Backstory of my book

[Glykeria]

Hello. I've edited the back story of my book in-progress countless times, and I'm pretty much "stuck". The genre is magical realism.
I would appreciate your opinion and some help on how to add two more elements to the backstory.

In the current world, Witches have been banished from the "State." If any Witches are alive, it is believed to be outside of these boundaries. People are also wearing a certain ornament to protect them against any remaining magic and to prove that they're not Witches. The State is strict, and any questioning of magic is illegal. They also have a curfew time after 10pm in order to "protect" the people from Witches because it's believed that magic is at its strongest during the night. (There are hidden motives behind the curfew, but let's leave that, for now)

There's an ancient Goddess who is connected to the Earth (can control the Earth and nature) and is the source of the Witches' powers. Nowadays, people believe the Goddess is dead (and that she was also a malevolent being, responsible for all the natural disasters).

In the earlier history, areas of the world were divided in kingdoms. Witches lived side by side with Humans (Witches are considered to be a different species). They were the right-hand of kings and queens and advised the royalty on how to rule over the common people in peace and kindness.
In time, the kings became greedy. They no longer followed the Witches' advice, and they ruled against the common people.
One day, a very big earthquake happened that caused great damage to a number of kingdoms. The Witches had warned the royalty about it (and had advised ways to protect the common people), but the royalty greedily took care of their own and let the common people to their fate.

The kings took advantage of the incident and, as they wanted to get rid of the Witches but couldn't do so with the common people loving them so much, they accused the unscathed Witches and their Goddess for the natural destruction.

The Witch hunt began.

After the Witch hunt began, three Witches decided to take revenge against Humans and created a book filled with powerful spells (that can actually be performed by humans), which always lead to those humans' ruin. Strangely enough, whenever these spells were performed, peculiar crystals would grow on trees, plants, or any nature that was close to the book.

In time, rumors spread about the existence of the book and the crystals.

The kings wanted that book. They were also terrified of an organized attack by the remaining Witches who now lived in hiding. As a result, the royalty of each kingdom decided to combine powers by creating the "State," which was going to be ruled by a senate consisting of each king respectively.
The State banished any remaining celebrations of nature and the natural cycle (all which tied back to the ancient Goddess) and replaced them with celebrations of the beginning of the Witch hunt, the establishment of the State, etc.

At the same time, in a faraway land, there were kingdoms that had not been affected by the earthquake, and the royalty had not been devoured by greed and selfishness. When they learned about the Witch hunt, they opposed it, and they even went to war against the State.


This is a part of the book's backstory. My questions:

• Do the events make sense? Is it unnatural that all kings decided to act against the Witches at the same time? I imagine there was back and forth between them (via letters) or perhaps even a secret meet-up where they had been conspiring on how to kick Witches out of their kingdoms but hadn't found a solution yet; until the earthquake happened.
• Again, does it make sense that the faraway kingdoms would go to war with the State? Their Witches hadn't been affected by the State, but it's a matter of morals and their belief in the Ancient Goddess and her chosen people. I think it makes sense, but I want to make sure it's the same for others, as well.

There are two things that I haven't figured how to tie into the backstory:

1. Those "peculiar crystals" that the spells manifested are actually going to be used *against* witchcraft (they can naturally protect someone who holds or wears the crystal and disables the Witch from using magic against them). Even if the State chooses scientists (of that time) to experiment with the crystals, they would still need a Witch to experiment upon. Is it far-fetched to say that they captured one although they lived in hiding?
2. The faraway kingdoms are going to *lose* this war (so, the State must first figure out how to take advantage of the crystals, and it will be their secret weapon). After the State's victory, they will try to attack the faraway kingdoms and rule over them, but something will prevent them from doing so. So, instead, they will (somehow) completely destroy their land, cut off their water supply (foul their lakes, rivers) and build tall railings around the premises of the State. By doing so, the only way the people of this ruined land would survive would be by the State's aid. The growth of the crystals (although appeared and used only in the State) will have weakened the magic of the whole planet, so the Witches of the faraway kingdoms wouldn't be able to survive by manifesting water, etc. This is actually why the State will impose the curfew, as this is when they will be supplying the ruined land with essential goods, and in return, they will be taking a Witch and use her in order to lead the senate to the magical book. The Witches do go to the State but never truly comply, resulting to their death.

