The Contested Isle Ch 4

Hermetic Culture

The druid asked the king what he had seen in his vision, and Eochaid told him that he had dreamed of a great flock of black birds that came forth from the depths of the ocean and lay siege upon the people of Ireland and brought them to conflict and turmoil and confusion, so that the people were destroyed, yet one of them struck the noblest of the birds and cut off one of its wings.

When the king had finished telling of his dream, the druid told him its meaning, saying that a great host of warriors would come forth over the sea and that they possessed vast knowledge of sorcery and magical enchantment and that they would conquer Ireland.

— Lebor Feasa Runda

Hibernia is a contradictory beast; old and rediscovered, conservative yet strange, and its magi permit conflict among themselves while protecting minor magical traditions from harm. The most obvious divide, however, is between the native Irish magi and those newly arrived from the continent, following in the wake of the English invasion.

Separated by custom, if not distance, Hibernia had fallen away from the rest of the Order for many years and its magi developed their own culture, still Hermetic but different from the continent. The newcomers view these ways as outdated, nonsensical, and often beneath the dignity of the Order of Hermes. Were the Tribunal blessed with more land then the two sides might have found easier accommodation, but as it is both sides must choose either to find an uneasy accommodation or to press for dominance.

A Conflicted Tribunal

When the people of Nemed heard Fionntan's counsel, dissension broke out among them, as a faction arose who felt that they should not flee from Ireland but rather they should do battle with the Fomórach and take the land by force of arms. — Lebor Feasa Runda

The covenant of Praesis has fallen to the English. Occupied by Irish magi for generations, Praesis was besieged by young magi who came to Ireland to claim land. They endured a year-long Wizard War, including frequent magical skirmishes, before a betrayal from within finally overturned the covenant.

Behind this conflict was the peculiar nature of the Hibernian Tribunal. Land exists to be protected and challenged. Covenants are not the sum of their members; they are the result of ancient and powerful artifacts chosen to symbolize the covenant. And the standing of the magi relies not on their learning but on how well they protect and provide for their own.

Any magus unable to protect his land is not worthy of that land. That is fundamental to the Order in Ireland, and it is also the means by which magi from the continent have gained a foothold in the Tribunal, earning their share of its magical riches.

The siege of Praesis involved magi of the Ordo Hiberniae, as the native Hermetic magi term themselves, and the continental magi, termed the English by the Ordo Hiberniae. But those who besieged Praesis were not universally foreign. Some were born to generations of Irish magi, yet saw the conflict as a means to rail against centuries of restrictive tradition, an attitude that is currently growing among these younger magi.

And while Praesis fell, its siege continues to be a point about which the Tribunal turns. If, as they did at Praesis, the Ordo Hiberniae loses control of the Tribunal, then centuries of tradition may be overturned within a generation.

This leaves Hibernia with two principle Hermetic factions vying for their own view of Hermetic life in the Tribunal. While those conflicts play out politically, they are also played out in the direct and rash actions of wilder magi, with Praesis and Connacht as their focus.

A Land Where History Repeats Itself

Ireland is a land where history is known to repeat. As detailed in Chapter 2: History, the early lineages succumbed to disease and plague, while successive later invasions established kingdoms before being swept aside by newcomers to the island. This is not lore, but truth.

The Treaty of Cnoc Maol Réidh (kuh-NOK MEEL RAY) is a centuries-old agreement between the Order of Hermes and the native magical traditions that grants Connacht irrevocably to those native traditions of Ireland. When the Order took hold in Ireland, the druids were pushed aside but they were granted Connacht as a means to seal the peace. Just as the Fomórach were driven to the north, the Fir Bolg to the west, the Tuatha Dé to the otherworld, and the native druids pushed back to Connacht, some believe that the Ordo Hiberniae will also be forced to retreat to Connacht leaving the recently-arrived continental magi to inherit the rest of Ireland. It can already be seen in the conquest of the English nobles, and they fear it in the coming of the English magi.

Magi of Ireland

The Ordo Hiberniae are those magi raised in the Tribunal to Irish lineages, descended from generations of magi who have lived and worked in Hibernia. They are well-schooled in Irish legend and their understanding of law and justice is as colored by Irish Brehon law as it is by the Code, and their view of the world is heavily influenced by the tales of the races that came before.

Hibernia provides all that a magus could want: a deep history, unending magical resources, and alliances with the elder races that see the Order dominate. Its magi govern their affairs as they see fit, they respect the land, and see that the most suited take stewardship. As a result, few left Hibernia to settle elsewhere.

Eochaid's vision is important to understanding part of the Hibernian mindset. The "great flock of black birds" that once heralded the end of Fir Bolg rule also heralded the initial arrival of the Order of Hermes, and the invasion of the English crown. Some now see the English as a new black flock, destined to bring nothing but ruin to the Tribunal. And as each invasion has displaced the native people, so the magi of Ireland fear being pushed aside in favor of the newcomers.

While the elder magi of Hibernia view the English with concern, some of the younger magi, especially those in their macgnímartha (MOC-guh-nee-mor-huh) (see later), have heard the English message. They now believe that no part of Hibernia should be denied to the Order, and that the outdated treaties with hedge wizards, beasts, and faeries should be annulled. The siege of Praesis on the Connacht border is a good case in point. While the instigators were English, a number of Irish magi joined them, and the siege itself would never have happened but for the outdated and dangerous promotion of violence enshrined in the Hibernian Peripheral Code.

The English

Most magi beyond Hibernia consider Hibernia backwards and strange. Most have heard the old stories of Hibernia as a land of faerie magic, too dominated by the fae for it to be of true magical value. Despite the occasional exchange of magi back and forth, the Order had little interest in Hibernia until England invaded Ireland around 1170.

