The Witcher: Northern Winds Interest Check - Freeform Fantasy

[Tolvo]

Yeah I'm definitely more partial to the Witcher school idea. It's a plot I've wanted to do for a long time.

I was also thinking for the School maybe to the southwest in Kovir and Poviss would be a good location, with maybe naming the Witcher School the School of the Hawk, or even School of the Shark given it's sea fairing ways and location at a coastal region would open up things a lot I feel. Maybe we should have a Witcher from the school of the Manticore as well since IIRC that is the only non-defunct school left. As someone to help teach and train Witchers, maybe a Zerrikanian. I could make that character an NPC.

[Deamonbane]

I have an idea for a Witcher, but it depends on how long after the events of Wild Hunt that we start on.

[Tolvo]

That I'm still trying to decide on. I'm thinking at least a year, but I don't want it to be decades after. What is your idea?

[ff]

That I'm still trying to decide on. I'm thinking at least a year, but I don't want it to be decades after. What is your idea?

Yeah that sounds good to me, like close enough to the end of W3 that the canon characters look about the same age (well Witchers and sorceresses age more slowly anyway); that way for example if you ever have canon chars appear in NPC cameos, the same reference art can be used, and you don't have to figure out as many years of 'what they've been up to', and the people who were alive at the end of W3 haven't died of old age (for example the Nilfgaardian emperor who looked pretty old).

It would certainly be fine with me if it were later, tho (the stuff in Gwen's bio about Skelligan politics would work anytime in Cerys's reign and she's pretty young at the end of W3. And if it didn't work anymore I could just change that bit up.)

School of the Hawk or Shark both sound awesome, and either way I like the idea of a coastal setting and maybe some  ship or pirate stuff. 

School of the Hawk (or Eagle) makes me think of Assassin's Creed (with their Eagle theme); maybe Witchers who like to get to high vantage points (literally or metaphorically) and survey things before moving in - maybe 'snipers' who use powerful bows and/or fight a lot of flying monsters like that griffin from White Orchard in W3; Shark of course connotes to me seagoing familiarity and in your face brutality.

[Tolvo]

Maybe 5-10 years would be a good time to go with. Leaning closer to 5. I think her backstory still works. Though thinking about it more let's see if we are going to have Witchers of the school as characters, wanting them to be at least 18 years old. Let's say they were taken in as children so like maybe at around 8-10 years old, we'd want at least ten years after Witcher 3 ends then.

[Lustful Bride]

School of the Hawk or Shark both sound awesome, and either way I like the idea of a coastal setting and maybe some  ship or pirate stuff. 

School of the Hawk (or Eagle) makes me think of Assassin's Creed (with their Eagle theme); maybe Witchers who like to get to high vantage points (literally or metaphorically) and survey things before moving in - maybe 'snipers' who use powerful bows and/or fight a lot of flying monsters like that griffin from White Orchard in W3; Shark of course connotes to me seagoing familiarity and in your face brutality.

Hawk/Eagle: Ohh fascinating. Maybe they even have a very primitive version of a musket that they use to fight larger monsters, and the manufacturing of it is a School secret that the headmater(s) guard well.

Though Shark could be interesting. We could invent a whole new race for aquatic adventures. Sahagin, fish people who engage in piracy and sea monster hunting themselves. X3 Possibly give us a chance to include an Undyne expy.

Maybe 5-10 years would be a good time to go with. Leaning closer to 5. I think her backstory still works. Though thinking about it more let's see if we are going to have Witchers of the school as characters, wanting them to be at least 18 years old. Let's say they were taken in as children so like maybe at around 8-10 years old, we'd want at least ten years after Witcher 3 ends then.

I agree with this.

[Deamonbane]

I'm still working on the idea to be honest. The one that I had was for one of the new generation of Witchers, but the timeline doesn't work there, so I'll think up something else.

[ff]

I'm still working on the idea to be honest. The one that I had was for one of the new generation of Witchers, but the timeline doesn't work there, so I'll think up something else.

Hmm (if this is consistent with the lore and the GM's premise, since my memory isn't this precise) what if your char was a Witcher at another school, and (since they are all dying off anyway IIRC) migrated to this one, and is more like one of its 'transfer students' or a teacher there, rather than a 'native' of it? i.e. went through Trial of the Grasses a while back somewhere else. That way he/she could be comfortably an adult already even if this school is quite new.

