Witches view

Liber Mysterium, The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks

By Timothy S. Brannan and The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks Team

Magic is the lifeblood of all witches. Manipulating the forces of arcane and divine magic is what sets the witch apart from other mortals, even other spellcasters. To a witch, magic is everywhere and in everything. To many witches, magic is often the same word as life. In the witch’s mind magic is not simply a way of attaining practical ends, it may also involve at least a partial symbolic recognition of her spiritual worldview and of her Goddess and beliefs. In this respect magic often merges with religion, and indeed the line between the two is frequently blurred. While a priest and wizard view magic and religion as distinct, the witch sees no such differences. Without magic, a witch is no different than the cowan or mundane people around her.

The theoretical foundation for most magical practices is a belief in correspondences, or hidden relationships among entities within the universe especially between human beings and the external world. According to this view, the application of the right colors, objects, sounds, or gestures in a given context can bring about the desired result. The theory of correspondences affirms the power of thought to confer reality on products of the imagination, particularly when these thoughts are expressed through significant symbols.

A distinction can also be drawn between white and black magic: White magic is employed for benign ends or for personal discovery, and black magic is used to harm others. The majority of the magic the witch employs then can best be described as gray.

Many witches believe that they can cast any type of magic regardless of alignment. Magic itself is neither good nor evil, any more than the wind and rain are good or evil. However witches also believe in the “Rule of Three” that what ever they send out into the world will come back to them threefold. Therefore, good witches tend not to cast what is commonly called “Black magic”. Evil witches are very likely to use White or Gray magic when it benefits them.

Magical Theory and Thought

Witches view magic a bit differently than other spellcasters. Most see a division between Arcane (wizard) and Divine (priestly) magic. While these divisions are academic to most everyone else, to the spellcasters they define how they see reality. To the witch Arcane and Divine are only facets of the totality of magic.

As described above, magic is the lifeblood of all witches regardless of alignment, coven or tradition. Witches create magic for the same reasons that bards create songs; as a natural outlet for their own creativity. To a witch discussing magic as thing separate from the world or as “supernatural” is as absurd as discussing water or air as something separate from the world.

Every witch has a particular feel or form to her magic. While magic can be altered by her coven or tradition, each witch’s personal casting is unique. Thus it becomes possible to determine which witch has worked what magic by her tell-tale signs. In order to determine the witch that cast a particular spell the character would need at least the Spellcraft or Knowledge (Witchcraft) skill and familiarity with that witch’s magic in the past.

Magical Correspondences

Witches believe in the notion of magical correspondences, that reality can be effected by magic that is related to other object. This magic can be Homeopathic, Sympathetic or Contagious. Thus the use of spell components is extremely important to the witch. Witches distinguish three types of magical practice.

• Homeopathic Magic uses small portions of something to effect the whole. For example when a witch creates a control doll she will use a bit of hair of the person she is trying to control.
• Sympathetic Magic, or symbolic magic, is based on the symbolism used. So when a witch casts Drowsiness she uses rose petals or sand because of their symbolism to sleep.
• Contagious Magic effects something because of its relationship to a magically charged object. The most common magically charged object the witch has is her athame. The spell is cast through the athame and the athame then directs the spell.

Some magic uses all three. For example: a control doll is created with homeopathic magic. Needles stuck into it to affect someone else are sympathetic magic, and casting a spell on the doll to affect another is contagious magic.

The Thaumaturgic Triangle View

Some witches view magic as a Thaumaturgic Triangle, with Arcane magic on the left lowest corner, Divine at the right lowest corner and Witchcraft at the top. Of course it should be noted that Wizards and clerics view it quite differently. Witchcraft is defined as the blend of both Arcane and Divine magic, but it is also separate from these magical styles.

