Chapter Three Tribunal History & Customs

This chapter describes the most notable features of the Order of Hermes in the Rhine Tribunal: its venerable history and traditions, the ranks that are assigned to magi, the Tribunal gatherings that take place at the covenant of Durenmar, and the political gilds into which its magi have organized themselves.

The four-hundred-and-fifty-year history of the Rhine Tribunal is far longer and more detailed than we have room for here. The records of Tribunal gatherings alone, which sit gathering dust in the Great Library at Durenmar, occupy many dozens of tomes. What follows below is but a sample of the most important events.

In the middle of the 8th century the wizard Trianoma first met up with Bonisagus. At the time, Bonisagus lived in seclusion in the Alps, working on his magnum opus, now known as the Hermetic Theory of Magic. He took Trianoma as an apprentice and taught her his theories. She then traveled far and wide, using the protection afforded by the Parma Magica as persuasive evidence that magi could meet in peace and share this new magic. Bonisagus, in the meantime, moved to the Black Forest in 754 AD, and started to teach his theories to the wizards that Trianoma sent to him. After years of negotiations, threats, and recriminations, Trianoma managed to get twelve wizards to agree on a set of nine precepts, which she called the Oath of Hermes. At Durenmar in 767, the twelve Founders swore to uphold the oath, and the Order of Hermes was born.

Through recruitment the Order grew quickly, and in 773 Trianoma, supported by Guernicus, suggested that the members divide themselves into separate Tribunals. The magi of the nascent Order had scattered outward from the central location of Durenmar, with Tytalus and his followers found mainly in the northwest of Europe, Tremere removing himself to the far eastern reaches of the Frankish Empire, Flambeau to the Pyrenees overlooking his home in Spain, Jerbiton and Criamon into the Alps, and so on. In the beginning, therefore, Tribunals tended to be loose affiliations based mainly on House, with the Rhine dominated by magi of Houses Bonisagus, Bjornaer, and Merinita — the three Founders who stayed here. These were the golden years of the Order in Germania, and the Bonisagus-dominated covenants of the southern Rhine region consistently produced advances in magical theory.

Having recently joined the Rhine covenant of Triamore, I have commenced a study of the many and curious practices and traditions of this, the so-called First Tribunal, from amongst the many tomes of the covenant's library. Although Triamore has existed for nearly seven decades, it is still among the youngest of the Rhine's covenants. The founding of new covenants here is restricted and thus rare, which has resulted in a tradition of traveling magi and guest hospitality, as well as a small number of chapter houses. This at least explains the puzzling ejection of the Quaesitor Tabanus who previously occupied my sanctum — it seems he was never a full member of Triamore, but instead merely a peregrinator, one of the many wandering magi of Germany. I shall see if I can take advantage of the rules of hospitality in order to make an extended visit at some of the more famous Rhine covenants.

It is immediately clear that the magi here afford a great and fitting respect for their predecessors and also the most senior among them, who style themselves with the title of magister, a kind of lesser archmagus, it seems to me. As a tyro, a junior magus, I am expected to acknowledge the superiority of these magi. I must therefore strive to earn this title myself, although I do not yet know how this may be achieved. I have however unfortunately learned that it is not possible through certamen. It seems that these masters and archmagi are even permitted to vote with the sigils of a number of ancient magi retired magi, as they dub them — a most unusual practice. I am told that the Founder Bonisagus himself still casts his vote at Tribunal today — but how can this possibly be?

In order to participate in the convoluted politics of this Tribunal it seems to be necessary to belong to a gild, some sort of formal association or faction. While the magi of Triamore encourage me to support the so-called Apple Gild, merely a dubious front for mundane meddlement, as best I can tell, I have nevertheless decided to seek membership of the venerable Oak Gild at the next Tribunal gathering, when I will be formally greeted by the Tribunal's elders and may take my seat at the hallowed Forum of Hermes.

— from the journal of Sicero filius Goliard of House Tremere

The Order of Hermes was founded at Durenmar, and in the early years there was only one Tribunal — no matter how far away magi set up their covenants, they would have to return to Durenmar every seven years. Magi of the Rhine are very proud of their ancient pre-eminence, and often refer to the Rhine Tribunal as the "First Tribunal," particularly when speaking to magi from other Tribunals.

With the fragmentation of Charlemagne's empire, the Order of Hermes was similarly affected. Finding themselves in different realms, the Order began to become severely nationalistic, and territorial disputes became more common. In 865 the Grand Tribunal decided upon political boundaries of the Tribunals, rather than relying upon loose affiliations of covenants. The kingdom of the Germans was called the Rhine Tribunal and the kingdom of the West Franks was named the Normandy Tribunal because of its "North-men" settlers. The kingdom of Lotharingia was called the Provencal Tribunal, as its center of culture was in the southern region called Provence. The Britannian (later divided into Loch Leglean, Stonehenge, and Hibernia), Roman, Iberian, and Theban Tribunals were founded at the same time, and a coalition of eight covenants managed to win for themselves a geographically small Tribunal called the Greater Alps, the territory of the former Roman provinces of Rhaetia and Noricum. Finally, the four covenants in the Holy Land constituted the Tribunal of the East (renamed the Tribunal of the Levant in 1129). With House Tremere at the height of their power a few decades later, the Transylvanian and Theban Tribunals were soon given separate recognition. In 1008 the New Slavonic Tribunal (later the Novgorod Tribunal) won recognition, making the total thirteen. Over time, the boundaries of these Tribunals shifted and changed as covenants fell and new ones were founded. The most significant change was the boundaries of the Provencal Tribunal, which in the 13th century covers Aquitaine and Gascony rather than Provence, while the Normandy and Rhine Tribunals have absorbed the Low Countries that formerly belonged to Provencal.

On the Retirement of Magi

1017th year of Aries, Rhine Tribunal: As the First Tribunal has famously witnessed, the spirits of the Founders and our most venerable and wisest magi are still with us. The study of magic may truly grant us a kind of immortality, although to what higher place we transcend we cannot know. It is therefore acknowledged that the voting sigil of each magus remains valid in perpetuity, until such time as evidence of his death is presented. Nevertheless, we cannot permit the First Tribunal to become dominated by the voices of those who are no longer active in its leadership. To this end, a magus whom no other has witnessed for a period of two Tribunals or more shall be deemed to be retired. The sigil of a retired magus may only be held by proxy by a magister or archmagus; a magister may hold only one such sigil, an archmagus at most two. We entrust the duty of the witnessing of magi and the reporting of the deaths of magi to our loyal servants, the Redcaps.

In support of this ruling, the Rhine Tribunal has developed an informal tradition of never fully recognizing the passing of magi into Twilight. There are various euphemisms for Final Twilight and retired magi (most of whom are lost to it) are spoken of in the present tense, especially when their votes are cast. Several other stories of the famous return of longretired Twilight magi have been told in the centuries since.

By the middle of the 9th century, the membership of the Tribunal had matured such that its elder magi became increasingly dominant in its politics. Indeed the Tribunal had already formally recognized the superiority of these magi by the adoption of a rank hierarchy (described later in this chapter). By this time many of the socalled founding magi of the Tribunal (those who were present at the inaugural Rhine Tribunal gathering of 780) had either died or entered Final Twilight. At a famous incident at the Tribunal gathering of 857, the spirits of three of these founding magi, believed lost to Twilight, suddenly made themselves known and demanded the right to vote on an important and contentious issue. The gathering of magi was shocked, but the Praeco ruled that the spirits may cast their votes, out of the great respect held for these elder magi. The three extra votes were enough to tip the balance and the motion was wisely defeated, saving the Tribunal from strife. Before departing, each of the three designated one of their filii to cast their vote by proxy at future Tribunal gatherings.

Following this precedent, a handful of elder magi arrived at the subsequent Tribunal bearing the voting sigils of their ancient parentes, in or at the verge of Final Twilight, claiming that they were merely "ill-disposed to attend." A small number of other elder magi formally designated a follower to bear their sigil by proxy in the event of their being "unable to attend future meetings." By the Tribunal of 871, the sigils of many former magi had returned to (or stayed in) usage, in a chaotic and controversial manner. Some of these sigils were permitted, others not, depending largely on favor and patronage.

The Tribunal of 878 was therefore forced to make a firm and final ruling on the issue. It could not go against its own precedent and outlaw these proxy sigils, yet at the same time there was a clear need (and much urging from the Quaesitores) to reign in their number and the associated abuses. A compromise motion was adopted, permitting such proxy sigils but strictly regulating their number according to the rank of the wielder.

On the Founding of Covenants

1024th year of Aries, Rhine Tribunal: We cannot prosper and overcome our enemies if our covenants war amongst themselves. So that we may enjoy peace forthwith, the First Tribunal will no longer recognize any covenant that has not gained the approval of its peers. Any prospective covenant is therefore required to obtain a sponsor from each and every existing covenant, who shall publicly proclaim their petition worthy. Should even one such sponsor not be forthcoming, the Tribunal will refuse recognition.

