Supernatural Species - Witches
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Supernatural Species of the Dark World - Witches

A witch is a person who is born with the power to affect change by magical means.

While many witches are the portrayed as kind and selfless "Keepers of the Balance," other witches have been known to be independent thinkers who go against the Balance of Nature and use their power for personal gain, dark magic and sinister deeds. The origin of witchcraft remains unknown, however, it is known that witches have existed for many centuries passing down their knowledge and skills through generations of family lines. Contrary to popular belief, witches do not receive their powers from demons, nor do they worship the devil.

The Balance of Nature: It is a spiritual belief system based around the observance of the Earth and reverence of Mother Nature. The goal of many witches is to honor the design of nature and to maintain balance within the natural world. The balance of nature is intimately tied to one's spiritual relationship with the Earth, and the idea that all living things (e.g. animals, humans, plants, etc.) are considered sacred.

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.

Salts/White Powder: Used as a binding agent for certain boundary spells.

Cauldrons: A large metal pot that is commonly used to hold the ingredients for elixirs and potions.

Grimoires: A family journal is documented with magical recipes, rituals, and spells, and can also be used as a Talisman.

Herbs: Various flora used as ingredients to be incorporated into spells as binding agents

Stone: Various minerals and ores used to boost or bind a witch's spell.

Symbols: Seals drawn or written used as physical representations of spells.

Talisman: An object that is used to magnify a witch's power and or represent them supernaturally.

Powers and Abilities

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.

Divination: The power to divine future, past, and present events based off extrasensory perception.

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.

Telekinesis: The power to move objects and persons through mental influence.

Weaknesses

Disbelief: The act of denying or disbelieving in one's potential could cause a witch to inadvertently suppress their magical power.

Distraction: Denying a witch from concentrating or giving full attention to their spells, may render them ineffective.

Fear: The condition or feeling of being afraid may prevent a witch from properly accessing their powers.

Herbs: Ingestion of certain herbs can cause a witch to lose consciousness and prevent them from using magic for a undetermined amount of time. The 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: Witches are still susceptible to the powers of witchcraft. This is inclusive of mystical and dark objects.

Siphoners: A siphoning witch can siphon the magic from a witch where prolong exposure may lead to death.

Mortality: Despite their mystical attributes, witches are still human and 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.

Basic Spells/Common Displays of Power

One of the defining characteristics of a witch is their ability to cast spells; a "spell" being the word used to signify the means employed to carry out a magical action. A spell could consist of a ritual action, a set of words, a verse, or any combination of these. 

Locator/Tracking Spells: Locator spells allow witches to discern the location of an object or person anywhere in the world. Locator spells are ineffective if the person or object is being hidden with a cloaking spell.

Boundary Spells: Boundary spells allow witches to erect invisible barriers (or also referred to as "sealing off") surrounding a set space for a set amount of time, preventing beings from entering or leaving said location. However, they do not affect inanimate objects. Several Boundary Spells are tied to astrological events such as lunar or solar phases.

• Fire Boundary Spell: The spell allows the witch to trap individuals within a circle of fire. They would be unable to escape, and any attempt to do so would cause a surge in the fire's intensity.
• Semipermeable Boundary Spell: A spell that creates a boundary that allows a witch to trap a specific target while allowing anyone else to cross between it. While the bound person cannot leave of his or her own free will, they can be pulled from the boundary by another.

Linking Spells: Linking spells allow witches to establish a magical bond between two or more people, connecting mind, body, soul or even life force. Blood is often used to perform linking spells as it aids in strengthening the connection between the people that are being bonded together. Unlinking spells severs that bond, voiding the connection.

Message Spells: Message spells enable witches to communicate over vast distances by supernaturally sending messages across space. Usually, the message requires a personal belong of the target's to contact them.

Telekinesis: Telekinesis: The power to move objects and persons through mental focus.

Blood Gathering Spell: A simple spell that enables a witch to telekinetically gather and collect blood of a specific target to one point, whether it is the witch's own blood or that of another.

Invocations: Invocations allow witches to call on spiritual beings to be granted vast amounts of power should they be willing. They may come in the form of spells and rituals and can also be used to commune with the dead or occasionally, summon the living.

• Channelling: The power to invoke extra forms of energy by focusing on external forces.

