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The Order of Thrice-Great Hermes claims to be the oldest of the Traditions. While this claim is certainly dubious, the Order's origins are undoubtedly ancient, with a magical legacy unbroken from the days of Ancient Egypt. Despite stereotypes that they are an "all-white" Tradition, the Order of Hermes embraces multiple forms of magic outside of the European occult tradition. While not ignorant of alchemy, circle magic and the arts of the zodiac, they also embrace Hindu song-summoning, Hebrew Kabbalah, Arabic mystical writings, and even Native American and Chinese magics.
Hermetic magic is defined, not by cultural origins, by relatively simple tenets. Hermetics study magic as an art and a science -- a discipline which must be mastered by repetitive study and the application of tried and true formulae. In some senses this makes them more scientific in their approach than even their Etherite or Adept colleagues, but their magic bears a subtle wildness which cannot be matched. The Hermetics are fragmented into sub-Houses, namely the Houses of Hermes. These Houses are far more concrete divisions than exist in most other Traditions; they are formal Orders within the Order, rather than de facto philosophical groupings. Some Houses are very small or reclusive, and some have been virtually destroyed by the Reckoning, but a few of the more prominent are listed below.
House Flambeau: The largest House, Flambeau (Or
"Flameboys" as they are disparagingly known) are the most fearsome
warriors of House Hermes, mastering violent Forces Magick to unleash on the
Order's enemies. Despite the scaling down of the Ascension War, the Flambeau
remain quite dedicated to the fall of the Technocracy, although even this
famously hot-headed House has become more rational in past years.
House Bonisagus: Often known as the "Hermetic's
Hermetics," House Bonisagus is large, but not particularly influential
within Hermetic politics. Concerned almost entirely with abstract magical
research, the Bonisagi lost many members when the Umbra was closed, as
journey to the Deep Realms was a favored research instrument. However, many
remain on Earth, continuing to perform their esoteric experiments.
House Thig: A relatively new House, the Thig are
techno-Hermetics. While they often associate with Virtual Adepts and Sons of
Ether, House Thig does not share their methods on anything more than a
cosmetic basis. Although they use technology, they do not care for its
mundane, scientific workings, instead manipulating technological items as
symbols of a modern pantheon including Gods of Electricity, Plastic, Glass
and Smog. The Thigs are rising quickly to prominence, as they are perhaps
the House best suited to adapt to the post-Reckoning world.
House Tytalus: Once the dominant House in the Order
of Hermes, House Tytalus has fallen considerably due to their involvement
with the massassa (Vampires) during the Wizards' March. Losing
prestige due to accusations of being involved with the hated Tremere, and
losing many of their skilled magi to the Reckoning, the Tytalans are
struggling to cling to power. Tytalan Magi have a Darwinistic approach to magic
- they see magic as a manifestation of evolution, and that only the fittest
may wield it. Even before the Reckoning, this fearsome philosophy meant
Tytalans had a high turnover rate in membership.
House Janissary: The fearsome rivals of House
Tytalus, the Janissaries are the espionage arm of the Order of Hermes --
internal police and external espionage arm. Favoring extremely subtle
magic, and specializing in contact with Umbrood, the Janissaries are a small
group but influential for their size. Traditional allies of the Thig and
enemies of Tytalans, the Janissaries are well positioned following the
Reckoning, although their loss of their Umbral leadership has left the House
with a lack of direction.
Other Houses include the legalistic Quaesitor, matriarchal Shaea, and enigmatic Fortunae.
The Hermetics see themselves as the leaders of the Traditions, and, despite this attitude not being shared by the other Traditions, none can deny their skill at politics - or "mi'as" as they call it. "Mi'as" refers to the Hermetic's struggle for political, magical and social dominance among his fellow magi. Although not all admire the Hermetic's savvy, all acknowledge it.
All Hermetic magi learn the language known as "Enochian."
The first language taught to humans by God, Enochian is a crucial component in
most Hermetic magic. It also serves as a lingua franca of Hermetic magi,
when they wish to converse with one another privately. Teaching Enochian to a
non-Hermetic is a crime, seriously punished by the Order's strict code of
conduct. Upon Awakening, Hermetic magi are given a "true name" in
Enochian. This name is a secret known only to the mage and his Mentor, and
is considered to be something of a mystical "Achilles Heel" -- to know
a Hermetic's true name is to be able to use magic against him with impunity.
The Order of Hermes has a strict order of ranks, with deference and obedience
expected accordingly. The Order's ranking system is complex, and ranges
from Neophyte of the First Degree (a non-Awakened Student) to Magister of the
Ninth Degree (an Archmage - and a rank virtually extinct following the closure
of the Gauntlet). Most Disciples are Adepts of the Sixth Degree.
"Suffer not yourselves to be carried with the Great
Stream, but stem the tide, you that can lay hold of the Haven of Safety, and
make your full course toward it. Seek one that may lead you by the hand,
and conduct you to the door of Truth and Knowledge, where the clear Light that
is pure from Darkness, where there is not one drunken, but all are sober, and in
their heart look up to him, whose pleasure it is to be seen."
- Hermes Trismegistus, VIII 4-5
Submitted by: AmArYnTh
