ORDER OF HERMES

The Houses
House Bjornaer
Roots: House Bjornaer is not one of the latinate houses. It traces its lineage back to
Germanic shaman-magicks and animal-based rituals. Its Hermetic principles
based on runic inscription, heroic saga recitation, bold chanting, and nature-based
ritualwere largely a matter of parallel development, and not directly descended
from the school of thought finally gathered by Hermes Trismagistum in the 2nd century.
Founder: The child of a shaman and a shapeshifter, this Germanic witch was cursed and
abandoned to die by her clan. However, inheriting the gifts from both her parents in full strength
gave her the ability to survive. Her magick, initially self-taught, soon earned her respect among
the rune-mages and shifter-magi of nearby clans,
and she was chosen to represent them at the
Concord of Durenmar. Many of the other
Founders looked down upon Birna and her
powers, but Bonisagus was eager to incorporate
her magic, since her different approach to magic
promised to teach him much. She studied with
Merinita to learn Latin and the basics of Hermetic
Magic.
Paradigm: Although House Bjornaer houses a
few Christians, it views the world from a nonRoman paradigm which stems from the Germanic
pagan tribes. Members venerate animal ancestors,
and strive to perfect the Heartbeast. These
fierce Magi shun civilized lands and embrace the
wilderness. They respect strength, bravery, and
boldness over book learning. They look to nature, oral lore, Norse saga, and direct mentorship as
the sources of its teaching. Bjornaer magicks invoke the cunning and strength of animals, and the
raw power of the natural world.
Specialty Sphere(s): Life, Forces
History: During the Schism War (A.D. 1004), which ended in the destruction of fellow nonlatinate House Diedne, House Bjornaer lay low and stayed out of the conflict. In 1466, at the
Grand Convocation, Bjornaer will realign itself with the Verbenae and leave the Order.

House Bonisagus
This the most prestigious House in the Order of Hermes, tracing its descent from Bonisagus himself. The
House is largely concerned with research and expanding the frontiers of magick.

Roots: Theoreticians and scholars of magick, House Bonisagus might trace its
origins to philosopher-magi like Plato, who attempted not only to codify how
mortals might influence reality, but also sought understanding of the metaphysick
behind such influence. The development of Neo-platonism, and the Gnostic and
Manichean inquiry of the 2nd century A.D. fit into meta-magickal curiosity.
Founder: Bonisagus was the brilliant but reclusive Magus that brought together disparate
traditions of magick into a form learnable by all. After centuries of divergent development, by
dozens of orders, Bonisagus attempted to synthesize Hermetic magicks into a system all could
recognizea feat of scholarship & imagination perhaps
rivaled
only by Hermes Trismagistus himself. Trianoma, the
cofounder of the House, was the more diplomatic and
politically active of the two, and spearheaded the
effort to bring the Hermetic groups together at
Durenmar. She established her own lineage of
politically active Magi. Both liked the idea of a
union of wizards, for they deplored the warfare
that often raged between magi.
Paradigm: Masters of magical knowledge and
theory. Most Magi seek knowledge through
scholarship. This House is the most revered True
Lineage, continuing to supply knowledge and
leadership to the Order. They explore the theoretical
applications of magic, delving deep into its arcane
secrets. Some Magi follow the example of Trianoma,
sharing
knowledge through diplomacy. The Oath of the Order
allows the Bonisagi to claim apprentices from the other
Magi, but they are legally required to share all their
discoveries.
Sphere(s): Spirit, Correspondence
History: One of the Founding Houses in 767; Bonisagus
himself is instrumental in calling together the disparate
fellowships that founded the Order. The House continues
to serve leadership and diplomatic functions throughout the
history of the Order. It adopts the members of House Golo
as it collapses in 1189.
Above: Crest of House Bonisagus, ca. 1198;
Left: Heraldic Blazon of House Bonisagus, ca. 1466.

House Criamon
Roots: Bizarre esotericists dedicated to mad pursuits, House Criamon arose from
Arabic astrologers and metaphysicians, researching the nature of space and the limits
of time. Seers and oracles would meditate on the mysteries of time, enter trance-like
visions of the future, prophesy in ecstatic outbursts, or summon djinn or other spirits
to discuss the puzzle of what they called the fourth dimension.
Founder: The non-latinised version of this Arabic wizard's name was Qahir'amon. There was a
lot of discussion about his eligibility to join the Order, because of his non-Christian roots.
Bonisagus was keen for him to join, for he could see that the strength of the Order was in
diversification. Qahiramon actually had
little to do with the founding of the Order,
though he saw it as a positive step because
once it was founded he would no longer
fear the intrusions of other Magi. Fears
about the heathen were lessened when
Qahir'amin revealed that he had abandoned
conventional faith in Allah in favour of
using his magic as a pathway to the
Enigma, a concept that to the other
Founders found difficult comprehend;
which from his writings sometimes seemed
to be a universal principle, sometimes a
metaphor for human thought, and
sometimes a deity.
Paradigm: Cryptic seers and prophets,
they seek to understand the enigma--the
realm of magic, considered as a riddle.
When an understanding comes to them, they tattoo it onto their bodies. They are the mystics of
the Order, walking spiritual paths to answer the question posed by their founder, "How do we
escape time?" The many paths that they walk may grant powers, which can include immortality,
or removal from chronological history.
Specialty Sphere(s): Time, Correspondence
History: A founding house in 767. Criamon adopted both Arabic and European apprentices, and
recruits might be Christian, Muslim, or secular. Its power base remained concentrated in the
Eastern half of the Mediterranean and Moorish Iberia. Successive crusades and reconquistas
sweeping through their lands weakened their numbers, until finally in the 1700s they were
subsumed into House Ex Miscellanea.

