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Salem Spoiler Warning!
Although this article is based on canonical information, the actual name of this subject is conjectural.

Psychometry is the power to perceive who or what is near as well as their nature, a common form of direct Divination.

Description[]

Also known as sensing, this ability is the practice of divining through contact with or proximity to a certain object or person, allowing the witch to perceive the presence of someone or something and their conditions. Psychometry allows to perceive the presence of someone even when they are hiding with magical means and the essence of another witch, or even their power.

Notable Users[]

  • Mary Sibley first demonstrated this power in The Stone Child where she was able to detect a prostitute carrying a stillborn child. Mary explained to Tituba how she could "smell" the death inside of her. Mary demonstrated this power again in Book of Shadows, where she was able to sense the specter that attacked her lurking in nearby well. She was also able to sense the presence of the mysterious witch hunter - namely John Alden - hidden in Knockers' Hole, even if the man was under the invisibility spell guaranteed by the medicine bag given to him by the Shaman.
  • Countess Von Marburg was able to sense the presence of Increase Mather's spectrum aboard her ship, as the scar on her shoulder (caused by Increase himself) seemed to send a wave of pain through her, alerting her of a dangerous presence, although she did not recognize his identity. The Countess was also able to sense the presence of John in the woods, probably because she can recognize the spark of pure evil that indicated the child as the vessel for the Dark Lord. The Countess also demonstrated considerable and sophisticated divinatory skills, and we do not know how much is due to mere psychometry or her enhanced telepathy.

Quotes[]

Mary Sibley (to Tituba): There's a girl out there who carries death inside. I could smell the baby, floating dead and malformed in her mother's womb. 
-- in The Stone Child
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Countess Von Marburg (to Sebastian): All my questions are answered. Mary Sibley indeed has everything she needs to complete what she has begun, but she doesn't know what it is. She's almost as dim as you. Do you know how long it's been since I saw even a glimpse of my Dark Lord's face?
-- in The Beckoning Fair One

Trivia[]

  • Psychometry is a direct form of Divination, which resorts to personal feelings, sometimes linked to the witch's senses and with no requirement for external tools, such as oracles or fetishes.
  • Both the Countess and Mary posses this power, with the former also being capable of Telepathy. Mary also demonstrated a skill in retrocognition, however much more limited when compared to the Countess' abilities.
  • The similarities between Psychometry and Retrocognition could also be seen as the different version of the same power, based or related to the difference between born and made witches.

See also[]

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