Witchcraft
Forms of witchcraft have always existed amongst humans, but proper witchcraft started as a naturalist movement amongst sorcerers several hundred years ago. The abuse of mana concerned many younger sorcerers and more spiritually aware masters, so they began to distance themselves from the rest of the sorcery community and sought new ways to use magic. While one sect of sorcerers were content to use mana and damn the consequences, others looked at different avenues that lessened the impact of their magic on the world. This included the sorcerers that eventually settled in Emkal, as well as a large sect that opted to forgo the usage of mana altogether. The split came gradually at first, but then there was a sudden separatist movement away from traditional sorcery and toward protecting nature. Sorcerers recoiled at the sudden departure of students with their secretive teachings, thus beginning a centuries-long feud between sorcerers and witches.
Witches, realizing that the powerful words of Archanist kept utilizing mana energy, had to learn to cast their spells without using precious mana. The witches learned to use soul energy, a more ecologically friendly magical energy source. As this energy grew directly from the witches themselves, its non-destructive nature was greatly appreciated. Instead, witchcraft spells are often rhymes spoken in common language, and serve as a focal point for the intent of the witch’s spell.
Schools
After parting ways with sorcery, witches adapted three of their schools (warding, attack, and summoning) to replace sorcery spells, but also added three other schools of magic (flora, faunial, and glamers). Witches categorize their magic based on how they see the world; bluntly put, women are the creators and men are the destroyers (though they would prefer not to use such vile terminology for their work). Practitioners of witchcraft can use any school, regardless of their gender. They are encouraged to not see the division of the sexes, but to realize that in magic, just as in nature, there are masculine and feminine aspects to be respected and acknowledged.
Warding
Warding Magic, which can create barriers to defend against intrusion, similar to the Warding school in sorcery and is considered a feminine aspect.
Attack
Attack Magic, which obviously is based in aggressive spells, similar to the Attack school of sorcery, and is considered a masculine aspect. Witches are generally more conservative with their application of such spells.
Summoning
Summoning Magic, which calls beings other beings from elsewhere, similar to the Summoning school in sorcery, is considered a feminine aspect. However, witches are more limited in their summoning than sorcerers, and usually only summon magical creatures whereas sorcerers summon anything they want.
Floral
Floral Magic, which is unique to witchcraft, is the ability to affect flora in many different ways and is considered a feminine aspect. Witches can grow and cross-pollinate new plants in ways that cannot be achieved naturally. Using this medium, witches can also create floral constructs and plant guardians, as well as identify poisonous plants and edible vegetation. As a witch’s understanding of the local flora advances, the witch can use this knowledge to help farmers with their crops, increase potency of medicinal herbs, and even defend the land using the plants themselves. This magic has its limits, however, and witches are most adept with the native flora of the region they live in and have connected with.
Faunal
Faunal Magic, which can encourage and manipulate animals into combat, is considered a masculine aspect and unique to witchcraft. Faunal magic differs from Floral in the way that it is applied. While Floral magic can be used to cross-pollinate and create new plants, Faunal magic does not allow the witch to make two different species mate with each other and produce a new species or hybrid. However, the witch can increase the potency of certain dominant or recessive traits in an animal or population, causing it to alter slightly. This can create different and more dominant sub-species or breeds in the area. An example would be making cattle more hardy, or a dog’s nose more sensitive. Master witches can even make individual animals more intelligent and sentient, making for good companions. Through Faunal magic, animals can also be influenced and incited to defend their habitat and the witch.
Glamers
Glamers, a school of illusion learned from faeries, which give the witch the ability to shape their surroundings and themselves, is considered a masculine aspect. Fae magic is heavy on illusions, but unlike normal illusions that trick the eyes and phantasms that trick the mind and senses, glamers can be used to change a person’s physical appearance completely. It is much akin to shape-shifting, but without the painful bone-popping contortions of a true physical transformation.