House Deidne
This non-Latinate House practices Druidic magic.
Roots: Celtic wizards descended from Druidic traditions. These pagan priests and
priestesses oversaw the construction of Stonehenge, a vast focus for their season-based
magicks. They used the wheeling of the stars and moon to predictand with ritual
sacrifices, even influencefuture events. Hermetic in the sense that they practiced
ritualism, complex timekeeping, and astrological study.
Founder: An Irish druid, and a friend of Merinita, Diedne taught Bonisagus the use of
spontaneous magic, though she was capable of casting formulaic spells. Her House began as one
of the largest, for she persuaded many of her fellow druids to join the Order. In the early days of
the Order, this House consisted of mainly British, Welsh and Breton druids, for Diedne's Irish
counterparts disapproved of the Order; because the druids of Ireland were teachers in their tribes,
they chafed under the "non-interference with mundanes" clause of the Code, and many refused to
join. These druids were protected by their brethren, who even after joining held loyalty to both
the Order of Hermes and the Order of the Wise, a fellowship of the Wyck in Alba and Eire.
Paradigm: This non-latinate House practices Druidic magic. Fiercely pagan in outlook and style,
they doggedly resist the cultural elitism of the Latinate Houses, just as their forebears resisted the
incursions of the Romans, and later Christianity, into Angleterre. Nature, especially
cosmological and seasonal rythms, guide their magicks, as does a deep tie to the earth and land.
It is not unknown for them to incorporate blood (their own or someone elses) in their rituals.
Specialty Sphere(s): Life, Time
History: A founding house in 767, but never fully trusted by more traditionally Hermetic Latin
Houses. In 1003, they were renounced for diabolism and human sacrifice by House Tremere;
members were ruthlessly hunted down and destroyed in the Schism War, principally by members
of Flambeau, Tremere, and Tytalus. Several Houses (including Qaesitores and Bonisagus) strove
for neutrality, but none actively sided with the Diedne. (The non-Latinate Houses Bjornr and
Merinita ran for cover, re-emerging decades after the War.) House Diedne was destroyed, but its
leaders were never found, and may have escaped capture and execution. They, and their lineage,
are still subject to a sentence of death by the Order, but any survivors have in all likelihood
simply melted into the Verbenae.

House Ex Miscellanea
Roots: House Ex Miscellanea (literally "House out of hash") was founded in order to
accommodate all the smaller Hermetic traditions.
Founder: Incorporated into the Order in 817, it
included magi from other traditions, who were
pressured into joining by the Order's intimidation
politics of the eighth and ninth centuries. It is
diverse and eclectic, with many members who are
only nominal practitioners of Hermetic magic.
Members of the House are often considered hedge
wizards, if not outright charlatans, by members of
other Houses.
Paradigm: This House gathers Magi who do not
fit into any other House. Such Magi may be tied to
elements of pre-Hermetic Traditions, or may
embrace an eclectic mix of traditions. This House
embodies unity in diversity, but the emphasis is on
diversity. It also became a haven for Houses
which had lost numbers, esteem, or influence. In
Ex Miscellanea, these groups can maintain their individual identities while belonging to a bloc
large enough to wield some marginal influence in the Order.
Specialty Sphere(s): Varies
History: Founded in 817, this hodge-podge House
swells as smaller groups continue to join. Founding
Houses would occasionally be demoted to the status of
House Ex Miscellanea, and small fellowships of
wishing to join the Order of Hermes could be adopted
into Ex Miscellanea if they were not large enough to
stand as full-fledged Houses.

The crooked wand, staff, or tree of House Ex Miscellanea.

Above: Sigil of the House, ca. 1198.
Right: Crest of Ex Miscellanea, ca. 1466.

