Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 6

Day 6 – Where Shall We Start?

Day 6-Where shall we start?
Where did the campaign begin and/or where should a traveler to the region start their journey through it?

Elowen’s Journal

"The first place I ever went in West Haven was the Drunken Orc Inn, and I still think that tells you everything you need to know about this place. Mother and Father were not impressed, and I think they wanted to turn around and take me home at that moment. 

It is loud. It is crowded. It smells like old ale, wet cloaks, and poor decisions. Voices overlap in ways that make my head ache if I stay too long. And yet, for all that chaos, it feels strangely safe. No spells are cast inside its walls. Not openly, anyway. No grudges are settled there, and no one pretends otherwise. What happens in the Drunken Orc is remembered, and that alone keeps most people careful.

It sits just outside the village proper, along the Western Trade Road, far enough that the laws of West Haven loosen their grip without letting things spiral completely out of control. When I want to feel like I have stepped outside the careful rhythm of covens and quiet streets, this is where I go. Aisling comes with me sometimes. She doesn't like me calling her "Dreamer," but that is what all the ghosts call her. They give her a wide berth and nod in respect to her. I need to find out why. We sit, we listen, we watch strangers who think they are unseen. It is not a safe place, exactly, but it does not threaten the people of West Haven. And that distinction matters more than most travelers realize."

Designer's Notes

The Drunken Orc Inn is a deliberately familiar anchor point. It is the kind of tavern players instantly understand, and that is exactly why it works. By leaning into the cliché rather than avoiding it, the inn becomes a stable social landmark where adventurers, criminals, mercenaries, and outsiders naturally converge.

In practice, the Drunken Orc functions as a neutral zone between West Haven and the wider world. It is commonly run by the local thieves’ guild, who use it to identify marks, recruit talent, and quietly enforce boundaries. Some patrons are fair game. Others are absolutely not. Elowen falls squarely into the latter category. The guild has been warned, directly and without ambiguity, by the Witch Queen herself to leave her untouched. This unspoken protection is why Elowen feels safe there without ever fully knowing why. It is also where adventurers brush up against covens and witch politics without realizing how close they are to real power.

BTW. Ghosts give Aisling respect because, like Elowen, she is half in one world and half in another. Unlike the gentle re-awakening of Elowen, Aisling came back from the dead screaming and covered in blood. Someone else's blood. Her death was tragic, her rebirth was violent, but she wants to live her life to the fullest and is, in fact, a rather sweet and nice girl. She and Elowen are likely to become good friends. Both are good people; they just had terrible things happen to them. 

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 5

Day 5 - Campaign History

Day 5-Can you tell us about the campaign's history?
In the real world and within the universe.

Sweet Home Chicago

Elowen’s Journal

"People ask about the history of West Haven as if it were something written down somewhere, bound in leather, and kept on a shelf. I suppose parts of it are. Dates, names, floods, fires. That sort of thing. But that is not how I learned it.

I learned West Haven’s history by listening.

The ghosts here remember things in pieces. Not years or reigns, but reasons. Why a wall was built thicker in one place. Why a road bends when it should not. Why a family stopped using a name. I have spoken with spirits who remember the first Haven, before the lake swallowed it, and with others who arrived long after, never realizing they were walking streets that no longer existed. They do not count time the way the living do. They remember what mattered to them when they were alive, and that tells me more than any ledger ever could.

I think the village is about three hundred and twelve years old, give or take a season or two. That is what the dead suggest, anyway. I sometimes wonder if I know its history better than Larina does. Not because she has forgotten anything, but because she lived forward through it, while I hear it all at once. The joy, the fear, the mistakes, the moments when someone chose to stay rather than leave. West Haven remembers itself through its ghosts. I just happen to be someone who can listen."

Designer's Notes

The earliest seeds came decades ago, walking through downtown Chicago and wanting a fantasy city that felt lived-in, layered, and resilient. Prior to this, I was working on something I was calling "The Urban Survival Guide" with my old DM R. Michael Grenda. We explored the idea of urban environments as equal to dungeons and wildernesses as adventuring landscapes. 

From those early notes came West Haven and East Haven, separated by Lake Haven and bound together by history, trade, blood, and tension. Over time, West Haven evolved into a witch-centered settlement, a place that outsiders might superstitiously call “Witch Haven” without quite understanding why the name fits. The town's history has since grown organically over decades of play across multiple systems, accumulating layers much like the ghosts Elowen listens to. In that sense, West Haven’s history is not static. It is remembered, retold, and still very much alive. 

Every system I have played it under has added something new. If not history-wise, then via its organic growth. 

While West Haven draws on influences from places like Lancashire, England; Zugarramurdi, Spain; and Salem, Massachusetts, it also owes much to my favorite city, Chicago.

While Grenda was working on his Riverton/Riddleholm, I was working on smaller places. I knew West Haven was the smaller of the two cities. We both wanted lakes, thanks to Lake Michigan, and I wanted to be able to see the lights of East Haven from West Haven. 

I figure that West Haven has a population of about 800-1,000 and East Haven is about twice that, 1,500-1,900. 

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Witchcraft Wednesday: Character Challenge Wrap-up

 Another Character Creation Challenge is in the history books.  Thanks again to Carl Stark, The TARDIS Captain, from TardisCaptain's Blog of Holding.  

Some of the playtest characters

In all, I made 41 characters (with 14 more unfinished), all witches for AD&D 1st Edition and all playtests for my new Advanced Witches & Warlocks: Occult Adventures. All witches from level 1 to level 31.

It has been a lot of fun. Here are all the character sheets (and linked):

Follow Timothy's board 31 Day Character Creation Challenge on Pinterest.

And all of the "Theme Songs" in a playlist:

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did!

Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 4

Day 4 - Is There a Map?

Day 4-Is there a Map?
Give us a visual! Show us a map of your setting! Don't have one? WHY NOT?!?

Elowen’s Journal

"I never cared much for maps before I came here. I grew up knowing where things were because someone told me, or because I walked there often enough that my feet remembered. I do not think I ever once looked at a map of my home village. It felt unnecessary, maybe even rude, like questioning something that had always simply been there.

West Haven changed that.

The first maps I saw were the ones made after the Great Flood. Clean lines. Familiar shapes. Lake Haven drawn the way it is now. Later, Esmé showed me the older ones, the maps from before the water rose. That was when things finally made sense. I had been seeing ghosts along the lake shore since I arrived. Quiet ones. Confused ones. People who seemed to be looking for doors and streets that were no longer there. When I saw the old maps, I understood. The original Haven settlement lies at the bottom of the lake now, and some of the dead never realized the world had changed around them.

Maps help me make sense of the land when the land does not make sense to me. They explain why a ghost lingers in the wrong place, or why a road feels older than it should. I have maps made by scholars, by merchants, and even by goblins, whose sense of distance and importance is… creative. I love all of them. Each one tells a slightly different truth. I think that is why I look at maps of West Haven so often. I am still learning how this place fits together. And maybe, by learning that, I am also learning how I fit here, too."

