The Mysteries: Revised Edition Chapter Fourteen: Mystery Cults
This page is part of the The Mysteries Revised Edition Open Content
Mystery Cults
This chapter outlines several more Mystery Cults that serve as examples of the range of interests and different forms of organization one finds hidden within the Order of Hermes, and that cover the new Virtues available in The Mysteries Revised Edition. More cults can be found in chapters that deal with a particular subject; The Green Cockerel, for example, can be found in Chapter 5: Hermetic Alchemy.
As explained in Chapter 3: Storyguiding the Mysteries, not all of these cults will come into play in every saga; indeed it is highly probable that only one or two will ever be important and have player magi join them, while maybe another one or two will be mentioned in passing in a story. As they are Mystery Cults, this is not a problem; very few in the Order of Hermes have heard of them, and to have even heard a rumor of a particular cult’s existence usually requires success in a roll of:
Communication + Order of Hermes Lore Vs. an Ease Factor of 15
The cults are given little more than brief outlines here, and the true secrets and powers of the organizations, if they exist at all, are left to the individual storyguide and troupe. Sample Initiation Scripts are specified and it is hoped that the examples provided within these pages, together with the rules in Chapter 2, will provide a sound basis for the storyguide when it comes to developing her own esoteric mystery traditions.
The cults provided cover a wide range of interests; from reconstructed rites of classical antiquity to groups of likeminded scholars working on a particular aspect of magic. Storyguides should feel free to design Mystery Cults that serve a specific function in their saga, and that will appeal to the players’ sensibilities — these cults are intended as examples of what is possible, not limits on the storyguide’s imagination.
The cults presented are designed to fit in any Tribunal, but details of their size and influence are very sketchy. It is unlikely that any single cult has more than a hundred members, and all are far, far weaker in influence and power then even the smallest of the 12 Houses of the Order. While they may feel generic and lacking in local detail, that was the aim here: They are examples and are designed to fit with ease into most sagas, although some will be out of place in any one troupe’s saga. The storyguide should pick and choose which, if any, are to be featured in her saga.
Many of the cults provide an Initiatory schedule of degrees and Virtues conferred, but not all. Some cults reconstruct Initiations by recovering lost knowledge, and therefore each Initiate tends to follow a path dictated by his own aspirations and interests, and the strange magics he translated from the peculiar clay tablet he found in the ruins of the Sumerian city he explored last story.
Even where a system of degrees of Initiation exists, it is exemplary, not prescriptive. No cult is forced to follow this pattern exactly, and individuals may be granted different Virtues at Initiation to reflect their particular skills and weaknesses, or their role in the cult. In the event that an Initiate already possesses a Virtue that would be conferred at the next Initiation, the Mystagogue invariably finds or attempts to create a new Initiation Script to confer an alternative Virtue upon that magus. Most Mystery Cults have Initiation Scripts for at least a few alternative Virtues, and for each commonly Initiated Virtue they possess a small library of Scripts, outlining different methods of Initiation at varying levels to allow for charismatic, or less gifted, Mystagogues.
The Legion of Mithras
Heroic defenders of the Order, and heirs to an ancient magical tradition, the Legion of Mithras recruits from among the most loyal members of the Order, although its enemies whisper of secret schemes.
The History of the Legion of Mithras
The Legion of Mithras is one of the most public of the Esoteric Mysteries, and it is likely that most in the Order of Hermes have heard at least rumors of this organization.
Mithras was a pagan deity, a redeemer god whose mysteries are reputed to have been celebrated on December 25th, and who many in the Order see as presaging in pagan antiquity the truths of Christianity. Just as the Lord, by his ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection, fulfilled the prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures, adherents of the Legion also believe his work of salvation and ministry were foreshadowed by many of the Mystery Cults, which were prevalent in the Roman Empire at the time of the ministry of the Apostles. Legionnaires see the original mysteries of Mithras as just such dim presages of the light that was to come. Known as the doctrine of foreshadowing, in this way the renewed practice of pagan rites of the old magic is justified to those who are concerned about celebrating an avowedly pagan practice. In reality, however, religion has little to do with a Mystery Cult that celebrates both personal virtue and excellence, through severe dedication to truth and unfailingly loyalty to the Order of Hermes.
While the original Cult of Mithras was avowedly a pagan mystery, the modern Legion’s mysteries reflect a more pragmatic approach. Within the Order there is a grouping of those magi who are called upon from time to time to serve the Quaesitores in their protection of the Code, magi known as Hoplites. These Hoplites may be called upon to March renegade magi, to assist in protecting Quaesitors on their official business, and to confront hostile magical creatures or enemies from outside the Order, or to perform any other duty that is required of them. It was a group of such magi, all of whom had acted with great diligence as Hoplites on many occasions, who first established the Legion of Mithras as a fraternal organization. Today not all Legionnaires are Hoplites, and many Hoplites are not members of the Legion of Mithras, but Hoplites have been traditionally well represented in the Legion’s ranks.
One of the early theorists of the new society was Joachim of Jerbiton, who in the course of his research not only discovered the doctrinal ideas that legitimized, in the cult’s eyes, the use of a pagan mystery (and also legitimized the whole Order’s use of Mercurian rites, and the basis of the Order in pagan magics, as being foreshadowing of the later Christian Truth), but also wrote extensively on the role of the original Mithraic cult in the Legions of Rome, where it was a cult favored by soldiers serving in the imperial armies.
The modern Legion of Mithras knows very little about the ancient mystery, but avidly seeks such wisdom. Joachim claimed to have found an Initiatory manual that revealed many truths, including the Christianized rites of Mithras, devoid of any possible suspicion of infernalism. This book provides the basis of the modern Legion of Mithras, and is kept under lock and key in the secret Great Temple of the Order, where it may be accessed only by the current Father of the Legion.
The Legion Today
Today’s Legion maintains its role as an association of those who have served and are devoted to the protection of the Order of Hermes, although even those who have rarely performed Hoplite duties (as part of that group or on their own initiative) are welcomed if their loyalty, bravery, and honesty are matters of public repute. Outstanding moral qualities are required by the Legion; whereas Christianity accepts that all men are sinners, the Legion’s pagan roots emphasize extraordinary moral virtue rather than penitence, exuberant and heroic living over humble confession of guilt. This stress on great virtue leads to a tendency toward pride, overconfidence, and a rather black-and-white view of morality, with little patience for those who would indulge in morally ambiguous or deceptive behavior. The Legionnaires are not fools; they don disguise, and hide their purpose from those they are investigating or seeking to confront if such is required to fulfill their role, but they do their utmost to protect the innocent, and do nothing to hurt the Order they love, honor, and serve.
Some whisper that this loyalty to the Order and idea of virtue can lead to Legionnaires who have no compunction about committing terrible atrocities or employing dubious means against known enemies and their associates, arguing that whatever is done to protect the security of the Order is justified, but perhaps those are merely the empty words of their enemies.
While traditionally the ancient cult was restricted to men, the new form of the mystery takes into account the words of St. Paul in Galatians 3:28, that there is “neither male nor female in Christ,” and therefore the Legion accepts both male and female Initiates. Candidates for Initiation are chosen on account of demonstrating what is referred to as “heroic virtue,” that is the bravery, honesty, diligence, and loyalty one would expect of a truly noble person worthy of upholding a mighty task and honor. They must demonstrate they are able to withstand temptation, and that they will stand alongside their brethren in battle, obeying orders without question, yet always honoring their sacred duty to the Code and the Order. It is a rare Legionnaire who has not managed to gain a Reputation as “Devoted to the Order” or similar. Gaining such a reputation is the surest way to come to the Legion’s attention and to be approached by recruiters.
