Witch Covens
After a four day journey into the heart of the ancient Yorn Forest, my companion Alain and I finally came upon a clearing that lay nestled between mighty great-pines that
shot upwards into the sky hundreds of feet above us.
There, we saw who we were hoping to meet; a witch,
adorned in furs and dark grey cloaks. Her right hand
gripped a long quarterstaff, upon which feathers and
bones hung from a jagged crystal tip. Her hair, thick and
wild like that of the mane of a black lion, obscured much
of her face, though through that darkened canopy I could
see her eyes. The two haunting yellow eyes shone
curiously bright, and as the first few drops of rain
began to fall from the sky, her left hand emerged from
within her cloak, beckoning us into the heart of the
forest. “Come,” she began, “let me show you what the
world has forgotten.”
-Tulin Briarstorm, Historian of the Academy of
Arameus-Sol in Ironvale
Witch Covens are a mysterious and ancient part of
history. Many live in wild remote areas, practicing ancient and taboo magic deep within darkened woods or
haunted deserts. Others live just beyond the
edge of civilization, close enough to offer their
services to those who seek it while at the same time
far enough away to maintain a life of peace. A witch
coven may be harsh and cruel to outsiders, tricking
them into terrible curses or misfortune should they not
be careful of their dealings and wording. Some covens, however, are more generous and kind, serving as a voice
of wisdom and council to small villages and hamlets.
Despite this drastic variety of covens, all witches adhere
to two basic principles, which some covens refer to as the Rule of Two: the acquiring and protecting of ancient magic and magical secrets, and the Code of Covens. To the former, all witch covens maintain a connection to special magic, and make sure that it does not fall into the wrong hands.
The magic that a coven can hold and protect can be
as varied as the covens themselves, though all covens
protect their secrets from all outsiders, and
occasionally from other covens as well. To the latter,
all witch covens work together under a set of ancient laws known as the Code of Covens. It is through these laws that witches have each other’s backs in times of peace or peril.
Yet, even with their mystical abilities and ancient knowledge, all witches know that the world can be as dangerous as it can be peaceful. Witches exist in a constant state of in between do to the nature of an outsiders view on them. Cultures with strong ties to magic or nature may have a more respectful and favorable view on witches, valuing their knowledge, wisdom, and combined powers of
nature and the arcane. While on the other hand, some civilizations and cultures may view witches,
regardless of their coven’s practices, as heretics and
bad omens, and may even lead crusades,
inquisitions, or witch hunts to purge the land from
what they view as an impurity.
Inside the Covens
With so many different covens, it does not take a very scrutinous eye to see that there is no unified leader amongst the lot of them. The only unifying tie that all covens share are the unanimous upholding of the Rule of Two. Some covens keep to themselves, while others will communicate openly between other sister covens. Occasionally, there are instances where all witch covens gather together for a common goal. Such a goal could be uniting to fight against a zealous inquisition, or because of a rare magical event, such as a Bloodmoon or the sprouting of an ancient tree.
Below are a handful of sample covens that can be used within a world. These examples will give a basic description of the coven, their style of magic, and their general attitudes.
Coven of Lies. The Coven of Lies is one of the most feared covens in the land. Witches who belong to this coven often summon great spiders to aid them in battle, and are known for their use of deadly poisons. What makes them dangerous, however, is their ability to move stealthily and to be patient. Many witches in this coven use spiders to spy upon others, seeing through the eyes of a spider while it sits patiently in the webs in the corners of dark rooms or forests.
Coven of Might. The Coven of Might lives up to their namesake by training in the art of combat and acquiring power through whatever means necessary. These witches will often hone their skills in weaponry, and may even don armor in warfare. Their greatest strength, however, comes from their ability to draw allies to their cause and to have others work alongside of them. Great minotaur and mighty beasts will follow these witches to achieve whatever goal they are after.
Coven of Oak. The Coven of Oak is one that practices what is known as ‘green magic’, a type of magic that controls and wields the magical strength of nature itself. Often one of the more peaceful covens, witches within this group tend to wild areas of nature and help protect it. They get along more easily with druids than some other witch covens may, and they are known to be guardians of ancient natural sites, such as mighty old trees or an oasis within a vast desert.
