Player character

Nemeia Thrice-Drowned (2e)

Nemeia Thrice‑Drowned

Female Human Witch 1 (Undine Heritage) · Sea Witch, Curse‑Caller, and Survivor of the Razored Labyrinth

CN Medium Humanoid Human Undine

Nemeia Thrice‑Drowned was born touched by water and remade by it. She has drowned three times: once as a child, once in a shipwreck near the Razored Labyrinth, and once in a dream beneath black water where something old spoke her name. She returned each time colder, quieter, and more difficult to read.

Nemeia fills the party's arcane control role. She weakens enemies with hexes, protects the group with fog and water magic, handles eerie occult clues, and gives the campaign a strong connection to drowning omens, sea‑stack legends, and the submerged mysteries of the Castrovin Sea. Unlike the locathah NPCs, she remains a full party member through the later dry Darklands acts, where curses, battlefield control, and utility magic remain essential.

Level 1 Character Sheet — Pathfinder 2e

Defense

AC 14

HP 15 (8 + Con 1 + 6)

Perception +4 (trained) · darkvision

Fort +3 (trained) · Ref +4 (trained) · Will +5 (expert)

Unarmored · Dex +2 · level 1

Offense

Speed 25 ft., swim 20 ft.

Melee dagger +2 (1d4–1 P, agile, thrown 10 ft.)

Ranged light crossbow +4 (1d8 P, range 60 ft., reload 1)

Hex Cantrip Nudge Fate · Focus Spells Drown in the Deep (custom)

Statistics

Str 8 (–1) · Dex 14 (+2) · Con 12 (+1)

Int 18 (+4) · Wis 12 (+1) · Cha 10 (+0)

Class DC 17

Languages Common, Aquan, Kelish, Undercommon, Aklo

Ancestry Human · Heritage Undine (versatile heritage)

Background Drowned Survivor (custom)

Skills (Trained)

  • Arcana +7
  • Deception +3
  • Intimidation +3
  • Lore: Sea +7
  • Nature +4
  • Occultism +7
  • Perception +4
  • Religion +4
  • Society +7
  • Stealth +5
  • Survival +4
  • Swim +2

+3 trained · +4 expert (Will)

Feats & Features

Ancestry: Undine – Amphibious (breathe water), Darkvision

Class: Witch, Patron (The Wild – Primal), Lesson of the Deep (custom)

Class Feat: Cackle

Skill Feat: Underwater Marauder (from background)

Custom Background: Drowned Survivor — ability boosts: Int, Wis; trained in Occultism and Survival; Skill Feat: Underwater Marauder; Lore: Sea

Class Features & Key Abilities

Patron (The Wild – Primal): Nemeia draws power from ancient, untamed forces of nature, especially the sea. She uses the primal spell list, granting access to water, weather, and nature magic.

Lesson of the Deep (custom): This lesson grants the hex cantrip Nudge Fate (change a d20 roll) and the focus spell Drown in the Deep (1 action, range 30 ft., target takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage and must make a Fortitude save or be slowed 1 for 1 round; heightened +1d4).

Familiar (Ink‑Eye): A small black octopus that stores Nemeia's spells. It grants +1 to Swim and gives the Familiar Focus ability (once per day, regain 1 Focus Point).

Cackle (Feat): As a single action, you can sustain a sustained spell (like a hex) for 1 round.

Undine Heritage: Amphibious (can breathe water), darkvision, and a swim speed.

How to Play Nemeia at Level 1

Lead with hexes, not weapons. Nudge Fate can force rerolls on enemy saves or ally attacks. Drown in the Deep is a solid single-target control.
Use fog and water as battlefield tools. Obscuring mist (primal spell) provides concealment and cover for the party.
Be the omen-reader. Nemeia should interpret strange storms, drowned voices, dead fish, sea‑stack carvings, and dreams of black water.
Stay protected. Nemeia is fragile. Let the hobgoblin, warpriest, hunter companion, or rogue control the front while she dismantles enemies from behind them.

Familiar: Ink‑Eye

Black Reef Octopus Familiar · Living Omen of the Drowned Labyrinth

Ink‑Eye — Octopus Familiar

N Tiny animal/familiar
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +5

AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 14
(+3 Dex, +2 size, +2 natural)

HP 7 (half of Nemeia's HP)

Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft.

