- 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.
| Concepts: | Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein•Hagen |
| Written by: | Jonathan Tweet |
| Development: | Mark Rein•Hagen |
| Editing: | Mark Rein•Hagen, John Brandt, Lisa Stevens |
| Layout: | Nicole Lindroos |
| Cover Art: | Richard Thomas |
| Title Logo: | Richard Thomas |
| Interior Art: | Josh Timbrook |
| House Logos: | Richard Thomas |
| Hand Gestures: | Charles Wright |
| Ars Magica Created by: | Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein•Hagen |
| Special thanks to: | Kurt Hartwig, for House Tremere; to "Woody" Eblom, for Pendule; to Rich Rydberg for the Traditionalists and Transitionalists; to Nicole Lindroos, the first Praeco; and to Andreas Wichter, for details on Durenmar. |
| Thanks to: | John Porter, Mike Halse & Lisa Stevens |
| Etiam Agimus Gratias Amicis Nostris Magnis | Eric Aasland, John Brandt, Marty Dennis, Darin Eblom, Glenn Elliott, Jim Flenders, Derek Greco, Matthew Gress, Deej Heath, Kristin Hagen, Mark Hagen, Kurt Hartwig, Peter Hentges, Nicole Lindroos, Dar Lund, John Nephew, Lisa Paulson, Victor Raymond, Rich Rydberg, Lisa Stevens, John Sunderland, Kirsten Swingle, Bruce Tarnopolski, Richard Thomas, Roser Trepat, Jonathan Tweet, Joel Wegner, Stewart Wieck, Kevin Weiner and Charles Wright |
| Special, special thanks to: Mark "The only magus in House Diedre" Rein•Hagen for having the faith in Jonathan and giving up his "baby." Jonathan "What do you mean the disk I sent you was blank" Tweet" for putting together and excellent manuscript and finishing a product that was on the drawing board for two years. John "What do you mean, you want to change filius, filia, filii" Brandt for his historical editing, Latin proficiency, and moral support for our production staff. Bruce "The count is 1-0-6-6" Tarnopolski, for his secret side bet with Mark (I hope you win, Bruce). Josh "I'll get back to work as soon as this Japanese animation flick is over" Timbrook, for jumping in and doing the artwork under pressing circumstances. Nicole "No art!! How can I do layout without the art?" Lindroos for her enthusiasm in doing the layout and the great job she's doing with it. Lisa "Look, I'll get to it after I'm through with Challenge and Origins, but before Tempest and GenCon, while I'm eating and talking on the phone......!!!" Stevens for juggling several hundred projects at the same time and still managing to keep part of her sanity intact. Richard "O.K., O.K.!! I'll get you the cover in 5 days!!" Thomas for his patience, hard work, and understanding in dealing with a young company. | |
| Lion Rampant would like to make a special dedication of this supplement to Mickey Thomas, whose courage and perseverance in the face of adversity set a standard for us all to pattern out lives after. We'll miss you Mickey. | |
| Publisher: | Lion Rampant |
| Published: | 1990 |
| Pages: | 126 |
| Year: | 1199 |
| Publication #: | LR 1020 |
| PDF: | DriveThruRPG 
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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