House Tremere, having received new reports through Stonehenge, were the first to take notice of Hibernia again. Magi of Stonehenge who went there described it as dangerous, archaic, and at odds with good Hermetic governance. This was something that House Tremere could not allow to continue.

Termed "the English," after those first investigators from Stonehenge, these magi are actually drawn from across the continent. Initially supported by House Tremere, they arrived throughout the last fifty years to claim new territory and to reform Hermetic culture in Hibernia.

But why this keenness for reform when previous challenges to Hibernia's Peripheral Code have failed? Firstly, while legal, the protections given to hedge wizards, and especially the status of Connacht, seem improper, setting these hedge wizards on a par with the Order. Secondly, magi of the continent are now settling in Hibernia and cling to their own view of the Peripheral Code. In their own way, they are every bit as conservative and resistant to change as their Hibernian cousins. The English follow continental practice;: vis is harvested when it is available, the minor traditions of magic are intimidated or ignored depending on their utility, and Connacht is viewed as land ripe for the taking.

But having been in Hibernia for almost fifty years, some of the English have raised apprentices here. While they were denied the macgnímartha, and many still do not consider themselves Hibernian, perhaps in the next generation the distinction between Irish and English will start to disappear.

Attitudes to Hibernia

It seems strange that Hibernia, so close to Stonehenge and Loch Leaglean, should be considered distant to much of the Order. Of course, there are outsiders who have visited Hibernia just as there are Irish magi who visit Durenmar, the Bjornaer gatherings, Verditius contests, and Tremere councils, etc. So why should the Order seem to ignore Hibernia?

Firstly, Hibernia is physically remote from the center of Hermetic influence. It has no domus magna, it has no great kings or emperors, nor do any popes call Ireland home. Until the English crown crossed the sea, Ireland simply existed on the periphery of politics. With nothing of note or interest, Hibernia was for a long time just an afterthought for many in the Order.

And secondly, the culture of the Irish magi put distance between themselves and their continental colleagues. Their Hermetic writings are considered archaic and dull; they have a habit of calling House Ex Miscellanea "the Younger House"; their clothing tends to be simple, even rustic; and they have a preponderance for giving honey as a gift by way of greeting. In short, they often come across as odd, backward even, not far removed from hedge wizards themselves.

As a result, with no great covenants, no great political upheavals to monitor, and seemingly no great magi to follow, Hibernia became a place of tale and rumor: sometimes spoken of, but rarely visited.

Hermetic Culture

Violence is a way of life in Hibernia. Wizard's War is easily declared and certamen is frequent, as is the use of grogs to raid rival covenants. Most covenants own resources outside their legally-protected territory and these are always at risk, but the magi of Hibernia take their oath seriously. The art is to assert dominance, not to kill, which is why certamen is challenged so freely. Grogs fare less well.

There is an understanding in Hibernia that everything finds its level and that individuals and covenants are robust enough to find their own way. The threat of violence is a real one, and the best defense is often to simply be a good neighbor. The Peripheral Code does not mandate this, but those who fail to uphold this unspoken agreement often lament the consequences.

The Macgnímartha

Young magi in Hibernia undertake the macgnímartha or youthful exploits: a short period between apprenticeship and becoming a magus when the apprentice leaves the protection of his covenant and spends a year or more without the support of his parens. He has not sworn the Oath, does not know Parma Magica, and is considered outside Hermetic law. Most test their power against faeries, some engage mundanes, and others try their luck against Hermetic targets. In this last case, items successfully stolen from covenants are usually ransomed back. Remembering their own youthful exploits, magi rarely treat those in the macgnímartha harshly.

Importantly, no mention is made of the macgnímartha in the treaty of Cnoc Maol Réidh and these youngsters often venture into Connacht for sport or fortune.

For most apprentices, macgnímartha lasts a year, or until such time as "his beard encircles his chin," at which point he is sworn to the Order and taught the final secrets of Parma Magica. His character is also judged keenly during this period and he gains a Reputation of level one among Hibernian magi appropriate to his behavior. This reputation may also extend to faeries, giants, and hedge wizards where appropriate.

Despite social pressure, as failure to do so may reflect badly on the master, not all apprentices undertake the macgnímartha. Some choose instead to go to Leth Moga where they receive security, lodging, and the freedom of the libraries in return for assisting other magi, copying books, and similar duties.

A Story Told to Me by Éinri mac Cillíni "I had cause to visit the covenant of Vigil one season wherein my host, the magus Éinri mac Cillíni, told me a story of his parens that occurred during his macgnímartha. The young Cillíni, wise beyond his years, heard of a magus from Scotland who had come to Ireland seeking fortune, but who had made himself many enemies among the druids and beasts of the otherworld. He found this magus, called Bróccín, exploring a magical regio apart from the mortal world. All the birds and beasts that lived within seemed to screech and strike at Bróccín where he trod. Weary Bróccín greeted Cillíni warmly and then asked why the birds and beasts objected only to him. Cillíni asked, "By what means did you step from the mortal world to this?" Bróccín answered, "I am learned in the arts and I know spells that part the veils between worlds and with these I step from place to place." "Then that is why you have caused much upset, for you have not shown respect." The magus was affronted, "Why do you talk to me thus? I am a magus of the Order and I go where I will." "You are indeed a magus of the Order, but these beasts and these druids are masters of these places and as we must announce our approach on entering a room, these beasts and these druids should be so treated. For every magical place has its right way of entering. You have but to learn those ways and all the druids and beasts of Ireland shall be your friends." And from that day, Bróccín was Cillíni's friend for he had taught him a valuable lesson, and all the druids and beasts of Ireland were friends with Bróccín."