I kinda figured each new Witcher school is probably founded by Witchers from other schools anyway, but I don't recall if there's official lore on how schools began (or who the 'first Witcher' was; interesting question).

[ff]

Hawk/Eagle: Ohh fascinating. Maybe they even have a very primitive version of a musket that they use to fight larger monsters, and the manufacturing of it is a School secret that the headmater(s) guard well.

That's neat, I certainly wouldn't mind some early firearms in the setting (especially if there's a coastal piratey vibe too) but if that setting vibe isn't preferred, there's always bows and crossbows. (Hawk = Witchers who use longbows or some equivalent of Chinese repeating crossbows, rather than Geralt's piddly little crossbow)

Though Shark could be interesting. We could invent a whole new race for aquatic adventures. Sahagin, fish people who engage in piracy and sea monster hunting themselves. X3 Possibly give us a chance to include an Undyne expy.

Yeah I would figure a school of the shark would fight a lot of aquatic foes like the drowners and harpies, and probably bigger stuff learning out there that we don't see in the game, or that weird river monster that attacked their barge in one of the books. And I think sahagin or some sort of organized enemy aquatic race would be cool. Or drowners being organized by a necromancer could fill as similar role.

[Tolvo]

I think the Griffin School could also be a possibility for a background for a Witcher character, or the Manticore School. With the new Witcher school too we could have it be that they've collected works from other schools so they can take in training aspects from multiple. That way people won't have to play as a specific style that is associated with the school. I'm kind of more partial towards Shark for the school.

And since Witcher 1 establishes some fish people we could make them related to that as something to deal and interact with. I do love the idea of dealing with some nautical stuff and water monsters as well as more typical of Witcher creatures.

As for guns I'm not entirely sure. Witcher is very late Medieval and Renaissance in inspiration so while we never saw guns it wouldn't be out of the question I think. But maybe, I'm trying to remember if cannons were established or not.

[Lustful Bride]

Welp here is my character, I hope she fits the requirements while still keeping that feeling of a support character. A small fish among larger ones.

Agga Vennenfrun

Player Name: Lustful Bride
Character Name: Agga Vennenfrun
Age: 25
Gender(s): Female.
Sexual Orientation: Open to all, but secretly has a thing for Elves.
Race: Human

Appearance: A redhaired, green eyed woman who tends to wear her plague outfit. Her hair tends to be messy as she only spends the time needed to cut it and stuff it into her hat or plague outfit. She has a set of bags under her eyes that make her look older than she really is. Her fingers are scarred from her accidentally cutting herself and the tips of her finger are calloused from the work she does. Her body is very pale from always wearing her plague robes. But she does try to take care of herself, so she smells and looks good once one gets past her more ragged and tired appearance.

Height: 5'8''

Weight: She honestly isn't sure, she never bothered to look and her weight depends on how much money she earns.

Notable Features: She doesn't need them that badly, but she does wear spectacles from time to time when her eyesight bothers her. She didn't always need them, but she suspects that being exposed to the fumes of her alchemy may have been the cause. She is also very pale for a woman her age and for one who is out and about so often. This is mostly due to her wearing her plague clothes when in places that are very cold to keep herself warm, as well as when doing business or traveling in more dangerous areas. As it helps protect her from disease, and keeps bandits away from fear of what might be in her bags or on her carriage.

Notable Equipment: Usual set up of a traveling doctor, surgery tools, medical equipment (leeches not included since they die too fast) and other equipment she can fit into her carriage. Her most notable bit of gear though is her Plague outfit, which she has kept with her since the war.

Weapons: She has a few bottles of flammable liquid and noxious gasses and fluids she will throw at bandits or monsters that try to harass her on her travels. The only other weapon she really has is a long knife that she will dip in poison if she has a chance. She isn't much of a fighter though and hasn't had much time to learn.

Attire/Armor: When conducting business (or doing a variety of other things) she carries with her a plague doctor's outfit, and has different bits she puts on and removes as circumstances dictate. When not wearing it she has a simple, deep red dress that she will wear when in more civilized places and a green one for when she needs a change of clothes. Most of her storage space is taken up by books, papers, and other necessary things a doctor needs. Maybe when she finally has a place to set up a practice, she might be able to settle down and focus more on her appearance.

Extra Equipment: Glasses. Bottles of various liquids and concoctions, both magical and mundane.