Phew... This is a lot, I know. I swear I've been trying to create a good backstory for months now, and I just want to get down to writing.
I had created a different backstory a few years ago, and I even completed the first draft of my story, only to realize all the plot holes and the nonsensical events that I had taken for granted at the time.

 

[Charles T. Forests]

1, I think with the crystal must neutralise the earth or combine them with the earth or the goddesses spirit/ consciousness.
2, if the state is the dominion of wealth and greed the others would follow to appease that
3. I think even if a dominion falls there resources would be intact or totally unlivable so people would move captured or rebuild.

Sorry if I'm no help I have been scratching my head all day to think but it is the best I can think of

Also I wouldn't worry about to much backstory if it's not in your book cause people may make up there own connections for you

 

[pmmg]

Why just two elements to the back story?

Personally, I feel its a little wrapped up too neat, and too on the nose. People are complex and reasons become complex over time. In the scenario above, the good guys are too blameless and the back guys too waxy mustache for me. If the Kings turn on the witches, I would want better reasons than just they were all greedy. Maybe the witches did something and the trust was frayed. Or may be just one did, and the rest got lumped in with them.

Do the events make sense? Is it unnatural that all kings decided to act against the Witches at the same time? I imagine there was back and forth between them (via letters) or perhaps even a secret meet-up where they had been conspiring on how to kick Witches out of their kingdoms but hadn't found a solution yet; until the earthquake happened.

I am going to want the reasons. They 'might' turn on them all at once, but these things usually have a history and are not a complete surprise when they do. If there are multiple Kings, I mean...Kings tend to seek advantage, so if one King commits, it would not seem likely they all would. Some might let the other hang in the wind and try to claim something for themselves. So, if they all act together, there must be a strong reason for it.

If they are looking for an excuse, an earthquake could/would suffice.

Again, does it make sense that the faraway kingdoms would go to war with the State? Their Witches hadn't been affected by the State, but it's a matter of morals and their belief in the Ancient Goddess and her chosen people. I think it makes sense, but I want to make sure it's the same for others, as well.

If the goddess says so, they might. I guess, what's in it for them? It would be very altruistic for them to do so cause the reasons above, but I could go with it.

Is it far-fetched to say that they captured one although they lived in hiding?

Not everyone is good at hiding. It would not seem a stretch that some get caught along the way.


The faraway kingdoms are going to *lose* this war (so, the State must first figure out how to take advantage of the crystals, and it will be their secret weapon). After the State's victory, they will try to attack the faraway kingdoms and rule over them, but something will prevent them from doing so. So, instead, they will (somehow) completely destroy their land, cut off their water supply (foul their lakes, rivers) and build tall railings around the premises of the State. By doing so, the only way the people of this ruined land would survive would be by the State's aid. The growth of the crystals (although appeared and used only in the State) will have weakened the magic of the whole planet, so the Witches of the faraway kingdoms wouldn't be able to survive by manifesting water, etc. This is actually why the State will impose the curfew, as this is when they will be supplying the ruined land with essential goods, and in return, they will be taking a Witch and use her in order to lead the senate to the magical book. The Witches do go to the State but never truly comply, resulting to their death.

As this is something they are 'going' to do, this is not backstory.

I think, personally, I would like more shading of who is really right and wrong. To have this much conflict from multiple kings without a strong reason to hate and distrust seems incomplete to me. If they were all mind controlled by en evil space alien, then I could see why they all acted at once. For me, I would write the witches as having something shady or unclear in their history, and something that gave the Kings a real reason to fear. Id also give the faraway kingdoms a real reason they fear as well. Like the near kingdoms are not going to stop with just ruining the water. Its pretty much kill or be killed for them.

 

[Avery Moore]

Do the events make sense? Is it unnatural that all kings decided to act against the Witches at the same time? I imagine there was back and forth between them (via letters) or perhaps even a secret meet-up where they had been conspiring on how to kick Witches out of their kingdoms but hadn't found a solution yet; until the earthquake happened.

If they all just randomly turn on them at the same time, then yes, it would be. But if there were one King that was more powerful than the other Kings, convincing the other Kings to go along with them, that would make more sense. What doesn't make sense is why they decide to get rid of the Witches. From your explanation, it just sounds like, "Oh, those goody goody Witches are always nagging us to stop being selfish and do what's best for the people and it's getting pretty annoying. Lets kill them all!" I think there needs to be a reason a little deeper than that in order for all the kings to turn on them. Maybe there is some sort of sacred power or object that only the Witches have and the kings want to take it for themselves? Or maybe the kings are convinced that the Witches are going to betray them? Something like that.

