Warlocks
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‘Warlock’ describes an ethnic minority living mostly in the swamps of North Central and Central Faerie. While warlocks began as a social movement in the Emberton Empire, they have formed their own distinct culture and history both beside and often at odds with the Faerie Empire.
Warlocks can be of any species, and families or groups who joined recently often retain parts of other ethnicities’ practices.
Naming Traditions
Since Warlocks were and continue to be made up of a variety of people from different backgrounds, most warlock families follow the naming traditions of their ancestral ethnicity. However, many also change their name or name their children after prominent figures from Warlockian history.Ideals
Similar to names, ideals on matters such as beauty, relationships, and courtship are often inherited from other cultures. The first warlocks were from the Emberton Empire, so the overall cultural ideals usually reflect those of north central faerian kingdoms.Culture
Major language groups and dialects
An extremely wide variety of languages are spoken by warlocks. Still, the most common is Standard Fae, and almost all warlocks can speak it.
Several rare or lost languages are also spoken by warlocks who seek to understand the texts and secrets of these languages.
Culture and cultural heritage
The Warlocks began as a social movement in the Emberton Empire. The Empire had set up a Court of Mages and was regulating magic to extremes. The only right way was the Emberton way, and as such other magical traditions and advancements were being largely erased. (Unless they benefited the Empire, that is.)
It was at this time that the Warlocks first formed as a subgroup within the Court of Mages who wished to preserve their traditional ways or innovate magic in ways the Empire didn’t approve of. This group quickly grew in numbers and popularity.
However, the movement did not escape the Empire’s notice, and many Warlocks were either exiled or hid their beliefs. The exiled Warlocks often took their banishment with pride, and it became common practice for a group of students or followers to accompany a Warlock when they left. This is how the numerous small groups, called followings, began forming.
The Warlocks settled in the swamps due to their inherent magical properties, close connections to other worlds, and noticeable lack of ruling Kingdoms. For a long time even after the fall of Emberton and the rise of the Faerie Empire, Warlocks existed in this way.
Those who stayed in civilization were slowly allowed to get more vocal with their ideas, and communication with the groups in the swamps picked up. However, Warlocks were at this point considered to be strange and dangerous exiles, and weren’t considered welcome in polite society.
Another big change came for Warlocks during the Second Faerie Civil War, when the Swamp Queen founded the kingdom of Zerala explicitly for Warlocks and others fleeing the violence of the war. At this point, Zeralan Warlocks divided from Classical Warlocks.
After the Swamp Queen’s mysterious death, Zerala was taken over by many different powers before eventually becoming part of General Eternity’s Third Faerie Empire. Throughout all of that, the Zeralan’s kept a distinct cultural identity.
Now, as the Faerie Empire is being dissolved, Zerala is seeking to become its own independent kingdom again, to write a new chapter in the story of the Warlocks.
Shared customary codes and values
It is the Warlock’s way to value knowledge and magical discovery over all else. However, since becoming a united nation under the flag of Zerala during the Second Faerie Civil War (see Fortress of the Swamp Queen for more on that) the Warlocks have begun to include ideals such as inclusivity, protecting the vulnerable, and using magic ethically in their society.
This has created something of a divide between the Warlock factions. There are the more common Zeralan Warlocks, who carry on the traditions of the Swamp Queen and the nation of Zerala, and then there are the Classical Warlocks, who follow the old ways. Classical warlocks still put knowledge first. While there are definitely more good Classical Warlocks than bad, many do use the knowledge first attitude to justify inhuman experimentation, such as the lifebinder curse.
Average technological level
Warlocks have approximately equal levels of technology as the rest of the Faerie Empire. They are more advanced in terms of magical advancements and some scientific revelations, but due to limited resources this has not led to a significant advancement of technology yet.
Art & Architecture
Warlocks are usually more focused on writings and diagrams than other art forms. However, as they were living alone and slowly formed into a culture instead of a movement, the arts developed with them.
Warlock art often focuses on magic and visible depictions of the elements of the flow (see The Infinite Chain ). However, there are also the usual other types of art. One curiosity of Warlock culture is the lack of deities or mythology, beyond the odd mytho-history. While many Warlocks have some religion or mythology that they or their ancestors brought with them, open practice of religion isn’t common.
Warlock architecture is truly something to behold. The warlocks pride themselves in understanding and doing the seemingly impossible. Oh, and they live in the swamps. While warlock architecture is astoundingly well designed and built, there wasn’t much decoration until very recently. When the Fortress of the Swamp Queen was built and later updated, the warlock architects began experimenting with and combining features of various other architectural styles This created something truly unique and visually interesting.
Coming of Age Rites
A common coming of age rite in Warlock culture is the gift of a notebook and quill, and grant for the young adult’s first independent study. This tradition has changed slightly among Zeralan Warlocks to include different gifts based on the interests of the receiver. For example, a young Warlock interested in music might receive a new instrument and staff paper.
The idea of the tradition remains the same though: the young Warlock has completed their studies and are now gifted the tools they will need to explore whatever part of Siv’ia, or the worlds beyond, that happens to interest them.
Funerary and Memorial customs
While many Warlocks practice the funerary procedures of various other cultures and religions, it is also very common to cremate the dead. This is accompanied by a listing of all their discoveries and/or other accomplishments.
Regardless of whose tradition is used, the funeral is followed by a celebratory feast. This is to remember the deceased’s life beyond their accomplishments and religious ties. Funny, sad, and embarrassing stories are all encouraged, so that the deceased is fully celebrated and remembered.
Historical figures
Clea- The warlock aligned Guardian/Marked of Tales, fought with the rebels to overthrow the Emberton Empire.
Related Articles: First Guardian War/ The Fall of Emberton Letter to Clea from Leas
Wrote several books on his theories about the Infinite Chain, most well known being his commentaries on the Mysterium-Dulireium Paradox.
“The [Emberton] magic academy is in and of itself an affront to the very soul of magic… It is on this truth that I must declare the Emberton ways wrong, and flawed. Emberton is neither the only way nor the right way, and I can only hope that you will see this too.”Zerala- A warlock botanist from the age of blood, first discovered Creeping Madness and went insane from its effects.
“I will call it Deathdrape.”Related Articles: Zerala the Mad Creeping Madness The Swamp Queen- The leader who first formed Zerala and advocated for warlocks as a cultural group. Their actions inspire the ideology of Zeralan Warlocks to this day.
“This is Zeralan land. Take your petty struggles elsewhere and leave us to our peace.”Related Articles: Fortress of the Swamp Queen
“It’s an interesting paradox- what is at the ends of infinity?”Related Articles: Dragon The Infinite Chain Aliasa- The current Guardian of Soul, made history by being the first Guardian of Soul not to wear a face covering. She has curse scars from a failed attempt to make her a lifebind. Aliasa is the younger sibling of Cheila, though the two haven’t talked since they escaped the Warlock who experimented on them.
“These scars are a reminder of why ethical magic is the only way forward. They have more to do with my soul than any mask, and it is not the Warlock way to hide them. It is not my way.”Related Articles: @Lifebinding Cheila {Faithless}
Major organizations
Warlock society was originally organized as small groups who followed one particular teacher or Warlock-queen. These groups, called followings, usually numbered between 10 and 50 members. The larger ones built up the first warlock settlements.
The kingdom of Zerala was the first and to date only officially recognized geopolitical organization of Warlocks. Since the kingdom fell, the province bearing the same name has attempted to uphold as many of the Zeralan values as possible.
As dissolution talks continue, Zerala is hoping to achieve independence and become a separate Warlock kingdom again.
Encompassed species
Languages spoken
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