The Witcher Pen & Paper RPG

by Cody Pondsmith

Skill

  DMG

  Extra Effect

  If you have a target at your

  Ignore

  Resist Coercion 1d10+EMP

  NONE

  mercy and do damage to

  Instead of taking a defensive action you can make an

  them, you take negatives

  Counter-

  at ack that negates the first at ack. If you beat the op-

  to empathetic at acks and

  argue

  See Extra Effect See At ack ponent’s rol, their atack is negated and your’s does

  gain bonuses to antagonis-

  damage.

  tic at acks. Harming a target

  gives you a -3 to empathetic

  Change the

  at acks but grants a +3 to

  Subject

  Persuasion

  1d6+INT

  NONE

  Intimidation. Bringing a

  Disengage Resist Coercion

  NONE

  Ends the argument.

  target down to their wound

  threshold gives you a -10 to

  empathetic at acks but a +10

  Empathetic Tools

  to Intimidation.

  Name

  Skill

  DMG

  Effect

  The Romanced party fal s in love with the Romancer.

  This gives them a -3 against the Romancer in Verbal

  Romance

  Charisma

  NONE Combat, but only as long as the at acker continues to

  convince the defender they are in love and treats them

  wel. If the romance ends poorly, the defender gets a per-

  manent +3 against the at acker’s empathetic at acks.

  Studying allows you to look for or probe weaknesses in

  Study

  Human

  your opponent’s mental armor. Roll against their INTx3.

  Perception

  NONE If you succeed, you get +2 to Verbal Combat for one

  round.

  Antagonistic Tools

  Name

  Skill

  DMG

  Effect

  Implying allows you to suggest something good or

  Imply

  Persuasion or

  bad about your current argument. If you succeed, you

  Deceit

  NONE lower your opponent’s defenses by -4. You can only use

  Imply once per combat.

  For every 50 Crowns you offer, you gain +1 to your

  Bribe

  Gambling

  NONE empathetic Verbal Combat rol s for the rest of the fight

  if you succeed on your Gambling rol .

  178

  179

  The World of the

  A Lesson

  Witcher

  I, Brandon of Oxenfurt, Pro-

  fessor of History at Oxenfurt

  University, have been asked

  to contribute a chapter of this

  tome regarding the world

  “The Golden Court, the country town’s elegant inn, was crowded and noisy.

  situation. Being a student of

  The guests, locals and visitors, were mostly engaged in activities typical for

  history both past and present,

  I watch the tides of our world

  their nation or profession. Serious merchants argued with dwarves over the

  ebb and flow not just in the

  price of goods and credit interest. Less serious merchants pinched the back-

  safe and privileged world of

  sides of the girls carrying beer, cabbage and beans. Local nitwits pretended to

  Oxenfurt, not just in Redania,

  nor even just in the North. No,

  be well-informed. Harlots were trying to please those who had money while

  I am an internationalist and I

  discouraging those who had none. Carters and fishermen drank as if there

  believe that our lives are affect-

  ed as much by the fate of oc-

  were no tomorrow. Some seamen were singing a song which celebrated the

  cupied Aedirn or the Imperial

  ocean waves, the courage of captains and the graces of mermaids, the latter

  Will of Nilfgaard as they are by

  graphical y and in considerable detail.”

  the proclamations of our Good

  King Radovid or the cost of figs

  -Andzrei Sapkowski, Last Wish

  in the marketplace. I will prove

  my point by showing you what

  we know of the countries, reli-

  gions, and powerful aliances of

  our world. Take notes—there

  will be a test after.

  –Brandon of Oxenfurt

  You’ve seen quite a bit about the world drastically different in customs and op-

  around you through weapons, profes- eration. You can’t assume that working in

  sions, and introductions to the game. the capital of Nilfgaard will be the same as

  However, there’s a lot more to learn. At operating in Gheso.

  the moment the world is split between the

  Similarly, the Northern Kingdoms

  Empire of Nilfgaard, the Northern King- and Skellige are real y only united by the fact doms, and Skellige. While these are the that they are all fighting Nilfgaard. Further, basic sides as far as the Third Nilfgaardi- with the loss of many of their rulers, most of an War goes, there is a lot more differen- the North has fallen into chaos.

  tiation to be made between the alliances

  within these factions. The Empire of Nil- The Importance of Alliances

  fgaard is a tremendous expanse covering Who you al y yourself with is as important

  many many countries and regions. Due as where you’re from in the world of The

  to its rapid and brutal expansion much of Witcher. Each alliance, including religions, the Empire is held under Imperial law but comes with allies and enemies and it’s as-remains true to its original culture. This sumed that if you join an alliance you will means that while the country of Nilfgaard be working towards its goals. As we’ve seen functions one way, its further provinces with the Lodge of Sorceresses, that can be

  and more autonomous duchies may be problematic.

