History, Information and Background on Enchantress of the Day and Night
Kneazle
D/C: All characters belong to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Scholastics, etc. K.A. Applegate's EverWorld, Fern Gully: the Last Rainforest and Enchantress of the Stars by Sylvia Louise Engdahl and mostly my odd dreams take some ideas, also from "Disney's Atlantis", Sweep by Cate Tiernan, and Circle of Magic by Tamora Pierce. Most information that is for the covens is based on Wicca, Sweep, The Dragon's Tapestry, The Prism Moon and The Taker's Key by Martine Bates, Circle of Three by Isobel Bird, and most clan information is from Sweep, Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane, and Daughters of the Moon by Lynne Ewing. I made up all history and locations. Information I use can be found at the following:
http://www.bibliomania.com/bibliomania-static/index.html, www.wiccan.com and http://www.feri.com/frand/Wicca4.html
History of the world: GaeaIn Gaea, what the world is now called, there are two main races: the witches and the warlocks. There are many other races, of course, ranging from dwarves, elves, unicorns and other beasts. However, there are also humans. Witches and warlocks became the dominating species through mutation when the world had been experimenting with radioactive wastes and materials, back when humans were the dominating race.
Thousands of years passed, making it in human years close to the year 4000 BC. Though witches and warlocks did not know what year it was anymore, they created a new calendar and way to know the time. They had resorted back on sundials and months became the four seasons for harvesting, planting et cetera.
During these years, the world evolved and changed, making new species sprout and others die out. Extinct species were not extinct anymore as somehow they came back, embryonic into a more advanced form of its previous self. There was now Dodo birds, black tigers, three-horned orangutans and more. Though nothing was as remarkable as the evolution of dragons, unicorns, griffins and merpeople.
Countries broke apart, reshaped and collided together for a new form of Gaea. There were now nine great continents, but our story only revolves around two: the Marsh Lands and the Mystical Lands. However, the nine are titled: Avecaut, The Marsh Lands, Anirteson, The Mystical Lands, Ella Island, The Gray Island, Dunes of Grecta, Land of Neka, and Jaxxia.
History of the world: Talamanca WoodsTalamanca is a small, island-like terrain with only one thin strip of terra firma that are marshes, connecting the Talamanca Woods to the Marsh Land. The Talamancaian woods were some of the oldest woods in the world, but they were also where the most stable economy could be. Bordering in all directions water, the soil was perfect the more inland one went for growth. Mountains to the East protected the Woods from hurricanes and torrential weather, making the climate warm and tropical.
The woods themselves were of a mixed forest, with deciduous and coniferous trees around. From berry bushes, banana trees, coffee beans to apple trees, the Talamancaian Woods were the idealist location for a settlement. Thus, the Talamancaian Clan settled and grew there.
The Talamancaian Clan is one of the oldest clans in warlock history, coming from lands in the South. They landed on the Talamanca soil, and marked it their own. They created their settlement close to the west side of the Ocean of Ino, but far enough inland as not to be boggled down by ill weather. They rested on the river Morria, which lead to the Morria Lake, which was in the middle of the Talamancaian Woods. However, they never ventured over the ridge of mountains, unaware of just what was on the other side.
There, over that ridge, was where the Wycliffe Coven had settled. An all-witch coven, they were calm and peaceful, content on living off what nature provided them. They made no move to go over or around the mountains that semi-circled around them. On that East bank, they received the hurricanes and torrential weather, but learned the seasons and lived off the sea. They were a fishing community, happy in their small landmass.
Their location was more like the weather of our New York City, Toronto, Buffalo, Maine, London, and Dublin. They had seasonal weather: winter was cold and brought much rain and slush; spring brought slightly warm weather where they would being to dig once the land wasn't frozen; summer brought warm air but the sea gave a cool breeze every day; and fall brought on the chilly weather that was perfect for harvesting. They were all unaware of what tropics were on the other side.
History of the World: The ContinentsThough the Poweeke Mountains and Belluci Desert were on the other terrain of Gaea that Talamanca was connected to, it plays a part in this story.
