8 Forest Witch Spells

Art @Sherbakov Stanislav

[1] Withering Body - 1st level
This spell magically enchants the witch's body to appear old(er), shrinked, and wrinkled; as though gaining the elements of tree bark to the skin. It's hard to tell if the witches are just this old are under the effect of this spell all the time. Grants +2 AC and reduces the amount of damage you can take from all bleeding effects collective to 1 damage per exploration turn.

[2] Empower Specter - 1st level
Within ancient dark forests and lonely wild places, spirits who died and wandered far from all others remain. These specters can only watch living things, whispering in the ears of mortals, and giving a feeling of being watched. This spell empowers these specters by a blood sacrifice; requiring 1d4 damage worth of blood to either the caster or any captive animal or person. (Any chicken or rabbit will cover the cost). The blood empowers the specter, and gives it a vague humanoid form of a black shadow.

The specter is not under the control of the caster, but considers themselves in their debt. They can be used to perform minor tasks or spy on people. They have the ability to move objects when no one watches, like stacking stones or rifling through packs, and can fly through the underbrush along the shadows. They are banished by bright lights- even a torch would be enough to keep one away, and they are very reluctant to approach someone with even a candle.

The Specters can also fight, but it would require a great number of them to do anything. Treat them as 1 HD Ghosts with one standard attack; deals 1d3 damage on a hit. They cannot level drain and are always banished when successfully turned.

[3] Deadfall - 1st level
This spell requires the Witch to throw a stone or stick into the brush. It crashes against unseen rocks and brush and creates a very loud, echoing noise similar to the sound of a fallen tree. This echoing noise has two effects; firstly it unnerves the weak willed, causing -1 morale to unpaid or especially cowardly retainers for the rest of the adventure. Second, it has a 1 in 6 chance of drawing in a wandering monster encounter from the nearby area, curious about the noise.

Forest witches tend to cast this spell as a first measure against intruders, simply throwing a stone towards their general area in the brush. If it is unsuccessful in scaring them off or drawing wolves to kill them, then she will need to resort to a more direct approach.

[4] Change Self - 2nd level
This spell grants the caster one mutation. The mutation is random, but is always somewhat based on the caster's surroundings. Casting it while waist-deep in water may grant the user gills, or webbing between the fingers and toes. Casting it while rubbing the blood of a freshly slain deer on your head will likely grant you antlers, and so on. Most mutations granted by this spell are neutral, having both beneficial and negative qualities.

[5] Spell Suck - 2nd level
This spell requires a successful melee hit. The Witch must get up close to the target's face and suck the air out of their lungs while they are in the process of casting a spell. Upon a successful roll, the Witch steals the spell from the target. This spell is used up in the process.

[6] Noose of the Forest - 3rd level
Animates a twisting branch to wrap around someone's neck from the nearest tree, and then dragging them up to the average height of the branches while choking them. This spell animates a branch strong enough to lift up a man in full armor and carrying gear within a few seconds. Without neck protection or padding; you take 1d6 damage per round. If that doesn't kill you, destroying the branch to free you means you fall and will take fall damage equal to falling out of a tree.

When this spell is cast, you get a saving throw to make a noise when dragged up, otherwise you are dragged up silently, making it easy for the witch to pick people off on the back of the marching order, one by one. Anyone killed by this spell remains hanging from the tree, swaying in the wind.

[7] Dire Portent - 4th level
This spell requires an animal sacrifice, usually a rabbit, fox, or a fawn. The animal is bewitched to follow the caster, and the animal is then fed foul magical reagents. Then, it must be sent against your foes. When they find the animal, the moment they touch it or try to interact with it, it dies gruesomely by twitching and spurting blood from its eyes and mouth. If inspected after death, its insides are totally rotten to nothing, liquefied, the rest of it a hollow skin.

Everyone who saw the animal die is cursed. They get disadvantage on all saves against spells until they are ritually cleansed by a priest and live a pious life in isolation for one year or slay the witch who cast the spell. Only those who had a hand in killing her are freed from the curse.

[8] Cat's Body - 4th level
This spell transforms the caster's body into that a sleek jungle cat. They become about as large as a jaguar, gaining +1 HD, natural stealth and speed, climbing and leaping abilities, night vision, with two powerful 1d6+1 claw attacks. Their face remains the same. They can still speak, but lose the ability to cast spells or use their hands. 

They can only regain human(oid) form by killing a person and sleeping within/on their corpse. Otherwise, this spell is permanent.