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Dorm Keys & Crests

“Witches are territorial and elusive creatures, but this you must already have noticed. The eight witches themselves were said to rarely consult with mortals or even among themselves. It is in our nature to safeguard against prying eyes and hungry minds. ‘Bearing your soul like that will only invite trouble’ is what my own grandmother used to say when I was a child.

This is why our institute is such as it is with locked doors and secret passages. Visitors call us ‘paranoid’ and ‘theatrical’ when they see the lengths to which we go to ensure that access is limited, but they do not understand. Our knowledge is a fragile thing and allows no fraternization. The world is changing and in its wake our traditions disappear. Soon enough even the teachings of our founders will become obsolete. It is our duty - my duty - to keep them alive for as long as it’s possible.” - Ursa Astoria, Headmistress of Walpurga Nacht Academy

While other schools might not consider it an issue for students to freely travel between dorm buildings, WNA is different. Dorm visits are a highly regulated affair whose restrictions are implemented directly by the students themselves. Not even Prefects have access to other dorms and in order for any student to be allowed to visit they must check in with the Prefect herself. The manner in which this is achieved is with the help of dorm keys.

Made from pure silver, much like the brooches, the keys contain magical properties that allow the girls to open the assigned ‘door’ to their dorm. Each key can be easily differentiated by the crest on the handle that makes reference to the dorm’s founder.

Rosenhex (Scallop Seashell): The chosen crest for this dorm is the seashell. A symbol of feminine beauty and love, it was said that the Lady of Beauty emerged from a seashell before the Witch of the Rose in order to impart her knowledge of charms and hexes when the witch was looking for a way to enact her vengeance on the man who had betrayed her. Heeding the Lady’s advice the witch brought about a curse on him during his wedding night, transforming him into a bush of roses, and her fury was sated. Following this event, the witch engraved the cover of her volume with the same image. In history, scallop shells were often used as decoration or as chalices and vessels for love magic. As a dorm that prizes beauty above all, the scallop shell perfectly embodies the image of witches as seducers of mankind and influencers of love affairs.

Grimmaire (Wings): The chosen crest for this dorm is a pair of wings. It was said that when the Witty Witch had reached a crossroads in her research the Lord of Wit had sent a dove carrying in its heart his knowledge so that it may aid her. When she had finished writing her volume she engraved the cover with the same symbol to show her respect. In history, wings have many different interpretations, but are usually regarded as a symbol of the world above and spirituality. Pictures of dead humans are often shown with wings on their backs as a way of symbolizing their ascension to a different plane of existence. As a dorm that prizes wit above all, a pair of wings perfectly embodies the image of witches as educated women who were involved in occult societies and desired to transcend the human condition.

Kriegskald (Shield): The chosen crest for this dorm is a shield. Legend says that before a great war the Witch of the Shield had been visited in her dreams by the Lord of Conquest. He warned her that her death was near and in order to prevent such an event from happening she should engrave her shield with his knowledge. Just as the Lord had prophesied the witch would have died during the struggle had her shield not caught the blow of her opponent’s mace. In order to show her gratitude, the witch engraged her volume with this image. Though shields might come across as a primarily masculine symbol, one could argue that their function is in many ways the same as a veil: to protect and to ward. During history women often wore veils in order to protect themselves from unwanted gazes and a witch’s hood often has the same role. It is an object used for escaping recognition. As a dorm that prizes the preservation of old artifacts, the shield perfectly embodies the image of witches as protectors of mankind against evil forces.

Galdtrea (Cornucopia): The chosen crest of this dorm is a cornucopia. During a great drought, when the plants had died and the earth had become barren, the Witch of the Harvest had called upon a higher being for help. What she received was not her Master’s aid, but rather the visit of the Lord of Rulers who bore a cornucopia with him. Imparting his knowledge the Lord showed the witch how to once again make the land prosperous. When the witch had finished her volume she engraved its cover with this symbol as a means to show her allegiance to the Lord. As a symbol of abundance and nourishment, the cornucopia is perhaps best known as the horn broken by Jupiter from his she-goat nurse which then provided unending sustenance. The object is also a symbol of the harvest, which in ancient times was a symbol of power. A lord’s or ruler’s authority was often equal to the mass of land that he owned. As a dorm that prizes knowledge of nature above all, the cornucopia perfectly embodies the image of witches as female practitioners of herbal medicine and healers.

