Oliver
05-26-10, 03:50 PM
First Name: Oliver.
Surname: Midwinter.
Rhyme-Norn (The Coven Brand): Gryphon.
Age: 21.
Height: 5’10”.
Weight: 10 stone.
Gender: Male.
Race: Human.
Birthplace: Albion.
Alignment: Lawful Good.
Religion: Pagan.
Appearance:
1926
History: The village of Albion is a place time has all but forgotten. It rests between two great plateaus in the wilderness of Scara Brae, concealed by magicks and enchantments set long ago to harbour its secretive and paranoid people from the chamberlains and tyrants of Althanas proper. Many strange and powerful people dwell there, but all in all it is an agricultural backwater place where nature and man live as one. On the edge of such a village in a house overlooking a small lake lives the Midwinter family. They are a long line of witches stemming back to the investiture of the village Coven nearly three hundred years ago. They are powerful, wise, generous and wondrous, but ultimately weakened by a series of tragedies that has recently befallen their home.
Oliver was born to the daughter of the current matriarch of the family, Mother Tesla, from a union of sorcery and witchcraft. Whilst such a union is neither prohibited nor ill thought of in the tradition of Albion, Oliver’s mother was faced with a difficult decision following her partner’s wish to leave the village for good to explore the wider world. Torn between sorcery and the open road, and a life of study and dedication to nature in the same valley she and her ancestors had enjoyed, she made the selfish decision of keeping him in Albion.
As a male in a woman’s world, Oliver can never expect to take leadership of his family, nor will he ever be part of the High Coven of Albion; those roles are dedicated to women and women alone. In his years of tutorage and education he has become a proficient if still ill experienced manipulator of the ancient ways and has a penchant for experimentation with herbs. Whilst some of the villagers are weary, if placated by the presence of magic amongst their idyllic agricultural haven, many respect and enjoy their company. The juxtaposition of the industry that powers the fields and harvests with the old ways and the rustic lifestyle causes conflict by all means, but the Midwinter’s and the other witch families abide by their duality with ease.
At the age of 21 Oliver became part of the village coven, or the Rhyme-Norn. At this age all witches and women in the village regardless of creed or desire are initiated as a member of the coven. They trace spirit guides from the Firmament and their name in the coven becomes that of their spiritual guardian. In the wind and zephyr of Oliver’s initiation, the Gryphon came to him, and thus in scripture, ceremony and family gatherings he is named. Little occurs in Albion of note, except that life is meaningful because it has purpose and order. He spends his days learning, cooking, cleaning and running errands, and in the few moments he is allowed in the company of the matriarch and Grandmother, he relishes every moment of wonder his minute world has to offer.
Personality: Inquisitive is a word that sums up Oliver and he is bright, bushy-tailed and ever eager to investigate. He is a little shy and meek and easily intimidated, but this comes more from living in a house full of women and being the youngest more so than bewilderment or fear. As a youth his personality can be tempestuous and violent if angered and he lacks some of the emotional control a youth of his age might from Althanas proper, merely because of the lack of opportunities to develop social skills beyond the adult-child realm he inhabits. There are a few young people in the coven itself and he gets on pleasantly enough with those of his age, even if he remains a little distant and ambivalent as to wherever or not he is liked or cared for. He is loyal, dedicated and utterly subservient to the pagan-inspired traditions of Albion and ultimately, to the upkeep of honour of his family and its name.
Skills: Such is the Craft, that defining one’s rights and claims to its machinations is a difficult and laborious process. Of course, being so young places severe limitations on Oliver’s talents but for the purpose of separating abilities that effect others and those that are purely cantrips or flavoursome, the spells will be divided into two distinct spheres; sorcerous abilities which can be conjured with nothing more than thought and concentration and light semantic components, and those which require a circle or strong and laborious preparations and working with herbs and the traditional components of a witches’ tradition.
• Sorcery
The Heavenly Touch: All witches have some minor form of telepathy or transmutative ability. They are the very groundwork of a witches’ repertoire, and often the basis for their direction and further education from their respective coven or family. When Oliver was young, he displayed an aptitude with the element of wind and the force of motion and it is in this direction he has primarily moved. He can perform at will minor feats of telekinesis. He can stir a spoon in a cup or bowl, rustle paper, write with a pencil without touching it and similar small motor movements that affect an object weighing no more than 1 lb. All such manipulations must abide by the laws of physics. He has become proficient at spiralling petals and small flecks of glass or dust in a beautiful display to augment his spell casting rituals, but they do not move with enough force to cause harm.