Coven of Light. The Coven of Light is one of the more recognized covens, and favorably so. Many of these witches will offer their services to heal and help others with their ailments, wounds, or other aspects of their lives. They are often the coven that will live the closest to civilization, and in some cases small hamlets will even spring up around their settlements to protect them in exchange for their aid. These witches are sometimes known as ‘good witches’ or ‘witch-doctors’.
Coven of Seas. The Coven of Seas is one of the more nomadic covens, and they travel either on the oceans or journey up the lengths of coasts as the seasons change. They are practitioners of ancient oceanic magic, often using salt, seaweed, and shells in their rituals and spellcasting. They can be as unpredictable as the sea itself, offering aid and guidance through rivers or stormy seas, or can be malevolent deceivers, guiding many a would be voyage to their doom amongst the depths.
Goals of Witch Covens
The sheer amount of covens that exist, as well as their different views on the world and magic, means that different philosophies and ideologies are present amongst witchdom. Thus, it is very rare to see all witch covens work towards a specific goal. Rather, each coven’s immediate desires, goals, and needs can differ drastically from one another. Some covens seek nothing more than to help or be left alone to study magic, whereas some covens seek domination and control of others.
Witch Coven Lairs
The homes and lairs that witch covens reside within are infamous for the mystical properties and ancient magical secrets. Some witch covens homes, referred to as coven lairs, are hidden deep into the wilds and require incredible skill and tracking abilities for all non-witches to find them. Others are nestled within the remains of ancient sites and battlefields, with witches living in haunted and dangerous places.
To the right are a handful of sample coven lairs that can be used within a world. These examples will give a basic description of the coven, their style of magic, and their general attitudes. You can roll a d10 or choose from the options in the Coven Lair Options table to determine your the lair of your coven. To DMs, you may roll on this table or choose from the options below to choose coven lairs for other covens.
A Note to DMs
The lair of a witch coven are usually steeped in ancient witch magic. One great way to represent this type of magic is to use the options listed in Volo's Guide to Monsters for Hag Lair Actions (VGM pg. 59).
The nature of a witch coven greatly influences the type of magic that a lair can have. For example, a witch coven that focuses on 'green magic' or protecting nature may use a lair action for a green hag.
For coven witch or witch characters, they have special benefits when it comes to a witch coven lair. If a player plays a character who is a coven witch or witch class, they automatically succeed on any check or saving throw related to a coven lair action from the witch coven lair they come from. Coven witches or witch class characters have advantage on checks or saving throws related to witch coven lair actions for witch coven lairs they do not come from.
Coven Lair Options
| d10 | Coven Lair |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your coven's lair lies deep within a dangerous desert, built in a lonely oasis. |
| 2 | Your coven's lair rests on the remains of an ancient burial ground, and many witches of your coven live within the skulls of giant remains. |
| 3 | Your coven's lair sits amongst the peaks of mist covered mountains, composed of a series of stone towers emerging from the mountain. |
| 4 | Your coven's lair is a series of huts that stand upon stilts above the sludge-like water of a monster filled swamp. |
| 5 | Your coven's lair is nestled amongst massive primordial trees as a collection of huts and nest-like homes wrapping around the giant tree trunks. |
| 6 | Your coven's lair occupies the ruins of a long forgotten city or temple built within excellent view of the moon. |
| 7 | Your coven's lair is a series of underground cavernous chambers and caves that run deep under the base of a mountain range. |
| 8 | Your coven's lair rests far to the north amongst the chilling winds of a barren frozen wasteland. |
| 9 | Your coven's lair is built upon the remains of an old, massive battleground where the ghosts of the fallen soldiers haunt the fields at night. |
| 10 | Your coven's lair is a single area of multiple huts and hovels clustered and built densely together on the coast of a vast ocean. |
Hags & Witches
Some witch covens live with and work alongside hags, while others do not. The attitude of a witch coven can determine whether or not they consider hags to be allies, enemies, or neutral parties.
Coven Character
Alignment: Any alignment, though you usually share something in common with your Coven
Suggest Races: Bugbear, Elf, Goliath, Human, though any race can work
Suggested Classes: Cleric, druid, ranger, sorcerer, warlock, wizard
You might enjoy playing a character who belongs to a Witch Coven if one or more of the following sentences are true:
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You enjoy playing a character who is an outsider to civilized lands.
