- See also: Tradition Book: Order of Hermes (revised edition)
Order of Hermes Tradition Book is the ninth and final volume in the original series of Tradition Books. This book covers the history and houses of the Order of Hermes, from Mythic Europe of the Dark Ages into the present day.
Summary[]
From the White Wolf catalog:
- "In Caligine Abditus"
- Despised mysteries by outsiders, the magi of Hermes Trismegistus have perfected their Arts for nearly a thousand years. Through wars with mortals, vampires, Technocrats and their own companions, these mighty wizards have prevailed.
- "In Darkness Hidden"
- These wizards are nothing if not determined. Though the covenants may be thrown down, though the winds of unbelief might blow across the globe, these hardy masters keep the faith. To them, power is the only fact – and it's a fact they know well.
- "Hail, O Seven Fates of Heaven!"
- The secret lore of the Hermetic Tradition comes to light in this, the final Council of Traditions book. Order of Hermes includes:
Chapters[]
Introduction[]
Written by Allen Varney. A communique between a Master and Disciple of the Order, discussing the education of Apprentices and the lore of the Order. This section concludes with a glossary of Hermetic terms, including Latin terminology for standard Mage concepts.
Footnote 1: Chronological Precis (History)[]
Written by Allen Varney. A timeline of Hermetic magic and the Order of Hermes. This chapter is broken down into three sections:
- Preamble: The first proto-Hermetic mages comes together in ancient Egypt under the leadership of Djhowetey and Sesheta. Later, others such as King Solomon of Israel and Pythagoras of Greece practice magic in the Hermetic vein. The Cult of Mercury arises in Rome, but collapses with the decay of the Roman Empire.
- Pax Hermetica: The mage Trianoma has a vision of the collapse of the Hermetic Arts. She meets with the mage Bonisagus, who has developed the parma magica, a protective shield that allows mages to meet and share ideas without having to fear their fellows' magics. They gather eleven other mages at Durenmar to form a coalition of willworkers; these thirteen, the Founders, become the first Primi of the twelve founding Houses of the Order of Hermes. Pralix bani Tytalus founds the thirteen House, House Ex Miscellanea, not long after. The Order is tested with the Schism War that eradicates House Diedne, and again with the corruption and expulsion of House Tremere in the Massasa War. Ex-Hermetics band together with the Craftmasons to form the Order of Reason, which fires the first shots in the Ascension War when it levels the Covenant of Mistridge. The War forces the Order to join with other mages at the Grand Convocation, where the Council of Nine Mystic Traditions is formed. The nascent Traditions are quickly tested when the First Cabal is betrayed by Heylel Teomim; his Tradition, the Solificati, collapses.
- The Dwindling: Magic and mages are tested all over Europe as the Order of Reason tightens its grip over the world of academia. Paradox becomes a permanent aspect of magic. Occultism arises in the 19th century, breathing new life into Hermeticism. At the dawn of the 20th century, the Order of Reason transforms into the Technocracy. The Ahl-i-Batin quit the Traditions, and their Masters vanish. Over the last half of the century, secret societies and mysticism are fostered among Sleepers, in part through the Order's influence. Now, the Order must adapt to the changes in society and technology without losing sight of the fundamental mysteries.
Footnote 2: Conjunctiones Domesticae (Internal Relations)[]
Written by Nicky Rea. Life in the Order, from Apprenticeship to Mastery. This chapter touches on major concepts such as initiation, familiars, Sancta, Certámen, and Twilight (Quiet). A section on Hermetic Law features the Code of Hermes and the Order's internal regulations and punishments, from censure to Gilgul, as well as the roles of Hermetic offices such as the Tribune, Quaesitor and Primus.
Footnote 3: Hermetic Houses[]
Written by Beth Fischi. Profiles of the Houses of Hermes circa 1997: House Bonisagus, House Ex Miscellanea, House Flambeau, House Fortunae, House Janissary, House Quaesitor, House Shaea, House Thig, and House Tytalus.
Footnote 4: Conjunctiones Externae (External Relations)[]
Written by Jackie Cassada. Hermetic views on the other Traditions; Umbrood; Nephandi and Marauders; the undead and undying; Changing Breeds and the Fair Folk; the Technocratic Union; other groups (the Arcanum and the Society of Leopold); and the Sleepers.