The Heart Spark: Freely, Oliver can conjure small balls of flame which form in a spiralling and spiked pattern, spinning slowly in his palm until released. It requires to hands cupped together to summon, and causes light burns and a small sphere of bright light on impact. He can re-light small sources of flame, primarily candles simple by blowing on the wick gently. With a clap, and a raucous expenditure of energy he can extinguish all natural sources of fire within 10 feet once per thread.
• Witchcraft
Summon the Circle: The principle component of virtually all witch craft spells is the circle. To conjure a circle is a simple but painstaking task to master; it requires chalk, or dust or something white to mark the outer ring, an athame or wand depending on the caster and sometimes the nature of the spell. A ritual which requires time and depending on the variation and elemental key stones to conjure the four primary forces of nature as guardians to overlook the witch in their sanctum. At present Oliver can competently create two circles, one for generic casting and one for the more difficult spells. These are detailed below; with the associated components and length of time required to effectively create them. The duration of the circles is much dependant on the stamina of the caster; Oliver can cast and maintain a Circle Grande for approximately five minutes, and three minutes for the Circle Bright.
• The Circle Grande – The Circle Grande is a simple and sturdy conjuration of a protective ward. It requires one post and the following components to create: chalk/similar white dust, sprig of lavender, thyme and rosemary, one twist of horse hair, athame or wand, broom if casting indoors and a single candle of an appropriate colour to work with the spell in mind. The blessing is spoken and the circle is drawn about the caster and then the four herbs are placed equidistant along the inner edge; the lavender to the south, the horse hair to the east, the rosemary to the north and thyme to the west. The circle must be retracted with the appreciate tool and then the cross-legged meditative position is taken to continue the reciting. Of course, this circle can vary according to requirement, but the above is the baseline required; it offers weak protection against evil spirits, fae creatures or those who wish harm upon the occupant, and will instantly vanish and create a painful feedback on the caster should any part of him cross the circle’s threshold.
• The Circle Bright – The Circle Bright requires most of the same items that the Circle Grande does, but in addition it requires a second, inner circle to be created and enchanted. Once the First Circle is in place the caster must then draw a second, and inscribe in dust of an appropriate colour the relevant mantra between the two circles, forming a concentric ring of text. Then they must imbibe the four elements to their respective compass points, adding a representation of that element to the herb/item that already rests there. These are metaphorical representations of the Watchtowers; to the East, Air, to the West, Water, to the South, Fire and to the North, Earth. Once instilled, a final ritual is performed and the circle is drawn to a close. This requires a minimum of one post, two to secure and anchor the circle enough to form the benefits of bolstering spells and offering greater protection. When cast correctly, it offers strong protection against evil spirits, fae creatures or those who wish harm upon the occupant that are equal to Oliver’s current level or lower. It will vanish and cause severe pain and more often than not unconsciousness on the caster should any part of him cross the circle’s threshold.
Commune with Nature: As a basic trait Oliver can sense via empathy the emotive state of living animals. This allows him to register and feel the base emotions and their altered states, such as fear, anger, and terror or sorrow and so on and so forth. Whilst in a Circle Grande Oliver can connect with the animal in question if it is within line of sight of the circle, allowing him to see through the animal’s eyes as if possessing it. This does not harm the animal or alert it to his presence in anyway shape or form. It is a pale sight, and does not close down the reaction times of the caster, although seeing two images at once is a heavy burden and it is best not done when danger is present (should something be nearby that can penetrate the circle). When attempted in a Circle Bright, Oliver can ‘seek’ an animal’s mind over great distances, which at present is a mile circle from his location. This requires Oliver to enter a trance and although the Circle Bright is a powerful talisman of protection in its own right, doing so comes with a great risk to the person in the circle. He is defenceless and unable to react when in a commune of this magnitude. It allows him to see through the eyes of the animal, smell as the animal, and taste as the animal, and when connected to avian creatures such as eagles, griffons or hawks, he has very limited control over their actions. At present this extends only to suggestive messages to look at a certain place or veer in a simple compass direction.
