We Don't Burn.... We Prosper

The History
Our abilities pulsate in strength, the same way water can lazily meneader through a stream and then crescendo into an ocean roar. Along with them, our public relations and even our name has changed.

Our ancestors have been everything from renowned healers, treasured mothers, the fiercest most sought out warriors to devil-workers, soulless fiends...people whom were not worthy of knowing what it was to experience life. The latter, unfortunately, was how it was from the 1400s through to... well, when did it end?  

When did it stop? When did they stop the whippings, the water-boardings, the hangings, the torture, the torment... the burnings? When did they stop punishing people who knew us too?

It has been reported that between 1900 and 1901, more than 3,000 people were killed for allegedly being magic- wielders by lynch mobs in Tanzania. The last of those 3,000 was Gretchen Fischer.

It was after Gretchen's death that the Aderyn Tân Coven, a powerful group of those gifted with flame and heat manipulation, based in America, became successful in their centuries of work. It was the day after her death that the first witching received a vaccination, the ingredients and method of making which is a secret only the elders of that coven possess, which would halt their aging process at the age of twenty five.

Every witchling in America went on to receive a vaccine, with varying effectiveness. Our miracle vaccine killed 60% of our kind. Adverse reactions, anaphylaxis shock. Another 20% refused it, thinking it immoral, scared they would suffer the same fate.  

20%.

20% remained.

All of which stemmed from four covens.  Those who manipulate fire and heat, The Aderyn Tân Coven, who helped form this cure. Those who manipulate water and the ocean, The Iasc Aigéin Coven, who behave as their lap dogs.  Those who manipulate the natural stones and rock that make up our planet, The Aarde Koei, who had also been working on the vaccination but had not found a working formula. Finally,  the Blásar Lag coven, who manipulate the winds, and have a history of playing peace-keeper.

Post-Vaccine
50 years.

It took 50 years of the four groups trying to turn the tables on the non-magic yielding inhabitants. Every town and village where humans had purged the wielders was targeting, conflict raged and both sides suffered mighty loses. The covens, however, were already weakened - having had little time to recover they had no choice but to flee. Changing their names, their appearances as much as possible, moving to other parts of the country and keeping their abilities underwraps - unseen by the human population.


Now
150 years later these four covens have rebuilt, however the scars are still raw for many. Politics is... as politics has always been, complicated and each coven is trying to remain the most powerful, the most wealthy.

The covens each have three Elected Representatives (ER).  These 12 ERs meet monthly to share the concerns of their people with each other, if any issues are not or can not be solved in house then two individuals per coven go before a board to plead their case, for them to decide.

The Board.

The Board are made up of one representative from each Coven. This one member is not elected, instead they are decided by whom in the coven is considered the most powerful. This power comes from a combination of both money, and magical ability.

As well as conferring on issues raised by the ERs, it is The Board's job to decide and order punishment for any magic weilders that have denounced their coven, fratenised with anyone they shouldn't have, or any other major disputes.

For example, some magic wielders are against having to keep their abilities hidden, but revealing your magic is a crime. One which the Board assess on a case by case basis immediately.

The Board themselves, however, are not all they seem to be. Power corrupts.

The Covens

Aderyn Tân Coven -
Gifted in: Fire and Heat Manipulation
Allied with: Iasc Aigéin Coven
Power Source: The sun, Flames
Weakened by: Anything that extinguishes heat or blocks and distorts their power source
Coven Crest: The Phoenix
Additional Infomation: Members of the Aderyn Tân have for centuries pathed their way through being go getters, their ambition is so strong that they are not scared of being cut throat. They are the most prominent in the city, and with the help of their allies appear to be the most powerful.
Their crest used to be a Salamander, but changed to the phoenix when after the first wave of witch trials they regrouped and have since risen from the ashes. This, coupled with their recipe being what was needed for the immortality vaccine, makes the phoenix a perfect image.


Iasc Aigéin Coven
Gifted in:  Manipulating bodies of water
Allied with: Aderyn Tân Coven
Power Source: The Ocean and Rivers, Water sources
Weakened by: Anything that dries out water or their power source being distorted or contaminated
Coven Crest:Jellyfish
Additional Information: The Iasc Aigéin Coven have, throughout history, sided with whatever group seems to be the most powerful. They have seemed to seek safety by choosing subservient approaches and doing as they are instructed in order to keep others of their own group safe. They promote a quiet life for themselves, however, they are a mighty forced and if the coven in power orders them to fight they will and are something to fear.