Wizard War

To outsiders, Hibernia's laws may seem at odds with Hermetic law. The Peripheral Code, however, is the principle source of law governing Wizard War and this often differs between Tribunals (as discussed in Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 23). Hibernia's Code has developed differently from the continent.

In Hibernia, the formal declaration must be given in person and before witnesses, but not necessarily directly to the target. The declaration must be public, and Wizard Wars have been declared invalid because the declaring magus took steps to prevent his target from finding out. There is no warning letter, and although the formal declaration must be made a month in advance of the War beginning, it is common for the target to have less than a month to prepare by the time he finds out about the War. A magus may also declare Wizard War against multiple opponents, by naming them in the formal declaration, and this may also draw allies on either side into the fray; such as "Meadbh and all those who hold to the Gáe Bulg."

Hibernia's Peripheral Code does not recognize any need for a break between months of Wizard War, and as it does not require the declaration to be delivered to the target, many magi extend the War as soon as it begins. Indeed, the Peripheral Code assumes that a Wizard War has been extended unless there is positive evidence that it has not, meaning that a War continues until the death of an opponent, surrender, or a treaty. In practice, most Hibernian Wizard Wars degenerate into raiding and theft that continue until either side sees a need to call a truce. Grogs and mercenaries are frequently used as proxies, meaning that Wizard War is often more about securing submission than the death of an opponent. Famously, a Wizard War continues to exist between Gráinne inghean Uaitéar of Vigil and the Bjornaer Cú Chonnacht Cluasach Mac Tire, even though the two have come face to face many times during that time.

The Siege of Praesis is the first example of an extended Wizard War that most of the English have seen. Given the result, the falling of Praesis into English hands, opinions are currently mixed on whether a formal challenge should be lodged.

Fallen Covenants While the Siege of Praesis was the first extended Wizard War that most of the English had seen, it was far from the first in Hibernia's history. The endemic violence of the Tribunal means that dozens of covenants have fallen over its history. Most were not destroyed in a magical assault; rather, the constant pressure, and loss of a few magi, meant that they were no longer viable. In those cases, nothing remains but a few ruins in a Magic aura. Other fallen covenants are more interesting, and the sites may now be covered by Infernal auras generated by the final massacre when the covenant fell, or still contain the covenant's treasures, guarded by the magical traps that slew the attackers. It is almost impossible to found a covenant in Hibernia with fewer than a dozen fallen covenants within a day's travel, and at least one of those sites is almost certain to be interesting.

Certamen

The niceties of certamen apparent on the continent do not apply in Hibernia. While the aggressor determines the Technique and the Defender determines the Form, neither has the right to veto. Neither are there any social norms around who may challenge, when, or how often.

Certaman is often fought over resources that fall outside a covenant's legally-protected lands and between magi before hostilities escalate to Wizard War. The usual social stigma around refusal to fight is keenly felt in Hibernia but the use of vis carries no negative stigma.

A Magical Responsibility

And though the sons of Mil had taken Ireland, still the Tuatha Dé held great power over them. Therefor the sons of Mil gave dominion over all those places under the earth to the Tuatha Dé. — Lebor Feasa Runda

The Order assumes the ultimate supernatural authority across Ireland, reserving the right to act against those who flout convention, abuse their power, and cause strife. Even the elder races of the Tuathe Dé, the Fir Bolg, and the Fomórach listen when the Order speaks.

While the Order has a history of respecting the Treaty of Cnoc Maol Réidh and allowing the Coill Trí to govern their own lands, the Order is prepared to punish magical beasts that terrorize innocent villagers, or faeries that prey upon travelers, and unless a hedge wizard's own tradition takes action, the Order is willing to mete out punishment.

Keepers of the Old Ways

Why, the Hibernian philosophy asks, should a coven of witches be worth less than a covenant of Bonisagus scholars? By what yardstick do you measure worth? Is it by the books you lay end to end, or by the animals you heal, the harvests you protect, and the sickness you ward against? These things deserve and earn respect in Hibernia.

The Order in Ireland feels a responsibility to maintain the old ways of the other traditions. These "old ways" are not a cover for pagan sympathies; they are the non-Latin forms of magic found in Ireland before the Order, the roots of magic in Ireland, handed down from the druids of Partholon and Nemed.

These traditions represent precursors to the Order's own Houses. There are druids who change their shapes, traffic with faeries, and craft enchanted devices. Were the Order to force them to join, those ways would be lost, or at least diluted as with many lineages in House Ex Miscellanea, and any threat they might once have posed to the Order has been dealt with by confining the majority of them to Connacht.

Vis and Supernatural Auras

Magic and Faerie auras are precious as they are often associated with important events in Ireland's history. Magi feel a responsibility to these places and husband them well. This can force the Order into conflict with mundanes and in such cases the Tribunal supports a strong assertion of authority. Protecting a Magic or Faerie aura against mundane encroachment or destruction, or making an example of those who do harm, is not considered interference in mundane affairs.

Beyond Hibernia, vis is often harvested as soon as it appears and then hoarded within the covenant's aegis. In Hibernia, this practice is considered at odds with good husbandry and vis is rarely harvested until needed. Magi typically have only small stores of vis on hand, mostly gained through windfalls or trade, and visit their vis sources frequently to collect what they need. Many sources are turned into casting spaces so that the magus can cast his spells and rituals in-situ, and Irish magi often use vis that has not been moved out of its original form.

As most sources have vis available year round, however, they make attractive targets for rogue magi or magical beasts in need of sustenance. In the view of the traditionalists within the Hibernia this is seen simply as a risk to be managed, just as mundane farmers protect their crops from ruin until harvest.