Commune with the Dead: As a basic trait Oliver can sense if a body is still alive or if it is dead. This only detects natural death (beyond the obvious signs of injury) and does not account or detect comas or similarly induced states from magical or herbal sources. When utilised in a Circle Grande Oliver can lift the veil of perception and see the spirit world from his current perspective. He sees himself and the area and air within the circle normally, but the world beyond appears grey and distorted as if he were looking through a murky glass. In this other-world he can see spirits that exist between realms, those ethereal creatures invisible to the naked eye and those recently deceased. He cannot touch or hear or speak with a spirit in a Circle Grande and it is merely a window to view their presence. Due to the nature and danger of communicating with the dead in a Circle Bright or any other form of circle, Oliver has not attempted to speak or gaeas with the dead. He like any witch has the potential but this requires a coven of at least three to do without certain death to follow the caster. Only the strongest and perhaps most foolish of witches would attempt to walk amongst the dead in their world on their own.
Stir the Winds: Oliver can always tell which way is North by raising his finger to a good wind or at least a reliable breeze. He can also ‘catch’ a breeze or wind and manipulate it around his body, as if he had caught a fireball from another wizard and were returning it in an erratic and vibrant dance. He can only catch breezes or winds that can rustle rye and perhaps knock leaves from trees in a weak storm at best. It has no offensive potential as of yet as it can only catch and reflect and control natural winds and redirect them at the same speed and rate they were caught in. It is useful for housekeeping, especially for dusting and drying linen.
The Talent: It is perhaps impossible to list all of the potential abilities of a witch. Whilst in the correct form of circle, many spells may be attempted but there is an eternal danger in doing so. Firstly, one wrongly pronounced word or line can have dire consequences for more than just the caster. Secondly, each action a witch takes in his or her life is bound by the Threefold Law, which states that:
Bide ye Wiccan laws ye must,
in perfect love and perfect trust.
Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give.
Form the circle thrice about, to keep all evil spirits out.
To bind ye spell every time, let ye spell be spake in rhyme.
Soft of eye, light of touch, speak ye little, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing moon, singing out ye Witches’ Rune.
Widdershins go by the waning moon, chanting out ye Baneful Rune.
When the Lady’s moon is new, kiss your hand to her times two.
When the moon rides at her peak, then ye heart’s desire seek.
Heed the North wind’s mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the wind blows from the West, departed souls may have no rest.
When the wind blows from the East, except the new and set the feast.
Nine woods in ye cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Elder be ye Lady’s tree, burn it not or cursed ye’ll be.
When the wheel begins to turn, soon ye Beltaine fire’ll burn.
When the wheel hath turned to Yule, light the log the Horned One rules.
Heed ye flower, bush and tree, by the Lady blessed be.
Where the rippling waters flow, cast a stone and truth ye’ll know.
When ye have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.
With a fool no season spend, nor be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part, bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind ye threefold law ye should, three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is anow, wear the blue star upon thy brow.
True in love ye must ever be, lest thy love be false to thee.
In these eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill,
‘An ye harm none, do what ye will.
Thus, Oliver can cast other spells. Any spell listed in his biography does not require permission to use in a thread or battle, unless otherwise stipulated, and any new spell or attempt at drawing on the Wiccan Reed or the ancient spells of his family book of shadows requires luck, guidance, perseverance and the correct ingredients (many of which are found in his family home) and certainly, a good degree of cause to do so.
He thus possess average herblore, spellcraft and arcane knowledge.
Equipment: Oliver lives in Caroline Haven alongside his other family members. In the house there is a menagerie of herbal items, spell crafting resources and books that comprises the heritage and inheritance of the Midwinter line. Whilst helping oneself greedily frowned upon, for the Threefold Law is powerful enough a deterrent without Grandmother's cane, he can draw on a range of common and not so common items without much need to ask. Whilst he can only carry a pouch or two on him at any time in his jar belt and bandoleer, a trip home proves it's own reward should he need anything to aid a villager or further his own ends. Of course, such a house requires money for gold is one thing that cannot be conjured from magic without repercussions. As such, to maintain this herbal store and to have access to the components, materials and items required to cast a circle and so forth, any gold earned by Oliver in a thread is reduced by 10%. In return, he also has food, clothing and no need to repair or cook much.
