Benzaiten

Blood & Ruin (A Fantasy Role-play) (M)

@JJ2000 This could potentially be really good. Are you still looking to get this off the ground?

Just warning you all before I stage a coup and turn this into "ZaibatsuGuild"

Not necessarily a superhero RP but you do have powers and use them for various means, including fighting monsters or other beings: The Witches Of Shipden Peak

In any way, welcome to the guild!

The Witches Of Shipden Peak

@Lionhearted @ShepherdOfHope @Katakuri Thank you for your submission! We shall contact everyone shortly (if we haven't yet) on whether the CS needs some changes or not :) I'm very excited to get this rolling!

For everyone interested or still putting together their CS, please don't hesitate to contact us if there are any questions or you need assistance. We are always happy to lend a helping hand. Easiest way would be our Discord Sever.

Salutations.

Welcome to the guild! "Weaving tales of romantic gay bullshit" is absolutely the reason why I'm here. That and fantasy! I am currently working on getting my Witch RP off the ground. I hope you find people and groups you really enjoy writing with. It is a wonderful experience.

After 5 years, I am back. And it is great.

@Catharyn A 2x2 sounds like a really fun concept.

The Witches of Shipden Peak

For anyone clicking on this Interest Check, follow me to the OOC:)

The Witches Of Shipden Peak

Zhalia Ramshorn

---

"They turned you into a weapon and told you to find peace."

Determined. Rebellious. Independent. Skeptical.

---

• Name: Zhalia Ramshorn
• Gender Female
• Age: 27
• Sexual Orientation: Lesbian
• College Degree: None - never attended college
• Languages: German, English
• Notable Skills: Horseback riding, ballroom dancing, can handle a sword and a dagger

Years of Magical Education: 11
Schools of Magic: Necromancy, Illusion and Divination

Necromancy (9)

• Life Force Alteration
  Probably the most common form of Necromancy in Zhalia's former coven is the alteration of life force in various forms. Through excessive study, the witches of this coven learn to alter life energy by using necrotic means. Altering the life force of a living creature can affect their health, their strength and even their ability to perform magic. Very advanced casters are able to create poisonous effects by altering life energy.
  
  Actually ending someone's life by pulling the life force out of their body would require either a very long time or a very high amount of energy. The life force is always trying to balance itself out and will continuously attempt to restore itself. (Therefore, this can not "shorten" someone's lifespan.)

• Afterlife Linking
  Zhalia can connect the living world to the world of death, linking the land of the dead and the spirits & souls inhabiting it to the realm of life and existence, allowing both worlds to interact with each other in some ways. This is usually referred to as "lifting the veil" and is a very temporary situation. Often only the caster themself may interact with the spirits on the other side. On other occasions (and with the right skill) one may be able to connect the two worlds more permanently, such as bringing spirits/ghosts into the world of the living or pushing a living soul to the other side and into death. (This is exceptionally hard and should not be attempted by a single person, it can cause various disasters.)
  
  As a result of a fudged attempt at this casting, the rules of both worlds might combine/mix together in unpredictable ways, and potentially even lead to cursed resurrections for those that do end up dying. This can also cause any changes to anything from either world to affect both of them instead of only one.
  
  Zhalia is an exceptional caster when it comes to Necromancy but her connection to the world of the dead has been tainted. She is reluctant to try to engage with The Veil again.

• Revivify
  If a creature or person has just died, Zhalia might be able to lift the veil enough to pull their soul back into their body and return them to the living. This does not heal them. Any wounds inflicted would still be present. This act requires high concentration and the success depends on the circumstances of the death, Zhalia's own condition, and the willingness of the deceased to return. The caster might be met with a lot of struggle as the veil has a naturally strong "draw" always pulling souls towards and through it.
  
  Despite the coven's belief system that there is no meddling with the dead's soul, they all learn this magic. Though they rarely use it. It is more of a failsafe.

Illusion (6)

• Audible Indunation
  When in close enough proximity to a person, Zhalia has the ability to overwhelm someone's mind with voices. For this to work, she needs to be able to see the person she is targeting. Advanced casters might be able to use this illusion on people without directly observing them. This illusion might extend to putting specific words or phrases into a person's mind. Mostly, however, Audible Indunation manifests as a chattering of overlapping, unfocused voices that overwhelm the mind and confuse, irritate or even knock out a person.
  
  This ability can 'ricochet' when (a) someone uses a field with ricocheting ability or (b) it becomes too restraining on Zhalia or (c) someone has the ability to mind shield. It requires concentration to uphold the illusion. Skilled casters (such as Zhalia) can pull up this illusion and leave it up for 30-ish seconds without concentration. Advanced casters might perform a longer unconcentrated illusion.

• Monocular Realization
  This describes the ability to perform an illusion on oneself. The illusion gets attached to the caster and reimagines their appearance according to the caster's wishes. Any visual feature may be "changed" in this manner - including facial features, height, skin color, clothes, number of limbs, or (in cases of advanced casters) even the species. However, this does not result in an actual change of bodily features, but instead, works as a "filter" atop the real version. As this is only an illusion, any and all false visual features (e.g. claws, a hook for a hand, clothing items) would not truly exist and therefore never be accassible or "usable" beyond a simple lie.
  
  This illusion requires imagination, some performance skills, and a bit of concentration. If the caster loses consciousness or concentration, the illusion will fade. Holding up the illusion will feel draining after some time and only highly advanced casters could uphold it for multiple hours. Additionally, the caster has to remember the details of their disguise. Inconsistency in the illusion would result in the deceived possibly seeing through the facade. While this is hard to master at first, skilled casters can uphold an illusion easily for a decent amount of time.

• Shadowplay
  One of Zhalia's favorite forms of illusions is the more subtle shadowplay. Without having to see her target, Zhalia can create shadows on any surface and have them enact any form of movement she desires. A specialty of hers are shadows that imitate the target's death - causing unease, fear and possibly panic to rise within the deceived.

Divination (4)

• Tracking
  The power to track people and objects over any distance, environment or condition is something every witch of the coven learns if they decide to dabble in divination. In its essence, tracking is used to find and follow tracks that are weeks, months or even years old, and to reconstruct what has happened from the smallest clues. Zhalia's skills in divination are solid but unrefined. She may be able to follow someone who was recently in the area but she would be unable to track someone weeks or months after they had left. Highly advanced trackers may be able to even track people who use teleportation or portals but this is mostly rumored and not actually proven.

• Hematomancy
  Divination is mostly used in correspondence with Necromancy in Zhalia's coven. Therefore, a lot of divination comes from blood, bones, flesh and ashes. Blood and bones are said to work best. Even though the coven also uses cards (such as Tarot) quite frequently. By using blood (or bones), the caster can enhance their ability to see fractions of the future, past or present. For Zhalia those are only ever snippets, mostly incoherent. Her Divination skills are not refined enough for her to really use them effectively.

• Divine Sense & Aura Detection
  Used in correspondence with Necromancy, Zhalia has the ability to register and detect any undead creature and identify their type (e.g. vampire, skeleton, etc).
  Additionally, Zhalia is able to detect and identify the school of magic of other witches and warlocks around her. She may only detect the school of magic if it has a strong enough aura around the person (at least 5/10 skill level), otherwise, the magical aura is too weak to discern and Zhalia might not be able to pin which school of magic a person is practicing most.

• Determined
  For better or worse, Zhalia is a very determined person. If she sets her mind to something, she will go through with it. This makes her an exceptionally good student and is the main reason her necromancy skills are so advanced. This also makes her a tad bit stubborn, which has led to various difficulties and some rather unfortunate outcomes in her life.

• Rebellious
  Pair her determination with her rebellious nature and you have a recipe for potential disaster. Even though Zhalia is more of a quiet soul, she will not back down on her morals or her beliefs and is known to rebel against coven heads and teachers at times. She tends to question authority and rules but isn't one to naively speak out of turn either.

