“Witches did not simply speak — they shaped reality, weaving incantations from mere words. Their proclamations were threads binding all that was natural, especially when they promised, declared, or willed. Even when they just spoke in Teh, an exchange with a witch was never casual; it was an outspoken waver against fate.” [B1.C17]
Magical practices in witchcraft intricately connect with a witch’s surroundings, incorporating worldly phenomena into their spells and potions. The efficacy of these magical workings often hinges on celestial constellations, specific seasons or times of day, and the utilisation of particular natural resources and ingredients. Certain spells are bound to specific locations or require a designated number of participating witches, while nearly all demand predetermined performances like dances or chants. That is, as of now, what Yves has been taught.
Witches can gather energy confined within nature or bestowed through Teharun.
WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
The disparity between wizardry and witchcraft striking, not only in their performance but also in their potential to affect the world. While wizards work with the energies within them, witches rely on the energies around them.
A wizard’s power comes from within him and his potential is clearly defined by his spectral disposition. Regardless of a wizard’s spectrum and disposition, his magic requires conscious sustenance, either directly or through encapsulated energy, as provided by energy crystals.
Witches wield a more elusive power. Their spells are self-sustaining, moving and perpetuating themselves. Curses, such as the Vicha, are one aspect; equally terrifying are summonings that draw energy from the environment. While a wizard impacts the world for as long as he lives, the continent holds an amalgamation of magical traps, forsaken places, and even cursed dungeons that long-dead witches created centuries ago. The most potent among them draw from recurring forces like wind or rain, or from ever-growing natural entities, such as the root systems of vast forests — a link beyond the reach of wizards. Everlasting spells are those connected to Teharun, invoking its sinister energies to replenish their relentless existence every night. These spells will not fade from the world as long as the dark moon rises to shroud the sky in its veil.
TRIVIA
ANATOMY [BODY]
Their craft shows their raw bond with nature, and so do their bodies.Their craft shows their raw bond with nature, and so do their bodies.
▪ Witches have three hearts: one to live, one to thrive, and one to give. [B1.C12]
▪ Witches move barefoot through wilds that would tear others apart, with hands unflinching against thorns, ice, and jagged stone. If injured, their bodies heal fast. Minor wounds close in hours, deep wounds in days. Cold does not bite them. Heat does not scorch them. Hardships that would cripple others only hardens them further. And that is, before their use any spells upon themselves. [B1.C16]
ANATOMY [NEXUS POINTS]
"Like wizards, witches carry a unique signature. But theirs is older. More … primal. More intertwined with nature. More like beastkin, closer to beasts, really." Estingar in [B1.C15]
Witches show concentrated strands of coiling Rothar around their hands, feet, and eyes. "People spoke of their markings, the way they grow with time, like tendrils creeping further inward the more magic they use. Every time witchcraft is used, it is inscribed in the flesh." [B1.C15]
FAMILIARS
"After encountering several witch’s familiars, Midnight believed that from a wizard, you receive foresight, strategy and even magic, but with a witch, you become more of a beast." [B1.C13]
As of now, Yves revealed that while witches obtain, bind and command their familiars through rites and spells, wizards are chosen by their familiars. Mind you, this is stated from a wizard's perspectice.
GATHERING ENERGY
The world cradles energies beyond the grasp of wizards. Witches harness not the raw and free energy that is Adhar, but energy confined within nature or bestowed through Teharun. They generally speak of auras, not energies, when describing their surroundings.
LANGUAGES
In contrast to wizards, who use various languages for their spells and literature, the language of witchcraft, called Faramyr, has been used unchanged since the birth of the first witch mother.
TEHARUN — THE WITCH MOON
The dark witch moon appears at the witching hour between 1:41:42 and 2:22:22 at night, casting a veil of shadows upon the world. During this time, he absorbs all the energy that is released into the world, such as when wizards perform magic. This causes the witch moon to grow. The stronger Teharun is, the more powerful are the spells that witches cast when drawing upon him during the witching hour.
THE WITCHING HOUR
The witching hour lasts from 1:41:42 to 2:22.22, when the witch moon Teharun veils the sky in darkness. As stated in this [B1.C5] nursery rhyme, this is the time of night when witches are most powerful. Wizards generally stay awake and avoid speaking and using magic during this time.
ABILITIES
ONSIGHT
A witch’s innate onsight provides her with an unparalleled comprehension of natural resources and potion-making, especially in the nuances of detection and concealment spells.
Perceiving Nature
Witches, with their innate connection to the natural world, are attuned to natural phenomena such as mountain blood. They perceive what many wizards do not discern from their surroundings. The most adept witches weave the pulse, breath and essence of mountains and forests into their spells, drawing and building upon the very fabric of nature itself.
PULSES
Realising pulses entails the expansion of a witch’s Rothar beyond the boundaries of her physical body.
