THE MASK:
Ex Miscellanea, Fortunae, & Thig
         These Houses are the most visible parts of the Order of Hermes, and most outside mages think of all Hermetic ceremonialists as being much like one of these stereotypes -- the eclectic and 
broadly-educated magi, the Qabalists or University Professors, and the rich and strange young occultists.  These are more modern magi than in the other Houses, more diverse..

HOUSE FORTUNAE

Es...
"I."
"To conquer the Tides of Fate,
you must first be willing to ride them."

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        House Fortunae concerns itself with recruiting for the Order, influencing the educational paradigm in various parts of the world, weakening the Union's grip on the economy, and pursuing esoteric knowledge related to numbers and destiny.  Fortunae magick is divided between two schools of study; the older, more traditional school is that of numbers and the Hebrew Qabalah, the younger and newer school is that of Chaos Theory and entropism.

        Roster: 18 magi, more than 150 consors and acolytes
        Primus: Stephen Masters of Cambridge, Master Scholae 7th Degree
        Domus Magna: the Cambridge House in England
        Sphere Focus: Ars Fati, the Sphere of Entropy
        Secondary Spheres: Ars Mentis (Mind) for protection and influence, Ars Conjunctio (Correspondence), and Ars Temporis (Time) for predictions and prophecy.
        Allies: House Shaea
        Enemies: House Thig
        Common Abilities: Mathematics, Philosophy, Religion, Instruction, Psychology, Socialogy, Etiquette, Cultures, Intrigue, Architecture; some use Computers and Technology
        Common Backgrounds: Resources, Contacts, Influence, and Arcane

        History:
        Current State:
 

Goetia, "howling" or "crying".  The summoning of demons, usually from Grimoire spells that sound like howling.  A form of hedge magic practiced by 1st-degree Apprentices (Neophytes).
Theurgia, from the Greek theos (god) and ergon (work).  Magick used to grow closer to God of become more godlike, making changes for personal evolution and spiritual growth.  Theurgia is a form of hedge magic practiced by 2nd-degree Apprentices (Zelators).
Thaumaturgy, the working of overt (vulgar) magick, the working of "miracles".  Magick used to make unhidden changes in the material world.  Kischuph is the Hebrew word for higher magical influence -- magick.  Material Kischuph involves controlling the elements of nature. 

 
 


HOUSE THIG
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Omnus Liberum Sunt, Lusus In Manus Dominus...
"We Are All Children, Playing in the House of God"
(kudos to Barghest and Bit Nine)
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        Thig magick is an odd amalgam of technomancy and bizarre cult ritualism.  House Thig concerns itself with espionage for the Order, pursuit of esoteric knowledge through technology, aiding the Janissaries, and conducting their own strange rituals in their large, empty covenants.

        Roster: 8 magi, and more than 90 consors and acolytes
        Primus: the young Altimeas Cowling of Manchester, Master 6th Degree
        Domus Magna: Manchester House in England, north of London
        Sphere Focus: Ars Conjunctio, the Sphere of Correspondence
        Secondary Spheres: Ars Essentiae (Forces), Ars Materiae (Matter), Ars Vis (Prime); some use Ars Manes (Spirit).
        Allies: House Janissary
        Enemies: Houses Shaea and Ex Miscellanea, The Technocracy
        Common Abilities: Computers, Technology, Stealth, Streetwise
        Common Backgrounds: Contacts, Dream, Talisman, and Sanctum

        History: The Crucible of Thig was a mystery sect founded in the early 1700s.  The Crucible grew into a large society in the resurgence of occult interest in the 1800s, and still has its own Sleeper mystery sect, a large and diverse body of acolytes, apprentices, and sorceror-consors.
        Current State: The Crucible is based in Manchester, England, but also has a few chapters in the US, including Providence RI, and Philadelphia PA.  There are small chapters beginning in Los Angeles and Denver, as well.  But the Ruby Children, the original faction that is based in Manchester is the largest cabal, and has recently spent a great deal of time associating with magi of House Janissary.  House Thig seeks ascension through occult means, though many others in the Order feel that they may be missing the point.  Its various chapters seldom unite for any cause, and the House has its own internal cliques and intrigues.  They have served faithfully in many missions against the Technocracy with the Janissaries and Flambeau, however.  Most members spend their free time in study.  They occasionally meet on full moons, though the reason for this is unknown.  Many magi of House Thig have mice or rats for familiars.
 