Again, does it make sense that the faraway kingdoms would go to war with the State? Their Witches hadn't been affected by the State, but it's a matter of morals and their belief in the Ancient Goddess and her chosen people. I think it makes sense, but I want to make sure it's the same for others, as well.

I don't know. While standing up for injustice is admirable, a ruler's priority is usually their own people. So, to risk the lives of your own people to defend the rights of other people does seem a bit strange, especially since most of the Witches are already dead, so they don't have many Witches left to defend. Perhaps there could be another reason why the faraway kingdom goes to war with the State? Like, they are convinced that once all the Witches are dead, the State will turn on them? Or they believe that something terrible will happen to the world in general if all the Witches die out? Or they agree to fight for the Witches in exchange for the Witches aid in something else? There could be lots of reasons.

Those "peculiar crystals" that the spells manifested are actually going to be used *against* witchcraft (they can naturally protect someone who holds or wears the crystal and disables the Witch from using magic against them). Even if the State chooses scientists (of that time) to experiment with the crystals, they would still need a Witch to experiment upon. Is it far-fetched to say that they captured one although they lived in hiding?

Nope. Not at all. If all the kings have organised a mass Witch hunt, then presumably there would be professional Witch hunters whose job it is to capture and kill Witches.

The faraway kingdoms are going to *lose* this war (so, the State must first figure out how to take advantage of the crystals, and it will be their secret weapon). After the State's victory, they will try to attack the faraway kingdoms and rule over them, but something will prevent them from doing so. So, instead, they will (somehow) completely destroy their land, cut off their water supply (foul their lakes, rivers) and build tall railings around the premises of the State. By doing so, the only way the people of this ruined land would survive would be by the State's aid. The growth of the crystals (although appeared and used only in the State) will have weakened the magic of the whole planet, so the Witches of the faraway kingdoms wouldn't be able to survive by manifesting water, etc. This is actually why the State will impose the curfew, as this is when they will be supplying the ruined land with essential goods, and in return, they will be taking a Witch and use her in order to lead the senate to the magical book. The Witches do go to the State but never truly comply, resulting to their death.

Not sure what the question is here. What part of this are you looking for advise on?

Either way, sounds like you've invented a cool little world here. Question, are the Witches actually a separate species from humans? As in, humans and Witches wouldn't be able to reproduce together?

 

[pmmg]

Either way, sounds like you've invented a cool little world here. Question, are the Witches actually a separate species from humans? As in, humans and Witches wouldn't be able to reproduce together?

I wondered this too...where did the witches come from?

 

[Glykeria]

Thank you everyone for responding, I really appreciate it.

I made some drastic changes with the backstory. I haven't figured everything out yet, but I believe it's infinitely better than before.

To start off, I removed the notion of a Witch being a different species. It makes things more complicated, and it's not in accordance to what I want to reveal in the book later on.

The Seven Kingdoms have one kingdom whose decisions affect all seven of them. This kingdom is located next to the sea, and its wealth in salt and fish farming have given it a strong position of power.
This king had an affair with his right-hand Witch. When his wife became pregnant, he stopped meeting the Witch in that way. The Witch, drowned in sorrow and jealousy, created an earthquake that killed the wife and the unborn child. Her sanity deteriorated and confessed to the king what she did, claiming that his wife was just an obstacle.
The king, devastated by his loss but also terrified by the Witch's power, commanded that all Witches be captured and sustain from using their powers for mankind's safety. Of course, the Witches reacted and killed their attackers. This is what led to the Witch Hunt.

Then, the book of spells is created as revenge by the Witches.

The crystals grown from the spells act as interference between the Ancient Goddess and the Earth. There was no longer rain, and nature was dying.

There are rumors about the book and the crystals (its not known that the crystals have created this problem - just that they're connected to magic, in some way). The State is formed as a means of protection against a unified attack from Witches.
The State has also captured a Witch and used her in order to experiment on the crystals and replicate her powers (hoping to create rain) - only to find out that the crystals can be used as protection against magic.