Monarchia (Monarch Butterfly): The chosen crest for this dorm is the monarch butterfly. Having angered her Master through insubordination, the Wicked Mistress of Beasts had taken to hiding among the monsters of the forests and savannas as a means of escaping his wrath. Yet, his power was great enough that he could find her even in the farthest corner of the world and thus her fate had been sealed. Or so it might have been had the Lord of Revelry not sent the monarch butterfly her way and taught her how to disguise herself just like the creature did. Escaping the detection of her Master, the Wicked Mistress of Beasts received the knowledge of the Lord and engraved the cover of her volume with his symbol. The butterfly symbolizes rebirth and personal change in particular, though it could also be considered a symbol of death. In the animal world the cycle of birth and death is perhaps most obviously represented by these creatures. As a dorm that prizes integration with the animal world, the monarch butterfly perfectly embodies the image of witches practicing animism or shapeshifting.

Oraluna (Crescent Moon and Star): The chosen crest for this dorm is the crescent moon and the star. Legend says that the Witch Who Dreamt of the Endless Sleep was a prophet who could foretell the fates of mortals and immortals alike and in her dreams she saw the fall of her Master before it even happened. Spurned by the whispers of the Lord of Stars, the witch had in secret adopted his knowledge and soon her prophecies began to emulate the pattern of the stars and the phases of the moon. Though this sudden shift had caused her followers to accuse her of insanity, she had nevertheless engraved the Lord’s symbol onto the cover of her volume. The moon is strongly connected to the notion of lunacy and female energy, as many women who refused to adhere to the standards of femininity imposed upon them in the past were often accused of suffering from insanity. As a dorm that prizes abstract thinking, the crescent moon and the star perfectly embody the image of witches as prophetesses of future events.

Eliksia (Poison Bottle): The chosen crest for this dorm is a poison bottle. Legend says that the Witch of Poisons was known far and wide for her expertise regarding poisons and elixirs and that many had come to seek her help whether for a noble or macabre reason. The witch herself did not care for the morals of the mortal world and simply dreamed of enriching her knowledge and mastery. She consorted with the Lord of the Sea whose dominion reached such depths that the plants who grew there had never even graced the eyes of mortals. After she swore her allegiance to him, she engraved her volume with this symbol. It is often considered that poison is the traditional weapon of women and many famous poisoners have indeed been female. However it is also important to note that though the god of the sea is male, water is traditionally considered a female element. Water symbolism is often dominated by the notion of grace and wisdom, but it is important to remember its chaotic properties too (“waters of chaos” and Charybdis). As a dorm that prizes innovation, the poison bottle perfectly embodies the image of witches as poisoners.

Noctasis (Skull): The chosen crest for this dorm is a skull. It is said that when the Witch of the Night would visit the resting place of the dead she was visited by a strange apparition which took the form of a flaming skull. The creature presented unto her the knowledge of the Lord of the Underworld in exchange for her own soul upon death, and the witch willingly accepted this offer. Up until her death she had kept the skull close by and consulted with it on numerous occasions seeking her new master’s advice and guidance. Once she had finished writing her volume she engraved the cover with this symbol. Skulls are traditionally a symbol of mortality and death. It is associated with the Grim Reaper, the collector of human souls, and thus it could be argued it is also emblematic of the notion of knowledge beyond human wisdom. As a dorm that prizes knowledge of the arcane and pushing the boundaries, the skull perfectly embodies the image of witches consorting with spirits and devil for greater knowledge of the afterlife.