Magic has been around since the first primitive cultures attempted to understand their world through rituals, symbols, gestures, and language. These individuals were the first to open the Gate and tap into the Astral Plane, the source of all magic in the world. Their children grew up with a more inherent understanding of magic, which only increased throughout the generations. Constant exposure to the magical energy of the Gate resulted in the altering of the DNA of those humans who practiced magic. Ultimately, a new race called the homo magus emerged in Western Europe.
This new race could do more than just tap into the Gate. They had become infused with its power, and they evolved into different subspecies:
- homo ater magus or warlocks
- homo albus magus or witches
- homo neuter magus or wizards
Shortly after the evolution of the homo magus, the fae, sentient beings of pure magic that mediated the natural processes of life, introduced themselves to their new magical cousins. With each successive generation, the knowledge of magical creatures spread throughout the human community. Some sought the homo magus and the fae, resulting in works of art and literature that lauded a peaceful co-existence and celebrated the wonder brought into the world. The vast majority, however, especially those who witnessed magic first hand, believed magic was blasphemy in need of eradication. This led to the first witch hunters and the beginning of many conflicts between the magical and human communities.
In addition to fighting humans, the homo magus battled each other for supremacy until the homo magus faced a mutual threat. Breeding between the homo magus and the humans created a new, unstable species–the homo veneficus magus or sorcerer. Half-human and half-magical, sorcerers bypassed the black, white, and gray magic of the Gate and harnessed untamed magic that defied description. They also rebelled against both the human and magical communities.
A powerful sorceress named Sersie, who wanted to amass an army to do her bidding, cast a powerful spell. She turned humans into animals, creating the first shifters. Sersie, the shifters under her sway, and a band of sorcerers attacked the Gate, hoping to harness even more power. For the first time in generations, warlocks, witches, wizards and their allies the fae, band together. After suffering many casualties and losing the fae kingdom of Atlantis, the homo magus defeated the sorcerers.
The victory resulted in the uniting of the three orders of magic into one community, and the Conclave was born.
No longer under Sersie’s control, the shifters begged the newly appointed governing body for leniency. The Conclave agreed and created Aeaea, a mystically enshrouded island, where the shifters could live in peace.
A few generations after the Sorcerer War, the witch hunters developed the ability to track magical creatures. Since the fae were beings of pure magical energy, they were easily found and slaughtered. To save themselves once again from the brink of extinction, the fae and the Conclave created Otherworld, a land where the fae could live without being hunted.
Once the fae retreated from the world, the Conclave created the first Cardinal Law: To remain safe from witch hunters, magic was to remain hidden at all cost. This forced warlocks, witches, and wizards to live in the shadows, where they stayed until the witch trials began.
Although many homo magus fled to the New World to escape the insanity that swept Europe, the paranoia found them in America.
Many humans, warlocks, witches, and wizards perished during this time. Even more died when the warlock Bartram Kane, a member of the Conclave, went mad after his son was killed for being a witch. He created the vampyren by uttering the immortalitus spell. Many in Salem, Massachusetts, most of whom were witch hunters, did not survive the bloodthirsty monsters. It took the combined power of the Conclave to turn the tide and save the humans, which ultimately resulted in the almost-decimation of the magical community.
Even though the ranks of the witch hunters had almost been wiped out by the vampyren, the Conclave decided to move their community deeper into the shadows, enacting new laws to keep them safe and creating the protector covens to safeguard the Gate.
Witch hunters still exist today in Africa and Asia, continuing their pursuit of eradicating magic. As long as warlocks, wizards, and witches are hunted, they will continue to live in secret and protect themselves from extinction while saving humans from the evils they know nothing about.
