| HARRY POTTER AND THE WORLD OF DARKNESS an Alternate World of Darkness setting by Ge'azhal Zocrith Part Two |
| Houses of the Order Of Hermes (most prevalent in the ESHO -European Society of Hermetic Orders) The houses of hermes have changed somewhat since midieval times. No longer are the only guilds of likeminded researchers, now they also encompass features of both political parties and labor unions. House Flambeau -- long the house of the warrior, they've found very little war left in the world of Wizards. They do, however, find their services VERY useful to those few militaries who know of magick... and now that the infernalists are uniting, the call to arms is being made. The Flambeau maintain greatest strength in the Americas, which is surprising for a Hermetic House. It is in the untamed American interior, between the West coast's Wu Lung beaurocracy and the eastern FreeHold, that the Tacnukes maintain their strongholds. They maintain a school of destruction in the deserts of texas, approximately fifty miles from nowhere. One Flambeau leaves a crater. A few walk away from the ashes of their enemies. A school of them makes the soldiers of the American Project Cleanslate very very nervous. They've tried assaulting Pyroma twice, and both times, all they've done is give the students there Pop Quizzes. Fortunae -- the Fati began as an offshoot of house Veriditus, working with the discoveries made by getting lost in a "muggle" library and being hit by an avalanch of number theory. They've quickly become essential to certian financial institutions, and have revolutionized arithmancy in the past few decades. Such rapid growth is remarkable, bringing a tiny section of Ex Misc into full House status in less than a century. They are also noteworthy as the first house to begin in the Freehold, specifically not too far from Boston, Massachusetts. They currently are in a struggle to convert the monetary systems espoused by the Order of Hermes overall to a decimal system. The Tytalus -- The Caesars are as always political movers and shakers. After disastrous attempts to take control of the mortal world in the 1930's, they now have taken the place of the Tremere as the house reguarded most suspicious. Still, a Tytalian is as likely to debate as to duel, and their charisma is hard to discount. They maintain power, even though they are not fully trusted...much like most politicians. Quaesitor -- The Judges have been acting as the legal system of the Orders for so long that they have become less of a House and more of an institution of government. It is only through sheer mental ability that they maintain their just cause...and the ideal of justice is one that has not yet been tarnished. Still, there is quite a bit of restriction on their political ambitions. One may make law or enforce it. You cannot do both at once. Quasitors rarely enter the political arenas, and once you enter the judicial service, you may not return to political office outside of the House. One can never be too careful. Solificati -- The Crowned Ones found a place within the order shortly after the Second Fall of Mistridge. They compared notes with the Hermetics, and found things to their liking. Once they joined, however, they proved to be no end of trouble. The second Primus, one Heylel Theobath, caused enough scandal to make the group known as hedonists to this day. Yes, they tend to be wealthy, but the wealth is nothing compared to their true mission...perfection of the self... or so they claim. Bonisagus -- The Bonisagus do as they have always done -- study, experiment, hide. Many mages take the bonisagus banner simply because the bonisagi can be trusted to vote for no action, because they're too busy to study the issue at length.... that is, unless politics IS the field of study, and then Heavens help the one who gets in their way. Shaea -- The librarians are like the bonisagi, in that they tend to hole up in their own dens and stick to their work. The two houses, however, differ in politics. The hands of the Priestesses are guided by history, for those who forget it are doomed to repeat. They seldom put forth a vote... but when one speaks, every politician stops to listen. The Shaea currently are working on infiltrating the Tremere...they have suspected for some time that the Primus of Tremere -- often a mage of no great talent and little will -- was only a figure head. Tremere -- The wily mages are skillfull politicians, but still hide a dark secret. deep within the bowels of Creoris lies a hidden chamber where their dark lord broods. Tremere himself once gorged on a creature called Set, and now has set himself upon a mission. He now seeks to take control...slowly, but inexorably, of the magi of the world. It will take time, he knows, but he has all the patience of the dead. Recent events, however, have given him pause.... a new force seeks to speed up his timetable... Veriditus -- The working mages, crafters and High Artisans, masters of the Sacred geometries, all share the Shield of Cog and spider. The Forge of Hermes serves all who serve the wizards, from the broom maker to the wand-crafter, the architect to the enchanter that hides valuable real estate from prying eyes. They are a large house, the largest, and would hold great power in the halls of the governments if only they could stop arguing. Ex Misc -- House Sallad.... well, they're what they've always been: a squabbling collection of traditions and crafts so varied as to be unable to find a common goal. Much like the american Independant ticket, very seldom does any cause unite them to a cohesive whole. Several factions have begun to band together recently, namely the few remaining druids and pagans have put aside their differences to unite. This front has managed to allow some more traditional witches to home-school their children, allowing them to pass on as pure a tradition as they can. Any cannon houses not listed above can be assumed to be under ex misc, if they survive at all. To Part Three |