Hermes’ Portal

Hermes' Portal was distributed (approximately) quarterly via email, from 2001 through 2005, in Adobe Acrobat's PDF format. It was edited by Eric Kouris. On average, each issue was about 50 pages long, and new ones come out every two to three months.

Although Hermes' Portal is not longer published, the complete set of issues is available free of charge on the "downloads" page of its Web site.

Issue #12

• Who's Who (short biographies of the newest contributors)
• Publisher's Corner (more about the special issue)
• Magic Beneath the Skin, by David Woods (A scenario for Land of Fire and Ice)
• Failed Apprentices in Mythic Europe, by Mark Hall (interesting character concepts)
• Legal Status of Covenants in Mythic Europe, by Jeff Berry (historical legalities simplified)
• Omnibus Grimoire: Imaginem, by Andrew Gronosky (new Imaginem spells)
• Politics and Conflict: Strategy and Tactics, by Alexander White (running an involved political saga)
• Dear Abelard, a medieval questions and answers column (covenant charter, lunar sphere, "Dear John")
• Heretic's Corner: Aura pro nobis, by Michaël de Verteuil (examining auras)
• The Lesson, by Matt Ryan (an apprentice learns to play a subtle game)

Issue #11

• News from the Line Editor: February 2004 (Fifth Edition playtesting, new supplements)
• Publisher's Corner (China, upcoming special issue)
• Mythic Cathay: Taoism, by Timothy Ferguson (Chinese mysticism)
• Mythic Cathay: Chinese External Alchemy, by Timothy Ferguson (alchemists, gunpowder, metalworking)
• Mythic Cathay: Buddhism, by Timothy Ferguson (Chinese monks and reincarnation)
• Mythic Cathay: The Meta-Bestiary, by Timothy Ferguson (Chinese creatures, beasts, and spirits)
• Advancing Hermetic Theory Without Unbalancing Your Game, by Tyler Larson (researching discoveries)
• Omnibus Grimoire Scroll VI: Ignem, by Andrew Gronosky (new Ignem spells)
• The Art of History, by Alexander White (history in Mythic Europe)
• Mystery Riddle (puzzling poetry)
• Heretic's Corner: Slicing the Gordian Knot, by Michaël de Verteuil (simplifying combat)

Issue #10

• Who's Who (short biographies of the newest contributors)
• Publisher's Corner (more subscribers)
• Three Faerie Herbs, by Mark Shirley (story hooks and rules for using three Herbs of Virtue)
• Soulflower, The Temptation, by Tyler Larson (Ars Magica poetry)
• Towards a New Learning Model, by Sean Michael Winslow (revising Abilities for mystae and breakthroughs)
• Ars Mathematica: Mathematics, by Adam Bank and Jeremiah Genest (the Mystery of numerology)
• The Gift, Silence, by Tyler Larson (more Ars Magica poetry)
• A New Character Sheet: Innate and Learned Attributes, by Jérémy Provost (revising character design from the character sheet)
• Omnibus Grimoire, Herbam, by Andrew Gronosky (new Herbam spells)
• Stories in the Chinese Style, by Timothy Ferguson (how to run a Chinese Ars Magica saga)
• Mythic Cathay: Popular Beliefs, by Timothy Ferguson (Chinese magic and religion)

Issue #9

• Who's Who (short biographies of the newest contributors)
• News from the Line Editor (Fourth Edition downloads, and Fifth Edition playtesting)
• Publisher's Corner (issue #10 in November)
• Mythic Zorastrianism, by Alexander White (history, beliefs, practices, and mysteries of the Persian sect)
• Ex Bibliotheca Durenmare, by Eric Minton (Hermetic books and new spells)
• Heretic's Corner: Ways and Means, and the Mirror of Vanities, by Michaël de Verteuil (covenant relations and resources)
• Fixing the Combat System, by Tyler Larson (ideas towards more realistic combat)
• The Simonium: Shrine to Simon Magus, by Alexander White (the legend of Simon Magus and his magic)
• Dear Abelard, a medieval questions and answers column (Moratamis meets Eleanor)
• Omnibus Grimoire, Scroll IV: Corpus, by Andrew Gronosky (new Corpus spells)
• The Seven Deadly Traits, by Erik Dahl (adapting Personality traits to the seven deadly sins)