Personal Effects: He has a clay ring and a set of tribal pattern scarves that are ancient Albion vestments, or at least mimic the style. The ring is his father's heirloom. He wears a belt across one shoulder which carries four small jars and a belt around his waist with several small pouches. He also has a long slender quartz wand, as well as a more traditional oak wand for the more clandestine spells; he owns nothing other than books and clothing which are typically common ownership in the house anyway. His Book of Shadows is still very lax in terms of contents, but it is the only thing he treasures materially.
Caroline Haven & The Midwinters
1927
The Midwinter Family Home is called Caroline Haven and it rests on the banks of a lake come river that is set on the very outskirts of the village. It is embedded in trees and nature and the sound of crickets and running water occupy its grandeur. The house is simple, but rustic and traditional. The right and larger section has a large open plan living room with various doors leading off to the tower to the left half, where the Matriarch resides at the base and holds council at the tip. The small but functional kitchen sits between the two halves and the smaller rooms on the outskirts of the larger central room house the libraries and store rooms. It is impossible to look in on direction without seeing a book or a cabinet crammed with jars of every shape and size and content imaginable. The rooms on the first floor are small and again, functional. There is a larger empty room for casting circles, and Oliver’s room is not much more than a box with a bed, cabinet and a skylight. Higglydypiggily is quite the word to describe it all.
There are currently five residents in the house. Pictured left to right in the main room of the house (as an indicator of architecture and style).
1929
Maria Midwinter, Juno Midwinter, Heren Midwinter
Then there is the Matriarch Oliver’s grandmother and Maria and Juno’s Great Aunt. The fifth of course is Oliver himself. As matriarch she is of course the strongest and wisest of the witches of Albion, and Maria and Heren take after her. Maria works as a waitress in a small tavern at the centre of the village and Heren, along with her brother Juno tinker with the Fjellsward and the barrier which keeps Albion safe. Juno doesn’t profess much interest in magic beyond its application to technology and how it can help benefit those without the talent to manipulate and call upon the ether.
The family is a tight knit unit, often dining on big tables in the fields around the house or lounging on the spiralling staircases in the sun. Laughter is common place, and activity is always present and bustling. The kitchen table is eternally occupied, or so it is believed, with some meal or cake or concoction of one sort or another. Potions are constantly brewed for their own use and to help the villages who are sick (for a price) and the flowers and the fauna of the Caroline Glade bounce with enjoyment and happiness.
1928
The Kitchen Table
Surname: Midwinter.
Rhyme-Norn (The Coven Brand): Gryphon.
Age: 21.
Height: 5’10”.
Weight: 10 stone.
Gender: Male.
Race: Human.
Birthplace: Albion.
Alignment: Lawful Good.
Religion: Pagan.
Appearance:
1926
History: The village of Albion is a place time has all but forgotten. It rests between two great plateaus in the wilderness of Scara Brae, concealed by magicks and enchantments set long ago to harbour its secretive and paranoid people from the chamberlains and tyrants of Althanas proper. Many strange and powerful people dwell there, but all in all it is an agricultural backwater place where nature and man live as one. On the edge of such a village in a house overlooking a small lake lives the Midwinter family. They are a long line of witches stemming back to the investiture of the village Coven nearly three hundred years ago. They are powerful, wise, generous and wondrous, but ultimately weakened by a series of tragedies that has recently befallen their home.
Oliver was born to the daughter of the current matriarch of the family, Mother Tesla, from a union of sorcery and witchcraft. Whilst such a union is neither prohibited nor ill thought of in the tradition of Albion, Oliver’s mother was faced with a difficult decision following her partner’s wish to leave the village for good to explore the wider world. Torn between sorcery and the open road, and a life of study and dedication to nature in the same valley she and her ancestors had enjoyed, she made the selfish decision of keeping him in Albion.
As a male in a woman’s world, Oliver can never expect to take leadership of his family, nor will he ever be part of the High Coven of Albion; those roles are dedicated to women and women alone. In his years of tutorage and education he has become a proficient if still ill experienced manipulator of the ancient ways and has a penchant for experimentation with herbs. Whilst some of the villagers are weary, if placated by the presence of magic amongst their idyllic agricultural haven, many respect and enjoy their company. The juxtaposition of the industry that powers the fields and harvests with the old ways and the rustic lifestyle causes conflict by all means, but the Midwinter’s and the other witch families abide by their duality with ease.
