our lifestyle and historical context posts will be broken down into two, as there’s a lot of information and we don’t want to overwhelm you. this is a lot of condensed information and of course we recommend, if you’re into that sort of thing, you go and google and read up about the war and the time period in question to broaden your knowledge.
this right here is our historical context post and our lifestyle post will be right around the corner. if you have any questions, or want any additional information that you can’t find for yourself, then please message us and we’ll try and answer any queries you might have!!!!
THE WAR
It all begins with a gunshot that is heard across the world. Or at least, that is what people say. On June 28th, 1914, Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist with ties to the rebel military group, The Black Hand. It is this event that rapidly sends Europe spiralling into war, drawing the rest of the world into one of the bloodiest and most devastating conflicts of all time; World War One.
Though Franz Ferdinand’s murder was the spark that lit the fuse of the First World War, tensions had been building in Europe for years. The four main powers of Europe - Britain, France, The German Empire and Austro-Hungary - had been stockpiling weapons for decades. France and Germany had a fractious relationship concerning the ownership of Alsace lLorraine, an area on the border between the two countries which had been a bone of contention for decades. Germany also had ambitions concerning its growing empire, which was increasingly causing frictions with the other colonial powers of Europe. In essence, the stage was set for a big conflict to take place by the turn of the 20th Century, though no one could guess at the total devastation that would reign across the world for over four years.
To give a brief summary of the events that followed Franz Ferdinand’s assassination, Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia, whilst in the following couple of months, Germany declared war on France following a treaty with the Ottoman Empire (modern Turkey). As Germany began its invasion of France (known as the Schlieffen Plan) via Belgium in August 1914, Britain declared war on Germany due to a long standing protective obligation towards belgium. Things quickly escalated as Austro-Hungary, Germany’s long-standing ally, invaded Russia, the long standing ally of the British. Lines were drawn, and alliances were made; the Central Powers and the Allied Powers.
The Central Powers were made up of Austro-Hungary, Germany, Italy and the Ottoman empire. The Allied powers were made up of Great Britain, France, and the Russian Empire, late to be joined by the USA in April 1917.
The initial months of the war were not unusual; ground was gained and lost and regained as the German’s invasion plan became a botched effort in Northern France and Belgium. However, things changed as both the Allied and Central Powers settled into a relatively new kind of warfare; trench warfare. Wars, up until this point, had traditionally been fought with man and horsepower, with the cavalry being the main force for winning most battles. This war however, was the first example of industrialised warfare.
New technologies such as machine guns were used on a scale that had never been seen before, and vehicles such as tanks and aeroplanes were seen for the first time on the battlefield. This new mechanised way of fighting came at a huge human (and animal) cost. Battle tactics had yet to catch up with these new technologies, and as such, men and horses were pitted against machine guns. It doesn’t take a genius to know how that worked out.
From the start point of this site, December 1916, huge swathes of Europe are devastated by the war. Much of rural France, Belgium and Germany lie in ruins; a quagmire of mud, bodies and barbed wire. Russia is beginning to withdraw out of the war due to the rising conflict within its own borders; the communist revolution is about to go up like a powder keg. Meanwhile, after years of isolationist policy, the United States of America are considering entering into the fray. Things are becoming desperate on the Western Front. Many view this war as an Armageddon, the End of Days, and perhaps they’re right. This is the end of imperial Europe, and in 1917, the great super powers that had controlled the continents of Africa, Asia and Oceania from their ivory towers in London, Paris, Berlin and Vienna, are beginning to experience their first death throws.
The world would never be the same again.
MAJOR BATTLES
First Battle of Ypres. Western Front. October 19th-November 22nd 1914. Casualties: British (58,000), French (86,000), German (134,000).
Second Battle of Ypres. Western Front. April 22nd-May 25th 1915. Casualties: British (60,000), French (10,000), German (35,000).
Gallipoli. Turkey. April 25th 1915- January 19th 1916. Casualties: British (73,000), French (27,000), Ottoman Empire (250,000).
The Battle of Verdun. Western front. 21st February-18th December 1916. Casualties: French (377,000), German (337,000).
The Battle of Jutland. Sea battle. 31st May-1st June 1916. Casualties: British (6,784), German (3,058).
The Battle of the Somme. Western Front. 1st July-18th November 1916. Casualties: British (420,000), French (200,000), German (500,000).
The Brusilov Offensive. Eastern Front. 4th June-20th September 1916. Casualties: Russian (between 500,000 & 1 million), German (350,000), Austro-Hungary (600,000).
THE WORLD
The world is a very different place in 1917. Europe is made up of colonial super states, and much of africa, asia, south america and oceania is divided up between the empires of europe. Below are a series of maps to try and help you understand the geo-political state of the world in 1917.
WOMEN
In the years leading up to the Great War, women’s suffrage was one of the biggest issues of the day, not only for the half of the population it would directly affect, but in terms of the safety and national security of many countries across the globe.
Suffragettes, as these political campaigners were derisively dubbed by journalist Charles E. Hands in the London Daily Mail, were considered one of the greatest threats to the British public by 1914. Just as the great war was about to break out, the british public had been rocked by acts of terrorism, perpetrated by suffragette groups such as the women’s social and political union, led by one of the most famous suffragettes of all, Emmeline Pankhurst. The contents of letter boxes were burned, windows smashed, and bombs were detonated. As these female perpetrators were arrested and detained, many would employ the tactic of hunger strikes as a form of protest. Stunts were also employed at major events, most famously, Emily Wilding Davison’s attempt to pin a suffragette flag to the king’s horse at the Epsom Derby, which resulted in her accidental death as she pulled under the horse’s hooves. It was a scandal that the country had never truly experienced before.
Of course, the fight for women’s suffrage was a global struggle. New Zealand was in fact the first nation to give its women citizens equal voting rights as its men in 1893. However, it would take nations such as Great Britain, France, the USA and Germany another 20 to 40 years to give their female citizens equal suffrage; Britain in 1921, France in 1944, the USA in 1920, and Germany in 1918.
However, although the suffragette movement is associated with feminism, the suffragette’s feminism was problematic. In Britain, the suffragettes were mainly led by and consisted of upper-white middle class women. There was little intersectionality within the suffragette movement, and women who belonged to the lower classes or were women of colour were often forgotten about and left just as disenfranchised as they had ever been. Class, race and disability were of little concern to the suffragette movement.
UPRISINGS
In April 1916, the most significant Irish uprising in over a hundred years took place. This was the easter rising, an infamous rebellion which paved the way for irish independence from british rule in 1919.
Ireland had suffered under British occupation for hundreds of years. They had been devastated by Oliver Cromwell’s efforts to stamp out the country’s Catholicism in the 1600s; a campaign which is often viewed as a genocide. In the centuries that followed, there were enormous tensions between the native Catholic Irish, and the Protestant English and Scottish settlers.
In 1800, the Acts of Union united Ireland and Great Britain under British rule. Acts and laws that were introduced around this time prevented ownership of land by Irish Catholics, and many Catholics lived as tenants under Anglo-Irish Protestant landlords. Much of the Irish population were left impoverished and dependent on cheap crops that could be grown in poor, boggy ground. One of these crops were potatoes, and when a particularly virulent form of potato blight (a kind of fungal pest) ravaged its way through Europe, much of the Irish population were left without a primary food source. This resulted in one of the biggest disasters in Irish history, known as the great potato famine. Between 1845 and 1852, around a million people perished from starvation and a million more emigrated out of Ireland, many travelling to America for a better life. Ireland’s population fell by around 25% as a result of this disaster.
