#witchwind

[nightbleeder]

Diana in sky blue A Discovery of Witches (2018-)

[yellowfeather84]

WITCHMAS | day eight | favorite character arc or character development

D i a n a ’ s  M a g i c

“I don’t use magic or power or witchcraft or whatever you want to call it. It’s not who I am.” Two red patches burned on my cheeks. 

“It is who you are. It’s in your blood. It’s in your bones. You were born a witch, just as you were born to have blond hair and blue eyes.”

[mametupa]

Diana’s powers manifesting; witch wind

[nightbleeder]

𝕸𝖆𝖙𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖜, 𝖘𝖍𝖊'𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖒𝖔𝖘𝖙 𝖕𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖋𝖚𝖑 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍 𝖜𝖊'𝖛𝖊 𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉.

[yellowfeather84]

Witchwind in ADOW

For non-bookreaders who might be a little lost with the significance of witchwind in the last episode I pulled a couple book quotes that might help.

PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THESE BOOK QUOTES

“That was a witchwind,” Matthew explained, not moving. “Do you know what that is?”

I’d heard of a witch in Albany who could summon storms, but no one had ever called it a “witchwind.”

“Not really,” I confessed, still sneaking glances at my hands and feet.

“Some witches have inherited the ability to control the element of air. You’re one of them,” he said.

“That wasn’t control.”

“It was your first time.” Matthew was matter-of-fact. He gestured around the small bedroom: the intact curtains and sheets, all the clothing strewn on the chest of drawers and floor exactly where they’d been left that morning. “We’re both still standing, and the room doesn’t look like a tornado went through it. That’s control—for now.”

“But I didn’t ask for it. Do these things just happen to witches—electrical fires and winds they didn’t summon?” I pushed the hair out of my eyes and swayed, exhausted. Too much had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Matthew’s body inclined toward me as if to catch me should I fall.

“Witchwinds and blue fingers are rare these days. There’s magic inside you, Diana, and it wants to get out, whether you ask for it or not.”

“I think the findings are right, Diana. These powers may never manifest, but you’ve inherited the genetic predisposition for them.” He flipped the page. There were more red circles and more careful annotations by Miriam. “Here are the elemental markers. Earth is present in almost all witches, and some have either earth and air or earth and water. You’ve got all three, which we’ve never seen before. And you’ve also got fire. Fire is very, very rare.” Matthew pointed to the four smudges.

“What are elemental markers?” My feet were feeling uncomfortably breezy, and my fingers were tingling.

“Indications that you have the genetic predisposition to control one or more of the elements. They explain why you could raise a witchwind. Based on this, you could command witchfire and what’s called witchwater as well.”

“What does earth do?”

“Herbal magic, the power to affect growing things—the basics. Combined with spell casting, cursing, and charms—or any one of them, really—it means you have not only powerful magical abilities but an innate talent for witchcraft.”

My aunt was good with spells. Emily wasn’t but could fly for short distances and see the future. These were classic differences among witches—dividing those who used witchcraft, like Sarah, from those who used magic. It all boiled down to whether words shaped your power or whether you just had it and could wield it as you liked. I buried my face in my hands. The prospect of seeing the future as my mother could had been scary enough. Control of the elements? Talking with the dead?

As the creature are dying out witches are losing their powers. Hence Matthew’s comment that he hasn’t seen witchwind in centuries. While there was a time when witches represented all of the elements (air, fire, water and earth) in current times most witches, like Diana’s Aunt Sarah, have a strong connection to the earth and use herbs in their spell casting.

[daemonsdomain]

“I pushed Verin against a wall with a blast of witchwind..." ~ Diana Bishop, The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

Pictured: Wind Witch by Asher-Bee on DeviantART

[i-want-cheese]

Quite contrary to women, who mostly act in good faith, who are expected to be transparent and honest at all times — planned deception is how men proceed by default. The contrast between men and women in this respect is so stark that it takes years to even imagine how men can be so calculating.

witchwind