- This article is about the Ars Magica sourcebook. For the Mage sourcebooks, see Order of Hermes Tradition Book and the revised Tradition Book: Order of Hermes.
The Order of Hermes is the first sourcebook fully detailing the magi of the titular Order of Hermes, the protagonists of Ars Magica. Not only did the detail presented in this book inform the entirety of the Ars Magica game line that followed, but the factional conflicts laid out herein also informed the structure and history of the World of Darkness that followed, particularly as they relate to the Order of Hermes as depicted in Mage: The Ascension and to the Tremere of Vampire: The Masquerade.
Overview[]
From the Lion Rampant catalog:
- The Order of Hermes
- "For long we have ignored these wizards, thinking them to be misguided spirits, but I have found them to be potent practitioners of the magical arts and to be feared... These magi have the peculiar belief that they are somehow above other folk, that they have loftier thoughts and ideals and have access to knowledge beyond mortal ken. They are arrogant, haughty, and have clearly forgotten our Lord's words about such vanities. I urge you most strenuously, Reverend Father, keep a watchful eye.
- Brother Reginald of Avignon
- Year of Our Lord, 1182
- The Tradition of Magic
- This long awaited supplement, is not just another "background" book. Describing a fantastic society of wizards, it will add an amazing level of depth, realism, and charm to the wizards of your roleplaying campaign. The mysteries of apprenticeship, the ambitions of potent magicians, their views of "lesser" non-magical society, and the long, hard path from apprenticeship to Arch-Mage all come to life within these pages. This supplement gives magicians the broader scope and detail that such interesting characters deserve. You are given and inside (and rare) look into a most secretive institution and its members, the enigmatic Order of Hermes, making it an invaluable supplement for any roleplaying game. Herein is a complete and detailed description of an arcane society of wizard - your magus will never be the same.
- Includes:
- A complete history of the Order
- Detailed descriptions of all 13 Houses
- An expansive Hermetic Glossary
- A copy of the entire Code of Hermes
- List and description of all 13 Tribunals
- Information on the clothing, greetings, and habits of the magi
- Scores of ideas, leads, and clues for stories and adventures
Contents[]
Preface[]
Introduction[]
Life of a Magus[]
- Before Apprenticeship
- Apprenticeship
- Peculiarities of the Gift
- Becoming a Magus
- Life as a Magus
- Covenant Relations
- House Relations
- Friendship
- Titles of Honor
- Wizard's Twilight
History of the Order[]
- Ancient Origins
- Legend of the Old Ones
- The First Tribunal
- Hermetic Magic
- The Seekers
- The Early Days
- The Schism War
- Magic of Pendule
- Legends of the Order
Politics[]
- The Code of Hermes
- The Peripheral Code
- Crime and Punishment
- High Crimes
- Low Crimes
- Wizard's War
- Tribunals
- Customs of the Tribunal
- The Leader of the Tribunal
- Voting
- The Quaesitor
- Topics of Debate
- The Grand Tribunal
The Thirteen Tribunals[]
- Tribunal of the Greater Alps
- Hibernian Tribunal
- Iberian Tribunal
- Tribunal of the Levant
- Loch Leglean Tribunal
- Normandy Tribunal
- Novgorod Tribunal
- Provençal Tribunal
- Rhine Tribunal
- Roman Tribunal
- Treaty of the Roman Tribunal
- Stonehenge Tribunal
- Tribunal of Thebes
- Transylvanian Tribunal
- Covenants of Hibernia
- The Thirteen Tribunals
Outside Relations[]
- Relations with Society
- Non-Hermetic Magi
- Relations with Faeries
- Demons
Houses of Hermes[]
- House Format
- House Bjornaer
- The Magical Hand Gestures
- House Bonisagus
- Classic Puzzles in Magic Theory
- House Criamon
- Riddle and Markings
- House Díedne
- House Ex Miscellanea
- House Flambeau
- House Jerbiton
- House Mercere
- House Merinita
- House Quaesitor
- The Quaesitoris as Judges
- House Tremere
- House Tytalus
- The Runes Of Verditius
- House Verditius
- Timeline of the Order
- Number of Living Magi, 1199 A.D. 123
Hermetic Glossary[]
Background Information & Trivia[]
Some of the content from the book was previously published in the following White Wolf Magazine Issue: #16 'Houses of Hermes' (1989).
This is the earliest Ars Magica book to make the connection of House Tremere to vampires, a year before Vampire: The Masquerade (See Memorable Quotes).
The back of the book has a list of available Rampant Lion products: Ars Magica Revised Edition, Saga Pack, Covenants, Broken Covenant of Calebais 2nd edition, The Tempest, Challenge, Bard's Song: Battle Cry, Story Paths: Path of Horror and Path of Intrigue.