The degrees of the Legion are referred to as ranks, and are derived from the ancient cult. A quasi-military command structure is enforced; lower ranks unquestioningly respond to the commands of higher Initiates. The system of secret signs and passes is well known within the cult, and all members are aware of the identity of the Legionnaires of the rank immediately above theirs, although they are not aware of the names of those higher in the chain of command. Temple functions maintain anonymity, with all symbolically garbed and masked, both mundanely and magically. It is rumored that Magvillus has a list of all members of the Legion, and chooses its Hoplites from this list in preference to all others, but Legionnaires are taught not to reveal their membership in the cult to Quaesitors, and there are many outside the Legion who wonder if the Legion’s claims of a close affiliation with the Quaesitores have any basis in fact. The truth is that no one except the Father of the Legion and the Primus of House Guernicus really know, and neither is speaking on this matter. Whether the Quaesitores as a group support or distrust the Legion, there are certainly Quaesitors within the structure of the Legion. As with most Mystery Cults, much is uncertain and up to the individual storyguide to decide what suits his saga.
The size and scope of the Legion is also widely disputed. It is generally felt that the Legion is large, powerful, and well ordered and has spread throughout every Tribunal, but because of the rank system, secrecy, and the Tribunalbased structure no one below the rank of Heliodromus can say for certain. Only very high-ranking members are invited to attend meetings at the Great Temple, the exact location of which is a closely guarded secret, but which legend places in a cavern somewhere in the Tribunal of the Greater Alps. Whether it is a potent and well-organized force of devoted Hoplites, or a small and informal association of mystae, no one can be certain. It could well be that the exact power and influence of the Legion varies from Tribunal to Tribunal; only the storyguide knows for sure. Whatever the truth, the Legion is talked about a great deal, and serves as a basis for many legends and rumors in the Order.
Structure of the Legion
The rites of Mithras are practiced in underground temples, sited in strong Magic auras. The temples usually feature a great deal of Roman-style decoration: mosaics, statuary, and columns, all with strong military motifs. The celebrations traditionally held on December 25th were moved by Constantine to the more appropriate date of the summer equinox, so that members could attend church if they so wished.
The temples are staffed by loyal grogs, or Auxiliaries, who are extremely disciplined and well-trained in the arts of combat, and who are often called upon to support members on missions. The Auxiliary Legion is open to faithful grogs and companions, and its ranks reflect the Legion’s structure, but it is independently commanded. A maga on Legion business may meet with a group of mercenaries on the road, who apparently decide to throw in their lot with the maga — and only the Initiate knows that they are Auxiliaries from the temple, as they do much to hide their affiliation, seemingly paying scant attention to the maga they serve. When the business at hand is completed, they depart as quietly as they came.
The Legion is divided by ranks equivalent to the degrees of other Mystery Cults. Here follow the official titles and roles of the various ranks, together with their symbolic emblem and planet, which determines the colors of robes and accoutrements carried during ceremonies.
First Rank: Ravens
Raven of Mithras is the first rank of Initiates. Ravens are chosen from those who demonstrate the required ideal of heroic virtue. The actual ceremony of Initiation is simple, and yet requires an Ordeal, the swearing of a magical oath that sears into the Initiates’ being a new minor personality flaw: Dutybound (Legion of Mithras). They are then taught a series of secret words and phrases, and are given a cup containing a broth of bitter herbs, as a symbol of their new duties.
From now on they may be called upon at any time by higher-ranking Initiates, should a crisis threaten the Order. Their role is to carry messages, and act as the eyes and ears of the Legion, watching for signs of corruption and gathering vital information. They are taught the Virtue Strong-Willed by a process of training that lasts for an entire season, as they learn of the duty of the Legion to serve tirelessly and without complaint.
A small item in orange is usually used to adorn the maga’s everyday dress, as a sign of her new commitment.
A Typical Raven Initiation ScriptMystagogues who Initiate aspirants into the Ravens are normally Lions, have gained a Legion of Mithras Lore of at least 6, and usually have a Presence of +1 or higher. They will have been Initiated themselves into the Strong-Willed Virtue, and so with the –3 reduction in target level for the first Initiation after a Minor Ordeal, the Target Level is 12 and an Initiation Script that grants a bonus of +5 is typically employed. The usual Script has two components: a Quest that must be played through, and a seasonal activity (Sacrifice) undertaken under the Auxiliaries at the temple. The Initiate must complete a lengthy journey, traditionally seeking out and delivering a message to a loyal Legionnaire who is currently deeply immersed in combating the enemies of the Order, and facing whatever perils this throws at him. If he is captured or leads the enemy to the Legionnaire, he is expected to commit suicide if he cannot escape or effect an immediate rescue, rather than betray the secrets of the Legion to the enemy. (+3 Quest) The Initiate must then dedicate a season to working with the cult on exercises designed to improve his will, enduring harsh conditions and privation, and resisting temptation in the name of duty, which grants exposure in Legion of Mithras Lore and a +1 bonus to the Script. There is a +1 bonus for sympathetic appropriateness, for a total of a +5 Initiation Script. More arduous Scripts are sometimes employed by less charismatic or lower-ranking Mystagogues with less knowledge of Legion of Mithras Lore, requiring greater efforts on the part of the Initiate. The cult has many varied Scripts at various levels for this Initiation, but rarely uses less than a +5 Script even if the Mystagogue is very capable, as it desires that the Initiate prove his worth. If Strong-Willed is already possessed, another Virtue (such as Self–Confident) is Initiated instead, generally using a similar Script. |
Second Rank: Brides
The second rank of the Legion is Bride of Mithras. The Brides are called upon to actively organize the Ravens, and to assign reconnaissance and information-gathering missions. The Initiation of Brides usually involves an Initiation Script calling for a Quest to investigate some minor matter of possible concern, and to assess if there is a risk to the Order as a whole. If the Initiate shows appropriate restraint and judgment, and comes to a reasonable conclusion, he attains this rank. Brides are symbolically married to the Order, and must show the dutiful loyalty that a wife shows to her husband. Initiates are often taught by a season of careful tuition under the Lions (highranking Initiates who reside at the temple) the Virtue Clear Thinker, driven home by strange magical rites.
Brides usually adopt an item of green clothing as a secret sign of their rank. The symbol of this rank is a lamp, representing the light of truth which must be brought to bear on the enemies of the Order.
Third Rank: Soldiers
The Soldiers of Mithras are the heroic champions of the Legion. They are the majority of members, and most never progress beyond this degree of Initiation, or indeed desire to. The Initiation Script almost always calls for a Quest to find and defeat a terrible enemy of the Order, be it a powerful hedge magician, a ravening monster, or a sinister conspiracy. No specific enemy is indicated, but rather the prospective Soldier is told of the requirement and left to fulfill it. Some have saved the lives of a Quaesitor; others have assisted a parens in slaying her Marched filius, while others have discovered corruption and been instrumental in bringing justice to bear. The feat must be heroic, and while the assistance of their sodales and the Legion does not discount the value of the act, it must be primarily instituted by, led by, and feature most significantly the prospective Initiate. Once such a story has been enacted, the Initiate is called to the temple again, and undertakes a third season of training, in the course of which he is taught one of the mystical Virtues of the warrior; the Virtue Reserves of Strength or Enduring Constitution.
Presented with a lance as a symbol that they have defeated the dragon of iniquity, a blood red cloak is favored by Soldiers, although others adopt the symbol of Mars or a bull, the sign of Mithras, as an emblem of their affinity with the Legion.
Fourth Rank: Lions (Captain)
Very few members of the Legion aspire to the rank of Captain, as the Lions are also known, for the mortality rate and price of service is high. Those who have undoubtedly proven their loyalty to the Legion and the Order learn that the Legion has secrets preserved from the ancient Cult of Mithras. Those who then inquire as to the nature of these secrets, and show discretion yet perseverance in doing so, are tested for suitability for admission to the higher degrees. The requirement here is wisdom; candidates who can demonstrate unfailing good judgment are invited, but they must first prove their worth.
The Initiation Script always requires Quests, including one in which the Initiate commands a number of Soldiers and associated Auxiliaries on a mission of vital importance. The Virtue Inscription on the Soul is taught, but the mundane power of the position in the Legion outstrips the benefits of this secret.
Lions are also taught the secrets of how the Cult of Mithras presaged Christianity, and learn many of the mysteries of antiquity. The symbol of this rank is a spade; the Lion symbolically dies to her old life, and is reborn as a servant of the Order, yet in that servitude gains strength. Deep blue is the color favored by the Lions, who often wear a golden lion badge as a symbol of their authority.
