A to Z of Witches. F

F is for Familiar

Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 

Deu 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

One of the easiest ways to be labeled a witch during the European Witch hunts was to be an older woman with a lot of animals.  Today you are more likely to be labeled as a "Cat Lady" or worse "Crazy Cat Lady".

I talked about Familiars in my very first A to Z blog challenge.
For me familiars are what really set witches apart from Wizards.  While wizards can certainly use them, witches HAVE to use them.

In my 2011 post I was focused on my then WIP The Witch.  Today I am thinking more along the lines of Pathfinder.  The Pathfinder witch needs her familiar to learn her spells. The familiar is not a pet but the conduit to her Patron.

While most religious texts and witch hunting manuals refer to familiar spirits as being evil in the game they can be of any alignment (good or evil) and most often reflect the will, or at least the whim, of the Witch's Patron.

Pathfinder Witch Familiars are a little different. The witch familiar in Pathfinder is in fact the source of the witch's magical knowledge.   With a bit of re-skinning you could have a familiar like Bob the Skull from the Dresden Files or even the Book of Shadows from Charmed.
Obviously things like "Speak with other animals of it's kind" and the familiar special ability would need to be seriously retooled.

For a "Book of Shadows" familiar (that is where is book is a semi-aware artifact) I would give a +3 check on Use Magic Device or even a +3 Knowledge (Arcana).  I like that one.  Same with the Floating/Semi-aware Skull.

The speak with others is trickier.  Maybe with a Book of Shadow Familiar the witch gains the ability to read other languages, though in a modified way.  I think a certain limited number of languages would need to be decided on in the beginning of the witch's play and then only those languages could be used.  Sure a cat and only speak to other cats, but that is speech and easier.  A written language would be different and you could say that the book needs to have been written in one of those languages.  The witch can read it in her Book of Shadows right away, but not when she sees it elsewhere, at least not till 7th level.  I would rule 1 common (ei it appears on the list in most books) and 2 rare languages.

Here are the others.

Natural Armor Adj.
A Book of Shadows or Floating Skull gets this as well.

Alertness (Ex)
Same with both the BoS and FS.

Empathic Link (Su)
This works differently for the BoS.  Since the BoS acts like something akin to the Akashic Records maybe replace this with a feat like Skill Focus (Knowledge).
Actually I rather like the idea of the Akashic Record being the source/familiar and the Book of Shadow being the physical manifestation.  After all, familiars can get killed in the game but brought back.  A book can be burned and brought back via the copy in the Akashic record.

Improved Evasion (Ex)
Feats like improved evasion are still good for a Floating Skull, but for a book maybe Improved Fortitude for spells or situations that might set it a flame. (See there is a reason witches are burned, destroy their spellbooks too).

Share Spells
Same

Store Spells
same

Deliver Touch Spells (Su)
This one is different.  It would be fine for a floating skull, but not so much a Book.  Gotta replace this one with something similar.

Speak with Master (Ex)
If the master is 5th level or higher, a familiar and the master can communicate verbally as if they were using a common language. Other creatures do not understand the communication without magical help.

Speak with Animals of Its Kind (Ex)
Mentioned above. For a Floating Skull I would say Speak to the Dead.

Spell Resistance (Ex)
Same.

Scry on Familiar (Sp)
Another tricky one.  If the book or skull are left in a covenstead (a place where the coven meets) then it works. Carried with the witch it is a little harder.

Those are the ideas I have had brewing now for a bit.

Yeah I know I sometimes get grief for my love of Charmed. Too bad. My blog.


Supernatural AtoZ

zatannurday: Sunday Special Joe Quinones Sneak Peaks

This Zatannur--er--sunday.

With the April A to Z going on every day I thought I could let Zatanna have the day on Sunday.

Joe Quinones has been posting some sneak peaks of the Zatanna/Black Canary crossover "Bloodspell" over at his blog, http://joequinones.blogspot.com/

Really looking forward to this.

A to Z of Witches. E

E is for Enchantment

An enchantment is a type of spell.  Defined as something to charm or bewitch.
In this context it sounds custom made for witches.