Ever since then, prospective covenants have been required to obtain the explicit permission of all the Tribunal's other covenants, in order to obtain recognition. If a covenant is not successful in getting approval from the Tribunal, they may try again in seven years time. Until they receive approval, they have no legal recourse against the depredations of other covenants against their resources — they do not exist, in the eyes of the Tribunal. The magi of an unapproved covenant thus have no communal rights, although they retain their rights as individuals.

Needless to say, a prospective covenant may find itself bound into all sorts of obligations, duties, and pacts in return for support, but some covenants make low demands in return for future favors. Many covenants will do their best to get whatever concessions they can from such a group of young magi. However there is a social stigma attached to being the only covenant to refuse to allow a covenant to form, and so the new magi need not agree to every demand — if they are feeling brave.

In compensation for all these onerous favors and promises (which are usually negotiated at Tribunal itself), there is a tradition of gift-giving, hearkening back to the ancient German tradition. Once the decision has been made that a new covenant can be established, every other covenant presents a gift (or announces a boon). These gifts usually take the form of resources to help the new covenant — books, vis tithes or sources, silver, even a covenant site. This public display of generosity tends to encourage existing covenants to show off their opulence, and thus they often grant gifts that are ostentatious or excessively generous. For those that are reluctant to give their support to the new covenant, however, these gifts are often flashy and impressive-looking, without any real substance to them. Moon duration illusions are not unheard-of, for the more underhand covenants.

The early peace in the Rhine Tribunal was broken when two neighboring covenants, Schwarzburg and Arae Flaviae, battled each other in a devastating war in the 9th century, bringing both to the brink of destruction and incurring the wrath of the mundanes of Swabia. The Tribunal of 885 was forced to abolish both covenants. Recognizing the cause of the conflict as the right of covenants to establish themselves at will, without regard for their neighbors, the Tribunal introduced stringent new rules governing the founding of covenants.

During the Schism War, which took place throughout the Order at the beginning of the 11th century, the Rhine Tribunal became fractured amidst a political breakdown, resulting in the destruction of a number of covenants (including Oakdell, Waldherz, and Grand Silesia) and the slaying of many of its magi. This was the most turbulent period in the Rhine's history, rife with distrust, chaos, and flagrant law-breaking.

Waldherz, deep in the Black Forest, was originally founded as a chapter house of Durenmar by a handful of Bonisagus magi who constituted the lineage of Hercynius. He was the penultimate apprentice of Bonisagus, and his followers claimed to continue what they believed to be Bonisagus' final work, which was to overcome the limits on Hermetic magic using primal magic from the forest's heart. They were joined in this endeavor by magi of House Diedne, and Waldherz declared its independence from Durenmar, although the issue of their sponsorship to form a separate covenant was mired in controversy. (Durenmar argued that they could veto them by providing no sponsor; Waldherz claimed that one of their magi sufficed as a sponsor, since they had not yet seceded. The Tribunal ruled in favor of Durenmar, clarifying that a sponsor cannot be one of the founders of a new covenant.)

About fifty years previously, all of the Diedne magi in the Tribunal split from the Hawthorn Gild to form the Rowan Gild. They were later joined by the Bonisagus magi of Waldherz and some Bjornaer magi from Grand Silesia. This new faction was already perceived to be excessively secretive and soon attracted many enemies in the Tribunal. At the onset of the Schism War, the Rowan Gild shared in the fate of House Diedne — a disputed ruling from the Tribunal of 1004 exiled all of its members. Flambeau and Tremere magi of the Ash Gild, in collaboration with some of the Oak Gild, declared Wizard War against the Diedne magi of Waldherz and Oakdell. Meanwhile, the remaining magi of the Oak Gild (including most of the Bonisagus at Durenmar) strove in vain for peace. This was the first outbreak of the Schism War in the Rhine Tribunal, and anarchy and violence soon spread throughout the land.

By the Tribunal of 1018 — the first in 14 years — House Diedne and almost all members of the Rowan Gild (and the associated covenants) were destroyed. Two remaining magi of the lineage of Hercynius renounced their membership in House Bonisagus and were accepted into House Ex Miscellanea. Due to their failed diplomacy and reduced numbers, House Bonisagus has never quite enjoyed the same level of influence in the Rhine Tribunal as it had before the Schism War.

The final footnote to this story occurred in 1048. The maga Aschlaranda, formerly of Waldherz, suddenly reappeared at Durenmar with her apprentice Schadrit. She was accepted back into House Bonisagus, but her actions and opinions were contrary to the prevailing spirit of reconciliation, and she refused to tell of the fate of Waldherz or to renounce the Rowan Gild. After a major dispute, she was (with reluctance) declared orbus. Aschlaranda and Schadrit departed to found Dankmar elsewhere in the Black Forest, burning with resentment for Durenmar and House Bonisagus. They were pursued into the forest by a leading magus of the Ash Gild, Ganelon, who declared Wizard War on them both. He was never heard from again.

Germany was settled at an early date; in the Roman towns on the western banks of the Rhine, then the Carolingian towns in southern Saxony and Franconia. However it was not until the 10th century that population pressures caused the nobles to order the clearance of the ancient forests that covered much of the lands of central Germany, to make room for settlements. The Swabian dukes of Zähringen, and the monasteries under their control, were particularly prominent in promoting settlement in the Black Forest. For many years, magi had been complaining about the encroachment of civilization into the wild areas near their covenants, threatening both vis sources and auras with the power of the Dominion. However it was not until Durenmar's resources were threatened that the political might of the Oak Gild came behind the motion. They feared that the Rhine would eventually go the way of the Roman Tribunal, losing most of its magical and faerie sites to the Dominion. Therefore, at the Rhine Tribunal meeting of 1053, the Praeco made a statement, the text of which was then endorsed by the Tribunal as part of the Peripheral Code.

The Guardians of the Forests

1192nd year of Aries, Rhine Tribunal: The lifeblood of this Tribunal lies within its forests. Here, more than anywhere else, raw power lurks in the hidden glens, the dark hollows, and the majestic trees. The ancient forests are the wellsprings of our magic, perhaps all magic, and we magi have a duty to preserve them, not just for ourselves, but for the future members of the Order. We have witnessed the decline of both Magic and Faerie in our neighbors the Roman Tribunal, and we must resolve that the same shall not happen to us. The encroachment of the Dominion proceeds further into our resources with every coming year, and it is time that we safeguard our magic, defend our vis, and slow mundane intrusion. All that is required for the Devil to win is for good men to do nothing, and we have remained idle for too long. We must become Guardians of the Forests, for none will halt this decline if we do not.

Under pressure from House Guernicus, the following clause was later added: We must take care to only act in such a fashion so as not to incur the wrath of the mundanes, else the Oath of Hermes will be broken, and due punishment meted forthwith.

This is perhaps the most contested and controversial part of Rhine's Peripheral Code. It has no inherent method of enforcement, and may be interpreted in many different ways. It has been used both to prosecute magi who have failed to protect magical sites, and to defend those who would be deemed as Code-breakers by other Tribunals, depending on the political support of those attempting to use the ruling to their advantage. Dankmar was not punished for aiding the destruction of a new monastery in the Black Forest, yet Crintera was refused permission to use this ruling to halt the Danish invasion of Rügen. Decisions regarding the "Guardians of the Forests" ruling seem to depend entirely upon political maneuvering and the opinions of the presiding Quaesitor, and as a result, a host of contradictory rulings have sprung up in the years following the Tribunal of 1053.

In the late 10th century, the Order was seeking to expand eastwards into the hitherto unexplored expanse east of the Rhine Tribunal. Complex negotiations led by Archmage Ambrus of Bonisagus between delegations of the Rhine, Transylvanian, and Theban Tribunals resulted in the founding of three covenants in these Slavic lands, one sponsored by each of the three Tribunals. Magi from Crintera and Rethra founded the covenant of Grand Silesia between the Oder and Warta rivers in Poland.

By 1008 these three covenants had formally shed their ties to their sponsors and constituted themselves as the New Slavonic Tribunal. This move was illtimed, occurring as it did in the midst of the Schism War, and vengeful magi from the Rhine attacked Grand Silesia, partially ruining it. The refugees fled to other covenants.

The fall of Grand Silesia left the New Slavonic Tribunal without representation in Poland. At the Grand Tribunal of 1030, the Rhine Tribunal made its first attempt to negotiate a change in the border between itself and the New Slavonic Tribunal, a motion that was narrowly defeated. The Slavonic Tribunal's response was to push through a ruling giving their Tribunal council formal authority over the settlement of all new covenants in the Slavic lands. In 1052, refugees from Grand Silesia were able to return to Poland and establish Leczyca covenant, to reinforce this ruling of the Order's highest authority.

In 1067, the covenant of Roznov was founded on the edge of the Carpathian Mountains by three Ex Miscellanea magi. Given this location, the covenant could arguably have chosen to attend any of three different Tribunals, but seeing an opportunity, the Rhine Tribunal offered them generous support, persuading them to join with them rather than the Transylvanian or the New Slavonic (now called the Novgorod) Tribunals.

