Witch Tradition, Tantric

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

Description: Tantric witches are those who study the tantric arts and the powers of their own bodies. They are often misconceived as whores and prostitutes, and while the Tantric witch does focus more of her efforts of study into sex magic, they seek to perfect their own body and spirit, not merely the sexual aspects of it.

Tantric witches are always very fit and usually very attractive. They spend much time exercising and performing their bizarre stretches as part of their meditation rituals. Most of the average Tantric witch’s time is usually spent in solitude, studying new ways to hone their body and mind. They also understand how to exert their own built up sexual energies in means other than sexual activities.

Humans fill the majority of this tradition, followed by half-elves, elves and Halflings. Elves and Halflings often have their own racial viewpoints on the tradition, but they are essentially the same. dwarves and Half-orcs are nearly non-existent in this tradition. Halfelves will join this tradition especially if her parents were joined in love, thus testifying that love and intimate acts are stronger than any racial biases.

The Tantric witch clothing is usually loose and somewhat revealing, as often they are proud of their bodies physical tone. There are some Tantric witches who also have no qualms about using their alluring nature to get what they want, but they should not represent the average Tantric witch.

Role: Though Tantric knowledge of the body includes much about sexual pleasure, this is not necessarily the focus of the art of Tantra, merely a single aspect of it. Yet to society, a Tantric witch is at best a guidance counsellor for those seeking knowledge on heightening sexual performance, and at worst filthy whores with no sense of moral values.

Tantra is not always seen as a bad thing in society; the Priestess of Innana were a very important part of ancient Sumerian society and these practices were similar to tantric ones. A Tantric witch is important to fertility rites and in particular the coming of spring. She is also a superior healer, given the understanding she has of the human body and the way it works.

She is either at the receiving end of public outcry over their lack of traditional morals (more than one Tantric witch has been exiled from a local township) or she is a respected member of the community and seen as a necessary part of the flow of life.

Joining this Tradition: The Call to become a Tantric witch seems to come at random. Often, before becoming a witch, they will have a strong curiosity for that which is considered taboo. Sometimes, they will be seeking dangerous knowledge (sometimes related to the Tantric witch’s field of study) and be caught and exiled, whereupon they will finally hear the call.

Tantric witches are involved less with duties of tradition and covens than other witches, but they still have ceremonies that they perform. Most notable is the blessing of the crops at the Spring Equinox. Typical rituals include the pouring of sacred waters onto a virgin field before planting. Tantric witch also celebrate Beltane to similarly insure the fertility of the people. Children conceived at this time are considered to be blessed by the Goddess. If the father is unknown, not an uncommon occurrence during Beltane, then they are also said to be Children of the God and are doubly blessed.

Leaving this Tradition: A Tantric witch who renounces herself as a witch loses all spells and supernatural abilities. An ex-tantric witch will also discover that she will have a hard time fitting back into regular society. Tantric witches seek no retort to those who give up their art, but they will probably never allow them to return to their studies

Skills & Feats: Tantric witches receive Perform, Bluff, and Diplomacy as class skills. Also, Tantric witches are typically the only witches that utilize the Celibate Casting feat.

Occult Powers

Minor: 7th Level: Chakra Healing. At 7th level, the Tantric witch’s body and spirit begin to become one. As such, they can heal via touch as a paladin‘s laying on hands ability, except this healing is not the result of positive energy but personal spiritual energies. The Tantric witch can heal a total number of hit-points equal to her own Charisma modifier times her Tantric witch level per day. These points may be used all at once or through out the course of the day.

Medial: 13th Level: Strength of Soul. At 13th level, they add half of their Constitution modifier (if positive) to Charisma checks and vice versa. This bonus is not applied to hit points or saving throws, but it can be used to effect the tantra’s healing ability.

Greater: 19th Level: As One. At 19th level, the Tantric Witch achieves perfect connection of the body and spirit, and can add her Constitution modifier to the saving throws of their spells and her Charisma modifier to their total hit points and all saving throws.

Special Benefits: Tantric witches gain the benefit of the protection of their covens. Houses that support the tantric witch will often also have hired guards or even a Witch Guardian to protect them. A tantric witch can use her Create Talisman feat to make a talisman that can heal a number of hit-points per use equal to her own Charisma. Once all of the talisman’s hit-points have been used, then it becomes inert. The healing from these tantric charms (as they are called) is said to be a very pleasurable experience.

Special Restrictions: Tantric witchcraft requires a high level of devotion, but it is a solitary practice. Thus most tantric witches will be chaotic in alignment.

Equipment: The Tantric witch must spend a quite a bit of her income on the acquisition and upkeep of her tantric ritual items. This includes her wardrobe and any furnishings. This must account for 25% or more of her income, possibly as high as 60%.

Coven Domains: Chaos, Evil, Good Law, Tantric

Preferred/Barred Covens: Covens of fertility Goddesses are most likely to have tantric witches. Also Patrons of physical pleasures are also likely to support tantric witches.

Despite stereotypes, most malefic, diabolic or demonic covens do not have orgies full of tantric witches. Since the art of tantra is the art of life, most if not all tantra find the actions of evil outsiders to be an anathema. Similarly tantra is the polar opposite of dark necromancy.

Relationship to the Goddess/Patron:. The Tantric witch views the Goddess as the pure embodiment of the body and spirit. Her own physical being; honing her body through stretches, exercises, and sexual activities (or lack thereof) is the Tantric witch’s own way of worship. Real world examples of a Tantric witch’s Goddess include Bast, Aphrodite/Venus, Kali, and Ishtar/Innana

Classical Tantric witches follow the Indian patrons Shiva, the creation god, and Lakshmi, a form of the Goddess Kali who focuses on creation.

Source/Views of Magic: A tantric witch draws her powers from her own body and soul, which is a blessing from the Tantric Witch’s goddess in appreciation for her worship

Wealth: Standard for all witches

Other: Tantric witches get along well with other covens and Traditions; at least from their own point of view. Some Traditions consider the Tantra to be no better than a harlot or a whore, but most understand that the Tantric tradition is but another means of communion with the divine.

Not all agree with these sentiments; priests and paladins often despise Tantric witches as much as Malefic witches. Despite alignments, many non-witches see Tantric witches as evil because of their practices, and wizards tend to find their magic vulgar. Rogues, bards and sorcerers understand the Tantra the best.

Since the Tantric witch is most often found in urban or at least in settled areas, they have little interaction with druids, rangers and barbarians.

Tantric witches generally do not enter into prestige classes. The perceived stigma of their Tradition is very difficult to shake off. Most Hermetic Orders look down on the Tantra the same way wizards do. The notable exception is the Hermetic Orders of the Golden Dawn, which have incorporated some of the Tantric philosophy into their own.