Bardic Coven

Lore & Background

By the end of the series, the Coven System was dismantled by the protagonists after the Collector was freed and Belos was defeated, freeing all witches from their assigned trades.

In Their Own Story

The candlelight flickered across the stone walls of the practice chamber, casting long shadows against floating musical notes. A young witch adjusted her enchanted flute, the wood humming with latent energy as she prepared for inspection. There was no room for improvisation tonight; only the approved melodies of the Coven Head would suffice. She blew a single note that rippled through the air like water, watching it solidify into a glowing glyph before vanishing.

Reader's Guide

The Bardic Coven operated under the overarching authority of Emperor Belos, who appointed leaders to manage each of the nine Covens. While no specific Bardic Head was named in the main timeline, their function remained consistent: enforce specialization and loyalty. The group's goal was to harness sound-based magic for societal stability, though this often meant suppressing individual artistic freedom. Membership was mandatory upon coming of age, determined by a test that identified natural magical aptitude. Witches assigned here could not practice other forms of magic without severe penalty. This forced structure created internal conflict, as many members felt restricted or exploited by the Emperor's demands. The Bardic Coven often provided musical support for state events and propaganda. Its dissolution marked the end of the Coven System itself. When the Collector reset the world in the finale, all Headstones were destroyed, allowing witches like Eda and Luz to practice freely without fear of persecution or assignment.

Did You Know?

• The Bardic Coven is one of the nine distinct magical societies that governed the Boiling Isles under Emperor Belos's rule.
• Philip Wittebane, a human who arrived on the Boiling Isles centuries before the main story, never joined any coven; he founded the Emperor's Coven and later became Emperor Belos.
• The Coven System was dismantled by the protagonists after the Collector was freed and Belos was defeated, freeing all witches from their assigned trades.