In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, a region of northwest Italy where Dolomite peaks slice into the sky and expansive vineyards stretch out alongside them, witches have historically been in control of both wine and crop production. Starting in the 1500s, four times a year, an epic battle between good and evil witches decided the future of the region’s haul.

If the crops failed, the evil witches had won. But if the crops and wine thrived, that meant the Benandanti emerged victorious. The Benandanti (which translates loosely to “good walkers”) were born into their role. Any child born with the amniotic sac wrapped around their head had to spend the rest of their lives protecting residents, wine, and crops.