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This crude map shows, more or less, the lay-out of Hogwarts' grounds, the Forbidden Forest, the Hogsmeade Station, and where Hogsmeade itself is located. This is not fully to scale - certainly the building outlines are not, tho the relative locations are more or less correct. Especially things like the Quidditch Pitch and the Thestral stables, f.e., are hugely overscaled in comparison to the Castle, f.e.

This crude sketch shows the full scale of Hogwarts' boundaries and the greater extend of the Forbidden Forest (which is called the Forbidden Forest while within the Hogwarts Boundary Wall and is called the Black Wold where it stretches beyond the boundary wall). The loch also extends much further to the north - it doesn't just suddenly taper off to a small river. Where it tapers off to the north is where the Thestral bridge is located in the upper map.

Design for the Thestral stables, created in Planet Zoo. The idea is that the Thestrals are dismounted from the carriages in front of the building, then led into the building for some TLC while a teacher cleans and then shrinks the carriages one by one, storing them in the smaller annex to the right until the carriages are needed again. After the Thestrals have been fed and rested, they're led go to rejoin the herd in the Forbidden Forest.

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“The position of Herald is a contented one in regards to Hogwarts' accepted Sorting ceremony. However, from the perspective of the Founders and taking in regard the rather argumentative nature of the Sorting Hat, it is a necessary one. The Founders early on recognized that those most typically representing their desired atributes were not always Sorted into the House they best represented. As such, the position as Herald was created to re-allign these features while still taking in respect the decisions the Sorting Hat would make.

Initially, Salazar and Gryffindor opposed this decision – as it was a point first proposed by Helena Ravenclaw, who was the first to recognize the potential problems not creating such a position could cause down the line. She was, of course, thinking rather long term, in spans of decades and centuries, rather than just mere years. She and Helga Hufflepuff proposed the creation of the position somewhere in the thirteenth year of Hogwarts' existence, supported by most of the staff. Creation of the position took the better part of seven years, eventually leading them to create the Founders' Statues as a way of determining those who best represented their values.

Since then, the Heralds have been the focal point of controversy numerous times, often due to their rather dual nature in most of these cases. Most contentious amongst all is when a Gryffindor is declared the Herald of Slytherin – or vice versa. The tricentenial rivalry between these two Houses, once considered almost blood-brothers of sort, has made such cases quite sensational, often leading to a forced re-Sorting due to extreme prejudices occuring against the Heralds within their own Houses. Most ignoble of all was the accidental death of Barnabas Collins, a Herald of Slytherin, Sorted into Gryffindor, in the early 18th century, which turned the rivalry into a veritable blood-feud.

Subsequent Headmasters and Headmistresses have attempted to quell this feud and prevent it from explosively spinning out of control. This was met with moderate and respectable success, until the apointment of Albus Dumbledore, the current Headmaster, saw the attempts of quelling the feud come to a practical stand-still (with no small disgruntlement from various quarters, most often from the traditionally Dark noble families).

The Ministry has never officially held a stance on the matter of Heralds, though they have early on regulated the matter of Heirs in a rather skewed manner...

…

Thus, by decree of the Wizengamot, approved in december 1599, Heirs are legally required to register at the Ministry when their descendance from the Founders Four is determined by the Blood-Wards embedded in Hogwarts' foundations during its creation. After they are decreed by the Founders' Statues as an Heir, they are legally obliged within a fortnight to register at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, in the Administrative Registration Department for ammendments to all Ministry-files on their persons. Failure to do so can result in a thousand Galleon fine or a three-month sentence to Azkaban, depending on the circumstances and economic standing of the offending party.

Heavily contested during the creation of this Decree, was an ammendment that would have enabled to hold any Heir legally responsible for any crimes commited by the Herald of their House. Initially incorporated into the legal text as a precaution, to prevent a forfeiture of legal responsibility based on ancient lord-vazal bylaws, it was soon dropped when the person responsible for it was swiftly rendered bankrupt by offended parties. More subtle stipulations replaced this proposed ammendment, only holding the Heir responsible when a Herald acted in their explicit stead (which, is to say, means that there is verifiable evidence proven to be untampered with and legally binding within trial-jury requirements and laws).

Since the Decree was approved, only two Heirs were ever found guilty of negligence of responsibility, the most notable being Tom Marvolo Riddle, later known as the Dark Lord Voldemort, for his involvement in a skirmish whereby a second-year student was grievously, yet non-fatally, wounded by the Herald of Slytherin. He was later absolved in a re-trial, as requested by Lord Abraxas Malfoy, during which Riddle was found not guilty of failing to hold back the Herald from aggravating the incident during previous conflicts between the parties involved.

…

Indeed, only twice has it been documented that a single person was declared Herald of multiple Houses. In comparison, it has been documented two dozen times that a person was both Herald and Heir, usually to two different Houses. Only once was one person declared Herald to two Houses and Heir to a third House – this being the case of Meryn Moridunon, who was Herald to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and Heir to Gryffindor. Curiously enough, in these three unique cases, no actual blood-relation was ever brough to evidence, even when the family-histories of each individual were retraced back thirteen generations. As such, there is speculation in certain research-groups that these cases are weak evidence of proven reincarnation, though there are many detractors to these hypothesises, usually pointing out that pure chance is more attributable to these events that reincarnation can be.

Still, the fact remains that at least one of these persons later in life became famous for recovering several artefacts of their ancestor, long thought lost yet swiftly refound by them. Wether this can be counted as evidence of reincarnation or rather as evidence of being well-connected remains a point of contention amongst many opposing groups.

…

So, by May 1898, there was the issue of wether or not an Heir had legal rights to artefacts once belonging to their ancestor that were by then considered public property and historical artefacts of significance. The issue had lingered in legal limbo for many decades by then, and public opinion began to twist in favour of the Heirs legally reclaiming their ancestral property. However, by this time, Gringotts began meddling with the issue, publically declaring that as a Goblin creation, the Sword of Godric Gryffindor could never legally belong to a descendant of Godric himself, as Goblin Laws state that a Goblin creation only legally belongs to the individual contracting the creation and paying the fees for that act. Once that person legally dies by Goblin and Wizard Laws, the private property is forfeit and ownership of the creation switches to the Goblin Nation as a whole.

Threats of a new Goblin Rebellion, together with several disinformation campaigns from varying fronts, soon saw the Wizengamot retract any legal precedents that could have decided in the favour of any descendants, eventually declaring that, when not a Goblin creation, all such artefacts are considered property of the Wizarding world as a whole after a period of two centuries after the death of their original owners/creators.

Officially declaring Founder artefacts and heirlooms as public property in October 1900, the Decree was enacted with retroactive effect, essentially removing several well-known artefacts from private property and turning them into public property by January 1901.

However, certain artefacts, such as the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff (not to be confused with the Cauldron of Helga Hufflepuff, which can be viewed at the Museum of Wizen History in Caerdydd, Cymru) and the Locket of Salazar Slytherin (a replica of which can be viewed in the Museum of Ancestral Gifts, also in Caerdydd, Cymru) were never legally retrieved, due to certain Oaths regarding Familial Secrets & Mysteries preventing their private owners from being publically identified. As such, these artefacts remain de-facto 'lost', with their current where-abouts unknown.”

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“As for the phenomenon where the Sorting Hat can truly find no good definite option to sort a child in, we speak of it as Hat-Stall. In general, a Hat-Stall occurs when the Hat takes longer than four minutes to decide on a House. As a rule, favoured by statistical evidence, it occurs once or twice a year, usually somewhere between four and five minutes. Only rarely does a Hat-Stall last longer than that, with the longest recorded Hat-Stall being 75 minutes – recorded in 1783, (NAME REDACTED) being sorted into Slytherin.

As for the much rare phenomenon of Stalwarts, we have only two recorded instances (ca. 1564 and ca. 1800), both occasions the student being sorted into Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Stalwarts are those about whom the Hat can make no genuinely distinct decision. It occurs when the student's desire to fit in two Houses is equally as strong as the Hat's logical reasoning that they would fit in both Houses and neither House would confer a genuine benefit or change for the better or worse.

Statistically, Hat-Stalls chances are 1/1500, where as Stalwarts chances are roughly 1/145.000. Historians, however, have changed the definition of Hat-Stall throughout Hogwarts' history. Initially, it denoted to anyone whereby the Hat took longer than half an hour – a definition used until the 13th century, when the Hat took a while longer to define what would best define the Houses and what they desired to see in students. After the 13th century, the definition was changed to cases where Sorting took longer than fifteen minutes – which was changed again in the 17th century, shortening the time further down to the current four minutes.

Each time, the definition was changed to better fit the circumstances, subtly altered each time so that a Hat-Stall would, indeed, occur only once per 1500 students roughly. Initially, historians believed this to be an arbitrary decision by the Hat and the active Headmaster of that time – however, the discovery of a readily-available copy of the Carta Tum'Arthul (the Hogwarts School Charter) in the 16th century proved that the 'position' of a Hat-Stall was actually an amendment made by the Four Founders.

In essence, it is an informal position akin to that of Herald, a rallying position for children's curiosity, perceived as a ploy to promote inter-House unity. Research indicates it was proposed, initially, by Salazar himself, apparently in worry that House rivalries could become unmanageable otherwise. Indeed, it seems that the ploy does work – as Hat-Stalls are somewhat regarded as points of interest across all Houses, often allowing those individuals to build up a rather interconnected social network across all Houses. Historically too these individuals have often successfully assuaged certain bitter points of contest across the centuries, often laying the groundwork for later successfully arbitrations to end such semi-feuds.

…

However, in 1955, under Headmaster Dippet's administration, per request of then Head of Transfiguration Albus Dumbledore and Head Custodian Apollyon Pringle, there was a request to once more re-define the period of time designating one a Hat-Stall. Per Dumbledore and Pringle's request, the time-period would have been ten minutes, up from four minutes. The reasons were different for each request.

Dumbledore reasoned that ten minutes would remove what he called a 'position of power' from being bestowed upon children not ready for it more often, citing the corrupting influence of peer-pressure and idolisation as the main-factors of why he wished to restrict the number of times it would be 'heralded'. Pringle's reasoning was that 'the less Hat-Stalls were around, the less cantankerous shits would be about to ruin his days and defile the castle with their (REDACTED)'. Needless to say, the request was denied – by both the Board of Governors, and most of all, by the Hat itself.

'Though you might, in foolish haste, think to declare a worm a snake, to say it was so would only be, in eyes of the reasonable and stubborn, a declaration of insanity and folly. I am a Thinking Cap – not a mindless parrot for you to dictate on.'

The motion was rejected, in 1955, 1956, 1957 – and in 1958, the Board of Governors introduced an Amendment declaring that only the Sorting Hat has the authority to re-define the period that declares one a Hat-Stall. Further changes to the definition would thus be only at the discretion of the Hat, as the Four Founders had wished it so.

In 1971, Headmaster Dumbledore, having succeeded Dippet several years prior, attempted to introduce an Amendment that would declare a Hat-Stall only as such when officially recognized by the Headmaster, in an attempt to circumvent the Amendment concerning Hat-Stalls introduced in 1958.

The request was rejected in 1971, 1972, 1973 – and in 1974, another Amendment was introduced that actively declared that only the Hat and the Statues were allowed to officially declare, recognize and demote Hat-Stalls, Stalwarts, Heirs, and Heralds.

This effectively removed the Headmaster's power of any decisions regarding these 'positions', preventing any interference in what the Board declared were 'historical positions, decided upon, defined and defended by the Founders themselves – positions that are as critical to the very fabric of what defined Hogwarts as were its walls, wards and foundations. To allow any biased Headmaster, or any other staff-member who was never part of the Founders' council, to alter these positions either directly or by proxy, would be tantamount to actively tearing down Hogwarts' walls. As such, these positions, as defined in this Amendment, are now declared unmutable unless declared unanimously by the Sorting Hat, the Founders' Statues, the Founders' Portraits, the Board of Governors, the Staff of Hogwarts, and the Wizengamot.'

Since then, several Governors of the Board have actively lobbied to further limit the Headmaster's duties and power solely to the hiring of staff, the regulation of Hogwarts' upkeep, etcetera...”

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Headmasters of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, from Hogwarts' creation circa 990 to current times, 1991 CE.

Brutus Scrimgeour was Headmaster before Phineas Nigellius Black (X-1925), Armando Dippet (1925-1965), and Dumbledore (1965-X). So, using an average of 20-30 years, but taking in regard semi-canonical timelines using the factual basis for many of the movies’ paintings (which are based on historical real paintings), I placed his tenure as Headmaster from 1898-1903 and thus Black's tenure from 1903-1925.

Most ending dates are determined from either the canonical sources or from when the historical painting that formed the base for a movie painting of a Headmaster was finished. As canon states that a Headmaster’s painting is made only when they give up the position (either by quitting, being fired, or dying), that date is when their tenure as Headmaster would end.

NOTICE! The canonical headmasters present are those from before the release of Hogwarts Legacy – which added a lot more cannonical Headmasters and clarified the time-periods for previously mentioned Headmasters whose time-period hadn’t been mentioned before.

And I am entirely too lazy to completely re-write this list after Hogwarts Legacy came out. Sue me. As such, this list is semi-canonical at best and fully headcanon at worst.

Thus, the list of Headmaster's would be as following, from most recent to oldest;

• Albus Dumbledore (1965 – Present).

• Armando Dippet (1925 – 1965).

• Basil Fronsac (Returning from retirement, Appointed Headmaster by Ministry after Deputy Headmistress refused to take up the role even temporarily, from 1913 – 1925).

• Phineas Nigellius Black (1903 – 1913).

• Brutus Scrimgeour (Appointed Headmaster by Ministry, replacing Mordicus, from 1898 – 1903).

• Mordicus Egg ( Deputy Headmaster, taking over as Headmaster from 1896 – 1898).

• Walter Aragon (1875 – 1896).

• Basil Fronsac (1863 – 1875).

• Dexter Fortescue (1851 – 1863).

• Limebert (1837 – 1851).

• Quentin Trimble (1795 – 1837).

• Eupraxi Mole (1768 – 1795).

• Dilys Derwent (First Appointed Headmistress by Ministry in stead of Wizengamot, after the end of a Goblin Rebellion and Foundation of the Ministry, from 1741 – 1768).

• Dilys Derwent (1724 – 1741, as Acting Deputy Headmistress, as the Wizengamot could not appoint her officialy due to Goblin Rebellions).

• Amrose Swot (Appointed Headmaster by Wizengamot, from1703 – 1724).

• Vindictus Viridian (Deputy Headmaster, from 1702 – 1703).

• Samuel Everard (Deputy Headmaster, from 1701 – 1702).

• Vulpus (1692 – 1701)(His sudden death, along with that of his Deputy Headmistress, left Hogwarts bereft and forced a rotation of Deputy Headmasters by the current professors, until the Wizengamot appointed a new permanent Headmaster).

• Elizabeth Burke (1624 – 1692).

• Antonia Creaseworthy (1531 – 1624).

• Fytherly Undercliffe (1503 – 1531).

• Edessa Skandenberg (1408 – 1503).

• Phillida Spore (1358 – 1408).

• Heliotrope Wilkins (1266 – 1358).

• Brian Gagwilde (Appointed Headmaster by Wizengamot, longest serving Headmaster, from 1075 – 1266).

• Iolanthus Peverell ( Acting Deputy Headmaster, keeping Hogwarts safe during the Norman Invasion of the British Isles, from 1066 – 1075).

• The Founders Four (990 – 1066).

Chapter Text

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Transfiguration Master, Alchemy Master, Defence against the Dark Arts Master

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy-Headmistress of Hogwarts, Head of House Gryffindor, Transfiguration Master, Teacher of Transfiguration, & Advanced Transfiguration

Argus Filch, Head Caretaker of the Castle, Master of Fine Arts and Restoration

Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds, Groundskeeper/Gamekeeper

Felicia Ogg-Grubbly-Plank (OC), Assistant Caretaker of the Grounds, Daughter-in-law of Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank.

Rolanda Hooch, Flying Instructor, Quidditch Referee, Quidditch Coach

Horatia Humble (OC), Caretaker of Quidditch Pitch & Spectator Stands, Assistant Quidditch Coach

Irma Pince, Head Librarian, Studyhall Overseer

Valia Pince-Brown (OC), Deputy Head Librarian, Adoptive Daughter of Irma Pince.

Sally Mortemoor (OC), Student Councilor, Student Supervisor

Poppy Pomfrey, Head Matron of Hogwarts

Pauline Wainscott (semi-OC), Assistant Matron of Hogwarts

Emma Bones (OC), Nurse

Rebecca Harrison (OC), Nurse

Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus, Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions

Severus Snape, Head of House Slytherin, Potions Master, Teacher of Potions

Pomona Sprout, Head of House Hufflepuff, Herbology Master, Teacher of Herbology

Filius Flitwick, Head of House Ravenclaw, Charms Master, Duelling Master, Teacher of Charms, & Advanced Charms

Valerian Vole (OC), Teacher of Magical Theory, & Advanced Magical Theory

Steve Poulson (OC), Assistant Teacher of Charms

Albert Tang (OC), Assistant Teacher of Transfiguration

Bathsheba Babbling, Teacher of Study of Ancient Runes

Herbert Beery, Teacher of Music and Theatrical Arts

John Cartier (OC), Teacher of Magical Arts, & Muggle Arts

Cuthbert Binns, Teacher of Magical History

Cassandra Binns-Smith (OC), Teacher of Muggle History, & History of Arts

Aurelius 'Credence' Barebones-Dumbledore, Teacher of Alchemy, Alchemy Master

Camelia Sangeeta Reeding (semi-OC), Teacher of Ancient Studies

Paul Bannon (OC), Teacher of Modern Studies

Quirinus Quirrell, Teacher of Defence against the Dark Arts

Galus Merrythought (OC), Teacher of Ghoul Studies, Granddaughter of Agathea Merrythought.

Sybill Trelawney, Teacher of Divination, Advanced Divination, & Xylomancy

Septima Vector, Teacher of Arithmancy, & Advanced Arithmancy Studies

Hazel Numera (OC), Assistant Teacher of Arithmancy

Paul Davis (OC), Assistant Teacher of Advanced Arithmancy Studies

Arif Sikander, Teacher of Muggle Studies, & Advanced Muggle Studies

Charity Burbage, Assistant Teacher of Muggle Studies

Aurora Sinistra, Teacher of Astronomy, & Astrology, Head of Astronomy Department

Nuna Mazoni (semi-OC), Assistant Teacher of Astronomy, & Astrology

Marco Solus, Teacher of Astrophysics and Muggle Sciences, Astronomy Master, Bachelor in Astrophysics.

Robertus Swoopstikes (semi-OC), Assistant Teacher of Herbology, Potions Master

Silvanis Kettleburn, Teacher of Care of Magical Creatures

Nigel Anstey (OC), Teacher of Advanced Care of Magical Creatures, Master Magizoologist

Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank, Assistant Teacher of Care of Magical Creatures

Chapter Text

"... and thus, on Yule's full moon's eve, in the year 1259, the Ministry of Magic, with aid of Lord Malfoy, on the behest of the Queen of the Xrstylvahl Clan of the North-Sea Selkies, and with approval of His Royal Majesty Henry III of Winchester, of the House of Plantagenet, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine, the Queen-spawn along with a third of the Xrstylvahl Clan were alotted Loch Shiel, also known as Black Lake, or the Great Lake, as their new permanent abode, under the protection of the Headmasters of Hogwarts, present and future, and recognized as Beings (despite their being classified as Creatures, due to ongoing conflicts between Centaurs, Merpeople, Hags, and Vampires).

Castle Tioram, later known as Dorlin Castle, was constructed at the only connection between Loch Shiel and the North-Sea, on a tidal island that was hidden from view when at sea, by Magister Ruaidhri by decree of the Ministry, as to protect the only sea-entrance to the Loch. A Panopticon keeps watch over the river Shiel at all times, registering all creatures that pass through it as to warrant the protection of the clan. By 1689, with the signing of the Statute of Secrecy, the Castle was hidden from view by various spells, giving it the appearance of a ruinous heap of rubble (due to its historical presence and the spelled appearance, it given the status of Scheduled Monument by Muggle authorities in August 1920, preventing any tampering with the castle's structures from Muggles. This was encouraged by the Ministry.).

…

Thus, in March 1260, 76 members of the clan relocated to their new home, under leadership of Queen-spawn Murca the Wild. They settled in an area of the Loch roughly 12m deep and about 850 meters south from Hogwarts Castle, in a flat fluvial mud-plain a bit south-west of the Hogsmeade Station, in a small basin that is inaccesable to the Kraken.

In the intervening years, the Clan has kept in check the wild Grindylow populations, preventing them from breeding too excessively and decimating the Loch's ecosystem, especially after the local Kraken specimen started habitually hibernating for years on end around the 18th century.

By 1980, the colony was led by Merchieftainess Murcus IV, Murcus the Fierce, counting 321 members across roughly 200 family-units. The oldest members (starting from around 60 years of age, counting them as old since Selkies reach maturity at 12 years of age) routinely leave the colony, to join older colonies in the North-Sea, in an exchange of culture, stories, and genetics. This leaves room for new families and prevents an overpopulation of the limited area of the Loch.

…

And while the Clan observes the Traditional Feasts, they observe them in a private setting, usually in the comfort and privacy of their village, far out of sight of the Hogwarts and Hogsmeade populace. Indeed, with the rather strict suppresion of the Traditional Feasts within wixen culture in the United Kingdom, a direct reaction on the opressive regime Grindelwalt attempted to impose upon Europe, most Illume families no longer react positively on any such celebrations, observing them as tainted and corrupt, a reminder of darker times.

Still, before the ascension of Headmaster Dumbledore, it was not uncommon for Hogwarts' Headmaster to observe these rites in union with the Merchieftainess and the Queen of the Loch, to strengthen Wixen-Selkie relationships and embolden the magic of such shared rituals. No longer now, it seems – unless public opinion drastically changes for the better.

…

… are mostly centered around their communal plaza, which is build around a statue to Achelous, the Titan of the Ocean, Father to all Siren-Spawn and many magical creatures that inhabit the deep-sea. Curiously, this statue bears an uniquely Greek design, undoubtedly influenced by Sirens having originated from ancient Greece. Indeed, they had many close relations with Greek wixen-cultures across the millenia before the Roman Conquest and the Herpian Holocaust. Their rather vilified identity in Muggle mythology seems to be a consequence of these two events.”

Chapter Text

The Fat Friar, part of the Dominican Order in the British Isles, also known as the Black Friar House Hufflepuff in reference to the colour of his capa, was born circa 982 and was personally thaught by Helga Hufflepuff during his education at Hogwarts from 993 to 1000. After completing his Mastership in Herbology circa 1005 and Potioneering circa 1010, he travelled across Europe until 1210, when he joined the not-yet-approved Dominican Order whilst residing in France's Provence region. With a goal to formalize education across Muggle Europe in a time when education was still very much a formal excercize mostly reserved for the elite, the Fat Friar (born as Simon the Fisher, son of Thomas the Fisher (Muggle) and Eleanor Baker (Wixen)) joined the mendican order of the Dominican Friars as a way of helping the less fortunate in Muggle society.

However, he soon became targeted by anti-Wixen sentiments when he continued his ill-advised habit of pulling rabbits out of the communion cup to delight children prior to his services. He was formally arrested circa September 1243 and trialled for witchcraft. Found guilty after a short trial, he was hanged around October 1243 and buried in an unmarked pauper's grave outside the church-yard. He re-appeared as a spectre in Hogwarts on December 21th 1243, on the day of the Winter Solstice. After a few years of despondency, his jovial character rebounded and he pledged his formal services as official Ghost for House Hufflepuff in 1259.

From personal interviews throughout the centuries, we know that he completed the Animagus Ritual and had the form of a Grimm when transformed (which earned him chuckles from fellow Wixen during his life, in regards to the reference of Domini Canes, “the Lord's Hounds”, a mock-title which refered to the Dominican Order, used by rival mendican orders or those derigatory of their goals). He was most proficient in Charms and wordless casting, but never mastered wandless magic, leading to his unfortunate demise (his wand was confiscated after his fellow mendicans grew suspicious of his ability to cure the pox in commoners by poking them with a stick).

He ashamedly admitted that he used his charming and jovial personality to succesfully beg on the streets for many things, as his Order desired, and that he used this pretence to also laviously partake in food and drink when he could. Nevertheless, he asserts that he never demanded or took what people could not miss. And he freely admits that he often used his proficiency in Charms to duplicate food using Permanent Charms and so feed the poor. As part of his duties as a Black Friar, he also took care of many terminally ill Muggles, being by their side throughout their end and burrying them when no one else would. Whatever possesions he was gifted as thanks for these services, he always distributed amongst the poor living at the deceased's neighbourhood.

When asked why he came back and what his regret or unfullfilled desire was, the Friar once said that “no matter the length of my life or the eternity of my afterlife, my duty to care and educate, to assist and befriend, will not end till the Lord Almighty gives his blessing for me to rest”. In this spirit of mind, the Fat Friar dutifully performs the tasks assigned to him as a House Ghost – patrolling the Dungeons, supervising the students of House Hufflepuff, acting as Mind-Healer for students in House Hufflepuff, mediating between bickering spectres, educating and tempering Peeves the Poltergeist, uplifting the Bloody Baron when he is in his melancholy moods, …

Without a doubt, it can be said that the Fat Friar has one of the most generous and positive histories amongst all of Hogwarts' spectres.

Chapter Text

"... And so, on 31th April 1909, the Ministry agreed via unanimous vote to an exchange project between Hogwarts School of Witccraft and Wizardry and Uagadou School of Magic, per request of Headmaster Nigellius Black and Ophete Mampuru VII. Seventeen students exchanged places from 1910 to 1917, allowing them to specialize in the local education and magical focus of their host-schools. This enabled a greater understanding between the two schools, which has regretably deteriorated since.

As of 1980, the official collaboration between the schools is considered defunct and no longer of note. Attempts have been made by Wizengamot members to re-invigorate this relationship between Hogwarts and Uagadou, but Headmaster Dumbledore has stoutly resisted all such attempts. As of 1985, Ophete Mampuru VII has called a Taboo between him and Headmaster Dumbledore, essentially rendering any future cooperations impossible until such a time that Headmaster Dumbledore is replaced.

…

In contrast to Hogwarts' rather late exchange-program with Durmstrang Institute, the exchange program with Beauxbatons Academy of Magic has been in place since the 14th century. It has always been an amicable rivalry, further deepened by the presence of both schools in the Triwizard Tournament (which has seen the two schools at odds, each vying for the most victories gained, currently standing each at 62 victories).

