official priesthood but a few village
There are rumors that the heart of Svalblod’s worship on elders around the Pontar Valley still perform his rituals
Ard Skellige is once again active. His priests, clad in furs and for community protection and good health at his shrines.
dried blood, exist only to slake Svalblod’s thirst for red death Veyopatis has taken the position of a protective household
and revel in the power he grants in return. While the cult is spirit in the Pontar Valley, even where the people worship
still treated with fear and disdain, bloodthirsty warriors who other gods. During rituals, wise men and women sometimes
can transform into bears are a useful tool when war comes wear wide belts of cured, woven river-grasses, and medal-
for the jarl who dares to use them. Some even claim that Ber- lions bearing his face. These are carved from river pebbles,
serkers loyal to Svalblod live amongst the people of Skellige, and the less carving they need, the more powerful they are
slipping away in the night to perform their blood sacrifices. believed to be.
49
When in a settlement, a Priest can A Priest can become more in tune A Priest casting a ritual can make a
spend a day and roll Mystagogue at a with their god, gaining 1 point of Blood Ritual check against the casting
DC based on the settlement to build a Vigor threshold per skill level in DC of the ritual. If they succeed, they
shrine to their deity that attracts people Divine Power up to level 9. At the can cast the ritual without required
and converts them to their religion. 10th level in Divine Power, you raise alchemical substances by sacrificing
The GM determines how many people your Vigor Threshold by 5 bringing 5 HP in blood per missing unit of
join. Additionally, while within 20m it to a total of 16. Divine Power can alchemical substance. This blood
of this shrine, the Priest can use the be trained like any other skill. can come from others but must be
shrine as a Focus with a value of 3. spilled at the time of the ritual.
At higher levels, a Priest is shown The peasants and common folk of the A Priest can roll Fervor against a
the inner workings of their religion world see Priests as agents of the gods’ target’s current INTx3. On a success,
and are privy to some of its will. A Priest can add their Divine the rallying power of the Priest’s
secrets. The Priest’s cult mystery Authority to their Leadership checks if words grants 1d6 temporary health
depends on the type of religion they are in an area where their religion for every point rolled over the DC
they follow. Refer to the Cult is worshiped. Even when outside such (maximum 5). This lasts for as many
Mystery table to know which one. areas of worship, a Priest adds half rounds as their Fervor x2 and only
this value, due to their presence works once per target per day.
A Priest can bless a group of people At the will of the GM, a Priest A Priest can roll Word of God to
through a 1-hour ceremony. can be overcome by visions of the convince people that they are speaking
At the end of the ceremony, they roll future, sending them into a catatonic directly for the gods. Anyone who
Blessings at a DC:16. For one day state for 3 rounds. After this time fails to defend with Resist Coercion
afterward, a number of people equal the Priest can roll Precognition at sees the Priest as a messiah and
to the Priest’s Blessings level gain a DC set by the GM to decipher follows along as an apostle. A Priest
bonuses as per the Blessings table. the visions that they are stricken can have as many apostles as their
by. Such visions are composed Word of God value. In combat, use
of symbolism and metaphors. bandit stats for apostles without stats.
51
Wine or Wisdom
1270, Loc Grim • Transcribed by Alec Von Karst
53
Glynnis straightened her sleeve for the third time, smoothed her hair, and glass was sharp under her fingers and she deliberately relaxed her hand.
endeavored not to give an empty room any sign she was intimidated. “Lads and ladies, yes. But their discipline is not a problem to bring
It had been nearly half an hour since the young servant, neatly clad to you, Incandescent. This is more a matter of teaching styles. It has
in their approved black uniform, had escorted her into this haven of come to my attention that several of my students have been attending
wealth and calculated displayed power. She was calling upon Incan- meetings with your initiates. I’m concerned that this may distract them
descent Bertrand de Grym, patriarch of the Summer Capital of the from their lessons.”
Nilfgaardian Empire. Glynnis idly wondered if that was his given name “Surely outside their studies, your students’ time’s their own? I’d
or adopted from the city to cement his position. have thought opening their minds to all the possibilities their talents
De Grym’s study was a medley of rich, honeyed tones and plush may offer would be of interest to you? Unless, of course, you fear the
comfort. Bookshelves lined one whole wall, filled with leather-bound competition.”
treatises and collections of sermons. The windows’ subtle tint threw There was a smile in the man’s voice, but it didn’t quite touch his
golden light across the room, and they were thick enough that the street eyes. Glynnis nearly rolled hers, refusing to step into the trap. Respect
noise couldn’t enter this sanctuary. The Incandescent was far above the the man who could ruin your reputation forever...or worse.
petty concerns of the populace. “I would not dream of suggesting we compete for these children.
Glynnis sighed inwardly, where it wouldn’t show. The chanting of the Merely that by showing them a different method of wielding Magic,
service de Grym had been presiding over had long since faded. She recog- they may become confused at a critical moment to the detriment of
nized the delay for what it was; not a power-play, that implied competi- themselves and those around them.”
tion. He was making certain Glynnis knew where she, and by extension, “My dear Glynnis, if they’re distracted in your lessons, perhaps that’s
her school, stood in the grand scheme. Something she had learned over a sign they’re better suited to a career within the Church. We welcome
her two centuries; humans did like to assert their dominance. all truly questioning minds here, and the Great Sun can warm their
After roughly another age of the world, the door opened and in hearts and feed their souls in a way dry book-learning never could.” He
strode the gentleman himself. Incandescent Bertrand was tall, solidly examined a grape and popped it in his mouth before continuing,
built, and with a face just lined enough to convey an air of authority “You needn’t fear that they will waste their magical talents, far
and an expression of benevolent condescension. from it! By delivering miracles to the people, we show the power and
At first glimpse his hair appeared a silky, flowing golden blonde, fall- righteousness of the true faith. The well-trained mind, schooled in the
ing to his shoulders, but as he entered his room, he lifted the ceremonial rituals of the Church, can be a beacon of sheltering power and show the
wig off and passed it back to his servant without a glance. The youth benevolence of the Emperor. You Gweison Haul types are, perhaps, a
smoothed a few stray hairs and set the wig carefully upon the stand on little too dangerous to ever truly hold the trust of the populace.”
the Incandescent’s desk. Silently, the servant departed but almost at once I know a clamp-down when one is threatened, Bertrand, never
returned with a burnished silver tray, bearing a carafe of wine, glasses, fear. I can also spot an opening.
and a matching silver fruit basket laden with oranges and golden grapes.
“I agree! The trained mind, with proper guidance, is absolutely the
They arranged these on the central table with practiced speed before
ideal tool for both our needs. I merely fear that your initiates, fervent
retreating, bowing to the Incandescent’s back as he examined himself in
though they are, may not be sufficiently experienced to deliver the detailed
the mirror.
instruction my students require in deciding where their talents truly lie.”
“So, Director Var Treharne—Glynnis? What brings you to my
“May I, therefore, propose a compromise, Incandescent? I would
humble suite? Ah, please, sit. Help yourself to wine and fruit, you look
not dream of placing barriers between my pupils and the Church but
in need of refreshment.”
perhaps organized classes with your representatives, making use of our
He gestured to the smaller of two armchairs, taking the more com- learning facilities, would be less ad hoc than young preachers practic-
modious seat opposite and self-consciously straightening his belted robe ing on children even younger than themselves?”
of office. The style left ample room at the chest to show the tailoring of
De Grym leaned forward, a beatific smile on his face.
his dark velvet doublet and the heavy porcelain mask that was both a
“My dear girl, that’d be ideal! The different arms of the Church can
symbol and ceremonial wear. The shiny white face with its gold-rimmed
offer their teaching, finding those among your students, gifted with the
eyes and rayed Sun upon the forehead stared at Glynnis. She did as
blessings of the divine while they’re still young. It’ll be simplicity itself
requested, pouring a measure of the pale wine, the jug chilled enough
to identify those better suited to a life of service, freeing you and yours
to leave a sheen of water on her hand. Sitting bolt upright in her chair,
to deal with those for whom the confines of your lessons are a better fit.
she gripped the stem of her glass and tried to appear composed.
I’ll speak with my subordinates and make arrangements immediately”
“Incandescent Bertrand, thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I
Glynnis shifted a little uncomfortably, “These classes would need
value the friendly relations between Gweison Haul and the church, and
supervision by tutors from Gweison Haul, Incandescent”
it is regarding my school I wish to speak.”
He waved his hand, brushing her concern aside.
“Indeed? Are you experiencing difficulties? I’m sure the work you
do there is appreciated.” De Grym poured a large glass of wine, snagged “Yes, yes, I’m sure you can arrange that for yourself. Now, if you’ll
a few grapes, and relaxed into his chair. excuse me, I have to attend a meeting of the local landowners. Tedious,
but that is the price one pays to accomplish good works, and this inter-
“No difficulties—not yet, at least” Careful woman; remember, the
view has run a little longer than I expected.”
church is never in the wrong. “It is about some of my students.”
The Incandescent downed his wine in a mouthful, rose and, smil-
“Rambunctious young lads?” Amusement filled de Grym’s words.
ing, indicated the door. Moments later, Glynnis was standing in a stark
“I’m not sure I can help you if they’re lacking proper discipline.”
stone hallway, as the servant waited to escort her out. Off-balance and
Glynnis stood on a retort, keeping her tone level. The stem of the
wrong-footed, it left her wondering as to exactly what she had agreed.
54
55
Druids
Druids are fascinating but they remind me how far from the natural world
Druids of the
Continent
“You may, dear reader, be
tempted to point to the few
circles of druids present
our civilization has brought us. Predator and prey, drought and flood, on the Continent. I would
man and beast; these are the concerns of the druids and their rituals are be quick to mention that
thanks to the ravages of
stark as a bloodied fang in their maintenance of the balance. the Nilfgaardian War,
many areas of wilderness
−Glynnis var Treharne have been destroyed and
likely many druids have
been run out or killed. As
of yet, our research sug-
gests that the great oak
Bleobheris survives with
the druids that tend it.
But an expedition beyond
Many people, North and South, who cannot Koviri merchants have mention dealings with
the front line is something
use magic fear it for its power and potential druids across the Dragon Mountains and there I am most definitely not
misuse. This is a sensible fear. But they fear are numerous stories of travelers encountering interested in.
the flashy mages and the blood-and-thunder hermits living in the deep forests of the Con- -Brandon of Oxenfurt
preachers. All this time druids are wander- tinent. With all of this, do you truly believe
ing through the woods, talking to trees, and that there are so few circles of druids? I believe
hand-raising baby bunnies, or whatever else there are far more than we know, probably in Brandon’s Druid
they do. No one knows exactly how many the deep forests of Angren, Kaedwen, or other Theories
Circles of Druids exist these days but there sparsely populated nations. I hear the argument
“Ya may have noticed,
are likely fewer now than before the War. that humankind is pushing back the boundar-
Brandon’s got some opin-
ies of the wild and that the forests are dwin- ions about druids. Heh,
Druidism isn’t strictly a religion. They do
dling. However, thanks to the wars, villages on I’d say it’s all about the
not proselytize for converts and they do not
the edges of the great forests are destroyed by outlook. Personally, I’ve
hold services. They are protectors of the land armies and many of the countryside’s inhabi- never cared that much
itself, or should I say, forests. I’m not aware tants have deserted their farms for the safety of for ‘progress’ and ‘society’
of any druids of the deserts, moors, or bar- city walls. I would not be surprised to find that and all those high-minded
ren mountain tops. They have no fixed tem- ideas. Heh, If ya ask me,
there are sects of druids seeking to reclaim the
ples or houses of healing, preferring instead the Druids are just some
forests and lands that humanity cultivated so folks tryin’ to uphold
to gather around ancient trees and standing long ago. the old ways and keep
stones. Their circles, under the control of a humans from ruinin’ the
Druids, when encountered, appear to
Hierophant (male) or Flaminika (female) take land for everybody. But
be simple children of nature. Protecting the
place deep in forests. It would be easy then to Brandon’s all about ‘civi-
forest creatures and writing many aggrieved
say they must be on the decline. lization’ and ‘advancing’
letters to local authorities all the way up to society. I’d guess to him
However, there are still many deep forests the kings. Their cause is to care for the wilds the druids are a threat to
that dot the Continent and many of them show and promote balance between of nature. all that. Seems to be the
signs of magical beings within them. It is not Many may never see them as they go about way of things for plenty
beyond the realm of possibility that there are maintaining the balance deep in the forests. of folks. The druids are a
druids who ally themselves with the dryads of Others, I have heard, are in nearly constant reminder of the old ways
the Brokilon forest or perhaps hide amongst and they stand in the way
contact with isolated forest communities. It
of progress.”
the bogs and mires of Angren or the high seems that where humanity intersects more
-Rodolf Kazmer
mountain woodland of the Blue Mountains. thoroughly with the wild and the rule of kings
56
is weakest, the druids take it upon themselves to adjudi- lands. These rumors suggest that in the early days, just after
cate disputes and settle quarrels. The most visible of these the Conjunction, members of earlier human societies such
druids are in Skellige where they are even consulted on as the Dauk and Wozgor, became druids. Deep in the for-
the ascension of the next king. The belligerent Skelligers ests these druids formed circles, led by a Hierophant (male)
live close to the land. They are more likely to fish and raid or a Flaminika (female) surrounding ancient and venerable
than try to subdue nature. Druids can and do make these oak trees. They shepherded the natural world and guided
livelihoods safer by affecting the weather and the sea. The small communities of humans around the dangers of the
Hierophant of this circle was at one time a member of the Continent to keep them from being destroyed. Much like
courts of both Skellige and Cintra. I imagine druidic magic the rest of the early humans the final fate of these speculated
is a great aid on sea raids to Nilfgaard. On the other hand, druids is largely unknown but modern scholars believe that
in Angren, whenever there are mishaps and accidents in they left signs of their presence among the menhirs of the
the logging camps druidic magic is blamed. Dauk and Wozgor which carried forward their teachings.
The magic of the druids is similar to the magic of Melitele When the next wave of humans came to the Continent they
and Freya. But as protectors of the forests and the balance, faced the same harsh conditions and were also preyed upon
they are attuned to mobilize the powers of wind and wave, by the many monsters that prowled the land. In response,
and all living things. In this way their spells are a little like the druids of this era took up the same mantle that the dru-
the invocations of the priests except that what they worship ids of old would have, attempting to strike a balance between
is primeval life itself. They also manifest magic through the allowing nature to run its course and stopping humanity from
use of sigils, symbols inscribed in the air or on objects to being utterly wiped out. These druids did not see all of the
focus magic on that spot. These are often protections of that monsters of the Conjunction as anathema to their cause and
section of the forest that impede those who may come to perceived some of them as new facets of nature. While they
loot and destroy the plants and animals. I’ve heard that they would slay monsters to protect the balance of nature, there
use this kind of protection at the breeding sites of endan- were very few that considered the existence of the monsters
gered animals and the headwaters of salmon streams. Do to be unnatural. More often, druids took up roles as advisors
not touch or deface these sigils as they are said to be able to to chieftains, sages who kept the knowledge of their people, or
protect themselves. healers of the ill.
Druids do not distinguish between humans, elves, As humanity spread across the land, beginning to build
dwarves, or other elderfolk. They say that their magic is cities, farms, mines, and other foundations of civilized soci-
older than the elves, that it was here before the dwarves, and ety, the druids’ role began to change. Humans were no lon-
will remain when they are gone. There is no verifiable refer- ger in need of protection and instead, other aspects of nature
ence to druids sacrifices any living thing, including humans. were being encroached upon by humanity. The druids coun-
Though I would not put it past them. seled the rulers of humanity to stop their reckless expansion
—Brandon of Oxenfurt but they were labeled as “archaic” and accused of slowing the
progress of society. Gradually, their place in society was taken
The History of Druids over by mages who were more pragmatic and less interested in
preserving the balance. By the beginning of the 13th century,
James Rufus of Oxenfurt, a scholar writing long ago before the druids had been pushed out, relegated to their remote cir-
the University was formally established wrote: “After the cles, deep in the wild.
ships landed and humans spread out into the dark forests Over the years, druids worked to regain their influence
of the river valleys, they came across stone altars and crude over the courts of the Continent but their pleas tended to
stone arches centered around huge oak trees. The sigils and fall on deaf ears as few monarchs besides the kings of Skel-
writing on these stones is as of yet still undecipherable but lige would halt the progress of their nation for a seemingly
we believe that they were created by the Wozgor or another, nebulous, mystical balance. By the year 1272, the majority
earlier human population which had died out prior.” of druid live in their circles, tending to the surrounding
While very little of this information can be substanti- wildlife, communing with the natural world, and sending
ated, rumors persist that druids have been on the continent chastising missives to kings, merchants, and mages who are
far longer than humanity. They have always lived apart despoiling nature, fully knowing that they lack the resources
from cities as they value the peace and harmony of the wild or influence to do much about these injustices.
57
Types of Druids
The people who become druids are all drawn
to the wild in some way. But there are many
types of druids. The fledgling druid will grav-
itate to the lifestyle they require.
The druid that most people expect is a
shabbily dressed servant of the woodland,
standing in the way of society and trying to
drag everyone back to the old ways. They
have a deep connection to a particular for-
est and spend a lot of time meditating to be
in touch with the woods. In their spare time
they may foster fawns or care for young chil-
dren who have become lost. They remain
separate from human society and only com-
municate with the other druids of their circle.
When they do communicate with outsiders
it is usually by way of long letters demand-
ing that a settlement cease it’s logging, hunt-
ing, trapping or other ravages of the natural
world. And there are some druids like that.
Usually, they are people who have escaped
from desperate lives in human society, and
they wish to immerse themselves as deeply as
possible in the tranquility of a healthy forest.
These are the druids that will most discour-
age human settlement in the forest, believing
that humans have outgrown their place in
nature and must be stopped from expand-
ing further. The areas around their meeting
grove may be set with natural deterrents
from thorny brambles to irritating plant-life
but these deterrents are rarely too dangerous.
In rare cases, as these druids are pushed far-
ther and farther into the wilds, they start to
develop a paranoid outlook which can make
them dangerous. There are rumors of druids
who take a more “active” role in the protec-
tion of nature: accosting hunters and lumber-
jacks who enter their woods, lighting fire to
lumberyards and hunting lodges, and using
their magic to empower the land to fight for
itself. These rumors are almost entirely fabri-
cations, concocted by merchants and nobles
looking to demonize the nature priests, but
every few decades a small group of these more
isolated druids gets fed up with the ambiva-
58
lence of humanity. It’s not usually long before the druids in herbalism, and the accumulated lore of hundreds of years.
question are run out or killed but they leave a great deal of They manage the growth of the trees, maintaining openings
chaos in their wake which fuels the rumors of wild, danger- for the small plants to grow, prune back or remove diseased
ous forest people. Being traditionally pacifists, the majority plants, and find water in times of drought. They protect the
of druids consider these eco-warriors to be dangerous radi- gravel beds where the salmon spawn and dress the wounds of
cals, who have lost sight of the way of nature. injured animals, but they do not interfere with the relations
The majority of druids, however, are peacefully, practical between predator and prey. The only time these druids take
stewards of nature who prefer the tranquility of the forest up arms is when the balance of nature is greatly threatened.
and feel responsible for the creatures who live there. They If a griffin moves into their forest, this is the way of nature.
are prodigious walkers and are familiar with each tree and But if a fiend gets loose in the woodland and devastates tens
dell, sometimes saluting them by name. These individuals of acres of forest, massacring anything it comes across, then
care for the forest by healing trees and animals with magic, the druids will intervene. Even in this drastic circumstance,
the druids would first attempt any means necessary to calm
the beast or lure it away, only resorting to violence as a last
resort. The druids of the Continent are often considered
pacifistic to a fault, loathing the idea of taking a life unnec-
essarily. They are often content to nurse and maintain their
great oaks and pass down the ancient wisdom of their people
through songs and poetry.
In small, rural communities, druids sometimes still main-
tain their ancient roles as spiritual leaders and counselors.
While they belong to a circle, they mediate between the vil-
lage and the forest, making sure that the farm plots, charcoal
makers, and fur hunters do not upset the balance and that
the native beasts of the forest do not terrorize the villagers.
They teach the people their foraging and healing skills, why
different animals and plants, exist and how they contribute
to the wholeness of the forest. They bless the fields before
planting and after the harvest and sometimes bless babies in
the name of the forest. In most cases, these druids are better
educated than the people of the villages and they keep oral
histories of the settlement. The children of the village receive
an education if they show interest, intelligence, and the abil-
ity to memorize long poems and songs. Many bards get their
start this way and traveling minstrels sometimes visit these
circles to learn the tales and legends of the land.
Among most druid circles there are one or more druids
that are particularly gifted with druidic magic. Frequently
these druids rise to be the hierophant or flaminika, but not
always. These more magically-inclined druids use their com-
mand of nature to help their circle achieve its larger goals
such as building sanctuaries for endangered species, regrow-
ing damaged woodland, and cultivating stores of herbs for
healing salves. To the druid’s way of thinking, magic is found
in the energy of the nature is not an alien force to be feared
or controlled. Each circle has its own magical traditions, and
its own way of utilizing magic but unlike other magic users,
druids do not flaunt their abilities to those outside.
59
Druidic Interactions animals native to the land partially thanks to the druids.
Meanwhile, off the coast of the Continent in Skellige the peo-
The druids of the Continent have much to offer and in many ple have always lived close to the land. The worship of Freya
cases they are willing to offer their bounty under the right compliments the druids’ beliefs and the Circle of Gedyneith
circumstances. As long as a settlement is willing to follow is one of the oldest of all the existing circles. The druids of
the old ways and help maintain the balance of nature, most that circle know many weather magics and are always con-
druid circles are happy to tend to their wounded, help them sulted before large fleets take any action. Hierophant Ermion
with their crops. However, their staunch beliefs and rigid was also an important advisor to the royal family of Cintra
codes of conduct often make interaction with other people until the country was overrun by Nilfgaard.
tricky. On the other hand, the druids of Angren are forever chal-
While the druids possess great knowledge regarding cer- lenging the locals about deforestation. When under attack
tain aspects of the natural world their knowledge is some- by the foresters, the druids of Caed Dhu withdrew into the
times antiquated and many druids are unwilling to accept
that fact. Druidic healers sometimes have disputes with uni-
versity trained doctors who question their methods. These
druids see their healing, whether by herbalism, magic, or
folk medicine as an indisputable gift. They do not ask why
white thistle makes childbirth easier because they know it
has done so for generations and there’s no reason for that to
have changed. They maintain the knowledge of their ances-
tors and pass it on, unquestioned. This stubborn adherence
to the old ways can drive modern doctors to distraction,
especially since most often the druid’s knowledge is correct.
This rigid outlook on life has hampered the druids as
most circles remain unwilling to compromise with the
human societies that encroach on their forests. Many cir-
cles have been destroyed by wars, by human expansion,
and by the distrust of the druids by those in power. Their
sacred oaks fall, and while some find a home in another cir-
cle, many are left wandering. Some of these displaced dru-
ids spend years traveling, some carrying an acorn of their
great oak in the hopes of planting a new circle in some far
off land where humanity may not reach them. Despite the
destruction of their circles, druids displaced by war gener-
ally don’t hold a grudge against either party in the conflict.
To them, the wars raging across the Continent are no dif-
ferent from the territory disputes between animals in the
wild. After all, as much as they fight the idea humans, elves,
and all other sapient races are animal just like the wolves
and deer.
Those druids who do get involved in politics are few
and far between. As of the moment there are only two
places where a druid is able to bend the ear of a monarch
to any great degree. In Toussaint, the Duchess Anna Henri-
etta has signed treaties with the Circle of Caed Myrkvid,
allowing them to act as shepherds of the beautiful wildlife
of the region. Toussaint’s forests are breathtaking and their
famous vineyards grow in harmony with the plants and
60
dark, dangerous forests of southern Angren. races count their lives in centuries, they are
Lost Circles Rumors state that they had struck a deal with more prone to thinking long term than the
the terrifying wildlife of the forest and lum- short lived humans. The dwarves and elves
In the wake of the 3rd berjacks or hired swords that followed them are aware of the long term effects of over-har-
Northern War a number didn’t emerge unscathed. Eventually the for- vesting the natural world and are much more
of smaller druid circles
have been destroyed or
esters set fire to the forest and waited for the likely to live to see those consequences. To
uprooted. It is hard to druids to emerge. They were disappointed as combat this, both races devote a great deal of
say how many were dis- the druids had snuck out through the thickest effort to natural conservation making druids
turbed but the numer- forest and traveled to join the circle of Loch largely unnecessary.
ous refugees flocking to Monduirn; but that circle also eventually fell,
the great oak Bleobheris It is difficult to tell if there are druid cir-
forcing many druids to travel south to settle cles in the Nilfgaardian lands besides Caed
would indicate many.
in Caed Myrkvid. Myrkvid but if there are that they are likely in
Notably, there are no druidic circles Maecht, Ebbing, or Mag Turga. Nilfgaard made
associated with the Dwarven stronghold of swift work of Maecht, avoided large sections of
Mahakam or the Elven lands of Dol Blath- the Pereplut marsh in Ebbing, and peacefully
anna. Besides that fact that the Dwarven absorbed Mag Turga. All three provinces have
holds in Mahakam have little natural vege- large areas of wilderness that could easily hide
tation to protect and the elves traditionally a druid’s circle and in most circumstances, the
do not partake in farming, the cultures of the Nilfgaardians see the benefit of having druids
dwarves and elves don’t lend themselves to in their lands. That being said, Nilfgaardian
the need or desire for druids. Dwarves and officials will not halt their expansion for the
elves both respect nature and some revere sake of the druids. Mag Turga and Angren
Dana Meadbh but they don’t inherently see are both important sources of lumber and ore
nature itself as divine or worthy of worship. which are used throughout the Nilfgaardian
Additionally, since member of both elder empire.
Angrenian
Tree Cats
The Circle of Caed Myrkvid
Caed Myrkvid lies in a valley in the mountains of Toussaint. Looking down upon it you see only
One thing that the dru- a blanket of fog. It twists and curls in ways that remind you that it is not natural. If you have been
ids brought from An-
gren was a species of to the dryad forest of Brokilon this would look familiar. Riding down through the fir forests,
green and brown speck- one descends through fog into a thick, damp forest of beech and alder, dotted with venerable
led, arboreal feline, en- oaks. Ferns and blackberry vines grow thickly between the trees and an unnamed river marks the
dangered by logging. boundaries of the druid’s sanctuary. Do not think to cross this river without good reason for the
They are slightly larger circle of Caed Myrkvid is probably the most powerful left on the Continent. Like most circles, it is
than a house cat and
ancient and was founded by people or races unknown before written history began. Its isolation
make great companions
for the druids. meant that for centuries the Druids of Caed Myrkvid did not have to teach people how to live in
harmony with nature and the land is so fertile that plants and mosses grow on top of each other.
Wickermen In a way, the druids here are more in service to the forest than to human settlers.
Most druids now in Caed Myrkvid are refugees from two other circles that existed in the north.
“To my knowledge, the
druids of Caed Myrkvid
The circle of Caed Dhu was in Angren on the bank of the Yaruga. But the druids suffered during
have rarely used this ‘rit- the wars and the growing population wished to drive them out. After all, lumber is the “Angre-
ualistic’ form of execu- nian Gold” that fuels trade in Angren and the lumberjacks weren’t interested in maintaining the
tion. Perhaps only once balance. When driven out, the druids moved on to Loch Monduirn in Sodden. Sodden, of course,
or twice from the stories has had armies fighting back and forth over it many times since then and during one of these
of druids I have had the skirmishes the druids once again moved on bringing with them the refugees of the original Circle
pleasure of encountering. of Loch Monduirn. In 1267, the Caed Myrkvid circle accepted the Druids of Caed Dhu and Loc
It is truly a shame that
Monduirn as refugees. The refugees held a grudge against the human populations that drove them
they would feel the need
to threaten it at all.”
out and when one of their number became flaminika of Caed Myrkvid, the protections of the cir-
cle increased. As part of those protections the Druids of the Circle used a great deal of magic to
–Glynnis var Treharne
create walking oak tree monsters that follow the directions of the druids.
This brings up one of the most controversial stories about druids. For years, humans who
hated the druids spread the rumor that they captured invaders, jailed them in a huge wicker statue
and then set the wicker on fire, burning their victims alive. This story was used against the druids
for many years but apparently the new flaminika of Caed Myrkvid decided that if everyone spread
these lies about them, then they would make it a reality to make sure no one attempted to push
them out of Caed Myrkvid.
In their new home, the Druids of Caed Myrkvid have common dealings with the people
of Toussaint which has been both beneficial and troublesome. Most notably, the great wines
of Toussaint have always been aged in Beauclair Oak but harvesting the sacred oaks for wine
barrels put the Cooper’s Guild at odds with the druids. At first this did cause friction as the
druids refused to let woodsmen into the depths of the forest which in turn led to many calling
to the Duchess to displace or destroy the circle. Fortunately, the rulers of Toussaint have long
been fond of the unspoiled wilderness of the grove and the druids were able to prove themselves
excellent caretakers by mitigating the catastrophe caused by the rerouting of the Sansretour
River some years ago. And so, they struck a deal. Treaties were signed between Toussaint and
the Druids of the Circle. The Groves of Caed Myrkvid were established as a sanctuary, fully
autonomous in their internal affairs. The Cooper’s Guild is allowed to harvest oaks but only
under strict supervision. Also, as part of the agreements the druids cultivate and harvest useful
plants for the ruling house of Toussaint.
