Evil Eye

Level: 4

Range: 15'

Duration: See below

Effect: Paralyses one individual

This enchantment is a highly specialised version of the Hold Person/Hold Monster spells, unique to the Sisterhood. Once cast, the Fenwitch may hold the magic within her, unused, for up to 1 Turn; hence, many Fenwitches cast this spell before combat, giving them an extra edge in battle.

At any time during combat, the caster may attempt to lock eyes with a single target within range, who may be human, humanoid, or animal - magical creatures with more than one "plus" in their HD description are immune to the spell. If successful (the victim fails a Saving Throw vs. Spells at -1), the target freezes in place, and remains paralysed for 1d6 Turns (unless the effect is dispelled). In this state, the victim may be slain easily, if desired.

This power, more than any other, defines the Sisterhood in the minds of the common folk; expressions like "she'll put the Evil Eye on you!" have gone into the language, and the power is ascribed to all Fenwitches, whether of high enough level to cast the spell or not.

Phantasmal Guard

Level: 4

Range: 60' radius

Duration: Special

Effect: Creates illusionary guardian

Amongst the many tales and rumours circulated about the Fenwitches over the years, one them in particular causes folk to make warding signs against evil more than any other; the stories which tell of the Sisterhood consorting with unclean spirits, and even binding those spirits to their will. While most of these tales are mere horror stories, they have a small basis in truth; this spell is responsible for most such tales.

This is a variation on the standard Mage spell Phantasmal Force, although it is more specific in nature. When cast on a particular spot, it sets up a warding effect to 60' radius of that point. Whenever an intelligent being (anything above animal intelligence) enters the area of effect, the spell is triggered, creating a ghostly apparition (the details are left to the imagination of the Fenwitch responsible). The illusion has both visual and audible components, and is usually set to warn off intruders in the most terrifying way possible (those with an Intelligence of 11 or less are affected as if by a Clerical Cause Fear effect, no save, the first time they experience this; those of higher intelligence may Save vs. Spells to resist). Once triggered, the spell effect lasts for up to 10 rounds before fading, unless disbelieved.

This spell is most often used by Fenwitches to guard their homes from intruders. The caster may choose to set the spell to respond to a specific race, sex, or number of beings, if she chooses, or exclude certain individuals from triggering the effect. The spell may lay dormant for up to 24 hours before being triggered; if not set off during this time, it fades away, and must be recast. Only one Phantasmal Guard may be cast on an area at any one time; each additional casting negates the earlier one.

Marsh Gas

Level: 5

Range: 30' diameter cloud

Duration: 6 Turns

Effect: Creates a foul-smelling mist

This spell calls up a bank of fog from the wetlands, as per the Marsh Mist spell; however, this enchantment draws on traces of sulphur, chlorine and other chemicals in the soil to create the equivalent of a Cloudkill effect, centred on the caster.

The Marsh Gas spell creates a sickly-looking yellow-and-green mist, centred on the caster .

Visibility is reduced to zero within the effect; even Infravision cannot allow the hapless intruder to see further than the end of his nose (although Truesight might - DM's option). Creatures of 5HD or less must make a Saving Throw vs. Poison each round they remain within the cloud, or die. Those who succeed, or who have 6HD or more, instead take 1 hp of damage per round until they escape the noxious fumes.

The spell normally remains centred on the caster, moving as she does; however, she can choose to have it remain stationary (decided during casting), perhaps to block a narrow passing-place. This spell will not function in non-swampy locations, requiring as it does specific elements in the surrounding earth and water; moreover, the spell cannot be cast again within 1 mile of the last casting-place until a month has past, to allow the land to recover.

The caster herself, plus up to three others (who must be touching her and/or each other during casting), are immune to the spell's damaging effects, although even they cannot see through the Marsh Gas.

Nature's Curse

Level: 9

Range: see below

Duration: special

Effect: warps weather-patterns within limited areas

The most powerful of the unique spells in the Fenwitch's arsenal, this allows her to drastically alter the long-term weather patterns in a set area.

