Build a Witch A character creation pack for role playing or storytelling By Eliot Silvarian Sometimes characters come to life easily, but sometimes it’s a little trickier to coax them into existence or figure out what makes them tick. The little details can add a lot of depth, and the details you didn’t realize were there can end up shaping the whole character. This pack can get you started building a character or be used to further flesh out an existing character. Included is a list of 30 prompts with questions about your witch’s practice and lifestyle, as well as a few tables to pick details from or you can roll dice to choose. The prompts and tables are specifically witch related, though can also be applicable for witch-adjacent characters such as druids or mages. A lot of the prompts and options are general enough to work across a wide range of settings, from historical to modern to sci-fi. The ready made characters are for you to use in your own TTRPG games, stories, or cosplays. The rest of the creation pack can be used to further personalize them. I hope you enjoy, and I would love to hear about the witchy characters you create! Name and Gender Choose a name and gender from the lists below or one of your own creation. Is your name a given name or a chosen name? What inspired it? Name Agatha Belladonna Bryony Cedar Coriander Fern Hazel Hemlock Hester Jade Jasper Luna Oleander Rosemary Rowan Sage Selene Sylvian Violet Willow Gender The sound of waves crashing on the beach A gentle breeze rustling the leaves The void The smell of fresh rosemary A bubbling cauldron Wrath and revenge Light shining through a canopy of trees A raven Tables You can choose however many details you want from the tables below or roll dice and let them decide for you. Traits Calculating Caring Gentle Honest Sharp Sinister Trusting Wary Background As a child or teen, you were taken in by an older witch who taught you their practice. You made a bargain with a fae being and you’re either working it off or waiting for them to come collect. As a child, you had an imaginary friend who you eventually realized was real and magical. As a child, you could talk with animals and didn’t know for a long time that not everyone could. When you were born, something magical happened nearby, whether good or ill, which caused a stir from those around you. You had a dream that set you on your path as a witch. You first realized your abilities when someone else could sense the magical aura surrounding you. You were born under an eclipse, which led to some interesting omens surrounding you. A prophecy foretelling a powerful witch seems to line up with your life, but you still don’t know if it’s about you. You once found an injured animal that you healed and cared for while it recovered. That somehow changed your life, whether you took in the animal as a friend or it set you on a new path. You were raised in a cult, and after escaping, vowed to use your abilities in a way to work against the cult’s efforts in the world. You had to hide your abilities for most of your life and now you’re trying to learn all you can and figure out your powers. Quirks and Knacks You will only make potions that need to be stirred clockwise. You avoid using ingredients or making potions of a certain color. Due to a past incident, you refuse to use a certain common herb because you believe it brings you bad luck. Sometimes a strong emotional reaction can affect plants around you. You have a special stone or crystal you have to keep on you at all times, no exceptions. You have an affinity for timing and always know when the kettle is about to boil or a clock about to chime. You write all your spells and recipes using a special ink you make yourself. There’s one specific type of plant that you can always make grow, no matter the season or climate. Moths are attracted to you like a light. Bees are important to you and you hold dear the tradition of Telling the Bees. You have an affinity for ravens and crows, and often talk to them. They are drawn to you and occasionally bring you gifts. You can infuse life into yeast, causing bread to rise or drinks to ferment in half the time. Special Items and Trinkets A spell bag to comfort and ease anxiety. The bag is decorated to your liking and hung on a cord to wear on a belt or around the neck. It smells of lavender, honey, and orange. A mini cauldron, perfect for brewing a cup of tea or making a single potion. A grimoire given to you by your mentor, who was given it by their mentor, and so on. A scarf you knitted through your first year as a witch, marking weather and milestones along the way. An oracle deck illustrated with different herbs on each card. An intricately carved staff you created with a friend or mentor. A mirror that shows glimpses of other times and places, but you don’t always understand the meaning. An ornate but aged sickle passed down to you by a mentor or family member. It is believed to have wards of protection to defend the home or bearer. A wind chime made from bones, sticks, and stones you’ve collected over time. A dried bundle of herbs that has a special meaning to you. An enchanted spoon that can add the flavor of one spice of your choosing to whatever food you use it on. A quilt that was given to you as a gift for helping someone in need. Prompts 1. What is your favorite herb and why? Do you like how it smells? Tastes? Works in your favorite potion? 