65
Druids &
Witchers
Wandering Druids
Many people believe that wandering druids are a product of the wars which have decimated many
When humans first came of the northern countries. The truth is that there have been wandering druids as long as there have
to the Continent, druids
been druids. In the early days, just after the Landing of the Exiles and before the humans got their
would sometimes slay
monsters to keep the feet under themselves, forests would have gone on forever, or as they say, a squirrel could have
human populations safe. traveled from Poviss to Nilfgaard without its feet touching the ground. The menhirs and remains
They did this not out of of druidic circles found by human scholars suggest that the druids would have been thriving and
a loyalty to humanity but expanding. As the circles expanded, it’s only natural that some druids would leave the circle to
a desire to maintain the find another forest with another great oak. In these cases, the wandering druids might have been
natural balance and keep explorers, eager to know what was over the next hill. They may have been very opinionated and
the humans from being wished to start a circle following new beliefs. Some may simply have been dreamers, preferring
wiped out. When hu-
the wilderness over the circle. These wandering druids likely wouldn’t have respected any political
mans expanded beyond
the need for this help, the boundaries and may have been an important source of news and spiritual solace as they traveled
druids stopped protect- between the small villages in the forests and fields. Once again, we must remember that druids
ing them. When human- accumulated a lot of information; about the wild, about trees and animals, but also about the sea-
ity created witchers the sons and the stars. Their knowledge would have aided the first farmers and fisherman of humans
druids saw this as a grave as they began to build settlements up and down the great rivers. However, because the druids do
offense against nature. not write down any of their laws, formulae, or oral histories we don’t have too much information
To most druids, a witch- about those days. Once populations of elves and humans multiplied, the areas they controlled
er is nothing more than
a butcher, tipping the
began to outnumber the deep and mysterious forests that the druids represented. By this time, the
scales of balance in the druids were primarily known for the celebrations they conducted at the solstices and equinoxes
favor of humans by mas- before more formal religions started to take hold. At these events, the druids blessed mistletoe
sacring other creatures. collected from the oaks and it was used for fertility and as an antidote to poison.
The fact that witchers
Today there are refugee druids. Some join other circles but many refuse to abandon the lands
successfully drove many
species to extinction they know so well even if their central oak has been cut down. They have found that trying to
during the Gold Age of influence the dukes, aldermen, or bandits that rule the land doesn’t get much done, except per-
Witchers only solidifies haps killing the druid. Compassion causes them to lend their knowledge and skills to aid the few
this belief. people left in places like Velen to help them restart farms to feed the starving. Some bring a seed-
ling oak from the forests and around it build circles marked by stones or carved posts. They help
the pioneers who are trying to re-establish villages, and the villagers help the druids to replant the
trees. The druids capture and heal wild animals that have been burned, stabbed, or trapped, to
re-establish the circle that will maintain life going forward. These druids will use their magic to
aid villages in danger of being utterly destroyed by monsters but only enough to re-establish the
balance of nature. Once balance has been restored, they continue on their path.
These druids are perpetual wanderers. They do what they can for the wild lands they pass
through, and they heal the sick or injured that they come across. While traveling, these druids
may sometimes “liberate” animals kept under abusive conditions but always keep the balance in
mind. Their relationship to the wild is very personal and very individual. Some wanderers see
their trail as a series of pilgrimages to visit the existing druid circles where they may stay long
enough to learn a new song or poem of lore. Most current religions do not consider druids a
threat, so they are safe enough, but they are almost never seen in urban settings and they still
tend to keep to themselves.
67
Read Nature (INT) Blood and Bones (WILL) Sacred Grove (WILL)
When in a purely natural environment, By casting bones in a bowl filled with blood A Druid can turn an area of nature into a
a Druid can roll Read Nature at a DC drawn from a person, the Druid can alter sacred grove. This takes 1 hour, and covers
set by the GM. On a success, the Druid the fate of that person. The Druid rolls Blood an area with a 20m radius. The Druid
reads the signs around them to learn and Bones against a DC:10 + the target’s takes the value of their Sacred Grove check
everything that passed through that WILL. On a success, the target can add half and uses those points to add protections
area within the last week and what each the Druid’s Blood and Bones value to one to their sacred grove. The Druid and
creature did in the area. Read Nature check made before the next sunrise. On a anyone they specify are immune to these
renders a very localized picture and cannot failure, the target cannot benefit from this protections. This grove lasts for 3 months
track things but gives a very detailed ability for 1 week. A single target can only and the Druid can maintain a number of
description of what happened in the area.. benefit from this ability once per session. groves equal to their Sacred Grove value.
Druid’s Sickle
Name Type WA Avail. DMG REL. Hands RNG Effect Conc. EN Weight Cost
Grappling
Druid’s Sickle S/P +0 P 3d6 15 1 N/A L 1 1.5 540
Bleed (30%)
Forces of Nature
1270, Nazair • Personal Journal of Glynnis var Treharne
71
I have arrived at the estate of Baron Amaury de Melin to investigate a fiber. These are closed at the neck and bicep with wide toggles carved of
gathering of druids from the surrounding area. There are… concerns smooth, yellow bone. They clothe their feet in open boots with strapping
as to their activities; so officially I am here to watch, assess, and take reaching up the leg. At their shoulders, they wear mantles of fur, each
steps if need be. This journal will serve as the core of my report when I of a unique color and texture. Many of the mantles show silver tips,
return to the Capital. Honestly, I feel the only reason a cadre of Mage indicating the animals died in advanced years.
Hunters isn’t already en route is that there might be a legitimate cause Mounting a rise, we came upon the offending architecture. The
for their rumored actions. Still, it’s an exciting opportunity to see dru- dam was an ugly thing of wood, nails, and banked mud, and its reser-
idic workings in the wild, so to speak. voir had formed in a natural bowl, with a sluice directing the flow into
Therefore, I am sitting in an estate worker’s tavern glorying in the trenches dug between the rows of a flourishing lemon grove beyond. It
name “The Pulpy Pith”, sipping a glass of the local interpretation of was only then I realized the dusty road we had trod to get here must be
Nilfgaardian Lemon. It’s not bad, as these things go, de Melin at least the correct course of the river.
has an eye for distillation. Most of the drinkers are clearly estate labor- Here, Johann directed me to this coppiced tree and told me to sit
ers, paying in wooden chits, and there are a few armed and uniformed still and watch. Then, he deployed his people on either side of the dam
guards at the best table. in readiness for their ritual.
Ah! The druids are arriving! And being met by the armed men… if Each opened the sling bag they carried and pulled out first a large
there’s a conflict, I had better stay out of it and introduce myself after- yellow lump the size of my two fists and then bundles of pungent herbs
ward to avoid complicating matters. I could smell from my vantage point. They kneaded the lumps until
Later.... they softened and gave off a potent scent of honey, then divided the
De Melin is not receptive to the druids’ proposal to (and I quote) beeswax into three, flattening them in their hands, and wrapped a por-
“restore the land you have violated”. It was quite the sight, seeing how tion of herbs within a cylinder. These crude candles were set around
they resisted the blandishments of the guards and notably their cap- the dam, some molded onto the wood, some sitting on stones to either
tain, who is a nasty piece of work and clearly spends far too much time side. With a whisper of Power, each candle sprung to smoldering life,
polishing his armor. sending scented smoke billowing into the sky.
The druids’ leader got the brunt of the brutal language meted out by As an attentive student, here is where I sit, watch, and write.
the guards; the issue of them trespassing on the de Melin estate was raised, Johann stands in the riverbed, before the dam. He raises his hands
and he declaimed in a voice designed to carry that “the land cried out to and begins a chant I regret I cannot hear in sufficient detail to record
me and I shall not be swayed”. The captain postured but understandably accurately. There’s a note of command but also respect, and it’s cer-
refrained from overt conflict with eight druids on a mission. tainly answered. I can feel the power building as the smoke swirls into
I’ve introduced myself to the Circle’s Hierophant, a brusque gen- a spiraling column between the practitioners.
tleman by the name of Johann Hollyrood. I indicated that I was here Later....
for purely academic reasons but he was having none of it. Rural this I was so engrossed in the working that I nearly missed the tread
man may be, but he’s no bumpkin. My admission to being an agent behind me: a guard from the inn. Conscious of both his drawn blade
of Gweison Haul satisfied him, and he’s allowed that I may join their and of my need to not disturb the ritual I grabbed my staff, dropping
pilgrimage, so I may better learn of their bond with the natural world. I this journal in the dirt.
would have hoped my heritage would have given me some credit there, An advantage of the staff is the striking distance compared to that of
but he pegged me as a woman of the city at first glance. His sole condi- a sword. As the guard drove his blade towards my face I stepped to my
tion was that I should neither interfere nor use any Power of my own, right, bringing the crystal in its heavy mount down on his left wrist with
lest it cause unfavorable resonances. a satisfying crack. While he was occupied, I reversed my staff, tapping his
I must ask Johann if he really did hear the land crying out to him temple with the iron-shod butt, felling him like a tree.
and if so, how? Dreams? Visions? A particularly talkative fox? Glancing around, I saw more men stealthily approaching the druids,
The source of the grievance is a dam erected by de Melin as an swords drawn. I was ready to shout a warning—that might have distracted
irrigation project. Lemons, it seems, require a constant source of water, them but less than an attack, when the smoke spun out to a wider circle,
and rather than tailor his crops to the land, he has dammed and redi- whipping tunics and driving back the armed men, leaving them coughing.
rected a tributary of the Sylte. Said tributary supplies swathes of wil- At the dam, the planks were distorting, knotting around each other,
derness now in a drought, so the druids are taking steps. A local solu- carrying the candles upwards as they formed a column taller than a
tion will save the Empire the trouble of dealing with the problem should man. The water gushed free, almost taking Johann’s feet from beneath
it start affecting citizens. him as the column sprouted branches, leaves, and a coating of bark that
I hope the druids’ plan is peaceful; it would be a shame to lose such ran along its surface like melted wax. Within moments a healthy, mature
a wealth of knowledge in the ways of Chaos. tree stood on stilt-roots in the center of the reinstated river.
The walk from The Pulpy Pith was not overlong but dry. In the As the smoke cleared, the druids turned their attention to their
interests of practicality, I’d opted for leggings under a traveling dress ambushers, laying about with walking staves as they fought to clear their
but regretted my choice after mere minutes of steady striding along the eyes. The fight did not last long, and they were gracious enough to allow
valley in which the estate sits. them to drag away their wounded, including my contribution.
It’s worth recording the appearance of these druids as they do not As they staggered away, Johann called after them:
dress in traditional Imperial or Mettinese garb. These nature-priests, “The land will restore itself. Do not rebuild this foul tool, lest we
men and women alike, wear pale tunics falling to mid-knee, of sturdy return with Nature’s fire and storms, instead of her gentle growth.”
72
73
When I was growing up in Oxenfurt there was a woman by dousing, they will usually be seen favorably. If they can
who could influence the weather of about 2 square blocks. control one person for a few minutes or set things on fire
I remember when there was a blizzard on the university from a distance, they are frequently called witches and
campus the day that mathematics finals were to be held. become scapegoats in their communities. Many of these
Other than that, she was not well-liked. The inhabitants people leave their village or neighborhood and wander
of Oxenfurt are very attached to their city and don’t want until they find a place where news of their ability has not
people messing with it, even if it is to give them a warm reached and there they settle, probably hiding their abil-
spring day in January. Eventually she moved to a small ity. They are generally seen as pathetic by more powerful
village on the Temerian side of the river that specialized mages and they cannot learn to draw and use magic. Since
in growing squash. She was beloved and I hear the squash Thanedd, rulers, like King Radovid, distrust all magic.
were better than they had ever been. Their belief flows out to the common people who are then
There are many people, perhaps 1 in 500, that are born more suspicious of magic in all its forms. Radovid’s witch
with a magical talent. They can do one thing. They can repair hunters do arrest people with limited magic. Some even
pot-ware. They can find lost geese. They might even be able specialize in it as it is an easy way to get bounties. In areas
to make wooden things unbreakable. They are usually not like southern Temeria and Aedirn, where authority is thin
born into families with manifest magic. How these people on the ground, the people are more open to anything that
live is just as varied as their talents. In the South, as we’ve might help them.
mentioned before, these people often attend Gweison Haul One village might be able to make unbreakable boar
long enough to be evaluated, trained, and often cataloged. If spears. Another may build up a pottery trade that can replace
they are finders of lost waterfowl they will likely be forced to their scorched fields. In these cases, the magic user can use
pursue a mundane career unless one province of Nilfgaard is their skill to create a good life for themselves. But sometimes
suddenly plagued by missing geese. In the outer provinces of notoriety is a curse. If word gets out that a child can charm
Nilfgaard, these people are sometimes hidden away by parti- fish to a boat, they may find themselves stolen in the night
sans in case one day their abilities might help in an uprising. and chained to the mast of a fishing boat.
These limited magic users have an advantage over mages. No one has developed a good explanation for why limited
They do not need to be trained by a mentor. If left to their magic occurs and why one particular person receives it. One
own devices they will not go mad. Even provincials who are mage has suggested that perhaps these people were exposed
not overly fond of Nilfgaard understand that people born to a large charge of magic as children or perhaps even in the
with the potential to be mages must be trained the easiest womb. Some interpret it as a religious gift. Some that it is the
place to find that training is Gweison Haul. result of extreme trauma. They suggest that limited magic
In the North, these limited magic-users can be seen in is more common since the wars started. Certainly a lot of
various ways. If they can increase the crop, or find water people are experiencing trauma in these times.
74
Sold To
The South
Magical Gifts
To most people on the Continent, having magic is synonymous with being a priest, druid, or
“Grim business but I mage. But that isn’t exactly true. Any mage will tell you that sorcerers and sorceresses are the most
once had the honor of
powerful of the magically gifted. The majority of people who are gifted with the powers of Chaos
helping one of these little
are really only capable of doing one small task. Their gift is usually self-taught and their attune-
sprouts durin’ the second
war. Heh, little Cidar- ment is such that they are incapable of channeling enough magic to learn spells, invocations,
ian boy, no taller than or other forms of magic. In some cases, gifted individual are students of magic academies who
me. Parents found out proved incapable of higher learning and were expelled or dropped out.
he could sharpen blades In character creation, if a player gets permission from their Game Master, they can choose to
with his mind and tried give their character one of the 14 Magical Gifts at the cost of taking the matching Side Effect. The
to barter him off to the character gains access to this Magical Gift and a Vigor Threshold of 2. Mages, Druids, Priests, and
Black Ones for money or
Witchers cannot take a Magical Gift and neither can any character of a race that is incapable of
safety or such. Found the
kid on the run after some
being a Mage. Furthermore, unlike a Mage, Witcher, Druid, or Priest, a Magically Gifted character
Verdenian rebels had hit is not attuned enough to Chaos to learn any new magic or properly utilize a Focus.
the Black Ones on their Magical Gifts comes at two different levels denoted by their Stamina Cost and Difficulty. Lesser
way past Orth. Nice lad, Magical Gifts have a Stamina Cost of 1, can be cast as an action, and do not have a DC. These gifts
well-behaved consid- draw on so little Chaos that the user doesn’t even have to roll a Spell Casting check to cast them.
erin’. Dropped him off in Major Magical Gifts on the other hand, have a Stamina cost of 2, require a full round to cast, and
Kerack with a friend of
the caster must beat a DC:9 Spell Casting check to perform the effects of that gift.
mine who’d look out for
him.” Being Magically Gifted does not initially change your character’s Social Standing but if you
—Rodolf Kazmer are caught using magic you will be assumed to be a Mage by the majority of people, meaning that
your Social Standing changes to that of a Mage with anyone who saw you or believes the word of
someone who saw you.
Tactical Pursuits
1272, Ban Ard • Transcribed by Alec Von Karst
77
Winter in Ban Ard is crisp, clear, and crunchy. On the outskirts, the sea- The guest cast her gaze over the yard as Eachan and the gaggle of
son’s snowfalls layer upon each other, undisturbed save by hunting ani- small ones huddled together trying to go unnoticed. To these last, she
mals and enthusiastic youngsters. smiled and said, “We will have a game when I have talked with your
Which was why, Eachan thought, it was unfair that today’s plans for friend. Can you make snowballs?” Enthusiastic nods. “Then make as
building and shaping last night’s snowfall were going to be ruined by the many as you can, and a wall to hide behind. Over there, next to the
forces of Evil. trees.” The children scampered off to their task.
He always thought of Tomos and Dylan like that; Evil, big “E”. Three “Miss, who are you?”
years his senior, the older boys were wealthy, convinced they were destined In reply, the elf led Eachan to the far side of the yard.
to be officers when they went to war. Many of the city’s fathers had left “My name is Glynnis. And I think you need my help. I watched what
already, and it seemed to Eachan that the army had enough people already. you did to the stones. Was that the first time?”
As if they read his thoughts, the two young men grabbed a handful Stunned by her bluntness, Eachan’s instinct was to deny everything,
of stones from the inn yard where Eachan had assembled his friends. but her direct gaze left him sure she’d know. He looked away.
The little ones liked him, looked up to him, and were good at following
“N-no. Sometimes… things move when I want them? Since I was a
orders in his games.
baby. Dad wanted me tested, but the magicians at the school, they said I
Now they sheltered behind him as Tomos tossed a stone. It flew wide
was worthless.” The memory stung, though he wasn’t certain why.
of the mark, but Dylan was ready to follow-up. Dylan’s father was a
merchant and teaching his son the family business involved having him “Child, you defended your friends.” Glynnis sighed. “You are no sor-
lugging bales around from deliveries. There was a lot of Dylan. cerer in waiting, but this power is far from worthless.” She raised her
voice. “Come, children, time for a battle! All of you against Eachan! Boy,
This time the throw was on target. Eachan saw it heading straight for
you will stop the snowballs, understand? Don’t think, do.”
his face and flinched away. In his head, he felt a sharp *snick* and the
stone missed him, clattering off the kitchen window shutter. Baffled, Eachan nodded and grabbed a handful of snow and had
“Stand still, you little bastard!” Dylan’s face twisted in anger. barely formed it when the first wave struck with a series of wet slaps and
laughter. He grinned at the next attack, dodging most and waving one
Stung, Eachan’s retaliation was out before his sense could stop his mouth.
aside. The children gasped, giggled, and rearmed; this time he deflected
“I’ve got a dad and a mum, and I know who they are!”
two balls and held another for a moment before sending it back. As a
It was stupid; worse, it was rude, and the bullies made him feel it, send- large, wet example lofted towards him, Glynnis’ voice suddenly whis-
ing a pair of stones straight and true. Behind him, the youngsters squealed pered in his head though she stood clear of the exchange;
and Eachan felt pure anger as that internal *snick* came again and the
“Your father left you.” The ball stopped as Eachan froze. “You’re a
missiles zipped aside. One bounced harmlessly off the wall, the other....
useless freak, he hates you.”
“Ah!”
His breath came fast, words trying to spill out. The snowball hung
Eachan turned in horror to see his mother next to the kitchen
in the air, shaking—and then exploded in his face. Rage vanished as he
door, rubbing a cut above her eye. Seeing his distraction, Tomos
spluttered, wiping his eyes and mouth. Glynnis helped clear his vision.
drew back his arm. The next moment could have gone badly, but for;
Her hands gentle on his face.
“ENOUGH.” The word was not shouted, it was stated, carrying the
weight of practice and with no time for nonsense. “Child, when angry, you lose control. Power does not vanish, but
The speaker was the only guest the inn had, an elf-woman with long without control…”
blonde hair braided tight to her head. She strode out of the door and gazed at Emotions churning, Eachan stared at her.
the assembled children with a frown. After a long moment, she spoke again, “A face-full of snow?”
in that weird maybe-Nazairi accent he’d noted when she arrived a week ago. “At best. One day you may face other things.” Glynnis brushed her
“You two are too old for such mischief. Go.” Tomos and Dylan rocked hands dry on her skirt and called out, “Come here, children! And that
back, but turned and stalked away. Dylan tossed a sneering farewell over includes you two, I see you skulking. Come and listen.”
his shoulder, “Just as well your father left for the war! When he’s killed, Tomos and Dylan slouched out of their hiding place at the side of the
he won’t be able to ditch you for a real son!” inn. The small ones pounded over, red-faced and smiling.
Eachan’s vision blurred with angry tears and he started forward “One day, all of you will fight. When that happens, you may not have
with no thought but to force those words back down Dylan’s throat. His your friend at your side. You could have a stranger or one you hate. It
mother was faster, spinning him to face her. matters not. That’s why this time, these two will throw for you, Eachan,
“Boy, you are a fool! We’ll be lucky if their families don’t take the and you will defend them. No, do not protest. You are to be men soon
inn!” She pulled him towards the door, but the odd guest stepped into and this lesson is for you also. Now, let battle commence!”
their path and spoke gently.
Reluctantly at first, but with increasing enthusiasm, Tomos and
“Madam Gilreath, please, permit me to speak with your son. I’m cer- Dylan scooped snow and hurled it at the children behind their defensive
tain the child meant no harm.” wall. Soon the air was full of snowballs arcing across the yard and the
“I don’t need an elf ’s help to raise my son! Do you even have chil- laughter of children. Eachan stood tall, deflecting and bursting snow-
dren?” His mother all but spat. balls that threatened his team with more confidence each moment and a
Eachan watched in pure shock as the guest locked eyes with his growing smile on his lips.
mother and grip on his arm slackened. Glynnis retreated to the sidelines, watching the game. Her fond smile
“No, I do not have that honor. But I am a teacher. Please. Allow me faded as she looked South to where the army she had but recently left
to help.” was lying, a spare few months from raining death and horror on these
“Teach this little idiot not to get himself killed by his betters!” And his innocents. Could she warn them?
mother stomped inside, slamming the door. “Let them be children,” Glynnis whispered, “if only today.”
78
79
of Chaos
“The greatest enemy of
magic is and has always
been ignorance. All my
life I have striven to
illuminate the minds of
magicians and laypeople,
young and old, in hopes
“Researching and refining a new spell can take months or years and the of stamping out this igno-
cost in resources, head-pain, and sleepless nights can be high. It’s a matter rance wherever possible.
Please, as you read this
of minor wonder to me that so many spells make their way around the chapter, do your best to
world intact and almost entirely predictable in their effects.” keep an open mind and
an open heart. Magic is
−Glynnis var Treharne capable of so many won-
derful things if it is con-
trolled.”
—Glynnis var Treharne
This chapter is a compilation from many we pored over our notes, eliminating things
sources. Glynnis has contributed spells that seemed of dubious authenticity. Glynnis
and rituals not seen in the North. Rodolf tried many of the spells we have included.
has collected stories of hexes and rituals. She decided that spells have “dialects” of
My library has been ransacked for spells how magic is used between the South, the
and invocations. We have spent hours por- North, and the islands. We declined to try
ing over the library at Ban Ard as the snow the invocations as none of us felt sufficiently
fell. We searched the Oxenfurt library, and religious to contact any gods or forces. We
the private libraries of my contacts built up experimented with some rituals and Rodolf
over the years. I must acknowledge the help and I attempted to venture into the hexes but
of the librarian of the Church of the Eter- surprisingly we lacked the focused malice.
nal Flame in Novigrad. Eventually we made
contact with the fabled library at Lan Exeter At first I thought that curses would make
by megascope. Between all these places we an interesting chapter but Glynnis was
found a treasure trove of spells, invocations, against it. She said that curses were very
rituals, and hexes. Some Northern sorcer- personal things, entirely irreproducible; I
ers and sorceresses helped us but ask to argued that they certainly made for good sto-
remain nameless. Oddly we found that when ries. But Rodolf ’s outlook was that the hexes
we truly convinced people, often complete were bad enough and did we really want to
strangers, that we were studying magic and doom a great number of mothers-in-law and
collecting great knowledge so that nothing inconvenient business partners. From there
would be lost, many of them opened up and I’m afraid the conversation degenerated into
could hardly stop talking. Of course, we usu- silliness and in the end we bowed to Glynnis’
ally sent Glynnis in first. good sense.
In the end we gathered all our informa- One thing I regret is that we did not get
tion together in the library of Ban Ard where much access to elven magics. If there is a
80
library of elven magic we were not able to get even a whis- In the name of getting the most information possible,
per about it. The elves declined to let us see their libraries I sent word to a correspondent in Nazair. I didn’t men-
or to be interviewed on the subject of magic. Some inferred tioned Glynnis or suggest that I had any other Nilfgaardian
that if humans had not destroyed the great elven libraries, sources. My correspondent’s library offered a fair amount
there would be much more information for us to find. I of knowledge about Nazairi magic during its Golden Age,
suggested that if they had not destroyed their cities as they around 1000 of our calendar. It appeared to be elegant and
retreated that they might have access to their centuries of centered on aesthetics. I was delighted to bring Glynnis
information. Rodolf broke in and closed that conversation. something she had never seen.
—Brandon of Oxenfurt
Mage Spells
Novice Spells
Reverse
Engineering Mixed Detect Ley Line Hold Tongue
STA Cost: 2 STA Cost: 5
Creating a portal is a lot Alchemical Recovery
like crafting a wooden Effect: Detect Ley Line allows Effect: Hold Tongue allows
door. Building the frame, STA Cost: 3
you to locate the closest Ley you to magically glue a tar-
shaping the wood, and Effect: Alchemical Recovery Line by sending out a mag- get’s lips and paralyze their
attaching all the fittings allows you to revitalize the
is a complicated process ical pulse. Upon casting this tongue, rendering the them
potency of a spent substance. spell, your hand points in the unable to speak. While
that requires a great deal
Upon casting this spell, you direction of the closest Ley affected by this spell, the tar-
of skill. But once that
door has been created, can choose an alchemical Line and you can feel which get cannot open their mouth
opening it doesn’t come crafting project that has failed element it is connected to. and can only emit muffled
with any complicated and recover one of its Alchem- sounds. If a Mage, Priest, or
Range: 1 Mile
requirements. In the ical Substances. This spell Druid with a Spell Casting
same way, any Standing cannot be cast on the same Duration: Immediate
skill value below 7 is affected
Portal created leaves a failed project more than once Defenses: None
small trace which can by this spell, they cannot cast
but can be used alongside the magic. At the end of every
be opened like a conven-
tional door.
standard Recovery step. Fergus’ Demise round, the target can attempt
Range: 2m STA Cost: 4 another Resist Magic check
Duration: Immediate Effect: No one knows who against a new Spell Casting
Defenses: None created this spell but it was check to end the effect.
made infamous by its use on Range: 10m
Blemish Emperor Fergus var Emreis Duration: 10 Minute
after he was dethroned. Fergus’
STA Cost: 5 Defenses: Resist Magic
Demise allows you to summon
Effect: Blemish allows you to a cluster of magical needles
create a small but noticeable that act on your command, to
Magic Screen
illusion on a target that they torture a target within range. STA Cost: 3
are unaware of which makes For the duration of this spell, Effect: Magic Screen allows
them off-putting or unat- you are able to make a Spell you to create a very specific
tractive. Upon casting this Casting check instead of an illusion over a 2m cubed area
spell, the target suffers a -3 Intimidation check to interro- to hide or alter items. Upon
to Seduction, Charisma, and gate your target. casting this spell, you can
Leadership checks. If the tar- hide or change the appear-
Range: 2m
get is alerted to the illusory ance of items within the
blemish, they become aware Duration: 1 Hour
area. This change can only be
of it. A target that looks in a Defenses: None visual and remains until dis-
mirror or reflective surface, pelled or until any items are
can make a DC:16 Awareness removed from that 2m cubed
check to notice it as well. area. When a target comes
Range: 4m within 4m of the Magic
Duration: 1d6 Hours Screen they can make a Resist
Defenses: Resist Magic Magic check to see through
the Illusion.
Range: 4m
Duration: Immediate
Defenses: Resist Magic
83
Journeyman Spells
Vahila’s Pipe
Mixed Empower “Heard a little bit about
STA Cost: 12 this lass from one of my
Cloak contacts in the Blue Rose.
Effect: Empower allows you to weave addi-
STA Cost: 16 Said she used to take
tional magic into your spell casting to create
Effect: Cloak allow you to render yourself a dangerous convergence of chaos. The next contracts on rebels and
and anything you are carrying invisible. This traitors to the Empire.
spell you cast gains one of the following ben-
grants you a +10 to Stealth and a +5 to Attack Heh, they said she liked
efits of your choice: the percentage chance of
and Defense. Even if a creature makes their to find her targets in their
any effects caused by the spell raise to 100%, homes and disorient ‘em
Awareness check to spot you, you still gain a the roll to cast the spell is made at a +2 bonus, by chokin’ ‘em with the
+3 to Attack and Defense. Yrden or a Moon- or an already damaging spell deals an addi- smoke from her pipe.
dust Bomb can render you partially visible, tional 2d6 damage. However, if you roll a 1 While they’re clawing at
reducing your Stealth bonus to +5 and your when making the Spell Casting check you the smoke and thrashin’
Attack and Defense bonus to +3. If you are automatically suffer from a Magical Fumble as around she’d put a stiletto
hit by an attack while invisible, this spell ends though you had rolled a 10. in their gut and split ‘em
immediately. open groin to throat.”
Range: Self
Range: Self —Rodolf Kazmer
Duration: 1 Minute
Duration: Active (2)
Defenses: None
Defenses: None
Water
Invaerne
STA Cost: 14
Effect: Invaerne allows you to create
a howling snowy gale in an area with
a 30m radius. This area has Snow
& Ice conditions. If cast in a cold
environment, the duration of this spell
is increased to one week.
Range: 50m
Duration: 1 Hour
Defenses: None
Rusting
STA Cost: 14
Effect: Rusting allows you to emit
a spray of chemically reactive water
which rapidly oxidizes metal objects.
If using this spell on a target’s armor,
all their worn armor takes 2d6
ablation damage and wearing any of it
imposes a -2 to their Reflex, Dexterity,
& Speed Statistics. If using this spell
on a target’s weapon, the weapon takes
2d6 reliability damage and imposes
a -2 to attacks made with it. If this
spell is blocked by a shield, the shield
takes 2d6 Reliability damage. The rust
created by this spell can be removed
from 10 items by taking an hour to
make a DC:14 Crafting check.
Range: 4m
Duration: Permanent
Defenses: Dodge or Block
Essence of Potion
STA Cost: 12
Effect: Essence of Potion allows you
to take a single dose of any Decoction,
Potion, or Elixir that has not yet been
affected by this spell and magically
transfer some of its properties into a
unit of Essence of Water, transforming
it into a copy of that item.