• Independent
  Maybe a side effect of enjoying seclusion and determinedly studying Necromancy, Zhalia has become quite independent over the years. Capable of setting out on her own path, Zhalia picks and chooses who she depends on rather carefully. Still, sharing the burdens of life with a group of friends would be a great relief.

• Skeptical
  Zhalia tends to be rather skeptical towards people and therefore has her guard up even when she seems not to. She is not easily convinced or persuaded from her own point of view unless sufficient evidence can be provided. Even though she approaches most people openly and tries her best to keep her cynical thoughts down to a minimum, she can't help but have reservations and doubts about people's intentions.

Born in a small village in Germany, Zhalia was an unexpected child that was lovingly welcomed by her parents. Though she didn't lead an unhappy life, two devastating events would shape and re-shape Zhalia's path drastically. The first occurred when she was seven years old. Through unfortunate sickness, her parent's passed away, leaving a scared and confused child behind.

Having had their eye on the girl due to a number of strange occurrences around her, a coven took her in after her parents' passing. Known amongst western societies as a coven of "tradition" (put mildly), this circle of witches is shrouded in rumors. Living far off modern society, the coven clings to more medieval ways of life and magic. Mainly, they don't engage much with technology and use some forms of magic seen as outdated. Known as Silencia Mortem (or "silent death") by outsiders, this coven is said to be a cult. Their members don't have any or only very regulated contact with modern society and are rumored to discreetly hunt non-magical people in an attempt to "clean" the world off of those "unpure" of magic. They refuse to adapt to modern ways of magic and are known to teach an unusual (and for some people concerning) amount of Necromancy to their members. Other untraditional ways include the advanced study of herbology (mostly non-magical), the use of "outdated" divination techniques (cards such as tarot, using bones and ashes, etc.), still using runes and grimoires, and practicing rituals (and ritual castings) that rely on full moons, chants or even sacrifices. Sometimes, these coven witches are rumored to be half-dead themselves, one foot on each side of the veil because they open the barrier between the worlds too many times. Apart from all the rumors, not much is known about those witches.

The second tragic event would see Zhalia's time with the coven come to an end when she was twenty-four years old. Upon visiting a masked ball resembling the 1800s, Zhalia met Charlotte. Despite being a married woman, Charlotte engaged in a loving relationship with the witch, who stole away at night to sneak into the city despite coven rules. As fate would have it, Charlotte's husband got aware of the affair. Enraged he struck down his wife and fled the scene.

In her desperation, Zhalia asked the coven for help in bringing Charlotte back. Although the coven showed her great empathy, her request was denied. Having dealt with death in various forms her entire life, Zhalia refused to accept this outcome and set out to bring Charlotte back herself.

In the dead of night, raising fog with her blood-dripping fingers and murder on her mind, Zhalia went to attempt the impossible. Through sheer willpower and magical might, she pulled Charlotte's soul towards the veil - but her attempt to coerce the soul of her lover back into the world of the living failed drastically. With only a fracture of the soul pulled through, Charlotte's ghostly form was trapped in-between worlds, only able to relive the day of her death repeatedly while waiting and longing for something that could never come.

Unable to comprehend the outcome of the situation and fearing the coven's final trial for breaking their laws, Zhalia fled and left the country entirely. She spend almost three years traveling through various parts of England and the US, unable to settle for long. Recently, she ended up in North Bennington, Shipden Peak, where she hopes to find some direction, a purpose - any purpose - and hopefully some distraction.

Relations

R E L A T I O N S

Z H A L I A
"I am battling with myself and my choices, I would prefer not to think about it. But I used to like who I am."
Status: Learning who I am outside of my past

S I M O N
"A handsome face and a very chill demeanor. He seems alright."
Status: just met

[+]

F I R S T M E E T I N G
I met Simon while I was running from whispers behind my back, knocked right into him. I am glad I did. He seems like a good first person to meet here.

L I N A C A L V O
"She's making me uncomfortable. I haven't figured out what she's about yet."
Status: uncertain - I shall keep my eyes open around her

[+]

F I R S T M E E T I N G / I N T U I T I O N
The moment I laid eyes on her I knew she didn't like me. Albeit her smiles, the wrinkles around her eyes, and that charming personality she displayed, I could feel the watchfulness she hid beneath the mask. Of course, I had been in contact with her before I met her. But when I arrived, it must have been after midnight already, Lina Calvo was awaiting me fully awake, in her office. She offered me tea and a hearty welcome along with some questions she likely asked any newcomer. She didn't mention whether she was aware of where I was from or who I had been in the past. But those damn brown eyes... I felt like she had deciphered me without ever touching upon the topic in the slightest. And since then I couldn't shake the notion that she has been watching me discreetly.

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Location ⋗ The Patch. Interactions ⋗ ??? School of Magic ⋗ Necromancy, Illusion & Divination Items ⋗ ???	_

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The Witches Of Shipden Peak

_{Here you will find the CS of notable NPCs. Big THANK YOU to Prose for creating these.}

Sonia Thomas, Presiden of the USA

"Persecution is not one man's crime, but everyone's crime."

Compassionate. Bright. Driven.

Basic Information

• Name: Sonia Alise Thomas
• Gender Female
• Age: 58
• Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
• College Degree: Social Sciences, History
• Languages: English, Spanish
• Notable Skills: Public Speaking

Personality

• Compassionate
  Simply stated, Sonia cares about others. She's seen the state of the world at large and tends to be terribly worried for the people around her.

• Bright
  Sonia has a sharp mind, she tends to think things through and she's always coming up with solutions.

• Driven
  Sonia is determined, this determination is part of how she won her presidency. She's the kind of person who's ready for action, no matter how hard it may seem.

History

Sonia Thomas was born to the Southern United States, she lived a fairly modest life and spent most of her childhood in the company of her loving mothers and close friends. Sonia would be one of few kids in her school to actively seek to befriend witches, getting to know what she could of their culture and traditions. This natural love of people was part of how she wound up on the path that she did.

Sonia would go to college social sciences and history and even find herself working for the school system for some time. She was a favorite of her students and a favorite of their parents. It would not be too surprising to anyone when she eventually wound up on the ballot for presidency.

Sonia would move into her new position without hesitation, eager to bring about positive change for the people around her.

Emil Pearson, Presidential Candidate

"Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Clever. Charming. Cruel.

Basic Information

• Name: Emil Theodore Pearson
• Gender Male
• Age: 52
• Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
• College Degree: Psychology
• Languages: English
• Notable Skills: Smooth-talking, Analyzing, Debating, Hunting

Personality

• Clever
  Emil is not without his intelligence, as clever as a fox in a chicken hutch and just as likely to cause problems.

• Charming
  Emil is easy to talk to, even pleasant at times.

• Cruel
  Emil couldn't care less about the fate of those who don't support him, he is hoping to spark up trouble.

History

Emil Pearson was born in the Midwest, the youngest of four boys. As a result of his rather crowded home, Emil found himself struggling to keep up with his older brothers. His father was an avid game hunter and as a result, Emil and his brothers were taught to do so as well.

As Emil aged, he found that he didn't quite click with others at his school which often ended in him bullying them. This would go on until he hit high school where his grades would see him placed in AP classes. This stint amongst the brightest minds in his school would bring him a few friends an allies.

Emil's intelligence and pleasant personality would make him a hit in college. He would choose to study psychology although he'd never wind up putting it to any use. Emil would eventually run for office in his home state although he wouldn't see a win there, many would state his policies were outdated in the current climate.

Unfortunately, this would not deter his political ventures, as he would find himself running a tight race for presidency, making a name for himself with his smooth-talking and levelheaded discussions. However, some people still can't help but wonder if his policies regarding witches are very levelheaded at all.

Lina Calvo, Coven Head of Shipden Peak

"I don't make a habit of letting things get out of hand."