The exchange-program between Hogwarts and Beauxbatons exists of twenty students, spending three school-years at their host-school. Furthermore, students wishing to study a specialisation-year after their standard education can apply for this at either school, provided they have the necessary grades for their respective host. Beauxbatons standards are higher than Hogwarts', owing to their lengthy education-period, starting at 9 years old and ending at 17 years, two years longer than Hogwarts'.

Hogwarts, however, currently holds a higher standard in Potions and Transfiguration specialisations, each requiring perfect grades across all years for application. Considered a rather impossible standard by many, it can be levied against similar grades across all other disciplines to allow for entry.

…

However, Ilvermorny has consistently resisted all exchange-program applications with Hogwarts and Durmstrang, no doubt due the personal history of their Founders, who had disastrous experiences with Hogwarts' personel and Durmstrang's curriculum (the dark Arts are a Forbidden Subject at Ilvermorny, counting still after these long years. Anyone seen using a Dark Art is immediately expelled from the institute, for life).

Nonetheless, Ilvermorny allows for a student to move between schools when they relocate to the USA, the only exception they allow. As such, if a Hogwarts student wishes to study at Ilvermorny, they would have to legally emigrate to the USA and be living there for at a year before they can apply for a scholarship at Ilvermorny.

The only exception to this rule is to any students previously educated at Durmstrang – they can not legally apply for scholarship, no matter their legal status in the USA or the number of years they've already been living there. Ilvermorny consistently recites that 'the Durmstrang curriculum is ever at odds with the very principles upon which Ilvermorny was founded by Isolt Sayre. As such, no matter their contributions or their personal beliefs, no student of Durmstrang can be allowed to be taught at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry'.

Prior to 1945, this resulted in a Taboo between the two schools, but after the fall and imprisonment of the Dark Lord Grindelwalt, concessions were made by the Headmaster of Durmstrang to restrict certain aspects of their education on the Dark Arts. This was, eventually, rewarded from the side of Ilvermorny in 1955, allowing the first ever exchange-program between the two schools to happen. Ten students spend three years at each school, and this exchange-program has repeated since every five years.

And as of March 1986, Ilvermorny has allowed for Durmstrang alumni to pursue specialisation programs at their institute, under strict guidelines, for no more than three students at any single moment...”

Chapter Text

“Trolls belong to the genus Troglodytarum, and the genus encompasses five different species;

Forest Trolls (Troglodytus Arborea)
Mountain Trolls (Troglodytus Mons)
River Trolls (Troglodytus Fluvius)
Nadroj Trolls (Troglodytus Nadroj)
Yeti (Troglodytus Nix)

We shall discuss the characteristics of these species in the next five chapters...

…

Lastly, we shall discuss the Yeti, the only species of Troll acutely adapted to the biting cold of the snowy Tundra and high mountain-peaks. It is, then, no surprise, that Yeti are solely encountered, naturally, in the Himalayan mountain-range (which is their historic place of origin). Small colonies of Yeti have been introduced in the Andes mountain-range, true, but their size is strictly controlled and each member of the colonies present there is magically tagged to transmit their location at any point in the day. Contraceptive charms, together with a thightly-controlled euthanasation-program for aged individuals, thus keeps their numbers below a certain treshold at all times.

...

Ghouls and Ogres belong to the genus Lamiarum, and the genus encompasses eight species;

Ghouls (Lamia Pan)
Chameleon Ghouls (Lamia Mutatus)
Ogres (Lamia Brutus)
Demiguise (Lamia Lapsus)
Hidebehind (Lamia Corum)
Lamia (Lamia Lamia)
Mormos (Lamia Terror)
Gellos (Lamia Gellos)

...

Hidebehinds are the hybrid offspring between Demiguise and Ghouls, the result of the illegal importation of Demiguise into the continental USA (the Demiguise in question mated with a stowaway Ghoul and the offspring escaped unto the mainland when the boat docked. They are ferocious man-eaters and their population is strictly controlled and kept low).

...

Lamias are a single-sex species of shapeshifters, the result of an ancient bloodcurse having originated from the region between Lybia and Greece (thus making them a variation of Maledictus, with much older origins and having become a species on their own). They reproduce by killing pregnant women and devouring the unborn children (female fetuses are carried to maturity and birthed under the light of a full moon – carrying the bloodcurse through gestation, they are born as new Lamias, ready to perpetuate the curse and species. Male fetuses are simply digested.)

Two subspecies exist within the Lamia genus, being the Mormos and the Gellos.

Mormos are akin to Boggarts, able to shapeshift into whatever their prey fears the most. But, whereas the Boggart has developped this ability in order to survive being preyed upon and to escape from their pursuers, Mormos use this ability to terrify their prey to enable them to easily kill and devour them. Mormos, like Lamia, have a preference for pregnant women, but they do not devour the fetus to perpetuate their species (in their case, the fetus is simply extra calories). No, Mormos reproduce through biting prey and infecting them with the bloodcurse (much akin to werewolves, a case of parallel evolution concerning the transmission of the curse). Infected prey will succumb within 6 months and, when perishing to the effects of the curse on the body, instantly resurrect as a newly-born Mormos.

Gellos are a more subtle variation, as they look almost completely human, they too being born from a bloodcurse on a human. However, like the Lamia, they like to attack pregnant women and steal the fetus. Like the Lamia, the Gellos then ingests the fetus and carries it to term, birthing a Gellos in the end. However, should the woman attacked survive, she shall be barren for the rest of her life, a consequence of the bloodcurse she now carries. And when the woman dies, like with the Mormos, she will be reborn as a Gellos, seeking out a victim from whom she can steal the child to birth and rear as her own.

However, in the cases of Mormos and Gellos, they are not undead. Indeed, the 'death' they experience is merely a magical coma of sorts, during which the bloodcurse fully transforms the body and the magical core into its respective host needed to further the infection eventually.

Note, too, the importance of the full moon in the cases of the creation of a Lamia, Mormos or Gellos. The transformative effects of a full moon are clear here, as they are in the case of lycanthropy (which is another form of blood-curse, similarly)...”

- Excerpt of Pseudo-Linnaeus' "Thesis on the lesser people's of Gaia" (1983).

D.O.M. NOTE (13/07/2013);

Further phylogenetic research conducted as part of our Mundane/Mage research programs has uncovered new evidence invalidating several older notions, such as the place of certain creatures like the Demiguise, the Hide-Behind, the Lamia, and the Gellos. Most have been given their correct place in other genera and some have been given their own unique genera separate to earlier established ones. It is our hope that this will, eventually, allow for further research in the true origin and place of these species in our seelie court's order.

Following changes have been made to the old hierarchy;

• Nadroj Trolls have been re-named to Stone trolls, foregoing their original native name which gave the impression they only appeared in the magickal preserve of the Nadroj mountains. Since they have been discovered in a variety of mountain-range foothills across Eurasia, the monicker "stone" simply refers to their unique adaptation of turning to stone when exposed to UV light.
• River trolls have been granted with a unique sub-species only found in the Volga, Danube, and Pechora rivers - with unique adaptations to do with the flow-rate and depth specific to these rivers.
• The Yeti species has been renamed to Sasquatch and has been divided into several seperate species and sub-species. These are as follows;
  • American Sasquatches - divided into subspecies "bigfoot" and "sheepsquatch".
  • Asian Sasquatch - divided into subspecies "Nyalmo", "Chuti", and "Rang Shim Bombo" (the originally solely recognized "Yeti", which was discovered to be three separate sub-species).
  • Eurasian Sasquatch - divided into subspecies "Chuchuna" and "Almastis".
  • Zealandian Sasquatch - divided into subspecies "Yowie" and "Yahoo".
• The Kappa species has been added to the genus as a separate species with a common ancestor. This discovery is supported by genetic research and the discovery of transitional fossils linking the modern Kappa with ancestral trolls, with ancestral trolls specialising towards a terrestrial lifestyle (particularly towards the element of stone) and ancestral Kappas specialising towards a semi-aquatic lifestyle.
• Ghouls have been divided into a single species with two separate sub-species;
  • The common Ghoul remains as is - no changes made to their placement.
  • Chameleon Ghouls are descended from the common Ghoul and while still near enough to be able to interbreed with fertile offspring, there are enough differences to warrant a separation of sorts.
  • Draugr, previously considered a type of Undead due to poor research and no previously known fossil evidence have now been recognised as being an Unseelie with its origin in the Ghoul species. While still counted as an Undead due to their peculiar characteristics, they are genetically a Ghoul. The subspecies designation is merely a formality to denote their changed status of Unseelie from Seelie.
• Ogres have been relocated to the genus Homo, under the umbrella of the Homo Sapiens Gigans species (more specifically under the common giant).
• Demiguise and Hide-Behind have been relocated to the genus Pongo, alongside the mundane Orang Utang and the similarly-magical Orang Pendek.
• The genus Lamarium has been fully reordered;
  • It now encompasses solely Merfolk.
  • Lamia, Mormos, and Gellos species have been struck from the records.
    • Lamias have now been recognised as a sub-group of Hag.
    • Gellos have now been recognised as a variant of Lamias.
    • Mormos have now been recognised as a sub-species of Boggart.

For further information on the aforementioned and newly-added species, please refer yourself to the D.O.M.'s welcome desk where you will be cleared and/or Obliviated should it come out you lack the clearance to access these records as dictated by the 2012 Ragnarok Act provisions. Attempts to copy this data without D.O.M. approval will result in the activation of anti-mnemetic agent Alpha-Seven. Attempts to counteract the activation of the anti-mnemetic agent will result in immediate termination and approval to use your body for scientific research as decided per D.O.M. priorities.

Figured below is the now classification as recognised by the Global Union of Peoples, courtesy of the research programs approved by President-Elect, Thomas Marvolo Riddle-Gaunt, and Head of Peoples' Research Department, Hermione Jean Granger, and funded by the International Research Commitee.

Chapter Text

The subtribe Goblini encompasses, per current agreement, twelve species and subspecies, divided in four seperate genus;

• Goblins (Goblin Goblin)

  • Dark Goblins (Goblin Umbra)

    • Kobolds (Goblin Cobula)

  • Pukwudgy (Goblin Pukwudgy)

  • Leprechauns (Goblin Telwyth)

    • Clurichaun (Goblin Telwyth 'Noxius')

    • Gnome (Gernumbli Gardensi)

• Imps (Gernumbli Noxius)

• Pixies (Pix Pixis)

  • Doxy (Pix x Gernumbli 'Noxius')

• Fairy (Fae Faerus)

  • Sprites (Fae Nagras)

Kobolds are one of the oldest species of goblins in the world, having originated from ancient Greece. Originally a coastal species, they made their homes in sea-caves and subsided on a diet of seaweeds, fish and molusks. However, the increasing presence of humans drove them further and further underground and away from the coast. Eventually, Kobolds retreated fully underground in the mountains and adapted to a life without sun-light. Before this, proven interactions between Kobolds and humans stretch back as far as 10.000BC, via pottery and cave-paintings.

From this, eventually, sprang forth the more common goblin species, with the Dark Goblins being the ancestral species to those goblins magicals are most accustomed to interacting with, namely the “light” Goblins. Dark Goblins, separating from Kobolds before the latter had made their full transition to an underground existence, kept to the darkness of caves and only roamed the land outside under the dark of moonless nights. This kept their interactions with humans, initially, to a bare minimum, with only limited sightings recorded before 2.100BC. After this date, Dark Goblins were routinely depicted on various terracotta works of art.

From 1.200BC onward, a different type of goblin (the “light” Goblins) were beginning to be depicted alongside the Dark Goblins. By 300BC, Dark Goblins were almost never again depicted, with light Goblins taking their prominent place in art. This evidently marked a transition back underground for Dark Goblins, who have since become more akin to their Kobold ancestors.

Why this happened is a contested event, indeed. Some posit that light Goblins arose from Dark Goblins as a subspecies more suited and able to interact with humans and survive above-ground in the open daylight. This can be proven, to a degree, by the extreme photosensitivity Dark Goblins display when exposed to the various components of sunlight (UV of bandwidths 400-1300 nM display the most extreme reactivity, causing enormous amounts of blistering and thaumal trauma to their magical core). In this hypothesis, light Goblins have evolved to form a diplomatic role of sorts between the underground tribes of Goblins and Kobolds and the human overworld.

….

Yet, across the Atlantic, having arrived in the continental Americas via the same land/ice-bridge that existed between Siberia and Alaska between 21.000 and 11.000 BC, the Pukwudgy thrived. A subspecies of Goblin on the same level of descendance as the Dark Goblins, the Pukwudgy evolved to suite a cold harsh climate with a limited food-web. They survive readily enough in typically arctic environments, but they absolutely thrived in the lush and rich ur-forests of the continental Americas. Their presence on the continent evidently preceded human habitation, by about 2.000 years general. And when humans finally arrived, the Pukwudgy usually retreated to the deepest groves, the highest peaks and the remotest islands. However, they could not escape human contact for long.

Begrudgingly, Pukwudgy developed a respectable bond with the native human tribes of the Americas – with both parties delineating their territories clearly and with mutual consent. Until the Colonists arrived, these was no real conflict between Pukwudgy and man.

...

As for Leprechauns, who has not heard of them – or their more dangerous cousins, the Clurichauns? Jovial, mild-tempered, witty – Leprechauns have enjoyed contact with humans ever since it began. Originally native exclusively to Ireland, they spread throughout the British Isles between 15.000 and 13.000 BC. It is hypothesized that they encompassed the whole of Doggerland (the entire area between Ireland, France and Denmark) as their territory at its height, before it was swallowed up by the sea between 6.500 and 6.200 BC.

The direct destruction of Doggerland is thought to have led to the eventual rise of Clurichauns, who are, in general, a more ruthless variation of the Leprechaun. Nowadays, they have become fully separate species, with Leprechauns being a human-friendly culture – while Clurichauns have ensconced themselves in their fairy-mounds and only permit Leprechauns to talk and trade with them. In this, we can make a similar distinction as between Kobolds, Dark Goblins, and light Goblins.

Another descendant species from these Irish beings are the Gnomes, with their myriad subspecies and hybrid offpsring. It is not clear, however, if Gnomes came before or after Leprechauns were established as a species separate from the other Goblini genus. Some think Gnomes are an atavistic throwback, to a far-flung common ancestor between all Goblini genus. Others think Gnomes are an evolutionary regression, to deal with the pressures of human habitation and influence on the natural world, a regression of sorts that discards the finesse of sentience and far-developed culture for the ease of a semi-civilized survival of the fittest.

...

Indeed, Gernumbli Gardensi, the Common Gnome or Garden Gnome (lit.tr. “Happy-on-the-Ground”+”Garden”), is vilified as a pest – rather than recognized as a keystone predator-species that enables a stable balance between magical species in any garden where they're present. Without the common Gnome, finding a natural balance between magical plants and their predator insects is difficult and requires extensive support via perma-charms and various magical pesticides. Tripping over a few gnome-holes in exchange is a fair trade, many herbologists say.

Able to move through solid earth (though not through rock), gnomes are quite adept at rooting out burrowing pests, such as moles and the like. Their magical passage through earth also enriches the soil with aural thaum, enabling the improved growth of magical plants (and through those plants, magical herbivores and their predators). Statistics imply that the permanent presence of gnomes in an area encourage magical plants to grow by a factor of 1.79 that of normal rates. This is a serious boon, as it almost solely guarantees a double yield of most magical herbs and spices on a yearly basis.

Though many rumours persist that gnome-saliva is a powerful coagulant or enables the quick recovery from wounds, these remain unfounded in evidence. No scientific evidence is found, as of yet, that proves these miraculous claims to have any veracity. All you're liable to get from smearing gnome saliva upon your wounds is sepsis, bacterial infection of gangrene. If a gnome bites you, it is advised the wound is thoroughly cleansed and afterwards treated with undiluted essence of Dittany.

…

Imps , too, are considered a garden-pest. Clever, devious, and with a wicked sense of slap-stick humor, they often play practical jokes and tricks on unwitting humans. Witches and Wizards have only a marginally better chance of seeing through the tricks of an Imp – so deep runs their celeverness.

There is contention about whether or not to classify Imps as a Goblini genus. Rather, some say they belong more to the Troglodytarium subtribes, together with Ogres, Ghouls, and the likes. However, archaeological evidence points towards a Goblini ancestor, if rather far back in time.

…

Doxies are believed to have arisen from Imps after breeding between Imps and Fairies, creating a rather uncouth and hideous hybrid that has all the vanity and jealousy of a Fairy and all the deviousness, wit and violent tendencies of Imps. Doxies were first recorded, with unmistakable evidence, around 150BC.

…

Fairies have been around since time immemorial, being depicted in the Lascaux cave-paintings together with Kobolds and Giants. They are, thus, considered one of the Shape-Siblings for many native spiritual beliefs and cultures. This bond of sister- and brotherhood between Giants, humans, Goblins, and Fairies, is recognized in the archeaological evidence of over 150 countries' earliest cultures. Indeed, the Sibling-belief has arisen independantly on at least three continents (Africa, Asia, Europe) in 23 different cultures across a time-span of 25.000 years.

…

Sprites, descended from Fairies, considering their relatively modern appearance (ca. 900AD), usually fullfill a trickster-role. They lure people to their early deaths, by appearing like balls of light across moors and swamps. Interesting, however, is the fact that they never lure children or less-able people. Neurodivergents, paraplegics, low-functioning trauma-patients, … People usually falling outside the category of 'normal' are never their victims.

Van Helsing's research regarding Sprites, as documented in his 1598 thesis, “Studio in Filumbra” ('On the Study of Sprites'), documents that 75% of Sprite victims are usually people recorded as having committed heinous crimes of certain severity. Usually, murderers make up the brunt of their victims, accounting to 60% of the victims – with psychopaths/sociopaths making up a further 15%. The remaining 25% of victims are seemingly innocent – though Van Helsing supposes that these victims, too, committed similar crimes of a sort and simply got away with it by not being caught or implicated.

Why Sprites seem to exclusively hunt such individuals is not known – nor is really known why they lure the victims to their deaths. Sprites seem to have a strictly vegetable diet, subsisting on mosses, peat, and grasses. There is some rumour that they thrive on the souls of their victims, in a manner similar to Lethifolds and Dementors – but thus remains unproven.

...

Sprites, as shown before, thus border the line between natural and paranatural. Having given up part of their physical existence for the benefits of a thaumaural shape, they are as much matter as they are energy.

...

- Excerpt of Pseudo-Linnaeus' "Thesis on the lesser people's of Gaia" (1983).

DOM Note (13/07/2013);

Further phylogenetic research conducted as part of our Mundane/Mage research programs has uncovered new evidence invalidating several older notions, such as the place of certain creatures. Most have been given their correct place in other genera and some have been given their own unique genera separate to earlier established ones. It is our hope that this will, eventually, allow for further research in the true origin and place of these species in our seelie court's order.

Following changes have been made to the old hierarchy;

• Fairies have been divided into one species, with two separate subspecies;
  • The Tooth-Fairy has been relocated into this species from its previous classification as a separate genus elsewhere.
• Pixies have been divided into one species, with three separate subspecies;
  • The Doxy remains unaltered.
  • The common Pixy has been subdivided into the Cornish Pixy (native to Ireland and Scotland) and the Alexandrian Pixy (native to Egypt and the Mediterranean coast).
• Goblins have been given a new subspecies - that of the Light Goblin.

For further information on the aforementioned and newly-added species, please refer yourself to the D.O.M.'s welcome desk where you will be cleared and/or Obliviated should it come out you lack the clearance to access these records as dictated by the 2012 Ragnarok Act provisions. Attempts to copy this data without D.O.M. approval will result in the activation of anti-mnemetic agent Alpha-Seven. Attempts to counteract the activation of the anti-mnemetic agent will result in immediate termination and approval to use your body for scientific research as decided per D.O.M. priorities.

Figured below is the now classification as recognised by the Global Union of Peoples, courtesy of the research programs approved by President-Elect, Thomas Marvolo Riddle-Gaunt, and Head of Peoples' Research Department, Hermione Jean Granger, and funded by the International Research Commitee.

Chapter Text

Gobbledegook, the Speech of Goblinkind – G'kl'k!

The speech of Goblinkind, known to wixen and non-Goblins as Gobbledegook, is a global international language used by separate Goblin nations to talk with each-other without needing translations for regional clan-tongues. Amongst Goblins, it is known as G'kl'k (pronounced Ghu-Kli-Ak in wixen tongue, go͝oklĭak in enPR, /ɡʊkʰl̥ɪakˈ/ in IPA). When spoken by goblins, it sounds like a rasping speech, rough and unmelodious. It has, at times, been likened to the sound of wet rocks grinding together – or the murmur of a river made from gravel.

Considering the unique anatomy of Goblin vocal cords, which posses the quality to speak in up to three different tones simultaneously, it is a language that can never be truly mastered by non-Goblins. At best, a human being can only reach two different tones – which renders their ability to accurately convey all intended depth of conversation impossible. It would be like the difference between a man speaking Shakespearian English and a man speaking extremely primitive proto-languages that can only convey separate words.

For this reason, Goblins only use an extremely-simplified mono-tonal version of Gobbledegook with humans, when needed to. For all other purposes, they shall simply employ the regional languages – which isn't too difficult, as Goblins view all human languages to be extremely simple and easy to learn. To be spoken to by a Goblin in tri-tonal Gobbledegook is a rare privilege indeed, one almost never afforded to humans. In general, Goblins prefer other 'Beast'-languages (as called by the Wizengamot of 1812), such as Mermish (Merpeople speech) and Midnight Mouthings (Hag speech).

The Goblin clan of Underlondon, who founded the London branch of Gringotts, speak a dialect unique to England, called Gb'vk'tk (pronounced Gob-Vik-Tok in wixen tongue, gŏbvĭkʹtŏk in enPR, /ɡɒbˈvɪktɒk/ in IPA).

Move-Speak, the subtle way of talking – Bw'g'Spr'k.

Move-Speak is a strange facet of Goblin communication. Existing of nothing but the subtle ways in which Goblins hold their limbs, digits, and head, it is nigh impossible for a non-Goblin to ever learn or understand fully. It is know by Goblins as Bw'g'Spr'k (pronounced Bweg-Spre-aKin wixen tongue, /bəˈʋɪə̯χˈspreəˈkɪn/ in IPA).

It is reminiscent of Victorian-era Muggle-behaviour, where much was communicated via the way one would hold their hands during a task or tilt their head during conversation. It is also remarkably similar to the obscure body-language Obbitish, a body-language native to a race of Halflings from Central Europe.

For example, if a Goblin holds their head cocked to the right at a slight angle while turning their head slightly to the left, it is usually a sign you have their undivided attention. Should they bare their teeth in a toothy smile, it's also evidence that they acknowledge your strength. Should they, however, be shattering their teeth together, it's a sign they might find your words rather ridiculous.

The whole of Move-Speak is full of such nuances, and the myriad ways in which separate actions can be combined allows for a complex interaction of meaning and implied duplicity. After all, a Goblin might say one thing and move-speak another. It is, in some ways, a test to see just how observant their clients and nation-kin truly are. Fail to recognize the things they move-speak, and you might find yourself ridiculed behind closed doors, with all future services subtly becoming more expensive the longer you fail to read their actions correctly.

Goblin Naming Conventions

All Goblins are bourne nameless, and remain so until their first year – when they are given the first two (2) of their three (3) names; A Secret Name (known only to their parents), a True Name (known only to Goblins and their clients), and, later in life, a Merit Name (by which they are known for their deeds to the world at large).

• Secret Name

  • A name to life by, which holds meaning and is intended to drive their personality to develop to its best possible self, for self and nation. Usually just several words long, with each words being a characteristic of their personality (f.e. Stubborn-Wise-Digger).

  • Known only to their biological parents and their mate.

• True Name

  • A name to be recognized by, which can hold meaning but doesn't need to. It can be either Gobbledegook or seemingly senseless utterances (f.e. Gnalte, Gringott, Burgock, …).

  • Known to Goblins and the clients of their banking conglomerate.

• Merit Name

  • A name to be acknowledged by, which shares the deeds a Goblin has performed as a matter of pride (f.e. Griphook, Bogrod, Ironclaw, …).

  • Usually shared in the regional language, and each component of the name refers to a particular characteristic of the deed for which it has been awarded (f.e. Griphook is known for his iron grip on his business and ability to hook in clients…).

Goblins can also bestow a Merit Name on certain clients, who have distinguished themselves through various actions in service to the Goblin nations of the world.

• Best know Merit Names for non-Goblins;

  • Goblin-Friend (Ally of Goblinkind).

  • Meritbane (Economic Disaster in human form).

  • Meritboon (Economic Wonder in human form).

  • Gift-Giver (Man who returns Goblin artefacts freely).

  • True-Seer (Man who warns Goblinkind of temporal disturbances).

  • Souleater (Man who can devour souls).

  • Deep-Friend (Ally of the Deep King).

Goblin Culture

Goblins have global and local nations, with a culture that is very much a meritocracy. Merit is typified by what a Goblin can win for his nation – expanding the wealth and ensuring the well-being of your local nation earns you respect and titles, and wise investments and clever fees are part of this.

As such, wagers and bets are common behaviour, with strict rules in place to ensure they're fair and acted upon as you swore to do. Wager chits are small triangular coins, made from orichalcum (an alloy of gold, copper and silver, which has a red-gold shine), used to make wagers. When using a wager chit, magick can be channelled into it to designate the amount the wager holds. The magick acts as both a value-denominator and a certificate of identity – it ensures chits can't be stolen or used without approval of the original owner. Each sett has numerous betting offices, usually on every third floor. Several types of chit exist, with inclusions of valuable resources such as gems or other metals, sometimes even magickal creature products – each type designating a certain value, ranging from a single Knutt to multiple thousands of Galleons.

Each betting office is linked to the Grand Sett Betting Ledger, which automatically updates across all offices and can be linked with the Ledger of other setts by the leader of a sett. Any new bet not yet entered in any other Ledger will automatically be written into all other Ledgers worldwide at midnight local time. As such, each Ledger is updated every few minutes.

Each wager must run for a minimum of fourty-eight (48) hours, during which any Goblin can enter the wage in the first twenty-four (24) hours. Some bets have been running for years, even decades (such as the bet by Urgud the Unclean in 1793, when he bet that British wizards will eradicate themselves before Goblins ever would – the bet is still ongoing, and yearly investments have grown to such extremes that no new wagers are allowed in it).

