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Order of Hermes

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LogoTradOrderofHermes
Name: Hermetic
Plural: Hermetics
Pronunciation: ohr'-dur uv hur'-meez
Nicknames:
Seat: Forces
Faction: Council of Nine Mystic Traditions

Contents

Paradigm Edit

Hermetic philosophy is complex and many-layered. At the heart, the Hermetics profess the drive to perfection. This drive manifests through trials, tests, self-discovery, and the rejoining of fragmented patterns like disparate languages or mathematical conundrums. Ideally, each individual has a Word, a divine imperative that drives the figure's revelations. By exploring the boundaries of that Word and all of its meanings, the individual rises to his inner nature, then beyond. Each step in the process is a challenge that requires a leap of perception but also opens the way to the next path. Eventually, the human passes far enough to become something cosmically divine.

History Edit

Early History Edit

The Tradition traces its roots to the Sumer and ancient Egypt of 5000 years ago around the time when the first writing systems were developed. Before written language, names were thought to be inherent to the objects they designated as reflections of their true natures. With writing as an ability to catch and manipulate names, the scribe was able to imprison the object and manipulate its very nature. The catching of names was considered a magical act in ancient societies so the ability to write was reserved for the clergy under the direct influence of gods of wisdom and magic such as Thoth.

Letters provided useful metaphors for abstract concepts, so for the first time in history thinkers were able to ascend from the physical world into whole new realms of ideas. First, Plato formed the theory of realism that allowed a secular paradigm for controlling every element of reality. Mystics then equated ideals with divinity developing manicheic, gnostic, neoplatonic and other dualistic theories around 2nd century CE. But the great intellectual upsurge of the 2nd century was soon squashed by the rapid expansion of Christianity which strove for orthodoxy in the Mediterranean region. Soon Rome fell and Western civilization fell onto Dark Times. Hermetic scholars fragmented, the sharing of ideas halted and wizards secluded themselves in their towers for protection and to study free of the Church's inquiry.

From the summonings of Babylonian priests to Egyptian priest's divining the Nile's flooding from stars to Solomon's seals, which gave him control over world, it was the time of the greatest mages of Western tradition. It was also the time when the greatest grimoires and talismans were created. However, apart from Solomon we don't know their names and so the body of knowledge consisting of theurgia, goetia, astrology and alchemy was known as the work of a single Ascended being called Hermes Trismegistus.

Dark Ages Edit

Formally founded in 767.

Twelve Founding Houses:

  • 1003
    • House Diedne accused of diabolism by Tremere. Destroyed in the Schism War by Flambeau, Tremere, Tytalus.
LogoHousesofHermes
Order of Hermes, c. 1220
IanWatsonAdded by IanWatson
  • 1199
    • The Order of Hermes discovers House Tremere's vampirism.
  • 1200s
    • House Jerbiton adopted into Ex Miscellanea, the first Founding House to be so "demoted."
  • 1220
    • Default start date for Ars Magica (beginning with the third edition).
LogoFellowshipHermes
Order of Hermes, c. 1230
IanWatsonAdded by IanWatson
  • 1300s
    • Founding House Merinita adopted into Ex Miscellanea.

Renaissance Edit

Houses as of 1400:

LogoTradOrderofHermesSC
Order of Hermes, c. 1466
IanWatsonAdded by IanWatson
  • 1600s
    • House Verditius adopted into Ex Miscellanea.
  • 1630
    • House Mercere adopted into Ex Miscellanea.
  • 1700
    • House Validas accused of diabolism, wiped out.
  • 1780
    • House Ziracah wiped out in Hellfire Club incident.

Victorian Age Edit

Houses as of 1800:

Modern Nights Edit

As of Mage's First Edition (1993), the roster of the Order is as follows:

This roster remains the same through First Edition and much of Second Edition, changing only during the Reckoning:

Organization Edit

The Order of Hermes is, without a doubt, the most hierarchical of the Traditions. Initiates and Apprentices must serve under a mentor, who teaches the basics of magical theory and practice. After a grueling apprenticeship (traditionally, up to seven years, but often cut short in the heyday of the modern world), the supplicant challenges for recognition as a full magus — a challenge that can end with a return to apprenticeship, or even with death. Once accepted, each mage has his own sigil, a symbol of the individual's achievements. Although all mages theoretically have the authority to vote in Hermetic meetings, politics run at the pace set by the Masters and the ambitious. More than once, political leverage has shoved aside the potential for moral or material growth. Each step up the ladder of the Order reveals greater mysteries but also makes the student more beholden to the Tradition as a whole. Those who achieve Mastery are lauded for their high place and given the respect due their powers, but they can also expect to garner political opponents. Each Master is, in turn, expected to recruit and train a new apprentice or set of students. The cycle continues, with members indoctrinated into the Order's secrets but becoming steadily more embroiled in its internal struggles.

The Order of Hermes has a detailed code of conduct that lays out the basis of internal magical dealings. Among other things, Hermetic mages consider sanctums to be inviolate, they are forbidden from magical scrying upon other Hermetics, they are expected to train at least one apprentice, and they are forbidden from dealing with Infernal entities. Of course, these rules all bow to one simple axiom: don't get caught. Corruption of many sorts is rife within the Order. Breaking the rules isn't as punishable as breaking the rules in a politically unacceptable way.

Matters may change soon in the Order, though. With the death of experienced teachers and Masters on Earth, new mages must learn from the often-fragmentary knowledge of the remaining Disciples. Cut off from traditional support, political factions in the Order find no choice but to put aside their differences or go out in a blaze of glory. The Order finds that it has no choice but to pull together, and its many members are creating for themselves a new vision of the Tradition.

Sects Edit

See history above. A list of all known Houses follows.

Version Differences Edit

Dark Ages: Mage Fellowships

Ahl-i-Batin · Craftmasons · Order of Hermes · Messianic Voices · Old Faith · Spirit-Talkers · Valdaermen

Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade Traditions

Ahl-i-Batin · Akashic Brotherhood · Chakravanti · Chœur Céleste · Dream-Speakers · Order of Hermes · Seers of Chronos · Solificati · Verbenae

Mage: The Ascension Traditions

Akashic Brotherhood · Celestial Chorus · Cult of Ecstasy · Dreamspeakers · Euthanatoi · Order of Hermes · Sons of Ether · Verbena · Virtual Adepts · Hollow Ones

This article is incomplete.

This page has been identified as lacking essential detail, and as such needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.
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