  180

  Elven Ruins

  Numerous human cities such

  The North

  500 years ago, the Nordlings arrived, in an

  as Vizima, Maribor, and Tre-

  event called the Landing of the Exiles. These Temeria

  togor were built on top of the

  were the humans destined to take over all of In Temeria, Dezmod became the first king at

  ruins of ancient elven cities.

  the North. They had cautious relations with the time of the Landing. There are legends

  the dwarves and gnomes, but relations with about short-lived kings between Dezmod

  the elves became hostile. For a long time hu- and his son, Geddes, but at the ascension of

  man settlement progressed rapidly. Territo- Geddes we are on firmer ground. His first

  “King” Abdank

  rial agreements and treaties with the elves son was born to a mistress named Vinifrida,

  were made and broken at the convenience who it is said was a full-blooded elf. So it

  Legend says that King Dez-

  of the humans. At first the elves believed is possible that the Temerian royal line has

  mod of Temeria was succeed-

  that eventual y the humans would stop ex- some elf in it. The line has carried on un-

  ed by a mentaly deficient son,

  panding, but it never happened. Eventual y broken until Foltest, giving Temeria marked

  Abdank. During his rule, he

  the werebubbs and vran were forced back stability.

  was “advised” by the sorcerer

  into a few small encla
ves and the elves be-

  Raffard the White, who turned

  gan to retreat, destroying their glorious cit-

  down the crown but kept the

  Aedirn

  ies behind them. But not all the elves were Aedireen, the granddaughter of the first

  power. They resolved the Six

  willing to resign themselves. A young elvish king of Aedirn, won a great deal of new

  Year War, though little of that

  woman named Aelirenn led one last cam- territory through wars and negotiations.

  story has come down to us. It

  paign against the humans. Many, many In the face of a possible attack by Redania,

  seems fairly certain that Raf-

  young elves were killed.

  Aedireen made a treaty with the new na-

  fard objected to the formation

  tion of Kaedwen. The attack was repulsed

  of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers,

  and was kiled. After his death,

  Redania

  and Aedirn claimed the Loremark or Upper

  Soon after the Landing, the four major Aedirn. But seizing this fantastical y fertile

  and a few years of Abdank

  countries of the North began to form. In land angered Kaedwen and has soured rela-

  fumbling along, the king died

  Redania, Sambuk ruled an area including tions. Today Aedirn, the most sophisticated

  and a struggle ensued between

  Novigrad and the Pontar Delta. The port of the four preeminant countries, has been

  Maribor and Elander. Sup-

  and the river drove Redanian trade devel- ripped apart by Nilfgaard.

  posedly Adalbert of Maribor

  opment. Eventual y as the countries became

  succeeded Abdank, and was

  larger, the Redanian trade empire bumped

  succeeded by Geddes. This is

  Kaedwen

  up against the Temerian trade empire across The early people who went up the Pontar

  an opportunity for some seri-

  the Pontar, sometimes with volatile results. and turned left into the rocky, forest-cov-

  ous scholarship .

  Sambuk’s grandson Radovid I, also ered mountains of Kaedwen must have been

  –Brandon of Oxenfurt

  known as Radovid the Great, solidified the hardy stock. There is little arable land in

  Redania we know today. Radovid despised Kaedwen, but the people love their land and

  his brother, Troydan, and suspected that he pride themselves on being tough and resil-

  was scheming to take the throne. He gave ient. They have many legends of their early

  his brother what should have been an hon- kings, but their political history starts with

  or title: dominion over the northern prov- King Benda, who helped negotiate the Trea-

  ince of Kovir; a cruel joke, as the province ty of Lan Exeter, ending the war between the

  of Kovir has eleven months of winter and forces of Redania and Kaedwen and those

  August. Little did Radovid know that Kovir of Kovir, making Kovir and Poviss an inde-

  contained one of the largest gold deposits in pendent nation. Benda’s grandson Henselt

  the North and 70% of the world’s dimeriti- is a good military mind, but is more known

  um. Kovir and Poviss are now the wealthiest for his intense loathing of non-humans.

  countries in the North.

  181

  182

  The “Free City” of

  Novigrad

  Redania

  Novigrad is the largest city in

  Redania remains untouched by Nilfgaardian forces. Our

  Redania. As a result of its status

  young king, Radovid the Stern, works tirelessly to unify the

  and its placement at the mouth

  Northern forces to push back the Nilfgaardian threat. The

  of the Pontar it is the ultimate

  current northern boundary of Redania touches nations of

  trade center. For many years

  the Hengefor’s League, while the great Pontar River is the

  Novigrad was a free city: the

  southern border and is the highway for Redania’s trade

  diversity of the beings there was

  empire. In the west it is bounded by the Gulf of Praxeda

  only exceeded by the diversity

  and the Northern Sea. The wooded hil s then roll east up

  of trade items. Since its recent

  to the Kestrel Mountains, which have traditional y been

  occupation by Redania, the

  the boundary between Redania and Kaedwen. Recently, in

  witch hunters and Redanian

  response to a call from Kaedwen, King Radovid has sent

  army have started to eliminate

  Redanian troops across the Kestrel Mountains, not to aid

  magic users in the city. You can

  Kaedwen but to occupy, as a part his plan to consolidate the

  still find anything you want

  Northern Kingdoms. This sparked the Winter War, as Kaedwen attempted to ral y its forces

  in Novigrad. Go down to the

  to push back Redania.

