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Name: Nerida Vulchanova Dates of birth and death: 1269-1327 Nationality: Bulgarian Blood status: unknown Nerida was orphaned at an early age, so young that she did not retain memories of her birth parents. Her blood status - as well as her exact date of birth - has been disputed, though it is reasoned unlikely that she was born to a pure magical family, who would have taken care of the child after her parents' death. Instead, she was given to an orphanage in her birth city of Veliko Tarnovo. Not much is known about her childhood save that she displayed magical aptitude from a young age, which led to her being cast out on the streets where she was discovered by a coven of witches. If they didn't exactly raise her they at least taught her, as Nerida came to prominence by the age of 15 for both her skill with magic as well as her beauty. She attracted the eye of the then tsar of Bulgaria and ruler of Veliko Tarnovo, one George Terter, who fell in love with Nerida's charms easily and invited her into his household a year later. Of their relationship little is known. Nerida's position at court remains unclear as well as the knowledge of whether or not they were ever married in any kind of legally binding ceremony - which some historians claim based on a preserved tapestry that shows them sitting side by side on two golden thrones. It is agreed that George set Nerida aside for his official first wife, a noble muggle woman by the name of Maria. Sources either claim this as the result of Nerida being unable to bear children, or of the tsar setting her aside in fear of retribution for getting involved with a witch of dubious origin and background. Sometimes his first child, a girl named Elena, is said to be Nerida's daughter, though there has never been tangible proof of such statement. Nerida was banished from court, from the country even, for George I is said to have been afraid of her wrath should she ever see him again. A court scribe of the time noted in his diary that she was banished to the city of Veliky Novgorod, over a 1,000 miles from her home. The truth of this statement cannot be established, it is however generally agreed that she was sent north due to the northern location of Durmstrang Institute. The school itself was founded in 1290 with money bequeathed to Nerida from George Terter. Originally Nerida intended Durmstrang to foster the children of the poor and young orphaned girls like herself who had no family to take care of them. Whether Durmstrang was founded as a purely magical school is unclear. Records prove that Durmstrang was involved in the first Triwizard Tournament of 1294, though it is unknown what the rules or goals of the tournament were in its early instalments. The school grew fast and within decades had amassed a student body of over 200 permanent students with some additional children who only visited the castle for limited amounts of time. One of the first of these students was one German Harfang Munter. He distinguished himself early on and rose to become one of the first professors and later Deputy Headmaster of Durmstrang. Nerida and Harfang were described as friendly towards each other. Nothing much is known about their collaboration in Durmstrang however, and he is linked to her mysterious death at the age of only 58.
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Name: Marishka Shtriga Age: 82 years old Nationality: Albanian Blood status: wizard-born The Shtriga are a very old Albanian magical family, and by the time Marishka was born they were also very impoverished. They held no riches anymore save for the family estate, which calling a castle would have been generous, as it was shabby and run-down, with half the building no longer habitable and all but a handful of its house-elves sold. Their line was no longer pure either, her grandmother having married a mildly famous magical clocksmith of half-blood descent. Her own mother Mirela had married a wizard almost twenty years her junior, and her job as a professional duelist in the lower Greek Leagues brought in just enough money to keep them off the streets. The only thing the family still had to its name was a hereditary seat on the Albanian Wizarding Council, an honour that wasn't rewarded in coin and that kept her father busier than most true professions would have. Marishka attended Durmtrang and graduated its Dark Arts program, starting an apprenticeship as a magical weaponsmith soon after. When Mirela died in an accident in a sanctioned duel she became the new family head - as the Shtriga are matriarchic line - at twenty-seven. With her younger brother in his last year of school and her father grief-stricken, Marishka had to take up the Council seat or forfeit it. Her mother's pension wasn't generous and the years that followed were hard on the family. She immersed herself in magical law, studied texts and more texts, read ancient scripts, learned Greek and French, compared cases from neighbouring countries and worked hard to help overthrow some long-outdated laws. Her dedication made Marishka not only renowned but over time also a sought-after expert on magical law. She was contacted by individuals as well as companies, the odd rich pure-blood as well as some magical governments to advocate for or defend their cases. Meanwhile her brother had his own plans of bringing the family glory, becoming a portrait painter and dallying with various ladies, both unwed and otherwise. He came to sire five children, all of them daughters. Marishka appreciated it in so far as that it absolved her of the duty to produce an heir of her own, though the siblings have no close relationship. In her early fifties, she finally had enough time to take on her original profession of blacksmithing again, at least in the odd hours of her free time. Her life had settled - at least until that fateful day in 1995, when a representative of the Durmstrang Board of Governors knocked at her door. Karkaroffs involvement with the British Death Eaters had sullied Durmstrang's good standing in the eyes of too many, and so the school sought to replace the fallen headmaster with one whose morals and intentions could not be questioned. Marishka Shtriga was their first choice and after a month of consideration, she agreed, not for the pay but for the good memories she had of Durmstrang, of the happy years she had had at school despite her family's struggles. Vesa, her oldest niece, took over the seat in the Wizarding Council while her aunt took over Durmstrang. Marishka is a Headmistress that is always seen, known for her quiet voice and the deliberate way she speaks. She kept up her blacksmithing when she joined the school, with her forge taking up considerable space in the dungeons of the school. Those students who graduate the Combat Magic class with honours have the fortune of receiving a weapon made by the headmistress's own hands, which now have considerable worth.
	Gellert Grindlewald (expelled), Grigori Jefimowitsch Rasputin (expelled), Ivan Tsarevich, Vasilisa the Wise, Antero Vipunen, Mykew Gregorovitch, Viktor Krum