Hundreds of years of mistreatment, disenfranchisement and religious tensions had given rise to a number of different rebellions, but the Easter Rising was one of the most impacting. Organized by the seven man military council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the rebellion took advantage of the fact that Britain was preoccupied with the ongoing war in Europe. The rising began on Easter Monday, April 24th, lasting for seven days.
Key locations were seized in Dublin with the help of the Irish Volunteers and the Irishwomen’s Council, and an Irish Republic was declared. The british responded by sending in reinforcements and heavy artillery. Gunfights broke out in the streets, and the British eventually surrounded and bombarded the Irish strongholds with their superior artillery. Other parts of Ireland initiated attacks on British military strongholds including the Royal Irish Constabulary barracks in County Meath. However, the British eventually suppressed the rebellion, and martial law was implemented on the country as a result. 485 people were killed during the Rising, over half of which were Irish civilians who were mistaken for Irish nationalist rebels.
In the aftermath, 3,500 people were taken prisoner by the British, though many had no ties with the rebellion. 1,600 people were sent to internment camps and prisons across Britain. The Easter Rising was quashed, but tensions did not dissipate. In fact, the Easter Rising and subsequent response by the British stoked the fires of support for Irish independence across the Irish population.
The Easter Rising may have failed, but it had sparked the flames for Irish independence.
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01. This Bestiary is our version of magical species in the Wizarding World. While we try to touch on many different species that can be found throughout the world, we are open to ideas of adding more that fit our site.
02. Where the species originated from doesn’t mean that’s where your character must also be from. It is possible with the war and travel between countries that one might find a Selkie in the States or a Werecoyote in Europe. It just won’t be as common so keep that in mind.
03. Our ratio is two magical folk to every one non-magical folk. You can have as much non-magical characters as you like. However, you can only have one of each species. For example if you already have a werewolf you can’t have another. This is so things are fair and everyone has a chance to play that creature.
04. As you may have noticed some Creature info isn’t as filled in, this is because we decided to leave those open to whoever takes the creature first and wants to expand upon the lore we’ve already set. If you would like to add a creature that’s not on the list, please DM a staff member and we will discuss the possibility of adding said creature to our bestiary.
CREATURES
01. Werewolves | Origin: Europe | Classified: Being/Beast
A Werewolf is a human being who, upon the complete rising of the full moon, becomes a fearsome and deadly near-wolf. Werewolves travel in packs and are aggressive over territories. They value pack families and are more powerful when in a pack compared to being alone or in a smaller pair/group. They are led by an alpha and beta pair. Werewolves can be easily distinguished from their animal counterparts by their shorter snout, more human-like eyes, a tuffed tail, and their mindless hunting of humans while in werewolf form. They are very aggressive and will attack anyone who poses a threat. They rarely hurt other creatures unless absolutely necessary. Werewolves are grey in color and larger in size compared to Werecoyotes. They will not hesitate to kill or turn anyone on sight - even their best friends - under the full moon. Stay out of their way/area and they will leave you be.
Strengths: Werewolves are large in size and as a result are more powerful than their Werecoyote counterpart. They are able to kill a human with just their hands. They are
Weaknesses: Werewolves are unable to control their transformation when the moon is full and visible. They do not retain their human minds once transformed - but will remember what they’ve done once reverted back to human form. Without any other humans/creatures to attack, Werewolves will inflict injuries upon themselves out of frustration.
02. Werecoyotes | Origin: North & South America | Classified: Being/Beast
A werecoyote is a human being who, upon the complete rising of the full moon, becomes a fearsome and deadly near-wolf. Similar to their werewolf brethren, but smaller in size, Werecoyotes travel in pairs instead of packs. It is typical for small fond family pairs to have a strong bond. They don’t take kindly to anyone who strays or tries to destroy that bond, outsider or not, and have a more nasty/bully streak. They are more equivalent to street gangs than a large one. Werecoyotes can be easily distinguished from their animal counterparts by their shorter ears, more human-like eyes, longer legs, and their mindless hunting of creatures while in werecoyote form. Which they strip to the bone, leaving no meat behind. Werecoyotes are tan in color compared to werewolves and smaller in size. They rarely hurt humans unless absolutely necessary - which is why they are less Werecoyotes to be found. They are ruthless but they are also smart and know better than to mess with werewolves. They just rather not even attempt to fight.
Strengths: Werecoyotes are stealthy and have longer stamina. They are cunning and are able to adapt to their surroundings with ease. Because of this they have a greater survival instinct and tend to not be as well known/tracked easily as a result. Their small size allows them to move quickly and they are known to outrun any human/beast. They can leap very high and across long distances, and land lightly on their feet when they jump from high up. They have heightened senses of hearing, smell, and sight.
Weaknesses: Werecoyotes are unable to control their transformation when the moon is full and visible. They do not retain their human minds once transformed - but will remember what they’ve done once reverted back to human form.
03. Vampires | Origin: Eastern Europe | Classified: Being/Beast
Legends of vampires have existed for millenia; cultures such as Mesopotamians, Hebrews, the ancient Greeks, and Romans (among others) had tales of “demonic” entities and blood-drinking spirits which are considered by scholars to be the early ancestors, if not originators, of vampire-kind itself. The vampire, as we know them, was first officially “discovered” and recorded in Medival Europe in 895. The original word for these creatures was “izacus”, first recorded in Turkish culture, and was originally closely tied to the story of “Icarus” or several religious and cultural versions thereof, however the Catholic Church quickly associated these creatures with a “demonic” nature in an attempt to distance themselves from such monsters and the species has been hunted, hated, and feared ever since. Unlike many other magical beings and creatures there appear to be no real regional differences among vampires, and vampiric kind share the same attributes among themselves across continents. For example, all vampires share a photosensitivity to direct and natural sunlight, as well as to overly bright artificial lighting. All vampires also share the ability to “glamour” which is a broad term for psychically influencing humans (many magical beings are immune to a vampire’s glamour, but not all); this includes illusion as well as “enchantment” in which an experienced/practiced vampire is able to influence it’s target’s emotions in such a way as to make them compliant, amorous, or even (to an extent) hypnotized. Little known fact, a person practiced in Occlumency is capable of resisting a vampire’s glamour. Vampires also exhibit an ability known as compulsion, which operates similarly to glamouring, but directly influences will rather than emotion. Compulsion is much more difficult to control and use on another living being, and only very old or very practiced vampires can use the ability to do more than trick a human into trusting or agreeing with them. Compulsion also only works for as long as the vampire itself is able to sustain the ability which is very taxing mentally, which is yet another reason why only very experienced vampires can successfully navigate the ability.
Culturally, vampires are still very shunned even within the magical community as they are seen as beings that do not always have control (or even want to control) their often aggressive natures. When a vampire creates another vampire, often referred to as “turning”, it is always the same process. Humans are the only beings ever recorded to survive being “turned”, and to be turned a human must ingest a full vampire’s blood and essentially become infected. This infection essentially overrides the human host’s original biological make-up to make the host more hospitable to itself (lower body temperature, a slow -- almost undetectable -- heartbeat, aversion to light, fangs for feeding, etc). This infection also seems to carry with it a genetic and magical “memory”, or connection between hosts, and has always resulted in a strong intangible bond between a vampire “maker” and its progeny. Also, while it is not essential that a vampire sleep in a coffin, it is an old habit/tradition. To get a good sleep and to fully restore it’s energy efficiently, a vampire does need to sleep in an environment that is preferably as sun-proof as possible (not only biologically, but also because by nature they tend to be nocturnal), for many vampires without the means to create a sleeping space that is permanently and sufficiently sun-proof a coffin is the easiest and most accessible alternative.
