Sisterhood of the Fens

Sisterhood of the Fens
(continued)

Sample Fenwitch NPCs:

Ursalla Gerodin. Female Human Fen6. Age 24. AC 9, hp 22, STR 9, DEX 11, CON 11, INT 16, WIS 16, CHA 11. AL N (NG). Dmg 1d6 (staff). Skills: Cryptomancy, Herbalism +1, Circle Dance, Deduction, Craft (Weaving). Languages: Common (Darokin), Elf, 1 unused.

Appearance: Ursalla is young and attractive, with long red-brown hair (usually worn in a braid down her back) and arresting green eyes. Her smile, like her demeanour, is shy, but genuine and likeable. She wears simple, homespun clothing, and could easily be mistaken for just another village goodwife. She serves her village as in the respected capacity of Herbwoman; only a very few folk - those she trusts implicitly - know of her Fenwitch powers.

History: Ursalla was born in the tiny village of Dervey, which is located to the North of Port Tenobar on the South-western edge of the Swamps. An unusually bright child, she was apprenticed to the Mirelle, the village Herbwoman, at the age of seven. Recognising the child's innate intelligence and magical potential, Mirelle contacted friends within the Sisterhood (although not a Fenwitch herself, she had received her Herbalist training from them) and carefully arranged magical training for Ursalla. This, of course, had to be done in secret, during the many "herb-finding trips" Mirelle and Ursalla made into the Swamp. The rest of the time, Mirelle taught her all she knew about medicinal herbs.

Despite the relative irregularity of her schooling, Ursalla proved an excellent student in both magic and Herbcraft. Mirelle chose to retire when Ursalla turned 18; the young Fenwitch took over her duties, moving into her teacher's hut. Since then, she has continued her studies in secret, excelling particularly in the art of potion-based spellcasting, while carefully maintaining her "cover". She is among the few Fenwitches to dwell permanently amongst normal folk, and keeps an eye out for likely-looking girls in nearby villages. An excellent judge of character, Ursalla makes good use of her Deduction Skill, Medallion of ESP and magic to gauge people before giving her trust - those who "pass" will find her to be a good friend.

Ursalla is likely to be the first Fenwitch the adventurers encounter, although they probably won't discover that fact until they know her better. She can serve as a (non-magical) healer for wounded party members, or her name might be suggested if the adventurers need a guide into the Swamp. She might even become a love-interest for one of the party - which would certainly make for some interesting times if Ursalla ever became the target of anti-Fenwitch sentiments....

Magic Items: Medallion of ESP (a gift from Mirelle), Potion of Healing x3, Potion of Invisibility x1.

Spells:

1st Level: Verdant Elixir*; River-Torch*.

2nd Level: Detect Evil; Locate Object.

3rd Level: Marsh Mist*; Hali's Golden Philtre*.

[*=new spell]

Mad Mab, the Hag of the Swamps. Female Human Fen14. Age 68. AC 6, hp 30, STR 10, DEX 8, CON 12, INT 17, WIS 15, CHA 7. AL C (CN). Dmg 1d6/2d6 (Staff of Striking). Skills: Herbalism, Deduction, Cryptography, Knowledge (Outer Being Lore), Mysticism, Nature Lore (Swamp), Snares, Singing, Music (Harp). Languages: Common (Darokin), Elf, Lizardman.

Appearance: Mab is the archetypal "wicked witch" in appearance, with stringy grey hair, eyes like black beads, gnarled hands, and a wrinkled, leathery face. She wears many layers of faded, ragged homespun; her body is thin and bent beneath her voluminous garb. All she lacks to complete the picture is a warty nose and an evil cackle. The most surprising thing about her is her voice; it is cultured and resonant, a rich, deep contralto, completely at odds with her appearance. One look in her eyes, however, will show the observer how she obtained her name - the spark of madness lies there, the signs of one who has seen and done things which have strained her sanity past breaking point.

History: The only daughter of a rich merchant, Mab - whose birth-name was Margaret Celemorne - grew up surrounded by the best that money could buy in Darokin City. Whatever she desired would be provided by her doting father; jewelery, fine clothes, books, anything. When, at age 14, she displayed a talent for magic, he proudly hired a young graduate from the Great School of Magic in Glantri to teach her. Sadly, a year or so later, Margaret's father was killed when his caravan was raided by bandits; since most of his fortune had been tied up in that caravan, Margaret was left destitute, dependent on the grudging kindness of her relations to survive. Desperate to continue her magical studies - her kin refused to waste money on a tutor of any kind; what good would an education do her, after all? - she gathered her few remaining treasures and ran away, heading for Glantri.

