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The Witch

by Sean Meaney

THE HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT
Its origins long since buried in the mists of time, the full story of Witchcraft will never be told but it is certain that it held deep roots in even the most humble and god fearing of ancient communities.
In forgotten ages past, in Kingdoms unheralded and dead centuries of untold history, a fiery confrontation emerged between witch covens world-wide.
The myriad witches of the woodlands and the fields formed an alliance which dominated all other covens. This group forcibly directed the studies of other witches, and great emphasis was placed on the magic of plants and animals, that they might grow stronger still in their respective domains. But there were those who sought darker and godlier enchantments, pursuing powers of devastation and the very elements. They promised to teach what they learned, to enslave the world of men, and to shape the raw power to the ends of witches everywhere.
This the Alliance would not permit, for power inspires fear, fear of those that have it. Those who allied with the new Secret coven were cast out, and in time only the Mountains offered refuge to the members of this radical coven.
History has spoken little of this coven in the past, but as of late these witches have reappeared, and with them the stories of dark sorceries and wicked powers they learned in their centuries of Isolation.

LEVEL TITLE EXP HD SPELLS BY LEVEL
        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10*
1 Wick-woman 0 1d4                    
2 Harridan 3000 2d4                    
3 Termagant 6000 3d4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Hellcat 12000 4d4 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 She-devil 25000 5d4 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Hag 50000 6d4 4 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Fury 100000 7d4 5 4 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
8 Crone 200000 8d4 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 0 0 0
9 Pythoness 400000 9d4 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 0 0
10 Junior Coven-witch 600000 10d4 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 0
11 Senior Coven-witch 800000 11d4 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
12 Coven Priestess 1000000 12d4 9 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

*10th level Spells can be cast once per week because of their awesome power.

THE WITCH'S FAMILIAR

The witch on reaching 9th level may scribe a Charm Monster enchantment on their body having taken a Charmed Monster as a Familiar. Thus the Witch may seek out a Monster that they desire as a 'Familiar' and scribe a permanent enchantment on their naked form making the bond permanent. It is very much a slave for life, and once deceased no other familiar may be taken as the body is covered in the previous enchantment. Some Witches have been known to use Charm Person to take a particular individual NPC as a Familiar. Even intelligent Wizards - though the bond must be renewed regularly through physical contact.

WITCH SPELLS

Any Witch may read any Cleric, Druid or Wizard Spell found on a scroll though they may only memorize spells from the list below (Only Secret Order Witches may cast spells from the Secret Order):

 
Level 1: Cure Light Wounds*, Detect Evil, Light*, Sleep, Charm Person

Level 2: Hold Person, Speak with Animals, Locate Object, Invisibility, Detect Invisible, ESP

Level 3: Continual Light*, Remove Curse*, Cure Disease, Clairvoyance, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Water Breathing, Protection from Normal Missiles, Growth of Animals

Level 4: Neutralize Poison, Speak with Plants, Cure Serious Wounds*, Hallucinatory Terrain, Polymorph Self, Polymorph Other, Charm Monster, Growth of Plants, Wall of Fire

Level 5: Commune, Insect Plague, Hold Monster, Teleport, Dissolve/Harden, Control Winds

Level 6: Antimagic Shell,(n)Earth to Air*, (n)Poison Touch

Level 7: Control Weather, Lore, Summon Elemental, Earthquake

Level 8: Mass Charm, (n)Change Alignment

Level 9: Survival, Immunity, (n)Dimensional Lair

Level 10: (n)Age*, (n)Quickencraft, (n)Epic Curse

(n) Secret Order Witch Spell; *Spell may be reversed.

SPELLS OF THE SECRET ORDER

AGE*
Range: 10’
Duration: Permanent
Effect: All living things in a 10’ x 10 area
Description: The Witch may cause all living things within the area of effect to age instantly by 20 years. The reverse of this spell allows a witch to permanently reduce the age of all living things in the target area by 20 years. The Victim gets no saving throw.