Range: 2m
Duration: Permanent
Defenses: None
89
Master Spells
Mixed Earth Air
Bekker’s Dark Mirror Crystal Stasis Gwyntog
STA Cost: 25 STA Cost: 25 STA Cost: 24
Effect: Bekker’s Dark Mirror allows Effect: Crystal Stasis allows you to Effect: Gwyntog allows you to create a
you to trap a creature’s reflection in a cause crystals to grow up around a tar- localized windstorm with up to a 40m
reflective surface near them, drain- get and encase them entirely, placing radius. While this spell is in effect, gale
ing their strength. Upon casting this them into an unaging, coma-like state. force winds whip around the area mak-
spell, you can choose two of the tar- These crystals grow rapidly but not ing flight impossible and movement
get’s Statistics and reduce them each instantaneous and the spell must be extremely difficult. Immediately, any
by 1d6. This reduction affects Derived maintained as per an Active Spell over flying creature is knocked out of the
Statistics. Once drained, this Statistic three rounds. On the target’s next turn, air and suffers damage as per normal.
their body becomes sluggish and stiff,
remains lowered for the duration of Ranged attacks made will fail to hit
imposing a -3 to attack and defense
the spell or until the mirrored surface their intended target and land wherever
and a -3 to their SPD. On their second
containing the reflection is completely the GM decides. Finally, any creature in
turn, their body begins to be consumed
destroyed. The affected target casts no by crystal and they additionally can- the area must make an Athletics check
reflection until the spell ends. A crea- not move from where they stand. On DC:20 or be unable to take a Movement
ture without a reflection cannot be their third turn, the target is entirely or Run Action during their turn.
affected by Bekker’s Dark Mirror. entombed in a pillar of crystal render- Range: 100m
Range: 10m ing them unconscious. If the mage is Duration: Active (6)
Duration: 1 Month forced to stop maintaining this spell
Defenses: None
before the third round, the spell ends
Defenses: Resist Magic
and the effects are reversed. Otherwise,
the only way to reverse the effects are
Hand of the Tempest
Steal Spell the use of the Dispel spell. STA Cost: 25
STA Cost: 20 Range: 6m Effect: Summoning the full force of gales,
Effect: Steal Spell allows you to take Duration: Active (6) you exert a tremendous force on a target
control of another mage’s spell and Defenses: Resist Magic or Dodge which can manifest in one of 3 ways.
re-designate its target. When another With a powerful updraft you can send
mage casts a Non-Master level spell Shape Earth a target who fails a Reposition check or
you can immediately force the mage object of 1000kg or lighter flying 14m
STA Cost: 25
to make a contested Spell Casting into the air. The target begins to fall at
Effect: Shape Earth allows you to create
check against you. If you succeed at the end of their next turn. Upon hitting
a single structure composed of mate-
this check, you change the target of the ground, the target and anything it
rials present at the site such as wood,
the spell to anyone within range of the hits takes 7d6 bludgeoning damage to
stone, or earth that fills a 20m cubed
original caster or yourself if the spell cube. This structure can be whatever the torso and are knocked prone. Alter-
had a range of self. If the spell requires you wish, provided that it is simple natively, with a powerful gust you can
an attack check, use your Spell Casting in nature for example, a tremendous flood a 14m cone with powerful wind.
check from the contested check. If the wall, a statue, or a fortification with a Anyone in this area who fails a Reposi-
spell you steal is active, you remain in few rooms and simple furnishings. The tion check or could not escape the area of
control of the spell but must pay its structure will build itself over the next the spell with their reposition is knocked
active cost. 10 minutes and will vary in SP from a back 14m and takes ramming damage if
Range: 10m wooden wall with 5 SP to a stone wall they hit anything as they fly. Finally, you
with 30 SP. This is determined by the can manipulate an object up to 1000kg as
Duration: Immediate
GM. though you were holding it in your hand.
Defenses: None
Range: 6m Range: 20m
Duration: Permanent Duration: Immediate
Defenses: None Defenses: Dodge
90
Fire Water
Priest Invocations
Novice Invocations
Blessed Weapon Light of Penance
STA Cost: 2 STA Cost: 3
Effect: Blessed Weapon creates a glow- Effect: Developed by the beloved
ing rune on a melee weapon you touch Incandescent Anika var Myricks in the
which magically lightens and balances heart of Nilfgaard, Light of Penance
the weapon. For the duration of the summons the power of your deity to
invocation, the weapon has the Bal- punish a target, draining them of their
anced Effect. will to resist. Upon casting this invo-
Range: 2m cation, the target lowers their current
STA by 2d6. If the target has a Vigor
Duration: ½ Hour
Threshold of 1 or higher, they lower
Defenses: None their current STA by an additional 2d6
Divine Inspiration as well.
STA Cost: 2 Range: 6m
Effect: Common among inquisi- Duration: Immediate
tors and artists alike, Divine Inspira- Defenses: Resist Magic
tion allows you to bless a target with
insight. Upon casting this invocation, Presence of the Divine
you grant a +2 bonus to a single skill. STA Cost: 3
The target of this invocation must have Effect: Presence of the Divine allows
at least a Skill value of 1 in the skill you to summon the aspect of your deity
affected before the invocation is cast. to make your bearing more imposing.
A character can only benefit from this Upon casting this invocation, you can
invocation once per day. make your voice boom loud enough to
Range: 8m be heard from far away and you gain
Duration: 10 Minutes a +4 to Intimidation checks. Alterna-
Defenses: None tively, this invocation can be cast on up
to 6 targets to make them immune to
Duplicitous Darkness fear effects.
STA Cost: 2 Range: 10m
Effect: Duplicitous Darkness shrouds Duration: 10 Minutes
your target’s mind in a veil of false Defenses: None
thoughts. Your target gains a +2 to
Deceit checks, cannot be forced to
tell the truth by magic, and cannot
be mentally spied on with Telepathy.
Anyone attempting to probe the target
with magic is unaware that this invo-
cation has been cast unless they make
a DC:20 Awareness check.
Range: 2m
Duration: 1 Hour
Defenses: None
93
Journeyman Invocations
Blessing of Abundance effect that would allow them to recover
STA Cost: 6 Hit Points, including natural healing.
Effect: Blessing of Abundance imbues Range: 8m
you with divine providence, making you Duration: 1 Week
more likely to benefit from found goods. Defenses: Resist Magic
The first time you or your GM rolls to
determine how much loot you gain, the Seek the Seekers
roll is made twice and the higher value STA Cost: 6
is taken. This applies to an entire loot Effect: Seek the Seekers creates a mag-
source; meaning that if you loot a dead ical ward around you that warns you
monster, you would roll each loot item of divination such as Hydromancy, or
twice and take the higher value. Pyromancy. If you or anyone within
Range: Self 10m of you is the target of divination
Duration: 1 Day you are alerted as soon as it is cast
Defenses: None and are shown the face of the diviner.
Anyone who tries to spy on you with
Brand of Withering divination must make a DC:20 Educa-
tion or Magic Training check to real-
STA Cost: 6 ize they have been caught. However, if
Effect: Favored by death cultists of all they succeed this check, you are made
creeds, Brand of Withering marks a tar- aware that they know you caught them.
get with a symbol of creeping decay that Range: Self
arrests their ability to heal. Upon casting Duration: 1 Day
this invocation, a target who failed to Defenses: None
defend can no longer benefit from any
Master Invocations
Quill of the Divine Sagitta Aurea
STA Cost: Variable STA Cost: 14
Effect: Quill of the Divine allows you Effect: Sagitta Aurea summons the
to reach into a target’s mind and alter divine power of your deity to form a
their memories. By spending 14 STA spear of golden light. Upon casting
you can lock away the memories of this invocation, a target must make a
a target who fails to defend against Defense check against your Spell Cast-
this invocation giving them severe ing check. If they fail, the target takes
retrograde amnesia. By spending 16 7d6 damage. Sagitta Aurea can travel
STA you can implant memories of in a straight line through targets with
your own creation into a target who each target making a Defense check. If
fails to defend. Unless the target has a target is possessed by a demon, the
had their memories locked away with demon takes the damage as well and is
this spell, they gain a +5 to resist the forced out of their body. Additionally,
implantation of these new memories. any demon damaged by this invoca-
Range: 2m tion cannot use any of its abilities for
the next round.
Duration: Permanent
Range: 20m
Defenses: Resist Magic
Duration: Immediate
Defenses: Dodge
94
Druid Invocations
Novice Invocations
Herbalism Voice of the Counselor check against a new Spell Casting
STA Cost: 2 STA Cost: 3 check or by dealing 15 points of dam-
age to the roots.
Effect: Herbalism allows you to create Effect: Voice of the Counselor allows
an elixir using ancient druidic practices you to imbue your words with inspira- Range: 10m
instead of traditional alchemy. As long as tion. For the duration of this invoca- Duration: Active (1)
all the ingredients for the elixir are plants, tion, you can either make your voice Defenses: None
you can roll a Spell Casting check instead boom loud enough to be heard from
of an Alchemy check when creating the far away or whisper in the ear of one Word of Summoning
Elixir or in the Recovery step. person within range. Additionally, you STA Cost: Variable
Range: 2m gain a +4 to Leadership checks.
Effect: Speaking the Word of Sum-
Duration: Immediate Range: 10m moning calls out to a nearby wild ani-
Defenses: None Duration: 10 Minutes mal which arrives within 1d6 rounds.
Defenses: None When the animal arrives, it is friendly
Sigil of Bounty to you and will help you as long as you
STA Cost: 1 Web of Roots don’t betray or abuse it. If you spend
STA Cost: 2 2 STA casting Word of Summoning
Effect: Widely used by druids who you can summon a small animal (Bird,
advise rural communities, Sigil of Effect: Web of Roots allows you to take Serpent, Cat, etc.). If you spend 5 STA
Bounty imbues an aspect of nature with control of the roots of a nearby tree you can summon a medium animal
vigor to cause one of three effects. If cast to grapple a target. Upon casting this (Wolves, Panthers, Boars, etc.). If you
on spoiled food or drink, this invocation invocation on a tree, you can use its spend 10 STA you can summon a large
causes them to become fresh and deli- roots to grapple, trip, or disarm a tar- animal (Bear, Ox, Horse, etc.). Word of
cious again. If cast on a forageable plant, get within 10m of the tree who fails a Summoning can only be cast once in
the plant will produce twice the units Defense check against your Spell Cast- an area per day. When this invocation
of forageable material. Finally, if cast on ing check. Each round that you main- ends, the animal becomes neutral to
soil, any plant grown in the soil will grow tain this invocation you can either you.
to twice its typical size in half the time. maintain your grapple or attempt one
of the other options on a target within Range: N/A
Range: 2m
10m of the tree. A grappled target can Duration: 10 Minutes
Duration: 1 Year
escape by succeeding a Dodge/Escape Defenses: None
Defenses: None
Journeyman Invocations
Bigelow’s Befoulment discretion of the Game Master or suffer the Nausea condition.
STA Cost: Variable The Disease condition can only be removed by having a Doc-
tor roll a DC:15 Healing Hands check on the affected char-
Effect: Bigelow’s Befoulment taints all food or drink you acter and then that character getting a full night’s rest. If you
desire within a 2m cubed area with harmful bacteria. If you spend 10 STA casting this invocation, the affected targets also
spend 5 STA casting this invocation, anyone who consumes suffer the Poison condition.
the affected food or drink suffers the Disease condition within
the next hour. While affected by the Disease condition, a tar- Range: 4m
get takes a -2 to all actions, lowers their maximum STA by Duration: Permanent
one quarter, and must make DC:14 Endurance checks at the Defenses: None
98
Wrath of Nature gets within 20m. These target’s must make Dodge/Escape
STA Cost: 14 or Athletics checks against your Spell Casting check or
take 3d6 damage and be knocked back 6m.
Effect: Wrath of Nature allows you to summon the tremen-
dous power of the natural world to wreak havoc on your ◆ Desert: Every turn you can spend a full round action to
enemies. Depending on the terrain, Wrath of Nature creates kick up a gust of burning sand in a 6m radius area. Any
a different effect centered on you with a 60m radius. creatures within this area must make a Dodge/Escape
or Athletics check versus your Spell Casting check or be
◆ Fields: Every turn you can spend a full round action to blinded for 5 rounds and be lit on fire.
either touch down a rope tornado within 10m of you or
direct a single rope tornado within the area of the storm. ◆ Tundra: Every turn you can spend a full round action to
A rope tornado covers a 4m cubed area and when directed summon up a whirl of snow and water magic around a
by you can move 10m per turn. If it runs over or into tar- single target to encase them in ice. The target must make
gets those targets must make Athletics checks against a Dodge/Escape, Athletics, or Resist Magic check versus
your Spell Casting check. If they fail, they take 4d6 dam- your Spell Casting check or be encased in solid ice. This
age to the torso and are knocked back 10m in a direction ice immobilizes the target and keeps them from taking
decided by the GM. actions. To break out of this ice, the target must make a
DC:16 Physique check. Alternatively, if someone deals 10
◆ Mountains: Every turn you can spend a full round action points of damage to the ice or 5 points of fire damage to
to summon down a bolt of lightning which strikes a tar- the ice, it allows the person to break free. Any damage
get. The target must make a Dodge/Escape or Athletics beyond the 10 points (or 5 points) required to break the
check against your Spell Casting check or take 6d6 dam- ice is dealt to the target’s torso.
age to the torso and have a 50% chance of being lit on fire. Range: 60m
◆ Underground: Every turn you can spend a full round Duration: Active (6)
action to summon a stalagmite or stalactite to violently Defenses: Variable
erupt from the stone and stab a single target. The target
of this attack must make a Dodge/Escape, Athletics, or
Block check against your Spell Casting check or take 5d6
damage. Each summoned stalagmite or stalactite remains
until destroyed and counts as a 2m cubed piece of cover
with 20 SP.
◆ Forest: Every turn you can spend a full round action to
either summon up a tangle of roots from the ground to
take one of the following actions or give a single command
to each existing tangle of roots you have summoned.
These roots are immobile but have the Long Reach Effect
and can be used to Grapple, Trip, Disarm, Choke, or Pin
a target. They have a Brawling base of 16 unless your Spell
Casting base would be higher.
◆ Swamp: Every turn you can spend a full round action
to summon a 6m radius area of swamp gas that erupts
from the ground. Anyone caught in the gas must make
an Endurance check against your Spell Casting check or
suffer from the Disease condition. This gas remains until
the invocation ends. Additionally, if an exposed flame is
present in the area of this gas, it explodes, causing every
creature in the gas to take 5d6 damage to the torso and
have a 75% chance of catching on fire.
◆ Shore: Every turn you can spend a full round action to
summon a powerful waterspout out of the nearby body of
water to knock down targets with pressurized water. Two
jets of water emit from the spout towards one or two tar-
100
Hierophant/Flaminika Invocations
Shade of Bleobheris Sanctuary of raises their claw damage from 1d6/2
to 2d6. You can only be bonded to 10
(Bleobheris) the Black Grove crows with this invocation at a time but
STA Cost: 16
(Caed Myrkvid) the effects on the crow are permanent.
Effect: Shade of Bleobheris calls upon STA Cost: 16 Range: ½ Mile
the great oak to calm the hearts of man Effect: Sanctuary of the Black Grove Duration: Immediate
and beast. Upon casting this invoca- allows you to attune yourself and as Defenses: None
tion, all animals become docile and many allies as you wish to the trees
all affected combatants are removed within a 1 Mile radius. While this Well of Knowledge
from initiative and cannot take hos-
tile actions for 1 day. Additionally, the
invocation is active, you can touch a (Gedyneith)
tree and look simultaneously through
essence of Bleobheris temporarily sup- all the trees within 1 mile of you. You STA Cost: 16
presses the prejudices of all affected are able to parse this information and Effect: Well of Knowledge causes a tree
creatures, negating any penalties from focus on specific views if you want. you touch to grow an integrated basin
Social Standing or monstrous heritage. Additionally, you and any allies you of fluorescing water blessed by nature.
On each of its turns, a target affected designate can pass through any tree The next 20 people to drink from this
by this invocation can use its action to within this area and come out of any basin are affected immediately. For one
attempt a Resist Magic check against another tree within the area. Your day after consuming the water of the
a new Spell Casting check to end this allies cannot see through the trees but basin, a creature gains a +4 to Initia-
effect. If the target is attacked this spell are able to designate where they want tive and Awareness, becomes immune
no longer affects them. to go. to the Stagger, Stun, & Hallucination
Range: 50m Radius Range: 1 Mile Radius conditions, and can see through any
Duration: 1 Day Duration: 1 Hour illusions. If the creature had a Vigor
Defenses: Resist Magic Threshold of one or more before con-
Defenses: None
suming the water, they raise their Vigor
Winds of the Taiga Conspiracy of the Mother Threshold by 4 but suffer a -4 to Resist
Magic. After the invocation ends, the
(Gwyn Carn) (Crow Clan) tree shifts back to normal leaving only
STA Cost: 16 an etched sigil unique to the druid. A
STA Cost: 16 creature cannot benefit from this invo-
Effect: Winds of the Taiga summons Effect: Conspiracy of the Mother cation more than once a week.
the winter winds of the Far North to allows you to reach out to up to 10
create a blizzard that shelters you and Range: 2m
crows and summon them to you. Any
your allies. The area of the invocation Duration: 1 Day
crow affected forms a telepathic link
is immersed in a blizzard that blinds with you. This telepathic link allows Defenses: None
anyone in it and creates Snow & Ice you to communicate with them silently
conditions. Any number of people you within 20m, raises their Intelligence,
choose are not blinded by the blizzard, Reflex, & Dexterity Statistic to 7, gives
are immune to the Snow & Ice condi- them a Sleight of Hand score of 7, and
tions, and their attacks have an addi- makes them sapient creatures who
tional 50% chance of freezing. follow your orders unless you abuse
Range: 1 Mile Radius them. This telepathic link also allows
Duration: 1 Hour you to view their memories while you
Defenses: None are physical touching them and lets
them know where you are at all times.
Finally, any crow affected by this spell
101
Somne Supirre
STA Cost: Variable STA Cost: Variable
Effect: Somne puts a single target to sleep with soothing Effect: Drawing the Sign of Supirre on a surface allows you
magic. Upon casting this sign, if the target fails to defend, to link it to a point within the range of the spell. When
they are put to sleep and considered Stunned until they linked, you can hear anything happening near that point
wake, 8 hours later. If you spend 2 points of STA casting this as if it were right next to you and can choose to focus on a
Sign the target wakes if they take damage, if someone wakes single sound or conversation by tuning out all other noise.
them, or if a loud noise occurs. If you spend 4 points of STA As long as this sign is active, you do not need to make an
the target only wakes if they take damage or if someone tries Awareness check to hear any conversation at the linked
to wake them with an action. If you spend 6 points of STA point. The sign can only be linked to one location and must
the target wakes only if they take damage or if someone tries be recast to listen in another. The range of this sign is deter-
to wake them with a full round action. If you spend 7 points mined by the number of STA Points spent when cast. If cast
of STA the target only wakes if they take damage. If the target with 1 STA Point, Supirre has a range of 2m. For every STA
has no reason to suspect magical interference before being Point spent beyond that, the maximum range of the sign
put to sleep, they do not know they were affected by magic increases by 2m.
when they wake. Range: Variable
Range: 8m Duration: 10 Minutes
Duration: 8 Hours Defenses: None
Defenses: Resist Magic
102
Rituals
Novice Rituals
Journeyman Rituals
Master Rituals
Hexes
Marketplace
“Dear Reader, you will,
I’m sure be quick to point
out that the potions for
which witchers are so
widely known are poison-
ous to anyone who hasn’t
been mutated by the tri-
“Present the average man a staff carved with twirling runes, capped with als of the Witchers. This
a glinting gem and he’ll declare it magical. The carving may read ‘property is of course, true, though
in some cases regular
of Adelheid’, the gem glass, but in his ignorance, he’ll treat it like a mage’s ‘non-mutants’ have ben-
prized artifact. Because next time it might explode in his face.” efited from these potions
and the most skilled of
-Glynnis var Treharne alchemists have shown a
capability to adapt these
potions to make them
less dangerous to the
uninitiated.”
—Brandon of Oxenfurt
Despite well-earned paranoia about mages cope or the Magical Amulet, this is because no
and sorcerers, most people can’t resist want- mundane person could properly use the item
ing a little bit of magic of their own. Magic in the first place. In other cases, the mage in
items, enchantments, magic elixirs, love question jealously guards the secrets of their
charms, and Gods know what. creation to keep it rare and special, purpose-
Having spent some time in the mind of a fully keeping the masses in darkness. And this,
Witcher, I know that effective enchantments of course, leads to the secondary reason, these
and magic potions do exist with the most items are expensive. Mages who aren’t attend-
powerful of them being the tools of witchers. ing fancy convocations have to make money
For centuries, witchers have used these bits somehow. And price is based on perception of
of magic to help them hunt down the nastiest value. I would guess that any mage who moved
creatures on the Continent. One might then into a village and started trading elixirs for a
expect that witchers are the source of many dozen eggs would be hunted down by the local
magic items. This would be far from the truth. magical fraternity.
Despite having been formed by all sorts of But it is now that we are able to pull back
magics, witchers are not mages, not spell cast- that curtain with the help of Glynnis and give
ers. While they can use these items, they did a more thorough explanation of the workings
not create them and most couldn’t really tell of magical items. I will admit that as a for-
you how they work. No, those capable of craft- mer-director of a magical academy, Glynnis
ing these works of magic are almost invariably knows more about this than I do and while she
mages. So if these are not witcher secrets, why has tried to explain the theories to me I now
doesn’t everyone have a rune etched sword and understand how my students feel during my
potions that let them see in the dark? There more obscure lectures. The processes of craft-
are two factors. Primarily, mages prefer to ing stable magical items are esoteric and com-
keep the majority of their magical creations to plicated, requiring a familiarity with chaos that
themselves. In some cases, such as the Megas- I cannot claim. I would certainly have been sit-
110
ting in the back row of her classes. While magic may spontaneously latch onto an item, the major-
Relic Items ity of magical items are created through rituals, which require specific treatments and magical
incantations to bind magic to rune, crystals, and other focusing items in or on the intended piece.
“I think it is far more And as for love charms, charms to make people tell the truth, charms to grow pumpkins, and
interesting that items
bring fish, these are far more often the fabrication of Hedge Magicians in need of coin. These
can take on magic all by
themselves. Actually I
lesser mages who have one minor ability can extend their “services” to people who truly want
think it’s related to curses to believe in whatever they are sold. Some people can make being an old crone into a cottage
and hexes. If you concen- industry. A cleaner at the university went into business selling little dolls made to look like who-
trate enough emotion, ever the buyer had a strong loathing for. Supposedly anything done to the doll, happened to the
enough intent, on an item victim. Interestingly one of her dolls actually worked. I believe that was one case that may have
it can take on magical fallen into the magic by use category. It took 17 years, but in the end the victim was run over by
aspects. If something is a carter’s wagon. In Oxenfurt, fake mages selling beauty potions and magic knitting needles are
used over and over again far less common. The current rage for alchemy has caused many of them to change professions.
by one person it can take -Brandon of Oxenfurt
on the emotion or the
intent. Wooden spoons
Glyphs
used by grandmothers,
musical instruments used
by bards, stilettos used by
assassins.”
—Brandon of Oxenfurt While most known glyphs on the Continent expand the magical capabilities of a magic user,
new glyphs are being discovered with every delve into elderfolk ruins. The following glyphs were
Crafting brought to the Continent from Ofir not long ago. While rare in the North, these glyphs are some-
Enchantments times traded in southern Nilfgaard and some eventually make their way to major trading hubs
such as Novigrad or Cidaris. Just like the glyphstones in the Core Rule Book, each of these new
“Now, what you’ll prob- glyphs can be inscribed on a piece of armor with an open Enhancement Slot. This glyph is perma-
ably be wondering is,
nent and inscribing it uses up the glyphstone.
“Why the hell is all this
so complicated?!” Etching
runes into my blade ain’t
this difficult. Ya just etch Name Effect Cost
the rune, and infuse the
rune stone in it! Heh, well While wearing this armor, whenever you would have
here’s the problem. Ya Binding 200
a chance of bleeding, lower that chance by 30%.
ain’t exactly enchanting
yer weapons right. Any While wearing this armor, whenever you regain
runewright’ll tell ya that Mending 450
Hit Points, you regain 1 additional point.
etching a rune or a glyph
ain’t easy if ya wanna get
Reinforcement The armor’s Stopping Power increases by 3. 100
the most out of it. Heh, ya
need the right tools and
While wearing this armor, you have resistance to damage
plenty of concentration Warding 300
and time. Runewords & dealt by an Elemental source such as fire or lightning.
glyphwords are so exact-
ing’ that ya can’t cut any
corners when etching ‘em.
Gotta do the whole thing
to get any effect.”
—Rodolf Kazmer
111
Enchantment: Runewords
& Glyphwords
Another magical practice flourishing in Ofir is the enchant- the process of etching the enchantment. If the rune or glyph
ment of items with runewords and glyphwords. These already present is part of the desired enchantment you can
enchantments combine multiple runes or glyphs to create add it to the enchantment; meaning you can build rune-
a unique magical effect. These effects can be very powerful words and glyphwords over time.
but the magic binding them is very carefully woven and can To etch an enchantment into an item, the item must
be disrupted by other enchantments. A weapon or piece of have a prerequisite number of open enhancement slots. A
armor can only ever benefit from one enchantment and can- lesser enchantment takes up two enhancement slots, while a
not be inscribed with other runes or glyphs even if it has greater enchantment takes up three. You cannot benefit from
more free enhancement slots. If the weapon or armor has the same enchantment multiple times, even if they are on
a rune or glyph already etched onto it which is not part of different items.
the enchantment desired, that rune or glyph is destroyed in
Runewords
Name Rune Slots Item Effects
The damage done by this weapon can change to fire damage
which bypasses Resistances to Slashing, Piercing, or Bludgeoning
Burning Lesser Weapon
Damage. It can still be resisted by creatures immune or resistant
to fire. The weapon does not cause the target to light on fire.
While wielding this weapon you can make a check at a -6 with
your weapon skill base when targeted by a ranged attack to
parry the attack. If your roll beats the attacker’s attack roll, you
Deflection Greater Weapon can choose a target within 10m. That target must take a defense
action against your initial weapon skill roll or be Staggered
by the flying projectile. If you have levels in the Parry Arrows
ability, instead you gain a +2 to it when wielding this weapon.
When casting a spell/invocation using this weapon as a
Depletion Greater Weapon focus, if your target fails to defend they lower their Stamina
by 1d6 in addition to being affected by the spell.
While carrying this weapon, whenever you use Adrenaline
Placation Lesser Weapon
dice the cost to your Stamina is 5 instead of 10.
Preservation Lesser Weapon or Shield This weapon or shield’s Reliability increases by 5.
When casting a spell/invocation using this weapon as a focus,
Prolongation Lesser Weapon if the spell/invocation has a duration expressed in dice (such
as 1d6 hours), roll twice and keep the highest result.
Whenever you kill a creature with this weapon, you
Rejuvenation Greater Weapon
regain Stamina equal to your REC score.
Attacks made with this weapon do an additional 1
Shearing Lesser Weapon point of damage to the Stopping Power of Armor or
the Reliability of Shields if they penetrate them.
112
Glyphwords
Name Enhancement Slots Item Effects
Protection Greater Torso Armor While wearing this armor, your Hit Points are increased by 5.
While wearing this armor, if you take damage from
Retribution Greater Any Armor an attack, the attacker takes 3 points of damage to
their torso which cannot be blocked by armor.
Crafting Enchantments
It is possible to recreate the old techniques of crafting required by the enchantment it can be counted towards the
Enchantments, but the necessary requirements often make it components of the enchantment and is not destroyed.
a costly endeavor. Before crafting an enchantment, a crafts- If you fail to craft an enchantment, you can attempt a
man must have the diagram for the enchantment, the com- recovery roll by rolling the same Crafting check again. If you
ponents, and a set of Runewright’s Tools. If an item you are succeed at this roll you can keep one rune or glyph used in
attempting to enchant already has one of the runes or glyphs the enchantment. The rest are lost.
Journeyman Diagram
Name Crafting DC Time Components Investment Cost
Runeword: Burning 15 1 Hour Chemobog (x1), Dazhbog (x1) 1175 2150
Runeword: Placation 15 1 Hour Morana (x1), Stribog (x1) 1075 2150
Runeword: Preservation 15 1 Hour Devana (x1), Morana (x1) 1150 2300
Runeword: Prolongation 15 1 Hour Perun (x1), Svarog (x1) 1175 2150
Runeword: Shearing 15 1 Hour Veles (x1), Zoria (x1) 1150 2300
Glyph of Mending (x1),
Glyphword: Balance 15 1 Hour 550 1100
Glyph of Reinforcement (x1)
Glyphword: Beguilement 15 1 Hour Glyph of Fire (x1), Glyph of Water (x1) 1150 2300
Glyph of Mending (x1),
Glyphword: Heft 15 1 Hour 550 1100
Glyph of Reinforcement (x1)
Glyph of Binding (x1),
Glyphword: Rotation 15 1 Hour 300 600
Glyph of Reinforcement (x1)
Glyphword: Shining 15 1 Hour Glyph of Air (x1), Glyph of Warding (x1) 875 1750
114
Master Diagram
Runeword: Deflection 21 1 Hour Chemobog (x1), Perun (x1), Stribog (x1) 1650 3300
Runeword: Depletion 21 1 Hour Stribog (x1), Triglav (x1), Veles (x1) 1675 3350
Runeword: Rejuvenation 21 1 Hour Perun (x1), Svarog (x1), Triglav (x1) 1750 3500
Master Diagram
Name Crafting DC Time Components Investment Cost
Enhancement Slot 25 4 hours Meteorite (x4), Infused Dust (x2) 684 1368
Halflings
& Elixirs
Unfortunately, due to
their magic-resistant na-
ture, a Halfling cannot
benefit from any Elixir,
no matter how many
they drink. They can still
be effected by the Toxici-
ty of Elixirs, however.
“If memory serves me correctly, the Usurpator once tasked the top alchemists in the
Empire with reverse engineering potions stolen from a witcher of the Viper School.
Obviously this endeavor was less than successful but it may have led to some of the
elixirs used by Nilfgaardian infiltrators.”
-Glynnis var Treharne
While magical potions are most commonly gal. This, of course, has given rise to hordes
associated with witchers, there are many mag- of elixir merchants who peddle colored water
ical elixirs peddled by mages and alchemists and alcohest mixed with unidentifiable herbs.
which are perfectly safe for non-mutants to Real elixirs are all considered rare and are
ingest. These elixirs use magically reactive generally only sold by mages or highly skilled
alchemical compounds and fifth essence to alchemists.
alter the imbiber’s physiology in desirable While they are safe enough for anyone to
ways. Many knights, mages, and nobles keep consume, they are still toxic in large doses
vials of various elixirs on their person for var- meaning that a character who is not a witcher
ious needs throughout their day; making the is affected by having a toxicity score above
business lucrative in areas where it isn’t ille- 100% the same as witcher.
