Witches are a supernatural species, a subgroup of humans that can effect change by magical means. A witch can be either a female or a male, as they connect themselves with the elements and forces of nature in order to practice sorcery.
Description[]
Humans who practice magical powers are called "witches". The origin of witchcraft remains a mystery, however, it is known that witches have existed for many centuries, passing down their knowledge and skills through generations in family lines. Contrary to popular belief, witches do not receive their powers from demons, nor do they worship the Devil.
Wicca[]
Wicca is a religion whose adherents are alternatively called Wiccans. By contrast, traditional witchcraft is not a religion, but a universal magical practice that transcends any religious belief or lack thereof. While Wiccans generally acknowledge and revere a pantheon of gods and goddesses, traditional witches may belong to any religion or none, they may believe in a God or gods or they may be atheists. According to Bonnie McCullough, Wicca is an earth-centered, polytheistic religion, where the adherents are extremely conscious of their one "law" called the Wiccan Rede which advises them to "Harm None".
Powers and Abilities[]
- Channeling - The act of invoking extra forms of energy by focusing on external forces.
- Divination - The act of divining future, past, and present events based off extrasensory perception.
- Astrology - The practice of divination through observation of the Moon, Sun, and other celestial bodies in the belief that their positions affect human behavior.
- Cartomancy - The practice of divination through the use of tarot cards.
- Clairvoyance - The practice of divination through the perception of emotions, objects, people, or physical phenomena.
- Intuition - The practice of divination through the use of instinctive knowledge.
- Mediumship - The practice of divination through the communication of spirits.
- Palmistry - The practice of divination based on the features indicated on the human palm.
- Premonitions - The practice of divination through the observation and study of dreams.
- Psychometry - The practice of divination through contact with or proximity to a certain object or person.
- Rune Reading - The practice of divination based on the positions and symbols of runic stones.
- Tasseomancy - The practice of divination based on the positions and symbols of tea leaves.
- Spell Casting - The act of changing and/or controlling events through the use of charms, hexes, rituals, etc.
- Elemental Control - The power to manipulate the four elements Nature: earth, water, air and fire.
- Witches Brew - The act of brewing and concocting magical potions that contain mystical properties.
Magic Tools[]
- Amulets - An object that is used to protect its wearer from harm.
- Athames - A ceremonial dagger with a double-edged blade that is commonly used to direct energy.
- Candles - A block of solid wax with an embedded wick that is commonly lit to amplify a witch's spell.
- Cauldrons - A large metal pot that is commonly used to hold the ingredients for elixirs and potions.
- Grimoire - A family journal is documented with magical recipes, rituals, and spells.
- Talismans - An object that is used to magnify a witch's power.
Magic[]
- Main article: Spells and Rituals (novel)
Magic (or witchcraft) is the power to affect change by supernatural means. Magic can often be split into benevolent and malevolent, though depending on the situation can also be neutral. Magic is a practiced technique that connects a person to the elements and forces of nature in order to practice witchcraft.
Bright Magic[]
Bright Magic (or White Magic) is a form of sorcery that draws on benevolent energy, and may be used for positive purposes that deliberately causes help in some way (e.g. to cure or protect, to improve or restore, or for the benefit of others rather than for the profit of oneself.) In popular usage, the term "Bright Magic" is often used to describe any form of magic that obeys the Wiccan Rede.
Dark Magic[]
Dark Magic (or Black Magic) is a form of sorcery that draws on malevolent energy, and may be used for negative purposes that deliberately causes harm in some way (e.g. to cause destruction or misfortune, to injure or kill, or for the profit of oneself rather than for the benefit of others.) In popular usage, the term "Dark Magic" is often used to describe any form of magic that disobeys the Wiccan Rede.
Known Witches[]
Trivia[]
- According to Benjamin Ravenwood, only four witches in the history of time have managed to achieve immortality. While it remains unknown exactly how these witches gained their immortality, Benjamin claims that they used black magic, as no other magic can be used to achieve such an abomination.
- After the death of Elena Gilbert, Bonnie McCullough contemplated on whether or not she could resurrect Elena with black magic without becoming a victim of the Darkness. According to Bonnie McCullough, once a person opens the door to the Darkness, it's almost impossible to close it. However, Damon and Stefan Salvatore (who had learned a lot about witchcraft over the centuries) explained to Bonnie that one dark spell wasn't enough to turn her evil.
- Contrary to The Vampire Diaries, witchcraft is both hereditary and non-hereditary. This was proven with Bonnie McCullough (who is descended from a long line of powerful Druids), Elena Gilbert and Meredith Sulez (both of whom are descended from ordinary humans). While Bonnie has blossomed into one of the most powerful witches of her generation, Elena and Meredith have also been known to perform spells of their own. However, as they are both inexperienced with witchcraft, Elena and Meredith will only resort to witchcraft in extreme cases of emergency as witchcraft is known to be very dangerous to those who do not fully understand it.
- The only way for a human to resurrect the dead is through black magic. This was proven after Benjamin Ravenwood confirmed that the only power capable of resurrection was dark magic. However, the Guardians (who created the Wiccan Rede) have proven that these rules can be broken as they used white magic to resurrect Elena Gilbert, Mr. Tanner, Sue Carson and Vickie Bennett. However, it is unknown if the Guardians are the only beings capable of breaking these rules as they created them, or if especially powerful Wiccans can break them as well.
- While white magic is intimately tied to the Wiccan Rede and cannot be used for anything that violates the Grand Design, the Guardians (who created the Wiccan Rede) can break these rules and use white magic to achieve anything they desire. However, this is extremely rare and according to the Principal Guardian, Mylea, the Guardians have only broken the Rede twice in the entire history of time and will only do so it extreme cases of emergency.
See also[]
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