Nature keeps dying, and the State believes that the remaining Witches who found safety in the faraway kingdoms (where magic was very active) are to blame for this. They send a message, asking for the surrender of those Witches, and also the surrender of all Witches who exist in the faraway kingdoms. Those kingdoms deny their demand, and the State goes to war with them.

Thanks to the crystals (and the size of their military) the State wins.

The State tries to rule over the destroyed faraway kingdoms, but the knights are shocked to realize that these kingdoms have eternal night, and the sunlight never comes. The darkness makes them paranoid. They return to the State talking about strange animals and Witches that could influence them in the dark in spite of their crystals. (this is not true, but no one could prove otherwise)**

The State decides to retreat from ruling over that area. They build tall railings to separate the faraway kingdoms from their world and rename the knights to "guards" since one of their main job will be to guard the borders of the two worlds.
The scientists of the time also create artificial water, vegetables, fruit, and even meat. However, these artificial goods create health problems to the people and, nowadays, most people live with a paralysis of some part of their body.
It is now taught in schools that the Witches and their Goddess are to blame for the Earth's inability to give them water and food.

The curfew after the sun falls is imposed because it's actually believed that magic is stronger at that time.


These are the changes I've made to the above.
I have also added the existence of four more kingdoms in a faraway land, which were actually "hidden" from the rest of the world. These kingdoms are surrounded by very dry land (the kingdoms also have a lack of water), and it's the reason no one had discovered them - it was believed that nothing could survive the heat that existed there.

The health implications of artificial food is also going to be the motive for the State to go after the book of spells (in order to create rain), which will happen when some inhabitants of the dry lands will reach the State and talk to them about its existence.


My question:
Does the reason for the curfew make sense? Do all of the above make better sense/are more persuasive/are not wrapped up too neat?

Again, thank you for your pointers.

** Regarding the "eternal night" of the faraway kingdoms, I was thinking of making this a side-effect of the crystals. I'm not sure, though.

 

[Glykeria]

Funny thing is that the State is currently the "good guy."
In the end, it was the Witches' fault that nature started dying (because of those three Witches who created the book as revenge toward humans). And yet, not all Witches are to blame.

Of course, I think that I will need to give some bad pointers for the State. For example, maybe the guards take advantage of their position and mistreat innocents. Maybe members of the senate are wicked, and they desire the book for personal gain, rather than for helping the world heal.

 

[Avery Moore]

Does the reason for the curfew make sense? Do all of the above make better sense/are more persuasive/are not wrapped up too neat?

Yes, I think you've definitely made a lot of improvements and that the motivations of all the different factions make a lot more sense now.

As for the curfew, I'd say the reason for the curfew does make sense, especially since Witches are now not considered a separate species from humans. So the curfew would not only make it more difficult for established witches to use their powers, it would also make it more difficult for potential witches to discover their powers.

That being said, I remember you saying in your previous post that there was a more sinister reason behind the curfew. Does that sinister reason still exit, or is it only because Witches are more powerful at night?

Doesn't really matter either way though, because the reason given does make sense.

 

[Glykeria]

Yes, I think you've definitely made a lot of improvements and that the motivations of all the different factions make a lot more sense now.

As for the curfew, I'd say the reason for the curfew does make sense, especially since Witches are now not considered a separate species from humans. So the curfew would not only make it more difficult for established witches to use their powers, it would also make it more difficult for potential witches to discover their powers.

That being said, I remember you saying in your previous post that there was a more sinister reason behind the curfew. Does that sinister reason still exit, or is it only because Witches are more powerful at night?

Doesn't really matter either way though, because the reason given does make sense.

Thank you.

The more sinister reason (which doesn't exist anymore because I can't fit it with this new backstory) was that they would be giving essential goods to them (eg, water, artificial food) in exchange for a Witch (whom they'd use in order to find the book of spells).

It wouldn't t make sense even with the previous backstory (because the Witches would never co-operate, and the magical crystals can only protect against magic, and not create magic, so the Witches wouldn't work as guinea pigs, either).

Again, thank you very much for the help and the pointers. It seems like my plot ideas tend to take the "easy way out," and it's never obvious to me until someone points it out. I hope I'll learn enough from this book in order to make the second one even better from the get-go.

 

[Rexenm]

It would be good for the kings to be challenged by the witches, to clean up society, being all impoverished. There must be a reason the powerful book escapes the coven, maybe spies, maybe religion. It reminds me of The Dark Crystal.

