Meinhard & Sons

History
Meinhard & Sons LTD is one of the largest artificial magic companies active within the British Empire, so much so that it has an almost near monopoly over the industry. Formed in 1821 by Count Erich von Meinhard, the company was one of the first to pioneer new mass synthetic magic creation, allowing widespread usage of magic by non-orphics. This sudden surge in availability of magic allowed European empires to expand dramatically and assert hegemony over much of the known world.

For most of its existence, Meinhard was able to buy out or bully other companies out of the industry by gaining the support of the British government. By 1914 the company had gained a near 83% market share throughout Britain and its colonial territories.

Meinhard & Sons' collapse eventually began in June 1900 when private detective John Goltz and his colleague Damien Whitweather investigated rumours that students were going missing at a nearby Orphic academy upon failing their exams. The detectives eventually discovered that the students were being kidnapped by the local Meinhard factory which would then kill them and use their natural magic to create surplus artificial magic. Goltz and Whitweather were able to battle their way through the facility, eventually coming face to face with Rain Meinhard, the owner, who explained to them that artificial magic was a staple of modern society, if they revealed the truth then the modern world would collapse. The detectives made the decision that they couldn't let Meinhard get away with it. After a long battle with Rain, they were eventually victorious and able to escape.

Upon trying to publicise their findings, they, Goltz in particular, were ridiculed by the press. Meinhard, now under the management of a shareholder committee, engaged in a massive cover up, dismissing the claims and framing Goltz as insane. This would not however last for ever, in 1916 a government document was leaked to the British media revealing the truth of the artificial magic creation process which involved the murder of humans. The document was fraudulent and framed the government and Parthenon for the reprehensible actions, however this was unknown to the public who rose up against both. This would eventually lead to the Fall of Parthenon.

Trivia

 * Was the first villain of OGAM.
 * Inspired the steampunk theme of the world of OGAM.

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