Designer’s Notes

So. I have maps of the Haven Valley, both current and prior to the "Great Flood," the disaster that destroyed the original Haven Settlement and created Lake Haven. I am not sure where they are at the moment. I knew one of them was in my car, but I can't seem to find it. ETA: Found it!

I really should get on commission someday. Better than the sketches I have on legal pads. There hasn't been much need for one, since I have a clear idea in my head of where everything is. 

The Broken Mountains are to the far north. East Haven is, naturally, to the east, on the other side of Lake Haven. It's not directly across, in some maps it is North East, other South East. I like the idea that the North East is slightly higher ground than West Haven. The Goblin Wood is to the North West of West Haven. It is old, once an elven forest until the elves abandoned it and the goblins moved in.  The Maiden Wood is to the South West of West Haven (and south of the Goblin Wood). Named for the dryads that still live there, but don't seek them out or even go into the wood unless you get permission from their leader, Mellenpei.  

The village of West Haven itself is divided into four quarters: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. The central plaza is dominated by a large fountain.  The central circle, named "Fountain Circle", is also often called "The Square" despite the fact that it is a circle, is home to the farmer markets during the day, and the goblin market at night. 

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 3

Day 3 - Where the heck are we?

What is the campaign's location and where is that location in related to other important places. 

Elowen’s Journal

“West Haven feels out of the way on purpose. Not lost, exactly, just set aside. Like someone took the world and folded one quiet corner inward so it would not be stepped on too often. I think that is why witches find it. And why so few other people do.

East Haven sits across the lake, larger, louder, always visible but never close. The Goblin Wood presses in from the northwest, dense and watching. Even when the trees stand still, which is rare, it sounds like a living breathing thing. To the north, the Broken Mountains rise like a warning no one remembers giving. Every direction feels different before it looks different, as if the land makes up its mind about you long before you arrive and decides how to appear. My friend Doireann looks to the Goblin Wood and calls it home. She looks at the Broken Mountains as if they were a holy land. Both places scare me a little. 

This place is on the far edge of everything. Far from where I grew up. Far from what people mean when they say normal. There are ghosts here, of course, but they are the quiet kind. They linger. They listen. They do not scream at me the way others do. It makes West Haven feel less lonely, somehow. Like, even the dead know this is a place meant to be left alone.”

Designer’s Notes

I intentionally keep the location of West Haven vague. I usually say it is "on the frontier." When I was using it in my Mystoerth games, it was west of Glantri City. In NIGHT SHIFT it was the far western portions of Massachusetts in the 17th Century. A place where witches could seek refuge. 

There is something about the place that normal folks ignore, but witches and other supernatural creatures find compelling and safe. 

In general if asked where West Haven is the stock answer is "out west." West has always been a standign for new lands, the frontier, the undiscovered country. It was also the metaphor of the lands of the dead for the Egyptians and Tolkien. Lands of discovery for the old Norse. West Haven is all of that. 

The history of the palce, which I am sure I'll get to detail more later on, has groups of settlers moving west and settling in a valley they call Haven. Naturally enough, for a place where disparate groups of people meet after a long, arduous journey. But their new home has troubles and it goes from my retelling of the invasions of Ireland to Salem, Mass. But like I said, there will be time to detail all of this during this challenge.

Since I use West Haven (and often East Haven gets dragged along with it) with many systems and games, its precise location varies, but they are all connected. In fact, due to places like "The Library," all West Havens are connected. 

--

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Advanced Witches & Warlocks: Occult Adventures

 It's Imbolc. A time for renewal and new beginnings. And a great time to announce my newest project!

The art is from the great Eugene Jaworski. You can find his art here and on his Instagram account. 

Here is his fantastic art with my text messing it up. 

And yes, that is my cover girl, Larina, and her lazy familiar, Cotton Ball. 

This should not really be a surprise to any regular readers here. I have been going on about AD&D games and Occult D&D for a bit now. But that is not all this is.

This project began many years ago as my High Secret Order Witch Book. I am also pulling in material I had begun working on for an unannounced Sea Witch book and something I was calling "The Compleat Witch."  None of these ideas jelled the way I wanted, but there was still a lot of good material. Some of this material also comes from my exploration of the Witches of Appendix N.

I also have 500+ new spells. Some are going back to my original netbook, and others I have written along the way. Not sure how many will end up in this new book, other than to say "a lot."

There is also a lot of material I wrote that will not be included in this book. Once I started my editing, I saw that a) I had too much material and b) some of it was not really related to witches. So there will be a second "Occult Adventures" book out next year, and I have already approached Eugene Jaworski to do the cover as well.

There will not be a Kickstarter for this. I plan to get this all to you via DriveThruRPG. I have everything written, we have been playtesting in our Wednesday and Sunday games, I have art. I just need to edit and trim the fat. Though recent playtests have made me go back and forth on a couple of things. I am excited to see where it all ends up.

Looking forward to getting this out to you all.

Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 2

Elowen Hale

Day 2 - About Your Tour Guide

Introduce us to a character who can serve as our guide through your campaign and its setting.

Elowen’s Journal

"People always expect me to start with the part where I died. I understand why. It feels like the important part. But it is not the part that stayed with me.

I was gone for only a little while. Long enough to come back different. Long enough that the other world did not quite close behind me again. When I returned, I could see the dead everywhere. Not just sometimes. Not just when I was tired or frightened. Always. Every. Single. Moment. Do you know how many dead people still walk around in this world? The answer is "no you don't want to know."

At first, I thought that meant I was broken. My parents thought so too, even if they never said it out loud. But they did their best, and they brought me here. 

West Haven would not fix me. That is something Larina told me early on, and she was right. This place does not cure things like that. What it does is teach you how to live with them. The ghosts here do not rush me. They do not demand. Most of them barely notice me at all, which was a relief I did not know I needed.

I have been here almost three years now. I write to my parents often. It is easier than talking. Words behave better on paper. Larina suggested I keep journals as well, saying witches learn as much from writing as from spells. I think she meant that if I am going to carry all these voices with me, I need somewhere safe to put my own. I am still learning how to do that."

Designer’s Notes

Elowen began, only last week, as a design challenge in her own right.

I mentioned that Tales of the Valiant, Player’s Guide 2 had come in the mail just a week ago, and it had a “native” witch class. I opened it and the Pathfinder 2R RPG and began to look back and forth, thinking about what sort of witch I could create that would fit both sets of rules. One thing I also considered, but knew it would not be a problem (as you will see later today), was what sort of witch would fit my “Occult D&D” meets my “High Witchcraft Tradition” Advanced Witches & Warlocks.

Mirepoix

What came out of that was Elowen Hale. A quiet girl who had a terrible past. No, she was not an orphan. No, her parents were not cruel; in fact, it is a big part of her background that they loved her and have always wanted the best for her. No, the trouble is Elowen died. It was only for a few moments, and she came back, but it left her marked and changed. Her long black hair became stark white. She was quieter. She deliberated before she spoke because “once words are said, you can’t ever unsay them.”  And she sees ghosts. Everywhere. All the time.

