Roman Tribunal

From Project: Redcap
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The Roman Tribunal is the regional Tribunal covering the Italian peninsula and the islands of Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia. It is bordered by the Provençal Tribunal to the southwest, the Normandy Tribunal to the northwest, the Greater Alps Tribunal to the north, and the Transylvanian Tribunal to the east. See the Map of Mythic Europe.

Current Edition Resources

There is no current edition supplement on the Roman Tribunal, but it is mentioned in a few of the sourcebooks.

Current Edition Covenants

Domus Magnae are listed first, followed by any specific covenant, followed by any types of covenant that have no specifics, such as the Tremere covenant referenced at the end. Within each category, the covenants are alphabetized.

Current Edition Magi

There are some cannonical magi found in 5th Edition supplements which are explicitly mentioned to live in the Roman Tribunal:

Other Mentions in Current Edition Material

Fenicil's Library is mentioned in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages[19]. Since the library is located at Magvillus, the information there might be of interest to a saga set in the Roman Tribunal. Some of the rituals that might be found there are detailed in Faith and Flame[20].

It is confirmed in Guardians of the Forests[21] that the Roman Tribunal has lost most of its magic and faerie sites due to the encroaching Dominion.

Houses of Hermes: True Lineages mentions that the Roman Tribunal is one of the two most favored Tribunals by Bonisagi magi[22], and also explains that there's a Tremere Exarch in charge of both the Roman and Rhine Tribunals[23].

Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults mentions Lake Nemi, in the Roman Tribunal just south of Rome, as a place of particular importance to Bjornaer magi following the Esoteric Mystery Cult of the Huntress in the Wood[24]. It also says that the Roman Tribunal allows the sale of one magical item per mundane race[25]. The Sundered Eagle further confirms this, though no mention is made of the "one per mundane race" loophole[26].

It's mentioned that Flambeau magi following the Crusader concept might hunt hedge wizards in the Roman Tribunal who might be enemies of the Order or diabolists[27]. It also details the Cabal of the Shining Eye, a Tytalus Cabal dedicated to maneuvering the Roman Tribunal into colonization of North Africa[28]. Finally, it talks about the ex Miscellanea tradition of the Cult of Orpheus, and mentions the Roman Tribunal as one of the three Tribunals favored by them[29].

The Lion and the Lily states that the old Lotharingian Tribunal did not include what is now the Roman Tribunal[30], and also notes that Archmagus Mathieus of Constantinople blames some covenants from the Roman Tribunal for the success of the Fourth Crusade, particularly "the many covenants" that have chapter houses in Venice[31]. This in turn confirms that many covenants in the Tribunal have chapter houses in Venice.

It's mentioned in Against the Dark that House Tremere spies on the Roman Tribunal from the Transylvanian Tribunal's covenant of Old Histria, with Aedile Pahniro Adiran of Tremere in charge of such espionage[32].

Hermetic Projects calls the Roman Tribunal "turbulent" in an example[33], thus confirming the Third Edition vision of the Roman Tribunal as one full of strife.

Mythic Locations explains that the Cumaean sibyl lives near Naples[34]. Sybils are further explained in The Sundered Eagle[35].

Fifth Edition story seeds

There is a story seed regarding some scrolls found at Harco in Realms of Power: Magic[36].

There is a potential saga seed in the "The Fallen Temple of Mercury" chapter of Mythic Locations[37]. This could be the base for a new covenant, or even for a whole saga.

There is another story seed in Art and Academe where the Roman Tribunal of 1207 approved the existence of a publicly available written ledger listing the names of all Hermetic magi[38].

Hedge Magic has another story seed where some hoplites from the Roman Tribunal with Energy Magic are erroneously thought to be using Diedne Magic[39].

The story "A gathering storm" from Tales of Power[40] formally takes place in the Roman Tribunal, though guidelines are provided to adapt it for other Tribunals. The story include details about a couple of covenants, as well as the independent magus Al-Aqrab, based off North Africa.

Past Edition Resources

There was a sourcebook published on the Roman Tribunal, Tribunals of Hermes Rome, for Third Edition. It is now somewhat dated and is not considered canonical for Fifth Edition, so there will be some inconsistencies between that book and more-recent material. Descriptions of some of the Domus Magnae in the tribunal can be found in Second Edition's Order of Hermes and the Houses of Hermes, though any contradictions with Fifth Edition products would be non-canon.

