The Covens of Zaichaer
Magic remains a reality in the world no matter what the authorities of Zaichaer would prefer. Just as a culture devoted to exterminating magic or subduing it has developed in the City of Brass, there is a culture within Zaichaer that is devoted to seeing it preserved. In the early days of the Sundering, mages were vital to the protection of the survivors of the ancient kingdom that Zaichaer once served as capital for. They held the line against the terrible creatures that stalked the lands. They kept the survivors safe and used their powers to stave off total annihilation. But then a great Calamity visited the lands of Karnor and madness descended upon many of the mages that once protected the populace. The wizards were transformed into horrifying creatures as their powers raged out of control. This event spawned the creation of the Order of Reconciliation, as the mortals of the area attempted to reconcile their way of life with the twisted powers that now ravaged the world around them.
In time, the Order of Reconciliation prevailed and the mad wizards that dominated the city were overthrown and cast down in a cleansing fire. This is the event that started the practice of burning mages at the stake for crimes against the city. In the early days of the Order, the mages of Zaichaer and the soldiers of the Reconciliators existed in an uneasy truce. The mages continued to use their powers for the betterment of the city and the surrounding area but were carefully observed by the Reconciliators. It is because of their efforts that the environment was cleansed of the toxic properties of the Dread Mists. It was because of their efforts that the Cult of Mending did not have as strong of a hold in Zaichaer when the Graveplague visited the world. It is because of the mages, that life was not completely wiped out in the City of Brass. This did not matter to the Order of Reconciliation and its supporters. Over time, this relationship continued to grow more antagonistic until outright conflict sparked between the two groups. In the end, the mages were forced into hiding. The more powerful mages were hunted down and those that were not killed, were forced into the underground or were made to flee the city.
In the present day, the vast majority of magical activity in Zaichaer stems from two places: either the Convocation of Minds in the Order of Reconciliation or the Covens that direct things in the underground.
Wizard vs. Witch
Because magic is so heavily restricted in Zaichaer, formal institutions dedicated to the teaching and practice of it only exist in one form. The Arcaeneum is the only authorized institution of magic in Zaichaer and it is heavily regulated through the lens of the State. As a result of this, the majority of magical traditions and teachings are passed down from generation to generation of magical practitioners in the territory. This has led to them being referred to as witches because of their adherence to more folklore tradition than the formal scholarly approach often utilized in formal schooling. However, while the wizards of the Order of Reconciliation would have the populace believe that the witches of Zaichaer are a bunch of superstitious and dangerous madmen and women, the witches of Zaichaer have been known to utilize familiar magic in unfamiliar ways. This creativity and uniqueness in their practices of magic means that no witch is quite like the next and each one requires a different approach because they may or may not unleash known powers in an unknown way.
What is a Coven
In its simplest terms, a Coven is merely a group of witches who have come together to both protect and support each other. They have enjoined their knowledge and craft to the purpose of furthering the survival of themselves and their way of life. However, in Zaichaer the eldest of the Covens enjoys the practice of certain traditions and manifest certain abilities among their members that have been passed down from generation to generation. The Covens listed here are not comprehensive, but they are among the most prominent Covens that are known to those who know of them.
In terms of commonality, the average citizen of Zaichaer most likely has not heard of these Covens by name. The witches of Zaichaer go out of their way to keep their ways secret and are quite good at operating unseen.
Each Coven observes its own internal hierarchy but there is rumored to be a loose governing body that oversees some of the activity that takes place between them. Who its members are and where they congregate is unknown to the authorities of Zaichaer. It is believed that this council convenes to address problems in the underground community, settle disputes and act as a medium through which goods and resources can be exchanged from time to time.
The Major Covens
The Railrunners
Reputation: Information Brokers. Couriers. Smugglers. Black Market Dealers.
Cornerstone Magic: Traversion
Tradition: Ghostwalking
Railrunners are trained in areas that are warded against teleportation magic. They are introduced to the properties of abjinurium as well as various forms of Negation shielding. Through this exposure, each Railrunner is taught how to assess the structural foundation of anti-escape wards put in place around them. They achieve this by channeling their aether into opening a pathway into the Slipspace within their own bodies and align the flow of their aether to that portal. This creates a situation where the witch themselves becomes a portal to the exclusion of all else, an act which pulls the witch into the Slipspace, allowing them to escape and then reappear in a place either some ways away or nearby but outside the boundaries of the warded area. This is an extremely dangerous Quirk but those who successfully manage to master it, become stoppable in only very specific ways.
The Railrunners are one of the most influential of the Covens of Zaichaer. They remain largely neutral when it comes to conflicts between the various covens themselves and serve as couriers, smugglers, and black market traders for the magical community at large. Practically every coven does business with the Railrunners and their penchant for applying the Rune of Traversion in unique and creative ways, makes them highly sought after. The Railrunners make a single promise to any who do business with them: do right by them and they will do right by you. They are well known for their discretion, impartiality and refusal to breach client confidentiality. No matter the situation, if nothing else remains constant in the magical community of Zaichaer, it is that the Railrunners keep the goods flowing.
The Market
Overseen and protected by the Railrunners, the Market is perhaps the one place in Zaichaer where magic can be practiced openly without fear of reprisal. At least, without fear of invoking the wrath of the Reconciliators. It is a safe zone that is heavily guarded by the most powerful magic that the Covens collectively have to offer. In the Market, visitors can find all manner of arcane shops, wares, tools, and goods. Most of the merchants and goods being exchanged in the Market are not Railrunners, nor were they acquired by them. The Railrunners provide and watch over the space that enables these transactions to take place. They collect a small fee from those who establish businesses in the Market and expect everyone who visits to abide by their rules.
The Market itself is a curiosity and whether or not it is actually located in Zaichaer is unknown. It is a mixture of hard structure shops, an inn, and an open bazaar that is closed off to the outside world. The ring of shops provides the boundaries of the Market itself, with the open bazaar located in the plaza at the center of them. There are no established portals to the Market, though history suggests that there were at one point in time. The Railrunners dismantled these portals following an attack by the Order of Reconciliation a few generations ago. In the present day, the Market is only accessible by finding a Railrunner and paying them open up a Railway portal to the Junction that leads to the Market itself. This allows the Railrunners to maintain tight control over who can and cannot access the Market. Potential threats that manage to coerce a Railrunner into opening a pathway to the Market Junction are simply ejected from the junction once they are identified. This ends up dooming the would-be invader to drift in the Slipspace until they either perish or find a way out.
The Grymalka
Reputation: Necromancers. Healers. Spiritists.
Cornerstone Magic: Necromancy
Tradition: Venerable Ancestor
The Grymalka are an old coven, perhaps one of the oldest, with roots stretching back to even before the Sundering. Every Grymalka is taught to respect the traditions of their elders. The Coven is family and the family protects its own. So much so that it is the practice of Grymalka to retain the spirits of deceased members of the coven so that they may continue to educate, serve, and protect the generations that follow. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, they are never truly gone for the Grymalka. Additionally, every Grymalka receives a soulbound ancestor to guard, guide and watch over them. Grymalka revere these treasured spirits as close allies, friends, and confidantes.
Never cross a Grymalka. That is the saying when it comes to the magical community of Zaichaer. The necromancers of this old coven employ mastery over the forces of death in ways that make even other witches uncomfortable. Rumors abound that the true master of the coven is a Lich but this has never been confirmed or even denied by the Grymalka themselves. Despite their grim reputation, the Grymalka are some of the most skilled healers that the community know. They employ their skills most commonly to assist the other covens in dealing with the fallout of initiations, magical experiments gone awry and the care of the deceased who may have perished due to arcane circumstances. Additionally, aethereal spirits that make their way into Zaichaer often find themselves dealt with by a Grymalka either benevolently or harshly depending on the disposition of the spirit itself. In instances of betrayal to the Covens at large, it is not uncommon for the Grymalka to be summoned in order to exact punishment upon the offender by ripping their soul from their body and trapping them in a soul gem.
The Necropolis
The Necropolis is the repository of ancestor spirits that have been bound by the Grymalka over the generations. Not only that, it serves as a resting place for venerated members of the magical community of Zaichaer. The souls of these individuals are often recalled and remain in the Necropolis to serve as teachers to those that come after them, across all covens. As such, the Necropolis is considered a sacred place to most of the Covens of Zaichaer where one can seek answers and guidance from elder witches that volunteered to undergo the process. The Grymalka watch over and protect these spirits with dutiful veneration. They are in turn protected by the ghosts that linger with them. The Necropolis also serves as a hospital for those in the magical community, any in need of healing can request the services of a Grymalka if one knows how to access it.
There is an entrance to the Necropolis located in a select number of graveyards around Zaichaer. Anyone with knowledge of how to open the passageway can access them. Traversing these passageways? That is another matter entirely. Simply opening the passageway leads one into a catacomb that sprawls beneath the underground. It is a place filled with the powers of Death and only a Grymalka carry tokens that allow one to safely pass unimpeded. Those not bearing such a token will be visited by wraiths, vengeful ghosts, undead, and other creatures that stalk the catacombs. The Order of Reconciliation has tried many times to collapse the catacombs or otherwise seal the passageways. New ones always open.
Visitors who have been properly invited to the Necropolis and thus either carry a Grymalka token or are personally guided by one, can pass through safely. Upon reaching the Necropolis, the individual or group, will be inspected by the guardians of the sacred place before being allowed to fully enter. Following this, they are then able to access the medical facilities, libraries and even ghost ancestors found there.
The Myshalarai
Reputation: Entertainers. Hedonists. Assassins.
Cornerstone Magic: Masquerade
Tradition: Mirage
Myshalarai are seldom as they appear to be and are notoriously difficult to pin down. This is because the Myshalarai are taught a special technique that enables them to channel their aether into manifesting a complete replica of themselves. Normally, a construct created by Masquerade only behaves in the manner in which it was programmed to but the tradition of Mirage enables a Myshalarai to actively project their awareness and magic through their duplicate. As the Myshalarai grows in power, this duplicate can interact with objects and even cast spells by drawing upon the witch’s aether. This includes any other runes of magic that the witch may possess. As a result of this ability to duplicate themselves so effectively, Myshalarai are notoriously difficult to handle by the Order of Reconciliation.
It is well known that the Myshalarai pay homage to the Mistlord Myshala, she who is the Mistress of All Pleasures. The Mistlord of Wishes, Flesh and Bargains seems to have blessed her coven well and they in turn live a life of relative ease. The most extravagant parties, the most hedonistic pleasures, and some of the exciting times of one’s life can be found in the company of a Myshalarai. They are reputed to be the hands behind many of the gambling dens, brothels and some of the taverns around the city of Zaichaer and some of the outlying townships. As bright and colorful as they seem however, the Myshalarai are reputed to be a people who are paid well to make problems disappear. The unspoken truth that they are some of the deadliest assassins that the Zaichaeri community knows of is a fact that any with the coin to hire them is well aware of. The Myshalarai have never openly acknowledge this but if an individual calls upon their services one can rest assured that the deed will be done.
The Menagerie
Located in the Market of the Railrunners, the Menagerie is a pleasure den for all manner of tastes. Whether it is gambling, sports, sex, drugs or alcohol, the Menagerie caters to the needs of the magical masses in ways beyond simply the material. Aided by their expertise in illusory magic, the Menagerie is a place where one can experience their wildest dreams and witness things haunting and things mesmerizing. It is a lesson in debauchery where one is encouraged to lose all restraint and indulge to the heart’s delight. The experience is carefully manicured to ensure that each guest to the Menagerie has a memorable visit to keep them engaged but just lucid enough to be in a suggestive state of mind. The Myshalarai want visitors to the Menagerie to enjoy themselves but they do not want things to rage out of their control. They have, over time, learned to become masters of the subtle line between order and chaos.
Rumor has it that if one calls upon the services of a Myshalarai and present them with a black rose, it will open up the door to potentially discussing their more select services. It is a careful dance of wordplay and investigation and if done well, the Myshalarai will accept the rose and in doing so, accept the job. Payment is to be rendered upon completion of the job, a fee that is agreed upon before accepting it. If the client does not pay, the rose they gifted will be returned to them and with it, the promise that the Myshalarai will get their due.
The Sunsingers
Reputation: Warriors. Guardians. Mercenaries.
Cornerstone Magic: Reaving
Tradition: Nova
The Sunsingers adhere well to the concept that they are closely tied to the precepts of the Sun. Though it is not known how or why, the traditions of these witches see that their Reaved weapons harness a silvery-white flame that is capable of cutting through various opposing forces beyond the mundane. Exactly where this particular quirk of their magic comes from is unknown for it is a viciously guarded secret. Nevertheless, all Sunsingers manifest it. The fire is capable of exposing illusions for the lie that they are. It can burn through magical afflictions to varying degrees of efficacy and can even cut through or deflect other magic. These properties are largely dependent upon the power of the individual witch. Novices can only manifest very minor parts of this quirk but the most powerful of them can manifest all aspects of it to devastating effect. It is because of this tradition that the Sunsingers made a name for themselves and quickly became one of the primary reasons that the Minders and Watchers of the Order of Reconciliation cannot simply exterminate renegades with a sweep of their hand.
The Sunsingers are a comparatively young coven of witches that cropped up only roughly fifty years ago. They brought with them a deadly efficiency that turned the tide against the ongoing struggle between the witches of Zaichaer and the Order of Reconciliation. They proved themselves as able bodied warriors capable of wielding magic, brute strength, and martial prowess in innovative ways. This startling turn of events caught the Reconciliators off guard, enabling the magical community of Zaichaer to breathe more easily for a time. Since that time, the Sunsingers have served the Covens of Zaichaer as hired muscle, warriors, and protectors. They have proven themselves resilient to the controlling tactics of the Order of Reconciliation and ensure that the Covens are able to operate in relative safety when necessary. When called upon, the Sunsingers will provide their protection to those who pay for it. They are skilled hunters, guardsmen, scouts and fighters.
Sanctuary
Sanctuaries are exactly what they espouse themselves to be. Throughout the territory of Zaichaer, witches who are in need of safe harbor can find a Sunsinger and be ushered into one of these places. Their locations change periodically but they are places well guarded. Those witches seeking refuge are sheltered and given supplies to see them through their time of need until such time as they can get back on their own two feet. Often times, a sanctuary is the first stop that a witch makes on their way to being smuggled out of Zaichaer and the opposite is true. The Sunsingers assist the Railrunners in operating the Zaichaeri magical smuggling ring, often protecting the Railrunners on their errands.
The Kindred
Reputation: Druids. Shamans. Summoners.
Cornerstone Magic: Summoning
Tradition: Mistbreaker
The Old Ways live through the traditions of the Kindred. These witches commune with the spirits of Nature and form pacts with them that allow them to traverse the wilds unhindered. The witches of the Kindred form bonds with the natural world through their union with the spirits to such a degree that they often whisper to the elemental and wild spirits more frequently than they do people. The spirits speak to them and will engage with a Kindred witch far more readily than even some elementalists. It is through the efforts of the Kindred witches that the lands around Zaichaer were originally cleansed. Their bond with the wild spirits of nature helped them to banish the Dread Mists and the horrifying, twisted creatures that came about as a result of them. Unfortunately, this bond also made them the most vulnerable to being corrupted by that which they beat back so relentlessly. Such is the price they pay.
The Kindred are by far the smallest of the influential Covens of Zaichaer but their word holds immeasurable weight. Through the link with the spirits and the spirit world, many a disaster has been avoided that would have otherwise decimated the magical community of Zaichaer. The spirits of the wild and natural world are everywhere and impossible to keep out of all places as they live and breathe in nearly all things. The Kindred make use of this connection to guide and guard the covens when the need arises. On the day to day basis, the Kindred most commonly supply the magical community with herbs, raw minerals, bones and other materials only found in the wilds, some of which are exceedingly difficult to retrieve without great assistance. This makes them invaluable to those who practice such things as alchemy, runeforging and even necromancy. In times of hardship, the Kindred witches can coerce animals into surrendering their bodies to sustain some of the populace or they can convince a tree or bush to bear fruit outside of its season. Without them, the magical community of Zaichaer and perhaps even Zaichaer itself, would have perished long ago.
The Grove
Somewhere in the forests of Zaichaer, there is the Grove. It has no other name but it is unmistakable if one is ever allowed to go to it. It is a veritable garden that is forever green and vibrant, blessed as it is by the work of the spirits who have served the Kindred witches over the generations. Rare flora grow in the grove, this flora often being used by the witches to create remedies and potions that are then distributed amongst the covens. Rumors abound that there is an ancient being who watches over the grove, a being that first invited the Kindred witches to the space and taught them how to commune with the wild spirits to the degree that they do. The validity of these rumors has never been confirmed by the Kindred witches but there is no mistaking that there must be some truth to them. Only a Kindred witch can guide travelers to the grove, with not even the powers of a Railrunner being able to find it. Threats to the grove simply never reach it and those who are banished from it are seldom ever allowed to return. It is one of the few places in Ransera where the fabled flower, Eikaen’s Tear, is reputed to grow.
Minor Covens
Whispers
Reputation: Information Gathering, Spying
Cornerstone Magic: Semblance
Tradition: Sending
Ten years ago a noble family found themselves in disgrace; named traitors the adults were executed by the state but their only son broke free when the raid came and ran into the streets. Zaichaer's government was not concerned with the whereabouts of a spoiled ten year old and made no more than a cursory search for him. The boy had it rough for some time, but he was adaptable and learned to survive with the other urchins on the streets with one advantage. His parents had been witches, and while not associated with any particular coven they had initiated their progeny with the rune of Semblance. He used his magic to know things he shouldn't know and eventually gathered around himself a small group of other children who, when he was able, he gave his gift. The group became known as Whispers, and though they were small, only containing about ten members, they began to earn a reputation of being able to find information others could not.
The founder developed a quirk that allowed him to send his senses (Hearing, Scent and Sight) with his Semblance senses into other places. Once he realized that this was not normal for others with the same cardinal rune he worked to pass the trait to his small gang.