Witch, Covens and Game Play

Liber Mysterium
The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks

By Timothy S. Brannan and The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks Team

First and foremost witches should be used as a vehicle of which interest and mystery can be added to the campaign. NPC witches will either act as a PC’s greatest asset or worst enemy. Remember that a witch’s motives are not necessarily those of other powerful NPCs. She could simply use the PCs as one small strand in a massive and complex web of intrigue. On the other hand, the witch may rely on the PCs for the nasty business of monster bashing while she weaves intricate spells to protect
and aid her party.

Witch Player Characters should be handled with great care. As with any other character class too much of a good thing is bad. Witches, like mages, start out in the game relatively weak. But also like their mage brothers, they vastly grow in power. Like priests, witches should be looked to as sources of Wisdom and insight. If there are more than one or two witch characters in an adventuring party it should be assumed that they are both member of the same coven. Covens guard their secrets and spells very carefully; a witch is not likely to work with another witch of a different coven. Even similarly aligned covens are wary of each other.

Unfortunately, due to the mysterious nature of witches, many are often hunted and killed. Granted there are evil witches, aligned with unspeakable things from the Infernal Planes, there are also good and neutral witches. A witch, if she is known to be a witch, will be under suspicion from all, save her closest of associates and friends. Many witches will disguise themselves as clerics or mages. However, disguise is not a witch’s function, therefore she may still be caught. In some areas paranoia of witches runs so high that actual clerics, mages or psions may actually be charged with witchcraft. The GM must design the specifics of his campaign worlds and laws made to deal with ·witches·. Of course not all witches are content to hide in the shadows or under guise. Some witches are quite open and honest with their craft. This will all depend on the nature, personality, and alignment of the witch’s patron.

Witches should add spice and variety to your campaign world, both good and evil witches. Witches are among the most powerful and complex of the spellcasters. Many of the details have been left up to the player’s and the GM’s discretion. For instance, she may wish to design specific daily rituals for his witch, or she may wish to expand on the witch’s relationship with her patron. Who exactly are they? Where are they? The GM is encouraged to experiment with the witch class, as long as she avoids the temptation to make her excessively powerful.