During the years of the Civil War, it became apparent that the state of Georgia was a threat. Making note of this, in December 1864, General William Sherman and his army marched through Georgia, from Atlanta to Savannah. Because the state had chosen to join the Confederacy, the general had planned to destroy everything that came within grasp, leaving a ruined and overwhelmed state.
When the Reconstruction period began in the United States, those who had once lived in the state of Georgia slowly started to return to their homes in hopes of creating a better place. It would be up to six former slave-owning families in order to recreate a new and improved Roswell, Georgia. The families’ names included: Adam, Tyson, Ventana, Douglas, Holt, and Braxton.
After rebuilding the city, the families decided to manufacture their own homes. They used the inspiration of their prior plantation mansions that had been destroyed during the war. Their mansions were built to set up a boundary for the city, believing that they were the heart of Roswell. What they had not known, was that there was already a heart to the city; The Meridian household.
The Meridians were a family of former slaves who were rumored to have “magical powers” and dabbled into the art of Voodoo. Had people known, the rumors were quite true. The family had come from a long line of priest and priestess who took their belief very seriously.
Nevertheless, the family was given a small amount of land in which they built their home because, James Meridian, the head of the family had fought and survived serving during the war. Conversely, James had the help of his family’s “protection” back home in order to come out alive.
They had built their home out of the ruins of an old, broken down plantation on the other side of the red bridge in Vickery Creek.
Hearing of the six families coming together for the greater good, the Meridians family decided to take action, and reward the families. They chose the day of their grand daughter’s birth, Rose Meridian, to bestow magical powers upon the families as a gift for their deeds.
Since the Meridian family already had control over everything that was VOID, they were determined that things come to full circle in Roswell. Each family was given a power over a different element. The Adams’ received the element EARTH. The Tyson’s were given the element FIRE. The Ventana’s had the element AIR. The Douglas family granted the element WATER. The Holt family was offered the element WOOD. Finally, the Braxton family received the element METAL.
"Blood has been shed on a day of celebration. It has tainted our most blessed land and the hearts of your blood line. We gave you gifts...rewards...for your good deeds, and you turn around and use them against each other. For this, you and the generations from here on shall be punished."
"You may redeem your blood line, though. A chosen one from each family must bring forth an offering on this day at midnight every decade. For every gift you give me, I shall bless your family and grant stability. The first will be granted 10 fold more than those around him. He, who chooses not to abide by these standards, shall parish by your own stubbornness."
“Blood has been shed; a war has begun in the midst of the elements. To each his own element, except for that of wood and earth. The two families have been joined; let all grief be settled between you. Today is a day of rejoice amongst your bond. "
Roswell Georgia, 1928, plantation homes began being remodeled into businesses areas that would bring forth more attraction to the southern city. There were only seven mansions left. All, but one, wanted to enter into the modern day business. Each of the six families began arranging marriages with family members so as to partner up with each other. Since this was a big deal in Roswell, the families decided to have one big wedding on May 5th also the birthday of the White Witch. They arranged a place on the Meridian family land, since it was neutral grounds.
Everything had seemed to be going fine, until a fight broken out between the families. Members from each of the six families were murdered. Blood had been shed on the witch’s land, and for that she cursed the six families, threatening them that the war between them would never end.
The curse caused the families to lose control of their powers over the element they had been given. Each generation only seems to get worse, and will continue until the power consumes them, thus leading to their destruction. The only way to prevent an early and painful death, the families must come together every ten years on the exact same day and offer up a tithe in order to regain some control.
As the years passed by, the families have only lightened their attacks on each other because of the growing population in Roswell. However the situation of human increase isn’t the only thing that the families need to worry about. The White Witch is recruiting new servants’ everydays, who have earned their title as “The Damned”.