Memorable Quotes[]
"Recent news from the Transylvania Tribunal says that a small enclave of Tremere magi have become vampires. Apparently, they have given up some of their freedom to seek immortality and increased power. The Transylvania Tribunal is far enough from centers of Hermetic power and House Tremere is still influential enough that it might be a long time before any concrete action is taken. If the vampires are found to be diabolic in nature, they will be destroyed. If they are not, then the Quaesitoris might have to call a Quaesitoris' Tribunal to settle the matter." - Page 107
Characters[]
- Brother Reginald of Avignon
- Vancasitum - Magus
- Coracol - House Tytalus, Magi
- Muriena - Magi
- Samantha - Grimgoth's Familiar
- Plentarch - High priest of the Cult of Mercury
- Tarhutis - "Outsider", Tahuti, Thoth, Hermes, Mercury, First Magus
- Arch-Mage Infamitus
- Avarret, current Primus of Bonisagus
- Pendule - Non-Hermetic Magus
- Hercilion - Magus
- Hernis, Filis of Dorin - Follower of Tytalus, Renounced, Died
- Fax Ignis - House Flambeau Magi
- Pisitulus - House Flambeau Magi
- Forcus - House Tytalus, Magi, Died
- Bjornaer - Founder of House Bjornaer, Magi
- Gettra - House Bjornaer Magi
- Marien - Filius of Syristes, Follower of Bjornaer, Magi
- Bonisagus - Founder of House Bonisagus, Magi
- Trianoma - House Bonisagus Magi
- Azaer - Filius of Davnavolus, Follower of Bonisagus , Magi
- Criamon - Founder of House Criamon, Magi
- Julisata - House Criamon, Magi
- Verderis - House Criamon, Magi
- Iamitu'krielle - House Criamon, Magi
- Helintia - Filius of Hurimbel, Follower of Criamon, Magi
- Pralix - Filia of Tytalus, Founder of House Ex Miscellanea, Magi
- Firento - House Ex Miscellanea, Magi
- Dernia the Witch - Filia of Madelle, Member of House Ex Miscellanea, Magi
- Trentus - Filius of Vermbar, Follower of Flambeau, Magi
- Arch-Mage Grimgroth - Filius of Consuelia, Follower of Jerbiton, Magi
- Mercere - House Mercere Founder, Magi
- Aldico - House Mercere, Magi
- Belín - House Mercere, Redcap, Died
- Bernil - Filius of Dermen, Follower of Mercere, Magi
- Merinita - Founder of House Merinita, Magi
- Quendalon - House Merinita, Magi (Possibly a Changeling)
- Mendalus - House Merinita, Magi
- Zurenzialle - House Merinita, Magi (Elf)
- Urziffil - Filius of Jerga, Follower of Merinita, Magi
- Guernicus - Founder of House Quaesitor, Magi
- Fenicil - House Quaesitor, Magi
- Simprin - House Quaesitor, Magi, Starts Transitionalist Faction
- Hariel - House Quaesitor, Magi
- Tresmillia - Filia of Jersta, Follower of Guernicus, Magi
- Tremere - Founder of House Tremere, Magi
- Cercistum - House Tremere, Magi
- Arch-Mage Ladkyis - Filia of Numen, Follower of Tremere, Magi
- Tytalus - Founder of House Tytalus, Magi, Disappears
- Hariste - House Tytalus, Magi
- Tasgillia - House Tytalus, Magi, Diabolist
- Erat Caecus - Filius of Coracol, Follower of Tytalus, Blind Magi
- Verditius - Founder of House Verditius, Magi
- Fenistour - House Verditius, Magi, Invented Spell Foci
- Himinis the Mad - House Verditius, Magi
- Tierent - House Verditius, Magi
- Retistius - Filius of Miercus, Follower of Verditius, Magi
- Dav'nalleous - Sorcerer, Non-Hermetic Magi, Died
- Nuinsil - House Criamon Magi
Terminology[]
1182, 767, Aerarius Praefectus, Affinity, Age of Aries, Amicus, Animál, Apprentice, Apprentice's Gauntlet, Aquam, Arch-Mage, Ashenrise Covenant (Destroyed), Autocrat, Auram, Bellaquin Covenant, Blood Brother, Calebais Covenant, Cave of Twisting Shadows, Certámen, Chariot of Verditius, Code of Hermes, Concilium, Consors, Covenant, Conventus, Córporem, Credo, Cult of Mercury, Demons, Diabolists, Doissetep, Dominion, Domus Magnus, Dragons, Durenmar, Duresca scrolls, Eyes of Quendalon, Faeries, Familiar, Filius/filia, Follower, Form, Formulaic Magic, Founder, Ghost, Gift, Grand Tribunal, Grog, Hernam, Hermetic Name, Hibernia, Holy Roman Empire, House, House Bjornaer, House Bonisagus, House Criamon, House Díedne, House Ex Miscellanea, House Flambeau, House Jerbiton, House Mercere, House Merinita, House Quaesitor, House Tremere, House Tytalus, House Verditius, Iberia, Ignem, Imágonem, Intéllego, Laboratory, Lariander Covenant, Magi/Magus, Mentem, Mistridge, Mortal, Mundane, Muto, Mythic Europe, Old Ones, Orbus, Order of Hermes, Parma Magica, Parens, Pater/Mater, Pawn, Perdo, Pillars of Heracles, Pontifex, Praeco, Primus, Quaesitor, Raw Vis, Redcap, Rego, Renunciation, Salve sodale, Sanctum, Schism War, Seasons, The Seekers, Sigil, Sodalis, Spell, Spontaneous Magic, Staff of Seven Fires, Tagelyn Covenant, Technique, Terram, Tertius Quid (Forest), Transitionalist Faction, The Travels of Fedoso by Verderis (Book), Tribunal, The True Origins of the Magical Traditions by Arch-Mage Infamitus (Tome), Val-Nagra Covenant, Vim, Vis, Wizard's March, Wizard's Twilight, Wizard's War,
References[]
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