Oh, look you returned. Or maybe not? This could be your first time stumbling upon one of my blogs. If that is the case, I welcome you. I would give you a slice of cheesecake, but sadly I am incapable of sending things through the computer. If that isn't the case, I welcome you the same and--like the newcomers--I would give you a slice of cheesecake if I was able. Anyways, for those both new and old to my blogs, this is another blog dealing with information about the witches. So without further ado...

Languages and accents

Witches born into the main family of a clan are always bilingual, and in some cases they are multilingual. However, they always speak fluently the common tongue as well as the native language of their clan. The witches have many different languages, and they all have descended from the six languages that the six original clans spoke. In days of old, members of the main family only spoke the the common tongue on special occasions while using their native tongue most of the time, but this has reversed with many clans. Or they speak both equally. This depends on whether or not their people speak the native tongue or the common language more readily. 

For example, the Giese's people tend to speak their native language more often than not while the Lavoies tend to speak the common tongue. This is because the Giese have maintained their heritage throughout history while the Lavoies have just rediscovered theirs. However, even the younger members of the Giese's main family don't have as thick of an accent as their older members. Through, their accents are more noticeable than the members of the main family of the other six original clans. I have already  established that each six original clan had their own language, but along with that they had an accent when they spoke in the common tongue. I want to give people an understanding of what their accents sound like when they spoke so if someone from earth heard a member from each of the six original clan speak English this is what their accents would sound similar to: The Giese would sound Russian, The Lavaoie would sound like French, The Morgan or Devry Irish, The Azarola or Paxton Romanian, The De Vries or Vesela would sound like Italian, and the Salinas or Padovan Spanish.

Just so everyone knows I have included the  original clan name as well as the name they are now known as. Also, I wish to note that the members of the Lavoie's main family might have a slight Irish accent--an actual Irish accent and not one that sounds similar to it like the members of the Morgan or Devry's. This is because their mother was from Ireland and they might have picked up the accent from her. The other members of a clan might be bilingual or multilingual like the main family. This depend on many factors. I will use the Giese and Lavoie as an example again. All members of the Lavoie's tend to be multilingual. They all known the common tongue as well as whatever language they or their parents speak from their or their parent's birth clan, and they are also speak the Lavoie's original language to some degree. While only the Giese aristocrat tend to be bilingual or even multilingual. When you get to the average citizens they tend to only speak their native tongue.

Education

Witch parents take a very active role in their children's education. They serve as one of their children's teachers. There are some who believe it is the parents who set their children up for failure or success when it come to the use of magic. This is probably true in the olden days when the  aristocrats or main family had tutors. However, tutors being a strictly higher member of the clan thing changed five hundred years ago when a witch Astrea took the throne. Tutors are witches who specialize in teaching witch children magic. They are the teachers of the witch world. Through, witches rarely call them teachers. 

There are tutors that teaches witch children the basic of magic. This is especially useful for those children born to parents who display very little or no magical abilities. Then there are those tutors who specialize in a brand of magic. Each witch who is capable of magic has a specialization--a  classification of magic they have the easiest time using or in the cases of those witches who have very little magical abilities the only classification of magic they seem to be able to use. Through, really talented witches will seem effortless with a large number of the specialization if not most all of them. Anyways, a specialization tutor either introduces a child to a specialization, or takes him further into that specialization if the child shows great  potential  for it before the specialization test or if that specialization is the one the child is declared to have after the test.

There are two test all witch children are required to take before they become full fledge member of witch society. The first test is the specialization test. This test as many of you might have gathered determines the witches specialization. Even a child who display no sign of magic are required to take this test, because enough witches has shown to have magical abilities during these test even if they previously displayed no such abilities. This test as well as the second test can be taken when a witch enters their magical puberty. The second test is called the leadership test, and it is a test that decides whether or not a witch can hold a position of power. A clan head might name their child heir to their clan, but that title will not become official until that child passage the leadership test. If the child fails the leadership test the  position  of clan heir must be given to someone else. 

