D&D 5E [5e] Witcher: Mother of Monsters

[Axel]

Shayuri always makes my backgrounds feel unfinished... Good job with the detail! I am aiming for a relatively young witcher (less than 10 years after mutation and mind conditioning), so probably not the hook for your PC. If there's rampant sexism in the setting, a chance encounter between two independent women who have been "put upon by destiny" might lead to friendship though (at least as friendly as either damaged person is capable of).

Some basic dot points for fleshing out later:

- Kynee (yay for another name that autocorrect will butcher...) has no recollection of how she came to be in the heart of the Empire, being brutalised and mentally tortured to make a killing machine.
- learnt magical curse protection readily - possible ancestral association with witch hunters (unknown to Kynee).
- she has always felt out of place, even as a child. Subconscious recognition that she was from elsewhere, possibly residual racism from distant elvish heritage.
- Training unremarkable, besides better than average proficiency and adaptation to mutation.
- first contract with (mentor) before the recent wars, in territory that would be fought over in years to come. Mutated insect plague consuming crops, put down with violence. Returned shortly after and traced to a neighbouring landlord and rival of feudal baron owning the territory. Some skill demonstrated infiltrating and removing the (creature) from the landlords household.
- mentor considered Kynee's training complete and left her to her own devices (after taking the contract payment). With no way to pay her way in the world, turned to petty crime and smuggling.
- northern border war provided excellent opportunity to enrich herself by smuggling small packages of drugs and illegal magical ingredients. Witchers having good freedom of movement compared to most and little interaction with authority after all. Also a good opportunity to "professionally" study the rich and powerful up close.
- duty not neglected for commercial gain, Kynee still takes any and all contracts on offer.
- travelling to the valley of flowers to deliver a package. And hopefully collect one on the return run. Escort duty just means double payment for a trip she would make anyway.

 

[Axel]

A question on starting gear...

If I take equipment packages I can't get any witcher alchemy goodness. If I take starting gold there ain't no way I can afford a silver longsword... Deliberate conundrum?

 

[Skarsgard]

starting gear roll

[roll0]

 

[Quickleaf]

A question on starting gear...

If I take equipment packages I can't get any witcher alchemy goodness. If I take starting gold there ain't no way I can afford a silver longsword... Deliberate conundrum?

Nope. Did you catch the update I made about starting equipment?

In addition to background/class gear (or purchased gear if you choose that route), everyone gets a choice of one of 12 equipment options. Among these is the option for 3 witcher potions.

Does that answer your question?

 

[Axel]

Must've missed that in the big ole walls of text about mages going nuclear. Sorry!

 

[Steve Gorak]

Let's see...druid circles definitely exist in Skellige, Angren, and Toussaint (Nilfgaard)...hmm...

The first adventure takes place in the Posada Region in the western borderlands of Dol Blathanna (elven nation). There was a druid circle in Posada known as the Circle of Tagha Bough, but it was destroyed by dark forces, allegedly the local wicked spirit Nan the Hag. Could make for a nice tie-in for your PC? Maybe your character suspects whoever desecrated his Tree of Life it wasn't actually the hag, or maybe he suspects she has 2 sisters who aided her in the foul endeavor?

That works for me!

A question: What propelled him to escort Odvara Kringen to the elves of Dol Blathanna? Does he have a personal relationship with her or the elves? Is there some unfinished task his circle had involving Odvara before it was destroyed? Is he following some divination he made beneath his desecrated Tree of Life, so he can't be certain whether Odvara is a force of wicked corruption or of balance?

I see my character as being tied to the land, and having a profound respect for the elder races, especially the elves. They were able to live in harmony with the world, something that the humans, as they are currently behaving, cannot. He could have elf blood, and even know his elven great-great grandmother that is living in Dol Blathanna, who currently alive. She could have asked him to assist bring Odvara Kringen back to her people (through magical means, perhaps she is a sorceress?).

Sounds good. I definitely think your character should have a connection to the Conclave of Mages based in Ban Ard (Kaedwen) given his breadth of study.

Since he's well-traveled, maybe he met one or more fellow PCs while on the road or at a roadside tavern/inn?

And I suspect he might be the group's resident linguist? There are 7 main languages in the setting: common, dryad, dwarven, elder speech, gnomish, nilfgaardian, and skellige.

Yes, yes and yes. With his elven great-great grandmother`s connections, he could have spent some time at the Conclave of Mages in Ban Ard (Kaedwen) after he became a druid. The mastery of He could have magic takes time, and this is why he is a bit older (younger than before, but say 24). He`s also spent time in Dol Blathanna. He could have met any or all of the other characters along the way.

From the sage backgound, he`ll speak common, druidic + 3 languages. Do I need to replace common by one of the languages you listed? If so, the languages will likely be nilfgaardian, skellige, elven + another appropriate one (Dryad?). What do you think?

I am OK with that, though I do have conditions if you are going to be higher level than the other PCs.

I withdraw this request for starting at a higher level . Even at level 3, he'll be very powerful, and I don't want to be too powerful compared to the other characters. I tend to get creative with spell and ability combos, and having access to all spell can make for really juicy combos. And then there's shapechange!

So I'll make him level 3, and will let my imagination soar with the magic without borders feat.