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You want to play a character with ties to ancient magic and powerful witches.
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You like the idea of a character who is complex, being viewed in various extreme ways by other people.
Joining a Coven
You may have been someone who was born and raised in a coven, with a family history of coven members stretching back generations. Or, you may have been someone exiled from your home or forced to flee as a refugee. Whatever the case may be, a coven will view you with respect and honor so long as you show the same back, and can prove yourself to be a capable and worthy member of a coven.
While most, if not all, witches will look after their own and side with another coven over any other faction, covens are unique in that they can drastically differ from one another in style, goals, and practices. When you become a member of a coven, you join a specific coven. You can roll a d8 or choose from the options in the Coven Options table to determine your characters specific coven allegiance.
Coven Options
| d8 | Coven |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your coven focuses primarily on protecting nature and wildlife. Your coven may have many animals that work alongside you and your fellow witches. |
| 2 | Your coven focuses primarily on helping others in times of trouble. Your coven may have their haven be easy to journey to, or may have its members travel to towns. |
| 3 | Your coven focuses primarily on dark and forbidden magic. Your coven may study the ways of enchantment or necromancy, or may summon fiends or undead. |
| 4 | Your coven focuses primarily on journeying to different sacred sites. Your coven may adhere to visions and prophecy, and may make pilgrimages to special places. |
| 5 | Your coven focuses primarily on offering services, both good and bad, to local villagers. Your coven may have had mixed experiences with locals, and thus treat each person differently. |
| 6 | Your coven focuses primarily on sacrifice and ancient rituals. Your coven may be trying to obtain forbidden power or access long forgotten magical abilities. |
| 7 | Your coven focuses primarily on hunting witch hunters, as well as traitors and exiles of covens. Your coven may have experienced recent tragedy, or may have been dealing with troublesome outsiders for generations. |
| 8 | Your coven focuses primarily on communicating with and helping beings from another Plane of Existence. Your coven may have once helped an otherworldy being return to their home, or may be trying to bring creatures from another Plane into your world. |
Sacred Rites
When you are born into a covenor not, you are not considered a witch until you reach adulthood and you have completed the Sacred Rites, special rituals or tasks that must be performed to become a witch of a coven. Below is a sample of rites or rituals that your coven may use to initiate members. You can roll a d8 or choose from the options in the Sacred Rites Options table to determine your character’s specific rituals that they must or have already performed.
Sacred Rites
| d8 | Sacred Rite |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sacrifice. You must perform a sacrifice of an adult animal or person, devour its heart, and bath in their blood for 1 hour under a full moon. |
| 2 | Retribution. You must find a witch hunter, traitor, or exile and put an end to them, and bring back their head to place at the feet of your coven’s First Witch. |
| 3 | Protection. You must protect an animal from being hunted, and if necessary, offer forth an adult animal in exchange. |
| 4 | Curse. You must accept a curse that your coven’s members all bear, such as lycanthropy or vampirism. You must live on your own for a month while you grow accustomed to it. |
| 5 | Combat. You must prove yourself in bloody combat, either by protecting the coven or fighting a mighty creature. |
| 6 | Benevolence. Over the course of a month, you must provide good services for a hamlet or village without hesitation or accepting anything in exchange. |
| 7 | Pilgrimage. You must make a journey through the lands to a specific site alone, praying at the site and bringing forth something from there to show as proof. |
| 8 | Possession. While surrounded by your coven’s members under a new moon, you must allow yourself to become possessed by a spirit for 4 hours, and must endure throughout the entirety of the time. |
Witchtongue
Just like druids have their own secret language, witches also share a special language that all witches learn. It is a heavily guarded language, and for an outsider to learn or know it is considered to be either a hefty and worthy gift or an incredible anomaly. It is rarely written down save for special circumstances, such as notating the history of a coven or for communication from one coven to another.