Enchantment Spells: Enchantments allow witches to bind spells to inanimate objects. Thereby endowing said object with supernatural properties or changing its state. Various materials or minerals may be chosen for their existing supernatural properties to accompany different enchantments. They have proven to last until said spell or object is destroyed with Disenchantment or Destruction spells.

• Protection Enchantment: A protective enchantment placed on pieces of jewelry (i.e. the Gilbert Ring) that prevents the permanent death of person killed by a supernatural creature. The spells only works on non-supernatural humans.
• Daylight Amulet Creation: An enchantment placed on a piece of jewelry with a Lapis Lazuli gemstone that allows a vampire to be unharmed by the sun. The witch who casts this spell has the power to reverse the spell if he/she chooses. 
• Moonlight Amulet Creation: An enchantment placed on a piece of jewelry with a Black Kyanite gemstone that allows a werewolf to control his/her transformation during a full moon as well as access his/her full strength.
• Dark Objects: Several spells fall under this category, enacted through a type of Arabian dark magic known as Kemiya. Such spells allow witches to imbue objects with magical abilities using a precise chemistry of science and spirit.

Elemental Spells: Elemental spells allow witches to affect their surroundings by manipulation of the natural elements. The four elements fire, water, earth and air are the most basic and can be call forth for their specific properties. Higher controls of the environment such as the weather or plant-life may require channelling Nature's energy or massive amounts of power.

• Nature Spell: A spell that channels Nature to enhance and accelerate the growth of a flower or plant.
• Plant/Flower Revival: A spell used to channel Nature to revive dead plants or flowers.
• Water Flow Spell: A minor spell used to find and control nearby sources of water.
• Pyrokinesis: is an ability of the witches to conjure fire through their mind. Witches commonly use this power to light candles and can also use liquids (e.g. alcohol, water, etc.) as an accelerant. This power can also be activated through a spell though commonly performed non-verbally, is evoked through the Latin-based term "Incendia". Subsections of this ability includes fire manipulation, fire extinguishing, and ember (using salt).
• Offensive Spells: Offensive spell allow witches to attack or cause harm to somebody commonly in a direct and immediate way. They are widely used during combat situations and usually only lasts for as long as the spell is cast.
• Pain Infliction: The spell will cause strong pain and nose bleeds to the victim, enough to subdue and eventually kill them.
• Explosive Spell: The spell violently explodes all of the objects surrounding the target while telekinetically moving them towards the target at the same time. "Vatos!"
  
• Sacrificial Telekinesis: Offensive uses of telekinesis involving lifting, throwing, and/or pushing the target with an invisible force.
• Suffocation: The spell which allows the castor to rapidly restrict the target's airways, stopping air from flowing and causing them to asphyxiate.
• Bone Breaking: The spell allows witches to violently crack the bones of a target.
• Desecration: An extremely powerful spell that's stops a heart from working through magic alone. Blood will stop flowing and the body of the target will desiccate.
• Sedation: The spell will successful subdue the targets and knock them unconscious unless the target is too powerful.
• Blood Poisoning: The spell is performed by tapping into dark magic. It allows the witch to poison their own blood, which then successfully incapacitates a vampire as soon as they drink the said witch's blood.
• Heart Crushing: The victim's heart will be crushed or eventually ripped out from their chest. The process however can be stopped by disturbing the witch who is performing the spell.
• Restraintment: A powerful spell that can allow a witch inflict a magical hold on her target, restricting them to a kneeling position. It is capable of subduing strong beings, such as the original vampires.
• Chain-Breaking Spell: The spell will break the chains holding the witch using the incantation "Fractos!"

Divination: The power to divine future, past, and present events based off extrasensory perception.

• 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.

Privacy Spell: The spell works by throwing a handful of salt into a lighted candle. As long as the candle is lit, no one, including vampires and hybrids will be able to hear anything. Instead, all they will hear is sizzling sound.

• Esther's Privacy Spell: Through the use of burning sage, no one will be able to overhear anything from the room in which it burns.

Powers of More Evolved/Experienced Witches

Curses/Hexes: Curses and Hexes are powerful spells that allow witches to cause either harm or damage to fall upon a victim that commonly comes with long-lasting, slowed or delayed effects. Several are ritualistic in nature and may require physical contact with the target of the spell or with an object owned by it or a part of his/her body such as nails, hairs or blood.