Her parents, worried their daughter was cursed, tried everything. Doctors said she needs more red meat and sunlight. Priests said she needed more prayers and fasting. But none of that changed what had happened to her. So after two years of searching, her parents brought her to West Haven, where she could get the best magical help. Soon, it was revealed that Elowen Hale was neither cursed nor, worse, undead. She was a new witch (what is often called a “Baby Witch” in pagan circles, but she hates that and prefers “Liminal Witch”) and needed help in guiding her new powers. 

We join Elowen, and her cat "Mirepoix," as she discovers West Haven and its surroundings: the Goblin Wood, the “big city” of East Haven, the secrets of Haven Lake and the Haven Valley, and even, if she dares, the Broken Mountains and the standing stone circle known as the Cailleach's Bones.

Her death doesn’t give her “kewl powerz”; it explains the powers she already has at level 1.

--

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Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 1

 What? I just finished a month-long challenge, and now another one? YES!

This time, it is from Adam Dickstein of Barking Alien, and it is the February RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE!

Here is my Day 1 Entry

Day 1 - Campaign Introduction & Overview

What is your campaign called, what system does it use, and what is it all about?

Elowen’s Journal

Elowen writes about arriving in West Haven and realizing she is not being watched here. Not judged. Not measured. She describes the feeling of belonging before understanding. She hints that West Haven exists in more than one way because some places are too important to only belong to one world.

Elowen is a new witch character of mine. New as in I just worked out her character sheets for Pathfinder 2R and Daggerheart on Thursday night (1/29/95). 

I don't have her "voice" just yet. No surprise, she is new and doesn't talk much. I hope that, by using her to see West Haven through new eyes, I can also define her. 

Designer’s Notes

West Haven is a multi-system campaign location I have been using for years. One of my first mentions of it was here back in 2014. IT was also the starting point for my War of the Witch Queens campaign.  West Haven's most famous resident is, of course, the newest Witch Queen, Larina Nix. However, Larina will not feature prominently in this Challenge. She is a little busy right now.

While I am focusing mostly on AD&D 1st edition (and a bit of OSRIC 3) right now, I have used it for D&D 5e, Pathfinder, Daggerheart, and NIGHT SHIFT. In fact, you can see the NIGHT SHIFT version of West Haven in my “Ordinary World” Night World setting in the NIGHT SHIFT Core. People can move from any version of West Haven to another if they know what paths to take.

The idea of this place began not with one of my witches, but rather my morally gray character, Nigel. Back in my AD&D games, Nigel found an Amulet of the Planes. While we were doing a lot of plane hopping back then, we also did a lot of adventures on parallel worlds. I wanted a town that lived on multiple planes at once, much like you see in my Temples of Elemental Evil and Castles Greyhawk. For my DM, that meant "Killian's Towers" (more on that later). For me it meant Larina, Nigel. Nigel took on the role of a witch hunter later in his life. But instead of killing the witches, he relocated them to a place I was calling "Witch Haven." I can't say for sure it wasn't inspired by the RPG City of Haven, but I am sure it was, at some level.  It was not till later that Larina came to West Haven and the village itself recognized her.  

West Haven is a place where witches call home. It is a place where they are protected, feel safe, and, most importantly, belong. 

--

And because I am all about ADA compliance...

Day 1-Campaign Introduction and Overview
What is your campaign called, what system does it use, and what is it all about?

Day 2-About your Tour Guide
Introduce us to a character who can serve as our guide through your campaign and its setting.

Day 3-Where the heck are we?
What is the campaign's location and where is that location in related to other important places. 

Day 4-Is there a Map?
Give us a visual! Show us a map of your setting! Don't have one? WHY NOT?!?

Day 5-Can you tell us about the campaign's history?
In the real world and within the universe.

Day 6-Where shall we start?
Where did the campaign begin and/or where should a traveler to the region start their journey through it? 

Day 7-What's the weather like today?
Is there a particular climate or weather that's prominent in the region of the campaign? Does it vary? What is it like and how bad does it get?

Day 8-Tell us about the local peoples and their cultures.
Describe the people and their Species, Nationalities, and other identifying features. 

Day 9-Who's in charge here?
Who are the major movers and shakers in the campaign?

Day 10-What's the first thing we should do?
When heading out on a trip through the campaign setting (even just the 'starting area'), where should you go first? 

Day 11-Where would we go to find 'adventure'?
We've left the relative safety of the starting area and now we're looking for action! 

Day 12-What do people do for entertainment around here?
Music? Theatre? Sports? Gambling? What do the adventurers in your campaign do on their 'day off'? What is there for tourists to spend money on?

Day 13-Where can we get a drink and a bite to eat?
Give us a few of your most notable restaurants and bars in the campaign setting. Tell us something about these places and what makes them distinctive.

Day 14-What to order to 'Eat like a local'.
Are there any foods unique to the campaign setting? If so, what are they like?

Day 15-What are some things in the setting that are best avoided?
Dangerous terrain, haunted places, angry natives, and even unpleasant beverages; name some elements in your campaign that should be given a wide berth.

Obviously these are beings and things in the setting the tourist should avoid but which Player Characters would likely run towards. 

Day 16-Are there any direct threats?
Who or what in your campaign actively means the people in it - including the PCs -harm?

Day 17-Can you tell us about any famous battles or wars?
Tales of conflicts and combats abound across the multiverse! Any interesting ones in your setting we should know about?

Day 18-Forgot to ask; How do we get around?
What modes of transportation are available to people in the setting. 

Day 19-Any 'Must See' sites?
Are there any places or things a visitor to the setting just has to check out?

Day 20-Are there any mysteries as yet unsolved?
Legendary tales, lost civilizations, or cryptid creatures; does the setting have anything for the amateur detective?

Day 21-What are the major organizations of the campaign? How do they deal with visitors?
Corporations, guilds, secret societies; what groups with influence exist in the campaign and how do they interact with the setting and its denizens? 

Day 22-Tell use about notable Flora and Fauna!
Take us on safari around your campaign and its setting. What are some of the unique and/or unusual creatures and plants in your game?

Day 23-What are the major exports of the region?
A campaign can be big and different places within it will be known for different products. Pick a few of the best sellers or most interesting things and tell us about them.

Day 24-What are the major imports to the area?
What is it your campaign region needs but doesn't have and how do they get it? Maybe it's not a need but a want? Some other place has the very best something and the people of your campaign desire some of that action.  

Day 25-Where can I do some shopping?
I want to buy some souvenirs from this trip and maybe snacks for the voyage home.

Day 26-Are there any dramatic events from the campaign you can share?
Tell us about a moment of exciting action or tense thrills that has happened during your game. When and where did it take place?