The extracting of vis from the aura is thought detrimental and against the principle of responsibility. Hibernia is gifted though in that its land offers many sources of vis and few magi feel the need to extract it from the aura, or to steal from others.

Protection of Magical and Faerie Creatures

Those creatures gifted with speech in any of the tongues of man are considered like man and may be represented at Tribunal. This status means that no covenant should molest them or take anything from their territory without permission or tribute in kind. In truth, even the Ordo Hiberniae is somewhat lax in this regard and the strength of the magus or covenant tends to impose itself in the power dynamics.

Hermetic Literature

The language of Hermetic literature is Latin, but, influenced by the example of the Church in Ireland, the use of vernacular Irish is increasing and it can be found in the glossing of Hermetic texts. This makes such embellishments difficult to follow for those who do not read Irish, and the +1 book quality (see Covenants, page 91) is not applied to their study total.

The Ordo Hiberniae has a love of chronicling the lives of their important figures. These Vitae Magorum take the form of books on Order of Hermes Lore. These volumes often provide clues as to the magical research and achievements of noted magi, even referencing specific laboratory texts. The continental magi tend to see these works as a distraction from the real work of studying the Arts or inventing spells.

Another work common to the Tribunal and inspired by mundane scholasticism is the Hermetic Computus, a set of formulas for calculating spell durations, full and new moons, laboratory work, and so on. They are written as tractatus on Artes Liberales and have a mathematical bent particularly useful for ceremonial or ritual magic, and laboratory projects.

The continental magi find Irish books on Magic Theory to be over-complicated and dull. Again influenced by their mundane counterparts, Hermetic scholars of Ireland tend to dwell upon the minutiae of Magic Theory rather than its practical application to laboratory activities.

A Simple Way of Life

Even the simple things that the Irish magi take for granted irk their continental colleagues. For instance, the English magi consider Irish vellum to be greasy and unsuited to their magical writings, with some choosing to import parchment for their own use. English magi often complain of the saltiness of the food and some even recruit cooks from their native countries.

The keeping of bees is important to an Irish covenant. The honey is used in cooking and the honey of each covenant has its own distinctive flavor. Exchange of it at Tribunal has become a tradition. The continental magi view this exchange as rather twee and unbefitting to a magus, but many of the Irish covenants take great pride in it.

Magi of the Ordo Hiberniae tend to refer to House Ex Miscellanea as "The Younger House" in reference to it having been formed later than all the others. It is a peculiarity accepted by those of the Younger House brought up in Hibernia, but it does grate on those newly-arrived.

Lastly, the two factions may be easily identified at Tribunal by their different styles of dress. Those of the Ordo Hiberniae typically wear a mantle in a patchwork of colors or patterns according to their status. Apprentices wear plain cloaks of a single color, those in their macgnímartha are permitted a cloak of three colors, magi wear five, and the praeco wears seven. Those magi deemed heads of their covenants wear six colors. This has not yet caught on with the recently-arrived magi and they typically wear fashions appropriate for their home Tribunal.

The Treaty of Cnoc Maol Réidh The Treaty of Cnoc Maol Réidh was signed centuries ago. Successive Tribunals through the years have treated it as binding, behaved as if it were binding, and speak of it as if it were binding. There are some, on both sides of the Irish/English divide, who argue that this is no longer the case. It has not yet been formally tested at Tribunal as any mention of questioning the Treaty is generally shouted down and no reasonable debate can be held.

Treaties and the Peripheral Code

The Tuatha Dé called for a truce to be made between them, "Give unto the Fir Bolg the province of their choice," they said.

The Fir Bolg chose Connacht, and there they took possession. The Tuatha Dé were given the other four provinces of Ireland. — Lebor Feasa Runda

Treaties record agreements between magi, covenants, or any other supernatural faction. Most Hibernian law consists of specific treaties created for specific individuals and cases rather than general rules. This makes it dense, cumbersome, and counter-intuitive. A ruling in a case involving vis, a magus, and a faerie and settled in the magus' favor in Munster in 1134 may not influence a case involving the same elements in 1220. This is deemed untenable by the English magi and they have demanded change at every Tribunal. In many ways, this mirrors the body of Brehon Law relied upon for centuries by the native Irish people before the mundane English nobles came.

The Role of Treaties

A treaty may be made between any individuals with right to be heard at Tribunal. This includes magi, covenants, the Order of Hermes, the Tuathe Dé, the Coill Trí, and so on.

They may be temporary, permanent, or have conditions specified which release the parties from their agreement. It is for the parties on either side of a case to come to an agreement, with the assistance of a Quaesitor, and the Tribunal's task is to ensure that the parties reach agreement. No treaty may break the peripheral code or bind a magus to actions that would be against the Oath.

Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 63 XXX discusses the Quaesitors and their role in negotiating and maintaining treaties between parties.

Founding a Covenant

The Order requires a magus to be resident in a Tribunal to exercise their right to vote (Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 49 XXX). In Hibernia, this is through membership of a recognized covenant. Those outside of a covenant are considered vagrant and risk exile, no matter how many years the magus has lived on Irish soil.

However, any magus can found a covenant, as long as he can prove possession of land, wealth, and a trophy, or cathach. The land is any space upon which to build a home that the magi have protected for a year. For historical reasons, wealth has always been represented by cattle in Ireland, and so covenants must possess cattle. The cathach, pronounced "CAH-okh" (plural: cathaigh, pronounced "CAH-oy") is an item or relic of some significance to the covenant, which must be displayed at Tribunal by way of identifying the covenant.