HERMETIC TECHNOMANCY

kevin schultz ([email protected])
        From what I understand, the idea is to take a piece of modern life, understand the symbolisim that piece (a camera lens represents sight at a distance, for example), and use that piece as a component in a mystic ritual. Going on that assumption, these are the foci I use for Ralph "Waldo" McPherson, Thig apprentice.
      1) Scrying: a cracked LCD screen strapped to the inner forearm (convienent when you're in a hurry), a camera lens inscribed with the target's Social Security Number and then placed over the left eye.
      2) Wards of protection: computer cables laid out in pentagrams
      3) Fortune telling: Scrabble tiles
      4) General rune-markings: magic(k) markers (ha!)
      5) General damage rotes: blender components gestured menacingly at your opponent, swearing (ie, combination of modern vulgarity and ancient pacts to Hecate)
      6) Computer hacking rotes: modified Trinary computer chips ("Pentagram inside! Bum-bum-bum-Bum!")
      7) "Empower Self" Mind effects: Self-help catch phrases, recited in Enochian.
        Oh, here's another one: Code and password cracking (Entropy 1 effect): using a software encryption program, but running it backwards while muttering lines from various Quabbalistic texts.
 

Bit Nine
        Interesting, I've always seen it the other way around. That is, not Technology done in Hermetic trappings, but Hermetic magicks brought over into technological trappings.
        Hmmmm... Well, I'll throw out some examples: A Hermetic wishes to protect his data line from being traced, so he carves a sigil into the outside of the line.  He wants to crash another user's computer, so he sends them an executable file, only in place of any viral code is a digital translation of an ancient curse.  Not to mention the vast amount of magick based on numerology can be performed on a machine...
        Of course, here's my personal favorite: an LCD Enochian teleprompt display mounted on the deck for that flawless incantation every time... :)
 
 
 


HOUSE EX MISCELLANEA
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Multitudo Totum Componet...
"A Whole Is Made of Many Parts."
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        The House known as Ex Miscellanea is divided into six distinct groups: the Hermetic Witches, the Spirit Masters, the Beast-magi, House Jerbiton, House Criamon, and House Merinita.  Though in total Ex Miscellanea has almost 80 magi, each group is fairly small, and though Ex Miscellanea has a reputation for disorganization, it has established much in the way of efficient interaction in the last century or so.  Once the largest House in the Order, Ex Miscellanea's membership has shrunk much in the last three centuries, despite the additions of three Hermetic Houses who sought refuge in its membership.

        Roster: 82, though it is difficult to know for sure
        Primus: There is technically no Primus who rules over the lot; each individual group has its own sub-leader, and they form a sort of informal council with the "Primus Ex Miscellanea."
        Domus Magna: traditionally Cad Gadu in northern Wales, though the Miscellany rarely meets as a whole.
        Sphere Focus: Depends on the subgroup, though Ars Vitae (Life) seems popular
        Secondary Spheres: any
        Allies: some witches and ecstatics, some faeries; various mages in the Council of Seven
        Enemies: Houses Thig and Janissary; some faeries, some spirits
        Common Abilities: widely varied
        Common Backgrounds: widely varied

        History: The Craftmasons (the rationalist mages who turned against the Order of Hermes, destoyed the covenant Mistridge in southern France, and founded the Order of Reason) were magi Ex Miscellanea before they betrayed the Order.  House Golo Ex Miscellanea was founded by a prince of Florence and the Templar Simon de Laurent; that House was one of the groups of disgruntled Hermetics who joined the Craftmasons, and it later became the group known as the Electrodyne Engineers, and after that, the Etherite Scientists.
        Current State:

PRIORITES OF AN EX MISC MAGE:

  1. Follow your tradition and your own interests.
  2. Preserve the independance of the House by demonstrating your discipline and knowledge.

 


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