QUICKEN-CRAFT
Range: 0
Duration: 24 Hours
Effect: One Magic Item being enchanted
Description: Any witch using this spell may enchant any magic item up to 50,000gp in value in a single day (24 hours) as long as she has the appropriate spell memorized. Unfortunately the Spell leaves the Witch totally vulnerable to all forms of attack as she is effectively considered to be trapped in a meditation state during the 24 hour process.

POISON TOUCH
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
Effect: Any three objects or single living thing
Description: The Witch may cause the first three objects touched (including 10’ x 10’ surface areas) to become poisonous. Anyone touching the object with bare skin must save vs. poison or be paralysed for two turns (after which they will die). If the Witch touches any living being the target must save vs Poison or Die Instantly.

EARTH TO AIR*
Range: 10’
Duration: Permanent
Effect: 1000 cubic feet
Description: The witch may dig a well or pit using multiple castings of this spell. The reverse of this spell will cause a 10’ x 10’ x 10’ cube of air to solidify into stone. This will trap anyone within the volume in stone. The stone is very porous allowing those trapped within to breath freely.

DIMENSIONAL LAIR
Range: 5’
Duration: 3 Turns
Effect: Open Portal
Description: When cast a Portal opens onto a 1000 cubic foot extra-dimensional space. The witch who summoned the Portal may then use the extra-dimensional space as a storage space or Lair. If the Witch is inside when the portal ceases to exist, the Witch may open a new portal at any known location.

CHANGE ALIGNMENT
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
Effect: One Living being
Description: The Witch may cause any living being to change Alignment to that of the Witch with a touch. This does not require contact with skin, simply a successful touch (Roll to hit without armour bonuses though magic and dexterity bonuses will afford extra protection).

EPIC CURSE
Range: 0’
Duration: Permanent until Broken
Effect: Any Principality or Kingdom becomes stricken with Curse
Description: When cast the Nation (and all living thing in it – except the Witch) becomes stricken with a curse. The Witch must specify both the terms of the curse and the grounds for release from the curse. Both the Terms of the Curse and grounds for release must be made available (example – The Population is transformed into animals, the curse and method of release Scribed on a block of Obsidian in the Capital).

SAVING THROWS

LEVEL 1-3 4-7 8-9 10 11 12
DEATHRAY/POISON 8 6 4 2 2 2
MAGIC WAND 9 7 5 3 2 2*
TURN TO STONE 10 8 6 4 2 2
BREATH ATTACK 13 10 7 4 2 2
ROD/STAFF/SPELL 12 9 6 3 2 2*

*Half Damage/Duration without Save, ¼ Damage/Duration with Save.

THE WITCH'S QUEST FOR IMMORTALITY

Any Coven Priestess may Seek Immortality on reaching 12th level. They have 1% chance of Achieving Immortality per million Experience Points.

QUEST: The Witch must defeat a Rival Witch seeking Immortality.

TRIAL: They must craft an Epic Magic Item. An Epic Magic Item will take over a hundred years to craft.

Example: Volcano Seed – Req. Coven Priestess (Witch L12), 2640 x Earth to Air Spell (Level 6 spell); Enchantment Time: 129.9 years; Cost: 47,420,000gp).
This baseball sized Seed when thrown (up to 15 feet) will instantly turn a 10’ x 10’ x 5 mile deep shaft of Earth down to the planetary Volcanic Mantle turn to air. First a blast of hot air will eject from the shaft within an hour causing 20d6 in damage to all living things within 100’ radius followed within a day by a volcanic eruption. A Permanent Volcano will then form over the days and weeks ahead.

TESTIMONY: The Witch must destroy a Nation. Such a Nation must be at least a Kingdom.

TASK: The Witch must be the acknowledged superior of all witches within a thousand Miles.

 
SUCCESS: Witch becomes immortal - merging into the life force of the world.
THE PRICE OF FAILURE: Any Witch who fails in their bid to become Immortal will become an 11HD Black Hag. The Hag may then progress at 1,000,000xp per HD increase to 20HD.