Class/Archtype: Traveling healer and novice alchemist/herbalist.

Personality: Tired, friendly, just wants to help make the world a better place and show that not all Nilfgaardians are as bad as they are made out to be. She can be snarky when she wishes it but doesn't really hold any anger to others and it takes real effort to make her angry. Despite her profession she is genuinely unnerved by necrophages and the diseases that corpses carry. This applies doubly so for some of the more disturbing and disgusting diseases that affect the body. She tries her best to keep her fear in check, and hopes that her efforts will help eradicate these diseases one day.

Backstory: She grew up near the Northern border of the Nilfgaardian Empire, and studied under a tutor the art of medicine. She went north with him to take part in the war effort when the Emperor asked for all loyal members of their shinning empire to do their part in aiding their army take and civilize the anarchistic North after the death of its King. Her family did not want her to go, but Agga disobeyed and went with her teacher. She wanted to prove that she was as good as any member of the Empire from the capitol. She wasn't just some country bumpkin.

What she saw on the battlefield and on the operating table hardened her and made her grow up very quickly. She learned how to keep people from bleeding out, patching up grievous injuries, and as the piles of bodies began growing, she took mtters into her, own hands and began helping to handle the dead and keep away the corpse eaters. This was what truly began her personal war against diseases, the plagues, and the corpse eaters.

Her tutor was killed when their camp came under an attack by archers who were completely unseen and after that the war came to an end.

Agga didn't feel like returning home. The idea just didn't have anywhere near the amount of comfort that it once did. Instead Agga took her money from the military, got some wild horses, bought a carriage, and took what supplies that she could from the medical tent (some of it stolen, especially the plague outfit) and went off in a random direction. She hasn't looked back since then and occasionally sends letters back home. There is something cathartic about healing others and many of these uncivilized Northerners have been without proper medical care. As a healer it is her duty to provide aid wherever she can.

Skills: Can read, write, speak the common tongue, and her native Nilfgaadrian. Practiced healer with a passable knowledge of herbs and alchemy. Though nothing compared to that of a real Witch, or better yet, a Witcher. Has gotten quite well at throwing things, especially when those things are bottles full of deadly substances at thieves who get in her way.

Abilities/Aspects:Agga has a very good throwing arm, can carry a tune, and especially loves singing a strange local tune that she heard some children saying at a crossroads. Agga isn't sure of the origins of the song, (likely just some fairy tale to get them to behave) but its fun to sing and she enjoys singing it to herself when alone on long journeys. She isn't very good at riding her horses and more often than not argues with those damn animals as they constantly try to pull her carriage in directions she didn't order them to. She is very weak when it comes to actually throwing a punch. Her kicks are better than any punch she could ever throw, and she has long since given up on the idea of learning to fight with her hands.

I think the Griffin School could also be a possibility for a background for a Witcher character, or the Manticore School. With the new Witcher school too we could have it be that they've collected works from other schools so they can take in training aspects from multiple. That way people won't have to play as a specific style that is associated with the school. I'm kind of more partial towards Shark for the school.

And since Witcher 1 establishes some fish people we could make them related to that as something to deal and interact with. I do love the idea of dealing with some nautical stuff and water monsters as well as more typical of Witcher creatures.

As for guns I'm not entirely sure. Witcher is very late Medieval and Renaissance in inspiration so while we never saw guns it wouldn't be out of the question I think. But maybe, I'm trying to remember if cannons were established or not.

*thumbs up* Those would all be fine with me. They were just suggestions.

[Tolvo]

Love the plague doctor. ^_^

Hmm, I suppose thinking about it given how advanced they are in other ways and the fact that gunpowder definitely exists since there are bombs even if there aren't cannons, and time will be passing, I could see a gun fitting in. Though more akin to early gunpowder weapons.

[ff]

Agga looks sick (in a good way; get it?) can't wait to 'meet her'. Plague doctor makes a bunch of sense in the wake of all the recent warfare on the mainland and the pestilence and famine that follow such things.

As for guns I'm not entirely sure. Witcher is very late Medieval and Renaissance in inspiration so while we never saw guns it wouldn't be out of the question I think. But maybe, I'm trying to remember if cannons were established or not.

Yeah guns do change the feel of a setting, so understandable if you'd rather not do them. My character wouldn't be familiar with 'em either way & and it doesn't really matter to me.