A covenant's cathach must be:

A Magical Treasure: Not necessarily Hermetic or of the Magic realm, but it must trigger a "yes" response when an Intellego Vim spell is cast on it.

Taken: The cathach must be taken, not made by the claimant magi. It could be taken from the land, from the magic realm, or from another magus or covenant. The nature of the acquisition is important as it becomes part of the cathach's story and part of the character of the covenant.

Significant: It must have a story behind it, either being a thing of legend itself, or created by a legendary or noted figure.

Displayed: It must be brought to Tribunal to prove right of residency and when not at Tribunal it must be kept outside of the covenant's Aegis of the Hearth.

If the magi can hold these three symbols and support themselves for a year, they have the right to represent themselves at Tribunal. Other magi may attempt to take the cathach before the year is out, and if successful the covenant cannot legally form. The raiders must adhere to the Code of Hermes and cannot harm the resident magi unless Wizard War has been declared. However, any magus caught in possession of a cathach claimed by another forfeits their immunity, much as they would if caught in a sanctum. The covenant's cattle are similarly protected, though they could be kept within an Aegis should the covenant wish.

This harks back to the earliest days of the Order in Ireland when the four magi of Circulus Ruber vowed to defend their territory for a year if need be, along with the treasures within.

Rights and Obligations of a Covenant

Once a covenant has defended its cathach, its land, and its cattle for a year, the covenant petitions the praeco for recognition and to have its name and lands recorded at the Mercer House of Leth Moga. From this point on, the covenant receives visits from the Tribunal's redcaps.

A covenant's lands are defined by its vis sources and these consist of all sources that a magus can encircle between sunrise and sunset, using no spells or enchanted devices to speed his progress. These sources are protected under law; any magus raiding them commits the crime of depriving a magus of his magical power. Sources claimed outside of these legally-defined lands enjoy no such legal protection. For this reason, covenants mark their vis sources with their covenant's symbol.

No magus outside of a covenant may claim Hibernia as his Tribunal of residence and only those who prove residence may vote at Tribunal (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 49 XXX for more information on voting rights). Covenants attending without a cathach have failed to proved their magi's right of residence.

Independent Magi

It may be tempting, and has been known, for younger magi to live outside of a covenant. After all, they have no cathach to protect and votes at Tribunal matter only every seven years. But such a group receives no official visits from Redcaps, has no voice at Tribunal, and has no legally-defined property protected under the code.

Unlike the continent, Hibernia does not recognize chapter houses nor liege and vassal covenants. If a magus no longer wants to live in his current covenant, he must enter or found another, or forgo the Tribunal's legal protection.

Despite the obvious vulnerabilities, there are many independent magi who choose a solitary life over living with other magi and most Houses are represented among their number. In order to vote, they must produce a cathach, however, and must show that they have land, and prove their wealth through the keeping of cattle. In all respects, they must found a covenant, even though they may be its sole member.

Extract from the Journey of Cernach an Chairn And so Cernach an Chairn visited Senaig mac Aedo, cousin to Ruarc mac Bran, the King of Leinster. He took with him a cloak of night, in which a prince of the Tuathe Dé was swathed from head to foot. He took with him a giant yoke of Gaillimhe birch, under which a Fir Bolg monk was weighed down. He took with him a finely-crafted box, which on the outside was clothed in sea-shells raked from the shores of Tory Isle and which on the inside the voice of the Fomórach was contained. Senaig mac Aedo came to his hall and said to the druid, "You are well known to us and you have enjoyed our meat and drink before now, but what are these things that you bring? Why do you make me a gift of this cloak, this yoke, and this box of shells?" "These things are not yet gifts. They are for now but a warning, cousin to the king though you may be." Senaig laughed, "If these things are enough to warn a prince I do not see it, tell me then how a cloak and a yoke, and a box of shells may warn me and of what.." "See here, the prince of the Tuathe Dé, condemned by powers greater than he to dwell in the shadow and underground and in all places beyond the reach of the sun. See here, this pious Fir Bolg, condemned by powers greater than he to servitude at the very edge of Hibernia's green lands. And listen to the voice of the Fomórach, the only part of them that may touch Irish soil forever more, condemned to this curse by powers greater than theirs. Keep then your men from the magical places, lest these warnings be turned to gifts and given to you by powers greater than yours." When Cernach an Chairn stood before his brothers and sisters at Tribunal and they heard of this deed they did not condemn, but instead gave him much praise for his wisdom, for though the king of Leinster and his cousin bristled, they did not commit further to their course.

Attitudes to the Code

While treaties are the normal run of business with Hibernia, the Peripheral Code has some important provisions. The principle clarifications are outlined below.

Deprivation of Magical Power: Only those resources within the land claimed by a covenant are protected by these provisions. Any resources outside of that boundary are considered common land. While covenants may put their marker upon resources they consider theirs, they must defend them against others if they wish to keep them.

Slaying a Magus and Wizard War: Slaying a magus outside of Wizard War is a high crime, though the standard defenses do apply. Any magus attempting to remove an apprentice from a covenant, take a cathach, enter another's sanctum, assault a magus' familiar, or raid vis sources belonging to a covenant forfeits their immunity. As discussed above, Wizard War is easily declared and may be prosecuted by multiple opponents. The declaration must be made in person and before witnesses and a month must pass before the war commences.

Abide by Tribunal Decisions: As described in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 48 XXX, the Presiding Quaesitor may use his right of veto where he believes that the will of the Tribunal unambiguously conflicts with any reasonable interpretation of the Oath or the Code. This provision gives Hibernia leeway to develop their own reasonable interpretation of the Code.

