The magical world after the First World War

The First World War shook the whole world.  Witches and wizards have fought on all sides, have died and suffered. Even now many are challenged by the aftermath of the war and the repercussions of  Germany being on the losing side. The world as it was known has ceased to exist.

The Weimar Republic and the defeat in the Great War are contentious issues that stand out among many traditional wizards. Many want the monarchy back, some are dissatisfied with it themselves and even wish to abandon the Prussian experiment of the German Empire, as the influence of the noble families is diminishing due to democracy. And those with magical abilities have always enjoyed exerting influence on the world of Noma.

The labor movements find support primarily among witches, as many witches also have a low social standing. Thus, more and more witches are demanding a greater say in the affairs of the magical world, and there are opponents and supporters on both sides—both of the old and the new ideas. And, as always, there are individuals who want to take a different, new path.

The everlasting conflict: witches and wizards

Since the beginning of time, there have been two streams of magic, two schools of teaching, two schools of power. On the one hand, there is the tradition of wizards, which is characterized by patriarchy. Wizards occupy leadership positions, while sorceresses are forced into the classic image of the educated, well-groomed, but reserved daughter, wife, and mother. Wizards and sorceresses are trained in an academic structure. In the schools, universities, and libraries they establish, they teach their students the accumulated knowledge of wizards. They record their research and jealously guard their secrets. They seek to understand, research, and develop magic. Wizards usually assume high positions in the government of both the magical and non-magical worlds. Ambitious sorceresses also try to exert influence in the political spheres as much as possible.

On the other hand, there is the tradition of witches. Originating in a time when knowledge was passed down from mother to daughter, witches and warlocks are matriarchal. They form loose associations, covens, and sisterhoods and train individual students. Most knowledge is passed on orally or through the personal notes of individual witches. However, they are often more practical and more in tune with the times, living more in the world of the Noma. Due to the government structure, which was built primarily by sorcerers, it is difficult for warlocks to gain a foothold in the political arena. Witches often have an even harder time.

Where does the deep conflict between the two groups come from? Aside from their fundamentally different worldviews and perspectives on magic, there have been various events throughout history that have not helped their relationship. The most prominent example is the „Convention on the Future of Sorcery“ after the end of the Thirty Years‘ War, in which witches were not included. Although the subsequent „Assembly for the Protection of Magick“ jointly adopted the statutes of secrecy for witches and sorcerers, trust has always been difficult for both parties. The fact that it was primarily witches and sorcerers who met their end in the witch hunts of the early modern period further destroyed trust. Some unscrupulous sorcerers even participated in these persecutions.