Strengths: Immortality. Low-light and night vision. Increased physical strength, stamina, and agility. Natural camouflage in low-light and “shadows”. Compulsion and glamouring are natural gifts every individual acquires when becoming a vampire, however depending on experience and practice each vampire will have varying degrees of success with these abilities.
Weaknesses: Photosensitive skin (natural and direct sunlight, bright artificial light, etc). Because of the drastic biological changes that take place in the body when a person becomes a vampire, they are no longer able to naturally channel magical energies the same way -- therefore, a full vampire cannot practice magic in the way a wixen human would. Wixen magical practices are outside the ability of vampire-kind, wandless or otherwise. A vampire’s life force and survival depends upon the consumption of living human blood for said vampire to perform at peak condition and thrive; however, it is possible for a vampire to sustain itself on cold or donated human blood, or animal blood, but feeding in this way will leave a vampire weaker and less nutritionally satisfied which can negatively affect a vampire’s ability to perform it’s natural abilities (i.e. compulsion, camouflage, glamor).
04. Half-Giants | Origin: Europe/North America | Classified: Hybrid Beings
A Half-Giant is a very large human that has magical blood and giant ancestry. They have a large height and built, and are taller than humans but shorter than Giants. It is very rare to see Half-Giants as a result of the prejudice associated with Giants from the magical world.
Strengths: Half-Giants maintain a natural resistance to most types of magical attacks as a result of the Giant blood running through their veins.
Weaknesses: Half-Giants have the same weaknesses as regular magical folk.
05. Half-Veela | Origin: Eastern Europe | Classified: Hybrid Beings
A Half-Veela is a cross-breed between a male human and a Veela. Apart from their physical beauty, Half-Veelas are more difficult to detect than other half-breeds. Do not cross a Half-Veela, for they get angry easily and can partially transform into a bird-like creature and attack. Full Veela are exclusively female, but half- and part-Veela may be any gender.
Strengths: Half-Veela possess supernatural beauty and charm, as a result they are able to seduce others with magical pheremones. They are able to shape-shift at whim into bird-like creatures.
Weaknesses: Half-Veelas have the same weaknesses as regular magical folk. They age just like their magical parent and do not posses youthful beauty way past their age. The less Veela blood they have in them the weaker their powers.
06. Half-Goblins | Origin: Europe/North America | Classified: Hybrid Beings
A Half-Goblin is a smaller human that has magical blood and goblin ancestry. They are taller than goblins and shorter than humans. It is very rare to see Half-Goblins as a result of the the dispute between humans and goblins.
Strengths: Half-Goblins are able to perform magic without a wand - albeit it’s not as powerful.
Weaknesses: Half-Goblins love gold just like their Goblin brethren, which causes them to be greedy when it comes to money. While Goblins fear sunlight, Half-Goblins do not. However, being out in the sun for too long can cause them to fear suffocated and retreat to shaded or indoor areas.
Banshees are indigenous to Ireland, though they also inhabit parts of Scotland and Northern Wales. Banshees are human-like in appearance, though their skin is green-tinged, and they have long, black hair. Banshees are most well known for their fatally loud screams, which are partly used as a defence mechanism when threatened. Banshees also have slight clairvoyant abilities, though these abilities are specifically centred around death and sensing when a human being is close to death; banshees will often scream when in the vicinity of someone who is about to die, as if signalling their impending doom. Banshees are exclusively female, and many in Irish folklore believe them to be part of the faerie folk, or are the spirits of women who were wronged in life; in actuality, banshees are creatures born from the Irish Sea. Their lifespans are unknown, but it is believed that they can live for hundreds of years. It has been known for banshees to breed with human males. The children they bare are usually female, though it has been known for banshees to give birth to male hybrids. Half-banshees have similar abilities to their mothers, though they cannot emit a fatal scream. They usually have dark hair and sallow skin, and their life spans are longer than that of human beings; a half-banshee who died during the reign of Queen Anne was believed to have been 122 years old when she passed.
Strengths: Banshees can produce wandless magic in a similar way to house elves, though this magic is usually of a hallucinatory quality; banshees can cast their spells on human beings and cause them to have horrible visions of their own deaths. Banshees can withstand injury more than human beings, though they are not invulnerable. Their screams are deadly, killing anyone who hears them without ear protection in an instant.
Weaknesses: Banshees are not invulnerable to the Killing Curse; though they are classed as a Spirit by the British Ministry of Magic, they have a corporeal form.
08. Hags | Origin: Eastern/Central Europe | Classified: Being
Hags are dark magical creatures, originally hailing from the forests of Eastern and Central Europe. They are human-like in appearance, and are exclusively female. The physical appearance of a hag has unfortunately given rise to many non-magical cultures’ misconceptions of witches; hags look like ugly old crones, with hooked noses, wart covered skin and pale hair. They are also mainly carnivorous, and have a particular taste for human flesh; it has been known for hags to attack and devour children, and such an incident most likely gave rise to the legend of Hansel and Gretel. Hags have rudimentary magical abilities, similar to trolls, and they can learn wand magic, though not to the level of witches and wizards. They are tough and hardy creatures, with extended lifespans of up to 200 years. They reproduce by creating ‘daughters’ out of earth mixed with the semen of a hanged man, using a process very similar to that of a homunculus. As such, young hags are very volatile creatures, as the magic that gave birth to them takes a long time to settle. They are most ravenous in their early years, requiring the consumption of flesh in order to affirm their corporeal form.
Strengths: Resistant to freezing temperatures. They do not react to curses and hexes in the same way as most living things, due to their unusual conception.
Weaknesses: They are vulnerable to fire, with the burnings of discovered hags most likely giving rise to the European tradition of burning witches at the stake.
Sirens are island-dwelling merfolk that sing beautiful songs to lure humans closer to them. They appear beautiful at first but once you get close the charm dissipates and their true appearance is show. Sirens are creatures that resemble half-human, half-fish hybrids.With a fish like tail and upper body of a human. Their skin is greyish in color, and their hair is long, wild, and dark green in color. Sirens are able to walk on land due to their magical ability to shift their fins into legs.
However, there are those who prefer to remain in water and see walking on land as an insult to their origins. Sirens are generally female but some males are known to exist.
Strengths: Sirens are beautiful in looks and sing songs that cause anyone near enough to be lured towards the signing. They are able to shape-shift from their half-fish appearance into a full human. Sirens are able to breathe underwater without going up for air.
Weaknesses: Sirens can’t spend too long on land lest they die. A Siren must shift back into it’s original form by the end of the night.
Selkies are classified as magical beings, or hybrid magical beings, and share a distant ancestor with merfolk. They are commonly believed to be the result of hundreds of years of regional evolution and adaption. However, there are few physical traits which link selkie and merfolk, with the exception of being able to assume a human form, and the selkie folk are born as seals and live the predominant bulk of their lives in the sea in their true form. The form of magic used by selkies is rooted in the sea itself, an ancient connection to ancient magical energies produced by the planet itself, and while spellcraft has never been taught nor practiced by the selkie folk they do possess the ability to influence many things with the power of their song/voice; they can call the fish into a fisherman’s net, call or cull the waves, entrance foolish sailors, and so on. Selkie’s are known for the beauty of their human form, male and female alike, and can be vain creatures by nature. When a selkie sheds its pelt and assumes a human form, it must hide its pelt or else it can be stolen and the selkie unable to return to it’s true form or the sea. There are dozens of sad stories about selkies shedding their skin to walk among humans only to have their pelt stolen, used against them to make them slaves, and the decimation of the selkie species through slavery, trapping, and loss of habitat due to human expansion is reflected in the relatively low population of selkies still remaining in existence. While legislation has yet to be laid down to protect them, selkies are acknowledged as magical beings and trading in their pelts or slavery comes with fines. Isolated by nature, often raised for years away from the influence of humans and within the sea itself, selkies who venture onto land often do so out of a curiosity that does not come with experience to make them cautious. As a whole, what remains of their culture is shared or not shared among individual family groups and it is quite normal for these family groups to spend their entire lives in the sea without venturing on shore to interact with humans.