Issue #8

• News from the Line Editor (updated schedule, other time periods, and the role of fanzines)
• Publisher's Corner (contest winners and introducing the "magic issue")
• De Theoria Magica, by David Chart (an excerpt from a liber quaesitorum on Magic Theory)
• De Rationem Scoporum: A Theory of Targets, by David Woods (set theory applied to Magic Theory)
• The Realm of Magic, by Adam Bank and Jeremiah Genest (discussion and characteristics of the Magic Realm)
• Bonisagus Redux: Magic Theory Revised, by Erik Dahl (ideas for modifying the magic system)
• The Galdor Mysteries, by David Woods (bringing galdramen into Hermetic magic)
• The Martyrdom of Issidoros, by Timothy Ferguson (Mythic chewing gum)

Issue #7

• Who's Who (short biographies of the newest contributors)
• News from the Line Editor (news about Sanctuary of Ice, Fifth Edition, and submissions)
• Publisher's Corner (Eric's Mythic Real Life)
• Hermetic Law and the Quaesitores, by David Woods (ideas for interpreting Hermetic law)
• More Merinita Mysteries, by Scott D. Orr (flavorful additions to HP4's "Merinita Mysteries")
• A New Look at Experimentation, by Kevin Sours (revisions to lab experimentation rules)
• Omnibus Grimoire, by Andrew Gronosky (new Auram spells)
• Legend of the Witches of Tartosa, by Carlos de la Cruz Moralez (story hooks for Aragonese hedge wizards)
• Mythic Academia, by Adam Bank and Jeremiah Genest (new Knowledges, rules and books for medieval academics)
• Dear Abelard, a medieval questions and answers column (sanctum law, Eleanor of Aquitaine)
• Holy Animals!, by Mike Sloothaak (divine animals, divine familiars)
• Ex Bibliotheca Verdorum, by Eric Minton (Hermetic books and new spells)
• Heretic's Corner: A Place of Magic, by Michaël de Verteuil (designing covenants' auras)
• The Curious Tale of Vaska Praskovaya - Chapter the Second, by Robert Hansen (Slavic Flambeau fiction)

Issue #6

• News from the Line Editor (upcoming books, interview questions, goals for Fifth Edition)
• The Miraculous World, by Adam Bank and Jeremiah Genest (studies of the Lyceum for Empirical Metaphysics)
• Twilight and Ageing Revisited, by David Woods (ideas for revising the Twilight and aging rules)
• Ars Sympathia, by Mark Shirley (a new mysta based in the Law of Sympathy)
• Publisher's Corner (Eric comments on the length of this issue)
• Who's Who (short biographies of the newest contributors)
• Saint Walaric's Cures, by Sheila Thomas (legend of a saint's chapel with an unusual remedy)
• Omnibus Grimoire, by Andrew Gronosky (new Aquam spells)
• Monty's Back!, by Jérôme Darmont (spells based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
• The Separation of Church and Order, by Mike Sloothaak (a mystical arrangement between magi and churchmen)
• Ex Biblioteca Magvilli, by Eric Minton (Hermetic books and new spells)
• Heretic's Corner: The Unbearable Lightness of Reading, by Michaël de Verteuil (Characteristics, libraries)
• Dear Abelard, a medieval questions and answers column (Abelard's illness, switching bodies, Mercere certámen)

Issue #5

• Who's Who (short biographies of the newest contributors)
• Publisher's Corner (Eric closes the scenario contest)
• News from the Line Editor (David talks about all the new changes to the line)
• Pilgrims of Darkness, by Jérôme Darmont (the winner of the scenario contest)
• Seasonal Characters, by Erik Dahl (creating spring, summer, autumn and winter characters)
• Dear Abelard, a medieval questions and answers column (a case at Tribunal, new magus rights)
• Stories for Elder Magi, by Timothy Ferguson (more story concepts for more powerful characters)
• The Magic of the Founders, by David Chart (Mercurian magic and mastering spells)
• Omnibus Grimoire: Scroll I (Animál), by Andrew Gronosky (new Animál spells)
• Ex Bibliotheca Durenmare, by Eric Minton (Hermetic books and new spells)
• Heretic's Corner: The Practice of Teaching, by Michaël de Verteuil (comments, simplifying learning)
• Atmospheric Magic, by Mike Sloothaak