The Poweeke Mountains ran from the Belluci Bay on in a straight line until they reach the edge of west end of the Marsh lands. On the east side of the land, there are a grouping of lakes, titled the Lakes of Mist, as there is always some fog or mist on the ground, hiding and covering whatever be in that area. Rogues are to be rumored to live there. Species living in area: witches and warlocks
The Poweeke Mountains continue on underwater west until on land again, in Avecaut. That is a mountainous and desolate country, with only a few main settlements. Species living in area: Humans, dwarves and some magical
Between the Western Ocean and Ocean of Ino lies Anirteson. That land is large, consisting of forests and elves. However, there is the Cavern of Echoes, resting deep in the southern part of the country. There are many colonies on Anirteson, all of which are resting on the ocean. Species living in area: humans
All the way on the eastern side of Gaea is Jaxxia, the lonely country extremely similar to Avecaut. In sense, when the two sides of my paper connect, the mountains from Poweeke that turn into the Avecaut Mountains continue along into Jaxxia, becoming Wolf Ridge. There, in the middle of the terrain is the Forest of Rain, where it is always raining, yet never floods. The waters run off back into the Eastern Ocean, or into Rain Lake. Species living in area: humans and magical
Below Jaxxia, to the south, lie the three islands that were far in the past Australia. The Island of Ella is the second largest but the most populated. What is special of Ella is that it is the smallest island to have its own desert: the Desert of Nun-Kadar. Between Ella and the other island is the Isle of Pesip, where the Gray Forest then rests. That island is all a forest, dark and uninviting. Only the bravest travel to the Gray Forest and there are only two communities on the whole island. The Snow Dunes of Grecta are the final island of the three, and resembles what is our Arctic. Full of snow, only live there if one could brace the six-months of darkness and six-months of light. Only go there if one can stand seeing snow year-round, and never see a blade of grass in their life. Species living in area: humans and magical
The second last country is Neka, which is the most diverse of landmasses. The largest country, it has the Death's Ridge, perilous mountains that hide the White Plain, a snowy plain away. Only one settlement lies there. Back north, the Shadow Forest borders the west, hugging the Lake of Shadows. The Lake leads down into Essence River, which travels out into Oceanis Sea. To the north of Essence River lies the Valley of Doves, where the most communities lie. Species living in area: humans
The last continent is the Mystical Lands. True to its title, the Mystical Lands are home of the Enchanted Forest, and Lake of Apollo. It is also where the Ridge of Diandria is home to, separating two countries in that one continent. It is the most populated land in the whole of Gaea. Species living in area: humans and some magical
History on witches and warlocks: How they became to fightThe whole story is about how witches and warlocks try to dominate each other, trying to subdue one group to control the other. Hermione is suppose to, with her friends, fight this and try to convince every witch and warlock that they could live in peace. Minerva, her old teacher, tells her about how that was how they all remembered the history, passing it down as they didn't have any parchment or paper to write on. However, I can give a far more detailed history on how the two races became enemies.
That story begins like so:
In the year 3000 and something, there were two young people from the same village on the Mystical Land. That, at that time, was where all magical folk lived, away from the prying eyes of humans. Humans themselves were nomads, traveling around Gaea looking for new places to conquer but not the Mystical Lands.
These two young people were named Orion and Kalian. Both were magical and had many strong powers. Orion was very handsome, with his dark eyes and strong build, and he wooed many young hearts. Kalian was a young beauty, with long, luscious brown locks and doe-like blue eyes, and slender body. Many young warlocks were swooning over her, but her heart belonged to Orion, and his belonged to hers. Of course, being best friends and young lovers, there was bound to be someone who wished they were in the place of Kalian and Orion, and so that those two didn't have each other. They were Rubius and Melika.
Together, Rubius and Melika devised a plan to make Orion and Kalian hate each forever, and go running into the arms of their unknown others, namely Rubius and Melika.
One day, while strolling through the Enchanted Forest, Kalian was pulled away from Orion, Melika claiming she had to speak to her closest girl friend immediately. At the same time, Rubius led Orion away, claiming he had to do the same thing, though with his best boy friend.