Day 27-Do you have any amusing anecdotes from the campaign?
Forget dramatic, tell us about a moment that made everyone laugh out loud.

Day 28-Is there anything else we should know before we head home?
Any parting knowing you want to leave us with that didn't fit anywhere else?

Character Creation Challenge: Day 31, The Simbul Witch Queen of the High Witchcraft Tradition

There are only a few characters created by others in this game that I can say I absolutely adore. Feiya is one, so is Iggwilv. And The Simbul, aka Alassra Shentrantra Silverhand, is another. As I said before, Ed Greenwood's obvious love for this character in his writing pulled me into this character, and I love her. I love her power, her madness, and her obvious tragedy. She is great, and I could not wait to add her to my games. Of course, I had to put my own spin on her.

The Simbul is often misunderstood because people take her madness at face value. They see chaos, volatility, and emotional extremity and assume a lack of control. That is a mistake. The Simbul is not mad because she is weak. She is mad because she is too strong for the structures that attempt to contain her.

Unlike Iggwilv, who burns down identities and walks away, Alassra remains. She stays. She binds herself to place, to people, to purpose. Aglarond is not merely her realm; it is her anchor, her sanctuary. Her madness is the pressure of power that refuses to dissipate. Where other archmages retreat into towers, demiplanes, or abstraction, The Simbul holds the line in the world itself.

This is the essential difference between High Witchcraft and the more solitary or liminal traditions. High Witchcraft is not about secrecy or withdrawal. It is about standing openly in the storm of magic and daring the world to endure you. The Simbul does not hide her power, nor does she soften it for the comfort of others. She bleeds magic. She leaks prophecy. She burns bridges even as she protects them.

"Do NOT presume to lecture me, Larina Nix, envoy of Baba Yaga or not."

- Alassra Silverhand, The Simbul

Her relationship to the Seven Sisters is equally telling. They are reflections of Mystra’s will, but Alassra is the one who most visibly suffers for it. She is not the most restrained, nor the most diplomatic, nor the most serene. She is the one who feels everything. That emotional intensity is not incidental. It is the price she pays for channeling magic on a scale that would unmake lesser beings.

If Iggwilv represents the witch who refuses all masters, then The Simbul represents the witch who accepts a burden no one else can carry and survives it anyway.

Alassra Shentrantra Silverhand "The Simbul"
31st level Human Arch Witch/Witch Queen (21/10), Neutral
Tradition: High Witchcraft

Secondary Skill: Initiate

S: 14
I: 18
W: 15
D: 18
C: 16
Ch: 19

Paralysis/Poison: 2
Petrify/Polymorph: 2  
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 2
Breath Weapon: 4
Spells: 3

AC:  -2 (Bracers of Protection +3, Cord of Protection +2, Ring of Protection +3, Dex 18 -4)

HP: 78
THAC0: 8

Weapon
Dagger +1 1d4/1d3

Familiar: Familiar Spirit

Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar
7th level: Witch Vision (see magic, invisible) 

Archwitch Powers: Mastery of the Veil (gained at level 7), Arcane Communion (gained at level 9), Unbound by Circles (gained at level 11). 

Witch Queen Powers: Awesome Presence, Occult Eminece (Witch's Blessing), A Thousand Faces, Timeless Body, Ninth Level Spells (5)

Spells
Cantrips: Arcane Mark, Daze, Mote of Light, Object Reading, Open,
First level: Analgesia, Bar the Way, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Eldritch Fire (Silverfire), Glamour, Mend Minor Wounds
Second level: Arcane Disruption, Agony, Alter Self, Continual Flame, Dweomerfire, ESP, Evil Eye, Web 
Third level: Bestow Curse, Clairsentience, Control Winds, Danger Sense, Dispel Magic, Fly, Lightning Bolt
Fourth level: Analyze Magic, Ball Lightning, Divination, Polymorph Others, Polymorph Self, Remove Curse
Fifth level: Break Enchantment, Maelstrom, Sending, Ward of Magic 
Sixth level: Analyze Dweomer, Greater Scry, Mislead, Rain of Fire
Seventh level: Astral Spell, Chain Lightning, Greater Teleport 
Eighth level: Eye of the Storm, I Am The Fire, Storm of Vengeance, 
Ninth level: Foresight, Imprisonment, Seal the Gate, Power Word Kill, Shapechange

Theme Song: Every Little Thing She Does is Magic

The Simbul occupies a rare and precarious position. She is both an Arch Witch and a Witch Queen, but she is not defined by conquest, hierarchy, or cult. Her authority is not derived from dominion over other witches, but from presence. When The Simbul acts, reality pays attention. When she speaks, even the gods listen carefully.

She is best used in a campaign not as a quest-giver or antagonist, but as a force of nature given human form. The Simbul does not maneuver behind the scenes. She erupts. She intervenes. She is not a gentle breeze; she is a storm, she is a hurricane. 

She makes decisions that reshape the magical landscape, then lives with the consequences, in full view of the world. Player characters who encounter her should feel small, not because she belittles them, but because she reminds them of the scale at which magic can truly operate.

Yet, for all her terrifying capability, there is a deep sadness at the heart of Alassra Shentrantra Silverhand. She has given up the possibility of an ordinary life, not for ambition, but for necessity. She endures so that others may not have to. That sacrifice is what elevates her from a powerful spellcaster to a Witch Queen in the truest sense.

I am not sure what I feel about her canonical death. While I do not pretend for a moment that any Witch Queen should live forever, her end feels strangely hollow to me. Yes, she died doing something entirely in character, but the framing feels uncomfortably refrigeratory, reducing a complex, volatile, deeply loved figure to a moment of narrative utility rather than culmination.

In my games, she sacrifices herself, yes, but not in that way. It is her magic and her sanity that are consumed, burned away to seal what could not otherwise be contained. Alassra lives, but she is vastly diminished. The storm has passed, and what remains is the woman who stood at its center.

I like to think that in this state, Elminster keeps her hidden and protected, not as a guardian of the realm, but as a dear and close friend who refuses to let her story end in silence. He works without rest to restore what was lost, knowing full well that success is uncertain. Whether she will ever return as the Simbul the world knew is unclear. But she is alive. 

And for a Witch Queen, that matters.

Where Iggwilv survives by changing, and others by ruling, The Simbul survives by being remembered, even when she can no longer remember herself.

And that's another 31 Day Character Challenge!

Character Creation Challenge: Day 30, Iggwilv Witch Queen of the Demonic Tradition

 I rather love Iggwilv. 

There is a quote attributed to her that I think is spot on. "I can't remember the number of times I have burned everything to the ground and started over." It captures her well I think. From the girl Natasha to Natasha the Dark, to Tasha, to Tashanna, to Hura, Iggwilv, and now? Zyblina. I see no contradictions here. Witches are fluid, liminal creatures, and witch queens more so. 

