The Witcher Pen & Paper RPG

by Cody Pondsmith

  Ya see, durin’ one of the many, many wars between Kaedwen and Aedirn, Seltkirk of Gulet took the field in the Pontar Val ey right outside Vergen. Seltkirk was the finest blade in all of Aedirn—they cal ed him the ‘Invincible White Knight.’ Say that whoreson’d wade onto a battlefield and cut down men like he was reapin’ grain. Didn’t hurt that Aedirn’s intel igence al owed ‘em to prepare for the Kaedweni. War was pretty one-sided, and Kaedwen was losin’ bad. But durin’ this battle Seltkirk encountered Vandergrift the Visitor, leader of the Kaedweni forces. Vandergrift and Seltkirk’d met already at a tourney in Ard Carraigh. That time they’d fought ‘til the force of Seltkirk’s blows’d cracked Vandergrift’s sword and he’d been forced to forfeit. This time Vandergrift was out for blood. He cut Seltkirk off from the rest of his forces pretty quick.

  Folk say it was one hell of a fight—two forces of nature battlin’, a ploughin’ apocalypse. Eventual y though, the battle had to end, and end it did. Seltkirk left himself open just long enough for Vandergrift to bring his blade down and slice the poor bastard from his head to his bal s.

  ‘Course, with the ‘Invincible’ White Knight dead, the Aedirnian forces started fal in’ into disarray and the Kaedweni ral ied. Now, this next part’s a mystery. Folk say Sabrina Glevissig, Court Mage to Henselt, King of Kaedwen, real y hated Vandergrift—no idea why. She sees a chance to end him, starts rainin’ fire down on the battlefield, kil in’ anyone and everyone there. Vandergrift met his end there, among thousands of others.

  When the rain of fire finished, both sides retreated. Henselt had Sabrina burned at the stake for treason. Folk say she cursed the battlefield, bindin’ all them dead soldiers to re-fight the battle of that day for years to come. Wasn’t a problem for travelers til the skirmish between Saskia and Henselt for the Pontar, where enough blood soaked the stones of the field to bring back the curse and start the wraiths fightin’. In the end Geralt of Rivia had to wade through a godforsaken fog of wraiths and death ta end it. Say to lift the curse, he took the place of Seltkirk and battled Vandergrift’s soul, which’d become a draug—a huge demonic wraith. When he final y kil ed the draug, Geralt salvaged Vandergrift’s old armor and forged a new suit, sturdy as all hell but deeply tainted. Who knows what happened to it after the whole fiasco at Loc Muinne.

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  267

  The Bestiary

  Danger Ratings

  As we mentioned in the GM

  section on pg.219, each mon-

  “When you know about something it stops being a nightmare.

  ster has a difficulty rating. The

  When you know how to fight something, it stops being so threat-

  two parts of this rating help

  you know how difficult an en-

  ening.”

  counter will be. The first part

  -Andrzej Sapkowski, Blood of Elves

  of the monster’s rating estab-

  lishes generaly how easy to

  fight the monster is.

  Easy monsters are

  relatively easy for one well-

  trained solider to kill one-on-

  one. They should be used in

  hordes in most cases. Medi-

  um monsters are more dan-

  Monsters, as most people know them, How Rare Are Monsters

  gerous than easy monsters

  are technically outsiders dragged into

  and should be used alone or

  By now, the vast majority of monsters have

  the world via an event known as the Con-

  along with a group of easy

  been killed off. Witchers were created cen-

  juction of the Spheres. This means all of

  monsters. Hard monsters are

  turies ago to hunt down monsters, and they

  the monsters that you encounter across

  fit to be boss monsters. They

  succeeded. Just a few years prior to the set-

  the Continent and beyond all came from

  should be used for climactic

  ting of this game, most academics and schol-

  their own dimensions, where they lived

  bat les and (unless you have a

  ars were convinced that poets and bards had

  and thrived before the Conjunction.

  very large or very skilled par-

  invented the beasts in this bestiary. Only

  Many mages and academics agree that

  ty) should show up alone.

  recently have monsters made a resurgence.

