Order of Hermes
The Order of Hermes (also Enigmatic Order of Hermes or, informally, the Order) is the fictional organization to which magi in Ars Magica belong. All wizards in the Order of Hermes know a special kind of defensive magic called Parma Magica and nearly all can use a powerful, flexible form of magic called Hermetic Magic. Most of them speak Latin as a common language, enabling magi from across Mythic Europe to share magical books and spells.
Hermetic Society
According to Fifth Edition, there are about 1200 magi in the Order (page 9, first paragraph). Most magi in the Order live in groups called covenants but some prefer a solitary existence. In addition, there are also many redcaps that are officially members but are not wizards and are probably not included in that count.
Most magi reside in covenants, each binding together a few members. Every magus of the Order also belongs to one of twelve Houses of Hermes . Most magi also hold other political positions (such as a quaesitor) and/or associate with other Hermetic socities, cults, cabals, or so on. Hermetic Society is a complex thing.
The Order has its own legal system. Hermetic Law is based on the Code of Hermes and the Peripheral Code. The Order is governed by regional councils of magi known as Tribunals. The Tribunals operate as courts of law, with the aid of Quaesitors.
The tribunals are democratic, with each wizard having one vote. This creates a lot of political squabble, as covenants, Houses, societies, and so on vie against each other.
History
The Order was founded in 767 A.D. by the tweleve Founders under the leadership of Bonisagus and Trianoma. Its magic and traditions are loosely based on the ancient Roman Cult of Mercury.
It has since known many political turmoils and upheavals, including the Corruption of House Tytalus and the Schism War. A brief depiction of the Order's history is given in ArM5 9-10. The Houses of Hermes series of supplements further provides details on each House's history.
References
- ArM5, pages 9-10
See Also
- Houses of Hermes True Lineages contains more information about the Order's law and politics.
- Houses of Hermes, the Third Edition supplement.
- Order of Hermes, the Second Edition supplement.
---
Trademark Notice: Order of Hermes is a trademark of White Wolf, Inc. It is used here without permission and its use should not be construed as a challenge to the ownership of the trademark. Ars Magica uses the Order of Hermes trademark with permission.
Legacy Page
The history of this page before August 6, 2010 is archived at Legacy:order_of_hermes