The interesting connection to draw, is that the kings and the witches don’t unite till the end. What would cause that besides a sexist reason, and you say there has been intrigue in the past. There is eternal night on one side, and prefect harmony on the other. One decides matters of good, the other matters of evil. A history that is passed between hands, and goes down the line.

What I would be interested to see, is instead of political intrigue, something like Disney’s Hunchback. A lot of statues, a kingdom, some temples, stuff like that.

 

[Glykeria]

It would be good for the kings to be challenged by the witches, to clean up society, being all impoverished. There must be a reason the powerful book escapes the coven, maybe spies, maybe religion. It reminds me of The Dark Crystal.

The interesting connection to draw, is that the kings and the witches don’t unite till the end. What would cause that besides a sexist reason, and you say there has been intrigue in the past. There is eternal night on one side, and prefect harmony on the other. One decides matters of good, the other matters of evil. A history that is passed between hands, and goes down the line.

What I would be interested to see, is instead of political intrigue, something like Disney’s Hunchback. A lot of statues, a kingdom, some temples, stuff like that.

Hi, and thank you for the response.

To be honest, what you say is far from what I have in mind concerning my story.

I would just like to note though that the book did not *escape* the coven. The Witches created this book specifically for humans to use - and to be destroyed by it, along the way.

 

[Fidel]

Hello. I've edited the back story of my book in-progress countless times, and I'm pretty much "stuck". The genre is magical realism.
I would appreciate your opinion and some help on how to add two more elements to the backstory.

In the current world, Witches have been banished from the "State." If any Witches are alive, it is believed to be outside of these boundaries. People are also wearing a certain ornament to protect them against any remaining magic and to prove that they're not Witches. The State is strict, and any questioning of magic is illegal. They also have a curfew time after 10pm in order to "protect" the people from Witches because it's believed that magic is at its strongest during the night. (There are hidden motives behind the curfew, but let's leave that, for now)

There's an ancient Goddess who is connected to the Earth (can control the Earth and nature) and is the source of the Witches' powers. Nowadays, people believe the Goddess is dead (and that she was also a malevolent being, responsible for all the natural disasters).

In the earlier history, areas of the world were divided in kingdoms. Witches lived side by side with Humans (Witches are considered to be a different species). They were the right-hand of kings and queens and advised the royalty on how to rule over the common people in peace and kindness.
In time, the kings became greedy. They no longer followed the Witches' advice, and they ruled against the common people.
One day, a very big earthquake happened that caused great damage to a number of kingdoms. The Witches had warned the royalty about it (and had advised ways to protect the common people), but the royalty greedily took care of their own and let the common people to their fate.

The kings took advantage of the incident and, as they wanted to get rid of the Witches but couldn't do so with the common people loving them so much, they accused the unscathed Witches and their Goddess for the natural destruction.

The Witch hunt began.

After the Witch hunt began, three Witches decided to take revenge against Humans and created a book filled with powerful spells (that can actually be performed by humans), which always lead to those humans' ruin. Strangely enough, whenever these spells were performed, peculiar crystals would grow on trees, plants, or any nature that was close to the book.

In time, rumors spread about the existence of the book and the crystals.

The kings wanted that book. They were also terrified of an organized attack by the remaining Witches who now lived in hiding. As a result, the royalty of each kingdom decided to combine powers by creating the "State," which was going to be ruled by a senate consisting of each king respectively.
The State banished any remaining celebrations of nature and the natural cycle (all which tied back to the ancient Goddess) and replaced them with celebrations of the beginning of the Witch hunt, the establishment of the State, etc.

At the same time, in a faraway land, there were kingdoms that had not been affected by the earthquake, and the royalty had not been devoured by greed and selfishness. When they learned about the Witch hunt, they opposed it, and they even went to war against the State.


This is a part of the book's backstory. My questions:

• Do the events make sense? Is it unnatural that all kings decided to act against the Witches at the same time? I imagine there was back and forth between them (via letters) or perhaps even a secret meet-up where they had been conspiring on how to kick Witches out of their kingdoms but hadn't found a solution yet; until the earthquake happened.
• Again, does it make sense that the faraway kingdoms would go to war with the State? Their Witches hadn't been affected by the State, but it's a matter of morals and their belief in the Ancient Goddess and her chosen people. I think it makes sense, but I want to make sure it's the same for others, as well.