It is a language that is very beautiful, yet eerie and strange. There are many harsher vocal sounds, and words are often longer and contain multiple syllables. There are also two peculiar sounds that can be heard within the language. The first is a ‘hr’, which sounds akin to pronouncing an r with an h sound in front of it, and the second being a ‘hl’, which sounds similar to ‘hil’, with a heavy and breathy h sound. These two sounds give the language a very breathy and almost haunting quality to it. It is sometimes referred to as ‘the Old Speech’ by coven members or as ‘black tongue’ or ‘wicked tongue’ by those who wish to demean the language.
Witch Laws
With such a variety of covens and witches that exist, there are bound to be differences from coven to coven. As such, covens adhere two different sets of rules: a Coven’s Laws and a Code of Covens. A Coven’s Laws are always five rules that a coven sets for themselves. They may differ drastically, though the one rule they must abide by is the following: no rule on a Coven’s Laws can go against a law set in the ancient Code of Covens. They are sometimes known as a coven’s Five Laws. Your DM has final say on what a specific coven’s Coven’s Laws are.
The Code of Covens is a set of witch laws that all covens must adhere to and cannot refuse, should they be exiled or branded a traitor, the greatest insult a witch can give. It is a simple set of ancient laws passed down for centuries from the days of the first witches. They are sometimes known as the Witch Laws, the Ancient Words, or the Seven Tenets. The Code of Covens laws are below:
The Code of Covens
- No witch shall steal from another witch.
- No witch shall kill another witch, save for traitors or the exiled.
- No witch shall betray another witch or coven, nor shall they reveal a coven in hiding to an outside force.
- No witch shall refuse the plight of another coven should the latter be in need of aid or danger.
- All witches must respect and revere nature.
- All witches must take responsibility for their own actions.
- All witches, regardless of their views, must respect the ways and practices of another coven.
Witches who break one of the laws set by the Code of Covens are known as traitors or exiles. These witches are stripped of all gifts and titles they held, and are forbidden to speak to another coven. These traitors and exiled are distinguished by a special mark called the Traitor’s Mark, a magical black scar that is magically branded on the hand, arm, forehead, or neck. Through ancient magic, these marks cannot be removed save for a remove curse spell that is cast at the same time of day with a 8th or 9th level spell slot over the course of seven days, after which point the bearer must submerge themselves in a bath of salt water for 8 hours.
Witch Quirks
Given their deep connection to ancient magic, as well as the variety of covens that exist, it is no wonder that witches have peculiar traits to them. Many witches, either at birth of upon completion of a Sacred Rite, often have some minor quirk that distinguishes them from the common folk. These quirks can range from the minor to the extreme, from bodily changes to their presence itself. Below is a sample of quirks that your witch character may have. You can roll a d12 or choose from the options in the Witch Quirk Options table to determine your character’s specific quirks.
| d8 | Witch Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | The pupils in your eyes are slits, either vertical or horizontal. |
| 2 | It is hard to make out exactly why, but the area around you appears dimmer than around others. |
| 3 | You have fangs and long, sharp fingernails or claws. |
| 4 | Parts of your body, particularly your joints, have become covered in scales, fur, or feathers. |
| 5 | Your hair is wild and unruly, and appears to move as if always in a breeze. |
| 6 | The fur, scales, or skin on your hands, ears, feet, and lips appear blackened, or have a permanent dark green or red color to them. |
| 7 | Your limbs have lengthened an extra inch or two. |
| 8 | You have a captivating and undeniable beauty to you that some find hard to look away from. |
| 9 | You constantly smell like fallen rain, mid-morning dew, fresh herbs, incense, or the ashes of a fire. |
| 10 | Your voice sounds both elderly and youthful at the same time. |
| 11 | Small critters, such as beetles or spiders, can be seen crawling over you from time to time, appearing from within your cloak or hair. |
| 12 | Though you breathe, it often appears to others as if you are not. |
Background: Coven Witch
You are a witch, a member of a coven that lives out in the wilds. You are wise and knowledgeable regarding aspects of nature, plants, magic, and a multitude of obscure arcane arts. You often dwell within nature’s deep forests, elaborate caves, sun scorched deserts, or frigid taiga along with your fellow coven witches.
As a part of being a member of a coven, you work towards the greater good and the goals of the coven itself. You trade magical secrets with your fellow members, and will sometimes venture off to help with some task your coven needs. Some covens will keep generally to themselves and work towards helping nature, while others will play a more active role in relation to some community, whether that is to harm it or to aid it.