The Lions are required to spend seven years living at the temple, serving as Initiators and developing the strength of the Legion in their Tribunal (and gaining a +5 bonus to their next Initiation Total, despite the normal limit on the bonus of +1 for time spent serving a Mystery Cult, as seven years is exceptional service). While they maintain their affiliation to their home covenants, and may spend one season a year there fulfilling their duties, they are primarily now involved in deeper mysteries. Many Lions, however, delight in Initiating their covenant mates, and in leading them into heroic adventures in service of the Legion.
Fifth Rank: Persian
'This is the highest rank to which player characters are likely to aspire. The origin of the title is lost in the mists of time but is sometimes given as Perseus. Robed in silver, and wearing the sign of Taurus, the Persian is almost always the senior member of the Legion in the Tribunal, and acts as a general. He carries a symbolic sickle made of silver, and the Initiation to this rank usually calls for the sacrifice of the magus’s existing talisman, so he can enchant the sickle as a replacement. The Persian is always Initiated into the mystery of spirit familiars, and fully understands many secrets that cannot be made plain here, but are left to the storyguide’s devising.
The Persian has considerable influence over the members of the Legion, and is invited to the inner rites of the Legion held at the Great Temple, where he will meet those of the sixth rank, both the seven members of the rank of Heliodromus, clad in golden robes, and the Father, clad entirely in Black, who some whisper has long since left this world and remains only as a Living Ghost, forever chained to the temple by duty that extends far beyond death.
The Truth About MithraismThe tiny handful of Hermetic scholars who have investigated the matter have little doubt that the roots of the original Mithraic cult were in Zoroastrianism and an astrological mystery. However, the adherents of the Zoroastrian Mysteries (detailed in Realms of Power: The Divine) are largely indifferent to the Legion. Mithraism has also been linked to Sol Invictus, but the magi of Sol Invictus and the Legion have little in common today. |
The Philosophers of Rome
Once upon a time, I, by my power, turning air into water, and water again into blood, and solidifying it into flesh, formed a new human creature — a boy — and produced a much nobler work than God the Creator. For He created a man from the earth, but I from air — a far more difficult matter; and again I unmade him and restored him into air, but not until I had placed his picture and image in my bedchamber, as a proof and memorial of my work. — Simon Magus, from the Clementine Recognitiones
The History of the Philosophers
This highly secretive group, explicitly non-Christian, is perhaps one of the most deeply hidden Mystery Cults within the Order of Hermes. It claims descent from the arch-heresiarch Simon Magus, who is well known within the Church for his confrontation with the Apostles, depicted in the Bible (Acts 8:9-24). This passage recounts how he attempted to purchase the Holy Spirit, believing it to be a magical secret. Renowned as the father of Gnosticism and false doctrines, Church tradition places him later in Rome where he founded a cult that worshiped him as a god, as attested by St. Justin.
Two versions of his death are told by the Church Fathers. Hippolytus of Rome, in his book Philosophumena, tells how Simon Magus, having been rebuked again by St. Peter, went home to his native Samaria, and having boasted of his ability to survive death and be resurrected was buried in a grave from which he never emerged despite his claims.
The apocryphal Acts of St. Peter, however, tells a different story, and one perhaps better known and often depicted in Church art and in sermons. Simon was once again confronted by the Apostles, at the court of Emperor Nero. Nero was impressed by Simon’s abilities and suggested a competition between Simon Magus and the Apostles Peter and Paul, to be conducted in the Forum in full view of all the leading citizens of Rome, who would decide whose doctrines were correct. Simon Magus called upon spirits that carried him up into the air, allowing him to levitate high above the crowded Forum to the astonishment and delight of the emperor and the citizens. Peter and Paul refused to participate in this vulgar contest, and instead simply prayed to God, and Simon suddenly fell screaming from the air, and was horribly injured as he crashed to the stones of the Via Sacra just outside the Forum. He died of his injuries shortly thereafter, and the spot where he fell is now a church dedicated to the two holy saints, Peter and Paul. Travelers to Rome can visit the church to this day, and many pious members of the Order of Hermes do so as a reminder of the terrible price of hubris.
However, most sources concede that Simon Magus was not a diabolist, or allied to the Infernal realm, but a magician. A sincere seeker of magical power, his beliefs (which are discussed and refuted in the Pseudo-Clementines) revolved around a complicated set of philosophical principles he believed to be the path to magical power, and ultimately to apotheosis, or deification. Nonetheless, from his mistaken doctrines, the Church argues, stemmed all subsequent Gnosticism, and hence most heresy. It took the Church many centuries to refute his errors, and to stamp out these beliefs, but ultimately the Church triumphed, and Gnosticism was seemingly destroyed.
Yet among magicians, there were many who saw in Gnosticism much that they perceived as true. Was it possible, they mused, to step outside of creation by magic, and to become as the pagan gods of old, an immortal magical deity? Were not the heroes of old able to achieve transcendence, and by apotheosis and knowledge of secret names and awesome magical secrets finally able to become Daimons themselves?
While most believe this secret was lost in the Golden Age, and that Daimons are not truly the spirit or genius of those who lived, but rather magical reflections of their achievements, others remain equally convinced that it is possible to ascend, and become immortal magical heroes. To express such thoughts openly is to invite trial for heresy if the Church hears, and few are so bold in their thinking, so reckless in their ambition, so full of pride. Those few who are often find themselves approached by the group that goes by the innocuous name The Philosophers of Rome.
The Philosophers Today
There are two competing strains in Gnostic thought: the Ascetic, which seeks spiritual purity through mortification of the flesh; and the Sensual, which seeks power and glory, and to achieve immortality through living life to the fullest, especially by enjoying the praise and worship of others, and gratification of the flesh. The Philosophers of Rome are definitely of the latter school, and their reckless pursuit of wine, women (and/or men), and song are a peculiar manifestation of the desire for immortality. The aim of the cult is clear: immortality through achievement of apotheosis, becoming a god by ascension to the Hall of Heroes. Some whisper that those who achieve this goal are seen in the heavens as a new star, or nova stella, but others deride this as legend. Whether it has been, or even can be, achieved is a matter of dispute.
The group has a peculiarly paradoxical lifestyle. On the one hand, members engage in rigorous study of ancient theological texts denouncing Gnosticism, to learn from what is condemned the secrets they wish to pursue. (Gnostic manuscripts themselves are treasured but rare; it is often easier to reconstruct from their opponents’ denunciation what the correct paths are.) In stark contrast to this scholarly emphasis, they also embrace a passionate love of earthy pleasures and the sins of the flesh. If challenged on their libertine ways, they tend to remark that Scripture teaches there is more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than 99 good men, and therefore by repeatedly sinning and repenting they raise themselves in the eyes of God. Such theological cynicism and absurdities are beloved of these deeply heretical cultists, whose only real interest in studies within the Church is to learn the secrets of those whose magical beliefs and practices the Church suppressed.
The licentiousness, depravity, and carnal passions in which these magi indulge are in fact not a mere distraction from the pursuit of the Philosophers’ cult, but an important part of their celebration of their own personalities and egos; by pursuing their own desires and creating a legend around themselves and their exploits, and attracting confused worshipers and devotees, they hope to transcend the flesh by accepting, embracing, and in some sense fulfilling it, allowing them eventually to pass on to greater glory in the next world, prepared for deification by embracing absolutely their humanity in this one. The cultivation of incredible pride and absolute self-confidence are important parts of their path, and while it is said that Alexander the Great had to be reminded he was not a god, it is the honest desire of Philosophers that their friends remind them that they are as gods daily.
While overconfidence, pride, and an incredible zest for life may seem highly unattractive virtues, they are perhaps not uncommon attributes among Hermetic magi, who already stand far above the mundane crowd in power. Members of the Philosophers believe that their Gift renders them at least potentially immortal and capable of deification. Other magi have in the past wondered if they themselves are entirely human, and the Philosophers see themselves as something more and greater. Oddly, they are often charismatic and popular people, and their bizarre beliefs do not often result in the kind of resentment one might expect. Mere licentiousness and excess alone are not however a path to magical power — without the magical and mystical teachings of the cult, they are merely a high road to damnation.
