Order of Hermes

Sobriquet – Hermetics

The Order of Hermes is a powerful and ancient tradition of mages, Indeed, its members claim it to be the most ancient of all such traditions (or even the only such tradition — all others being mere illusionists and charlatans). Although such claims can be taken merely as prideful boasts, they do not change the fact that the Order has accumulated a larger and more systematic collection of magical knowledge than any competing group in Europe, Africa, and Asia Minor.

The Order of Hermes is as rigidly organized as any Mystic Fellowship in the Dark Medieval age, maybe more so. Even the Messianic Voices do not possess the same degree of centuries-old tradition and etiquette regarding the proper ordering of their affairs. This level of organization — and devotion to a "right" way of doing things —- has served the Order well over the years and allowed it to survive changing circumstances and even to flourish in the midst (if adversity. It has also held the Order back, preventing it from becoming as influential as it might otherwise have.

The Order has two levels of organization. There are the Houses, magical schools within the Order, each characterized by its own style of spellcraft.

There are also the levels of initiation, which all Houses share. The levels, in order from lowest to highest, are Apprentice, Disciple, Adept and Master. The Order has established very specific entry qualifications for each level of initiation, both to prevent unworthy candidates from acquiring knowledge beyond their capabilities and to strengthen the Order as a whole. Although renowned as fractious — which they are — Hermetic mages nevertheless possess a high degree of loyalty to their fellows, even those of other Houses.

Very few apprentices enter the Order of Hermes of their own accord. That is, they do not seek out membership, as the Order keeps a low profile, especially since the ascendancy of the Messianic Voices. Consequently, Hermetic mages seek out those whom they believe to possess the requisite intelligence and will to master the elements of the Art (as the Order calls magic). Because the Order has well-established contacts in universities and other places of learning, many new apprentices come from such backgrounds. Of course, that's far from a universal statement. Hermetic mages have occasionally drawn their apprentices from rural backgrounds, although the likelihood is much smaller.

One Hermetic House, House Tremere, fell to blood magic. The Order of Hermes is aware of this abomination, but have found, so far, very little way of stopping it.