Confident. Critical. Empathetic.

Basic Information

• Name: Lina Evaline Valeria Calvo
• Gender Female
• Age: 42
• Sexual Orientation: Lesbian
• College Degree: N/A
• Languages: English
• Notable Skills: Leadership, Child-care

Magical Abilities

Years of Magical Education: 10
Schools of Magic: Evocation, Enchantment, Illusion

Evocation 9

• Water Wielding
  Lina is quite good at wielding water, although she requires a source of water to exist in her proximity. She can control it to it's fullest extend, causing waves or whirl pools and even using it defensively.

• Fire Starting
  Lina is quite useful for starting a fire, this is... admittedly more unruly than her water. She can pull forth flame or strengthen pre-existing flame but she cannot control everything it does.

• Flashlight
  Lina can cause light to form between her hands which can be useful for brightening up a dark area, although... not much else.

• Lights Out
  The opposite of her ability to draw forth light, Lina can drain light from an area and render it entirely black. She tends to do this when she needs the attention of a group of people.

Enchantment 6

• Shared Empathy
  Lina is very good at making others feel what she is feeling, at times this can be overwhelming for her and the person on the receiving end.

• Hypnosis
  Lina, alternatively, is not so good at hypnosis. While she is not the worst and she has successfully used it on a few occasions, she is often a bit messy when it comes to trying to control others.

Illusion 8

• Masking
  Lina has nearly perfected the art of masking herself to look like someone else, at times this has been used as a way for her to take time for herself away from others.

• Monster Making
  Slightly more sinister than her other use for illusions, Lina can make some pretty grand illusionary monsters. These are not tangible but they feel tangible.

Personality

• Confident
  Lina is sure of herself, she doesn't overthink her decisions and she isn't afraid to do what she wants. She believes strongly in the quote "it's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission".

• Critical
  At times Lina can be hyper-critical of the people around her. She scrutinizes new faces and doesn't always believe in the good of people.

• Empathetic
  Lina is empathetic to a fault, she's often the first to listen to a sob story and believe it. However, she's a great listener and she hates to leave the ones she loves hanging.

History

Lina was born in Shipden Peak, which was a place where she never felt unsafe but was always rather keen to the idea that some humans weren't terribly accepting of their kind.

Her childhood was rather sad with her mother having passed away quite young and her father having to raise her alone. She was lucky however that she grew up strong and she grew up kind (or... as kind as possible). She would meet a few hiccups in high school, dodging bullies and often times lashing out at those bullies but all in all... Lina was promising.

She would prove herself to be a competent, powerful young witch and eventually go on to lead the Coven.

There was some complaint about her rise in position but for the most part, she's done a good job of keeping her people safe and happy.

---

_{Here you can find the Relations Sheet, feel free to fill it out and put it underneath your CS once accepted.}

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[h3][b]R E L A T I O N S[/b][/h3]
Y O U R O W N N A M E H E R E
[color=dimgray][i]"(what do you think of yourself?)"[/i]
Status: What is your current relationship with yourself, this should be something like a goal or process or a realization, e.g. "slowly coming to terms with my shortcomings" or "I am finally realizing the beauty I possess"[/color]

C H A R A C T E R
[color=dimgray][i]"(What you think about them)"[/i]
Status: e.g. friends, mentor, sibling, rival, unrequited attraction, etc. Multiple things are possible.
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Significant Moments. If you had any moments in your past with this character that you would like to describe here, you're free to do so. You may delete the hider if you have no use for it, or you may keep it. Example:

F I R S T M E E T I N G / I N T U I T I O N
The moment I laid eyes on her I knew she didn't like me. Albeit her smiles, the wrinkles around her eyes, and that charming personality she displayed, I could feel the watchfulness she hid beneath the mask. Of course, I had been in contact with her before I [i]met[/i] her. But when I arrived, it must have been after midnight already, Lina Calvo was awaiting me fully awake, in her office. She offered me tea and a hearty welcome along with some questions she likely asked any newcomer. She didn't mention whether she was aware of where I was from or who I had been in the past. But those damn brown eyes... I felt like she had deciphered me without ever touching upon the topic in the slightest. And since then I couldn't shake the notion that she has been watching me discreetly.
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[/color]

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_{Update: We have new headers, ask Prisk for them! For the header: Use your dialogue color.}

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[color=EFD7AD][i][b]Interactions:[/b][/i][/color] Character Name [@Player Name]
[color=EFD7AD][i][b]School of Magic:[/b][/i][/color] Please put your highest school first, least highest last
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_{Here you can find a list of abilities used by accepted PCs, organized by school. Note: Not up to date.}

Abilities In Use

• Abjuration
  
  • Heal
    Heals any living organism upon physical contact; the more the caster concentrates on the spell, the greater its magical output. Extensive medical knowledge bolsters this skill, allowing for more efficient and targeted healing. (by ShepherdOfHope)
  • Detect
    Allows the caster to gain knowledge of a living organism's physical or magical maladies through touch. Injuries, illnesses, or other physical defects can be located through Detect, allowing the caster to treat them more directly. Curses, certain potion effects, or hexes can also be located; however, these might be more difficult to ascertain, depending on the caster's skill. (by ShepherdOfHope)
  • Dispel
    An anti-spell of sorts, Dispel removes certain magical effects from a person or area (the latter requiring more concentration). These effects include illusions, enchantments, and even curses. Of course, a caster of greater skill than the Dispel caster may render them unable to break their spells. (by ShepherdOfHope)
  • Ward
    Ward allows the caster to temporarily safeguard an area from unwanted magical effects. This might render it invisible to Diviners, impassable for the undead, or impossible to alter with illusions. However, she must specify which effects/creatures become blocked, and the ward necessitates constant magical output in order to maintain. Creating the ward itself takes time, requiring deep concentration and a precise series of incantations to manifest. (by ShepherdOfHope)
  • Mystical Barrier
    This spell allows the user to create a barrier around them or someone/something else to protect them from attacks. Depending on the caster's level, the barrier can protect from both magical and physical attacks. The caster does not need to maintain concentration of their barrier, but if they do, the barrier can last longer with energy directed into it. The spell has a range of 30 feet. (by PatientBean)
  • Cleanse
    This spell allows the user to cleanse another person of harmful effects. These can be magical effects, such as confusion or entrancement, or physical, such as poison. This ability requires concentration and the caster must touch the person to cleanse them. If concentration is broken, the spell stops. At higher levels, cleanse can clear multiple ailments at once. Depending on skill level, certain effects may take longer to cleanse or may not be able to be cleaned. (by PatientBean)
  • Spellbane
    Spellbane is a magical "armor" of sorts that the caster can "don" to defend themselves against the influence of magic. Magical effects, depending on their nature and strength, melt upon it like snow falling upon a stovetop. This armor, while figurative of course, does encompass the entire body - and while it may seem a rather one-dimensional ability - can prove flexible if used creatively. The caster cannot, notably, sustain other magic while it is activated - and they must consciously maintain it. (by Bartimaeus)
  • Champion of the Weak
    In combination with her Transmutation magic, the caster can enhance their mind and body to function as a stalwart defender to whatever or whoever needs it. The caster can sharpen their being to steel their will with Abjuration magic, and strengthen their body with the Transmutive. This makes them especially resistant to enchantment-esque effects, and allows them to overpower beings several times their size - but it is notable that their physical durability is not enhanced. This ability cannot function in tandem with other magical effects. It also isn't activated swiftly, requiring a few seconds of deep concentration to manifest. (by Bartimaeus)
• Conjuration
  
