FIELD GUIDE TO WITCHES

What is a Witch?

Witches are a unique species defined by their relationship with Whim. Whim is the raw, volatile force of reality that they shape and manipulate. Every witch possesses the innate ability to bend or rewrite aspects of the world around them, though the form this takes varies wildly from individual to individual. Some open temporary portals between spaces, others act as living energy sources, some make good luck charms, and some manifest constructs, illusions, or physical transformations. No two witches express Whim in the exact same way even when utilizing the same medium.

What truly sets witches apart is their medium. Whim responds to art. Each witch channels their power through a chosen artistic discipline that becomes an extension of their identity. A painter might drag a brush and open a rift portal in the air. A cook could knead and braid a dough infused with protective wards. A musician could send wind rippling with colors from a few choice notes. Ink, textiles, metals, pottery, instruments, and so on. Practically any craft can become a conduit for manipulating Whim.

Whim mediums are not genetic. However it's common for children to gravitate toward the mediums they grow up around. Through exposure, imitation, and learning from someone skilled, baby witches are more likely to grow into mediums similar to their parent's. But any witch, regardless of lineage or upbringing, can ultimately choose whatever medium resonates with their own expression.

Their magic is grounded in personal expression but witches within the same medium still share certain strengths and limitations. Each medium has a natural "affinity" in things it excels at and things it resists. For example, ink lends itself well to shadow travel, slipping through negative space and fluid edges, but it struggles with stable constructions. A witch could summon constructions using ink, but it would require far more precision, effort, and control to work vs, say, a pottery witch. This works much like art itself: you can render a lifelike portrait with a cheap ballpoint pen but a paint set will make the process smoother and more straight forward.

Across all variations, a witch is an artist first and a reality-shaper second.