Maisons d’Hermes

This article is about the group of present and past houses that comprise the Order of Hermes. For the 1994 Supplement by Wizards of the Coast, see Houses of Hermes Book.

Dans la plupart des sagas d’Ars Magica, l’Ordre d’Hermès est composé de douze « maisons ». (Depending on the time period of the saga, there may be thirteen instead, plus any unofficial Houses the players may have invented for themselves)

Houses are groups of magi who are somehow related; they are something like noble families, though their members (usually) trace their lineage through apprenticeship rather than blood.

Les Douze Maisons

Maison Bjornaer : A Mystery Cult descended from Germanic magi and capable of taking the form of an animal called the "heartbeast."

Maison Bonisagus : A True Lineage decended from the founder of the Order. This house is a mix of magical researchers and statesmen.

Maison Criamon : A Mystery House of enigmatic magi who frequently work in riddles and question the nature of reality.

Maison Ex Miscellanea : An eclectic House of magi from many different traditions, some of them non-Hermetic. In ArM5, this is a Societas.

Maison Flambeau : A Society of warrior magi, often specializing in the Arts of Ignem or Perdo.

Maison Guernicus : A True Lineage of Quaesitors, the judges of the Order. In ArM4 and earlier, it was known as House Quaesitor.

Maison Jerbiton : A Society of magi interested in Mundane culture, arts and society.

Maison Mercere : The messengers and merchants of the Order, this True Lineage includes many unGifted redcaps and some magi.

Maison Merinita : A Mystery Cult interested in the Faerie Realm.

Maison Tremere : A highly organized, hierarchical House with strong political influence. In ArM5, it is a True Lineage.

Maison Tytalus : A Society of magi whose members share a philosophy of thriving on conflict.

Maison Verditius : A Mystery House whose members excel in making enchanted devices.

La Treizième Maison

In addition, earlier in the history of Mythic Europe, there was a thirteenth House called House Diedne. It was destroyed in the Schism War. House Diedne is also referred to as the Nameless House.^{[citation needed]}

Références

Cinquième édition

The categorization of Houses into True Lineages, Societates, and Mystery Houses was introduced. (ArM5, p. 223)

In Fifth Edition, House Quaesitor was renamed to House Guernicus.

The following Fifth Edition supplements relate to Houses:

• Houses of Hermes: True Lineages covering House Bonisagus, House Guernicus, House Mercere and House Tremere.
• Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults covering House Bjornaer, House Criamon, House Merinita, and House Verditius.
• Houses of Hermes: Societates covering House Flambeau, House Jerbiton, House Tytalus, and House Ex Miscellanea.

Interim entre Troisième édition et Quatrième édition

Wizards of the Coast published a supplement that described the Houses in detail: Houses of Hermes. It billed itself as a Fourth Edition source book, but was published before any Fourth Edition core rule book. When Atlas Games began the Fourth Edition line, Houses of Hermes was considered mostly compatible.

Seconde édition

Houses were described in the Second Edition supplement, Order of Hermes

Première édition

Houses did not exist in First Edition. Magi were generally categorized by their favored Arts instead.