Voting Rights: Magi who prove residence by presenting their covenant's cathach have a single vote, that they may lend to a proxy as elsewhere. Hibernia also recognizes the votes of appointed supernatural ambassadors to the Tribunal, representatives of the supernatural realms and ancient races of Ireland. These votes carry the same weight as any other and must be respected.

Endangerment and Mundane Interference: Hibernia takes a Transitionalist view on mundane interference. It is accepted that in a Tribunal as small as Hibernia, where magi are drawn from a small population and frequently maintain familial ties, association with mundanes is inevitable. Given Ireland's history of kings seeking counsel from druids, magi of the Order have frequently been approached by those in search of wisdom. Those bringing charges of interference must show that the Order has been endangered as a result.

Scrying: Hibernia imposes a heavy burden of evidence in scrying accusations. Without clear evidence of magical scrying detected by a "trustworthy person," the Tribunal requires that the information must have been impossible to gain without magical intervention. As a result, most magi accept that some degree of scrying is inevitable and prefer to settle the matter directly rather than bring a complaint before Tribunal.

Apprentices: The Hibernian Peripheral Code states that those in their macgnímartha are no longer the responsibility of their parens. Magi do have the duty to surrender their apprentices to those of House Bonisagus, but under the Peripheral Code, the Bonisagus must make the claim at Tribunal, either when the apprentice is first presented by the Coill Trí or his parens, or at any subsequent Tribunal before the apprentice commences Macgnímartha.

Casting Out: In preference to casting a magus from his House or the Order, Hibernia reserves the right of exile. An exiled magus must leave Hibernia and failure to do so results in a March being called against him. An exile may petition for return, in which case the exile must find a resident magus willing to stand surety and to plead his case at Tribunal. Such cases are given to free vote.

Enemies and Allies: The elder races of Ireland, the Formorach, the Tuatha Dé, and the Fir Bolg, are all recognized as allies of the Order in Ireland. Importantly, in measures set out in the Treaty of Cnoc Maol Réidh, so is the Coill Trí. This status provides some important protection. Allies of the Order must be given the same warning as a magus of any Wizard War. This allows the non-Hermetic opponent chance to find an accommodation and prevent hostilities.

The Rights of Hedge Wizards

Hedge wizards are generally considered allies of the Order and while this affords some protection against persecution it is not absolute. A hedge wizard may legally claim a single vis source. While they may use others, these are not protected, being considered part of the common land.

House Mercere must take messages to the Coill Trí as they would any other magus or covenant. Individual hedge wizards may also receive visits from Redcaps, but this is far from official and is not legally required.

A hedge wizard has the right to petition a covenant for membership. In principle this grants a hedge wizard an extended protection, but in practice such a hedge wizard is normally expected to join the Younger House and swear the Oath.

Wizard War must be declared against a hedge wizard before attacking him, just as for a Hermetic magus. Slaying a hedge wizard outside of this declaration is the crime of assaulting the allies of the Order. Magi who declare Wizard War on "all hedge wizards" (quite possible under the Hibernian Peripheral Code) have traditionally been persuaded to let the War lapse. So far, none of the English magi have made such a declaration.

Attitudes to the Cathach

Any magus caught in possession of a justly-claimed cathach is treated just as if he had invaded a magus' sanctum. The successful thief must protect the cathach for a year from all other aggression if he is to claim the covenant's resources.

It would be possible to disenfranchise entire covenants by stealing their cathaigh and denying them votes at Tribunal. Doing so would risk making the Tribunal inquorate, although disenfranchised magi could still be given voice by allies still in possession of their cathach. And of course, there are few who wish to see the spectacle of Praesis repeated across Ireland.

In any case, it would be a foolish covenant that left their cathach undefended, Aegis of the Hearth or not, and many covenants make agreements with magical beasts and faeries to protect theirs.

The magi of Ireland recognized long ago that the best protection against aggression is to husband the land, give every man his due, and not deprive others of what is theirs.

The Role of the Quaesitors

Hundreds of years of history and culture has given Hibernia's Quaesitors a Transitionalist outlook (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 41 XXX) and they interpret the Code in line with the Tribunal's cultural understanding.

Hibernia's Peripheral Code has been debated many times at Magvillus, both before and after the recent English arrivals, often prompted by young visiting Quaesitors keen to make a name for themselves. Each time, the Hibernian eccentricities were declared legal. Those wishing to have this Peripheral Code overturned face questioning the past wisdom of Magvillus' decision-making, something that House Guernicus may close ranks around.

Beyond the Code, Quaesitors in Hibernia fulfill the role of arbiters in disputes and their status and perceived wisdom means that they are often approached by those outside the Order for mediation or guidance.

Sanctions

Just as Ireland's mundane justice typically shuns capital punishment, Hibernia rarely considers the March a fitting sanction, and this also applies to the removal of a magus' familiar or talisman. The main concerns of the Tribunal are to ensure recompense to injured parties and to correct errant behavior. As such, the Tribunal imposes fines, obligations, restrictions, and potentially exile.

The Tribunal appoints a naidm (pl: naidmain) to enforce payment and requires those close to the offender, usually those in the same covenant, his parens, his filius, and so on, to stand surety, or ráth. Should the offender default, those providing ráth are obliged to make payment or be subject to the same punishment.

Fines of vis outright are rare as magi are not expected to have great stores of vis. Rather, access to vis sources is granted to a wounded party for a period, according to the severity of the punishment.

Trafficking with demons is currently the only crime to elicit an automatic March from the Tribunal.

