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The following article presents an alternate vision of the mythic world, in that it takes two major features of the game and reconceives them. Each part of this article may actually be used separately, as they are not really interdependent. They are merely given together because that is how I prefer to use them! No doubt the changes suggested here will bring some people out in cold sweats, but hopefully the majority will find them thought-provoking.
The Ars Magica canon maintains four realms, the Divine, the Infernal, the Magical and the Faerie. However, it is unclear what exactly distinguishes the Faerie and Magic realms from each other. Each of the published books adopts a slightly different approach, resulting in a confused depiction of the two realms. Particularly unclear issues include the relationship of pagan religions to the Magic and Faerie realms, and what features are necessary to define a creature as being either fae or magical. The (now out of print) supplement Shamans attempts to explain the existence of the two realms as separate entities by claiming that they were once one, but later the Faerie realm was separated off from the Magical. However, this explanation, while providing a lead-in for the shamanic view of the Divine and Infernal realms, feels rather like an after-the-fact justification of an existing set of rules.
The unclear relationship between the Magical and Faerie realms reflects confusion in the myths and legends of the mediaeval world, upon which much of the mythic world is based, for in these legends the differences between faeries and other magical creatures are also extremely blurred. Thus there is grounds for argument that the Magical and Faerie realms should not be separate from one another.
This is the premise adopted by this version of the mythic world. There are only three realms, the Divine, the Infernal and the Magical. This actually provides a pleasing symmetry to the three earthly estates of the mediaeval world - those who pray, those who war and those who toil. This premise does not actually require much in the way of changes to the rules, although the changes that do need to be made are fairly sweeping.
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Faerie auras and regios become Magical in nature, and so characters in these areas use the Magic column of the Realm Interaction Chart (ArM4, page 239), as do their denizens. Creatures from these areas have Magic rather than Faerie Might.
Faerie powers are Magical in nature, and so they may be resisted by Magic Resistance as normal. The Penetration of a power is equal to its Rating multiplied by 5 (see Faeries, pages 92-5 for information on Faerie powers). It is up to storyguides to decide whether they still want Faerie creatures to have weaknesses with regard to iron. These weaknesses might be regarded as a quirk of this particular part of the Magic Realm.
Faerie Lore is replaced with Legend Lore, while Faerie Sight is replaced with Second Sight. Second Sight may now be used to attempt to perceive Faerie illusions or glamours, as per Faeries, page 133.
If only this part of this version of the mythic world is to be used, House Merinita remains pretty much as written. The speciality of the house is on Arcadia and the creatures connected to it. However, it is highly recommended that starting Merinita magi be required to take the Hermetic Theurgy Virtue (Mysteries, page 125), for according to the current rules, the Order's Faerie specialists are outclassed by the Tremere Esoteric Lineage of Muj (Mysteries, pages 117-8).
In a number of articles and posts elsewhere, my good friend J. Angus MacDonald has argued that in an Order of Hermes that makes widespread use of mixed-house covenants, it is unlikely that many of the traditions and practices of each of the individual houses would survive. In this part I propose to take this concept and elaborate on it, in that I wish to dispense with most of the Hermetic houses and reconceive the Order's composition. I intend eventually to reconceive certain features of Hermetic history. However in order to place this history in context, it is necessary to re-introduce the divisions in the Order, in the shape of Esoteric Lineages and Secret Societies, mostly taken from The Mysteries. The premise behind this is that the lineages and societies mark their members more distinctively than do many of the houses in the canon. Indeed, a number of the societies and lineages also make quite good replacements for the existing houses. Some of the houses also work well if re-introduced as societies or lineages.
The Order consists of a total of about 2500 magi. Of these, some 1800 are practitioners of the Hermetic system, while the remainder are non-Hermetic wizards, usually practising their traditions either alone or with a few companions in isolated places. Of the Hermetic magi, about 1200 live in groups in covenants, while the rest live alone as hermits.
