Witch

A **witch** is a person who is learned and skilled in witchcraft. A witch could be either female or male, as they connected with the elements and forces of nature in order to practice sorcery.

## History

### Witch Trials

During the late 17th century in Salem, Massachusetts, several men and women were persecuted for practicing witchcraft. During this period in Colonial America, many of the Puritans who had settled in the Northeast believed that witches were servants for the Devil. These events became known the Salem Witch Trials, in which numerous people—witches and mortals—were hanged or otherwise killed.

## Classifications and Types

### Practitioners

Humans who practice witchcraft, but lack any true magical powers are known as "practitioners." Practitioners often see witchcraft as more of a religious experience and follow the teachings of the Neopagan religion known as Wicca. Practitioners can cast some spells, brew potions, and scry, but any magical power they can achieve is nothing compared to that of a Hereditary Witch.

### Hereditary Witch

Hereditary witches are born with the ability to use magic. Their supernatural powers are passed on to them through blood from their ancestors, and are bound to their emotions, thoughts, and souls. A witch's magic is a genetic component that may skip a generation, making them mortals before their magic resurfaces.

#### Warlocks

A warlock is mostly used as a slur in modern witch circles, but many years ago, the term warlock was used to refer to a hereditary witch that had betrayed their coven. The term warlock literally translates into "oath breaker". Some male witches mistakingly refer to themselves as warlocks, but this is usually because they are unaware of the true meaning of the word.

## Losing One's Magic

### Power Stripping

A witch can relinquish her powers and affinity to all sorts of magic using either a spell or a potion. Said powers will then either vanish or be given to another individual. The witch who loses her power will become completely mortal but magic will remain in their bloodline.

### Transformation

Another way to separate a witch from her powers is by transforming her into another supernatural being altogether. This has been done multiple times throughout the show. While some transformations allowed the witch to retain some, if not all, of their original powers, others usually make them disappear altogether.

Such transformations are listed below:

**Vampire:** If a hereditary witch is transformed into a vampire, they will lose complete access to their power. Witches who are turned into vampires are referred to by some as "Strigoi".

## Powers and Abilities

Not all (hereditary) witches have the same powers, likewise, some witches are more powerful than others. Powers tend to run within bloodlines.

### Basic Powers

The basic powers of every (hereditary) witch include:

* **Channelling:** The power to invoke extra forms of energy by focusing on external forces.
* **Potion Brewing:** The power to brew and concoct potions, remedies and elixirs that have supernatural properties.
* **Spell Casting:** The power to change and control events through the use of incantations and more.
* **Telekinesis:** The power to move objects and persons through mental influence.

**\*Note**: The most skilled practitioners can only channel, potion brew and spell cast. They are not capable of telekinesis but weaker hereditary witches are.

### Other Powers

* **Elemental Control:** The power to control and manipulate the elements of air, earth, fire and water.
* **Pain Infliction:** The power to create excruciating migraines through supernatural means.
* **Teleportation:** The power to disappear from one location and instantly reappear in another. This is one of the rarest powers a witch can have.
* **Cloaking:** The power to render one's self invisible based on sheer will alone. This is one of the rarest powers a witch can have.

* **Divination:** The power to divine future, past, and present events based off extrasensory perception. It is also the rarest power a witch can have.
	+ **Clairvoyance:** The power to divine future, past or present events through instinctive knowledge.
	+ **Intuition:** The power to divine future, past or present events through the use of instinctive knowledge.
	+ **Premonitions:** The power to divine future, past or present events through the observation and study of dreams.
	+ **Psychometry:** The power to divine future, past or present events through contact with or proximity to a certain object or person.

## Tools

* **Amulets:** An object that is used to protect its wearer from harm.
* **Athames:** A ceremonial dagger with a double-edged blade that is commonly used to direct energy.
* **Candles:** A block of solid wax with an embedded wick that is commonly lit to to amplify a witch’s spell.
* **Cauldrons:** A large metal pot that is commonly used to hold the ingredients for elixirs and potions.
* **Book of Shadows:** A family journal is documented with magical recipes, rituals, and spells.
* **Grimoires:** Similar to a Book of Shadows but often used to document dark magic spells, rituals and recipes.
* **Herbs:** Various flora used as ingredients to be incorporated into spells as binding agents
* **Stones:** Various minerals and ores used to boost or bind a witch's spell.
* **Symbols:** Seals drawn or written used as physical representations of spells.
* **Talismans:** An object that is used to magnify a witch's power.

