Angelique Bouchard, the most prominent witch of the franchise
A witch is a human being with the power to affect change by magical means ("witchcraft"). Their male counterpart is usually called warlock, but terms such as sorcerer or magic practitioner are recurrent throughout in the original series.
Characteristics of a witch
Dark nature
As well as vampirism has a negative effect on the psyche of the affected, even witchcraft seems to have negative effects on many witches, who resort to the black arts for evil purposes, such as creating illness, curse their enemies or manipulate and control the mind and body of other people. The affiliation with demonic forces like Diabolos, then, contribute to harden and darken the heart of a witch. Granted the power to manipulate reality at will, witches will be more and more inclined to use magic as a solution to all their problems, fueling more and more negative feelings of revenge, hatred and jealousy. What appears to be a real addiction to magic can be read as the key to understanding many behaviors assumed by witches and warlocks. However, a witch is not necessarily evil or greedy for power. The character of the individual plays a lot about how magic is practised and even witches who have made wicked actions such as Angelique, are able to feel love and compassion even towards enemies.
Powers
Witches and warlocks have an array of supernatural abilities. Many of these skills reside in the use of recurring ritual gestures and a solid knowledge of occult disciplines.
Spellcasting and conjuration
The act of effect changes in the reality through the use of enchantments, spells and rituals as well as also summon objects or beings already existing in reality. Spellcasting is surely the most well-known and used ability of witches, who are able to create significant changes in the reality by using candles, personal intimate objects and ingredients such as herbs and potions.
Angelique casting a spell using a doll
Curse and Voodoo
Playing with ordinary, a witch can make significant acts, generally to do harm. The best known is the use of wax figures or dolls pierced with pins to cause illness, suffering and death in the witch's enemy. Angelique Bouchard Collins is a great expert and user of voodoo dolls. Famous curses are the one inflicted by Angelique on Barnabas Collins turning him into a vampire (405,9), and that inflicted by Magda Rakosi on Quentin Collins transforming him into a werewolf (749).
Necromancy and mediumship
the act of communicating, educating and calling the dead spirits, as well as awaken, manipulate and control their bodies for the witch own bidding. Mediumship also belongs to psychics, who may or may not also be witches. Angelique has awakened zombies in almost all transpositions of both the original series and revival, resorting to necromancy (393,430,722, 939,1109,9).
Telekinesis and elemental control
Angelique creating fire as a result of spell casting
The act of controlling and manipulating the movements of objects and persons. Create and manipulate elements such as storms or fires is another ability held by witches, usually obtained with spells chanted near the magical items or shouted to the wind as when Angelique sparked a strong wind invoking the Spirits of Air (8).
Divination
Anyone is able to spread the tarot cards over a plain table and look at the pictures, but true interpretation requires for the reader to study and tune with the psychic forces. This is why witches and psychics are the best candidates to foretell the future, understand the past and the present by reading tarot cards or gazing into a crystal ball.
Becoming a witch
Any person interested in the occult can undertake the study of the black arts, although some people are more likely than others because of the background, preparation and persistence, or simple dedication.
Heritage or natural inclination
There are many circumstances under which a person may decide to devote himself or herself to witchcraft. Heritage and personal interests are the most widespread forms and recurrent within the series, where witchcraft (or dark arts) is practiced as a hobby or as a means of controlling one own destiny, and that of others. Heritage seems to be the way gypsies come into contact with the magic and the supernatural because the magical arts and knowledge of supernatural beings are transmitted from generation to generation. This seems true even for the Collins family, in which the interests and susceptibility to the study and practice of the magical arts appear to be widespread.
Demonic intervention
Angelique talking to Diabolos in the Underworld
Although the study is sufficient to achieve good results, usually deals with evil creatures have proven to be a recurring element. Diabolos, a powerful evil entity, is known to be the origin of a secret cult of dangerous witches.
In the novel Angelique's Descent, Angélique becomes an expert in magical arts through the knowledge passed on to her by her mother, and from the teachings of priests and followers of the Voodoo religion, as well as from such worship deities, in particular the goddess Erzulie, of whom little girl Angelique was believed to be the incarnation by her father's slaves.