116
Crafting Elixirs
Crafting Elixirs is a process that requires a great deal of monetary investment and skill. In addition to the ingredients listed
here, elixirs always require 1 bottle of alcohest in their creation.
Journeyman Diagram
Name Crafting DC Time Components Cost
Anabolic Steroids 16 1/2 Hour 330
Lightning 16 15 Minutes 150
Mongoose 15 15 Minutes 100
Strider 16 15 Minutes 128
Tempest 15 15 Minutes 104
Journeyman Diagram
Name Crafting DC Time Components Cost
Last Hope 22 1 Hour 400
117
Across the Continent enchanted or magical the secrets of their craft jealously. There are
items range from rare and sought-after to even some magic items that are so old that
so common they may as well be mundane. knowledge of how they came about is lost to
In general, this is thanks to how magic items time. These items are most often found in the
get made. In the world of The Witcher most tombs and ruins of the elderfolk, abandoned
magic items are made in one of two ways. The so long ago that even the elderfolk have no
first and least common method is through idea what they are. Much like Relic Items,
ambient magic and moments of powerful Magic Items have an Education DC that must
emotion. This is how many relics are made. be rolled to determine the item’s nature. Alter-
Something like a curse, an item can have natively, this check can be made with Magic
magic attach itself to the item in some unex- Training.
pected way. More often, a magic item is tailor
made by a mage, priest, or druid for a spe- Enchanted Amulets
cific purpose. This item serves its purpose
for the magic user and may never make it (Education DC:14)
into circulation. But often times, the mage in Enchanted amulets are created by the sorcer-
question decides to sell this item, they teach esses and mages as a reservoir of magic and
others how to make it, or it gets stolen and to allow mages to cast spells that they would
replicated by someone else. And that’s how otherwise be unable to. In more recent years,
many of the magic items on this list wound the secrets to the creation of enchanted amu-
up spreading across the Continent. lets fell into the hands of the Druid Circle of
That being said, most magic items are still Mayena and the Church of the Eternal Fire is
quite rare since the knowledge and power to said to also be in possession of a few enchanted
make them is also rare and most mages guard amulets which they took from executed mages.
118
Every enchanted amulet counts as a There are many broken and non-functional
Power Stones Focus (2) item. In addition, the creator of gateway portals left across the Continent. So
an enchanted amulet may imbue it with the long as the entry portal remains undamaged,
Power stones are com- power to cast 1 to 4 spells. The magic inside its magic is strong and reliable enough to
mon across the world of the amulet draws on the wearer’s stamina transport people crossing it to its exit point.
magical items. These cut to activate the spells and the wearer must Entering a gateway portal instantly teleports
gemstones store magic
have a Vigor Threshold high enough to cast you to a point designated by its creator. A
and programmed com-
mands. In most circum- a spell from the amulet. When casting the Magical Training check DC:14 allows a mage
stances they are used like spells from an enchanted amulet, the wearer to know where the portal leads before cross-
remote controls for mag- cannot make use of any focus other than the ing. There are many different activators for
ic items but they can also amulet to lower the stamina cost. Addition- a Gateway portal ranging from passwords
be used to create items ally, an enchanted amulet can allow priests & which must be spoken aloud to small gem-
with very simple auto- druids to cast spells as if they were a mage. stones called power stones which must be
mated responses such as carried to open the portal.
Power Stone Guardians. Enchanted amulets have a drawback,
however. Once more than one spell has
been imbued in the amulet, the creator must Wishing Mirror
also choose a drawback from the following (Education DC:16)
list. These drawbacks remain as long as the
enchanted amulet is worn, and for 24-hours No one knows when these mirrors were cre-
afterward. The drawbacks can be: ated, by whom, and for what purpose. All
◆ The wearer’s maximum Hit Points are that’s known is that a small number of them
reduced by 5. were circulated throughout the Continent,
◆ The wearer experiences a constant head- sold by a traveling merchant. At first, these
ache giving them a -1 to INT, WILL, and mirrors adorned the walls of lavish manors
REF. and castles but as their magical properties
began to become apparent they began to
◆ The wearer fatigues more easily and filter into black markets and private collec-
reduces their maximum Stamina by 10. tions. These magic mirrors are very danger-
ous, and their effects are used by parents
Spell Formulae everywhere to warn their children against
(Education DC:14) spending too much time in front of a mirror
and avoid vanity.
Spell formulae are used by teachers of magic A wishing mirror allows a person to view
to ensure their pupils understand the under- their deepest desires within. When looking
lying theories and risks involved with cast- through the mirror, the onlooker sees their
ing particular spells. While many lay people ideal self-image in a location they’ve always
believe these papers to hold magical potential dreamt of and owning all the property they’ve
(and many are sold as such), no spell can be dreamt of owning. While looking into the
cast through a spell formula. When using a mirror, a person falls into a trance of sorts,
spell formula, you gain +2 to your skill check seeing themselves within the mirror, enjoy-
to learn a specific spell, invocation, hex, sign, ing the bountiful life just beyond the glass.
or ritual. These visions quickly become addictive and
after gazing into the mirror once, a viewer
Gateway Portal must make a Resist Magic check DC:18. On
(Education DC:18) a failure, the viewer is compelled to look into
the mirror for at least 1 hour every day. At
Gateway portals are an ancient means of the end of each period, the viewer can make
transportation used by the elves long ago. In a new Resist Magic check. On a failure, the
essence, they are the same as a standing por- duration increases by 1 hour for the next
tal, but they are fixed between two points. 24-hour period. On a success, the duration
119
is lessened by 1 hour. Additionally, for every commonly, they can be found at market stalls
day that the viewer succeeds in not looking that sell magical goods. A four-leaf clover Power of
at the mirror, the duration is lessened by 1 grants a temporary +1 to your Luck. Without Compulsion
hour. When the duration becomes 0 hours, taking an action, you can expend this Four-
the viewer is no longer under the magic of the Leaf Clover to gain a +1 to your next check. “Been lucky enough to
mirror. If the duration ever reaches 24 hours, Once this point has been used, the clover dis- never look into a Wish-
the viewer can no longer withdraw their gaze integrates. ing Mirror or meet the
from the mirror even for basic needs such as man who sold ‘em. But
eating and drinking. Without help, they are Crystal Skull I’ve seen folk who have.
Heh, not a pretty sight.
liable to die.
(Education DC:16) Got so wrapped up in
If the mirror is destroyed while someone their dreams they stopped
is under its sway, that person becomes sul- For many mages it’s very useful to have a eating and drinking, and
len and depressive for a month afterwards. small animal at hand to run errands and wasted away. Just a husk
They feel as though their life itself has been deliver letters, but not as convenient to con- in front of some glass.”
shattered and nothing brings them even the stantly be caring for a pet. This dilemma —Rodolf Kazmer
smallest amount of joy. This imposes a -2 to gave birth to the Crystal Skull, a crystallized
all actions they attempt. animal skull, permeated with magic which
can transform into a physical animal. Upon
Eye of Nehaleni speaking an activation word, the skull trans-
forms into the animal it came from (cat, dog,
(Education DC:16) bird, or serpent). The animal responds to
Eyes of Nehaleni are rare magical objects that your mental commands as long as you are
have begun to resurfaced in the last decade. within 50m, and will act like a regular ani-
These round stone tablets have inscriptions of mal of its kind should you give it no com-
a complex variation of the symbol of Nehaleni, mands. Upon death, the animal reverts to an
the Nordling goddess of fate & illusion. Hold- inert crystal skull. The Crystal Skull can be
ing the tablet aloft and calling to the goddess recharged by performing the Create Crystal
allows a person to attempt to dispel illusions. Skull ritual (see pg.102) using only 2 units
By taking an action you can make a Spell Cast- of Fifth Essence and the inactive skull. The
ing check with a +4 bonus against the original animal summoned from a skull is always the
check made to create the illusion or a DC set same animal.
by the GM. If you succeed, the illusion ends.
The Eye of Nehaleni does not require you to Magical Elven Rope
spend any Stamina to dispel an illusion. (Education DC:18)
Travelers through the North have noticed a
lone individual, cloaked in heavy leather and Crafted by the elves and carried throughout
furs, leave such items in remote shrines to the the Continent with elven scouting parties,
goddess. Of course, the resurgence of the eyes these tightly woven white ropes are imbued
have also led to a new market for fake Eyes of with magic which allows them to move with
Nehaleni, so take what you hear at the Novig- the will of their holder. The rope can twist and
rad market with a grain of salt. cling to people reaching out for it, tie itself
around objects that it is laid on, and retract
back to the holder. While the rope is capable
Four-Leaf Clover of tying itself around people, it never does
(Education DC:10) this fast enough to grapple a resisting crea-
ture. When climbing with this rope, you gain
These magical, dried, four-leaf clovers are a +5 bonus to Athletics checks made to climb.
rumored to be given by puckish relicts known Finally, the rope, despite is delicate nature, is
as griggs to people who help them, or as con- nigh unbreakable, able to support 300kg of
solation to the victims of their pranks. More weight and take 50 points of damage.
120
Power Stone Guardian onto the scene within 10m. The guard is
The Pricing dressed and armed in the manner dic-
of Magic
(Education DC:16) tated when the power stone is created.
The illusion can shout a short phrase
These sculpted gems are enchanted to protect
Note that the prices pre- and can move about within 10m of the
sented here should be an area from intruders. While the power stone
stone. The illusion cannot interact with
used as guidelines. Mag- itself is a small gemstone, it can be placed in a
anything otherwise, nor can it damage
es may sell these items variety of settings. Power Stone Guardians can
anything. The illusion lasts for 8 hours,
for more or less depend- take many forms such as doors, statues, or even
ing on their situation. or until dispelled.
chandeliers. The consensus seems to be that
a power stone guardian must be made from
an object sturdy enough to resist accidental Bonding Pair
destruction. The power stone within this object (Education DC:16)
emits a faint magical aura that becomes stron-
ger the closer it is, meaning that a mage can These ornate silver rings are magically
detect one with Magic Training and a Witcher’s bonded to each other, allowing the wearers
Medallion will vibrate when near one. to communicate over great distances and
A power stone needs to be attuned to some- sense when their partner is in danger. It is
one. The creator of this object can attune it said that the original pair was created by a
to someone else, who then has the power to Nilfgaardian mage by the name of Ainfra of
attune it to others by placing their hands on Mag Turga who crafted the pair for her lover,
the stone. In large cities, you will find that a witcher on the Path. The diagrams for these
almost all noble houses are guarded by Power rings were taken from her dwelling when she
Stone Guardians of some form and even some was found to have disappeared. Some say,
middle class residences may have one guard- she left abruptly after sensing her lover was
ing their valuables. in danger and never returned. It is rumored
There are as many types of power stone that her creation is now widely used by Nilf-
guardians as there are paranoid mages, but the gaardian spies.
three presented here are the most common. This item always comes in a set of 2 rings.
◆ Alarm Power Stone: When an unattuned When a wearer turns the ring in a specific
creature moves within 6m of the stone, sequence around their ring finger, they can
it sends a telepathic message to those speak a few words, roughly twenty, to be car-
attuned to it. The stone can only alert ried on the wind to the wearer of the other
the attuned creatures that someone has ring. The message always reaches its destina-
entered the area but cannot tell them who tion in less than a day, but the exact amount
the intruders are. of time depends on distance and is left to the
◆ Arcing Power Stone: When an unat- Game Master.
tuned creature comes within 6m of the Additionally, the rings vibrate when one of
stone, it immediately rolls an attack at a the wearers is in mortal danger regardless of
base 10 to release a small bolt of light-
the distance between the two.
ning that deals 2d6 damage. This attack
can be dodged or blocked with a shield.
After this point the Arcing Power Stone
enters the initiative order at the bottom
and attacks every round so long as an
unattuned person remains in the area.
◆ Illusion Power Stone: When an unat-
tuned creature comes within 2m of the
stone, the magic inside creates an illusory
guard who appears to have just come
123
Trophies
It’s not unusual for great warriors to carry trophies of hunts Imbue Trophy Ritual to create a magical trophy which
they’ve been on or enemies they’ve defeated but decades grants its wearer a certain benefit as long as they are phys-
ago a process was created to imbue those trophies with ically touching the trophy. To benefit from the trophy, you
magical power. While no one knows exactly who created must have contributed to killing the monster in some way,
this process, most mages agree that it was likely one of the meaning that you cannot gain the magical benefits of a
mages involved in the creation of Witchers, as they are most trophy you buy. A single person can only have one active
often seen carrying these magical trophies. By inscribing trophy at a time and trying to carry another trophy grants
runes and often utilizing the naturally magical structures no magical benefits. You can choose to benefit from the
in a monster’s body a magic user can bind a magical effect effects of a different trophy by spending 1 hour in medi-
to part of a dead creature. tation over your trophy. In addition to the magical effect,
When an adult monster has been killed, a single piece each trophy you carry grants +1 Reputation (Maximum
of the monster can be removed and used as part of the +4) as a slayer of monsters.
Trophy Effect
Cursed Ones
Botchling You become Feared and if you already were Feared the bonuses are doubled.
Draconids
Phoenix You reduce the chances you have to catch on fire by 50% (Minimum 0%).
Slyzard You add +2 to Spell Casting when casting fire-based spells and signs
Wyvern Creatures you damage with your attacks have a 25% chance to be poisoned.
Elementa
Earth Elemental Your attacks deal double ablation damage to weapons, shields, or armor.
Fire Elemental Creatures you damage with your attacks have a 25% chance to catch on fire.
Golem You are immune to bleeding.
Ice Elemental Creatures you damage with your attacks have a 25% chance to be frozen.
Hybrids
Griffin When rolling for a critical wound, roll twice and keep the result of your choice.
Manticore You raise the DC to resist or remove the effects of poisons you use by 2.
Your social standing improves by one step (Hated becomes
Succubus
Tolerated, Tolerated becomes Equal).
125
Insectoid
Arachasae You are immune to poison.
You gain resistance to either slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage. Each
Frightener
day, you can change which type of damage you have resistance to.
Necrophages
If you would be targeted by a Necrophage and there is another target
Bullvore
within range, the Necrophage chooses the other target.
Foglet You gain a +2 to Stealth and Sleight of Hand checks
Grave Hag You gain a +2 to Ritual Crafting and Hex Weaving checks
Relicts
Fiend You gain a +2 to Spell Casting and Resist Magic checks
Animals and beasts can understand you when you speak and you can enter verbal
Leshen combat with them to get them to obey you. Regardless, an animal or a beast will never
do something for you it would not do for itself (for example, jump off a cliff).
Shaelmaar You add +2 to Spell Casting when casting earth-based spells and signs
Specters
When the damage you deal is negated by armor, your target still
Hym
takes 4 points of damage that goes through their armor.
Noonwraith You become immune to fear.
You are constantly surrounded by a cloud of flies. Opponents in melee with you
Pesta have a -2 to their actions and a 10% chance to gain the diseased condition. You also
take a -2 to Seduction, Persuasion, and Grooming and Style because of the flies.
Vampires
Bruxa You can communicate telepathically with characters within 20m of you.
If you would subtract from your Stun on a Stun Save subtract one less. If
Garkain
there is no subtraction your Stun Value is counted as 1 higher.
Katakan Creatures you damage with your attacks have a 25% chance to bleed.
Ogroid
When you would be stunned by a spell, you can choose to attack the nearest living target
Cyclops
to you to resist the stun effect. Any other effects from the magic apply as normal.
Rock Trolls You add 1 to the range multiplier of thrown weapons you wield.
Troll It takes twice as much alcohol to get you intoxicated, and you never get hung over.
Beasts
Bear People you grapple have a -2 penalty on their attempt to escape your grapple.
Panther You double your climbing speed.
126
127
save the living. It turns out that all these ideas have many it away from non-witchers. What happens to those that
negative side effects. Oddly, most people do not want to be don’t survive the mutations? They are frequently deformed
dragged from wherever they are to chat and do not mis- in terrible ways, sometimes with decreased mental abili-
take, persons brought back through necromancy are not ties, and do not live long. You’re probably thinking “For the
suddenly made alive. They are here, but they’re still dead. strength and speed of a witcher, I’d take a chance.” But who
Hen Gedymdeith, one of the original human mages, dis- would you get to mutate you? The Witchers will not mutate
covered that creatures reanimated from the dead are erratic someone who is not a witcher acolyte and any other muta-
and undependable. His experimentation put a stop to the tions, by mages perhaps, are all experimental. We have no
idea of the walking dead army. legacy of mutation to depend upon, so you are truly rolling
Mutation is only included here because the mutation of dice in a game that has no winners.
sapient beings is also banned in most Northern Kingdoms. Reader, please view these pages only as a warning. We
Most people have heard of the dramatic and painful muta- educate you so you can avoid all these soul-twisting magics,
tion of Witchers. Only a small percent survive, and this is but I know some of you will think “It won’t happen to me!”
with knowledge that has come down through the years. The On your head be it.
Witchers know that mutation is dangerous, and they keep — Brandon of Oxenfurt
Necromancy
Necromancy walks a dangerous line in the world of magic, cer reanimates a corpse, they are calling upon unknown and
using unknown forces to bind souls for various reasons. unnatural magic to drag a soul back from whatever afterlife
What makes it particularly tricky is that it rarely works may or may not exist to restart the bodily functions of the
exactly as its caster envisions. Many young magic users are corpse. The corpse does not heal itself, or grow whole again,
drawn to necromancy by loss. After the death of a loved one, and the soul is dragged back into a corpse which has already
the magic user is consumed with guilt and grief and eventu- begun to decay. Between the dark magic’s crushing grip on
ally seeks a way to reverse their loss with magic. They turn the soul, the body’s wounds, and the decay, this places the
to necromancy to return their loved one to life. But this isn’t reanimated person in unimaginable agony. This pain is so
how necromancy works. The crux of necromancy comes in terrible that even if the necromancer could bind the soul
the difference between Reanimation and Resurrection. permanently, the creature would eventually die again from
In resurrecting a person, you bring them back to life with the shock. When necromancy is employed by seasoned Nec-
everything they once had. By the power of magic a once- romancers it is almost always used to gain information from
dead person is returned to the state they were before they a corpse, by either reviving its brain to study its memories
died. Their mind, body, thoughts, memories, and so on are or reviving the corpse to interrogate it. But even in this case,
all intact. In reanimating a corpse, however, you temporar- necromancy is far from tame.
ily bring the functions of a body back to life, restarting the The practice of necromancy was banned by the Council
heart, and causing neurons to fire in their brain once again. of Mages many decades ago and even now the only way to
Despite many rumors, reanimation is all necromancy is legally study the practice is to get a dispensation from the
capable of in the world of The Witcher. When a necroman- conclave to study the theory of necromancy. This is largely
130
because even “safely” cast necromancy meddles with magic The Dangers of Necromancy
that is not only poorly understood but also noticeably dan-
gerous. Similar to goetia, the magic that makes necromancy When a person performing necromancy fumbles their Spell
possible is drawn from some dark place beyond scholarly Casting or Ritual Crafting roll or overdraws magic, they do
knowledge. When necromancy is cast, the world itself seems not suffer an elemental effect. Instead, their clumsy med-
to react with palpable discomfort. For most mages, the dling in the realm beyond disturbs the spirits of the dead.
practice of casting necromancy is described as a physically After taking an amount of damage equal to the fumble value,
revolting experience, comparable to consuming live insects refer to the Restless Spirits table. You suffer the effects of the
or swimming in filth. To make matters worse, beyond this rolled number and the effects of all previous numbers on the
discomfort, a failure to properly control the magic of necro- table’s column. For Example: if you roll an 8 when fumbling
mancy can lead to horrible consequences. a Journeyman Ritual, you summon wraiths, are affected by a
Hex, and are a gateway for spirits for 1 day.
Restless Spirits
Roll Novice
Gateway
You become a gateway for local spirits for 1 day. During this time, you occasionally hear whispers and feel
1-5
people brushing against you that you cannot see. You gain a +2 bonus to any checks made to perform any
necromancy Ritual or Spell. However, you must roll on the Restless Spirit table whenever you roll a 1,2, or 3.
Uninvited Guests
You have attracted an unknown spirit from beyond. It is too weak to attack you or possess you, but it refuses
to leave. This spirit remains in your vicinity, mimicking the effect of a single Hex (of the Game Master’s
6-9
choice). You cannot remove this Hex by the standard means. Instead, you must kill or banish this specter.
This can be done by summoning the spirit with a Seance (which does not require blood from a relative)
and killing it or convincing it to leave. You can be affected by multiple Uninvited Guests at once.
Host of Specters
10 Immediately upon rolling this result, 1d6 Wraiths are summoned within 5m of the caster. These wraiths
are violent and cannot be reasoned with. They will attack the closest target and will fight to the death.
Roll Journeyman
Gateway
You become a gateway for local spirits for 1 day. During this time, you occasionally hear whispers and feel
1-3
people brushing against you that you cannot see. You gain a bonus +2 bonus to any checks made to perform any
necromancy Ritual or Spell. However, you must roll on the Restless Spirit table whenever you roll a 1,2 or 3.
Uninvited Guests
You have attracted an unknown spirit from beyond. It is too weak to attack you or possess you, but it refuses
to leave. This spirit remains in your vicinity, mimicking the effect of a single Hex (of the Game Master’s
4-6
choice). You cannot remove this Hex by the standard means. Instead, you must kill or banish this specter.
This can be done by summoning the spirit with a Seance (which does not require blood from a relative)
and killing it or convincing it to leave. You can be affected by multiple Uninvited Guests at once.
Host of Specters
7-8 Immediately upon rolling this result, 1d6 Wraiths are summoned within 5m of the caster. These wraiths
are violent and cannot be reasoned with. They will attack the closest target and will fight to the death.
Tainted Ground
Immediately upon rolling this result, the area where the caster was casting the Necromantic Spell or
9-10
Ritual is affected by a powerful curse known as “The Haunting.” The Game Master may decide what must
be done to remove this curse, but it should reflect the danger of the Curse (Core Book, pg.230).
131
Roll Master
Gateway
You become a gateway for local spirits for
1 day. During this time, you occasionally
hear whispers and feel people brushing
1-2 against you that you cannot see. You gain
a bonus +2 bonus to any checks made to
perform any necromancy Ritual or Spell.
However, you must roll on the Restless
Spirit table whenever you roll a 1,2 or 3.
Uninvited Guests
You have attracted an unknown spirit from
beyond. It is too weak to attack you or possess
you, but it refuses to leave. This spirit remains
in your vicinity, mimicking the effect of a
single Hex (of the Game Master’s choice).
3-4 You cannot remove this Hex by the standard
means. Instead, you must kill or banish this
specter. This can be done by summoning
the spirit with a Seance (which does not
require blood from a relative) and killing it
or convincing it to leave. You can be affected
by multiple Uninvited Guests at once.
Host of Specters
Immediately upon rolling this result, 1d6
Wraiths are summoned within 5m of the
5-6
caster. These wraiths are violent and cannot
be reasoned with. They will attack the
closest target and will fight to the death.
Tainted Ground
Immediately upon rolling this result, the area
where the caster was casting the Necromantic
Spell or Ritual is affected by a powerful
7-8
curse known as “The Haunting.” The Game
Master may decide what must be done to
remove this curse, but it should reflect the
danger of the Curse (Core Book, pg.230).
The Penitent
Immediately upon rolling this result, a Penitent
is summoned within 5m of the caster. The
9-10 Penitent is bound to the caster and focuses
entirely on destroying the caster. This Penitent
will return to the caster every night until it
is killed or banished, or it kills the caster.
132
Spells
Due to the dangerous nature of necromancy, necromantic spells are relatively uncommon. Most practitioners prefer to have a
more structured environment which might lead to more stable magic in the end. Two necromantic spells are well known by
the necromancers of the Continent. Both spells are technically illegal, though Corpse Restoration is sometimes utilized by less
moralistic mages in studies and investigations.
Rituals
Over the years, several necromantic rituals have been compiled by enterprising necromancers. Oftentimes, those brilliant
minds lead to their own destruction which has led to a great deal of knowledge being lost in ancient underground laboratories
or locked away by Mage Hunters who happened onto the scene of a necromancer’s demise. Four necromantic rituals have
been compiled here, taken from the notes of dead mages and the observations of Mage Hunters.
Reanimate Corpse
Level: Journeyman
STA Cost: 10
Effect: Reanimate Corpse forcibly summons a soul and binds it
within its dead body. While animated, the corpse acts as though
it were alive but is in excruciating pain which prevents it from
moving and imposes a -3 to Resist Coercion checks. However,
for the corpse to answer any questions it must have all parts
required to speak including lungs, vocal chords, and a mouth
and tongue. Additionally, it’s brain must be at least 50% intact.
For the purposes of Verbal Combat, Torture and Torment will
not work on a corpse revived by necromancy as it is already in
unimaginable pain.
Preparation Time: 10 Rounds
Difficulty Check: 18
Duration: Active (3 STA per Minute)
Components: A corpse (with working vocal cords, lungs, brain,
and a mouth), Chalk (x4), Fifth Essence (x5), Candles (x5),
Crow’s Eye (x2), Specter Dust (x5), Essence of Wraith (x2)
134
Mutation
Mutation isn’t a new development in the world of The something is bound to go horribly wrong, and you’ll end up
Witcher. People have been attempting to improve people having to terminate the experiment before it does the same
and create war-beasts for centuries. The most well-known to you or your colleagues.
case of mutation is of course the witchers, created by a group To attempt an Advanced Mutation Experiment you’ll
of renegade mages lead by Cosimo Malaspina and Alzur. But need to follow the following steps. First, you must decide
many people have attempted to harness the power of muta- what you aim to achieve with this experiment. There are
tion throughout the ages including the Grand Master of two primary types of mutation you can perform: Combin-
the Flaming Rose, Jacques de Aldersberg. Very few of these ing Monsters and Adding Traits. In the process of Com-
attempts could be considered successful. bining Monsters (pg. 136) you’ll take multiple monsters
The crux of mutation is that the process causes extreme (or monsters and people) and try to merge their genomes
stress on the subject’s body. Most mutants die on the slab together to form something new. This process is very
when their bodies reject the mutagenic compounds. This is dangerous, but it can have some terrifying results, merg-
why the vast majority of successful mutators are mages of ing the strength of multiple monsters into one abomina-
some caliber. A mage can utilize magic to keep a subject’s tion. When Adding Traits (pg. 137) your goal is to add
body stable and help them accept the mutagenic compounds. one or more of the 11 listed traits to a monster or person.
This process isn’t quite as radical as combining monsters,
Advanced Mutation Experimentation but it can give an edge to a pet or a party member at the
risk of mangling them permanently. When adding traits,
Advanced Mutation Experimentation is the process by you must choose all the traits you are planning to add to a
which a Mage with at least 5 points in the Mutation ability creature before starting the experiment. If you are feeling
can add desired Traits to a creature and/or make a Combi- very lucky or very skilled you can even attempt to com-
nation of up to three creatures. The downside is, eventually, bine monsters and then add traits to that new monster
135
at the same time. This drastically raises the imentation can begin. Similarly to the Mutate
difficulty of the experiment, however. Ability, an Advanced Mutation Experiment Mutagens
Once you know what you want to do, always requires 1 full day of work and depletes
you’ll need to gather all the ingredients. To all the operating mage’s Stamina points. At Mutagenic compounds
the end of this 24 hour period, the Mage must can be found in the vis-
attempt an Advanced Mutation Experiment, cera of monsters and are
you’ll need several hard to gather compo- make a Mutate check at a DC determined by
the complexity of the experiment. usually classified as fol-
nents. First off, you’ll need the creatures you lows. Blue Mutagens af-
wish to experiment on, and they must be The more advanced your experiment, the fect the magical potency
in good health. You’ll also need to restrain higher the Mutation DC will be and the harder of a mutant, Green Muta-
them in some manner for the duration of the it will be to control with the Monster Lore skill. gens affect their physical
experiment. You don’t want them thrashing To determine the DC of your Advanced Muta- hardiness, and Red Muta-
gens affect their vicious-
around while you are trying to concentrate. tion Experiment, look to the Advanced Muta-
ness and natural defenses.
For Combining Creatures, you’ll also need tion Experiment DC table and add up all the Traditionally, compounds
one Red, Green, and Blue Mutagen, which modifiers that pertain to your experiment. If of mutagenic material are
attempting the experiment will consume. you succeed in your experiment, you’ve created injected into the subject
For Adding Traits, you’ll need specific com- something new and must now consult Main- through tubes and nee-
ponents depending on the trait(s) you want taining Control of your Experiment (pg. 136). dles, combined with mag-
to add. See Adding Traits to build your list. If you fail, skip to Failing your Advanced Muta- ical catalysts and mitigat-
tion Experiment (pg. 136). ing spells. The process is
With all the ingredients at hand the exper- invariably excruciatingly
painful for the subject.
Combining Creatures
An Advanced Mutation Experiment may involve combin-
ing two or three creatures into a single much more powerful
creature. Doing so is simple, rules wise, but does require a
tidy amount of paperwork. For components, you’ll need a
Red, Blue, and Green Mutagen, which attempting the exper-
iment consumes, in addition to your chosen creatures. To
combine multiple creatures, first choose which creature you
wish to be the Base Creature for this Experiment. Write down
its Stats, Skill Bases, Abilities, and Vulnerabilities. For each
other creature in the experiment, swap 2 of the Stats from
the Base Creature with Stats from their Stat Blocks. Update
the Base Creature’s Skill Bases and Derived Skills to account
for this change in Stats. Then, for each other creature in the
experiment, add up to two Abilities from their Stat Blocks to
the Base Creature, and as many of their Attacks to the Base
Creature as you desire. You can’t double up on abilities with
the same name. Additionally, a creature with the Incorporeal
ability loses it when it is combined with a creature without it.
Finally, add all vulnerabilities from the other creatures in the
experiment to the Base Creature. The finished Experiment is
a Hybrid in addition to all the types of its component crea-
tures. Any finished Experiment’s Social Standing automati-
cally becomes Hated and Feared and is considered a Hard/
Complex Threat.