Deflection Pulses
Witches may learn to expand their Rothar beyond the boundaries of their physical bodies. They may push it to such an extent that it disrupts the energy intake and flow of others. At its most powerful, it can disrupt magic, though it comes at a great cost of Rothar.
Others, such as wizards and familiars, may also learn to realise pulses.
POTIONMAKING
Witchcraft is the mastery of nature. Above all, this includes understanding the numerous resources that the world offers. A witch’s skills are reflected in her knowledge of combining natural resources to create versatile potions.
Concealing Potions
Potions of concealment are generally made to dissipate into the air. They can deceive the second sight of wizards and the senses of beasts. They are used to conceal energies and sounds.
RUNEXERY
While wizards rely on various languages, witches exclusively use Faramyr, which has reportedly remained unchanged since its inception. Wizards believe that the words themselves hold inherent magic, something imbued through time.
In writing, Faramyr relies solely on runes, whereby each such symbol may represent one or more words. When used for witchcraft, their meanings shift depending on how individual runes are combined, how large they are drawn in comparison, and how they lean into each other. Runexery [rune magic] also takes into account when, where and with what substances a rune is drawn, and which energies exist in the respective surroundings.
“In short, you could not simply read them out, like wizards did with their spells. If it all came down to linguistics, it was right there in the name; wizard magic had spells, because they spelled out their words and scripts. Witches had witchcraft, because in their vexed handywork, anything and everything made a difference.” [B1.C18]
Runexery generally demands a spellcore that carries the fundamental purpose of the exa / exe [rune spell] which is then expanded by specific runes.
Find here a glossary on Faramyr spellcores.
IMPACTING MINDS
Altering Perception
Runes may put a new frame on reality, distorting and warping the perception of those who step within the framed setting.
Warnings have been issued about this ability by the Albweiss Mountain Guild Guards in [B1.C16], but no such spells have yet appeared within the narration.
IMPACTING ROTHAR
Warding
Runes may create unseen barriers. The most effective warding runes are closely tied to their natural surrounding for additional effect and protection.
Exemplary warding runes appeared in the grand ice cavern Midnight entered in [B1.C10]. The symbols spanned over a hundred meters, encased underneath eternal ice. Their influence extended several meters into the cave and through the walls, ensuring no breach or harm could come to the runes themselves or the protective ice above. Magical attacks, such as fire spells, would be deflected and consumed by the seal long before they could endanger the runes. The seal thwarted any attempt to break the stone by force. Even if one intended to shatter the rock with hand tools like pickaxes, the presence of Rothar would prevent any approach or incursion. The ice itself stood as a shield against mundane threats, safeguarding the runes from falling rocks and other earthly dangers.
CURSES
“Do not look too closely. Do not listen too intently. And above all, never let them speak their will.” [B1.C17]
Witches have the ability to manifest their malice through curses, which may realise their vengeance immediately or gradually by inflicting pain, illness, hallucinations, or even by altering fate through much more elaborate means.
VICHA
A relentless stalker
The physical manifestation of a witch's hatred that relentlessly stalks the cursed.
A Vicha is the amalgamation of a witch's hatred and skill, a manifestation of torment that shackles the curse victim to isolation and ceaseless flight.
Born from the noxious brew of loathing and malevolence, it materialises as a tangible entity, growing stronger with each infusion of the witches' dark energy. This curse has a singular purpose — to pursue and devour the victim, a relentless hunt to drain his every ounce of energy. Once touched, it becomes an inescapable parasite, growing, overtaking, suffocating, and ultimately killing its unfortunate host.
The Vicha cannot be killed or imprisoned. It proves impervious to magical assaults. All energy hurled at this curse either fails to affect it or is absorbed. Attempts to impede its path or to restrain it with physical barriers are futile, as it passes right through them. Traditional weapons prove equally useless against its resilient mass, and direct confrontation risks lethal contact. It seems invincible, driven relentlessly by the unabated malice that spawned it.
Yet, within its existence, a paradox prevails. As the Vicha hunts the cursed, it expends energy. The longer the chase, the weaker it becomes. If the victim but manages to elude it for long enough, the Vicha wanes and fades into the void. However, this offers little solace, for the cursed becomes a harbinger of danger, his presence threatening everyone who crosses or shares paths with him — because the Vicha's consumption is not confined to the cursed alone. It touches and consumes all creatures in its path, leaving a morbid trail of desolation. This forces the fleeing victim to avoid crowded places and to abandon any companionship, leading a shunned existence in perpetual isolation.
Even in such a forsaken state, the curse is never your only enemy. The Vicha’s insidious reach extends beyond the immediate threat. Even with a weakened Vicha, the victim’s prospects are daunting, for the curse renders him a target for all witches. To evoke this powerful curse demands true hatred that only the most vengeful of witches can manifest, but once it takes shape, any witch can feed the Vicha. And feed they will.
