The Witcher Pen & Paper RPG
Page 9
Cropped Short
Rings & Jewlery
or “Aep,” which is used like “son
3
Fancy Clothing
Violent
Self-Cut Short
Trinkets
of.” This gives you names like
4
Ragged Clothing
Idealistic
Braided
Tattoos
“Emyr Var Emreis” & “Liam
5
Utilitarian Clothing
Contemplative
Long & Wild
War Paint
Aep Muir Moss.” In some re-
6
Traditional Clothing
Stern
Bald
Shadowy Cloak
gions you will see variants on
this, as in some places in the
7
Revealing Clothing
Deceptive
Uniformly Short
Bright Bandanas
North and Nilfgaard where
8
Heavy Clothing
Friendly
Ragged & Messy
Eye Patch
“De” or “Van” is used instead
9
Strange Clothing
Arrogant
Complicated Hairstyle
Furs
of “of,” giving us names like
10
Flamboyant Clothing
Nervous
Shaven Sides
Insignias & Plaques
“Jacques De Aldersburg” and
“Carthia Van Canten.” These
Values
are generaly associated with
nobility, however. Compar-
Roll Valued Person
Value
Feelings on People
atively, non-humans usualy
1
A Parent
Money
People Are Tools to Be Used
have surnames like Bibervelt,
2
A Sibling
Honor
Our Kind Are Fine but Plough the Rest
Chivay, and the like. For most
3
A Lover
Your Word
People Can Never Be Trusted
elder races you are reasonably
4
A Friend
Hedonistic Pursuits
People Have to Prove Themselves
safe to take Welsh surnames,
5
Yourself
Knowledge
Neutral
though for dwarves we suggest
6
A Pet
Vengeance
Neutral
that you use surnames from
more “exotic” regions, such as
7
A Mentor
Power
People Are Great
Hungary and other countries
8
A Public Figure
Love
Everyone Deserves to Die
in that region.
9
A Personal Hero
Survival
People Are Hedonistic Swine
10
No One
Friendship
All Life Is Valuble
Common Names
Names in The Witcher tend to
vary based on region. Nordling
Example Names
names are generaly Europe-
Nordling
Elder Speech
Skelliger
Elven
Dwarven
an while names in the Elder
Olsen
Aelwen
Sigurd
Yaevinn
Rodolf
Speech are usualy Welsh (or
Dagread
Taliesin
Aksel
Iorveth
Zoltan
Celtic in the case of some elves).
Adalbert
Wynn
Laila
Aelirenn
Yarpen
Once again, Skelligers are an
exception. Generaly Skel-
John
Yorath
Ragnar
Filavandrel
Barclay
liger names are Scandinavian.
Agnes
Brynmor
Brynhild
Ge’els
Brouver
Dwarves who speak their own
Aplegatt
Carys
Olaf
Shiadhal
Golan
languages have more exotic
Carduin
Deryn
Hakon
Nithral
Rhundurin
sounding names in general.
37
Your Profession
In the Witcher TRPG, your profession is what you do to make your living. This is what your are best at and determines your basic skill set and starting possessions. Remem-Witcher Gear
ber, your profession only establishes what you do for a living. Except in the case of
Witchers’ special gear can be
magic, it does not limit how good you can be at other things. It establishes where you’ll found in the Witchers section
probably want to focus your improvement but does not tie you down. The best example
starting on pg.246.
of this is Zoltan Chivay (in the Witcher video games). Zoltan, one of Geralt of Rivia’s best friends, is a hard-drinking, hard-fighting dwarf who helps hold the walls of Vergen
against the forces of King Henselt of Kaedwen. By profession, Zoltan is a merchant and
later a tavern owner.
Each profession has five parts:
A Witcher
is a Witcher
1. Defining Skill
3. Magic Perks
The Witcher race and profes-
Each profession has a defining skil . This Professions with inherent magic have magic
sion go together. If you choose
one skill separates this profession from all perks. These are spel s, incantations, hexes,
one, you must choose the other.
of the others—an ability that only a person rituals, and signs.
with years of training in that field can ac-
quire. The defining skill is counted in the
profession skill package when buying skil s. 4. Skill Package
Mage Limitations
Each profession has a skill package which
The only two races to mani-
represents general learning over the course
2. Vigor
fest magic to any great extent
of an apprenticeship.
are humans and elves. You can
Each profession has a starting allowance of
only play a priest or a mage if
Vigor, which represents how much primal
you chose human or elven as
chaos you can channel through your body 5. Starting Gear
your race. Keep in mind, that
safely to cast spel s, perform rituals, and in- Each profession has starting gear that you
elves have no established priests
flict hexes.
can choose from. This are items that you
in their society so any elven
would probably have and use in your daily
character wishing to play priest
life, working in that profession.
must follow a human deity.