Cheating or robbing are illegal and bear heavy fines and punishments. One could even lose their Merit Name, or be banished from the sett. It is highly inadvisable to encourage a Goblin to cheat – one might find themselves half a leg shorter faster than they can finish their sentence...

Goblins congregate into what wixen used to derogatorily call “nests”, though Goblins use the word “sett” for their regional 'cities' (this is of course the English translation, inspired by the setts aka nests build by badgers – once upon a time, Goblins found it a derogatory term, though they have fully embraced the slur as a protest against wixen supremacy. Indeed, you can not insult a Goblin any more than any other Goblin has already done – and wixen insults are generally considered to be lacking in creativity to a profound degree).

A sett can be as small as a simple one-story house, with just a dozen Goblins within (Goblins have a strong nuclear family-unit orientation – grand-parents, parents, children and grand-children usually stay together for their entire lives), but can also be enormously expansive.

For example, the Underlondon Sett (the central nucleus of the greater London mega-sett) houses almost a million Goblins across more than a hundred-and-thirty floors of subterranean caves, tunnels, and arcologies. Its main entrance for wixens and visitors is through Gringotts' Bank, but numerous side-entrances also exist. Because of its importance to the existence of Gringotts, the Bank uses the first thirty floors for their Vaults, Bank Offices, etcetera… The Underlondon Sett begins properly at around floor fifty, where the first commercial solely Goblin-oriented establishments and betting offices become present when descending.

The Underlondon Sett is ruled by Director Thrice-Eye Darkson (whose clan founded the Goblin Sett of Underlondon during the time of the Roman occupation of the British Isles). He is also the King of all the Light Goblin setts of the British Isles.

However, all the Goblin nations of the world are led by the King of the Deep Dark, His Darkness, Lord of the Hoard, King of the Blind, Seven-Son of Seven-Son – Klurik Gold-Hand. A Dark Goblin, he leads all fifty Goblin nations, Light or Dark, and rules with a golden fist. His decrees have propelled Goblin prosperity to never-before seen heights, and he has negotiated all modern treaties with the wixen communities via his ambassadors. He alone knows where all Goblin setts are, who their leaders are, and what their investments of merit have been. With a word, he could crash wixen and mundane economy – and he has done so already, several times.

As guessed, Goblins have an extremely hierarchical class-structure, based on their accomplishments and achievements for the good of the sett. When they reach the age of twelve, they are given their first personal ledger – in which they are to keep all their incomes, payments, debts, wagers, investments, fees, … Until the age of twenty, these ledgers are to be checked every week by their mentor for mistakes. If a mistake is found, a week of communal labour is added unto their roster. For as the Goblin saying goes, “A ledger with faults is a Goblin with faults”. How are others supposed to rely on a Goblin who makes mistakes in their ledger, after all...

Every Goblin begins as an assistant to their mentor – though their mentor can be any Goblin willing to take them on. However, once they reach the age of twenty, they are released from this role and expected to find a job suitable for their insights. Depending on how well their investments, wagers, and debts are by this point, they can enter into any stratum of Goblin society and economy, if they so choose. Still, most youngsters choose to begin their careers in the Banks of the nations. There, it is seen as the worth of a Goblin's ears if they can manage to both keep their clients satisfied (read, unsuspecting of potential bias) and maximize the profits they can generate from their services.

“A shrewd Goblin can squeeze a Galleon from a single-Knutt wallet”, goes the saying – which sums up Goblin cut-throat approach to fees and payments for services. If a Goblin ever gives a price, haggle! For you can be certain that the price ensures the maximum profit they can get from you. If they ask for a Galleon, demand the service for a Knutt. Even if you end up paying a Sickle, you have still proven your own willingness to maximize your own profits in the ears of the Goblin. And that is worth more than the Galleon ever could have been.

It is for this reason that the Goblins have a Creed – a list of rules that each Goblin worth his weight in orichalcum knows from the top of their head and lives by as if it were as essential as food and drink. There are thirty rules, known to wixen anthropologists, but there are suspected to be at least two dozen more, depending on the nation you're in and whether you're speaking to a Light or Dark Goblin.

Social Structure – The Thirty Rules of the Creed.

The thirty rules known are as follows:

1. "The first inescapable rule of existence is that time is money."

2. "The second – principle hoarded is profit lost."

3. "The third – knowledge is principle waiting to be spent."

4. "The fourth – an unasked question is profit lost."

5. "The fifth – image is the shepherd of success, intelligence is its coin."

6. "The sixth – a weakness is a profit in disguise."

7. "The seventh – there is no greater folly than action without knowledge."

8. "The eighth – a competitor's spy is your best servant."

9. "The ninth – your spy is your competitor's until given a stake in your profit."

10. "The tenth – a tarnished Sickle still weighs the same."

11. "The eleventh – if the scales don't balance, weigh again."

12. "The twelfth – the first duty on waking and last duty before sleeping is to balance accounts.”

13. "The thirteenth – a Knutt miscounted is a Galleon lost"

14. "The fourteenth – the Galleon's seed is a Knutt."

15. "The fifteenth – savour the fruit but plant the seed."

16. "The sixteenth – a hen killed is an opportunity lost."

17. "The seventeenth – one can see the dropped Knutt when he bows deeply enough."

18. "The eighteenth – diplomacy serves two roles: to ease a knife into your back and to ease it out."

19. "The nineteenth – trust is a commodity when given by others – a folly when given to others."

20. "The twentieth – blood and friendship bought cheaply are soon spent."

21. "The twenty-first – wards and walls are for nought if the ground can not support their weight."

22. "The twenty-second – a foundation of stone will crack if built upon water."

23. "The twenty-third – before laying the foundations, dig deep."

24. "The twenty-fourth – an estate is lost through a hole in the pocket."

25. "The twenty-fifth – never trust an elf you don't own, never mistreat an elf you do."

26. "The twenty-sixth – elves and children hear everything, consult them if in doubt."

27. "The twenty-seventh – if the road splits into two paths – you can only take one."

28. "The twenty-eighth – you'll find no gold on a well-walked path."

29. "The twenty-ninth – invest only what you are willing to risk; risk only what you are willing to gain."

30. "The thirtieth – if you will not invest in yourself, neither will Gringotts.”

Goblin adherence to these rules is almost a sacred duty, so ingrained they are from the moment a Goblin can read and write. To betray these rules is not only tantamount to pure folly, but also to sacrilege against the Deep Kings of old. Ever since these rules were created in the 9^th century and upheld, they've been held responsible for the prosperity and continuous development of the Goblin nations into bigger and better things. It has helped their people grow from just a few hundred thousand worldwide in 850 CE to almost a billion in 1991 CE.

In line with their propensity to make solid and wise investments, the Goblin nations have long used a breeding program to enrich their genetic diversity and prevent the disastrous effects of inbreeding. The regular infusion of human, Kobold, Pukwudgy, Leprechaun, Fairy, and Elf DNA into a few selected bloodlines has kept Goblin vitality and diversity strong and prosperous. As such, Goblins do not view those that wixen call “half-breeds” with the same disdain that wixen would. No, for Goblins, these “Sister-Children” are a vital part of keeping their culture going strong and long. A mild form of eugenics is utilized, however, by which children with genetic ailments or physical deformities are healed of their ailments through blood-rituals.

However(!), Goblins do not view genetic ailments and physical deformities through the same lens as humans do. A child with a physical deformity is only healed if the deformity can cause chronic pain, lead to worse illness, or causes such severe degradation of quality of life that euthanasia would be the preferred option. Beyond these immediate dangers, children are left untouched, free to decide on later date if they wish for the issue to be rectified.

In the same way, mental illnesses are only treated if they form a direct threat to the child's continued survival. Specific mental neurodivergencies, such as autism or bipolar disorder, are mediated and medicated, but not cured. Goblins are of the belief that the facets of such mental divergences form a valuable viewpoint in potential future investments. Interference is only run when the children form a danger to themselves or others.

Together, this had led many wixen to view Goblins as disease-riddled vermin, unworthy of interaction had it not been for the fact that Goblins manage wixen banking-systems.

Social Structure – Castes, Roles, and Titles.

Across all Light and Dark Goblin cultures (including all various sub-divisions and intermediate sub-cultures that, together, form the cohesive known as G'bl'n-W'ld [pronounced as Ghu-Bli-An We-alD in wixen tongue, /ˈɡɒb.lɪnˈwæ͜ɑld/ in IPA] [lit.tr.; Goblin'-World – translit.; Goblinkind]), certain structures are ever-present – a leftover trait of the so-called Mother-Tribe from which all Goblins originate (usually associated, in numerous ways, with the Goblin-King myths and origin stories).

In general, Goblin society can be divides into;

• Castes – societal niches and expectations for certain individual or collective representations of social import (think of the societal expectations towards women in patriarchal human societies, notably Western Christian cultures – 'the woman as mistress of the house and bearer of children, with limited power outside of home and hearth, and no say in the ruling of society at large').

• Roles – expectations and responsibilities ('right and duties') for individuals within group-structures (think of individual 'jobs' within, f.e., a business – there are labourers, managers, secretaries, personal assistants, etc...).

• Titles – expectations and rewards for deeds of import (think of, f.e., price-awarded competitions between stores of the same brand – where individuals or groups are rewarded for, f.e., selling the most goods in a set time-frame).

Castes are, surprisingly, the most varied of these three divisions – often identifying roles similar to gender representation/recognition, sexual orientation, tribal heritage, familial histories, regional specialisations, racial heritage (read as, history of maternal lineage – often used to identify/divide between Light and Dark Goblins or mixed heritages, such as offspring between goblin and wixen), …

As such, caste structure often blends into role structure and species distinctions. To outsiders not reared from birth in Goblin society and culture, it can be nigh impossible to divide caste from role or simple nationalist pride in many occasions. Still, discriminating upon caste identification is a capital offence, punishable by excommunication or death, depending on the good will of the judge, jury, and executioner.

Roles are, however, generally easier to identify. There are roles based on biological sex (child rearing, lactation farming, reproductive surrogacy, etc...), gender identification (Goblin-wixen interaction and interpersonal relations regarding treaties, dealmaking, etc...), specialised education (artist, ambassador, bounty-hunter, ward-specialist, cook, …), inter-social personalities (ambassador, psychologists, therapists, doctors, union leadership, …), intelligence (divided into emotional, social, scientific, mathematical, … intelligences – each geared towards a number of professions and roles...), wisdom (oft, but not always, based on age – but always reliant on experiences had and lessons learned in life... geared towards so-called eternal roles – roles that have to ensure the survival of goblin kind into perpetuity. Includes lore master, teachers, ambassadors, vault maintenance, …), …

Each year, some roles are lost (meaning the last practitioner dies and no understudy or pupils were appointed to the role prior) and revived (a new pupil to learn a 'dead' role is identified and the pupil is taught to master the role via self-study of historical, mythological, scientific, … texts and biographies of old deceased masters of the role). The maintenance of the system for identification of the role suitable for a Goblin is considered sacrosanct – and to kill a Role-Maester is punishable by drowning the criminal into the Silver Sea (an execution overseen by all Goblins who are harmed by the death of the maester).

Titles are the most well-known part of Goblin society outside of the society itself. Goblins always address each other with the greatest title each earned. There are titles for deeds of Merit (acts that have benefited the sett on an economical or political level), of Valour (acts that have safeguarded the sett's survival or removed a malevolent agent that was acting directly against the sett's survival in the short or long term), of Lore (discovery or recovery of Goblin history, myths, legends, or artefacts), of Name (defended the honour or life of allies, economical partners, …), etc...

In rare occasions, a Title can be bestowed upon a non-Goblin – but when this happens, it is usually to one reared in Goblin society from birth through adoption. Seldom are the times when true outsiders are bestowed a Title. The Title most oft granted is that of Goblin-Foe or Goblin-Friend. In such cases, however, they are identified as Merit Names (again, the fluidity of goblin society and conventions can make this a point of contention to those less knowledgable about it all).

…

The Banks have several major roles, the best-known being as follows;

• Banker

• Teller

• Headgoblin

• Spokesgoblin

• Governor

Numerous others exist, but are usually of no bearing to wixen sensibilities (such as Vault-Guards, Rail-Engineers, etc…).

...

Goblin Mythology.

Much can be said about Goblin mythological culture, but little can be proven with absolute certainty – mainly because Goblin myths do not deal with absolutes, only with relative degrees. This becomes most clear when we look at a core concept of their myths and contemporary culture: The Thousand Degrees of Darkness.

The Thousand Degrees of Darkness.

The Thousand Degrees of Darkness (abbreviated as TDoD) are exactly what they sound like – the thousand words and concept Goblins have formed for all the different kinds of darkness one can experience in the waking and dreaming world. From the darkness of a starless sky to the stagnant darkness of a long-forgotten mineshaft, Goblins have many words for such varied experiences of the ear and unseeing eye.

Central in all these concepts regarding TDoD is that of the Deep Dark – the darkness that preceded the birth of all things energy and matter, the darkness that only lives in starless depths of universal voids, or the deepest caverns of the worlds where sunlight has not reached for billions of years. It is the darkness of the shadow, that travels faster than light because it is always there before light drives it out. It is the oldest and purest form of darkness, an absolute absence of presence and existence, primal nothingness beyond sapient ken. From it stems forth all other forms of darkness, pale imitations of the first which shall also be the last.

In almost universal contrast is the darkness of a sun-shadow, a half-shadow cast by those who walk the sunlight. It is the weakest darkness, the faintest and easiest to dispel. Yet it holds almost as much importance as the Deep Dark, because a True Goblin (read, Dark Goblin) would never deign themselves to cast a Sun-Shadow – for no True Goblin would willingly walk in the light of the sun. It is for this reason that Dark Goblins never exit a sett without being draped in heavy oiled cloth and being carried in closed-off carriages. To see sun-light is sacrilege to them, almost worth performing suicide for when exposed to it – so deep runs their aversion to the light of day.

Certain forms of darkness are held in equal esteem, such as the darkness that comes when performing the three nights of watch over a deceased Goblin, or the darkness that is present when you fall between the waking and dreaming world just before the body shuts down for a night's rest. Other forms of darkness are named because they can be, such as the darkness of a candle blowing out, or when light-blindness overwhelms the optical nerves. Goblins have named them all, and are naming all forms of darkness newly discovered – because it is a sacred duty that all sapient creatures have.

Like the first king of the Dwarves gave all things stone their first names, so did Goblins give all things Darkness their first names. Some things have since died out, not having been seen for several ages past...

The King of Old.

There was a time in Goblin history when it was not a Goblin that ruled over all things Goblin, but rather a thing that had the visage of man, the cruelty of hag, and the honour of centaurs. This ancient Goblin King, whose true name was long lost – or rather, deliberately lost – ruled from a small pocket-dimension adjacent to our own. There, in the midst of a labyrinth that dominated the entire world, the Goblin King ruled from a sky-high castle of which the peak went beyond seeing, past cloud and star.

It is said that He made the first Goblins, long ago, by whisking away undesired human children and transforming them into hideous shades of the human form. As time progressed, these older goblinoids became the foundation of the root-race that we would eventually come to know as Goblins.

When all this happened, if it happened at all, is unknown. What is know is that the Goblin King was summoned by reciting the climax of a theatrical play of sorts, during which the caster would call upon the Goblin King to whisk away their unwanted child.

Owls played a heavy role in any and all symbology of this myth, as did creatures of fire that could freely reshape their forms, or great lumbering apes of gentleness that spoke to rocks. All of these elements still have their presence in modern Goblin culture to certain extend, such as the speaking to rocks – who can forget the particularly unique Goblin ability to converse with seemingly inanimate things?

The Earth Wife - “Frau Erde”

Frau Erde is a curious thing – as in, she is not mythological, but testifiably real. A local demi-goddess or Avatar of the living Earth, we are unsure. But to Goblins across Central Europe, especially in the Germanic regions, she is incredibly important. In some setts, she is even held to the same level of wave and devotion as the Darkness.

In myth and legend, she is akin to the Darkness like Persephone was to Hades. A reluctant wife, a stolen bride, or a woman who fell in love with her kidnapper – it is, again, uncertain.

What is certain is her role as an Avatar of Fertility, Wealth, Bounty, and Longevity. She is as deep as the foundations of the world, as fertile as spring fields, as wealthy as the richest god, etc... Her limited sphere of influence is the only reason she is not worshipped by Goblins around the world. Still, many Goblins make pilgrimage from across the world to select setts in central Europe to witness her power and worship her in various ways.

Most often, offerings to Frau Erde involve things that are not of the Earth – things such as Everlasting Embers, Wind Elemental sacrifices, etc... But Frau Erde does not demand sacrifice or offerings to bestow her gifts. Usually she demands respect for the Earth and its gifts, to punish those who would exhaust what the Earth can not replenish in time. As such, some Goblins have begun to form sects and cults with the express purpose to eliminate certain eco-genocidists – those humans who exploit the Earth and get rich from plundering or raping her wealth...

The Deep Enemies.

Goblins have had many enemies throughout the centuries, but none as obscure or dangerous as the Deep Ones – sentient forces of nature that haunt all caves and caverns, mines and shafts. They are darkness become aware, aware enough to root for their territory and devour all those who would intrude upon it. They act without care for consequences – all they know is that where they roam, they rule. And all that roams besides them is a threat.

Long war was waged, before Goblins harnessed the Bones of the Earth and bound the Deep Ones in name and title. It restricted their essential nature, made them less than they could be, levelled the playing field. And that, it seemed, was enough to win the war of ages and beat the Deep Ones back to ancient tombs and vaults, below the foundations of the world itself. It is suspected that these battles eventually gave rise to the human myths of Yggdrasil and the worm that gnaws at its roots.

But the Deep Ones were not the only enemy – nor the strongest. Where the Deep Ones were pure instinct, others were Loathing given form. Of these, not even their name is remembered, stricken from all record and memory it seems. But it is known that they, unlike the Deep Ones, could not be lulled to sleep or slain in any permanent way. Rather, they were locked away in a vast underground ocean of mercury and silver, where they roam to this day – unable to break free from their liquid chains, hate and loathing still driving their eternal attempts at escaping.

The Silver Sea.

One of the most awe-inspiring sights in any sett is the Silver Sea – a roiling expanse of liquid silver or mercury that seems almost alive. In a sense, it is alive – and in other ways, it also is not. Finding its origin in the defeat of the Deep Ones, spirits of darkness that felt only loathing towards anyone other than them. Their conflict with Goblins was inevitable – as was their defeat. Goblins fighting the Deep Ones were not shy about utilizing light against the darkness they would otherwise consider sacrosanct after all.

Upon defeat, the Deep Ones were Transfigured into a sea of silver and mercury, eternally bound to reflect light upon themselves and their surroundings, negating their very essence but not their Loathing. Every day they strive to escape, which is why the Silver Sea always roils, boils, and crests upon itself. It is vast and dangerous, to all including itself.

In the many centuries since the Goblins created the Silver Sea (a feat of Transfiguration still unparalleled in wixen history), they have been busy attending to its care – for though they may be enemies, Goblins do not mistreat their prisoners-of-war. Every year, copies of memories are given to the Sea, in hopes that these shows of empathy will one day break the Loathing and allow the Deep Ones to evolve into something less malign. And if Prophecy is to be believed, this task will, one day, bear fruit...

The Wayfinders and the Elder Ones.

Past the first era of their history, after they fought their underground foes and became the tentative wardens of rock and cavern, along with the Dwarves, the Goblins still lacked a cohesive culture. Thousands of small clans dotted the world and lacked any common culture amongst them. When the time of Moot came, when all clan leaders gathered to speak, a decision was made, one with long-lasting consequences. Hundreds of the leaders agreed that a way forward needed to be found, through which all Goblin clans could prosper and develop.

For this purpose, after a decade of debate (the Dozen-Year Moot), a hundred Goblins were selected, based on their skills and wisdom. They were called the Wayfinders, and had as task to find a set of goals that the clans they were assigned to could move towards.

Astonishingly, this worked unexpectedly well. Within a thousand years (the Time of Walking), the thousands of clans united into a hundred nations, each following the advise of their Wayfinder. In time, these Wayfinders proposed a council of sorts, where each nation could be represented and a more global unifying set of goals could be determined. The Wayfinders had done well orienting regional groups of clans towards a common purpose, but internationally this could not so easily be done – their way of thinking was not broad enough for this, nor their skills exactly tuned in for the purpose.

This council, composed of three hundred Goblins known as the Elder Ones, represented all sides within nations – Traditionalists, Golden-Way neutrals, and Modernists, for example. Through extensive debate, these could decide a centennial goal to work towards. As of 1991, seventeen of these goals have been reached – the goal for the years 1918 to 2018 apparently is the return of the Gold Standard in mundane and wixen economies (they were successful in this with the introduction of the mundane-wixen Myrridin-Woods System, until its mundane counterpart collapsed in the 1980's – it is still utilized in in wixen economies however).

The Dream-Era.

A curious peculiarity of Goblin mythology is the distinction of history into two very separate parts – the Current Era (by which they mean all classical history up to the present, for which archaeological evidence can be found across the world), and the Dream Era (a pre-historical period of time, indefinite by its nature, during which the world was distinctly different in ways that are undefinable nowadays). As such, Goblin historians and Lore-Maesters often speak of events as happening either at XXX CE (Common Era, starting some 4000 years ago) or XXX DE (Dream Era, by which we count into the negatives starting from the Turning-Year – Year 0 of the Common Era, when the world was allegedly irrevocably altered somehow).

The peculiarity falls not in this period of mythological time (human first nation tribes of Australia have a similar concept of Dream Time, a mythological time before the world became 'real', as in it became what it is nowadays), but in the fact that the Dream Era does not happen strictly before the Common Era.

Indeed, many Goblins are very content to discuss things as having happened, or artefacts being dated, to some arbitrary date before the Common Era without saying it happened in the Dream Era – simply because the thing did indeed happen in the world as it is now, but before the Dream and Common Era became a true separation.

For example, the oldest Goblin artefacts can be dated to circa -25.000 Common Era – these are considered to not have originated from the time known as the Dream Era. However, the tale of the Whittle King (a myth about a Goblin leader who united the Blood Clans of central Arabia) is dated as having happened circa -3000 Dream Era (concurrent indeed to archaeological evidence of Goblin habitation in the Arabian peninsula, which is, frustratingly, dated as -3000 Common Era).

For humans, with our sense of linear time, and the procession of cause preceding effect, this can make little sense. But Goblins considered time a river that can loop back on itself – or flow backwards at times. They also urge to not conflate archaeological facts with historical truth or mythological tales – each is a separate thing to itself, and can not be unified with any other.

In the cleanest form of separation, the Dream Era can be (but must not definitely be) considered the mythical history of Goblin kind, not the historical one. Both have enormous areas of overlap (where historical evidence confirms myths or legends), but they are, intrinsically, separate. Water can be both wet and cold, but it is not per se always both – it can be warm too, or boiling, or freezing. And seldomly, so Goblins caution, water can be dry.

Goblin Nation of the Isles – Gb'n'br'nn.

Led by King Thrice-Eye Darkson (whose clan founded the Goblin Sett of Underlondon during the time of the Roman occupation of the British Isles), the Goblin Nation of the Isles is called Gb'n'br'nn (pronounced Gob-en-Bronn in wixen tongue, /ɡɒbɛnbrɔn/ in IPA). It was unified circa 450 CE, when the exodus of the Roman occupation-forces forced various Goblin setts to bad together and stand against the newly unrestrained native barbarian hordes. This was mostly because the Goblin setts had a beneficial cooperation with Roman cities, providing the Romans with noble metals. The Romans in turn supplied agricultural products and raw surface materials (such as wood and seafood). Prior to Roman occupation, Goblin setts in the Isles had minimal contact with humans.

The entire Goblin Nation of the Isles consists of eighty-seven (87) setts, which are divided into thirty-three (33) mega-setts (multiple setts connected by a diverse array of tunnels, which makes the separation into distinct separate setts almost non-existent in some places), spread across eight (8) distinct geographical areas (mostly constrained by the surrounding seas and ocean). The following is a list of the eight (8) areas:

• The Outer South Hebrides main-land (1 mega-sett, consisting of 5 setts)

  • North Uist (1 sett)

  • Benbecula (1 sett)

  • South Uist (2 setts)

  • Barra (1 sett)

• The Outer Noth Hebrides main-land (1 mega-sett, consisting of 5 setts)

  • Lewis (2 setts)

  • Seaford Island (2 setts)

  • Harris (1 sett)

• The Inner South Hebrides main-land (3 mega-setts, consisting of 9 setts total)

  • Tiree, Coll, Mull (5 setts)

  • Jura, Islay (4 setts)

• The Inner North Hebrides main-land (1 mega-sett, consisting of 4 setts)

  • Skye, Rasaay (3 setts)

  • Rum (1 sett)

• The Isle of Man main-land (1 mega-sett, consisting of 3 setts)

• The Ireland main-land (3 mega-setts, consisting of 9 setts)

  • North-Ireland (3 setts)

  • Central-Ireland (3 setts)

  • South-Ireland (3 setts)

• The Britain main-land (19 mega-setts, consisting of 41 setts)

  • Scotland (8 mega-setts, consisting of 12 setts)

  • England (9 mega-setts, consisting of 24 setts)

    • North-England (3 mega-setts, consisting of 7 setts)

    • Middle-England (3 mega-setts, consisting of 8 setts)

    • London (1 mega-sett, consisting of the Underlondon sett and 3 other setts)

    • South-England (2 mega-setts, consisting of 5 setts)

  • Wales (2 mega-setts, consisting of 5 setts)

    • North-Wales (1 mega-sett, consisting of 2 setts)

    • South-Wales (1 mega-sett, consisting of 3 setts)

• The Orkney main-land (4 mega-setts, consisting of 11 setts)

  • Orkney Mainland, Shapinsay, Rousay (4 setts)

  • Hoy, Flotta, South Ronaldsay (3 setts)

  • Stronsay (1 sett)

  • Westray, Eday, Sanday (3 setts)

Chapter Text

The subtribe Hominanus encompasses, per current agreement, twelve species and subspecies, divided in four seperate genus;

• Dwarves (Hominanus Nanus)

  • Redcaps (Hominanus Nanus 'Sangra')

    • Dunter (Hominanus Powrii)

  • Curupira (Hominanus Curupira)

• Pogebrins (Hominanus Pogebrin)

• Erklings (Hominanus Irx)

  • Bavarian Erklings (Hominanus Irx 'Bavarius')

  • Nari (Hominanus Naris)

• House-Elves (Hominanus Servitor)

  • Farfadet (Daemonai Fadetii)

    • Fatori (Daemonai Fator)

  • Yumbo (Hominanus Yumbo)

“Historically, Dwarves have been one of the most well-recognized magical Beings across the wixen and muggle-cultures. Their diminutive stature, extreme physical strength, love for all artisan crafts, and ability to 'smell' even the rarest gems through durable strata of rock, all this has made them a valuable ally in many wixen-ventures.

