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Witch Hunter, The Movie, The Nerdarchy Game and the Backstory

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Witch Hunter Fear not loyal Nerdarchist there will be no spoilers here- I haven’t even had a chance to see the movie yet!  Then what, pray tell is this article about you ask?  Tomorrow night at (or around) 10:30 EST, Halloween, Nerdarchist Dave’s running an eerie Dungeons and Dragons Witch Hunter game live on Google Hangout for myself, Nate the Nerdarch, as well as friend, and frequent guest poster, Art Wood.

Our characters were created using the Witch Hunter (click link to download PDF of the class!) custom character class written by Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer.  It’s a full 20 levels of a character class with three distinct orders to choose from, The Orders of the Ghostslayer, Profane Soul, and the Mutant.  The three of us will be playing each of the orders as 15th level characters.  Our intrepid Dungeon Master Dave has given us a 30 point stat buy and 6,000 gp to spend on starting equipment using the gold costs out of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for magic items.

Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition- Witch Hunter Class

Yours truly will be playing a dwarf following the Order of the Mutant.  Below is the backstory for Egrec Rune Hammer:

Clan Rune Hammer was set upon by a powerful demon with a visage like a monstrous demonic dwarf.  Most of the clan was slaughtered and those that survived scattered running for their lives.  The loathsome demon was looking for a book in the possession of Thrune, the clan’s head priest, Egrecs father.

Thrune gave young Egrec the book and sent him running while he charged this being of sheer malevolence buying his son valuable time with the coin of his life, Egrec was able to slip through secret tunnels as Thrune struggled against his demonic foe.  After running non-stop for several days, seemingly without end, Egrec collapsed in exhaustion in a mountain pass.witch hunter

When it was clear that he wasn’t being pursued he examined the book and found he couldn’t read it.  He stowed it away and sought to finding others of his clan.  After weeks of looking he could find none and he was commanded not to return the book to his homeland.

As a young child, barely seeing 30 years he set a life for himself.  Years of solitude with only the rare traveler to speak to gave him much time for contemplation.  Over the years, Egrec was constantly drawn to the book his father gave him.  He spent years trying to decipher it trying to figure-out the code based on his own language.

After a decade of hard work he translated the book.  He later found that the book was written in the tongue of demons and he would later finish his studies and learn the entire language.  It seemed the world was waiting for this to happen. A stranger came the next day into his sparse cave running from some creature or another.  They sat in silence until the beast moved on.

The stranger was a human and an in experienced warrior.  He convinced Egrec to set off with him in promise of treasure and reward.  It was a mistake.  In the fight that was to come the human died, after all he barely saw two decades of life.  Not enough time to learn anything.  That left Egrec alone again.  He did walk away with some treasure.  He found a weird rock with the dwarven rune for luck.  This he kept.

He wandered for a while getting a job here or there at a forge, but his random wandering was always away from his clans home.

Eventually he came upon a grizzled human who had clearly seen much battle.  He had potions and vials in bandoleers across his chest and around his waist.  His sword seemed to burn the air around it.  With a sniff this veteran seemed to size me up as he passed.  He sniffed again seeming to notice something.

He tells me that he is a witch hunter and whether I know it or not I am as well.  A few hours of drink and conversation and he convinces me to take the oath complete my training and I can set on my path of avenging my clan.

5th editionSeveral weeks of travel and a few lessons pass by before I can be aware of it.  As opposed to some mage tower as I was expecting I am taken underground.  I already feel a kin-ship to this place.  A few years go by and I am told that my natural heritage saved me time.  Weapons and armor training happen by the time a dwarfling starts his first or second decade.

Eventually I pass though they tell me that this path can be a lonely one and most do not survive.  What a thing to tell me afterward.  It was now time to work on destiny.

Years go by as missions become my focus.  Eventually the surroundings become familiar as I am tracking a demon that is trying to escape me axe.  As I look around I am startled to realize that the place the demons are hiding in is the former home of Clan Rune Hammer.  It has been decades since I have set foot here.

I tread carefully out of respect for my home of old as well as because I know not where the foes lie in wait for me.

Once I clean out the scum I realize that over the decades almost everything that showed this was me home is all but gone.  That which is left is rotted or destroyed in one fight or another.  When I search carefully I find the body of my father still in his ceremonial robe that is burned and tattered.  He clearly fell in the fight the day I left.  My tears fall fast and hard as dwarven curses fall hard and fast from my lips.

I swear that I will find out what that demon was and end his miserable reign.  I will crawl though the abyss on my hands and knees and swing an axe from my teeth if I must.

Father had one item he was truly proud of that he only brought on dwarven holy days and he kept it stashed securely.  If only it were still here. I searched his room and below the bed in yet another of his wondrous hidden alcoves was his armor.  Crafted from pure adamantine, would it fit me now?

I take the armor and give him the send off that is not only his dwarven right but his due for his station as priest and father.  I will see what of my clan I can put back together and give those that fell their justice.

Over the next few decades more evil falls but so to does some of my traveling companions.  The looks I get when I get into town starts to worry some folks and occasionally scares little children.  The smile that once came to my face so easily now seems nothing more than a memory.  I spend more time with bizarre reagents than I do with people talking, even those I travel with.

The concoctions I drink give me power unlike any I travel with, but what has it done to my body?  My wounds start witch hunter 5th editionto close the moment I get hit but the skin it heals is red and ragged.  The scars are angry and now cover all of my exposed skin and much of what is below my armor.  My skin has a rocky quality to its touch and I move slower that I used to.  Which is saying a lot for my short legs already have issue keeping up with the humans.  My hair has fallen out in patches not only on my head but on my beard as well.  Though no priest is able to find anything wrong with me I look as if I carry a decease.

The more I kill the more delight I get from killing evil.  I wonder if the path I walk is always going to be lonely or if should I retire is there anywhere that would take me in?  Or should I just kill for the next 100 years or until I make that mistake and then evil gets to win again.

The clues only come in pieces on the demon I hunt, but each piece gets me closer to vengeance I seek.

I hope you enjoyed my character back story and come check out Dave’s game after you’re done Trick or Treating!  If you can’t make it, you can always watch us later on YouTube.  Give this really dark and gritty Dungeons and Dragons class a look and consider allowing it into your game as it balances well with other classes in the game- you’ll be able to see how it works throughout our game.  Until next time:  Stay Nerdy!

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Ted Adams

The nerd is strong in this one. I received my bachelors degree in communication with a specialization in Radio/TV/Film. I have been a table op role player for about 20 years 17 of which with the current group. I have played several itterations of D&D, Mutants and Masterminds 2nd and 3rd editions, Star wars RPG, Shadowrun and World of Darkness. I am an avid fan of books and follow a few authors reading all they write. Favorite author is Jim Butcher I have been an on/off larper for around 15 years even doing a stretch of running my own for a while. I have played a number of Miniature games including Warhammer 40K, Warhammer Fantasy, Heroscape, Mage Knight, Dreamblade and D&D Miniatures. I have practiced with the art of the German long sword with an ARMA group for over 7 years studying the German long sword, sword and buckler, dagger, axe and polearm. By no strecth of the imagination am I an expert but good enough to last longer than the average person if the Zombie apocalypse ever happens. I am an avid fan of board games and dice games with my current favorite being Quarrios.

1 Comment

  • Ola Jangbo
    November 6, 2015 at 3:57 pm

    Awesome backstory Ted! Working on a Witchhunter of my own, I will follow the same path, Order of the Mutant seems to be the most fun and different from other classes. Think I will try a "van Helsing" type, crossbowfiring until all evil stops moving

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