The Grand Tribunal of 1163 saw further arguments regarding the border with Poland. Frederick Barbarossa's march into Poland to place his candidate on the Polish throne had been the perfect cover for magi of Fengheld to accompany him and lay claim to Polish supplies of vis. At the Grand Tribunal, Fengheld argued for a changing of the border to reflect their interests in Poland. Despite the support of the Rhine's three Primi, the Grand Tribunal conceded only 10 miles of Polish

In the 12th century, a handful of covenants in the west of the Tribunal founded the Apple Gild, seeking to push the limits of the Peripheral Code with the extent of their mundane dealings. In almost all cases, while leading to temporary enrichment or significant influence among the nobility, these efforts have resulted in disaster. Treverorum, in the city of Trier, were repeatedly censured by the Tribunal after the death of a Redcap and riots in the city. After a full Quaesitorial investigation and the unexplained death of the majority of its magi, it was abandoned. The archbishop of Trier subsequently raised an army that sacked the nearby covenant of Rheinstein. The covenant of Triamore, perhaps due to its greater political savvy, has managed thus far to endure, although even it has suffered a mundane siege, a fire, and the murder of magi.

The demises of Treverorum and Rheinstein are also believed by some to be linked to a curse on the region of the Rhine Gorge, an area that is rich in magical sites, but where no covenant has endured (see Chapter 12: The Curse of the Rhine Gorge).

Stymied by attempts to expand the interests of the Rhine Tribunal eastwards into the vis-rich wildernesses of the Slavic lands, eyes turned northwards instead. With the additional aim of investigating the Order of Odin, long regarded as a bugbear of the Order, the Rhine Tribunal in 1144 formed the charter for a new covenant called Oculus Septentrionalis ("Eye of the North"). Three magi volunteered for membership of this covenant, were given a grant of resources, and were instructed to find a suitable site in the north of the Tribunal. Despite initial difficulties in forming the covenant, by 1160 it had found a home in the relatively unknown Baltic town of Lübeck. However, Oculus Septentrionalis has since then shown little inclination in penetrating the Scandinavian lands, instead concentrating on mercantile ventures that skirt the boundaries of Hermetic law.

Oculus Septentrionalis is by no means alone in the northern lands, however. Apart from Crintera, there is a second covenant of Bjornaer magi named Sinus Wodinis on the southeast coast of Norway. Presumably part of the Novgorod Tribunal, the existence of this covenant is known only to Crintera, and even they only became aware of its presence recently.

Of more immediate interest to Oculus Septentrionalis is the covenant of Heorot on Zealand in Denmark. This covenant was founded in 1215 by three magi from the Rhine Tribunal, but because this territory technically belongs to the Novgorod Tribunal, there was no need to seek recognition of their covenant from the Rhine. However the magi plan to attend the next Rhine Tribunal gathering in 1221.

Crintera, the domus magna of House Bjornaer isolated on the isle of Rügen, existed for centuries in broad harmony with the relatively few mundanes there. This all changed in 1168 when the Danish king Valdemar I invaded the island. This invasion came as a complete surprise to Crintera, who had not been keeping a close enough eye on mundane events. Hotheads in the House proposed immediate retaliation, but cooler minds prevailed, wary of falling foul of the Code of Hermes. The covenant reluctantly retreated into its regio and proposed to weather out the storm. This policy has not been successful, and, stung by the refusal of the Tribunal as a whole to assist Crintera, the current situation on Rügen is a powderkeg, just waiting for the right spark to ignite the fury of the House (see Chapter 9: The Eastern Marches, Crintera).

Past and Present Covenants of the Rhine Tribunal

This is a non-exhaustive list of covenants of the Rhine Tribunal with the dates of their founding and dissolution (if applicable). Covenants of your own devising, either past or present, may be added to this list.

DURENMAR (767-present)

FENISTAL (773-802): The temple of Diana that was Merinita's home, this covenant was abandoned on the death of Myanar.

CRINTERA (773-present)

ARAE FLAVIAE (780-885): in Swabia. The magi of this covenant objected to nearby Schwarzburg, and their resulting warfare caused the Tribunal to abolish both covenants and rule that any covenant could veto the establishment of a new covenant.

RETHRA (780-1202): in Pomerania. This covenant fell out of favor by allying itself with the New Slavonic Tribunal in the 11th century. It entered a deep Winter for many decades, with no contact with other magi, until finally destroyed by the Knights of the Sword.

IRENCILLIA (792-present)

SIRMIUM (822-930): located in the March of Meissen, this covenant was destroyed during the Magyar invasion of Germany. Only Wiederich of House Flambeau survived.

SCHWARZBURG (857-885): founded in the Swabian Jura, this covenant was abolished by the Tribunal after 30 years because of their wars with Arae Flaviae.

RUDIARIA (892-969): affiliated to House Flambeau and located in the Rhine Gorge, this covenant suffered from malefic attention, and demonic involvement was suspected in the magical accident that destroyed the covenant.

OAKDELL (931-1008): a Diednedominated covenant in the Westerwald, near the Rhine Gorge. On numerous occasions in the 10th century they accused Durenmar of scrying, but these charges were never proven, and the covenant was destroyed in the Schism War.

WALDHERZ (990-1010?): located in the Black Forest and dedicated to the teaching of Hercynius, this covenant was never officially sanctioned by the Rhine Tribunal due to the veto of Durenmar.

GRAND SILESIA (993-1009): founded between the Oder and Warta rivers in Poland by magi from Rethra and Crintera, this covenant split from the Rhine Tribunal in 1008 to form the New Slavonic Tribunal. Rhine magi, feeling betrayed, destroyed the covenant a year later under the guise of the Schism War.

FENGHELD (1039-present)

DANKMAR (1052-present)

ROZNOV (1067-present)

TREVERORUM (1095-1172): located in the city of Trier. They were consistently in trouble for meddling with the affairs of mundanes, and were eventually destroyed, it is believed, at the order of the Church.

RHEINSTEIN (1123-1200): founded on an island in the Rhine Gorge. They were destroyed by an irate mob of mundanes lead by the archbishop of Trier.

OCULUS SEPTENTRIONALIS (1144 present)

TRIAMORE (1151-present)

WADDENZEE, formerly known as TERSCHELLING (1165-present)

HEOROT (1215-present): this covenant, on Zealand in Denmark, is not yet officially part of the Rhine Tribunal, but they intend to be.

The Rhine Tribunal has four recognized ranks by which it classes its members. In the early years of the Order, these ranks were based on those of the Roman priesthood, and this tradition can still be seen in the older covenants. While most of the Tribunals abandoned this archaic practice, in the Rhine it has mutated into the craftsman ranks of apprentice (Latin discipulus), journeyman (tyro), master (magister), and archmage (archimagus).

FREE SOCIAL STATUS VIRTUES

Apprentice: This Virtue, applicable to any Tribunal, may be taken by a child character who has the Gift and who has been accepted by an experienced Hermetic magus (in the Rhine Tribunal, a master or archmage), with the storyguide's approval. You are a discipulus and will receive extensive magical training, having the potential to become a Hermetic magus in your own right. However you must obey the dictates and fulfil the errands of your master and endure his or her rigorous training, and may be treated no better than a slave.

Journeyman: This is equivalent to the Free Status Hermetic Magus (see ArM5, page 43), renamed here because of the Rhine Tribunal's special social system. You are a tyro, a junior magus, and must defer to magi of senior rank in a legitimate dispute. If you belong to a gild, however, you may enjoy the support of its senior members.

There are two further Free Social Status Virtues; while these have no cost, they must be earned. If your storyguide permits the creation of magi who are older than standard, then you should discuss with him or her whether these Virtues can be taken:

Master: You have acquired the status of magister, and may train apprentices without social stigma. You have a Hermetic Reputation of level 2, which pertains to your acceptance as a master. The voting sigil of a retired magus is placed in your care; you may use this at any meeting of the Rhine Tribunal, although it is expected that you will cast it according to the interests of its original owner. This Status Virtue is specifically a feature of the Rhine Tribunal.

Archmage: You have earned the exalted title of archimagus. You have a Hermetic Reputation of level 4, pertaining to the great deeds you have done to earn this status, and a Hermetic Reputation as an Archmage, also at level 4. This is applicable to any Tribunal. If you are a member of the Rhine Tribunal, you receive an additional proxy vote of a retired magus, giving you a total of three votes to use.

(Gild) Trained: You have been trained for a number of seasons at the covenant of Durenmar during the end of your apprenticeship in the Rhine Tribunal. In addition to a season of training by a magus of House Bonisagus, you have also been inducted into one of the Rhine's political gilds, receiving two or more seasons of training by one of its masters. You gain an additional 30 experience points, which may be spent on Order of Hermes Lore, Intrigue, and Durenmar Lore (or, rarely, the Lore of another covenant where you were trained by your gild). You gain a further 60 experience points that may be spent on any General or Arcane Abilities, Arts, and spells (one point per level) that are appropriate to your gild. For example, the Ash Gild Trained Virtue can confer Hunt, Penetration, and battle magics, whereas Elder Gild Trained might grant Etiquette, Faerie Lore, and faerie spells. This extra training may negate the effect of the Weak Parens Flaw, in which case the Virtue and Flaw cancel out and both can be dropped. With the approval of the storyguide, it may be combined with the Skilled Parens Virtue.