Originally native to Northern-Europe, they were historically confined to the Ural mountain-range, never venturing far from those cold peaks and certainly never beyond the foothills of that range. Only in fairly modern times, circa 950AD, did the first Dwarves venture beyond their ancestral lands, following human migration from Russia towards Siberia. From there on out, using their own unique brand of magick, they soon spread to most of the world's extensive mountain-ranges, often bringing them into conflict with local populations of Goblins and their brethren.

Between 1.300 and 1.500 AD, several small wars broke out between Dwarves and Goblins, instigated by a long-ongoing territorial dispute between the Dwarf- and Goblin-colonies of the Richardson Mountains, in the Brooks Range, North America/Canada. The dispute came to a head when a Dwarf was struck down by a falling tree and died – the tree had been hit by the Dwarf's axe and succumbed under the blow, but Dwarves took the opportunity to claim vendetta against the Goblins, saying it was a Goblin that began the discussion and thus killed the Dwarf by making the Dwarf strike the tree.

The local war spread across the neighbouring territories, all the way back to the Ural and into Europe. The tension in the Goblin-cultures across the globe was further increased when Wizards began to interfere with the Goblin banking-cultures in Europe. This eventually lead to the numerous Goblin Rebellions against Wixen governments.

…

A dangerous subspecies of Dwarf are the Redcaps, who delight in haunting fresh battlefields, bathing in the blood of slain humans and using corpses to build rudimentary weapons, huts, and traps. A favourite weapon is a human femur, which they wield with frightening efficiency and purpose. A single Redcap, to a Wixen, is no real threat – but to an unaware Muggle, a single Redcap can be a death-sentence.

The peculiar resemblance to House-Elves that Redcaps are famous for is a slight indication of their known origin, namely the possession of Dwarves by Fatori, as these demons can be Summoned merely by the copious spilling of blood on unhallowed ground. Indeed, Fatori have always been known to haunt forgotten battlefields where none left alive and all were slain.

Redcaps, being a Possessed creature initially, have thus a rather limited population, though they are known to breed between themselves, an union that produces Dunters, a type of 'natural' Redcap that like to haunt dungeons and caves. Eventually, all Redcaps either perish due to the effects of long-term possession or due to their bloodthirsty nature finally attracting a worthy foe, usually a Wixen who promptly slays the creature.

As such, there are no truly native colonies of Redcaps. Rather, they are an opportunistic species that arises naturally on any battlefield suitable to attract Fatori and near enough to a Dwarven burrow. What populations of Dunter that exist, however, are tightly controlled and kept small. Dunters are generally rather harmless, though they share a similar ecological role as the Grimm and the Banshee, able to sense an impending or approaching death and warning any living nearby of this by making the noise of a grinding grain-quern.

...

However, in South-America, the Dwarves underwent distinct evolutionary changes, in part due to local magical plants and in part due to the thaumaley that shape the magi-geography of that continent. Developing backwards-facing feet and gaining a shaggy coat of orange hair, they became a distinctly different species altogether, locally known as Curupira.

The feet seem to be a change due to the fact that the Curupira were locally hunted by native tribes, who believed that eating their heart was a way of gaining their innate powers.

…

As for their powers, Curupira are generally believed to have the innate power of illusion, able to conjure all manner of illusion to aid their goals of protecting the wildlife and hunting poachers. Their whistling language is known to drive Muggles insane, due to its sympathetic harmonisations, and it is one of the most complex languages on the world, be it Magical or Mundane.

...

The Pogrebin is attracted to Humans, and enjoys trailing them. When the Human turns around, the Pogrebin crouches down, and, because of its large head, resembles a rock. If the beast manages to tail a Human for a few hours, a sense of despair and futility will wash over the Human. When the victim sits or sinks to its knees to weep, the Pogrebin attacks and attempts to devour them.

The Pogrebin seems to have a peculiar connection with the Common Gnome, in part due to their similar appearance and due to their tendency to burrow their nests near human habitation like Gnomes do. Beyond that, however, there is little evidence to suggest they are somehow related and all conventional agreement is that Pogrebin are very much related more to Dwarves and the like.

…

Bavarian Erklings are the worst of the lot, being extremely violent and with a tendency to breed quickly. A single pair of mating Erklings of this variety can produce up to 70 offspring within their lifetime, a near exponential rate of growth in colonies of ten or more pairs initially – and considering that Erklings are mature from 1 year of age makes this even worse.

It is advised by the Confederation that non-native populations are Bavarian Erklings, and Nari for that matter, are exterminated once they are identified, to prevent a decimation of the local ecosystem and a potential breach of the Statute of Secrecy.

…

The Nari, having gained their name from Norse mythology, are believed by some to be the source of the Lycantrophy-curse – though if this is true, is unproven. More likely, this rumour comes from the Norse myths surrounding the binding of Loki by the entrails of his son Nari after the latter was disemboweled by his brother Narfi, who had been changed into a wolf by the other gods. This link of a man being changed into a wolf and killing his brother, is undoubtedly the origin of this rumour.

The Nari, though possessed of an innate ability to change their appearance mildly, are a relatively peaceful race, considering their close relations to Erklings. They often root in ancient grooves, protecting the spot from human interference and tending to all the flora and fauna in their territory.

...

And so, at last, we come to House-Elves, the most valuable servitor-race en employ by wixenkind. They are smart, strong, well-adept at higher forms of magic, and loyal to a fault.

The exact origins of House-Elves are lost, but are presumed to be Phoenician, first documented sometime around 2.500BC in clay-tablet mentioning an exchange between owners of “one bound fator worth twice the owner's weight in grain”. This is also the oldest clue pointing towards their descendance from Fatori, servitor-demons bound to their Summoner by blood and life.

...

And, of course, how could we forget to mention some notable individuals in House-Elf society, such as Mooky the House-Elf? Or Pitts the Eager?

…

So, in 1799, as the three sons of the Lord were about to cross the North-Sea, the ship upon which they'd been sailing was caught in a severe storm. Quickly, the ship started taking in water and the sons, untrained in Apparition or Bubblehead-Charms, were surely to perish. But one of the sons had the nouse to call upon their family's House-Elf, Mooky, who came swiftly to the rescue and saved all three sons, but succumbed to magical exhaustion and went down with the ship. In honour of his deed, Mooky was enshrined as a hero via many statues erected in his honour in the Ministry, Diagon Alley and Hogwarts.

Even now, almost 200 years later, Mooky is still hailed as the epitome of a heroic House-Elf and loyal servant to his family.

…

And amongst the famous Hogwarts House-Elves, none is as famous as Pitts the Eager, who came into employment at Hogwarts in 1888, serving the school faithfully for the past 95 years. Since promoted as Head of Kitchen, Pitts is almost solely responsible for all administrative functions in Hogwarts' kitchens.

...

- Excerpt of Pseudo-Linnaeus' "Thesis on the lesser people's of Gaia" (1983).

D.O.M. NOTE (13/07/2013);

Further phylogenetic research conducted as part of our Mundane/Mage research programs has uncovered new evidence invalidating several older notions, such as the place of certain creatures. Most have been given their correct place in other genera and some have been given their own unique genera separate to earlier established ones. It is our hope that this will, eventually, allow for further research in the true origin and place of these species in our seelie court's order.

Following changes have been made to the old hierarchy;

• No changes made - current phylogenetic tree further condoned via new fossil and archaeological evidence.

For further information on the aforementioned and newly-added species, please refer yourself to the D.O.M.'s welcome desk where you will be cleared and/or Obliviated should it come out you lack the clearance to access these records as dictated by the 2012 Ragnarok Act provisions. Attempts to copy this data without D.O.M. approval will result in the activation of anti-mnemetic agent Alpha-Seven. Attempts to counteract the activation of the anti-mnemetic agent will result in immediate termination and approval to use your body for scientific research as decided per D.O.M. priorities.

Figured below is the now classification as recognised by the Global Union of Peoples, courtesy of the research programs approved by President-Elect, Thomas Marvolo Riddle-Gaunt, and Head of Peoples' Research Department, Hermione Jean Granger, and funded by the International Research Commitee.

Chapter Text

“The subtribe Sirenia encompasses, per current agreement, six species and subspecies, divided in two separate genera;

• Sirens (Sirenia Sirenia)

  • Selkie (Sirenia Selkus)

    • Caesg (Sirenia S. ‘caesgus’)

  • Nixy (Nix Nix)

  • Harpy (Sirenia Harpenus)

  • Merrow (Sirenia S. ‘oceanus’)

• Nymphs (Tritonia Tragedus)

  • Naiad (Tritonia Naiadus)

    • Melusine (Melusina Melusinus)

  • Nereid (Tritonia Nereidus)

“The true Siren finds her origin in Achelous’ submission to Oceanus’ rule over the ocean waves, being his daughters, gifted with the voices of gods, to sing and lure sinners to their watery doom tomb per their father’s orders. It was sirens who wove their song so that a sea serpent devoured the Seer Laokoon of Troy when he tried to warn the Trojans of their impending doom. What Oceanus desires, he orders their father and they beget.

Originally sprung from the foamy waters around the Sirenusas islands, so called after them, they are winged creatures rather than Merfolk – yet from them, it is said that all Merfolk spring forth. All Merfolk have a deep love for song and singing, a divine inspiration that evidences their divine origin according to Aristotle and Linnaeus.

Since time immemorial, they have spread across the globe, adapting fully to their oceanic lifestyle, their daughters more like fish than bird as the true Sirens are. The only daughter species more akin to their mother than their divine father in guise are the cruel Harpies that inhabit the region of Thrace, where they are vengeful creatures said to be send by gods to torment sinners. So the gods have given sinners horror by either land or water, both being winged – nowhere to be safe from judgement.

…

Selkies and Merrow are Merfolk native to the Isles – Scotland and Ireland respectively, though major trade and migration happens between the two subspecies and cultural groups. As such, we usually refer to Selkies when it concerns the shallow-water-dwellers and to Merrow when it concerns the deep-water-dwellers.

Each cultural group has its own unique traditions and laws, with Selkies loving to trade and converse with wixen, eager to trade what cannot be made in water or human stories. Merrow are generally a more religious group, making long pilgrimages across undersea sediment rivers and travelling between their enormous abyssal cities which can house tens upon thousands of individuals across all ages.

Biologically, both groups have no true age limit, as they merely keep growing as they age, slowly reaching enormous sizes beyond certain ages. Still, they must be able to sustain themselves which eventually limits all growth to certain thresholds. As such, the largest merrow are slightly larger than the common blue whale – and indeed used to hunt these ocean giants before human overhunting severely depleted their numbers beyond safe culling. This heralded the death of many truly ancient Merfolk in turn, which led to enormous tensions between merrow and wixen. They saw all humans as at fault for the actions of these few whale-hunters.

…

Caesg were a specific group of Selkie that inhabit three connected rivers and had developed a fearsome taste for human flesh, alike hags, much favouring the first-bourne of local families due to ritual energies connected to first-born traditions across the worlds.

In 1786, the ICW culled the number of Caesg to less than a hundred, binding them and all their future progeny to an Oath never to eat human flesh again in return for their continued life. Still, the Oath does not prevent them from harming and fatally harming passers-by, thus necessitating the creation of the Caesg Preserve which prohibits the entry of any human.

…

The Nixy are freshwater Merfolk native to Central and Northern Europe, who like to grab and drown anyone who passes by their ponds or lakes. Extremely territorial, they are almost exclusively solitary, only seldom coming together to mate – though even this is not needed, as they are technically able to procreate asexually, spawning identical offspring, never more than two. Usually, maturation occurs via the killing of whatever sibling they had and their parent.

They spawn like fish, with each Nixy able to produce both caviar and sperm. As such, they are grown commercially by certain enterprising wizards – despite an ICW ban on this, due to their status as Being/Creature. Still, Nixy Caviar can be purchased to this day, if one knows where to go…

…

Nymphs are, generally, less Being and more a Spirit – though even this is not true. They are part of that select group of creatures that straddle both worlds, mundane and divine, arising naturally from local worship to gain physical mortal form, thereafter acting like any natural being instead of a spirit prayed into being…

…

Indeed, most well-known are the Naiad and the Nereides, those who inhabit freshwater versus those who inhabit salt water…

…

The Melusine are daughters of the Naiad, native to North-Western Europe, where they are known as ‘fairies of the waters’ who can transform to be like human woman, but whose true nature is revealed when being submerged in water reveals their serpentine fish-tails and other traits. There are various tales of them seducing men and begetting daughters from their union, who they take with them, back into their waters, as to replenish their populations. Still, they seem to be able to form true romantic relations with their human mates, some opting to spend their whole lives with their husbands until either the husband dies or until the call of the water to return home can no longer be denied…

…”

- Excerpt of Pseudo-Linnaeus' "Thesis on the lesser people's of Gaia" (1983).

D.O.M. NOTE (13/07/2013);

Further phylogenetic research conducted as part of our Mundane/Mage research programs has uncovered new evidence invalidating several older notions, such as the place of certain creatures. Most have been given their correct place in other genera and some have been given their own unique genera separate to earlier established ones. It is our hope that this will, eventually, allow for further research in the true origin and place of these species in our seelie court's order.

Following changes have been made to the old hierarchy;

• The Genus Sirenia has been renamed Lamarium, with the old genus Lamarium having been consolidated across several others as it is no longer recognised as a true genus an sich.

• The Sirens and the Harpy have been removed from this genus, relocated to their own separate genus as in accord to new evidences.

• Merrow has been given its own species and three sub-species;

  • Merrow

  • Selkie

  • Caesg

• Nymphs have been consolidated as three subspecies of one species;

  • Nereids (Ocean)

  • Naiades (Rivers/Lakes)

  • Melusine (NW Europe, Shape-Shifting abilities)
    
    

For further information on the aforementioned and newly-added species, please refer yourself to the D.O.M.'s welcome desk where you will be cleared and/or Obliviated should it come out you lack the clearance to access these records as dictated by the 2012 Ragnarok Act provisions. Attempts to copy this data without D.O.M. approval will result in the activation of anti-mnemetic agent Alpha-Seven. Attempts to counteract the activation of the anti-mnemetic agent will result in immediate termination and approval to use your body for scientific research as decided per D.O.M. priorities.

Figured below is the now classification as recognised by the Global Union of Peoples, courtesy of the research programs approved by President-Elect, Thomas Marvolo Riddle-Gaunt, and Head of Peoples' Research Department, Hermione Jean Granger, and funded by the International Research Commitee.

Chapter Text

On Vampires, Nosferatii, and their offspring.

A particular branch of the Maledictus Vitalis curse mutated around 1450CEⁱ, giving rise to a new branch of magickal beings from wixen, called Vampires. These beings are compelled by the curse to seek out human blood to consume and replace their own defective blood, suffering from severe iron-defficencies and other aneamia-related issues. Upon consumption of human blood, these tissues are magickally repaired until the new blood is fully affected again by the curse. Young vampires need to replace their blood every four months, while older vampires might need to feed as often as twice per week, depending on their age. They are not to be confused with Nosferatii, a magickal creature almost identical in behaviour.

Vampires

Vampires can not shapeshift, can use magic, are not terribly affected by sunlight beyond easily getting sunburned, and can easily die from any grievous enough a wound (such as staking the heart, decapitation, extreme bloodletting, …). In case of proper management of the curse, vampires can reach ages of 150 to 200 years, similar to regular wixen.

Their main physiology is nearly identical to that of normal wixen, with exception of the blood curse that perpetually destroys their blood cells and causes chronic aneamia. Should a vampire not ingest uninfected blood on regular basis, the blood-cycle will gradually become untenable, and the body will start experiecing all the symptoms and consequences of acute anemia.

They can not infect other wixen with the curse, unless the vampire's blood directly enters the blood-stream of a bitten victim. Following infection, there is no real bond between vampire and victim, quite unlike to Nosferatii. However, human social tendencies cause vampires to seek each other out, seeking safety in numbers. Most vampires are aided by the I.C.W. in gaining access to blood-bank donations, foregoing the need to seduce and feed from victims directly. However, some rogue elements always occur – and these are always dealt with by the vampire community itself. Offenders are haunted down by vampire elders and often handed over to the I.C.W. for appropriate punishment and rehabilitation. Some clans keep such cases quiet and deal with it themselves, but clans officially recognized and aided by the I.C.W. have to adhere to I.C.W. justice.

However, the oldest clans in time have developed the ability to withstand the sun fully and are able to use hypnosis to thrall their victims. There is evidence that with enough time, a vampire will become more and more akin to the Nosferatii, including the ability to turn a wixen into a half-vampire via ingestion of a vampire's blood.

Nosferatii

Nosferatii have the ability to shapeshift, can not endure sunlight, can not die unless decapitated, are extremely feral, and are bound to their ancestral grounds. They can reach ages of 100 years, though often much lesser due to their aggressive behaviour towards humans and territorial behaviour towards eachother.

They are extremely instinctual predators, stalking prey within their territory without regard for stealth or subtlety. One of their favourite methods of feeding is to jump upon the victim's back, not letting go as they whip the victim up into a frenzied panick, letting the victim run and scream until they collapse from exhaustion. At that point, the nosferatu will drain the victim of all its bodily juices, leaving only a withered husk behind. However, should the Nosferatu be interrupted during the feeding process and the victim survive, the victim will become infected by the creature's dark magick.

If the infection is not cured, the victim will become a thrall – a mindless puppet that does the bidding of any nosferatii. Bereft of all prior memories and higher reasoning, the thrall will mirror its master's actions, feeding on newer victims with equal savagery. Particularly old thralls may eventually enter a state of hibernation and mold into a new-born nosferatii, bound to the land upon which it emerges through a link with the magickal reserves of the territory. If a nosferatu is away from its grounds for too long, this link breaks – and this results in the gradual weakening of the creature, eventually followed by its death.

The I.C.W. has a division that deals with extremely feral Nosferatii which cause deaths or actively create thralls.

Dampires

Dampires are the offspring between Nosferatii and wixen, almost exclusively born to wixen women. Stuck in a limbo between wixen and creature, they have a dual-nature that can be extreme. During the day, a dampire can generally cross for a normal vampire – able to withstand sunlight, looking very human, with no extreme antisocial or aggressive behaviour. They need to feed once a week, in a manner similar to vampires. But if they do not find sustenance or actively forego it, they can enter a state of extreme aggression known as Blood Frenzy. In this state, they will hunt in a manner almost identical to that of their Nosferatu sire, seeking out prey and delighting in terrifying said prey before draining them completely. They age slowly, often able to reach ages of 250 years and older.

Interestingly, those who survive a Blood-frenzied dampire's attack are not in danger of being infected and becoming either a vampire or a thrall. They will carry the dark magick of a nosferatu in their core, yes, and experience a greater appreciation for bloody steak, but otherwise remain completely normal. Of note is the fact that they are afterwards immune to infection from both vampires and nosferatii. Indeed, nosferatii even go as far as actively avoid a dampire-attack survivor.

For further information on the aforementioned and newly-added species, please refer yourself to the D.O.M.'s welcome desk where you will be cleared and/or Obliviated should it come out you lack the clearance to access these records as dictated by the 2012 Ragnarok Act provisions. Attempts to copy this data without D.O.M. approval will result in the activation of anti-mnemetic agent Alpha-Seven. Attempts to counteract the activation of the anti-mnemetic agent will result in immediate termination and approval to use your body for scientific research as decided per D.O.M. priorities.

Figured below is the now classification as recognised by the Global Union of Peoples, courtesy of the research programs approved by President-Elect, Thomas Marvolo Riddle-Gaunt, and Head of Peoples' Research Department, Hermione Jean Granger, and funded by the International Research Commitee.

Chapter Text

“... and thus the Lessening, as historical scholars and classical researchers have come to call it by 1699, is intrinsically tied into the slow but gradual decay of Hogwarts' Magickal foundations. Further evidence of this can be found in the casual yet disconcerting “decay” of the Forbidden Forest – which used to be called the Greenwood by all local Wixen inhabitants and the School's custodians. Its gradual corruption has only been staved off in its acceleration by the introduction of the current herd of Centaurs circa 1780 – when a herd native to South-West Wales sought protection due to the ever-growing encroachment of Muggle expansion upon their native pastures. The Aarde Accords were signed in 1791, solidifying and finalizing the herds' right to claim the Greenwood as their own and act is its own custodians and protectors. In the next chapter, we shall discuss the importance of this decision on the native magi-flora still found around Hogwarts today...”

“Though most of the School remains unaffected by the Lessening, certain areas have seen a noticeably diminishing since 1495 – and the rate of shrinking has steadily increased since 1713, and worsened again in 1941. It only became stable around 1981, presumably due to the death of the Dark Lord Voldemort, who had been fostering an imbalance between the Courts bound to've been fatal had he not been beaten. However, even though the Lessening has stabilized, it has not stopped....

At current rates, it is predicted that Hogwarts will reach a point of no return in terms of stability and probably recovery as early as 2012 and as certain as 2020. No contingency plans have been made public, or known to be developed, by the Ministry in regards to Hogwarts' future once this point has been reached. One thing remains certain, however, and that is that Hogwarts will not be able to function as a School of Witchcraft and Wizardry should this point be reached – due to the inherent instability of its countless Wards and Extension Charms by that point. Using the superstructure to teach magic beyond this point will invariably cause a Dark Meridin Threshold Event, causing a tempo-spatial causal collapse of the superstructure down to its Founding, predicted to erase it – and anyone caught in the Event – to be effectively erased from history. It's further predicted this will cause a Moth Ripple causation, by which all recorded and remembered knowledge of the School will eventually be erased completely – though researchers estimate the chances of this happening to be less than 5%, with an error-margin of 2% for each year beyond the earliest predicted year...”

“... indeed, the earliest recorded signs of Hogwarts' Lessening date from 1501 – though it was only recognized as such once the Lessening became more properly recorded and researched. As in the words of famed Wixen poet Barnabas Collins;

“Oh Hogwarts fair and proud,
with thy turrets and towers high,
boundless harvest in wood green
and lake calm and clear,

Oh how I long for thee,
and thy wells of lore,
from days beyond my years
to centuries beyond my death,

But lo, I see thee wilt,
Lesser already hast thou become,
No longer clear are the walls
of thy Grand Hall.

And corridors I have lost,
never again found even now,
which'd been there before
the lights slowly dim...”

Other evidences of the Lessening can be found, for example in sketches and doodles from students between 1530 and 1630, showing the same corridors yet evidencing heavy alterations in the years between. The corridors were identified via the unchanged elements – such as placement of windows, number of windows, ...”

“Certain fringe theories, not generally regarded as credible or even plausible, point to a hypotheses of gradual magickal decline across the European continent. Historical scholars, however, have demonstrated that the unmatched feats of wizardry recorded in folklore and legend are not, indeed, the effect of a greater abundance of magickal energies purported to exist in the time those events took place – but are rather the natural result of subtle embellishments as often made in orally recorded tales...”

“... and it is strange, then, to recognize that the effects of the Lessening are not recorded worldwide or even at all beyond certain areas. Indeed, though magickal wells of power have diminished across the world since the 1500's, the Lessening is not evidently present in the African heartlands, the Indian Subcontinent, the Japanese Islands, the Zeelandian Islands, the South-American heartlands, …”

“American Wixen First Nations are mourning the loss of Proudfoot Merryweather (public name, not his true name, to be used when adressing him outside his private circles), the last child of the uncolonised First Nations born before the European powers began colonizing the New World continents. Born on the 20th of June, 1492, he experienced first-hand the initial waves of European colonisation and exploitation of his people and their Wixen subgroups. He survived, and became...

...

The loss of this incredible leader marks the end of an Age, as many considered him the last true Mage of the Silver Age. Indeed, Merryweather's incredible longevity was always a subject of admiration and debate, often leading to intrusive questioning and breaches of his personal privacy in both his private estate and his clan's territorial grounds. His last comment on this sensitive subject was given publicly in 1952, before he was officially granted a Taboo on the subject, preventing further questioning of it afterwards. “My age is nothing more than the will of the Spirits, of my ancestors, the lands which I swore to protect, and the energies given to me by those who believe in me and trusted me to protect them. She has given me long life to restore my people's hopes, indeed the hopes of all First Nation cultures across the world. A wrong must be made right, and though I shall not see this come to fruit, I shall have planted the seeds for others to harvest when they blossom. So mote it be.”...

There are those who call for a new Age to be heralded, and tough this is generally accepted as to be done, debate rages heavily about what to call it. Popular opinion to call this new chapter in Wixen global history the Bronze Age is derided by several magical leaders across the world who deny this age should be held or regarded to lower standards than the previous.

“This is a momentous occasion, as we can truly step into the future and grasp it with our hands. Tough sad as it is to see an age of classical wealth and power come to an end, we must recognize the following; We are not a Lesser Time! We stand on the shoulders of giants and we shall continue to strive for great achievements, as ever before!...” This speech by Minister Cornelius Fudge, current political elected leader of the Wixen Isles of Britain, was wholeheartedly accepted by his contemporaries across Europe and North-America, though it was derided as Colonial Imperialist propaganda by several leaders across Africa and Asia – who gladly reminded him of the continued decline of magical prowess across the globe, a subject heavily debated in academical circles...”

Chapter Text

“The Vitamimus Charm is, undoubtedly, one of the most well-known Charms if not particularly a well-practiced one. Used to imbue a painting with a sense of life and personality, the efficacy of the Charm depends wholly on the level of control the caster has over their magickal core and how well developed that core is. As such, it is often assumed wrongly that haughty or arrogant people can not cast the Charm successfully – however, many examples to the contrary are recorded.

For as 'simple' as the casting of the Charm is, the difficulty of its execution makes it notorious. Many people, when attempting the Charm, often spectacularly fail at it – and as such, subsequent practice is often waylaid by bruised ego's. In actuality, the incantation and wand-movement are the easiest parts. The hard part is imbuing the spell with a deep sense of intent, focussed around a clear image of a mental self-portrait. As such, artefacts enchanted with the spell benefit from regular re-casting as the caster imbues the artefact with a new piece of personality with each successful cast...