• Death Induction Spell: This spell is performed by drawing power from the candles and using it to boil the belonging of the spell's target into liquid. The spell takes effect immediately, causing the victim to throw up blood, have painful aneurisms. One of the signs that the victim is under this curse are their blood-shot eyes.
• Death Curse: This curse allows a witch to punish someone by condemning them to a slow, supposedly irreversible death. In case of possession, it also allows the witch to trap the possessor spirits in the body of their vessels, so that they can't escape the curse.
• Insanity Hex: A curse invoked by tracing a symbol on the victim's hand while using the power of a cursed rosary, used to induce madness. The spell will drive the victim insane to a point where they become violent and kill. If a Hex like this is allowed to set in for too long, it can no longer be reversed. It is explained that hexes like this begin with magic, but after a while they alter the very chemistry of the brain, making them irreversible.
• The Crescent Curse: An extremely powerful spell that could force werewolves to stay in their wolf form except on full moons.

Power Manipulation Spells: Allows witches to manipulate the magic within a witch or object. They can transfer, cancel, add, subtract or most commonly, disrupt a source of magic, affecting its power.

• Disempowerment Spell: The spell allows a witch to strip another witch of their power.
• Absorbing a Spell's Magic: The spell allows a witch to absorb the magic of a certain spell focused in the earth. However, only spells of a higher level offer the witch actual, or great power, by causing a wind storm.
• Creating a Focus of Magic: A spell that allows a witch to channel a large amount of magic, essentially creating a hotspot of power. Such a spell can attract other witches, especially siphoners, should the amount of power be sufficient. It is implied that the spell can possibly exhaust the user to the point of death should one witch perform it by themselves.
• Halting Spell: The spell stops the flow of a witch's magic, cancelling out any spell performed midway. Some variations can even knock a witch unconscious.
• Disruption Spell: The spell will neutralize all forms of magic in a certain place exactly for one minute. This includes all forms of spells and magical (cursed) objects.
• Sacrificial Channelling Spell: A spell that allows a witch to kill and channel the power and strength of a supernatural creature. The spell requires the sacrifice(s) to be placed within a symbol drawn on the ground. The process is normally fatal although in the case of Original Vampires, the spell desiccates them when enacted.
• Over-Powering Spell: A powerful spell that allows a witch to channel a great amount of power from different sources and pass it onto an already strong power source in order to overload the witch channelling that power source. The targeted witch will then be forced to either break the link to their power source, which would leave them weakened, or die from the overwhelming power.

Divination Spells: Divination spells allow witches to seek knowledge of the future or information about the unknown by supernatural means. Spells that are related to Prophecies also deal with events of the future, of which can further shape the outcome.

Corruption Detection Spell: A spell that allows a witch to test for magic infused in a target's body.

Cloaking/Illusion: Cloaking spells allow witches to either render a being, location, or object physically undetectable to the senses or magically undetectable by locator spells, making it so that magic cannot track them. Illusion spells are an advanced form of Cloaking spells that allow witches to project into the mind of a target and affect the senses to perceive a false reality of a being, location or object which they can then manipulate.

• Glamour Spell: A powerful spell that can grant a person the appearance of another. The spell is performed by obtaining the hair of the target and using it as a conduit on a poppet which serves as the anchor of the spell. The spell is activated once the poppet is dipped into blood (presumingly of the person whose appearance the target is taking). Should the witch wish to remove the glamour, the poppet needs to be burned.
• Decoy Spell: A spell that uses the practice of representational magic to allow a witch to craft the illusion of the target's presence onto a clay doll, replicating its power source. However, the illusion only lasts for as long as the witch focuses on the spell.

Mental Spells: Mental spells allow witches to affect the mind of a target, manipulating both the conscious and sub-conscious, in numerous of ways. It is most commonly used on memories.

• Information Gathering Spell: The spell induces a suggestive trance-state onto a target by applying wet fingers to the temples of the target, allowing they to comply to any question asked. Similar to hypnosis.
• Compulsion Spell: The spell allows the witch to control the mind of another person making them do or say whatever they want.
• Dream Manipulation Spell: The target of the witch's spell will receive dreams, created specifically by the witch and may show visions of actual happenings.
• Mind Mending Spell: The spell allows a witch to heal and stabilize the mental state of a target by first putting them into an enchanted sleep.
• Forgetting Spell: The spell allows a witch to alter the memories of another even that of an Original Vampire, allowing the target to forget any unwanted memories. It was powerful enough to last more than 1000 years. A memory restoration spell can reverse this.
• Mind Breaching Spell: A powerful ritual that allows a witch drawing on a source of massive, but anchored power to breach someone's conscious mind. Such a spell can lead to the victim's death under the right circumstances, by destroying the soul but leave the body alive, for someone to take possession of.