Community Resources

Fan Variant

Roman Tribunal Community Project is an effort to create a new, a new, online sourcebook for the Roman Tribunal compatible with Fifth Edition material.

Saga links

The following saga websites are set in, or otherwise related to, the Roman Tribunal. Feel free to add your own site to the list; please insert it in alphabetical order.

Circaeum Promontorium
A thirteenth-century Winter covenant set in Monte Circeo--the mountain that legends says was home to the enchantress Circe.
Crocus Briarea
Many years ago, in 1130 AD, a small group of brilliant minds founded a Magical Alliance, settling down in an ancient ruin once been an important university. With the passing of time our heroes would find war, love, death and honor. Live their adventures. Struggle for Supremacy. Be proud of being part of the mighty Order Of Hermes.
Demetra Hyblaea
An Ars Magica III edition Saga set in Sicily. Demetra Hyblaea was founded in 1234, and at date is struggling to survive in the chaotic Roman tribunal. Italian version available.
I Campo Scanto
A campaign set within a magical Regio in the Heart of Venice.
Malatesta
Palatini
Andrew Gronosky's Fifth Edition Saga of mystery and intrigue, set in Venice (no longer active).
Riacciu Carmenta
A Spring covenant on the island of Corsica
Sabratha
Sabratha was, along with its sister cities of Leptis Magna and Oea (Tripoli), a Phonecian settlement and later a Roman colony along the shoreline of what is now Libya. A Spring Covenant is situated within the ruins of the city, and young magi seek to make a name for themselves and establish another tenuous foothold for the Order within Africa. This site seeks to be a useful reference for Ars Magica enthusiasts, taking over where the Rabenstein Saga (see the Rhine Tribunal saga links) left off. Finding that they bit off more than they could chew, the troupe moved on to run the Corona Montis Saga (See the Stonehenge Tribunal saga links).
Vardian's Tomb
A coven of wizards living beneath the streets of Rome, the basis for the White Wolf supplement, Tribunals of Hermes Rome. Logs of the first 70 adventures. Set in the same universe as the earlier St. Nerius campaign.

References

  1. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 79, "Harco" (inset)
  2. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 43, "Domus Magna"
  3. Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 109, "Verdi: Domus Magna" (inset)
  4. Guardians of the Forests, page 13, "Luctatio" (inset)
  5. Ancient Magic, page 51
  6. Tales of Power, page 23
  7. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 115, "Coeris" (inset)
  8. Lords of Men, page 116
  9. Tales of Power, pages 131-132
  10. Guardians of the Forests, page 13, "Luctatio" (inset)
  11. The Contested Isle: the Hibernian Tribunal page 85
  12. Guardians of the Forest page 21
  13. Tales of Mythic Europe page 37
  14. Through the Aegis pages 21 and 126
  15. Thrice-Told Tales page 92
  16. The Sundered Eagle Web Supplement, page 2 (Theban Timeline)
  17. Faith and Flame, page 86
  18. Tales of Power, page 112
  19. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 76
  20. Faith and Flame, page 26
  21. Guardians of the Forests, page 17, and inset "The Guardians of the Forests" in page 18
  22. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 5
  23. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 121
  24. Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 35
  25. Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 111
  26. The Sundered Eagle, page 87
  27. Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 18
  28. Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 85
  29. Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 120
  30. The Lion and the Lily, page 14
  31. The Lion and the Lily, page 87
  32. Against the Dark, page 75
  33. Hermetic Projects, page 7
  34. Mythic Locations, page 82
  35. The Sundered Eagle, pages 120-121
  36. Realms of Power: Magic, page 15
  37. Mythic Locations, page 90
  38. Art and Academe, page 100, "The End of the Oral Oath?" (inset)
  39. Hedge Magic, page 52, "Story Seeds for Energy Magic" (inset)
  40. Tales of Power, page 112


The edit history of this page before August 6, 2010 is archived at Legacy:roman_tribunal.


Based on material Copyright David Chart 1997-2000. Used with permission.