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Magical traditions can very generally be separated into three categories:

  1. Older magical traditions that do not make use of Newtonian spells. The formalization of magic by Isaac Newton only occurred in the 17th century, therefore older traditions (e.g. Chinese magical tradition) would pre-date Newton
  2. Original magic traditions that have have added or integrated their own traditions into the Newtonian magical framework. (e.g. Tecumsah's medicine men)
  3. Magical traditions that use the original Newtonian tradition at their core, but whose development of techniques has diverged from the classic British Tradition represented by The Folly (Organization) (e.g. Lady Helena Linden-Limmer)

These traditions often diverge or die-out because of geography, discrimination, or historical events.

Austria[]

One of the parents of Valerie Green, who is of Austrian origin, was a practitioner.[1]

China (including Taiwan)[]

Nightingale states Mao Zedong killed most practitioners in China in during the Cultural Revolution. Individuals who survived from this magical tradition are those who emigrated from China prior to the 1950s.

  • Peter encounters Madame Teng a Chinese practicioner, who currently resides in Taiwan.[2]

London's Chinatown[]

In the early 19th century, Chinese seamen began to establish small communities in the port cities of Liverpool and London. In London, the Limehouse area became the site of the first European Chinatown. This influx of Chinese sailors brought with them their own magical traditions. They do not practice Newtonian magic, but Nightingale has stated they use an ink and paper methodology. Sometime in the early to mid 20th century Nightingale actively sought to form an agreement about magical use with the Chinatown community.[2] After demonstrating Newtonian Spells to the pillars of the Chinatown community, he was contacted at The Folly (Building) and an Agreement was formed between Chinatown and the The Folly (Organization); specifically, that any magical breaches of the peace in Chinatown would be handled internally by a single enforcer. Nightingale has summarized this agreement as 'They don't scare the horses, and the Folly doesn't go there asking questions.[2]

  • Michael Cheung - called "the new guy in Chinatown" when Guleed and Peter Grant meet him in the The Chestnut Tree.[3] It is not known if he is a Chinese or British citizen, but his business card lists his occupation as 'Legendary Swordsmen'. It is assumed that he uses the Chinese magical tradition.
  • Simon Wong - the Chinatown magical enforcer from the 1970s.[1]

France[]

Many French practitioners died during World War II.[4]

The Academy[]

The Academy (La Académie Royale de Philosophie Occulte) was the primary French magical institution, and French equivalent of The Folly (Organization) prior to World War II.[5] It is unknown whether it resumed activities after the war.[6]

Germany[]

Little is known about the Germany magical tradition prior the 17th century.

Bibliotheca Alba[]

Bibliotheca Alba (aka 'The White Library) was a magical library at the University of Cologne. It was likely founded in 1388 at the same time as the University. When Kelly told Tobias Winter about her conflict with Gabriel Beck, she described him as a member of the White Library.[6]

It was considered the center of German magic until 1789, when the French closed the University of Cologne. The bulk of the magical library was then transported from Cologne to the Die Deutsche Akademie der Höheren Einsichten zu Weimar in Berlin.[8]

Die Deutsche Akademie der Höheren Einsichten zu Weimar[]

The Die Deutsche Akademie der Höheren Einsichten zu Weimar or Die Weimarer Akademie der Höheren Einsichten (The Weimar Academy of Higher Insights) was the German magical institution from the beginning of the 19th century until the late 1930s.[8] Erik Stromberg was likely trained here, and had several books of magic in his possession which bore the seal of the The Weimer Academy.[8] Nightingale suspects, and Peter Grant verifies in Broken Homes, that the Weimar Academy was conducting more advanced magical research than The Folly (Organization) prior to the WWII. David Mellenby, an English magical researcher, is thought to have had many friends at the Weimar Academy.[8]

Members[]

Magic under Nazi Rule[]

The Die Weimarer Akademie der Höheren Einsichten (The Weimar Academy of Higher Insights) was disbanded under German Nazi rule and integrated into the state military apparatus. The Nazis captured and imprisoned practitioners from Germany and occupied countries. Those who refused to fight for the Nazi army were killed or sent to the prison camp at Ettersberg.