Strengths: Selkie “magic” is a powerful magic in it’s own way, their voice a natural conductor for the ancient thrumming magic of the planet itself, and can be “weaponized” so the speak -- a selkie can entrance/enchant “prey”, influence empathy, or strong selkies have even been known to create or stop a storm at a local level. Able to swim miles at a time at sea, selkie’s have increased stamina in their true form as a seal or in their human form, and are unfortunately known for this (often going until drop).
Weaknesses: The longer a selling goes outside of it’s own skin, or without the sea, the weaker and less they become. A selkie can die from being kept from the sea, but it is a long and miserable death that could take years to finally settle. Selkies do not practice, nor do they learn, the wixen tradition of spellcraft -- i.e. no wands, no spells (in the traditional sense) and are often times ignorant in the ways of wixen magic which makes them ignorantly susceptible to it.
11. Kitsune | Origin: Japan | Classified: Being/Beast
Kitsunes are foxes with up to nine tails that originate from Japan. The more tails a Kitsune has the more powerful they are. They are orange in color in fox form, but if they have all nine tails their fur becomes white or gold. Kitsune are born foxes, and they won’t be able to take a human form until they reach the age of twenty. They can shift into male or female, and unlike werewolves they can freely control their transformation. There are two types of Kitsune, the Zenko and the Nogitsune. The latter is more evil and mischievous, with the former being good and celestial. Each Kitsune has their own supernatural ability. Which corresponds with an element: Light, Dark, Wind, Spirit, Fire, Earth, Water, Thunder, and Sound. One of the most important things to a Kitsune is freedom. They do not like being trapped or forced to do someone’s bidding. If they get free they will attempt to kill the person who has kept a hold on them.
Strengths: The only way to kill a Kitsune is to cut off all of its tails, since the real tail is difficult to decipher it’s best to just do all the tails at once. Kitsune are able to hide their other tails so muggles or wixen might mistake them for a normal fox. Kitsune are very skilled at playing tricks and it’s difficult to pull their own wool over their eyes.
Weaknesses: Kitsune have a fear and hatred of dogs, even while in human form. They become so rattled that they revert back to their fox form and flee. This also includes werewolves. Young, inexperienced Kitsune have trouble hiding their tails while in human form.
Nephilim are closely related to vampires, though more often seen in North America and are born rather than made. They are humanoid creatures who usually appear sickly and have dark hair, but they’re most notable feature is their eyes that are completely black including the sclera. They are inherently evil creatures who feed off of human’s energies and emotions. The longer a human is around a Nephilim, the more lethargic and sick they feel as the creatures feel more powerful. They usually live in large groups, or covens, adopting each other as family. Nephilim can hide their black eyes, tricking people into thinking they are human, but they cannot hold the disguise for much longer than a few hours.
Strengths: Nephilim are very socially manipulative; charming people easily. Their forthcoming empathy is what draws humans to them and once close enough the creature can access their power to take their energy.
Weaknesses: They must be invited into personal homes and the invitation can be rescinded. They’re powers are less magnified under the sun, though the sun does not hurt them. If they don’t “feed” they become more feral and dangerous.
A regional variant of merfolk, the merrow are native to Ireland and have existed within Irish folklore as long as stories have been told there. Like other merfolk, a merrow’s true form if “half fish” and “half human”, with the lower half serving as a tail while the upper half is that of a man or woman. In the merrow’s case, the tail of their lower half is slightly more shark like than their tropical or southern cousins being made of a thicker skin and a much longer top to the caudal fin. Characteristically, the merrow are also known for the greenish hue of their dark hair and the pale hue of their skin that sometimes appears opalescent in certain lights (the dark of the deep sea and crags of the coast where they traditionally build their cities into stone walls beneath the waves). In both their true or human form, merrow are also known for the slight webbing at the base of their fingers, a white and delicate film resembling “the skin between egg and shell”. Merrow are said to be “modest, affectionate, gentle and benevolent” and traditionally are said to the saviors of sailors rather than their killers like some of their cousins. Merrow are actually known for their healing abilities, a regional quirk or adaption, and perhaps contributes to the tales of their “kindness”. As a whole, they are a secretive people, more so now than ever, but not even the world beneath the waves can ignore the fight for long.
Strengths: Strong healing abilities, see weakness. Known for their beauty in human form, as well as their resistance to cold (perhaps having to do with their “thicker skin”). Merrow can change to a “human” form, but they can breath underwater, in either form thanks to an adaptive “gill” behind their ear.
Weaknesses: Their power is tied directly to the sea and, unlike selkies, merrow can only tap into their magic if they are in water or in their true form otherwise their abilities are suppressed or the merrow is unable to use them at all.
A Half-Veela is a cross-breed between a male human and a Veela. Apart from their physical beauty, Half-Veelas are more difficult to detect than other half-breeds. Do not cross a Half-Veela, for they get angry easily and can partially transform into a bird-like creature and attack. Full Veela are exclusively female, but half- and part-Veela may be any gender.
Strengths: Half-Veela possess supernatural beauty and charm, as a result they are able to seduce others with magical pheremones. They are able to shape-shift at whim into bird-like creatures.
Weaknesses: Half-Veela have the same weaknesses as regular magical folk. They age just like their magical parent and do not posses youthful beauty way past their age. The less Veela blood they have in them the weaker their powers.
15. Damphir (Half-Vampire) | Origin: Europe | Classified: Hybrid Beings
Half-vampires, or Damphir as they are traditionally referred to, are incredibly rare. Because vampires cannot reproduce naturally, that is to say they cannot be “born” and must be bitten/created, the only way for a vampire to “reproduce” is with a human female. The offspring of such a union, however, is half human and half vampire but unfortunately do not share many of the more positive traits of either species. Due to the way the genetics of both species interact, most pregnancies end in either the death of the human mother and/or the death of the offspring. Half-vampire children have a high mortality rate and tend to be sickly throughout their often brief lives. Those who do manage to survive to 18 are offered a choice, live out their rest of their (possibly shortened) lives as human or be turned into a full-fledged vampire (almost always by their closest vampiric family member). As it is against vampire society to turn anyone younger than 18 without special permission, very few half-vampires live long enough to actually become full vampires.
Strengths: Above average low-light vision. Natural aptitude for wandless magic.
Weaknesses: Sensitive skin which is highly susceptible to damage from direct sunlight. Lacking the strength or vitality of a full vampire. Almost all are born with iron deficiencies of varying extent. Susceptible to both muggle and magical disease.
how did we get here? well, nothing happens without something to start it, and these are the histories that our characters will be working with here on dogs of war! beneath the cut, you'll find the timeline leading up to the current site time.
1604 - the helm of hades is founded.
February 1606 - australia is discovered by the dutch.
September 4th 1654 - the helm of hades council is established.
January 30th 1649 - king charles i of england is executed by beheading.
1649 - oliver cromwell, lord protector of the commonwealth of england, scotland and ireland, begins his military campaign in ireland, resulting in the deaths of thousands of irish catholics.
1692 - the international statute of wizarding secrecy is implemented.
April 19th 1770 - captain james cook founds new south wales in australia, and claims it for the british.
July 4th 1776 - the thirteen american colonies declare themselves independent from british rule, and sign the united states declaration of independence.
