“ A fantasy version of the Klan, where it's 'Grand Wizard' really is a mage, and a dangerous one at that. Instead of hating blacks most of all, they hate non humans most of all (although they are no friends of black people either and certainly don't let them join.)”
“ In the Middle Ages, and even up to the early twentieth century, most of Europe's executioners were related: the Sansons and Deiblers in France, the Pierrepoints in England, etc. The reason for this was that, it generally not being socially acceptable to, well, kill people, executioners and their children could, generally, only marry other executioners or <i>their</i> children.
The parallels with massively inbred, Hapsburg-style dynasties are obvious- imagine a rather clever but politically inept satirist noting this, and being sentenced by the latter to a meeting with the former; even worse, imagine a dynasty of deranged and deformed executioners- think Texas Chaisaw Massacre with government funding.”
“ Whistling on the sea is bad luck. It is said to mock the sound of a strong wind and will call it so nature can show the true sound. Whistling is only allowed when becalmed or when shrouded in fog.”