Chapter One: Introduction

Hermetic magi have enough power to change the structure of Mythic Europe forever. Transforming Mythic Europe is about what happens when they decide to exercise this power. Three chapters in this book propose different ways in which the characters can cause such a transformation.

Chapter Two discusses the full integration of the Order of Hermes into medieval society. While the Order's existence is by no means a secret, it tends to distance itself from those who rule, those who pray, and those who toil. This chapter explores what happens when the Order comes out of the shadows and participates in medieval society.

Chapter Three takes an opposing position: what if the Order abandoned Mythic Europe altogether? It is within the power of the Order of Hermes to create a new land in the middle of the sea, a realm in which they could rule as they wish without fear of interfering with the institutions of Mythic Europe.

Chapter Four recasts magi as inventors, and the enchantments that they create as analogs of technological advancement. Transformation of Mythic Europe is effected through the distribution of these devices to nobles, clergy, and peasants.

Planning for Long Sagas

The process of transforming Mythic Europe is not something that is possible to complete in a few short adventures. It may be the life's work of one or more magi, and may take longer still to reach fruition. Any transformation is usually gradual, but once it has begun it is probably inexorable. The speed of integration depends very much on the innovation involved — there are historical examples that ably demonstrate the capacity for ideas and inventions to catch on fast, and these can be used as templates. Political or religious movements such as Catharism or Lutherism, or the Shepherd's Crusade, could inspire ideas for the spread of an idea among a sector of Mythic Europe. The speed at which inventions such as the padded horse collar, the waterwheel, and the printing press took off might provide inspiration for the spread of a physical innovation of great worth.

Since transformation can be slow, integrating such story lines into a saga perforce lengthens the expected span of that saga. This is especially true if the transformation is the brainchild of player characters, who want to see their work reap tangible rewards. However, it might not be player magi — or indeed, magi at all — who begin the process of change, and these characters might get caught up in it later on. Under this scenario, the process of transformation could have already begun when the saga starts, and its burgeoning spread poses challenges to the player characters from the start. This option also allows the player characters to oppose the change — for whatever reason and try to turn back the tide of social pressure favoring its further spread.

Assumptions about Mythic Europe

Depending on the type of transformation involved, you need to be clear about certain aspects of Mythic Europe and its inhabitants (in particular, the Order of Hermes) that are left flexible in the canonical setting of Ars Magica Fifth Edition. These include, but are not limited to: the laxity that the Order permits in interpreting the Code of Hermes; the spirit of cooperation within the Order; the availability of vis; and — if playing in a long-term saga — the size and growth of the Order.
Of these, the interpretation of the Code of Hermes is perhaps the most important, and is the purview of House Guernicus. Two factions exist within the house (Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 41); neither is canonically dominant. The Traditionalists prefer that local Tribunals only have jurisdiction over their own local Peripheral Code. The rulings of the Grand Tribunal supersede local law, and the Oath of Hermes supersedes both. Furthermore, they believe very much in the Order as a loose society of equals, with no kings, justices, or police. The Transitionalists on the other hand hold that local laws should be more adaptable and capable of overruling the conclusions of higher authorities, particularly regarding interference with mundanes. They would also like to grant policing powers to the Quaesitores and their agents in order to limit corruption. The dominance of either faction in a saga could affect the manner in which any attempted transformation is received. Traditionalists likely oppose the idea of magi forming a Fourth Estate, whereas it might be welcomed and encouraged by the Transitionalists. The reverse might be true for magi wishing to build their own nation out of the ocean.

Saga Speed

Altering the speed of the saga (ArM5 page 218) affects the manifestation of any transformation during play.

If you have a slow saga then the troupe need not consider the lasting impacts of their transformations, because it is unlikely that they will ever be seen in game time. Instead, stories focus around the process of change itself, and their attempts to overcome obstacles in their way.

In fast sagas, on the other hand, the troupe needs to get a clear picture of the wider implications of their efforts, because the world could change dramatically in a few game sessions. Here, the focus could very much be on the impact of the innovation as much as the process that leads to the change.

Sagas involving transformations are ideal for pulsed sagas, where the characters' world-changing intervention and the resistance offered are dealt with in detail, followed by the passage of several years in which the transformation becomes established. The next game session then tackles the implications that arise from the early stages of transformation, and how these are resolved, and so on.

To the Future

As an option, it might be interesting to run a few stories — or perhaps a mini-saga — set in the future, when the transformation of Mythic Europe is complete or almost complete. It is necessary to either advance the characters who could still be alive, or create new ones to fill in the gaps. Depending upon how much change the storyguide can envisage, the players might be shocked at the change wrought by their innovation, but remember that the characters have lived through the transformation, and it is no great wonder to them. This sort of story has the greatest impact if the effect wrought is different from that expected by its initiators.

Saga Style

Introducing a transformation into an Ars Magica Fifth Edition saga can change the feel of the game, and the style of the saga. Of the three concepts in this book, the Order of Hermes as the Fourth Estate perhaps has the least dramatic impact on the feel of the game. The themes of such a saga include mundane interaction combined with politicking within the Order, both at Tribunal and Grand Tribunal level. While the characters are attempting to enact a major change to the manner in which the Order of Hermes is treated by mundane society, they are doing so within the established setting.

Creating an island of magicians, on the other hand, is a major working of magic, and suitable for a high fantasy style. The characters are proposing to use their Arts to carve out a whole new realm for the Order from the very fabric of the earth. If they succeed, then they are on par with the major nobles of Mythic Europe and can approach them as equals. The tone of the saga is similar to medieval fables like the Kingdom of Prester John or the Voyages of John de Mandeville.

A world where enchanted items replace technological developments can be very similar to the canonical setting or radically different, depending upon the number, distribution, and impact of the devices. At one end of the scale, a magical invention such as a device that duplicates books can have an important impact but not one that makes Mythic Europe radically different. However, lots of individual inventions such as instant transportation, distant communication, and magically powered carts and chariots could make Mythic Europe resemble a steampunk or alternative science-fiction world. The changes can be as big as you want them to be.

Future Events

If you are planning a long-term saga you should consider the impacts that the players' characters — and the Order as a whole — could have on these events if they felt like getting involved. Mythic Europe in 1220 is designed to be a recognizable medieval world. Any saga for Ars Magica Fifth Edition can change the future course of Mythic Europe, but sagas involving elements from this book are guaranteed to do so. Troupes with an interest in alternative history may wish to explore in detail the impacts of their actions on wider events in Mythic Europe. There are plenty of sources of historical information available about the 13th and 14th century; for each major historical event consider what affect the saga's transformation can have. A simpler approach is to allow the saga to diverge from history early on, so that the storyguide need not worry about tracking events. Something to bear in mind is how the Order of Hermes might be transformed in the attempt to transform Mythic Europe. Such processes are rarely one way, and the Order must actively resist change if it wants to remain unaltered by a transformed Mythic Europe.

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.

Open License Markdown version by YR7 & OriginalMadman, https://github.com/OriginalMadman/Ars-Magica-Open-License

Transforming Mythic Europe Chapter One: Introduction

See Also