The Pentagram View

Most witches do not subscribe to the Thaumaturgic Triangle view. The see it as a compromise to other spellcasters. Plus it leaves out the very magic it was named for, Thaumaturgy. Most witches view magic from the Pentagram or Grand Elemental view. They divide magic in to five distinct camps and associate an element to each magical camp.

• Thaumaturgy or Low Magic is the magical style practiced by Hedge Wizards, Hedge Witches, Shamans or Adepts. Thaumaturgic magic depends heavily on rotes, sympathetic magic or divine influence. Witches believe that even some druid magic can fall into this category.
  • Its associated element is Earth.
• Sorcery or Natural Magic is the magical style practiced by Dragons, sorcerers and some other naturally magic races such as the faerie and elementals. Fiends and Celestials, while naturally magic derive their source from the Divine. Unlike Thaumaturgy, Natural Magic flows from within, which makes it more like arcane magic. But unlike Arcane, Natural Magic is not learned; it is a natural part of spellcaster.
  • Its associated element is Water.
• Divine, or Clerical Magic is magic that comes from the gods, other planes or strong beliefs. The source of this magic is always outside of the spellcaster, which makes it very different than Natural Magic. Unlike Natural Magic and Thaumaturgy, Divine magic requires neither skill nor practice, only faith. The spellcaster can improve her casting styles or effects, but not the source or nature of the magic.
  • Its associated element is Air.
• Arcane Magic or Wizardry is magic that comes from the learning of great secrets. Arcane magic must be studied and certain formulas must be followed, like Thaumaturgy. This puts it at odds with Natural Magic, but like Natural Magic, the magic comes from the skill of the spellcaster to harness the power of magic.
  • Its associated element is Fire.

Witchcraft
is the combination of these magical views. Like thaumaturgy and arcane magic the witch must practice various rotes and formulas to activate and shape her magic. Witchcraft is also Divine because to power of this magic comes from the Patron.

Its associated element is pure magical Essence.

Regardless of how the witch may view her magic, she does know that her style of magic is part of the greater whole of all magic. Witchcraft is subject to the same rules and laws that govern all magic.

• Magic Circles
• Witch’s Familiars
• Ritual Magic

Same Spell, New Name

Witches have access to a number of spells of their own. They also share a good number with other classes. To help preserve a bit of the mystery of the witch GM’s are encouraged to come up with new names for any “common” spell. This also reflects the diverse nature of the witch’s magic. It is even extremely likely that no two traditions or covens would even call the same witch spell the same name. Warlocks would certainly have different names for their spells, as would Hermetic Mages.

Here are a few examples and suggestions. Some of these spells are not on the witch’s spell list, but are known to witches by these other names.

New Spell Names
Spell Name	Witch Spell Name
Acid Arrow	Arrows of Artemis/Apollo
Arcane Mark	Witch’s Mark
Beguile	Lust
Bless	Blessed Be
Bless Growth	Fertility Rite
Calm Emotion	Quell Heart’s Flame
Cause any Wounds	Lovitar’s Kiss
Cure Critical Wounds	Superior Rite of Healing
Cure Light Wounds	Lesser Rite of Healing
Cure Minor Wounds	Minor Rite of Healing
Cure Moderate Wounds	Medial Rite of Healing
Cure Serious Wounds	Greater Rite of Healing
Daze	Fairy Senses
Desecrate	Blessings of the Mara
Detect Magic	See Magic
Fly	Transvection
Guidance	Faerie Luck
Light	Witch Light
Magic Jar	Witch Bottle
Mage’s Disjunction	Hecate’s Magickal Rending
Mage’s Faithful Hound	Hecate’s Faithful Hound
Mage’s Lucubration	Mnemosyne’s Recall
Mage’s Sword	Thanatos Sycthe
Polar Ray	Louhi’s Breath
Speak with Dead	Spirit of Samhain
Symbol of Fear	Mark of Phobos
Symbol of Pain	Mark of Lovitar
Tiny Hut	Baba Yaga’s Hut
Transport via Plants	Move with Nature’s Grace