Witch Tradition, Chovihani

Liber Mysterium

The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks

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

Chovihani Description: The wandering gypsies of the world have often been believed to be consorting with dark powers, fell magics or witchcraft. While this is untrue for nearly all gypsies there is the gypsy witch, also known as Chovihani. They consort with both dark and light powers. Their travels expose them to many forms of magic, belief and worship.

It is possible that the witches of the Chovihani tradition are only one type of Family tradition; both traditions do share similarities. Witches tend to run in families and family is the most important part of life. But it is the differences that really set these two apart.

It is believed by some that witches of the Chovihani tradition can trace their magical practices all the way back to the magi of ancient Egypt. There is no outside confirmation of this, and the Chovihanies themselves are less than forthcoming with the information.

Gypsies tend to be aloof, almost xenophobic, and the witches of their tribes are more so. A Chovihani witch is always given great respect by the other members of the tribe and normally feared by those outside of it. She may not necessarily be the leader of the tribe, but she will be among its most powerful individuals. Typically a tribe may have one high (above 10th) level witch and two or three lesser witches as novices. The high-level witch will almost certainly be very old, while the novices may be anywhere from youth to late adulthood. Many times the old witch may adopt an orphaned child and raise her as her own and as a witch. Because of this it has become a saying in many countries that Gypsies or witches steal small children.

Chovihani witches revere Bibi, the Goddess of Night. Other Gods in their belief system are, Del, the supreme Goddess, Beng, the
God of Evil and Alako, the God of the Moon and the son of Del. Also, the witch is likely to keep all her secrets to herself.

Humans fill the ranks of this tradition almost to the exclusivity of all other races. There are a few elves, half-elves or Halflings in some extremely rare cases. Elves and Halflings often have their own racial viewpoints on the tradition, but they are essentially the same. Dwarves and half-orcs are almost non-existent in this Tradition.

Role: The witches of the Chovihani Tradition are as rare as Faerie witches. Found only with Gypsy tribes, these witches should inspire mystery and even a little fear. While they tend to be neutral in alignment, they motives are often their own and may not involve the best intentions of the player characters. Chovihani witches can also work well as the -misunderstood protagonist-, not evil, but perceived so by others. A player character Chovihani witch might be adventuring away from her Gypsy tribe for various reasons. A PC Chovihani witch might even be the offspring of a lone Chovihani witchand now she adventures to find her mother’s (or grandmother’s) family.

Typical roles for these witches are fortunetellers, midwives, herbalist, and sages of the tribe. If a midwife is required Chovihani witches of good alignments will almost always give aid, despite their tribe’s fear of strangers.

Joining this Tradition: The only way to join the Chovihani tradition is to be born into it, the witch must be a Chovihani or have a parent, particularly a mother, who was. Plus, the vast majority of these witches tend to be female (another major difference from the Family Tradition, which tends to be split equally between the sexes). This comes from the basic belief that only females have the mind necessary to understand and practice magic.

Leaving this Tradition: If the only way into this tradition is to born into it, often the only way out is death. Though another way out is simply stop being a Chovihani. When a Chovihani witch no longer travels, she begins to loose her powers. Occult powers are lost first, then spells. The witch would have to actually “settle down” to have this occur, brief periods of rest do not count.

Skills & Feats: Survival and Perform are class skills for the Chovihani witch.

Required: None required.

Suggested: The life of the Gypsy is a hard one and many skills are needed just to survive. The Chovihani witch should choose at least on skill related to outdoor survival, at least one performance skill and as many divination skills as she can. Perform (Fortune Telling) is considered to be the means in which the Chovihani witch communes with her patron.

One or more knowledge skills related to the chosen skills.

Occult Powers

• Minor: 7th Level: Undetectable Presence. At 7th level the witch gains the ability to pass through any terrain undetected. This extends to her caravan, up to 20 members plus her level. This functions as the druid spell Pass without a Trace, save that magical means will also not reveal that the witch has passed by.
• Medial: 13th Level: Visage of Another. At 13th level the witch may disguise herself, as per the druid power A Thousand Faces.
• Greater: 19th Level: Evil Eye. Once per day, the witch can place on one subject the combined effects of the reverse of Aid (2nd Level Cleric spell), bestow curse (3rd Level Cleric spell) and Circle of Doom (5th Level Cleric spell, target only). The total benefits are -4 to attack, -4 to saves vs. Fear, -6 to any ability, 19+1d8 damage to hit points. This lasts a number of hours equal to the witch’s level.

