The Wiccan Code, often referred to as the Wiccan Rede, is a guiding principle followed by many Wiccans. It is a moral code that emphasizes the importance of acting responsibly and ethically in all aspects of life. The main idea behind the Wiccan Code is the principle of "harm none," which encourages Wiccans to avoid causing harm to others, both intentionally and unintentionally. The Wiccan Code embodies the belief in the interconnectedness of all things and the recognition of one's impact on the world. Wiccans strive to live in harmony with nature and to treat all living beings with respect and kindness. This includes humans, animals, and the environment.
Witch doctor
Witch doctors most commonly arose in rural, humanoid cultures with tribal affectations. [3] [5] Witch doctors were almost never found in the same tribe as standard shamans, [2] [3] [5] some exceptions being neanderthal tribes [2] and the Nubari tribe the Wise Ones. [6]
They typically held positions of great influence in their tribes. They often acted as advisors to their chiefs, giving counsel and support. [7] Among orc communities, they were often the most powerful members, rivaled only by orc shamans. [8] Having a retinue of guards and being counted on to give the chieftain advice on matters of warfare and inter-tribal relations. It was not uncommon for them to inherit the position of chieftain themselves [9] or to usurp their chieftain. [10] How witch doctors of any race usurped their chieftain varied, with some being overt in killing them or being subtle through use of charms. [11]
Witch doctors were often secretive, going to great lengths to preserve their power, usually by means of deception or trickery. [11] Despite this, they were known to take up one or more apprentices, [7] passing down the arcane spells that they knew. [5] Only one of a witch doctor's apprentices would inherit their mantle upon their death or retirement, however, the others being either banished from their tribe or killed. [7]
Racial Practitioners [ ]
Witch doctors were extremely rare among giants, [21] though ones could be found among fire giants, frost giants, [22] [21] fog giants, and mountain giants. [12] [note 1] And beyond humanoids, humans and neanderthals could be found practicing this tradition. [2]
Practition by Region [ ]
Orc communities that practiced this tradition could be found in the North, [23] the Thousand Fists tribe in the Nether Mountains, [24] the Goblin Marches, and the Storm Horns. [25] Also in the North, the tribal humans known as Ice Hunters practiced this tradition, with the most ancient of them having limited use of powerful ice, snow, and cold magics. [23] In southwest Faerûn, witch doctors could be found among tribes on the Chultan Peninsula, where they often purchased mined materials from the local Chultan dwarves. [26]
Beyond Faerûn, witch doctors could be found in parts of the continent of Kara-Tur. In T'u Lung, witch doctors were locally referred to as kio ton mu and were typically members of cults, [27] such as the Black Leopard Cult. [28] On the Malatran Plateau, witch doctors could be found in the tribes of the various races that inhabited it, [29] [30] but were rarer and more powerful compared to the Plateau's shamans. [31] The Plateau's shu tribes for example, those with five or more families typically had a witch doctor. [32] And in the Southern Ocean, witch doctors could be found among the Island Kingdoms. [33]
In the land of Zakhara, the maskhi had male witch doctors that typically specialized in the arcane provinces of sand and wind. [34] And beyond surface worlds, they could be found on goblinoid spelljammers. [35]
Practition by Faith [ ]
In terms of religions, humanoid witch doctors could be found in service of evil-aligned demihuman or human deities, [5] such as Auril [36] or Bhaal in the case of the orcs of the Trollmoors. [37] Among the humanoid deities, witch doctors were in service of the Goblinoid pantheon, [4] Kurtulmak, [38] the Orc pantheon, [4] [39] Raxivort, [40] and Vaprak. [4] The Giant pantheon did not have witch doctors, though a few unusual cults among giants did. [41]
Much like warlocks, [42] witch doctors could also be servitors of powerful non-deity entities. In terms of fiends, witch doctors could be found in service of archdevils, demon lords, [11] [43] and greater daemons, [43] like the demon lord Yeenoghu. [4] [44] Rarely, good-aligned witch doctors were patrons of modrons or solars. [43] And on the Malatran Plateau, human and humanoid witch doctors were servitors of the spirits of the land. [29] [30] The witch doctors of the Plateau's saru led their people in ancestral worship. [32] And witch doctors of the Ice Hunters were in service of their people's beast totems. [45]
This includes humans, animals, and the environment. In addition to the principle of "harm none," the Wiccan Code also promotes personal responsibility and accountability. Wiccans are encouraged to take ownership of their actions and decisions, considering the potential consequences before acting.