January 1st 1801 - the act of union comes into effect, unifying the kingdoms of great britain and ireland.
February 19th 1826 - hags are expelled from the helm of hades after their council representative, nadezhda tereshchenko, is discovered to have murdered and consumed at least 24 children.
June 20th 1837 - princess alexandrina victoria is crowned queen victoria of the united kingdom of great britain and ireland.
1845-1852 - the irish potato famine causes the deaths of a million irish people.
december 2nd 1848 - archduke franz joseph is crowned franz joseph i, emperor of austria and king of hungary.
1858 - the british raj begins as the british confirm their direct rule of the indian subcontinent.
April 12th 1861 - the american civil war breaks out.
May 9th 1864 - the american civil war ends as the confederate general robert e. lee surrendered to the union general ulysses s. grant at the battle of appomattox court house in virginia.
May 1st 1876 - queen victoria adopts the title of empress of india.
1879 - squibs are welcomed into the helm of hades, though there are protests from some werewolf and half-giant members.
1882 - egypt is occupied by the british.
1888 - british east africa is established.
June 15th 1888 - crown prince friedrick wilhelm viktor albert is crowned kaiser wilhelm ii.
June 21st 1889 - gellert grindelwald founds die verfechter der heilige.
November 1st 1894 - tsarevich nikolai is crowned tsar nikolai ii of the russian empire.
October 11th 1899 - the second boer war begins as the south african republic and the orange free state fight the british empire over the empire’s influence over south africa.
January 1st 1901 - the constitution of australia came into effect, in which the six separate self-governing colonies of queensland, victoria, tasmania, new south wales, south australia and western australia agreed to unite and form the commonwealth of australia.
January 22nd 1901 - queen victoria dies and is succeeded by her son, albert edward.
August 9th 1901 - the prince of wales, albert edward, is crowned edward vii, king of the united kingdom and the british dominions, and emperor of india.
april 1902 - a faction of militant squibs, intent on implementing squib equality in the magical world, take over the british ministry’s atrium in an attempt to impose their pro-squib politics. they maintain their occupation of the ministry for a week before british ministry regain control. many squibs are killed in the retaking of the ministry atrium, and those who are captured are given the dementor’s kiss in azkaban.
february 8th 1904 - the russo-japanese war begins as both the russian empire and empire of japan fought for control over manchuria (a region of china) and korea. the war was a disaster for the russians.
january 22nd 1905 - the 1905 revolution begins in russia as peasants vied for better living conditions and working rights. there are several military mutinies as well.
April 27th 1906 - the state duma is installed in russia as a democratic legislative organisation, in response to the pressures from the 1905 revolution.
April 27th 1909 - mehmed of the house of osman becomes mehmed v, ottoman sultan and caliph of the ottoman caliphate.
April 14th-15th 1912 - the sinking of the rms titanic in the north atlantic ocean. 1,500 people died.
June 28th 1914 - arch-duke franz ferdinand, heir to the throne of the austro-hungarian empire, is assassinated by gavrilo princip.
July 28th 1914 - austro-hungary declares war on serbia.
August 2nd 1914 - germany signs a secret treaty with the ottoman empire.
August 3rd 1914 - germany declares war on france.
August 4th 1914 - britain declares war on germany following german invasion of belgium
August 10th 1914 - austro-hungary invades russia.
November 5th 1914 - tom riddle breaks away from der heilige, along with other members of the faction, to form the knights of walpurgis.
January 19th 1915 - german zeppelins bomb great yarmouth and king’s lynn.
May 5th 1915 - kaiser wilhelm accepts the order for the bombing of london docks by zeppelin.
May 7th 1915 - the british passenger liner, lusitania, is torpedoed by german u-boats, killing 1,198 people onboard.
October 31st, 1915 - sybill trelawney makes her first prophecy, overheard by severus snape and peter pettigrew.
December 24th 1915 - the knights of walpurgis lead an attack on the potter home in godric’s hollow. in the ensuing fight, dudley dursley is killed by a stray spell.
January 7th 1916 - albus dumbledore begins to form the order of the phoenix, following the attack on godric’s hollow.
April 24th 1916 - the easter rising begins, as irish nationalists attempt to form an irish republic by force.
April 30th 1916 - the easter rising is suppressed and the british regain control of ireland.
October 31st 1916 - josephine macnair is sworn in as the british minister for magic, following the death of archer evermonde. she is the first female minister in over 60 years.
November 21st 1916 - archduke charles is crowned charles i, emperor of austria and king of hungary, following the death of franz joseph i.
the second instalment of our our lifestyle and historical context posts. this is a lot of condensed information and of course we recommend, if you’re into that sort of thing, you go and google and read up about the war and the time period in question to broaden your knowledge.
this right here is our lifestyle and fashion post and our historical context post is right here if you want to take a peek. if you have any questions, or want any additional information that you can’t find for yourself, then please message us and we’ll try and answer any queries you might have!!!!
WESTERN FASHION
The Great War influenced fashion and as a result clothes were simpler than ever before and toned down. Women’s skirts, which use to be floor length, rose well above the ankles! Before WWI began women’s fashion was based on Orientalism, with soft drapery and bold prints, while men’s fashion had an Edwardian style with suits during the day, formal tailcoats for the evening, and more casual attire for sporting events. During the war those fashions changed as materials were needed towards the front and necessity became more important than extravagance.
WOMEN'S FASHION:
Waistlines became looser and less defined. They also dropped closer to the natural waistline.
Women wore calf-length dresses over ankle-length fuller underskirts.
The war changed fashion by necessity. With more and more women in the workforce, they needed appropriate clothing. Thus came along shirtwaists and tailored suits. Women discarded underskirts.
High-necked collars disappeared in favor of square and v-necklines.
Girdles replaced corsets giving freedom of movement for factory workers.
Garters held up stockings.
Hats became simpler, veils and plumage no longer popular.
Lip rouge, eyeliner, and powder were accepted and lightly applied by “smart woman”
Darker colors and simpler cuts became the norm, and a new monochromatic look emerged.
According to Eileen Collard, Coco Chanel introduced costume jewelry, replacing expensive necklaces with glass and crystal beads.
Women wore their hair in one of three styles: up in a loose chignon (a knot or coil on the back of a the head), down in rivers of ringlets (like Mary Pickford), or in a new trend coming from Paris — the bob!
Most women only washed their hair once a month and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
MEN'S FASHION:
Three-piece suits consisting of a sack coat (replacing the frock coat), waistcoat/vest, and trousers were worn. Either all pieces matched, or two pieces matched and one contrasted. The contrasting piece being either the trousers or waistcoat.
Trousers had turn-ups or cuffs and creases down the front and back. They were ankle length with the gap between the trousers and the shoes, which was filled with short gaiters or spats.
Special occasions called for special clothing:
blazers for sporting or casual events
Norfolk jackets with matching breeches/knickerbockers for shooting and rugged outdoor activities
morning coats for the most formal occasions
dark tailcoats and trousers with a dark or light waistcoat and worn with a white bow tie and a winged-collared shirt for formal evening occasions
Hats included silk top hats, Homburgs, bowler hats, newsboy caps, and flat caps. Straw boaters and fedora hats started gaining in popularity. Panama hats were worn for travel.
Hair was generally short. Wide mustaches were often curled.
SOLDIER'S LIFE
Life on the war front was different than any other battled that preceded the Great War. The war had begun with a series of catastrophic battles that had lasting effect up until the war ended in 1918. The most deadliest months being August and September of 1914. The armies have dug trenches that extended from the North Sea to the Swiss border. The double network of trenches was divided by no-mans land, causing both sides to be at a standstill. Each side was both the besieger and the besieged.
