History

Born in 1968 in Charleston, SC, to descendents of Plantation owners, Eric Hanford became interested in the occult after finding a diary in his mother’s attic. That was in 1977. The diary was that of Gabrielle Angeline Chattan, sometimes known as the “Mad Witch”, written just after the American Civil War (1866 CE).

Eric had no special magickal powers of his own; he was a human witch. However, after about ten years of study he did come to be proficient in the Craft. He was not a Craftsman, not having the proper temperment or drive, and much of the time his spells would not work, but he was still competent in magick.

The resources and grimoires that Eric studied told him about the defunct Order of Dark Practitioners, and he became obsessed with them. He became an expert on them and their history. He found some of their ancestors. He was intent on reforming them.

With his coven finally complete, Eric began trying to access the portal mentioned in the Mad Witch’s Diary. The Coven tried for many years only to fail time and time again. Then in 1997, they added a born witch to the coven. With her additional power, the coven could finally access the portal. (Note: The inter-dimensional standing portal was already open, having been “wedged” in that state when Marcus Lupus Ferox, his army, and Lillith invaded Eleanor’s Realm. However, the coven simply did not have the magickal power to access it.)

Finally able to enter the pocket dimension, Eric and the rest of his coven searched for Eleanor and her Grimoire, but they never could find her. However, in March of the year 2000 CE, the ground began to shake and Eleanor arose from her imprisionment. She was weak, but still formidable. Fortunately for him, they seemed to get along. For some reason, Eleanor would call him “wee Eric”. He probably never knew this was what she called her brother whom she’d had to kill back in the fifteenth century.

Eleanor quickly became the head of the coven, and began her own search for the Grimoire. Three months after her awakening, Eric returned to the earth dimension, escorting Eleanor. Because the spell from Eleanor’s Grimoire was cast in Canada, they went hunting for it in Canada.

By this time, both of Eric’s parent had died, and when Eric could not be located, the estate was auctioned off to pay outstanding debts and bills. The auction catalogue listed the Diary of the Mad Witch, with the woman’s name. The name “Chattan” caught the attention of a variety of people, including Corrine Melpomene Chattan and Martel Harris.

By July 2000 the Eric and Eleanor reinstated Order of the Dark Practitioners. Eric enjoyed his status of chief acolyte and confidant of the High Priestess. With the re-establishment of the Order, Eleanor had gained servants. She began travelling back and forth from earth to her dimension, kidnapping and torturing seven witches over a seven month period of time.

All the while Eleanor was regaining strength. And if he had any sense, Eric was becoming more and more worried that he had bitten off more than he could chew.

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