Wicks and Witches

Wicks, or witches, are half-breed galdori. The term "witch" applies only to women, but both genders may be called "wick." What follows here is a discussion of wicks in general. The wicks of Anhau are discussed elsewhere, as are the wicks of Mugroba.

Wicks are usually the product of a relationship between two wicks. Occasionally, a wick is the product of a union between a galdor and a human; such a relationship is outlawed in most kingdoms, so half-breed wicks almost always grow up with their human parent. In some cases where a female galdor has a wick child, she will abandon it among unrelated humans or wicks.

Physical Appearance

Like the Galdori, the Wicks have been shaped by their environments quite a bit. Often thin in stature, they are graceful and lithe. Their skin tones vary, though they are often darker than the Galdori and humans they live around. As with the other races, too, they are defined by their environments.

• Anaxas - Anaxi wicks look like a mixture of humans and galdori. Due to the high variability of their heritage, their height is varied too; it is rare, however, for a wick to be taller than the average human. Their skin is usually olive-toned and freckled; wick-born wicks tend to have darker skin. Wicks tend to be strong, tanned and lean, but small and lithe like their magical brethren. They can have yellow eyes, though it is unusual, and usually weeded out after a few generations. Brown or hazel eyes are the most common. Red or black hair is normal for a wick, though they often dye their hair with chemicals, producing strange shades of blue, green or purple. Sometimes wicks dye their hair several colors at once. Wicks often have elaborate tattoos - even the children have them. Earrings and jewelry are common for both men and women. Witches (female wicks) tend to put their hair in long, intricate braids or other elaborate designs. They often keep their hair long and wild, for effect. Male wicks like to keep themselves clean-shaven and youthful, though some grow massive sideburns, often trying to outdo one another. Small pointed beards are not entirely uncommon.
• Mugroba - Mugrobi wicks tend to look like humans, though they can have yellow eyes.
• Hox - There are very few wicks in Hox, and no established tribes. On the rare occasion that there are, Hoxian wicks look like a combination of their parents.
• Hesse - Hessean wicks look like a mixture between humans and galdori. They tend to imitate the style of Anaxi wicks, dyeing their wooly hair different colors and wearing lots of jewelry. All Hessean wicks have a very pronounced epicanthic fold, causing their eyes to appear far apart and occasionally cross-eyed.
• Bastia - Because Bastian people are so closely related to the Anaxi people, they share similar physical traits.
• Gior - Wicks are a rare occurrence in Gior, as the galdori and humans live rather isolated from each other. When this does happen, however, Gioran wicks don't often inherit the albinism gene, and they tend to resemble humans more than galdori. They can have yellow eyes.

Language

Wicks speak both Estuan and a dialect called Tek. Since most galdori do not understand Tek, it serves as a convenient language to use when one wishes to speak privately, without being overheard by sorcerers. There is a deep version of Tek, where words are obscured by accent, and a more understandable version that is spoken by wicks as slang.

Galdori Treatment of Wicks

Wicks are considered the middle rung of Anaxi society, ever so slightly above passive galdori and humans; they are not allowed to study at the University, but are allowed to make their living abroad or among humans, usually as peddlers of "low magic." Wick society is sovereign to the Anaxi government and is generally only held to the law when inside major cities or farming provinces. Galdori tend to leave wicks alone in some situations where they might bully or oppress a human. However, many galdori have a special disdain for "half-breed" humans, and mistrust and hate wicks above all else.

Culture

Wick culture is eclectic. Their separation from both galdori and human society has resulted in a hodgepodge culture culled from the combined influence of Mugrobi desert nomads and remaining human tribes in Anaxas.

Dancing, storytelling, singing and other artistic pursuits are held in high regard; so too are artisan crafts, such as pottery, weaving and jewelcraft. Meals are family affairs, and often include the younger generation entertaining the elders with song, acting, or dancing. Wicks make most of their own clothing and enjoy decorating their bodies with patterned cloth or leather bands, tattoos, jewelry, makeup and paint; they often dye strips of their hair with unnatural colors such as blue, green or red in addition to their elaborate braids.

Most wicks live together in nomadic societies, traveling around Anaxas on caravans. (Wicks living together on a caravan sometimes refer to each other as "spokes".) The "tribes," as they are called, are distinct, but usually peaceful with one another; when two wick tribes fight, it is often disastrous. The tribes are strong and close-knit, and do not usually ally with outside forces such as the human freedom fighters; however, a single wick may help the resistance without the permission of his tribal leader (Durg) and still remain within the tribe.

When a wick leaves a tribe, they leave their family and all possessions behind; this painful process is called drifting. It is unusual, but sometimes necessary if a wick finds himself at odds with the practices or beliefs of his tribe, or in a disagreement with the Durg.

Wicks pride themselves on traits such as cleverness, resourcefulness, the ability to tell a story, persuasiveness, creativity, and faithfulness to the family. Filial piety is paramount; children often take care of their parents from a very young age, and learn to work for their living as soon as they can walk. Children are not told to always tell the truth, but instead to lie well, and never, of course, to a friendly wick or a family member. Contrary to popular misconception, the acquisition of wealth is not seen as an end unto itself in wick culture - rather, money is seen as a tool to provide stability for the tribal unit.

Humans are usually glad to see wicks; they do not consider them as dangerous as the galdori, and indeed, enjoy many of the services wicks provide, such as healing. Many wicks trick humans into paying for services that are blatantly false, including fortune-telling and good-luck charms, preying on the humans' superstition and ignorance of sorcery. The humans are glad to be tricked (and often know that they are paying for nothing) because most wicks are raised to be entertainers, and give a good show.

Education

Most wicks are raised to a trade from a young age, and never attend a formal school. Magic is generally taught on a need-to-know basis. If it is not helpful or necessary in the trade, a young wick has to go to an Elder or older family member to learn.

Most wicks do not know how to read or write because of restrictions imposed on them by the galdori (and because it is usually not necessary, given their lifestyle). Most know a few crucial words but nothing more.

Religion

Wicks are unique in that they worship every god in the Circle Pantheon equally, having no prime god. At the end of every month, there is a celebration - both for the happy events of the month (births, deaths, etc) and to honor another god or goddess. At the end of the first month of the year, wicks celebrate Alioe, and go counter-clockwise through the Circle. On the last day of the year, wicks celebrate the god Hulali.

Non-nomadic Wicks (Tsats)

Some wicks, particularly those who were born of a galdori/human union and grew up with humans, do not belong to a tribe and instead live among humans permanently. These wicks are called tsats and they do not generally subscribe to nomadic wick culture. If a tsat were to behave like a nomadic wick, they would be disdained by true nomads.

Wick Passives

It is possible for wicks to have passive children. These individuals are known as parse and are generally treated with the same respect as normal wicks, though they do have a handicap. The danger of a parse's diablerie is still present, but for unknown reasons parse are not as likely to manifest their diablerie as galdori passives.

Prominent Wick Tribes

• Yellow Eye
• Falling Stone
• Deep Water
• Black Hand
• Tall Tree
• Laughing Sky
• Red Crow
• Lost Moon

Political Correctness

The terms "wick" and "witch" are occasionally used pejoratively among galdori, to show disdain when magic is used for a base purpose, or simply as an insult. In common speech, however, it is an acceptable term.

Playing a Wick

See Playing a Wick for important tips on how to play a Wick.