Witchcliff
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| Flag of Witchcliff | |
| Motto: "Which witch is which?" | |
| N/A | |
| Region | The Pleiades |
|---|---|
| Capital | Blackwater |
| Official Language(s) | English and Goidelic |
| Leader | Witch Queen Ramolla |
| Population | Approx 10 million |
| Currency | Spell |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Nation Information
After finding an old spell book, a group of clueless Wateranan teenagers decided to have some fun with it. Treating the spells within as a game, they stupidly spoke a particularly impressive sounding incantation, and transformed their nation into the witch's haven of Witchcliff, in an event that has been known since as "the rebirth". Now magic is a way of life and the forces of good and evil struggle for supremacy under the benevolent rule of Witch Queen Ramolla.
The majority of the old Wateranan population were transformed into dark animals such as owls, wolves, bats, lizards, snakes and black cats. A small select group of people found themselves outwardly unchanged, but in possession of magical powers and the ability to read and perform arcane spells. Witchcliff is mostly female, with males only making up around a quarter of the population. The ratio of newborn female to male babies mirrors the general population, so females will always dominate. Most of that population, including all males, can only use magic from one of the 7 elements, fire, ice, light, earth, water, air and dark, so are known unsurprisingly as "elementals", but 1 in 5,000 can use them all and these witches, known as the "elites", slowly rose up and took control of the nation.
The political climate of the new nation at that time was volatile, with the population using and abusing their new powers on anything and anyone around them without thought or restraint. Witchcliff was headed for destruction, but the anarchy was quelled by the emergence of a very special elite witch. She knew spells and magic no-one else did, and used that knowledge to calm the violence and begin to unify the nation. That new witch queen, Ramolla, used promises of power and conquest to recruit elite witches from every corner of the nation to her side, but the thing that had the strongest effect, and consolidated Ramolla's undisputed power, is her possession of the book of Hecate. This large and ancient tome of arcane spells contains all the magic knowledge of ages past. A prize for any elite witch, and Ramolla used its spells well, both to reward those who stood by her, and destroy those who stood against her. By rewarding elite witches who accepted her leadership, Ramolla was able to surround herself with a fiercely loyal inner council, who used their special new spells to both protect the nation's new queen and impose her will, by use of punishment and threats, on those below them. Within a relatively short period of time, the nation was under Ramolla's control, and she began her benevolent rule over a population in the earliest stages of learning to work together for the good of themselves, their nation, and their Queen.
UN affairs have been entrusted to representatives of the two major political and social factions in Witchcliff. These high ranking elite witches have been given total freedom to vote however they please on UN business, but must at all times keep the best interests of Witchcliff in mind. To ensure this, Ramolla has deliberately chosen the two women with the widest differences in political views to represent her nation as joint representatives. While conflict between the two is inevitable, she knows the wants and needs of Witchcliff will ensure the right decision will be made at the right time.
Kirin is from the Reformers. They stand for peace and disarmament, global unity and open trade, high standards of behaviour and morals, protection of all living things and the environment, all people sharing with and caring for each other, and preservation of the nation's social structure. The Reformers are also the founders of the only religion in Witchcliff. Called "The Selenes", after the ancient moon goddess its followers worship, and incorporating many aspects of various old pagan rituals, this infant religion is struggling to find a place in mainstream Witchcliff society, but is slowly gaining more and more support.
Panyer is a member of the Preservers. They stand for nationalism, strength and security, protection of the nation and its people from foreign interference, promoting personal freedom but always accompanied by equal responsibility for actions, preferential trade with favoured nations that protect national economic interests, strong emphasis on education and skills training. The Preservers scorn religion as a bygone relic, believing it draws devotion away from the Queen, and are firm atheists.