There are two things that I haven't figured how to tie into the backstory:

1. Those "peculiar crystals" that the spells manifested are actually going to be used *against* witchcraft (they can naturally protect someone who holds or wears the crystal and disables the Witch from using magic against them). Even if the State chooses scientists (of that time) to experiment with the crystals, they would still need a Witch to experiment upon. Is it far-fetched to say that they captured one although they lived in hiding?
2. The faraway kingdoms are going to *lose* this war (so, the State must first figure out how to take advantage of the crystals, and it will be their secret weapon). After the State's victory, they will try to attack the faraway kingdoms and rule over them, but something will prevent them from doing so. So, instead, they will (somehow) completely destroy their land, cut off their water supply (foul their lakes, rivers) and build tall railings around the premises of the State. By doing so, the only way the people of this ruined land would survive would be by the State's aid. The growth of the crystals (although appeared and used only in the State) will have weakened the magic of the whole planet, so the Witches of the faraway kingdoms wouldn't be able to survive by manifesting water, etc. This is actually why the State will impose the curfew, as this is when they will be supplying the ruined land with essential goods, and in return, they will be taking a Witch and use her in order to lead the senate to the magical book. The Witches do go to the State but never truly comply, resulting to their death.

Phew... This is a lot, I know. I swear I've been trying to create a good backstory for months now, and I just want to get down to writing.
I had created a different backstory a few years ago, and I even completed the first draft of my story, only to realize all the plot holes and the nonsensical events that I had taken for granted at the time.

Wow, this is so intricate and well thought out! The backstory feels cohesive and rich, and the moral conflicts between the kingdoms and the State add a lot of depth. The idea of the crystals being used against the Witches is clever, and it makes sense that the State would capture a Witch for experimentation, desperation leads to bold moves. The faraway kingdoms going to war over morals feels believable too, especially if they value the Goddess and Witches. The only thing I’d suggest is maybe hinting at why the State can’t fully conquer the faraway kingdoms (maybe the crystals have limits, or the land itself resists?). But honestly, this is fantastic time to start writing!

 

[Rexenm]

Wow, this is so intricate and well thought out! The backstory feels cohesive and rich, and the moral conflicts between the kingdoms and the State add a lot of depth. The idea of the crystals being used against the Witches is clever, and it makes sense that the State would capture a Witch for experimentation, desperation leads to bold moves. The faraway kingdoms going to war over morals feels believable too, especially if they value the Goddess and Witches. The only thing I’d suggest is maybe hinting at why the State can’t fully conquer the faraway kingdoms (maybe the crystals have limits, or the land itself resists?). But honestly, this is fantastic time to start writing!

The moral difference between the kings and the witches, is important. Why would they have different sides, when there is the chance for connection? The origin of the crystals comes into play. There are connections to be made, when the connotation is magic. It draws into something deeper than a debate.

 

[Fidel]

The moral difference between the kings and the witches, is important. Why would they have different sides, when there is the chance for connection? The origin of the crystals comes into play. There are connections to be made, when the connotation is magic. It draws into something deeper than a debate.

The tension between kings and witches, especially with the crystals and magic involved, opens up a lot of potential for deeper exploration. If their conflict stems from something more profound than surface-level differences, like the origin of the crystals or their connection to magic, it could add layers of complexity to the story. Keep digging into those connections; it’s where the real intrigue lies!

 

[Dylan]

Hello. I've edited the back story of my book in-progress countless times, and I'm pretty much "stuck". The genre is magical realism.
I would appreciate your opinion and some help on how to add two more elements to the backstory.

In the current world, Witches have been banished from the "State." If any Witches are alive, it is believed to be outside of these boundaries. People are also wearing a certain ornament to protect them against any remaining magic and to prove that they're not Witches. The State is strict, and any questioning of magic is illegal. They also have a curfew time after 10pm in order to "protect" the people from Witches because it's believed that magic is at its strongest during the night. (There are hidden motives behind the curfew, but let's leave that, for now)

There's an ancient Goddess who is connected to the Earth (can control the Earth and nature) and is the source of the Witches' powers. Nowadays, people believe the Goddess is dead (and that she was also a malevolent being, responsible for all the natural disasters).