  • Geri & Freki (personalized companions, not universal)
    Hanna can conjure two distinct wolves after a few ceremonial gestures. One of them has black fur and the other white, both with red eyes. A faint shadowy, smokey feature trails wherever they go, which indicates that they are not of this dimension. Hanna can keep these animal companions materialized for less than half an hour, longer if things are calm around her and devoid of distractions. These creatures came about after much time experimenting with this school of magic. There is something about these particular wolves that Hanna is quite fond of, and they seem to take to her in the same way. (by Prisk)
  • Domain aka Pocket Dimension
    A caster can create a pocket dimension. It is large enough to store certain items or small animals in. The pocket dimension must be expanded over time to hold more than a pebble. Most casters advance their pocket dimensions to be roughly the size of a small dog. Very skilled caster may expand it further. (used as a "handbag" by Prisk's character Hanna)
• Divination
  
  • Future Sight
    The ability to divine the future of an individual. This ability is somewhat headache-inducing for some casters and can end in migraines. Caster may be making some kind of physical skin-to-skin contact with the target of their divining or use other means to form a link, such as Tarot cards. The visions created by this magic are not exact but they're usually accurate. (by Prosaic)
  • Intuition
    Intuition comes easy to most casters. Some casters may pay the price of physical health, headaches and nausea are quite common for those who suffer from side effects. The caster gets strong feelings about people and things around them. This is somewhat tied into the aura of those people or things. While the caster may not see the aura of a given thing tangibly, they can feel it. These strong gut feelings are unfortunately quite easy for others to brush off as little more than paranoia. This ability mostly gives the caster a gauge on feelings and intentions. (by Prosaic)
  • Danger Sense
    This spell is an innate ability to sense when danger is near. Depending on the user's skill level, the length of the sense can be large-scale or more immediate. At higher levels, the user can detect what type of danger is present (supernatural, human, weather, etc.). Those who can mask themselves using magical means stand a higher chance of not being detected than those with lower skill levels. (by PatientBean)
  • Tracking 1.0
    The nature of divination often means that the caster's sense of direction is pretty much impeccable. However, while they excel in finding people they know or love, they tend to struggle finding people they're not close to. They're almost entirely useless when it comes to finding items. (by Prosaic)
  • Tracking 2.0
    The power to track people and objects over any distance, environment or condition. In its essence, tracking is used to find and follow tracks that are weeks, months or even years old, and to reconstruct what has happened from the smallest clues. A caster'S skills in divination could be solid but unrefined. Then they may be able to follow someone who was recently in the area but they would be unable to track someone weeks or months after they had left. Highly advanced trackers may be able to even track people who use teleportation or portals but this is mostly rumored and not actually proven. (by Benzaiten)
  • Hematomancy
    Divination can be used in correspondence with Necromancy. If so, a lot of divination comes from blood, bones, flesh and ashes. Blood and bones are said to work best. By using blood (or bones), the caster can enhance their ability to see fractions of the future, past or present. For weaker casters, those are only ever snippets, mostly incoherent. (by Benzaiten)
  • Divine Sense & Aura Detection
    Used in correspondence with Necromancy, the caster has the ability to register and detect any undead creature and identify their type (e.g. vampire, skeleton, etc). Additionally, the caster is able to detect and identify the school of magic of other witches and warlocks around them. They may only detect the school of magic if it has a strong enough aura around the person (at least 5/10 skill level), otherwise, the magical aura is too weak to discern and they might not be able to pin which school of magic a person is practicing most.
  • Psychometry
    This spell allows the user to be able to read an object they are touching and get sensations or memories through the object. At higher levels, the user can even get the sense of who touched the object and read their thoughts and emotions. This spell requires the user to touch the object and channel their magic. Depending on the size of the object, the channeling could take longer. If the concentration is broken, the spell does not work. (by PatientBean)
• Enchantment
  
  • Mesmerize
    This spell allows the user to charm and manage another being through words and appearance. The being affected is tasked with doing what the user intends. To the person being affected, the caster appears beautiful and captivating. At higher levels, the user can tell the being to do things against their own wishes. However, the being affected cannot cause harm to themselves or others. The being must be in sight. Those with stronger wills can fight against this. Depending on the user's skill level, the being affected might remember they were charmed. (by PatientBean)
  • Emotional Read
    This spell is an innate ability to read another person's emotions. To the spell user, the emotions may or may not show as colorful auras. At higher levels, the user is able to read the emotions the person is trying to hide. The person must be within view. (by PatientBean)
  • Memory Modification
    This spell allows the user to modify a person's memory to make them believe something happened or to make them temporarily forget something. Depending on the user's skill level, the altered memory can last longer. There must be a verbal iteration of what memory is to be changed. The person being affected must be touched for this to be active. The effect lasts roughly one hour. (by PatientBean)
  • Pheromones
    This (sometimes partially passive) ability can create physical attraction in another person towards the caster. When the caster focuses on this ability, the effect becomes much stronger. If a person is already attracted to the caster, the ability itself will settle easier and affect the person faster. This is a temporary emotional enhancement/change and will leave the subject's system depending on how long and how much magic they've been subjected to. Depending on the caster's skills, a person affected by this may notice they've been charmed after it has washed out of their system. (by Prisk)
  • Suggestion
    The caster can strongly suggest a course of action or intention. This has its effect through physical contact or/and clear verbal interaction. The person they speak to can choose to not do it, but the thought will certainly linger for some time and cause an internal argument. The suggestion may become part of a person's life for a time, or even their identity. If the suggestion is repeated multiple times over a course of days or even weeks, the subject may become more inclined to follow the suggested action. (by Prisk)
• Evocation
  
  • Frostbite
    Creates a localized area of bitter cold around the caster's person, especially around their hands. At its greatest extent, they can freeze liquids at a touch, and prolonged exposure might leave someone with, well, frostbite. This spell can also be used to reduce swelling and bleeding from an injury. (by ShepherdOfHope)
  • Scorch
    Frostbite's cousin and polar opposite, Scorch creates an area of extreme heat around the caster, particularly near their hands. At maximum output, certain plastics and metals may begin to melt at touch, and the caster can leave severe burns on another person. This ability can be used to treat muscle tension or increase blood flow if the caster is skilled enough to keep the heat down so as to not burn the patient. (by ShepherdofHope)
• Illusion
  
  • Audible Indunation
    When in close enough proximity to a person, the caster has the ability to overwhelm someone's mind with voices. For this to work, they need to be able to see the person they're targeting. Advanced casters might be able to use this illusion on people without directly observing them. This illusion might extend to putting specific words or phrases into a person's mind. Mostly, however, Audible Indunation manifests as a chattering of overlapping, unfocused voices that overwhelm the mind and can confuse, irritate or even knock out a person. This ability can 'ricochet' when (a) someone uses a field with ricocheting ability or (b) it becomes too restraining on the caster or (c) someone has the ability to mind shield. It requires concentration to uphold the illusion. Skilled casters can leave up the illusion for 30-ish seconds without concentration. Advanced casters might perform a longer unconcentrated illusion. In any case, if the caster becomes unconscious or falls asleep, the link to the illusion is severed and the illusion fades. (by Benzaiten)
  • Monocular Realization
    This describes the ability to perform an illusion on oneself. The illusion gets attached to the caster and reimagines their appearance according to the caster's wishes. Any visual feature may be "changed" in this manner - including facial features, height, skin color, clothes, number of limbs, or (in cases of advanced casters) even the species. However, this does not result in an actual change of bodily features, but instead, works as a "filter" atop the real version. As this is only an illusion, any and all false visual features (e.g. claws, a hook for a hand, clothing items) would not truly exist and therefore never be accessible or "usable" beyond a simple lie. This illusion requires imagination, some performance skills, and a bit of concentration. If the caster loses consciousness or concentration, the illusion will fade. Holding up the illusion will feel draining after some time and only highly advanced casters could uphold it for multiple hours. Additionally, the caster has to remember the details of their disguise. Inconsistency in the illusion would result in the deceived possibly seeing through the facade. While this is hard to master at first, skilled casters can uphold an illusion easily for a decent amount of time. (by Benzaiten)
  • Shadowplay
    Without having to see their target, the caster can create the illusion of shadows on any surface and have them enact any form of movement they desire. An example are shadows that imitate the target's death - causing unease, fear and possibly panic to rise within the deceived. Note that Evocation also has Shadow Magic, this does not need to be Illusion. Here the schools overlap and a clear boundary is hard to draw. (by Benzaiten)
  • Cloaking
    Cloaking is a bit of an exact art, the caster has to mimic every detail of an area that they intend to cover themself in or it won't work at all. As such cloaking imitates the area the caster stands in to make them appear invisible. (by Prosaic)
• Necromancy
  