Typical Initiation Script for Philosophers of RomeThe Philosophers’ unique mixture of sensual gratification and scholarly and spiritual concerns leads to very odd Initiation Scripts. The cult tends to attract Initiates with high Presence (which is useful, as self-Initiation after researches in ancient crumbling papyri and devising your own experimental Scripts is common in this cult) and a (Mystery Cult) Lore of at least 6 The Script bonus is usually about +6 for this Initiation. A typical Initiation Script for Hermetic Synthemata (usually the first Initiation taught to new Philosophers) is based on an ancient Gnostic papyrus codex recovered from the sands near Alexandria. It has been heavily modified by successive generations of Mystagogues, but still involves the chanting of one thousand and one names of power under a full moon (sympathetic bonus +1), and for the Initiate to be robed in a costly white gown, wearing a golden crown, and barefoot. An expensive incense with rare Middle Eastern herbs must be prepared; the total cost and difficulty in making the arrangements to acquire these things is significant (mundane Sacrifice wealth +1). At least a season must be spent studying with the Mystagogue, to master the basis of Synthemata, the “grammar,” of how these potent symbolic expression of the entities’ natures are constructed (+3 bonus for Mystagogue sacrificing time). The Mystagogue must be handsomely rewarded, both materially and by the Initiate’s labor, requiring a further season of work at the Mystagogue’s behest (Initiate sacrifices time +1). |
The Structure of the Philosophers of Rome
The Philosophers of Rome form loosely structured congregations of likeminded scholars, and sometimes attract Initiates who act as worshipers, both magical and mundane. Ultimately they hope to use these congregations to provide the necessary power for ascension, although that remains a theoretical ambition for most Philosophers, who tend to succumb to their dissipated lifestyles or accidental death long before they could hope to reach that goal.
All Initiates who are tutored by an existing cult Mystagogue are first taught the secret of the Virtue Hermetic Synthemata, and usually then the mystery of Spell Binding, but ruthless ambition and great promise are needed for the masters of the cult to teach any other Virtues.
The Philosophers have a loose system of passwords and secret signs by which they can identify each other, but many are quite solitary in their pursuits, and often the signs are little more than slipping references to avowedly pagan or Gnostic philosophers into a seemingly innocuous conversation. There is no set system of degrees or order in which Virtues are acquired; often the Initiate must discover them himself, working hard to acquire fragments of ancient texts and then study the magical secrets to acquire Philosophers of Rome Lore, before inventing his own Initiation Scripts and serving as his own Mystagogue. Some members of the Philosophers have very little formal contact with the cult after they are introduced to the teachings by an existing member.
The congregations of the Philosophers do teach their secrets. But the egotistical and self-centered nature of the cult means that Initiates are even then not taught often. However, the ruthless, dissipated, and extremely egotistical member of the cult who gets on well with the others will be Initiated into all the Virtues of the school of hermetic theurgy, and eventually can hope to learn the secret of ascension to the Hall of Heroes, although no known Initiation Scripts for this rite exist; if it has been achieved the new god destroyed the text to obscure the path. Therefore the Initiate who seeks ascension must devise his own experimental Initiation Script — becoming a god is no easy matter.
The final secret requires a considerable number of magi to support the Initiate’s ascension, and aspirants often try to build a powerful network of Gifted cultists who serve to assist and perform whatever duties are required, magical or physical, in the hope of small rewards and magical blessings, or out of misplaced loyalty and devotion. Such devotion remains important even after a successful ascension; only by continued calling upon the new Daimon can it hope to grow and become more powerful, and the Aspect that is summoned can reward and assist those who helped it achieve immortality.
The Children of Hermes
A magical messianic cult led by a charismatic leader believed to be a living god that is causing outrage and dismay across the Order with its extraordinary claims. Could they be true?
The History of The Children of Hermes
Most Mystery Cults profess to embody the wisdom of the ancients, yet few due so as literally as the leader of this small yet increasingly active cult that challenges in every way the normal idea of what a Mystery Cult is and how it behaves. Whereas many Mystery Cult members seek to hide from view and to guard their secrets, the Children of Hermes like to bask in their rapidly increasing notoriety within the Order of Hermes. Most Mystery Cults are extremely selective about who they choose to divulge their secrets to and Initiate; the proselytizing and evangelical fervor of the Children of Hermes make them something quite exceptional. Some have gone as far as to suggest it is not a Mystery Cult at all; certainly none of the other cults wish to be associated with it, leading perhaps in no small way to the Children’s paranoid obsession with the conspiracy that they believe controls and enslaves the majority of the Order of Hermes.
Facts are rare where the Children are concerned, but opinions are not. Their leader is known today as Hermes the Blessed One, and the advent of the cult can comfortably be dated to the last years of the 12th century, about 30 years ago. While the original identity and House affiliation of the magus now known as Hermes is lost, and a subject of bitter dispute, it is known that the revelation that began the cult convinced him that he had ascended to immortality. The cult’s critics are quick to denounce this as nothing more than a result of a terrible Twilight episode in an already confused and highly warped magus. While his origin and the facts underlying the episode remain confused, very few outside of the Children accept his claim to have achieved apotheosis.
Today he appears as a tanned male of approximately 21 years of age, of incredible beauty. His charisma is undeniable — he is blessed with a mythic Presence — and his disciples, both male and female, often appear to be madly in love with him, venerating him as a living god, and serving with a slavish devotion.
The cult first came to the attention of the Quaesitores during a visit of the Blessed One to the Hibernian Tribunal, were he made a number of prophecies of the imminent collapse of the Order of Hermes and its control by secret societies. An attempt was made to bring him to trial, yet somehow he convinced the Tribunal of his innocence, and one of the young Quaesitors, Erin, left with him, and today serves at the right hand of the Blessed One as one of his most loyal disciples.
While most cults are rooted in a long and dark history of magical tradition, the Children hold that the Blessed One is none other than Hermes Trismegistus reborn. Among his disciples, he is also believed to have been in previous lives Pythagoras, Simon Magus, Alexander the Great, and a host of other powerful and mythic figures. And he is said to be able to help his followers recall their past lives — his closest associate and consort, Cleopatra, was apparently the Egyptian queen of that name in a previous life.
Outside of the Inner Circle little is really known of the actual theology or beliefs of the Blessed One, as his teachings are held sacred, but the Quaesitores are sure that he has on occasion made comments that arrogate to himself a messianic role that would have him executed for heresy of the darkest hue should the Church ever catch up with him. While for many this would be a very useful solution to a thorn in the side of the Order, the Blessed One’s doctrines dictate that only the Gifted may participate in his system of salvation, and he makes no attempt to proselytize even among the grogs and companions of the Order, who (it is rumored) he has claimed possess the souls of dogs and pigs respectively, reborn in them by metempsychosis.
The Children of Hermes Today
While many claims circulate as to the exact teachings and belief of the Blessed One, it is clear that he believes that he must reform the Order, and that a conspiracy of Mystery Cults currently controls almost every covenant. Two of his followers were recently Marched for crimes committed while raiding the covenant of Duresca in the Iberian Tribunal, which Hermetic folklore has long placed as the center of a conspiracy by House Guernicus to control the Order in ages past. Members of the cult often hint darkly of such matters, and suggest that the Sundering of House Tremere was not as effective as the Order chooses to believe, or even that House Diedne may have been entirely innocent of any wrong-doing but destroyed for trying to expose the terrible truth of the Secret Masters. Such allegations generally prove impossible to prove, as witnesses refuse to testify, and those investigating the magus come away after a full and frank personal interview with the belief there may be some truth in his teachings, and that he is in every respect an admirable and useful member of the Order of Hermes.
The exact extent or spread of the Children of Hermes is not known, and rumors currently place the Blessed One as residing in a fortified covenant high on a Carpathian mountain, as a permanent guest at Durenmar, or — perhaps most likely — in a covenant based on a ship endlessly traveling the seas, moving from one Tribunal jurisdiction to another before the Quaesitores can take action against him.