At the age of 21 Oliver became part of the village coven, or the Rhyme-Norn. At this age all witches and women in the village regardless of creed or desire are initiated as a member of the coven. They trace spirit guides from the Firmament and their name in the coven becomes that of their spiritual guardian. In the wind and zephyr of Oliver’s initiation, the Gryphon came to him, and thus in scripture, ceremony and family gatherings he is named. Little occurs in Albion of note, except that life is meaningful because it has purpose and order. He spends his days learning, cooking, cleaning and running errands, and in the few moments he is allowed in the company of the matriarch and Grandmother, he relishes every moment of wonder his minute world has to offer.
Personality: Inquisitive is a word that sums up Oliver and he is bright, bushy-tailed and ever eager to investigate. He is a little shy and meek and easily intimidated, but this comes more from living in a house full of women and being the youngest more so than bewilderment or fear. As a youth his personality can be tempestuous and violent if angered and he lacks some of the emotional control a youth of his age might from Althanas proper, merely because of the lack of opportunities to develop social skills beyond the adult-child realm he inhabits. There are a few young people in the coven itself and he gets on pleasantly enough with those of his age, even if he remains a little distant and ambivalent as to wherever or not he is liked or cared for. He is loyal, dedicated and utterly subservient to the pagan-inspired traditions of Albion and ultimately, to the upkeep of honour of his family and its name.
Skills: Such is the Craft, that defining one’s rights and claims to its machinations is a difficult and laborious process. Of course, being so young places severe limitations on Oliver’s talents but for the purpose of separating abilities that effect others and those that are purely cantrips or flavoursome, the spells will be divided into two distinct spheres; sorcerous abilities which can be conjured with nothing more than thought and concentration and light semantic components, and those which require a circle or strong and laborious preparations and working with herbs and the traditional components of a witches’ tradition.
• Sorcery
The Heavenly Touch: All witches have some minor form of telepathy or transmutative ability. They are the very groundwork of a witches’ repertoire, and often the basis for their direction and further education from their respective coven or family. When Oliver was young, he displayed an aptitude with the element of wind and the force of motion and it is in this direction he has primarily moved. He can perform at will minor feats of telekinesis. He can stir a spoon in a cup or bowl, rustle paper, write with a pencil without touching it and similar small motor movements that affect an object weighing no more than 1 lb. All such manipulations must abide by the laws of physics. He has become proficient at spiralling petals and small flecks of glass or dust in a beautiful display to augment his spell casting rituals, but they do not move with enough force to cause harm.
The Heart Spark: Freely, Oliver can conjure small balls of flame which form in a spiralling and spiked pattern, spinning slowly in his palm until released. It requires to hands cupped together to summon, and causes light burns and a small sphere of bright light on impact. He can re-light small sources of flame, primarily candles simple by blowing on the wick gently. With a clap, and a raucous expenditure of energy he can extinguish all natural sources of fire within 10 feet once per thread.
• Witchcraft
Summon the Circle: The principle component of virtually all witch craft spells is the circle. To conjure a circle is a simple but painstaking task to master; it requires chalk, or dust or something white to mark the outer ring, an athame or wand depending on the caster and sometimes the nature of the spell. A ritual which requires time and depending on the variation and elemental key stones to conjure the four primary forces of nature as guardians to overlook the witch in their sanctum. At present Oliver can competently create two circles, one for generic casting and one for the more difficult spells. These are detailed below; with the associated components and length of time required to effectively create them. The duration of the circles is much dependant on the stamina of the caster; Oliver can cast and maintain a Circle Grande for approximately five minutes, and three minutes for the Circle Bright.
• The Circle Grande – The Circle Grande is a simple and sturdy conjuration of a protective ward. It requires one post and the following components to create: chalk/similar white dust, sprig of lavender, thyme and rosemary, one twist of horse hair, athame or wand, broom if casting indoors and a single candle of an appropriate colour to work with the spell in mind. The blessing is spoken and the circle is drawn about the caster and then the four herbs are placed equidistant along the inner edge; the lavender to the south, the horse hair to the east, the rosemary to the north and thyme to the west. The circle must be retracted with the appreciate tool and then the cross-legged meditative position is taken to continue the reciting. Of course, this circle can vary according to requirement, but the above is the baseline required; it offers weak protection against evil spirits, fae creatures or those who wish harm upon the occupant, and will instantly vanish and create a painful feedback on the caster should any part of him cross the circle’s threshold.
