Bonisagus the Founder
Bonisagus is the great theoretical genius of the 8th and 9th centuries who invented both the Parma Magica and the Hermetic Theory of Magic, including each of the Hermetic Arts. With the assistance of his filia Trianoma, Bonisagus founded the Order of Hermes and House Bonisagus. Among his other filii are Notatus, Hercynius and Jovius.
Life
A detailed biography of Bonisagus, from his birth in the late 7th century to his death in the 9th century, is provided in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages.
Bonisagus was born in Florence in 690. His uncle realized that he was gifted and sent him to Iozheza, a wizard living in the Florentine countryside, where he learned his first spell. The two hunted for magical secrets, and Iozheza perished while participating in an ancient rite of the Cult of Osiris. Bonisagus continued his search, seeking the lost Cult of Diana in Ephesus. In 717, Bonisagus fled from Ephesus to his uncle in Rome, where he found a secret cache of the Cult of Mercury’s rituals. He discovered similarities to the spells he already knew, which led him to believe he could formulate a theory of magic that would incorporate the different types of magic.
He went on a search for more magical texts, building in impressive library. In 720, robbers stole some of his books, and he followed them to a cave in the Southern Alps. When he discovered that this cave had been a shrine to Hermes and was located in a magic aura, he installed his laboratory there. He spent the next ten years formulating his universal magic theory and researching mgic resistance.
In 731, he was visited in his cave laboratory by Trianoma and her twin sister Viea, two witches of Thessaly, who were following a vision. After defeating the two, Bonisagus forced them to teach him their magic and taught them spells he had invented under his new theory. After Viea fled the cave, taking some if his books with him, Trianoma became his first apprentice, learning Hermetic theory and the Parma Magica within a year. In 732, he accepted Notatus as his second apprentice.
In 754, Bonisagus moved to an ancient Mercurian temple located in the Holy Roman Empire’s Black Forest. He continued to work with the magi sent to him by Trianoma, incorporating their magic into his universal theory. In 767, the twelve founders took the Oath of Hermes, founding the Order.
Bonisagus started training apprentices and the Order grew rapidly. His last apprentice was Jovius, who completed his gauntlet after only four years of training, but was convicted of seriously breaching his Oath of Hermes only a few months later. Bonisagus was forced to March him in 812 and left Durenmar afterwards. He attended the Grand Tribunals of 817 and 832, and was last seen at the regular Thebes Tribunal of 836.
Achievements
Bonisagus's invention of Parma Magica made it possible for wizards to work together peacefully, without suffering the adverse social effects of The Gift and with reduced fear of betrayal.
Although all of the Founders contributed to Hermetic Magic and its Magic Theory, Bonisagus is generally given credit as its primary inventor. His systematization of magical practices made is easy to learn and teach Hermetic magic, ensuring its spread. Hermetic magic is also more powerful and vastly more versatile than other forms of magic, so it quickly became the dominant form of magic practiced in Mythic Europe.
References
- Foundation of the Order, ArM5 page 9
- Houses of Hermes: True Lineages pages 4-8.
Legacy Page
The history of this page before August 6, 2010 is archived at Legacy:bonisagus_the_founder