Iggwilv has never been a creature of stasis, either in her world or ours. She does not cling to names, crowns, or even worlds. She sheds them. Each incarnation is not a disguise so much as a molting, a deliberate abandonment of what no longer serves her. Where other archmages obsess over legacy and continuity, Iggwilv embraces rupture. Reinvention is not a failure state for her, it is a strategy.

This is what separates her from the traditional wizard archetype and places her squarely in the lineage of witch queens. Wizards accumulate. Witches transform. Iggwilv understands that power calcifies if it is not periodically broken down and reforged. When she burns everything to the ground, it is not an act of petulance or nihilism. It is pruning. It is alchemy. 

There is also a deeply witchy pragmatism to her infamous dealings with demons. Iggwilv is not a supplicant, nor is she a true believer. She does not worship, and she does not kneel. Demons are tools, dangers, lovers, rivals, and sometimes mirrors, but never masters. Her greatest victories over fiends were not won through brute force or righteous opposition, but through understanding their nature better than they understood themselves. 

The Demonic Tradition she embodies is not about corruption for its own sake, but about sovereignty. To bind a demon is to assert that no cosmic hierarchy is absolute, that even Hell has rules that can be learned, exploited, and rewritten. She is part of the Demonic Tradition because she knows demons, she can gain power from them, and not let it harm herself. Well. Most times.

If Baba Yaga is the archetypal Witch Mother, eternal and terrible, then Iggwilv is the Witch Daughter who refused to remain in her shadow. She learned everything she could, then walked away.

Iggwilv
30th level Human Arch Witch/Witch Queen (20/10), Chaotic Neutral (Evil)
Tradition: Demonic (formerly Daughters of Baba Yaga)

Secondary Skill: Scribe

S: 10
I: 20
W: 17
D: 21
C: 19
Ch: 22

Paralysis/Poison: 3
Petrify/Polymorph: 3  
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 4
Breath Weapon: 6
Spells: 5

AC: -10 (leather armor +4, Bracers of Defense +3, Ring of Protection +5, Dex 21 -4, Tastchti's Mark -2)
HP: 66
THAC0: 10

Weapon
Dagger +1 1d4/1d3

Familiar: Quasit, "Black Comet"

Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar
7th level: Touch of Evil

Archwitch Powers: Mastery of the Veil (gained at level 7), Arcane Communion (gained at level 9), Unbound by Circles (gained at level 11). 

Witch Queen Powers: Awesome Presence, Occult Eminece (Polymorph Other), A Thousand Faces, Timeless Body, Ninth Level Spells (5)

Spells
Cantrips: Alarm Ward, Arcane Mark, Chill, Daze, Ghost Sound, Summon Vermin
First level: Bad Luck, Cause Fear, Charm Person, Darkness, Fey Sight, Ghostly Slashing, Glamour, Protection from Spirits, Silver Tongue
Second level: Agony, Biting Blade, Discord, Enthrall, Evil Eye, Invisibility, Mind Obscure, Phantasmal Spirit, Tasha's Hideous Laughter (Ritual)
Third level: Astral Sense, Bestow Curse, Dispel Magic, Feral Spirit, Ghost Ward, Toad Mind, Witch Writing
Fourth level: Analyze Magic, Divination, Intangible Cloak of Shadows, Phantom Lacerations, Spiritual Dagger, Tears of the Banshee, Withering Touch
Fifth level:  Break Enchantment, Enslave, Greater Command, Magic Jar, Witch Box
Sixth level: Anchoring Rite, Anti-Magic Shell, Break the Spirit, Dismissal (Ritual)
Seventh level: Banishment, Draw Forth the Soul, Forbidding
Eighth level: Astral Projection, Gate, Trap the Soul
Ninth level: Bind Soul, Foresight, Imprisonment, Seal the Gate, Power Word Kill,

Theme Song: I Hate Myself for Loving You

What makes Iggwilv compelling is not that she is powerful, but that she is unfinished. Or more to the point, ever-changing and ever-growing. Even now, even under yet another name like Zybilna, she is still becoming. A Witch Queen is not a static end-state like lichdom or apotheosis. It is a road, and Iggwilv has walked it forward, backward, and sideways across multiple realities.

For a campaign, Iggwilv should never be a simple antagonist. She is an event. An inflection point. Crossing paths with her should permanently alter the trajectory of a story, even if swords are never drawn and spells are never exchanged. She might teach, betray, ignore, manipulate, or save the party, but she will never do so for their sake alone. There is always a larger calculus at work.

And yet, for all her monstrous reputation, there remains something profoundly mortal at her core. She still loves, still hates, still remembers. Her many names are not masks to hide emptiness, but scars that prove she has survived herself over and over again.

That may be her greatest magic of all.

Character Creation Challenge: Day 29, Kersy Witch Queen of the Atlantean Tradition

Kersy is a wonderful character. Bruce Heard, her creator, admits she is basically a Circe stand-in, but I saw her as something else. I have to admit, when I saw Vanessa Williams in ads for the 1997 TV mini-series "The Odyssey," I thought, "Now that is great casting for Circe!" Sadly, I got it wrong: she was cast as Calypso, and Bernadette Peters as Circe. But it stuck with me. So when I came back to D&D in the 2000s and encountered Kersy, I already knew what she looked like. She looked like 1990s Vanessa Williams. 

Kersy has an interesting character beyond her origins as a Circe stand-in. She is introduced in the D&D Masters-level module M1 Into the Maelstrom. She is using her human guise as a 30th-level Magic-user, and she is the ruler of the Island of Turkeys.  If you are thinking she sounds a lot like Circe and her Island of Pigs then you are correct. Doing some deeper research into Kersy gives me a stranger tale. Over at the Vaults of Pandius, they have expanded on her background a bit more. 

She is described as the distillation of Koryis' own unwanted thoughts, urges, and feelings.  

Koryis is the Immortal Patron of Peace.  While he was on his epic quest, he sought to purge himself of evil in impure thoughts. He was successful, and that "impurity" manifested itself as Kersy. If Kersey looks like Vanessa Williams from The Odyssey, then Koris looks like Armand Assante.

At least that is what his mythology says. 

We learn from M1 that she is a "beautiful maiden" and a "30th-level magic-user." But other details are scant. From the Vaults of Pandius, we learn that she is beautiful, with long raven-black hair and amber-colored eyes.  She is the Patroness of Witchcraft and Charms.  

What can we gather from all of this? Kersy is Koryis' "dark anima" in Jungian psychology.  The description of Koryis' quest to rid himself of these dark, impure impulses sounds exactly like a quest to confront his Anima, who is Kersy. However, Koryis failed to integrate his "shadow self" and is less than he was. 

Now, if this is what happened, then according to Jung, Koyris is now forever incomplete.  Reading over the history of VoP, it would seem that Kersy knows this. If we extend this to other Jungian archetypes, then Kersy fits one perfectly. The Witch.  She is powerful, connected to the Earth, and a source of wisdom.  Koyris, in his quest to rid himself of Kersy, only weakened himself and gave his power away.

Kersy might wish to reunite with the now forever incomplete Koryis, or not. She has grown since then. 