• The Circle Bright – The Circle Bright requires most of the same items that the Circle Grande does, but in addition it requires a second, inner circle to be created and enchanted. Once the First Circle is in place the caster must then draw a second, and inscribe in dust of an appropriate colour the relevant mantra between the two circles, forming a concentric ring of text. Then they must imbibe the four elements to their respective compass points, adding a representation of that element to the herb/item that already rests there. These are metaphorical representations of the Watchtowers; to the East, Air, to the West, Water, to the South, Fire and to the North, Earth. Once instilled, a final ritual is performed and the circle is drawn to a close. This requires a minimum of one post, two to secure and anchor the circle enough to form the benefits of bolstering spells and offering greater protection. When cast correctly, it offers strong protection against evil spirits, fae creatures or those who wish harm upon the occupant that are equal to Oliver’s current level or lower. It will vanish and cause severe pain and more often than not unconsciousness on the caster should any part of him cross the circle’s threshold.
Commune with Nature: As a basic trait Oliver can sense via empathy the emotive state of living animals. This allows him to register and feel the base emotions and their altered states, such as fear, anger, and terror or sorrow and so on and so forth. Whilst in a Circle Grande Oliver can connect with the animal in question if it is within line of sight of the circle, allowing him to see through the animal’s eyes as if possessing it. This does not harm the animal or alert it to his presence in anyway shape or form. It is a pale sight, and does not close down the reaction times of the caster, although seeing two images at once is a heavy burden and it is best not done when danger is present (should something be nearby that can penetrate the circle). When attempted in a Circle Bright, Oliver can ‘seek’ an animal’s mind over great distances, which at present is a mile circle from his location. This requires Oliver to enter a trance and although the Circle Bright is a powerful talisman of protection in its own right, doing so comes with a great risk to the person in the circle. He is defenceless and unable to react when in a commune of this magnitude. It allows him to see through the eyes of the animal, smell as the animal, and taste as the animal, and when connected to avian creatures such as eagles, griffons or hawks, he has very limited control over their actions. At present this extends only to suggestive messages to look at a certain place or veer in a simple compass direction.
Commune with the Dead: As a basic trait Oliver can sense if a body is still alive or if it is dead. This only detects natural death (beyond the obvious signs of injury) and does not account or detect comas or similarly induced states from magical or herbal sources. When utilised in a Circle Grande Oliver can lift the veil of perception and see the spirit world from his current perspective. He sees himself and the area and air within the circle normally, but the world beyond appears grey and distorted as if he were looking through a murky glass. In this other-world he can see spirits that exist between realms, those ethereal creatures invisible to the naked eye and those recently deceased. He cannot touch or hear or speak with a spirit in a Circle Grande and it is merely a window to view their presence. Due to the nature and danger of communicating with the dead in a Circle Bright or any other form of circle, Oliver has not attempted to speak or gaeas with the dead. He like any witch has the potential but this requires a coven of at least three to do without certain death to follow the caster. Only the strongest and perhaps most foolish of witches would attempt to walk amongst the dead in their world on their own.
Stir the Winds: Oliver can always tell which way is North by raising his finger to a good wind or at least a reliable breeze. He can also ‘catch’ a breeze or wind and manipulate it around his body, as if he had caught a fireball from another wizard and were returning it in an erratic and vibrant dance. He can only catch breezes or winds that can rustle rye and perhaps knock leaves from trees in a weak storm at best. It has no offensive potential as of yet as it can only catch and reflect and control natural winds and redirect them at the same speed and rate they were caught in. It is useful for housekeeping, especially for dusting and drying linen.
The Talent: It is perhaps impossible to list all of the potential abilities of a witch. Whilst in the correct form of circle, many spells may be attempted but there is an eternal danger in doing so. Firstly, one wrongly pronounced word or line can have dire consequences for more than just the caster. Secondly, each action a witch takes in his or her life is bound by the Threefold Law, which states that:
Bide ye Wiccan laws ye must,
in perfect love and perfect trust.
Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give.
Form the circle thrice about, to keep all evil spirits out.
To bind ye spell every time, let ye spell be spake in rhyme.
Soft of eye, light of touch, speak ye little, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing moon, singing out ye Witches’ Rune.
Widdershins go by the waning moon, chanting out ye Baneful Rune.
When the Lady’s moon is new, kiss your hand to her times two.
When the moon rides at her peak, then ye heart’s desire seek.
Heed the North wind’s mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the wind blows from the West, departed souls may have no rest.