Nature's Curse requires a small, hollow blown-glass globe, roughly 6" in diameter, as a focus. The spell is cast on the globe, creating an image of the target area as afflicted by the desired weather-pattern, within it; the globe is then smashed, releasing the spell onto the affected area. The spell can affect an area measuring roughly one square mile per level of caster - at 36th level, enough to enclose a small village - and can reach targets upto 1 mile distant per five levels of the caster. The area must be one that the Fenwitch knows, or has studied, well enough to visualise.

The caster selects a specific, broad weather-pattern (i.e. heavy rainfall, no rainfall, snow, drought, etc) during casting, which can take up to 12 hours to complete; when the spell is released, that weather pattern gradually takes effect during the next hour. The spell's duration is dependent on the desired effect; stable, not-immediately-lethal effects - such as a rainless sky, or dense freezing fog - can remain in place for up to 6 months, while extremely violent and destructive weather (like storms, blizzards, etc.) usually last no more than three days. Due to the spell's magic, the altered weather only harms the afflicted area, although side-effects, such as heavy flooding, might spill out into the surrounding landscape.

The spell can be cancelled by Dispel Magic of sufficiently high level, by a suitably-worded Wish, or by casting another Nature's Curse - with opposing weather-patterns - on the affected area.

This spell is extremely difficult and draining to cast; the Fenwitch can make use of it only twice per year at most, and is utterly exhausted by the effort - she can move at no more than half speed, cannot fight, and cannot cast any other spells until she has had at least two days' complete rest.

Fenwitch Skills

All Fenwitches have certain skills available for them to learn, handed down from their founder. These are outlined below:

• Herbalism (Wisdom): This skill is derived from the "Healing" skill outlined in the Rules Cyclopedia; it concerns the knowledge of herbcraft and the ability to brew potions, poultices and decoctions from them. As per the Healing skill, a character with Herbalism may (if sufficient/correct herbs are on hand) heal 1d3 hp-worth of wounds per person, per day. The same set of wounds may not be treated twice by this skill, although new damage is subject to further healing.

  Additionally, the Herbalist has the knowledge to brew cures for various mundane (NOT magical) diseases and treat ailments such as rheumatism, arthritis, boils, rickets, etc. (although not to cure them outright). This is classed as a "Wisdom" skill (rather than an "Intelligence" one) because the Herbalist must be able to diagnose ailments from limited clues, devise treatments from the available herbs and roots, and also recognise curative plants wherever they may be found.

  A side aspect of the skill enables the Herbalist to simulate diseases and other ailments for disguise, or other, purposes - either by brewing a potion which causes similar symptoms or by creating "make-up" which simulates skin diseases and other disorders. A skilled Herbalist can often recognise the presence and nature of poisons, and (perhaps with penalties to their skill rolls) devise partial or complete antidotes to them. No Herbalist, unless irredeemably Evil, will ever brew poisons herself, as this contradicts everything they stand for.

  This skill requires 2 slots to learn, and 1 to improve.




• Circle Dance (Dexterity): This is a skill unique to initiates of the Sisterhood of the Fens, enabling the user to boost the effectiveness of the next spell she casts. The Fenwitch builds a small bonfire, then dances around it in a wild fashion for 1 Turn. She then makes a skill roll; if successful, she gains a bonus to the next spell cast (+1 to damage dice, -1 to saving throw for target, +10% to casting range/duration etc). The bonus increases by +1/+10% for each time the skill is taken.

  If a number of Fenwitches dance together, the highest skill-level in the Circle applies for the roll; all participating Fenwitches gain the bonus of that skill-level. The Circle Dance can be performed only once per day, and requires 1 Turn of rest after completion, otherwise the Fenwitch is at -1 to hit and damage until she does rest. The bonus must be used within 12 hours, or its benefits are lost.

  (Note: among the many tales told about the Sisterhood, one of the most popular - among the menfolk, at least - is the salacious rumour that the Fenwitches dance naked around their fire. While this may be true in some instances, most Fenwitches are far too self-conscious to behave in such a wanton fashion!)

  This skill requires 2 slots to learn, and a further 2 to improve.