Skill Proficiencies: Any two skills of your choice
Tool Proficiencies: Choose one from Alchemist Supplies, Herbalism Kit, Poisoner’s Kit, or Woodcarver’s Tools
Languages: Witchtongue, and one language of your choice
Equipment: An athame, a cloak, a small pouch of local herbs, a sickle or wooden staff, a waterskin, and the fur of an animal.
Feature: Witch’s Wisdom
You are a practitioner of ancient, obscure magic crafts. As such, most people have mixed opinions of you and your skills, and some may seek you out for aid or guidance. If so, you can receive a small fee from them in exchange for your services (the fee is determined by the DM). Services that one may ask of you can range wildly, from questions regarding how best to tend to their fields, whether to place or remove a curse on someone else, or for homeopathic medical aid. Your DM can assist you in determining the nature of other meetings you may have with others.
You also know a set of secret codes, runes, and symbols that you can use to identify other witches, who can provide you with access to a hidden safe house, free room and board, or assistance in finding information. These witches never risk their lives for you, though they will assist you in what you ask so long as they are not in danger.
Witch Coven Spells
Prerequisite: Spellcasting or Pact Magic class feature
For you, your DM may rule that you can acquire a small extended list of spells based on your coven and the type of magic that it practices. For example, if your coven practices dark arts and forbidden magic, your DM may grant you an extended spell list of additional spells that involved enchantment or necromancy. Or, if your coven focuses on wielding the power of nature, your DM may grant you an extended spell list of additional spells that involve spells from the druid spell list. Should your DM grant you an extended spell list, the spells in said list are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class. (If you are a multiclass character with multiple spell lists, these spells are added to all of them.)
Below is an example of an extended spell list that your DM may use or allow for a character. The below extended spell list is for a character that practices ‘green magic’ or nature wielding magic.
Witch Coven Spells (Example)
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| Cantrip | druidcraft, thorn whip |
| 1st | entangle, speak with animals |
| 2nd | beast sense, moonbeam |
| 3rd | conjure animals, plant growth |
| 4th | dominate beast, guardian of nature |
| 5th | druid grove, tree stride |
Should your DM grant you an extended spell list, your magic can vary in terms of its appearance. Some witches call forth mangled roots and dark colored vapor when casting their spells. Others conjure ethereal shapes of animals, and others imbue their spells with warming, golden lights. The style of your magic is usually influenced by the nature of your coven.
Suggested Characteristics
Witches are, as a whole, a varied lot of individuals. Their personalities and mannerisms can differ drastically from one to another, even within a coven. Many witches believe in being themselves, though many witches are mindful of both themselves and their surroundings, and know when and where it is best to reveal their true personalities. Given that many people may either be seeking them out for either assistance or to hunt them down, witches are careful of who they reveal themselves around.
Personality Traits
| d6 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I often find more meaningful friendships in animals than I do people outside of my coven. |
| 2 | You can insult me all you want to, but don’t you dare insult my coven. |
| 3 | I laugh at those who try to constantly stay clean and are afraid to get dirty. |
| 4 | The only rules that I truly adhere to are the unspoken laws of nature and the rules of my coven. |
| 5 | I begin every morning with a small ritual that keeps me calm and clears my head. |
| 6 | I believe that the wilds will ultimately reclaim civilization. In time. |
Ideals
| d6 | Ideals |
|---|---|
| 1 | Coven. I would do anything for my coven. (Any) |
| 2 | Nature. Living amongst the native flora and wildlife is the true way to live. (Neutral). |
| 3 | Ancestors. We must strive to emulate our ancestors and make them proud. (Any) |
| 4 | Pride. Only those who understand the old magics can understand true power. (Evil) |
| 5 | Independence. My coven and I will do whatever it takes to maintain our way of life. (Chaotic) |
| 6 | Openness. I am willing to show the ways of my coven to those who are willing to learn and respect them. (Good) |
Bonds
| d6 | Bonds |
|---|---|
| 1 | Many of the members of my coven wish to keep our ways secret to others. I aim to change that. |
| 2 | My coven has been at odds with many other covens. |
| 3 | I am often finding myself doubting the leadership of my coven. |
| 4 | The leader of my coven has been training me to eventually take over as the coven elder. |
| 5 | I love my coven with every fiber of my being. I will protect them till my dying breath. |
| 6 | I had to leave my old coven behind to join a new one. The events that lead to this are … complicated. |
Flaws
| d6 | Flaws |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have a habit of being suspicious of most people. |
| 2 | Having seen how some of my fellow witches are treated, I am either too open or too harsh with many people I encounter. |
| 3 | I can often come across as frightening even when I am not trying to be. |
| 4 | When I see an animal being harmed that was not defending itself, I can become quite angered. |
| 5 | I sometimes have a habit of speaking what I really want to say in Witchtongue. |
| 6 | I feel compelled to curse those who have done me or my friends wrong. |
Contacts
The members of Witch Covens depend on each other for survival, companionship, and aid. Each coven faces many different encounters, from friendly ones composed of spirits, beasts, or people looking for guidance or wisdom, to dangerous moments of chase and fighting from witch hunters and inquisitions.
