Editing Witches

A Witch is a Class of female spellcaster, tied to rituals, symbolism and emotional connections.

==Requirements==
[Witch] is a class of female magic users. To gain the class, one needs to have a defining moment, a moment of passion. One needs a talent for magic or to want to be one, while others are called to it.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/08/27/6-41-e/ Chapter 6.41 E]</ref> They need to wear a hat and find their craft to then progress in the class.

==Behaviour==
[Witches] are fiercely independent, and characterized by inherent selfishness. They give and take and have many purpose to a deed. They are better than most people at being grand and helpful or at being petty, and there are no rules that says a [Witch] can’t do much of anything, but there are nuances. Some embrace their qualities, good or bad, and make it into their craft.<ref name=":0">[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/10/02/9-19-e/ Chapter 9.18 E]</ref> A fundamental quality of their nature is that when pushed, they do not give in or change, they double down. They are usually loners save for familiars, and it is rare for one to live in a town.<ref name=":1">[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/09/10/6-43-e/ Chapter 6.43 E]</ref> They can be viewed as outsiders, troublemakers, and question the status quo, and they will lean into this image.<ref name=":9">[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/09/12/9-58-o/ Chapter 9.58 O]</ref> Most do not take well to laws, and will pursue their passion, their craft, even if it violates local laws.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/09/17/6-45-e/ Chapter 6.45 E]</ref> [[Wiskeria]] may be the beginning of a new era of [Witches] that will instead respect laws and civilization.

A [Witch] is a vide, a look, and an idea.<ref name=":9" /> [Witches] devote their lives to being [Witches] to give purpose to feelings, because it matters. They are good at pretending and it is a part of witchcraft, leaning into the image others have of them to gather emotions and be able to do what people believe they are capable of. Underneath the pretence is a certainty of who they are and what they want. This certainty becomes the basis of their actions and decisions, and of their craft. A [Witch] will pretend to be themselves while also being themselves and who they want to be, and so a [Witch] is always a [Witch].<ref name=":2">[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/08/27/9-11-w/ Chapter 9.11 W]</ref>

[Witches] can be vastly different from one another, though are often slotted into 'good' and 'bad' perceptions. It's more accurate to divide them into 'generous' and 'selfish', depending on whether they're willing to follow rules and help others, and if it ties into their craft. 'Good' [Witches] will use their craft for others, while 'bad' [Witches] will use their craft for themselves.<ref name=":3">[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/08/24/6-40-e/ Chapter 6.40 E]</ref> However, even a 'good' [Witch] can be seen as 'bad' depending on the perspective, by imposing their craft upon others.<ref name=":1" /> Self-indulgent [Witches], while powerful, are known to end up in an early grave.

When interacting with each other, [Witches] tip their hats in greeting. Covens of [Witches] will normally meet a few times a month to exchange news, warnings, and trade if there is no emergency. They generally do not judge one another and will overlook each other's wrongdoings, as they have too little allies to afford fighting each other. They will stay out of each other's affairs unless the [Witch] asks them to or it is a matter that affects other [Witches].<ref name=":11">[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/09/14/6-44-e/ Chapter 6.44 E]</ref> However, if a [Witch] kills another [Witch] without cause, they will be hunted by the others.<ref name=":4">[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/09/24/6-47-e/ Chapter 6.47 E]</ref>

According to [[Kasigna]], Witches were once women who entreated her.<ref name=":8">[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/08/30/9-55-pt-1/ Chapter 9.55 (Pt. 1)]</ref> [Witches] oppose the gods, as they've made a pact in ancient times to do so.<ref name=":4" /><ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/05/03/8-85/ Chapter 8.85]</ref>

==Powers and Abilities==
[Witches] rely more on rituals, incantations, and imbuing magic into items. They are capable of spellcasting, concocting magical brews, divination, noticing omens, summoning, performing séances, and interacting with ghosts and spirits. Most [Witches] don't gain a ritual spell from leveling until after level 20.<ref name=":7">[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/04/16/interlude-levels/ Interlude - Levels]</ref> While being a broader class than most spellcasters that encompasses many aspects and is as wide as [Mage] in ability, the magic of [Witches] is more varied than a [Mage]'s, but also weaker. Whereas [Mages] are more mathematical, able to add to their power like an addition or multiplication and cast a spell repeatedly in succession, a [Witch] can change the nature and traits of the magic, "turning '5' blue" as [[Typhenous]] put it,<ref name=":0" /> and so wield forms of magic that only [Archmages] will understand, but they need magical leylines to perform their rituals and cannot reuse the same ritual immediately after.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/09/21/6-46-e/ Chapter 6.46 E]</ref><ref name=":7" />

The magic of witches is fueled primarily by feelings and emotions, as well as many other things like places of power, significance, the phases of the moons, and death. They can see emotions, and gather them by practicing their craft, storing the power in their hats. They can pull emotions from a person or moment even outside of their craft, though working outside of their craft is more difficult,<ref name=":8" /> and the emotions will be half as powerful while lasting half as long.<ref name=":10" /> Without a craft, a [Witch] is unable to gather power, severely limiting her power like a [Mage] without spells. Thus, a self-taught [Hedge Witch] with a craft will be more powerful than a trained [Witch] without one. A change in the [Witch] will result in a change in their craft, as the emotions they used to gather won't be significant to them as before, and their hat won't be able to hold it.<ref name=":10" /> They must take care not to be consumed by what they wield, and if they cannot handle the emotions they've collected and don't use them for too long, they can become unbearable and threaten the [Witch]'s wellbeing. A [Witch] can sacrifice their emotion to solve such a problem if they know how, at he cost of no longer feeling that emotion again save in rare specific moments.<ref name=":2" /> The power of [Witches] is transitory and temporary, and wanes as greatness fades from the world.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2021/05/11/8-22-he/ Chapter 8.22 HE]</ref> So like many others, the power of [Witches] has been fading during the Waning World.<ref name=":3" />