For soldiers in the trenches, the war had two different kinds of experiences: very difficult life and moments of actual combat in sudden bursts. Soldiers lived on a day to day existence that was trying emotionally and physically. They took very long walks, had to do hard labor, and lived in difficult conditions outside during all seasons. Life was also comprised of long periods of inactivity, discouragement and boredom that was filled with reading, writing letters, and doing craftwork in the trenches. Many also spent their days repairing shells or cave ins, and hauling food and water to the front and men to the rear. There was also lice, rats, and other vermin that lived along with the soldiers, which caused diseases to spread among the men. Rats were a HUGE problem as they were the main vermin who spread disease, and they often fed on food scraps and body parts. War also transformed the bodies of men, as they lost weight and grew a lot of facial and body hair from lack of hygiene. Survival was the worst enemy for soldiers on the front as most didn’t even see the enemy. The network of trenches were very confusing, especially in the dark, so many were marked with names as numbers.
The German trenches were much more tolerable with concrete bunkers and elaborate barracks that went several stories below ground - accompanied by lightning.
Any food that arrived came cold, and during artillery bombardments it wouldn’t come for hours or days. Most food that was eaten was hard bread, canned meat and instant coffee. When emergency rationing was made, a chocolate cake powder of meat, wheat, and chocolate, it was the first success at instant food. Buried bodies were often unburied by Artillery blasts and re-buried by another in many sectors of the front lines. At night every two weeks, new units from the rear came to relieve those in the front, to give soldiers “rest” from the constant barbarment. This so called rest was usually a lot of labor.
UNITED STATES
The Great War is a transitional time in America. The nation has moved from the Gilded Age into what is known as the Progressive Era. A surge in railroad construction, industrialization, growth in real wages, and an influx of immigrants to the country. Most immigrants came from Europe. There was also a lot going on at the time, women fighting for their rights, scientific discoveries, moderation and reform. Technology is meager, financial ruin is one downturn away, war is ongoing in Europe, and Americans had choices to make between cars, clothes, food and home with a monotonous consumer economy.
Working conditions in 1917 were horrible, mediocre at best. Eighty-five percent of men over the age of 14 are in the labor force. With the dawn of scientific management, factory workers found a new co-worker joining their ranks - the time clock. Those who worked in any manufacturing job found themselves working an average of 55 hours a week. They worked in dangerous conditions with 61 deaths per 100,000 workers. Women didn’t work if at all, with the majority of those who did finding employment in education. This is mainly because school boards preferred female teachers because they were more loving and accepted less wage than men. Social Security hasn’t existed as making it to an old age during this time was a feat among itself. Life expectancy was also not very high - at only 54 years of age. For those who reached old age they lived in poverty, because they couldn’t work. The industrializing economy was no country for old men and women.
America has one-third of its population living on farm or in rural areas. The business of America at the time was still farming, but it was slowly being removed by industrialization. Half of all families lived in spread our rural areas where population count reached below two thousand. The same families also had an average of four people per household. This was because few could afford to live alone. Children lived under their parents roof until they married (average 21), widows moved back in with children when their husband died, and pretty much nobody got divorced. Even owning a house was difficult as mortgages typically required 50% down payment. As a result there were more renters than owners - with four times the amount. Buying was just a hassle.
Babies were precious and held on a high regard. Women had more children because children were more likely to die - ten percent of infants died in the first year. Women also still gave birth at home with few going to the hospital. Midwives were used 87% more than Doctors as hospitals still weren’t trusted when you could deliver in the comfort of your own home. As families relocated to cities, many sent their children to work. There was no “high school” and no “teenagers” because social standards didn’t have an isolated environment for the word to exist. “Teens didn’t create "high school." High schools created “teenagers."” Kids being forced to toil in the mill or in a factory was why there was no compulsory education for those over the age of fourteen. With the average income being only $800 a year it was important for all hands on deck to do their party in bringing in money as soon as they were old enough.
Americans walked everywhere, or took a streetcar if they lived in a city. Streetcars were the biggest means of transportation with lines crisscrossing in every direction. The commute was the only great thing during this time, as most could walk to work as it was nearby. If it was too far to walk people rode horses and hitched their horse on rails that lined up and down the streets. Only one of every fifty people had cars, and there weren’t many car-friendly places one could drive it. There was even a fear that young men and fast cars was uprooting romance. So much that in 1909 Cole Porter wrote a song about keeping away from a fellow with an automobile.
MISC FACTS
Woodrow Wilson is President
The American flag has 45 stars
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Bread cost 9 cents and first class stamp cost 2 cents
Middle class on the rise, ice cream social the rage
Jazz music grew and expanded as it became popular
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
More homes had plumbing and electricity - gas stove/oven vacuum cleaner, player pianos, phonography, and a brownie camera.
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!"
Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The movies were popular with charlie chaplin's best films and big stars like mary pickford. Movie tickets only cost 7 cents
In theatres: Cleopatra (October), Tom Sawyer (December), The Little American (August), The Man Without A Country (September) White Sox beat the Giants to win the world series
Georgia Tech was NCAA Football Champions
The NHL was founded
Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."
George M. Cohan’s song “Over There” became popular when the US declared war on Germany and entered the war that had already begun three years ago
In short - everything was worse except the commute
Raggedy Ann doll was created on September 7, 1915 and introduced to the public in 1918 in the book Raggedy Ann Stories
GREAT BRITAIN
The Great War in Great Britain is a time full of sorrow, fear, and grief. When war was declared in 1914 many men choose to go fight. However, many more choose to stay at home and provide for their families. The streets were flooded with celebrations as many believed the war would end in Christmas of the same year. Those that didn’t join were looked at as cowards - and were refused service by shops and pubs. This was because many believed a victory against Germany - and a quick one at that - needed the vast majority of the nation to support and join up in arms. This enthusiasm didn’t last after the Battle of Marne, as it became obvious that a long and deadly war had set in.
Conscription came two years later as the Army needed more men to fight. Any man age 18-41 were forced to fight in the armed forces. This left women to take on roles outside of the home, making explosive shells and others went to work in the country as Land Girls or hospitals as nurses. As the war went on more and more women took on men’s jobs. Older relatives looked after children as the women worked, and any children old enough to work did so to help with living expenses.
Divorce was very unusual, but there was still a lot of single families from fathers dying in war and mothers who were killed in explosions at the factories. Some mothers had also died in childbirth as medicine was not as advance at the time. In many cases both sets of parents died and a child had no other relatives to take them in, so they were sent to an Orphanage or poor house with others who didn’t have a home. The war changed the life of children as prior to it children were “seen and not heard”. They became more involved in supporting war efforts at home and as a result were more respected.
As the war went on a huge fear swept through Great Britain, which sapped morale and support from the citizens. The British Government had a huge task ahead of them to keep spirits high and rallying troops, and the entire nation, to the war efforts. Loyalty was fleeting, however, as independent labor parties, unions of democratic control, and women’s leagues opposed the war. This led to anti-war demonstration and riots in industries. While some resistances were crushed, others held strong to support for independence leaders, and resistance to the war still grew.
Since the declaration of war the Government passed the Defence of the Realm Act (DORA), which gave authorities the power to intervene in the lives of their citizens. They were empowered to take over factories or workshops, curfews and censorships were imposed, and restrictions on movement introduced. One couldn’t even discuss military matters in public lest they be thrown in jail and tried as a spy. Almost anyone could be arrested for “causing alarm” so people learned to keep quiet. Pub hours were cut, beer was watered down, and any woman suspected of having venereal disease could be stopped by police and subjected to an gynaecological examination. Any woman that tested positive with VD could be prosecuted for having sexual intercourse with a serviceman. It didn’t matter if the man was her husband and had given her the disease in the first place. The woman was still in the wrong.