When the wind blows from the East, except the new and set the feast.
Nine woods in ye cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Elder be ye Lady’s tree, burn it not or cursed ye’ll be.
When the wheel begins to turn, soon ye Beltaine fire’ll burn.
When the wheel hath turned to Yule, light the log the Horned One rules.
Heed ye flower, bush and tree, by the Lady blessed be.
Where the rippling waters flow, cast a stone and truth ye’ll know.
When ye have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.
With a fool no season spend, nor be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part, bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind ye threefold law ye should, three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is anow, wear the blue star upon thy brow.
True in love ye must ever be, lest thy love be false to thee.
In these eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill,
‘An ye harm none, do what ye will.
Thus, Oliver can cast other spells. Any spell listed in his biography does not require permission to use in a thread or battle, unless otherwise stipulated, and any new spell or attempt at drawing on the Wiccan Reed or the ancient spells of his family book of shadows requires luck, guidance, perseverance and the correct ingredients (many of which are found in his family home) and certainly, a good degree of cause to do so.
He thus possess average herblore, spellcraft and arcane knowledge.
Equipment: Oliver lives in Caroline Haven alongside his other family members. In the house there is a menagerie of herbal items, spell crafting resources and books that comprises the heritage and inheritance of the Midwinter line. Whilst helping oneself greedily frowned upon, for the Threefold Law is powerful enough a deterrent without Grandmother's cane, he can draw on a range of common and not so common items without much need to ask. Whilst he can only carry a pouch or two on him at any time in his jar belt and bandoleer, a trip home proves it's own reward should he need anything to aid a villager or further his own ends. Of course, such a house requires money for gold is one thing that cannot be conjured from magic without repercussions. As such, to maintain this herbal store and to have access to the components, materials and items required to cast a circle and so forth, any gold earned by Oliver in a thread is reduced by 10%. In return, he also has food, clothing and no need to repair or cook much.
Personal Effects: He has a clay ring and a set of tribal pattern scarves that are ancient Albion vestments, or at least mimic the style. The ring is his father's heirloom. He wears a belt across one shoulder which carries four small jars and a belt around his waist with several small pouches. He also has a long slender quartz wand, as well as a more traditional oak wand for the more clandestine spells; he owns nothing other than books and clothing which are typically common ownership in the house anyway. His Book of Shadows is still very lax in terms of contents, but it is the only thing he treasures materially.
Caroline Haven & The Midwinters
1927
The Midwinter Family Home is called Caroline Haven and it rests on the banks of a lake come river that is set on the very outskirts of the village. It is embedded in trees and nature and the sound of crickets and running water occupy its grandeur. The house is simple, but rustic and traditional. The right and larger section has a large open plan living room with various doors leading off to the tower to the left half, where the Matriarch resides at the base and holds council at the tip. The small but functional kitchen sits between the two halves and the smaller rooms on the outskirts of the larger central room house the libraries and store rooms. It is impossible to look in on direction without seeing a book or a cabinet crammed with jars of every shape and size and content imaginable. The rooms on the first floor are small and again, functional. There is a larger empty room for casting circles, and Oliver’s room is not much more than a box with a bed, cabinet and a skylight. Higglydypiggily is quite the word to describe it all.
There are currently five residents in the house. Pictured left to right in the main room of the house (as an indicator of architecture and style).
1929
Maria Midwinter, Juno Midwinter, Heren Midwinter
Then there is the Matriarch Oliver’s grandmother and Maria and Juno’s Great Aunt. The fifth of course is Oliver himself. As matriarch she is of course the strongest and wisest of the witches of Albion, and Maria and Heren take after her. Maria works as a waitress in a small tavern at the centre of the village and Heren, along with her brother Juno tinker with the Fjellsward and the barrier which keeps Albion safe. Juno doesn’t profess much interest in magic beyond its application to technology and how it can help benefit those without the talent to manipulate and call upon the ether.
The family is a tight knit unit, often dining on big tables in the fields around the house or lounging on the spiralling staircases in the sun. Laughter is common place, and activity is always present and bustling. The kitchen table is eternally occupied, or so it is believed, with some meal or cake or concoction of one sort or another. Potions are constantly brewed for their own use and to help the villages who are sick (for a price) and the flowers and the fauna of the Caroline Glade bounce with enjoyment and happiness.
1928
The Kitchen Table