Appendix: Ars Magicae et Miscellanea[]
Written by Mary Denning and Steve Long. A collection of rules and systems for Hermetic characters and chronicles. This chapter covers the Hermetic paradigm, degrees of initiation into the Order, the role of names in Hermeticism, the Enochian language, protocols for dealing with Umbrood, archetypal Hermetic character concepts, overviews of the Spheres and foci of Hermetic magic, a library of new rotes (including iconic spells like the Parma Magica), a suggested reading list, and an expanded character sheet.
- Rotes
- Dream Drama (
Forces, Mind, possibly with Correspondence) - Tower of Babel/Speak In Tongues ( Entropy, Forces, Mind)
- Compel the Unseen ( Prime, Spirit)
- Ignis (3 Forces, Prime)
- Lightning Gateway ( Forces, Correspondence, Prime)
- Parma Magica ( Prime)
- Phlogiston Manipulation ( Forces, Life, Prime, or Forces, Matter, Prime)
- Ward the Inner Sanctum ( Life, Correspondence)
- The Holy Pentacles ( Spirit)
- Time Lock ( Time, or Forces, possibly with Prime)
- Ball of Abysmal Flames ( Forces, or Prime, Time, Matter)
- Distill the Azoth Elixir ( Life, Prime, Matter, possibly with Spirit)
- Dream Drama (
- Suggested Reading
- Barrett, Francis. The Magus.
- Bell, Eric Temple. The Magick of Numbers.
- Budge, Sir Wallis. Egyptian Magic.
- Butler, E. M. The Myth of the Magus.
- Copenhaver, Brian P. Hermetica. The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in translation.
- Flowers, Stephen E., ed. Hermetic Magick: The Postmodern magickal Papyrus of Abaris.
- Fowden, Garth. The Egyptian Hermes: A Historical Approach to the Late Pagan Mind.
- Gager, John G., ed. Curse Tablets and Binding Spells from the Ancient World.
- Godwin, Joscelyn. Robert Fludd: Hermetic Philosopher and Surveyor of Two Worlds.
- Halevi, Z'ev ben Shimon. Kabbalah: Tradition of Hidden Knowledge.
- King, Francis. Magick: The Western Tradition.
- Klossowski de Rola, Stanislas. Alchemy: The Secret Art.
- Lawlor, Robert. Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice.
- Scott, Walter, ed. and trans. Hermetica: The Ancient Greek and Latin Writings Which Contain Religious or Philosophic Teachings Ascribed to Hermes Trismegistus.
- Supplements from the Ars Magica RPG; Tweet, Jonathan. The Order of Hermes: A Complete Society of Wizards in a Medieval Setting and House of Hermes.
- Van Gennep, Arnold. The Rites of Passage. Trans. by Monka B. Vizedom and Gabrielle L. Caffee.
- Waterfield, Robin, trans. The Theology of Arithmetic: On the Mystical, mathematical and Cosmological Symbolism of the First Ten Numbers.
- Webb, Don. The Seven Faces of Darkness: Practical Typhonian Magick.
Background Information[]
One of the more interesting aspects of this book was the "Phoenix Prophecy" (not to be confused with WTA's Prophecy of the Phoenix). Oddly enough, it wasn't in the original outline, and neither the developer nor any of the authors wrote it. It was added by Aileen E. Miles as she was doing the layout and typeface portion of the book.
The Prophecy of the Phoenix is written in an alchemy dingbat font in three parts: on page 6, on page 17, and on page 27. Using a simple substitution, it can be translated:
- Page 6: BE AWARE / THAT THE TIME / FOR THE / UNVEILING / OF THE TENTH / SPHERE IS NEAR / THE AHLIBATIN / HOLD THE KEY. This is some of the earliest Reckoning material for Mage, and is fairly true given the events of Ascension. It's notable that at this point in Mage, the Batini aren't even known for sure to still exist. It's understandable in hindsight why the "Phoenix" knows of their role, however, given her real identity.
- Page 17: THE AGE OF / EARTH DRAWS TO / A CLOSE THE / AGE OF FIRE / IS AT HAND / WHEN THE WORKS / OF MAN SHALL BE / CAST IN RUINS.