Of the total membership of the Order, about half are members of secret societies. Although most societies are most interested in techniques to improve Hermetic magic, some of the less materially-minded ones accept non-Hermetic members among their ranks. Of the Hermetic magi, about three-quarters are members of Esoteric Lineages. Membership of a lineage is always a public matter. Members of lineages usually introduce themselves as X, filius (or filia) of Y, follower of Z. Other magi are usually X, filius (or filia) of Y, follower of Hermes. Membership of a society is usually less open. Some are (sometimes necessarily) open secrets. The most obvious examples are the Quaesitores, the Heralds and the Legion of Mithras. Other societies are less public, however, only working their specialist magic in secret. Many societies and lineages are distributed throughout the Order, while others are only well-represented in areas where their patrons or founders lived and worked.
The actual distribution among the societies and lineages is as follows:
| Asclepiads | 56 |
| Brethren of Purity | 68 |
| Cabal of the Golden Bee | 77 |
| Corybantes | 67 |
| College of Isadora | 42 |
| Cult of Twilight | 38 |
| Followers of Pendule | 19 |
| Heralds (modified - see below) | 186 |
| Huntress in the Wood | 26 |
| Legion of Mithras | 166 |
| Mantes | 64 |
| Pillar of Hiram | 73 |
| Quaesitores (new society - see below) | 118 |
| Wise Ones | 43 |
| Others | 250 |
| Line of Abydaros | 92 |
| Line of Anergin | 61 |
| Line of Bar Dysan | 77 |
| Line of Bjornaer (new lineage - see below) | 80 |
| Line of Bonisagus (new lineage - see below) | 49 |
| Line of Carolinus | 73 |
| Line of Evander | 82 |
| Line of Gyongy | 47 |
| Line of Kypris | 66 |
| Line of Maria | 86 |
| Line of Muj (modified - see below) | 84 |
| Line of Quendalon (new lineage - see below) | 87 |
| Line of Verditius (new lineage - see below) | 89 |
| Witches of Thessaly | 42 |
| Others | 350 |
Magus characters are generated in the normal fashion. Hermetic magi who are not members of esoteric lineages do not use any of the house templates, and take the standard starting Abilities listed in ArM4, page 21. Members of esoteric lineages use either the templates given in The Mysteries, or listed below (in the case of new lineages). Lineages are assumed to have their origins in the founder of the house given in The Mysteries, but as houses do not exist any more, naturally they are not members of them. Non-Hermetic magi are generated using the rules given for their individual system of magic (e.g. cunning folk in Hedge Magic, gruagachan in Lion of the North, wind wizards in Ultima Thule etc).
All magus characters may be members of secret societies if they wish. Again, use the rules given in The Mysteries, or below.
The Quaesitores
Symbol: The scales of justice
Motto: Lex super voluntate (The law above the will)
Patrons: Justinian, Gratian, Guernicus the Founder
Origin: The origins of the Quaesitores are largely the same as those given in Houses of Hermes. However, rather than founding a house, Guernicus gathered a group of magi who, with the support of most of the founders, were appointed guardians of the Hermetic law.
Levels of Initiation: The Quaesitores are divided into two grades. Junior Quaesitors, known as "Servi" (sing. "Servus") number about two-thirds of their ranks. Senior Quaesitors, known as "Magistri" (sing. "Magister") number the remaining third.
Goals and Practices: The Quaesitores are the guardians of Hermetic justice. The Servi travel throughout their designated tribunals, investigating calls for Hermetic justice and rooting out lawbreakers. Magistri only venture out if requested to do so by their juniors. They normally remain at their covenants, dealing with reports submitted by the Servi and designing new spells, items and other investigation aids for them. Some also spend time compiling codices of Hermetic law.
The majority of the Quaesitores are Hermetic magi, but about a quarter of them are non-Hermetic members of the Order. Although they can not benefit from the Virtues taught by the society, they usually have their own techniques for investigating cases. Some non-Hermetic magi do attain the rank of Magister, usually through recognition by their peers in the society.
The prohibition on scrying in the Hermetic Code is relaxed for the Quaesitores, provided that they can prove it was necessary to their investigations. Indeed, one deterrent to potential lawbreakers is that the Queasitores can enter their dreams and question them unawares!