In my Occult D&D, they would forever be circling each other, each seeking what the other has and never feeling quite complete. An Anima and Animus, or a Yin and Yang. 

And given her history, she is also perfect for my Atlantean Tradition.

Kersy
29th level Human Witch/ Witch Queen (20/9), Neutral (Chaoic Neutral)
Tradition: Atlantean 

Secondary Skill: Astrologer

S: 12
I: 18
W: 18
D: 16
C: 14
Ch: 18

Paralysis/Poison: 3
Petrify/Polymorph: 3 
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 4
Breath Weapon: 6
Spells: 5

AC: -2 (leather armor +3, Bracers of Protection +3, Cord of Protection +2, Ring of Protection +3, Dex 16 -1)
HP: 66
THAC0: 12

Weapon
None

Familiar: Rainbow Warbler (Song Bird) "Victoria"

Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar
7th level: Speak to Animals
13th level: Drawing Down the Moon
19th level: Witch's Blessing

Witch Queen Powers:
Awesome Presence, Occult Eminece (Polymorph Other), A Thousand Faces, Timeless Body, Ninth Level Spells (4)

Spells

Cantrips: Daze, Guiding Star*, Mote of Light, Object Reading, Open
First level: Allure, Bar the Way, Bewitch I, Burning Hands, Call Spirits of the Land, Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Glamour
Second level: Alter Self, Beckon, Blight of Loneliness, Burning Gaze, Detect Charm, ESP, Evil Eye, Mind Obscure
Third level: Astral Sense, Bestow Curse, Calm Animals, Clairsentience, Control Winds, Danger Sense
Fourth level: Ball Lightning, Confusion, Divination, Masque, Polymorph Others, Threshold
Fifth level: Break Enchantment, Commune with Nature, Maelstrom, Song of Night
Sixth level: Bones of Earth, Cloak of Dreams, Greater Scry, Mislead
Seventh level: Astral Spell, Breath of the Goddess, Veneration
Eighth level: Adoration (Overwhelming), Eye of the Storm, Storm of Vengeance
Ninth level: Foresight, Mass Polymorph, Seal the Gate, Sovereign Geas, Time Stop

Theme Song: Veil of Isis

My Kersy has outgrown the original Kersy much as she outgrew the original Circe. She is my witch queen of the Jungian archetype of the Anima. So, in a way, it makes some sense to me to make her an Atlantean Witch. She also brings up something.

Baba Yaga is not a member of the Daughters of Baba Yaga tradition; she is Classical. Aradia is not a member of the Followers of Aradia tradition; she is a Pagan. Likewise, Kersy is the Queen of the Atlantean Tradition and founded the Aquarian Tradition. The Aquarians, in their own way, honor her as their Witch Queen, but they aptly refuse to have a witch queen of their own. 

I have done quite a lot with Kersy over the last five or so years, and she has been great. Truly one of the most powerful Witch Queens I use. 

Character Creation Challenge: Day 28, Areelu Vorlesh Witch Queen of the Malefic Tradition

 Areelu Vorlesh is another witch queen I adopted, this time from the Pathfinder game. She is a half-succubus witch and a whole lot of fun. In the Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous video game, she is described as something like a mad scientist and mother of monsters. So for this reason, I gave her the Alchemist secondary skill. Since a lot of her magic seems based on her occult devotion, I also decided that she would be a witch priestess, more akin to an occultist than anything. I considered archwitch, but felt this worked better. She sought to claim the authority of the gods in my games. 

The human who would become the witch Areelu Vorlesh has been lost to time. It was known that she was a witch in Deskari’s cult.  She was researching the nature of the separation of the worlds and planes.  It was her success at opening the Worldwound that caused her Patron to transform her into a half-fiend.

After her defeat at the World Wound, Areelu Vorlesh sought other allies. The ones she found became The Coven of the Shattered Crowns. Vorlesh is going after the Gods themselves. 

Witch Queen Areelu Vorlesh

Areelu’s elevation to Witch Queen came not through lineage, coven recognition, or patron blessing, but through apotheosis by catastrophe.

The creation of the Worldwound was not an accident, nor a summoning gone awry. It was a calculated experiment: to pierce planar reality and hold it open long enough to observe what crawled through. That demons followed was expected. That the wound endured was the true triumph.

In this moment, Areelu crossed the threshold from Malefic Witch Priestess to Witch Queen, for she no longer merely wielded magic, she altered the cosmological order.

This act places her above regional sovereigns and elemental queens, but below those who embody primal myth. She is not inevitable. She is possible, and that is far more dangerous.

Areelu Vorlesh
28th level Half-Succubus Witch Priestess/Witch Queen 28 (20/8), Chaotic Evil
Tradition: Malefic 

Secondary Skill: Alchemist

S: 14
I: 18
W: 18
D: 18
C: 18
Ch: 19

Paralysis/Poison: 3
Petrify/Polymorph: 3  
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 4
Breath Weapon: 6
Spells: 5

AC: 0 (Bracers of Defense, +3 Amulet of Protection)
HP: 73
THAC0: 10

Weapon
Dagger of venom +4 1d4/1d3

Familiar: "Gimcrak" (Quasit, Enhanced)

Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar
7th level: Evil's Touch
13th level: Devil's Tongue
19th level: Curse

Witch Queen Powers:
Awesome Presence, Occult Eminece (Polymorph Other), A Thousand Faces, Timeless Body, Ninth Level Spells (4)

Spells
Cantrips: Arcane Mark, Detect Curse, Message, Summon Vermin
First level: Bewitch I, Cause Fear, Charm Person, Command, Increase Sex Appeal, Quicken Healing, Shattering the Hourglass, Silver Tongue
Second level: Ecstasy, Enthrall, Evil Eye, Hold Person, Invisibility, Phantasmal Spirit, Rite of Remote Seeing, Scare
Third level: Bestow Curse, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Feral Spirit, Fly, Tongues, Witch Wail
Fourth level: Abomination, Charm Monster, Confusion, Divine Power, Spiritual Dagger, Withering Touch
Fifth level: Baleful Polymorph, Feeblemind, Greater Command, Nightmare 
Sixth level: Break the Spirit, Mass Suggestion, Repulsion, True Seeing
Seventh level: Draw Forth the Soul, Eternal Charm Monster, Gate (Ritual)
Eighth level: Bewitch VIII, Damming Stare, Destroy Life, Wail of the Banshee
Ninth level: Bind the Soul, Imprisonment, Power Word Kill, Shapechange

Theme Song: Hexenhammer & Queen of the Infernal Pantheon

Areelu Vorlesh ultimately earns her place among the Witch Queens not because she commands lesser demons, but because she refused to accept the limits imposed by gods, planes, or tradition. Where other witches bargain, rule, or endure, Areelu experiments. She treats the cosmos as a problem to be solved and suffering as an acceptable reagent. In this, she represents a uniquely modern horror, not the ancient terror of Baba Yaga or the cold inevitability of Koliada, but the relentless conviction that reality itself is flawed and must be corrected, no matter the cost.

