Hags Of Hama
The Hags of Hama are a coven of magically-gifted women who resided in the historical Town of Hama. Founded by the legendary Hama, the group became the defenders of Raibon Island from foreign interlopers, and the rest of the world of Thera from interplanar ones.
The existence of the Hags of Hama stretches back to pre-Kalassarian times, but rose to prominence in the terrtories that would become the Apgarian Confederacy two decades before the Fall of the Western Empire. Many of their rituals and traditions extend to even before the Kalassarians dubbed what is presently Raibon Island as Mauricia. Those traditions rooted from the Estregan Hausi sea peoples who had populated the islands. These aboriginal tribes venerated the White Witches of Tichom. Tichom was their name for Raibon, which meant "Largest Piece Beyond the Edge" in the old Estregan dialect they spoke. The name "White Witches" is how the Hags referred to themselves within the group, and the term is also used to refer to them among the locals of L'Illes Apgarie.
History 🔗
Not much is corroborated about the history of the Hags of Hama. For example, until recently, the eponymous Hama, founder of the Hags, was thought to be a mythical character instead of a true historical figure. Historians, especially those of the Divine Masochist tradition doubted the veracity of their purported abilities. The Orthodox Divine Masochist position that magic disappeared from the land after the persecution and death of the Masochist was in contradiction with the assertion that the Hags of Hama were able to perform magical feats well into the 9th century AI. Even some of the more prominent contemporary scholars after the Fall of Bastion cast doubt on writings about the powers of the Hags, as they were quite the outlier in the historical record. Current scholarship purports that by the 5th century, most magical societies seem to have lost the ability on a wide scale. It was not until the 6th day of the 8th month of 1275 AI that the it was even confirmed that the Town of Hama existed, when the crew of the Rozenmaiden under the leadership of Captain Hedwig Rosa Rosenkrantz triggered its return via magical means.
Research and excavation efforts have only recently begun, and are only currently being executed by members of the Hags themselves, and amateur crew-members of the Rozenmaiden, with only informal invitations to members of the academia pending talks regarding the town's legal status within the Apgarian Government.
Provided here is a timeline of known events about the Hags of Hama:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 500? PF | Early Estregan vessels populated L'Illes Apgarie, then dubbed the Hepechoma, "Grains Beyond the Edge". Dubbed largest island as "Tichom" |
| 270 PF | First mention of the White Witches on record as defenders of "Tochoma", by the scribes of Kalassarian sailors |
| 2nd of 111 AI | Kalassarian settlers reach the shores of "Tochoma", a corruption of "Tichom". They claim the land under the banner of the empire as "Mauricia" |
| 5th of 111 AI | Kalasarians name the first settlement on Mauricia as "Tochoma" to pay homage to the White Witches as avatars of the angels of Minerva |
| 10th of 111 AI | Attempts by the Kalassarian Governor of Seneria to exercise more control over Mauricia led to his death, and a curse on his family until restitutions were made |
| 1st of 112 AI | A new accord between the Kalassarians and the White Witches to form a joint council to govern the island; Halorin of Fochoma becomes leader of the White Witches |
| 440 AI | Kalassarian representatives of Mauricia fled to Senera, giving control to the island to the newly reformed White Witches under Hama |
| 910 AI | Shattering of the Town of Hama |
| 8th of 1275 AI | Refoundation of the Hags of Hama |
Turbiere du Hubar 🔗
The Turbiere de Hubar is a peat bog in the eastern side of the island