  • Life Force Alteration
    Through excessive study, the witches can learn to alter life energy by using necrotic means. Altering the life force of a living creature can affect their health, their strength and even their ability to perform magic. Very advanced casters are able to create poisonous effects by altering life energy. Actually ending someone's life by pulling the life force out of their body would require either a very long time or a very high amount of energy. The life force is always trying to balance itself out and will continuously attempt to restore itself. (Therefore, this can not "shorten" someone's lifespan.) (by Benzaiten)
  • Aferrlife Linking
    The caster can connect the living world to the world of death, linking the land of the dead and the spirits & souls inhabiting it to the realm of life and existence, allowing both worlds to interact with each other in some ways. This is usually referred to as "lifting the veil" and is a very temporary situation. Often only the caster themself may interact with the spirits on the other side. On other occasions (and with the right skill) one may be able to connect the two worlds more permanently, such as bringing spirits/ghosts into the world of the living or pushing a living soul to the other side and into death. (This is exceptionally hard and should not be attempted by a single person, it can cause various disasters.) As a result of a fudged attempt at lifting the veil, the rules of both worlds might combine/mix together in unpredictable ways, and potentially even lead to cursed resurrections for those that do end up dying. This can also cause any changes to anything from either world to affect both of them instead of only one. (by Benzaiten)
  • Revivify
    If a creature or person has just died, the caster might be able to lift the veil enough to pull their soul back into their body and return them to the living. This does not heal them. Any wounds inflicted would still be present. This act requires high concentration and the success depends on the circumstances of the death, the caster's own condition, and the willingness of the deceased to return. The caster might be met with a lot of struggle as the veil has a naturally strong "draw" always pulling souls towards and through it. (by Benzaiten)
  • Dead's Whisper
    The caster can ascertain the final or current emotions, or sometimes vague thoughts, of a specific deceased individual. This requires a timely ritual and a personal possession of the deceased. (by Bartimaeus)
• Transmutation
  
  • Animagus' Aspects (specific to McDaniel)
    McDaniel specializes in the Animagus' field of transmutation. Her animal form takes the shape of a black Jaguar. Despite the strength and agility of the Jaguar, she rarely finds this form appropriate, as it is not unassuming, nor is it particularly good for combating things of magical nature. It is, however, very fast and well-camouflaged outside of urban areas. With the nature of this creature being so concomitant to her usage and ability with this magic, a few side-effects, of sorts, accompany this technique even when she's not actively using it. These effects include enhanced senses such as hearing, smell, and balance - as well as more physical alterations, such as sharpened canines and the classic pantherian ear/tail combo, though these can be willfully concealed with magical effort, for a time. (by Bartimaeus)

_{Here is an incomplete list of available abilities sorted by school of magic. You may pick any one of these or use them as inspiration.}

Unused Abilities

• Abjuration
  
  • Power Deflection
    The user can deflect any* power that is launched against them without being harmed. This serves as a means of self-defense and counter-attack. The user can deflect whatever power is projected by their target and turn it back on them. Whether this works or not depends on the skill level of both casters. If the caster of Power Deflection is more skilled, they dominate the encounter. On the other hand, a more skilled caster may break through the Power Deflection. This can also be achieved by straining or distracting the defensive caster. *It should be noted that this ability protects against sudden incoming magic, such as a straight attack (e.g. an ice ray or fire bolt). Magic that builds up gradually (some Enchantments) or magic that is used indirectly (e.g. sending conjured birds at the person) are unaffected and can not be deflected.
• Conjuration
  
  • Inanimation
    The user can place objects and even some (smaller) animals into an inanimate state, regardless of any force that acts on it, causing them to lose their ability to move and become inanimate. This is more of an "anti-Conjuration" ability, yet it officially falls into this school. The size and number of affected objects as well as the duration of the inanimate state are depending on a caster's skill level. Only skilled casters may inanimate an object and leave it in this state without concentration for a certain duration. Inanimating an object, stops it in exactly its current form and in its current place. This can make things "hang in the air" if they've been thrown/flying/etc beforehand.
• Divination
  
  • Astral Vision
    This described the ability to see overlapping dimensions beyond the physical plane of existence. This ability is extremely hard to control. Most of the time, casters suddenly see a fraction of something from another dimension, and in the next blink, it is gone. (Ghosts, spirits, other beings.) The easiest beings to detect by this are those who formerly wandered this realm: the souls of humans. Only very few casters ever are able to consciously tap into their astral sight but those who can usually develop an obsession with training their inner eye to expand to other dimensions. Oftentimes those witches can be found lingering around graveyards or other "spooky, old" areas. Astral Vision usually only lets people glimpse into a fraction of The Veil. But technically it should be able to detect any layer of any dimension. Astral Vision has been mistaken as a skill of Necromancers for the longest time due to the ability to see fractions of The Veil. Nowadays scholars are convinced that although Necromancy enhances the ability to see into The Veil with this ability, it could potentially reach way further than any Necromancer could see. (Note: Necromancers can also have the ability to see/feel spirits/ghosts from The Veil with a similar ability, only it would be limited to The Veil.)
  • Omnilingualism
    Upon concentration, the caster may understand and decipher any and all human languages. Depending on the skill of the caster this can include 1 or more languages, usually, a caster can only decipher 2-3 languages they don't normally know, at the same time. Once they've studied a language to some degree, a caster may decipher 4-5 languages at the same time. This ability requires the caster to hear their target. The ability is therefore limited to verbal translation. Languages can't be deciphered if written down. Some casters have tried to work around this restriction by using text-to-speech technology but have been unsuccessful. The reason for this is not yet known but some scholars believe it has to do with aura recognition (which is not possible with robot voices). The caster does not gain the ability to speak the language by this.
  • Dream Walking
    A caster can tap into the Dreamscape of other beings. When asleep themself and after a ritual, the caster can use their sleeping state to travel between dreams. Usually, they get incoherent, second-long glimpses of the dreams of people around them without knowing whose dream it was. The skill to linger on or even find a specific dream takes a lot of effort and training. But it is possible for every advanced casters to tap into a specific person's dream and stay within it for a period of 1-2 minutes. Any longer and the caster risks their own mental health, sanity and comprehension of reality. (Note: Dreams are seldom very clear, deciphering dreams is an entire task in and of itself.)
• Enchantment
  
  • Mind Link
    Through a ritual and high concentration, a caster can create a mental link with another living being. This link functions as a temporary connection between the caster and one other creature. The creature needs to be willing to accept the link, it can not be forced. Once a link has been created, both participants are able to notice the emotions and feelings of the other person and possibly send non-verbal "urges" (such as creating the urge to pay attention to something or to leave the place; you can not communicate specific ideas/commands). High emotions such as fear, panic, depression, ecstasy, excitement, etc. will be easier to pick up on than regular day-to-day emotions. The other person is always aware that the emotions/urge is not coming from themself. The link between the two beings lasts for roughly 1-3 hours. Once the caster has performed the ritual to link minds on a being once, it becomes easier and quicker to link with that individual every single time to a point where the ritual might not be needed anymore to form a link.
  • Zoolingualism
    The caster has the ability to understand animal life forms and their reactions. You do not "talk" to animals but you do, often instinctively, know what instinct they are following based on their body language and sounds. So you may be able to make out whether an animal is hostile, calm, or scared, even if you previously knew nothing about this animal. You also instinctively know how to react to appear aggressive, calm, submissive, etc. to that particular animal. This is one of the few, extremely rare passive abilities that exist.
• Evocation
  