2. Do you wear a witch hat? If so, what does it look like? 3. What is your favorite potion? Do you craft it yourself? Do you have a favorite potion bottle? 4. Describe your home. If you could live any sort of place, what do you envision for yourself? 5. Do you use a broom? If so, what do you use it for? What does it look like? 6. Did you become a witch or have you always been one? Was there any one moment you first knew? 7. What is your favorite season? What do you enjoy about it? 8. What is your favorite holiday or festival day? How do you honor it? 9. Do you have a spellbook or Book of Shadows? What does it look like? What do you use to write in it? 10. Do you have a cauldron? Is it standard or fancy? What do you use it for? 11. Do you have a familiar? What are they like? 12. Are you part of a coven or do you have a solitary practice? 13. Do you have any self-care rituals? How do you take care of yourself? 14. Do you have a charm, amulet, or spell bottle you always keep with you? What does it look like? What is its purpose or meaning? 15. What is your favorite spell? Do you use it often? 16. Do you have a staff or walking stick? What type of wood is it made of? Does it have any decoration? What is its purpose? 17. Do you wear any accessories? A foraging apron, a component pouch, a raven skull necklace, etc. 18. What type of magic do you do? Does it have a color or scent associated with it? Does it align more with a particular element? 19. What is your favorite rock or crystal? How does it make you feel? 20. What is your favorite type of tree? How does it make you feel? 21. Do you travel or mostly stay at home? Do you like it? 22. Do you use tarot or oracle cards? What do they look like? Do you have a favorite card? Do you just use them for yourself or with other people? 23. How has your witchcraft been viewed by those around you? Did you have a mentor you learned from? 24. Do you have an altar? Is it permanent or does it travel with you? What do you like to keep on it? 25. Do you call on any deities or spirits? Who? Do they communicate with you? 26. Do you use any baking in your witchcraft? What do you like to bake? 27. Is there a place of power or sacred place you like to visit? What is its purpose or aura? 28. Do you use tea in your craft? What sort is your favorite? Do you make tea for anyone else? 29. Do you have a wand? What is it made out of? What is its history? 30. Do you have a special bag or basket you carry with you? What does it look like? What are your most important things to keep in in? Characters Name: Hemlock Gender: Genderfluid. Pronouns: They/he. Ancestry: Satyr. Appearance: Alabaster skin, silver hair, and onyx spiral horns similar to a kudu. Soft black fur covering legs that end in cloven hooves. They like to wear fancy clothes and are usually the most formally dressed at a gathering. They often wear a black shoulder cape or a long black or dark grey cloak with a hood made to fasten around their horns. They use a black cane with a raven skull on top as a support because of a joint disorder. Expertise: Necromancy and conjuration. Lifestyle: They’re part of a coven that seeks to understand the cycle of life and death, as well as when to help ease the passing of life and when to prevent it, or in some cases, restore life to one who has already passed on. Favorite things: Ravens. Skulls. Flower crowns. Name: Fernabella Nackle Gender: Female sometimes, and sometimes, it’s a mystery. Pronouns: She/her/toad. Ancestry: Gnome. Appearance: Curly brown hair, light brown skin, green eyes, and a mischievous grin. Wears many layers of clothes, always including bright colors. Her favorite witch hat is bright red with white spots, like her favorite toadstools. She always has many pockets and pouches in which to store all the things she carries with her and whatever she might find while out in the forest. Her pet toad Creaky can often be seen peeking out of one of her big pockets. Expertise: Potions, food, and forest. Lifestyle: She lives inside a large tree that connects to an underground tunnel network used by the forest community she belongs to. A lot of her family lives nearby, but she relished the opportunity to make a home for herself, providing services to the community and enjoying a tree of her own where she could brew up her potions and stash all her trinkets. Favorite things: Pockets, because they can hold all the other things. Toads. Toadstools. Soup made with foraged foods and herbs. Anything interesting found in the forest. Rocks. Name: Amethyst Nightwalker. Gender: Non-binary. Pronouns: She/they/star. Most of her coven uses star as one of their pronouns. Ancestry: Human with a few elves in the family tree. Appearance: Long silvery hair