Roll twice on the Coven Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Coven Contacts table.
Coven Contacts
| d8 | Contact |
|---|---|
| 1 | One of my parents was a famous coven leader for many years. |
| 2 | My coven’s eldest member has recently took me under their wing to train me in ancient magic. |
| 3 | Our coven harbors an outsider, causing some within the coven to question the decision. |
| 4 | Several covens, including mine, once allied ourselves with some druids in a war several years ago. I feel deeply in love with one of those druids. |
| 5 | I have quite a few friends amongst many covens. |
| 6 | A member of my coven recently suffered a great loss, and blames our coven in their grief. |
| 7 | The previous leader of my coven was exiled after a miserable failure. |
| 8 | One of my siblings betrayed our coven. I now journey to find them. |
Non-Coven Contacts
| d8 | Contact |
|---|---|
| 1 | A nearby city has recently declared a witch hunt upon the nearby covens. |
| 2 | My coven has had to migrate for better land and safety, and have joined forces with a nomadic tribe. |
| 3 | War looms on the horizon after my coven’s elder witnessed an outsider slay one of her children. |
| 4 | While my coven warns against making friends with non-witches and non-druids, I have recently met a great friend from a nearby village. |
| 5 | My coven recently came into contact with a great forest spirit. |
| 6 | The actions of one of my fellow witches has brought the anger of a nearby town upon us. |
| 7 | My coven, in a move that proved to be controversial amongst my fellow coven members, recently tended to the wounds of a group of soldiers who fought in a battle nearby. |
| 8 | Several covens, including mine, have been recently helping a nearby settlement rebuild after a terrible event. |
How Do I Fit In?
As a member of a coven, you have two major things to keep in mind at all times: the Rule of Two and your coven’s own set of rules and tenets. You are free to disagree with anything from either of these two things, but be warned as the consequences for acting upon them can have dire ramifications.
Your coven may ask you to perform a certain assignment or task, the nature of which often depending on the type of coven you are a member of. For example, if you belong to a coven whose members are practitioners of dark arts, they may send you out to acquire obscure and exotic materials for a powerful ritual.
Or, if your coven is more open to outsiders, for example, your coven may task you with trying to aid the people of a nearby hamlet in rebuilding after a terrible tragedy. You might even be sent to travel with a group of adventurers in search of a missing member or your coven, or to spy upon the civilized world.
A Coven Party
A group of Coven adventurers can have many reasons for journeying. Many covens send members into cities to spy upon the local lords who are suspicious of witches. Others are sent to find a missing witch or to aid another coven through terrible times. Others may be the sole remaining members of their coven, and as such may want revenge or a new life.
While mostly magic users (druids, sorcerers, warlocks, wizards), some covens will have members who take up arms (barbarians, fighters, rangers) who serve as body guards and support to spellcasters. Many tasks that covens tackle take place in the wilds, though they occasionally venture into more civilized territory.
Another route that can be taken with an all coven party is by taking a look at the Plot Hooks section of this document. By using one of these, or by possibly combining multiple options in that table, a party of all coven members can have a series of tasks that can span over the course of several sessions or can last the entire length of a campaign. Work with your DM regarding some potential routes that an all coven party can be approached with.