38
Bard
Defining Skill
“I’m a poet, m’lady. I’ve come
Busking
to praise your unearthly
beauty, if you’ll do me the
Vigor
honor of revealing your full
0
self.”
–Dandelion
Magical Per
ks
None
Heh, ya never know what you’re gonna get with
a bard. Some of my best memories have to do
with bards...and some of the worst binds I’ve
Skills
been in are thanks to bards. You might get a
Charisma
bard like the famous Dandelion, the famed ad-
Deceit
venturer, poet and constant companion of the
Performance
legendary witcher Geralt of Rivia. A man who
traveled the world col ecting knowledge and
Language (Choose 1)
stories, stopping in towns to tell his tales and
Human Perception
sing songs of his numerous adventures. These
Persuasion
bards are fine. Though let’s just say yer never
Streetwise
gonna be able to tell what’s real and what’s a
Fine Arts
story. Bards are good at manipulatin’ the truth
where it serves to make them look more im-
Seduction
pressive. Heh, harmless most of the time.
Social Etiquette
No, the bards you have to watch out
for are the spies and the manipulators. Bards
are good at gettin’ into people’s heads as well
Gear (Pick 5)
as makin’ up stories. They’ll talk circles around
Dice poker board
you, pull your strings, and make ya think
Gwent deck
you’re best friends. Then, when ya least expect
it you’ll find a blade gettin’ acquainted with
Hand mirror
your heart. Not real y suprisin’ that a lot of
An instrument
Busking (EMP)
bards get chosen by kingdoms to become spies.
Flask of spirits
‘Course then again a good bard can also be a
A Bard is a wonderful thing to have around,
Dagger
useful resource for just about anyone. Say you
especialy when the party’s low on money. A
need to know about a legend, or maybe you’re
Perfume/cologne
Bard can take an hour and make a Busking
gonna take a bounty on a dangerous gang
Belt pouch
roll in the nearest town center. The total of
leader. A bard’s gonna be your best bet to find
Garter sheath
this roll is the amount of money raked in by
out who you’re huntin’, where they’ll probably
A journal with a lock
the Bard while they perform on the street. A
be, and how you should talk to ‘em. Heh, like
fumble can lower the rol, and a negative value
I said, ya never know what you’re gonna get
means that not only do you fail to make any
with a bard.
coin but you are also harrassed by the locals
–Rodolf Kazmer
for your poor performance, resulting in a -2
to Charisma with anyone in the town for the
rest of the day.
39
Craftsman
“Forget this rubbish! I shall
Defining Skill
forge you a sword fit for kill-
Patch Job
ing gods.” –Éibhear Hattori
Vigor
0
Craftsman is probably the second most com-
mon profession next to farmer. Well, whores
Magical Perks
are in there too but ya get my point. Artisans,
None
some people call ‘em. Heh, craftsman covers
everything from shoemakers to alchemists, but
Skills
if they’re embarkin’ on some sort a dangerous
adventure they’re likely to be a blacksmith or
Crafting
an alchemist. An alchemist is always a good
Business
thing to have. Alchemy’s a long-established
Athletics
science and there’s plenty of useful stuff that
Endurance
only a good alchemist could craft. Acids, su-
Physique
per-flammable liquids, bombs, and all sorts of
things. Sure, anybody with an alchemy set can
Streetwise
make this stuff but only a dedicated alchemist
Fine Arts
can make it perfectly.
Alchemy
Call it a dwarven bias, but black-
Education
smiths are probably the most respectable crafts-
men out there. Spendin’ hours over a hot forge,
Persuasion
workin’ with the sturdiest of materials and the
finest precision. A good blacksmith can make a
sword sharp enough to puncture the armor of
Gear (Pick 5)
the toughest and largest foes, or armor strong
Tinker’s forge
enough to resist a damn troll. Spent some time
Merchant’s tools
workin’ as a blacksmith in Angren before the
Iron long sword
Second Northern War and it ain’t easy work.
