Witches traditionally exist in groups of three that are conventionally called triads, though not uncommonly referred to as covens. Witches in triads can share their core powers with one another; they cannot use one another's focus magic but they can borrow the energy required to fuel their own magics. Triads do not require all witch members, though them being witches would obviously lend greater magical ability.
Even witches who are unaware of their own magical talents tend to gravitate towards groups of three, unconsciously forming triads to strengthen and shore up their own magical abilities. Triad groups instinctively form magical bonds with one another upon formation.
The Valisian countries vary on how they deal with and train their witches. Some countries have rather well-known specializations; some have no formal training whatsoever, and some despise the witches born within their own borders. This is a short list of how the countries deal with witches.
Even witches who are unaware of their own magical talents tend to gravitate towards groups of three, unconsciously forming triads to strengthen and shore up their own magical abilities. Triad groups instinctively form magical bonds with one another upon formation.
- Hotaru is in a triad with Magpie and Vassilios, though he doesn't consciously know it
- Zyanya is in a triad with Yayauhqui and Peregrine, though she doesn't consciously know it
- Verbena doesn't have a triad and has to solely rely on her familiar Centella for balance
- Oleander and Eurydice are bonded to one another, much to their annoyance
The Valisian countries vary on how they deal with and train their witches. Some countries have rather well-known specializations; some have no formal training whatsoever, and some despise the witches born within their own borders. This is a short list of how the countries deal with witches.
- Rossore - specializes in agricultural and healing magics. There is no official schooling system for witches but given that witch children are more frequently born to witch parents it is usually the responsibility of the family to train their children. Witches are favored to work on all farms and can have their pick of a job. If their specialization is something else, which is unusual but not unheard of, they can get work at the capital. If their specialization is violent they are regarded as something bad; fire users are especially hated.
- Brindille - specializes in wild magics, such as animal handling or different hunting techniques. There are schools for witches but they are only in the large cities and they are difficult to get into; usually so-called bloodline witches are the only attending students. Witches living in poverty are often unable to get training and so never realize the full depth of their abilities. Locals don't appear to care either way about magic users; Apollo enjoys hunting with witches and so has insisted his father employs many at the castle, but they are not at a loss for jobs anywhere else.
- Burya - specializes in ground or gem magics. Witch-specific training is generally accessible; there's witch classes in regular schools as well as academic classes and children will attend both. There is no stigma around magic whatsoever; it's such a normalized part of life that no one questions it, whether they have magic or not. Early exposure to witch classes guarantees that non-magic children will be completely accepting to their witch peers, and it has held thus far. However, familiars are very uncommon among their witches (due to their generally mild talents) and witches with familiars are considered with a great deal of suspicion for being abnormal.
- Mikena - specializes in sea and water magics. The most promising children are sent directly to Mikena Bay for more extreme training so they can act as special guards around the capital port; those with regular talents attend witch schools in Mikena's other cities. The extraordinarily talented witches are not conscripted into government work however - if they're uninterested in working in Mikena Bay they are free to return home with proper training to control their magic. While water-based magics are more common other types are not prosecuted; it is actually said that Mikena is the best place to live as a powerful witch, for here you are allowed more freedom than in any other country.
- Najaati - is more open about tolerating magic but they don’t have any official witch training system, so their witches tend to have ‘wild’ magic (meaning it kinda does whatever it wants, despite the user's best intentions). Witches here rarely have actual specializations. There’s some court witches but they’re paid or hired and not enthralled. Witches born in Hechiz tend to immigrate into Najaati to get away from the stigma there. Recently, Crown Elham has been encouraging more witches to move in and pays them very well for their loyalty to the crowns.
- Hechiz - is extremely suspicious of magic and largely disregards their own witches. It wasn’t too long ago (two generations ago) that they used to kill witches outright at the first sign of magic. The official executions stopped but their past Tlatoani did not punish people who continued the tradition in the outlying cities. In the capital they’re still superstitious about magic and old legends and horror stories abound. Qui is trying to change that (mostly for the sake of his sister Zyanya) and is kind of stalling out. There is no official training here; witches rarely specialize in anything and oftentimes don't consciously practice magic at all if they're born in Hechiz.