• Deduction (Intelligence/Wisdom): This skill permits the Fenwitch to reach swift and accurate conclusions about a person, object, place or situation from observable clues. The initial skill roll allows the Fenwitch to spot, and correctly interpret, such clues, providing basic information - the equivalent of a cursory examination. If she wishes to probe deeper, a second roll, with a penalty of -1 to -4 (DM's decision) on the roll, is required. A failure either denotes that the Fenwitch sees nothing, or that she has received the wrong impressions (again, DM's decision).

  Use of the skill encompasses both Intelligence (to spot telltale signs) and Wisdom (to determine what they mean), so the effective Skill level may vary according to the individual situation. The DM should decide which attribute is most applicable on a case-by-case basis.

  Fenwitches skilled at Deduction are often believed to have some form of Second Sight by those who cannot see what is, to the Fenwitch at least, plainly obvious. It was fear of this supposed power, more than anything else, which ultimately caused the inhabitants of Andelham to drive Madam Arkari from their midst, long ago.

  This skill requires 1 slot to learn or improve.




• Cryptography (Intelligence): This skill permits the deciphering of codes and other cryptic messages. The length and complexity of the message determines any adjustments to the Skill roll; a simple, short code of transposed letters incurs no penalty, while an intricate cipher of an ancient or distant dialect might incur penalties of anything from -1 to -4 (DM's call). If the coded message is particularly long - more than a paragraph - the Fenwitch should make additional rolls; for each failure, a portion of the message will be wrongly translated, giving a false message.

  If the Fenwitch fails to translate a message and the roll misses by more than 2, she cannot attempt to translate that code again until she goes up by one experience level. Conversely, if the roll succeeds by 3 or more, the Fenwitch has broken the code completely, and may use it herself with automatic success, if desired. All Fenwitches are taught the code Madam Arkari invented to write in her spellbooks; consequently, any Fenwitch can read the spellbook of another, unless that book has been further coded.

  At each experience level, the Fenwitch may attempt to create one new code; roll 1d4 to determine its complexity (1 is a simple code, 4 a fairly intricate one), adding 1 to the total for each additional time the skill is taken; reduce the "difficulty rating" by 1 to determine the Skill-roll penalty incurred by others attempting to break it (e.g. a rating of 4 incurs a -3 penalty).

  Note: a Read Languages spell will not decipher codes created by this Skill, although it will enable the caster to use the Skill on codes written for a foreign language which the caster does not already know.

  This Skill requires 1 slot to learn or improve; Fenwitches receive it as a bonus Skill at 1st level.

Fenwitch PCs

Players who wish to create a Fenwitch PC should use the standard Magic-User as a base, with the following changes:

• Fenwitches must be female (and Human, if using AD&D Character Kits rules).
• Most Fenwitches are of Neutral Alignment; Lawful and Chaotic members of the Sisterhood are possible, but uncommon. If using the AD&D axes, the Sisterhood includes roughly equal numbers of Good and Neutral members - Fenwitches who turn to Evil are expelled from the Sisterhood and ostracised by their peers, becoming Renegades.
• Fenwitches must have a Wisdom score of at least 15, in addition to Intelligence requirements.
• Fenwitches do not gain XP bonuses for high Prime Requisite scores.
• Fenwitches must take Herbalism (see above) as a starting Skill/Non-Weapon Proficiency (if Skills or NWPs are used in your campaign).
• Fenwitches receive Cryptography (see above) as a bonus Skill at 1st Level; Fenwitch spellbooks are written using Madam Arkari's personal code. Consequently, Fenwitches do not receive Read Magic as a starting spell.
• Fenwitches may acquire a single apprentice at Name level, who is replaced once she reaches 4th level. A Fenwitch may never build a stronghold larger than a simple hut in a swampy region.
• Fenwitches who are publicly known to be of the Sisterhood usually receive -2 to reaction rolls in Southern Darokin, due to decades of horror stories about them. The further from the Malpheggi Swamps they go, however, the less people have heard, or believe, the tales - outside Darokin, their reaction rolls suffer no penalty.

This material copyright 1999 Carl Quaif, based on material copyright TSR, Inc. All rights reserved. Webmastered by Jennifer Favia Guerra.