[tshiggins]

Okay, at Prince Charon's request, this is a cross post from a different thread. He thought this might be useful for those who would like to add Wicca-flavored "magic" to this setting.

NOTE: this is based on a VERY simplified version of the Wicca religion, and it focuses almost exclusively on the female.goddess side of things. Women, and female magic, plays a huge role in Wicca, which is sorta unique when it comes to religion in the modern world (especially in countries with Abrahamic religious traditions). That's why it got my attention.

If by "witch" we mean practitioners of some form of nature-goddess worship in the modern world, then we have to put our heads into a place where magic comes from those things that many women find important or fascinating. Wicca generally conceptualize female magic as taking place in three important phases of a woman's life; "Maiden", "Mother" and "Crone."

Also, a key notion is the "three-fold return" -- what they put out into the world comes back on them, thrice over.

Based on some of the things I learned when I was hangin' with the Wicca, I'd base witch magic on the following ideas, which are (once again) really simplified for the purposes of gaming:

I. Maiden
A. This mostly revolves around adolescence. Both boys and girls go through changes during adolescence, but the physiological changes experienced by girls are much more profound, and the Wicca consider that terribly significant. To their minds, women are acted upon by the forces of the universe much more profoundly, and this is reflected by the fact that to many Wicca, menstruation seems to synch to phases of the moon.
B. As part of this, "Maiden Magic" should reflect the experiences and emotions of many adolescent girls. Sensuality and sexuality play a big role (and how to control and focus that in positive ways), as well as a willingness to engage in conflict. (Ever seen a teen girl fight with her parents? Yikes.)
1. However, as part of this, girls confront the reality that, in most cases, adolescence changes boys in such a way as to put most girls at a significant disadvantage when it comes physical conflict. When they were children, girls and boys were about equal. As adolescents, girls may start their development a year or two earlier, but once it kicks in, boys become incredibly strong -- much stronger than most girls, and that can scare many of them. It also "weirds out" a lot of girls.
2. Starting at adolescence, girls must think about conflict differently, or they could get badly hurt. In Wicca, this turns into means of physical conflict avoidance (especially with boys), combined with ways to get what they want via indirect means -- persuasion and suggestion.
3. Adolescence, for Wicca, means a focus on understanding, accepting and positively focusing physiological changes and attendant increases in sensuality and passion, as well as a willingness to engage in conflict. However, that's combined with the need to keep themselves physically safe at a time when their male peers seem to become (somewhat) monstrous.

II. Mother
A. This marks the time after adolescence when a woman is ready to have children (which is a BIG DEAL in Wicca). By that, the Wicca mean a woman is not just physiologically ready, but emotionally mature enough to handle the responsibility. Fertility magic and defensible homes are the focus, here. (Yes, lots of Wicca exercise their 2nd Amendment rights -- which sorta surprised me, but then made sense once I thought about it; unpopular minorities, and such.)
B. This is probably the most fundamentally important period in a Wicca's life, and the one where she relies the most heavily on her sisters in the Coven. In the really-real world, a coven can (and a good one does) provide a key support network for mothers with young children. To the Wicca, the womb is the gate by which new souls enter the world of space and time, and that's the biggest of big, mojo magic.
C. Most of the Wicca I talked to, during this time, expressed a pretty profound "nesting instinct." They strove for economic security, wanted a reliable spouse or partner, did their best to create an orderly home and generally did everything they could to absolutely ensure their children had everything they needed.
D. At this point, most of the risky "Maiden" behavior is done. In the "Mother" phase, they'll still take risks -- but all risks are "calculated," and all bets are "hedged."