- Acriens - specializes in war magic because for the past forty years they’ve been engaged in an ugly civil war and before that fought often with Mikena. Their witches are purposefully trained for war magic in witch academies and given specific herbs that aggravate and strengthen magic for fighting. They’re not magically bound but they are purposefully addicted to the herbs that they can’t get anywhere else. There’s a lot of stigma against witches now that they’re coming out of the war because of the atrocities they committed during the fighting. Even young witches (never involved in the fight) are regarded with violence and suspicion.
- Zenobia - literally magically enslaves their witches. This sort of magic does require a witch (obviously) but it’s been done this way for forever so there’s always been at least one witch loyal to the Oracle that will do it. The witches are enslaved to the Oracle specifically and she can punish them for things if she so desires it. Witches are collected when they are very young from the general population with no regard to their family’s wishes, though it should be stated that most people are grateful for the honor of giving a child over to the crown. Witches are trained hard and usually specialize in violent magics. They all live at the capital, under the Oracle's thumb.
Magic in Bailia functions fundamentally different than it does in the Valisian Plane.
In Bailia, magic is as common as air. All Bailians are born with magic and all people who come to Bailia (such as the prophecy kids) receive magic the second they touch Bailian soil. They keep that magic for the length of their visit but when they leave the magic is definitively 'burned' out of them; they are no longer able to use magic though their memories of it remain intact. Bailian magic restores the prophecy children to their original stage when they are returned home. Any major wounds they sustained (missing limbs or organs, scars of any kind, etc) vanish, though they age as normal in Bailia and will keep their current age when sent back.
The sudden influx of Bailian magic is said to kill visiting adults so Mother forbids anyone but kids from fulfilling the prophecies in an attempt to spare lives. This is also why the children are always returned when the villain is defeated; Mother isn't sure how a prolonged stay on Bailia would change the foreign children and so has never allowed them to stay.
Unlike in the Valisian Plane magic in Bailia is not often specialized. All magic users can access all kinds of magic; generally people prefer a certain type and so spend more time learning that type but it is not as locked in as it is in Valisia. In Bailia magic must be taught; it is not spells per se but certain limitations that must be respected in each field. Small-scale magic remains accessible to any level Bailian citizen. The size and power of magic available to a person is determined by their core energy at birth; the vast majority of the population can achieve only minimal magic and will never surpass that. The elite have greater cores and so can perform larger magics. The prophecy kids almost always have enormous cores, perhaps due to having never been exposed to magic before - they can frequently do incredible magic that normal Bailian citizens couldn't dream of.
The greatest magician in Bailia is of course Bailia herself, given that she is a representation of the country and has what appears to be an unlimited core. She uncommonly performs magic however and she never involves herself in the prophecies, for whatever unknowable reason.
In Bailia, magic is as common as air. All Bailians are born with magic and all people who come to Bailia (such as the prophecy kids) receive magic the second they touch Bailian soil. They keep that magic for the length of their visit but when they leave the magic is definitively 'burned' out of them; they are no longer able to use magic though their memories of it remain intact. Bailian magic restores the prophecy children to their original stage when they are returned home. Any major wounds they sustained (missing limbs or organs, scars of any kind, etc) vanish, though they age as normal in Bailia and will keep their current age when sent back.
The sudden influx of Bailian magic is said to kill visiting adults so Mother forbids anyone but kids from fulfilling the prophecies in an attempt to spare lives. This is also why the children are always returned when the villain is defeated; Mother isn't sure how a prolonged stay on Bailia would change the foreign children and so has never allowed them to stay.
Unlike in the Valisian Plane magic in Bailia is not often specialized. All magic users can access all kinds of magic; generally people prefer a certain type and so spend more time learning that type but it is not as locked in as it is in Valisia. In Bailia magic must be taught; it is not spells per se but certain limitations that must be respected in each field. Small-scale magic remains accessible to any level Bailian citizen. The size and power of magic available to a person is determined by their core energy at birth; the vast majority of the population can achieve only minimal magic and will never surpass that. The elite have greater cores and so can perform larger magics. The prophecy kids almost always have enormous cores, perhaps due to having never been exposed to magic before - they can frequently do incredible magic that normal Bailian citizens couldn't dream of.
The greatest magician in Bailia is of course Bailia herself, given that she is a representation of the country and has what appears to be an unlimited core. She uncommonly performs magic however and she never involves herself in the prophecies, for whatever unknowable reason.