Blásar Lag Coven -
Gifted in: Wind Manipulation
Allied With: Independent
Power Source: Pressure in the atmosphere, Gases
Weakened by: Anything that can starve air from the area.
Coven Crest: Dove
Additional Infomation: The Blásar Lag Coven traditionally present themselves of having a strong moral compass. They promote fair and equal justice, and have no desire in one group having all the power for themselves. They encourage their members to help those in need and to call out any injustice that they see which, ironically, often leads to the very thing they are trying to prevent: war. It is because of this history of do-gooder attitudes that they have found no one to ally with.

Aarde Koei Coven -
Gifted in: Manipulation of natural rock and stone
Allied with: Independent
Power Source: Cave systems, underground dwellings, Natural Rock and Stone
Weakened by: Non-natural materials (man-made), they also can't manipulate any of this.
Coven Crest: The Bull
Additional Infomation: The Aarde Koei Coven share the same stubborn, dangerous ambition of their firey counterparts. The two covens were in a race to create the miracle of immortality; sith the Aarde Keloei, unfortunately, losing this race. It was their people that suffered the most horrific adverse affects from the vaccine and, thusfore, it makes this great coven the smallest in the world.

What it lacks in numbers, however, it makes up for in power - with an unwillingness to listen to anyone else's opinions, the most affluent group of the world purposefully use materials that are not natural in their buildings in order to keep the Aarde Keloei weakened and easier to control.


Swapping Covens, Mixing Covens, and Romance...
The rules set out by The Board:
An individual who denounces their coven is punished by death.
An individual caught fratenising in a romantic way with other covens is punished by death.
An individual caught fratenising with non magic wielders faces fines and possible re-education centre.  Their non magic wielding counterpart faces death.

However, it is known on the quiet that they are small packs of wielders whom have faked their deaths in order to escaping the restrictions of their coven, or to follow romantic relations with other coven members or human counterparts.

If a child is born from a romance between a human and a wielder, the ability the witch has may be passed down - in these cases, the child's body will not be able to cope with the pressures that the magic puts on them and there is a 80% chance they will pass by their eighteenth birthday. If the magic is not passed down, the child will be considered human.
In short, a human - witch hybrid (If said hybrid has magic) - has a 5% chance of living past 18.

In cases where both parents are magic wielders, but from seperate covens, the child must learn to master both before they become of age at eighteen years old, and go through the vanquishing. A ceremony performed by a group that vanquishes one element from the spellcaster body before the two elements can wage a war within them.

The vaccine
The vaccine stop people from dying from old age, and illnesses that are associated with bodily aging. However, deaths still occur through accidents and injuries. Weilders are not unkillable.  
 
The vaccine will only work on magic weilders due to the differences in DNA between them and humans.

The vaccine does not pass down from parent to child - it must be given on or after the weilders 25th birthday, if that is their choice, this is due to their abilities having only settled at this age.

General Stuff
Those who wield magic are referred to as magic wielders, any other term is seen as an insult and an attempt to demoralise. Insults include; wizard, warlock, witch, heretic, hag, crone, beldam, harpy and stem from persecution they used to face.

Despite 'witch' being an derogatory term, it does depend on the context, as covens may use this amongst themselves to reclaim the word.

Wielders must spend years of practising before they learn their manipulation and how successful or powerful they become is dependent on their physical and mental health. If an individual is physically weak or unfit, then they will be unable to perform the gestures and positions required for an effective spell. If an individual is mentally drained, or suffering with their mental health, they will not have the clarity or control needed for mastership.

Wielders can not conjure their elements from nothing, they must be near their source (as laid out in the coven information).

Wielders are vulnerable to their own elements, as well as that of others. Being a fire weilder does not grant immunity to fire, water immunity to drowning etc.

Our RP
Our RP will be based in the city of New York. the very city on the Eastern coast of the America where The Board take up their residence.

Character Template
Full Name:
Gender Identity:

---

My Characters

Please note: These are just my beginning characters, as time goes on there will be more and they probably won't be noted here. I will, however, have Pinterest boards for everyone which wkll be accessible if you click on their name.

Full Name: Coralee Moradi
Gender Identity: Female

Full Name: Hudson Moradi
Gender Identity: Male

Full Name: Reina Doi
Gender Identity: Female

Full Name: Verity Nash
Gender Identity: Female

"I am tired of finding your sweaty head piece thrown on my chaise lounge in the library." Coralee spoke through freshly whitened teeth, causing an almost hissing sound of irritation that was soon followed by the thudding of a raven coloured biking helmet hitting the oak table beside where Hudson's feet were resting. "And get your boots off of the table, Laura just spent hours cleaning ready for this fucking dinner."