In the earlier history, areas of the world were divided in kingdoms. Witches lived side by side with Humans (Witches are considered to be a different species). They were the right-hand of kings and queens and advised the royalty on how to rule over the common people in peace and kindness.
In time, the kings became greedy. They no longer followed the Witches' advice, and they ruled against the common people.
One day, a very big earthquake happened that caused great damage to a number of kingdoms. The Witches had warned the royalty about it (and had advised ways to protect the common people), but the royalty greedily took care of their own and let the common people to their fate.

The kings took advantage of the incident and, as they wanted to get rid of the Witches but couldn't do so with the common people loving them so much, they accused the unscathed Witches and their Goddess for the natural destruction.

The Witch hunt began.

After the Witch hunt began, three Witches decided to take revenge against Humans and created a book filled with powerful spells (that can actually be performed by humans), which always lead to those humans' ruin. Strangely enough, whenever these spells were performed, peculiar crystals would grow on trees, plants, or any nature that was close to the book.

In time, rumors spread about the existence of the book and the crystals.

The kings wanted that book. They were also terrified of an organized attack by the remaining Witches who now lived in hiding. As a result, the royalty of each kingdom decided to combine powers by creating the "State," which was going to be ruled by a senate consisting of each king respectively.
The State banished any remaining celebrations of nature and the natural cycle (all which tied back to the ancient Goddess) and replaced them with celebrations of the beginning of the Witch hunt, the establishment of the State, etc.

At the same time, in a faraway land, there were kingdoms that had not been affected by the earthquake, and the royalty had not been devoured by greed and selfishness. When they learned about the Witch hunt, they opposed it, and they even went to war against the State.


This is a part of the book's backstory. My questions:

• Do the events make sense? Is it unnatural that all kings decided to act against the Witches at the same time? I imagine there was back and forth between them (via letters) or perhaps even a secret meet-up where they had been conspiring on how to kick Witches out of their kingdoms but hadn't found a solution yet; until the earthquake happened.
• Again, does it make sense that the faraway kingdoms would go to war with the State? Their Witches hadn't been affected by the State, but it's a matter of morals and their belief in the Ancient Goddess and her chosen people. I think it makes sense, but I want to make sure it's the same for others, as well.

There are two things that I haven't figured how to tie into the backstory:

1. Those "peculiar crystals" that the spells manifested are actually going to be used *against* witchcraft (they can naturally protect someone who holds or wears the crystal and disables the Witch from using magic against them). Even if the State chooses scientists (of that time) to experiment with the crystals, they would still need a Witch to experiment upon. Is it far-fetched to say that they captured one although they lived in hiding?
2. The faraway kingdoms are going to *lose* this war (so, the State must first figure out how to take advantage of the crystals, and it will be their secret weapon). After the State's victory, they will try to attack the faraway kingdoms and rule over them, but something will prevent them from doing so. So, instead, they will (somehow) completely destroy their land, cut off their water supply (foul their lakes, rivers) and build tall railings around the premises of the State. By doing so, the only way the people of this ruined land would survive would be by the State's aid. The growth of the crystals (although appeared and used only in the State) will have weakened the magic of the whole planet, so the Witches of the faraway kingdoms wouldn't be able to survive by manifesting water, etc. This is actually why the State will impose the curfew, as this is when they will be supplying the ruined land with essential goods, and in return, they will be taking a Witch and use her in order to lead the senate to the magical book. The Witches do go to the State but never truly comply, resulting to their death.

Phew... This is a lot, I know. I swear I've been trying to create a good backstory for months now, and I just want to get down to writing.
I had created a different backstory a few years ago, and I even completed the first draft of my story, only to realize all the plot holes and the nonsensical events that I had taken for granted at the time.

Your backstory is really cool love the political intrigue, the fallen Goddess, and the revenge-fueled spellbook! To answer your questions:

1. Kings conspiring against Witches – Makes sense! A secret meet-up or letters plotting their move (maybe even some kings being hesitant at first) would feel natural. The earthquake is a perfect excuse to turn public opinion.
2. Faraway kingdoms going to war – Totally believable! If they still revere the Goddess and see the Witch hunt as immoral, they’d fight. Plus, they might fear the State coming for them next.

For your two loose ends:
Crystals as anti-magic – Not far-fetched at all! The State could’ve captured *one* Witch (maybe a traitor, or someone who got careless). Scientists + desperate rulers = dark experiments.
State’s victory & curfew – Love the twisted logistics! The State using the curfew to secretly supply the ruined land (while hiding their Witch experiments) is deliciously sinister.