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[[Image:Scarlett Winter.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Bad girl in snow.]]
In the Empire, witches and warlocks are seen as sinful cresatures who gain their powers from the devil. While this is true in some cases, many witches and warlocks who wanted to use their powers for good have been burned at the stake. In the old days (before the Pontifex assumed control of the Church), witches were sometimes taken captive and forced to use their powers for good. Others were forced to use their powers for the benefits of their owners.

The keeping of bondage witches was once an accepted practice in the Empire. According to tradition, the sinful witches must expose their wickedness as a warning to others. Thus, they must be naked (or at least wear very little clothing). For some reason, only attractive witches and warlocks are kept in bondage. Church dogma stated that spiritual corruption was visible as physical decay. This  has been interpreted to mean that ugly witches and warlocks are irredeemably evil and must be burned. Attractive ones, on the other hand, can be held in bondage. For the common good, of course...

This practice is now now forbidden by the church. This does not prevent some bishops and inquisitors from keeping them, but they are kept hidden from the public and the rest of the church. Some noblewomen keep bondage warlocks.

The [[Warrior Nun|Warrior Nuns]] of St. Katherine still practice the keeping of bondage wictches. Stern discipline and the holy
love of St. Katherine can turn the most wicked witch into a weapon for good.

==== Game Notes ====

The term bondage witch means a captive witch who is forced to use her magic powers for her masters. Bondage witches are usually
chained with magic shackles which prevent them from using their magic powers against their captors. Sometimes
spells or holy wards have the same effect. Full control of a captive which is not possible, so they must be watched constanlty.
The witch can typically use her powers to affect herself or her surroundings, but can not affect others directly.

Some bondage witches actually learn to increase their magic powers when chained, perhaps because their bondage forced them rely on their
magic powers alone. Such a witch is referred to as a [[Bondage Witch|Bondage Witch]] (note the capital letters). Gamers may think of the Bondage Witch as a prestige class.<br>

== See also ==
* [[Bondage Witch (rules)]] - general rule ideas.
* [[Bondage Witch (d20)]]
* [[Bondage Witches in alternate universes]]

[[Category:Pontifex Maximus]]