III. Crone
A. As might be expected, this phase begins when either all the kids have grown, or with the onset of menopause, whichever happens first.
B. Wiccan crones expect to be treated with respect, and they mostly get it, unless they're demonstrably foolish. Other women in the coven come to them for advice about all sorts of things. They provide the support (baby clothes, babysitting services, quilts and sweaters, advice and home remedies) to mothers with young children or difficult teens. If she's healthy, she'll take difficult girls off to the woods, for the weekend, ostensibly for camping and nature rituals, but mostly to give mom a break. They're sorta like crosses between parish priest(esse)s and Girl Scout leaders. A lot of them ARE Girl Scout leaders, and have been since their own daughters were members of a troop.
C. At this point, Wicca practitioners can and sometimes do get politically active, for the same reasons as most AARP members. They have the time for it, and the interest, and it's a way to try to influence law and society in such a way as to increase security for themselves and for their loved ones.
D. Magic, here, would focus on blessings and other rituals designed to enrich and protect entire communities. That includes the ability to set up new covens with new sacred spaces in remote areas where they can feel the cycle of the seasons (Wicca is very much a temperate-climate phenomenon). A "Witch Queen" is simply the high priestess of a coven that has successfully spun off daughter covens, while retaining strong membership in her own, original coven. (A "Witch King" is the male leader of that same coven -- and is usually the Witch Queen's spouse, but not always.) It's sorta like a magical version of Amway or Mary Kay Cosmetics -- but it's not supposed to be a pyramid scheme, because benefits are supposed to flow both ways. (It sometimes goes that way, though -- Wicca can be as manipulative and amoral as anybody else.)

So, for magical rituals, I'd go with the following "feel":

1. Maiden Magic.
A. Basic: Spells to increase desirability and sensuality, as well as to maintain and protect health (bonuses to avoid STDs!) and well-being -- and that includes reproductive control. Wicca strongly believe sex is important for emotional health, but that every baby born should be a baby that was wanted. Women who aren't ready for that responsibility shouldn't have children. Also, toss in some powers of suggestion or the ability to mesmerize.
B. Combat: Spells for this should focus on self-protection and damage avoidance, rather than dealing out pain. They should enhance "Dodge", "Block" and "Parry", with increases to "DR" considered of secondary importance. For Wicca, the idea is to never get hit, in the first place. Also, toss in some healing spells -- that's a very "Wicca" sort of thing.

2. Mother Magic.
A. Basic: Fertility is the main thing, here. Spells should help a woman conceive when she wants to conceive, help keep men potent, reduce the difficulties of menstruation, ensure the pre-natal health of the fetus, and make child-birth less hazardous for everyone involved. Also, they should have a means by which to weave protective wards for their homes and property, enhance peace and serenity within its walls (attracting Brownies and other helpful household spirits would be the best possible outcome), create empathy between spouses/partners and enhance the yield and beauty of their gardens -- as well as make the wilderness areas around their sacred spaces more robust and ecologically healthy. Wicca are the ultimate tree-huggers.
B. Combat: At this point, I'd think the magic would be all about the "Buff." Mothers do not put themselves at risk. They expect their menfolk (and any of their sisters without children so inclined) to do that, instead. I'd see them using rituals to enhance the skills and defenses of other people -- armor buffs, toughness buffs, temporary High Pain Threshold, temporary Bravery, some of the "Maiden" combat rituals now usable on others, increased stamina and healing. Again, not so much dealing damage, as absorbing it or avoiding it.

2. Crone
A. Basic: Older women are expected to act as repositories of wisdom and good advice, and to have the ability to guide the younger generations to better futures. So, I'd see rituals to enhance clarity of thought, and allow for limited Divination. Also, they're the ones with the knowledge of the rituals to create sacred spaces, make chicken soup that heals the soul, and concoct potions for all sorts of reasons.
B. Combat: This would be the dark side of the crone -- Scathach and Morrigan, the ladies of death. They curse the enemies of their people, anoint the weapons of their warriors with deadly poisons, render barren the wombs of the women of their enemies, lay waste to their enemies' fields and devastate their enemies' homes. When it comes to war, the crones are the "no-holds-barred" WMDs of the Wicca; after all, if what they put out into the world comes back on them three-fold, then the fact that they'll die soon, anyway, frees them to take drastic action if the need is great.

Anyway, that's the direction I'd suggest for witches.