## Weaknesses

* **Disbelief:** The act of denying or disbelieving in one's potential could cause a witch to inadvertently suppress their magical power.
* **Distraction:** Any person, substance, or thing that prevents a witch from giving full attention to their spells can hinder a witch from effectively practicing witchcraft.
* **Fear:** A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the condition or feeling of being afraid could cause a witch to involuntarily block their own powers for a short time.
* **Herbs:** Ingestion of certain herbs can cause a witch to lose consciousness and prevent them from using magic for a undetermined amount of time. Another herb, Lobelia flower prevents concentration and the practice of magic and can be used to weaken a witch as one would weaken a vampire with vervain.
* **Magic:** All creatures are susceptible to the forces of witchcraft including dark objects, potions, spells and more.
* **Mortality:** Based off the fact that witches are still human, they share many of the same weaknesses as non-supernatural beings (e.g. age, decapitation, disease, heart-failure, suffocation, snapped neck, etc.)
* **Overexertion:** The excessive use of magic could lead to disorientation, nose bleeds, unconsciousness, and if taken to the extreme, death.

## Hybrids

* **Medium-Witch Hybrids:** The most common witch hybrid there is. Medium-Witch hybrids have the ability to not only use magic but to interact with ghosts on the Other Side.
* **Werewolf-Witch Hybrids:** If a witch is bitten or scratched by a werewolf, a witch can become a mutt werewolf and still have access to their magic. A hereditary witch however, cannot mate with a werewolf. Werewolf-Witch hybrids are also infertile and incapable of procreating with anyone. They are very rare for this reason.
* **Ghost-Witch Hybrids:** If a witch becomes a ghost, a witch will still have access to their powers and will no longer have to worry about over exerting themselves. However, they are also incapable of resurrecting themselves as part of the rules of nature.
* **Shapeshifter-Witch Hybrids:** Another common hybrid. Shapeshifter-witch hybrids have the ability to transform into any animal on earth and still have access to their magic.

## Summerland and Consecration

Summerland is an afterlife destination for some Witches and Wiccans. However, in order for a witch's soul to go to Summerland, the witch must first be consecrated in the Earth's soil. The consecration ritual for a witch is rather complex. It must be preformed within twenty four hours of the witch's death. After the witch dies, the witch must be wrapped in either white or black material, then decorated with sage. A hereditary witch must then cast the consecration spell and the body buried in the Earth's soil. As well, the witch must also have no unfinished business at the time of death. If they do, the consecration ritual will fail, regardless of whether everything is done correctly or not, and the soul of the witch will have no hope of entering Summerland.

## Coven

A coven is a community or gathering of witches. Traditionally, a coven is made up of 13 hereditary witches, however, more modern covens tend to break/ignore this rule, allowing a coven to be as big or small as the coven leader wants.

### List of Covens around the World:

* **Paris Coven** - Reside in Paris, mostly practise dark magic, undisputedly the most prominent/powerful coven in all of France. The Paris Coven we know today originally formed in the early 1600s. *Active.*
* **Soeurs Mortes Coven** - A coven that have mostly based in France, however, they have been located in various towns and cities in France since their formation, rarely ever staying based in the same city/town for more than 25 years at a time. Currently, the coven is based in Marseille. They practise dark magic, more specifically, they like to practise necromancy spells and rituals. The coven is entirely made up of women, hence the name. Male witches are forbidden from joining the coven, as the coven believes that female witches are inherently more powerful than male witches. They have been around since 1722 A.D. *Active*.
* **Sanguis Coven** - A powerful coven that, in the present day, reside mostly in Rome, Italy. The Sanguis Coven has supposedly been around for 1645 years. They are known for practising solely dark magic, any spells cast or rituals preformed almost always use human blood, hence their name, the Sanguis Coven. *Active.*