Forging tools
When I was in the army, fightin’ the black ones,
Patch Job (CRA)
me and some boys were sent to the swamps of
Alchemy set
A skilled craftsman can patch a weapon or
Sodden to defend against a detachment of Nil-
Hourglass
armor well enough to keep it working and
fgaardians. We held up across a river, but af-
Smal chest
keep its wearer/wielder in the fight, whether
ter a day of fightin’ back and forth, the wet got
that be by tying a bowstring back togeth-
Mace
to my crossbow and the string stretched. Right
er, sharpening the edge of a broken blade or
there on the battlefield, while the others fired
50 crowns of components
nailing a plate over a cracked shield. By taking
their vol eys and fought in the muck, a bowyer
Lock
a turn to roll Patch Job at a DC equal to the
named Klaus rigged a new string for my cross-
item’s Crafting DC -3 a Craftsman can restore
bow and had me back to shootin’ in no time.
a broken shield or armor to 1/2 its full SP or
Owe my life to that man.
restore a broken weapon to 1/2 its durability.
–Rodolf Kazmer
Until fixed at a forge, a patched weapon does
half its normal damage.
40
Criminal
Defining Skill
“My mark scars the face of
Practiced Paranoia
our future empress. That is
my proudest achievement.”
Vigor
–Stefan Skellen
0
Criminal’s a broad term. Everything from pro-
Magical Perks
fessional safecrackers to part-time assassins.
None
But they’re all unified by one thing. Heh, they
get caught and it’s over for them. No point
Skills
in lyin’, I’ve dealt with criminals from Kovir
to Gemmeria and back. Smugglers, kil ers,
Sleight of Hand
thieves. All shapes and sizes. They can be good
Pick Locks
people from time to time. Some of ‘em just
Streetwise
want to survive. The thieves are easy enough
Forg
ery
to deal with and they come in handy. Cracks-
man, pickpockets, and cat-burglars, they’re the
Deceit
best you can find at breakin’ and enterin’. Need
Stealth
to get through a locked gate, need to retrieve
Intimidate
a certain item with minimal hassle, a thief’s
Small Blades
your best option.
Athletics
Assassins are fine as long as you’re not
their target. I’ve known a few in my time. They
Awareness
go by all kinds of personal codes. More than
most thieves, I think. All kinds of specifics on
Gear (Pick 5)
who they will and won’t kill, what’s too risky,
what’s a cheap job and what’s gonna cost ya
Loaded dice
an arm and a leg. But in the end kil in’s their
Bul seye lantern
business and they’re good at it. Used to know
Secret pocket
an elven girl who carried 16 knives. Can’t tell
ya where they all were though, heh.
Thieves’ tools
Practiced Paranoia (INT)
Last as far as I’m concerned are the
Sleeve sheath
professional criminals. Gang bosses whose en-
Stiletto
Whether they’re an assassin, a thief, a counter-
tire business is crime in general. They’re the
Brass knuckles
feit er, or a smuggler, criminals all share a prac-
ones to watch out for. The position attracts
ticed paranoia that keeps them out of trouble.
Throwing knives x5
philanthropic fools robbing the rich to support
Whenever a Criminal comes within 10m of a
their communities and lotsa cold-hearted sa-
Chloroform
trap (this includes experimental traps, Man at
distic kil ers. Always workin’ an angle and al-
Satchel
Arms booby traps, & ambushes) they imme-
ways looking for the situation that’ll come out
diately can make a Practiced Paranoia rol at
best for them in the end. Hard not to feel like a
either the DC to spot the trap, the ambushing
piece in a larger game with ‘em.
party’s Stealth rol, or a DC set by the GM.
–Rodolf Kazmer
Even if they don’t succeed in spot ing the trap,
they are still aware that something is wrong.
41
Doctor
“I’m traveling to Saint Leb-
Defining Skill
ioda’s hospital in Vizima
Healing Hands
to help fight the Catriona
plague.”
Vigor
–Shani
0
Heh, anyone who’s served any time in an army
Magical Perks
knows how useful a good doctor can be. My
friend, if every wound I had treated by a doctor
None
opened up right now I’d look less like a dwarf