Schism War

Perhaps the single defining event in the history of the Order of Hermes since its foundation, the Schism War wiped House Diedne from the Order and had substantial ramifications for many of the Order's institutions and organizations.

The conflict escalated slowly, growing mainly out of mistrust from the Latinate House of Tremere towards the Druidic House of Diedne, who were accused of practicing human sacrifice. The Schism War happened in early eleventh century. It caused the cancellation of many of the Regional Tribunals of 1004 and reached a point of no return when House Tremere declared war on House Diedne in 1010, soon to be followed by Houses Flambeau and Jerbiton.

Magi Trianomae of House Bonisagus then convinced the Primus of House Guernicus to call for an emergency Grand Tribunal of resolution instead of the Regular Tribunal that would otherwise happen in 1011. The Primi of Houses Bonisagus and Mercere quickly agreed, and the Grand Tribunal eventually decided by a close vote to renounce House Diedne entirely.

The Schism War was terribly divisible and remains a haunting memory to this day.

The Houses and the Schism War

• House Diedne was by all appearances destroyed as a direct result of the Schism War, after being under suspicion of diabolism and human sacrifice. Its Quaesitor represented it in the Grand Tribunal of 1011 and was apprisoned at Magvillus immediately after the renunciation. The resulting war between House Diedne and the Order of Hermes was eventually resolved by a ritual involving the traitorous human sacrifice of the representative by Guernicus Primus Antonius himself.
• House Tremere was the main accuser, albeit unofficially and by way of the Wizard Wars between its members and those of House Diedne, until it finally decreed war against House Diedne in 1010. When the Grand Tribunal of 1011 was called, the Primi of Houses Diedne and Tremere were the only one not called to participate (although they were still represented by their respective Quaesitors). Half the Magi of House Tremere died during the War, and the conflict went a long way towards restoring the pride that they had lost due to the Sundering and the intrigue it exposed.
• House Tytalus was headed at the time by fifth Prima Kalliste, who was widely mistrusted in her own House and perceived to be following the lead of House Guernicus meekly. Before the Schism War was fully resolved, Kalliste was murdered by a filius of her successor, Klynoites the sixth Prima.
• House Guernicus, headed by Primus Antonius, attempted a peaceful solution and ended up assaulting House Diedne among terrible internal conflict. The decision of the Grand Tribunal of 1011 resulted in war between House Diedne and the Order of Hermes, eventually resolved by a ritual involving the secret and traitorous human sacrifice of the Diedne representative by Guernicus Primus Antonius himself. However, the conflict was generally for the House's benefit in that it restored the perception of importance of the Quaesitors.
• House Ex Miscellanea was headed by Primus Basilicus, who was to participate in the fateful Grand Tribunal of 1011 carrying a considerable number of proxy sigils that might have turned the tide of decision. Unfortunately, he did never arrived, at least in able time.
• House Flambeau, headed by Primus Entisimon, generally approved of the War and enabled it by having many among its ranks decree Wizard Wars against members of House Diedne. Eventually Entisimon rallied the whole House against House Diedne at a famous speech at Val-Negra.
• House Jerbiton largely kept apart, choosing instead to help in the period of reconstruction.
• House Bonisagus was terribly divided by the conflict, widening the rift between the Trianoma and Bonisagus factions, and leading to the abdication of Primus Thamus Collis after the renunciation of House Diedne.
• House Mercere was already well-established in its role of running communications within the Order of Hermes, and was instrumental in the calling of the Grand Tribunal of 1011.
• House Bjornaer, being non-Roman itself, decided early on to retreat into Crintera for well over a decade and ended up largely avoiding the whole conflict.
• House Verditius remained unattached and uninvolved with any accusations or hostilities during the whole period.
• House Merinita kept some degree of sympathy for House Diedne during the whole period, even after the Renunciation, which was opposed by Prima Rhiannon.

Previous Editions

• In ArM4 the Schism War is described in page 233 and specified to happen in early eleventh century.

See Also

• The Sundering of House Tremere in the ninth century, perhaps the first great crisis in the history of the Order of Hermes.
• The Corruption of House Tytalus of the tenth century, the next great crisis (which preceded the Schism War).