by Choosing your Land of Origin describes more than your regional background. The land - and maybe the race you belong to - shaped you in a way.
Each land has two traits and two special abilities listed. You get both trait boosts and you can choose ONE of the two special abilities.
You can also choose to be a person from nowhere, or from a more remote location, like Rivia, Lyria, Sodden, Kovir, or Poviss. In such a case you get no trait boost, and no special ability - yet you get 1000 florens to spend later in the character creation process (for additional Abilities or Resources).
(For "fluff" descriptions of the lands, please visit witcher-oriented external wikis.)
***
NILFGAARD – Might, Pride
+1 Endurance, +1 Trustworthiness
*Pride
Once per a chapter you can reroll dice with the lowest result – one in Trustworthiness and one in Self-Control and one in Endurance.
*Charisma
Raising the bond with your allies costs 20% XP less.
TEMERIA – Elegance, False
+1 Wits, +1 Trustworthiness
*Broad Education
You have additional 30 points to spend on secondary abilities. You can get max 3 dots in one ability.
*Beautiful Mind
Raising the abilities costs 20% XP less.
KAEDWEN – Revenge, Brotherhood
+1 Dexterity, +1 Self-Control
*Fierce
Every light wound you deal becomes a deep wound.
*Distrusting
Authority and Trustworthiness tests against you have +4 Difficulty
SKELLIGE – War, Loyalty
+1 Dexterity, +1 Awareness
*Experience
You can fight with every weapon (sword, rapier, sabre, halberd, spear, axe, warhammer etc.) even if you have no points in that skill. Your ability is equal half of your primary weapon ability points.
*Knowledge About Magic
Tests about natural or rural magic are treated as if with Occult 5. This merit gives you +5 modifier in General Knowledge.
REDANIA – Faith, Passion
+ 1 Faith, +1 Passion
*Aura of Faith
+4 to anti-magic rolls (defensive)
+4 to trying to wound a creature with “resistant to wounds” trait
*Passion
While in combat ignore the negative modifiers from wounds till the Diff modifier reaches 5. After reaching 5 and after the fight everything applies normally.
AEDIRN – Loyalty, Greed
+1 Trustworthiness, +1 Wits
*Silence and Shadow
Additional ability Stealth +4. Can be used also for “disappearing” in crowd and hiding in cities.
*Assasination
You can attack a person with a small weapon. You need to pass a Bluff test – if you pass, the victim doesn't connect the attack with you, maybe didn't even feel a small weapon (pin, needle etc) If you don't pass the test, the person is not suspicious towards you, but too aware of her surroundings to let you try it again. An attempt of assassination with a dagger always leaves at least a deep wound.
DOL BLATHANNA (ELVES) – Freedom, Bravery
+1 Wits, +1 Endurance
*Bravery
When rolling Self-Control for a courage test, you can always reroll one die.
*Bow/Crossbow Proficiency
You can change ammunition two times faster than a standard person.
HIDDEN FORTRESS (WITCHERS) – Longevity, Secret
+1 Faith, +1 Self-control
Religions say you are an abomination, a mutant, a soulless being - there's no salvation for you.
You get no illnesses, you get no infected wounds.
*Regeneration
You never get any scars, you regenerate two times faster than a standard person.
*Repell and Destroy
You can repell or even destroy smaller monster easily. This ability gives you instant succesful cast similar in effects to Minor Prayer.
MAHAKAN (DWARVES) – Endurance, Oblivion
+1 Constitution, +1 Endurance
*Miner's Eyes
Your eyes are used to the darkness. If you hold a torch, no difficulties for weak light are added. If there's very little light (ie only weak moonlight), it's treated like with a torch for other characters.
*Unbroken
You get automatic success on Endurance roll after you get wounded (= you don't get removed from combat because of your wounds).
CINTRA – Tradition, Fall
+ 1 Constitution, +1 Trustworthiness
*Shadows of the Past
You get +3 to General Knowledge.
