The Witcher TRPG, part 3

Getting the hang of it

This is already our third adventure in the Witcher universe. Previously, we’ve already burned a village and almost lost our lives killing drowners.

During the first two sessions, we were still getting used to the different rules. But now we’re getting the hang of it.

Our adventure

Be sure to check session 1 and session 2 if you want to understand the full story.

The day begins in the inn, but Letho’s gone off to a different adventure. So this time it’s all up to Sherga the mage, Rhay the bard and Spark the craftsman.

Jeldrika the inkeeper informs them of a mysterious count who lives in the neighborhood. This count hasn’t been seen anymore since he had a discussion with the local witch. Jeldrika brings him his food, but she just leaves it at the gates of his castle.

The party decides to investigate, and travels to the castle. But when they arrive there, they see that the castle is walled, and the drawbridge is drawn. And strange sounds are coming from beyond the walls.

Rhay climbs a large tree near the wall, and manages to reach the wall with his grappling hook. Spark joins him, but Sherga is not that athletic and decides to stay on the ground (read: she falls out of the tree). Rhay sees that the courtyard holds a couple of Endregas, nasty insectoid creatures. But before he can do anything, Sherga hears someone approaching.

Everyone lays low, and it turns out that it’s Jeldrika, the innkeep. She brings a basket of food for the inkeep, places it on the ground and leaves.

A bit later, Rhay sees a hooded person leaving the castle, and going to the drawbridge. Strangly enough, the Endregas just ignore him. He lowers the drawbridge, picks up the food and goes back to the castle.

But then Rhay decides to call out to him. It’s the count, and he invites them all in, but first he locks the Endregas in his shed.

Rhay, Sherga and Spark follow the count to his room, and there he reveals his deformed face: It’s half human, half insect!

The count – named Steven Von Peperstraebe – collects taxes of everyone who lives on his land. But Sefa the witch doesn’t want to pay those taxes, claiming that she lived there already long before the count arrived.

Their discussion got out of hand, and Sefa cursed count Von Peperstraebe, turning him half insectoid. Because of his hideously deformed face, the count never leaves his castle anymore. And now – with the Nilfgaardian war coming close – he fears for his life. He has no doubt that the Nilfgaardians will kill him immediately.

He regrets his earlier stubbornness, and just wants to live a normal life again. Sherga promises to seek out the witch, and to try to restore the peace.

After a short walk, the party reaches the house of the witch. It’s located in a swamp, with different stepping stones leading to it. But as Spark soon discovers, there’s a magical trap on the stepping stones and he gets poisoned.

Sherga uses her magic to detect the trap, and guides the party through the swamp.

And then they enter Sefa’s house. It turns out that Sefa had an earlier encounter with Spark, and that she has cursed his family. But she feels that she was a bit harsh back then and makes it up by giving her parrot to Spark.

Sefa also agrees to meet the count to discuss her curse. When Sefa and the count meet, they set aside their differences. Sefa doesn’t have to pay taxes, and she in turn lifts the curse.

Our heroes are rewarded with nasty bombs they can use against the Nilfgaardians and some other goodies. But where will their next adventure take them?