Coven of the Black Thorns

Witches that Preserve and Protect

The white tree with its yellow roses and black thorns is a powerful symbol for our people, an elusive natural sign that few have ever actually seen. Even so, its beauty and resilience define us as witches, holding us up when even the worst plagues us.

— Unknown

A woman in draping robes calls forth the beautiful magic of the world, wrapping it around herself and summoning defenses that surround her body in glowing light. The magic tightens and becomes threads of vines, black thorns prominently on display, a defense mechanism that only the Witches of the Black Thorns call forth. This is their divine rite granted by the goddess Libra, a representation of the thorns that were said to be as strong as Adamantite.
With softly uttered words and a wave of the hand, the intricate web of vines and thorns fades, replaced by an afterimage of yellow roses before that too fades and the spell ends. Another wave of her hand brings forth another spell, one that creates a small fortress around her, another defensive spell that she practices for the day her people may need her. The spells of the Black Thorns are often unmatched in terms of defenses, something that the Witches harness and share with their sisters.
The Coven of the Black Thorns is one of the three major Covens of the Tree. These women excel in spells and potions of defense and safety, following their place as the protection of the White Tree. The Black Thorns must be resilient, sharp, and unwavering in the face of whatever awaits them, something that is not for the faint of heart. In the service of the goddess Libra, these Witches offer their life force in exchange for their power so that they may preserve and protect their sisters.

Structure

The Coven of the Black Thorns is not necessarily a formal organization but instead is a name used to describe the variety of Witch covens that follow the ideals of the tree's black thorns. This coven has its own Coven Leader, but a variety of lesser covens exist under the title of the Coven of the Black Thorns.

Covens

Covens are the closed communities that teach Witches how to forge a connection with the natural world far before it became civilized and settled. These are more than places of knowledge and enlightenment; they act as extended families that remain close to their members. Their daily pursuits can range from solemn and strict like that of a monastery or center of religion, but they can also be vibrant and full of intensity depending on how they decide to serve the goddess Libra.
Covens are not commonplace, but the lesser covens of the Coven of the Black Thorns are far more secretive than most. These women closely guard their ingredient locations and their secrets relating to their magic. Because of this, little is truly known about these covens.

Coven Leaders

A sacred rite of all Covens of the Tree is the passing of the Coven Leader. This passage is often rare, occurring upon the death of the previous leader, and is not something that is taken lightly in this culture. The oldest or most powerful of the Witches is rarely chosen. It is believed that only those that have been touched by Libra and have received her blessing can become the next Coven Leader.
Lesser covens of the Black Thorns rarely pass the mantle of Coven Leader as their leaders are often of longer-lived races, those that have more time to gather great knowledge of herbalism and potions. The rituals for this eventual passage are closely guarded and rarely shared with outsiders, even other Witches. This coven is considered reclusive but believes heavily in the work they do for others.

Villages & Lands

Our solitary existence is not intentional. Potion brewing and herbalism often lend themselves to solitude, both of which our gifts excel in. Villages are not a necessity, but we build them so we may gather and be surrounded by like-minded people.

— Unknown

The Witches of the Coven of the Black Thorns are often scattered and hidden, rarely gathering in large groups. These women keep small villages throughout their territory for the instances they want to gather as groups but often choose to live in small huts either alone or with one or two others. Often hidden with magic from prying eyes, it is difficult to find any inkling that this coven lives anywhere in the Fairy King's Wood.

Divine Origins

The Coven of the Black Thorns was the second of the covens to form, following closely behind the Coven of the White Tree. This coven formed as the representation of the black thorns that protected the white tree that was granted to the Witches by the goddess Libra. It was believed it was these women's divine rite to serve as the protectors of their people, creating spells and potions, and practicing herbalism that would aid the Covens of the Tree in moments of true difficulty.
In the beginning, this coven was extremely small, not large enough to split into the lesser covens that both the Coven of the White Tree and the Coven of the Yellow Rose had begun to. Herbalism, potion making, and the heavy defensive magic that these Witches practiced was difficult and taxing, seen as for those with great proficiency and not fledgling casters. This stunted the early growth of the coven, but once the Persecution of the Witches began, that greatly changed.
As safety and defense became a necessity, more Witches turned to this coven to aid their tortured sisters. More defensive magic and potions were developed, some that even went against the coven's tenets. It would be after the apology of the Fairy King that the Coven of the Black Thorns returned to their deep faith and their roots.

Tenets of the Black Thorns

Cause No Harm. We have been tasked by the goddess as defenders and protectors. We are to cause no harm to others with our gifts, but unintentional harm while protecting our sisters is sometimes a necessity.
For the Greater Good. Our gifts are to be used in service of our sisters and our homeland. While we may hide in search of our ingredients and in the creation of our potions, but we do all for them.
Stewardship. Without the land given to us, our gifts could not be utilized. Serve as stewards of the land that grants us our gifts, both the power of the goddess and the ingredients for our crafts. Without the land, we are nothing.

To Preserve and Protect the Tree

Founding Date

190,000 IM

Type

Religious, Coven

Demonym

Witches

Leader Title

Coven Leader

Parent Organization

Covens of the Tree

Deities

• Libra

Location

Fairy King's Wood

Related Ethnicities

• Witch Culture

Culture of the Witches

The culture of Witches holds on to the lingering effects of persecution throughout the land of Isekai. These casters were only women, gathering in groups called covens, and practicing magic that often used their own life force to complete the spells. For these reasons, they faced nearly torturous persecution by other casters and those that were often feated by the magic that the Witches could weave through harm or how they often turned harmful and dangerous things to be good and virtuous. Due to this, many witch covens were forced to the Fairy King's Wood and the protection of the word of Festival Snix.
Here in the lands of the Fairies, the Witches are left to their magic, often serving in the Fairy King's court and throughout the woods as healers and other useful casters. Some dare travel into the Wandering Forest, using their connection to the lands of Isekai to turn the upside-down world of the Ancient Fey to the aid of others. During the Eldritch War, the Witches and their creations were needed to aid those across Isekai, but history often repeats itself and their creations went unused by many.

Exodus of the Witches

Decades after the formation of the Covens of the Tree, the Witches were forced to leave the Fairy King's Wood and branded as allies of Morgoth the Arch-Demon. This led to millennia of systematic persecution by all races in Isekai. Many Witches either hid their magic or became hermits under the fear that any show of their type of magic or their ties to the goddess Libra could mean their death.
Upon the ascent of Festival Snix to the throne of the Fairy King's Wood, an apology was issued by the Fairy King for the wrongs that were committed over the millennia. With his apology, the King welcomed the Covens of the Tree back to the Fairy King's Wood and offered his protection to those that returned.
Thus began the mass exodus of the Witches throughout Isekai returning to the Fairy King's Wood with the promise of safety and a homeland where they could practice their magic and their trades. For seven years, large groups of Witches of all races traveled to the wood, gaining gifts of land from the King which became the homes of the various covens. New covens were formed and the old ways of the Witches that had been lost during their persecution began to flourish in the safety of the Fairy King's Wood.