A witch performing a dark ritual.[1a]
A witch is a hedge wizard who survived practicing their fumbling arts without going completely insane or dying. They have a broader repertoire of homegrown spells to work with and many dabble in areas best left alone. In other words, by merit of their ignorance as to the occult workings of the Winds of Magic, many witches begin to use Dark Magic without even realising it.[1b]
As a result of trial and error, witches' spells are more diverse and more powerful than the petty spells of other hedge wizards, possessing elements of many of the Winds of Magic. However, witches that use the power of Dark Magic inevitably take a terrible toll upon their minds and souls.[1b]
Quick Answers
What makes a fantasy witch's spells more diverse?
What risks do witches face in their practice?
What is the role of trial and error for a fantasy witch?
How do witches unknowingly use Dark Magic?
Why are witches' spells considered more powerful?
Role[]
Because they do not have any real understanding of the forces of magic they use, it is not difficult for hedge wizards to become corrupted by the power they wield. Even the most successful hedge wizards tend to use a dangerous and unbalanced mix of the Winds of Magic, often utilising Dhar (Dark Magic) whether they realise it or not. As such, they may quite unknowingly create spells that bear a relation to necromancy or daemonology, casting curses and making wax figurines of their enemies into which they stick pins, causing pain and ill health in their victim. Inevitably, such hedge wizards as these begin to show the psychological and even physical side effects of using Dark Magic.[1a]
These unwanted side effects can manifest themselves in many ways, the more obvious ones being insanity, mutation, involuntary summoning of dangerous Daemonic entities, a growing paranoia, and desire for more power and knowledge. Not only have they made themselves easy meat for any witch hunter or similar authority who hears a villager telling tales of the local wyrdstone's strange powers, but they have endangered their very souls. Hedge wizards that survive practising such volatile homegrown arts, using dangerous blends of magical energies and succeeding in making binding pacts with various very minor Aethyric entities, are promoted in the eyes of the authorities of the Colleges of Magic -- although it is an exceedingly dubious honour.[1a]
Although the witch hunters refer to all non-sanctioned magic-users within the boundaries of the Empire of Man as "witches" or "warlocks", it is known that the magisters of the Light, Bright, Gold, Celestial, Grey, and Amethyst Orders at the very least use these terms quite specifically. Generally, those petty hedge wizards not caught and burned, or who do not descend into screaming madness, or simply destroy themselves with the powers they unleash, have the potential to become witches, according to the Colleges' definition. In fact, these Colleges seem to view it as a given that hedge wizards that avoid capture or death inevitably begin to practice more dangerous witchcraft.[1a]
Once this process begins, not only do these witches become steadily more powerful, but they also become more dangerous. There is a growing willingness to intentionally harm others. Collegiate Magisters no longer regard such magic-users as just dabblers, but view them instead as spellcasters of exceedingly crude but increasingly dangerous skill and mentality. This is the natural danger of practicing any form of arcane spellcraft in the Empire without seeking the guidance of the Colleges.[1a]
The longer a hedge wizard remains untrained and yet still experiments with magic -- and if they aren't caught and burned by the witch hunters -- the more likely they are to start using Dark Magic without even realising it. Witches know a plethora of spells that they have devised for themselves or learned from other renegade spellcasters. Witches tend to have a few more powerful spells than do the lesser hedge wizards or even the legitimate apprentice wizards of the Imperial Colleges.[1a]
The Dark Art[]
When country folk want a lost goat scried for or a wound healed with a touch, they cautiously turn to a hedge wizard for help. However, when someone wants to fulfil a petty act of vengeance against an enemy, they visit a witch. Witches usually live in seclusion, for their presence is unsettling to normal folk.[2a]
Although few live up to the reputation of old "Bloody Bones", a mythical hell-hag used by parents throughout the Empire to scare children into behaving, most bear the marks of their undisciplined use of magic -- disfigurement and eccentricity. It takes a brave soul to trek to the isolated cottage of a witch. For a few pennies, the witch will work her magic for the petitioner; sometimes she will use her art to heal, but usually it will be to curse an enemy or ruin a rival.[2a]
For some witches, the power to cause fear and harm becomes an intoxicant, and they will begin to abuse their gift, and tyrannise their neighbours for personal gain. Such blatant misuse of Dark Magic sometimes attracts warlocks, who recruit witches to help them perform unspeakable rituals.[2a]
A warlock will organise their minions into a coven, fashioning their erratic art into a tool of evil. There is no hope for witches who are beguiled in this way; although the most talented members of a coven might be favoured with the secrets of the warlock's power, all ultimately face either the damnation of their souls or the flickering pyres of the witch hunters.[2a]