House Faust

Values: Knowledge, Power, Ambition
Symbol: Dragon
Colors: Blue & Gold
Founder: Johann & Johanna von Faust
Influenced by German culture

The famous Doctor Johann Georg von Faust was a mystery to everyone. He created one of the great grimoires of magic and was known as a tireless and dedicated witchard, always in pursuit of knowledge. In Czocha, however, it is a well-known secret that “Faust” was actually two people, the twins Johann and Johanna von Faust. Together they shared the role of “Georg”, and to this day it is unclear which of the famed deeds should be attributed to Johann and which to Johanna. Even those who know the truth of the twins’ existence only refer to them as one unit, Faust.

Every being and every idea exists because somebody believes that it should not cease. At least, that was a cornerstone of Faust’s philosophy, and the same idea still drives the Faustian students at Czocha. The true reason behind Faust’s power is said to have been a deep and true understanding of the nature of this world: if you truly know the inner workings of something, you can also bend it to you will. To Faustians it is obvious that they need to understand not only the world, but also their own strengths and weaknesses, in order to follow in their Founder’s footsteps. Faustians admire productivity and efficiency–sometimes even to the point of ruthlessness. While those individuals tend to strongly color the outsiders’ view of Faust, that is certainly not the whole truth: the House has also produced numerous wise and gentle leaders and respected researchers. Faustians know that there are many different kinds of power, and many different ways to achieve it.

The Faust family was of German descent – some people specify it further and say that they were specifically of Prussian descent, although that is somewhat more contentious. It is certainly not a surprise to anyone that the German spirit suffuses the House, however. The symbol of House Faust is a dragon, inspired by the Dragon of Wawel that Faust allegedly flew several times. Until 1521, the dragon is said to have lived at the nearby castle of Rajsko, on the other side of the lake. No one knows what happened to it, or what may make it reappear.

House Libussa

Values: Creativity, Daring, Foresight
Symbol: Silver Lion
Colors: Purple & White
Founder: Libuše
Influenced by Czech culture

House Libussa is proud to be the House of the Founder of Czocha, the famous Libussa herself. More a legend than a human even while she was alive, Libussa was known for her rebellious nature and strong will to change the status quo. She brought a revolution with her wherever she went, refusing to see anyone stuck in their old ways. Students sorted in her House still follow her teachings and consider them to be the true creed of Czocha College. Other Houses might boast the deeds of their own Founders, but Libussans know that their own was the first – and that this is their castle.

A certain mischievousness and a sense of wonder are the hallmarks of any good Libussan student, and the House has a predisposition towards gathering a truly unique bunch of individuals every year. It was always said Libussa’s students would rather do things in new and interesting ways than learn how to do them like others did – something that turned out to be both a curse and a blessing. After all, some paths are so well-trodden that it can be hard to stand out and be original. Libussans crave something truly new, something that has not been done before, which always pushes them to be more and more creative and unorthodox in their use of magic. Libussa was also said to be a great seer, and Libussans usually care greatly about their own futures and all the opportunities that are still untapped out there.

The symbol of House Libussa is the Bohemian Lion – the coat of arms of the Czech people, but also a symbol of daring, courage, and power. The roots of the House lie in Czech culture, and it shows – indeed, its Founder had a big part in the creation of said culture. It is said that every Czech is a musician, and many kinds of artists, adventurers and great personalities often find their home in Libussa. It could be said that Libussans fit the modern use of “Bohemians” quite well. But most of all, they take immense pride in doing things in ways that others can only shake their heads at – sometimes in disbelief, but also envy.

House Durentius

Values: Valour, Diligence, Audacity
Symbol: Rooster
Colors: Orange & Brown
Founder: Durentius
Influenced by Silesian culture

The origins of Durentius, the second of the Czocha Founders, are shrouded in mystery. There are numerous stories and legends about their true identity, but they are all in agreement that they were a master of magical creatures, a true revolutionary in the field of Cryptozoology creating many kinds of hybrid beasts and bending even demons to their will. Durentius was an unstoppable force, always giving everything they had, and hard work and strong conviction are still trademarks of any Durentian.

The members of House Durentius are known as productive, outspoken and energetic. They’re the stragglers, the odd ones out, the tenacious underdogs who never give in and never surrender. The Durentians are perhaps seen as misfits and intense, but they are a nation unto themselves, each and every one of them. To be a Durentian is to have bloodied knuckles and to be in the thick of it, all the time, every time. Diligence and valour define life in House Durentius, because if you bother doing something, it must be done all the way. Durentians are not just great students, but striving to be the best there ever was. Not just troublemakers, but epic pranksters for professors to remember in their nightmares years to come.