Virtues: (required by all magi) Quaesitor +1, (required by Hermetic magi) Magical Imagination +1, (taught at Servus level) Clear Thinker +1, Premonitions +1, Oneiromancy +2 (taught at Magister level) Affinity with Intellego +4, Arcane Memory +3 (Kabbalah, pages 147-8), Augury +3, Divination +4.
Preferred Initiation Ordeals: Initiation Quest, Good Works, Subservience, Pledge, Zealot, Obligation
The Heralds
In addition to the practices listed in The Mysteries, the Heralds are the messengers of the Order, and have been ever since they first came into existence in its early days. As such, they receive all the privileges and rights accorded in the regular game to Redcaps (ArM4, page 24). The first Virtue new members of the Heralds are initiated into is Herald +1, which is effectively the same as the +1 Redcap Virtue. It should be noted that in this version of the mythic world there are no unGifted members of the Order.
Lines of Bjornaer, Bonisagus, Quendalon and Verditius
Four of the established Hermetic houses work particularly well if re-integrated into the game as esoteric lineages. Houses Bjornaer, Merinita (retitled, I think sensibly, as the Line of Quendalon) and Verditius particularly mark the way their magi work magic. It is also entirely sensible to assume that there will be magi who claim descent from Bonisagus, the esteemed founder of the Order. Characters belonging to these lineages are created using the normal templates found in ArM4, pages 21-6.
As a special case, in order to prevent them from being outclassed by the Line of Muj, members of the Line of Quendalon are required to take the +1 Virtue Hermetic Theurgy. Their score in Faerie Lore is replaced with one in Legend Lore, with a speciality in faeries. It is imagined that a considerable amount of rivalry exists between the Lines of Quendalon and Muj.
As stated above, some of the existing esoteric lineages make good replacements for some of the houses in the regular game. Two particularly good matches are given below:
Criamon: Line of Bar Dysan
Flambeau: Line of Kypris or Line of Abydaros
Of course, there is nothing preventing you from re-introducing your favourite house into the game as a society or lineage, and it is partially with this in mind that a number of these have remained unspecified in the lists given above.
Line of Muj
In the absence of House Tremere, members of the Line of Muj are not required to take the -1 Flaw No Sigil. Their Ability in Faerie Lore becomes Legend Lore, with a speciality in faeries.
Under the new system the history of the Order actually requires relatively little modification. A number of events are easy enough to divorce from the houses they originated in, becoming actions of a few magi of the Order, but not necessarily of particular lineages. I am thinking in particular of the domination of House Tremere, the execution of Tasgillia and the destruction of the Tremere vampires. However, one or two events in Hermetic history bear greater consideration:
Admission of the Order of Miscellany
When the Order of Miscellany was admitted to the Order in 817, it did not become a new "house," but its members were pleased to be able to claim the rights and protections of the Code. Word spread that the Order was accepting non-Hermetic wizards, with the result that over the next few years a number of other exotic wizards applied for, and gained membership in, the Order. Enthusiasm died down later, but non-Hermetic wizards still have a significant presence in the Order, forming just under a third of its current membership. Few non-Hermetic magi choose to live in covenants, which are after all primarily venues for exchange of Hermetic knowledge, but it is not unheard of to find exotic magi among a covenant's membership. More are involved in secret societies, even though intiation does not grant the same benefits to them as it does to Hermetic magi.
The Schism War
The Schism War (1003-12) may be reconceived as having its origins in a war between societies or lineages. This works best if one assumes that it started as a war between the Legion of Mithras and the (now extinct) Line of Diedne. The Line of Diedne had always been secretive, and was eventually suspected of being a threat to the Order by the Legion. When asked to reveal more of their secrets to the rest of the Order, the Diedne refused, with the result that the Legion, ever willing to strike first, declared war upon them. As the Legion was the major source of enforcers for the Quaesitores, they were unable to restrain the violence, despite emotional appeals from the Diedne. Faced with their powerlessness, the Quaesitores threw their authority behind the Legion, hoping quickly to secure the extinction of the Diedne before the violence spread further through the Order. They succeeded to a certain extent, although some of the Diedne escaped. It is feared by some Quaesitors that one day the descendents of these escapees will return in strength, to take revenge on their betrayers.
Text copyright © Niall Christie 2003. Artwork copyright © Eric Pommer 2003.