This Virtue is not compulsory for Rhine magi — not all magi apprenticed here opt to receive this training and join a gild immediately, although many do. A magus who joins a gild post-apprenticeship usually still receives gild training, but in this case the Virtue should not be taken — instead the magus must spend seasons of time to be trained, for which experience points are gained as usual according to the Long Term Events chapter of Ars Magica 5th Edition.

Laws of Hospitality and the Peregrinatores

The Rhine Tribunal has included into its Peripheral Code the traditional German guest-laws, which encouraged homeowners to be generous to travelers in terms of food and shelter, and exhorted travelers to be mindful of their host's ability to support another mouth in the household. The laws of hospitality became a very early part of the Tribunal's lifestyle, and has given the Rhine a unique feature of travelling magi — typically around a sixth of its magi are peregrinatores. It has become commonplace for journeymen magi to spend some of their time after apprenticeship visiting covenants for extended sabbaticals. It is highly unusual for masters or archmagi to become long-term guests at other covenants; except at Durenmar, where it is considered to be a privilege. The Peripheral Code clearly indicates the duties and obligations of both guest and host:

961st year of Aries, Rhine Tribunal: A magus may request hospitality from any covenant established legally in the Rhine Tribunal. The covenant must formally publish the conditions of hospitality, which, if agreed to by the magus, guarantee him at least three, but no more than seven years at the covenant. The conditions of hospitality must be the same for all guests currently in residence, but may be otherwise changed by the covenant at any time that they have no guests. The guest is entitled only to that which is granted in the conditions of hospitality, and must agree to its strictures, which must include — but is not restricted to — a fee of three pawns of vis per year paid to the host.

A later ruling allowed that the fee of vis paid by the guest could be exchanged for equivalent service, and a season's work was deemed to be adequate recompense.

A covenant can always prevent receiving (or honoring) a request for hospitality by making the conditions of hospitality so severe that no magus would ever accept them, although this would reflect poorly on the covenant. Most conditions of hospitality allow access to part or all of the library, and ask a basic oath of fellowship from the guest, requiring him to help in times of adversity. Once accepted, the host cannot ask the guest to leave (as long as he obeys the conditions) until three whole years have passed. Most covenants have a spare laboratory in which to house guests, but are not obliged to provide one; and if none exist, the magus is expected to pay for and establish his own. Large covenants such as Fengheld and Durenmar are able to accommodate a half-dozen guests simultaneously.

The peregrinatores are nearly always of journeyman rank, and usually consist of magi who do not currently belong to a covenant. However, members of covenants may also make use of the Laws of Hospitality, and take sabbaticals at other covenants in order to work collaboratively with other magi, research a particular topic, or to fulfil an obligation that they owe their host.

(Gild) Enmity: Either you or your master has done something notable to anger one of the Rhine Tribunal's political gilds, or a prominent member thereof, and that gild now actively seeks to thwart you, through political means, or possibly otherwise. Magi from this gild will be unlikely to sponsor any prospective covenant you are involved in, or to sponsor you as a master, and this gild will be inclined to vote against you at Tribunal on any issues that concern you directly. Naturally, you may not join this gild.

Tabanus filius Jart, follower of Guernicus

Characteristics: Int +2, Per +3, Pre –1, Com –1, Str 0, Sta +2, Dex –2, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 38 (38) (Gauntlet at 23; Journeyman)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 2 (15)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Journeyman; Affinity with Folk Ken, Clear Thinker, Hermetic Prestige*, Intuition, Premonitions, Puissant Intellego, Skilled Parens; Meddler; Hawthorn Gild Enmity, Incompatible Arts (Perdo Imaginem), Infamous
Personality Traits: Law Abiding +3, Tenacious +3, Honorable +2
Reputations: Meddlesome Upstart 4 (Hermetic), Quaesitor 3 (Hermetic)
Combat:
Staff: Init 0, Attack +4, Defense +6, Damage +2
Soak: +2
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1-5), –3 (6-10), –5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Artes Liberales 2 (logic), Athletics 1 (stamina), Awareness 2 (things out of place), Concentration 1 (Intellego spells), Code of Hermes 4 (regarding scrying), Folk Ken 6 (unusual behavior), German Lore 3 (safe roads), Great Weapon 2 (staff), High German 2 (Swiss), Italian 5 (Appulian), Latin 4 (Hermetic usage), Magic Theory 4 (identifying spells), Order of Hermes Lore 3 (Rhine covenants), Parma Magica 3 (Mentem), Penetration 2 (Intellego spells), Premonitions 2 (crime), Romansch 1 (southern Alps), Survival 2 (bad weather)
Arts: Cr 4, In 10+3, Mu 2, Pe 2, Re 3; An 1, Aq 4, Au 3, Co 4, He 1, Ig 3, Im 8, Me 8, Te 6, Vi 8
Twilight Scars: None
Equipment: Stout staff of blackthorn.
Encumbrance: 2 (2)
Spells Known:
Image of the Beast (InAn 5) +16

Comfort of the Drenched Traveler (PeAq 5) +8

Whispers Through the Black Gate (InCoMe 15) +19

Spasms of the Uncontrolled Hand (ReCo 5) +9

Discern the Images of Truth and Falsehood (InIm 25) +23

Taste of the Spices and Herbs (MuIm 5) +12

Sight of the Transparent Motive (InMe 10) +24, Mastery 1 (Quiet Casting)

Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie (InMe 20) +24, Mastery 1 (Penetration)

Perceive the Eyes of Knives (InMe 20) +23

Trust of Childlike Faith (ReMe 10) +13

Eye of the Eons (InTe 5) +21

Tracks of the Faerie Glow (InTe 25) +21

The Invisible Eye Revealed (InVi 20) +23

Reveal the Magical Deception (InVi 25) +23

Sense of the Lingering Magic (InVi 30) +23

New Spells:

Perceive the Eyes of Knives; InMe 20; R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Room: This spell will indicate to the caster whether there is anyone in the target area that has hostile thoughts towards him. Multiple castings are needed to work out precisely who it is that has the hostile thoughts. Tabanus casts this spell with considerable caution and minimal Penetration, so as to avoid inadvertently scrying on a magus. (Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Room)

Reveal the Magical Deception; InVi 25; R: Per, D: Conc, T: Touch: This spell is specifically designed to overcome spells used to hide the traces of magic, such as Masking the Odor of Magic. Such magics of concealment are detected if the Penetration total matches the level of the deceptive spell divided by two. (Base 4, +1 Conc, +1 Touch, +2 to determine Technique and Form, +1 complexity)

Appearance: A tall man with broad shoulders, Tabanus is fit from all the travelling he does. He dresses so as not to arouse suspicion, usually wearing shabby clothing and a travel-stained cloak. He is rarely without his walking staff. He has straight black hair, a broken nose, and usually keeps himself clean shaven (except when he is traveling). Known as the 'Gadfly of the Rhine,' Tabanus hails from the Roman Tribunal, and was trained at Magvillus, the domus magna of House Guernicus. His master Jart is the leading Traditionalist within the House, favoring a strict interpretation of the Code, and his filius is no different.

House Guernicus, concerned about the weak presence of the Quaesitores in the Rhine, sent Tabanus here a decade ago, and he has already made himself unpopular. Even as an apprentice his perceptions helped his master solve several important cases, and his evidence was responsible for the Marching of a magus of the Hawthorn Gild on what was later perceived to be a technicality, which has not endeared him to the magi of the Tribunal, especially those of that gild. Tabanus is a peregrinator, travelling from covenant to covenant, staying at each one for a few years, then moving on to the next. He particularly favors covenants of young magi, as they feel less inclined to attempt to brow-beat him with the superiority of age (and are less likely to know his reputation). He will request to join any newly established covenant, at least as a guest, but hopefully as a permanent member. Once ensconced in a covenant, he will insist on a rigid adherence to the Code. He is determined to uncover even the most minor of infractions against it, and is both a stickler for details and scrupulously honest. He is currently looking for a new covenant to join, as he has spent the minimum 3 years at Triamore, and they are not inclined to keep him on. Since being attacked on the road recently, he has acquired some skill with the blackthorn knout he carries as a walking stick, and is considering enchanting it. Tabanus is fifteen years out of apprenticeship, and thus slightly more powerful than a freshly Gauntletted magus, but he is suitable for a player character.

The Lineage of Irmele

The maga Trianoma was the driving force that resulted in the foundation of the Order of Hermes — without her determination, the discoveries of Bonisagus would likely have never been shared. She spent many years traveling to the furthest reaches of Europe in search of wizards who were magically powerful enough for them to be offered a place in the nascent Order. When the Order was founded, this self-effacing woman declined the honor of being one of the twelve Founders (perhaps fearing to be the unlucky thirteenth), instead becoming the first follower of Bonisagus.