*Knight's Path
You never fail an Etiquette roll as long as you behave with dignity.
Each land has two traits and two special abilities listed. You get both trait boosts and you can choose ONE of the two special abilities.
You can also choose to be a person from nowhere, or from a more remote location, like Rivia, Lyria, Sodden, Kovir, or Poviss. In such a case you get no trait boost, and no special ability - yet you get 1000 florens to spend later in the character creation process (for additional Abilities or Resources).
(For "fluff" descriptions of the lands, please visit witcher-oriented external wikis.)
***
NILFGAARD – Might, Pride
+1 Endurance, +1 Trustworthiness
*Pride
Once per a chapter you can reroll dice with the lowest result – one in Trustworthiness and one in Self-Control and one in Endurance.
*Charisma
Raising the bond with your allies costs 20% XP less.
TEMERIA – Elegance, False
+1 Wits, +1 Trustworthiness
*Broad Education
You have additional 30 points to spend on secondary abilities. You can get max 3 dots in one ability.
*Beautiful Mind
Raising the abilities costs 20% XP less.
KAEDWEN – Revenge, Brotherhood
+1 Dexterity, +1 Self-Control
*Fierce
Every light wound you deal becomes a deep wound.
*Distrusting
Authority and Trustworthiness tests against you have +4 Difficulty
SKELLIGE – War, Loyalty
+1 Dexterity, +1 Awareness
*Experience
You can fight with every weapon (sword, rapier, sabre, halberd, spear, axe, warhammer etc.) even if you have no points in that skill. Your ability is equal half of your primary weapon ability points.
*Knowledge About Magic
Tests about natural or rural magic are treated as if with Occult 5. This merit gives you +5 modifier in General Knowledge.
REDANIA – Faith, Passion
+ 1 Faith, +1 Passion
*Aura of Faith
+4 to anti-magic rolls (defensive)
+4 to trying to wound a creature with “resistant to wounds” trait
*Passion
While in combat ignore the negative modifiers from wounds till the Diff modifier reaches 5. After reaching 5 and after the fight everything applies normally.
AEDIRN – Loyalty, Greed
+1 Trustworthiness, +1 Wits
*Silence and Shadow
Additional ability Stealth +4. Can be used also for “disappearing” in crowd and hiding in cities.
*Assasination
You can attack a person with a small weapon. You need to pass a Bluff test – if you pass, the victim doesn't connect the attack with you, maybe didn't even feel a small weapon (pin, needle etc) If you don't pass the test, the person is not suspicious towards you, but too aware of her surroundings to let you try it again. An attempt of assassination with a dagger always leaves at least a deep wound.
DOL BLATHANNA (ELVES) – Freedom, Bravery
+1 Wits, +1 Endurance
*Bravery
When rolling Self-Control for a courage test, you can always reroll one die.
*Bow/Crossbow Proficiency
You can change ammunition two times faster than a standard person.
HIDDEN FORTRESS (WITCHERS) – Longevity, Secret
+1 Faith, +1 Self-control
Religions say you are an abomination, a mutant, a soulless being - there's no salvation for you.
You get no illnesses, you get no infected wounds.
*Regeneration
You never get any scars, you regenerate two times faster than a standard person.
*Repell and Destroy
You can repell or even destroy smaller monster easily. This ability gives you instant succesful cast similar in effects to Minor Prayer.
MAHAKAN (DWARVES) – Endurance, Oblivion
+1 Constitution, +1 Endurance
*Miner's Eyes
Your eyes are used to the darkness. If you hold a torch, no difficulties for weak light are added. If there's very little light (ie only weak moonlight), it's treated like with a torch for other characters.
*Unbroken
You get automatic success on Endurance roll after you get wounded (= you don't get removed from combat because of your wounds).
CINTRA – Tradition, Fall
+ 1 Constitution, +1 Trustworthiness
*Shadows of the Past
You get +3 to General Knowledge.
*Knight's Path
You never fail an Etiquette roll as long as you behave with dignity.