Issue #4

• Who's Who (short biographies of the contributors)
• Publisher's Corner (Eric comments on the frequency of issues and introduces the articles)
• Merinita Mysteries, by David Chart (new rules for Faerie Magic, using mystae based in House Merinita)
• News from the Line Editor (David talks about upcoming Ars Magica books)
• Stories for Elder Magi, by Timothy Ferguson (story concepts for older, more powerful characters)
• Covenants as Characters, by Erik Dahl (applying character creation rules to covenant creation)
• Dear Abelard, a medieval questions and answers column (certámen examined, love for a magus replies)
• Hermetic Information Storage and Flow, by Timothy Ferguson (how library information travels)
• Ex Bibliotheca Durenmare, by Eric Minton (Hermetic books and new spells)
• Heretic's Corner: Fighting with the Combat System, by Andrew Gronosky (simplifying combat)

Issue #3

• Who's Who (short biographies of the contributors)
• Familiars, by David Chart (revised rules for binding familiars)
• Publisher's Corner (Eric welcomes the new line editor)
• Why Don't Bjornaer Magi Bind Familiars?, by Timothy Ferguson (ideas for explaining the House's weakness)
• The Silver Harp, by Niall Christie (fiction concerning a faerie curse)
• House Traditions, by J. Angus McDonald (traditions and tendencies among the Houses)
• Dear Abelard, a medieval questions and answers column (the story of King Henga, love for a magus, childbirth)
• The Curious Tale of Vaska Praskovaya, by Robert Hansen (an account of a Slavic Flambeau's childhood)
• Deus ex Magica, by Erik Dahl (natural and pious magic, two paths for pious magi)
• Corrosives, Poisons and Medicinals, by David Woods (magical acids and poisons)
• Heretic's Corner: Ex Libris, by Michaël de Verteuil (further simplifying the book rules)

Issue #2

• Who's Who (short biographies of the contributors)
• Publisher's Corner (Eric mentions his adventure contest)
• Continuing Forever, by Timothy Ferguson (part two of a three-part Gothic romance adventure)
• Ever After?, by Timothy Ferguson (part three of a three-part Gothic romance adventure)
• Dear Abelard, a medieval questions and answers column (faerie baiting, organizing a covenant)
• Stories of Formed Stones, by Sheila Thomas (story hooks for mythic fossils)
• Bjornaer Mysteries, by Erik Dahl (rules for shapeshifting and Bjornaer mystae)
• Heretic's Corner: Artistic Ability, by Michaël de Verteuil (converting the magical Arts into Abilities)
• Perfumery in Western Europe around the 13th Century, by Sheila Thomas (medieval perfumes)
• Sword, Shield and Lens, by Niall Christie (three stock magic items for covenants)
• On the Road to Adventure, by Niall Christie (rules for adventure-based sagas)

Issue #1

• Who's Who (short biographies of the contributors)
• Publisher's Corner (a note from Eric Kouris about his new magazine)
• Form and Substance, by David Chart (winner of Mythic Perspectives's second fiction competition)
• Prelude to Forever, by Timothy Ferguson (part one of a three-part Gothic romance adventure)
• Dear Abelard, a medieval questions and answers column (wizards' names, a spell for temporary vis, medieval hygeine)
• The Hermetic University, by Niall Christie (rules for university covenants and group study)
• Revised Book Rules, by David Chart (suggested revisions from the original author)
• Heretic's Corner: Less Is More, by Michaël de Verteuil (simplifying Abilities and specialization)
• Customizing Flaws For Your Saga, by Andrew Gronosky (the in-depth design and balance of Flaws)