Durmstrang Institute is one of the oldest and most renown magical schools in Europe, founded in the year 1290 by the Bulgarian witch Nerida Vulchanova. After her mysterious demise and replacement by headmaster Harfang Munter, the school’s focus shifted towards what is today known as Dark Arts as well as martial magic. This is reflected in the school’s curriculum, as the two main classes in the last 3 years are Dark Arts and Combat Magic, of which every student has to select one to study until graduation after their 8th year.

The main language spoken at Durmstrang is Russian, though there are courses offered for those unfortunate students who are lacking behind in their language skills. Among themselves the students speak various languages and hearing children communicate in a blend of multiple tongues isn’t a rare sight. Subjects cover a wide range and include but are not limited to Potions, Astronomy, Transfiguration, History, Defense, Latin and a wide range of physical activities. A normal day at the school starts off with a mandatory early-morning exercise, as Durmstrang holds to the belief that a healthy mind strives in a healthy body.

Students start their first year of school at age 10 and then go through 5 years of mandatory basic education. After they passed their 5th year they have the choice between either continuing their education for another 3 years at Durmstrang or leaving the school and continuing their education elsewhere. About half the students graduate from the school after 5 years of education, while the other half remains for the additional 3 years.

Those who leave Durmstrang after 5 years of education are usually those students whose interests lie outside what the curriculum offers. Those who strive for further education in potions-making or Astronomy for example will leave Durmstrang at 15 to pursue their chosen career elsewhere. This can mean first studying in an apothecary and then taking on an apprenticeship with a potions master in the case of potions, for example. Other students may leave to be taught in depth by a family member in the craft practiced by their family line, study by themselves for a time or continue their education in another magical school. Some even leave to gain a higher education in the muggle world.

The last 3 years of high school at Durmstrang differ from the first 5 in both methods of as well as the intensity of the courses. Having picked 1 of the 2 main subjects all students will have one main teacher who will supervise them and provide a general education in the following years, one each for the Dark Art and the combat magic class respectively. Various other professors will supplement these subjects with further studies into different aspects of the major. For example a student who chose combat magic might have a special talent for hand-to-hand combat and get additional training in how to use their magic to aid them while fighting or learn techniques to enhance their abilities.

Combat Magic, also called Martial Magic, focuses on those kinds of magic that can be used offensively and defensively as well as all subjects related to either. This includes training of strength, agility, and endurance.

Professions directly related to this subject are professional duelists, any kind of active law enforcement like Aurors and hit wizards, but also guardsmen and security personnel in the fields of personal security - bodyguards - or wardens, for example prison officers. Monster Hunters also benefit from the rigorous physical training in this subject as well as others who work with especially dangerous magical creatures like dragon keepers. The last two notable professions which Combat Magic graduates often take up are any kinds of sports - as the training they receive provides them with the quick reflexes and physical endurance often valued in sports like Quidditch and Quodpot - and, perhaps surprising for some, the career path of mediwizards and healers, who benefit greatly from this subject, as the 3 years they take give them the chance to experience both actual combat-related injuries and give them the opportunity to start learning about how to treat them.

Dark Magic, in contrast to Combat Magic, is an umbrella term that includes various forms of old magic branches, many of which aren't seen in a positive light by British wizards and witches. Where Combat Magic is physical, the Dark Arts are mental-focused. Here students learn further languages that they might need to get access to complex texts and more intricate forms of magic that can include higher level Rune Magic, Charms, and Transfiguration, but also forms of Blood Magic, Curses and mind-related magic.

Graduates of this course are sought after in professions that require an intimate knowledge of ones' art, especially those kinds of magic that are hard to define clearly and fickle in their behavior. Many renowned Curse Breakers, Ward Setters and Alchemists have graduated Durmstrang's Dark Arts program as their professions profit greatly from specific knowledge of one branch of magic. Inventors and researchers in many theoretical fields are common jobs also, especially in research related to forbidden forms of magic and the area of spell invention. Their basic language training in Latin - which most modern spells are based upon - as well as other languages, helps them greatly in that regard. Historians are, intriguingly, common among those graduates as well, even though the lessons themselves do not focus on this subject.