- Page 27: THE TIME OF / THE PHOENIX / IS UPON US AS / IT RISES / FROM THE ASHES / SO SHALL WE / EMERGE FROM / THE SHADOW OF / SCIENCE. This certainly becomes true as the Revised edition introduces many more groups within the Traditions which happily use modern technology for their own ends.
The Prophecy of the Phoenix would also appear in translated form in the Laws of Ascension Limited Edition's extra eight pages (pages 5 and 6).
Large portions of the history and structure of the Order up through 1197 are taken directly from White Wolf-published Ars Magica supplements, notably the Order of Hermes sourcebook. Other background material on the Order is adapted from the Mage sourcebook The Book of Chantries, and some material is borrowed from the original Clanbook: Tremere for Vampire: The Masquerade.
The authors thank Stephen Edred Flowers and Don Webb for permission to quote from their works.
Memorable Quotes[]
(...)
Characters[]
- Introduction
- Master Auris Galina Gritsenko
- Mahmet Kemal - Disciple
- Hornbook - Apprentice
- Himinis the Mad - House Verditius
- Master ter Hoorst - Died
- Master Porthos - Drua'shi leader
- Master sao Cristavao - House Tytalus
- Livius
- Geoffrey Twidmarch - House Merinita
- Caeron Mustai
- Master Leif Dinesen
- Footnote 1: Chronological Precis (History)
- Master Alonius
- Djhowtey
- Sesheta
- Fenicil, Primus bani Quaesitor
- Thoth/Thrice-Great Hemes
- Pharaoh Amenemhet I
- Solomon
- Lydian King Gyges
- Pharaoh Psammethicus I
- Pythagoras
- Plato
- Alexander the Great - Sleeper
- Plentarch - Magus
- Jesus
- Simon Magus
- Peter - Christian mystick
- Paul - Christian mystick
- Nero
- Apollonius of Tyana - Magus
- Lucius Apuleius - Magus
- Plotinus - Magus
- Hypatia - Neoplatonist Magus
- Cyril - Christian patriarch
- Merlinius - Archmagus
- Trianoma - Mercuric/Gnostic Mage
- Bonisagus
- Tremere
- Kwa Hu - Sorcerer-king
- Lorenzo Golo
- Simon de Laurent
- Yoasmy bani Ex Miscellanea
- Aelida, Lady of Feathers
- Andreas Litolff bani Bonisagus - died
- Baldric LaSalle - House Tytalus
- Gilles de Rais bani Ex Miscellanea - Becomes Nephandus
- Joan of Arc
- Lady Nightshade
- Valoran
- Master Louis DuMonte bani Quaesitor
- Heylel Teomim bani Solificati
- Master (Aureolus) Paracelsus - Bonisagus
- Johannes Faust, Disciple of Houst Tytalus, turns to diabolism
- Master John Dee bani Bonisagus
- Elizabeth I
- Edward Kelley
- Oliver Cromwell
- Charles I
- Count Saint-Germain
- Alessandro Cagliostro (Giuseppe Balsamo) - Awakened Mage
- Eliphs Levi
- Max Theon - Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, starts the Brotherhood of Eulis
- Paschal Beverly Randolph -Max's partner, starts the Brotherhood of Eulis
- Aleister Crowley
- Master Callistro bani Tytalus
- Creon the Sane bani Bonisagus
- Footnote 2: Conjunctiones Domesticae (Internal Relations)
- Master Ananiya Divraniya - Flambeau, Order of Sanguine Souls Leader
- Francis Bacon - Order of Reason
- Anton La Vey
- Footnote 3: Hermetic Houses
- Master Aram Marangoudakis bani Tytalus
- Phoebe Tetramagestus (Isabelle Hénault) - Bonisagus
- John Visballi - Bonisagus, Current leader of the Fraternal Society of Bonisagus
- Livia Margold - Bonisagus, Censured
- Pralix bani Tytalus
- Grimgroth
- Merinita
