D&D General ‘Witcher’ Style Adventures?

[TheSword]

So having watched series one of The Witcher again, and about to start series two, I’m enchanted by the style of storytelling! This is on the back of loving The Wild Hunt game.

Key themes seem to be…

• The politics and dynasties of kings and lords
• The meddling of sorcerers and sorceresses.
• Elder races as outcasts pushed from their lands
• Monsters with backstory and reason for being where they are
• Lore and history key to the stories
• Powerful magic
• Strong folk tale element

What published adventures… any edition of D&D or third party (or D&D adjacent) adventures are there out there that capture some of these themes?

For my own submission, Tales of the Old Margrave carries a lot of this feel. Though not the politics and courtliness.

 

[CAFRedblade]

Well, while that can be done in most games and settings with some homebrew work.

If you do enjoy the series and want some of the work done, with some guidance, you can check out the R.Talsorian official Witcher RPG.

The Witcher TRPG - R. Talsorian Games

Embrace the dark and dangerous world of The Witcher TRPG, a licensed tabletop roleplaying game where you can live out your own monster-hunting adventures.

rtalsoriangames.com

For 5E, I'm not entirely sure of a particular campaign setting that all of those requirements. Although perhaps Eberron which just came out of a Great War, could be adapted.

 

[TheSword]

Well, while that can be done in most games and settings with some homebrew work.

If you do enjoy the series and want some of the work done, with some guidance, you can check out the R.Talsorian official Witcher RPG.

The Witcher TRPG - R. Talsorian Games

Embrace the dark and dangerous world of The Witcher TRPG, a licensed tabletop roleplaying game where you can live out your own monster-hunting adventures.

rtalsoriangames.com

For 5E, I'm not entirely sure of a particular campaign setting that all of those requirements. Although perhaps Eberron which just came out of a Great War, could be adapted.

Thanks for the link to the rpg. I’ll check it out. I’m mainly looking for adventures that capture even some of the themes above. I don’t expect there to be anything that captures them all.

Essentially which adventures lean into the folklore and myth rather than the dungeon crawling.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I've only read the setting but you might want to look at Midgard, which, contrary to it's name which implies a lot of Viking-ness, is heavily Central European-inspired in the "main" setting (as I understood it), has a lot of folk/fairytale-themed stuff, and the adventures probably have some of those themes. It's very much D&D so obviously far more multi-species and so on than The Witcher. It's also available in PF1 and Fantasy AGE.

Midgard Worldbook for PFRPG (PDF) - Kobold Press Store

Adventure In a Dark World of Deep Magic! It is an age of war. Civilization slowly gives way to encroaching wilderness, and once-mighty empires now lie beneath the waves. Only magic and the warmth of hope keeps lights aglow when dread things prowl, and priestly wardings are bent by demonic rage...

koboldpress.com

My brother is a fan, though we haven't run it yet because he's running Odyssey of the Dragonlords still.

 

[GuyBoy]

Talking of Midgard, Empire of the Ghouls is excellent and may fit elements of a Witcher-vibe.

 

[grimslade]

Symbaroum is very similar to Witcher. They have an overarching mega-adventure but also some stand-alone adventures. The 5E conversion Kickstarter was successful, but I am not sure when it will be released.


Fria Ligan | Symbaroum

 

[Micah Sweet]

So having watched series one of The Witcher again, and about to start series two, I’m enchanted by the style of storytelling! This is on the back of loving The Wild Hunt game.

Key themes seem to be…

• The politics and dynasties of kings and lords
• The meddling of sorcerers and sorceresses.
• Elder races as outcasts pushed from their lands
• Monsters with backstory and reason for being where they are
• Lore and history key to the stories
• Powerful magic
• Strong folk tale element

What published adventures… any edition of D&D or third party (or D&D adjacent) adventures are there out there?

For my own submission, Tales of the Old Margrave carries a lot of this feel. Though not the politics and courtliness.

Except for the powerful magic, official WotC isn't particularly good at any of these things, unfortunately.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Except for the powerful magic, official WotC isn't particularly good at any of these things, unfortunately.

A couple of those require pretty deep and specialised knowledge to do properly:

• The politics and dynasties of kings and lords
• Strong folk tale element

Then making it generally interesting is even more of a challenge!

I have a player who is a huge Witcher fan, and I have been reading books on folk tales looking for stuff I can include. It aint easy.

 

[Micah Sweet]

A couple of those require pretty deep and specialised knowledge to do properly:

• The politics and dynasties of kings and lords
• Strong folk tale element

Then making it generally interesting is even more of a challenge!

I have a player who is a huge Witcher fan, and I have been reading books on folk tales looking for stuff I can include. It aint easy.

I agree. But if WotC wanted to put in the effort (perhaps in a new setting book) they could.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I agree. But if WotC wanted to put in the effort (perhaps in a new setting book) they could.

I think that connects to the "looking for staff" thread. In order to make it they need to recruit someone who is a huge folktale buff. Currently the WotC staffers are well qualified writers and designers, not the obsessive geeks you want for such a project!