House Flambeau
Roots: The spiritual ancestor of House Flambeau would be the proud mage who
used her power to awe and terrorize mortals. The Pyrenean Alliance of the Iberian
Peninsula a group of Christian warrior-magi who (unsuccessfully) opposed the
Moorish army were the specific group that became House Flambeau.
Founder: An Iberian noble by birth, whose family lost battle
after battle to the Muslims, retreating further and further north.
His master plucked him from this violent background and
taught him magick. Both of them fought alongside the
Christian nobility against the Moors, but to no avail.
Flambeau's master was an expert in the art of destruction,
but Flambeau studied and mastered the art of fire. His
fighting style was flexible, ruthless, and brilliant. He
gathered around him a group of other wizards to form a
military unit to use against the hated Moors, thus he was
the leader/founder of the Pyrenean Alliance. When
Trianoma came to him he was skeptical, not wanting his
freedom restricted. When the Order seemed more likely to
form, with or without him, his attitude changed. He insisted
on Magi having the right to use violence when necessary.
Paradigm: House Flambeau is direct, organized and aggressive. They are Hermes war-magi,
who fight for glory and honor, both their own and that of the Order. The House revels in bold
endeavors, and they seek out and overcome fearsome opponents. Tempestuous and hot-headed
(no pun intended) and not usually the greatest thinkers, they have a fearsome reputation on the
battlefield, & there are fewer better than a Flambeau to have at your side during a confrontation.
Sphere: Masters of Forces in an Order that already prizes the study of that Sphere. Despite their
name they are as proficient with bolts of lightning, chilling cold and devastating telekinetic blasts
as they are with fire. Most are as skilled with swords,
ballistics and martial arts as they are with spells.
History: One of the founding Houses. House Flambeau
plays a major role in the destruction of House Diedne after
the latter is accused of Diabolism in 1003.
As champions of the Order, Flambeau are masters
of fire magic and combat. There is one Flambeau lineage
that studies magical war machines and siegecraft in lieu of
fire. And, a secret lineage is dedicated to the extermination
of all Diedne and Bjornr House magi. Most of the
members come from France and Spain.
Top: House Flambeau, ca. 1198; Below: House Flambeau, ca. 1400.
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House Fortunae
Origins: In 1910, Qabbalists within House Ex Miscellanea form a
Fortunae Group. For the first years, the group is an informal club,
discussing matters relating to fate, destiny, and free willand how
they relate to chronomancy. The chronophilosophers are vindicated
in 1933, when an ongoing debate on arithmosophy and probability
magick leads to acceptance of House Fortunae, Ex Miscellanea.
Paradigm: Qabbalists with an emphasis on prophesy and prediction;
they are especially interested in the tension between the foreknowledge
promised through such studies, and the question of free will. Their
inquiries have branched out to include probability, chaos study, philosophy of destiny, and free will. Especially hot topics within the House are
whether destiny is influenced by the will, and whether fate is immutable.
Sphere(s): Entropy, Time
History: In 1936, a Grand Tribunal formally admits House Fortunae as a full House.

House Golo
Roots: One might trace this house to the Kitab al Alacir, an ancient Arabic tome of magickal
theory. It is also a product of the scientific leanings (mathematics, systemization, study,
experimentation) within Hermeticism, and the desire of some early Daedaleans (Order of
Reason) to cooperate with the Order of Hermes. The (re)discovery of the Kitab prompted the
creation of this House to promote magical science.
Founders: Lorenzo Golo bani Verditius, and Simon de Laurent bani Cabal of Pure Thought. A
Hermetic mage and a Daedalean philosopher-scientist dared to cooperate on a common goal: the
study of the Book of Ether and the creation of a school of magickal science based on it.
Paradigm: Based on the Kitab al Alacir, the Book of Ether, this Houses goal was the
research, exploration, and codification of the Aether, and etherial magick. As the fabled essence
or material between the stars, the aether was a theoretical subtle fluid offering the insights into
other forms of matter, and the movement of the celestial bodies.
Sphere(s): Matter, Spirit
History: Precursors of the Sons of Ether, this House has the dubious distinction of being the
shortest-lived of the Order. Formed in 1171, it collapses less than twenty years later, in 1188.
Members disperse into House Bonisagus, House Verditius, and some into the Order of Reason.
Later, Golo and de Laurent found the Natural Philosopher's Guild, an independent Craft.
7

House Hong Lei

Roots: Descended from an ancient group of Chinese ritualists, the Wu Lung (or Dragon
Wizards.) This fellowship of powerful magi are older than the Order of Hermes by millennia.
Current Status: In 2000, refugee ritualists from the Wu Lung (fleeing the Technocracy) are
admitted into the Order of Hermes as House Hong Lei. Currently under probationary status.