Structure of the Children of Hermes
The Children are an example of a modern cult, founded by an intensely charismatic leader, who claims to have ascended to godhood. How widely they are known is a matter for individual storyguides, but the beliefs of a dark conspiracy, imminent catastrophe, and a magical salvation for the (Gifted) elect by a reborn Hermes are attractive to some disenchanted by the Order, especially younger magi. There are probably no more than 30 members of the cult spread throughout Mythic Europe, with the Inner Circle comprising the Blessed One, Cleopatra, Erin, and four other magi.
The actual system of Initiation of the Children is highly unusual. Members of the Inner Circle claim Hermes knows all mysteries, and is familiar with all schools, having created them all. Missionaries are sent out to recruit new members. On accepting the truth of the Blessed One’s claims, the maga is taught Children of Hermes Lore for a season, and is then Initiated into a Mystery Virtue, and given with a copy of the Initiation Script. She then becomes liable for the yearly dues that are paid in two or more pawns of vis, sent via Redcap to a different location each year. She is now encouraged to Initiate more magi into the Children, and serves as a local Guardian of the Faith, collecting the same vis tax from each of their new recruits, who in turn are required to recruit more magi, and gather their dues. Large quantities of vis have for some years been collected and passed on to the secret headquarters of the cult; the purpose of this is unknown. The process is not always one way; sometimes longserving members of the Children, or even seeming random youngsters are presented with a huge amount of vis; perhaps two rooks (20 pawns). Such seemingly random gifts are said to serve the Blessed One’s goals, but no one truly understands, except the Inner Circle and they remain silent on the issue.
New Initiation Scripts are sometimes passed around the cult, and those who provide an Initiation Script and the magical traditions of another cult by teaching the Lore of that cult to a missionary are often feted and rewarded for their loyalty and service to the Children, and may even survive the retribution of those they have betrayed.
Books, apprentices, and other resources are also occasionally asked for by the Blessed One’s messengers, and rare is the member of the cult who fails to make a “love offering” of this sort. There are rumors of great rites celebrated in secret with Wizard’s Communion that lend power to the Blessed One, but little is known to outsiders.
The teachings of the Blessed One are known to be a highly complex magical system of theology that may well have Gnostic or Eastern roots, and that is highly syncretistic, combined with a simple system of moral philosophy emphasizing fraternity, love, devotion to the cult, and personal freedom. Accepting all magical truths as expressions of the Greater Truth of the Blessed One, missionaries use the analogy of the Order of Hermes; each House represents a facet of a greater truth, the Order as a whole. Such is their view of the Mysteries; all Mysteries are ultimately to them but fragmented expressions of their own magical and theurgical belief system. Once a fragment of another cult’s lore is learned, the Children are able to draw upon it and incorporate it into their own teachings, by assimilating it into the system espoused by the Blessed One, a process always conducted by the Inner Circle. The group therefore has a large and extremely varied selection of Initiation Scripts, which have been modified and experimented with to render them part of its own lore, via a process not known to any other group.
Sample Initiation Script for the Children of HermesThere is no single method or preferred series of Initiations used by the Children of Hermes, so Scripts vary wildly. It is believed by the Children that the Blessed One mystically influences the Mystagogue’s choice, so that choice is always correct for that candidate; any Initiate is always taught the mystery it is right for him to know. One example Script was once an Initiation used by a small Mystery Cult of witches, and teaches the Major Supernatural Virtue Augury and Divination based on the form of ophiomancy; that is answering questions based on the movements of the sacred snakes in the grove. A typical Mystagogue of the cult is not especially charismatic, so Presence 0 can be assumed, and his Children of Hermes Lore may be as low as 7, so the Initiation Script is designed to give a +14 bonus. It is assumed that the Mystagogue knows the Virtue in question. The Initiate must be quite advanced in cult lore and possess a score of 6 to be Initiated into a Major Virtue. The first part of the Initiation Script is a Quest to find a sacred grove where the sacred serpents dwell, and to befriend them (+3). Then the Initiate must spend an additional season studying the serpents (+1), while offering costly sacrifices that must be ritually burned on a pyre of cedar, yew, and sandalwood (+1). Finally there is the Ordeal that marks the culmination of the ritual and involves a complex and weird magical ritual that as a byproduct bestows the Major Flaw Study Requirement (+9). |
The Mystic Fraternity of Samos
The wisdom of Pythagoras is known throughout the Order, and beyond. The Fraternity of Samos preserves what it holds to be his mystical, musical, and mathematical legacy, and, almost uniquely among Mystery Cults, members openly and proudly admit their membership — but never their secrets.
The History of the Fraternity of Samos
A native of the Ionian island of Samos, Pythagoras (circa 560-450 BC) trained in Egypt and became a master mystic/theoretician in Babylon, famous home of magical secrets. Pythagoras returned to Samos to found a school, the Semicircle. He lived in a cave outside the city, where he delved into the mysteries and researched the conundrums of mathematics. Gaining few followers in his native country, he moved to Croton, established a renowned school of philosophy and religion, and began his cult, called the Society. The members of the Society, comprised equally of women and men, dedicated themselves to the pursuit of numerology, purification, friendship, honesty, loyalty, and secrecy. Pythagoras reputedly lived for well over 100 years, before meeting a tragic end at the house of Milo, one of his disciples.
There are various accounts of what led to this disaster, but what is clear is that Pythagoras refused to accept a rich young man as a disciple, as he felt he lacked the necessary moral qualities for Initiation. The offended man gathered his friends and formed a raiding party that attacked the Pythagoreans, slaying many. Pythagoras himself possibly died in the house of Milo, although some say that he survived through the heroic sacrifice of his adepts, and died very soon afterward of grief.
The Pythagorean system, with its emphasis on mathematics, harmony, geometry, and astronomy, is well known, but the Initiatory secrets that doubtless allowed the full beauty of his system to be understood were lost in the centuries that followed his death. Forms of Pythagorean knowledge remained, however, both in academia and in the Mystery Cults. It was inevitable that someone would eventually attempt to merge the Pythagorean mysteries with Hermetic theory, and the Fraternity of Samos claims that Bonisagus himself was a Pythagorean of the highest degree.
Whatever the truth, the Fraternity of Samos is among the most respectable of the Mystery Cults, both for the moral excellence of its members and for the immense body of learning that it is believed to have preserved, although how far the rites mirror those of antiquity and of Pythagoras himself is open to dispute. Very popular with magi of House Jerbiton, the cult was organized in the early tenth century by Anaximander of Thebes, and it is believed to be based on his Hermetic researches into Pythagorean number theory and Euclidean geometry, and their adaptation to Hermetic magic.
The Fraternity of Samos Today
The Fraternity of Samos is perhaps misnamed, for while Samos was the birthplace of Pythagoras, the cult does not currently maintain a temple (or as they are known in the Fraternity, a School) on that island. Appealing mainly to those with an interest in mundane scholarship and music, and greatly appreciated by magi of House Jerbiton, the Fraternity is likewise not a brotherhood in the strictest sense, for strict equality of men and women is practiced. Asceticism, combined with academic study and an exhausting curriculum of at least six, and some claim 12, Initiations, prevent many magi from being tempted to explore the mysteries of the cult, but it is rumored there are a sizable number of Initiates who adopted the Pythagorean belief system and seek to master philosophy and mathematics as the first stage in the path that will eventually lead them to magical immortality.
There is no real need for secrecy or the cultic framework, for today the Fraternity has few known enemies, and even the Flaw: Cabal Legacy merely represents constant badgering by would-be Initiates and resentful candidates who were refused, although Pythagoras’ death demonstrates just how dangerous that can be. Yet the traditional Initiatory system is rigidly adhered to, and the cult has not forgotten the lesson of the House of Milo. While candidates can probably find where to apply fairly easily, as Pythagoreans do not hide their existence the way most Mystery Cultists do, the requirements for membership are extremely stringent and require excellence in a number of mundane abilities as well as proven moral character and discretion. Those who speak openly of cult secrets or, worse still, teach them, can expect to receive as brutal and swift a response as from any other cult, and to on death find their spirit reborn as a green bean — or so it is said. (Pythagoreans do not eat green beans, as they may contain the souls of the dead.)
