The Good Witch

Ride the storm, and drop a house on your former bestie; we’re talking about Good Witches!

We’ve been playtesting Blood Prairie (coming soon!), with great success. Our last adventure features Virginia Slim, knife-fighting Hard Case and sex worker, and her pal Saloss, the Unemployed Angel of Optimism, navigating the godless post-apocalyptic prairie. They killed a man over knucklebones, miraculously fed a starving family, and travelled to a town of witches in hopes of finding a ‘Tear shed for the Death of a Wicked Soul’.

It was this last leg of things that prompted a question:

‘Are witches wicked by definition in this universe?’

And that’s a good question. As far as Blood Prairie goes, I’d say ‘not by definition, but it’s a good bet.’ But it did get me thinking. RPGs are stuffed to the brim with bad witches, hags, and other mean lady spellcasters. Sure, you’ve got lots of room for friendly sorceresses and such, but what about a straight-up Granny-Weatherwax-Hermione-Owl-House-Glinda-type good witch?

Oleander Oglix, Friendly Village Witch

Here’s a few gameable ideas for an NPC ally witch: Oleander Oglix!

• Knock at Oleander’s door, and it will be answered by one of her familiars: an ambulatory potato, with roots grown in facsimile of human limbs. These little fellows number roughly three dozen; one or two might get eaten on any given day, but more are always emerging from the garden. They can’t speak, but they respond strongly to human kindness. Ms Oglix might lend one out, as a torch bearer, if she thinks they’ll be well treated.
• She sells potions of Fire Resistance and Cold Resistance, but leaves labelling to her potatoes. 4-in-6 chance any given potion is correctly labelled. No refunds!
• Snoop on her mail, and you’ll discover her correspondence with the other (less reputable) witches of the region. They’re engaged in a protracted argument regarding cosmic politics, but still share the secrets to entering each other’s lairs. Disagreements or no, witches are rare enough that they can’t afford to burn bridges.
• She’ll translate any writing you bring her, but won’t pass along information that might hurt the local fae.
• In addition to brews arcane, she also sells moonshine. 1-in-6 chance her still explodes while you visit her, and you have to help her fight the fire.
• Her gigantic iron cauldron (room for six, if you’re friendly) can’t fly, but is capable of planar travel. Next time your players visit another dimension, Oleander is there too, on a social call. This could provide a deus ex machina, if needed, or simply a place to re-up on potions.
• If asked for magic aid beyond her potions, she will gift a wooden duck. She nods knowingly, ‘You’ll know when its time is right.’
  
  Note to the GM: be generous if/when your players attempt to use the duck. Fate is on the duck’s side.

Controversy? On this blog? In this economy? Check out Tuesday’s article about OSE; it’s got comments! If internet arguments aren’t to your liking, perhaps I could interest you in a loose sketch of a Shadowdark adventure? We’ve also got Witch Adventures; I didn’t write this one, I just think it’s neat!