Enchantment is also in the D&D family of RPGs a School of Magic.
According to Wikipedia:

Enchantment or Enchantment/Charm
This school, known as Enchantment/Charm prior to 3rd edition and Enchantment in 3rd and 3.5 editions, changed dramatically in 3rd edition, when all non-mind-affecting spells were removed from the school and many were moved to Transmutation. In 3rd and 3.5 editions, all Enchantment spells are mind-affecting and Enchantment is divided into two subschools: compulsion and charm. Charm spells, such as Charm Person or Symbol of Persuasion, affect the targets' attitudes, usually making them act more favorably toward the caster. Compulsion spells such as Confusion, Dominate Monster, Feeblemind, Sleep, Suggestion or Zone of Truth, can force the targets' to act in a certain way or avoid certain actions, affect the targets' emotions or affect the targets' minds in other ways. The Compulsion subschool also includes buffs, such as Aid and Heroism. Wizards who specialize in this school are known as Enchanters.

When I was first working on my witch class I went through the books and thought about which spells would be good for the witch.  Enchantment spells came over whole cloth.
Later when I updated it for my 3.0 book Liber Mysterium and my Basic Era The Witch I focused solely on spells from the d20 SRD.

I added all the spells to a giant Excel worksheet and then went down the list and compared it to a list I had created over the years of spells I felt were ones good for witches.  Where they intersected was my list of spells.

This served me well since these were spells that people knew and they were also ones I felt were good for a witch to use.

I like the idea that witches have a wide choice of spells within the confines of specialties.   They might not have the flexibility of a wizard for example, but within their own specialties they have a large number of choices.




Supernatural AtoZ

Kickstart Your Weekend: Shadows of Esteren

Is this is a thing now?  I have been doing these on Fridays for a while so I guess so.

Today I would like to draw your attention to Shadows of Esteren - A Medieval Horror RPG  "The Monastery of Tuath".
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1176616619/shadows-of-esteren-a-medieval-horror-rpg-tuath

This one hits all my buttons; Medieval, Horror, has fantastic design and art.  Really what is not to love.

Check it out their Kickstarter or their website, http://www.esteren.org/shadows_of_esteren/
or blog, http://shadowsofesteren.blogspot.fr/
or facebook,  https://www.facebook.com/ShadowsOfEsteren

Or just have a look at what they have already done or at DriveThruRPG for free.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109112/Shadows-of-Esteren---Book-0-Prologue?affiliate_id=10748

Honestly it looks really cool.
There is a melancholia about the art that I find very pleasing.  It's very, very good but also conveys a little sadness to it.  This is not a happy world, it's dark and that darkness weighs down on the characters.
These are not "murder-hobos" these are flawed but courageous people in this game.  I like that.

So through them funds if you can. As of right now they have a little more than 48 hours left.

A to Z of Witches. D

D is for Diana

Diana or the goddess of the hunt has an interesting connection to witches.
Like I mentioned yesterday I grew up reading Greek myths. I knew of Diana/Artemis as the virgin goddess of the hunt and twin sister to Apollo. I never gave it much thought after that.

But to the Romans, Diana also meant "Divine". She was also the goddess of the moon and childbirth and then later the female principle.  Diana's cult had a long history in the city of Rome and then throughout the Roman Empire.  She became mixed in with other local Goddesses/personalities (such as Luna and Scáthach) and her influence grew.

It was Diana that Margaret Murray claimed the witches in early Europe worshipped in an unbroken line to the modern times.  While we know this is not the case a number of modern day Wicca Traditions still use her work and belong to a "Dianaic Tradition".  

While Murray's research is suspect there are plenty of good reasons to tie the mythical Diana to witches.   In many respects she represents the Maiden aspect of the Witch's Goddess.  There is also the connection to the moon, the female wild hunt and childbirth.

For my games Diana is one of the Goddesses of Witchcraft, but not necessarily of magic. She is also the Goddess of the Moon and in many of my games the Patron of the Amazon Witches.
While she is typically seen as a virginal Goddess, this is changed in the Aradia story that has her as the mother of Aradia by Lucifer.  Other traditions see the father as The Horned God.

Here she is for the Pathfinder RPG.

Diana

Titles: The Goddess of Witches, Goddess of the Hunt
Alignment:  Neutral
Portfolio: Moon, Witches, Women
Worshipers: Witches, pagans, nymphs, Amazons
Cleric Alignments
LG NG CG
LN N CN
LE NE CE
Domains: Moon, Knowledge, Protection
Favored Weapon: Bow

Diana is the goddess of witches, witchcraft, the moon and the hunt.  She is revered by witches, clerics that meet in secret in woodland groves and druids.