House Janissary
Roots: The Ixoi (also known as the House of Ixion) were a secretive group named after the first
murderer of Greek mythology. Myth holds they held the obsidian knife of Ixion; these dagger
mages used its power against infernalists in Enoch, Babel, and Gehenna.
In 1336 the descendents of the Ixoi joined the Order of Reason as
the Ksirafai, intent on punishing mages and Artisans alike who strayed
from the path of Ascension. These razor-men were only a rumor even
among the Daedaleans, working in the shadows.
Foundation: By the late 17th century, the Ksirafai began to doubt the
purity of their mission, given the Technocracys pogrom. They quietly
faded into the shadows, eliminating all traces of their existence, and
then, in 1716, "defeated" their own Construct in Turkey. Using the
name Dincer Albayrak, the leader of the Ksirafai presented the
"victory" over the Technocrats to the Order of Hermes, and asked to be
recognized as House Janissary.
Paradigm: Named for fearsome Arabian/Turkish soldiers, the
Janissaries. These war mages serve as a sort of secret police for
the Order of Hermes in general, keeping an eye out for any
corruption which might stand in the way of Ascension.
History: Shortly after the foundation of the House, its founder
selected a replacement, a young Bedouin by the name of Caeron
Mustai. Combining the knowledge of the Batini and the Ixoi,
Mustai realized Armegeddon and Ascension might be one and
the same. Janissary was gradually led astray from its original
purpose, but continued to function as enforcers. In 1764, thanks
to the Mustais efforts, Janissary is recognized as a full House.
Eventually, Janissary contributed to the political warfareturned-deadly which destroyed Doissetep and some of the Masters of the Order, in 1997. Mustai
himself was responsible for the death of Porthos Fitz-Empress, dying himself in the process. In
2001, the Order uncovered the truth about Janissarys history and secret dealings, and expunged
the house.
Left top: The seal of the Ksirafai, ca. 15th century.
Right: The crest of House Janissary, ca. 18th century.

House Jerbiton
Roots: Jerbiton might trace its ancestry to the Cave paintings in Arles, and other
prehistoric magicks which wedded artistry to magic. The Greek myth of Gallatea
tells of a statue so beautiful it became realimbued by its artist-creator with potent
Life magicks. Later, Plato, Neo-platonics, and Christians linked Truth to Beauty.
Founder: A noble by birth, a member of an old Roman patrician family that had survived into
the Dark Ages as a clan of land-holding nobles. His family cultivated in him a fine taste for
music and other arts, so he felt isolated and distraught when he was taken from home and made
an apprentice. Once a full wizard and free to travel, he spent his early years visiting city after
city, steeping himself in whatever arts he could find in that dark time. When he heard that an
Order of wizards was forming, he came, for he felt that only by cooperating in peace could Magi
themselves develop traditions of art
and philosophy based on their
magickal arts.
Paradigm: These Magi live for the
pursuit of beauty. Aesthetics and
magick are one, as the depiction of
the world as it is (or might be) represents reality with a compelling
vision of itself. Artists or patrons
of the arts, they interact with the
mundane world more than most
Hermetics, for the sake of beauty
and to avoid the stunted lives that
result from living in a closed
community. The members are
often writers, artists, poets,
philosophers, doctors, or other
professionals. Some Magi are
recruited from the nobility for their
diplomatic leverage and
aristocratic connections.
Sign of House Jerbiton, ca. 1198.
Sphere(s): Mind, Matter
History: 767, one of the founding Houses. 1400s, demoted to Ex Miscellanea.

House Luxor
Founder(s): The first American House, founded by Max Theon and Paschal Beverly Randolf,
the first black Hermetic master.
Paradigm: Founded to explore the common ground between science, spiritualism, and religion.
Sphere(s): Forces, Spirit
History: Founded in 1872 as the first America House, Luxor will be hit hard by the Great
Depression, finally subsumed into the Sons of Ether by 1936.

House Mercere
Roots: Of old, mortal consors of would run messages or errands for wizards or
magick lodges. These messengers formed a primitive mail service, bearing tidings,
offers of alliance, or threats. Through the effort of these servitors, communication
was kept open between lodgespaving the way for a meeting at Durenmar in 767
Founder: Erme lMercere was a French Magus who was very enthusiastic about the nascent
Order, and visited many of the other wizards of the Pyrenean Alliance to invite them to join,
considering it a means to restore the peace that was lost with the fall of Rome. In his old age, he
was afflicted by a peculiar form of senility, gradually losing his grip on the Art, but remaining a
cunning thinker. In these years, he no longer took apprentices, but trained classes of unAwakened messengers in intrigue, spying, cryptography, & diplomacy.
Paradigm: House Mercere originally specialized in transformative magics, but the Founder of
the House lost his Gift and established it as a provider of various services to the order. House
membership is not restricted to those Gifted with magickal abilities,
but includes all couriers trained in magickal history, politics,
and theory. After all, Hermes was the messenger of the Gods.
This group holds the Magi of Mythic Europe together by
facilitating communication, encouraging trade. They are
the heralds, heroes, mercenaries, and merchants of
Hermes. A small lineage of Gifted Magi does survive
within the Mercere, descended from an apprentice trained
before their Founder lost his Gift.
Sphere(s): Correspondence, Life
History: 767, One of twelve founding Houses of the Order of
Hermes. By 1630, having waned in Magickal members over
the centuries, but still indispensible to the Order, House Mercere is adopted into House Ex
Miscellanea. In 1936, House Fortunae is promoted to a full House, after it subsumes the
remnants of House Mercere.
10

