Ars Magica Reference Document: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 00:02, 20 October 2026

This Ars Magica System Reference Document is a hyperlinked document containing all the Ars Magica Open License material. This table-of-content page also contains brief explanations of the content of the subsections.

This document is still under construction. You are invited to help construct it, through the Ars Magica Open Content Conversion Tracker.

Core Books

Definitive Edition: The core Fifth Edition rules edited for clarification, and supplemented with material from all the supplements.
Standard Core Rulebook: The core Fifth Edition rules.

The Order

Houses of Hermes: True Lineages: House Bonisagus, Guernicus, Mercere, and Tremere.
Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults: House Bjornaer, Criamon, Merinita, and Verditius.
Houses of Hermes: Societates: House Flambeau, Jerbiton, and Tytalus, and Ex Miscellanea.
The Mysteries Revised Edition: Mystery Cults that may exist in the setting, and rules for mystery cults.
Covenants: Extended Hooks & Boons, laboratory improvement rules, library, finance, and more.
Grogs: Roleplaying ideas & grog society, new virtues and flaws, simplifying grog advancement and creation.
Apprentices: Generating and playing child characters, Turbulance (childhood wild-magic), apprenticeship
Through the Aegis: Five example covenants.
Semita Errabunda: A free example covenant.
Magi of Hermes: A collection of 15 example magi.
Legends of Hermes: A collection of five legendary magi, and an adventure linked to each.
Hermetic Projects: Presents 6 great magical projects, with details and story seeds. These can be used as adventure locales, or as projects for PCs. Notet that some of these can significantly alter the setting, such as constructing a new Tower of Babel or the production of airships.

Realms of Power

Realms of Power: Magic: Creating Mighty creatures, a Magical and mundane bestiary, the Magic Realm proper, and more.
Realms of Power: Faerie: Faeries, faerie-based hedge wizardry, faerie auras and the faerie realm, and more.
Realms of Power: The Divine: Angels and Divine creatures, the Dominion, divine-based hedge wizardry, the three great monotheistic faiths, and more.
Realms of Power: The Infernal: Demons, diabolists, infernal auras and regios, and more.

Tribunals

Guardians of the Forest: The Rhine Tribunal: Mythic Germany. Politics is divided into Gilds (parties), with senior magi having more votes. Includes a detailed saga-starting locale and seeds.
The Lion and the Lily: The Normandy Tribunal: Vis contested through tournaments.
The Sundered Eagle: The Theban Tribunal: Each tribunal must have a patron, and the tribunal adheres to a unique democratic culture.
Faith & Flame - The Provencal Tribunal: A "vanilla", no-tribunal-specific-rules, tribunal. Any magus may establish a covenant, without need for permission. With an emphasis on the Albigensian Crusades.
Against the Dark: The Transylvanian Tribunal: Hermetic magi may rule openly, but under the watchful eyes of House Tremere. With an emphasis on horror stories.
The Contested Isle: The Hibernian Tribunal: Mythic Ireland. The Code of Hermes is loose, and the magi may take sides in the truggle between the people of Hibernia and the English.
Heirs to Merlin - The Stonehenge Tribunal (4E): A very rules-light treatment, with an emphasis on lore instead.
The Dragon and the Bear: The Novgorod Tribunal (4E): A hinterland were civilization hasn't penetrated beyond the central valleys, and pockets of paganism are maintained. Also - mongols, and squabbling local princes.
Sanctuary of Ice: The Tribunal of the Greater Alps (4E): An elitist Greko-Roman society, focusing elder magi and great projects.
Tribunals of Hermes - Iberia (3E): Presenting an older (Third Edition) view of House Flambeau, and the struggle against infernal corruption.
Tribunals of Hermes: Rome (3E): With a heavy emphasis of commercial and political rivalry, and a fair amount of demons.
Lion of the North: The Loch Leglean Tribunal (3E): Mythic Scotland is portrayed ias a wild hinterland of the Order. It is a stronghold of House Ex Miscellanea, and the Faerie Realm is strong in it. This ancient supplement also describes key chapters in Hermetic histroy (some of which are not congruent with Fifth Edition cannon) relatd to the formation of House Ex Miscellanea.
Blood & Sand - The Levant Tribunal (4E): Torn between allying with local Muslim and conquring Crusader forces, and exploring ancient Biblical magic and exotic Muslim wizardry.

