The
Witches that would become the Flowered Hill Coven were the first to receive a new home from
Festival Snix. In his gift, known as the
Gift of the Hills, the
Witches were gifted the
Hills of Lazarus. These hills held the
White Lazarus, a deadly flower that had been the catalyst for their exile millennia ago. These
Witches were tasked with the protection of the hills and its deadly flower, as a poison of that potency would be disastrous in the wrong hands. With the task at hand, the
Witches formed the Flowered Hill Coven and made their home amongst the deadly petals.
Within five years of the coven's founding, the need for a permanent home arose. The town of
Serebi was built nestled between two hills, providing the small village safety from outsiders. A central building,
Libra's Hearth, was built and dedicated to the goddess as a place of worship, meditation, and safety. This building served many purposes, from a teaching space, to a storeroom, to serving any need of the various
Witches that called
Serebi home. The building quickly became the heart of the village and would serve a much greater purpose as the coven grew.
It was only through the love of the goddess that we were to return to and care for the very lands and flowers that had caused our pain so long ago. Without our knowledge and our magic, the hills had withered, even in the depths of the Fairy King's magic. Through the new King, we are allowed our right, and Libra once again smiles upon us.— Unknown
As the
Witches watched over the fields of
White Lazarus, it was discovered that the deadly flower had healing properties if handled correctly. The discovery of the process was accidental, becoming known as
Flower Distilling. With some trial and error, the process was refined, eventually allowing a very potent healing draught to be made from
White Lazarus Petals. When mixed with other ingredients, the distilled petals could become the
Potion of True Life, the most powerful healing potion ever created.
After decades, the ritual of harvesting the petals became a time of celebration for these
Witches. The
Day of Roses became a festival to celebrate the harvest of the petals and the beginning of the
Flower Distilling process, but it also became a celebration of freedom and safety for the
Witches. The week-long festival served as a time of work, but also a time of rest. The
White Lazarus Petals were harvested and packed away in small lace bags to be housed in
Libra's Hearth to eventually be distilled and used for potion making.
Even though the coven and land flourished, the return to the
Fairy King's Wood was not without adversity. The
Wither Blight brought a harsh drought to the wood, draining the magic from the flora and fauna. While the drought only lasted ten years, it took nearly three decades for the forest to recover, drawing its magic back from the
Wandering Forest and those that called the forest home. During these years, the harvest of
White Lazarus Petals was small, barely enough to distill and use. These years, the
Day of Roses became less of a festival of celebration and more a time of prayer as the
Witches prayed to
Libra for the prosperity of their home.
The Flowered Hill Coven remained mostly hidden for thousands of years until the publication of the book,
Seven Deadliest Poisons. A
Halfling from the
Little Greenwood came to study the ways of the
Witches and the potent poison that could be created from the
White Lazarus. While this was not the only use of the flower, the deadly effects of the plant were the focus of the book, eventually becoming the only widely-known use of the flower. The
Potion of True Life and its effects were lost for some time to the world, but would return when the
Eldritch War began.
The
Eldritch War brought many horrors to the world of Isekai, but some races banded together. The
Witches were no different, offering their aid to anyone that could use it. Because of feelings of distrust that lingered from the
Persecution of the Witches, many races were wary of the help the
Witches were offering, often choosing to ignore the aid, even when offered the
Potion of True Life or other healing. Within two years, the covens turned to aiding the
Fairy King's Wood and those of their homeland instead of wide-spread help. Some groups outside of the wood used the chaos of the war to persecute
Witches, but
Festival Snix held his promise to protect them.
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