Witchcraft needs to matter or relate to something in order to be effective.<ref>{{VERef|10.10 E (Pt. 1)}}</ref> [Witches] are good at solving problems, but by that same logic, they're ill-equipped against things considered "normal", such as nature.<ref name=":0" />

The Grand Design grants [Witches] leveling experience for a wide variety of actions.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/07/16/9-54-c/ Chapter 9.54 C]</ref>

===Derived Classes===

*[Apprentice Witch]
*[Cloth Witch]
*[Crow Witch]
*[Head Witch]
*[Hedge Witch]
*[Spooky Apprentice]
*[Stitch Witch]
*[Tea Witch]
*[Witch]
*[Witch of Ash]
*[Witch of Flames]
*[Witch of Law]
*[Witch of Malice]
*[Witch of Remorse]
*[Witch of Second Chances]
*[Witch Teacher] / [Teacher Witch]
*''[Witch Doctor] may not be a variant of [Witch], but is added here for completion's sake.''

===Related Skills===

*[Basic Brewing]
*[Basic Painting]
*[Distill Advanced Concepts]
*[Distill Simple Concepts] / [Distill Basic Concepts]
*[Doublechant incantation]
*[Drain Color]
*[Evil Cackle]
*[From Witchcraft, Sorcery Ariseth]
*[Harvest Craft (Local)]
*[Hat Trick (Minor Arcana)]
*[Homing Spell]
*[Infuse Color]
*[Infuse Witchcraft: Objects]
*[Remove Basic Curse]
*[School: Witchcraft (Undetermined)]
*[Spell School: Color Magic Proficiency]
*[Synergy Skill: Innkeeper – Convert Object: Food (Inefficient)]
*[Synergy Skill: Innkeeper – Lease Lesser Room]
*[Synergy Skill – Mind Shield: Eldritch Inscriptions]
*[Tea Omens]
*[Tea Gossip]

==Known Witches==
There is at least 70 witches in Riverfarm when Erin come to visit<ref name=":2" />. Riverfarm's most senior witches known are<ref name=":2" />  : [[Califor Weishart|Califor]], [[Mavika]], [[Eloise du Havin|Eloise]], [[Hedag]], [[Agratha]], [[Oliyaya]], [[Thallisa]], Quiraka.  They are also Great Witches of Izril<ref>{{VERef|10.11 H}}</ref>.

[[Belavierr Donamia|Belavierr]] is a Great Witch of Terandria<ref name=":3" /> and the last of the Great Witches of old<ref name=":11" />.

*[[Agratha]], [Teacher Witch]
*[[Alevica]], [Witch of Malice]
*[[Anazurhe]], Great Witch of Flames
*[[Barsoijou]], Witch of Waves, Witch of the Moon <span style="color:grey;">(''Deceased'')</span>
*[[Belavierr Donamia]], the Weaver, the Stitch Witch, the Witch of Calamity, the Witch of Dread Pacts, the Spider of Lives, Temptress, Threadbreaker, Witch of Webs.... etc., etc.
*[[Califor Weishart]], Great Witch and sympathy-specialist <span style="color:grey;">(''Deceased'')</span>
*[[Cirsa]]
*Devay<ref name=":5">[https://wanderinginn.com/2020/10/25/7-55-e/ Chapter 7.55 E]</ref>
*[[Eloise du Havin]], Great Witch of Tea
*[[Erin Solstice]]
*[[Hedag]], the Executioner
*[[Malluni]]
*Mamie <span style="color:grey;">(''Deceased'')</span><ref name=":6">[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/08/13/6-37-e/ Chapter 6.37 E]</ref>
*Mavaise<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/08/23/9-10-w/ Chapter 9.10 W]</ref>
*[[Mavika]], Great Witch
*[[Nanette Weishart]], classless / the Witch of Sorrows
*[[Oliyaya]] <span style="color:grey;">(''Deceased'')</span><ref>{{VERef|9.67 (Pt. 2)}}</ref>
*Pebblesnatch (Ten Years Later)<ref>{{VERef|10.36 - (Pt. 1)}}</ref>
*[[Prixall]]
*[[Qitene]]
*Quiraka<ref name=":10">{{VERef|10.19 E}}</ref>
*Rebeca<ref name=":5" />
*[[Somillune]], Witch of Ashes <span style="color:grey;">(''Deceased'')</span>
*[[Thallisa]]
*Tillica <span style="color:grey;">(''Deceased'')</span><ref name=":6" />
*Uonp <span style="color:grey;">(''Deceased'')</span><ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2021/03/07/8-11-e-revised/ Chapter 8.11 E]</ref>
*[[Vexcla]], Witch of Eyes <span style="color:grey;">(''Deceased'')</span>
*Voneng<ref name=":10" />
*[[Wiskeria]], Witch of Law
*[[Yithiuqess]], Witch of Trees <span style="color:grey;">(''Deceased'')</span>

===Known Covens===

*Eightnight Coven<ref>{{VERef|10.20 E}}</ref>
*Hapis Coven<ref name=":10" />
*[[Marshlands Coven]]
*Riverfarm Coven

==Trivia==

*Before [[Laken Godart|Laken]], no noble or city has openly allied with [Witches] in an age.<ref name=":3" />
*Rhyme for little [Witches]: “''A good [Witch] adds more than they take. Even the bad one takes, and uses it to create. A [Witch] who leaves naught at all is a mistake.''”<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2021/06/26/interlude-the-pets-of-innworld/ Interlude - The Pets of Innworld]</ref>

==References==
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[[Category:Classes]]
[[Category:Witches]]