Practitioners from the Weimar Academy that fled Germany prior to Nazi rule and emigrated to the British isles were closely monitored by the British Home Office. During WWII Britain expat practicioners were given the choice between joining the war effort or being shipped to Canada for the duration of the war.[4] A high number of expats opted to join the British War effort; according to Nightingale these were practicioners of Jewish and gypsy descent.[8] Many of these expat practicioners joined the raid on Ettersberg and perished there.[4]

According to Nightingale, the Nazi practicioners were experts in combining conventional warfare with magical warfare.[3] In particular, they perfected Demon traps of varying designs using souls from the prison camps.[3] Varvara Sidorovna also heard rumors that the Nazi's had men called 'Werewolves' that could smell-out practicioners but she was unsure if they were true werewolves in the mythical sense.[2]

Professor Uwe Fischer had magical skills.[11]

Present Day[]

The current magical institute in Germany is the Abteilung KDA, located in Meckenheim

India[]

Lady Helena Linden-Limmer searched for an indigenous magic tradition in India in the late 1960s, but was unable to find one.[3] She claimed that she got a strong sense that something magical was going on under the surface. She did not know about the River Spirits at the time thus she did not investigate the rivers of India.[3]

Italy[]

Many Italian practitioners died during World War II.[4] The river goddess Fleet claims that religion had eliminated some magical entities such as Genius loci in Italy, but that 'it never gets to the toe of the boot', a reference to Italy's geographic shape.

Kenya[]

Lady Helena Linden-Limner's mother developed her magic abilities during her youth in Kenya.[3] It is not known if she included local magic traditions in the development of her abilities.

The Netherlands[]

The AIVD[]

The AIVD was created in 2014 out of another organisation.[13]

Russia/Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)[]

Научно-исследовательский институт необычных явлений (Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Institut Neobychnykh Yavleniy)[]

The Scientific Research Institute for Unusual Phenomena (SRIUP) was revived sometime during the Cold War, and Varvara Sidorovna suspected that there were agents working in the West of the Iron curtain trying to locate surviving members of the Nochnye Koldunyi.[8] The institute survived the fall of the Soviet Union, and still exists in Russia today.[8]

Ночные Колдуные (Nochnye Koldunyi)[]

The Nochnye Koldunyi or 'Night Witches' were a military division devoted to training and utilization of magical tactics against the Nazi's during World War II.[8] They are thought to be mostly female practicioners thus the name 'Night Witch'.

Scandinavia[]

It is known that Vikings had a magical tradition, and the development of the Demon traps is attributed to them.[2] If there are any practitioners in present day Scandinavia, they keep very quiet.[4]

United States of America[]

Indigenous Tradition[]

The Native Americans or 'First Peoples' on the North American continent had their own distinct magical tradition prior to the introduction of European settlers.[1] Many of these traditions were later lost of wiped out during the ethnic cleansing and systematic removal of Native Americans perpetrated by the U.S. government in the 19th century. Today, according to Patricia Chin, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is the regulatory body for magical affairs and/or the demi-monde on U.S. reservations.[14]

Tecumseh's Confederacy[]

During the war of 1812, British practitioners taught Tecumseh's medicine men modern Newtonian techniques as part of an allied agreement. Most of these medicine men were wiped out by U.S. army during and after the defeat of the British in the war of 1812.[3]

The Virtuous Men[]

A group of practitioners from the University of Pennsylvania who called themselves The Virtuous Men volunteered to help the Allied war effort in 1941, prior to Pearl Harbor and the U.S. government's formal declaration of war.[4] These practitioners were also involved in the British raid on Ettersberg where the majority of them were killed.

The Virginia Gentleman's Company[]

A group of U.S. practicioners joined the Allied war efforts after Pearl Harbor and operated mostly out of Istanbul. They resented The Folly (Organization) for their role in the War of 1812. They were nicknamed The Virgins.[3]

The Librarians[]

The Librarians seemingly operate out of the New York Public Library. They are non-governmental and apparently have a deep distrust of all institutionalised magic organisations. They usually operate within the five boroughs of New York City, parts of New Jersey, and sometimes in upstate New York.[7]

References[]

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