There is no real rush to take either of these test. Through, a witch will tend to take their specialization test as soon or a few years after they had hit their magical puberty. There are still a time limit on the tests--especially the leadership one. This test must be taken by a witch's hundredths birthday. If the witch fails to take it by than that witch can never be consider an adult. The leadership isn't only a test to  determine if a witch is suited to hold a  position of power but it also serves as a rite of passage from childhood into adulthood. It does not matter if the witch is declared leadership material or not the simple taking of the test are what make they considered adults in witches' society. After taking the the leadership test the witch is asked if they wish to remain with their birth clan or swear alliance to another clan. There is no shame or stigma from joining another clan, but it is still a rare thing. A witch who is branded a child is not given this option. They must remain with their birth clan.

The actual tests changed in the course of time. During the witches' dark ages they were a literal fight for  survival. A witch child would be sent into The Forbidden Forest with only the supplies they can carry to face whatever horrors laid inside. And there are no shortage of things within this forest that would and could kill a witch if given the chance. Many witches lost their lives during these tests. The witch was sent in alone during the specialization test, and require to survive a certain amount of time within the forest--usually a  fortnight. During the leadership test the witch is required escort a group of humans to a destination. Humans were picked because while the witch taking the test might die they would not extend that same risk to another witch, but humans were not given the same  courtesy. This test required the witch and his group of humans to be inside the forest just as long as the specialization one. In order to pass the test a certain percentage of the humans had to make it to the  destination. A witch could die during this test and still pass the leadership test, but that is a moot point.

Five hundred years ago, witches were still sent into this forest but they were sent in with a specific task in mind. For example, Astrea was sent into forest to bring her father the head of the Noroci. The task that the witch was given was  determined  by how badly their parents wished for them to passed. They used magic to seal the forest off from any of the other foul things that dwells within. Now, during the modern days, the tests don't require the the witch to be sent on a special quest in order to pass through a witch can request to take test of old even with all the risk involved. Through, many opt for taking the tests of old request the more safer option of taking the test through a more virtual reality like  environment, where if they  die during the test they aren't actually killed. 

Justice

Witches believe in this concept called the right of the victim. They believe that only the victim of a crime can truly understand the pain that  particular injustice has caused them. It is for this reason that the victim(s) of a crime is allowed to pick the punishment that the guilty party  receives.  However, they are not given complete reign over deciding the punishment. The punishment must fit the crime. There are just some crimes where the death  sentence is never consider a suitable punishment. There are, also, cases where the victim is unable to decide a punishment for the guilty party. This can be because the victims age, mental state,  or even in the event of the victims death. If any of this is the case than the victims next of kin is allowed to pick the punishment. Through, there is no clean cut way of deciding whether a victim in either the age or mental state options will be allowed to choose the punishment or if their next of kin will. There have been cases where two years old have been allowed to decide the punishment as well as ones where where this right was given to their next of kin.

Which kin is given the right to decide punishment in the event that the victim is declared unfit for such a task has a  specific list it follows. Parents or first spouse---depending on whether the witch is married or not--is first. The victims children--if they have them--are second. Siblings are third. The victim or their next of kin can name someone as their sword. A sword is someone is someone who enacts justice on the victim's behalf. Those who believe they cannot be impartial will elect a sword, or they will name someone their sword in the event that the punishment must be the guilty party's death and they are unable to carry out the execution of that person. The victims next of kin can also declare themselves as the victims sword, but they must bend to the victims' will on what punishment the guilty party  receives if they are declared fit to decide such things. Just for brief information, entire clans can be killed for the actions of their leaders--especially if it is decided they supported that action.They have a shield concept as well as the sword. Unlike the sword, the shield can never be named by someone else. Someone must always volunteer to serve as a shield. The shield is someone who decides to receive the punishment on behalf of the guilty party.