Question: I`ll deduct any previously used spell component cost (find familiar and perhaps continual flame) from starting gold, ok?
The concept is starting to take shape: a young sage in tune with the spirits of the world that was born with an innate magical aptitude, maybe from his elven ancestry or from an unknown source, that he has sharpened and pushed through study. He was wronged by the destruction of this druidic tree of life and has vowed for revenge. He is 24, a level 3 human druid, accompanied by his owl familiar. In the presence of others, he travels on his elk steed (from the Find Steed spell) and when alone, he shape changes into an animal to be closer to the land.

If ok, I`ll start working on the details.
Cheers,

SG

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=15132]Steve Gorak[/MENTION]

Interesting twist with the sorcerous elven great-great grandmother! I'm sure I can weave that into the adventure.

So your character is going to be the resident Posada region native, one of the last (if not THE last) members of the Tagha Bough druidic circle. I am thinking that most of the others were either mysteriously killed of a disease resistant to treatment or else they went into hermit-like seclusion suffering madness. We might want to figure out how/why your PC avoided this fate? Or we can figure it out during play.

Also, here's a snapshot of Posada, since your PC is familiar with the region:

[SBLOCK=The Posada Region]The Posada region is centered around two agrarian settlements - Upper Posada (a hamlet) and Lower Posada (a village) - which are oriented upstream and downstream along the Posada river respectively. Technically, the villages lie just within the boundary of Dol Blathanna, but besides an annual tithe to the elven queen, the villagers are left to govern themselves. It is a haunted region full of superstitions, particularly Upper Posada where every week the ignorant peasants seem to concoct some new "monster" that is plaguing them. However, there are real dangers lurking in the shadows, from monsters to nature spirits. The oldest of these dates back as long as the druidic record goes: Nan the Hag. Mostly, this creature is content to dwell in the Czenhurst woods, but following some strange cycle over the span of decades, she periodically reemerges to exert her terrible will over the land. The last time Nan was active was 23 years ago, and the druids were instrumental in driving her back into her slumber in the woods. All signs point to Nan stirring once again.

Long ago, Dol Blathanna was an elven land, but human ancestors of those dwelling in Posada forced the elves into the mountains. During Nilfgaard’s press north, the lands of Dol Blathanna were returned to the elves in exchange for the aid of the Scoia’tael in the war, instilling Enid an Gleanna (aka Francesca Findabar) as queen. Dol Blathanna was established as a client land of the Nilfgaardian Empire. After the Peace of Cintra, Enid an Gleanna was forced to swear loyalty to King Demavend of Aedirn and Dol Blathanna thus became a duchy for many years. However, with the death of King Demavend and the annexation of Aedirn by the Nilfgaardian Empire, Dol Blathanna is at last truly independent. In the wake of the Third Northern War, refugees from Lyria and Aedirn fled to the Posada region. While the majority population is human, there is a sizable minority of dwarves, halflings, and half-elves, and the attitude towards nonhumans is generally one of acceptance, even if there are lingering resentments between elves and humans.[/SBLOCK]

For languages, you do need to speak Common since that's the lingua franca of the Northern Kingdoms. Other than that, all the languages will be important at one point or another.

Look forward to seeing what you come up with with your spellcasting combos!

Question: I`ll deduct any previously used spell component cost (find familiar and perhaps continual flame) from starting gold, ok?

Yes, thanks for checking.

The concept is starting to take shape: a young sage in tune with the spirits of the world that was born with an innate magical aptitude, maybe from his elven ancestry or from an unknown source, that he has sharpened and pushed through study. He was wronged by the destruction of this druidic tree of life and has vowed for revenge. He is 24, a level 3 human druid, accompanied by his owl familiar. In the presence of others, he travels on his elk steed (from the Find Steed spell) and when alone, he shape changes into an animal to be closer to the land.

Yes, that all sounds good. I like the elk steed too, feels very Dol Blathanna-esque!

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=93196]Axel[/MENTION] I think you have a good start on Kynee! A few questions came to mind reading what you have on her background:

You mention being tortured in Nilfgaard. Were you referring to witcher mutation / training process? Or actual torture by a noble or military or religious leader?

Since you mentioned Nilfgaard that suggests Kynee may be from one of the Witcher schools located in Nilfgaard: Cat, Griffin, or Viper. What do you think?

From the way you describe her, it sounds like she has ZERO personal investment in what happens with Odvara and the elves, and is just doing this to get paid? Is that right? If so, she sounds like a very mercenary sort!

 

[Axel]

[MENTION=93196]Axel[/MENTION] I think you have a good start on Kynee! A few questions came to mind reading what you have on her background:

You mention being tortured in Nilfgaard. Were you referring to witcher mutation / training process? Or actual torture by a noble or military or religious leader?

Since you mentioned Nilfgaard that suggests Kynee may be from one of the Witcher schools located in Nilfgaard: Cat, Griffin, or Viper. What do you think?

From the way you describe her, it sounds like she has ZERO personal investment in what happens with Odvara and the elves, and is just doing this to get paid? Is that right? If so, she sounds like a very mercenary sort!

Yep, no personal involvement at all in Odvara. She tries not to get personally involved at all. In anything. Though she did once. I'll flesh out the why during play, but it's mostly a coping mechanism for the hostility and indifference she encounters everywhere.

Kynee hadn't been caught and tortured in my version, I was referring to witcher training and mutations. But I like where that could go...

Rescued by a certain crazy magic lady's accidental havoc ripping the roof off her prison?

 

[Axel]

And yes, school of the cat. Part of why even other Witchers are hostile.