House Merinita
Nature Magi and fae mysticcs of a non-Latinate tradition.
Roots: House Merinita was founded as a House specializing in nature magic, but
was rebuilt as a Mystery Cult of Faerie Magi. Its members are often aloof and as
unconcerned with the affairs of the Order as they are with the mundane world.
Founder: To the Magi of the 8th century, Lady Merinita of the Wood was a legend and a
mystery. She traveled alone through the wilderness, and was said to be in league with the spirits
of the wild. Trianoma spent a year trying to find her to invite her to help form the Order, and for
reasons still unclear, she accepted & trained apprentices. After founding her House and seeing
the Order into its first years of stability, however, she returned to her journeys through the wilds.
Paradigm: After their founder disappeared, they
reorganized as students of the Faeries under the
Primus Quendalon. They move freely among the
Fae, serving apprenticeships under both human and
faerie masters. Many of their most skilled
eventually join their otherworldly tutors, adopted
as honorary fae. Their spells can draw on
glamours, invoke Seelie alliances, or call on
Natures capricious power.
Spheres: Spirit, Life
History: Beginning in the 10th century, for
unknown reasons, the faerie sidhe began leaving
earth. At first a trickle, this became a downright exodus
in the later 12th century as the fae nobility fled to Arcadia.
This process intensified into the 13th century; eventually, the
faeries nobility would abandon the less powerful of their kind and slam the doors on the
Dreaming. The House declines after most of its notables (including its centuries-old founder,
Lady Merinita of the Wood) disappear into the Otherworld, and eventually becomes subsumed
into House Ex Miscellanea.

House Ngoma
High ritualists, descended from African witch doctors, the Madzimbabwe. The Madzimbabwe
were present at the Grand Convocation, but refused to join when the European magicians wished
to simply lump them in with the Dreamspeakers (an amalgam of various shamanistic, spiritbased groups). With the intensification of the Technocracys attacks, and no longer too proud to
become a subgroup within a larger tradition, the Madzimbabwe petition for Hermetic
membership in 2001. Although founded by an existing Hermetic, this wizard was essentially
only sponsoring the remnants of the Madzimbabwe.
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House Quaesitor
Roots: The Guernicus family traced its lineage through the centuries, back through
Latin nobles and civic patrons, all the way to the Imperial Senate. A wealthy,
influential family deep-rooted in a Roman appreciation for Law and Civitas, the
Guernici patronized experts in law, history, philosophy, rhetoric, and magick. These
masters as counselors to the family Pater, and tutors to the children, as part of a well-rounded
classical education. In the eighth century, a scion of the family displayed an unusual facility for
magick, going far beyond the elementary theory he was expected to learn
Founder(s): When the Order was being founded, the Magus
Guernicus showed the most skepticism that Magi could work
together; he had seen the infighting that occurred in the
Pyrenean Alliance. He estimated the lifespan of the Order
would be 'three-score years and ten, or a bit longer thanks to
potions of longevity.' Trianoma finally grew weary of his
never-ending wise-cracks and asked him what the Order
would need to survive. Guernicus said that the Order would
need a Magus whose sole duty would be to police the other
wizards, keep the peace, and enforce the Code of Hermes. At
Trianoma's suggestion, Guernicus took this role, turning his
family estate into a collegium for like-minded magi and pupils.
Paradigm: Law is power. Babylon could not have risen without it; the Hebrews kept their divine
Torah (and thus, identity) long after their kings died; and lastly, those true geniuses of law, the
Romans built a world-spanning empire on it. Like Hermetic magicks, law is based on principles
of order and consistency. Also like magick, it partakes of two worlds: the ideal of Law in its
platonic perfection, and the worldly law, amenable to influenceSo, both exist in a pure state,
but both can be bent.
The Quaesitores are the judges and prosecutors,
empowered to enforce order within Hermes. By force of
law, these Magi have held the basic structures of the
Hermetic Order of Hermes intact for the centuries of its
tempestuous existence. Some Magi act as the Order's
historians, tracing its descent from the cults of Mercury in
Rome and Thoth in Egypt.
Sphere(s): Mind, Forces
History: Known early on as House Guernicus for its
founder and the collegium founded in his manse, the
name shifted eventually to Quaesitor. The House is the
lineage of the Quaesitores, the police, judges, and
sometimes executioners of the Order of Hermes.
Above: House emblem ca. 1198; Right: shield, ca. 1466.
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House Shaea
Roots: A primarily female House of the Order of Hermes, this House is actually one of the
oldest Hermetic traditions, with roots confidently traceable back to Egypt.
Founder(s): No single founder; an Egyptian-hermetic order of wizards who petition for
membership in the early 15th century. Alarmed by the nascent Order of Reason, and before the
formation of the Traditions, they align themselves with those magi most like them in outlook and
paradigm: the Order of Hermes.
Paradigm: Language is power, and the symbols of language
tap and control that power. This House embraces the early
Egyptian trappings of the Order, and promote base linguistics
as a key to understanding thought, perception, and thus the
universe. Tongues, alphabets and hieroglyphs as their tools
and trade. Adepts undergo intense training in linguistics, and
are expected to master several tongues to the point of
complete fluency. As they learn the deep structures that rule
thought (syntax) and the symbols that contain different ideas
(vocabulary, sound, and writing), in several languages, they
break free of the channels and ruts that any one language
imposes on the mind. They also learn the power of words as
the clay jars of the divine Forms. Those that grasp this to learn
magick; those who do not are valued as skilled interpreters,
scribes, and historians of the House. Though the rest of the Order often dismisses them as simple
scribes, they diligently maintain archives and record.
Sphere(s): Mind
History: Accepted into the Order Ex Miscellanea in 1412. In 1982, House Shaea decides to
break away from the Order of Hermes. Other Hermetics realize how much they've come to
depend on the Shaea, and offer them full House status. The Shaea accept, to the consternation of
other constituents of Ex Miscellanea

