Black witch
 |
Warning! Spoilers ahead!
Proceed at your own risk! |
"I don't fear death. It's only one stepping stone in my path."
The Black witch is a unique enemy encountered in Fear & Hunger.
Lore
The Black witch is a follower of Gro-goroth, ready to spill blood in his name within the dungeons. She was once a human, but her immersion in the blood arts caused her to lose herself and give in to the darkness. Now enslaved by Gro-goroth, she practices blood magic, much like the yellow mages, to carry out her deadly deeds. Conversations with her expose her brutal nature and a lack of fear towards death, which she considers a necessary part of her journey as a devoted follower of the God of destruction and human sacrifice.
The Black witch can either teleport or appear out of thin air by using a five-pointed star symbol drawn on the ground; the meaning behind this symbol is currently unknown. She also seems to have the power to pull her potential victims into a different realm within the dungeons. In this realm, they might even stumble upon their own body in a grave. It is unclear whether this realm is physical or just a trick of the mind, but defeating the Black witch will return her victim to the real world.
Location
In Level 2 - Basement, there exists a pocket dimension accessible only by sinking through the floor, where the Black witch can be first encountered. The dimly lit area mostly comprises of a few small and vacant rooms. While the player is in this dimension, the Black witch will periodically encircle them every few seconds, laughing, until her third appearance, which initiates a fight.
The area is brief and contains very few containers to loot, making it easy for players to escape and avoid the encounter if they are fast enough. After the witch's defeat, her body cannot be searched or skinned, and the area cannot be explored further, making it more practical to avoid the encounter altogether.
However, if the player misses the chance to meet the Black witch in the basement, she can also be found later in the present-day Ancient Grand Library of Ma'habre. From a gameplay perspective, it is better to confront her in the library, as her body remains on the map after her defeat, allowing the player to collect her soul. Note that she will only make an appearance at this location in Terror & Starvation mode and the chance of her spawning is not guaranteed; only 70%.
Battle
| Body part | HP | Blunt | Slashing | Piercing | Fire | Otherworldly | Ev. Rate | Magic Ev. | Resistances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | 20 | 100% | 100% | 100% | 120% | 100% | 55% | 40% | None |
| Torso | 520 (1300) | 5% | None | ||||||
| Left arm | 20 | 5% | None | ||||||
| Right arm | 20 | 5% | None |
- Note: HP in parenthesis is only used for Damage-over-Time calculations.
Strategy
Her right arm uses Ritual Knife, a stabbing attack that has the chance to cause poison and infect the player, while her left arm performs blood magic and is capable of using Black orb. Even though her health pool is extremely low, this combined barrage of attacks makes her extremely difficult to face alone.
Maybe because the Black witch has no targettable legs, using Leg sweep against her will sever her arms instead.
Dialogue
You try talking some sense to this monstrosity...
- What is your origin?
"I am what your kind would call a witch! I've sold my soul to blood arts long ago."
- Blood arts?
"I channel Gro-Goroth. Or what remains of him. That is what people traditionally call blood arts."
"Of course that is simplifying the art to a toddler."
- Wait. We don't have to fight! / Please don't!
"Hyah hyah!"
"You are in my domain now."
- Prepare to die.
"Hyah hyah!"
"I don't fear death. It's only one stepping stone on my path."
Trivia
- The Black witch was referred to as male in earlier versions of the game; she is still referred to as male by the New Gods in The Hall of the Gods, possibly due to an oversight.
- The picture used for the enemy is called "Dark Angel" in game files, possibly drawing a previously intended connection to the White Angel.
- The design of the Black witch may be inspired by the artwork from Hans Rudolf Giger’s artbook [H.R. Giger] Ahr+ A Rhesus Positive, page 37. Giger's image can be found in the gallery session below.
Gallery
![[H.R. Giger] Ahr+ A Rhesus Positive, page 37](/images/thumb/f/f7/Black_Witch%27s_design_inspiration.png/96px-Black_Witch%27s_design_inspiration.png)
[H.R. Giger] Ahr+ A Rhesus Positive, page 37
![[H.R. Giger] Ahr+ A Rhesus Positive, page 37](/wiki/File:Black_Witch%27s_design_inspiration.png)