Melika then fed Kalian some story about seeing Orion with a girl at an inn in a near by town, that one night she had been at home helping her family. Melika said that both Orion and the girl were very involved in what they were doing and had disappeared not so long after that. Kalian became furious, demanding to know who the girl was so she could speak with her personally, and wondering all the while why Orion hadn't been pure for her.
At the same time, on the other side of the forest, Rubius was telling Orion the same story, only changing it so that it was he who saw Kalian flirting with a young warlock at an inn a night that Orion had to go out hunting. Orion also became furious, wondering who the warlock was and threatening the air to duel with the unnamed warlock. Orion then stomped off, presumably to find Kalian, while she did the same.
However, they did not know that the male flirting with Kalian had been Rubius and the female flirting with Orion had been Melika herself.
The two conspirators watched Orion and Kalian shout at each other, denying that they had flirted – or slept – with anyone else, beside themselves. They didn't believe each other, calling lies and cheats out in the open, misreading old situations and twisting them around to make them look like it was the other's fault.
Finally, not standing it anymore, Kalian took off the ring that Orion had asked to be made personally for the one he loved, and threw it in the air. With her magick and anger, she burst the ring into fine dust, which spread around her, littering the whole of the Enchanted Forest. Orion called out in surprise, almost sobbing. That was the last straw for him, as they both told they wanted nothing to do with the other and left…
But not in the arms of Rubius and Melika as the two had hoped; instead, they remained single for the following weeks, and finally years following that fateful argument. Finally, unable to take the pain and loss, Kalian left a spelled message to her family, saying she still loved Orion and couldn't be without him. She, later that day, killed herself in the Enchanted Forest.
Orion, beside himself with grief, copied his beloved and also killed himself in the Enchanted Forest (though at that time it was just the Magic Forest). From then on, the females and males argued about whose fault it was. Melika and Rubius saw what they had caused, watching from far away the wars and vandalism that both sexes were spewing at each other.
History of witches and warlocks: The Enchantress of the Day and Night, and the PriestMelika, seeing what she and Rubius had done, claimed a balance was needed. Rubius, agreeing with her, both decided to train hard, raising their power as much as they could, as to be the most powerful witch and warlock in Gaea. That way, they were intimidating all others into believing into the balance. Further along, after years, they would forget why they believed in the balance and live it out day to day, year to year.
Melika's body, however, couldn't take in the amount of magick she was taking in, so she finally died one day. However, it was not all in vain, because her magick was passed on to a young witch who believed in balance. Being giving the power when being made in her mother's womb, she was able to sustain and allow her body to take in the magick Melika passed on to her. She became the Enchantress, but would never use that title in her life, or the other girls after her. For, it was the year when the Day and Night would fight so ruthlessly would the Enchantress come to be, granted the power of the other witches before her.
Rubius had long passed away, dealing with the same conditions as Melika. He also passed on his power, but also his memories. This is why those who became the Priest knew the history of Gaea, but could not speak of it. Wisdom had a price, and that was what happened to the Priest. He, being so wise, chose the best-suited young men in the warlock community to become Priest's Knights. They were to protect the Priest, but also all other warlocks and witches at all costs; they also had to believe in the Balance. Thus, the Enchantress of the Day and Night and the Priest were created.
History of Bonding: why it is done and howBonding is the way warlocks and witches are able to control one another. When a witch bonds a warlock to herself, she is able to control how much power the warlock cane use and can control them easily, like an electric collar, almost. The same is if a warlock bonds a witch to himself.
The bonding rituals are overseen by an Elder/Mage (for the warlocks) when they chain the victim to a pole. The victim, before hand, is scrubbed down with diandira if they are a witch and icosandria for the warlocks. This renders them helpless and without their magick for a day.
After being chained to the pole, the witch or warlock that will be bonded to its counterpart is told a spell by the Elder or Mage, one which they must repeat while holding onto some part of their bonding. After the spell is said, a glow (what magick looks like when in visible, used form) is seen slowing engulfing the body of the bonding. Once the glow has disappeared, the victim is now bonded.
However, through history, only those who have previously been bonded can witness the bonding ritual, as anyone who hasn't been bonded may become scared and disgusted by the ritual (hence chapter two, Harry thought Hermione was trying to bond herself to him).