and a youthful face. Light skin with pink undertones. Often wears a black witch hat and a black cape with embroidered phases of the moon. Ears have a very slight point. Expertise: Prophecy, clairvoyance, and astronomy. Lifestyle: Mostly nocturnal. She’s part of the Nightwalker coven, who protect the land, particularly their forest, from things that come out at night. The members take on the coven name as part of their own. Amethyst is no longer in contact with her family of origin and cherishes the family found in her coven. Favorite things: Constellations. The full moon. Lavender, both the color and the herb. Rose pink. Rose quartz. Silver. Birds that sing at night. Name: Rani. Gender: Non-binary. Pronouns: She/they. Ancestry: Human. Appearance: Warm brown skin and rich brown hair. Looks peaceful and reserved until she gets excited about something, when it becomes noticeable in her whole demeanor. Often wears something yellow. Expertise: Healing and potion making. Lifestyle: Called Sunshine by her friends. She’s a beekeeper with an affinity for anything related to bees and honey. The bees are her messengers and she tells them stories in return. She uses different types of honey to create potions and herbal tea blends and is good at being able to feel what ingredients are right for each individual, whether person or animal. Favorite things: Sunflowers. Bees. Honey. Cinnamon. Calendula. Basking in the warmth of the sun. Name: Kaspar. Gender: Male. Pronouns: He/him/himbo. Ancestry: Human. Appearance: Large build, ruddy complexion, red hair and beard, and usually has a big smile like he just came up with his best idea ever. Almost always wears an apron with various things sticking out of the pockets. Expertise: Kitchen witchery and brewing. Lifestyle: Often goes by Kas. Cooks food and brews potions, as well as other drinks, for the local villagers. When not helping out the townsfolk, he can usually be found in the brewery helping come up with new concoctions, which are often delicious, but sometimes disastrous. Favorite things: Baking. His kitchen. Rolling pins, because they’re good for baking as well as threatening people if they mess up his kitchen, even though they never take his threats seriously. Ale. Pie. His garden. Name: Jasper Quickfoot. Gender: Non-binary. Pronouns: They/them. Ancestry: Halfling. Appearance: Dark brown skin with cool undertones. Short curly hair. An eye patch over one eye with a scar running down their cheek beneath it. Wears practically styled yet brightly colored clothes, usually linen trousers and shirt, with a waistcoat for nicer occasions. They always carry a big bag to store all the components they might want at any given moment. Expertise: Hearth and home, mending. Lifestyle: Takes immaculate care of their own home and loves to have others over for tea or a good meal to nourish the spirit. They aren’t the main healer and focus more on comfort, but will sometimes tend to minor bumps, bruises, and illnesses. They love to take a hearty meal along with restorative potions and maybe a care package to anyone having a rough time. Favorite things: Soup. Adding embellishments to their clothes and belongings. Fun and fancy eye patches. Herbs and spices. The stone jasper. Cozy blankets, socks, and slippers. Name: Aftasia Olarian Gender: Female. Pronouns: She/her. Ancestry: Elf. Appearance: Deep black skin. Black textured curls. She’s usually either lost in thought or closely observing a situation. She often wears varying shades of cream and ivory clothing with black or brown details, reminiscent of words on a page. Expertise: History of magic and witches, writing spell books. Lifestyle: She’s written many books on witches in history and the different types of magic and witchcraft. She spends most of her time in the library, either reading, writing, or consulting with people seeking her knowledge. Favorite things: Ink. Writing letters. Candles. Tea. History. Different branches of magic. Books. Libraries. Name: Oliver Hawthorn. Gender: Male. Pronouns: He/him. Ancestry: Human. Appearance: Fair skin and shaggy brown hair. He’s usually wearing a black witch hat, along with comfortable, casual clothing. He wears a lot of blues and greens. Expertise: Potions, crystals, rituals. Lifestyle: He runs a potion and herb shop called Hawthorn’s Herbs in a small town and teaches his craft to apprentices. He lives in a small apartment above the shop. He’s well known for his potions and has been offered jobs in larger cities, but he enjoys his comfortable life and the people around him. He does go on occasional supply trips or adventures when his shop is well stocked and he has someone trustworthy to leave in charge, but he’s always happy to go back home again. They can be fun, but adventures are rough on his anxiety, and home is full of comfort. Favorite things: Herbs. Experimenting with different potions. Crystals. Flowers. His cat, Basil. Build a Witch By Eliot Silvarian This document was created in Canva. The title and header font is Old Cupboard, designed by Cecil Howe. The main font is Alegreya.