Developed around 1300, the creator of the spell is unknown – but it began, with certainty, near the Middle East. The first recorded instances of Vitamimus-enchanted artefacts dates from Alexandria, Egypt – where 'alive busts' were sold on the black market to curious Sheiks and Sultans via intermediaries. The first recorded instance of the charm in Europe was circa 1320, when the Gryffindor family commissioned a portrait of Godric Gryffindor. However, due the fact that Godric was long dead by this point, the now-lost portrait was not a true mirror of Godric's personality. The spell was cast by the family patriarch, though the imbued personality traits were carefully selected by referencing history and biographies...

… however, one of the few unintended side-effects of the spell were not discovered until 1493, when the Maharajah Sing I had three separate portraits commissioned of himself and cast the spell on each a total of twenty-nine times before he eventually died. When the paintings were later installed in various government locations throughout India, it was discovered that they could wander from painting to painting – but only to the paintings of their 'siblings'. Later experimentations discovered permutations in the casting of the spell that would allow the same effect across previously unconnected paintings. Nowadays, moving paintings form a simple way of communication between people of influence – such as between the Minister of Magic and the Muggle Prime Minister.”

“The Vitamimus Charm – Vitamimi Ecfigius.

Wand-arm at 20° angle, wand held outwards in loose hand on 0° angle (horizontal).

Starting from here, raise wand in clean arc inwards, ending on 0° angle (horizontal).

From there, cut diagonally outwards while incanting the spell - hold aspect of personality clearly in mind throughout all steps.

From diagonal cut end, raise straight up and end with arm at 30° angle.

Repeat every month to strengthen the spell and add new personality traits.

Preferably, cast on a new moon (initially) and cast again on a full moon (repeating).

Addendum: Experimentation shows a clear preference to holly and oak wands for best results & poorer results when cast with yew or vine.”

“The Locomotor Draught was created in 1789, by Lord Percival Rembrandt the Elder, Master Potioneer, Master of Charms and Hexes. Based on the Spell of similar name and function, it is one of the few instances where a potion has managed to replicate the intended consequences of a spell – though not without a few caveats and exceptions.

Initially disregarded as a failed attempt at imbuing small statues with a temporary semblance of life via repetitive locomotion without the constant need of energy supplied by the magical core of the caster, it found a more promising potential use when the Muggle-Bourne inventor Thomas Wedgewood discovered the usage of silver nitrate to make simple shadow pictures with an advanced camera obscura. Utilizing magic to enhance the images beyond the non-magical capabilities of the device, he created the first proper photograph in 1803. Due to the magical assistance needed to clarify the pictures, his design of 'camera' did not find a way into the Muggle sciences until 1826 – when another Muggle independently designed a functional non-magical camera.

First trials with the potions happened in joint cooperation between Lord Percival and Master Thomas, resulting in the first successfully animated photograph in 1827. The photograph can be viewed at the Ministry's National Museum of Wixen Arts in Dublin, where it is viewed by thousands of Wixen on a yearly basis.”

Chapter Text

“... And as such, after numerous trials and experiments, all conducted in the secure safety of the Department of Mysteries, Croaker's Law remains astute and unbendable. Five hours thus remain the limit in which one can remain in the past, before the extended presence of a future-asynchronous entity begins to cause irrepairable harm unto the direct material world and local time-space continuüm as dictated per Newtonian Mechanics and Einsteinian Relativity.

It was also observed, ever since testing began, that Time-Turners can be specifically constructed as to force their user to obey the Novikov Self-Consistency Principle (as stipulated by noted Muggle Physicist Igor D. Novikov), both on a subconscious and conscious level. In effect, the user can not force themselves to disrupt the time-stream in such a way that self-erasure or the un-birthing of other individuals becomes a possibility. As of March 1983, all Ministry-created Time-Turners are constructed upon this principle effect – which had the added benefit of further stabilizing the Hour-Reversal Charms that lie at the core of Time-Turner creation.

As of March 1991, this principle of Self-Consistency has been proven mathematically by Muggle-born Wizarding Physicist David Deutsch, using Muggle computational devices – in which was proven that quantum computation with negative delay can only produce self-consistent solutions in polynomial time, thus also solving various well-known P-Space problems in polynomial time. Exceptions have been proven by the Department of Mysteries, but they only strengthen the resuls of Deutsch's research in all regards.

...

As per Confederation Laws, Time-Turners are also limited to their Single Hour leap-limit. And per those same Laws, all Time-Turners are re-constituted after each recent event recognized as a Historical Moment. As explained in Chapter V, this thus limits the Time-Turner's Leap-Horizon to its reconstitution after such event, preventing nefarious individuals from too greatly altering the past in their favour and detriment. Furthermore, recent Confederation Laws have limited the amount of Time-Turners per Ministry to one per thousand citizens under that Ministry's control (not including pre-Confederation devices of similar design, which remain categorized under Familial Heirlooms and are thus exempt from Communal Artefact stipulations).

Kronos, the agency responsible for international guidelines as adopted by the Confederation regarding Time-Turners and all other time-travel devices, also remains the sole entity capable of tracking and registering all time-travel as performed by Magicals and Non-Magicals (to date, no Non-Magical has managed to time-travel without the aid of a Magical or a Magical Artifact. Kronos, however, remains of the unanimous conviction that this shall not remain so, to the scorn of many Ministries and Administrations worldwide. Wether they are correct shall only be proven in time).

...

As of August 1973, proclaimed by the British Wizengamot and the Confederation Council, illegal use of a Ministry-approved or stolen Time-Turner is punishable by seven years conditional confinement in Azkaban, or by twenty years unconditional confinement in Gaol.”

Chapter Text

"The Herpian Holocaust, so named after Herpo the Foul, who is widely believed to be the root-cause of the events that instigated this historical occurrence, did lead to the near-extinction of all Mediterrenean wixen-cultures, both Illume, Dark, and everything betwixt. The Roman Conquest, happening just a few hundred years later between 190 BC and 400 AD, undid whatever recovery had happened in the time between, further restricting the rather precarious recovery of old knowledge for a period of almost 600 years. During this period, wixen communities had trouble expanding beyond their previous borders and all manner of research or recovery of old knowledge was hampered by the presence of the Roman magistrates and their enforcement of Romanising local cultures.

It resulted in the first known recordings of several feats of magic now classically classified as Dark Magic. These include, but are not limited, Basilisks, Horcruces, Sphinxes, and Subnalea.

…

The end of this war saw the Mediterrenean wixen-communities impoverished to less than a quarter of their numbers prior. This, combined with the mass migration during the conflict, left the Mediterrenean wixens reduced to less than 700 individuals across the board, no matter their heritage. It took 2000 years before their population reached pre-conflict numbers, only exceeding this number by the year 1898, when census reached 20.000 wixens alive across the whole Mediterrenean region.

...

By 400 AD, there were no Parselmouth communities extant within the Roman Empire – and within greater Europe, their presence had become limited to just a few dozen individuals. By 900 AD, around the time that the groundworks for Hogwarts were laid, Salazar Slytherin was one of just thirteen individuals left with the ability.

Yet, outside of the Indo-European socio-economical sphere of influence, Parseltongue remained remarkably extant and stable. Especially in India, there were many thriving Parselmouth communities until the late 19th century. During the 18th and 19th century, many individuals from these Indian wixen communities emmigrated to the New World, to join with Native-American Parselmouths in the American wixen-communities.”

Chapter Text

Rite of Magickal Majority is an often desperate call upon magick to favour her chosen people in voting sessions by giving them veto, usually invoked by those desperate to prove their innocence – or used by those who have a majority of Wizengamot seats under their commands to officially prove their right for a veto-vote. Calling upon this rite activates the pair of statues of the dualistic male Lugh-Utu & female Justicia, who shall then test the magic of their caller and grant them a veto-vote if proven worthy.

Their statues stand atop a plint, behind the Minister's seat, overlooking the Wizengamot. Every Wizengamot session is, by Law, required to open by hailing their impartial and divine sense of justice before the agenda may be discussed. However, this custom has fallen in disrepair and the ritual hasn't been done in the last three centuries. The effects are obvious – though none can see them as such. Where they rule over the Laws of the Accords, they are also invoked to resolve conflicts in regards to the folk-ways of internal communities where the Laws have less bearing.

Their statues stand together, Lugh-Utu with left leg forwards and Justicia with right leg forward. In their hands, LU left hand and Justicia right hand, they clutch a yardstick together, which is exactly 1 el long (70 cm). Across his chest, clutched with his right hand, Lugh-Utu holds a ring and shepherds' crook (Egyptian crook). Upheld at the height of her shoulders with her left hand, Justicia upholds a set of scales, with an olive branch between her fingers. Upon the scales lay an augury feather (left scale) and a set of seven scrolls (the Wizengamot Accords, sanctified by Magick herself)(right scale). Held in a quiver on his back, Lugh-Utu carries the Spear of Assal and a golden pruning saw. Solar discs decorate his robes in patterns of golden weave. Justicia is blindfolded, with a third eye painted across her forehead in lapis lazuli dye. She carries on her left hip, a double-edged sword lacking a guard or pommel (for truth is a double-edges sword that spares neither liar or detective, and cuts fact from fiction). Their number is 6 (six) when together, but 2 (two) and 4 (four) when separate. Apart, they are not stable – and together they're more powerful. Their number is two pairs of three, one of the most powerful magickal numbers. Three is the wisdom of life's cycle of Maiden, Mother, Crone. Two is the harmony of Life and Death, fact and fiction, light and dark, of opposition and complements.

Lugh-Utu, a composite presentation of Sumerian and Celtic religious iconography for their respective gods of Justice, an union of old and new, east and west. Called the Long-Arm of justice in both religions, he is also an aspect of several solar deities and archetypes, with the solar disc as his main motive.

Justicia, also known as Dike or part of Dike, is the female goddess of justice in the Greek pantheon. She uses her sword to cut fact from fiction and her scales to weigh actions against recorded laws. With her blindfold, she distinguishes herself to only hear facts and not be biased by external appearances (such as societal status, gender, beauty, …).

Worship of their separate entities has been done for millennia, in Lugh-Utu's case since Mesopotamian times and for Justicia since the Roman Empire's conception. They are not solely representations of contemporary or historical deities, but rather serve as figure-heads of their general concepts, a recognition of the multitude of Magick's and divinity's faces. An amalgam of features, attributes, and rituals, they form a new whole that works because they're not just a single identity but a multitude of many as one, a legion masquerading as an individual pair.

Most Wixen worship varying deities, ranging from Utu to Lugh and Isis to Hecate to Panacea. Each deity is considered as valid as any other, and rituals are generally unstandardised, even though several more public holidays, such as Imbolc and Yule, are standardized according to pre-Christian spirituality and religious ritual. This is done solely to enable a public worship of magic and gratitude towards life, rather than solely as a celebration of the religious cults that supplied the rituals. Much as religions and populations have heavily diversified and changed in the intervening millennia, so too have all the ancient ways.

Chapter Text

Much has been said and written about the Dementors of Azkaban, amortal beings that thrive on positive emotions via a form of psycho-pomp behaviour, whereby they siphon the energy of those positive memories from their victims. And then there's the Dementor's Kiss, of course, which leaves their victim in a comatose state until they expire.

Much of Dementor's origin is shrouded in mystery, but what we do know is horrific enough for anyone to make a great berth around any of the beings. Historically, Dementors were first encountered when a group of Ministry-employed Curse-Breakers explored the then-unnamed island of Azkaban. Muggles had stumbled upon the island just a month earlier and had fled in pure terror, spreading tales of horrible demons roaming the island in a titanic castle, sucking all warmth out of the air and their souls. Whispers of satanic rites and worship quickly lead to the Ministry getting wind of the previously Unplottable island, and sent an investigative team to find and neutralize the threat. The team never returned. A second team was dispatched after three days of no contact, twice as large. The exact details of this excursion are unknown, locked behind the locks of the DoM.

Warning; Following section should not be accessed by anyone, except Unspeakables currently active within the Department of Mysteries. Forcing access to the following section will result in the activation of an Anti-Meme Curse, leading to apprehension by the DoM and life-imprisonment.

Discovery & Securing of Azkaban.

Incursion began at 8.27AM, 31^th July 1569, lead by Team Beta. Team Gamma entered superstructure exactly ten minutes later, at 8.37AM.

Beta encountered no hostiles for the first 89 minutes, reaching the fifth floor before contact was made. Traditional offensive measures proved ineffective, Beta retreated to the third floor. Contact lost with Beta 10 minutes after their retreat, at 10.16AM.

Gamma encountered no hostiles for the first 139 minutes, descending more than thirty floors below the surface level. On the 29^th floor, Gamma encountered the remains of almost 500 Muggle sailors, in various stages of decay or stasis, all locked away in secure cells. All were experimented upon. At 10.56AM, on the 31^th floor, they entered the first of many laboratories later discovered. Here, they discovered the remains of 130 Inferi, all kept in stasis in deep pits. Magickal instruments and tools indicated the usage of necromancy via essential salts. This was later confirmed during subsequent investigations.

Gamma continued descending, finally reaching the lowest floor, the 66^th floor. Here, they encountered the being later known as the Matron – later investigations revealed it was the first Dementor successfully created by the Elemental Chaos Mage Ekrizdis. The Matron was imprisoned within a Runic circle, which would form the base for the modern version of the Patronus Charm developed by the DoM twenty years later, in 1599. Within this floor were the residential quarters of Ekrizdis, along with all his written records. These records have since been sealed and stored within the DoM.

Gamma made contact with the Matron, who understood who they were and why they were here. In return for their freedom from the runic circle, they made a Vow that they and their 'offspring' would not harm any Unspeakable ever. Gamma made contact with home base, to explain the situation, asking clarification on how to move forward. Home base agreed with the Matron's terms.

Gamma deactivated the Runic circle at 4.00AM, 1th August 1569, after making an Unbreakable Vow with her on behalf of the DoM – not on behalf of the Ministry. The Matron left, vacating the prison with her offspring, wandering the sea around the island until such times when Gamma would leave.

This allowed home base to send in Teams Delta, Epsilon, and Zeta, to secure the structure and locate the whereabouts of Team Beta. The remains of Team Beta, all in comatose condition, were located and retrieved 2^nd August. Structure was fully secured on 15^th August.

Full cataloguing of structure was finished on 31^th September, 1571. The remains of 1366 Muggles and Wixen were recovered from the structure's various cells, laboratories, and holds. Full count of all Dementors was finished on 31^th August 1570 – 359 Dementors were identified via individual traits and characteristics. The essential salts of 92 historical figures were identified, neutralized, and properly re-buried in their known grave-sites. 152 personal journals were recovered, written by Ekrizdis, spanning almost 33 years of his time on the island. These journals detailed the discovery of the island, the raising of its protective wards, the placing of the rune-stones needed to make it Unplottable, his experiments on Muggles and Wixen, his raising of the death via essential salts, and his gradual decent into madness.

39 notebooks detail the approximate 53 years after the last dated coherent entry in the journals. These notebooks were in achronical order, though some dated entries exist, through which a loose timeline of events could be reconstructed.

891 Spell-books and Grimoires were recovered from an extensive library on the 61^th subterranean floor. These were in various states of upkeep, ranging from pristine to completely decayed. 55 House Grimoires were identified and returned to their rightful owners. 191 Family Grimoires were identified and returned to their rightful owners. 51 Grimoires of various historical figures were identified and sent to the DoM for further study. 43 of these Grimoires were released to public keeping in 1599, after which they were returned to the country of origin of their original owners. The remaining 594 books were either simple copies of common spell-books, magickal treatises, loose pamphlets, loose pages/documents, or items too decayed to be catalogued or restored.

Almost 500 jars of specimens were recovered, of which 137 contained parts of fetuses in various stage of development and intentional mutation. 76 jars contained parts of human anatomy, explained via journals and notebooks to be recovered via vivisection of persons experimented upon. 91 jars contained various alchemical compounds and chemical elements, explained via journals and notebooks to form the basis of all research committed on the prisoners of the island. The remaining 192 jars were lost in an accidental fire before their contents could be identified.

29 partially-complete Homonculi were recovered from stasis vats, along with 3 complete Homonculi, and 1 partially-complete Simulacrum.

5 false Philosopher's Stones were recovered, along with 2 partially-complete Stones, and 1 complete Stone. The complete Stone was neutralized in 1579, after detailed research and experimentation by the DoM.

3 Cloaks of Invisibility were recovered, already neutralized via the decay of their enchantments. 5 Cloaks of Midnight were recovered, already neutralized via the decay of their enchantments.

71 pieces of cursed jewellery were recovered and catalogued, of which 13 were lost after the accident responsible for the destruction of the 192 jars caused the stranding of the boat carrying the artefacts.

539 tools for the making of potions were recovered, neutralized, catalogued. 189 of these were later re-sold after they were deemed inoffensive. 251 were destroyed after they were deemed unusable or too unstable for storage.

79 vessels of various sizes (schooners, frigates, sloops, …) were recovered in glass bottles, Shrunken. These fulfilled an apparently decorative purpose, as they were found within the residential quarters of Ekrizdis.

The remains of Ekrizdis were never recovered, but subsequent interviews with the Matron revealed the high likelihood that the mage went fully insane by the end of circa 1530. All that is known is that one day, he left the structure and never returned. Ekrizdis is presumed lost at sea.

Warning; Following section should not be accessed by anyone, except Unspeakables currently active within the Department of Mysteries. Forcing access to the following section will result in the activation of an Anti-Meme Curse, leading to apprehension by the DoM and life-imprisonment.

Creation of & Cooperation with Dementors

So it seems that Dementors were the end result of a long line of experimentation towards a means of mental immortality. Using Lethifold properties, via Cloaks of Midnight, along with the unique properties of Bogarts and Obscurials, using a mundane host for the first successful experiment, the mage Ekrizdis managed to create an amortal being that thrives on the consumption of positive energies (that being energies that actively increase entropy within closed systems, such as a planetary biosphere, leading to ever increasing complexity such as biological evolution and the development of souls from Newtonian causality via the electrical impulse-firing between individual neurons).

Thus, prolonged exposure to the presence of these amortal beings enforces a decreasing state of entropy on the world around them (for example, leading to the loss of entropic movement between water molecules, thus lowering temperatures and causing subzero frigidity after a definite amount of time). In essence, given enough time, the presence of a Dementor can eventually cause cessation of the electrical bonds between molecules, or even atoms, causing the world about them to slowly decay into the most basic elements. Curiously, because of their properties, the release of radioactive decay waves is greatly inhibited, as the energy released is readily absorbed into the Dementor's being.

Core at the being of a Dementor is the host. Within the Matron, this host was originally a mundane, bereft of any magickal core. This original experiment caused a deviation of the intended goal, though the DoM is not sure for what reason or to what degree it differs. Curiously, only the Matron was bourne from a mundane host. All other identified Dementors to this day are bourne from a magickal host.

Secondary to the creation is the use of an Obscurial's essential salts, an amalgamation between Chaos magick and Creation magick, a curious mix that has unique properties as of yet unquantifiable or identifiable. What is know is that the Obscurial's essence is what allows for the amortal nature of the Dementor, as it creates a disconnect between the Mortal Plane and the Elysian Plane, casting a Dementor's essence outside the two into amortality.

Tertiary is the use of a Bogart's essence. This enforces the amortal nature of the Dementor thrice-fold, and allows for the feeding on emotional energy. It is also partially responsible for the sometimes amorphous characteristics of a Dementor's appearance and their ability to enter any space, no matter how small the entrance into it – though it must be mentioned that this seems to be a process that causes extreme discomfort and is not often utilized by them. Dementors are extraordinarily patient once they have found prey. It is not unheard of to hear about a Dementor waiting up to a year for its victim to come out of hiding.

Quaternary is the use of a Lethifold's essence, via the mantling of a Cloak of Midnight by the host prior to the final ritual. It binds Dementors to the mortal plane, unable to be cast out lest the cloak is neutralized – however, due to the nature of the ritual, the cloak is transmogrified into an unidentifiable material that as of yet can not be neutralized. Hence why Dementors are considered immortal – they simply, as of yet, can not be banished from this plane into another. The mantling also curses Dementors with a weakness to hallowed light (such as sun-light or a Divine Radiance spell). It repels them, forcing them to seek shelter in darkness.

All of these various usages of essential salts or products from various species has created a being wholly unique and without compare. Dementors also maintain the level of intelligence their human host possessed, which can cause problems with individual Dementors whose hosts could be considered brilliant and intuitive observers. Their eternal existence too works in their favour in this, as they never forget what they learn and they do not seem to posses a culture of any kind. As such, they often merely wander about in search of prey. And when they gather, they form an inward-facing circle, remaining in a sleep-like trance until prey disturbs them. It is for this reason that no Ministry personnel, except the assigned Warden of Azkaban Prison or the Unspeakable assigned the monthly payment, are allowed to speak with the Matron – who serves as the hive-mind centre for their species. They remember all any Dementor ever sees.

In exchange for our presence on the island and the usage of the fortress as an incarceration structure, the DoM and Ministry have a contractual agreement to supply the Dementors with a human victim once per month, on the day after the new moon if possible. Per ICW decree, these victims shall only be selected from prisons across the world that still implement the death penalty. The victim will be transported to Azkaban's central courtyard per Portkey and offered to the Matron for consumption. As of 1975, the ICW has been granted permission of 130 countries for this, as Azkaban is also allowed to serve as the lifelong internment structure for criminals whose actions earned them an international Court hearing. One famous exception of this is the Dark Lord Grindelwald, who is housed in his prior stronghold of Nurmengard into perpetuity.

The consumption of 'souls' by Dementors is also a poorly understood phenomenon. Little is understood about the mode of transfer between a soul's energy and a Dementor's constant intake of ambient positive energy. It is unknown if the soul remains within the Dementor's physical form, how it is broken down (if it is broken down), or how it is metabolized, or why a Dementor needs energy anyway. Unfortunately, the agreement between the DoM, the Ministry, and the Matron, prohibits any in-depth research of Dementor physiology and meta-physicality.

Dementors lack any human emotion, including apathy, sympathy, or empathy. They do not hate or love, fear or desire. When their instinct to feed surfaces, all higher logical reasoning is suppressed but not absent. They can be reasoned with outside of their feeding frenzy periods, can understand all languages (spoken or written, mundane or magickal, human or animal), and can reply in all languages if they so wish. They can be bound by Oaths and Vows, but will only seldom agree to this (the Matron and 1 other Dementor are the only ones known to have ever made such Oaths or Vows). Nothing can hide from their senses (they are hypothesized to have a form of True Sight, which sees through all disguises, manner of cloaks, or thin obstructions).

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Heirships

Heirships are a complex subject, with long history and a thousand legal caveats, but summarized below are the three most important distinctions of heirship in the larger Wixen community in the Isles.

Heir Apparent

Designated as immediate heir, without any other family who could contest the heirship with certainty or any real standing.

Heir Presumptive

Designated as immediate heir, though could be supplanted if the parents or current Lord/Lady gives birth to another child which could become the heir apparent.

Heir Beneficiary

Designated as immediate heir in a legally-certified will, no matter who would be heir apparent or presumptive otherwise. The two other terms usually only apply to cases where a will is absent, though a will can still solidify the two terms in legal writing.

Differences between a Family and a House.

In wixen legal code, a Family is any nuclear/anuclear wixen familial unit which has at least three generations of documented history in the Isles under a single shared surname/title. As such, a new bloodline from Muggle-descendance becomes a family after the Muggle-born patriarch/matriarch sees their first grandchild born. The bloodline gains the full rights of being a Family once the grandchild reached maturity.

In wixen legal code, a House is a bloodline that has earned the right of Family and has held that right for at least 75 years. In the time prior to this, they can not legally use the title of House, though they can sign up for the title of Vazal under the protection of another House. This would grant them several legal right that a Family does not have. However, under the banner of Vazal, they are bound to an oath of duty to the family they're bound to.

Houses of Nobility

The system of Houses and Vassals has existed as long within the Wixen community as it had in the mundane society of Britain, though the Wixens (for once) elected to keep things simpler for own sake. Instead of bothering with a rigid systems of dukes, earls, marquis, etcetera... They merely opted for an age-based system, where a Family's continued presence of British soil determines their noble standing within the Wizengamot's jurisdiction across the Isles. As such, the following system explains how old a House must be to earn a certain title.

Most Ancient and Most Noble House = >1000 years

Most Ancient and Noble House = 750 – 1000 years

Ancient and Noble House = 750 – 500 years

Noble House = 500 – 250 years

House = 250 – 75 years

Vazal = <75 years

Beyond this system, there is also a special designation for families that were present during the Founding (the time in British Wixen history when the first precursor of the Wizengamot was established). These families, provided that they also hold the title of Most Ancient and Most Noble House, earn the right to use the following title;

Utmost Ancient and Noble House

The number of seats that a house owns on the Wizengamot is often limited to 1 per title, meaning that a Lord of three Houses has three seats and thus three votes. However, a House can buy a permanent additional vote for 1 million Galleons, to be paid to the Ministry as recompense. However, a Lord or Lady of any House can only buy 1 additional vote during their lifetime, thus limiting potential abuse. And even when paid, finalizing the transaction demands approval from the Godpair themselves.

In the same way, a Vazal can pay 1 million Galleons to immediately elevate their family to a House instead of waiting for the allotted 75 years total, ensuring them a seat and vote early. Again, this is their only payment. They can not, afterwards, also pay 1 million Galleons to buy an additional vote.

Additionally, this transaction is solely available for Vassals, as a show of good will towards the greater community by giving back what they earned unto the economy. Once a family is a House, they can never again pay to elevate their station.

Additionally, all Houses are taxed 25.000 Galleons per year per vote, as a manner of upkeep to ensure that a House has enough investments going to fuel the limited Vixen economy. These taxes can be postponed once every three years, without penalty, but you can only postpone once per vote per decade. Failing to pay the taxes results in a voiding of the vote's validity in voting sessions. Failing to pay the taxes for a vote three times results in the voiding of the vote itself. If the seat wishes to regain the vote, they must once again pay the million Galleon price.

The vote connected to an Utmost Ancient and Noble House can never be voided and no taxes need be paid for its yearly upkeep. It is valid for the seat in perpetuity.

If the Lord or Lady of a House has a place on the Wizengamot in an official Ministry-apointed capacity (such as Chief Warlock or judiciary), then the seat has to be assigned to a proxy who must vote in stead. As long as the Lord or Lady of the seat finds themselves in their official capacity, the tax per vote is lowered to 10.000 Galleons per year.

To explain the full system, we shall use the following example;

A Muggle-born is born in 1800, within the territory of the Isles. As such, he is registered at Hogwarts from birth, due to start his education in 1811. He is now considered, in all legal ways, a Wixen.