Unfortunately for her, Margaret had never been out of the city before, and had no idea where Glantri lay, nor how far away it was. In a matter of days, she was well and truly lost. Over the next few weeks she travelled to the far South, where she heard exaggerated stories of the Sisterhood of the Fens and their great powers. Reasoning that the Sisterhood were her best chance of continuing her studies, she ploughed into the Malpheggi Swamp, hoping to track them down. They found her instead, in the form of the Fenwitch Abrana, who rescued her from certain death in a mud-filled sinkhole. She took the proud young woman on as a servant (to teach her humility), and then, a year later, as an apprentice.

Over the next few decades, Mab (the name Abrana gave her, to separate her from her old life) grew strong in magic, and became one of the Sisterhood's most respected members. Despite her great powers, however, she was never quite satisfied with her rustic life. After Old Abrana died, she became distant and unapproachable. In time, Mab grew to despise many of her less-educated (or "simple") sisters - and to disregard their strictures against "forbidden" magics. Her studies took her into the disturbing realms of "black" magic; she even uncovered long-buried texts concerning the mythical Outer Beings...

Things came to a head in 993 AC: periodically, the suspicions of the nearby settlements tended to overflow, causing the superstitious villagers to denounce supposed "witches" in their midst, and even - if sufficiently drunk - to make forays into the Swamp to drive off the "Evil Sisters of Darkness". This time, the mob actually caught a "Sister of Darkness"; Mab's young apprentice, Lori. In their drunken fury, they callously beat the helpless girl to death. Arriving too late to stop them, Mab screamed incoherent curses at the murdering villagers; something within her broke at that moment, and she poured all her power, her grief and anger, into calling up a forbidden creature of Chaos - a Greater Servitor of Akh'All. The monster literally tore the 100-strong mob apart in mere minutes. The sight of the carnage shocked Mab out of her grief; realising the extent of the evil she had unleashed, she cast her mightiest magics to try and banish, or at least contain, the monstrosity. After a titanic struggle, which devastated a large tract of swampland, she managed to force it back into the realm it came from, but at a grave cost; her powers were much reduced (from 30th to 14th level), and her sanity damaged beyond repair.

Nowadays, Mab spends much of her time winging above the Swamps and surrounding settlements in the form of a giant black raven, courtesy of a spell of her own devising. A sight of the "Black Bird" is considered unlucky, and those who see her ward themselves against the Evil Eye. Apart from these forays (which are mostly made to forage for food), Mab keeps to her dilapidated hut in the depths of the Swamp, brooding on her memories. The other Fenwitches avoid her, and prepare themselves in case her madness should drive her irrevocably to true evil...

Player characters are unlikely to encounter Mad Mab unless they travel into the Malpheggi Swamp itself, although sightings of the "Black Bird" can occur up to 2 hexes from the Swamp's boundaries. Encounters with Mab vary randomly, depending on her current mental state. At one time she might seem like a lonely, slightly dotty old woman; the next, an evil, twisted crone whose only joy is in other people's suffering. Low-level parties are advised not to push her too far; although much weaker than in her prime, Mab is still a powerful Fenwitch, and can give even a mid-level party a run for their money.

Magic Items: Wand of Fireballs (5 charges remaining), Staff of Striking (11 charges remaining), Ring of Human Control, Ring of Protection +3, Eggs of Wonder (x3), numerous Potions.

Spells:

1st Level: Darkness; Dream Pollen*; Verdant Elixir*; Shield.

2nd Level: ESP; Fenland Javelin*; Phantasmal Force; Web.

3rd Level: Dispel Magic; Fly; Marsh Mist*; Prot. from Normal Missiles.

4th Level: Brew the Wings of Omen*(see below); Curse; Evil Eye*; Phantasmal Guard*.

5th Level: Conjure Elemental; Marsh Gas*; Telekinesis.

6th Level: Death Spell; Invisible Stalker.

[*=new spell]

Mab's Spell

Brew the Wings of Omen

Level: 4

Range: touch

Duration: 6 Turns, + 1 Turn per level of caster

Effect: Polymorphs drinker into raven-form

This Polymorph Self variant is derived from the same root as the Fenwitch enchantment Verdant Elixir; it enchants a potion which permits the drinker to take on a specific alternate form - that of a giant raven, a huge creature with a 10' wingspan.

The potion requires a number of specific ingredients, including raven-feathers (or crow, blackbird, etc - any corvid will do), human hair (from the caster) and ground willowbark. Although vast quantities of this brew may be prepared all at once, only a single dose may be enchanted by the spell at any one time. The prepared potion is inky-black, topped with a repulsive grey froth; it must be consumed within 1 hour of casting the spell, or its efficacy fades. The drinker (who need not be the caster) gains the ability to assume giant raven-form (use stats for the Giant Eagle (Hiak) from the Hollow World Adventure Book, page 22; hit points and effective HD remain the same in both forms), and to swap backwards and forwards between raven and normal forms at will, for the duration of the spell. The imbiber's clothes, and any small items or weapons carried, become part of the raven-form; spells cannot be cast whilst wearing a raven's shape. Any wounds received in one form carry over into the other.

Comments on This Page? Mail Me!