The House symbol is the magically modified rooster Durentius rode all the way to the moon and back again. Whether the legend refers to the real moon or a symbolic counterpart is still being discussed – even internally in the House. While other students make jokes about the Durentius Rooster, most of the House students are amazingly proud of their symbol, referring to it whenever it’s possible. It’s a great symbol of the Durentians and their Founder, after all – who else would be audacious enough to ride a common rooster to the moon?

House Molin

Values: Community, Curiosity, Tradition
Symbol: Golem
Colors: Green & Bronze
Founder: Abraham Molin
Influenced by Ashkenazi culture

Molinians follow the way of the legendary Abraham Molin, a true visionary behind modern-day Arithmancy and Technomancy. They dedicated their life to research, and many fields of magic such as golemcrafting and numerology would be very little without Molin’s groundbreaking work centuries ago. They left behind numerous obscure theories and deciphered writings, many of which remain mysteries to this day. Even how they died isn’t quite certain: some legends claim that the house symbol, Molin’s Golem, is actually Molin himself, or that his spirit still lives within the stones of the castle.

Molin tends to change a lot from year to year, as each generation of students have their own interpretation of Molin’s legacy. These new traditions are added to books kept in the Molin Common Room, even if they directly contradict the writings of prior Molinians. In older times, Molin tended to be a House that kept to itself, but in recent years its focus has shifted to fostering community within the school at large. Molinians believe firmly in questioning everything, letting their curiosity carry them to new and complex understandings of the world. Every number is a riddle, every letter is a question, and every moment is an opportunity to invent something new.

Abraham Molin was from an Ashkenazi Jewish background, though like many Jewish mystics they did not think of themselves as religious. While most Molinian students do not personally identify as Jewish, many Molinian rituals still use visual and symbolic elements of Ashkenazic culture. Jewish members of House Molin delight in opportunities to host events like Shabbat dinners and teach the rest of the school about their culture and heritage.

House Sendivogius

Values: Courage, Honour, Diplomacy
Symbol: White Phoenix
Colors: Red & Silver
Founder: Michał Sędziwój
Influenced by Polish culture

The famed Polish alchemist Michał Sędziwój, also known as Sendivogius, was the last of the Founders of Czocha. He arrived when all the others had gone and revived the school back into its former glory. He chose a phoenix as the symbol of his House – after all, with his guidance Czocha truly rose from the ashes. As a nobleman with a big personality and a lauded academic, his work truly took the witchard society huge leaps forward, and his vigour to change the world still lives on in the Sendivogians of today.

The legacy of Sendivogius later formed the identity of his house. Courage, honour and diplomacy are necessary for any witchard dealing with the great powers in this world–some magical and some not. In the beginning the pupils of Sendivogius also gravitated towards disciplines that could be used in the mundane world. Saber fighting, horse riding and court etiquette were seen as just as important as knowing how to levitate. Some of this ideology still perseveres, especially among the House members from upper-class Polish families. Inspired by their Founder, the House has also had multiple skilled alchemists over the years, and trying out Sendivogian potions and other magical concoctions can be quite an experience.

On the other hand, the ideology of phoenixes and rebirth is deeply rooted in the House culture: Sendivogians have a flair for the dramatic and the heroic, the new and exciting. They also believe in new beginnings and second chances, and no matter what you have done in life, among them you will find a place to try again and become a better version of yourself. Being a Sendivogian means being proud of what you are, always trying again and again until you succeed. This often makes Sendivogius a mixed bunch, with both valiant knights and reckless rebels supporting each other in their quest for greatness.

Each of the five Houses is led by two Prefects, two Senior students chosen for the task for their exceptional qualities. They’re the creative visionaries, passionate figureheads and caring older siblings, who look after their housemates and make sure that traditions are upheld, events organized and House spirit kept high. When the students need help and guidance, they often go to their Prefects – and as the students of Czocha are constantly getting in trouble, the life of a Prefect is surely never dull.

Prefects also affect the future of their Houses in a very concrete way: it is their job to sort the Juniors when they arrive at Czocha. So, for the first couple of days everyone will be scrambling to get to know the Juniors and bring their Prefects recommendations about the best and brightest. Prefects are also in charge of the initiation rituals to welcome the Juniors into their new Houses, and making sure that they get along with their newly assigned Sophomore mentors and get a great start to their life at school.