A large number of Akousmatics (Outer Order Initiates) proudly display their affiliation in Pythagorean symbols worn on their robes, marking them as part of an intellectual and moral elite. The most important sign known of the Akousmatics is that of the pentagram; that used by the Mathematikoi (the Inner Order), gained only by the most dedicated, is the triangle, the most perfect of shapes.
Beliefs of the Fraternity
Sample Initiation Script for the Fraternity of SamosThe first degree of the Outer Order deals with the principles of mathematics, and Initiates the Virtue Hermetic Numerology. The average Pythagorean Mystagogue may be reasonably charismatic, with a Presence of +1 not being unusual, and very learned in Fraternity of Samos Lore, with that ability at 7. Initiation Scripts with a bonus of +7 are very common, but many variations exist. Having already proven her ability with Artes Liberales, Mathematics and the other cult Abilities, (+1 special bonus), the Initiate may spend a season studying with the Mystagogue at a School learning the secrets of number magic and the Pythagorean system (+3) before taking a Minor Ordeal Vow to follow the Sacred Precepts of Pythagoras (+3) for a total Initiation Script bonus of +7. Scripts used by Mystagogues with lower Presence or Fraternity of Samos Lore typically add a Quest. |
Structure of the Fraternity of Samos
The Pythagorean Fraternity follows a strict system of Initiation and hierarchy, and is an archetypal Mystery Cult in terms of its degrees of Initiation. It is said that mastery of the complete system, or syllabus, of Initiation takes a minimum of 33 years, but that 84 is the usual figure.
The Fraternity does not follow the exact Initiatory system laid down by the early Pythagoreans, but a variant thereof; the incorporation of the rites into Hermetic theory is justified in that the Initiates had already studied the older mysteries of Pythagoras in previous lives. There is far more emphasis on tests of mundane ability than in most Mystery Cults — it is required that the prospective probationer can pass examinations in philosophiae and artes liberales, which can be represented by having attained a score of 3 in both those abilities. Also required is some ability with a musical instrument as well as theoretical knowledge of music, represented by a score of 1 in Music. These requirements are in addition to the usual Initiation Script and Organization Lore requirements for a first Initiation, and confer a +1 bonus to the Initiation Script employed.
There are two Orders of the Fraternity: the Outer Order, or Akousmatics, and the Inner Order, or Mathematikoi. Initiates must pass through the Akousmatics before admission to the Mathematikoi. The three degrees of the Akousmatics that must be passed through by all members of the Fraternity are, in order:
Mathematicus
The first degree of the Fraternity of Samos is that of the Mathematicus. In the original system of Pythagoras it required the development of great skill in mathematics and geometry. Knowledge of mathematics is seen as the basis on which all other knowledge is based, and in the Hermetic system the aspirant is expected to have the skill to demon strate his knowledge of these principles through tests of his artes liberales, which means possessing at least a score of 3 in Artes Liberales (Mathematics) as outlined above. Initiation Scripts usually call for sacrifices of time, to be spent writing books on mundane knowledges, or Quests to seek out and demonstrate wisdom and learning. Initiates are taught the secret of the Virtue Hermetic Numerology.
Theoreticus
The second degree of Initiation into the Fraternity requires the beginnings of the application of the principles learned in the first degree. Initiates now are required to pass a test in geometry, as they previously proved their knowledge of mathematics, which means possessing at least a score of 4 in Artes Liberales (Geometry).
They are also tested thoroughly in their ability in Hermetic Numerology, both by being required to create a Numerologist’s Book, and to apply and demonstrate skill with Rotes while undergoing a journey to a destination set by the Fraternity. Other Initiation Scripts may be used, but this is typical. The Initiate learns the principles of the Virtue Hermetic Geometry.
Electus
The third degree of the Fraternity teaches the application of the principles and understanding of the teachings to the mysteries of the planets. While mundane astrology falls under the auspices of the ability Artes Liberales, the Initiate now learns the esoteric principles underlying that art, and is therefore capable of working them into his magic, gaining the Virtue Planetary Magic. The Initiation Scripts for this degree should always involve considerable astrological symbolism, and the need to draw up a correct natal chart for the Initiate, which is held by the Initiators.
The Initiators also take a lock of hair, which is fixed as a permanent Arcane Connection, and record the Initiate’s birth name and signature. Together with the Nativity Horoscope, these provide one who uses these items with a bonus of eight times Penetration score when casting spells against the Initiate. This is similar to the various Flaws relating to Flawed Parma Magica and Limited Magic Resistance, and constitutes an Ordeal for Initiation.
The Inner Order: Mathematikoi
Next the Initiate enters the Inner Order, the Mathematikoi, and wears robes of black or white, demonstrating her knowledge of the philosophical system, worldly renunciation and spiritual purity. She must abstain from the eating of meat, and that of green beans, which Pythagoras believed to have the potential to act as the recipient for the metempsychosis of souls. In the Languedoc Tribunal the robes have the unfortunate problem that it makes the maga appear to an uninitiated eye much like one of the perfecti of the Cathars, and marking her as a possible heretic.
Members of the Mathematikoi must possess the mundane ability Teaching at a score of at least 2, and are responsible for imparting their knowledge to new Initiates. They must also, by Pythagorean tradition, dwell with other members of the Fraternity, but the requirement is interpreted loosely, and the normal process is to induct a suitable candidate into the Mystery from within one’s own covenant, hence honoring the requirement without a need to travel and relocate. Another duty is the requirement to feed and house visiting Initiates, for as long as required, offering generous and unstinting hospitality. A covenant where an Inner Order member dwells becomes a School, and is publicly known, a focus for interested magi seeking Initiation and current members of the Akousmatics seeking further knowledge or teaching.
There is also a requirement that members of the Mathematikoi should train as many apprentices as possible, and training an apprentice may well be a suitable Sacrifice for some of the higher degrees’ Initiation Scripts, conferring a +6 bonus for the 15 seasons sacrificed. A sound theoretical knowledge of Magic Theory, Philosophiae, and Teaching, represented by very high scores in those areas, grants one additional favor and respect within the Fraternity.
Tertius, Or 3=4
The Initiate now has left behind earthly concerns, and prepares to deal with her understanding of metempsychosis, the transmigration of souls. Three, the name of this fourth degree, represented by the perfect Pythagorean triangle, is the first real number according to Pythagorean Lore, for the numbers one and two represent the super-mundane spheres of existence, into which the Initiate plans to ascend. The Initiate learns the secret of the application of the geometrical solids to the elements; earth particles are cubic, fire is tetrahedral, water is icosahedral, and air octahedral. Vim, as magic or spirit, is a dodecahedron, a 12-sided form, the most difficult and mysterious of the five geometric forms. Based upon these principles the Virtue Hermetic Architecture is now Initiated. Yet some have claimed to meet those of this Rank with the Virtue Great Talisman, and others with the Virtue Performance Magic (Sorcerous Music).
Secundus, Or 2=5
The fifth degree, confusingly called The Second, shows how, based upon the principles already outlined, the Initiate comes to a true understanding that surpasses all normal human ability. It is rumored that some Initiates learn the mystery of the Virtue Inscription on the Soul, and it is also possible that the Virtue Hermetic Theurgy is taught at this level, or the Virtue Theurgic Spirit Familiar. Perhaps Scripts exist for all three and a choice is made, or possibly all three are taught in a series of Initiations at this degree. Outsiders are not party to such secrets.
Pythagorean, Or True Initiate
The final degree of the Pythagorean Initiation is said to require a vow of silence that must not be broken for five years, rendering spellcasting difficult; this counts as a Major Ordeal for Initiation Script purposes. A strenuous series of Initiatory Quests and Sacrifices is required as the final mysteries are approached. Some say that Pythagoreans are taught the Virtue Potent Magic (Artes Liberales and Philosophiae), a focus that covers these two abilities, or the secret of the Virtue Names of Power, while others say that it teaches the final liberation from the chains of being and metempsychosis, and ascendancy to immortality, as reflected by the Virtue Ascendancy to the Hall of Heroes.
