The Surgeon

Fighting the Coven's worst vileness.

Written by Francesco Lanza.

"We know two things about this creature. The first is that it was here, the second that it is inhumanly tall. And here is a third thing: we must catch it, or all is lost!"

The Character

The Surgeon is a Witch Hunter, or simply a "Hunter". While apperently weak, the Surgeon is incredibly good at wounding or disposing of wounded opponents: he commands a "precision strike" that makes him the best friend of any Reiter or Austringer. He's also rated as very efficient in questioning Heretics and is a good barterer in the Market Phase. He's not very fast, especially when wounded, and like the Inquisitor, benefits very much from a good equipment.

Surgeons are not magical healers, and this character doesn't represent a learned physician or Medical Doctor who studied his art (such as it was in period) attending a great University. It's, well, more like a bonesaw enthusiast or some other lowly craftsman with a practical knowledge about what was perceived as minor ailments of the human body, like broken limbs, teeth to be pulled or boils to be lanced. Often these duties fell in the purview of the barber, but hey, maybe a real Doctor with a dutiful streak or some traitorous backstory could be found to serve His Eminent Grace (just like happens in the case of the character showcased in the short fiction below). Some of the duties of the Surgeon pertain to the fight against the Plague, which in the world of Hexerei is literally like a miasma or an influence breathed by the Coven-- which controls the very course of the stars. Life in Early Modern times could be horrible, but never horrible enough to pass a good story... Because these are just stories right?

Portrait

by Igor Krstic

by Alessandro Depaoli

Masteries

These abilities set each Hunter apart from their colleagues -- and make them worthy of the consideration of such a powerful enemy as the Coven.

Tithes

This guy knows about money. Of course, he is not gathering it from desperate communities for himself, but for the Prince-Bishop coffers, so that they will be used to fight the plague. If some of it finds the way to his pockets, well, the Surgeon is already a condemned man. He can draw from plague-ridden Regions a Treasury Die and some Common Item.

Cleanse

The surgeon knows how to stop the Plague from spreading, and it's not really a matter of healing sick people. He orders houses walled over, he burns down farms, he ships hundreds of sacks of quicklime and dozens of shovels to the survivors and he prays for the Angels to blow some of the worst away. He can spend Treasury Dice to Remove Plague Tokens, but the price is steep.

Tactics

Useful in a fight, each Witch Hunter can count on two special abilities to wreak havoc against the minions of the Coven.

Anatomy

This can make the difference: an attack that pierces armour and does increased damage. It's one per Combat, but the Surgeon will make this count.

Suture

When the Surgeon survives an encounter, he can patch himself up-- or help a colleague.