Witch hunter

Witch hunters were warriors dedicated to tracking down and destroying mystical evil forces, through a combination of their own magical training and battle prowess, found in Kara-Tur.

Activities
Witch hunters journeyed the land in their search for wickedness and black magic, following tales of hauntings, possessions, and sacrifices and rooting out and destroying that which was responsible. They were the bane of evil creatures like ghosts, demons, oni and spirits and of sorcerers and other users of dark magic.

Culture
Witch hunters were found across Kara-Tur, namely Shou Lung and T'u Lung, Tabot, Koryo, Kozakura, Wa, and the Kuong Kingdom. In the Kuong Kingdom, magic use was strictly the preserve of the priesthood, and magic-users outside it were seen as abominations and evil-doers, hunted down, and impaled in public.

As they followed after stories of dark deeds, witch hunters were just as well known among the peasants who told them. Such stories raised them to the level of similarly enigmatic tattooed monks. Witch hunters and tattooed monks usually treated one another with respect as a result.

Prerequisites
To be a witch hunter, one had to be highly knowledgeable in arcane lore and be able to protect themselves and others with a magic circle against evil spell, whether arcane or divine in nature. They must also be capable warriors skilled in tracking. They of course could not be evil-natured themselves.

Finally, the would-be witch hunter must train under a more experienced, elder witch hunter. Usually, the younger was a shaman, shugenja, and wu jen whom the elder chose to be an apprentice. They taught them weapons and combat, the use of wards and bindings, and the secrets of detecting spirits. In this time, they often became a fighter or ranger as well. Once ready, the witch hunter set off on their own.

Abilities
Similar to paladins, a witch hunter could sense evil whenever they willed and could smite evil beings with a mighty blow once a day. Moreover, they resisted ill-effects through force of personality, thanks to a kami's grace. They were immune to fear, and their presence inspired courage in their allies.

Witch hunters who were once spellcasters, whether or arcane in divine, continued to advance in their craft, albeit at half the rate.

As warriors, they learned to deal powerful attacks and to cleave through many foes by lining attacks against the next foe as soon as the last had been felled. Even those who lacked the strength for such tactics in normal combat could still fight this way against evil beings.

Finally, they had a great ability to resist the influence of evil spells and the magic of evil beings.