Witches

Witches are a race of magical beings born from their matron goddess, Noctillia. They are a humanoid race that bear the closest resemblance to humans. The main defining trait that distinguishes them from humans is the color of their eyes, often taking on a variety of colors that range from royal purple to crimson red. Their primary habitat is a dimension made specifically for them by Noctillia, though they can often be found residing in or near graveyards all around Orya. Some have even built houses to reside in on Orya, though these are incredibly rare.
A witch typically begins their life in Noctillia’s dimension, known as The Wither. A witch draws their power primarily from The Wither, and as such spending time within it is considered vitally important for all witches, regardless of their birthplace. Extended time spent outside of The Wither (1 or more consecutive years) causes a witch’s power to gradually fade, and the witch will fall ill. This can be lethal if a time of over five consecutive years is spent outside of The Wither, but can be remedied by spending time within The Wither. This process is called Withering. All witches possess the ability to enter The Wither at will through a portal that they can open on command.
The Wither is a dimension teeming with a special brand of magic that acts as the life force of all witches, and is also what the witches use to derive their powers from. As such, intensive magic use will cause a witch to need to return to The Wither for a period of time, or risk inducing Withering. Skilled witches can reduce the amount of magic they use for their spells through practice and talent, and masterful witches can reduce it down to a near-zero amount. All witches, regardless of skill, will need to return to The Wither within one full year of their last visit, or they will begin Withering.
The lifespan of a witch ranges between 100 - 200 years, though some have found ways to extend their lives to be as old as they desire. Witches often live longer the longer they spend in The Wither, and those who receive Noctillia’s blessing can often exceed the upper expectations for lifespan.
Witches often perform ceremonies and rituals in devotion to Noctillia, though participation in these ceremonies is not required. Witches perform these ceremonies more out of gratitude to Noctillia, rather than obligation. Once a year, witches perform a ritual to call Noctillia herself into The Wither, and it is a week-long celebration and festival that most witches desire to attend. Witches during this time are allowed to talk directly to Noctillia, and some get the chance to form a personal connection with her, which many witches see as the ultimate desire.