  • Wind Wall (Weather Magic)
    A wall of strong wind rises from the ground at a point in range. Depending on the caster's ability, the wall can be up to 50 feet long, 15 feet high, and 1 foot thick. The wall can be shaped in any way the caster chooses so long as it makes one continuous path along the ground. Keeping the wall up requires concentration. The Wind Wall keeps fog, smoke, and other gases at bay. It may also keep creatures and people from stepping past it, depending on the user's skill level. Lightweight materials in its proximity will be thrown around as if taken by wind. Any lightweight material thrown at the wall will be propelled upwards into the sky by the force of the Wind Wall, this includes arrows, bullets and other ordinary projectiles.
  • Personal Weather/Self-Weather (Weather Magic)
    Users can create, shape and manipulate their personal weather system, allowing them to generate different types of meteorological phenomena (rain, wind, snow, lightning, etc.) in their immediate vicinity, usually limited to their specific space. They may also be able to project their weather system to an area within range (30-60 feet depending on the caster's skills). This ability requires constant concentration to uphold. Often manifesting as a cloud that follows them, the user's power creates effects based on will or emotional state. With enough control, the weather can grow into an expanded system that can affect a wider area.
  • Tornado Magic (Weather Magic)
    The user can create and control tornadoes and whirlwinds. Those are limited to be around human-sized. A caster may create one or up to 3-4, depending on their skill level. Also depending on their skill level as well as their concentration, the caster may move multiple tornadoes individually (e.g. one going right, one going left).
  • Burrowing (Earth Magic)
    The user is capable of tunneling through solid matter, including fully solid ones (at a higher skill) and looser collections such as sand or snow. Depending on the matter, they may choose to leave a tunnel after them. The pace at which the tunnel is created depends on the caster's skill. The natural walking/running speed of the caster does not get increased by using this spell (they do not "fly" through the earth).
  • Quicksand Generation (Earth Magic)
    The user is able to transform earth properties into quicksand or can manipulate pre-existing sand to function as quicksand. This is primarily used to subdue, bind, trap someone, sink objects/people, etc. The radius of this can range from 5ft to 15ft. The depth ranges from 15ft to 60ft, depending on the caster's skill level and what the ground is made out of (e.g. is it 60t earth downwards or is there maybe something else in the way).
  • Ray of Light (Light Magic)
    A beam of light flashes out from the caster's hand, or alternatively from an object they are holding, and lights up the surroundings. This light could temporarily hinder the sight of beings in its vicinity. Certain undead or demonic creatures may be vulnerable to the light. The caster can choose how big and bright the Ray of Light is, depending on their skill level.
• Illusion
  
  • Illusion Manipulation
    The caster can control the illusions of other casters. Witches with this ability are known to not be able to create illusions themselves. Instead, they can make an already existent illusion move, act, and react however they like. In essence, "stealing" the illusion created by someone else. This also includes the ability to block a caster's attempt to dispel the illusion on purpose. The illusion itself is still held to the restrictions of its original caster including its range and in most cases (shadows excluded) its form, size, color, etc. The illusion will still vanish when the original caster goes unconscious or is otherwise unable to obtain a certain amount of (now forced subconscious) concentration on the illusion. The caster of Illusion Manipulation can control one or more illusions at the same time, depending on their skill level. They can not control or dispel illusions cast onto oneself. (E.g cloaking would be unaffected by Illusion Manipulation).
  • Local Displacement
    The caster can displace their location/position, allowing them to physically appear to be standing in one position while actually hiding or standing in another location entirely. The caster must be able to see the location they wanna appear to be standing in with their own eyes (pictures or technology don't work). The caster can use various forms of enhancing or directing their eyesight, such as mirrors or binoculars, so long as it is not a "screen" they are looking at. Skilled casters may be able to project other people's locations as well, this would reduce the range of the illusion. For example, if the caster makes only themselves appear to be in a different location, they might have a range of 120 feet. If they choose to display two people, that range gets reduced to maybe 100 feet. An entire group of 6-ish people might reduce the range to 60 feet or less. Making different people appear in different locations (all of which the caster must be able to see) is only possible for advanced casters. The illusion disappears when concentration is lost.
• Necromancy
  
  • Aura Absorbtion
    The user can absorb auras of other witches into their own aura. This grants the user the temporal (though weakened) magical ability of the person whose aura they've absorbed. The subject will be weakened by this but can't be killed or stripped of their magical abilities. The caster can only absorb one power of one witch at the same time. They then gain all magical abilities the person possesses for that particular magical school. (E.g. absorbing Illusion Aura will only result in Illusion spells.) The caster will have significantly more problems using the stolen abilities as they're not innate to them. (You will have to roll on a table to determine success when using those abilities.) The absorbed aura only stays with the caster for a very short amount of time, a couple of minutes usually, until it fades away, unable to be held onto any longer.
  • Raise Undead (Animals)
    The caster, depending on their skill level, may raise one or more dead creatures to become undead. The larger the creature, the harder this gets. The same applies to the number of dead raised. The caster can give the undead a simple, straight objective ("protect x", "fight y", "dig hole"). Undead raised in this manner do not understand verbal commands or react to a change of objective. The task is determined during the casting of this ability. The undead immediately dies when the task is fulfilled or when the task is stopped by the caster themself. Undead creature do not fear death and don't stop fulfilling their directive until stopped or succeeding. The magic within the undead creature fades continuously. Depending on the caster's skill, the undead may be animated for 30 minutes or a couple of hours. An undead raised in this manner needs to stay within range of its caster. That range, however, is quite wide compared to most abilities. For advanced casters, this may include multiple miles. (Please note that undead raised in this way can not "think". You can't task it to find something, do your chores, sort things, make decisions, or otherwise act sentient. It may be able to fetch something for you if the command is simple enough but that's the extent of it. An undead creature is also limited to its abilities in life and what its current state allows. A half-rotten bird won't be able to fly anymore.) (Also note that this is an ability available to players. Raising undead is possible in other ways, such as creating vampires, ghouls, etc. but it won't be available to you.)
• Transmutation
  
  • Petrification
    The power to transform matter into stone. The caster can petrify an inanimate object, turning it into a stone version of itself. This changes its density and weight. Depending on the skill level of the caster, the object can be of various sizes. Using this ability requires concentration but once the object has turned to stone it is stuck in this form.

The Witches Of Shipden Peak

Welcome to the OOC

_{@PatientBean @MissCapnCrunch @Bartimaeus @Prosaic @Marmalised Junk @Visa
@EchoicChamber @ShepherdOfHope @Leophael @Katakuri @Sniblet @Aiyanna}

I wanna thank everyone who showed interest in this. I hope this OOC lives up to your expectations. I have tried to pour my heart into it to give you a good set-up for what's to come.

Before you apply, please make sure you have read the rules. They may seem extensive but they ensure that we are all on the same page and they function as a guideline for the GM and Co-GMs.

Please place your CS in the OOC or send them via PM to all three of the GMs (together, not individually). This will mark your official application. You may move your CS over from the Interest Check if you had one there.

For any questions, please refer to the OOC first, skim it and if you can't find the answer you're looking for, please ask away! Any of us are happy to help.

My lovely Co-GMs @Bartimaeus and @Prosaic are allowed to make calls, ask for amendments to your CS, and otherwise take on GM responsibilities. Without a doubt, you will find they are absolutely capable and I will back them up in their decisions, so please respect them.

If you need help with character creation, image hunting, or IC posts - always contact people. We have a Discord Server you may wanna join as communication flows better there. You may contact any player, friend or GM for assistance. Use the resources you have if creative is shy.