Any outsiders were held on high suspicion and thought of as spies. DORA and the Aliens Restrictions Act severely curtailed any non-British born subjects. Even those who had resided in the country for decades. They were forced to register, obtain permits if they intend to travel more than five miles, and weren’t allowed to go into certain areas. More than 32,000 were held in internment camps or sent back to their own country. This suspicion rose even more after the sinking of the Lusitania by a German submarine in 1915, causing anti-German sentiments to erupt into riots. This caused 200 business to be destroyed in Liverpool, only 2 of 21 Metropolitan London police districts were freed from riots, and the country fell into hysterical methods of violence. Those that were accused of spying were forced out of their homes and the spy fever rose. Many right-wing newspapers had claims of a list of traitors and spies in high places.
The war led to inflation and many poor families couldn’t afford the increase. The impact of the German U-boats led to food, fuel, and material shortages as everything was directed towards the war front. Working-class families were better off with the rationing, rent control, rising bacon imports and increased consumption of milk and eggs. Transportation was done mostly on bikes with few cars and trucks, as they were used mainly for the upper class and transport of goods.
MISC FACTS
JRR Tolkien wrote his first book about middle earth
Jobs in the civil service, factories, docklands and arsenals, tramways, Post Office and farms were feminised.
There were newly established Women Police Volunteers, Women Police Service and Women Patrol Committee
Women were still paid only half of what men earned
This was the first time civilians were attacked during an war
Civilians had a relatively low chance of being killed in enemy raids. Only 1,300 civilians were killed when Zeppelins rained bombs on London in 1915 and Gotha Giant bombers followed in 1917
Dogs were used as messengers to carry orders to the front lines in capsules attached to their bodies.
By October 1915, these raids effectively ended when pilots from the Royal Naval Air Service flew night patrols to protect the city
More than 41,000 men had their limbs amputated during the war; 272,000 suffered injuries in the legs or arms that did not require amputation; 60,500 were wounded in the head or eyes; and 89,000 sustained other serious damage to their bodies.
GERMANY
The Great War in Germany is a time of hardship and famine. The Allied forces had cut off supplies to Germany that the people had to rely on their own agriculture to feed its civilians and it’s mast army. This lack of food also affected the people health. Mortality rate rose among the citizens, with many dying of malnutrition or diseases related to weakened bodies. Any food that was available was expensive, and wages weren’t high enough for families to afford a balanced meal.
Things got worse by 1915, especially those in Urban areas, and resentment towards those living in rural areas grew. Farmers were accused of stashing food away for themselves and riots began across the land in response to the food shortages. By 1916, soap, fat, cheese, and butter were unavailable, while coal, shoes, and textiles were scarce. Food prices kept climbing and so the Government implanted maximum prices on certain items. They also established compulsory “meatless” and “fat less” days to help combat the tension over food. Those left on the home front mostly had a diet of potatoes and bread, but even these items were difficult to acquire as the war continued.
To help control supply and distribution the Government also established war food offices. Though their power was limited and they couldn’t control other organizations that offered produce. Because so many laws were implanted during the war, it was difficult to control and oversee them all at once, which led to counterproductive outcomes that didn’t help families.
Families had to adapt to significant changes during WWI. Since Conscription took so many men away, family identities changed and the youth found themselves unable to depend on their parents to provide for them. So they took jobs to supplement the lack of income. Women also took jobs left behind by men, but they were being treated as inferior and paid less than the children who worked alongside them. But there was no choice as everyone in the household had to work, if they were able, just to survive. Enthusiasm towards victory has faded with the large amounts of casualties and dwindling supply on the home front.
Children suffered the most from the Allied blockade on Germany, especially those in working class. Severus malnutrition was very common among children. Especially in the Winter of 1916 and 1917, as turnips were used to substitute potatoes and meat. As food rationing got worse the German government even had to cut back on soldiers rations. Causing morale to plummet both on the home front and those fighting in the war. Hot water soon became in short supply as well, with street lightening and the closing of entertainment following soon after. Many flocked into large cities because there was no work or supplies where they lived, causing overcrowded living conditions.
Overall, daily life involved long working conditions, poor health, no food supplies, little to no recreation, and a constant fear for the safety of loved ones fighting in the war.
MISC FACTS
Explosive blew up underneath the German lines in Belgium could be heard 140 miles away in London.
FRANCE
The Great War in France is unique compared to the other Allied countries. The country was split into three parts: war-front France, occupied France, and behind the lines France. During this time France is considered a great power as it’s military recovery began long before 1911. After a series of laws was passed, it was mandatory for all boys to serve in the military for two years. The army became a second republic school, and celebrating the military during important events like military parades and Bastille Day celebrations on July 14th, allowed the army to find it’s place amongst the citizens. To be in the army, to French citizens, meant you got to protect your homeland. It was a sense of pride and patriotism.
France was a prosperous country and the patiently constructed republican party was the root of its strength. However, that doesn’t mean there were tension and struggles as socialist parties fought back against the government. Their goal was to represent the interest of the working class and this caused many citizens to side with them. Beyond the political and social tensions, however, the government was still broadly accepted in the countryside and cities. With France’s renewed prosperity, the ramped up market kept the country stable and the pre-war years were among the best the country has experienced. At this time France was the fourth largest industrial power, which allowed the economy to prosper. This prosperity was what gave low birth fatality rates, which allowed families to not have to worry about having so many children in fear of deaths. It was normal for families to have at most only three children, and even less, by the eve of the war. When France entered the war it was a rich, powerful, and politically stable country, whose culture influenced even the Western countries of America and Great Britain. The morning France declared war on Germany the citizens were still coming to terms with the assassination of Jean Jaurès, leader of the socialist party, and many were astonished at the move of the government. This followed a mix of emotions among the French citizens, enthusiasm for some, resolution for the majority. A lot of citizens showed loud displays of patriotism by vandalizing shops that were deemed to be owned by “enemies”.
The first six weeks of war was not only brutal for the French soldiers, but also for the civilians. 900 civilians died within the first weeks along with dozen of burned out villages. Popular propaganda often depicted “German barbarism” and references to atrocities. Many civilians that were captured by the enemy were used as forced laborers. Many were lucky enough to flee, but those that weren’t often found themselves shipped to Germany, be on constant watch by soldiers for any movements, and poor living conditions. Those that fought back with violence and didn’t succeed, were met with either horrible prison conditions or death. Those that weren’t shipped to Germany and used as forced labor in France, became silent allies to French soldiers by helping them escape to neutral countries, hid them from the enemy, and even became spies. The women who were captured found themselves in an affective and sexual relationship between themselves and the enemy. This led to fleeting relationships, aside from prostitution and rape (which wasn’t common surprisingly), and were viewed by many who didn’t partake in these relationships as suspicious. Many of these relationships resulted in illegitimate births of “enemy children”.
Winters were also harsh for French citizens as it became difficult to acquire provisions and heating up food. Prices hikes became more severe than in previous months during the war, so the government began to distribute ration cards to help cover these costs. Strikes soon followed, with women leading the charge as they were paid less than men for doing the same amount of work, which produced a large-scale movement that affected the entire country. Even men took up strike with the women. The strikes never escalated into violence, and the movement was appeased when demands were met: improved working conditions, shorter hours, and wage increases. Despite the harsh winters, life still went on for civilians as they enjoyed leisure, artistic, and cultural activities.
