Buble, Buble, Toil, & Trouble

Witchcraft

Neutrality

• Lord Murder (Lord Shadows)
• Lord Undeath (Lord Death)
• Lord Vengeance (Lord Might)
• Dame Covenant (Lady Night)

This dark faith is universally reviled, and yet, found universally. What is denominated witchcraft here is not just the quaint superstitions of the Neutral Faith, even in its darker practices (though the Church of Law has no trouble lumping the two together when it fits her agenda). This is not a fertility cult. This is the resort to those who have nowhere to resort for vengeance or justice.

Usually those exploring witchcraft have been driven to it by oppression, who find bitterness and rage to be kinder friends than patience and forgiveness.

The Church of Law is quite zealous in uncovering it wherever there is a hint of its practice. Her zeal in this matter very often overflows what is considered virtuous. The Great Church views witchcraft with such disdain that she nearly considers the wrongful conviction of innocents to be a lesser outrage than letting those guilty go free. This practice is not without its critics within the Church, but too much protest can be dangerous.

But the Great Church is not the only one who hunts down witches. Witches were treated as pariahs of the Old Imperial Pantheons and the rustic Neutral Faith. Even the Chaos Church little tolerates witches. While none match the zeal and broad sweeping exterminations of suspected witches by the adherents of Law, Law tends to be the more humane in the manner of execution. Of course, this just feeds a vicious cycle as witchcraft is most attractive to those who have no recourse to right wrongs any other way.

Demi-humans tend not to get what all the fuss is about.

Hooks: First, I do allow a witch class. Secondly, I really think Dark Albion: Cults of Chaos is a fine resource for a campaign of cleric inquisitors, of witch friendly evaders of said inquisitors, or for a Cadfael type of adventure where the PCs are trying to clear the name of the innocent. Anyway, the book has wonderful charts for turning the next village on the road into a hotbed of subversive intrigue (or just bored aldermen getting their freak on).