137
Adding Traits
Advanced Mutation Experiments can Engineer Regenerative Graft Additional Limb
include modifying the Experiment Components: Red Mutagen, Green
with as many Traits as you have the Capacity Mutagen, Preserved Limb
skill and materials to add. Each of the Components: Green Mutagen (x2),
following traits can only be added once By grafting bone and muscle from a
Troll Liver, Werewolf Saliva (x3), preserved limb into the Experiment’s
to a creature, unless mentioned other- Endrega Embryo (x2)
wise. For each Trait you wish to add body and injecting a cocktail of muta-
to your experiment, specific materials Enhances the Experiment’s tissue gens, you force the Experiment to grow
must be gathered, which attempting by bonding it with green mutagen a similar limb. The grown limb grants
the experiment will consume. and a blend of regenerative subject’s the Experiment all of its Natural Weap-
genomes. The Experiment gains the ons (like Punch, Claw, or Tail Barbs),
Amphibious Adaptation Regeneration ability allowing it to heal Abilities or Effects (like Crushing
5 Hit Points per turn. Force), and Vulnerabilities which are
Components: Blue Mutagen, Siren localized on, related to, or produced
Vocal Chords (x2), Drowner Brain (x1) Enlarge Appendage from the added limb. To be used as a
By merging the Experiment’s genome Components: Red Mutagens (x3) component for this Trait, the preserved
with a blend of aquatic monsters, limb must be within a year of its initial
Pick one of the Experiment’s natural
you adapting it to live on land as well preservation date.
weapons to augment with a danger-
as water. The Experiment gains the ous amount of red mutagen causing it
Amphibious ability, meaning it can live to grow wildly. Increase that weapon’s
Graft Wings
underwater indefinitely and cannot be damage by 1d6 and double its Reliabil- Components: Blue Mutagen, Green
drowned, in addition to not taking pen- ity. Additionally, increase the Experi- Mutagen, Preserved Wings
alties for acting underwater. Addition- ment’s Hit Points by 10. This Trait can By grafting bone and muscle from a
ally, the Experiment can now breathe be applied multiple times, but each preserved pair of wings into the Exper-
air and loses any Vulnerability that time, a new natural weapon must be iment’s body and injecting a cocktail of
would penalize the creature for being selected. mutagens, you force the Experiment to
on land, such as the Limited Movement grow a pair of wings. The Experiment
Vulnerability. Graft Additional Head gains the Flight Ability allowing it to
Components: Blue Mutagen, Green take flight as a movement. The Exper-
Armored Adaptation Mutagen, Red Mutagen, Preserved iment can only be knocked out of the
Components: Green Mutagens (x3), Head air by stunning it or doing more than
Arachas Chitin (x3), Draconid Scales 10 points of damage with an attack. If
By injecting a slurry of mutagens
(x3) the Experiment is knocked out of the
and material from the brain of a pre-
You harden the surface of the Exper- air it must make a DC:16 Athletics
served head into the Experiment’s
iment by injecting a slurry of green check or take ramming damage equal
spinal cord, you force the Experiment
mutagen and chitinous material. The to how many meters it fell.
to grow a vestigial head. The grown
Experiment gains Resistance to pierc- head grants the Experiment all of its
ing and slashing damage and loses any Natural Weapons (like Bite, Horns,
Improve Natural Weapons
Vulnerability it had to piercing and Gore, etc.), Abilities (like Spit Venom, Components: Red Mutagen, Vampire
slashing damage, in addition to losing Sonic Screech, or Night Vision), and Teeth (x4), Griffin Egg
the Soft Spot Vulnerability if it had it. Vulnerabilities which are localized on, Making use of a red mutagen, a foul
related to, or produced from the head. smelling mixture is injected into the
Engineer Immunity The brain of the newly attached head Experiment, causing their natural
Components: Green Mutagen, Endrega is no longer functional, and the main weapons to harden and sharpen. Each
Saliva (x10), Arachas Venom (x3) head’s brain is still in control of its of the Experiment’s natural weapons
By infusing the blood of the Experi- new head. To be used as a component gain the Balanced effect.
ment with a mutagenic mixture, the for this Trait, the preserved head must
Experiment becomes immune to poi- be within a year of its initial preserva-
son and disease. tion date.
138
Make Compliant
Components: Blue Mutagen, Triglav Rune
If your finished Experiment would have been
of Sapient Intelligence, they are reduced to a
creature of Feral Intelligence, meaning their
INT is reduced to one, but they still use their
original Intelligence for Wilderness Survival
and Awareness, which should be added to
their Skill Bases for these skills. The Triglav
Rune used as a component is not destroyed in
the experiment but embedded into the crea-
ture on the surface of its brain. Theoretically,
it could be removed with a DC:24 Healing
Hands check, which would remove this Trait,
and revert the creature to their previous intel-
ligence.
Maximize Bulk
Components: Red Mutagens (x3), Fiend’s Eye
By infusing the Experiment’s body with red
mutagen and fiend genome you cause it to
grow and thicken, increasing its Hit Points by
30. Additionally, the Experiment is immune to
Aard, or any effects that would knock them off
their feet. An Experiment with this Trait loses
the ability to benefit from the Flight ability.
Goetia
Goetia is by the far the most dangerous form of magic in the of the elemental planes, demons want to be summoned.
world of The Witcher. In part, this is because it tampers with Invariably, the summoning of a demon causes great chaos,
forces beyond the understanding of even the most learned and is ultimately only beneficial for the demon. A demon
sages. While certain demons have been classified such as hyms, that senses a summons from another realm will often choose
barghest, mari lwyd and the like, their origin, home, and orga- to accept the summons knowing it can outwit or overpower
nizational structure is still largely a mystery. Many religions a foolish mortal into giving it exactly what it wants.
believe they have all the facts when it comes to demonology Despite the danger, people continue to study goetia and
but the demons aren’t very interested in discussing themselves demonologists continue to summon demons. Such is the
to confirm anyone’s theories. Those who tamper in demon- arrogance, desperation, and short-sightedness of mortals.
ology are often found mutilated by the forces they sought to Much in the same way as genie, demons are capable of call-
understand, and many are never seen again. ing on tremendous magical power to grant wishes and pro-
Unlike wielding the powers of the elements, mutating vide boons. Piles of gold coins, secret tomes that had been
monsters, and raising the dead, goetia requires no special lost for centuries, strength and speed unrivaled by any mor-
ability or great amount of knowledge to perform. A child tal beast. These are just a few of the treasures that demons
without a day of schooling or an ounce of magical experi- can offer to those who summon them. More often then not,
ence could feasibly summon a demon if they stumbled upon the demon will deliver on these promises but just like with a
the wrong book and had enough hatred or desire festering genie, there is always a price.... Often the gift you receive is
inside them. Some might say this is because unlike the genie not nearly worth the price you have to pay.
140
Effect: This summoning ritual allows the players to choose ual Crafting check, then upon removing your skin from the
which species of demon they wish to summon, and whether fire, you find the coal had burned off during the ritual and
or not they wish to summon a more powerful one. Without the true name of a demon has been burned into your skin,
protections in place, like a Goatskin Mantle, or protections marking you with a Lucifuge. You may have discovered the
specific to the demon being summoned, the ritual is still true name of a demon, but it will forever know where you are
incredibly dangerous, and often deadly. while you bear this mark, and may appear to you on it’s own
Preparation Time: 15 Rounds terms, as it wishes.
Difficulty Check: 16 Preparation Time: 20 Rounds
Duration: Instant Difficulty Check:18 (DC: 24 for Greater Demons)
Components: Candle (x5), Essence of Wraith (x2), Infused Duration: Instant
Dust (x3), Oil (x2) Components: Coal (x10), Hardened Timber (x20), Beast
Investment: 639 Bones (x10), Infused Dust (x3), Your Own Blood
Investment: 848
Ritual of Naming
STA Cost: 0
Process: Create a bonfire of beast bones, coal, and dry wood.
me is
This fire must be hot enough to burn bright orange. Rub a I have it! The name. The na
ancestors
mixture of coal, fifth essence, and your own blood onto your
key. It holds power, as our
exposed skin to protect it. While holding a branch of hazel, mmon
submerge the treated skin into the fire. The fire will be harm- before us believed. I can su
on it and
less to you, and should burn white hot for a while before it. Yeá, aen ys. I can summ
eddyn,
going out. While the fire burns hot, think of a demon whose make things right again. Bl
edh, elaine
essea squaess. Aé minne ta
true name you wish to discover. When the fire expires,
remove your skin from the fire. The true name of the demon
should appear in the crust of the coal coating your skin. yn.
of a dead
Effect: This ritual allows the player to learn the true name –Found grasped in the hand
ountains.
of a specific demon. Once removed from the fire, the name elf in a cave near the Blue M
can be safely recorded to save for later. If you fail the Rit-
Master Goetic Rituals with your end goal being the Binding of the demon. A True
Staff of Binding can be used to make attacks through the
magical cage and torment the demon but other weaponry
Ritual of Binding and spells cannot penetrate this barrier. A regular Staff of
STA Cost: 0 Binding will not penetrate this barrier either. The demon is
Process: Prepare as you would for a ritual of Controlled bound to any agreements made while the Ritual of Binding
Summoning, by making a circle of candles and infused is in effect and cannot go back on these agreements unless
paste. Make a second paste of coal and your own blood and the binding is broken. Once, every 2 weeks the demon can
write the true name of a demon just outside of the circle of attempt a Resist Magic check against the Binding Charac-
controlled summoning. Line the inside of circle with silver, ter’s original Ritual Crafting check to attempt to break the
which will create a protective barrier within the circle, trap- Binding. This roll is made secretly by the Game Master. If
ping the demon inside and leaving it helpless to resist you. the demon breaks the Binding they are no longer beholden
Within the silver, present an offering to the demon as you to any agreements made earlier and are capable of harm-
would in a ritual of Controlled Summoning. Once you are ing the Binder but may not do so until the moment is
prepared, chant the true name of a demon until it appears right. Unless broken, the binding last indefinitely. During
within the circle, helpless to resist you. Torture the demon the duration of the Binding, the Binder can summon the
with the forked end of the Staff of Binding, until it accepts to bound demon at any time without performing the Con-
be bound to you, granting you benefits beyond your wildest trolled Summoning Ritual.
dreams. Preparation Time: 30 Rounds
Effect: You must know the name of the demon you are Difficulty Check: 20 (DC: 27 for Greater Demons)
planning to bind before you begin this ritual. Upon casting Duration: 24 Hours
the Ritual, the demon you named is summoned within the Components: Candle (x5), Essence of Wraith (x2), Infused
ritual circle and is trapped in a magical cage that renders it Dust (x3), Oil (x1), Coal (x10), Silver (x6), A Jug of Your
unable to escape or attack you for the duration of the Rit- Own Blood, True Staff of Binding
ual. The demon is aware that the ritual has a finite duration
but perceives time as passing more slowly. Once this ritual Investment: 1288
has been cast, you enter Verbal Combat with the demon
Name Type WA Avail. DMG Rel. Hands RNG Effect Conc. EN Weight
Bloodstone P or S +0 R 2d6 5 1 N/A Bleed S 1 .5
Dagger (25%)
Bes: Unless the summoner is wearing a Goat Skin Mantle, the bes will immediately try to pos-
sess them upon its summoning. This happens before anyone can take an action.
Casglydd: Unless the summoner is wearing a Goat Skin Mantle, the casglydd will immediately
try to use its Claw attack to drag them into the shadows where it will negotiate on its terms.
This happens before anyone can take an action.
Mari Lwyd: Unless the summoner is wearing a Goat Skin Mantle, the mari lwyd will assume
that everything present in the building where the summoning takes place is part of the sum-
moner’s offering.
146
Earthly Ribbons
Description Rarity Weight
A length of beautiful silk ribbon, “The
embroidered with runes made from
ribbons we presented delighted the
thread infused with fifth essence. When
a goetic practitioner summons a mari demon, letting us string them about
lwyd they can present these ribbons each pronged bone on its long neck.
among the gifts to the demon. The mari
lwyd will happily accept the gorgeous Canting its skull side to side, the
gift and allow the practitioner to tie
R 0.1
stupid beast couldn’t comprehend it
the ribbons around them. Once bound was had. The fabrics we adorned it
by Earthly Ribbons a mari lwyd is
incapable of taking other forms. Once with were the very chains with which
tied, the Earthly Ribbons remain active we would bind it.”
for 1 year. After this year, the ribbons
lose their magic. Before that year ends –Found in the notes of a Scoia’tael
however, the ribbons can be removed
by anyone other than the mari lwyd.
mage.
Cerebral Elixir
Poppy
Description Rarity Weight
had yowled, fighting me every step of
An elixir composed of hallucinogen
infused with mandrake root, the way but I could scarcely blame
hellebore petals, crow’s eye,
wolfsbane, and feline brain her – what cat would want its brains
matter macerated in alcohest.
The concoction must be filtered smashed out of its skull? I buried her
through han fiber and mixed with
by the crow’s eye plants by the door for
silver shavings. The elixir must
Rare 0.1
be consumed at the beginning some dignity, at least. But what’s done
of the summoning ritual. The
Elixir lasts for 24 hours and while is done, the elixir is complete. The bes
under its effects if you cannot be
possessed by a bes. If you manage can’t touch me now.
to drink this Elixir while possessed
by a bes, the bes is immediately –Found in a pellar’s hut in Verden.
forced out of your body.
Centerpiece
Description Rarity Weight “An
An entirely unique item crafted for the
purposes of protecting a person from a
Relic N/A
intricate maze of engravings and
casglydd. This item can take many forms and sliding panels, the creation on the table
seems beyond that of even Aen Seidhe
you will never see the same item more than
once. This item must be crafted by a skilled
A Centerpiece Diagram
Difficulty Fine Arts DC Time Components Investment Cost
Master 22 10 Hours To create a Centerpiece, you must use the Fine 700 N/A
Arts skill to create an entirely unique item of
great complexity. The Centerpiece must include
at least 3 different materials and the total
investment cost must be at least 700 Crowns. Each
summoning must have a different Centerpiece.
Wand of Banishment
Description Rarity Weight
A hazel wand with a capped by etched “It works. My
dark steel and treated with ogre wax
and ester grease. This wand can be
hands are shaking and I’m lucky to be alive,
used to temporarily banish a specific but it works. Melitele’s tits, to think this stick
demon from existence. The wielder
must make a melee weapon attack was enough to stop it. It crumbled to ash at the
against the demon which if successful slightest touch, gone but for a foul stench in
deals no damage but banishes the
Rare 0.5
demon back to its own realm for the air. Banished to whatever dark pit it crawled
24 hours. Each wand can only be
used on one specific demon (whose out of. I should record my findings, but first...
name is carved into the wand) and I need a drink.”
has a 50% chance of breaking with
each banishment. If used against –Found in a journal of a dead mage.
a greater demon, the wand always
breaks after the banishment.
Staff of Binding
A sturdy staff of hazel, treated with ester grease, ogre wax, and drake oil, inset with a carved bloodstone. This staff is an
incomplete Staff of Binding but still functions as a powerful focus.
Name Type WA Avail. DMG Rel. Hands RNG Effect Conc. EN Weight
Staff of B +0 R 2d6 5 2 N/A Long Reach, Focus (3), N/A 1 2
Binding Greater Focus
149
“And they say it can’t be tamed. Well, this’ll show them otherwise. I know its name
and wrote it on
the staff good and proper, no mistakes at all and I double-checked it twice to be sure!
The blasted
thing won’t get away this time, not until I say it can.”
–Found on a dismembered and frozen torso.
Name Type WA Avail. DMG Rel. Hands RNG Effect Conc. EN Weight
True Staff B +0 R 2d6 5 2 N/A Long Reach N/A 1 2
of Binding Focus (3)
Greater Focus
“After years of clutching my wand of banishment my opportunity has come. The final
pieces of
my staff of binding are affixed. Today I set right what once went wrong. Restaltos
took my
arm and nearly my life but I will take from it everything.”
–Found in the catacombs beneath Cintra
150
Good evening Glynnis, allow me to express my deep condolences. It And that your soul is your own?
must be terrible to have lost a father under such terrible circum- You concealed yourself behind a wooden support? I suppose you
stances. I can only regret that he brought his demise upon himself by ARE somewhat waif-like, so that’s plausible, you seem to take after
the practice of goetia. your mother’s side of the family. Aside from promising to skin you
I hope you can understand that we need to go over just a few alive and make you eat it, what else did it say? Bear in mind demons
points in your statement. Yes, I know, I know you’ve spoken to my are never to be trusted, but I am curious as to why you are so coy on
subordinates. And your statement was... atmospheric. Still, facts are this point.
facts and once we’ve cleared them up, then you will be free to leave. There you were, a vulnerable young girl, flitting from shadow to
No, not yet. Soon. shadow, that big, bad demon stalking you. It must have said some-
Your statement says your father was training you in the cellar thing. Bes are like cats, if you don’t keep their interest, they simply
rooms of your shop; quite extensive cellars. Part storeroom, part lab- pull your head off and leave your corpse on the doorstep.
oratory, how convenient. Just you and your father alone. Very well, Oh, it offered you a chance to escape? That was sporting. But you
so, after your lesson, your father and you had a disagreement. You didn’t take it up on the offer? Ah, it had the key around your father’s
were asking after your mother, one Catrin var Treharne, is that true? neck. Well, that would assuredly make it difficult to open the door. If
Your father became angry at you over the conversation and left the only you had been more skilled, you might simply have burned your
cellar. Tell me, why did he expect you to stay there? Ah, to tidy his way through.
trappings. But then you stayed for... oh, a period of private study in And what were you doing while this offer was being made? Pre-
the darkened corner of a dark room. paring a spell was very resourceful, I hope it was a powerful one.
A more suspicious man might ask what you were studying but Dormyn’s Chamber? That’s advanced for such an immature prac-
let us proceed. titioner. Now if I remember right the working “produces a sphere
You say after some time your father returned, locked the cellar of glowing blue force that can contain magical energies”. It also, I
door, and began laying out ritual elements. Were you familiar with gather, is quite claustrophobic.
this? No, no, you say you’ve never seen such things before. So, a circle You hurled this spell and then what, fled to the door, hoping to
of candles, a bowl of—did you see him place his own blood into the pull it open? That was pointless, wasn’t it? The chamber only lasts
vessel? I understand. It’s just difficult to rely upon the impressions of a few moments under stress, which explains why the demon was
a scared child. stalking towards you when my men broke down the door. You really
After the blood—child, there’s no need to pale. Evil sorcery has its were extremely fortunate there.
price, and it is rarely tidy. So, the blood, and then a small portrait. Now, what do you mean your father’s eyes went out when my
Did you happen to see the subject? Your mother? He must have truly men entered the cellar? Are you implying the demon left his body
hated her for leaving, but still. It seems a little extreme to have sum- in time for us merely to dispose of an errant caster? That would cer-
moned—but I’m getting ahead of myself. tainly explain your sobbing and pleading as we carried the sentence
Your father placed the portrait in the center of the candle circle out. I do hope we didn’t hurt you too much, but you needed to be
then doused all the other lanterns in the work area? That seems fool- restrained. Decapitation can be a discomforting business if you’re not
ish, but I don’t feel you are describing a man in full possession of his used to it.
good sense. A final clarification for our records. The demon’s eyes. Did they
Tell me, where were you watching from and why did you not stop look like this? Or was there more smoke like this? And did its breath
him? Surely the chanting was a sign all was not well? Now is this next smell like rotting flesh with a hint of perfumed sulfur, like this?
part, right? He cut some of his own flesh into the bowl. Well, I sup- I can assure you there’s no point screaming. Or running. The door
pose that shows what we’re dealing with. Your father intentionally is locked. You’re quite safe, even though you caused the death of your
summoned a bes, a demon of cruelty and vengeance. You told my father. You could have stopped him; or been more eloquent in your
officer that a grim shape appeared in the circle. I think you’re indulg- pleas before the axe fell. But don’t worry, Gruffydd Aep Elis will be
ing your poetic tendencies here, my dear. I’m reasonably sure flowing here soon to arrange for your care. Not that he does care, of course,
like dark oil is not an accurate depiction, but you were under a lot it’s simply a service he’s been paid for by your mother. No, I wouldn’t
of stress and one can hardly expect clarity under such circumstances. beg for your mother, you’re too much your father’s daughter for her
You say it coated and entered your father. So, his... Oh, his eyes to come for you.
took flame. And you say they were red? Reddish-purple, that was Stop crying! I find your statement to be cloudy and inconsistent,
it. Yes, yes, with black smoke. Dramatic. I’m sure it was terrifying. but that’s what you get for relying on a child. Memories fade over
Anybody would probably have made some kind of utterance. As it time, and you’ve had nearly two centuries to forget the details.
happens, I’m rather impressed you merely gasped. Yes, I imagine that One day, you might take control. One day. If you can remem-
would draw his attention. Their attention. Its attention. ber the name your father spoke, in summoning that specific bes. You
So, this possession, as you call it. Your father—sorry—the pos- might even save another child from the same pain.
sessed body of your father spoke to you. And you say it threatened But today is not that day. Today you have failed. Again.
you? I find it incomprehensible that a father would say such things Wake up, Glynnis, you can try again another night. I’ll be waiting.
towards his own child, even under demonic influence. Well, perhaps
you can explain to me how you yourself are still alive. And intact.
152
153
INT 10 STUN 7
Artorius Vigo
“Ah, Artorius Vigo. Can’t say anyone in the
REF 6 RUN 15
North knows too much about the Black Ones’
DEX 6 LEAP 3 mages, but Vigo worked for the ducal house-
BODY 6 STA 35 hold in Beauclair for a while, an’ Toussaint’s,
SPD 5 ENC 50 ah, a little laxer about their security. The man’s
EMP 9 REC 7 a master illusionist, an’ not too shabby in other
CRA 7 HP 35 magic either. Heard some rumors he was the
one to make a special workin’ for the Duchess
WILL 9 VIGOR 25
Anna Henrietta an’ her sister’s amusement
when they were just young lasses. Rich folk, eh?
Skills Base Getting a serious mage like that to work for a
Awareness 16 child’s fun. Of course, that’s not all he did while
Business 18 workin’ for the dukes an’ duchesses of Toussaint,
an’ he even found the time to write at least one
Charisma 15
book, “The Essence of Spells and Illusions”, if
Courage 17 I’m remembering correctly. Brandon was afire
Dodge/Escape 14 to get a copy for the Oxenfurt library, said there
Education 19 was some useful talk about the mind in there,
Grooming and Style 18 along with all the information on spells. Me, I
Hex Weaving 17 dunno ‘bout some noble’s mage knowin’ much
about the way people think, but I managed to
Human Perception 17
help Brandon get a copy. Artorius left Tous-
Persuasion 16 saint a while back, maybe to write a couple
Resist Coercion 19 more books, or maybe to help train his brother’s
Favored Magic
Resist Magic 19 daughter, Fringilla Vigo. Fringilla’s a member
Blemish
Riding 14 of the Lodge of Sorceresses an’ apparently not
Cloak too shabby with illusions herself. Suppose magic
Ritual Crafting 19
Dispel does run in families sometimes. I never heard
Social Etiquette 19
Glamour that Artorius was anythin’ but kind to his niece,
Spell Casting 19 but I wonder if he’s feeling good about the rela-
Staff/Spear 12 Illusion
tionship now; the Black Ones weren’t too happy
Stealth 12 Interactive Illusion ‘bout two of their own mages bein’ part of the
Swordsmanship 14 Magic Screen Lodge, that’s for certain. Assire var Anahid, the
Shape Earth other one, is dead now, an’ I haven’t heard any-
thin’ about the younger Vigo either way. At very
Key Skills Standing Portal least, I haven’t heard anythin’ about Artorius
Assets 10 Teleportation denouncin’ her, which might speak for itself.”
Distillation 6 The Nightmare —Rodolf Kazmer
Expanded Magic 8
Grape Vine 8
Immutable 7 Gear
In Touch 10 Elven walking staff Esboda Fashionable clothing Gemstone amulet
Magical Training 10 Belt pouch Writing kit Journal Ledger
Mutate 2 Signet ring Horse w/ racing saddle Saddlebags Wine (x2)
Reverse Engineer 7 Sweets Pipe & tobacco Megascope Cologne
Scheming 6 Gwent deck (Nilfgaard) Wives’ tears potion Invisible ink Smelling salts
155
INT 10 STUN 8
Cadfan of Ebbing
“When first meeting Cadfan, one is assailed
REF 6 RUN 18 with the very image of the storybook evil wiz-
DEX 6 LEAP 3 ard. A thousand peasants could describe him
BODY 7 STA 40 without ever seeing the man. He affects a long
black cloak and exotic robes. Likely the cloak’s
SPD 6 ENC 70
hood will be pulled down, casting his face into
EMP 8 REC 8 shadow. Cadfan’s staff is old, dark wood with a
CRA 10 HP 40 bleached skull atop it. The rumor goes that the
WILL 10 VIGOR 21 skull belongs to his master, who met a grisly
fate after teaching Cadfan all he could. Some
Skills Base say they have seen him speaking to it.
Alchemy 18 The educated may dig a little deeper and
discover a man taken with the theatrical possi-
Awareness 17 bilities of a reputation. Strip away the disguise
Brawling 12 and Cadfan is a sparkling conversationalist
Charisma 14 with all the best gossip and a taste for good
wine. He will smile and explain the skull is
Deceit 16
no relic of a tormented apprenticeship, merely
Dodge/Escape 12 ornamental. One may spend a happy evening
Education 17 discussing all manner of topics from theoretical
First Aid 18 chaos treatises to his exploits in the service of
Emperor Fergus, which earned him a degree of
Grooming and Style 18 respect and goodwill from that Worthy’s heir.
Hex Weaving 20 One would be advised, however, to make it
Human Perception 15 clear that someone knows where you are, for
Favored Magic not all his guests leave after dinner. Beneath
Intimidation 19
Alchemical Recovery the cloak and shadows, Cadfan is a dangerous
Persuasion 15 and capable necromancer, prone to using the
Cadfan’s Grasp
Resist Coercion 18 unwary in his experiments. The ornamental
Cadfan’s Synthesis skull on his staff changes with disturbing fre-
Resist Magic 18
Create Soul Beacon quency and I suspect is the source of the eru-
Ritual Crafting 20 dite gossip he spreads so freely.
Dispel
Social Etiquette 20 Cadfan has constructed a dark and for-
Pesta’s Kiss bidding tower in the Pereplut, deep within the
Spell Casting 18
Reanimate Corpse inhospitable swamps of Ebbing. I believe, how-
Stealth 16
Seirff Haul ever, that he maintains a house in Claremont,
Key Skills Standing Portal where he entertains the local worthies. The
nature of these entertainments is not entirely
Assets 4 Storm of Souls clear, and I would hesitate to accept an invita-
Distillation 10 Summon Staff tion without extensive defensive preparations.”
Expanded Magic 3 —Glynnis var Treharne
Grape Vine 6
Immutable 7 Gear
In Touch 8 Crystal staff Gemstone amulet Jambiya
Magical Training 10 Halfling protective doublet Double woven trousers Adda’s tomb (x3)
Mutate 7 Chloroform (x3) Clotting powder (x3) Fisstech
Reverse Engineer 10 Sterilizing fluid (x3) Surgeon’s kit Alchemy set
Scheming 7 Satchel Megascope Shackles
157
INT 10 STUN 7
Dorregaray of Vole
“Dorregaray of Vole is a mage in an odd posi-
REF 6 RUN 15 tion. First, he is considered a spy for King Ethain
DEX 6 LEAP 3 of Cidaris. Quite logical as he is from the small
BODY 5 STA 35 town of Vole in Cidaris. Apparently, he’s not a
SPD 5 ENC 50 particularly good spy, as at Thanedd he was
EMP 9 REC 7 put aside as simply a messenger to Cidaris and
not actively involved on the side of the mages
CRA 4 HP 35
like Philippa Eilhart and Keira Metz who were
WILL 9 VIGOR 25 loyal to their kings. Somehow, the Scoia’tael
managed to shoot him in the back, puncturing
Skills Base his lung. Fortunately, being in a castle full of
Awareness 18 mages, Dorregaray was healed.
He is also a sorcerer, which at least these
Charisma 14
days is a difficult position to be in. Except for
Deceit 17 evil genius, Vilgefortz of Roggeveen, and Hen
Dodge/Escape 14 Gedymdeith, the oldest mage alive up until
Education 20 Thanedd, male mages are just not taken all that
Grooming and Style 16 seriously. Sorceresses hold most of the power. We
Hex Weaving 16 have one story about a magical spat between
Dorregaray and Yennifer of Vengerberg. While
Human Perception 16
Dorregaray throws magical fire, when he gets
Monster Lore 20 tired of the spat, Yennifer uses magic to cause
Persuasion 15 everyone involved to become numb and fall over.
Resist Coercion 19 And then there is the obsession with
Favored Magic endangered species. No one expects a mage to
Resist Magic 19
Alzur’s Thunder become worked up over lizard skin shoes but
Riding 14
Bekker’s Rockslide Dorregaray seems to be unable to hold a con-
Ritual Crafting 19
Cleansing Ritual versation without decrying the over-harvest-
Social Etiquette 19 ing of an infinite number of animal species.
Spell Casting 19 Dispel
Since Thanedd, Dorregaray has been pro-
Stealth 14 Luthien’s Quill moted to Rector of the Ban Ard school of magic
Teaching 20 Polymorphism for boys. He has the advantage of not being too
Wilderness Survival 16 Sharpen Senses threatening, and Ban Ard has the reputation of
Talfryn’s Prison being a not-so-close second to the extremely elite
school for girls at Aretuza. Hopefully, he will live
Key Skills Tanio Ilchar comfortably in Ban Ard leading the students in
Assets 10 Teleportation campaigns to save endangered newts.”