- Virgil Endrina - House Ex Miscellanea, leads the Society of the Esoteric Answer
- Flambeau
- Lucinda - House Flambeau
- Apromor - House Flambeau
- William Castille - House Flambeau
- Mack Freeman - House Flambeau, Society of the Case-Hardened Soul leader
- Proclus - House Fortune
- Hassam al-Jadidi ibnu Faridi - House Fortune
- Stephen Landon Masters - House Fortune
- Marianne Walking Cloud - House Fortune
- Dincer Albayrak - House Janissary
- Robin Herod - Former Verbena, House Janissary
- Geneva Bye - House Janissary
- Guernicus - House Quaesitor
- Duke Cornelius de Houtmann - Mage, Died
- Sultan of Kashan
- Bowzer Wowzer - Virtual Adept
- Parethis of Ephesus - House Quaesitor
- Anna "Annie Sisyhus" Hardwyck - House Quaesitor
- High Priestess Fatima Baijani of Sesmu - Cult of Seshat
- Footno
- Tutu
- Hau-hra
- Hemhemti
- Qetu
- Amam
- Saatetta
- Sekhem-hra
- Maraksha Kashaf - House Shaea, Leader
- Isis Samshen - House Shaea
- Donatia of Alexandria - House Shaea
- Lucian Dark - House Shaea
- Joseph Ryelander - House Thig, Died
- Sharad Osei - House Thig, Leader of the Providence Children
- Beulah Firth - House Thig, Leader of the Diamond Children
- Altimeas Cowling - House Thig, Leader of the Ruby Children
- Tytalus
- Appendix: Ars Magicae et Miscellanea
- Steven Carson or Amadeus Chanti DuMarque, bani Flambeau
Terminology[]
Glossarium Hermeticum: Anima (Ars Animae), Art (or Ars; pl. Artes; Magick; Sphere), Bani, Circlus Abstrusus, City of Pymander, Concordia (Ars Concordiae), Conjunctio (Ars Conjunctionis), Covenant, Domus Magnus, Enochian, Essentia (Ars Essentiae), Fatum (Ars Fati), Heka, Instruments, Manes (Ars Manium), Massasa, Maters, Materia (Ars Materiae), Mens (Ars Mentis), Mi'ahs, Parma Magica, Pater, Praxis, Sa, Sancta, Tempus (Ars Temporis), Twilight, Vis (Ars Vis); 3500 BCE, 2500 BCE, 2000 BCE, 1970 BCE, 950 BCE, 660 BCE, 560 BCE, 545 BCE, 525 BCE, 500 BCE, 485 BCE, 410 BCE, 400 BCE, 332 BCE, 150 BCE, 28, 30, 56, 96, 124, 150, 170, 200, 368, 385, 389, 400, 412, 415, 730, 731, 752, 760, 767, 772, 781, 787, 798, 807, 810, 814, 816, 817, 836, 843, 848, 875, 876, 891, 940, 1003, 1006, 1012, 1022, 1047, 1066, 1067, 1095, 1100s, 1188, 1192, 1199, 1200s, 1201, 1210, 1214, 1325 (March 25), 1330 (March 21), 1348, 1350, 1352, 1393, 1400, 1403, 1410, 1412, 1427, 1429, 1431, 1440, 1448, 1457, 1458, 1449, 1450, 1453, 1456, 1464, 1465, 1466, 1470, 1471, 1482, 1488, 1491, 1493, 1500s, 1509, 1527, 1535, 1541, 1585, 1593, 1600s, 1601, 1608, 1645 (June 14), 1682, 1700s, 1712, 1716, 1733, 1736, 1750, 1762, 1764, 1770, 1771, 1784, 1785, 1786, 1789, 1800s, 1810, 1820, 1822, 1825, 1833, 1846, 1847, 1860s, 1866, 1870s, 1875, 1877, 1885, 1890s, 1904, 1910, 1921, 1922, 1927, 1933, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1950s, 1952, 1954, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1990s, 1995, 1996, 1997, Acousmatics, Africa, Ahl-i-Batin, Akashic Brotherhood, Alexandria, Apep, Arcanum, Asia, Assyria, Athens, Babylon, Barcelona, Berlin, Bombay, Boulogne, Breslau, Britain, Bubasti, Burlington, Byblos, Cabals: Fraternal Society of Bonisagus, Society of the Esoteric Answer, Society of the Case-Hardened Soul, Drua'shi, Order of Sanguine Souls, Ruby Children, Diamond Children, Providence