Esoteric Mystery

An Esoteric Mystery is a Mystery that is taught by a Mystery Cult that isn't one of the four Mystery Houses - House Bjornaer, House Criamon, House Merinita and House Verditius.

They are so named because the adherents usually do not reveal their secrets, which often includes the very nature and existence of the Cult.

Examples of Esoteric Mystery Cults

There are several Esoteric Mystery Cults, effectively secret societies, within the Order of Hermes but which ones will exist in your saga will vary, as the examples given in TMRE are not full Canon. Author Christian Jensen Romer has made clear that it was intended the cults act as exemplars of what could be done with the rules, rather than canonical descriptions of groups that must appear in every saga.

Esoteric mystery cults that may exist include the Philosophers of Rome, the Order of the Green Cockerel, the Legion of Mithras, the Disciples of the Worm, the Children of Hermes, the Neo-Mercurians, the Volehsbnii_Mechtateli, the Magoi of the Star, theMystic Fraternity of Samos and the Knights of the Green Stone from The Mysteries Revised Edition.

Characteristics of Esoteric Mystery Groups

Each of the Mystery Cults has it's own structure, rules, traditions and attitudes so it is hard to summarise them. Generalities can be made.

Firstly, they are generally Secret Societies. Most magi know little or nothing of these any given one of these groups, or have heard only rumours of their existence. (There are exceptions -- the Children of Hermes and Mystic Fraternity of Samos are not so concerned with hiding their existence from their sodales. The cults actively work in general to hide their existence, interests, magical secrets and membership from others. Even those within the cult may not know who the leaders are.

Secondly, they are in the main Hermetic organisations, drawing their membership exclusively from the Order of Hermes. Their may be exceptions, but generally this is true.

Third, they teach members who rise through a series of ranks or degrees within the cult, often far more formal and rigid than the paths laid down in the Mystery Houses which offer more flexibility and alternative options or paths than many esoteric groups. Each rank or degree is often associated with a specific Initiation using a particular initiation script administered by a Mystagogue in most instances. The rules for Initiation appear in full in The Mysteries Revised Edition, though a shorter form appears in Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults (Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults was written after Neil Taylor had developed the Initiation Script rules in The Mysteries Revised Edition, but was published first).

Esoteric Mysteries Outside of the Cults

It is also possible for individuals to learn the esoteric mysteries outside of the framework of a group or cult. The Forest Paths of Guardians of the Forests 35-40 are examples of initiatory paths in to esoteric mysteries that exist outside of a cult structure, and The Mysteries Revised Edition includes rules for self-initiation and developing initiation scripts to found mystery groups.

Esoteric Mysteries In Play

Using these cults in a saga can be difficult: while they can be employed as NPC protagonists in mystery and conspiracy stories, when a player character joins one part of their time and energies are directed away from the covenant, and perhaps in to activities that the rest of the troupe are unaware of. As such it is important to think about introducing what is effectively a secret society will impact your game. The Mysteries Revised Edition has a chapter dedicated to discussing these issues .

Related Topics

• Exoteric Mystery
• Mystery House