Mail Call Tuesday: Tales of the Valiant Player's Guide 2

 Tales of the Valiant Player's Guide 2 was delivered to my door this week! 

I backed this on Kickstarter a while back and I am happy to see it. 

The box was packed with the Player's Guide 2 and three character journals.

Of course, what I am most excited about is their new witch class.

It looks like it is a lot of fun and I can't wait to create a new character for it.

I think I do want a brand new character. One I can try in this, Pathfinder 2.1, and for the hell of it, something for my current AD&D game. It could be a lot of fun. 

Just need a concept that would fit all three games!

This witch has three subclasses, which are roughly equivalent to my ideas of traditions. The Crimson Cord, the Night Song, and the Twilight Soul. Pathfinder is more Patron-focused.  Somewhere is a witch I can slot into all three.

Character Creation Challenge: Day 27, Koliada Witch Queen of the Winter Witch Tradition

Back in June of 2009 D&D 4th edition was still on the shelves and Dungeon #162 was available for download.  Inside was an Epic level adventure by Stephen Radney-MacFarland called "Winter of the Witch". It featured the machinations of the so-called Winter Witch, the minor Archfey Koliada and her plans to freeze the world. From the adventure:

"In this epic adventure, the Winter Witch—a legendary archfey—has launched a campaign to send eternal winter cascading over large portions of the world. After a summons to Winterhaven, the characters find a land locked in ice, and an old ally in need of aid. A trek to find a artifact known as the Sun’s Sliver ensues, the only force potent enough to defeat the Winter Witch and banish her from the mortal world once more. An adventure for 22nd-level PCs."

While not totally an original plot, it was still fun, well executed and had a lot things going for it.  But mostly it had Koliada, who grabbed my attention from the start.  It also started me thinking about the witches of winter.  In particular, why are there so many? Louhi, Elsa, and the Snow Queen, Jadis, all the Jadwiga winter witches from Pathfinder, and so on.  Notably, almost all of these are also royalty, if not outright queens.

I went on to add her as a Witch Queen of my own with both Basic-era Witch and D&D 5e stats. Granted, I am not likely to run out of winter witches anytime soon, but she is still a great character. 

I think fo this new version of her I'll use my Twilight Elf species. Since this is nominally part of the "Blackmoor: Land of a Thousand Witches," I am going to say she is from my Blackmoor and the Land of the Black Ice. The area of my world where Blackmoor was destroyed.

Koliada
27th level Twilight Elf Witch Queen (Archwith 20, Witch Queen 7), Chaotic Evil
Tradition: Winter Witch

Secondary Skill: Initiate

S: 16
I: 17
W: 15
D: 15
C: 19
Ch: 20

Paralysis/Poison: 3
Petrify/Polymorph: 3  
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 4
Breath Weapon: 6
Spells: 5

AC: 0 (Leather +4, dex, Ring of Protection)
HP: 66
THAC0: 10

Weapon
Sword** +3 1d8+3 (athame enchanted with Spiritual Sword, Biting Blade, Death Blade, Conjure Pact Blade)

Familiar: Iceling (Ice Sprite)

Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar
7th level: Fae Shape
13th level: Curse
19th level: Shape Change

Witch Queen Powers: Awesome Presence, Occult Eminece (Conjure Pact Blade), A Thousand Faces, Ninth Level Spells (4)

Spells
Bonus Cantrips (Twilight Elf): Blur, Dancing Lights, Minor Charm
Cantrips: Chill, Daze, Alarm Ward, Ghost Sound, Inflict Minor Wounds, Spark
First level:  Bewitch I, Black Fire, Cause Fear, Charm Person, Chill Touch, Endure Elements, Glamour, Minor Fighting Prowess, Silver Tongue
Second level: Defoliate, Discord, Enthrall, Freezing Gaze, Hold Person, Invisibility, Phantasmal Spirit, Whispering Wind
Third level: Arctic Grasp, Bestow Curse, Bewitch III, Dispel Magic, Feral Spirit, Spirit of Hyperborea, Witch Wail
Fourth level: Analyze Magic, Charm Monster, Elemental Armor (Ice), Intangible Cloak of Shadows, Phantom Lacerations, Spiritual Sword, Withering Touch
Fifth level: Blade Dance, Death Curse, Dreadful Bloodletting, Nightmare
Sixth level: Death Blade, Eye Bite, Mass Agony, True Seeing
Seventh level: Death Aura, Greater Blindness, Insanity, Wave of Mutilation
Eighth level:  Destroy Life, Mystic Barrier, Wail of the Banshee
Ninth level: Foresight, Imprisonment, Power Word Kill, Shape Change

Theme Song: The Witch of the North

I rather like this version, to be honest. She compares well to both her Basic-era version and her D&D 4e one.

In 4e she can only be killed by something called the Sun's Sliver. Which is a piece of the sun. Sounds like the Sun Sword from Ravenloft. In my other games this would be a "Unique Kill" Quality.  I have debated about using something similar for all witch queens, but that would imply they are there to be killed, instead of my point of view, as near mythic-level characters who can aid or hinder characters as needed. You don't bring in a witch queen unless you plan on using her for something epic.

Character Creation Challenge: Day 26, Sagarassi Witch Queen of the Sea Witch Tradition

Today, I want to talk more about the Witch Queen Advanced Class. This updates my previous version. 

Tea with the Witch Queens by Brian Brinlee
L-R Sagarassi, Iggwilv, The Simbul, Larina, Feiya

WITCH QUEEN / WITCH KING

Advanced Class for Witches

When a Witch has reached the height of mortal power, there yet remains one step further upon the Path, the ascension to the mantle of the Witch Queen (or Witch King). This being is the supreme vessel of a Patron’s will, the living nexus of a Tradition’s power, and the spiritual sovereign of all witches within her realm. Like the Hierophant Druid of the Old Faith, she is both pontiff and prophet, counselor and conduit, a figure whose very presence can bend the ley and alter the seasons' turning.

Whether crowned by fate, prophecy, deed, or divine lineage, this witch has ascended beyond the coven to become a legendary figure. 

Only one Witch Queen (or King) may reign for each Tradition at any given time, making them as rare as they are powerful.

Requirements

To become a Witch Queen (or Witch King), a character must:

• Be a Witch (including Archwitch and Witch Priestess) of at least 18th level, but no more than 23rd level. Still thinking about this.
• Possess Charisma 17 or higher. Additionally, the witch must have an Intelligence or Wisdom score of 15 or higher.
• Be a member in good standing of a coven
• Have been chosen through omen, divine sign, or a coven-wide rite as the next Queen or King

Restrictions

• Only one Witch Queen or King may exist per Tradition at a time (GM’s discretion)
• To become a Witch Queen or King, the previous sovereign must abandon or relinquish their rulership.  This is often upon the death of the previous sovereign, but not required. 
• Occult Powers are gained differently (see below).