The only way to be released from a bond is if the one who bonded the witch/warlock to them dies, or the reversal spell is preformed. Yet, only the Priest who has memories of the past is able to give the reversal spell out, and that has never been done before in the whole history of bonding.
Clans and Covens: Name, Location and SpecialtiesThere are many clans and covens in Gaea, but there are only four separate ones that all covens and clans are descendants of:
1) The Talamancaian Clan: they reside in the Talamancaian Woods, and are especially smart, brave, loyal and powerful with their magick. They are known for their exceptional fighting skills, love of natural magick and agility.
2) The Wycliffe Coven: they were nomadic, being chased always by Talamancaians. They are smart, brave, powerful in their magick, and are known for their healing and natural powers.
3) The Black Clan: they reside on the east side of the Marsh Lands, on the Ocean of Ion. The Black Clan is known for their use of Dark Magick, ambitious behavior, slyness and cunningness. They are knowledgeable in all fields but mainly potions, agile and powerful in their magick.
4) The Lliad Coven: they reside on the Mystical Land, and are extremely powerful in their magick, loyal, smart, and rather peaceful. They believe in the Balance, and are known for their knowledge and wisdom, and for their predictions.
These four groups are the main magical ones, where all are descendant from, thousands of years back. They have all different things they are good and special at, and are also known for their abilities. Though the Black Clan studies dark magick, it does not necessarily mean they practice dark magick. Remember, one may know how to use a gun, but never use one… that does not make them a killer.
Death Eaters, Rogues/Gypsies: what are they?Death Eaters are described in the story, though rogues and gypsies are not. As not to mean any offenses, the gypsies in Enchantress… are based on 16-century gypsies. This means they live out of caravans, wear outlandish clothing (or look like a classmate of mine ^_^), and are itinerant. They consist of those who believe in the Balance, and are a mixed culture (from witches and warlocks to humans to elves) that travels along with them. They do not like working, so they steal and mooch what they can, living day-by-day and never worrying about tomorrow.
There are many different cultures and character races that will be introduced into the story, ranging from humans, magick folk, elves, dwarves, sirens and merpeople. Each have a history in my story, but it would take far too long if I were to go into each. So, I have stuck and left it with gypsies as they and Death Eaters play very large parts, while other cultures do not.
How magick works in Gaea:I was asked this in one of my first reviews for the story. The only way to be able to describe this is by asking: Why is the sky blue? And please, science whizzes, don't go into the whole "the eye absorbs all the colours except blue and that is why the sky is blue" stuff. Let's still pretend we're four and don't know.
Magick in Gaea is something that witches and warlocks were born with. Like genetics, having the same nose as your mom or hair as your dad. Magick can be learnt, as I say that Hermione can take magick from nature. She draws the power from the earth, which is like a huge battery (except it never runs out of magick). Instead of using wands, Hermione and her witches use their hands as the medium between the two. Wands are just projectors for magick, like the staffs of the warlock's are. However, warlocks also use their staffs as weapons (to pound on one's head, as Ron likes to use – chapter three).
The Covens and Clans:
I know that this is stressed in the chapters, but I will write it here to. I read a lot of fantasy/witchcraft stories and in truth, have gone overboard reading into a few. I look for symbolism, metaphors, any literary term I can find and laugh when I do, but because of this, I look at the different ways some author's write their perception of clans and covens.
From what I know, in witchcraft, you have covens. Though, in some reference text readings I have come across the fact that all male groups that study magick (or magic) are called clans. From that, I have devised so:
Females, or witches, belong to a coven while males, or warlocks belong to clans. This makes it easier to the reader to know whether or not the group/people are talking about the males or females. It also makes their religion and studies a lot easier to identify, because there are differences.
I hope that clears a lot about the world that I have created for Enchantress of the Day and Night. I have also created two maps (one of the area where the story takes place and one of all of Gaea). If my scanner ever comes to life again – which doesn't look like any time soon – I will post up on geocities or someplace similar the maps for reference.
Thank you all for taking the time to read all this, and I hope that you'll continue reading Enchantress…!