Distillation 6 Urien’s Shelter —Brandon of Oxenfurt
Expanded Magic 8
Grape Vine 8
Immutable 8 Gear
In Touch 10 Elven walking staff Pipe Purple velvet kaftan Invisible ink
Magical Training 10 Warhorse w/ racing saddle Military saddlebags Racing blinders Gemstone amulet
Mutate 1 Halfling protective doublet Hourglass Writing kit Journal
Reverse Engineer 6 Double woven trousers Chalk (x4) Fishing gear Cologne
Scheming 8 Cold weather clothing Dagger Signet ring Megascope
159
INT 9 STUN 7
Francesca Findabair
“I am sorry that I have never been in the pres-
REF 8 RUN 21 ence of Francesca Findabair, Enid an Gleanna,
DEX 9 LEAP 4 Queen of the Elves. Beauty is a hard thing to
BODY 4 STA 35 define. But there appears to be no question
SPD 7 ENC 40 that Queen Enid is the most beautiful woman
in the world. She is a full-blooded Aen Seidhe
EMP 10 REC 7 of royal lineage. Her very great age is appar-
CRA 8 HP 35 ently not even hinted at by her beauty. She
WILL 10 VIGOR 20 was disowned by her father, one of the Aen
Saevherne, or Sages of the elves, because she
Skills Base did not turn her back on rest of the world and
Awareness 17 follow her father into exile.
The more I study what is known of Queen
Charisma 20 Enid, the more respect I have for her. Many
Courage 19 people of the North hate her because she threw
Dodge/Escape 15 her fate in with that of Nilfgaard and Vilge-
Education 18 fortz of Roggeveen at the Thanedd conclave.
Many hate her because she accepted Nilf-
Grooming and Style 20
gaardian terms deserting the Scoia’tael and
Hex Weaving 20 not allowing them to return to Dol Blathanna
Human Perception 20 after it had been reclaimed by the elves.
Leadership 18 During her lifetime, Queen Enid has seen
Performance 20 her people, at that time far beyond humans in
art, architecture, social structure, and knowl-
Persuasion 19
Favored Magic edge, pushed by human violence farther and
Resist Coercion 17 farther to the east, destroying their beautiful
Aenye
Resist Magic 17 cities behind them. Eventually the elves that
Alzur’s Thunder
Riding 17 did not choose to acclimate to human soci-
Blaze of the Korath ety found themselves starving to death in the
Ritual Crafting 20
Bones of Glass peaks of the Blue Mountains. Through all of
Social Etiquette 19
Dispel this Queen Enid has chosen to fight for her
Spell Casting 20 people in whatever way she could. Betray the
Magic Barrier
Stealth 17 North and ally with Nilfgaard to re-establish
Magical Guestbook
Tactics 18 a homeland for her people? Of course. In her
Sharpen Senses lonely position as the only representative of the
Key Skills Standing Portal elves, who wouldn’t do just about anything to
Talfryn’s Prison establish a place where her people could be safe
Assets 10
Telepathy and take a shot at rebuilding their culture.”
Distillation 5 —Brandon of Oxenfurt
Expanded Magic 8
Grape Vine 9
Immutable 10 Gear
In Touch 10 Elven walking staff Gemstone amulet Makeup kit Megascope
Magical Training 10 Crystal Skull (Hawk) Hand mirror Perfume Fashionable clothing
Mutate 1 Halfling protective doublet Writing kit Journal Four-leaf clover
Reverse Engineer 7 Power stone guardian Belt pouch Jewelry Smelling salts
Scheming 10 Map of the Continent Signal whistle Horse w/ saddle Secret pocket
161
INT 9 STUN 7
Fringilla Vigo
“It is not in the Nilfgaardian tradition for mages
REF 6 RUN 15 to be overtly stylish; to pay attention to fashion
DEX 6 LEAP 3 is deemed a waste of energy that could be bet-
BODY 5 STA 35 ter used in service. Fringilla bucks this trend
and indeed sets others. She comes from distant
SPD 5 ENC 50
nobility and brings with her an air of gracious
EMP 7 REC 7 attention, bearing, and dangerous competency.
CRA 4 HP 35 Fringilla delights in subverting expectations;
WILL 9 VIGOR 21 by dedicating genuine effort to her appearance,
she might be expected to have let her studies go
by the wayside, but she is a dangerous combatant
Skills Base and quite single-minded in attaining her goals.
Awareness 16 She’s an interesting character study but I would
Business 15 be wary of relying on her in extremity unless
Charisma 15 working towards a clear mutual destination.
Courage 15 Her membership in the Lodge of Sorceresses
is one such case; primarily composed of Northern
Dodge/Escape 14 practitioners Fringilla clearly held no compunc-
Education 18 tion against joining them and offering them her
Grooming and Style 16 allegiance over the Empire. That said, her abili-
Hex Weaving 19 ties lie beyond the merely social and she proved
herself in battle at Sodden, fighting for Nilfgaard.
Human Perception 17
I can only imagine the apologies she felt neces-
Persuasion 14 sary when next she met her fellow Lodge mem-
Resist Coercion 18 Favored Magic bers over drinks rather than a barricade.
Resist Magic 19 Aenye That said, I have misgivings as to the Lodge
Riding 14 itself; Nilfgaard often treats its mages as tools;
Bewitch Pendant
but the Lodge as a tool to control the crowned
Ritual Crafting 19 Dispel heads of the Continent sits poorly with me. By
Seduction 15 Glamour setting ourselves too far above people we can
Social Etiquette 18
Illusion gain delusions of grandeur and lose sight of
Spell Casting 19 the consequences of our actions on individu-
Magic Screen als.
Staff/Spear 12
Mind Manipulation Perhaps it’s a necessary idea and one that
Stealth 11
Pyromancy needs to flower and fall naturally to be fully
excised. Be that as it may, Fringilla is clearly
Rhwystr Graig
Key Skills at home with the politics, the reputation, and
Assets 10 Standing Portal the parties. She never enters a room unre-
Distillation 5 Teleportation marked, and I believe she enjoys that fact.”
—Glynnis var Treharne
Expanded Magic 6
Grape Vine 10
Immutable 7 Gear
In Touch 8 Crystal staff Halfling protective doublet Double woven trousers Gemstone amulet
Magical Training 10 Makeup kit Perfume (x2) Belt pouch Fashionable clothing
Mutate 4 Signet ring Horse w/ racing saddle Writing kit Journal
Reverse Engineer 7 Invisible ink Jewelry (x2) Megascope Tempest elixir
Scheming 10 Mongoose elixir Gwent deck (Nilfgaard) Eye of Nehaleni Ledger
163
INT 9 STUN 7
Keira Metz
“Keira Metz is another member of the Lodge
REF 8 RUN 15 of Sorceresses. Bit of a fussy one, Metz-never
DEX 7 LEAP 3 fond of muck or mess, appreciated the finer
BODY 5 STA 35 things in life. Terrified of rats, if I remember,
an’ used twenty-crown words all the time, too,
SPD 6 ENC 50
even when regular ones would do. She was
EMP 7 REC 7 workin’ for King Foltest back before the second
CRA 7 HP 35 war with Nilfgaard broke out, but he exiled
WILL 9 VIGOR 21 her after the Thanedd coup. Why, I dunno—I
heard she did well, beatin’ up on Artaud
Skills Base Terranova with a set of brass knuckles, heh!
Unfortunately, the bastard got the better of
Alchemy 15
her when the tide turned, threw her out a win-
Awareness 17 dow with a couple of nasty injuries. Lucky for
Charisma 13 her, she made it out alive. After being exiled,
Deceit 13 she must’ve joined up with the Lodge, workin’
Dodge/Escape 17 with Philippa Eilhart to make that country for
Education 18 mages. She’d been lyin’ low for a couple years
after the end of the second war, but it didn’t
Grooming and Style 15
stop her from being charged with treason over
Hex Weaving 17 the deaths of King Demavend and Foltest,
Human Perception 16 same as the rest of the Lodge. I suppose the
Melee 16 reasonin’ was that they all must’ve been in
Persuasion 14 Favored Magic on it, an’ Metz definitely had a reason for a
Resist Coercion 17 Alzur’s Thunder grudge against Foltest...I can’t help feeling like
Bronwyn’s Gust there’s another explanation, though. Nobody’s
Resist Magic 19
sure where she is or what she’s doin’ now, what
Ritual Crafting 19 Cenlly Graig with the North howlin’ for mages’ blood, espe-
Seduction 15 Dispel cially the Lodge’s, an’ the Black Ones havin’
Small Blades 14 Glamour taken most of Temeria an’ Aedirn, damn their
Social Etiquette 17 Onieromancy eyes. There’s been some rumors of a talented
Spell Casting 19 witch in Velen, though I can’t picture Keira
Reopen Portal
Metz being all that pleased with peasant liv-
Stealth 15 Somne ing. On the other hand, if it is her, maybe she
Standing Portal can do somethin’ about the Catriona plague—
Key Skills Telecommunication it’s startin’ to spread again which is the last
Assets 8 thing we need with a war going on. She was
Teleportation
Distillation 10 always good with potions an’ such.”
Expanded Magic 6 —Rodolf Kazmer
Grape Vine 8 Gear
Immutable 8 Crystal staff Brass knuckles Halfling protective doublet Crystal Skull (Cat)
In Touch 8 Makeup kit Gemstone amulet Alchemy set Satchel
Magical Training 10 Jewelry (x4) Perfume (x3) Fashionable clothing (x2) Numbing herbs (x3)
Mutate 7 Poniard Tempest elixir (x3) Tempest elixir formula Lightning elixir
Reverse Engineer 10 Lightning elixir
Scheming 8 Strider elixir Strider elixir formula Telecommunicator
formula
165
INT 10 STUN 7
Philippa Eilhart
“Philippa Eilhart. Heh. Very dangerous mage—
REF 7 RUN 15 powerful enough to polymorph into an owl.
DEX 7 LEAP 3 Used to advise King Vizimir and was even
BODY 5 STA 35 involved with his spymaster Sigismund Dijks-
SPD 5 ENC 50 tra for a while though I’d call that an affair of
convenience since she’s strictly for other women.
EMP 5 REC 7
Eilhart been a real leader among the North-
CRA 7 HP 35 ern Mages. Durin’ the Thanedd Coup she and
WILL 10 VIGOR 25 the other mages loyal to the North, Dijkstra,
and a bunch of Redanian soldiers captured the
Skills Base mages who’d been bought by Nilfgaard. Some-
Awareness 17 thin’ must’ve gone wrong, though, ‘cause the
Black Ones’ mages got free, and it turned into
Charisma 10
a bloodbath. After seeing the fall of the Council,
Deceit 18 Eilhart started a group of her own, the Lodge of
Dodge/Escape 16 Sorceresses. Rumor has it they wanted to create
Education 19 a country for magic and mages, or some shite.
Endurance 15 Of course, now most of the Lodge is wanted for
Grooming and Style 16 treason, Eilhart included, so that tells you how
that turned out, heh. Damned witch was mixed
Hex Weaving 20
up in the murder of King Foltest, too. She was
Human Perception 15 even fosterin’ a peasant uprising to try to con-
Persuasion 15 trol the Pontar Valley after the Lodge hired the
Resist Coercion 20 Witcher Letho to start killin’ kings. Of course,
Favored Magic
Resist Magic 20 Letho was probably workin’ for Nilfgaard all
Alzur’s Thunder along, and her plans started going wrong when
Ritual Crafting 20
Blinding Dust her apprentice Cynthia turned out to be a spy
Seduction 17
Dispel for the Black Ones. King Radovid even had Eil-
Small Blades 13 hart’s eyes put out when he captured her in Loc
Eilhart’s Technique
Social Etiquette 18 Muinne. I suppose Eilhart’s damn near takin’
Fergus’ Demise
Spell Casting 20 over Redania after Vizimir was assassinated
Glamour explains where Radovid got his grudge against
Stealth 15
Tactics 17 Golem Crafting her. Radovid’s still tryin’ to chase her down and
Mental Command finish what he started, and the Witch Hunters
Polymorphism are tearin’ apart Velen lookin’, but she’s clean
Key Skills vanished. Suppose you’d have a lot more hiding
Assets 10 Pyromancy
places as an owl, but I don’t think for a minute
Distillation 6 Standing Portal we’ve seen the last of this one.”
Expanded Magic 7 —Rodolf Kazmer
Grape Vine 8
Immutable 5 Gear
In Touch 10 Crystal staff Stiletto Halfling protective doublet Double woven trousers
Magical Training 10 Gemstone amulet Belt pouch Makeup kit Perfume
Mutate 4 Writing kit Invisible ink Poisoner’s friend Black venom
Reverse Engineer 10 Alchemy set Satchel Secret pocket (x2) Fashionable clothing
Scheming 10 Acid solution Jewelry (x2) Sterilizing fluid (x3) Megascope
167
INT
REF
10
5
STUN
RUN
7
15
Stregobor of Kovir
“Stregobor of Kovir is the most wizardy-lookin’
DEX 6 LEAP 3 wizard I’ve seen in my entire life. Tall for a
BODY 5 STA 35 human, skinny as a stick, staff, robes, the whole
SPD 5 ENC 50 vein of ore, heh. Mostly did illusions and weather,
but he was obsessed with the Curse of the Black
EMP 5 REC 7
Sun. Whole-heartedly believed in the prophecy
CRA 8 HP 35 of Eltibald, that “sixty women wearing golden
WILL 9 VIGOR 25 crowns would drown the river valleys in blood”
to mark the return of the evil goddess Lilit. And
so, when an eclipse appeared, Stregobor started
Skills Base
researching princesses born durin’ it. All sorts
Alchemy 16 of rumors that the Black Sun Princesses were
Awareness 18 evil, or mutated, or possessed, all from birth.
Charisma 10 After a few years and more than a few dissec-
Crafting 15 tions, Stregobor was considered an expert on
‘em. Things went sideways when he was called
Deduction 18
in to deal with Renfri of Creyden, though. He
Dodge/Escape 13 confirmed she was twisted from the Black Sun,
Education 19 an’ the girl’s stepmother supposedly sent her into
First Aid 16 the woods with a hunter after to kill her. But
Grooming and Style 11 Renfri escaped ‘em, maybe killed ‘em, an’ blamed
Hex Weaving 19 Stregobor for ruining her life. Dedicated herself
to killin’ him, an’ word is she nearly did it in
Human Perception 11
Mahakam, but Stregobor froze her in a slab of
Intimidation 17 Favored Magic
crystal and ran. She got free with a bit of help
Persuasion 12 Afan’s Mirror an’ kept trackin’ him, picked up a crew along the
Resist Coercion 19 Corpse Restoration way. Eventually Stregobor wound up cornered in
Resist Magic 19 Create Crystal Skull Blaviken, an’ that is when Geralt of Rivia showed
up. I’d heard that Geralt wasn’t fond of Stregobor,
Ritual Crafting 19 Create Soul Beacon
that the mage’d gotten the Witcher chased out of
Social Etiquette 19 Crystal Stasis Kovir on a false accusation, but somethin’ hap-
Spell Casting 19 Dispel pened in that town. I doubt anyone knows the
Stealth 12 Illusion whole story except Stregobor and the Butcher
of Blaviken himself, but there were seven people
Interactive Illusion
dead in the marketplace, one of ‘em Renfri, an’
Key Skills Magic Screen Geralt of Rivia wasn’t letting anyone touch her
Assets 6 Summon Staff body. Stregobor went back to Kovir and hasn’t
Distillation 8 Telepathy been bothered since.”
Expanded Magic 8 —Rodolf Kazmer
Grape Vine 6
Immutable 8 Gear
In Touch 10 Crystal staff Gemstone amulet Gwent deck (Monster) Dice poker board
Magical Training 10 Surgeon’s kit Writing kit Journal Hourglass
Mutate 6 Alchemy set Alchemical adhesive Base powder Acid solution
Reverse Engineer 8 Satchel Adda’s tomb (x3) Clotting powder (x2) Dagger
Scheming 6 Runewright’s tools Cold weather clothing Belt pouch Sweets
169
A Binding Clause
will incite other villagers to do some- no measures to hide this, he will pointedly
The Rivian thing extreme. Lately, the folk have been narrow his eyes at them, a sharp look of disap-
Pogroms agreeing more with Das than their own proval on his face.
alderman. Das’ character serves to act as The man glowers at you, small watery eyes
Four years ago—1268— a red herring, tricking the players into set into his worn face. His lips twist sourly
an argument between thinking he’s the Horse of Frost wearing
young noblewoman Na- beneath his coarse, thick beard. Cheeks,
Das’ skin to throw them off the trail in weathered and ruddy, are flushed from the
dio Esposito and a group
the final confrontation. cold air and the effort of descaling, running
of dwarves in Rivia’s city
marketplace became ex- ◆ Arrik of Scala was the local pellar who the curved blade of the knife along the length
tremely heated and erupt- lived outside of the village in a small of the fish he has on the wooden block at his
ed into violence. The hu- hut in the woods. He helped the Padd feet. Clearing his throat, he hawks a wad of
mans formed a pogrom family for the past few years to keep the spit and says:
against the non-humans, Horse of Frost at bay but was killed a
killing 184 in a savage Or are you lot freaks, too?
few weeks prior when the Order of the
attack. This was not the Other peasants appear drawn to the
last pogrom to occur in Flaming Rose passed through on one
Rivia, but it was the first of their witch hunts. His ransacked and ruckus this man is making—especially when
on its scale, marking what now-abandoned hut sits to the northwest the word ‘freak’ is thrown out. Their suspi-
would become a future of of Spetz. cious stares become glares of contempt, but
hate and oppression. It is ◆ The peasants will eventually rise into a none seem brave enough to speak up and
often referred to as the
mob in the final confrontation, tensions interrupt him. The player characters have a
Massacre in Rivia. few options here: they can choose to converse
finally breaking into a violent fallout.
Player characters can choose to attempt with this man, ignore him, or confront him
to defuse the situation and kill the demon themselves.
or step aside and let the Horse of Frost
finally get what it wants. Converse
If the player characters choose to speak with
Set Up (Read Aloud) the man, he will introduce himself as Das; a
local fisherman and self-proclaimed ‘voice’
It’s raining by the time you stumble across a for Spetz’ inhabitants. He is arrogant, self-im-
village hidden in the pine trees. Mud and moss portant, and loud—happy to be ignorant
squelch under you as you’re slowly soaked to and rude to anyone who is ‘different’ (read:
the bone, rain working its way through gaps in non-human).
your armor and clothes. Twenty or so buildings If asked what he means about ‘cursed
sit huddled together with the shutters drawn ones,’ he will explain that there is a family
against the foul weather. A few geese waddle on the very edge of the village who meddled
about aimlessly and a lone mule stands deject- in something they shouldn’t have and now a
edly in a fenced paddock, worrying at a limp monster has been plaguing them for the past
bale of hay as you pass. There are very few peo- six months. Das is adamant that the family are
ple milling around, and all of them eye you with plotting to sacrifice everyone to the monster
clear suspicion on their faces and in the unspo- and he refuses to let them stay in Spetz any
ken tension in the air. Someone murmurs some- longer; they are too great a threat. According
thing behind their hand. A gruff voice speaks up: to him, they have long outstayed their wel-
You’re ‘ere for the cursed ones, ain’t ye? come—a sentiment echoed by the murmurs of
approval from the gathering crowd.
Hook
Ignore or Confront
As the characters enter Spetz, draw their atten- If the player characters choose to either con-
tion toward an older man sitting in the door- front or ignore Das, he will erupt into a sud-
way of his home on a stool, descaling fish. If den tirade of anger—cursing, threatening, and
any characters are non-human and have taken causing as much of a commotion as he can. He
173
is a conceited, unpleasant man, and despises and he often pulls at it with his fingers to comb
being ignored or challenged. over the bald patches. He is fresh-shaven and Checking In
He will accuse the player characters of significantly cleaner than the other villagers,
somehow being in league with the family of carrying himself with an air of importance and Throughout this ad-
purpose—clearly taking pride in his position. venture, there are many
‘cursed mongrels’, especially if any of the topics that may be un-
characters are non-humans. Though the other Das thinks little of Gart and openly shows comfortable or upset-
peasants agree with the things Das says about this through derisive looks and bad attitude. ting for your players. It
this family or any non-human characters, they Currently, the alderman is the only person is your responsibility as
won’t get as aggressive or assertive as he does. preventing the so-called ‘cursed’ family from GM to ensure all at the
If any player characters try to walk away from being driven out of Spetz—stopping Das’ desire table is having a safe
him, Das will get up and attempt to block their of seeing them banished. However, Das holds and fun experience. Ask
your players beforehand
path, getting up in their personal space. some respect for the authority Gart has, and he
about boundaries and
Should any of the characters attack Das, won’t act out of turn and get rid of the family lines they may have and
treat him as having bandit stats but without himself. Instead, it is Das’ intent to sow dissent make them aware of the
armor and only a dagger as a weapon. amongst the other peasants so that Gart will be general content of this
forced to make the family leave. adventure—you don’t
Regardless of how the players react to Das, have to reveal spoilers
the commotion caused draws the attention of If any of the player characters are a to do this. For example,
Gart—Spetz’ alderman—who asserts himself Witcher, Gart will be somewhat relieved to see ask: ‘There are themes
to defuse the situation, saying: them. Despite Lyria’s reputation for hatred of of ableism and racism in
non-humans, Gart understands that this situ- this adventure, is every-
Now, now. That’s more than enough of that. ation requires a professional. It’s a fact reluc- one okay with playing
What’s going on here? tantly acknowledged across the Continent through this?’. Be sure to
Gart is a human man the same age as Das that without Witchers, monsters would run check in after scenes that
heavily involve or touch
and is somewhat financially better off than the rampant. As such, Gart will generally be polite
up such topics. Everyone
rest of the village. His clothes are practical, but and cordial to any non-humans, but the fear should have fun and feel
made of finer material, and a pair of specta- is still clear on his face; he wants the players safe when playing at the
cles sit perched on his round nose. His gray- to resolve this problem and be on their way as table.
ing hair is thinning about the top of his head soon as possible.
Das Gart
174
When Gart intervenes, Das will give up the past six months, the Horse of Frost has
Chased Out and sulkily go back to descaling fish, deeming been appearing every night, and the villag-
the argument no longer worth the effort; he’s ers have finally taken notice of its presence.
If the players end up kill- made his point clear enough for now. But it’s Any players who make Human Perception
ing Das at this point, certainly not the last time that Das will get checks to corroborate this will find that the
the other peasants—Gart involved. alderman is telling the truth, no matter what
included—will take up
Pausing to make sure Das has returned to they roll.
arms and chase them
out of Spetz. Refer to the his fish, the man turns to you with an apologetic A DC 26 Monster Lore check can be
peasant stat block at the look, running a hand through his thin hair ner- made to ascertain what a player character
end of this adventure. vously, saying: knows about this monster (If they succeed,
Then go to Ending (Cold refer to the Demonology: The Mari Lwyd
and Alone). Apologies. Das is... well, he doesn’t like
strangers. I’m Gart, the alderman of Spetz. If entry on page 186). A DC 14 Education
you’re wanting it, I have some work for you. check can also be made to discern the fol-
lowing information about the Order of the
Gart will instruct the characters to follow Flaming Rose in the box below.
him, saying he will explain everything he can as
they walk. Go to Development (The Ousted).
The Order of the Flaming Rose
Development (The Ousted)
The players are led to the eastern side of the Originally formed in 1268, the Order of the
village and down a narrow dirt path through Flaming Rose was established to be a count-
the trees, whilst Gart regales them with what er to the power of the Lodge of Sorceresses.
he knows about the situation. He explains It was inspired by the Redanian Intelligence
that there is a family in Spetz who are hav- Service and built upon the foundations of the
ing trouble with a monster that has been an Order of the White Rose who operated in Te-
ongoing occurrence for four years; they have meria. Their leader, Jacques de Aldersberg,
since taken to calling the monster the Horse set about establishing major reforms where
of Frost. In all that time, no Witchers have the now-called Flaming Roses would protect
passed through, so no one knows what to do the Northerners from monsters and evils,
about it. Up until a few weeks ago, the family ensure humankind’s survival, and establish
had relied on Arrik, the local pellar, but he peace when possible, through the teachings of
was killed during a witch hunt by the Order of the Eternal Fire.
the Flaming Rose, leaving them lost with little When Jacques was killed, Siegfried of De-
options. Gart claims to have seen the monster nesle was made leader and withdrew the Order
himself and describes it as such: to Redania where they were sacrificed in the war
‘Tis unlike anything I’ve ever seen, a horse’s against Nilfgaard and abandoned by King Ra-
bones wrapped in rags. Its huge eyes glow, and dovid V. Many became part of King Radovid’s
its neck...it stretches an’ grows, creeping outta Witch Hunters, persecuting so-called ‘witches’,
the cloth it’s wearing. ‘Tis a thing of nightmares, ‘freaks’, and ‘mutants’ (non-humans). Though
that’s fer certain. I’ll never get used to seeing the some smaller branches of the Flaming Rose are
blasted thing... still in action, working even as far out as Lyria
Player characters may recall that Das and Rivia.
mentioned the monster has only appeared They are a slowly dying Order, but some hope
in the last six months. If they mention this still remains for their survival down in Tous-
to Gart, he will explain that the monster saint, where their ‘noble deeds’ are looked upon
has been appearing for the past four years, more favorably.
but its visits have become so frequent now
that it no longer cares to hide itself from the
rest of the village; it is becoming bold. For
175
response. The door will open a little further, have nothing to fear (unless they are the Horse
The Wand of enough to reveal Clenn, but still not enough of Frost, of course!). Clenn taps each player on
Banishment to see into the house: the cheek with the stick, explaining that it must
Clenn can’t be much older than thirty, but touch bare skin for him to know if the Horse of
This stick is the pel- the lines on his face are doing him no favors. He Frost is hiding among them. When he turns to
lar stick and is the only is pale and drawn, heavy bruises from lack of Gart, the alderman declines, saying:
item the Padd family has sleep under his restless eyes. His gaze flicks from I don’t intend to come inside, Clenn. I need
that must briefly banish
person to person, assessing you all, sizing you to have a word with Das....Now that this lot are
the Horse of Frost. This
wooden stick is reminis- up. He glances briefly towards the trees, then the here, I’m sure you can explain everything better
cent of a wand and was rotting line of rice along the threshold of his feet. than I—I only told them what little I know.
given to the Padds by the He mutters under his breath, running frantic Gart then addresses the players:
now-dead pellar, Arrik fingers through his matted hair:
of Scala. A strip of dark Let me know if you happen to need anythin’
More rice. Need more...to fix the lines. whilst yer here and I’ll see it’s delivered. ‘Tis the
red cloth binds a sprig
of mistletoe to one end He begins to close the door again, speaking least I can do.
and the other has two more directly to you all: He then leaves, bidding a final farewell to
branching twigs sprout-
ing in opposite direc- I’ll be right out. Clenn who merely nods in acknowledgment,
tions, both capped with The door closes again. Gart seems unsur- still nervous to be letting new people into his
dull copper. A series of prised that Clenn is behaving this way and home. His eyes flick from the players to the trees
runes has been carved gives the characters a patient smile, saying: one last time before knocking on the door:
into the main body of Ena! Let us in!
the wand. A DC 21 Best to err on the side of caution when a
Magic Training or DC monster’s involved, hm? I should’ve mentioned, The lock clicks and the door open inwards,
25 Education check re- but Clenn’ll be wanting to test you before he lets revealing an exhausted-looking young
veals that these runes are you in. woman—Ena. She looks at the stick in Clenn’s
a Lucifuge Rofocale (Lu- hand before nodding and stepping aside.
cifuge for short). Refer If the characters ask what kind of ‘test’ and
to the sidebar Words of why, Gart will explain that the Padd family Ena is just as harrowed as her husband,
Power for information are, understandably, terrified that the Horse Clenn. Dark circles frame her eyes, and her
on Lucifuge. of Frost will somehow manage to get into blonde hair is pulled up in a messy bun, scraggly
the house. It apparently can take humanoid and straw-like on her head. Her skin is washed
Poor Manners forms and tries to trick the family into letting out, her lips thin and firmly pressed in a hard
it in. No one knows exactly how it does this, line, and her hands pull restlessly at the bodice of
If any of the characters but it can also perfectly mimic voices to bol- her dress, worrying at the fabric over and over.
decide to try to barge ster the believability of its disguise. Gart says She stares at you all as you enter, saying nothing,
into the house before rather ominously: but her expression is haunted. She is afraid.
being touched with the
stick, they will have to ‘Tis a devious and wicked thing. May the Go to Development (A Broken Home).
get past Clenn by mak- gods help us all if you can’t stop it.
ing a DC 12 Physique
Clenn returns, quickly opening, slipping Development
check. He will curse at
the player(s) the entire out of, and then hurriedly slamming the door (A Broken Home)
time and hit at them shut after him, the sound of the lock turning
with the wooden stick from inside with a heavy clunk. In his hand, The players are now inside the Padds’
frantically, sheer terror Clenn is holding a small wooden stick which home; though perhaps ‘home’ is too kind a
on his face until he re- he raises at the player characters threateningly. word for it. It was clearly a home once, but
alizes that they don’t re- He seems hesitant to step away from the door there is no longer any warmth to it. It lacks life.
act the way he expects and gestures with his free hand for them to
them to. Upon realizing It isn’t welcoming.
approach him, saying:
this, he’ll stand aside You are brought into the main living area of
and shout for his wife, We won’t be fooled again, you hear? You know the house. A stove sits against the far wall next
Ena, to let them in and what this is. You know what it’ll do if it touches ye! to a dirtied window with no shutters on its outer
only then will the door
unlock. If any players
Gart will encourage the players to let Clenn side, giving a murky view of clustered pine trees
want to try and under- touch them with the stick, assuring them they and churned up, muddy grass. The room veers
177
off to the right into a small area where two sin- both the beam and wood around the door han-
gle beds are snugly pushed up to the wall, straw- dle and bolt—as if something tried desperately stand Clenn’s intentions
stuffed mattresses stained and covered with to get out. with this stick when ini-
threadbare sheets. A closed door on the opposite Player characters can make an Awareness tially faced with it, a DC
wall across leads to another room. 12 Human Perception
check to see what else they notice upon enter- check reveals that he
A back door on the far side, close to the beds, ing the house. Refer to the Beneath the Sur- doesn’t seem to want to
is clearly locked, the bolt closed, and a wooden face table below for the result. There is defi- hurt them. Instead, he is
beam fixed across, held in place by a bracket nitely something wrong here. clearly anticipating some
on either side of the door frame. Scratches litter sort of reaction from the
characters, but they can’t
discern exactly what re-
Beneath the Surface
action he’s expecting.