Execution of Sentences

On those rare occasions that the line in the Oath, "I ask my sodales to find me and slay me, that my life not continue in degradation and infamy" is invoked, it is earnestly adhered to. Hibernian justice, however, typically only extends to the coast. Those who leave Hibernia rather than bow to the judgment of the Tribunal are considered to have exiled themselves. A magus who leaves while under judgment must return by the next Tribunal or be cast out from the Order. In practice, this status is rarely communicated beyond Hibernia, but memories are long in Ireland.

Hibernia has few hoplites as there is an expectation that all covenants have the means to defend themselves and that those means can be turned to the use of the Tribunal.

Censuring the Non-human

The Order works hard to maintain good relations between the magical and the mundane, so any beast or figure from those realms that jeopardizes that is punished by the Tribunal. There are no set punishments but faeries have been clapped in irons in the past, while magical beasts have been forced out of their domains for a time, or pressed into service to a magus or covenant. The ultimate sanction that has been used only once in the past is the enforced binding of the creature to servitude. While laboratory texts for enchanted bridles, yokes, rings, hoods, and similar. do exist, none are keen to see this repeated. The threat of their use remains, however.

Censuring the Coill Trí

The Coill Trí have certain obligations and should these not be fulfilled, their representatives must make good the Tribunal's judgment. Even while accepting the rights of the Coill Trí, the Order retains magical authority over Connacht by virtue of its might. With no Code to rely upon, the Coill Trí are judged instead upon the merits of each case. Those who displease the Order are forced to provide service or to give pawns of vis every season for a year, to stay out of a certain region, or accept some other punishment as befits the transgression.

Tribunal Procedures

As elsewhere, each resident magus has one vote at Tribunal, which is held every seven years, is overseen by a Praeco, and administered by a presiding Quaesitor. Each gathering is held at Cnoc na Teamhrach, the Hill of Tara in Meath, home to the magical Lia Fáil or Stone of Destiny, and the covenant of Circulus Ruber traditionally makes all the arrangements including casting spells to erect a temporary settlement. The whole area at Tribunal time is a sea of smoking hearths, fluttering flags, servants, familiars, apprentices, and magi discussing the business of the last seven years. Each official session and meeting at Tribunal takes place in the large hilltop ráth that surrounds the Lia Fáil at the top of Cnoc na Teamhrach.

Before the Tribunal proper starts, embassies from the hedge wizards, the faerie factions, and the magical creatures are summoned to meet with Hermetic magi to discuss topics and events in what is known as the Sacred Council. The Praeco and Presiding Quaesitor are expected to attend along with other invited magi. The Sacred Council is open to all the supernatural creatures and races of Ireland, but it is here that individual representatives from each faction are confirmed.

After the Sacred Council, and with the factions gathered, the meeting is officially opened by prayers and a blessing given by a Hermetic member of the Célí Dé Holy Tradition, the magus Indrectach currently performing this function. The meeting generally lasts for seven days and nights before concluding blessings are given, again by the Célí Dé.

Covenants make a show of numbers and consortes, custodes, and other servants are always brought to increase their presence. The language of Tribunal process is Latin, but Irish is typically heard where magi and companions alike converse with each other.

Magic ensures good weather throughout the meeting and each covenant maintains an open-air fire pit with food always available. Bards and entertainers move through the meeting and the feeling is generally relaxed and conducive to good company. All this is quieted when the presiding Quaesitor calls each session to order.

Representation

No magus may be represented without his covenant and no covenant may be represented without its cathach, which means that these powerful symbols of status must be transported to Tribunal and displayed throughout. The formerly-besieged covenant of Praesis did not travel to the last Tribunal and did not present its cathach. It is anticipated that its new rulers will have no such problems in future.

Hibernia considers the Tribunal to be an extension of magical authority over all Ireland and as such the ancient races, the Coill Trí, and supernatural beasts of the land are owed representation. Each recognized faction may send a voting ambassador to the Tribunal and all those of the supernatural realms have the right to representation. The Infernal has not, as far as the Tribunal knows, tested this right.

The Coill Trí

The Coill Trí select their own ambassador to the Tribunal from within their ranks but they speak on behalf of all workers of magic in Ireland, whether those workers know it or not.

The ambassador is responsible for ensuring that the obligations of the Coill Trí are fully met, that the aggrieved are brought to provide witness, and the accused are there to answer their transgressions. This makes the role of the Coill Trí ambassador a particularly challenging one and the incumbent is usually distrusted by both sides of the treaty.

Any hedge wizard who seeks to bring case to Tribunal or who wants to enter into formal treaty must be sponsored by the Coill Trí.

The English Council

Those magi not native to Hibernia hold their own council at the start of the Tribunal meeting to agree a consensus on key areas. This is usually around reforming the Peripheral Code but the aggressive behavior and attitude of the covenant of na Lám Baird is a growing concern.

Gaining agreement at this council has not been easy. Given the range of magi and their disparate views, the council is in need of strong leadership that can look past the legacy of Praesis and the threat of covenants like na Lám Baird.

Faerie Kings and Magical Spirits

The Tuatha Dé confirm their ambassador at the Sacred Council, while the Fomórach and the Fir Bolg are represented by ambassadors drawn from their royal lines.

Faeries other than the Tuatha Dé may send an ambassador. If they do not, House Merinita puts forward a representative at the Sacred Council. Beasts of the Magic realm that can speak and understand the ways of man may select a representative from within their own ranks. If they do not, a magus of the Order acts on their behalf. Individuals from these factions may not enter into formal treaty themselves. This is done through their ambassador instead.

These ambassadors are granted a voting sigil for the duration of the Tribunal and their votes count as the equal to any magus. The English magi oppose this most strongly and have argued the illegality and demeaning nature of it at every Tribunal since their arrival in Ireland.