In the early days of the Order, a number of apprentices took instruction from Trianoma, thus establishing a distinct lineage of politically-inclined magi within House Bonisagus. Some of her early followers traveled widely, contacting and recruiting many hedge wizards. Prominent among these was Trianoma's third filia, Irmele, who traveled and recruited in German lands. Now there are fewer potential new recruits in the Rhine Tribunal, and more suspicion of hedge wizardry, but this tradition of wandering still persists within the lineage founded by Irmele in the Tribunal. These few magi are prominent members of the peregrinatores, sometimes accompanied by Redcaps, but often travelling alone. They tend to spend only short periods of time as guests, and since many are members of the Linden Gild, their selfappointed function is to strengthen diplomatic ties between covenants and promote fellowship. These magi are likely to express magics similar to Irmele herself — she was a tempestarius, a native German spellcaster skilled in the manipulation of weather; such spells prove very useful when out on the road at all times of the year. Her descendants tend to be strong in Arts and rich in vis, but often have to rely on spontaneous magic, because of their restricted ability to invent spells or create magical devices due to the absence of a Hermetic laboratory, as they rarely remain with a host long enough to make one worthwhile. Once they achieve the status of master, they will, unlike others, typically remain a peregrinator for a couple of decades; enough time to train at least one apprentice in the traveling tradition on the road. Only once old age has started to creep into their bones and travel becomes difficult will they settle at a covenant.

The apprenticeship of magi in the Rhine Tribunal is similar to elsewhere in the Order. Legally, a discipulus is little more than a slave, and many masters treat them as such, especially in the early years, when the apprentice can be more of a hindrance than a help in the laboratory.

An ancient ruling of the Peripheral Code, from the time of the Rhine's founding, requires that all apprentices trained in the Tribunal must spend a minimum of one season learning at Durenmar, to complement their normal studies. This is a continuation of the early tradition whereby new recruits traveled to Durenmar to learn the Hermetic magic from Bonisagus himself (or his followers). One season at Durenmar is always taken up by direct training from a magus of House Bonisagus; this in part fulfills their requirement to disseminate knowledge, and the poor apprentice may find himself being lectured on obscure points of Hermetic Theory, or esoteric applications of specific Arts. For this reason, magi trained in the Rhine Tribunal are somewhat less likely to suffer from Hermetic Flaws such as Deficient Technique/Form or Flawed Parma Magica, and they are likely to have at least a basic grounding in the politics within the Tribunal. Even those magi who are apprenticed at Durenmar receive this extra training. Some of the remaining time at Durenmar may be taken up by studying from the Great Library, for which credit may be earned by volunteering for seasons of scribing duty. Apprentices may find books on virtually every subject here, but are restricted as to which tomes are made available to them. Some few masters refuse to allow their apprentices to travel to Durenmar; perhaps they are either hostile to that covenant or simply secretive.

While at Durenmar, an apprentice may choose to be inducted into one of the political gilds; indeed, many are. This extra training confers the Minor Hermetic Virtue, (Gild) Trained (see insert). Although one often joins the same gild as one's master, this training is always undertaken by another magus, in order to provide a second perspective. Alternatively, an apprentice may defer a choice of gild until later; this course is usually followed by those without strong political leanings and who are keen to take the Gauntlet as soon as possible. Nevertheless it is customary, but not compulsory, for a magus to join a gild within seven years of passing the Gauntlet and becoming a journeyman.

A magus is considered to be a tyro upon the successful completion of an apprentice's Gauntlet. At a special rite conducted at Durenmar, the apprentice is manumitted from slavery by his master, confirmed in his competence, granted a Hermetic name, swears the Oath of Hermes, and is then granted a sigil with which to vote. The magus is now legally a journeyman, and he may declare membership of a gild, if he wishes.

Life is not easy in the first years of being a journeyman. Many magi desire to form a covenant of their own, but because of the unusual requirements for this process in the Rhine Tribunal, this may be difficult. More usually, the magus may join another covenant, perhaps having to serve out a probationary period before receiving tenure. Alternatively, the magus might join the ranks of the pereginatores, the wandering magi who roam from covenant to covenant, relying on the laws of hospitality among the Rhine covenants to study from their libraries. This carefree life might suit some, whereas others might settle down in a covenant for an extended period, before packing up and heading once again for the open road.

A magister is a rank earned by a magus roughly halfway between Gauntlet and archmagehood. No magus has a right to be a master, and some never achieve this rank, particularly those that are unconcerned about the opinions of their peers.

The rank can only be conferred at the discretion of three magi who are masters themselves. These magi cannot be of the same covenant or House as the applicant, and they should also be from three different gilds. These restrictions prevent this system from being hijacked by nepotism. Conference of a mark of approval is a matter personal to each master, and some have easier restrictions than others; nevertheless, this is considered as a mark of respect, and is never given lightly bear in mind that all masters have had to go through a similar process themselves.

A magus might be asked to perform some noteworthy service to the Tribunal, to create a specific magical item, to make a substantial contribution to the Great Library, and so on. An applicant may ask as many masters as he wishes for their mark of approval, which is given as a physical token identifying the grantor. Once three of these tokens are collected, the new master may immediately style himself magister, and enjoy the privileges of that rank.

The only other requirement to become a master is to acquire a Reputation in the Rhine Tribunal for magical prowess. No master will consider conferring a mark of approval on a magus who is not famed for his magical ability. This reputation can be earned in a number of different ways; and some suggestions are given below. Note that it is not sufficient to merely meet these requirements; the magus must also be known for it.

• Mastery of a single Hermetic Art, which can either be demonstrated by composing a weighty summa or several tractatus on the subject, or by frequently performing impressive spellcasting feats. For example, Henri de Tours (of Oculus Septentrionalis) is known as a master of Mentem.
• A spell of their own invention of at least 5th magnitude that is unusual or innovative in some fashion. For example, Handri, the Primus of Merinita (at Irencillia), is known for his spell called Breaking the Shackles of Vulgar Perception, which allows the target to perceive the world as the faeries do — a disturbing yet revealing experience.
• A number of minor but closely-related spells of their own invention. For example, Ricardus Caespuus (of Durenmar) is known for his numerous minor spells to enhance the growth and productivity of plants.
• An invested item with at least one effect of at least 5th magnitude, which is unusual or innovative. For example, Gudrun Tigurina of Verditius (at Durenmar) is known as the inventor of the Crystal Custodian.
• A widely circulated summa of substantial level and remarkable Quality; or a number of similarly-circulated tractatus. For example, Horst (of Fengheld) has a reputation as a Worthy Author, and has written tracts on a large number of subjects.

One's petition for masterhood is helped by a number of other factors, however these will not qualify a magus for the rank in themselves. These include having a familiar, having a reputation for politics or famous deeds, having won a Wizard War, or (if a Tremere) having acquired control over one's own sigil — although this latter one is by no means a requirement for masterhood. It is very rare that magi achieve the status of master in less than twenty years since their Gauntlet, with thirty or forty years being the norm.

One must achieve the status of master before being allowed to take an apprentice. (Although the training of apprentices by journeymen is not unknown, the apprentice, should he pass his Gauntlet, is treated as if he were a newly recruited hedge wizard, and is never formally acknowledged as the filius of the journeyman.) The rank of master permits the magus to hold the voting sigil of one retired magus by proxy, and in any dispute that could otherwise be decided by certamen, a higher-ranked magus automatically has priority, as granted by the Rhine's Peripheral Code. Thus, if a master and a journeyman quarrel over ownership of some vis in the woods, the master automatically has the right. This ruling is hotly contested by House Tremere as a curb on the power of a magus, whereas it was specifically designed to restrict that very House in the 9th century. However, Tremere magi now strive to be masters more strongly than most others, in an effort to overcome this restriction.

The procedure for Redcaps to achieve the rank of master is slightly different. Instead of acquiring a reputation for magical prowess, they must be known for their loyal service to the Order. This might be as simple as a reputation for reliable and honest message delivery, or alternatively as a protector of magi, for some notable deed, or even for authorship (as above). A Redcap who serves diligently will usually have no problem in finding sponsors from among the grateful magi of the covenants he serves, although a lazy Redcap may find it harder. Partially because of these somewhat easier requirements, and also due to the need to take apprentices earlier, Redcaps usually achieve the rank of master at an earlier age, typically 15 or 20 years after their Gauntlet. This grants significant authority to the Rhine's senior Redcaps, and the status of master is a matter of some prestige within House Mercere, just as it is for others.