Roll Result
Words of Power
10 – 13 There are scratch marks not only around the back door, but the front door, too, all
varying in age. Some are older, faded into the grain of the wood, whereas others are In the world of The
new, small splinters and slivers of wood torn up around the side of the grooves. Witcher, words hold
A DC 14 Deduction or DC 12 Survival check determines that these scratches great power. They can
were not made by an animal, but a person. Asking Ena or Clenn about these curse people, manipu-
marks reveals that their son, Orin, makes these during his escape attempts. late Chaos, and could
bind certain monsters.
14 – 17 Fragments of a broken clay bottle have been hastily gathered into a small wicker Regarding demons, the
basket along with the shards of a shattered plate. On the wall, by one of the beds, is words used to hold some
a dent marked by a dark, fresh stain. The tart smell of Rivian Kriek hangs in the air. sway over them are their
Something, or someone, threw the bottle of alcohol at the wall with considerable force. true names. This doesn’t
Asking Ena or Clenn about this reveals nothing; neither of them wanting to talk give a person full control
of the demon, but names
about it. The most the players get out of them is that it was ‘an accident’. A DC 10
can be weaponized into
Human Perception check reveals that this is obviously a lie and a sensitive topic. items such as wands to
18+ The window by the stove is not only dirtied but cracked. A fine split splays up the bottom half of temporarily banish them
the pane, branching out in all directions. Mostly obscured by layers of grime, small hand prints for a short amount of
time. Even then, a de-
are smudged up the glass from the inside, as though someone frantically pawed at it to get out.
mon’s name can only
Again, if the players ask Ena or Clenn about this, they learn that be used in this manner
this was another one of Orin’s escape attempts. a few times before they
become immune to it.
Clenn will introduce the players to his wife and then move to the stove, throwing another piece The true name of a de-
of wood onto the fire and telling Ena to show the players their son. If the player characters want to mon when written down
speak more with Ena and Clenn, refer to the Current Understanding table below. is called a Lucifuge Ro-
focale, a ‘signature’. Lu-
Current Understanding—Clenn & Ena Padd cifuge can also be used
Both Clenn and Ena are reluctant to admit the Horse of Frost is a demon as this would by a demon itself to lay
a claim on a creature or
lead to the discovery that they summoned it using a tome they stole from Arrik, the
to signify a pact. These
Pellar. Since the summoning they’ve burned the book and thus they can’t find out the signatures are typically
Demon’s true name, which is why they’ve taken to calling it the Horse of Frost. left on a visible area of
Every time the demon appears, their son, Orin, begins to act strangely; overcome with the body and are of sig-
a frantic need to get outside and tries to escape the house to join the demon. nificant size, serving to
The demon can look humanoid and can mimic people’s voices perfectly. It has almost caught them off remind the creature of
guard a few times using this technique. As a result, they are suspicious of anyone outside the house. what they now belong to.
This has been happening for the past four years. In the beginning, the demon would only appear
once a month, then it became fortnightly, then weekly, leading up to now with its nightly visits.
The pellar originally took pity on them and made them the wand of banishment but
now that he is dead, they can barely sleep out of fear and are desperate for any help.
Go to Development (Marked).
178
Clenn and Ena Padd are both human Orin, dear, we have guests.
A Rivian Staple adults and their son, Orin, is currently in his Orin will turn at his mother’s insistence
room; his parents keep him there most of the and the characters will see that the boy’s right
Rivia is also known for time ‘for his own safety’. Once everyone is cheek is marked by a large, deep scar of lines
its famous Rivian Kriek, inside, Clenn locks the door behind him and
a cheap beer brewed and and shapes. He doesn’t seem bothered by it,
places a wooden beam across to keep it barri- and stares at the player characters with pale
made from cherries. It’s
caded shut. The bolt slides across with a heavy blue eyes, assessing them.
very popular among
both locals and visitors thunk. Everyone is locked in.
Orin is a quiet child; he can talk, but pre-
to the region.
Development (Marked) fers his own company, talking quietly to him-
self whilst he plays with his toys. He is nervous
Leaving around the player characters, unused to seeing
the House Having met and spoken with Clenn and Ena,
Ena will show the players to her son’s room new faces and becomes increasingly anxious
Characters can leave which is across from the two beds by the back whenever he is forced to leave his room.
the house at any time door. It is plain and simply furnished. He is clearly very fond of his mother
but will be subjected
A small bed is pushed up against one wall, and seeks her affection, but he is reluctant
to the pellar stick test
every time they return the sheets rumpled, and a crude-looking doll sits to interact much with his father, Clenn—
to prove they aren’t the propped against the pillow, dead, carved eyes always being very careful around him. Clenn
Horse of Frost. staring ahead blankly. A few candles burn in is quick to anger at his son’s behavior, not
their holders, bathing everything in a sickly yel- tolerating Orin’s escape attempts despite
low light as it strikes you that there are no win- knowing it isn’t the boy’s fault. He often
dows in this room. It’s clear there was one once, orders Orin about, raising his voice if his son
but it has been firmly boarded up, the wooden disobeys him in any way. It’s unsurprising
panels barely offering a glimpse of the outside that Orin prefers his mother who is always
world through the thin gaps between them. kind and patient with him; she often refers
to him as her ‘perfect little boy’.
Sat with his back facing you all is a young
boy, cross-legged and playing with an assort- If player characters investigate Orin’s
ment of animals carved from wood. He doesn’t room, they make an Awareness check, com-
seem to be aware of you all or, if he is, he sim- paring their roll to the Lonesome Room table
ply doesn’t care enough to turn around. After a below. If they ask about Orin’s facial scar,
moment of awkward silence, Ena says: refer to the sidebar A Growing Concern.
Lonesome Room
Roll Result
10 – 13 There are scratches on the boarded-up window made by human hands.
These are more recent than those over the doors in the main house.
14 – 17 A broken toy catches your attention. The head has been snapped off a
little wooden horse and placed on top of a small chest, angled so that it
is looking directly at Orin’s bed with its hollow, black-painted eyes.
18+ There are faint drawings made along the bottom of one wall,
scratched into the wood and then stained with soot gathered from
the stove; the ashes in an old clay bowl nearby on the floor.
The drawings are crude—clearly a child’s attempt—and depict
various little scenarios. One is of Clenn and Ena smiling, with
a smaller Orin stood between them. Others are of animals:
dogs, rabbits, chickens, all disproportionate and wonky.
At the farthest corner of the wall is a drawing of Orin smiling as he sits riding a
black horse. The horse is also smiling, a large lopsided grin with too many teeth.
179
Clenn Padd—Personality
A Growing ◆ Clenn holds little regard for the opinion of the villagers, though he is troubled that it may
Concern become a problem for his wife and son soon; he is aware the tension in the village is going to
Orin’s scar has been there snap eventually, and he doesn’t want his family to get hurt or, even worse, killed.
since he was born. Ini- ◆ His usual reaction whenever faced with a stressful situation is to lose his temper, becoming
tially, it was a faint red irate. Whenever Orin has one of his escape attempts, Clenn loses all sense of rationality. He
patch, a little darker than knows and understands that Orin’s behavior is caused by the demon—the pellar having told
his fair complexion, and him and Ena so—but he can’t control himself.
his parents believed it
was a birthmark. How-
◆ Ena is also subjected to Clenn’s foul temper, but Orin is often the fixation of his mood. As a
ever, with every passing result, Orin talks to him very little, and this only serves to frustrate Clenn even more.
month, it grew bigger—
no longer a blemish, but
a deep mark that cut into Ena Padd—Personality
his cheek and scarred
◆ Ena clearly cares more about her image than Clenn does and, though she adores her son, she
over. Now it’s a deep,
dark red. It still spreads, is at heart a selfish woman. She speaks about the whole situation in terms of herself first and
new lines and shapes foremost, only adding how it affects Clenn and Orin as though they’re mere afterthoughts.
beginning to emerge on ◆ She is somewhat eager to finally have new people to talk to and comes across as clingy.
the skin about his eye- Understandable, however, given her predicament of isolation.
brow. It doesn’t seem to ◆ Her relationship with Clenn blows hot and cold sporadically. Sometimes they can be having a
be hurting Orin and, if quiet, genuine conversation, and at others can be shouting and at each other’s throats.
asked, he will tell them
that it is painless. How-
ever, Orin will remark
Once the player characters have finished friend(s). Ena makes it clear just how far the
that he doesn’t like how getting to know the Padds and inspect their demon will go to get their attention:
his father looks at it house, it has started to grow late. Go to Devel-
opment (The Uninvited Guest). It doesn’t matter if you hear someone
sometimes; it makes him
feel uncomfortable and screamin’ bloody murder out there. Do not open
the door. Do not let anyone in.
afraid. A DC 12 Educa-
tion or DC 10 First Aid
Development
Most concerning, after Ena has tucked
check reveals that the (The Uninvited Guest) Orin in for the night, she shuts his bedroom
scar’s appearance is like
door and locks it, rattling the handle a few
that of a brand. Dinner is a simple affair of stew and cheap ale.
times to be sure. She is visibly upset and
Clenn says that as there is no inn in Spetz, the
Clenn explains:
players are welcome to spend the night in their
home so he and Ena can be sure that the mon- Don’t you let the boy out neither. The
ster can’t pretend to be any of them to trick demon, it...bewitches ‘im somehow. No matter
them into opening the door and inviting it in. how much he screams, ignore ‘im. It’s for his
The players will have to sleep on the floor, but own good.
Ena will provide fur throws, sheepskins, and Ena doesn’t say anything, but it’s clear that
blankets for warmth. it pains her to lock her son up like he’s an
If players choose to spend the night outside animal. Player characters who ask why Orin
the house, go to the Outside the Home sec- is locked up, refer to Clenn and Ena’s Cur-
tion. For players who choose to stay inside, go rent Understanding table, specifically Orin’s
to the Inside the Home section. escape attempts.
Eventually, Clenn and Ena retire to their
Inside the Home beds, but it doesn’t look like they’ll get much
As the night grows ever closer, Clenn tells the sleep. Though lying down, they are still both
players that no matter what they hear from wide awake and the house becomes tense; as
outside the house, they cannot open the door though holding its breath—waiting for some-
to let anyone in, even if they think it’s their thing to happen.
181
Player characters can keep watch through Players make an Awareness check, referring
the night and can do so in two ways: listen- to the Lookout Table below. Players who roll
Using Players to
ing out for sounds, or by taking a post at the higher can alert others to what they have seen
Your Advantage
only shutter-less window next to the stove. or heard if others roll lower.
The Horse of Frost can
Lookout Table mimic the voice of any
person they have heard
Roll Result speak and you, as GM,
can use this ability to
10 –12 The rain has stopped, and the wind has died down. Somewhere nearby an affect your characters
owl calls out into the night. All is relatively still, but it’s not entirely unusual and their experience in a
for a small village out by the mountains. Nothing but the fog-shrouded session. If any players or
woods and the night sky beyond can be seen out of the window. NPCs have gone outside
to sit watch, have the de-
13 – 16 A soft, persistent clicking can be heard coming from outside, somewhere mon mimic their voice,
amongst the surrounding trees – like striking two stones together. Every trying to coax the other
players into opening the
now and then, something clatters distantly, the sound like bone dice
door. Additionally, the
tumbling onto a table. Out of the window, a shadow moves among the trees, mari lwyd can mimic the
never still long enough to assume a shape that is recognizable to you. voices of any character
in the village of Spetz in-
17 – 19 There has been an odd noise growing the past few hours; the sound of
cluding Das and Gart.
mice or perhaps a rat or two gnawing at the walls. It’s not an entirely
uncommon sound—vermin will always be a problem, wherever
you go. But now it has taken on a more menacing quality.
Now it sounds like a dog’s teeth rasping down bone, like a blade cutting
into gristle. The sound has not become louder exactly, just more intense,
making your hair stand on end and your skin crawl against your will.
Outside, the pale moonlight offers the briefest of glances of the moving
shadow in the tree line. Glimpses of chalk white bone can be seen every
now and then, appearing in the gaps between leaves and branches.
20+ The temperature has shifted minutely, gradually getting colder and
colder. Though the fire still burning in the stove has staved off the
worst of the chill, frost creeps up the shudders of the window.
Outside, the shuffling mass of shadow has stopped, deathly still. It is
shapeless, not truly committing to a form. Sometimes it looks almost
humanoid and at others like a monstrous beast slinking through the trees.
Signs Table
Roll Result
10 –12 The rain has stopped, and the wind has calmed. An owl calls out, lonesome. Fog has
started to rise from the damp ground, coiling up around you. The shuffling of small
critters in the underbrush are the only disturbances in an otherwise still night.
13 – 16 A soft clicking disturbs the peace, getting steadily louder and louder.
Something stumbles in the foliage, sounding like an animal suddenly
spooked. A few hoof prints appear in the mud, but no creature to match.
Every couple of minutes a loud crack rends the air, sounding as though it’s
coming from everywhere at once; there’s no discernible direction or source.
17 – 19 Something shuffles through the trees all around, the sound of bones crunching
and heavy, rasped breathing. Whenever you turn to look at it, it suddenly appears
somewhere else, loping through the trees to the tune of cracking bones and clicking
teeth. Through the leaves and branches, flashes of pale, white bone can be seen.
20+ Steadily, the temperature outside has become colder and colder. Your every breath
perspires in a huff of white, the grass becomes stiff with frost beneath your feet.
A whining, reedy sound spills out from the trees, everywhere and nowhere all at
once, making your skin crawl against your will. A jingle of bells shudders in the air.
Go to section It Follows.
183
An Eerie Encounter
If some or all the players are outside the house and decide to keep watch of the demon,
they find that the monster isn’t aggressive and doesn’t attack them. Instead, it seems
transfixed by the house and the one window without shutters, staring inside. The voices,
knocking and strange sounds are still present the entire time the demon is present.
The demon will remain watching the house and ask to be let in until
dawn, at which point it fades and vanishes into the ether.
Waiting it Out
If they are inside the house, they know that they are unable to leave until the
morning. Again, Clenn will assure them that the demon can’t enter the house unless
it’s invited in. If they stay in the house, it will eventually leave come dawn.
Ignoring the monster is easier said than done voices, knocking, and
unnatural sounds continue through the night without pause.
Eventually the demon will fade and vanish at dawn.
So long as the player characters don’t attack the demon, go to Development (New Leads).
184
Development (New Leads) attached itself to their son; hence the mark on
Getting Back In As dawn comes and the first few rays of light Orin’s face—and that a wand of banishment was
breach the horizon, the Horse of Frost fades needed to help keep the family safe and buy him
If characters spent the into the ether and vanishes from sight. Orin more time to gather information and research. If
night outside and didn’t has fallen silent in his room and Ena has the player characters ask for more information
use the pellar stick, then
already unlocked the door to gather him in on Arrik, refer to The Pellar in the Woods box.
Clenn will use it to test
the players again when her arms, huddled on the bed with him as she
Pellar in the Woods
they are let back in come kisses the top of his head and strokes his hair.
morning. If the charac- The boy seems exhausted and confused but Arrik of Scala lived in the woods in a hut
ters did use the pellar is happy to be held in his mother’s embrace, located to the northwest of the Padds’ house,
stick during the night, already falling asleep. down a small dirt trail through the surrounding
Clenn will let the players trees. It was ransacked during Arrik’s arrest and
back in regardless and
A DC 12 Awareness check reveals that
Orin’s palms and fingers are raw and red from following execution, but it’s still standing. The
tell the players that the
demon will be banished spending the night pawing relentlessly at the player characters can go and investigate to see if
until nightfall, so he is door and window boards in his room. A further anything of worth remains that could help them
certain none of the play- DC 10 First Aid or Healing Hands check can understand the Horse of Frost better; Arrik was
ers are it in disguise. be made to help take care of his injuries. Ena researching the demon after all.
will not stop anyone wanting to help and wel- Clenn and Ena would have gone to look
comes it. She doesn’t let go of Orin once, mur- themselves, but they, of course, can’t go outside.
muring reassurances that he is her ‘perfect boy’ No one else in the village would go and check,
and that ‘everything will be okay’. believing it to be a cursed place as the Order
Clenn avoids his son and sits on the edge deemed it the home of an ‘evil Sorcerer’. Even
of his own bed, a scowl on his face. If asked Gart refused to go near it out of fear.
what’s wrong, he’ll gruffly snap “Nothing.” and
rub both hands down his face—an obvious lie. Both Clenn and Ena firmly believe that there
He looks beyond exhausted and says: must be something left behind that can help them
Well... now you see what we’re dealin’ with. learn more about the Horse of Frost and will
If they require a recap, refer to their Cur- encourage the players if they show an interest in
rent Understanding table in Development going there. If player characters don’t seem to be
(A Broken Home). Frustrated, Clenn will interested, Ena will briefly pull them aside and
curse angrily: implore them to check and see if anything Arrik
was working on survived; both her and Clenn are
If it weren’t for them gods-damned Witch
desperate (even if Clenn won’t admit it).
Hunters killin’ Arrik…
With Clenn too angry to hold much of a If they decide to investigate the pellar’s hut,
conversation without losing his temper, Ena— go to Development (A Ransacked Home).
still sitting with Orin—will explain that Arrik They may decide also to investigate the
was the local pellar and the only other person village and talk with the villagers for poten-
able to help them with the demon (Gart being tial further information. Go to Development
the other). Arrik knew more about the demon (Trouble Brewing).
than anyone else and used what he’d learned
to create the wand of banishment. The Witch Development
Hunters of the Order of the Flaming Rose
killed him for ‘crimes of sorcery’—a fact Ena
(A Ransacked Home)
scoffs at, saying: The dirt trail to the northwest of the Padds’
They treated him like he was some kind of house leads to a derelict hut in a small clear-
Mage. He just helped people, that’s what he liked ing, surrounded by trees. A small brook runs
t’do. That ain’t a crime. briefly down the far side of the house before
Arrik didn’t tell Clenn and Ena much about curving back into the woods and vanishing
the Horse of Frost other than it had somehow amongst the foliage.
185
The building has clearly been ransacked; the front door ripped Investigating the Exterior
off its hinges and in pieces on the damp grass. Windows are From the description above, there are a few areas outside
smashed in, glass fragments jutting up from the frames like teeth. the hut for players to investigate. Refer to the Areas of Inter-
A scorched patch of ground scattered with debris next to an old est table below for descriptions of specific areas players can
chicken coop that has been pushed over and destroyed; wood and look closer at.
rotten seed thrown everywhere. From what little you can see into
the house, the interior is just as bad, furniture tipped and broken.
Areas of Interest
Brook A vein of running water trickles past the far side of the house before curving away and
into the surrounding woods. An empty pail lies on its side in the grass nearby. A DC
10 Deduction check reveals this brook was used as the pellar’s water source.
A few small animal bones have been deliberately placed in a line along the embankment: jaw bones, teeth, bird
skulls, and ribs. A DC 14 Deduction or DC 10 Education check reveals that these bones were likely harvested
from naturally-dead animal carcasses to be cleaned and used in soothsaying and other such rituals typically
carried out by pellars. A further DC 14 Wilderness Survival check tells the players that these bones have been
here for weeks and were likely left when the pellar was disturbed and detained by the Order of the Flaming Rose.
Chicken The remains of a chicken coop and pen lay scattered on the ground in front of the house. The
Coop coop is in pieces, wooden slats broken and splintered, and the pen has been uprooted out of
the dirt in places. Rotten seed is tossed all over. There are no chickens in sight; most likely, they
were either taken by the Order of the Flaming Rose or eaten by wolves or wild dogs.
Scorched A few meters away from the destroyed coop is a patch of ground that has been scorched, the grass burned
Ground away, and the soil blackened. A cluster of debris lies in the middle of it and players can make a DC 14
Deduction or DC 12 Wilderness Survival check to determine the following items in the debris: ashes,
the charred remains of a wooden pole, and human bone fragments. Someone—the pellar—was burned
here: tied to a stake and set alight. A DC 12 Education check determines that this style of execution is
popular among groups affiliated with or founded upon the teachings of the Church of the Eternal Fire.
186
The ‘Perfect’ Darrik, a local hunter, usually takes the dirt trail leading past the
Family Padds’ house but has since stopped. He overheard disturbances before
changing his hunting grounds. He could never make out just what the
voices were saying, but he often heard a man and a woman screaming
at one another—blaming each other for something. He frequently
heard shouts of ‘It’s all your damned fault!’ followed by expletives,
thuds, and smashing glass. Sometimes, he caught a child crying too.
The Leader Gart is clearly losing his authority over the village despite his position
as alderman. Instead, Das and his angry tirades against the Padds
are being listened to; public opinion swaying in his favor.
Tensions are rising high, and folks are demanding that the
monster be dealt with once and for all. They think that Gart
has protected the Padds for long enough now; nothing will
change unless they take matters into their own hands.
Wearing Thin
Characters can completely disregard talking with Clenn and attempt to shove him
out of their way. At this point, the wooden bar that usually goes over the door has
not been slotted back into its brackets yet, leaving it vulnerable. Players make a
DC 14 Physique check to shoulder the door open and knock Clenn out of the way
as they barge in. When it becomes clear that none of them stop to count the rice
grains, Clenn will be visibly relieved and relent, but he is still extremely tense.
190
Once the characters are back inside the house, read aloud: Confrontation
Clay shards from a shattered pot are scattered across The players can confront Clenn and Ena with what they’ve
the floor. A small wooden stool is tipped over, one of the learned from the pellar’s hut and the villagers in Spetz.
legs bent at a crooked angle. Ena is nowhere to be seen, If the wand of banishment was already used and the
but her voice can be heard quietly coming from Orin’s scene described in The Wand of Banishment box did not
bedroom, the door shut. An unspoken tension hangs in play out, Ena can be drawn out of Orin’s bedroom if the play-
the air, the awkward silence that remains after a heated ers ask for her. She will still be angry and slightly flushed
argument. Clenn seems wound up, a tightness about his from arguing with her husband.
eyes and in the stiff set of his jaw, hands clenched into
white-knuckled fists. Referring to the handouts and/or the information gath-
ered from the village and pellar’s hut, the players can ask for or
A DC 12 Deduction check reveals that this argument demand answers. Realizing that the jig is up, Clenn and Ena will
clearly got out of hand, but it’s unclear who exactly broke the finally confess. Refer to the Clenn & Ena’s Story table below for
furniture. Either way, it was certainly a heated row for both the events that led up to the family’s current situation. You, the
parties involved. Refer to the Wand of Banishment box GM, can roleplay Clenn and Ena’s dialogue here however you
below only if the wand of banishment wasn’t used during please, using the table as a checklist of information you must
the characters’ first confrontation with the Horse of Frost. include for your players to understand the whole story.
Otherwise, go to the section Confrontation.
The Mob words that he will at least listen to them. They will see that
The gathering is made up of most of the adult villagers in Das gradually becomes hesitant, even going so far as to tell
Spetz. Das is stood at the front, clearly in charge, whereas the men approaching the house to ‘wait’.
Gart is pushed off to the side, looking worried and sheepish. So long as the check succeeds, Das will have sec-
Torchlight flickers off the face of twenty people, their scowls ond-thoughts. Read aloud:
cold and unforgiving. Das stands a few strides before them, the A tense hush falls over the mob, everyone looking to a
leader of the pack. In one hand, he grips a torch of his own, and clearly torn Das for his orders. Gart, however, suddenly begins
the other stay clutched around a knife, knuckles drawn white. The to shuffle about. A franticness seems to take over him and he
look in his cold eyes is grim. Pushed back from the press of bod- begins visibly shaking, eyes wild and confused behind his round
ies is Gart, his expression pinched in worry. He sends you all an spectacles. He looks to the open doorway with a pained long-
imploring look, clearly hesitant to do anything that may provoke ing before twisting his expression and turning to the expectant
anyone. Das makes a noise in the back of his throat and says: crowd, shrieking:
Our quarrel ain’t with you lot, strangers. You’d do well to Well?! What are you waiting for?! Get the boy!!
stand aside. Let us past. Go to Development (The Demon Revealed),
Ena makes a frightened, breathy sound, and flees further If the check fails, they aren’t successful in swaying him
into the house, shutting herself in Orin’s bedroom with her and the villagers will attempt to get inside the house, becom-
son. If the players ask Das just what it is he thinks he’s doing, ing violent. The Mob consists of a number of peasants equal
he’ll simply say: to the Players plus 2 who use the Bandit Stat Block on page
I’m puttin’ an end to it. Once and for all. 270 of the Core Rulebook.
Clenn is shaking with barely-contained rage, but he will
not step out of the house to physically confront Das. Instead, Confront
he doles out a string of expletives and colorful threats, ada- Characters may immediately jump to confrontation as soon
mant that Das has always had something against him and as Das gives the order for the mob to drag the Padds out of
his family. Das ignores him and gestures to the mob behind their home. This will result in violence. The Mob consists of
him. Four men, carrying torches and makeshift weapons of a number of peasants equal to the Players plus 2 who use the
their own step forward and begin approaching the house, Bandit Stat Block on page 270 of the Core Rulebook.
Das ordering them to ‘grab Ena, Clenn, and Orin, and Go to Development (The Demon Revealed).
drag them outside’.
A DC 10 Human Perception check reveals to any uncer- Development (The Demon Revealed)
tain characters that Das is completely serious about this.
There is no hesitation in his gaze, no emotion other than Whether the characters choose to defuse or confront
twisted satisfaction at what he’s doing—as though he has no in Development (Breaking Point) will affect when the
empathy at all. A DC 14 Awareness check has players notice Horse of Frost reveals itself. If characters defused the
that Gart is not getting involved despite his previous defend- situation, go to section In Sheep’s Clothing. If the char-
ing of the family; though there is a look in his eyes, as though acters became confrontational, go to section An Unex-
curious to know where this is going. The alderman seems pected Horror.
on edge, more so than any of the villagers gathered here. He
appears to be watching everything very intently, gaze fre- In Sheep’s Clothing
quently flicking back to the open doorway that Clenn and Characters who successfully defused the situation, will
the characters are stood in. find that Gart suddenly begins behaving erratically. He
Players have two options: they can attempt to defuse the frantically gestures to the front door, demanding that
situation or become confrontational. Refer to the relevant the mob go inside and drag Orin out. A DC 12 Aware-
section. ness check has players notice that there is noise coming
from inside the house; it sounds like Orin screaming and
Defuse banging at his bedroom door to be let out—just like he
did the night before.
Characters might try to settle things with words; perhaps to
stall for time or to end things peacefully. A successful DC A DC 14 Awareness check brings attention to Gart’s face
18 Persuasion check will have Das affected enough by their and hands. His eyes have become sunken, and he keeps bar-
193
ing his teeth, taking in raspy, shuddering breaths that jerk his Ending (Cold And Alone)
body just as violently as the tremors rattling through him.
His fingers bend into awkward positions, wringing at the If they are either chased out of Spetz, or fail to defeat the
air. When it becomes apparent that no one is going into the Horse of Frost and die, read the following aloud:
house, Gart snaps. A village sits in ruins, houses broken down to their foun-
Go to the end of section An Unexpected Horror for the dations as they are consumed by the passage of time. No
Horse of Frost’s (The Mari Lwyd’s) description. one in Lyria remembers its name; another backend hamlet
abandoned and left to rot. But there are rumors. That it is a
An Unexpected Horror cursed place, home now to a monster so devious and deadly
Confronting the mob causes a fight to break out between they dare not name it. All it touches becomes entombed in
the players and the mob. If the players attack Gart, he is frost; shards of ice so sharp they could cut a man down.
injured by the ensuing fight, or if the players have dis- Nothing grows there anymore, a veritable wasteland of
patched half of the members of the mob, the players make a cold. But every now and again, a hunter comes back having
DC 12 Awareness check to notice that whilst they were try- strayed too close, muttering to themselves over and over. All
ing to keep the mob out of the house, Gart has approached of them attest to the same thing: hearing a child’s laughter
the building only to remain a few steps away from the door. and the cracking of bones.
He is pacing frantically, flinching every time one of Orin’s
screams to be let out cuts through the air. Unable to with-
stand the temptation any longer, Gart appears to lose con- Ending (And They Lived Ever After)
trol entirely. If they succeed in killing the Horse of Frost, they will
The sound of bones breaking rends the air and Gart sud- find that the Lucifuge brand over Orin’s eye has faded
denly becomes unnaturally still—a stark contrast to his erratic almost entirely, a faint mark on his cheek the only indi-
and wild movements just moments before. He slumps forward, cation it was ever there to begin with. Though the demon
almost bent in half at the middle, his knees buckled slightly. is gone, the attitude of the other villagers has not swayed
Perfectly frozen for a few seconds when, without warning, he in the slightest. Still convinced that the Padds are cursed
throws himself back up, spine painfully, ramrod straight and and a threat to the whole village, Das and the other peas-
neck stretched up, face turned to the sky. His mouth opens, jaw ants decide to banish the family entirely, giving them
stretching, further and further, until— until morning to pack their things and leave. The villag-
An ungodly sound. Flesh peeling from bone, sloughing off, ers cannot be persuaded to come to a different decision:
collapsing in on itself like a decayed corpse as, protruding out either the family leaves or they stay and die. Das will,
from the gaping remains of a fractured mouth, bare white however, thank the characters for uncovering and killing
bone slips out. On and on until a horse’s skull, and a collec- the monster and will tell them that the bounty they were
tion of bone discs, an impossibly long spine that stretches out promised by Gart is in the alderman’s home.
and sends Gart—what little remains of him—pooling onto the
ground like a rancid gown. The Horse of Frost turns its head to Clenn and Ena are upset at having to leave their home
you and chatters its teeth, bells and ribbons shifting about the but understand their position—more than happy to leave
column of its neck as a voice hisses from its hollow skull: and live than stay and die. They leave Spetz at dawn the
next day, taking Orin and what little they have with them.
Let me in.
Read aloud:
Go to page 206 for the Mari Lwyd’s stats.
Dawn comes and, eventually, you and the Padds part
If the characters fail to kill the Mari Lwyd and die, go ways. Though no one deigns to leave their home to see you
to Ending (Cold and Alone). If the characters succeed in
out, you can feel every eye on you as you walk through and
killing the Mari Lwyd, go to Ending (And They Lived Ever
out of Spetz, piercing gazes of suspicion and distrust, even
After). If the characters fail to kill the Mari Lwyd and sur-
after everything you have done for them. As you reach the
vive, go to Ending (Peace... For Now).
border of the village, you hear a voice cut through the air
behind you.