A few non-Initiates have speculated that, based on the principle of the triad and three as the most perfect of all numbers, each of the above claims is true, and the Pythagorean truly passes through 12 Initiations to master all the Mysteries of their syllabus, but none can say for sure.
The Disciples of the Worm
Necromancy is rarely considered to be a noble profession, and the ancient grave robbers of the Disciples of the Worm have a sinister reputation. Yet the secrets they have learned and the magics they wield are perhaps some consolation.
History of the Disciples of the Worm
Early in the tenth century the magus Titus Herennius Vespillo of Rome was renowned throughout the Order for his knowledge of necromantic rituals. Associated with the notorious Flambeau Julius of the Oder, he spent some 14 years in a series of campaigns that devastated the hedge magicians of the Greater Alps, Rome, and Transylvania, as the grim pair sought out potential rivals to the Order and offered them the choice of joining or dying. Many joined the Order, but many others perished.
Death was not the final indignity however: After they had perished in a fiery blast, Vespillo would take their charred corpses, and summon their spirits, to carry out detailed interrogations as to their known associates and plans against the Order. Those spirits who refused to cooperate were to suffer terrible agonies from his new magics, and to be forever bound in magical prisons of his devising.
Some say that it was during this campaign, during which the pair often killed first and questioned later, that the idea struck Vespillo that the same method used to ensnare ghosts might somehow been applied to magical spirits and the older dead. Others say that he came across the secret in a tiny village nestled high in a hidden pass in the Alps, where for centuries a sinister cult had bound spirits to their will, and his breakthrough came from adapting their rites to the Hermetic system rather than original thought. Whatever the truth, Vespillo was to pioneer a great deal of what magi now know as Hermetic spirit magic.
There can be little doubt that Vespillo was a changed magus after his great realization. As the ancient magics of those who would not join the Order were lost forever, he increasingly began to seek out the tombs of the wizards of antiquity, disturbing their rest to question them about their long-forgotten magical secrets. He used spells to access the long-buried streets of Pompeii and Herculaneum; he explored Etruscan burial shafts; and finally he led a group of magi deep within the catacombs of Rome, kicking aside early Christian remains as useless to him, passionately searching for the tombs of the Mercurian priesthood.
When he emerged from the catacombs, he was alone. The other magi, including Julius, had perished within, and Vespillo stated calmly that their spirits were now laid to rest. Rumors circulated, but he refused to say exactly what had transpired or what he had found deep beneath the city of Rome.
Within a year, however, he had founded a new brotherhood, the Disciples of the Worm. His highly secretive group had discovered one of the most potent magical secrets of all: the ability to bind a spirit to power a spell, so that its duration could be extended indefinitely. Dedicated to the pursuit of ancient magical secrets, and surrounded by spirits that they bound to their wills, the disciples began to travel throughout Mythic Europe seeking the tombs of ancient wizards. Many perished at the hands of grim grave guardians or deadly exotic magics, while others were driven insane by terrible insights from beyond the grave, but slowly the cult gained power and influence.
The Disciples of the Worm have been accused repeatedly of infernalism or practicing demonology. Somehow the cult members who were investigated have always managed to prove their innocence, or have died during the investigation. The most famous example of this was that of Bellephon of Prague, devoured alive by maggots while being questioned by the Quaesitors in 1034.
The Disciples of the Worm Today
Very little is known in the Order of this most secretive of Mystery Cults, and it is almost universally abhorred. Rumors of breaches of the Code, of dead magi bound as spirit familiars, and of obscene rites and even human sacrifice abound, yet it seems clear that in fact the Worm cult merely seeks magical knowledge and power by an unusual, and some would say unsavory, method. No one is going to admit to membership, however, and while there are rumors that the secrets of the Disciples have saved the Order many times, and that they are an altruistic group dedicated to protecting magi and serving the Code occasionally surface, no one really believes them.
Today there are far fewer undiscovered pagan burials, and the cult has moved slightly more toward application of its unrivaled knowledge of summoning, controlling, and binding spirits into its magics, and away from the magical interrogation and torture of the dead in the hope of learning their secrets, although both practices continue. Very occasionally a Disciple will meet with high-ranking mystae from other cults to trade secrets or favors, and the usual contact for such deals is the only known member of the Worm cult, the necromancer Pertinax of Tytalus, who travels throughout Mythic Europe leaving nightmares and shaken magi wherever he stays. A less-than-ideal dinner guest, he is said to take delight in whispering some of the more macabre secrets of the grave to any freshly Gauntleted magi he encounters, although he never betrays cult rites.
Structure of The Disciples of the Worm
The Disciples of the Worm is a grim group, and its Initiation rites do nothing to help its image. Members are traditionally robed in shrouds, and all cult rites are celebrated in ancient tombs, usually on the eve of All Hallows — October 31st. Yet the aims of the cult are lofty: the preservation of ancient magics, and the final understanding of death and its mysteries.
Initiates are divided into seven degrees, each of which teaches a new Virtue to the aspirant on her successful completion of the Initiation Scripts, which are among the most nerve-shattering and terrifying in the Mystery Cults. Organized into cells of three members living within a geographical district, but not necessarily from the same covenant, only one member knows the name of one senior member from the cell above in the hierarchy.
The degrees reflect the grim fascination of the cult:
- The first degree teaches the Supernatural Ability Second Sight. This is extremely useful in the work of the cult. The lowest-ranking members of the cult, they are privy to few, if any, secrets of the cult.
- Second Degree Initiates learn the Minor Virtue Spell Binding, a powerful rite that allows minor magical spirits or ancient ghosts to be bound into spells to sustain them.
- The third degree is a difficult one to reach; the Initiation Script always demands the Initiate must enter an undesecrated pagan tomb and force the spirit within to reveal a magical secret unknown to the cult. Many perish in this task. For those who succeed, the reward is the Virtue Hermetic Empowerment.
- The fourth degree teaches some of the ancient magics the cult has learned, as represented by the Virtue Inscription on the Soul.
- The fifth degree Initiates the Minor Virtue Potent Magic: Ghosts. Such Initiates now are told of the cult’s secret repository of magical texts, and suitable candidates are taught the true aims of the cult. Unsuitable candidates never attain this rank.
- The sixth degree teaches the Initiate how to properly coerce, bind, and intimidate the spirits of the dead, and teaches the binding of a spirit familiar.
- The seventh degree teaches the Major Virtue Living Ghost. On being ritually killed and bound to one of the cult’s sacred places, one attains the seventh degree; his magic is now forever available to the cult, which is keen to keep its members long beyond this life.
Example Initiation Script for the DisciplesThe Disciples of the Worm can possess Presence as much as any other magi, but as their reputation is perhaps a little dark its assumed that a Mystagogue with Presence 0 is the best available to aspiring new Initiates. The Mystagogue will normally possess a Worm Lore of at least 6; a +9 Script is commonly employed to Initiate second degree disciples into the Mysteries of spell binding. The Initiate must spend a season working for the cult first, transcribing copies of Lab Texts on the creation of enchanted devices (+1). She is then taken to an ancient catacomb, and must survive a test of her endurance by entering the ancient tombs and spending a period there, surviving whatever terrors come at them and trying to locate an item concealed by the Mystagogue (+3). There follows a season of being taught by the Mystagogue the actual secrets of Spell Binding (+3); the talent is only awakened at the end of the season when she, dressed in a shroud, must enter a tomb with the Mystagogue and there make lavish offerings to the spirits, (+1), and undergo the terrifying rite (sympathetic bonus +1), for a total of +9. |
The Knights of the Green Stone
Magical questing troubadours, seeking a stone that fell from Heaven. Poets, Lovers, and Chivalrous Warriors, they seek the ultimate secrets of Creation, not the Holy Grail.