House Skopos
A tiny sect dedicated to quantum reality and nanotechnologickal magick, founded Ex
Miscellanea, 2000. Sphere: Forces

13

House Solificati
History: An organization with a long, checkered history.
Originally founded as the Solificati, they first joined the Order
of Reason as one of its founding Conventions, left, then joined
the Council of Nine Mystic Traditions as one of its founding
Traditions, fled, hid in secret for generations as the Children
of Knowledge, and finally joined to the Order of Hermes
rather than face extinction. They are accepted in 1999, as a full
House.
Paradigm: Supreme Alchemists. See Solificati for more.
Sphere(s): Matter, Spirit

House Tharsis
Founded in 1522. A collective of storm-wizards with a deep connection with the sea. They are
occasionally referred to as "buccaneers." They, along with House Janissary and House Validas,
arose during the "golden age of kings," and thus were raised as archetypal examples of the Order
of Hermes, the Tradition's "golden boys."
Paradigm: Storm-wizards, based around water, weather, and sea-travel. The sea, which mirrored
the tempestuous forces of hubris and will which the magus sails, and the awesome power he
wields. They took to the sea as sailors, pirates, and privateers, using their mastery of Forces
magic to their advantage. Some fit the Hermetic mold more than others. Some Tharsis used
maps, astronomy, sea charts, and sextants/compasses/astrolabes, as the focus for their magicks.
Then again, in a way it was the dreadful Salt Witches, who terrorized the high seas with their
blatant (& vulgar) command over the elements who best embodied the Orders Faustian spirit.
Sphere: Forces (obviously)
Fate: 1897 - House Tharsis is accused of diabolism. It's unknown whether the cause was
curiosity, boredom, disillusionment or corruption. Tharsis is renounced, attacked, and expelled
from Hermetic dominions. When they fall, it seems almost as a death knell for the Order as a
whole.

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House Thig
Founding: In 1762, Joseph Ryelander, an Orphan, forms his own cabal. In 1804, Ryelander and
his cabal apply for membership in the Order of Hermes under the name The Ruby Children.
The Hermetics accept them into House Ex Miscellanea, and promptly forget about them.
Promotion: 1846 - After Joseph Ryelanders
three cabals (the Ruby Children, Emerald
Children and Diamond Children) discover or
damage a dozen Artisan operations, Caeron
Mustai bani Janissary speaks eloquently in their
favor at a Grand Tribunal. The Council grants
the three cabals recognition as a full House.
Paradigm: Prior to being subsumed by House
Verditius, House Thig was the Order's resident
Technomancy specialist. It's members were
often radical and innovative, fusing their
knowledges of Hermetic magic and modern
technology. Older Houses saw this as foolish
dabbling at best and a mockery of their Art at
worst. With the fusing of House Verditius came
an inherited pedigree that 'legitimized' their
occult technomagick. This did not sit well with
all members, and some broke off to form House
Xaos.
The Crest of House Thig prior to 1999.

Sphere(s): Forces, Matter

Later History: In 1999, Sharad Osei, Primus of House Thig approaches House Verditius with an
offer - they will join Verditius, supplying it with new members and technological knowledge in
exchange for their name and pedigree. Most members of House Thig join and Verditius once
again becomes a Major House. In 2001, some former Thig, dissatisfied with the merging of
House Verditius, form their own House within Ex Miscellanea, House Xaos.

