Hedge magic: Difference between revisions

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This article is about hedge magic in general. For other uses, see Hedge Magic (disambiguation).

Hedge Magic is a derogatory term used by magi for the many forms of non-Hermetic magic practiced in Mythic Europe.^[1] As such, it usually refers to petty and weak magical folk traditions. A magus is likely to scoff at a skinchanger's magic, calling him a hedge wizard, but is unlikely to refer to the ancient and long-lost magic of Solomon as "hedge magic".

Terminology

The term "hedge magic" is often applied broadly to any magic that uses different rules than the Hermetic Arts. Non-Hermetic magic ranges from petty tricks like Dowsing^[2] and other minor Supernatural Abilities, to powerful and mysterious foreign magical traditions such as those described in Rival Magic. There is no hard and fast rule that says where magi would draw the line between "hedge magic" and a tradition worthy of respect. That's in the eye of the beholder.

A practitioner of hedge magic is called a hedge wizard, hedge witch, or hedge magician. Hedge wizards who don't also belong to the Order of Hermes are never called "magi."

Also, while most hedge wizards are aligned with the Magic Realm, the terms "hedge magic" and "hedge wizard" include, for simplicity, supernatural powers associated with the Faerie Realm and even, sometimes, the Divine Realms. A magician affiliated with the Infernal Realm is called a diabolist, but few would admit to being such, and would probably prefer to call themselves hedge wizards.

Hedge Wizards and the Order

House Ex Miscellanea "accepts wizards of all kinds"^[3] so hedge wizards can join the Order of Hermes through that House. The official policy of the Order of Hermes is that all wizards must join the Order or die, but this is rarely enforced in practice.^[4] Hedge wizards who are substantially weaker than a typical magus are likely to be ignored.

Most members of House Ex Miscellanea are descended (through magical lineage) from hedge wizards, but have mastered Hermetic magic^[3] and are peers with other magi. They usually possess a Major Supernatural Virtue that represents their pre-Hermetic magical powers,^[5] though some possess non-Supernatural Virtues such as Magister in Artibus instead.^[6] Thus, (most) magi ex Miscellanea could be said to practice hedge magic in addition to their Hermetic Arts. To call such a magus a "hedge wizard" would be extremely disrespectful -- which is not to say that it never happens.

Rules for Hedge Magic

In ArM5, hedge magic is usually practiced by Gifted characters. Their magic usually relies on one or more Supernatural Abilities. Several examples of such Abilities,^[7] as well as rules for making your own^[8], are in Houses of Hermes:Societates.

The more powerful forms of hedge magic described in Hedge Magic Revised Edition often include several related Supernatural Abilities, which the hedge wizard can combine together much like the Hermetic Arts.

Hedge Magic Traditions

The following list includes hedge traditions that definitely or probably exist independently of the Order of Hermes. It does not include the powerful traditions from Rival Magic.

Corrguineach: Irish wizards with great powers over elemental spirits.
Elementalists
Folk witches
Gruagachan
Koldun: Slavic sorcerers who have abandoned their role as volkhvy
Learned Magicians: Vitkir

Nightwalkers

Taltos: a Magyar tradition of skinchangers and herbalists
Trollsynir: Giant-descended wizards of Scandinavia and Iceland

Breton bards with great powers of enchanting music.
Roman necromancers that terrorize the locals.
Volkhvy

References

↑ Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 8, "Glossary"
↑ Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 41, "Dowsing"
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 11, "House Ex Miscellanea"
↑ Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 16, "Other Wizards"
↑ Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 30, "Hermetic Houses Summary" (Inset)
↑ Houses of Hermes: Societates, p. 130, "Magi Ex Miscellanea Without a Major Supernatural Ability"
↑ Houses of Hermes: Societates, "Example Supernatural Abilities", pp. 106-106
↑ Houses of Hermes: Societates, "Designing Supernatural Abilities," pp. 106-106

Related Products

Ancient Magic
Hedge Magic, the Fourth Edition supplement
Hedge Magic Revised Edition
Houses of Hermes: Societates
Rival Magic

Legacy Page

The history of this page before August 6, 2010 is archived at Legacy:hedge_magic

[1] Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 8, "Glossary"

[2] Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 41, "Dowsing"

[ArM5-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 11, "House Ex Miscellanea"

[4] Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 16, "Other Wizards"

[5] Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 30, "Hermetic Houses Summary" (Inset)

[6] Houses of Hermes: Societates, p. 130, "Magi Ex Miscellanea Without a Major Supernatural Ability"

[7] Houses of Hermes: Societates, "Example Supernatural Abilities", pp. 106-106

[8] Houses of Hermes: Societates, "Designing Supernatural Abilities," pp. 106-106