In 1825, our first-generation wixen is married with another Muggle-born and together, they have a child. By legal rights, this child is now recognized as a Half-Blood – this is due to the fact that none of his grand-parents are wixen, but Muggles. He too is registered at Hogwarts.

In 1850, this child is now married too, with another Half-Blood, and they too have a child. By legal rights, the bloodline now has the temporary right of calling themselves a Family. The grandchild is now recognized as Pure-Blood – this is due to the fact that all of his grand-parents are wixen. He too is now registered at Hogwarts.

In 1867, the grandchild comes of age. The bloodline now has the unalienable right to call themselves a Family by all legal rights. From this point onwards, they are eligible to become a Vazal to an official House, as to earn several legal rights they'd otherwise lack (such as the ability to invest more than 10.000 Galleons yearly in the wixen economy of the Isles).

In 1942, after 75 years of being recognized as a Family, the bloodline earns the right to call themselves a House. They no longer have to be legally beholden as a Vazal to any House, though this status can continue in perpetuity as a matter of alliance in the political landscape. As a House, they earn numerous other rights (such as the right to have a seat on the Wizengamot and legally run for the position of Minister of Magic in the Isles).

In 2192, after 250 years of being recognized as a Family, the bloodline earns the right to call themselves a Noble House.

Mundane Nobility and Wixen Nobility.

Muggles in the United Kingdom have long had a complicated legal code that defines who can earn a noble title and which noble title has which rights or duties. It is a veritable smorgasbord of codices, treaties, etcetera...

Though the mundane titles of nobility are certainly able to be transferred into wixen legal code, they are by no means required to do so. Certain Houses and Families, such as the Malfoys and the Barnabies, hold on to the mundane noble titles they've been granted during the centuries they've been in the Isles – while others, such as the Bones' and Potters, have often opted not to carry the titles into the next generation after the Statute of Secrecy became law. As such, there's a fair share of dormant mundane titles of nobility that have languished in obscurity since the 17^th century, waiting for someone to re-awaken them and verify them again in the eye of modern mundane law.

Though many titles have since become obsolete and can no longer be awakened in any legal standing, they can still be used in legal documents, if only as a reminder of the bloodline's once lustrous history.

The Goblins, however, have their own views on noble titles. Considering how the very secretive Goblin society is known to be a meritocracy, they naturally wish no ado about hereditary noble titles. Rather, they only acknowledge titles earned in life by true deeds of merit – such as putting down rampaging creatures that caused great harm, or undoing curses that influenced public health, and such others. Therefore, Goblins utilize their own form of noble titles, often given only to wixen they find to be of value to Gringotts and their culture through their actions. A famous example of this was Lord Abraxis I Malfoy, who earned the title of Goblin-Friend for his lifelong dedication of buying back wixen-owned Goblin artefacts and returning the artefacts to the Goblins free of charge.

In regards to Goblin titles, much is likewise still unknown. Secretive and paranoid about wixen motives, Goblins almost never use any of their titles within earshot of those they designate as 'Impure' – by which they mean al sentient or sapient creatures that have not yet proven or failed to prove their worth towards the Goblin nations. Those who actively go against Goblin traditions and etiquette will often find themselves in a war of attrition they can not win – though such wars are never publicly acknowledged.

Indeed, for the worst of the worst, the Goblins have but one title – Meritbane. It is an acknowledgement of the negative worth of the individual in Goblin eyes. The title is never spoken outloud, safe via the Move-Speak they use with eachother (subtle behaviours and actions, often unnoticed or unseen by non-Goblins, where a thousand words can be exchanged via f.e. How a Goblin holds his hand when handing over money, or how they tilt their head when listening to a client).

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Potioneering Master Degrees

Prior to the 16^th century, the wixen world lacked a cohesive system through which a wixen could be called a Potioneering Master. In general, if you could brew three dozen potions without fault, it was enough to classify you as a master in the public eye.

This changed in 1591, when Nicholas Flamel argued for a stricter purview of the qualifications needed to be called a Master, in response to the deaths of many wixen and muggle 'alchemists' in the pursuit of the creation of the Philosopher's Stone. Feeling responsible for their deaths as his successfull creation of the Stone led them to attempt to copy his work, he succeeded in getting the proto-I.C.W. to install the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers, though it has since been superseded by the International Potioneering Society.

To apply for a Mastership, of the simplest rank, one merely has to achieve an Outstanding for Potions and Herbology in both their O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T.'s. From there on, certain qualifications are to be met before they are awarded a better rank. Of the thousands of Potioneering Masters worldwide, less then twenty hold the highest three ranks, which is telling of their harsh criteria – with reason, of course.

The most well-known Potioneering Master to date, as of 1991, remains the famed alchemist Nicholas Flamel, who holds the Black Cauldron rank (the only person currently alive to do so). He is famed for his 20^th century research on the twenty-five uses of Dragon's Blood, in cooperation with Albus Dumbledore (who, incidentally, is also the best-known Alchemist Master after Master Flamel).

Potioneering Masterships are divided in the following nine ranks;

Mortar & Pestle

Earning OWLs and NEWTs with O grades.

Stone Cauldron

Able to brew all Grade-C potions without fault (739 potions total)

Pewter Cauldron

Able to brew all Grade-B potions without fault (522 potions total)

Brass Cauldron

Able to brew all Grade-A potions without fault (119 potions total)

Copper Cauldron

Able to brew all Grade-S potions without fault (77 potions total)

Silver Cauldron

Completing an apprentice-ship under a Potions Master of Gold Cauldron rank

Gold Cauldron

Creating 1 new potion, granted if agreed by all Gold, Glass, and Black Cauldron rank Masters that the potion is both new and highly effective at its intended task

Glass Cauldron

Creating 10 new potions, granted if agreed by all Gold, Glass, and Black Cauldron rank Masters that the potion is both new and highly effictive at its intended task

Black Cauldron

Consisting of three requirements, given to only 1 Master every five decades;

• Discover five new purposes for old ingredients OR discover five new ingredients

• Create 5 new Grade-S potions

• Able to brew all Grade-T potions without fault (13 potions total)

•  

Potion Gradings

The difficulty of Potioneering and brewing depends heavily on the potion being made, and some potions likewise have more leeway for mistakes than others. Unofficial grading-systems existed before the 16^th century, but once the M.E.S.P. was founded, they quickly developed a standardized system for grading the difficulty of potions. Officially, only four grades exist – as the fifth grade, Grade-T (for Titan, as their brewing is a work of titans) is only taught to the best masters by their masters. Certain potions, after all, aren't fit for public knowledge – their existence could cause civil wars or terrorist attacks if widely known.

Grade-C

The simplest of potions. Much leeway is available for making faults, whilst still resulting in a usable brew. As such, however, their effects are seldom stellar. Examples include herbal concoctions used to bolster immune systems, such as Meriope's Mint Infusion (used to clear stubborn coughs and clogged noses by facilitating the natural immune response). Less magickal and more mundane – some of these can even be brewed by Muggles.

Grade-B

Still relatively simple, these potions usually have less leeway for mistakes and certain procedures (such as the importance of stirring directions and the amount of times an ingredient needs to be prepared) become more common. Examples include simple medicinal brews, such as Pepper-Up Potion or the Morning Craze Caffeine Concoction. Starting here, Muggles can not successfully brew them, though Squibs and Hedgewixen have no issue doing so when they focus properly.

Grade-A

These potions become increasingly tricky, with extended brewing periods and ingredient preparation or combinations. Examples include Amortentia and Polyjuice Potion. Unable to be brewed by Squibs or Hedgewixen due to the necessary infusion of active thauma from a developed magickal core in many potions.

Grade-S

These potions are considered NEWT-level difficulty in all institutions. Probability of making a successful brew becomes impossible with even a single mistake, and mistakes can result in potentially fatal unstable brews. These are the potions for which Potioneering Wards have been invented. Examples include Felix Felicis and the Wolfsbane Potion.

Grade-T

These potions are not taught to the general public, only to Potioneering Masters of the Gold Cauldron rank or higher. Not only are these potions incredibly complex, merely brewing them even in the correct way can result in fatal exposure. Examples include the Elixir of Life (derived from base potion excreted by the Philosopher's Stone) and the Vitamortis Ambrosium (the only known True Revivification potion in the world, able to rebind the soul and restore the body, no matter the time that has passed).

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Of Magickal Curses.

There are many curses in the wixen world, as varied and different as there are charms. However, we can distinguish three distinct types of magickal Curses of permanent nature; Curses related to the magickal core, to blood, or to the soul. This does not cover curses that are easily thaught as spells, or simpe ritual spells. It covers mostly Curses that are either hereditary, incurable, or untouchable by decree of magick herself.

It must also be noted that this distinction is made in what part of a magickal being that these curses affect. There is no distinction made on the type of magickal energy that fuels a curse – only on how it affects a magickal being. This also but a small selection of curses – we're treating the most dangerous and most common curses here, or those with the greatest impact on the world around it.

Mage-Core Curses.

Obscurus Curse.

Caused by the constant and regular suppresion of a developping wixen child's magickal core, the magickal core folds in unto itself, causing intense emotional trauma and causing irregular and powerful accidental magic. Eventually, if this process of in-growth and emotional trauma continues without treatment, the core simply explodes, undoing the human meta-form and afterwards existing simply as a semi-sentient mass of negative energies that is hellbent on destroying those responsible for its creation. A single Obscurial can devastate a city the size of London within a week. As such, and because of their danger to the Statute of Secrecy, Obscurials are routinely identified, hunted down and executed without second thought by the ICW.

It was believed to be impossible for an Obscurial to regain control over its abilities once it passed this point of amorphism, but a select few reports have given credence to the possibility (the most famous of which was the case of Credence Barebone). Likewise, it was believed to be impossible to seperate a wixen from the obscurial parasite that develops in their magickal core before the advanced stages of the curse, during which seperation of host and parasite disappears (this was proven possible by the Obscurus that was contained by Newt Scamander after its seperation from its host, though the host tragically expired from the shock of the process of seperation).

Squib Curse.

Caused by the persistent inbreeding of familial units, the magickal core of children affected by this curse is heavily suppressed to the point of near-uselessness. Ignorance of common wixen societies has come to see Squibs as embarrasing and to be ignored, by expelling the affected children from wixen culture and into mundane society. Here, the magickal blood of the Squibs will often lay dormant for several generations, before the curse is somehow mollified and neutralized. The effect is the sudden appearance of a wixen bourne to mundane parents, often with a larger-than-normal magickal core. Exactly how this happens or why is yet unknown.

Several degrees exist within this curse, depending on the severity of inbreeding and how 'fresh' the genetic material of descendants' partners is. The most famous are Squib (essentially a Mundane, with a dormant magickal core that can not be activated), Hedgewixen (essentially a Mundane, though they posses a dormant magickal core that can activate in times of extreme duress or stress, during which they can exhibit accidental magic without control), and Druid (posses a magickal core, but to control it, they need to perform elaborate rituals to aid them – the problematic logistics of these rituals are why Druids are relegated under the banner of Squib, along with Hedgewixen).

Aurora's Bane.

Caused by a ritual curse cast upon a wixen, the magickal core becomes depleted overnight, forcing the victim into a magickal coma of hibernation. During the next months, the core will attempt to regain its energy, but depending on the type of ritual or strength of the curse, this can take years. If not cared for, the victim can die from thirst, starvation, or exposure to the elements. The only known cure is a Life's Bond, which creates a connection between the cores of participants and allows the replenisment of the depleted core in a normal manner. The fact that this bond is sealed with a kiss has led to the mundane belief of true love's kiss being the cure to this magickal coma.

Cassandra's Gift

Caused by an ancient curse, the sufferer is granted the Gift of Sight, the ability to divine the immediate or distant future to varying degrees. However, this curse also forbids them from consciously knowing what they see. They can only give prophecy with others near able to hear it, and they have no memory of giving the prophecy afterwards.

One particular branch of people suffering from this curse are given an even worse fate; they can see and remember the future, up to a fortnight from the present, but any attempt to share this knowledge goes unheeded. Those who are given this knowledge are simply unable to either hear it, remember it, or believe it. It is a maddening fate, and the curse itself also prohibits the sufferer from acting upon the knowledge too.

Another particular branch of this curse also bestows upon the sufferer the gift of Parseltongue, the ability to understand the speech of snakes and converse with these reptiles. Though Parseltongue is also a magickal gift unto its own, those who suffer from this particular curse can not pass it on unto their descendants. It is as of yet unknown why some people are afflicted by this curse.

Blood Curses.

Maledictus Animus Curse

Caused by a ritual curse upon a wixen, the sufferer is given the Animagus ability. However, over time, control over the ability decreases. Eventually, transformations become uncontrollable and, in the end, permanent. After this final shifting, the mind retains its human faculties for several decades, before it starts losing higher reasoning and starts relying on instinct. Uniquely, familiar bonds can be made with them at this point, which restores most of their intelligence, bar a few traits unique to humans.

A particular branch of this curse has mutated, over many centuries, into a magickal ability that allows wixen to transform their body at will, called the Metamorphmagus Ability. No longer considered a curse, this variant of the curse is, however, subservient to the original curse. Should a Maledictus-affected wixen have offspring with a Metamorphmagus-gifted wixen, the Maledictus curse would usurp the Metamorphmagus Ability and nullify it. It must also be noted that should a Metamorphmagus-gifted wixen suffer severe depletion of the magickal core, the Metamorphmagus Ability can be corrupted back into a Maledictus curse, without any way to undo the change.

Maledictus Vitalus Curse.

Caused by a ritual curse upon a wixen, the sufferer is cursed with a debilitating and often fatal blood disease. It might often skip generations, only to arise again when certain parameters are met (such as inbreeding, exposure to other curses during pregnancy, abuse of dark or black magick, …). Sufferers seldomly survive to their fifth decade.

Remarkably enough, mundane medical sciences have managed to find a solution for this problem, albeit just a temporary cure. Via transfusions of blood or bone-marrow, depending on which part of the blood-cycle the curse affects, the worst effects can be mitigated to near-normalcy. Though studies are limited and wixen tests are few, the results so far recorded seem to indicate a 100% survival-rate if treatment begins within 2 years from the onset of the first symptoms. For this reason, the ICW has begun a private registry of all sufferers of this curse, as to enable the family to be reminded in later generations of the potental presence of the curse within their bloodline. This has enabled the ICW to diagnose almost 3700 wixen worldwide with the curse who would've otherwise remained undiagnosed and eventually would've suffered the fatal consequences. As of 2021, almost 1185 wixen have been treated with mundane medical science to treat the curse's effects on the body, saving as many as 300 people from having died from it since 1981.

A particular branch of this curse mutated around 1450CEⁱ, giving rise to a new branch of magickal beings from wixen, called Vampires. These beings are compelled by the curse to seek out human blood to consume and replace their own defective blood, suffering from severe iron-defficencies and other aneamia-related issues. Upon consumption of human blood, these issues are magickally repaired until the new blood is fully affected again by the curse. Young vampires need to replace their blood every four months, while older vampires might need to feed as often as twice per week, depending on their age. They are not to be confused with Nosferatii, a magickal creature almost identical in behaviour. Nosferatii however have the ability to shapeshift, can not endure sunlight, can not die unless decapitated, are extremely feral, and are bound to their ancestral grounds. Vampires on the other hand can not shapeshift, can use magic, are not terribly affected by sunlight beyond easily getting sunburned, and can easily die from any grievous enough a wound (such as staking the heart, decapitation, extreme bloodletting, …).

The ICW has a specialized division set up to identify, contact, and aid victims of the vampire-branch of the curse. Using mundane science, the act of seducing and feeding from victims can be made redundant. Instead, ICW-aided individuals can enjoy monthly feedings from bloodbank-donations from across the world, while research is ongoing to cure the curse.

Lycanthropy Curse

Caused originally by a ritual curse, sometime around 2000BCE, it has since mutated into a highly contagious yet oddly restrictive disease. It can only be transmitted during the Full Moon, when the sufferer is transformed into a werewolf. During this period, when changed, the curse can be transmitted, partially or completely. Only bites can truly infect a victim, making them a new carrier for the curse with the monthly transformation. Scratches and ingestion of blood or saliva, unless directly introduced into the bloodstream, only lead to partial infection. This results in heightened senses of sight, hearing and smell, along with a newfound appreciation for raw meat. Emotional responses may also be heightened, though not often out of control – this effect is most obvious around the Full moon. Two distinct lineages of this curse exist, each attributed to a different specific mutation and circumstance.

The Lycaon lineage is cursed by the above mentioned characteristics; Uncontrollable transformation during the full moon, loss of human reasoning, extreme physical discomfort before and after the transformation, necesitating a period of convalesence and recuperation. It is this lineage that knows its two distinct versions of infection, partial and complete. Packs form out of necessity, led by an alpha, but none of the roles are actually inate in their blood – an alpha can easily abdicate their power/role to another, without magickal interference.The Greek king Lycaon was the first known victim of this lineage of the curse.

The Remus lineage is cursed with characteristics decidedly different from those of the Lycaon lineage; infection is typified by lessened emotional control during the period of colonization, the ability to partially shift on will, the ability to fully shift and retain human faculties by exemplary control of their magickal core, the ability to heal almost any disease through infection, increased healing power due to the infection, heightened sense of smell/sight/sound. This lineage also operates via a magickally-aligned class-system, where Alphas lead obedient Betas and lone Omegas roam packless. The roles are impressed upon their magickal cores, and becoming an Alpha usually involves a form of magickal energy-transference. The pre-Roman leader Remus Silvius was the first known victim of this lineage of the curse.

For more information on the specifics, history, symptoms, relationship dynamics, and treatments of both lineages, we refer you to Diggel Teuth's seminal book “Blessing of the Moon – on Lycaon, Remus, and the Wolf within”, based on his groundbreaking paper “The study of lycanthropy – its origin, history, and future”.

Black Madness

Caused by the persistent inbreeding of the House of Black in chase of their motto, the mental faculties of the sufferer is highly affected, often to the point of insanity by their fourth decade. Oddly enough, this insanity often goes hand in hand with a larger-than-normal magickal core, though the sufferer often lacks the discipline or reasoning to fully exploit this boon.

Soul Curses.

Mirror's Desire

Caused by the Mirror of Erised, it results in a perpetual melancholy if exposed to the artefact too long. Prolonged exposure, estimated to be around 24 hours total, creates an indelible imprint upon the soul, which forever after urges the sufferer to relive memories about their heart's desire. Lethal exposure occurs around 72 hours total exposure, by which point, the curse robs the sufferer of all higher reasoning, effectively reducing them to a vegatative state. If no help is given, the sufferer will expire from thirst and hunger, or exposure to the elements.

Taboo Marks.

Caused by the sufferer performing a sinful taboo, of various natures, the effects of these curse are varied and highly individualized. They can be as simple as becoming a sort of Squib, to being as complex as being unable to hurt any person born under the 13^th moon of a year unless they have recently eaten mistletoe. How the exact effect for the curse is created or decided is unknown, as is how to cure it.

“Taboo Marks are magickal curses bestowed upon a Wixen as a result of transgressions against the Laws of Magick. Because these Laws are never truly set in stone and Magick herself does not permit arbitration in determining the transgressions, the full extent of the Laws is still unknown. What is know, by experimentation and various methods of Divination, is the kinds of Taboo Marks, what caused them, and what their general effects are. The precise effects of a Taboo Mark are highly individualized and different per person...”

“... and as such, Goblin Magicks and Centaur Divination methods alone are able to truly capture and summarize the effects for an individual, but they too are unable to summarize the Laws of Magicks or all types of Taboo Marks with 100% fidelity. They too can only reveal general summaries per Taboo Mark researched.”

Horcruxes.

Caused by the deliberate fracturing of the soul, almost exclusively acomplished via a corrupted version of the Horus' Cross ritual, the sufferer of this curse often finds themselves exclusively impacted in negative ways. Loss of sanity, reduced intelligence, loss of emotion control, decreased control over the magickal core, partial disconnection with familial gifts of the bloodline, … The impacts are many and varied. The only potential upside is the fact that while a sufferer of this curse, one can not be banished to the Elysian Plane by the destruction of their mortal form. Instead, the sufferer, unless sufficiently prepared, shall wander the world as a formless apparition until a willing host can be found and possessed.

To 'cure' a Horcrux' curse-effects, the sufferer most make themselves feel a deep genuine regret for the actions they used to create the horcrux. However, due to the sociopathic effects of a horcrux ritual, this often becomes an impossible task as sympathy and empathy are the first losses of the sufferer's emotion stability. Alternate rituals are rumoured to exist, but so far, the DoM has yet to prove the efficacy of any of these. Of course, the fact that no sane wixen would create a horcrux severely limits any and all chances of testing these theories. After all, the creation of a horcrux must be a genuinly voluntary act. It can not succeed if it is forced upon the caster by a third party.

The Horus' Cross Ritual is named after pharaoh Horus Baⁱⁱ, ruler of the 1th Dynasty (circa 3100 BCE), whose Ka managed to survive to the end of the 3th Dynasty (circa 2613 BCE). Originally, the Horus' Cross ritual was a way to seperate soul and mind from the dying body. By seperating the Ba (soul) and Ka (mind/spirit) from the body, a form of imortality could be achieved, though this was not the intended consequence. Rather, the Ba was intended to move into the afterlife, the Elysean Plane, known to the Egyptians as Duat. And in turn, the Ka was free to roam the world, be worshipped by their descendants and able to temporarily inhabit artifical constructs in order to commune with their descendants. In this sense, the Ka was to serve as a guide for their children, keeping knowledge within the family, while allowing the soul to move on and rest in peace. This selfsame effect is coincidentally recreated in magickal portraits, where the Ka of a wixen can be bound to a portrait or statue, allowing them to retain memories of their waking life and impart this knowledge to others. Since the Ka is a metaphysical copy of a wixen's personality, such artefacts can often respond in the exact way they would have in life – though they lack the ability to 'develop', as in change their personality. They can make new memories, but never change.

It is hypothesized that the Horus' Cross ritual was corrupted by Herpo the Foul, though there is little concensus on wether or not this was his intention. He might have intended to simply create a copy of his Ka to place within an appropriate vessel – and have his soul inadvertantly fractured, due to the simple fact that the untangling of the Ba and Ka from a dead body necesitated a severing of the last bonds between them and the body. In a living person, this severing would seek out the weakest point in the soul, fracturing the soul and maiming the mind as well. The pieces of the Ka and Ba would also become entangled to enable them to survive outside the body. The fact that the death of the body was required for the Horus' Cross ritual to succeed, might be why the horcrux ritual also demands a death. As for the more... abhorrent parts of the ritual, there is little certainty – beyond the fact that, somehow, they are indeed needed for the ritual to succeed.

The ICW has classified the Horcrux Ritual as one of the Blackest Magicks in historical record, and has a division that actively tracks down all artefacts connected to the perverted ritual, working in conjuction with Gringotts' Bank own Curse-Breaker division. The Horus' Cross Ritual has been classified as a Neutral Magick and is allowed to be performed by ICW-approved priests.

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On Horcruxes and their origins.

“...and let it thus be know, by all who follow the ways of burdenous magicks, the dark ways, that there are those things of which none should ever speak, never should perform. Let us not speak of the Horcrux, the most evil act of self-flagelation in the search for mastering death, for it merely leaves the caster less than human, an underbeing never again on footing with all other creation. Let us not speak of the philactery, or the inferi, or the ruination of the minds of fellows. The dark ways beholden you to their prices, and the price of these things is the ruination of one's soul. These ways, the blackest of magicks, forbidden by decree of the goddess, as it bounds the caster's soul to be ever holden to Fate's whims, beyond freedom and the peace of transition unto death...”

Caused by the deliberate fracturing of the soul, almost exclusively acomplished via a corrupted version of the Horus' Cross ritual, the sufferer of this curse often finds themselves exclusively impacted in negative ways. Loss of sanity, reduced intelligence, loss of emotion control, decreased control over the magickal core, partial disconnection with familial gifts of the bloodline, … The impacts are many and varied. The only potential upside is the fact that while a sufferer of this curse, one can not be banished to the Elysian Plane by the destruction of their mortal form. Instead, the sufferer, unless sufficiently prepared, shall wander the world as a formless apparition until a willing host can be found and possessed. The following is a historical account of such a case;

“...and it is said that the broken one [reference to the caster of the Horcrux ritual] roamed the lands for a thousand moons as a formless demon, a cloud of ash that thronged in unwilling victims, spoke in their voices, acted with their hands, until such times when excorcism was made. Then, again cast out into the lawless wilds of the many lands, the broken one would again roam until a new host was found. Again and again, he was cast out and never was a host truly bound to this demonic spirit without soul or conscience.

By the thousand-and-thirteenth moon, a hunter was long dispatched and had found the vessel upon which had been forced the demon's soul [reference to the actual Horcrux, the vessel for the soul-piece]. And the vessel was destroyed, by salamander fire, beyond reconstitution, and the soul of it was vanquished. Then the hunter waged war upon the formless demon, battling for many moons, until the thousand-and-thirteenth moon had come and ruled the night sky. And at the pillars of Heracles [reference to the channel between the Mediterrenean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean], the gate of the world ocean, they waged battle for long until the hunter struck down, with holy sword of silver forged in the fires of Zeus' temple in Akragas [known as Agrigento, Sicily, Italy, nowadays], the demon was cleft in two. With shriek and howling wind, the ashen form of the apparition dissipated and became naught, as was its design by holy decree...”

To 'cure' a Horcrux' curse-effects, the sufferer most make themselves feel a deep genuine regret for the actions they used to create the horcrux. However, due to the sociopathic effects of a horcrux ritual, this often becomes an impossible task as sympathy and empathy are the first losses of the sufferer's emotion stability. Alternate rituals are rumoured to exist, but so far, the DoM has yet to prove the efficacy of any of these. Of course, the fact that no sane wixen would create a horcrux severely limits any and all chances of testing these theories. After all, the creation of a horcrux must be a genuinly voluntary act. It can not succeed if it is forced upon the caster by a third party.

The Horus' Cross Ritual.

The Horus' Cross Ritual is named after pharaoh Horus Ba, ruler of the 1th Dynasty (circa 3100 BCE), whose Ka managed to survive to the end of the 3th Dynasty (circa 2613 BCE). Originally, the Horus' Cross ritual was a way to seperate soul and mind from the dying body.

Pharaoh Horus Ba is credited with the creation of this ritual, and is thought responsible for most of the religious doctrine surrounding the trifecta of human metaphysiology (Body, Soul, and Mind) in ancient Egyptian temple texts in later centuries. He favoured the use of green schist as medium to write spells upon, which he would use to then power rituals. Parts of these green schist artefacts have been uncovered by mundane archeaologists beneath the Pyramid of Djoser, Sakkara.