Anyone can apply. This is not "first come, first serve". You may recruit players you think would find this fun ;)

And most importantly: Spread the Joy!! If you find someone's CS well-done, consider leaving a thumbs up! If you think someone did a creative job, let them know! This is a community and engaging with each other's creativity is why we are here.

About Housing & Stores

_{Or how to read the map}

Shipden Peak has small and medium-sized houses on its premises. Some house a family, some house roommates. All houses are occupied. If your character has family in Shipden Peak, it is likely they live with them. Otherwise, some houses are explicitly kept for roommate purposes. A house may host 4 PCs at the same time. It usually comes with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen, 1 living room and 1 pantry/storage room.

Additionally, the big building you see in the middle of the map houses some people. This is the Covenstead. It has 5 levels: A basement, 1st floor, 2nd floor, a very small 3rd floor and an attic. On the second floor, you will find the Coven Head's Office. On the 1st and 2nd floor living quarters can be found, much like college dorm rooms. They consist of 1 bedroom (suitable for 1-2 people depending on the room). There is a shared bathroom space on level 2 and a shared kitchen space on level 1. Each dorm room comes with a small niche that functions as a makeshift kitchen which includes basics like a toaster, microwave, mini-fridge, 2 stove tops, and a tiny sink. It does not have an oven, dish washer, or washing machine. Laundry can be done in the basement. The laundry room is the only publicly open section of the basement, there is another door locked. The only living quarter bigger than the dorm rooms is the Coven Head's room on the 3rd level. This room has a small living space, a bedroom, its own bathroom and a full-functioning kitchen.

On the 1st floor, you will also find a big room called the 'hall'. This room is often used for celebrations, get-togethers, and, sometimes, meetings. The hall is always open unless specified otherwise and can be used as you see fit. It has tables and chairs available which can be moved and placed about as desired.

To the right on the map you will spot some houses with red roofs, aligned in a row. Those are the only shops available in Shipden Peak. For anything that you can't find here, you must make a trip down into town (this would be a 7-minute car ride or a 30 minute walk).

Shops available include:
An all-sorts shop that provides witches with "all sorts" of things including dried herbs and an array of spices, kitchen utensils like cutlery and pots, bathroom necessities like towels, soap, and toothbrushes, some books, and other small items a household might need.
A small grocery store that offers all basic items such as fresh vegetables and fruits, meats and milk products, some candy, baking ingredients, drinks and some heat-up food options. Please note that this is a small store so the options are limited. The owners take requests. Each Tuesday they get their delivery from town to stock up their shelves. If you crave something, they will put it on the list and it will arrive next Tuesday.
A clothing store which offers essentials such as socks and underwear, some options on t-shirts, skirts, dresses, pants, etc., and shoes. The store does take requests but it may just be easier to make a trip into town. The store also offers to mend, fix or otherwise adjust your clothes.
A bakery which offers fresh baked goods every day. The bakery also provides the Covenstead with fresh bread and bread rolls every morning that can be found in the community kitchen free of charge. Although not officially stated, everyone knows Lina pays for this out of her own pocket.

On the lower left side, you will see a collection of tents. Here Shipden Peak holds its outdoor celebrations. The tents are brought out and propped up for such events and are otherwise stored away in the two blue-roofed buildings you can see among the tents. In this area, ceremonial fires are being lit, for example during Beltane. With the tents stored away, this area also functions as a sort of training ground for witches who want to practice their magic. This open space is used for a variety of purposes, including Shipden Peak flea markets, weddings and funerals.

Since Shipden Peak is so mall there are no street names or house numbers. People just point directions by saying "That is in North, two houses left from Johnson's". The people living in Shipden Peak consider the Covenstead and its surrounding houses to be "North", the patch of houses on the left as "West", the area across from the river as "East" and the southern area as "South". The tent area is referred to as "The Patch". In the middle of the map, you can also see a little plot of grassland. Albeit not being anything but a small patch of grass surrounded by trees with some benches and a single wooden pavilion, it is still called "The Park".

Package and letters sent to Shipden Peak are not delivered. Instead, once a week someone is tasked with driving down to the post office in town where Shipden Peak's post is accumulated. Usually, the same person does this every week. On occasion, Lina will jump in and make the trip herself. The packages and letters then get distributed to the recipient by the responsible person.

For trips into town, two public vehicles are available. Those can be requested through Lina. Some families or individual witches may also own a private car. Cars may be parked on the Patch when unoccupied at your own risk (magic practice + cars = ehhh). During festivities, cars are moved to the sides of the street outside of Shipden Peak to make room for the tents (and to make sure one's car doesn't accidentally get scratched).

The Witches Of Shipden Peak

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_{Here you will find various questions that have been asked and answered. Please always browse this section first before asking a question.}

Society and Laws

Is North Bennington a big or small city?
It is rather small. And Shipden Peak itself is just a district a bit further off on top of a big hill.

Wait, so witches can't use their magic on others? How does that work?
The rules by the US are a bit... outdated. Technically a law exists forbidding witches to use magic on others. But in reality, some forms of magic are tolerated. Such as healing. Only with consent though. It is a slippery slope. The lived reality also includes that witches don't report witch-on-witch magic, especially within coven seatings such as Shipden Peak. There also is of course an exception for school - if you study magic, you can use your magical abilities on other witches with the permission of the teacher.

Would there also be workplace applications for magic?
If the contract of employment specifies what kind of magic is being used and under what restrictions the witch may perform it, it is possible to use your magic in a work environment. For example in a hospital for healing purposes.

Can regulations/laws be different in other countries?
Absolutely. In other parts of the world, laws and regulations on magic as well as performing magic may look different. The school system is essentially the same in all the western countries with maybe slight changes - a school system would most likely imitate that of human schools in a country. The performance of magic is also the same in western countries. (Example of a difference: In Germany, any law restricting the education of magic to certain years has long been outlawed, the US is slowly catching up here.)

What is the overall opinion on Necromancy?
The essence of the widespread opinion on Necromancy is that it is (at best) a complicated balance of morality, ethics and restrictions. Moreover, it is seen as an invasion on the natural order of life and death, many moral questions occur and most believe Necromancy is best left alone. Most people, including witches, find Necromancy to be a complicated and perhaps unmoral form of magic. Mostly when it has to do with raising the dead in any shape or form or when it has to do with altering the life essence of a being. Necromancy is known to produce the most curses and can even on a relatively low level of understanding cause sickness and weakness in others. This is a big part of the reason why it is so strongly regulated in the US. It is also one of the hardest schools to master and study, alongside Amalgamation and Animagi (both transmutation).

Character Creation

So I can play two characters, right?
Everyone can have 2 characters total. Each character must be approved individually. Your first character must be on the "good" side of things and part of Shipden Peak. Your second character may be anyone else of any age and any background or species, as long as I approve them in the end.

You mentioned side characters as PCs?
There will later be the option to play side characters that pop in for a while and then depart to go their own way. You can make another side character once the first popped out and so on. Characters may pop in and out as the plot dictates. This is always at the GM's discretion.

Can I make other species, like a half-demon or fairy?
No, I'm sorry. Those wouldn't work for this setting.

Can my character be an emissary from the local court?
Any official court in the US would be human-ruled. Witches in those positions are highly unlikely. They're barely letting witches have a say in politics as it is. So in short: No.

Do characters have to be born in the United States?
No. You may choose any country of origin.

How many abilities can I pick her school of magic?
You may pick 2-4 abilities per school. However, please avoid actually picking 4 abilities for all three of your schools if possible.

What is an "ability"?
"Ability" refers to a specific "move" or "spell" that falls into the school of magic which your character is really good at or specializes in. The idea is that every witch can (theoretically) perform all 8 schools of magic, but usually, you have a "skill" for 1 specific school and then choose a secondary school.
Magic is a very broad thing in this world. It is unlikely that any one witch has the same skills as another, even if they have the same schools of magic. Mainly this comes down to personality, determination and simply the attunement you get born with.

