from Saunders’ The Basics of Magic

Although any human can use enchanted objects or already made spells, only witches can use magic directly or create spells. When spells are used, they often warm while active, and the user incurs the magical cost. Spells focused on a specific person require blood or hair from that person to be most effective.

Most witches see magic as a white glow, with stronger magic glowing brighter. However, some witches observe magic with other senses, like bards often hear magic as music. Except for seers and soul healers who can read auras, witches cannot typically sense others’ powers or magic unless actively being used. However, special classes of witches (e.g. healers, alchemists, etc.) can usually recognize other witches in their class of witch, even if the other isn’t actively using magic.

When encountering spells or enchanted items, witches can sense the magic’s strength, but they may not be able to sense more. They can often determine the focus(es) if also present. If the spell isn’t warded, stronger witches can also read the magic’s purpose by how the magic is weaved or by performing a probing spell. (If warded, they cannot read the magic’s purpose, but they can still tell the strength and possibly the focus(es).) Witches can also trace magic back to the source (unless warded) using a tracing spell, and if tracing their own spell, they can do that without other witches noticing. Since inactive enchanted items bear remnants of magic, witches can sense this using probing spells or can recognize the creator’s magic if they’re familiar with the creator’s magical signature.

Special classes of witches can sense if magic was created by their class of witch, although only seers and soul healers can sense if magic was created by different classes of witches using aura reading. Priests that are also witches can sense if magic was created by a god’s (or avatar’s) blessing or curse, often sensing which god or avatar. (Other witches can also learn this skill with much practice, but witch priests instinctively do it.) However, witch priests cannot sense if magic was created by a blessing or curse from a human or magical creature. Every witch has a unique magical signature, and witches can locate witches they know using that.

Most witches begin developing their powers from late childhood to when their bodies fully mature. More powerful witches tend to develop their powers earlier, and in rare cases, some even have them from birth. Powers finish developing by the time their bodies fully mature, unless their powers appeared then. In that case, they typically finish developing within a year. ‘Tis exceedingly rare for powers to appear once a witch is fully mature. Unless their powers are tied to fertility, witches’ powers don’t wane throughout their lives, although recovering after draining their powers may take longer.

Witches use the five orders of magic to perform spells: potions, rituals, incantations, art spells, and will. Most spells are a mix of different orders of magic, but only Rhiannon descendants can use will. When performing spells, witches first gather magic from outside sources, then weave together their spell’s purpose, and finally attempt to set their spell’s cost. Rhiannon descendants can typically set the cost of their spells, especially if using magic innate to their class of witch (e.g. nature witches using nature magic.) However, setting the cost is not flawless; it’s harder the stronger the magic, weak witches or those with little experience cannot set it at all, and sometimes the magic still has a different cost no matter the power of the witch. Setting the cost is most effective if done by will, but it can also be specified at the end of the spell’s ritual or incantation.

Although witches do not pay the spell’s cost unless they use it themselves, performing magic takes a great deal of energy. While performing spells, they become warm, especially on longer or harder spells. Afterward, witches become chilled and crave sustenance, often sweets. If they attempt spells beyond their abilities, they can drain themselves to fainting or death. Recovering after this drain can sometimes take years.

Although magical creatures sense and perform magic like human witches, magical creatures generate their own magical energy to perform spells (but they gather it from outside sources for larger spells.) Since they have their own source of magical energy, magical creatures often perform stronger spells than human witches, and most can read auras, so they can sense inactive magic and the class of witch or creature that created a spell. Despite their extra gifts, magical creatures use the same witch’s tongue as humans for incantations when they performing them (although elves like to pretend otherwise.)