Felicia, follower of Bonisagus

Characteristics: Int +2, Per 0, Pre 0, Com 0, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex +2, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 24 (24) (Journeyman)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Journeyman; Major Magical Focus (weather); Cyclic Magic (Positive) — Winter months, Free Study, Linden Gild Trained, Personal Vis Source, Puissant Intrigue, Skilled Parens; Favors (to Fengheld), Study Requirement; Busybody, Cyclic Magic (Negative) — Summer months
Personality Traits: Loner +2, Self-Reliant +1, Suspicious –2
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init 0, Attack n/a, Defense 0, Damage n/a
Soak: +1
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1-5), –3 (6-10), –5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Artes Liberales 2 (Latin script), Athletics 1 (sprinting), Awareness 1 (ambushes), Bargain 2 (food), Bavaria Lore 1 (woods), Chirurgy 1 (sprains), Civil and Canon Law 1 (vagabond laws), Concentration 2 (Auram), Dominion Lore 1 (roadside shrines), Faerie Lore 1 (weather spirits), Finesse 1 (Auram), Folk Ken 3 (travelers), Guile 2 (as a man), Harz Mountains Lore 2 (sites to study), High German 5 (disguising accent), Hunt 1 (small game), Intrigue 2+2 (Hermetic), Latin 4 (Hermetic usage), Magic Theory 4 (weather spells), Music 1 (flute), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (covenants), Parma Magica 2 (Corpus), Penetration 1 (Auram), Rhine Lore 1 (towns), Saxony Lore 1 (safe roads), Survival 2 (summer), Swim 1 (rivers)
Arts: Cr 9, In 2, Mu 2, Pe 2, Re 7; An 1, Aq 7, Au 9, Co 1, He 0, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 2
Twilight Scars: None
Equipment: Good quality clothes.
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells Known:
Ward Against Faeries of the Water (ReAq 15) +15

Chaos of the Angry Wave (ReAq 20) +15 Jupiter's Resounding Blow (CrAu 10) +28

Stench of the Twenty Corpses (CrAu 10) +19

Broom of the Winds (CrAu 15) +28

Clouds of Rain and Thunder (CrAu 25) +28

Ward Against Rain (ReAu 10) +24

Ward Against Faeries of the Air (ReAu 15) +17

Clouds of Thunderous Might (ReAu 30) +24

Appearance: Felicia is a sturdilybuilt woman, whose weather-beaten features are easily mistaken for those of a young man, which allows her to travel alone without complications. Her straggly blond hair is usually mostly hidden under a hat, although wisps invariably escape its confines.

Felicia is the filia of Dorana of Fengheld, the most prominent member of the lineage of Irmele, and a Hermetic descendent of Trianoma. As expected, Felicia has taken directly to the open road to familiarize herself with the Tribunal's covenants. Her magic waxes and wanes with the seasons; during the winter she will find a covenant in which to overwinter, when her magic is strongest. During summer, when her magic is weakest, she will take to the road, seeking out natural phenomena which are necessary for her study. Fengheld has promised that she can use a spare laboratory in the winter if they have one, in return for favors as yet unspecified. Felecia is freshly Gauntleted and may be suitable for a player character, although she will only loosely associate herself with a covenant, due to her frequent travel.

STORY SEED: A PEACE EMISSARY

Felecia arrives at the player covenant to stay over winter, with the aim of negotiating peace between them and an enemy covenant of the magi. Since she visited the enemy covenant first — indeed she may well have just arrived from there the previous spring the magi might suspect an ulterior motive, although she has none.

The status of archmage is not unique to the Rhine Tribunal, but is found throughout the Order. The rank of archimagus is considered to be the pinnacle of a magus' career, and usually takes a lot longer to achieve than the Rhine rank of Master. A prospective archmage not only has to win the respect of the other archmages by defeating one at his own challenge, he also needs to complete a major task that benefits the Order as a whole, and display his exemplary mastery of the magical Arts by inventing a 7th-magnitude spell. The majority of magi never achieve archmage status, and many do not even bother to seek it. However, it is noticeable that of all the archmages in the whole Order, about a dozen of them reside in the Rhine Tribunal, a significantly higher proportion than the average. The Rhine Tribunal holds the opinions of the archmagi in high regard, and they are permitted to hold the voting sigils of two retired magi. They also outrank masters in the way that masters outrank journeymen; archmages invariably win any Hermetic dispute, unless they face another archmage.

To qualify for archmagehood, a magus must have invented a spell of at least 7th magnitude, be famed for some great deed that is significant enough for it to be known throughout the Order, and (if a Rhine magus) have achieved the status of master. Each archmage has a certain challenge at which a magus must defeat him in order to gain archmage status. The first time an archmage is challenged, he determines the nature of the contest, which then remains the same throughout his life. These challenges can take any form, and usually reflect the interests of the archmage. Vinaria of Merinita (at Irencillia) has yet to be challenged; her contest will be to win the favor of four elemental kings, powerful spirits of the Magic realm. Urgen's challenge (Crintera) is to assume animal form, find him wherever he is hiding (which could be anywhere in Europe), and then defeat him in physical combat. Stentorius of Tremere's challenge (Fengheld) is as simple as to defeat him in certamen, whereas Philippus Niger (Durenmar) requires the capture and public execution of a powerful hedge wizard. The contest must involve magical powers to be valid, and candidates will often study an archmagus for years in preparation for such a challenge, analyzing his weaknesses and investigating ways in which to outsmart him. If a magus’ parens is an archmage, it is customary to challenge him before challenging another. No magus may challenge a single archmage twice, and no archmage may grant the title to more than seven magi. An archmage who has lost seven challenges may no longer be challenged, and as this is considered to be a disgrace to the archmage, it is considered bad etiquette to challenge an archmage who has lost six contests, since the seventh loss turns his archmage status into an honorary title.

Of the 1200 or so magi in the Order of Hermes, fewer than 80 have achieved this lofty status. There are a disproportionate number from Houses Tremere, Flambeau, and Tytalus, and there are many rumors about what role they fulfill in the Order. Some believe that the archmagi meet regularly, forming a secret cabal that runs the Order behind the scenes, privy to ancient rites and magical secrets. Others laugh at such a notion, considering the title to be merely a recognition of magical puissance, nothing more. The only way of finding out for sure is to become one yourself!

Meetings of the Rhine Tribunal are held every seven years and by tradition always take place at Durenmar. The formal proceedings begin on the eve of the 1st of May (Walpurgis Night), and typically last for well over a week, with a great deal of politicking taking place before, during, and afterwards. In addition, each gild (and some of the Houses) hold separate meetings during the three days immediately before the Tribunal opening.

The large flat grassy expanse at the lower end of the valley of Durenmar is empty except during Tribunal gatherings. At these times the covenant has well over a hundred visitors (counting magi and their companions, grogs, and servants). Although the guest quarters at Durenmar are quite extensive and capable of comfortably accommodating a dozen magi, they cannot nearly handle the Tribunal numbers, and so the field is reserved for magi to erect their own temporary accommodation at these times. Both the relative position and magnificence (or otherwise) of these temporary constructs is a matter of some considerable prestige. The oldest and most powerful covenants have by tradition marked out their territory in close proximity to the Forum (see below). Magi from some covenants arrive at short notice and leave their retainers to hastily erect tents, whereas others will send advance parties of grogs several weeks beforehand to prepare more lavish accommodation for the arrival of their magi. In the past (especially at the Grand Tribunal) some ostentatious magi have been known to cast Moon Duration Creo Terram spells to create miniature castles or palaces for themselves. During Tribunals, the peaceful quiet of the field is transformed into a something resembling a bustling and crowded market fair.

Crintera have traditionally occupied a spot in a prime position in front of the Forum, which they claimed long ago. However, since they leave nothing behind when they depart (except the remains of a campfire) and they are often the last to arrive (with only the most basic of preparations), it would be easy for another covenant to claim that spot first — though none has dared to do so yet.

The magi of Irencillia centuries ago planted an acorn to mark their "territory," also in a prominent position, where now there stands a huge oak tree. They have a habit of arriving at Tribunal in a most mysterious fashion: a doorway appears in the tree, which they simply step through. Their camp is then established under the leaves of the oak.

Fengheld have for the last two Tribunals been busy constructing a large three-story stone building as a permanent residence for their magi, which is now half-complete. They send a large team of workers over a month in advance, who spend the entire Tribunal in a tremendous effort to make progress with their ongoing construction project, much to the bemusement of the residents of Durenmar. Fengheld had for a long time lobbied for a Mercere Portal (see insert) to their covenant to be installed, next to the others in the Forum. Durenmar refused, rightfully fearful that this would further Fengheld's aim of becoming the most important covenant in the region, leaving Durenmar sidelined. Fengheld responded with their unannounced plan to set up a semi-official chapter house of sorts at Durenmar. They intend to furnish the top floor as a laboratory and maintain a permanent presence of one of their magi, and install their own Portal. They also intend to convey a certain message by making their house taller and more opulent than the guest quarters at Durenmar.

The centerpiece building of Durenmar, the Forum is an enclosed miniature amphitheater, with enough seating space for a hundred and twenty magi. It is the site of Durenmar's council meetings, as well as gatherings of the Rhine Tribunal and Grand Tribunal. The path leading up to it forms the straight central avenue of the covenant. At the end, a set of marble steps leads up to the entrance, flanked by statues of the Twelve Founders. (In place of the destroyed statue of Diedne, an empty plinth now represents House Ex Miscellanea.) The Forum was built on top of the original ruined Roman temple, with the mosaic floor and some of the original pillars remaining. According to popular legend, this was the site of the original swearing of the Oath of Hermes by the Founders. While that is not actually true (see Chapter 6: The Black Forest, The Fane of the Founders), the Forum has certainly held witness to some of the most momentous debates and decisions in the Order's history, as well as some epic certamen duels.