History
Diana is an old Goddess. She has been worshiped by many different peoples and has been a member of a number of different Pantheons.

Relationships
Diana is often considered an outsider god in the pantheons she is in.  While some may claim that she was born into the family of gods of the pantheon, she will make her own way. Indeed, her creed is one of personal freedom.

Appearance and Emissaries
Diana appears as a young woman in simple hunting garb. She always appears as a beautiful young woman.  She will appear more athletic and physically strong than a human girl of the same apparent age.  In any guise she will appear with a crescent moon on her brow or as part of a crown.

Servants

Egeria - The Goddess of nymphs and childbirth.  She is Diana's most trusted advisor and sage.

Virbius - the God of Chastity till Marriage.  He protects maiden girls until they are married.

Church of Diana
Diana's church, known more properly as the Cult of Diana, is spread far and wide.

Worshipers and Clergy
Diana is worshiped primarily by witches but also by like minded clerics and drudis.  A number of folk magic practitioners also also count themselves among her worshipers.

Temples and Shrines
Temples of Diana are usually on the outskirts of populated areas.  Shrines can be set up in any natural setting.

Holy Texts
As witches the worshipers of Diana hold their own Books of Shadows as their holy texts.

Holidays
Diana's traditional holiday is held on August 13. Temples to Diana are normally dedicated on this day.




Supernatural AtoZ

A to Z of Witches. C

C is for Coven and Circe

There have been a number of witches and witch-like classes to appear in the pages of various RPGs.  But the one thing that they all almost always forget to detail are covens.
Sure we have seen plenty of witches in movies, tv and books that don't have covens. But for me these are always the exception, not the rule.

Look back to what Tom Moldvay, author of the Basic D&D rules, says on witches.  He gave a list of 6 things a witch needs to have or be.  I added Covens and Ritual Magic to his list.

Some images are just hard to loose.  The Three Witches in Macbeth are maybe the most famous example of a coven of witches, but are by no means the only one.  Covens, and their reputed practices, are often found in the pages of witch hunter manuals though not always by that name.
The generally accepted first use of the word comes to us from Margaret Murray and her The Witch Cult in Western Europe.  Since then the name and the idea has stuck.

In RPGs this gives us plenty role-playing opportunity.  A coven sets the witch apart from your garden variety wizard or magic-user.  In many ways a coven can be more of a driving force behind the witches actions than alignment or even her patron/god.  For witches without a coven this is also a source of role-playing. How does the witch feel about her status as a solitary? Does she wish for a coven, does she fear other covened witches?

I played one witch a while back who had been part of a family tradition so all the witches in her coven were members of her family.  While she was starting her adventuring career a fire destroyed her home and killed her family, and coven.  She was forced into being a solitary witch. I wanted to roleplay that loneliness with her. The idea was that she would one day rise in power and recreate her own coven.  I was able to do that and the effects were very satisfying.

So one of the ways I judge any RPG witch book or class is whether or not covens are part of the class features.

Circe
I spent my childhood reading the myths of ancient Greece.  One of my favorite characters was Circe.
So when I got my first copy of Deities & Demigods I went first to the Greek Mythos.
I was not overly thrilled with how they depicted Circe, a Chaotic Evil "Black Sorceress", but I also was not surprised.
In college I reread the Odyssey and I felt Circe was much more of a complex character than most people gave credit.  Yes, she is not good and certainly selfish.  But I like to think there is more to her than that.

Here she is for Pathfinder.
She is a half-Celestial to reflect her demigod status.

Circe
Female Half-Celestial Human Witch 10
CN Medium outsider (humanoid, human, native)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10

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Defense

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AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 76 (10d6+40)
Fort +7 (+4 bonus vs. poison effects), Ref +6, Will +12
DR 5/magic; Immune disease; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10; SR 22

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Offense

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Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Special Attacks smite law*
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +14)
   3/day—protection from law
   1/day—aid, bless, cure serious wounds, detect evil, dispel law*, holy smite, neutralize poison, remove disease
Witch Spells Prepared (CL 10th; concentration +16):
5th—animal growth (DC 21), baleful polymorph (DC 21), major creation
4th—charm monster (DC 20), divination, lesser geas (DC 20), locate creature
3rd—dominate animal (DC 19), locate object, lover's vengeance, nature's exile (DC 19)
2nd—alter self, enthrall (DC 18), gentle repose (DC 18), hold person (DC 18), speak with animals, summon monster ii
1st—beguiling gift (DC 17), cause fear (DC 17), charm animal (DC 17), hypnotism (DC 17), summon monster i, unseen servant
0 (at will)—daze (DC 16), detect magic, detect poison, read magic

