There used to be three kinds of magic, it is said by those in the know. White, Black, and Grey. Black magic was the stuff of demons and those who formed contracts with them. Wicked, for the sacrifices it required, and the effects it would eventually have on its practitioner, transforming her or him into a monster, stealing the conscience piece by piece until what was left scarcely deserved the name human.
White magic was the battle-magic of the angels, used to combat and exorcise their wicked foes. Rather than being passed to humans through contracts, it was carried in the bloodlines of nephilim, children of angels and human beings. It drew directly on the strength of soul and willpower of the practitioner rather than sacrifice, making it much more difficult than Black magic, but quite effective against it. White magic disappeared from the earth many years ago now, and no known living practitioners remain.
Without exception, Dark witches, those who practice Black magic, must make a deal with a demonic contractor though a complicated summoning ritual. Those born witches who find this unconscionable and refuse are cast out of their covens, and become Grey witches. A Grey witch is less powerful in her magic than a Dark one, because there is no demon lending her strength through ritual, and they also customarily refuse to make unwilling sacrifices to gain more power. They are still magical, and can still develop their crafts, but they will be less effective because of it. They can, however, occasionally access more benign talents, like healing, that Dark witches cannot use.
In practice, magic is highly individuated by the witch. Usually, a given caster will specialize in one area, like nature magic, clairvoyance, alchemy, or herbalism. Even within those specializations, talent may vary. Older witches, those with many years of magical training, will sometimes take on a second specialization beyond the basic spells every witch can do, but younger ones usually have to focus on a single area at first.
Dark witches are uniformly shunned by society, and rightfully so, since live human sacrifice is one of the most expedient ways to obtain a power boost. Grey witches are tolerated, though frequently met with suspicion, as they are often unable to maintain their resolve in the face of temptation. Their tainted bloodlines give them a link to the supernatural that other people simply don’t have, and it can and often does drive them insane or worse.
Notably, the Order of Mismar employs a number of Grey witches as Hunters, though they are always partnered with someone who is not also a Grey witch, so that they can be watched for any sign of weakness. Still, joining the Order is one of the best ways for a Grey witch to be accepted by society, as members of the Order are treated with great respect almost universally.
There are very few male witches. It is speculated that the aptitude for magic may be encoded into the genetics of those who make the deals with demons, and linked somehow to the X chromosome. It’s hard to tell, however, as much of the technology that could have determined this for sure has been lost, and there are few witches who would submit themselves to such testing anyway.
