Character Creation Challenge: Day 15, Marissia, Daughter of Zelligar

A few years back I found what I think is my earliest surviving written reference to a witch in my games: Marissia, Daughter of Zelligar. Zelligar is, of course, the missing wizard from the module B1 In Search Of The Unknown.  

I have long been of the opinion that the infamous Rogahn and Zelligar of B1 are the same adventurers on the cover of the Holmes Basic set and the same, along with Marissia, on the cover of Warlocks & Warriors. Well...I named her Marissia (yes that spelling) for a variety of reasons that began with Scooby-Doo and Jerry Reed. There was a "Melissa" in B1 who was the paramour of the fighter Rogahn. I merged the two in my mind and that became the downfall of the two mighty adventurers. Marissia, Zelligar's daughter, began an affair with Rogahn. That's fun, but not why I am talking about her today. Today I want to revisit her as my "First Witch."

No, she really isn't my first witch, just the one I have the earliest evidence for. 

I was playing a mix of AD&D and D&D here, so I am guessing I was age 11 or 12.

For this witch I am going back to the 1983 Bard Game's The Compleat Spell Caster. Which has a witch class based on the Druid. It also had a sorcerer, but that is a topic for another day. All the Spellcasters here have a great "occult" feel to them so I really want to capture the feel of this in my own games. 

Marissia here then feels very different from my other witches largely due to her "druidic" relationship. Figure this is a druid that is allowed to be something other than just True Neutral. This witch has a lot of plant related powers and the ability to read magic. Similar to my Occult Powers.

I have have The Compleat Spell Caster, so I also use The Compleat Alchemist (which is recommended for the witch).  I also gave Marissia the secondary skill of Alchemist. 

Marissia
15th level Human Witch, Chaotic Evil

Secondary Skill: Alchemist

S: 11
I: 17
W: 17
D: 12
C: 15
Ch: 18

Paralysis/Poison: 5
Petrify/Polymorph: 8
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 9
Breath Weapon: 11
Spells: 12

AC: 1 (Bracers AC 1)
HP: 56
THAC0: 12

Weapon
Dagger +1 1d4/1d3
BroomStaff 1d6

Familiar: Hellhoun

Powers
Identify Plants, Pass without a Trace, Read Magic
7th level: Create Elixirs, Potions, Dusts

Spells
First level: Charm, Detect Magic, Disguise, Eldritch Fire, Healing, Hex, Night Vision, Summon Familiar
Second level: Blending, Circle of Darkness, Eyes of the Hawk, Levitate, Water Breathing, Speak with Animals, Frost, Youth
Third level: Shape Change, Dispel Magic, ESP, Emotional Influence, Locate Object, Windstorm, Animal Control
Fourth level: Circle of Silence, Flight, Invisibility, Malediction, Speak in Tongues, Thunderbolt
Fifth level: Elemental Shield, Ice Storm, Minor Enchantment, Mists of Sleep, Psychic Assault, Guards & Locks
Sixth level: Firestorm, Plague of Spiders, Quagmire, Psychic Shield, Teleportation
Seventh level: Great Curse, Restore Life, Tempest, Witch Wind, 

Theme Songs: Pretty Mary Sunlight (for her name) and Going to Hell (her actual song).

Using the Druid spell progression provides a lot of spells, but is limited to the Seventh level. Not a terrible trade-off. 

In my mind, Marissia began as a "demonic" witch, especially given all the demons in the CSP, but her spells read "Storm Witch" more. So maybe her patron is not Ereshkigal, but rather someone like Pazuzu. Pazuzu feels right to me, given his connection to The Exorcist and the time period. 

But there is a demon in the book, Baal, who is also known as the Master of Storms. Many of the demons in the CSP have vaguely ancient origins: Aaman (Anu), Baal, Astorath (Astaroth), Thamuz (Dumuzid, Tammuz), Nergal, and more. Given all this, Pazuzu still feels like a great choice, as does my very first choice, Ereshkigal. Maybe Pazuzu is just a demon employed by Ereshkigal.