Which Witch

[Queshire]

So, one of the main characters in my story is going to be a witch, but I'm not sure just what that would mean...
I like to do something that's recongnizable as a witch, but with my own spin on it.

I'm not sure whether being a witch will be something you could learn or something you have to be born with, but all witches have a greenish tinge to their skin, though most people would just consider it to be olive skin, as well as hair ranging from black to white. Sort of the classic wicked witch look, though you don't need warts or anything. If being a witch is gentic then that alone would explain it, while if it's learned then it'd be a result of their training and potions and what not.

Witch-craft would be an emotive magic, what you can do is based off what you feel, anger lets you toss around fire balls, happiness lets you fly, fear let's you move superfast, shyness lets you turn invisible, etc. The various foci of being a witch, the broom, cauldron, and the witch's hat, help. They get the witch in the right mood, but they aren't needed. Futhermore, most witches learn a type of enchanting that lets them basically and litterally bottle their emotions and the emotions of other people so they aren't limited by just what they're feeling at any particular moment.

So what do you guys think of this? Do you have any suggestions, questions, or comments? Personally I'm thinking that it's too... magical for witches, maybe I should go with a more alchemy-esque route where the witche's don't have any powers themselves, but are able to make potions and stuff out of monsters and herbs to simulate magic.

 

[JCFarnham]

Genetically witchy makes a lot more sense to me. It's just neater.

Given that you've stated you want their magic to be "emotive magic", can you explain a way that an emotion, or bottled emotion, could change skin and hair colour? If you're magic system can logically support such a thing, and be internally consistant then it could very well be a magical effect that does it.

If however you would rather an emotion didn't have the effect of changing someone/somethings appearance, then witches being born witchy is the way to go.

At this stage, don't think of it as what's cooler (though that helps) or what's less cliche, think of what's more internally consistant with your magic system.

(this is of course the way I work, people are different, ymmv, and so on)

 

[BeigePalladin]

I would say genetic would be more effetive if it comes with a documented and oservable physical difference, as otherwise it becomes a bit confusing if someone learning something gets a change in apperance - especially considering the description of magic being emotive; it'd be pretty hard to describe a constant emotion that caused physical change without shackeling every witch into a generalized characterization, though that'd be up to you to judge if you think it would work.

the second part, refrencing what JC said above, which is more important to your world - the magic system, or the witches themselves. If the first, then hereditary since it would be hard - and possibly contradictory - to explain with the system outlined how they're greenish etc. If the second, then whichever you'd prefer and adapt the magic system to fit that.

Personally I'm thinking that it's too... magical for witches, maybe I should go with a more alchemy-esque route

another possible route, depending on the take on the bottled emotion, would be somewht of a compromise; born witches could be better/stronger/more versatile, and thus have the differing characteristics, whereas the taught ones would look normal but be wors. Or maybe same ceiling, but the changed-appernce ones are born with access to the power - if tht fits, of course

Witchcraft based magic has been around in most media as long as wizard-magic; being a witch does not inherintly make you non-magical, and I'd be rather dissapointed reading your work if you do make the change since the initial idea is darn intresting. It also creates a good analogue to the fact that (due to higher levels of estrogen, more in-build emotional instincts) women are generally more emotionally goverened*, which works well with emotion=witchraft, and might give a decent comaprison if wizardly is logic/formula based.

*Not a criticism or insult, just a basic observation

 

[Queshire]

Thanks for the help, I just thought I'd give you guys an update. I decided to go with a third option, being a witch isn't something you're born into or you just learn, you have to go through a magical ritual to become a witch, hence the physical changes.

 

[Meg the Healer]

I was actually go to suggest that as in the Pagan world there are considered many types of witches but anyone can become a witch. There are some that are hereditary witches and some that find a coven or becaome Solitary witches. But all of them (hereditary or non) have a ritual to go thru before they can state they are a Witch (from what I've read). There is a learning process - the Year and a Day - and then the ritual itself. This ritual can be done by a Solitary or upon entry into a coven should the coven you train with accept you.

So does their skin just turn one color? Or would you have didn't emotions turn the skin different colors? Not sure why I think that should matter, but I guess I just wondered if it was something you had considered. Especially since the skin coloring could reflect two different emotions - if you see green on someone - are they jealous or are they healing. If you see red, are they angry or in love? Yellow - friendly/compassionate or fearful/coward? Just curious really.

 

[Caged Maiden]

My question would be about the term witch, really. Are you going to call them witches, or are you just using the term right now to describe the idea/ concept? Because, the term, unfortunately has had a lot of controversy in human history, and though many people now refer to themselves as witches proudly, it was not always so, and there are many people who still feel it is derogatory.

I like your concept, and there's loads of pagan books out there that can help you with your research and inspiration, I'd just suggest inventing a new word for these people, to set them apart, and make them special.

 

[kadenaz]

If emotions create different spells, then she MUST use some kind of drug to trigger different emotions.

 

[Queshire]

I think witch is an acceptable term nowdays, at least compared to terms like necromancer, and I decided that she'd be a witch before I came up with what being a witch actually means, so yeah, she has to be called a witch.

As for drugs, I'm going to say no. This is mostly because I'm vehemntly anti-drugs. She can bottle emotions as it were to use them later, but they have to be genuine emotions, in fact drugs would prevent that emotion from being used in magic as it'd be a fake emotion.