Abilities [ ]
Witch doctors were often proficient in the fields of astrology, winemaking, [46] the brewing of crude alcoholic beverages, and alchemy. Humanoid witch doctors skilled in alchemy were capable of brewing potions with the effects of cure blindness, cure disease, cure light wounds, neutralize poison, resist fear, resist fire, and spell immunity. Those most skilled in alchemy were capable of constructing a homunculus. [47]
Witch doctors drew their clerical spells from up to three spheres, [48] while their arcane spells were limited to a single school of magic. [46] [49] The arcane spells of a witch doctor were kept within a spellbook, [49] [5] though those on the Malatran Plateau did not. [29] [30] They liberally utilized their spells in order to maintain their tribe's confidence in their power. [11]
The spells wielded by humanoid witch doctors of evil deities were typically offensive and defensive, rather than curative. Some favorite spells of theirs included cause light wounds, chant, and dispel magic. The few curative spells they had were kept for use after battles or for use by a tribe's chieftain. Those who were servitors of good or neutral deities had more balanced spell selections and were more likely to use their powers to directly benefit their tribe as a whole. Evil humanoid shamans could typically control skeletons and zombies, but almost never had access to necromancy spells, while good and neutral ones could turn them. [50]
Like any spellcaster, they could man a spelljamming helm. [35]
This involves being mindful of the energy they put out into the world and being aware of the effects it may have on themselves and others. Another key aspect of the Wiccan Code is the idea of free will. Wiccans believe in the importance of allowing others to make their own choices and decisions, as long as it does not cause harm to others. They respect diversity and individual autonomy, recognizing that everyone has their own path to follow. Overall, the Wiccan Code serves as a moral compass for Wiccans, guiding them to live a life that is in alignment with their beliefs and values. It encourages them to strive for harmony, respect, and responsibility in all aspects of life. By adhering to the Wiccan Code, Wiccans aim to create a more balanced and compassionate world..
Reviews for "The Wiccan Code and the Divine Feminine: Honoring the Goddess Within"
1. Emily - 2/5 - As a fan of supernatural and magical stories, I was excited to read "The Wiccan Code." However, I found it to be disappointing and lacking in depth. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked development, making it hard for me to connect with them. The plot was predictable and didn't offer any surprises or twists. Overall, the book felt rushed and the writing style was mediocre. I would not recommend "The Wiccan Code" to anyone looking for a captivating and well-crafted magical novel.
2. Jacob - 1/5 - "The Wiccan Code" was a complete letdown. The premise seemed intriguing, but the execution was poorly done. The plot was lacking substance and failed to engage me. The characters were flat and uninteresting, making it hard to care about what happened to them. The writing style was also below par, with awkward dialogue and repetitive descriptions. I would advise others to skip this book and look for more compelling reads in the supernatural genre.
3. Samantha - 2/5 - Unfortunately, "The Wiccan Code" did not live up to my expectations. The storyline felt disjointed and lacked cohesion. The pacing was inconsistent, with some parts dragging on while others were rushed. The author attempted to create tension and suspense, but it fell flat, leaving me disinterested. Furthermore, the characters lacked depth and were difficult to relate to. Overall, this book failed to captivate me and I would not recommend it to others.
4. Joshua - 2/5 - "The Wiccan Code" was a disappointing read for me. The writing style was bland and lacked creativity. The dialogue felt forced and unrealistic, making it hard to invest in the characters. The plot was predictable and offered no surprises along the way. Additionally, the world-building was underdeveloped, leaving many unanswered questions. Overall, this book felt like a missed opportunity, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone seeking a more immersive and well-constructed magical story.