Is skill level 5 the average?
A skill level of "5" is average for a person who has studied the type of magic for 5-6 years. For your main school of magic, it is most common to have a skill level of 7-9. For your secondary, it is most common to have a skill level of 5-6. For your minor it is most common to have a skill level of 3-5. It depends a bit on whether your character concentrates on evenly studying the schools they picked or if they try to specialise in one or two things.

What does a higher skill level translate to?
The higher your skill level, the more precise and controlled is your magic. With a higher skill level, you may choose more advanced abilities.

Just to be clear, witches are born witches?
Yes. They are born.

How do I choose a name for my ability?
You can go simple and name it as what it does. Or you could google and see if anything comes up that makes sense. Alternatively, our discord server is a good source of help.

Would it make more sense to have skills be useful or can it be whatever?
Abilities can be anything. They usually have to do with personality, determination and an innate ability/skill for that specific ability.

Should we invest in offensive spells?
Offensive abilities make sense but most of the time they aren't solely offensive. Something like melting someone's brain wouldn't be taught in schools. But something like making bone constructs might be taught for Necromancy and could be used offensively if done right. You could pick abilities that can be used offensively.

Magic - Use, Schools, Limitations

Can witches detect souls as part of Necromancy?
Souls are protected by layers and layers of other "fabric". One of the outer layers being someone's aura. So detecting aura would be easier and likely more accurate. Souls can leave "imprints" which are a form of "aura" and can be detected by some witches. This would fall into Divination.

What is aura anyway?
There are multiple layers of aura. The most easily detected (unless somehow protected from this) is the magical aura. Someone may detect your primary and possibly secondary school of magic because of your magical aura. This also goes for objects. Another layer is something like emotions. Yet another, very entangled with emotion, is intention/motivation. This one's a bit hard to discern cause emotions are easier to read, thinking of it like emotional aura being bright colors and intention being tiny little threads of dulled colors in-between.

Would a witch be able to identify the nature of magic if they were to touch it or study an object affected by it/an effect created by it?
All magic creates a certain aura. Including those who practice magic. That aura is usually not strong on objects unless they're filled with extreme amounts of it (like curses or some very strong magical items).
A witch might be able to identify the school of magic of a caster if that school is at least a 5/10. A witch might also identify an item or object as magical, infused with magic, or cursed. They might also identify the school of magic here. However, many magical items are actually made in a way that they do not emit magical auras, especially when cursed (duh!). Detecting those magical auras falls under Divination.

I'm thinking of Divination as a school, what should I know about it?
Divination in western society is mostly done without "traditional" (aka stereotypical) assistance of objects such as Tarot cards, blood, bones, ashes, runes, tea leaves, etc. Those ways are seen as outdated. Still much used for divination are pendants for focusing, candles and some calming tea to still the mind. But not everyone requires these. Divination is rarely an exact thing. You may be able to see fractions of the past, present or future. You may spot magical auras. Divination may rely on star constellations or cloud formations, but those are often seen as superstitious and outdated as well.

Is it possible for abjurers to "block" certain kinds of magic? For example, could they purify a person/area to remove illusions, enchantments, alleviate curses, or keep the dead at rest?
They can create certain wards to protect an area. Including against certain types of magic or creatures, depending on your skill level. Creating stable wards is something rather complicated as you would need to weave the magic around an area, hold it somehow and also dictate what it is meant to ward off. If you're looking to remove illusions, for example, that would be easier than actually warding an area against illusions. One is a dispel essentially and the other is an area effect you create and need to uphold.

Is a soul made up of life energy/life force
No, it isn't. It is essentially the thing that ties the soul to the body. A soul is not made of life force. However, life force and souls are closely connected. By harming someone's life force via Necromancy, you can essentially rip the soul from someone's body. (This is highly advanced Necromancy as well as forbidden under US law, so schools would not teach this.)

Does life force regenerate over time if somehow lost/taken/used?
Yes. Life force always tries to balance itself out. It takes some time but as long as the individual is not dead, it will attempt to regenerate.

How are magical objects created?
I will not go into the entire process here. It depends. There are some rather "mundane" magical items - those usually just get imbued with a certain magical ability. It's a transfer of sorts that's happening. Those are easily made, easily detected and easily destroyed. Transmutation would work similarly. You use your magical energy to transform an object. Instead, when creating a magical object, you transform its innate aura and energy by placing magical "molecules" on top of already existing ones. To then make those magical molecules react in the way you want (for example, ward you from spirits or warn you if undead are near) you need to (a) have that skill yourself and (b) know how to layer it. Creating stronger magical items or even cursing them requires time, effort, and high skills (and oftentimes other ingredients such as the right runes). Your character would not be able to do that.

Are animagi capable of doing partial transformations? Would it be an easier or more advanced technique?
Animagi can only turn into the full animal. However, it has been noted that on very rare occasions animagi have some featuristics that align with their animal form, such as the ears. As a rule of thumb, I would say don't give your character those characteristics. (I believe we already have one person doing this.)

What animals can an animagi turn into?
An animagus can only turn into one animal. They don't "choose" which animal that is. The animal would be a representation of their personality. So someone who is generally shy wouldn't be able to turn into a lion or an elephant. Those would draw too much attention. If you wanna play someone who can use animagus magic, make sure to do some research on the animal you wanna pick.

Can transfiguration users be a metamorphmagus?
They can. Metamorphmagus is limited to non-animalistic features. Any change of appearance would need to be upheld. This means 1) the changed features would fade away when asleep or unconscious and 2) smaller changes would require less energy and concentration than, say, pretending you're an entirely different person. Note: The character would need a separate ability to mimic voices or sounds, changing appearance does not include changes to voice or tone.

Does magic require somatic, verbal, etc. components or things like that, or is it largely just done?
Magic always requires purpose and concentration (exceptions are the few passive abilities that might exist). Some use somatic components, some may use gestures, some may use runes (albeit this is outdated and very medieval times). Essentially, it comes down to flavour. Something like animagi doesn't require somatic or verbal components. But something like willing the wind to turn into a storm would require a chant or some other verbal component. At your discretion, you may make that call yourself. But please stay reasonable. The stronger/harder the magic, the more likely it is that the caster requires a little "assistance" through verbal, somatic or other means.

Can you elaborate on the "producing creatures" part of Conjuration, please?
Calling: You are essentially able to call a creature to you from a space or sphere you know and can connect to. For example, if you're able to "banish" or "hold" creatures in a sort of pocket dimension/plane, you'd be able to call upon them to appear where you are. It also works with a physical spot that you've chosen and prepped. Say, you have a cage in your room and you magically bind it to be the spot that your calling ability calls upon - any creature within this cage may then be called to you.
Creation: These spells manipulate matter itself to create an object or creature. Most, but not all of these spells require more magic to hold the creation together after it has been made and when the magic of the spell wears off, the creation simply disappears and the matter returns to its original form, whatever that may have been. (This is Transmutation more than Conjuration but thought I'd list it anyway.) Example: You turn a pile of sand into ants.
Teleportation: You may pull a creature to you or into a closer radius of you by magical means as long as you can see the creature (for more advanced casters this might not require visuals but only the knowledge of the creature's location). This is more short-ranged. You could catch animals this way or summon all bugs from a tree to your enemy's coat... sorta like that.
(Summoning also falls into this but is not really usable in everyday life or combat. It takes longer and it can only summon specific creatures - like a very specific demon for example. It wouldn't work on animals or the like. Disclaimer: I am not saying demons exist. It was the first example that came to mind.)

What is the difference between Conjuration and Transmutation?
Conjuring is calling a creature or an object from place A to B. And transmutation is making thing A into thing B. Example: If the bird was a bird before and was somewhere else before, that's conjuration. If the bird is coming from a pile of sand in a pouch, that is transmutation.