History of the Knights of the Green Stone
Within the Rhine the minnesingers are the great knightly poets, lovers, and troubadours of the chivalric tradition. The name derives from Minnesang, meaning lyric poem, and in the 12th and 13th centuries the minor German nobles began a tradition of writing these poems to married ladies of higher rank, expressing their passionate love and bemoaning the lady’s cruel rejection. Highly formalized as part of the tradition of the Courts of Love, the minnesingers also praised war, tournaments, valor, and the perfect manners of the gentle knight, well-versed in the arts of etiquette. Yet they were no mere minstrels, but rather heroic knights who lived by the principles they extolled as they sang their poems to the courts of Germany, accompanied by a lyre or harp they played as they sang.
Within the group of over 300 noble minnesingers, there exists a small Mystery Cult of Hermetic magi who add their magical power to the undoubted talents possessed by all minnesingers. The Knights of the Green Stone extol the virtues of chivalry, love (a mystery beyond Hermetic magic!), and heroism, and embody these virtues in their quest for the Stone of Creation, a mysterious rock said to have fallen from Heaven before time began. Some say it is the key to eternal life, while others whisper that it was a great gem set in the brow of Lucifer, and sent flying to Earth by a blow of Michael’s sword as Lucifer was dealt the terrible blow that sent him tumbling from Heaven. Others claim the stone was later carved into the Holy Grail, and only when it is found will Jerusalem finally be forever secure in the hands of the Christians, and the heathens forever defeated. Some legends claim that as a stone from beyond the Lunar Sphere, it is the source of magics that are beyond understanding, and that could reshape Creation to the desires of its wielder.
Magic stones and the peculiar magic properties of stones that fall from Heaven are not unknown to the Order of Hermes or medieval society, such as the one that bestowed invincibility in combat which Hubert de Burgh was supposed to have stolen from the royal treasury. The classic text for the magical use of such gems is the 11th century Lapidary of Bishop Marbode of Rennes. Although there was some skepticism over some of the claims, such lapidaries were defended by Gervase of Tilbury, and authorship of one was even ascribed to King Alfonso the Wise of Castile and Leon.
The Knights of the Green Stone were founded at the Wartburgskrieg, or Tourney of Poets, in the first years of the 13th century, when the minnesingers com peted at a German court for favor and honor (see the Ars Magica supplement Guardians of the Forests). One competitor, Gunnar von Falster, a knight of Danish origin, was also a member of House Tytalus and a great lover of challenge, romance, and epic adventure. Recognizing other magi among the throng, he told the strange story he had heard from a beautiful maiden in an enchanted castle deep within a regio in the forests of East Prussia. She had told him of the Green Stone, and charged him to found a company of magician knights of the highest noble virtue who would undertake this adventure. The story was soon confirmed by strange omens, weird apparitions, and a misshapen dwarf who came among the gathering of magi that night, leading a unicorn on a halter made entirely of emeralds, and who said that what was spoken was true.
That very night the Cult of the Knights of the Green Stone was born, and despite the requirement that Initiates should live as knights errant, whatever their real background, practice the graces of Etiquette, Music, and Charm, and incorporate themselves into noble society, many magi of House Jerbiton and House Tytalus in particular find the challenge and mystery irresistible. Swearing vows of chivalry and romance, they set out upon the epic quest. It is said that deep within the Rhine Tribunal in a forest the Knights maintain a castle where their secrets are hoarded, and Initiations conferred, yet no outsider knows the truth of this.
The Knights of the Green Stone Today
Less than 20 years old, the Mystery Cult is still in expanding, and many say there are signs the quest is soon to be completed, while others believe that the goal may be years off. The Knights have recently turned their attention to the Baltic shoreline, following rumors of the Green Stone, while others have journeyed deep into the Levant, and some quest in places as remote as Loch Leglean, Hibernia, and Iberia. Wherever the quest takes them, strange magical creatures and weird omens appear from time to time, guiding them toward resolution of the mystery.
The cult recruits largely from those who have become fascinated by the minnesinger Wulfram Von Eschenbach’s epic poem Parzival, which is said to contain a coded allegory about the Knights and their quest, and even symbolic direction to find their Grail Castle, the cult headquarters. Outwardly a story of Sir Percival’s quest for the Holy Grail, it is rumored that Gunnar Von Falster composed the epic himself as an allegory to promote his cult, then “handed it on” to Wulfram Von Eschenbach using magic. The truth or otherwise of this claim is open to dispute, but there can be little doubt that the mystical brotherhood is very serious about their quest, and skilled in the use of Performance Magic: Music, or, as they call it, Sorcerous Poetry. The magi knights also practice a strange tradition: Almost all choose their shields to act as their talismans, and believe that in some magical sense their heraldry dictates what role they will play in the completion of the Great Adventure.
Structure of the Knights of the Green Stone
All of the Knights of the Green Stone are first and foremost magi of the Order of Hermes, and despite their epic adventures and wanderings, most still spend most of each year at their home covenants learning magic and working on projects like any other magus, yet dreaming of their next chance to participate in the glorious quest. Surprisingly, women are admitted as full members, but they are expected to don arms and armor and pass themselves as men while upon the quest — among the unGifted folk at least.
While taking on the role of knights, there is no need to swear a vow of fealty to a mundane noble; indeed the taking of such a lord is expressly forbidden. The cult maintains a headquarters, referred to as the Castle of the Grail, probably within the Rhine Tribunal, although others have placed it elsewhere, leading some interested outsiders to speculate that it may be in a regio with several entrances that move across Mythic Europe, facilitating easy access to the remote wildernesses and eastern cities where much of the quest seems to be undertaken. The cult knows, but is not saying.
The Knights divides its Initiates into three degrees, each of which offers up to three Initiations. Members may choose to take more Initiations at the same degree after their first, or progress directly to the next degree, forsaking the other powers on offer. All members play the role of knights, and having adopted that status in public may be considered to possess that Minor Status Virtue for free, but the benefits thereof, a horse and armor, must be provided by the magi. No Initiation is required for this Virtue, as really the magi remains a Hermetic magus merely acting out a role.
Page
New Initiates, who are Initiated into the mysteries of the Virtue Free Expression, and then after composing several poems, may be Initiated again into Performance Magic: Music. The third Virtue taught is Puissant Art of Memory, and Initiates are also taught that Ability.
Example Initiation Script for the Green StoneThe first Virtue taught is Free Expression, and the Mystagogue is usually at least a Squire with Green Stone Lore 4 or higher, and a positive Presence. This Initiation Script confers a +7 bonus; it contains a Minor Ordeal that lowers the target level for this Initiation to 12. The new Initiate for the Knights always faces the same challenge as part of the Initiation Script: using Parzival as her guide, she must find the castle of the Knights, and journey there to arrive and present herself for Initiation on the feast of Pentecost (+3). She swears oaths to maintain the rules of the Order, and behave chivalrously, courteously, and bravely. This is the Minor Ordeal, which creates the flaw Dutybound (+3), and the Initiate then must accept the great mundane cost of outfitting herself in the garb of a noble knight, which grants a +1 bonus for the sacrifice. Some Initiates have to learn spells that allow them to magically render a horse docile and unafraid of their Gift, but traditionally the Knights appeal mostly to Gentle Gifted magi. It is also a requirement of the Initiation that the new page should study the ability Music to a score of at least 1. |
Squire
The middle rank of the Cult of the Knights of the Green Stone, the Squires are expected to play an important supporting role in equipping and accompanying the third degree Knights on the quest. The Virtues Vulgar Alchemy, Hermetic Numerology, and Consummate Talisman can be conferred at this degree.
Knight
The heroic leaders of the quest, who meet regularly on the feast of Pentecost to discuss progress and new revelations. They learn the Virtues Planetary Magic, Major Magical Focus: Gemstones or Potent Magic: Gemstones, and Hermetic Synthemata as they pursue the mystery of the elusive Stone.
Editor's Note: This text includes errata.
Attribution
Attribution Based on the material for Ars Magica, ©1993-2024, licensed by Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games®, under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license 4.0 ("CC-BY-SA 4.0"). Ars Magica Open License Logo ©2024 Trident, Inc. The Ars Magica Open License Logo, Ars Magica, and Mythic Europe are trademarks of Trident, Inc., and are used with permission. Order of Hermes, Tremere, Doissetep, and Grimgroth are trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB and are used with permission.