Hudson lifted his hand up to rake his fingers through muddy brown, shoulder length locks. His head leant back so that, if his eyes had been open, they would have been fixed on the ceiling. "Laura is paid to clean, Lee. You waste your energy berating me. Perhaps you can berate our dear brother instead, he may humour you."

---

False, maroon coloured nails walked there way across a black marble bar in the direction of the barman on the otherside. Deep brown eyes screaming impatience as Reina cleared her throat for man's attention. The glass in front of her, empty albeit for a few drops of Spanish rioja, being the likely culprit.

Coralee's entire body bristled with disgust, taking in a sharp air of gritted teeth as she hopelessly tried to move away. "You're both disgusting. Let me go. I don't want your sweat glands anywhere near me, you animal."

"Lee is trying to berate me for not placing my helmet in her studying abode, and is trying to use the cleaners dedication as the main moral compass. I told her you might have more energy to care, but..." A smirk pulled at the corners of Hudson's lips, cocking his head to the side as he looked his brother from head to toe and back again. "Artem put you through the ringer, so maybe you won't have the energy either."

"I think you are miscontruding what those fantasies are actually about. Surely you are not so naive." Coralee laughed gently, batting his hands away as she moved to the other side of the room. Pausing in front of a full length mirror and trying to put her hair tidy once more.

"It is a helmet on a chaise lounge, not muddy boots on the white entry carpet or toast crumbs over the counter." Hudson snorted, leaning his head back to look up at the ceiling. "You are both as dramatic as one another."

Coralee waved Hudson away dismissively, "This is the first time we are hosting the dinner independently, with our ERs. Two of them have cancelled, they've succumb to a bout of flu, but the blonde woman is still coming. I don't remember the name."

"If needs be to avoid conflict, yes." Coralee answered, biting back a sneer that tried to edge in. "Unlike yourselves, this is the first time I have been granted permission to be here without our parents."

"Ah yes, the joy of having your twenty fifth birthday last week. Congratulations, the prize will feel more of a burden within the year I assure you." Hudson drawled, casting a glance to his twin. "Shall we skip this one and go drinking? If Lee has it all under control, we shouldn't get in the way."

"We can go somewhere that the two of us can find women we want to be with, rather than those we are forced into ulster the family into higher steed." Hudson waved a dismissive hand in their sisters sire tion as she began to rearrange and reorganise the brik-o-brac that lay around the room. "I have no interest in entertaining her anxieties. If Lee wishes to prove herself, then she can do it without our presence."

Hudson started to reply, though was cut off by the sharp voice of their sister.

"Get changed, both of you. You stink, our guest won't appreciate it." Coralee barked over her shoulder. "Especially you, Zeke. The post-training look is not a good one for hosting a dinner guest."

Coralee physically flinched at the snap, as if expecting to be struck. Fingers slackening around the porcelain elephant figurine she held, only releasing a breath when she realised it hadn't broken as it fell back onto the shelf.

Hudson grimaced, only able to let the silence lay for a second before clicking his tongue to create some noise to fill the air. "If we are having to do this today, a meeting with an ER, we'll make it quick. No one wants to be doing this, and the shorter it is the less chance we all have of being beaten for any fuck up."

Several hours of silence passed, it taking until the sun had dropped over the horizon and the smell of freshly made bread finally floated up through the house before knuckles grazed Ezekiel's room.  The voice of Verity Nash, the newest ER for the coven, purred from the other side of the door, "Knock knock."

"I am not used to being such a important guest. I thought this privilege would go to my brother, after things went down as they did." A grin pulled at her lips as she took half a step away. "At least it is your face I have to discuss the concerns of the people with."

"Yes, she has already made a show of it all." Verity chuckled. "She is exactly as you described her, however what I am disliking is the freedom to walk around your home rather than sneak around it in my underwear."

"The only thing I am here to do, is to make sure all of my hosts are present for this meeting." Verity answered cheerfully, glancing over her shoulder to follow his gaze. "They think I have gone to the toilet, don't fret."

Verity hid a cough as her back hit against the wall, the air being forced from her. Nostrils flaring along with the strained response; "It is our job tonight to work out solutions for our coven. If that creates drama your sister can not handle then she shouldn't be hosting, I am here to do my job. Don't threaten me, Moradi."