The Battle of Teamhrach The Order of Hermes was loath to involve itself in the mundane conflict between the Viking kingdoms and the native Irish kings unless the northmen brought rune wizards. But in 980 Teamhrach was threatened by Olaf Cuaran, king of Dublin and Northumberland. Unwilling to see Teamhrach fall into the hands of northmen, the covenant of Vigil magically ensured a treaty between Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill and the kings of Leinster and Ulster. The magi of Vigil also took to the field of battle when Máel Sechnaill's forces met Olaf's and helped rout the Scandinavians, which left the way clear for Máel Sechnaill to take Dublin. This clear interference in mundane affairs was not punished as it was deemed vital for the sanctity of the Tribunal.

The Ambassadors to the Tribunal The current ambassadors to the Hibernian Tribunal are: Fothaid The Fir Bolg King sends one of his younger sons, Fothaid (FOH-hay), to represent them at tribunal. Fothaid has an impressive appearance, standing seven feet tall, with broad muscular shoulders and brawny arms. He has superb grace and poise, is a trained orator, and his manners are as handsome as his mien. Fothaid is exceptionally vain of his pure blood, and is apt to fly into a rage at any suggestion that he is less than perfect. In truth, he cares little for his people's interests, rather using the tribunal to gain admirers. Ainid King Madán Muinreamhair of Tír Fhomóraig has chosen Ainid (OH-nyid), the ugliest of his relatives, to represent their race at Tribunal. Ainid's face is a mass of pustules, her arms are grossly mismatched in size, and her shoeless feet have disgusting, horn-like nails. She makes no attempt to hide her deformities (which to her race are natural) and revels in the reaction they provoke in humans. Few have got close enough to know Ainid fully, but she is a shrewd negotiator and clever politician. She is borne aloft on a bier by four Fir Bolg slaves to avoid contact with Irish soil. The Eagle King Until two tribunals ago, the appointed representative for the magical beasts of Ireland was a fíorláir, or ‘true mare', until an English magus crassly asked her if she would be his familiar, which the fíorláir looked upon as some form of magical servitude. She resigned her post, and the role has been taken by the King of the Eagles. This regal bird claims lordship over all Ireland's feathered kind, although the legitimacy of this claim is unknown. Cliodna of Lámbaird brokered the deal that brought the king to Tribunal. Mug Ruith The faerie Mug Ruith (MUG RIH) is styled after a famous Munster druid. Learning his magical craft from Simon Magus in Jerusalem, he has served many of the Munster kings as court magician. According to some he was John the Baptist's executioner, and his actions forever cursed the Irish race with violence. Mug Ruith now serves Bobd, the king of the Munster Tuatha Dé, by joining the Sacred Council every seven years. He arrives in his flying machine, the roth rámach or "oared wheel," wearing a bull hide and bird mask. Mug Ruith lives on Dairbhre Isle, off the western coast of the Kingdom of Desmond. He owns a collection of enchanted items, including a gleaming chariot, a magical shield, and a stone that could once change into a poisonous eel but appears to have lost its power. His faerie daughter, Tlachtga, lives with him, a powerful druid in her own right. Many magi have looked for their home on Dairbhre Island, in search of treasure or lore or both.

Irish Hermetic Terminology

The Hibernian Tribunal has appropriated several Irish words to describe some of the particulars of the tribunal.

Brehon Laws: The collected rulings of native Irish judges over the ages. They are civil laws more than criminal laws, and define political status, social relationships, inheritances, property rights, and compensation prices for offenses.

Cathach (CAH-okh, plural cathaigh CAH-oy): The trophy that every covenant needs for legal recognition at Tribunal meetings. Larger families also keep cathaigh.

Coill Trí (QUILL TREE): The loose collection of native hedge wizards in Connacht.

Eraic (ERR-ik): Literally "face," but implies "honor." It is the compensation paid for killing a man under Irish law. Eraic is based on a man’s social rank and is paid in cattle.

Fian (FYAN, plural fiannai, FYAN-nuh): A group of warriors, either serving a king as personal guards or living outside the normal bounds of society as mock-outlaws.

Fir Bolg (FYIR BOL-ug): A race of magic people that invaded Mythic Ireland long ago.

Fomórach (FUH-mow-rakh, singular Fomóir, FUH-mowr): Magic creatures, corresponding to the Greek titans and primordial Scandinavian giants.

Macgnímartha (MOC-guh-nee-mor-huh): Hermetic wizards who have finished apprenticeship but are not yet magi.

Olamh (OL-lav, pl. ollúna, OL-loo-nuh): The highest rank for a bard or learned man.

Ráth (RAW): A wooden palisade ringfort surrounding a cluster of wooden huts.

Rí (REE): King, of which there are several categories.

Sí, aes sí ((AISH) SHEE): The faerie people.

Síd (SHEED, pl. sídhe, SHEE-yuh): A Faerie mound.

Túath (TOO-ah, plural túatha, TOO-ah-ha): The clan of people descended from a single ancestor. It also means the group’s traditional territory.

Tuatha Dé Danann (TOO-ah-ha JEYDON-on, also Tuatha Dé, TOO-ah-ha JEY): Faerie creatures, the pagan gods and heroes of ancient Ireland.

Attribution

Based on the material for Ars Magica, ©1993-2024, licensed by Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games®, under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license 4.0 ("CC-BY-SA 4.0). Ars Magica Open License Logo ©2024 Trident, Inc. The Ars Magica Open License Logo, Ars Magica, and Mythic Europe are trademarks of Trident, Inc., and are used with permission. Order of Hermes, Tremere, Doissetep, and Grimgroth are trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB and are used with permission.