Or, this curse may take the form of a -1 to any one roll (chosen by the GM) every day for the recipient’s life. A witch cannot cast this spell on herself,
nor can the recipient receive any more Witch’s Curses. A remove curse spell will fix this as will a properly used Witch’s Blessing.

Special Benefits: The Chovihani witch is usually a very well respected member of her tribe and thus will have means to obtain help if necessary. The GM needs to decide how well the witch is regarded by her tribe (a function of Charisma and level) and who might help her. Typically any of these witches traveling with her tribe can at the very least call upon the aid of a male Gypsy fighter of equal level.

Special Restrictions: To maintain the above benefit, the witch must stay on good terms with her tribe and be with them. A witch traveling alone does not gain this benefit. Plus, given the nature of superstition and distrust that surrounds both Chovihanies and witches, the Chovihani witch is treated as if her Charisma score was lower by 2 (-2 penalty) against those who know her true nature. This is for NPCs only.

Equipment: Often the witch will get a ritual tool as a gift that had belonged to a deceased family member. Additionally, the Chovihani witch will have one or more divine devices; Tarot Cards and Crystal Balls (mundane or magical) are the most common.

Coven Domains: Luck, Trickery, Travel

Preferred/Barred Covens: This tradition is so closely tied to its tribe and coven that it is often difficult to separate the three. The leaders of the coven are often the oldest and most powerful witches in the tribe. Generally only one coven per tribe exists with typically three to four members.

Relationship to the Goddess/Patron: Chovihani witches are very private about their religious practices. Unlike other witches who gather in covens for celebrations and sabbats, the Chovihani witch relies on her use of her divine powers and tools to commune with her patrons.

Source/Views of Magic: Magic is a force of the World. Only by traveling the world can one understand magic. Wizards who stay rooted in one place become complacent and stagnant, they never learn the full nature of magic, only their own local variety. Often the witch will “dress-up” simpler magic or herbal remedies to seem more mysterious than they are. As with most witches, often her best defense is a strong sense of superstition in her enemies and friends alike. The Gypsy witch is likely to keep all her secrets to herself.

Wealth: Chovihani witches start with the normal amount of wealth allotted to any witch. Many supplement their wealth by performing “fortune telling” for paying crowds. These divinations may or may not be accurate, and many are based on “cold reading” (see Perform, Fortune Telling skill) of the customer.

Other: Chovihani witches get along with other traditions as long as the interaction is kept to a minimum. The respect both the Craft of the Wise and the Faerie, but feel their claims of being the first witches are erroneous when the Chovihani have an oral tradition that goes back for thousands of years as well. Chovihani witches get along very well with Lorelei witches. Both appreciate the other’s independence and worldview. Additionally, Lorelei witches are always welcome in Chovihani camps, for they love song and dance. The Gnomish Benandanti, or Good Walker, is also an oddly welcomed guest to many Chovihani witches. The Chovihani witch finds a kindred and an accepting spirit in the Gnomish Benandanti. What the Chovihani witches like best about these two groups is that neither will remain with the Chovihani tribe for very long.

Chovihani tribes have their own fair share of bards, fighters and rangers and the witches of the tribes seem them as an integral part of the tribe’s makeup. Thieves are also found, but in less numbers than the Chovihanies have been blamed for. clerics, paladins and druids are rare, but for different reasons. The Chovihani witch fails to see the need for organized religion and the wanderings of the tribe often take them far beyond the druid protected groves. Wizards are also somewhat rare, as Chovihani tend not to have access to formal training centers of magic or the ability to lug around extensive libraries and magical paraphernalia. sorcerers are far more common. Chovihanies have encountered Barbarians in their travels and have learned to respect their territories or stay away. Barbarians typically react as if all Chovihanies were spellcasters.

Chovihani witches will sometimes multiclass as rogues when it seems convenient for them to do so, but the vast majority of them avoid multiclassing. The same can be said for prestige classes. Evil Chovihani witches may opt to be Warlocks. Despite similar philosophies on the origins of their magic, Chovihani witches are never found among the ranks of the Hermetic Mages, mostly due to the Hermetic mages’ more urbane locales.