From: "Larry Hunsaker" Witch Description: A witch is a female who has made a pact with Outworld Powers. She does this in a formal ritual, usually overseen by the head of a coven, but some perform the ritual themselves. The ritual requires the witch to first have a familiar. This does not mean a familiar like mages have, but a special animal that she has cared for at least 1 year. This animal becomes the witch's familiar after the ritual is over. Because a witch does not offer her soul in the pact, the familiar serves as her link to the Outworld. For more about the ritual, see Ritual below. Once she is initiated as a witch whether into a formal coven or as a lone witch, she has immediate access to her powers. The powers a witch can draw upon are vast, but each comes with a cost. A witch soon learns, if not taught before hand, that the price for her power can be heavy. Any female can be a witch, hence the class of the female is irrelevant. Even a 0 level female can become a witch. Powers: A witch can summon up a variety of powers, as unlimited as magic itself. Each power is rated or given an equivalent spell level, as if a magic user spell. Most witch powers are just mage spells, but if a witch desires a power not already in mage spell form, the power must be rated and given an equivalent spell level. Priest spell effects are not included in a witch's power arsenal. Requests for knowledge, for example, would be treated as a contact outer plane spell. The power requires any special material components the spell would, and non-spell powers may require components as well(DM's option). The witch simple holds out the components and desires the effect to occur. The power has the same casting time as the spell. The only difference with a witch is she cannot be interrupted. The power has an effective casting level equal to the minimum level required to use the spell if a mage were to cast it. Powers cost a certain number of points which represent the price the witch will eventually pay. Each power is rated as a spell level, and this is how the cost point level is found. The point cost is equal to the geometric addition of spell levels. In other words, a 1st level spell costs 1 point, a 2nd level spell costs 1+2=3 points, a 3rd level spell costs 1+2+3=6 points, etc. If the witch wants the power used at a higher casting level than the minimum required to cast the spell, each extra point of cost added also adds 1 level to the casting power. So a magic missile cast as a 9th level mage costs 9 points, 1 for the 1st level spell, and 8 for the added 8 levels to the minimum casting level of 1. The power is channeled through her familiar and then into her, so if anything separates a witch and familiar which could stop a spell of that level from getting to her from the familiar, it does not arrive and is wasted. For example, a witch in a sphere of force is cut off magically from her familiar outside it, thus, she is powerless while in this state. Also, a witch inside a globe of invulnerability would be unable to use 4th level or less powers if her familiar was outside it, since no 4th level or less spell power can pass through a globe of invulnerability from the outside. Familiar: The familiar of a witch is not like a mage's familiar and she gains none of the benefits such a familiar gives to a mage. However, she suffers all the drawbacks of such a familiar as would a mage. Also, her familiar is her link to the Outworld, if it dies, she is powerless until a new ritual is performed to bring her back into contact with the Power. Her familiar does get a number of extra hitpoints equal to her level. This familiar does not belong to her anymore, it is now the Power's property, and she is required to get permission before she casts any spells on it, or does anything else to it. If she does not get this permission, she may be punished(up to the DM). Cost: The price of power is high for a witch, making it wise for her to use the power as little as possible. Below I give some typical costs for power use, but the DM can make up any he can imagine, just keep them in line, penalty wise, with the following: -The witch is temporarily drained 1 CON point per point of cost she accumulates. To recover requires 1 full day of bed rest per CON point lost. -Loss of 5 hitpoints per cost point. -100 gold piece sacrifice or equivalent worth in service per cost point. This cost can be collected by the Power immediately or the Power may wait years before collecting. This is up to the DM. Also, the cost can be taken all at once, or a little at a time. This is also up to the DM. In addition, just as a witch is powerless to access her power if magically separated from her familiar, so the Powers are also unable to collect their cost if the witch is totally out of contact with her familiar, say inside a sphere of force while her familiar is outside it, or in an anti-magic shell/zone. If the Powers are denied access from the witch in such a way, they may purposely collect all current cost at once when the witch becomes available, as a punishment, or in extreme cases, may kill her familiar, and send agents after her life. A witch is advised not to toy with her Powers. Disadvantages: A witch has no other disadvantages in addition to the ones inherent to her powers. Some DMs may impose a reaction penalty if the witch's reputation becomes widely known. If a witch dies while still owing points, those points are transferred to her descendants, who must pay. If she has no descendants, then she will be forced to serve the Power as an undead spirit of some type until the debt is paid. Requirements: A witch has no ability or alignment requirements. Any woman can qualify. Ritual: The ritual a witch goes through is mostly customary with no real significance as far as the connection to her power is concerned. But, the connection aspect requires 100 gold pieces in incense to be burned during the nights of 3 successive full moons, thus, the ritual takes awhile to complete. Coven: Most witches belong to a coven, a group of witches. This is not required, but does provide a few good benefits. Although covens require a certain amount of service for them and a fee or dues, this is a small price for the potential power a coven offers. Witches are limited by cost to use only lesser spell powers, lest they accumulate too many points and risk having more owed than they can safely pay! A coven allows the group to cast a coven spell, and the cost is evenly divided among the coven, so no 1 witch is in danger of owing too much. This allows tremendous powers to be unleashed and a coven is a very powerful group. For example, a wish would cost 45 points, too much for any single witch to risk owing at 1 time. It could mean losing 45 CON points or 225 hitpoints! Instant annihilation! In addition to the aging and bed rest it would require. However, a coven of 45 witches could cast the wish and each only receive 1 point, and age 5/45 or 1/9th a year. The bed rest divided 45 ways would be much less restrictive. You can see how dangerous such a coven could be!