Witches, divided as warfaring covens, unite in the battle against wizards. Beyond the prospect of killing a wizard, individual witches have motivation aplenty to strengthen a Vicha for their own ends. They can sow chaos as it traverses the land, or follow in its wake, anticipating the moment it claims its victim. In doing so, they can reap the spoils left behind — the possessions and remnants of the fallen wizard. With that, even the most destitute witch can become a harbinger of doom if her meagre Vicha is continuously fuelled by others. It could be sustained indefinitely, forcing the cursed victim into unending flight and fugue, forever uncertain of when or in what form the Vicha might reappear. Even if the adept victim manages to evade the Vicha, it leaves behind a destructive trail.
In this unforgiving world, no mercy is extended to a cursed individual. Allow enough time to pass, and if not the Vicha or witches, it will be headhunters seeking your life, solely to halt the nightmarish cycle perpetuated by the malevolent entity. In the grand scheme, your life holds no weight against the Vicha’s ominous potential for endless growth. It is a foreboding entity with no known limits, capable of swallowing villages or, in the chaos of war, entire armies. The Vicha stalking Yves in [B1.C5] even took over the Northlands cliff behemoth, its viscous black mass gradually enveloping and scaling the living mountain mass in a relentless onslaught of consumption both from the outside and within.
Severing the marked body part does not sever the curse. The curse mark serves as an entry point, a conduit for the witch to infuse the wizard with a fragment of the Vicha. Only when the wizard and Vicha fragment are devoured, the entire entity disperses.
The aftermath lingers. Even after the Vicha’s disappearance, distorted energies taint the capture site, leaving a sinister imprint on the surroundings; the Mark of a Witch. No light fragments settle there, and approaching it induces an unsettling feeling, a warning that you are trespassing into a site marked by the dark arts of witches.
Vichae as dimensional portals
"The Vicha's selective consumption was the prime example of all that made witchcraft so utterly non-transparent. It consumed higher life forms. It also consumed those types of magic that conveyed energy into matter, such as physical illusions and shards. In core, it seemed to selectively devour physical masses with strong energies. How was this possible?" [B1.C6]
In [B1.C6], Yves reasons that Vichae are dimensional portals:
When the curse captures a target and regains its missing part, it becomes complete. It is generally assumed that the Vicha then disappears into the void, since it had fulfilled the witch’s desire for revenge. Yves believes that it instead shifted back to the dimension where it was anchored. The reason that it shifts only after capturing the cursed wizard must be that he carried the gateway key. With the curse, the witch infuses the gateway key into the wizard. It then activates upon contact, just like Yves can only access the Mirror Dimension when using the witch mother crystal half ball on his ethereal mirrors. So when conjuring a Vicha, a witch got her revenge by literally ripping you out of existence.
Whether you died right there in the process or after shifting to the Vicha's dimension, a portal does not dissipate after a shift. That explains the lingering ominous feeling in places where a Vicha consumed its target — because it persists, existing in a third dimension beyond the reach of first and second sight. Yves assumes that from this third dimension, the faintest of phantom presences still touched upon the dual reality, not visible, but still perceived by what may be defined as your instinct or intuition, the ominous bad feeling.
Yves surviving a Vicha
After shifting the Vicha to the Mirror Dimension, freeing himself from its touch and returning to the dual reality in [B1.C7], the presence of the Vicha remained with Yves. With that, the mark of the witch’s touch was placed not on the location where the Vicha disappeared, but on Yves. The gateway key to the cursed portal till resided within him. And with that, the Vicha still moved as Yves did, though it moved in the Mirror Dimension The horrid mountain mass continued to trail him; a sinister affirmation of the connection between the Mirror Dimension and his own dual reality.
MARK OF A WITCH
A sinister imprint
Both the marker of a past encounter and a witch's claim to a place, item or person.
Not a curse per se, but a lingering sensation. The Mark of a Witch is a sinister imprint on a setting, item or living being that induces an unsettling feeling; a warning that what you found or who you encountered had been changed or claimed by a witch.
BLESSINGS
WItches may take from and give to the word. To those blessed by witches, the world gives and changes them.
In theory, blessings are a form of curse, manifesting goodwill that results in lasting change.
TRINSIN — The Blessing of Three
Givers
It takes three witches to perform the T̪̣r̡͋ͪ́̔͂͠i̫̾͞n͓͚̤̰̒͜sǐ͓̀̓̓̾̕ń̹̩̱̇ͧ_̷̨̼͑.
While Witch-Blessed are as rare as they are shunned due to people's general fear of witches, this blessing is recognised and respected by all witches, regardless of their coven and afiliation. Those blessed by a T̪̣r̡͋ͪ́̔͂͠i̫̾͞n͓͚̤̰̒͜sǐ͓̀̓̓̾̕ń̹̩̱̇ͧ_̷̨̼͑ will not be harmed by witches.
Known Variants
Blessed by Frost:
▪ Harrow, whose exosceleton took on a dense, crystalline form. She possesses great resilience against cold. Revealed in [B1.C14].
Yet Unknown:
▪ Tairan woman, known as the "most grotesquely fat person in the known world" [B1.C14]