The Wych-kin first appeared in modern times in London, during the aftermath of the British/Prussian war. At first no one believed they existed, convinced that they were delusions brought about by shell-shock. By the time the British Government took action they had spread to other cities and had become too diverse and numerous to exterminate. The name "wych-kin" was applied because similar creatures were thought to be summoned by the wyches a long time ago. Wyches were people who dealt with the supernatural. They were believed to be evil and some people hunted them; such people were called Wych-hunters. Eventually certain people became able to detect the presence of the Wych-kin. In modern times, such people took on the name of Wych-hunters, but unlike their predecessors their efforts focused on the Wych-kin.