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 '''Hedge Magic''' is a derogatory term used by [[magi]] for the many forms of [[non-Hermetic]] magic practiced in [[Mythic Europe]].<ref>''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 8, "Glossary"</ref> As such, it usually refers to petty and weak magical folk traditions. A magus is likely to scoff at a [[skinchanger]]'s magic, calling him a hedge wizard, but is unlikely to refer to the ancient and long-lost magic of Solomon as "hedge magic".
-A practitioner of hedge magic is called a ''hedge wizard,'' ''hedge witch,'' or ''hedge magician''. He or she is never referred to as a [[magus]]: that title is reserved for members of the [[Order of Hermes]]. A magus [[House Ex Miscellnaea|Ex Miscellanea]] is usually trained in the [[Hermetic]] [[Art]]s<ref>''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 11, "House Ex Miscellanea"</ref> and is much more powerful than a lowly hedge wizard -- though this does not prevent some magi from looking down on the magus for his or her lineage.
+== Terminology ==
+The term "hedge magic" is often applied broadly to any magic that uses different rules than the [[Hermetic]] [[Art]]s. Non-Hermetic magic ranges from petty tricks like Dowsing<ref>''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 41, "Dowsing"</ref> and other [[Minor Virtue|minor]] [[Supernatural Ability|Supernatural Abilities]], to powerful and mysterious foreign magical [[tradition]]s such as those described in ''[[Rival Magic]]''. There is no hard and fast rule that says where magi would draw the line between "hedge magic" and a tradition worthy of respect. That's in the eye of the beholder.
+A practitioner of hedge magic is called a ''hedge wizard,'' ''hedge witch,'' or ''hedge magician''. Hedge wizards who don't also belong to the [[Order of Hermes]] are never called "magi."
+Also, while most hedge wizards are aligned with the [[Magic Realm]], the terms "hedge magic" and "hedge wizard" include, for simplicity, supernatural powers associated with the [[Faerie|Faerie Realm]] and even, sometimes, the [[Divine Realm]]s. A magician affiliated with the [[Infernal Realm]] is called a [[diabolist]], but few would admit to being such, and would probably prefer to call themselves hedge wizards.
+== Hedge Wizards and the Order ==
+House Ex Miscellanea "accepts wizards of all kinds"<ref name="ArM5">''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 11, "House Ex Miscellanea"</ref> so hedge wizards can join the [[Order of Hermes]] through that House. The official policy of the [[Order of Hermes]] is that all wizards must join the Order or die, but this is rarely enforced in practice.<ref>''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 16, "Other Wizards"</ref> Hedge wizards who are substantially weaker than a typical magus are likely to be ignored.
+Most members of House Ex Miscellanea are descended (through magical lineage) from hedge wizards, but have mastered [[Hermetic magic]]<ref name="ArM5"/> and are peers with other magi. They usually possess a [[Major Virtue|Major]] [[Supernatural Virtue]] that represents their pre-Hermetic magical powers,<ref>''[[Ars Magica Fifth Edition]]'', p. 30, "Hermetic Houses Summary" (Inset)</ref> though some possess non-Supernatural Virtues such as Magister in Artibus instead.<ref>''[[Houses of Hermes: Societates]]'', p. 130, "Magi Ex Miscellanea Without a Major Supernatural Ability"</ref> Thus, (most) magi ex Miscellanea could be said to practice hedge magic ''in addition to'' their Hermetic Arts. To call such a magus a "hedge wizard" would be extremely disrespectful -- which is not to say that it never happens.
 == Rules for Hedge Magic ==
 In [[ArM5]], hedge magic is usually practiced by [[The Gift|Gifted]] characters. Their magic usually relies on one or more [[Supernatural Ability|Supernatural Abilities]]. Several examples of such Abilities,<ref>''[[Houses of Hermes: Societates]]'', "Example Supernatural Abilities", pp. 106-106</ref> as well as rules for making your own<ref>''[[Houses of Hermes: Societates]]'', "Designing Supernatural Abilities," pp. 106-106</ref>, are in ''[[Houses of Hermes:Societates]]''.
+The more powerful forms of hedge magic described in ''[[Hedge Magic Revised Edition]]'' often include several related Supernatural Abilities, which the hedge wizard can combine together much like the Hermetic [[Art]]s.
 == Hedge Magic Traditions ==
-There are many [[tradition]]s of hedge magic in [[Mythic Europe]]. They include:
+The following list includes hedge traditions that definitely or probably exist independently of the [[Order of Hermes]]. It does not include the powerful traditions from ''[[Rival Magic]]''.
 ;[[Corrguineach]]
 :Irish wizards with great powers over elemental spirits.
+;[[Elementalists]]
+:
+;[[Folk witches]]
+:
+;[[Gruagachan]]
+:
 ;[[Koldun]]
 :Slavic sorcerers who have abandoned their role as [[volkhvy]]
+;[[Learned Magicians]]
+:[[Vitkir]]
+;
+;[[Nightwalkers]]
+:
 ;[[Taltos]]
 :a Magyar tradition of [[skinchanger]]s and herbalists
@@ Line 39: / Line 63: @@
 ==  Legacy Page  ==
 The history of this page before August 6, 2010 is archived at [[Legacy:hedge_magic]]
+[[Category:Faerie Realm]]
+[[Category:Magic Realm]]
+[[Category:Jargon]]