| Approx. 2500 B.C: | The homo magus evolve in western Europe, particularly in Ireland and the British Isles |
| Approx. 2000 B.C.: | Stonehenge , a powerful relic, is built by the homo magus and the fae, in honor of the new race |
| Approx. 1500- 500 B.C. | The homo magus split into various tribes across Britain and constantly war with one other and the rising numbers of witch hunters from other human tribes |
| Approx. 950 B.C. | Breeding with humans gives rise to the homo veneficus magus (sorcerers) across all tribes |
| 700 B.C | The Sorcerer War Begins |
| 695 B.C. | Sersei creates the first shifters |
| 693 B.C. | Atlantis, the kingdom of the water fae called the Undines, is destroyed during a major battle with the sorcerers and shifters |
| 691 B.C. | The Sorcerer War Ends. The first Conclave is formed. The shifters are sent to live in Aeaea.The Conclave makes the first Cardinal Law: Magic is to remain hidden at all costs. |
| 690 B.C.-55 B.C. | The homo magus and the humans that support them merge into one tribe, the Celts, and continue to colonize most of Britain |
| 55 B.C. | Rome invades Britain, bringing with them a new breed of witch hunter, capable of tracking magical beings |
| 45 B.C. | Rome develops power base in Britain. The number of homo magus and fae dwindle |
| 6 A.D. | Jesus Christ is born in Judea |
| 312 A.D. | The Roman Empire turns to Christianity under Emperor Constantine; the magical community approaches extinction |
| 410 A.D. | The fae depart for Otherworld, a magical land, where they cannot be hunted. The homo magus completely withdraw from society |
| 449 A.D. | Rome falls to invading barbarians and permanently leaves Britain. The human tribes once again battle for dominance, and the homo magus find themselves caught in the conflicts |
| 478 A.D. | The wizard Merlin, a member of the Conclave, helps King Arthur fight the Battle of Mabon. It is the Conclave’s first foray into influencing the political environment around them |
| 750 A.D. | Beowulf , the first documented account of a human’s battle with a dark fae named Grendle, is written |
| 1066 | After William the Conqueror seizes Britain, many homo magus win favor of the new king and are elevated in status. From this point on, the privy council of each successive monarch contained at least one homo magus. This provides the homo magus with unprecedented protection from the witch hunters |
| 1630 | Influential witch hunter William Laud is named Archbishop of Canterbury under the reign of Charles I, and the homo magus are once again hunted without prejudice |
| 1644-1647 | Famous witch hunter, Matthew Hopkins helps slaughter more witches than ever before in recorded history, primarily due to his uncanny ability to detect and avoid magic |
| 1648 | Most homo magus depart England in favor of the New World; others travel to Asia and Africa |
| 1692 | The Salem Witch Trials begin in Salem, Massachusetts; many homo magus are killed along with innocent humans |
| 1693 | Ebenezer Kane, son of the powerful Conclave warlock Bartram, is sentenced to death for witchcraft and burned at the stake. Later that year, Bartram Kane recites the immortalitus spell that resurrects his son as a vampyre. Salem is almost decimated until the Conclave helps end the threat. After this, the homo magus withdraw entirely from the affairs of humanity to protect the remainder of their magical community.The Conclave enacts the second cardinal law: No human, who is not trying to harm a member of the magical community, can ever be harmed |
| 1735 | Government sanctioned witch hunts end in most of Europe |
| 1857 | Having lost most governmental support, the remaining witch hunters in the world go under ground. Attacks against the homo magus reach an all time low |
| 1976 | In Papau New Guinea, the Sorcery Act imposes a penalty of up to 2 years in prison for the practice of “black magic.” Many homo magus fear an impending resurgence of witch hunters. |
| 1990 | Amongst the Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, the “witch smellers” are responsible for detecting witches. In parts of Southern Africa, several hundred humans and homo magus are killed. |
| 1999 | Witch hunts against children are reported in the Congo and in Tanzania |
| 2008 | In Kenya, a mob, incited by an unknown individual, kills 11 people accused of witchcraft |
| 2009 | 2,500 are killed as witches in India, the highest number of executions since the infamous witch hunter Matthew Hopkins in 17th century England; three-fourths of those killed are homo magus |
| 2010 | Prosecutions for witchcraft and sorcery proliferate in Saudi Arabia, resulting in at least 118 deaths of people who had been arrested in the province of Makkah for practicing magic |
| 2011 | Amina bint Abdulhalim Nassar is beheaded in Al Jawf Province in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of practicing witchcraft and sorcery. |
| 2013 | In India, Sub-Saharan Africa, Papua New Guinea, and Saudi Arabia the increasing incidents of witch hunts suddenly stop |