  most monsters endanger both sentient

  If you want to get

  Some speculate that this is due to

  life and their environment because they

  more granular than that, the

  the lack of witchers. Without their natural

  have been moved from their natural eco-

  second part of each monster’s

  (or unnatural) predator, many monster spe-

  logical niche. Monsters like ghouls, sirens,

  rating (simple, complex, or

  cies are starting to crawl back from the brink

  and vampires, presumably, had a place in

  difficult) establishes how dif-

  of extinction. Others speculate that the re-

  the ecology of their home dimensions, a

  ficult the monster is within

  turn of monsters, combined with sightings

  role that they evolved to play in the great-

  its category. Simple monsters

  of the infamous Wild Hunt, are omens of

  er world around them. Displaced from

  are very straight-forward and

  something much, much worse on the ho-

  their homes, most of these creatures now

  don’t take a lot of planning or

  rizon. Neither theory has been proven, but

  threaten the surrounding ecology. That

  preparing to fight. Complex

  it is true that monsters are becoming more

  explanation doesn’t ease most people’s

  monsters are easier to fight

  prevalent in the absence of witchers.

  minds, but it is interesting to note that in

  with preparation but don’t

  recent years, monsters have begun to carve People Are Monsters Too

  require them. Difficult mon-

  ecological niches for themselves across the

  sters should only be taken on

  In The Witcher, any human, elf, or dwarf is

  Continent. Swamp-dwelling zeugls have

  if you know about the mon-

  just as capable of being monstrous as the

  begun living in trash dumps and sewers,

  ster: otherwise the bat le wil

  “monsters” they loathe. A few enemies list-

  necrophages have started scavenging bat-

  be punishing. Avoid using a

  ed in this bestiary are not monsters. These

  tlefields, and the like.

  difficult monster in an am-

  human and elderfolk enemies are driven by

  bush unless your players realy

  fear, hatred, or their own goals. In many cas-

  deserve it.

  es, this makes them even more dangerous

  than any monster from the Conjunction.

  268

  Monster Types

  Humanoids

  Cursed Ones

  Humanoids are not technical y mon-

  Cursed ones are humans or non-hu-

  sters. They include humans, as well

  mans afflicted with a curse that trans-

  as elves, dwarves, and other elderfolk.

  forms them into a monster. The most

  Humanoids are incredibly varied in

  common cursed ones are werewolves.

  their habitats and patterns. It’s im-

  Since they are humans who were
/>   portant to remember that even in the

  cursed, cursed ones normal y prowl

  standard rules for susceptibility, hu-

  around human settlements. Most such

  manoids are not vulnerable to silver or

  cursed creatures are actively hostile

  resistant to steel.

  against humans.

  Necrophages

  Hybrids

  Necrophages are corpse eaters who

  Hybrid creatures include a myriad of

  frequent graveyards, battlefields, and

  chimeras such as sirens and griffins

  deep caves. Their grisly appearance is

  made up of an amalgamation of ani-

  misleading—they’re living extrapla-

  mal parts. Hybrids are incredibly var-

  nar creatures. The less intelligent nec-

  ied and each prefer different habitats.

  rophages such as ghouls will attack

  Those that are capable of flight prefer

  anything that comes near. Cunning

  high places, though hybrids can be

  necrophages like hags will stalk grave-

  found all over the world and in all en-

  yards and lure away vil age folk.

  vironments.

  Specters

  Insectoids

  Specters embody the powerful desires

  Insectoids are enormous insects and

  of the deceased. They usual y come

  arachnids that roam the wilderness,

  into existence when someone is mur-

  setting traps for passersby. Insectoids

  dered or dies in the throes of powerful

  are general y ambush predators who

  emotion. While many seem to be intel-

  prefer to leap out at their prey and

  ligent, they are consumed with all-en-

  strike them with poisoned fangs or

  compassing drives—usual y rage—

  claws. Wandering too close to an in-

  that make them almost impossible to

  sectoid hive can lead to swarms of

  reason with.

  monsters coming after you.

  Beasts

  Elementa

  Beasts, like humanoids, aren’t techni-

  Elementa are fascinating creations of

  cal y considered monsters. The cate-

  elemental magic: golems, elementals,

  gory includes dogs, wolves, and the

  gargoyles, and the like. Most such

  like. These creatures are not vulnerable

  creatures are summoned by a mage

  to silver or resistant to steel. However

  or priest. They follow orders and have

  they’re ubiquitous, found all over the

  little will of their own. However when

  deep wilderness and near settlements,

  brought into this world without shack-

  preying on the townsfolk and livestock.

  les, elementa are forces of chaos that

  can destroy cities.

  269

  Relicts

  Relicts are forces of nature that come

  into existence in wilderness areas over

  time. Possibly these monsters came

  into our realm with the Conjunction

  of the Spheres. They are all magical

  creatures with strong ties to the natural

  world. Relicts range in mentality from

  cunning and intelligent to primal and

  monstrous.

  Ogroids

  Ogroids, including trol s, nekkers,

  and giants, are very humanoid crea-

  tures, often with almost human-level

  intelligence. Most are large and bulky

  (nekkers are the exception) and they

  not only form basic tribal societies but

  also, in the case of trol s, can speak hu-

  man and elderfolk languages with dif-

  ficulty.