As the home front took in refugees from the occupied lands of France, a new form of solidarity arose and strong ties and connections took root. Civilians found common ground with the war tearing apart families and couples, and living conditions being harsher than before. Millions of letters were sent sent daily between the war and home fronts. This gave civilians a much more understanding of how things were going at the war front. The home front was also transformed into a giant hospital, with schools, and even people own homes being turned into civilian hospitals. The presence of these wounded men made the war seem more tangible to the violence that occurred. War charities flourished for those behind the line, as they were a favoured means for civilians to participate in the war.
MISC FACTS
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
OTTOMAN EMPIRE
The Great War in the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) was a strong ally of Germany and entered the war with a surprise attack on Russia. They saw the war as an opportunity to gain back lost territories and incorporate new lands into the empire. They were well armed thanks to Germany and their strong defensive position made them more than a match to the Allies during battles. Unlike the other great powers, the Ottoman Empire with an army and economy still suffering from three wars in the last three years before 1914. Many soldiers reported to their detail to only find that there wasn’t enough uniforms and boots to go around. The disruption from the Balkan Wars and their primitive railroad network made the Ottoman Empire the slowest to mobilize. Even when it reached it’s full strength in manpower, it just didn’t have the key weapons and modern artillery like the rest of the great powers.
Since the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire has exercised formal sovereignty over the lands of Arabia. They controlled territory in modern-day Turkey and most of the middle east. Those who weren’t Muslim subjects received regular discrimination and outright persecution. In the decade before 1915 the empire experienced a series of political upheavals. The Sultan position was reduced to just a figurehead and power was seized by young Turks - a group of well-educated Turkish military officers intent on moving the empire to a more modern era. This should’ve included ending official discrimination against non-Muslims, encouraging the education and emancipation of women, and increasing the jurisdiction of secular laws at the expanse of Islamic ones. But this didn’t succeed and efforts were halted when the Great War began.
Despite the ambitious agenda of its leaders the empire lagged behind all the other European powers - where it once in its prime had surpassed them in wealth and power. So it was no surprise that in order to gain back lands from Russia, the Ottoman Empire would side with the Ally powers.
MISC FACTS
The population was 22 million (including 12 million ethnic Turks)
The capital for the Ottoman Empire was Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul)
Islam was the leading religion in this region with discriminations towards non-Muslims
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
The Great War in Austria-Hungary is in a dual monarchy ruled by both Austria and Hungary together over the lands of Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and parts of Poland, Ukraine, and Romania. As they mobilized for war there quickly became a shortage of civil labor in the country. There was also an increase of disabled, escaped, hospital-bound, and repatriated Prisoners of Wars that threatened wartime economy with collapse. Which made Austria-Hungary into a decision to force POW into labor camps - in order for the collapse to not happen. This was an economic necessity. In the spring of 1915 the first prisoners were sent to such camps, and new authorized representatives had the task of creating order and control over all the POWs being sent into the monarchy. Many military and civilian authorities decided on the POW assignments that ranged from harvesting crops to industrial work. Any prisoners who were sent to small business or farmers came in close contact with civilians. The monarchy outlawed any sexual relations or love affairs in fear that it would destroy the concept of who the enemy was on the home front.
As hunger and discontent spread among the civilians of the monarchy during the war, a crisis mounts and Hungarian Prime Minister Istvan Tisza resigns at the request of the Austrian emperor, Karl I, on May 22, 1917. Austria-Hungary was already a great power in decline when the entered the Great War. The monarchy was already an predominantly agricultural society, but was not agriculturally self-sufficient. The war had cut off the empire’s two main sources of food, Russia and Romania, and the military effort cut domestic production significantly. To make matters even worse Hungary, who was the less powerful partner of the dual monarchy, closed its frontier with Austria in 1914 and began to heavily rely on its ally Germany to keep them in the war effort. Just recently, Emperor Franz Josef died; he was succeeded by his great-nephew, Karl I, who promised institute reforms and build consensus within the dual monarchy. However, his efforts led to disorder and dissent as he was a liberal and it went against Austria’s government. Many civilians saw the war as hopeless and a series of riots broke out throughout the monarchy damaging homes and creating chaos.
MISC FACTS
These two powers were weak and their mistakes were what led to the downfall of their monarchy and the nation as a whole.
The official language of the dual monarchy was German and Hungarian
The majority of citizens were Catholic
RUSSIA
The Great War in Russia had a devastating impact on the country. When they first entered the world the country rallied around Tsar Nicholas II, who spent most of his time on the Eastern front leading the army. This proved to be a disastrous move as it left his wife in control, and she was susceptible to the whims of Gregory Rasputin. Anyone who spoke out against Rasputin found themselves in the bad grace of the tsarian. Rasputin began to grow more and more powerful and soon chaos ensued in Russia. Things weren’t going any better at the war front either, as morale among the Russian soldiers was low and dissertation became a growing problem. Food supplies became harder to acquire for the army and civilians, especially as the war front moved closer and closer to home. Sending both fronts into total chaos.
In October 1916 railroad workers went on strike to protest poor working conditions, which soldiers were sent to force the strikers back to work. The leader of the progressives made an attack on the government in November, causing the government to be on the verge of a complete breakdown. Because of Nicholas being isolated on the warfront and too indecisive to make a decision, Rasputin dominated the home front. Food and fuel were scarce and the people of Russia were cold and hungry as Winter set in. This caused anger and discontent among the people and strikes began to occur.
Before the Great War began, Russian had made huge economic progress, however, it still lagged a long way behind the other major powers. Because of this economic situation, Russia realized it would lose a war with any of its rivals. The Tsar approved a “great army program” that increased the size of its army by nearly 500,000 men. This allowed Russia to have the largest army out of any of the others powers. However, the roads and railway conditions were mediocre at best, which made the deployment of soldiers quite difficult. The Tsar had been advise to not enter the war for it would be disastrous on Russia on matter the outcome, however, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand caused the people of Russia to be angry and called for justice.
MISC FACTS
Untrained troops were ordered into battle without adequate arms or ammunition. And because the Russian Army had about one surgeon for every 10,000 men, many wounded of its soldiers died from wounds that would have been treated on the Western Front.
With medical staff spread out across a 500 mile front, the likelihood of any Russian soldier receiving any medical treatment was close to zero
The men without rifles had to wait until their fellow men died before getting a weapon. The army was basically drowning in its own blood.
In 1916 two million Russian soldiers were killed or seriously wounded and a third of a million were taken prisoner.
By November, 1916, food prices were four times as high as before the war. As a result strikes for higher wages became common in Russia's cities.
Mother Earth is gutted, hollowed by this Great War—wreaked with chaos and carnage that claims its core. The children have taken arms and the great spectre of Death does not discriminate between magic or mundane: her soil will hold their bones to rest, as Death takes all in the end. His brother Famine rejoices in the cries of the hungry and starved—War is no place for them, but they will march until their lungs are rotting, until mountainous waves of corpses crest and break upon the backs of those who yet remain.
Mother Earth is torn, ripped to tattered shreds between warring interests of those who have forgotten her—and the horsemen prance among her pieces.
There are those that wish to wipe nonmagical children from the chest of the Mother, casting them into nothingness before they send the witches to drown in her rivers. Following the galloping Conquest, others wish to see supremacy reign—they believe magic was meant to rule man, and this world was made in their own divine magical image. Mother does not favour them—she lets them live in a shroud of secrecy, although it coils around her chest, renders her incapable of breath. (But Mother has children, too, below the earth and waves, waiting for the moment to strike.)
We cannot breathe, they cry.
Fight harder, the generals command.
The world will reel in the clutches of chaos, for it is too young to grapple with the realities that threaten to devour it. Discord is the gilded poison dripping from their tongues—it will kill them, festering until their skin is porcelain ready for the shattering. They will never see it coming.