In the interior of the Forum, around the upper tier, are arrayed a number of ancient pillared Roman-style gateways. These are Mercere Portals (see insert) to a number of other covenants throughout the Order of Hermes, including Harco (the domus magna of House Mercere, in the Roman Tribunal), and Verdi (the domus magna of House Verditius, also in the Roman Tribunal). One also used to link to the Rhine covenant of Rethra, until that covenant's long decline into Winter and ultimate demise in 1202. Instead of re-enchanting the Portal to link to Fengheld, the magi of Durenmar instead preferred to leave it standing defunct, as a poignant reminder of the possibility of failure. Two other, lesser, stone arches are occasionally used to create a temporary gateway with the use of the Hermes Portal ritual spell. One final enigmatic arch is composed of living wood. It has not been used within the memory of any of the current magi of Durenmar, its original purpose apparently forgotten, although it is believed to be faerie in nature. Some have thought to remove it, but, worried about a possible faerie curse, perhaps, it was considered safest to leave it be.

The Mercere Portals

The Roman Cult of Mercury enchanted and used a number of powerful magical portals to enable them to travel rapidly all over the Roman Empire, and the secret of crafting these artifacts is retained by magi of House Mercere (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages). Each pair of Mercere Portals is enchanted with an effect identical to the Ritual spell Hermes Portal, except that it is permanent. Each single Portal may only connect to one other, its matching pair. A small number of the most powerful covenants throughout Europe maintain a permanent link with the use of Mercere Portals; the two hubs of this network are Harco and Durenmar. Magi of master or archmage rank, as well as Redcaps, are permitted to use Durenmar's Portals freely; all others are obliged to pay a fee of two pawns of vis each. (A magus may, however, be accompanied by a small number of retainers at no extra cost.)

The exact number of Mercere Portals possessed by Durenmar, and the extent of any network of Portals in the Order of Hermes, is something that should be carefully decided for your saga. One should be aware of the consequences of allowing frequent instantaneous long-range travel; on the other hand, their use will allow player magi to more easily travel to far-flung realms of Europe, if that is something you wish to encourage. A permanent or temporary gateway presents a number of story possibilities. A Portal to a covenant now destroyed might have since been integrated into a castle wall or church, or maybe just leads to a ruin, as with the former covenant of Rethra, to which the Portal might still be active. The wooden arch may somehow be linked to the former lineage of Hercynius, the lost covenant of Waldherz in the heart of the Black Forest, or the forest itself.

As in other Tribunals, each Rhine magus owns a single voting sigil, as guaranteed by the Oath of Hermes. Nevertheless, an ancient ruling of the Tribunal (see above) permits magi of senior rank to wield the voting sigils of those magi deemed to have retired. This tradition has since mutated such that these sigils are now formally bestowed by the Tribunal. Upon achieving promotion to the rank of master, a magus is formally entrusted with the sigil of a retired (Twilight) Rhine magus, to wield by proxy. This is typically the sigil of his master (if retired), or otherwise the sigil of a well-respected retired magus of similar House, gild, or outlook is chosen. Archmages are granted a further sigil in the same fashion. For example, Murion, the Prima of Bonisagus, holds the voting sigil of Bonisagus by proxy, in addition to that of Notatus and her own. Archmage Urgen (and his lineage) are entrusted with the sigil of Bjornaer. It is notable, however, that Archmage Vinaria, not Primus Handri, votes with the sigil of Merinita.

Many Quaesitors and liberal-minded journeymen frown on this practice, arguing that it subverts the original intent of the Oath for each magus to possess only one vote. Legally speaking, however, the retired magi in question are interpreted to be casting their own votes, albeit through a proxy. To demonstrate adherence to the spirit of the Oath, masters and archmagi are expected to cast these proxy votes with wisdom, according to the (believed) wishes of the retired magus. Altruistic masters and archmagi have therefore been known on occasion to cast their additional votes against their own. These votes are always cast in the name of the retired magus, who is spoken of in the present tense. Thus, the most famous and wellrespected Rhine magi of the past have achieved a kind of immortality, voting at each Tribunal in perpetuity. Senior magi strive to be entrusted with the most famous voting sigils, to which the greatest prestige is attached. Especially wellregarded masters and archmagi may even grow to be regarded as the rightful inheritor or even the living embodiment of the retired magus whose sigil they wield.

As a result of this tradition, the ancient covenants, who have a greater preponderance of masters, have a much greater political presence in the Tribunal. When a journeyman achieves the rank of master, he will likely receive several offers to join covenants at which he has stayed, because of the increased voting power that he now possesses. This system also prevents young magi from having a large effect on the decisions of the Tribunal, and encourages them to move elsewhere, rather than founding new Rhine covenants.

At each meeting of the Rhine Tribunal, the first order of business is the introduction of all magi who have passed their Gauntlets since the last Tribunal. Immediately following this is a rite which ceremoniously confers the additional voting sigils by proxy to all new masters and archmagi. These three processes seem quaint and overly formal to outsiders, with speeches filled with hyperbole and ancient ceremonial dress, but the Rhine magi treat it with deadly seriousness.

Story Seed: The Fall of Fengheld's House

During the night before the start of the Tribunal an almighty crash is heard and magi rush from their beds to discover that the nearly-complete house of Fengheld lies in ruins. The magi of Fengheld are outraged and accuse Durenmar of sabotage, but the members of Durenmar strongly protest their innocence. Heated words are exchanged and the Tribunal threatens to descend into anarchy. Meanwhile, one of the player characters witnesses a shadowy figure hurrying away from the wreckage ... Who could benefit by sowing the seeds of enmity between the Tribunal's two most powerful covenants? If the player magi can solve this mystery, they may gain considerable respect for restoring peace to the Tribunal. Alternatively, if the player covenant is an enemy of Fengheld, the blame may fall on their shoulders.

The secret agenda of Oculus Septentrionalis

The founding of Oculus Septentrionalis (see Chapter 7: The Lowlands) was engineered by the Ash Gild, with support from the Oak Gild. In the event of the Order moving in force against the Order of Odin, the covenant would be expected to act as the staging point for the main attack. It would be expected to have magic ships on hand, mundane supplies readily available, and be able to recruit (either directly or through more subtle means) a sizeable mundane force, if called for. Although the choice of site in Lübeck was seriously questioned, it was reasoned that it does have one major advantage — it would be very hard for the Scandinavian wizards to attack, unless they sack the entire city.

However, Oculus Septentrionalis soon became subverted by the Apple Gild, much to the anger of leading Ash magi. Nevertheless, more moderate Oak magi secretly concede that Oculus Septentrionalis still performs a useful function, by indirectly hindering the pagan power base of the wizards. Normally, the Order would be rather fearful of mundane and Christian expansion. However, in the sparsely populated Baltic region, such expansion serves it rather well — there is enough space that this should not hamper potential covenants; indeed, covenants require a certain level of mundane trade and civilization in order to prosper. Ideally, the growth of Christianity and trade in the region, as seemingly supported by Oculus Septentrionalis, would hurt the Norse wizards enough so that a direct war would be unnecessary. However, the Hawthorn Gild vigorously opposes this unspoken agenda.

In the Order's early days, when there was only one Tribunal, Bonisagus himself acted as the Praeco. He was simultaneously the oldest magus present, and also the primus inter pares of the Order. However, he was but one person, and when the Order became of sufficient size and geographic spread to warrant multiple Tribunal meetings, the other Tribunals followed the pattern of the First Tribunal, reasoning that the oldest magus in the region will have the most wisdom, and be best suited to be Praeco.

However, upon the passing (retirement) of Bonisagus, the Rhine Tribunal took a different tack. They saw Bonisagus' successor as the most worthy leader of the Tribunal, and so when Notatus (the first Hermetic apprentice of Bonisagus) was chosen as the Primus of House Bonisagus, he also became the Praeco of the Rhine Tribunal. Due to the preponderance of followers of Bonisagus in the Rhine Tribunal in the early decades of the Order, this tradition has continued. The Praeco of the Rhine Tribunal is therefore not its oldest magus, as with the other twelve Tribunals, but instead is always the Primus of House Bonisagus, who wields Bonisagus's voting sigil by proxy.

A Change of Praeco?

Not everyone is satisfied that the Praeco is always the Primus of Bonisagus, since it is felt by some members of the Rhine that Durenmar has too great an influence over the Tribunal's decisions. In the past, the traditionalist faction dominated by House Bonisagus has been too strong to permit a change to this tradition, but recently the hold of the Oak Gild has been slipping. In particular, the covenant of Fengheld, over the last few Tribunal meetings, has been sounding out opinions regarding the fairness of this convention, suggesting that the Rhine Tribunal should reform to match the system used by the rest of the Order. The more cynical magi suggest the reason for this is that Eule of Fengheld is an excellent candidate for the Praeco, as she is likely to be the oldest maga in the Rhine. However, there are two other candidates — Caecilius of Durenmar and Shadrith of Dankmar — who may well be older, although the records are in doubt. Fengheld is likely to propose, at the next Tribunal, an investigation into the Rhine's oldest magus, as a first move to break Durenmar's stranglehold.