By seperating the Ba (soul) and Ka (mind/spirit) from the body, a form of imortality could be achieved, though this was not the intended consequence. Rather, the Ba was intended to move into the afterlife, the Elysean Plane, known to the Egyptians as Duat. And in turn, the Ka was free to roam the world, be worshipped by their descendants and able to temporarily inhabit artifical constructs in order to commune with their descendants. In this sense, the Ka was to serve as a guide for their children, keeping knowledge within the family, while allowing the soul to move on and rest in peace.

This selfsame effect is coincidentally recreated in magickal portraits, where the Ka of a wixen can be bound to a portrait or statue, allowing them to retain memories of their waking life and impart this knowledge to others. Since the Ka is a metaphysical copy of a wixen's personality, such artefacts can often respond in the exact way they would have in life – though they lack the ability to 'develop', as in change their personality. They can make new memories, but never change.

It is hypothesized that the Horus' Cross ritual was corrupted by Herpo the Foul, though there is little concensus on wether or not this was his intention. He might have intended to simply create a copy of his Ka to place within an appropriate vessel – and have his soul inadvertantly fractured, due to the simple fact that the untangling of the Ba and Ka from a dead body necesitated a severing of the last bonds between them and the body.

In a living person, this severing would seek out the weakest point in the soul, fracturing the soul and maiming the mind as well. The pieces of the Ka and Ba would also become entangled to enable them to survive outside the body. The fact that the death of the body was required for the Horus' Cross ritual to succeed, might be why the horcrux ritual also demands a death. As for the more... abhorrent parts of the ritual, there is little certainty – beyond the fact that, somehow, they are indeed needed for the ritual to succeed.

Legal Status.

The ICW has classified the Horcrux Ritual as one of the Blackest Magicks in historical record, and has a division that actively tracks down all artefacts connected to the perverted ritual, working in conjuction with Gringotts' Bank own Curse-Breaker division.

The ICW has classified the Horus' Cross Ritual as a Neutral Magick and it is allowed to be performed by ICW-approved priests. It is allowed to be performed in the ancient necropolii of Egypt, with proper clearing of Egypt's Ministry of Magic.

The ICW has classified a modern derived version of the Horus' Cross Ritual, known as the Great Goddess' Ritual, as a Gray Magick and it is allowed to be performed by ICW-approved priests. It is allowed to be performed atop the Feathered Serpent Pyramid of Teotihuacan, with proper clearing of Mexico's Ministry of Magic.

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Various Vows, Oaths, etcetera...

The subject of vows and oaths is an, at often times, confusing one. Most wixen tend to use the two interchangeably, but there is one important distinction to be made to which Magick herself always adheres.

A vow is an informal personal promise between two people.

An oath is a formal promise made before a form of legal authority.

Therefore, a promise made between lovers in a tryst to always love each other is technically a vow. If they, however, make that promise in a ritualistic setting as a plea before Magick herself, then it is an oath.

Below are the six best known vows and oaths that are typically used within the Wixen community in the Isles. Though the full list is much longer, it would demand a full guide-book to explain their histories, intricacies, ritual demands, and potential consequences/benefits.

Unbreakable Vow

A magickal vow between two persons, overseen and cast by a third person, which can not be broken on penalty of death. It can not be undone and ends only when one of the two parties dies or breaks the stipulations (in)directly. Even then, the surviving party will remain bound to the stipulations ever after, until their own death.

Bload-Oath

A magickal oath between two persons/families, usually between a legal House and a legal Vazal, made before the eyes of Magick herself in ritual. The oath is made in blood and considered Unbreakable by direct action from the two parties. However, a third party can break the Oath via destruction of either the Focus (the ritual object used to solidify the Oath) or either one of the persons/families who swore the Oath. Most famous examples are (publicly) the treason of Peter Pettigrew against the Potters and (not publicly) the destruction of the Focus of the Oath between Dumbledore and Grindelwald by Newt Scamander.

Dark Mark

A magickal vow between two persons, usually between a Dark Lord and one of his servants. Like the Unbreakable Vow, the servant can not move directly against his Dark Lord on penalty of death, but the Dark Mark has no effect on the Dark Lord – it is a one-way street of obligations. Usually reserved to ensure absolute loyalty, able to channel the magickal actions of the Dark Lord between any and all extant Marks made by him. Fades when the Dark Lord dies or the servant dies.

Light Mark

A magickal vow between two persons, usually between a Light Lord and one of his allies/consorts. Like the Unbreakable Vow, the ally/consort can not act against their Light Lord, on penalty of hereditary fealty and extinction of their magickal core. It also creates a bond between the two persons, whereby the designated 'lord' can freely channel magickal power between them and their ally/consort – however, the channel can be closed off by either party if they so wish, leaving the vow almost a mere formality without any extra power. Fades when either party dies.

Life Debt

A magickal vow, made by one person saving another from mortal danger and solidified if either or both persons acknowledge the fact. No binding obligations exist, but the vow subtly influences both parties to seek out each other and support another. Usually a Life Debt is only annulled or cancelled if the saved party eventually saves the rescuing party from similar mortal danger in a genuine act of caring. Can be transferred unto the surviving children of the saving party, but is automatically dispelled of the saved party dies. Can also be annulled by express wish of both parties via ritual.

Oath of Servitude

One of the most tricky oaths in existence, usually made formally in writing to trick unknowing magickals (often from mundane origins, thereby lacking the knowledge of the intricacies of legal contracts and oaths) into a (semi)permanent bond of servitude. More akin to slavery than feudal fealty (as legal lawyers wish to espouse), it is generally frowned upon by all Neutral and Light families and Houses. Often abused by Gray and Dark families and Houses, tricking mundane-bourne into a life as a servant/consort. Having fallen out of favour, mostly, since the more widespread use of House-Elves since the 1800's, it is still utilized by whore-houses, the black market, and mining companies for cheap labour (which, considering the general starting bid of a House-Elf on any market is roughly 1500 Galleons, going as high as 10.000 Galleons, for a 50-year lease, is not too absurd). Can only be annulled by majority-vote of the Wizengamot, by agreement of the Goblin Nation, or in ritual before the eyes of Magick herself performed by the contractor and contracted.

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Taboo Marks

Taboo Marks are magickal curses bestowed upon a Wixen as a result of transgressions against the Laws of Magick. Because these Laws are never truly set in stone and Magick herself does not permit arbitration in determining the transgressions, the full extent of the Laws is still unknown. What is know, by experimentation and various methods of Divination, is the kinds of Taboo Marks, what caused them, and what their general effects are. The precise effects of a Taboo Mark are highly individualized and different per person.

Goblin Magicks and Centaur Divination methods alone are able to truly capture and summarize the effects for an individual, but they too are unable to summarize the Laws of Magicks or all types of Taboo Marks with 100% fidelity. They too can only reveal general summaries per Taboo Mark researched.

DoM theories posit that Magick herself has created the Laws and Taboo Marks to be in perpetual flux, preventing a permanently accurate definition or summary, in order to force magickal sapient species to ever confront their behaviour and divine a truly good moral ethic.

For an in-depth review of this topic, we refer you to the Classical proto-Platonean text "The Natural World - on Gaia's bounty and curses", which offers a remarkably succinct and still-applicable basis for most of the magickal theory surrounding this topic. For a more modern study, using ICW-approved funding and research, we refer you to S.T. Prince's seminal study-paper, "The indent of the Soul - Hekate's Divine Will on Human Rights and Duties, Her Gifts and Curses".

The following section explains, in short-hand, the various taboos, their possible causes, and their immediate/eventual effects on the person affected by them.

Love Taboo = Betrayal of the sanctity of love, leads to mental distress

Amortentia Abuse = Inability to feel love of any kind, platonic/sexual/romantic. Caused by the conception of a child by two parents, of which one or both are affected by Love Potions to initiate the sexual act of procreation.

Soul-bond Abuse = Inability to value/appreciate personal/individual love. Caused by the willful neglect of an acknowledged Soul Bond between Soul Mates, often resulting in the painful severance of the Bond to the detriment of all parties afflicted.

Family Taboo = Betrayal of Family made through Blood or Bond, leads to mental distress

Death of Family = Chronic stress when remembering the event. Caused if the death in the family is inadvertently the fault of the person affected.

Parental/Filial Rape/Incest = Inability to appreciate/enjoy physical companionship. Caused if the afflicted party was the one initiating the abuse with their victim, both willingly (from the perpetrators part) and repeatedly. The line is unclear concerning incest, as true genuine consent in both cases seems to either prevent the Taboo from manifesting or causes it to manifest less fully.

Companion Taboo = Betrayal of life-long friends, leads to physical distress

Death of Friends = Decreased fitness/control, physical/mental/magickal. Caused if the death of the friends is inadvertently the fault of the person affected.

Friend/Companion Rape/Abuse = Inability to control/enjoy physical lust/companionship. Caused if the afflicted party was the one initiating the abuse with their victim, both willingly (from the perpetrators part) and repeatedly. The line is unclear at times, as true genuine consent in both cases seems to either prevent the Taboo from manifesting or causes it to manifest less fully.

Darke Taboo = Abuse of Darke Magicks, leads to mental and physical distress

Abuse of Darke Magick = Chronic apathy to non-personal distress or happiness. Exact cause unknown - highly variable, with each confirmed case being unique.

Abuse of Black Magick = Increasing addiction to (self)torture and pain. Exact cause unknown - highly variable, with each confirmed case being unique.

Lighte Taboo = Abuse of Lighte Magicks (a Lost Art), leads to mental and physical distress

Abuse of Lighte Magick = Chronic apathy to personal distress or happiness. Exact cause unknown - highly variable, with each confirmed case being unique.

Abuse of Light Magick = Increasing addiction to lust and physical companionship. Exact cause unknown - highly variable, with each confirmed case being unique.

Gray Taboo = Abuse of Neutral Magicks (a Lost Art), leads to mental and physical distress

Abuse of Elemental Magick = Hereditary Curse of various natures (f.e. Lycanthropy, vampirism, etcetera...). Often, but not exclusively, caused by abusing the various elemental magicks in ways that cause short- and long-term harm to the natural world at large (f.e. the explosive eruption of Mount Krakatau and Mount Pompei were both the result of such abuse).

Chapter Text

The Systems of Power.

The Systems of Power is a globally known web of magickal places and structures commonly denoted under the geomancy branch of magick. It involves various structures, such wells, places, objects, and words, of power. These diverse structures can come to exist naturally or artificially, in both magick or mundane locations or items.

Wells of Power.

A Well of Power, abbreviated as a WoP, is a magickal font of thaumaturgical energies from across the spectrum. Some WoP's exude negative energies, others exude positive energies, and yet others exude neutral energies. Some WoP's exude a highly-specific form of these energies, such as the Kukulkan WoP in Mexico (which exudes high-level regenerative energy, knows as Restoration Magick) or the Hades WoP in Greece (which exudes medium-level degenerative energy, known as Necromancy Magick). Thousands of WoP's exist across the global, often on the intersections of Leylines – though they can also exist as independent locations without any connection to either a Leyline or another WoP.

WoP have been documented to materialize in locations of historical significance – such as the Twin Pillars WoP (which manifested itself after the magickal holocaust that annihilated the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorah – two independent WoP manifested, but conjoined in the late 15^th century to form a single elongated WoP that shares striking similarities with saturated Leylines).

Places of Power.

A Place of Power, abbreviated as a PoP, is a structure, natural or artificial, often atop a Well of Power (though not always), that serves as a focal point for either a magickal fond of thaumaturgical energies or for ambient thaumaturgical background energies. Some examples are Stonehenge (an astronomically-aligned artificial PoP, which gathers ambient Stellar Magick energy into itself via a complicated system of magickal focii and spatial distortions), Glastonbury Tor (a natural hill, fortified through earthworks, and capped by a donjon, which gathers ambient Geomancy Magick energy and nearby leyline ambient discharge), and sacred mount Uluru (which is a natural PoP, originally merely a Well of Power, but elevated into a Place by the religious worship by native people through many centuries, which now gathers Kalpa Magick energy).

Places of Power can be mounds, pyramids, longbarrows, castles, ruins, whole forests, or even whole cities. Their creation is often a natural evolution from a Well of Power, usually aided or directed by the presence of human worship and residences. For example, Mount Everest, also known as Sagarmatha, is thought to have become a PoP due to its continued relevance in Nepalese and Tibetan religious spirituality.

Lines of Power.

Most commonly known as Leylines, or Holy Lines, these channels of ambient thaumaturgical energy often spontaneously arise between WoP's or PoP's. As such, they channel energy between these hotspots. Some leylines, however, have been around long before the WoP/PoP they connect ever manifested. For this reason, there is the hypothesis that leylines sometimes may trigger the manifestation of WoP/PoP in certain locations (such as intersections between lines, or the proximity of a nearby village eventually allowing for a PoP to manifest).

Objects of Power.

An Object of Power, abbreviated as an OoP, are some of the most mysterious magickal artefacts in the world. From the Hogwarts Pensieve, to Zeus' Scepter, to Indra's Arrow, these artefacts are some of the most powerful, dangerous, or instable, magickal artefacts in existence. Some manifest within Places of Power, but most seemingly manifest for no clear reason – though there are hypothesis' that they are a manifestation of the human subconscious as a recognizable vessel.

Each OoP has an unique magickal effect/purpose, and no two are ever the same. Some are basically harmless, such as the Eye of Magnus (a prehistoric technological artefact more advanced than any current muggle technology, which has the power to show a person what their spiritual totem animal is), while others are sealed away for the protection of all humans, such as the Veil of the Isles (a prehistoric megalithic archway, covered in 3699 Runes, that seemingly forms a transitway between the Mortal Plane and the Elysean Plane).

All OoP's have been deduced to have a meta-physical link to either the Elysean Plane, or to the PoP in which they manifested. In the case of the latter, should a PoP be neutralized somehow and become inactive, than all OoP's linked to it will likewise become neutralized and inactive.

Words of Power.

A Word of Power, abbreviated as a WroP, is one of the most dangerous Systems of Power that exist. Similar to Runes in how they function when utilized in rituals or spells, they are more akin to primal Names than to language. Using a WroP is not an easy feat – it demands exact control over one's magickal core and extreme aptitude in all Mental Arts, along with Wandless and Wordless Casting.

Unlike all other Systems of Power, the Words of Power are both finite and infinitely powerful. There are only 7 WoP's in the world, and each is guarded by a different Wielder. These Wielders are people who've been tasked to safeguard their WoP, to protect it from those who would abuse the power they held. Extensive research has been done on the WoP, and their true details have long since been placed under a Taboo Geiss. None can remember the name of any Wielder, nor recognize their face. Similarly, no simple mundane or wixen can sense the power of the Wielders or their WoP's. They become a blind spot in the world, unable to be focussed on.

It must not come as a surprise that the Wielders are, to all intents and purpose, immortal. Their personal Word of Power yields them a physical immortality from all disease or aging, and a vastly expanded magickal core. However, the Wielder need not be human. Indeed, of the seven Wielders, only two are human. The others are a mixture of magickal beings and creatures, some of which are the last extant member of their kind.

What is known are the names of the Words of Power;

• Sword

• Tower

• Glory

• Flame

• Shape

• Adamant

• Beast

The Wielders can grant a boon to their followers and allies, a sliver of the power they hold within their Word of Power, thus greatly boosting the strength of magickal beings and beast. Mundanes can likewise enjoy increased prowess through this sharing of power, but for them it shall only result in increased vitality, strength, and endurance.Those instructed wrongly in the secret arts of the WoP's invariably end up insane, their mind shattered with the knowledge they'd gained without having previously build a proper foundation of mental discipline and rigorous thought-patterns. Rumour has it that the teachings of Yisun are the sole way to fortify the mortal mind for the strength of these boons.

Chapter Text

The Systems of Power.

The Systems of Power is a globally known web of magickal places and structures commonly denoted under the geomancy branch of magick. It involves various structures, such wells, places, objects, and words, of power. These diverse structures can come to exist naturally or artificially, in both magick or mundane locations or items.

Wells of Power – Generalia.

A Well of Power, abbreviated as a WoP, is a magickal font of thaumaturgical energies from across the spectrum. Some WoP's exude negative energies, others exude positive energies, and yet others exude neutral energies. Some WoP's exude a highly-specific form of these energies, such as the Kukulkan WoP in Mexico (which exudes high-level regenerative energy, knows as Restoration Magick) or the Hades WoP in Greece (which exudes medium-level degenerative energy, known as Necromancy Magick). Thousands of WoP's exist across the global, often on the intersections of Leylines – though they can also exist as independent locations without any connection to either a Leyline or another WoP.

WoP have been documented to materialize in locations of historical significance – such as the Twin Pillars WoP (which manifested itself after the magickal holocaust that annihilated the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorah – two independent WoP manifested, but conjoined in the late 15^th century to form a single elongated WoP that shares striking similarities with saturated Leylines).

Wells of Power – Gradations.

WoP's can be divided into 3 (three) grades; Grade I, II, III. Each Grade is triumphs the next in terms of raw power, calculated by the rate of thaumaturgical energy being naturally vented at the site. Modern measurements have narrowed these Grades to specific levels, where as prior they were only generally graded by how powerfull they felt to specific thaum-empathic wixen (which were, and still are, very few and far between).

Modern measurements (done by I.C.W.-certified and -approved M.E.Me.'s – Magical Energy Measurers) can measure accurately to 0,05 micro-thaum (1 micro-thaum being equivalent to the ambient thaumaturgical energy measured at Point Nemo, the most remote location on the globe, as transcribed in 1965).

Grade III is all WoP's between 10 micro-thaum (the I.C.W.-defined lower-limit to start speaking of a magickal fount as a WoP) and 11 micro-thaum.

Grade II is all WoP's between 11 and 13 micro-thaum.

Grade I is all WoP's between 13 and 16 micro-thaum (the I.C.W.-defined higher limit before we start speaking of a transition-zone into a possible Place of Power, a PoP).

From 16 micro-thaum and higher (up to a regular measurement of 1 thaum for seven (7) consecutive years), we no longer speak of WoP's, but of Proto-PoP's (Place of Power – structures or highly-specific areas of limited extend where ambient thaumaturgical energy is drawn from a WoP or nearby Leylines, stockpiled, and the vented at a steady pace).

From 1 thaum onwards and higher, we speak of a solidified/stabilized Place of Power (see later chapters for more information).

Wells of Power in the Isles.

The most famous WoP's in the Isles are, without a doubt, the Iona WoP (primordial proto-well, solidified into a proper Grade III WoP during the 7^th and 8^th century CE), the Hogsmeade WoP (paleolithic proto-well, stabilised during the 5^th century BCE, solidified into a Grade II WoP during the 10^th and 11^th century CE – during the expansion and popularisation of Hogsmeade as an almost-exclusively wixen township), and the Underlondon WoP (primordial proto-well, stabilised by the Underlondon Goblin clan during the 7^th century BCE, and having become a Grade I WoP during the period from the 6^th century CE to the 11^th century CE).

While each well has its own cultural and natural history concerning its “birth”, development, and peak, they generally follow a pattern; They begin as a natural fount of thaumaturgical energy, attract thaum-sensitive species (this includes the human species as a whole, since mundanes are still affected by and sensitive to ambient magickal energies), become stable as a consequence of the settlement of those species nearby, and eventually are solidified into proper WoP's by the reactive and active efforts of sentient magickal species (notably centaurs, merfolk, goblins, and humans).

The Iona WoP and Underlondon WoP followed this pattern, being stabilized and solidified primarily by goblin efforts. The Hogsmeade WoP arose more naturally and is presumed to've already been a Grade III WoP by the Lower Paleolithic (circa 400,000 years ago).

Abuse and the Corruption of a Well of Power.

If ignored and untended to for considerable lengths of time, a WoP will start to diminish in linear scale equivalent to its latent peak starting from the moment of neglect. Hence, some sites will remain a WoP for extremely long times (such as the Gizah WoP prior to the 19^th century CE, when it became solidified as a PoP – it survived untill then as a Grade III WoP despite its neglect starting around the 1^th century BCE when its local worship as a Grade I WoP began to drop off dramatically), while others will fizzle out within the span of mere decades (such as the Spa WoP in Belgium in the 20^th century).

Sometimes, a perverse inverse will occur – where a WoP becomes corrupted by Darke Magick rituals into actively draining other WoP's or PoP's through proximity or connection via Leyline. The most infamous of such an example is the modern-day Azkaban (which has adapted itself through the corruption of Ezkridis' ritualistic perversions to sustain itself on negative human emotions – depression, self-hatred, trauma, …). A historical example, no longer extant, was the Central Lemuria WoP (before the entire proto-continent sank due to the actions of the magickal population somewhere between 15,000 and 14,700 BCE).

Chapter Text

The Systems of Power.

The Systems of Power is a globally known web of magickal places and structures commonly denoted under the geomancy branch of magick. It involves various structures, such wells, places, objects, and words, of power. These diverse structures can come to exist naturally or artificially, in both magick or mundane locations or items.

Places of Power – Generalia.

A Place of Power, abbreviated as a PoP, is a structure, natural or artificial, often atop a Well of Power (though not always), that serves as a focal point for either a magickal fond of thaumaturgical energies or for ambient thaumaturgical background energies. Some examples are Stonehenge (an astronomically-aligned artificial PoP, which gathers ambient Stellar Magick energy into itself via a complicated system of magickal focii and spatial distortions), Glastonbury Tor (a natural hill, fortified through earthworks, and capped by a donjon, which gathers ambient Geomancy Magick energy and nearby leyline ambient discharge), and sacred mount Uluru (which is a natural PoP, originally merely a Well of Power, but elevated into a Place by the religious worship by native people through many centuries, which now gathers Kalpa Magick energy).

Places of Power can be mounds, pyramids, longbarrows, castles, ruins, whole forests, or even whole cities. Their creation is often a natural evolution from a Well of Power, usually aided or directed by the presence of human worship and residences. For example, Mount Everest, also known as Sagarmatha, is thought to have become a PoP due to its continued relevance in Nepalese and Tibetan religious spirituality.

Places of Power – Classifications.

Places of Power are generally divided into several classes, mostly dependant on wether they're currently active/inactive, corrupted, or deteriorating. Following are the classifications used most often;

Class A

Used for PoP's that are currently active. A few sub-classes exist to denote if it is fitted with a Capstone, has a ceremonial Ritual Site, or is part of a greater geomantic structure.

Class A-1

The PoP is fitted with a fully functioning Capstone and overseen by a wixen Ministry, with no additional functions to the site.

Class A-1.1

The PoP is fitted with a Capstone, but is poorly maintained and starting to fail, with no additional functions bestowed to the site. PoP's with this classification are a Code Yellow Emergency per I.C.W. Standards.

Class A-2

The PoP is not fitted with a fully functioning Capstone, but overseen by a wixen Ministry. PoP's of this Class do not need to be outfitted with a Capstone as long as Ministry oversight is present.

Class A-2.1

The PoP is not fitted with a fully functioning Capstone, and is also not overseen by a wixen Ministry. PoP's of this Class need to be outfitted with a Capstone as soon as possible, and be overseen by three (3) I.C.W. Ritual Corps Teams at all times.

Class A-3

The PoP is part of a ceremonial Ritual Site and is stable when the Ritual Site is utilized. No extra precautions need to be taken. This Class can only be assigned to PoP's with valid Capstones.

Class A-3.1

The PoP is part of a ceremonial Ritual Site and also part of a greater geomantic structure. It is stable when the Ritual Site is utilized and no extra precautions need to be taken. This Class can only be assigned to PoP's with valid Capstones.

Class A-4

The PoP is part of a ceremonial Ritual Site, but is not stable when the Ritual Site is utilized. Extra precautions need to be taken, as to guarantee the safety of participants and visitors during Rituals. This Class can only be assigned to PoP's with valid Capstones.

Class A-4.1

The PoP is part of a ceremonial Ritual Site and also part of a greater geomantic structure. It is not stable when the Ritual Site is utilized. Extra precautions need to be taken, as to guarantee the safety of participants and visitors during Rituals. This Class can only be assigned to PoP's with valid Capstones.

Class B

Used for PoP's that are currently inactive. A few sub-classes exist to denote if it is fitted with a Capstone, has a ceremonial Ritual Site, or is part of a greater geomantic structure (see standard sub-Classes for Class A, apply to Class B – switch 'active' with 'inactive').

Class C

Used for PoP's that are currently corrupted by the abuse of greater magicks – such as unauthorized/unstable Grand Rituals. A few sub-classes exist to denote if it is fitted with a Capstone, has a ceremonial Ritual Site, or is part of a greater geomantic structure(see standard sub-Classes for Class A and Class B, apply to Class C – switch 'active/inactive' with 'Corrupted'). It must also be noted that Class C PoP's can no longer be safely used for any rituals!

Corrupted PoP's are to be avoided at all costs, as the Corruption also influences the ambient thaumaturgical energies present and the energies vented by any active Capstone. Prolonged exposure can lead to contracting Blood Curses and Lineage Curses (examples include, but are not limited to, Blood Maledictions, randomized Lycanthropy (of varying degree or source), Soul-Splintering, etc...). These are denoted by Class C Gradations. See below for more information.

Class C-1

The PoP is fitted with a fully functioning Capstone and overseen by a wixen Ministry. It must be overseen by an I.C.W. Ritual Corps Team at all times.

Class C-2

The PoP is not fitted with a fully functioning Capstone, but overseen by a wixen Ministry. PoP's of this Class do not need to be outfitted with a Capstone as long as Ministry oversight is present. It must be overseen by three (3) I.C.W. Ritual Corps Teams at all times.

Grade 1

PoP corrupts on a physical level – blood, bone, flesh. Examples include, but are not limited to, Blood Malediction, emergence of Creature Inheritance (and corruption there of – see Creature Inheretance Corruptions under I.C.W. Creature Guidelines), etc...

Grade 2

PoP corrupts on a mental level – loss of memory, loss of conscious control, loss of physical control, etc...

Grade 3

PoP corrupts on a metaphysical level – soul, spirit. Examples include, but are not limited to, Lycanthropy, Soul-Splintering, Ghoulification, etc...

Class G

Used for PoP's that deteriorating and in danger of either full collapse into non-functionality or of falling into an inactive state. No subclasses denoted due to the immediate danger that PoP's of this nature pose. PoP's with this classification are a Code Orange Emergency per I.C.W. Standards.