  Draconids

  Draconids include creatures like

  wyverns and dragons. Most such Dra-

  conids are large, winged reptiles who

  are very dangerous (especial y in me-

  lee combat) but feral. True dragons are

  as or more intelligent that humans and

  possess many more abilities. Draco-

  nids lair primarily in high places and

  mountains.

  Vampires

  Vampires are an incredibly varied

  classification of blood-drinking mon-

  sters. Vampires usual y hunt in ruins,

  though powerful vampires can thrive

  in cities. Lesser vampires are mindless

  beasts who tear bodies apart and then

  slurp up the blood. Higher vampires

  can blend in seamlessly with humans

  and wield tremendous power.

  270

  Threat

  Easy

  Simple

  Bounty

  10

  Armor

  5

  INT

  3

  REF

  6

  DEX

  5

  BODY 5

  SPD

  4

  EMP

  3

  CRA

  4

  WILL 4

  LUCK 0

  STUN 4

  RUN 12

  LEAP 2

  STA

  20

  ENC 50

  Height

  Usual human heights

  REC

  4

  Weight

  Usual human weights

  HP

  20

  Environment Often near cities or main roads

  VIGOR 0

  Intelligence

  Human-level

  Organization

  Bands of 3 to 15

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  Bandits

  Vulnerabilities

  Common Opinion (Education DC:8)

  Hanged Man’s Venom

  Heh—bandits, deserters, renegades, whoresons. Whatever ya wanna call ‘em. People turn to crime for money and power, but most of the time it’s out of hunger or fear. Everybody knows ya get a spike of crime when there’s a war on. Happened the last two wars and it’ll happen again. Don’t mean the common man sees it that way. Heh, never say it to a kil er’s face, but the average son of a bitch thinks ‘bout as highly of a bandit as they would a damn ghoul. They Abilities

  hide in the filthy crevices of the world, waitin’ to spring out and ambush good, hard-workin’

  folk an’ take their hard-won livelihood.

  NONE

  –Rodolf Kazmer

  Academic Knowledge (Education DC:10)

  Levels of Bandits

  Bandits are one of the most common threats on the road,

  Bandits come in a lot of differ-

  but they are far from the most dangerous. You’d have a far

  Skills

  ent skill levels. The bandit pre-

  worse time prying a ghoul off of you than dispatching a few

  sented here is a basic thug—

  bandits. But they can still be a significant threat in large

  Swordsmanship +6

  the type of warrior you’d find

  groups. The vast majority of bandits are soldiers without an

  Crossbow +4

  guarding a criminal’s ware-

  army, mercenaries who have no contract, or deserters from

  house or ambushing travelers

  any one of the many armies flooding across the land. Simple

  Small Blades +5

  on the road. If you want, you

  sorts, bandits. The front ranks will charge with long swords.

  Brawling +6

  can alter the bandits’ stats

  Any who can’t will draw their crossbows. Bandits are usu-

>   Dodge/Escape +4

  to make them more or less

  al y looking for three things: safety, money, and something

  Athletics +4

  threatening. If you want an

  to take their anger out on. They aren’t exactly easy to deal

  average peasant or low-level

  with but, unlike most monsters, they can be reasoned with.

  Awareness +6

  thug, bring their REF & DEX

  Maybe you can convince them not to try and kill you. Since

  Stealth +3

  down to 3 and their HP down

  they aren’t hunting on instinct bandits will likely give up if

  Wilderness Survival +5

  to 15. Keep in mind that these

  you do enough damage to them.

  Resist Magic +4

  bandits won’t be much of a

  However, some who travel in more tightly woven

  Resist Coercion +5

  challenge for combat-orient-

  groups may fight all the harder if you kill their buddies. In

  ed characters. If you want a

  the war-torn North, be a bit more wary. Lack of easily acces-

  Endurance +5

  more veteran warrior, bring

  sible food has driven some bandits to cannibalism. Canni-

  Courage +7

  their REF & DEX up to 7 or

  bals often go a bit mad and attack wildly, refusing to give up

  8 and raise their HP to 35. As

  even when half dead. If you don’t want a fight, keep a wary

  you change the Combat Level

  eye on the roads.

  stats, you can also change skil s

  and gear to augment them

  Loot

  Weapons

  further.

  Name

  DMG

  Effect

  ROF

  Crowns (3d10)

  Mundane items (1d6)

  Iron long sword

  2d6+2

  N/A

  1

  Bolts (20)

  Dagger

  1d6

  N/A

  1

  Double woven hood