Enemies and Allies
The life of a witch is seldom a mundane one. From the lowly commoner who seeks your guidance regarding his crops or love life, to the zealous actions of a nearby witch hunter’s guild, a witch has much to keep an eye out for in the world.
Below are two sample lists of enemies and allies that your witch character may have. You can roll a d6 for each table, or choose from the options in the Witch Enemies Options table and Witch Allies Options table to determine your character’s specific foes and friends.
| d6 | Enemy |
|---|---|
| 1 | The leader of a local guild of witch hunters blames you for a tragedy that has befallen his city. |
| 2 | You angered a local villager, who aims to report you to the local authorities. |
| 3 | The local wildlife is dwindling and crops are having difficulty in growing. The locals have deemed it to be the result of witchcraft. |
| 4 | The clerics of a local church have recently initiated an inquisition against all of witchdom. |
| 5 | Either you or one of your coven’s members broke off a controversial relationship with an outsider. The outsider has not taken it well. |
| 6 | A local king trusted a witch with a task. After the witch failed, all witches were to be brought in for justice. |
| d6 | Ally |
|---|---|
| 1 | The First Witch of a nearby coven owes you a debt after you aided them with a task. |
| 2 | You have a cousin that is a member of another coven of witches some distance away. |
| 3 | Your coven made a special pact with an otherworldly entity, who helps your coven in times of need. |
| 4 | Your father is an old warrior and defender of the coven, and trains you in ways to defend yourself. |
| 5 | A member of a nearby village trusts you after you helped them with an issue that had been plaguing them for a long time. |
| 6 | A local nature spirit was in danger until you saved it, and it now tries to assist you when you come through the area. |
Plot Hooks
A witch coven can provide a great number of plot hooks and other story elements for a campaign. Below is a sample list of plot hooks that may be included into your campaign. Your DM may choose one of the following options on their own, or you can work out one of these with your DM should you choose to have your character be tied to one of these. You can roll a d8, or choose from the options in the Witch Coven Plot Hooks table to determine a plot to use for story elements.
| d8 | Plot Hook |
|---|---|
| 1 | With the advancement of great civilizations and the rise of technology, the covens must unite together to decide their fate in the future of the world. |
| 2 | A witch coven has recently assumed power of a nearby land. Some of the populace have enjoyed the change in leadership, while others have been whispering of rebellion. |
| 3 | The sole survivor of the massacre of a coven has come to another for shelter and refuge. They spoke of a brutal witch hunt. |
| 4 | An ancient nature spirit is dying, and has tasked a coven with helping it find a cure to their ailment. |
| 5 | A traitor to a witch coven has found a way to curse the members of their former coven. The First Witch of that coven has sent out witches to find them and put an end to their suffering. |
| 6 | An ancient and terrible entity threatens everything in the land. Someone has approached the coven for assistance in taking down this terrible threat. |
| 7 | A coven has been acting rashly, and their new leader has threatened to disregard and even change the Code of Covens forever. |
| 8 | Witch covens have been migrating as the land is dying. Many witches are trying to hide and survive amongst cities and towns, hoping to live without being discovered. |
Art Credits
Below is a list of the sources of the artworks used throughout this document. These artists are incredible and deserve recognition!
The Forest Witch by Stu Harrington
Woods Witch by Even Amundsen
The sanctuary of the Arkh witch by Koni - Amandine GIRARD
Mystics hut concepts by Bane Jovic
Witch by Veronika Firsova
Swamp Witches by Martina Fačková
White Woods by Irina Nordsol Kuzmina
The Witch by Romain Jouandeau
Sea Witch by adrien amilhat
Witch Swamp by Pablo Palomeque
Witches Lair by Juan Pablo Roldan
Note from the Creator
This faction is one of several 'setting neutral' factions that will appear in my upcoming wizard project, Yorviing's Arcane Grimoire, a massive project which aims to provide a vast amount of options for wizards and other options for home games. If you enjoy this faction and/or end up using anything from this in a home game, whether it be for a one shot or a campaign, feel free to message me on Reddit at u/Yorviing with any comments, critique, and feedback!
Created by: u/Yorviing