Witches

Witchcraft may be the first form of Wizardry. While warlocks gain power through mighty patrons, and sorcerers are imbued with arcane lineage, the original brewer of potions, casters of spells, and crafters of hexes were lowly village witches, savants and seers - men and women drawing on ancient recipes, arcane supersitions, and otherwordly spirits to serve the people who sought their power and influence.

The Village Witch (Background)

As a child, you felt as if you had a gift or others told you so. Your natural curiosity and proclivity for secrets and strange things drew you to "the craft." As your expertise grew, so did your knowledge of herbs, incantations, spirits and creatures from worlds beyond the mortal realm.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight and one of the following: History, Religion or Nature.

Languages: Any two of the following: Infernal, Abyssal, Fey or Celestial.

Equipment: Brewing supplies including a cauldron that you can use as an arcane focus, a recipe/spellbook for potions and incantations, and your favourite broom (see the footnote for more information).

Feature: The "Craft"

Your practice in "the craft" gives you incredible insight into the lives and fortunes of others. People may seek you out because of these gifts, and, when they do, they can pay a nominal fee for your services (as determined by the DM).

Once you receive this fee, you can gain advantage in an insight check regarding the topic brought to you by your client, or you may even be able to ever-so-slightly impact some endeavour or outcome they bring to yourYour practice in "the craft" gives you incredible insight into the lives and fortunes of others. People may seek you out because of these gifts, and, when they do, they can pay a nominal fee for your services (as determined by the DM).

Once you receive this fee, you can gain advantage in an insight check regarding the topic brought to you by your client, or you may even be able to ever-so-slightly impact some endeavour or outcome they bring to your attention.

The degree of the impact is dependent upon the fee paid and the DM's discretion, but can vary from a business interaction resulting in an additional few gold pieces (or a few less!) or a maybe the marriage of a subject of your client's attention is suddenly and mysteriously cancelled. Work with your DM in determining the extent of your influence in each scenario. attention.

The degree of the impact is dependent upon the fee paid and the DM's discretion, but can vary from a business interaction resulting in an additional few gold pieces (or a few less!) or a maybe the marriage of a subject of your client's attention is suddenly and mysteriously cancelled. Work with your DM in determining the extent of your influence in each scenario.

Suggested Characteristics

Witches are defined by their esoteric studies, reclusiveness and ambiguity - are they a help or a hinder for those who seek their services? No one knows for sure.

Arcane Tradition: The Witch

Before there were arcane universities and wizard's guilds, practioners of "the craft" were scattered throughout the land, practicing their magic as they were instructed by family members or village elders.

Once their ability to use magic was discovered, the formalisation of magic as a subject of serious, academic study was adopted by many who organised schools, guilds and universities where students of the arcane arts could hone their skills and conduct research into the nature and application of magic.

While many people were drawn to the academic study of magic, witches remained in the villages and hamlets dotting the countryside, brewing their potions and chanting their incantations for those who sought out there services.

Features

Level 2: Maleficium You add the spell "Hex" to your collection. This spell does not count against the spells gained at this level. As a bonus action, you can change the target of your Hex.

Brew Potion: You can produce magic potions. You spend 10 minutes cooking a concoction in your cauldron. During this time, you expend a spellslot to creation a potion. You cannot regain that slot until the potion is consumed or it loses its effectiveness. Potions last for one week after brewing. You can create up to three potions at a time. If you attempt to brew more, the first potion you brewed becomes inert. If the effects of that potion are currently in use, they end immediately. Any spell with a range of "Self" can be made into a potion. All other spells are subject to DM approval.



Level 6: Improved Maleficium During a short rest, you can fashion a "Poppet" (a small figure made from clay) that enables you to improve your Maleficium. Choose one of the following options: