Explore the World
Setting
The wanderer had been travelling for ages when he came upon a lush forest on the banks of a river in the mountains. Crystals emerged from the ground, his heart was at peace, he felt he had returned home. His cottage did not stand alone for long, as more travellers felt the need to settle in that land, and more and more people took the news of Noctenburg around the world. The people did not know they had come to a special place, it was only as they walked through the woods that they noticed the breeze bringing songs, stepping on runes freshly drawn in the mud, and owls looking down on them as if they were not simple birds.
The town grew richer, its buildings mushroomed, and the hospital and town hall were soon built alongside the mill and workshops. But beside the respectable people, something seemed to attract the freaks, especially around October, when the locals dared not go out into the woods after dark because of the strange flames that haunted the passers-by.
Curiosity, of course, is a supernatural force, so there was always someone who would venture closer and talk to the mysterious folks, who would welcome them warmly, curing their long-standing illnesses by unusual methods. Others, however, were more inclined to hate the strange folk, and it didn’t take much to send Hunters out into the woods and drive them from their land by force of law. They could not have known that the mighty Septima had been living here before the wanderer had first taken up his staff.
Witches
Wilmot
Her parents wanted her to be a lady's daughter, but she was always hiking in the woods, collecting nature's gifts. Soon they realise they can't change her, and Wilmot is happy, because mushroom picking is a good cover for collecting ingredients for potions.
Nicholas
He has a special sense of smell, and the perfumes he concocts give the wearer special powers. He researched the ingredients and sensing that the small perfume shop was limited, he set off on a journey into the realm of magical scents.
Mathilda
Her foster parents found her in the shards of a broken mirror. Although she found a loving home, she was haunted by magical phenomena. Her parents had made her a piece of jewellery that amplified the light emanating from the child, so that she could blind her attackers in case of trouble.
Bryn
Their father's printing press was ruined by the Hunters, so they decided to conjure up the old presses and secretly spread the Witches' Clarion, which not only spreads the word about the Hunters' crimes, but also thwarts the witches' enemies wherever possible.
Eustace
He was much admired by his congregation for his great knowledge, but jealousy led to accusations of witchcraft. He left the church so that he could be free to help and teach people, both with words and magic.
Dragomir
He inherited the position of executioner from his father. Because of his fear, he has easily hidden his own knowledge of ancient rituals, and tries to provide an escape route for innocently accused witches.
Edith
In the orange grove, she rescued an injured snake, but her family believed she was bringing a curse on their heads with her sinister omens. Edith was forced to flee, but by helping the snake, Apep helped all the sick in return.
Bertha
Dogs pull her sleigh and so she travels the countryside, brewing potions and helping the locals wherever she goes, keeping her ears open for any sightings of the Wind Swindler who cursed her family.
Aylana
She has followed the signs of the spirit world since birth, and although she tried to leave magic behind her, the spirits of her ancestors gave her the gift of the magic drum, and her dreams helped her return to the path of the witches.
Albert
He is a witch who can transform objects around him with his gaze, but the illusion is shattered shortly afterwards when he moves on. Thanks to his ability, he often fools or makes fun of people.
Johanna
An investigation revealed her special ability to see the memories of objects by touching them. Her gift led her to join the city guards, where she seized evidence that included a witch's belongings, and all memories and knowledge imprinted to the objects.
Randell
The Count has imprisoned his bastard son in a tower, leaving him with nothing to keep him company but books. He accumulates a wealth of knowledge with which to escape, and there is no one in the land who knows the history of magical rituals better.
Martha
Her father gave her a special feather, a gift that gave her the power to write magic words. Her ability has brought a helpful golem to life, now it's just a question of how she can keep her new friend a secret.
Hazel
Every member of her family has performed in a travelling circus with special abilities, but for a long time she didn't seem to have any, until she healed her brother from a distance during a dangerous stunt.
Katherina
It was as an embroiderer that her wonderful skills came to light, as she was able to use the power of nature to create special garments. She lost the sight of one eye in a tragedy, but out of the gloom she often sees the silhouette of the future.
Luke
The owner of the Winged Elephant pub, he's a master at mixing drinks that are not only delicious, but also give his customers supernatural abilities. As his activities became suspect, he had to flee, but he kept experimenting with new mixtures.
Tommy
The little boy was forced to live in the orphanage and strange stories were told about him. In his dreams he visited another world, where he made a friend, the Flame, who forged dream spells in his workshop. Tommy was forced to flee the orphanage, but he couldn't wait for the suspicion to die down so he could try out more dream spells.
Remus
The short-sighted witch has long been susceptible to contact with the spirit world, and by studying crystals he has discovered that he can use them to her advantage without violence.
Nina
Music and rhythm give her a connection with the higher powers, helped by the fact that a travelling witch, seeing her talent, carved her a magical pipe that gave both solace to the suffering and inspiration to artists.
Alice
Combining science and magic with ease, Alice's research aims to understand everything about the way the world works so that no corner of it is left in the dark.
Serena
When it came to light that she was the fastest person in the country, she was recruited into the army as a messenger. It was soon discovered that when she called out to the forces around her, her steps were quickened by the wings of the wind.
Sen
He grew up among rocks among wanderers, where he learned to climb rocks as well as walk. In an accident, he dived into the spirit world hidden among the rocks and learned how to find crystals without picking up a pickaxe.
Otto
A nobleman who met a forest witch while hunting. She taught him magic and they fell in love. When he wanted to introduce her to his family, they disowned her and the Hunters drove the witch away. Otto was also banished, but he now knew that her knowledge would make him a witch too.
Sophie
Strange things were always happening around her, until a teacher with a gift for magic realised that her main talent was her ability to get inside other people's minds and distort perceived reality. As soon as she began to deal with more serious matters than childish pranks, dark clouds of suspicion began to gather over her.
The Journey To Noctenburg
Read the story of how some witches felt the calling of Septima and decided to take on the journey to Noctenburg!