Children, Cleisthenic Clinic, Domus Magnus Tytali of Fudarus; Caern, Camarilla, Cambridge, Cathari, Certámen, Changeling, Chantry Oxford, Chantry Sangreal, Children of Knowledge, Code of Hermes, Collegium, ComNet International Construct, Constantinople, Covenant Vapeur, Convention of the White Tower, Corpus Hermeticum, Corrigenda, Council of Nine, Council of Nine Mystick Traditions, Craft/Shadow/True Names, Craftmasons, Croton, Cult of Mercury, Cult of Seshat, Digital Web, Doissetep, Domremy, Dositheus sect, Durenmar (Duren), Duresca scrolls, Egypt, England, Ephesus, Electrodyne Engineers, Europe, The Fall (Battle of Naseby), Familiar, First Cabal, Forces, Fors Collegis Mercuris, Fragile Ones, The Fragile Path (1995), France, Garou, The Gavel, Germany, Gerona, Gilgul, Grand Convocation, Grand/Great Tribunal, Greece, Greenwich, Hedge Magic, Hermetic Degrees (Neophyte, Zelator, Practicus, Premie), Horizon, Houses: House Bonisagus (Bonisagi, Researchers, the Scattered, Ivory Towers, Pointy Hats), House Castrovinci, House Ex Miscellanea (Order of Miscellany, "misk" mages, Hodgepodge, House Salada, Rabble), House Flambeau (House Ignis, Flame mages, Apromorians, Nukes), House Fortunae (Fati, Fortune mages, House of Luck, Numismancers, Arithmosophists, Numerologists), House Janissary (Ianisari, Janissaries, Jassassins), House Quaesitor (Quaesitors, Judges, Praetor(e)s, Magistrati, House of Judges, Ma'ati, Bulldogs), House Shaea (Shaea, Serket, Sesmu, Seshati, House of Seshat, House of the Crescent Moon), House Thig (Thigs, Crucible of Thig, The Children, Hitler Youth), House Tytalus (Tytalans, Tyrali, Followers of Tytalus, Generals, Majordomos, Caesars, Red Breeches); House Bjornaer, House Criamon, House Díedne, House Jerbiton, House Merinita, House Tremere, House Verditius, India, "Inquiries Into the Distinctness of Natural Philosophy and Divine Wisdom" by Andreas Litolff, Inquisition, Ironsides (Order of Reason puppets), Isis Cult, Israel, Italy, Jeweled Moon of Pejeng (Talisman), Kindred, Kitab al Alacir, Lan Na Thau, London, Lorraine, Macedonia, Maddengofen Woods, Manchester, Marseilles, Massasa War, Mathematicals, Mediterranean, Mercury, Metropolis2, Middle East, Mistridge, Mistridge Tribunal, Mitternacht Construct, Moluccas, Mythic Age, Mythic Europe, Mythic Remnants, Narbonne, Natural Philosophers' Guild, Nemrut Dagi, Neo-Platonism, Normandy, Order of Hermes, Order of Reason, Palermo, Papyrus of Nesi-Amsu, Paraenesis Primus (Book), Paris, Pennsylvania, Peripheral Corrigenda to the Code of Hermes, Philadelphia, Phoenicia, Primi, Prolegomenon (Book), Providence, Pythagoreans, Realm of Mus, Resolutions & Protocols, Rhode Island, Rome, Sabbat, Schism War, Second Mistridge Tribunal, Shade Realm of Forces, Sixth century, Sleepers, Society of Leopold, Solificati, Sons of Ether, Studia Generalia, Stuttgart, Sub Rosa, Sumer, Syria, Tarsus, Technocratic Union, Tehran, Tellurian, Thailand, Thaumaturgy, Thebes, Thoabath, Thothian, Transylvania, Tremere, Tribunal, Turkey, Tyre, Tzimisce, Uludag Construct, Umbrood (Lord, Minion, Preceptor), Vampire, Virtual Adepts, Waldenses, Washington, Westphalia, White Roster of Celebrants, World War II, Wu Keng, Wu Lung,
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