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Statistics

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Str 12, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 18
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 19
Feats Alertness, Animal Affinity, Brew Potion, Craft Rod, Craft Wand, Iron Will, Maximize Spell
Traits charming, classically schooled
Skills Acrobatics +4, Appraise +7, Bluff +10 (+11 vs. characters who could be attracted to you), Craft (alchemy) +20, Craft (cloth) +15, Diplomacy +5 (+6 vs. characters who could be attracted to you), Disguise +5, Escape Artist +5, Fly +11, Handle Animal +15, Heal +10, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (history) +15, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nature) +15, Perception +10, Ride +5, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +20, Stealth +5, Survival +10, Swim +5, Use Magic Device +16
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Daemonic, Draconic, Giant, Infernal
SQ +4 to fortitude saves vs poison, hexes (cackle, cauldron, charm, fortune, slumber, tongues), patron spells (animals)
Other Gear 150 gp

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Special Abilities

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+4 to Fortitude saves vs Poison You get +4 to Fortitude saves against Poison effects.
Aid (1/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Celestial heritage. +1 on attack rolls and saves against fear, 1d8 temporary hp +1/level (max +10).
Arcane Familiar Nearby You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Bless (1/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Celestial heritage. Allies gain +1 on attack rolls and +1 on saves against fear.
Cackle (Su) As a move action, extend the duration of other hexes by 1 rd.
Charm +2 (6 round(s)) (DC 21) (Su) Improve attitude of humanoid or animal in 30 ft by 2 step(s).
Charming +1 Bluff/Diplomacy/save DC for a language-dependent spell vs. targets who could be sexually attracted to you.
Cure Serious Wounds (1/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Celestial heritage. Cures 3d8 damage +1/level (max +15).
Damage Reduction (5/magic) You have Damage Reduction against all except Magic attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Detect Evil (1/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Celestial heritage. Reveals creatures, spells, or objects of selected alignment.
Dispel Evil (1/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Celestial heritage. +4 bonus against attacks by evil creatures.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Energy Resistance, Acid (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Acid attacks.
Energy Resistance, Cold (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Energy Resistance, Electricity (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Flight (60 feet, Good) You can fly!
Fortune (2 round(s)) (Su) Ally in 30 ft can roll 2d20 for an attack, save, ability, or skill check (and take higher) once/rd.
Holy Smite (1/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Celestial heritage. Damages and blinds evil creatures.
Immunity to Disease You are immune to diseases.
Maximize Spell All variable effects of a spell are maximized. +3 Levels.
Neutralize Poison (1/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Celestial heritage. Immunizes subject against poison, detoxifies venom in or on subject.
Protection From Evil (3/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Celestial heritage. +2 to AC and saves, counter mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders.
Remove Disease (1/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Celestial heritage. Cures all diseases affecting subject.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Slumber (10 rds) (DC 21) (Su) Foe in 30 ft falls asleep for duration, or until damaged or roused by ally (Will neg).
Smite Evil (1/day) (Su) +4 to hit, +10 to damage, +4 deflection bonus to AC when used.
Speak with Animals (Ex) Your familiar can communicate with animals similar to itself.
Speak With Familiar (Ex) You can communicate verbally with your familiar.
Spell Resistance (22) You have Spell Resistance.
Tongues (10 minutes/day) (Su) Understand spoken and speak any language, as tongues.

Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC®, and are used under license.

Interestingly enough Circe has no coven.




Supernatural AtoZ

British Invasion: Softcover Edition

I am not an obsessive collector compared to some out there.  I have things I like and things I want and I am pretty happy with that.

But something has always been on my list. Something I thought might be too rare to get.  That is till I saw it on eBay a week ago.   I put down my money and I got it.

I finally got a copy of the softcover Monster Manual printed in England.

There really is no difference between this and my hardcover Monster Manual.  Save for the fact I ahve always wanted this one.

That is not all!  In the process I discovered there was also an England only version of Mentzer Basic in a single volume format.

It is heavy on the text and really, really sparse on the art.  No Elmore art at all save for the cover.

Sorry for the blurriness, trying out my new phone.

All in all I am very happy with these!