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House Tremere
Roots: House Tremere was one of founding Houses within the Order of Hermes. It
was a very powerful house, having been largely responsible for the destruction of the
druidic House Diedne in the Schism War, although the actual purging of Diedne was
mostly carried out by other Houses. The House was abnormally powerful given that it
seemed to consist largely of sorcerers (hedge magicians) rather than true mages. Even Tremere
himself was said to have been a sorcerer.
Founder: Lord Tremere, who may or may not have been a true Awakened magus. Either way, it
was true that he was weak in magic relative to the other founders of the Order; still, he managed
to outlive every other founder. He co-created certamen, the magical duel, as a means of dispute
resolution, and as a rite of passage for Tremere Magi. He managed to keep a tight control over
his House, and his House influenced the Order beyond their numerical significance.
Paradigm: Masters of dominance and intrigue, assembled from a cult of personality around Lord
Tremere. House Tremere was built on order, obedience, and hierarchy. The House tries to
control events, gathering influence and resources as crises draw near.
Tremere grasp power of any sort, by whatever means available. They consider it the right
of the Magus to achieve total mastery through study, practice, dark experiments, blackmail,
manipulation of mortals, experimentation with supernaturals (when they could be obtained for
study), and a policy of adding various low magics (hedge magic) to their repertoire.
Sphere: Forces (& various hedge magics), later: vampiric Thaumaturgy
History (by period):
POST-ROMAN TIMES. One of twelve
founding Houses in 767. In 772, Lord Tremere
and Bonisagus invent Certmen, the formal
system for magickal duels; it is soon adopted
as official means of settling disputes. In 848,
Lord Tremere, having lived more than 150
years, is the last remaining Founder; he
attempts to seize control of the Order, but is
stopped by a band of unidentified Magi. In
1003, House Tremere declares Wizards' War
against House Dedne. In 1012, Diedne is
formally found guilty of Diabolism and
eliminated, largely by Houses Flambeau,
Quaesitores, and Tytalus.
Sigil of House Tremere, in use until 1198
EARLY DARK AGES: In 1021,
Goratrix captures an elder of clan Tzimisce, forces him to turn his two apprentices into vampires,
and then kills him. He takes his apprentices back to his Chantry to experiment. The following
year, Goratrix announces his success to Lord Tremere. Tremere gathers his six closest friends
16

and heads to Goratrix Chantry, much to the objection of Etrius. Within hou they were all
vampires. They began the conversion of the other Mages of their House secretly. Meanwhile,
Etrius successfully
argued that a mortal arm of House Tremere should be maintained,
to keep up
appearances among the other houses, as well as to continue
to
pursue High Magick. By 1055, infighting among the new
vampires had grown so high that Tremere himself
was forced to Blood-Bond the Inner Council of
Seven.
In 1067, the Tzimisce form alliances with
Eastern European Gangrel and Nosferatu to
attack the Tremere. Chantry after Chantry falls
until Goratrix perfects the new Gargoyle bloodline,
and tells them to "...go forth and multiply."
Combined with their fledgling discipline of
Thaumaturgy, or blood magic, the Tremere
begin to hold their own against other vampires.
In 1133, Tremere discovers the havens of
several sleeping Antediluvians. He chooses and
diablerizes Saulot. He and the Seven become Third
and Fourth Generation vampires, A few years later,
Tremere begins to slip into Torpor lasting weeks or
months at a time. He tells the Council to organize
Heraldic Blazon of Clan Tremere, ca. 1198
the House. They divide the known world among
themselves, and begin blood-bonding all members to themselves to insure stability.
DARK AGES. (1197 - Default date for Vampire: The Dark Ages.) In 1199, The Order of
Hermes discovers that the Tremere have nearly all become vampires. Three years later, the First
Massasa War is declared. Although there are no decisive victories on either side, casualties are
high, and the fighting eventually ceases due to attrition. At this point, with their ejection from the
Order, House Tremere is no more There is only Clan Tremere. There are, however, some
mortal remnants within the clanmasters of True Magick who are more
valuable as blood-bound ghouls than vampires. When the Inner Council
finally decides it is time to embrace all remaining members, some of these
magi object, a few even managing to elude the blood bond with Mind
magicks. A very small number manage to escape, and rejoin the Order of
Hermes, ex-Miscellanea, as Maison Liban. Other Hermetic mages never
fully trust Maison Liban, suspecting them for Tremere spies; by the 1500s
they have died out.
Clan Tremere, 20th. cen.

17

House Tytalus
Roots: Tytalus, a tempestuous wizard, who was always pitting himself against
others. He gathered a number of apprentices defeated magi whose fire and
courage he admired, and whom he taught his warlike magick and credo.
Founder: Tytalus was one of the reasons that the formation of a peaceful Order was appealing to
other wizards. He was known as a hot-tempered wizard, prone to challenging other powerful
wizards just for the sake of testing himself and learning from his victories (which were many)
and defeats (which were few). Initially he spoke out against the Order, but Trianoma beat him in
a magical duel, and he agreed to join; thenceforth he continually tested the bounds of the Code.
Like Flambeau, he took pleasure in hunting down those that refused to join the Order, though he
often
let them live once they had acknowledged defeat. Tytalus's
relationship with his apprentices set a tradition of 'beloved
rivals', constantly involved in games and contests of power
which made others believe that they hated one another.
Paradigm: Magick is nothing else if not an act of Will;
the Magus seeks to impose his will on the world,
others, even reality itself. The domination of the
Supreme Will over lesser wills is the natural order of
things. These Magi strive to improve themselves
through conflict. They believe the main conflict is
between an individual's nature and the rules imposed by
society. They are famous for their long-term in-House
rivalries, convoluted political schemes, and activities that
skirt the edge of legality.
Sphere(s): Entropy, Forces

Sign of House Tytalus, ca. 1198

History: Devotees of Supreme Will, House Tytalus is gathered to

challenge other wizards. It continually tests the strength and conviction
of the other Houses, and the Order itself. It revels in Wizards Wars,
is in the forefront when Houses are hunted down for infernalism, and
believes that only the strong edifice deserves to stand. Members will
often challenge other magi to certamen or even conventional duels with
little provocation, simply to test themselves. Similarly, skirmish wars
between Chantries both intra-house and with other Houses keeps their
blades sharp and the skills honed.