Melee tentacles +5 (1d2-3 plus grab, if using octopus creature rules)

Special familiar abilities: Familiar Focus (once per day, Nemeia regains 1 Focus Point), Ink Cloud (reaction to create concealment if attacked)

Familiar Role

Use How Ink‑Eye Helps
Atmosphere Ink‑Eye reacts to storms, dead water, occult pressure, and sea‑stack magic before humanoids notice.
Scouting In shallow water, flooded rooms, and ship bilges, it can investigate spaces humanoids cannot reach.
Spell Identity As a witch familiar, Ink‑Eye stores Nemeia's spells and becomes central to her power.
Roleplay It curls around her wrist, floats in a glass charm, or inks black water when danger approaches.

Important Familiar Note

Ink‑Eye is flavorfully aquatic, but Nemeia should not be crippled on land. If needed, use a magical water charm, portable vessel, or GM‑approved familiar adaptation so the familiar can safely remain with her during land and Darklands chapters. The campaign should make the familiar eerie and memorable, not logistically frustrating.

Witch Spells (Primal)

Caster Type: prepared caster (primal)

Spell DC 17 · Spell Attack +7

Cantrips (3/day): detect magic, ray of frost, guidance

1st‑Level Spells (2/day): obscuring mist, sleep

Focus Spells (1 Focus Point): Drown in the Deep (lesson), wild growth (from primal list if taken later)

Aquatic and Maritime Spell Direction

Spell Theme Examples Campaign Role
Fog and concealment obscuring mist, fog cloud, stinking cloud Control ship decks, docks, ruined bridges, and enemy archers.
Cold and drowning ray of frost, frostbite, ice storm Reinforces the “thrice‑drowned” identity.
Water survival water breathing, swim (spell), hydraulic push Expedition utility.
Curses and fear nudge fate (hex), fear, bane Useful throughout maritime and Darklands arcs.
Darklands control web, entangle, black tentacles (later) Keeps her powerful after the campaign leaves the water.

Recommended Progression Through Level 14

Nemeia should remain a control caster first and a sea‑themed specialist second. Her magic must work in Kridorfrost, Kridorn, Vladmirr, Ninshabur, underwater ruins, and the dry abyssal Darklands.

Level Choice Recommendation Reason
1 Class Feat Cackle Extends hex effects without extra actions.
2 Class Feat Familiar Master (or Enhanced Familiar) Improves Ink‑Eye's utility.
3 Skill Feat Quick Identification Faster identifying magic.
4 Class Feat Hex Focus Gain an extra Focus Point per day.
5 Ability Boosts +Int, +Wis, +Con, +Dex Boost key stats for DC, skills, and survivability.
6 Class Feat Witch's Communion (or similar) Share spells with allies.
7 Skill Feat Magical Shorthand Learn spells faster.
8 Class Feat Freeze or other water focus Add thematic control.
9 Ancestry Feat Hydraulic Maneuvers (if undine) Improve swim and water interactions.
10 Class Feat Hex Master Focus on hex durability.
11 Skill Feat Legendary Survival Master survival in harsh environments.
12 Class Feat Spell Penetration Overcome spell resistance.
13 General Feat Fleet +5 speed, helps mobility.
14 Class Feat Greater Hex Focus More Focus Points for brutal combats.

Preferred Gear

  • Cloak of resistance: mandatory defense.
  • Headband of vast intelligence: highest priority caster item.
  • Wand of mage armor: saves spell slots.
  • Pearl or black coral focus: thematic spellcasting object.
  • Ring of swimming: useful without turning her into a purely aquatic build.
  • Scrolls of aquatic spells: water breathing, hydraulic push, etc.

Conversion Notes: This PF2e version uses the Witch class with a custom primal patron The Wild and a custom lesson Lesson of the Deep. Stats (Str –1, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +4, Wis +1, Cha +0) reflect her frail but cunning nature. Background Drowned Survivor grants training in Occultism, Survival, Underwater Marauder, and Sea Lore. She is a pure control caster with strong aquatic theme and utility that remains relevant in all campaign phases.