Infobox
The Coven
“In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust”
Type Magical Regulatory Authority Alternate Names ”The Occult Foundation” Established 0 AW (Post-War of Eight Nations) Headquarters Hejmen Leadership The Moirai (Three Supreme Witches)
- Structure
- Matriarchal Organization
- Circle-Based Operations
- Siblinghood System
- Authority
- Magical Education
- Spell Regulation
- Artifact Control
- Secret Mission
- Divine Magic Eradication
The Coven, also known as “The Occult Foundation,” is one of the Three Pillars of Esperanto, responsible for magical education, regulation, and enforcement throughout Esperanto’s territories. Publicly known as the union’s premier magical institution and higher education system, the Coven maintains universities, regulates spellcasting, and oversees magical research. However, its primary secret mission is the complete eradication of Divine Magic and those who wield it, a goal so thoroughly achieved that most citizens are unaware of divine magic’s existence.
Organization
The Coven operates through a matriarchal hierarchy that emphasizes both institutional leadership and intimate personal bonds reminiscent of extended family structures. Anyone can join, but the organization is dominated by women in the leadership.
Hierarchy
The Moirai
The three supreme witches who lead the entire organization, making highest-level policy decisions from Hejmen.
Crones
Elderly, female Coven witches responsible for conducting Pact of Siblinghood rituals, leading veneration ceremonies for the Moirai, and selecting compatible Siblings to form new circles. Their decisions regarding circle composition and advancement are considered beyond question.
Magisters/Magistras
Leaders assigned to oversee major institutional facilities such as universities, containment centers, or specialized research installations.
Professors
Senior field operatives who teach at universities or command multiple circles during complex operations, often separated from their original circles to mentor younger Siblings.
Siblings
Full members who have undergone the Pact of Siblinghood, informally distinguished as “younger” or “older” based on experience.
Circles
The fundamental operational unit of the Coven is the circle, a small team of usually three Siblings who typically remain together for life. These tight-knit groups advance through the ranks together, developing specialized skills and reputations over time. Assignment to circles and advancement decisions are made by crones whose wisdom and guidance are rarely questioned, creating an atmosphere of familial respect and unquestioning trust.
Siblinghood
To become a full member or “Sibling” of the Coven, an individual must undergo the Pact of Siblinghood, a Rank 8 Occult Ritual. This ritual ensures that:
- Every spell cast by the Sibling is recorded in a ledger in an undisclosed location
- Siblings can only cast spells they’re cleared for by the Coven
- Unauthorized spell use results in a heart attack for the caster
This system maintains absolute control over magical practice while appearing to be a simple professional certification to outside observers.
Magical Oversight
The Coven’s influence extends to all aspects of magical practice within Esperanto. Spells of rank 5 and beyond require official Coven instruction, while spells of rank 8 and beyond are strictly forbidden to non-Siblings. This creates a system where other institutions, including Armada and the Bannersairs, depend on Coven cooperation for access to advanced magical capabilities essential for their operations.
Divine Magic Eradication
The Coven’s primary mission is the complete elimination of Divine Magic from Esperanto territories. This campaign has been so successful that most citizens dismiss divine magic as myth, if they’re aware of it at all. When the rare Oracle is discovered, they are captured and never seen again.
The organization’s propaganda efforts have created a clear mental image of divine magic users as dangerous extremists. Most Coven members genuinely believe they are protecting society from a legitimate threat.
Tuning Forks
Communication in Hanaq is bound by letters. The only way to send messages over long distances is by using the spell “Sending”. However, this is a difficult spell to learn, and only has range of one planet. The Coven discovered a way to extend the range of this spell using a magical tuning fork.
These tuning forks span an entire room, and are extremely heavy. They apparently allow for sendings to be sent to a recipient standing next to another tuning fork. The creation and possession of these rare tuning forks is a privilege only granted to the Coven.
C.H.I.M.E.R.A.
The Coven Hidden Initiative for Monster Engineering, Research, and Application, started at Hollow Deep University, is an initiative to create living weapons capable of hunting down pirates and Oracles.