Mythic Europe

The Church: Includes rules on worship and pilgrimage.
Lords of Men: The nobility. Includes rules on warfare and combat.
City & Guild: With an emphasis on crafting and trade. Includes detailed worshop rules.
Art & Academe: With an emphasis on medieval lore, including the adaptation of Plato and Aristotle to magic. Includes rules for medicine, alchemy, and astrology.
Mythic Locations: A collection of ten supernatural locations.

The Lands Beyond

The Cradle & The Crescent: Mythic Arabia any beyond. Lands beyond the reach of the Order, controlled instead by the Order of Suleiman.
Lands of the Nile: Mythic Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia: Lands beyond the reach of the Order.
Between Sand & Sea: Mythic North Africa, west of Egypt. Lands beyond the reach of the Order.
Land of Fire and Ice - Mythic Iceland (4E): A Christian and highly-Magical land, yet beyond the reach of the Order. Visitors must contend with its supernatural guardians, and with several hedge traditions and organizations. Includes also two major adventures (see also the Icelandic Wars free web supplement).
Ultima Thule (4E): Mythic Scandinavia. A land beyond the reach of the Order, with rune wizards and a strong lingering presence of pagan religion.

Non-Hermetic Magic

Hedge Magic: Provides rules for non-Hermetic traditions and their integration, and six hedge traditions including folk witches and learned magicians.
Ancient Magic: Provides rules for integrating ancient magic, and nine examples.
Rival Magic: Presents four traditions of magic that may rival the Order: the Amazons, Augustan Brotherhood, Muspelli, and Sorcerers of Soqotra.

Scenarios

Calebais: An introductory, dungenon-exploration, adventure, exploring a fallen covenant.
Tales of Mythic Europe: Contains 9 short adventures.
Thrice-Told Tales: Contains five adventures, each in three parts (which may be years apart).
Antagonists: Provdes 10 antagonists to antagonize the PCs with.
Hooks: Presents 8 short adventures, each based off an Ars Magica supplement.
Tales of Power: Presents 5 adventures, intended for powerful magi.
Dies Irae: Presents 4 four major, potentially world-ending threats and saga outlines.
Nigrasaxa (4E): An introductory adventure.
The Black Monks of Glastonbury: A sourcebook on the Infernally-corrupt abbey of Glastonburry and its surroundings. The book contains "d20 System" (D&D) rules, as well as Ars Magica ones.

Transforming Mythic Europe

Transforming Mythic Europe: Discusses three possible major changes to the setting, and how they can be brought about.

Non-Ars Magica Scenarios

The Fallen Fane: This is a LARP scenario, playing out a tribunal session.