Spellcasting

• The Witch Queen gains access to limited ninth-level spells.
• Spell casting progression ends in favor of powers and ninth-level spells.
• May forego the use of Material Components. 

Level	Title	XP	hp	Powers
20*	Witch*	1,640,000 - 1,759,999	10d4+10
1	Spring Court Witch	0 - 199,999	+2	Ninth-level spell*
2	Summer Court Witch	200,000 - 399,999	+3	Awesome Presence
3	Autumn Court Witch	400,000 - 599,999	+4	Ninth-level spell
4	Winter Court Witch	600,000 - 799,999	+5	Occult Eminence
5	Baroness of Witches	800,000 - 999,999	+6	Ninth-level spell
6	Countess of Witches	1,000,000 - 1,199,999	+7	A Thousand Faces
7	Marquise of Witches	1,200,000 - 1,399,999	+8	Ninth-level spell
8	Duches of Witches	1,400,000 - 1,599,999	+9	Timeless Body
9	Princess of Witches	1,600,000 - 1,799,999	+10	Ninth-level spell
10	Queen of Witches	1,800,000 - 1,999,999	+11	Mantle of Sovereignty

Witch Queen Abilities

Ninth-level Spells: The Witch Queen gains a ninth-level spell at alternate levels. These spells are drawn from the Witch Queen Spell list.

Awesome Presence: Witches perceive the Witch Queen as a radiant beacon of power. Allies within 60 feet receive +1 to morale checks and saving throws vs. fear; enemies must save vs. spells or suffer -1 to morale. All witches instinctively recognize her status and will defer unless magically compelled otherwise.

Occult Eminence: The Witch Queen gains one chosen Occult Power of her Tradition.

A Thousand Faces: The Witch Queen may alter her appearance at will, as per the disguise self spell, though the effect is real, not illusory. This change does not affect clothing or equipment and may be maintained indefinitely.

Timeless Body: The Witch Queen ceases to age. She gains immunity to magical aging and no longer suffers ability penalties due to age. Natural bonuses to Intelligence and Wisdom still accrue. Her lifespan is extended to 120 years, and she will still die of old age unless further extended by other magical means. 

Mantle of Sovereignty: The Witch Queen may perform a rite, calling upon her Tradition’s power. Effects may include summoning a spirit host, causing omens to appear across the land, or sealing a region against extra-planar intrusion for 1d4 days.

Rulership and Influence

The Witch Queen or King is not merely a title, but a mantle of magical authority. All witches of her Tradition know of her. At the GM’s discretion, she may gain the right to command covens, invoke her Patron’s will across vast distances, or declare magical edicts that affect ley lines or seasonal flows. Along with this power and influence comes the wisdom and responsibility of how to use such power. 

Experience Progression and Saving Throws

Continues to use the Witch class tables for all attack and saving throw purposes.

Multi-Class and Dual-Class Use

Only single-classed Witches may become Witch Queens (Archwitches and Witch-Priestess are considered single-class witches). The transformation requires undivided devotion to the Patron and Tradition. Other characters may assist or serve such a queen, but may never claim her title.

The Witch Queen is both symbol and sovereign, oracle and enforcer. Her path is not taken lightly, for once crowned, her soul is forever marked by the gaze of the gods.

Witch Queen Spell list

Ninth Level Spells

• Bind Soul
• Command the Coven
• Eternal Curse
• Foresight
• Imprisonment
• Mass Polymorph
• Power Word Kill
• Raise the Barrow-Lord
• Rewrite the Name
• Seal the Gate
• Shapechange
• Sovereign Geas
• Time Stop

--

Sagarassi, The Sea Witch

My next Witch Queen is from the world of Krynn, home to the Dragonlance Saga.

Not much is known about Sagarassi.  So little, in fact, it has taken me a while to collect this information. But here is what I have pieced together. The best (ok only) primary source for my information is the AD&D 2nd Edition product Otherlands. The rest comes from the Dragonlance Fandom wiki. 

She was a Silvanesti Elf, but was changed into a sea creature by the Sea Goddess Zeboim, whom she worships.  Both Sagarassi and Zeboim are known as the "Sea Witch." Sagarassi also serves Takhisis, the mother of Zebiom. 

She is not fond of humans. Nor is she fond of her own sister, Daydra Stonecipher.  This relationship parallels that between Zebiom and her twin brother, Nuitari, the god of Evil Magic in Kyrnn. It is not much of a stretch of the imagination that Zebiom would want her magic-using disciple to go against the established rules of magic. Especially since Nuitari is regarded as Lawful Evil and Zebiom is Chaotic Evil. 

We know she is old. She waged a war undersea around 1320 PC (Prior to the Cataclysm), the Dragonlance books take place in 348 AC, making her over 1670 years old. Good thing she is an elf. 

She lives in an underwater tower called Khegar, also known as the Death Tower. It is in the seas near Taladas.

Sagarassi, Witch Queen of the Sea Witch Tradition
26th level Elf Witch, Neutral Evil
Tradition: Sea Witch

Secondary Skill: Alchemist

S: 13
I: 20
W: 18
D: 15
C: 17
Ch: 20

Paralysis/Poison: 3
Petrify/Polymorph: 3  
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 4
Breath Weapon: 6
Spells: 5

AC: 1 (ring AC 1)
HP: 75
THAC0: 10

Weapon
Narwhal horn +3 1d4/1d3

Familiar: Demonic eel

Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar (Demonic eel)
7th level: Speak to plants/animals
13th level: Goddess Blessing
19th level: Control Weather

Witch Queen Powers
Awesome Presence, Occult Eminece (Shape Change), A Thousand Faces, Ninth Level Spells (3)

Spells
Cantrips: Alarm Ward, Arcane Mark, Chill, Daze, Message
First level: Bad Luck, Cause Fear, Charm Person, Darkness, Endure Elements, Far Sight,  Moonstone, Minor Fighting Prowess 
Second level: Agony, Alter Self, Discord, Enthrall, Evil Eye, Hold Person, Mind Obscure, Suggestion
Third level: Bestow Curse, Dispel Magic, Feral Spirit, Lifeblood, Toad Mind, Tongues, Witch Wail
Fourth level: Analyze Magic, Animal Growth, Arcane Eye, Charm Monster, Phantom Lacerations, Polymorph
Fifth level: Death Curse, Dreadful Bloodletting, Greater Command, Waves of Fatigue
Sixth level: Anti-magic Shell, Break the Spirit, Mass Agony, Mass Suggestion
Seventh level: Death Aura, Greater Blindness, Wave of Mutilation
Eighth level: Damming Stare, Destroy Life, Pit
Ninth level: Imprisonment, Power Word Kill, Time Stop

Theme Song: Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Soul Cages

I am not sure where I am going level cap elves, but I am going to make an exception here like I did with Elvyra.

Sagarassi is one main Witch Queens I still use in my games. She has been great.