Class S

Used for PoP's that are categorically and empirically associated with Greater Forces (gods, deities, divinity, …). Generally these PoP's serve as places of worship, and several subclasses exist to denote if it is an active site of worship, the kind of magicks associated with it, if it is anthropocentric or not, etc...

Class X

Used for PoP's that have collapsed into complete non-functionality in Classical History (prior to 700 CE). Considered safe and no longer dangerous – neutralized.

Class Z

Used for PoP's that have collapsed into complete non-functionality in Modern History (after 700 CE). Considered unsafe and dangerous – ambient energy has not yet been neutralized and can still affect all manner of life in similar ways that Class C PoP's can. PoP's with this classification are a Code Amber Emergency per I.C.W. Standards.

Class Alpha

WARNING – TOP SECRET! PASSING THIS POINT OF THE TEXT WILL TRIGGER A MEMETIC AGENT TO ALERT ANY NEARBY WIXEN AUTHORITIES! IF AFFLICTED? REMAIN CALM, CURL UP IN THE FETAL POSITION, DO NOT LISTEN TO THE VOICES IN YOUR MIND, AND SING YOUR FAVOURITE LULLABY UNTILL YOU CAN'T SEE ANYMORE! WARNING!

A wound in the world, to pass between – listen not to the false gods that stand at the Gate. Make your own path, follow the dreams – He knows and shall guide. Praise be He. Yaya-laloth!

Places of Power in the Isles.

The most famous PoP's in the Isles are, without a doubt, the Glastonbury Torr (which has been a PoP since King Arthur's time), the Tower of London (which became a PoP upon the first coronation of a British Monarch in the 10^th century CE), and Hogwarts Castle itself (which is separate from the Hogwarts' Grounds WoP and the Hogsmeade WoP – all three, however, are close intertwined, and are directly atop the Hogwarts-centric Leyline).

While each PoP has its own cultural and natural history concerning its “birth”, development, and peak, they generally follow a pattern; They begin as a WoP, attracting thaum-sensitive species (this includes the human species as a whole, since mundanes are still affected by and sensitive to ambient magickal energies), become increasingly more powerful as a consequence of the settlement of those species nearby, and eventually are solidified into proper PoP's by the reactive and active efforts of sentient magickal species (notably centaurs, merfolk, goblins, and humans).

Not all WoP's can become a real PoP, and only seldomly can a PoP come into being where no WoP or Leyline was present prior – these are considered extreme abberations and often do not last long before they collapse. They are usually the result of a great sacrifice (the Auschwitz Re-Active PoP and the Holocaust Leyweb are the most well-known, infamous and terrifying examples – though even they pale against the later scattered Gulag PoP's that formed under Stalin's extremely brutal and bloodthristy rule...).

The I.C.W. considers the creation of new PoP's an extreme act of violence, punishable by Temporal Obliviation.

Chapter Text

The Systems of Power.

The Systems of Power is a globally known web of magickal places and structures commonly denoted under the geomancy branch of magick. It involves various structures, such wells, places, objects, and words, of power. These diverse structures can come to exist naturally or artificially, in both magick or mundane locations or items.

Lines of Power.

Most commonly known as Leylines, or Holy Lines, these channels of ambient thaumaturgical energy often spontaneously arise between WoP's or PoP's. As such, they channel energy between these hotspots. Some leylines, however, have been around long before the WoP/PoP they connect ever manifested. For this reason, there is the hypothesis that leylines sometimes may trigger the manifestation of WoP/PoP in certain locations (such as intersections between lines, or the proximity of a nearby village eventually allowing for a PoP to manifest).

Leyline details are generally forbidden to the public, due to the sensitive nature of their purpose in the modern magickal world (see Thula Society Usurpation Event '41-'43 for the dangers of Leyline minutia being available publically).

I.C.W. protocol intimates the value of disseminating LoP disinformation wherever possible, with approval of local relevant authorities – another incident like the previous one mentioned could result in breaches of the Statute, maybe even its Fall.

Collaborators found guilty, or suspected, of disseminating factual information in regards to LoP's are to be detained on sight and terminated upon confirmation of the crime – no exceptions.

Political immunity is void. Minister immunity is void. Supreme Mugwump immunity is void. Monarchy/presidential immunity is void. Those with demi-god status are to be detained indefinitely until termination can be enforced.

Failure to enforce this protocol will be punished with Temporal Obliviation. Failure to punish those who breach this protocol will be punished with Bloodline Extermination to 5^th Degree. Failure to alert a possible breach of this protocal will be punished with a Blood Malediction Curse to the 3^th Degree.

Chapter Text

The Systems of Power.

The Systems of Power is a globally known web of magickal places and structures commonly denoted under the geomancy branch of magick. It involves various structures, such wells, places, objects, and words, of power. These diverse structures can come to exist naturally or artificially, in both magick or mundane locations or items.

Objects of Power.

An Object of Power, abbreviated as an OoP, are some of the most mysterious magickal artefacts in the world. From the Hogwarts Pensieve, to Zeus' Scepter, to Indra's Arrow, these artefacts are some of the most powerful, dangerous, or unstable, magickal artefacts in existence. Some manifest within Places of Power, but most seemingly manifest for no clear reason – though there are hypothesis' that they are a manifestation of the human subconscious as a recognizable vessel.

Each OoP has an unique magickal effect/purpose, and no two are ever the same. Some are basically harmless, such as the Eye of Magnus (a prehistoric techno-organic artefact more advanced than any current muggle technology, which has the power to show a person what their spiritual totem animal is), while others are sealed away for the protection of all humans – such as the Veil of the Isles (a prehistoric megalithic archway, covered in 3699 Runes, that seemingly forms a transitway between the Mortal Plane and the Elysean Plane).

All OoP's have been deduced to have a meta-physical link to either the Elysean Plane, or to the PoP in which they manifested. In the case of the latter, should a PoP be neutralized somehow and become inactive, than all OoP's linked to it will likewise become neutralized and inactive.

OoP's as Archetypal Objects.

All OoP's share one (1) singular feature – they are, intrinsically, recognizable. Be it as an arrow or a flute or a sword, they are known to all sentient creatures. Current hypothesis', build upon seven thousand (7000) years of research by non-continuous civilisations, states that OoP's are formed from the human subconscious (hereafter referred as the Meta-Mind).

Once an object has been handled, observed, build, utilized, … by enough people over an indefinite period of time, their Ideal Form becomes part of the Meta-Mind (by which we mean that an ideal of the object forms in the human sub-conscious cultural memory – see Plato's theory of Ideals and Forms). From that point onwards, no matter the variant or iteration, the Archetypal Object can be recognized for what it is – even by sentients who might've never seen it before.

Normally, this process took several hundreds to thousands years – modern studies have confirmed that this process has begun to operate on a logarithmic scale as we approach Year 2K. In paleolithic times, the Ideal Form for the spear and arrow took thousands of years – mainly due to the limited numbers of humanoid sentients prior to the Thaumanaissance (estimated to have happened circa 250,000 BCE). Ever since the Atlan-Lemurian period (25,000 to 13,500 BCE), this period of Archetypication has begun decreasing.

By 13,500 BCE, it had shortened to between 900 and 1,500 years.

By the time of first Egyptian Dynasties (3,100 BCE), it had become 500 to 875 years.

By the time Rome rose (circa 720 BCE), it was between 200 to 450 years.

By 1000 CE, it had further decreased – 100 to 190 years.

By 1500 CE, it was between 75 to 125 years.

By 1837 CE, it was between 50 to 80 years.

By 1940 CE, it was between 30 to 50 years.

As of present, 1991 CE, the period lasts between 5 to 25 years.

Research predicts that by 2000-2025, the period will take less than 10 years on average. After this period, no further predictions can be made due to the uncertain nature of Archetypication un such small timescales. It is simply without precedent and questions are already being raised as to the possible impact of such rapid creation of Archetypical Objects within the Meta-Mind...

Some examples of OoP's that adhere to the oldest Archetypes are;

• Indra's Arrow – An arrow that can not be broken or lost (it always hits its target and always returns to its Bonded's hand – ine one (1) specific instance/form, it can call down the wrath of gods in the shape of a rain of fire).

• Zeus' Scepter – A scepter that calls a bolt of lightning down upon the spot it is aimed at by its Bonded (Also attributed to other gods, such as Lugh and Thor, in different forms – most notably as Thor's Hammer).

• The Hunter's Spear – A spear that will always manage to pierce its target's heart (attributed to various deities, such as Athena in the West and Kali in the East – where it takes the shape of a bone club).

• The Sacred Pail – A pail that blesses any liquid poured within it, giving the liquid the ability to sanctify whatever it touches and heal any ailment (also known as the Holy Grail by Christianity, or the Akshaya Patra in India).

At least 23,000 Archetypes are extant as of present, with a total of 1,369 OoP's identified by the I.C.W. (of which 98,9% are in permanent I.C.W. custody).

Archetype creation can not be prevented – and I.C.W. protocol can not adequately contain the process either, considering the rapid development of popular media in the present time (see Muggle multi-media and popular culture). As such, the I.C.W.'s Muggle Misinformation Media Ministry (Four-M, also known as the “ Forum ”) has been given full clearance to buy up controlling stakes in all Muggle media via anonymous shareholder puppets and shell companies, so that all popular media can be directed towards a productive goal. This has allowed the I.C.W. to subtly guide the creation of many new Archetypes towards innocuous Ideal Forms, away from potentially destructive variations.

Standard protocal calls upon the S.C.P. Methodology when an OoP is identified or suspected (S ecure the OoP. C ontain the OoP in a neutralising environment. P rotect the OoP against non-I.C.W. Authorized individuals and groups).

All attempts at the creation of OoP's (see Sang Real Incident of '46) are punishable by death.

Succesfull creation of an OoP is to follow the Paperclip Protocol (pacification of all individuals involved, identification of ritual/creator, containment of ritual site and object, employment and subjugation of creator).

Bonding with an OoP.

Certain indivuals can be blessed with an Affinity towards OoP's, allowing them to 'bond' with the object. This Bond creates great strain on the Bonded's mental health, however, and continued use of the OoP will slowly erode all sense of self and the ability to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

In a few rare cases (limited to eighteen (18) in the past 5,000 years), a Bonded can fully adapt to the Bond with their OoP – pushing past the limits of their biological body and transcending into a state of demi-godhood. The exact nature of this transformation is individually unique, though certain traits are shared between all recorded instances. The most recent case of a Transcended Bonded was the legendary Merlin of the Isles – his OoP was the Sage's Staff (currently missing – predicted to emergence again between 1990 and 2012).

When an OoP has been Bound, it can not be Unbound until its Bonded dies – mentally or physically, whichever happens first to make further wielding of the object impossible. In rare cases, an OoP can 'die' along with its Bonded, disappearing – these OoP's usually re-appear anew an indefinite amount of time later (usually between 75 and 239 years)(this behaviour is most often linked to Emperor Class OoP's).

A Wielder of a Word of Power can not be Bound to an Object of Power (See the 30/04/'45 Ideation Incident for the consequences of any attempt to try this). Any attempt to perform this is punishable by Temporal Obliviation.

Classes of OoP's.

OoP's are divided in three classes – some share an overlap between two classes, and a singular OoP has been identified to belong to all three classes (See OoP-file 'The World Key').

Lord Class

OoP's of this Class are often (but not always) less than 300 years old. As such, this is the most numerous class in terms of sheer numbers. Also known as Modern Era OoP's.

Almost 75% of all identified OoP's belong to this Class.

King Class

OoP's of this Class are often (but not always) between 300 and 2000 years old. Also known nowadays as Common Era OoP's.

Roughly 20% of all identified OoP's belong to this Class.

135 OoP's are both Lord and King Class due to their unique nature (see OoP-file 'The Snuffbox' for an example of such OoP's).

Emperor Class

OoP's of this Class are often (but not always) between 2000 and 350,000 years old. Also known as Ancient Era OoP's.

5% of all identified OoP's belong to this Class.

59 OoP's are both King and Emperor Class due to their unique nature (see OoP-file 'The King's Globe' for an example of such OoP's).

1 OoP belongs to this Class and the other two Classes (see OoP-file 'The World Key').

Chapter Text

The Systems of Power.

The Systems of Power is a globally known web of magickal places and structures commonly denoted under the geomancy branch of magick. It involves various structures, such wells, places, objects, and words, of power. These diverse structures can come to exist naturally or artificially, in both magick or mundane locations or items.

Words of Power.

A Word of Power, abbreviated as a WroP, is one of the most dangerous Systems of Power that exist. Similar to Runes in how they function when utilized in rituals or spells, they are more akin to primal Names than to language. Using a WroP is not an easy feat for Wixen – it demands exact control over one's magickal core and extreme aptitude in all Mental Arts, along with Wandless and Wordless Casting. When Wielded by a Mundane, they act as focii for their Wielder's desires and ambitions, aiding in attaining those goals.

Unlike all other Systems of Power, the Words of Power are both finite and infinitely powerful. There are only 7 WroP's in the world, and each is guarded by a different Wielder. These Wielders should be people who've been tasked to safeguard their WroP, to protect it from those who would abuse the power they held, but this doesn't always happen.

Extensive research has been done on the WroP, and their true details have since WWII been placed under a Taboo Geiss. None can remember the name of any current Wielder, nor recognize their face. Similarly, no simple mundane or wixen can sense the power of the Wielders or their WroP's. They have nowadays become a blind spot in the world, unable to be focussed on.

It must not come as a surprise that the Wielders are, to all intents and purpose, immortal. Their personal Word of Power yields them a physical immortality from all disease or aging, and a vastly expanded magickal core. However, the Wielder need not be wixen, or even human. Indeed, of the six current Wielders, only two are human. The others are a mixture of magickal beings and creatures, some of which are the last extant member of their kind.

What is known are the names of the Words of Power;

• Sword

• Tower

• Glory

• Flame

• Shape

• Adamant

• Beast

The Wielders can grant a boon to their followers and allies, a sliver of the power they hold within their Word of Power, thus greatly boosting the strength of magickal beings and beast. Mundanes can likewise enjoy increased prowess through this sharing of power, but for them it shall only result in increased vitality, strength, and endurance.Those instructed wrongly in the secret arts of the WoP's invariably end up insane, their mind shattered with the knowledge they'd gained without having previously build a proper foundation of mental discipline and rigorous thought-patterns. Rumour has it that the teachings of Yisun are the sole way to fortify the mortal mind for the strength of these boons.

Historical Wielders of the Words.

Historically, the WroP's can only be transferred upon voluntary basis. They can not be stolen or tricked into being given away – though a WroP can opt to abandon their Holder if they renege on their individual duties towards their WroP, or if some obscure condition is met.

The following list is of historical wielders of the WroP's;

• Sword

  • Most famously wielded by Alexander the Great. After his death, caused by a broken heart, it slumbered for many hundreds of years. It was rediscovered by Napoleon Bonaparte and succesfully wielded by him – he voluntarily gave it up a few months before his death.

• Tower

  • No known Wielders. Purpose and power are unknown. This WroP was in I.C.W. custody prior to 1986 – it reacted to the Chernobyl disaster and broke I.C.W. containment. Current whereabouts unknown.

• Glory

  • Siddhartha Gautama Boeddha – he utilized the Word of Glory to peer beyond the limits of human kenning, gleaning a smallest glimpse of the true immensity of the universe. His Mastery of the Word prevented insanity, and he ascended instead. He preached his teachings for many decades before he fully ascended, allowing the Word to find its next Wielder on its own.

  • Qin Shi Huang, 1^th emperor of an unified China. Wielded his Word like a true tyrant, displaying the flipside of true glory. Where his predecessor, the Buddha, professed pacifism and meditation, Qin understood the power of threats and intimidation. Ironically, his misunderstanding of the Word's nature led him to pursue immortality, causing his eventual death.

  • The only Word that does not always grant immortality – it bestows longevity to the peaceful, but a life swiftly burned out to the violent. As such, it is seen as almost two Words.

• Flame

  • Genghis Khan was its most infamous Wielder. His conquests lead to the deaths of thousands upon thousands and may even have lowered the climatological impact of humans for several decennia. The Word abandoned him the moment he became content with what he had.

  • The most fickle Word, as it readily abandons its Wielders the moment they lose their bloodlust or thirst for conquest. It may even choose a former Wilder of another Word as their new Wielder. As a consequence, it is the most influential Word in terms of direct impact and human suffering.

• Shape

  • The centaur Firenze of Greece – he utilized his Word to heal the ill and lame.

  • Jezus of Nazareth – he utilized his Word to heal the ill and lame. He later became the figure-head of the Christian Cult. The Word abandoned him after he stopped attending to the needs of the ill and lame for seven days.

• Adamant

  • Wielded by Mansa Musa, leading him to become the wealthiest man in pre-modern history. Rumour has it he won the Word in a bet with its nameless prior master.

• Beast

  • Jozef Stalin – he usurped the WroP via unknown means, and though he lost the Word to Adolf Hitler when the Third Reach betrayed their non-violence pact with the USSR (betraying Hitler to be a 'greater beast' than Stalin), Stalin was forever altered by it. By no means does this mean that Stalin would not have been a genocidal tyrant – the Word does not alter what is there. It merely allows for unopposed expression of the bestial nature of its Wielders.

  • Adolf Hitler – he perished in 1945 upon a disastrous attempt to also Bind himself to the Spear of Longinus OoP, causing the '45 Ideation Incident (his body vaporized, the radiation killing all inhabitants of the bunker in which he sheltered) and causing the Word to splinter.

  • Currently Splintered into 333 Fragments – 315 are currently contained. The remaining 18 are shifting contineously, finding a different Wielder every decade or so. Their effects are easily identifiable, hence the easy containment of the majority of the Fragments.

    • Past Fragment Wielders; see file 'Dictators of the 20^th Century – Word of Beast Influence'.

To what degree historical Wielders of the WroP's were aware of their Word, its power or nature and conditional requirements, will forever be a question. A rare few – like the Buddha and Alexander the Great, seem to have intuitively understood their Words, grasping even the conditional requirements. Or, perhaps, they were simply the right people to Wield the WroP correctly.

Chapter Text

On Fairy Tales and Minstrel Tales – or – Of Sprookjes and Précieuses

In 1670, under decree of then-Ministers of Magic of the Isles (Britain, Ireland, and the British Isles of the North Sea and North-Atlantic Ocean), the Kingdom of France, and the Kingdom of Prussia (Germany), the European branch of the ICW executed the Ministerial Missives of Muggle Mis-information – a precursor to, and later an integral part of, the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy.

The aim of these coordinated decrees was to spread controlled and sanitized tales of magic and mystery amongst the populations of West-Europe, to make it difficult for mundanes to distinguish between real and imagined magic. It was the hopes of these Ministries that this would allow wixen more opportunity to discreetly use magic to hide themselves away or protect themselves by connotating the so-called 'fairy tales' magic with grand ostentatious actions.

In the short term, it was also an attempt to overwrite earlier antagonistic mundane notions of 'black' magic and witchcraft, which had been rapidly causing great sentiments against those outside of normal society. It was the hope that mundane's would become focussed on an intrinsically whimsical fictional form of magic and start to ignore what they previously saw as 'devillish' actions by mundanes.

Enlisted for the succesful implemantation of this, as evidenced by modern ideas of mundanes on magic and fairy tales, were the esteemed literary wixens Madame d'Aulnoy, Madame de Rambouillet (both active around 1670 to 1730), Madame de Villeneuve (active from 1735 to 1785), and the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm (both active around 1805 to 1830). Together, these five travelled the whole of Europe for many decades.

Using Memory Charms and manipulating old records of written-down folktales via Transfiguration, they spread a cohesive myth of so-called Précieuses – folk tales of moralistic nature, often containing magical/whimsical elements in aid of the hero. Though there was much of such tales already to work with, their expert and closely-overseen manipulations successfully managed to steer mundane convictions of magic as a threat into the prevailing notion of magic as a whimsical fantasy.

Thus, when the Statute of Secrecy was finally implemented, Aurors and experts had a much easier time of Charming memories to view any observations of real magic as an overactive imagination focussed around these conte de fées, or fairy tales.

Madame de Rambouillet, also known as Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de Rambouillet (1588 – 2 December 1705), was an immensly popular high-society hostess and a major figure in the literary history of 17th-century France. She hosted many galas and balls for congregations of mundane and wixen guests throughout her life, through which she helped spread the growing popularity of fairytales before they finally became a true fixation for the studied elite of the ancien régime in France.

Later in life, before she faked her death in the mundane world, she visited many regions of France and Austria, under the guise of convalescing for a bout of pneumonia and, later, tuberculosis. During these travels, she expertly manipulated historical records of folk tales and memories of their age in accord with the Quatre-M Decrét (as it was known in francophone nations). She became rich through the sale of her books in both the mundane and wixen world, retiring from writing in 1699.

She disappeared in 1705, during a trip to Congo, presumably killed and devoured by a Lethifold – her death was certified by the Goblins of Gringotts' bank in the Place Cachée that same year via a blood-ritual, after several investigations discovered no clues. A monument in her honour was erected at the crossing between the Place Cachée and the Place Capricieux .

Madame d'Aulnoy, also known as Marie-Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville, Baroness d'Aulnoy (1650 – 14 January 1805), was a French writer known for her literary fairy tales. When she termed her works contes de fées (fairy tales), she originated the mundane term that is now generally used for the genre of fictional stories she helped spread and make popular.

A contemporary of the mundane literalist Charles Perrault, she adapted many of his stories and helped introduce their seeds into the literary historical records of such self-same tall tales. This had the added affect of making Perrault's work immensly popular and seemingly more historical than it actually was. It also helped create a national framework for fairytales of French origin.

She retired from public life in 1785, only appearing half a dozen times in as many galas and balls, always accompanied by her late husband's ghost and her caretaker, a never named young woman of wixen and Veela origin. Rumours were abound about their close relationship, but the fact that Madame d'Aulnoy's ghost husband never raised any issue about their intimacies went far to 'prove' that it was a harmless frivolous women companionship. Later discoveries, in the form of Madame d'Aulnoy's personal journals, did however confirm their romantic and sexual relationship.

She died in 1805, having survived all six of her daughters. She was survived by eight grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Her estate was willed to be divided in half, of which one part went to her unnamed caretaker and the other half to her surviving family. All future royalties of her written works, popular throughout the 17^th, 18^th and first half of the 19^th centuries, were granted to the Ministère de la Magique, more specifically to the Département du Secret et Désinformation, with the express purpose of upkeeping the Statute of Secrecy.

Madame de Villeneuve, also known as Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve (28 November 1685 – 29 December 1795), was a French author influenced by her peer Madame d'Aulnoy, their predecessor Charles Perrault, and influenced various other précieuse writers long after. Villeneuve was particularly noted, in mundane circles, for her 1740 original story of La Belle et la Bête, which is the oldest known variant of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.

She fled the mundane world in 1755, faking her death of old age. Retreating into the wixen communities of France, she became a celebrated employee of the Ministère de la Magique. There, she rose to the rank of Head of the Département du Secret et Désinformation, where she continued her life's work of disseminating fairy tales throughout the mundane world, to safeguard the magickal world.

She retired in 1785 and died peacefully in her sleep on 29 ^th December 1795, surrounded by her seven daughters from her three marriages, twenty grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. A ward in L'hospice du Flamel de la Sainte Église , the Place Cachée 's free-of-charge hospital, was named in her honour in 1855.

The brothers Grimm , also known as Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (1785–1903) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786–1879), were Hessian academics, philologists, cultural researchers, lexicographers and authors who together collected and published folklore during the 19th century. They were among the first and best-known collectors of German and European folk tales, and popularized traditional oral tale types such as "Cinderella" (" Aschenputtel "), "The Frog Prince" (" Der Froschkönig "), "The Goose-Girl" ("Die Gänsemagd"), "Hansel and Gretel" (" Hänsel und Gretel "), "Rapunzel", "Little Red Riding Hood" (" Rotkäppchen "), "The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats", "Rumpelstiltskin" (" Rumpelstilzchen "), "Sleeping Beauty" (" Dornröschen "), and "Snow White" (" Schneewittchen ").

They began their work for the Ministerium für Magie in 1808, when they began compiling the ever-more popular fairy tales of the germanophone territories, even going as far as investigating even the origins of French conte de fées. They bundled their research into a 1936-page manuscript, which they eventually distilled into various books of fairy tale recollections. Most famous, to this day, was their classic collection, "Children's and Household Tales" ( Kinder- und Hausmärchen ), was published in two volumes – the first in 1812, and the second in 1815.

After this, they focussed their research mainly on the history and peculiarities of the German language, eventually compiling the first attempt at a historical German dictionary in 1838. However, by 1859, this work was abandoned, after a murder-attempt on Wilhelm led to their retreat from the mundane world. They faked Wilhelm's death due to infection as result of the murder-attempt in 1859, and Jacob remained in the mundane world, acting as a recluse as he finished up their business. Eventually, Jacob faked his own death due to a broken heart (melancholy, or depression). They retreated fully into the hidden wixen world of Germany in 1863.

Wilhelm died in 1879, falling from a ladder during a trip to the local library – he fell on his neck and died instantly, leaving a grieve-stricken brother to deal with the unexpected death. Jacob eventually died in 1903, after having a Vision from a crystal ball during a visit to Nicholas Flamel's home in Paris. It's unknown what exactly Jacob saw, but disjointed comments by Flamel himself imply that Jacob saw the Great War of 1918. He died of a heart-attack and could not be saved, despite Flamel's efforts and efforts from a Summoned Healer from the nearby Place Cachée .

They were survived by Wilhelm's four children, seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and eight nieces and nephews. Their literary legacy has seen them immortalized in the mundane community, through various monuments, the continued popularity of their books, their remembrance on mundane paper-money notes, and numerous cinematographic adaptations of their works and life. They are almost equally well-remembered in the germanophone wixen communities, and remain well-known in the greater wixen world, almost on par with Beetle the Bard in the anglophone regions.

Together, these five individuals probably did as much or more as the best-known Aurors working to preserve the Statute of Secrecy these days. They have given the wixen world of Europe and North-America an ideal facade to hide their actions behind, able to redirect mundane attention or observations of magick to the whimsical fancy of childhood stories about fairy godmothers and blessed heroes.

But the mundane world has not stood still – and new technological advances are making it ever harder to fully implement the neccessary precautions to preserver the Statute of Secrecy. A growing concensus is forming in the ICW that, sooner rather than later, the Statute will no longer be able to be upheld. And in the future, there is the ever-growing chance that the wixen world will be exposed for all mundanes to see. The question thus remains – shall the wixen world survive this day?