  docks to marvel at the trade

  King Radovid’s father was King Vizimir the Just. Redania thrived in his reign, but

  ships of al nations unloading

  darkness was on the horizon. In 1262 Nilfgaard started its depredations in the Northern

  goods and look for rare ships

  lands, including the destruction of Cintra. King Vizimir saw Redania through the First

  from faraway and exotic Ze-

  Nilfgaardian War, but even during the peace Nilfgaardian spies and provocateurs sought

  rrikania and Ofier. Many of

  to destabilize the country, sending proselytizing priests of the Great Sun and merchants

  the largest human trade fam-

  with products priced to undercut domestic goods. The non-human races were egged on by

  ilies have their headquarters

  Nilfgaardian spies. This came to a head when an elven attacker assassinated King Vizimir,

  in Novigrad. There is also the

  although there are those that believe that the assassin was hired by Vizimir’s sorceress ad-

  Grand Temple of the Eternal

  viser, Philippa Eilhart. At that time Radovid was only thirteen years old and Redania was

  Fire, the largest temple in the

  in the midst of the Second Nilfgaardian War. Queen Hedwig reigned in Redania, but power

  North.

  rested with a regency council led by the head of Redanian Intelligence, Sigismund Dijkstra,

  –Brandon of Oxenfurt

  and his lover, the sorceress Philippa. The sorceress unwisely treated Queen Hedwig and the

  young Prince Radovid very badly. They say it was her arrogance that burned a vast hatred

  of sorceresses into our king at a young age. When he took the throne he realized the Lodge

  of Sorceresses had too much influence on the Northern kings. Radovid’s witch hunters,

  previously the most fanatical of the Knights of the Flaming Rose, have since hunted down

  many mages.

  Tretogor is the capital of Redania. Aside from its castle and large administration

  buildings it is very modest. The city guard is very active—magic users and many non-hu-

  mans are soon swept up and not be seen again. Tretogor’s dungeons are famous for being

  the last stop for Scoia’tael on their way to execution. Almost everyone in Tretogor works for or is in town to visit the government. With Novigrad so close, there is no major trade center here.

  Oxenfurt is the liveliest city in Redania. The Oxenfurt Academy and its libraries,

  labs, and classrooms fill the city center. Around the edges ar
e the taverns, bars, and brothels catering to the footloose but usual y penniless students. There is nothing like it in the North, and new ideas and inventions boil out of it constantly.

  183

  Kaedwen

  Ban Ard

  Ban Ard is set in the foothils

  Kaedwen is the second largest country by area in the known

  of the Blue Mountains south-

  world after Nilfgaard. But unlike Nilfgaard, most of Kaed-

  east of Ard Carraigh. The city’s

  wen is rocky, mountainous, or deeply forested. The north

  main industry is mining, but

  of the country is sparsely settled by independent-spirited

  it is best known as being the

  communities. They scratch a difficult living from the land

  home of the Ban Ard Acade-

  and trade furs and lumber. They tend to be conservative and

  my, the school for training boys

  isolationist. The northern border of Kaedwen is between

  in magecraft. At one time there

  the northernmost peaks of the Kestrel and Blue Mountains.

  was a healthy rivalry between

  The harsh conditions beyond this point have so far daunted

  the boys’ school and the girls’

  even the hardy settlers of Kaedwen. The eastern border is

  school. Generaly the girls won

  the Blue Mountains. The southern boundary is the Pontar

  due to the greater discipline

  River. To the west are the Kestrel Mountains. Up to now this

  and confinement of Aretuza.

  natural boundary has kept peace between Kaedwen and Re-

  The boys of Ban Ard are not

  dania, but Kaedwen recently called King Radovid of Redania for aid against Nilfgaard. The

  confined, much to the disap-

  “aid” Radovid sent was an army of occupation, not military support. This started a conflict

  pointment of the townspeople.

  called the Winter War, as Redanian troops moved over the Kestrels and into Kaedwen to

  –Brandon of Oxenfurt

  stay. With King Henselt missing or dead, there has been little organized defense.

  Kaedwen is the youngest of the Northern countries. The humans pushed the elves

  back into the Blue Mountains and settled their country about 200 years ago, though that was

  not the end of violence between Kaedweni and elves. The Scoia’tael have made many cruel

  raids into the forests, and Kaedwen has replied by killing thousands of elves and dwarves

  Ban Glean