Editing Ars Magica (section)

= The Houses of Hermes =

Bjornaer: House Bjornaer are a crazy animal cult who believe that everyone has an inner beast which you can awaken via a special ritual. They get access to a Heartbeast form, which is an animal form they can take without having to use magic, and can unlock a better form later.

Bonisagus: House Bonisagus are a House created by the founder of the Order of Hermes, and are notable for having several little bonuses, including the right to take other magi's apprentices. They're divided between Magi Bonisagi and Magi Trianoma, who are respectively researchers and peacekeepers.

Criamon: House Criamon is a weird one. Their beliefs are too complicated to summarize easily, but basically, they're crazy Buddhist/Gnostic wizards who think everything that makes Medieval Europe what it is to be evil. Also, they can do things like pass through solid objects, dance objects into their platonic forms, disintegrate objects with their mind, and even ascend to a higher dimension of reality. Told you their beliefs were hard to explain.

Ex Miscellania: House Ex Miscellania is a House mostly of weird misfits who are either barely Hermetic, too weird for the other Houses, or otherwise don't fit. They barely associate with each other and usually don't give a shit about the Order's politics.

Flambeau: House Flambeau is all about killing things (ironically, killing things is the most boring thing you can do in Ars Magica), usually with fire magic. They also do other things, such as academic study of fire, hosting fun tournaments where they literally hurl magic at each other until someone's magical protection breaks, and playing chess.

Guernicus: Called House Quaesitor in older editions, House Guernicus is mostly specialized in law, politics and rules, although they have a few cool tricks, such as old Roman/Egyptian rituals, better Terram magic, and lawyers. Many of them become Quasitores, internal police for the Order.

Jerbiton: House Jerbiton are magi who still maintain fairly active mundane lives due to frequently not being as insufferable as everyone else. They love beauty, art and stuff we on /tg/ only consume once in a green exploding moon. Interesting, but aside from some Mentem and Imaginem tricks don't contribute much.

Mercere: House Mercere is a weird one. They are frequently non-magi, as well as glorified package delivery guys. The few of them that are magi ironically have the best toys, as they get special new ways to use their spells, better portals, and more potent Muto magic.

Merinita: House Merinita used to be nature hippies, but for very complicated reasons involving a guy with gemstones for eyes, murdering a founding member of the Order, and a civil war, are specialized in faeries. They get surprisingly cool toys, such as turning into a faerie, turning into a nature spirit, creating solid illusions, and new ways to build spells.

Tremere: House Tremere are not the vampires most know, instead, they are a strictly regimented House with a death grip on Transylvania. They act like a military hierarchy, and lobby for more organization in the Order. They also are responsible for the most controversial rule in all of 5th Edition Ars, which basically locks them into one schtick, that being magical duelling.

Tytalus: House Tytalus is basically the world's worst family. They love arguing, fighting, and conflict, and hate fun. They are known for literally falling in love with their worst enemies, being terrible foster parents, and killing a lot of people. They also get access to special summoning and healing magic, although the latter turns you into a leper.

Verditius: House Verditius is all about making stuff. Even though they can't cast magic without a wand like Harry Potter expys, they get access to building a literal robot, cursed magic devices, and even more stuff!