• Healing Spell: A spell that is able to instantaneously heal the injuries of a person through the use of magic much like vampire blood. It is capable of healing someone from a severe car crash. Such spells can be performed at a different levels of speed and effectiveness.
• Paralysis Spell: A spell used to paralyze a target's body, including even those of vampires, which has the effect of preventing them from moving at all.
• Preservation Spell: A powerful spell that allows a witch to preserve their own or the body of another being. Such a spell protects the deceased's body from any form of decay indefinitely.
• Longevity Spell: A spell used by witches of old in conjunction with various unknown herbs to delay their aging process, extending their life greatly. However, age will eventually catch up with them.
• Sleeping Beauty Spell: A spell that allows a witch to induce a mystical coma onto a target whose waking time is tied to another's death. The target's body is kept at perfect health and preserved until they wake up. The spell ensured that with the caster's death, became irreversible and that should the spell be tampered with, as to exploit a loophole, both linked targets shall die.

Immortality Spells: Immortality spells allow witches to alter the age of living being usually to the point of indefinite lifespan. They are a violation of Nature's rule that all living beings must die and Immortal beings suffer consequences as an act of balance. Witches cannot become immortal without losing their ability to perform magic and may opt to use age-halting spells instead.

• Qetsiyah's Immortality Spell: One of the most powerful spells in history as well as one of the greatest achievements in the history of witchcraft. The spell allowed one to transcend death in the form of an elixir. When drunk, the recipient of the spell becomes a true immortal with peak physical conditioning and enhanced psychic abilities. Being a violation of nature's laws, mortal doppelg�ngers would be created as a consequence to be a version that can die.
• Vampire Creation Spell: A modified version of Qetsiyah's immortality spell which, unlike its older counterpart, worked ritualistically. The spell made its targets completely immortal, save for the object called upon for their immortality, as well as being physically superior to werewolves in every aspect. Consequently, nature provided every weaknesses to their strengths, affecting even more so their vampire descendants to the point of fatality.
• Immortality Slumber: A powerful ritual that allows witches to reach a form of pseudo-immortality, without being left powerless as a balance. The spell functions by placing the witch into a deep slumber that would last a century, arresting all biological functions besides the growth of the witch's magic. The witch would then awake, but is allotted only but a single year to walk the earth before the cycle repeats itself. It is worth noting that during their century slumber, the witch cannot be killed or harmed and during their year of life, the witch would remain immortal in all ways.

Vampirism Spells: Vampirism spells are specifically made to target the vampire species, allowing witches to directly manipulate their unique physiology.

• Heart Stasis Desiccation Spell: A powerful spell that temporarily stops a human heart while a vampire's heart is being stopped so that the vampire can be successfully desiccated. It is also powerful enough to be used on an Original Vampire.
• Blood Lust Manipulation Spell: The spell is rooted in sacrificial magic and allows a witch to increase a vampire's thirst massively, making it uncontrollable. 

Lycanthropy Spells: Lycanthropy spells are specifically made to target the werewolf species, allowing witches to directly manipulate their unique physiology.

• Transformation Pacing Spell: A spell that is able to accelerate or decelerate a werewolf's transformation.
• Werewolf Weakening Spell: An enchantment meant to suppress the strength and aggression of a werewolf.

Transportation and Dimensional Transcending: Allows witches to travel between different planes of existence in addition to manipulation of space. Usually, this is inclusive of teleportation, however, only two witches was ever seen non-verbally doing so.

Chambre de Chasse Spell: An elaborate spell that creates a localized astral plane commonly used as a prison where witches bring their targets for mental practice. The spell is based on the practice of representational magic, and as such can unravel if the targets are not represented accurately.

Life-Force Linked Chambre de Chasse: An intricately woven spell that anchors a Chambre de Chasse to the life force of an immortal being. Those that are linked to the immortal cannot die, and should the immortal be neutralized, so will the linked persons. An additional feature is that this spell inhibits the continuation of various poisons that are strong enough to kill powerful witches and original vampires and insanity curses.