[Deamonbane]

I was under the impression (Games and book lore hint at it but only vaguely) that Witchers were almost extinct. The Trial of the Grasses is considered a thing of the past, and I think it's Lambert that says that they haven't trained any new Witchers in generations. This might just be valid for the School of the Wolf though. I'll do some research, and get back to y'all.

[Tolvo]

It is true most of them are extinct. With seemingly the Bear, Cat, being completely gone as far as we can tell and then the Wolf School being in decline. Manticore and Griffin though are never established if they're around or not. As well we really only know that Witchers are nearly extinct in the areas we see in the games, but further north there could be some more for example.

[Deamonbane]

Anyways, new idea: Old Witcher from nearly extinct school called in from the Path to help with the founding of a new school. I'll try to have a sheet up tonight :)

[ff]

It is true most of them are extinct. With seemingly the Bear, Cat, being completely gone as far as we can tell and then the Wolf School being in decline. Manticore and Griffin though are never established if they're around or not. As well we really only know that Witchers are nearly extinct in the areas we see in the games, but further north there could be some more for example.

Oh yeah that's true. There also might be a few stragglers like that one School of the Cat guy from a W3 DLC mission.

[Lustful Bride]

Love the plague doctor. ^_^

I am glad. Plus it gives her a way to help out.

Hmm, I suppose thinking about it given how advanced they are in other ways and the fact that gunpowder definitely exists since there are bombs even if there aren't cannons, and time will be passing, I could see a gun fitting in. Though more akin to early gunpowder weapons.

Yeath they could be more like Matchlocks and...whatever it was that came before that. *Shrug*

[Tolvo]

Sounds good Demon. ^_^

Oh yeah I always forget about that Cat Witcher from the DLC.

[pdragon]

I'm curious, I've only played the second game, so what races are all available in the world? And would it be possible to expand/make up new ones for the sake of creating a character? Granted that it fits with the tone of the world and all that? I was thinking of having a sort of grizzled veteran of a non-human race to be the sort of combat/hunting instructor for the school, and I was thinking of either going with a satyr or an orc who would kind of be a fantasy equivalent of a mongol/ Eurasian steppe warrior.

[ff]

Dwarves and elves exist in the Witcher setting, vaguely similar to (but not quite the same as) Tolkien and other settings, and with various politics and bad blood going on (like pogroms in Novigrad, and bands of guerilla elve).

There are 'sylvans' which are like Fey (but like a lot of things in Witcher with a dark twist usually) and some are- or are-similar-to satyrs I suppose (the satyr-like one I think I remember from the game was pretty fat and ugly, dunno fi they all are, also I think there was a Succubus which looked somewhat like a female satyr with the horns and goat legs (and of course she was evil and manipulating a dude). I don't recall whether some of them were civilized/intelligent. Dunno about orcs and such.

http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/Sylvan

[Tolvo]

I dunno if Orcs exactly fit, but there are essentially Satyr in the form of Sylvan. Probably we could still call one a Satyr as the Witcher does feature nymphs.

There are quite a few races. Things like Humans, Elves, Gnomes, Halflings, Dwarves, are the main races. Then there are monstrous races like Merpeople, Trolls, Higher Vampires, Succubus, Werewolves, Vodyanoi, Doppler. Being Non-Human comes often with facing prejudice, being a monster means people may try to kill you.

For a Steppes warrior there are the Blue Mountains to the East which may be a fitting place, it's also a place where Elves like to hide away from humans.

[Lustful Bride]

I dunno if Orcs exactly fit, but there are essentially Satyr in the form of Sylvan. Probably we could still call one a Satyr as the Witcher does feature nymphs.

There are quite a few races. Things like Humans, Elves, Gnomes, Halflings, Dwarves, are the main races. Then there are monstrous races like Merpeople, Trolls, Higher Vampires, Succubus, Werewolves, Vodyanoi, Doppler. Being Non-Human comes often with facing prejudice, being a monster means people may try to kill you.

For a Steppes warrior there are the Blue Mountains to the East which may be a fitting place, it's also a place where Elves like to hide away from humans.

There was also that satyr like creature from "The Last Wish' that threw rocks at Geralt and Dandelion but really wanted to eat food and be left alone. 

[Tolvo]

Yep that's the Sylvan.

[Lustful Bride]

Yes the one in the book wasn't as obese and looked more like the mischevious satyr we are familiar with. At least I am 50% Sure it wasn't obese like the one in W3.