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ;[[The Mysteries Revised Edition Open Content|The Mysteries Revised Edition]]: Mystery Cults that may exist in the setting, and rules for mystery cults.
 ;[[Covenants Open Content|Covenants]]: Extended Hooks & Boons, laboratory improvement rules, library, finance, and more.
-;Grogs
+;[[Grogs Open Content|Grogs]]: Roleplaying ideas & grog society, new virtues and flaws, simplifying grog advancement and creation.
-;Apprentices
+;[[Apprentices Open Content|Apprentices]]: Generating and playing child characters, Turbulance (childhood wild-magic), apprenticeship
 ;Through the Aegis: Five example covenants.
 ;[[Semita Errabunda]]: A free example covenant.
 ;Magi of Hermes: A collection of 15 example magi.
-;Legends of Hermes: A collection of five legendary magi, and an adventure linked to each.
+;[[Legends of Hermes Open Content|Legends of Hermes]]: A collection of five legendary magi, and an adventure linked to each.
 ;Hermetic Projects: Presents 6 great magical projects, with details and story seeds. These can be used as adventure locales, or as projects for PCs. Notet that some of these can significantly alter the setting, such as constructing a new Tower of Babel or the production of airships.
@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 ;[[Guardians of the Forest: The Rhine Tribunal Open Content|Guardians of the Forest: The Rhine Tribunal]]: Mythic Germany. Politics is divided into Gilds (parties), with senior magi having more votes. Includes a detailed saga-starting locale and seeds.
 ;[[The Lion and the Lily: The Normandy Tribunal Open Content|The Lion and the Lily: The Normandy Tribunal]]: Vis contested through tournaments.
-;The Sundered Eagle - The Theban Tribunal: Each tribunal must have a patron, and the tribunal adheres to a unique democratic culture.
+;[[The Sundered Eagle Open Content|The Sundered Eagle: The Theban Tribunal]]: Each tribunal must have a patron, and the tribunal adheres to a unique democratic culture.
 ;Faith & Flame - The Provencal Tribunal: A "vanilla", no-tribunal-specific-rules, tribunal. Any magus may establish a covenant, without need for permission. With an emphasis on the Albigensian Crusades.
-;Against the Dark - The Transylvanian Tribunal: Hermetic magi may rule openly, but under the watchful eyes of House Tremere. With an emphasis on horror stories.
+;[[Against the Dark Open Content|Against the Dark: The Transylvanian Tribunal]]: Hermetic magi may rule openly, but under the watchful eyes of House Tremere. With an emphasis on horror stories.
 ;[[The Contested Isle: the Hibernian Tribunal Open Content|The Contested Isle: The Hibernian Tribunal]]: Mythic Ireland. The Code of Hermes is loose, and the magi may take sides in the truggle between the people of Hibernia and the English.
-;Heirs to Merlin - The Stonehenge Tribunal (4E): A very rules-light treatment, with an emphasis on lore instead.
+;[[Heirs to Merlin Open Content|Heirs to Merlin - The Stonehenge Tribunal]] (4E): A very rules-light treatment, with an emphasis on lore instead.
 ;[[The Dragon and the Bear: The Novgorod Tribunal Open Content|The Dragon and the Bear: The Novgorod Tribunal (4E)]]: A hinterland were civilization hasn't penetrated beyond the central valleys, and pockets of paganism are maintained. Also - mongols, and squabbling local princes.
 ;[[Sanctuary of Ice: The Tribunal of the Greater Alps Open Content|Sanctuary of Ice: The Tribunal of the Greater Alps]] (4E): An elitist Greko-Roman society, focusing elder magi and great projects.
@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 ==Mythic Europe==
 ;[[The Church Open Content|The Church]]: Includes rules on worship and pilgrimage.
-;Lords of Men: The nobility. Includes rules on warfare and combat.
+;[[Lords of Men Open Content|Lords of Men]]: The nobility. Includes rules on warfare and combat.
-;City & Guild: With an emphasis on crafting and trade. Includes detailed worshop rules.
+;[[City & Guild Open Content|City & Guild]]: With an emphasis on crafting and trade. Includes detailed worshop rules.
 ;[[Art & Academe Open Content|Art & Academe]]: With an emphasis on medieval lore, including the adaptation of Plato and Aristotle to magic. Includes rules for medicine, alchemy, and astrology.
 ;[[Mythic Locations Open Content|Mythic Locations]]: A collection of ten supernatural locations.
@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 ==The Lands Beyond==
 ;The Cradle & The Crescent: Mythic Arabia any beyond. Lands beyond the reach of the Order, controlled instead by the Order of Suleiman.
-;Lands of the Nile: Mythic Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia. Lands beyond the reach of the Order.
+;[[Lands of the Nile Open Content|Lands of the Nile: Mythic Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia]]: Lands beyond the reach of the Order.
 ;Between Sand & Sea: Mythic North Africa, west of Egypt. Lands beyond the reach of the Order.
 ;Land of Fire and Ice - Mythic Iceland (4E): A Christian and highly-Magical land, yet beyond the reach of the Order. Visitors must contend with its supernatural guardians, and with several hedge traditions and organizations. Includes also two major adventures (see also the [https://www.atlas-games.com/pdf_storage/IcelandicWars.pdf Icelandic Wars] free web supplement).
@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 ;Thrice-Told Tales: Contains five adventures, each in three parts (which may be years apart).
 ;Antagonists: Provdes 10 antagonists to antagonize the PCs with.
-;Hooks: Presents 8 short adventures, each based off an Ars Magica supplement.
+;[[Hooks Open Content|Hooks]]: Presents 8 short adventures, each based off an Ars Magica supplement.
 ;Tales of Power: Presents 5 adventures, intended for powerful magi.
-;Dies Irae: Presents 4 four major, potentially world-ending threats and saga outlines.
+;[[Dies Irae Open Content|Dies Irae]]: Presents 4 four major, potentially world-ending threats and saga outlines.
 ;[[Nigrasaxa Open Content|Nigrasaxa (4E)]]: An introductory adventure.
 ;The Black Monks of Glastonbury: A sourcebook on the Infernally-corrupt abbey of Glastonburry and its surroundings. The book contains "d20 System" (D&D) rules, as well as Ars Magica ones.
 ==Transforming Mythic Europe==
-;Transforming Mythic Europe: Discusses three possible major changes to the setting, and how they can be brought about.
+;[[Transforming Mythic Europe Open Content|Transforming Mythic Europe]]: Discusses three possible major changes to the setting, and how they can be brought about.
 ==Non-Ars Magica Scenarios==
 ;The Fallen Fane: This is a LARP scenario, playing out a tribunal session.