Ancestral Plane Transcending Spell: A powerful yet simple suspension spell performed in a circle of salt, that allows a witch to gain access to the Ancestral Plane by stopping their heart with poison while the spell keeps them from permanent death as long as they maintain physical contact with a living person, serving as their life link. In order to return to the mortal plane, the witch is required to be at the place of the spell. There is one known loophole to this spell. Should an original vampire's spirit die within a witch and is consecrated to the ancestral plane, with this spell they will be able to temporarily return.

Davina's Astral Projection Spell: A spell that is able to transport the spiritual body of a person to another area within the world. The astral form will be unnoticeable to any other being.

Prison World Banishment Spell: A powerful spell that calls on the power of a celestial event to be focused into an Ascendant in order to banish a person (or more) to a prison dimension.

• Prison World Liberation Spell: A dimension-transcending spell that allows a witch to open a portal between the different prison worlds and the mortal plane by harnessing the power of its corresponding celestial event, freeing themselves. Whoever stands in the light will then be transported to the mortal plane.
• Prison World Transportation Spell: The spell allows a witch to transport a set amount of people to one of the Prison Worlds.
  

Spells Involving the Non-Physical Dimensions (ie: the Other Side, the Ancestral Plane)

Binding of The Other Side: An ancient spell used to create an entire purgatorial dimension commonly known as the Other Side. However, it needed to be bounded by something eternal in order for its continual existence.

To Pass Through the Anchor: A spell that allows passage from the Other Side (via the Anchor to the Other Side) to the physical plane.

Ancestral Manifestation Spell: A spell that is able to reveal the presence of an Ancestral Spirit on the Ancestral Plane to the living, giving them a corporeal form for as long as the candle burns.

Ancestral Resurrection Spell: A powerful spell used to resurrect a spirit from the Ancestral Plane using the collective power of the Ancestors. If the body has been destroyed, reconstituting the body of the target by means of turning ash and soil to flesh and bone will be required. Subsequently, the target rises from the hardened soil.

Ancestral Plane Untethering Spell: A spell that is able to severe the connection of the Ancestors with the human plane, cutting them off from magic. This spell must be perfomed on the Ancestral Plane and the witch casting the spell utilizes a mystical battery cell. While this spell cuts off the Ancestors magic, it does not destroy the Ancestral Plane, like that of the destruction of the Anchor and The Other Side. This implies that, given enough magic and/or time, the Ancestral plane could be tethered (anchored) back to New Orleans cemeteries.

Soul-Shattering Spell: A spell that is able to 'shred' an ancestral spirit into pieces, sending it into oblivion. This spell is performed on the Ancestral Plane and the witch casting the spell utilizes a life-blood stone.

Possession Spells

Soul Binding Spell: A spell that allows a witch to extract a target's soul and bind it to an object, usually a talisman, thus storing said target's soul in the talisman.

• Soul Relinquishment Spell: A powerful and ancient spell that allows a witch to resurrect someone from the dead by bounding their soul to a talisman. At the point of death, the soul deviates into the talisman where a witch is able to return it to a body.

Passenger Spell: Common spell used by the Travelers to possess another in order to become a passenger in someone else's body.

• Permanent Passenger Control Spell: A spell that grants a Passenger complete control over their host's body. It is performed by burning the Passenger's original body while chanting.

Spirit Transference Spell: A powerful spell that allows the witch to place the spirit of a person into the body of another and vice versa.

• Esther's Spirit Transference Spell: The spell will be locked in the moment the hourglass is turned over. When the sand finally falls down, the target's soul will be "ripped" out of their body and placed into the body prepared through a vessel preparing spell.
• Vessel Preparing Spell: An ancient spell that is used to prepare another body to act as a host for a certain spirit. The byproduct of the spell is a vertical line of large pin-like pricks on the back.

Celeste's Possession Spell: A spell that allows the spirit of a deceased witch to jump from body to body.

• Esther's Possession Spell: A possession spell that allows the witch to possess another body, either from the living or from the dead. The spell is stronger than most possession spells, seeing as it allows the possessor witch to leave their host and enter another body, without the need to kill their previous host first.

Soul Swap Spell: A spell that will transfer two spirits between bodies. Usually must be performed by two witches.