There is Orin Padd, fresh-faced and scar-free. He stands
awkwardly on the dirt path, bare feet twitching against blades
194
of grass and puddles of rain water like he doesn’t know what Where to Go From Here?
to make of each new sensation; it’s been so long since he last
went outside. He has one arm raised, hand above his head in By the end of this adventure your players will have dealt
a gesture of farewell as he says: with a great deal of intrigue and danger in the mountain-
ous hamlet of Spetz. Depending on how the adventure
Thank you. ended they may choose to take some time to lay low and
recuperate in Spetz or they may choose to head out imme-
Ending (Peace... For Now) diately. Either way, the trail continues on and the players
Like Ending (And They Lived Ever After), Clenn, Ena, will be leaving Spetz eventually. When they do pack their
and Orin will find themselves banished from Spetz, but, bags and set off again there are a number of options for
as the Horse of Frost wasn’t killed or otherwise escaped, them to pursue.
Orin’s Lucifuge doesn’t fade, still as bright and angry-look- The Nilfgaardian army is all around them and this creates
ing as ever. Though the demon is gone for now, the village a number of interesting options for the next adventure. Trav-
is still set against the Padds—adamant that they are still eling east will lead them to the Kingdom of Lyria and Rivia,
cursed – and cannot be persuaded to think otherwise. The where players might want to team up with Queen Meve and
fight at the house only gave more credibility to their sus- her rag tag band of partisans to free the kingdom from Nil-
picions and discontent. They will, however, be thankful to fgaardian control. This won’t be an easy task, as Nilfgaard-
the players for seeing the demon off and will present them ian soldiers occupy nearly every major city in the kingdom
with the bounty. but there are plenty of loyal allies hidden in backrooms and
alleyways ready to help players in service to the Queen.
Though Clenn and Ena express frustration and sadness
Whats more, a journey to the city of Rivia could give the
at being forced to leave their home, they understand their
players an excellent opportunity to make some powerful but
position: leave and have a chance at a new and better life or
less than lawful friends.
stay and most likely be killed. However, the Horse of Frost
isn’t truly gone, waiting to strike again. Read aloud: For players less invested in the 3rd Northern War, the
Mahakaman Mountains, which Spetz lies in the foothills
Dawn comes and, eventually, you and the Padds part ways.
of, is full of excitement, as the dwarves negotiate with the
Though no one deigns to leave their home to see you out, you
humans and elderfolk of the lowlands and delve into the
can feel every eye on you as you walk through and out of Spetz, dangerous depths of the mountains in search of ore and valu-
piercing gazes of suspicion and distrust, even after everything able. Allying with one of the great houses of Mahakam could
you have done for them. As you reach the border of the village, pull the players into a longstanding clan feud and see them
you hear shuffling behind you. racing to the heart of the mountains to slay deadly monsters
There is Orin Padd, staring after you, the scar on his and return with the priceless components from their lairs or
cheek angry and deep. He says nothing, just watches, brows their corpses.
slightly furrowed and face stern. Suddenly, Ena’s voice calls More magically inclined characters might want to skirt
for Orin and the boy hesitates for a moment, looking at each the war front and take the road northeast to try and reach
one of you in turn before turning around and walking away, the magic academy of Ban Ard before it’s ransacked by the
back to his mother. Redanians or the Nilfgaardians. This long, harrowing jour-
ney will take them through steep mountains, murky swamps,
and monster infested forests until they finally reach the city
of Ban Ard where they’ll have to negotiate with the mages of
Ban Ard or perhaps steal what they can and escape before
the war front reaches them.
195
Bestiary Collateral
Damage
Many of the monsters
presented in this besti-
ary are focused more or
less solely on one target.
“As the understanding of magic expanded the creation of creatures From the demons who
to ease our lives and protect ourselves from danger was inevitable. It make deals with certain
individuals to the peni-
also seems, however, that this greater harnessing of chaos has drawn tent which stalks a spe-
all manner of dangers from beyond our realm of understanding.” cific criminal. Keep in
mind that in all of these
-Glynnis var Treharne cases these monsters do
not shy away from collat-
eral damage. If someone
gets in the way of one of
these monsters as they
The following pages are dedicated to the many Great Bear (Ref. on Page.94) seek out their prey they
monsters we mentioned earlier in this book. Common across the Continent and well are just as likely to wind
This compilation should allow you to easily respected as apex predators, bears are one of up dead.
reference any monster you choose to create, the greatest threats in the natural world. For
summon, or make deals with. our purposes here, we are referring to bears Dark
as the alternate form of berserkers, the deadly Implications
Bes (Ref. on Page.139) bestial warriors of the blood god Svalblod. Besides the living armor
Most commonly summoned by desperate
and bears, the monsters
people seeking power, bes are demons of vio- Living Armor (Ref. on Page.104) presented in bestiary are
lence which delight in the torture of the living. Developed by mages as a cheaper alternative generally brought about
They are difficult to deal with but if you can to creating golems, living armors use magic to by dark doings and rit-
bind them they grant supernatural agility and animate an existing suit of armor to create a uals considered evil by
power. Just be wary as they are terrifying ene- the world at large. Any-
simple servant capable of defending its creator one with an ounce of
mies with claws like razors and the ability to and performing simple tasks. Living armors
possess people. sense in their head will
can also be found as guardians of ancient tem- immediately know that
ples and high security vaults. if someone is dealing
Casglydd (Ref. on Page.139) with a corpse amalgam,
Often summoned by academics searching Mari Lwyd (Ref. on Page.139) a demon, or a penitent,
for rare knowledge, casglydd are demons something foul is afoot.
Summoned most often by greedy or desperate
of knowledge who can share with you great people, mari lwyd are demons of avarice which
secrets. However, they are easily intrigued and can grant their summoners amazing physical
that intrigue quickly turns to obsession, caus- wealth and material benefit. But a mari lwyd
ing them to kidnap people away into their own always returns later for payment, taking some-
realm of shadows. thing of equal value which more often than not
far outweighs the initial gift.
Corpse Amalgam (Ref. on Page.133)
Originally, created by the infamous Nilfgaard- Penitent (Ref. on Page.131)
ian necromancer, Cadfan of Ebbing, corpse Born from heinous crimes, pentinent are spec-
amalgams utilize many partially animated ters which haunt those guilty of atrocities.
corpses to create a golem of flesh which is They shroud the land in deep fog and summon
capable of brief moments of sapient thought wraiths to kill anyone who gets in their way as
thanks to the many tormented souls trapped they seek some twisted form of justice. Penitent
within it. are a genuine threat for fledgling necromancers
who attempt rituals beyond their means.
196
Skill Base
Athletics 20
Awareness 10
Brawling 20
Hard
Courage —
Complex
Endurance —
Intimidation 19 Intelligence
Physique 20 Sapient
Armor 0
INT 5
Regeneration — REF 12
DEX 12
Resistances BODY 10
SPD 7
—
EMP 2
Immunities CRA 2
Fire, Poison, Bleed, WILL 10
Disease, Fear
STUN 10
Susceptibilities RUN 21
Specter Oil, LEAP 5
Dimeritium Bombs STA 50 Height 2.5m
ENC 100
Weight 162kg
Dodge Base 17 REC 10
HP Wherever they
100 Environment
Reposition Base 20 are summoned
Organization Solitary
Block Base 22
Bounty
1500 Bes
Loot Commoner Superstition (Education DC:16)
Ashes (x2d10) Heard of these critters once or twice from some of my less savory sources. Heh, the only rea-
Beast Bones (x1d10) son you’d ever wanna summon a bes is if ya need a real powerful warrior on yer side. From
Bes Horns (x1d6/3) what I hear, bes’re the guardians of the demon realm. Got talons that’ll slice ya from your
Infused Dust (x2d10) throat to your giblets faster than even a witcher can swing. They’re just skeletons too so ya
Specter Dust (x1d6) can’t burn em or poison em. The best thing ya can do is make a deal with ‘em, heh. If ya let
Essence of Wraith (x2d6) ‘em possess yer body they’ll give ya the plenty of power.
Dazhbog Runestone (x1) —Rodolf Kazmer
197
Attacks
Name ATK Base Type DMG Rel. RNG Effect ROF
Claws 22 P or S 5d6+4 10 N/A Bleed (100%), Balanced 2
By taking an action, the bes can attempt to possess a tar- Whenever you deal damage to a target possessed by a bes
get within melee range by making a Spell Casting check with a Slashing or Piercing weapon, the resulting super-
against their Resist Magic check. If successful, the bes heated spray of blood deals 5 points of damage to the
takes control of the target’s body. This allows the bes to attacker’s torso which also ablates any armor by 1 point
use the body of the target but the target gains the REF regardless of penetration.
and DEX Statistics of the bes. This change in Statistics
does not affect Derived Statistics. The target also gains
the Boiling Blood ability. While a bes is possessing
them, a character is unable to control their body but is Ability: Alternate Form (Greater Bes)
otherwise, aware of everything going on around them.
There are three ways to force a bes out of a possessed
target: either the target must be reduced to their Wound A greater bes has a ROF of 3 with its Claws, has a REF
Threshold, a Mage, Priest, or Druid must spend 10 STA and DEX of 14, and it’s Boiling Blood Ability ablates
points and roll a Spell Casting check to beat a DC: 20, or armor by 3 rather than 1.
the possessed target must drink a Cerebral Elixir. When
in the area of a Dimeritium bomb the bes cannot use this
ability. While possessing a target, a bes takes no damage
from attacks made against its possessed target.
198
Skill Base
Athletics 12
Awareness 19
Brawling 18
Hard
Courage —
Complex
Endurance 14
Intimidation 14 Intelligence
Persuasion 12 Sapient
Physique 15 Senses
Resist Coercion 18 Superior Night
Vision
Resist Magic 22
Spell Casting 20
Stealth 16 INT 10
Wilderness Survival 17 REF 9
DEX 6
Armor 15 BODY 5
SPD 6
Regeneration —
EMP 4
CRA 8
Resistances WILL 12
—
STUN 8
Immunities 18
RUN
Fear, Blinding LEAP 4
STA 40
Susceptibilities ENC 50
Specter Oil, REC 8 Height Around 2.5m
Dimeritium Bomb. HP 80 Weight 136kg
Wherever they
Environment
Dodge Base 16 are summoned
Organization Solitary
Reposition Base 12
Casglydd
Block Base 19
Bounty
1500
Commoner Superstition (Education DC:18)
Folk’re willin’ to do a lot for the right information. Heh, trust me, old Rodolf learned that lesson along
Loot
time ago. The gnomes used to say that if ya get too greedy lookin’ for that information it can turn ya
Infused Dust (x1d10) into a casglydd. Lurkin’ in shadows, collectin’ knowledge that ain’t meant for anybody’s eyes. When yer
Specter Dust (x1d6) dealin’ with a casglydd ya gotta be wary of its hands. It’ll try to snatch ya up and drag you off to some
Essence of Wraith (x1d6) hellish shadowy place. But if you can keep it from stealin’ ya away and force it to talk you can negotiate
Random Runestones (x3) for just about any information. Heh, just don’t get too caught up in the hunt or you’ll wind up joinin’ it.
Random Glyph (x2) —Rodolf Kazmer
199
Attacks
Name ATK Base Type DMG Rel. RNG Effect ROF
Claw 19 P or S 1d6 15 — Drag into Shadow, Long Reach 2
A casglydd always has a Base 20 when rolling any skill Instead of taking a movement action, a casglydd can
check to learn, recall, or teach knowledge. transport itself from one area of darkness to another area
of darkness within 20m. A casglydd can transport objects
it is holding but not living things. When in the area of a
Ability: Drag into Shadow Dimeritium bomb the casglydd cannot use this ability.
Skill Base
Awareness 10
Wilderness Survival 7
Brawling 16
Hard
Athletics 11
Difficult
Stealth 10
Physique 20 Intelligence
Endurance 17 Feral
Courage — Senses
Intimidation 16 —
Resist Magic 17
Resist Coercion — INT 1
REF 8
Armor 0 DEX 6
BODY 12
Regeneration —
SPD 6
EMP 1
Resistances 1
CRA
Bludgeoning, Piercing WILL 8
Immunities
STUN 10
Poison, Bleeding, RUN 18
Charm, Knock-Down,
LEAP 4
Fear, Stun, Coercion
STA 50
ENC 120
Susceptibilities
REC 10
Specter Oil,
HP 100 Height Form Varies
Dimeritium Bomb
Weight Around 680kg
Around crypts and
Dodge Base 12 Environment
mage towers
Organization Solitary
Reposition Base 13
Corpse Amalgam
Block Base 16
Bounty
800 Commoner Superstition (Education DC:17)
Now I’d never heard of this one but Glynis swears up and down it’s true, heh. She tells me
Loot this Nilfgaardian found a way to really animate corpses for real by doin’ some kinda ritual
Lunar Shards (x1) with the souls of other mages or somethin’. I mighta been half awake when she mentioned
Fifth Essence (x1d6) it. Heh, either way, these things are just piles of corpses so ya can’t reason with ‘em or poison
Specter Dust (x1d6) ‘em or anything. Got so many sets of eyes ya can’t sneak up on ‘em. The best thing ya can do
Essence of Wraith (x1d6) is to start knockin’ the bodies off of ‘em. Sets the souls free and weakens the beast.
—Rodolf Kazmer
201
Attacks
Name ATK Base Type DMG Rel. RNG Effect
Fists 16 B 5d6 10 — Long Reach, Crushing Force 2
A corpse amalgam is truly dead and therefore its body Without taking an action, a corpse amalgam can forcibly
is not functioning normally and does not heal. A corpse return one of the spirits in its body to sapience and make that
amalgam cannot be affected by spells or items that restore spirit dominant in the amalgam. Immediately upon doing
HP and it does not heal naturally. this, the corpse amalgam rolls 1d10, re-rolling a value of a
1. This value becomes the corpse amalgam’s Intelligence and
Crafting Statistic Values for 10 rounds. While Temporary
Ability: Amalgamated Form Sapience is in effect, the corpse amalgam becomes a Sapient
creature which is still under the control of the Necromancer
who summoned it. The mind of the amalgam is in unending
A corpse amalgam is made up of many different bodies
pain and barely capable of speech but it is capable of mak-
bound together by magic and has no vital spots on its body.
ing tactical decisions and performing technical actions. For
If an attack would strike the head of the amalgam or any
example: wielding weapons, unlocking things, solving puz-
other spot that would multiply damage, the attack deals
zles, etc. If the amalgam is forced to make a check with a Skill
normal damage rather than triple damage.
it doesn’t possess while Temporary Sapience is active, roll
1d6 to determine the value of its Skill.
Skill Base
Athletics 10
Awareness 10
Brawling 13
Medium
Courage 14 Simple
Endurance 16
Intelligence
Intimidation 14
Feral
Physique 20
Resist Magic 13 Senses
Night Vision,
Stealth 8 Scent Tracking
Wilderness Survival 12
INT 1
Armor 14 REF 7
DEX 6
Regeneration —
BODY 12
SPD 7
Resistances EMP 1
Bludgeoning, CRA 1
Piercing, Slashing WILL 5
Immunities STUN 8
— RUN 21
LEAP 4
STA 40
Susceptibilities
ENC 120
Beast Oil REC 8
Height 1.75m
HP 80
Weight 600kg
Dodge Base 12
Environment Forests
Reposition Base 10 Organization Solitary or in pairs
Great Bear
Block Base 15
Bounty
450 Commoner Superstition (Education DC:8)
Ya hear all about these big gnarly monsters with their fire breath and their magic hypnosis
and their invisibility and whatnot and ya tend to forget about nature’s own ploughin’ murder
Loot machines. Heh, I’ve been in a wagon that got attacked by a bear. Yeah, there I am mindin’ my
Bear Fat (x1d6) business in the back of the wagon and suddenly the whole thing rocks like it just got hit by a
Bear Hide (x1d6/2) ploughin’ trebucht! Won’t go into exhaustive detail on that little scuffle. Let’s say, I gave it a few
Raw Meat (x3d6) bolts from my trusty crossbow and when that didn’t do much I decided to make a tactical retreat.
Beast Bones (x2d6) Heh, some of the others on the wagon weren’t so lucky.... If a bear rears up, run for yer life.
—Rodolf Kazmer
203
Attacks
Name ATK Base Type DMG Rel. RNG Effect
Bite 17 P 8d6 15 — Crushing Force, Bleed (75%) 1
Claw Slash 17 S 4d6+5 15 — Crushing Force 2
By taking its full round, a bear can rear up onto its hind legs and bring down both claws on a target in melee range, using an
attack base of 14. If this attack hits, the target takes 6d6 damage to their torso, is knocked prone, and pinned by the bear. If
the target tries to block this attack, they can negate the damage but they are still knocked prone and pinned unless they can
beat the bear’s Physique check with their own Physique check. If they do manage to succeed, the target is able to throw off
the bear and is unaffected by any part of the Rearing Strike ability.
Skill Base
Awareness 14
Wilderness Survival 13
Brawling 16 Medium
Athletics 10 Simple
Stealth 10
Intelligence
Physique 16 Feral
Endurance —
Senses
Courage — Night Vision
Intimidation 10
Resist Magic 14 INT 1
Resist Coercion — REF 8
DEX 6
Based on BODY 8
Armor
Armor Used SPD 4
Regeneration — EMP 1
CRA 1
Resistances WILL 4
Living Armor
Block Base 16
Bounty
400 Commoner Superstition (Education DC:12)
Ya don’t see these that often anymore. I guess the cost of man-power’s gone down or the cost
Loot of good armor’s gone up. Heh, might be both come to think of it! Back a few decades ago
Fifth Essence (x1d6/3) livin’ armor was all the rage. Mage’s would be whippin’ up bodyguards made outta the fin-
Infused Dust (x1d6/3) est armor to parade around town. Living armor itself ain’t the toughest combatant though.
The Armor Animated Can’t think for themselves like a proper flesh and blood soldier. The trick is, ya gotta hit ‘em
Any Worn Weapons or Items with a dimeritium bomb. That’ll dispel the magic and you can rip out their golem heart.
—Rodolf Kazmer
205
Attacks
Name ATK Base Type DMG Rel. RNG Effect
Fist 16 B 1d6+2 15 — 2
When struck by a Dimeritium Bomb, a living A suit of living armor is held together by a golem
armor becomes disrupted and sluggish. They are heart suspended inside the chest by magic. The
incapable of using their Overreach ability and take golem heart cannot be targeted. However, when
a -2 to all rolls while in the area of the bomb. the torso armor of the living armor is reduced
to 0 SP, the golem heart is exposed. The next
attack to strike the living armor’s torso hits the
heart and reduces the living armor to 0HP.
Ability: Living Armor
Skill Base
Athletics 18
Awareness 16
Brawling 18
Hard
Courage —
Complex
Acting 16
Endurance 18 Intelligence
Intimidation 16 Sapient
Physique 18 Senses
Resist Magic 20 Superior Night
Vision
Stealth 16
Wilderness Survival 16
INT5
Armor 5 REF10
DEX 10
Regeneration —
BODY 10
SPD 5
Resistances
EMP 3
—
CRA 3
Immunities WILL 8
Poison, Bleeding, Freeze,
STUN 9
Fear, Magic Scanning
RUN 15
Susceptibilities LEAP 3
STA 45
Specter Oil, Fire,
Moondust Bomb, ENC 100
Dimeritium Bomb REC 9 Height 2.5m
HP 90 Weight 135kg
Dodge Base 18 Wherever they
Environment
are summoned
Reposition Base 18
Organization Solitary
Block Base 18
Bounty
1500 Mari Lywd
Loot Commoner Superstition (Education DC:16)
Beast Bones (x1d10) If ya hear an eerie chorus singin’ at your door in the middle of the night it’s best if ya lock up
Mari Lwyd Skull (x1) tight and plug yer ears. Honest, it’s the best advice I can give ya, heh. Mari lwyd are demons
Silk (x1d10) that prey on folks who deny ‘em hospitality. They wander around, askin’ for food and beer and
Infused Dust (x1d10) a place by the hearth and whatnot. If ya answer the door but ya don’t let ‘em in they’ll mark
Specter Dust (x1d6) ya. Worst part is, a mari lwyd’s got this power that lets ‘em possess folks. If ya don’t let ‘em in
Essence of Wraith (x2d6) they’ll possess one of yer neighbors and make ‘em beg ya to let ‘em in.
Zoria Runestone (x1) —Rodolf Kazmer
207
Attacks
Name ATK Base Type DMG Rel. RNG Effect ROF
Bite 18 P 5d6+4 10 100m Improved Armor Piercing, Freeze (100%) 1
Spine Whip 18 B 4d6+4 20 100m Stagger (30%) 3
Slam 18 B 4d6+4 15 — Stagger (50%) 1
If a mari lywd’s Spine Whip attack is successfully par- A mari lywd radiates an aura of otherworldly cold. If a
ried or is reduced to 0 REL, its neck is severed and it can creature starts its turn within melee range of the mari
no longer use its Spine Whip attack or Shapeshift abil- lywd, they have a 50% chance to freeze. If the mari lywd
ity. The head and the body now act separately on its turn is on fire at the beginning of a turn where it’s Chill Aura
and the neck retracts back into the body. The head may ability is active, the fire immediately goes out, before the
now only use the Bite attack (with RNG reduced to melee mari lywd takes damage. When in the area of a Dimerit-
range) and floats around at its normal SPD Statistic in ium bomb the mari lwyd cannot use this ability.
any direction. The body may only use the Slam attack and
cannot extend its neck. Aiming for the mari lywd’s head
suffers the same penalty you would normally for attack-
Ability: Retractable Neck
ing the head. Both halves of the mari lywd still share HP
and armor and make use of their Chill Aura ability inde-
pendently. If adjacent to it’s head, the mari lywd can take Whenever a mari lwyd takes a movement action, it
its full turn to reattach it, tying it back on with a ribbon, can choose to extend its neck up to 10m in any direc-
which restores its Spine Whip attack to 20 REL. tion regardless of whether its body moves. Once it has
used its Bite or Spine Whip attack at a distance, its head
remains at that distance. As an action, the mari lwyd can
retract its head all the way back to its body as long as it is
still attached. If someone is currently grappling the mari
Ability: Shapeshift
lwyd’s head or neck and it tries to retract, the mari lywd
must make a Physique check against the grappling oppo-
A mari lwyd can mimic humanoid voice flawlessly. Addi- nent. If it fails, it cannot retract. If it succeeds it pulls free
tionally, as long as a mari lywd has more than 50 HP, and retracts.
without taking an action, it can transform into a human-
oid that it has killed in the past. While shapeshifted, the
mari lywd can only use its Slam attack, and can repress
its Chill Aura ability. If the mari lywd is reduced to 50 HP Ability: Greater Mari Lwyd
or less, it is forced to revert back to its true form. When
in the area of a Moondust bomb the mari lwyd cannot A greater mari lywd’s Hit Points are raised by 30, its
use this ability. Spine Whip attack is ROF 4, and its Chill Aura has a
100% chance to freeze.
208
Skill Base
Athletics 14
Awareness 16
Brawling 15 Medium
Courage — Complex
Endurance 15
Intelligence
Intimidation 17 Sapient
Physique 15
Senses
Resist Magic 15
Superior Night
Spell Casting 17 Vision
Stealth 17
Wilderness Survival 12 INT 6
REF 8
Armor 0 DEX 8
BODY 8
Regeneration —
SPD 6
EMP 1
Resistances 1
CRA
— WILL 8
Immunities
STUN 8
Charm, Coercion, Fear, RUN 18
Bleed, & Poison, Disease
LEAP 3
STA 40
Susceptibilities 80
ENC
Specter Oil, Yrden, REC 8 Height 2.2m
Moondust Bomb
HP 80 Weight 90kg
Wherever they
Environment
Dodge Base 16 are summoned
Organization Solitary
Reposition Base 18
Penitent
Block Base 17
Bounty
800
Commoner Superstition (Education DC:18)
“A penitent’s a type of demon that haunts folks who’ve done wrong. Heh, folks say that if ya
kill someone in cold blood or commit some kinda heinous crime near a source of magic like
Loot
a place of power or the like you’ll get chained to one of these bastards. When they appear to
Specter Dust (x1d6) ya, a penitent’ll drown the land in fog and shadows so ya can’t escape and then steal your
Wraith Essence (x1d6) soul. Old elven legends say they carry around the souls of all the folk they’ve taken in their
Infused Dust (x1d6) lanterns and slowly drain them of all their power or some such. Heh, all I know is, when the
Random Rune (x1) fog starts settin’ in ya better have a dimeritium bomb to chuck or you’re done for.”
-Rodolf Kazmer
209
Attacks
Name ATK Base Type DMG Rel. RNG Effect ROF
Penitent Sword 17 P or S 5d6+4 15 — Bleeding (30%) 2
Penitent Lantern 15 E 4d6 10 — Fire (75%) 1
The area where a penitent haunts is immersed in a thick By taking its action, a penitent can split its corporeal form
cloud of supernatural fog and shadows with a 50m radius, into 4 separate wraiths which appear with full hit points
centered on the scene of the crime or the location of the within 10m of where the penitent was. All 4 of these wraiths
penitent’s prey when the penitent arrived. Anyone in this act on the penitents initiative place and are controlled by the
fog, save for the penitent and its wraiths, is unable to see penitent. The penitent takes no damage from the damage
anything that is farther than 4m from them. While in this dealt to the individual wraiths. When all 4 wraiths have been
fog, the penitent takes no damage from any form of attack. killed, the penitent must return to its single form and takes
This fog can only be dispersed by killing the penitent 20 points of damage if it’s fog has been dispersed. Once the
or having the penitent’s prey light a large fire within the penitent has been returned to its single form it cannot split
fog. As long as the fire remains lit and the penitent’s prey into separate wraiths again for 3 rounds. While in the area of
remains in the area the fog remains dispersed. Dimeritium Bomb the penitent cannot use this ability.
A penitent can roll a Spell Casting check against an attack A penitent can use its movement action to teleport 10m
to become incorporeal and negate the attack. If they suc- immediately. When in the area of a Moondust Bomb or
ceed, nothing physical affects them until the start of their Yrden circle the Penitent cannot use this ability.
next turn. If in the area of a Moondust Bomb or Yrden cir-
cle, the penitent cannot use this ability.
210
Selling Demon
Parts
“If ya ever find yourself
at a northern market
Components
thinkin’ about selling the
parts you hacked off a
“As a Director of Magic at Gweison Haul I always kept various
demon I’d suggest ya find components on hand with which to brew elixirs and alchemical
your way to the shadi-
est part of town you can
remedies to the various ailments suffered by the faculty and
find. Heh, the customers students. However, in most circumstances, this store of alchemical
might smell of sulfur and
blood but trust me, your
components was uniform in its ingredients. I had a specific herb
gonna have an interestin’ to obtain rebis, a certain mineral for hydragenum, and a fungus
time explaining where ya
got the rams horns carved
to distill fulgur. In my flight across the Northern Realms I was
with ancient runes. Not without my usual provisions and had to make do with what I could
that I’ve ever had that
experience, heh!”
find. While I would have liked to have had my perfectly measured
—Rodolf Kazmer ingredients, there was a certain excitement to improvising with
unknown mushrooms and monster bile.”
-Glynnis var Treharne
Alchemical Components
Name Component/Use Rarity Location Quantity Forage Weight Cost
Bear Fat Rebis ( ) P Found on Bears 1d6 — .5 90
Bear Hide Crafting P Found on Bears 1d6/2 — 6 30
Bes Horn Fulgur ( ) R Found on Bes 1d6/3 — 1 166
Mari Lwyd Skull Hydragenum ( ) R Found on Mari Lwyd 1 — 2 200
Mutagens
Alchemy
Name Color Effect Minor Mutation
DC
Bear Green +10HP 20 Prolific Hair Growth
Penitent Blue +2 Vigor Threshold 18 Glowing White Markings
211
Index
Academies.............................. see Mage Schools Elixirs......................................................115-116
Components...................................................210 Enchantments........................................111-114
Crafting...........................................................................113-114
Deities.........................................................37-48 Glyphwords............................................................................112
Coram Agh Tera...................................................................... 45 Runewords..............................................................................111
Dana Meadbh........................................................................... 39
Epona......................................................................................... 45 Glyphs.............................................................110
Freya.......................................................................................... 41
Kreve.......................................................................................... 43 Goetia......................................................139-149
Lilvani........................................................................................ 46 Benefits....................................................................................141
Melitele...................................................................................... 44 Deals........................................................................................140
Morrigan................................................................................... 46 Greater demons.....................................................................141
Nehaleni.................................................................................... 47 Rituals..............................................................................142-144
Svalblod..................................................................................... 48 Tools................................................................................145-149
The Eternal Fire....................................................................... 40 True names.............................................................................143
The Great Sun.......................................................................... 42
The Old Ways........................................................................... 37 Hexes.......................................................105-106
The Prophet Lebioda.............................................................. 47 Bones of Glass........................................................................106
Veyopatis................................................................................... 48 Curse of Temperance...........................................................105
Hex of Forgetfulness.............................................................106
Druid Circles..............................................61-66 High danger hexes.................................................................106
The Circle of Bleobheris........................................................ 63 Low danger hexes..................................................................105
The Circle of Caed Myrkvid.................................................. 64 Medium danger hexes..........................................................106
The Circle of Gedyneith......................................................... 65 The Evil Eye............................................................................106
The Circle of Gwyn Carn....................................................... 61 The Odious Hex.....................................................................105
The Crow Clan......................................................................... 62 Unending Need......................................................................106
Wandering Druids.................................................................. 66
Invocations, Druid...................................96-100
Druids.........................................................54-71 Bigelow’s Befoulment............................................................. 97
History................................................................................. 56-57 Blood of the Mountain........................................................... 98
Monster hunting...................................................................... 66 Conspiracy of the Mother...................................................100
Organization................................................. see Druid Circles Druidic Totem.......................................................................... 98
Profession................................................................................. 67 Herbalism................................................................................. 97
Skill tree.............................................................................. 68-69 Hierophant/Flaminika invocations....................................100
Spells..................................................... see Invocations, Druid Journeymen invocations.................................................. 97-98
Types.................................................................................... 57-58 Master invocations............................................................ 98-99
212
Book of Tales,
Tales, an adventure compendium
with new options for players and gamemasters.