Shield of House Tytalus, ca. 15th century

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House Verditius
Roots: House Verditius traces is spiritual ancestry to the Cult of Vulcan, which
revered the blacksmith god and bent its occult prowess to the forging of powerful
magical items, and the creation of wondrous devices.
Founder: A Byzantine Magus residing in Italy, and the last priest of the Cult of Vulcan.
Verditius was utterly incapable of casting spells, but as a creator of magical items, he was
unmatched. He was eager to join the Order because it gave him certain protection from other
Magi - he wanted to be part of an Order which would allow him to practice his craft in peace.
Paradigm: Artificers and enchanters who do not perform magic
without tools. They forge great items, putting a little of themselves
into their finest creations. They suspend spells in their craft,
using sigils, symbols, inscriptions, and runes to hold the
magicks. They take great pride in their work.
Sphere(s): In addition to the Order's speciality Sphere of
Forces, House Verditius also specializes in Matter. Prime is also
important to them as it allows the permanent enchantment of
artifacts. Other spheres are valued for the spells and weavings that
Verditius might want to bind to an object.

History: House Verditius are the Order's wonder-crafters. When the Order was first founded, it
was mages from Verditius who crafted the Hermetics' magical swords and dragon-summoning
amulets.
As the centuries rolled by, their work continued along an occult trajectory, even as
popular belief turned more towards science. The symbols, runes, and spells inscribed on their
objects began to hold less awe to the commoner; the gems and metals
they were composed of were no longer believed to resonate with
certain constellations or powers. Increasingly, their wondrous
creations were Vain or Vulgar magick, and they lost members
(and potential recruits) to the Craftmasons and Artificers of the nascent
Order of Reason.
For example, in 1171, Lorenzo Golo, a Verditius member leaves to
form House Golo, devoted to the study of the otherworldly Aether.
House Golo is disbanded in 1188 and some members are re-absorbed
into House Verditiuswhile others join the Order of Reason.
In the 1600s, the house is demoted to House Ex Miscellanea due
to dwindling membership. In 1999, Sharad Osei, Primus of House
Thig approaches Verditius with an offer - they will join Verditius,
supplying it with new members and technological knowledge in
exchange for their name and pedigree. Most members of House Thig
join and Verditius once again becomes a Major House. Now, with the
addition of "fresh blood, House Verditius is turning its knowledge to
creating enchanted guns, magical computers and mystical vehicles.
19

House Validas
1557 House Validas founded by Sir Shining Edward Validas, a petty noble in the English
town of Naseby mentioned in the Domesday Book, and named for the Old English word
naefela (navel), because it was believed to be the navel of England. Sir Validas was tied to
(perhaps the founder of?) an occult gentlemans club based in the area, which claimed lineage
from an ancient Roman cult, the last true descendents of which were wiped out when the Black
Death swept through the area in the 1349. House Validas enjoyed success under during
Elizabeths reign, but was decimated in 1645 during the Naseby Catastrophe, when Royalist
forces were crushed during the Civil War. In 1700, it is accused of diabolism and renounced.
Mostly wiped out, Validas survivors become an Infernal sect which may still be active in rural
England.

House Xaos
Founder(s): Founded Ex Miscellanea (informally in 1999, and officially recognized in 2001)
from the ruins of House Thig. Some ex-Thig magi felt that other Thigs "sold out" by joining
House Verditius. Most other Hermetics consider the House a joke.
Paradigm: House Xaos continues the tradition of House Thig (a technomantic house organized
during the Industrial Era). They pursue a grafting of technomagick with Hermetic principles,
often suspending ritualistic spells in software or sophisticated devices. They also mine the
potential of new paradigms of science, such as Chaos Theory and Quantum Dynamics, which
they believe hold great potential for undermining the Modernist scientific rigidity of the
Technocracy. Spheres: Matter, Entropy.

House Ziracah
Roots: In Enochian tradition, Ziracah is one of the angels who descended to earth; he was set up
as a king over an unnamed land in the South, and held dominion over desire and lust.
Founder(s): Alimonde Ziracah
Paradigm: Masters of Ars Cupidae, the art of desire. Ziracah magi make a study of desire in all
its forms: eros, platonic attraction, drugs, hunger, greed, and lust for power, to name just a few.
These magi specialize in understanding and manipulating others' passions, and know how to
manipulate others' desires to achieve their own.
Sphere(s): Life, Mind
History: Weakened in the Naseby Catastrophe of 1645, leading to their demotion to House Ex
Miscellanea. The House is later wiped out in the Hellfire Incident, in 1780.
20