The single biggest field of professions taken by Durmstrang Dark Arts graduates, however, is another: that of enchanters. Like the headmistress herself, who is a metal charmer, all kinds of enchanters, be it bookbinders, seamstresses or broom makers, even some rare wandmakers, come from Durmstrang Institute.

Durmstrang favors those students who show dedication and ambition in their studies. The unmotivated or lazy are looked down at, and the students held in the highest regard both by their peers and most of the teachers are those who show the most prowess in their education. This is reflected in Durmstrang’s initiation ceremony as well as the accommodation of the students.

At the beginning of each new school year on September 1st, all First Year students will embark on what is commonly called a “survival training” lead by the Headmistress or Headmaster of the school. Nowadays this training exercise lasts exactly one week, in which the students will get to know and learn to survive in the sometimes hostile forests, lakes and mountains surrounding Durmstrang. Historically the initiation ceremony ended when the last student had reached the castle, but this tradition was discontinued in the 16th century for safety reasons. Mirko Drozdov was the student who went down in history for taking the longest to finish the initial survival exercise, having arrived at the castle after exactly 3 months and 1 day. His teachers and fellow students had all taken him for dead after he vanished on the first night of their trip. He never revealed what had happened to him, but went on to become one of the most distinguished students to leave Durmstrang and ending up a famous professional duelist.

Students quarters at Durmstrang are separated by gender. The two towers of the castle function as dormitories, with the students of all years sharing their sleeping quarters with each other. Tradition has it that the most successful students occupy those rooms at the top of their tower, while the least competent or the youngest live on the lowest floors. Hierarchy is floating, however, and one particularly clever or significant action might lead an individual to rise in reputation and gain a “better” sleeping place closer to the roof.

The only officially recognized student positions are those of head boy and head girl, who are selected by the professors and headmaster and expected to act as role models and guides for the other students. Otherwise the students regulate themselves, the older teaching the younger and the more clever those who might lack in wits.

Other notable features of Durmstrang Institute include the big duelling hall, one of the largest of its kind in the world, the lake that directly bothers the castle on one side and the narrow, branched hallways that make the castle especially hard to navigate for those unfamiliar with its layout. The building itself is unremarkable from the outside as far as wizarding castles go, with only 4 stories and walls that are made of plain brown bricks. It has no prominent characteristics to its structure, save for the two big students towers and the braziers burning with an everlasting flame that burns at the gate day and night all year round.

In comparison to the castle itself the grounds of Durmstrang are vast, dwarfing even those of Hogwarts, but most of the ground is either covered by thick forests or icy lakes. The no-man’s-land surrounding Durmstrang is inhabited by various magical creatures as well as other non-human apparitions. While no one has seen him, or at least nobody ever saw his true form, there is a rumour that the land the castle was build on belongs to a wind spirit, the wind spirit. Stribog rules where the wizards don’t, sometimes a man, sometimes a ghost and sometimes this or that animal, a spirit of nature older than the school itself, students should know better than to try and mess with.

To protect the school from nonmagi, as they are called, or more truthfully to protect the nonmagi form the school, there are strong muggle repelling wards set up around the premise. A barbed-wire fence and various signs with forbidding symbols suggest to the nonmagi that this isn’t a place they want to loiter around. For all those who don’t possess magic, Durmstrang is a “restricted zone” that the locals know better than to set foot into.

Nobody at Durmstrang Institute wants to be exposed to nonmagi. They are dangerous, an unpredictable, self-destructive force that would destroy wizardkind as they destroy themselves, should they ever find out that there is more to the world than they perceive. Nonmagi are not welcome here, nor are their children. Exposing themselves is too high a risk, no nonmagi may ever know that Durmstrang exists. Those who don’t know of a secret can’t share it.

There is one exception made, however, in the name of power, of inheritance and the wish to keep magic strong: any magical person born to nonmagi may be accepted to Durmstrang if they are vouched for by one of their own, a witch or a wizard in good standing. They may sponsor one born to muggles, on the condition that those children relinquish their families and leave behind all ties to the non-magical world.

It’s cleverness and strength that matter at Durmstrang, power and knowledge, and so even a Muggleborn can prove themselves. Magic, in the end, is more important than blood.

credit: sadfishkid

The robes of the Durmstrang students are colored red and black. Their normal school robes are of a dark red color, while their belts, boots and gloves are black. The robes are buttoned up at the sides and more practical for physical activities than for exmaple the Hogwarts school robes, as they allow for a wide range of movement. Due to the school's location in the far north of Europe and the heavy winds and cold temperatures of the area, each students also owns a coat made of wooly fur that protects them when they are out on the school grounds. These coats are complimented by fur hats to protect their heads. During the summer months when temperatures are milder the students don't need that extra layer of protective clothing.