The magi of the First Tribunal are formally divided into factions, called gilds, describing political points of view that transcend House or covenant boundaries. The importance of these gilds to the political life of the Order in the Rhine Tribunal is such that individual covenants rarely have a single political agenda, and if they do, this is because of the dominance of a single gild among its members. When they occur, covenant issues at Tribunal are short-term tactical issues; whereas the gilds monopolize the long-term strategy. Unfortunately, six gilds with differing or opposing agendas explains why little gets changed at Tribunals, and why a general air of apathy and resignation infects many of the younger magi of the Rhine.

Each gild broadly corresponds to a single, long-standing agenda. They are organizations to further a political cause, and have no magical function. However, some gilds (the older ones particularly) might have unique ceremonies that relate to that gild only; but these have a symbolic rather than ritual purpose. Belonging to a gild involves a commitment to the agenda that the gild stands for, and a magus is expected to place his vote with his faction when requested to do so. Nevertheless, the Oath of Hermes forbids any mechanism to coerce a magus to vote in a particular way, so dissension cannot be punished; but the rebel should expect to be victimized — even ostracized — by the members of his gild. In an extreme case, a gild may expel one of its members, who will acquire the (Gild) Enmity Flaw, although this is rare. Leaving a gild is a risky business, as this is seen as displaying a radical shift in political stance, and many magi will not trust a magus who has turned his back on his gild. Membership in a gild is open — there is no approval process to join, as most factions are only too willing to recruit new members. Membership is also public; although one's political affiliation may not be widely known, it cannot be kept a secret. Gild membership is not compulsory, although the great majority of Rhine magi choose to join a gild. Those that do not do so within seven years of their Gauntlet or their arrival in the Tribunal generally acquire a reputation as a loner. These few magi either believe strongly in the principle of their political independence, have no interest in politics, or simply do not care.

There are benefits to membership in a gild. All inexperienced recruits to a gild will receive tuition under one of its senior members, usually at the covenant of Durenmar. Characters who opt to take this training before their Gauntlet get the benefit of the (Gild) Trained Virtue. While a magus remains an upstanding member of his gild, he may make reasonable requests for assistance from his colleagues, and expect that they will be honored, on the understanding that a similar request may be levied on him in the future. Members of a gild expect to have reasonable access to the leader of their faction, and the leader is expected to support his members politically. Finally, gilds serve a limited function as pacts of mutual protection. All gilds forbid Wizard War among their members, and if a magus of another gild declares a Wizard War on one of their members, he may typically expect that a champion of the gild will retaliate in kind. For this reason, Wizard Wars are relatively rare in the Rhine Tribunal, except on magi who do not belong to a gild and therefore lack Hermetic allies.

There are currently six gilds, although there is no mechanism that regulates the number, other than the fact that a magus may only belong to a single gild. According to tradition, all the gilds are named after trees, and in the German language rather than in Latin (though in this book we will use English translations for simplicity). The reasons behind the names of these gilds can be seen in the mythical qualities attributed to the trees in question (see Chapter 4: The Forest, The Trees of Germany).

A quarter of the Tribunal's magi are members of the Oak Gild, and nearly a fifth are members of the Linden Gild. Less than a tenth belong to no gild at all. The remaining magi are divided between the other four gilds, with the Hawthorn Gild being the smallest and the Apple Gild the third largest. However, the exact proportion of magi who belong to the gilds may be chosen as best suits your saga. You may also decide to adjust the relative strengths of the gilds as described below, in order to adjust the political balance of the Tribunal. A Tribunal dominated by the Ash Gild, or the Elder Gild, rather than the Oak Gild, will have dramatically different politics. You may even want to add to or replace some of these gilds with others of your own devising.

This is the largest, broadest, and oldest faction in the Tribunal. The stated agenda of the gild is to restore the Rhine Tribunal (and thereby the Order of Hermes) to its former glory, to respect the traditions and wisdom of the Founders, to encourage magi to respect their elders and work to leave a lasting legacy, and to shun the so-called wisdom from outside the Order of Hermes. However, because of its broad agenda, the gild is somewhat ineffective, as they have no real or co-ordinated strategy to achieve their goals. In practice, its main function is to ensure that the status quo of the Tribunal is maintained by tying up a large proportion of the votes that might promote change. The Eichengilde is lead by Murion, Prima of Bonisagus, and is made up of magi who are mostly older or more reserved; while all Houses are represented, this gild particularly attracts followers of Bonisagus, Guernicus, and Tremere.

This is one of the oldest gilds, along with the Ash Gild and the Oak Gild. Its agenda is to protect the wild places and creatures from the mundanes, to avoid all unnecessary contact with mundanes, to punish those who intrude into the wildernesses, and to promote understanding between magi and beasts. They are nowadays the smallest gild, with a waning influence that is often opposed by the Elder Gild, which has a similar interest but with a different focus, thus diluting their combined power. Urgen of Crintera is the leader of this gild, and it is populated primarily by followers of Bjornaer, especially those with a Wilderist philosophy.

This gild, lead by Philippus Niger of Durenmar, believes that magi should seek dominion over their lands, that the Order of Hermes should be more forthright in its dealings with mundanes, that magi should not need to hide in the wildernesses, and that the Order of Odin should be combated and destroyed. This last item is not publicly admitted to, but is the prime focus of most of the gild's older members. The Eschengilde attracts aggressive magi, especially from Houses Flambeau, Tremere, and Tytalus, and while being magically powerful, is not large enough to force their agenda, which skirts on the very edge of the Code of Hermes.

This gild was once part of the Hawthorn Gild, but split from them soon after the early division in House Merinita and pursued its fae-focused agenda. While they still believe in the sanctity of the wilderness, they concentrate solely on the preservation of the fae and promoting friendly contact between magi and faeries. Unsurprisingly, this faction is primarily made up of the followers of Merinita, and virtually all the members of the covenants of Irencillia and Dankmar are members. A few followers of Bjornaer with extremely strong Harmonist views are members of this gild, to the derision of their Housemates. Iacob of Irencillia is the leader of this gild, and under his leadership it has been secretly promoting a religion conceived to return power back to the fae, under the guidance of members of the Order (see Chapter 10: Bohemia, Irencillia).

Arising from the aftermath of the Schism War and founded mostly by former magi of Fengheld, the purpose of this gild is to increase co-operation and trust between magi and covenants to the benefit of all, to resolve both internal and external conflicts peacefully, and to end the apathy and divisions in the Tribunal. This is an altruistic and well-regarded gild, although weak; thus it is the typical go-between faction. They are often overlooked, but without their quiet diplomacy, the Tribunal would likely have fractured long ago. The gild is currently lead by Occultes of Durenmar, and consists of a mixed assortment of followers of Mercere, Jerbiton, Verditius, Tremere, and Bonisagus (particularly those of Trianoma's lineage).

This gild believes that magi should seek peaceful and friendly relations with mundanes, and that mages should work towards acceptance in the mundane world, so that they no longer need to hide. It also believes that magi should work to improve the lot of mundanes through teaching and trade as well as magic, and that magi should be humble before the Lord. This is the most recent faction and the weakest, although with substantial support from the covenants of Oculus Septentrionalis, Triamore, and Fengheld, it is beginning to make its presence known in the Tribunal. It is lead by a triumvirate of Henri de Tours of Oculus Septentrionalis, Wilhelm Weiss of Fengheld, and Daria la Gris of Triamore.

The clearest division among magi here is between those close to the wilderness, and those who prefer the company of the mundanes. The Apple Gild is the embodiment of the latter camp — they are heavily involved in mundane affairs, and have little to no interest in semi-mystical mumblings about "primeval power." At the other end of the spectrum are the Hawthorn and Elder Gilds. These two factions are most keen on absolute isolation from the mundane world, but they cannot decide upon the best way to do this, and have fought constantly over the issue. The traditionalist Oak Gild and the peace-striving Linden Gild straddle the two. The Lindens, as the self-appointed preservers of harmony, strike a balance between the mundanity and the wilderness, whilst ensuring that the others neutralize each other, to prevent domination of the Tribunal. The Oak Gild is desperately trying to prevent the eroding of the Tribunal's ancient traditions, but they only seem to achieve stagnation by preventing change. Finally, the Ash Gild will ingratiate itself with any faction that will support their agenda of the aggrandizing of magi and the destroying of the Order's enemies.

The conservative Oak Gild can often expect support from the Ash or Hawthorn Gilds, but rarely both at once, except over issues promoting the Apple agenda, when these three will unite to oppose them. This is the only common interest between the Hawthorn Gild and the Ash Gild; the latter being neutral to all other gilds. The Hawthorn Gild, on the other hand, is diametrically opposed to the agenda of the Elder Gild, which is the cause of much bad blood between the followers of Bjornaer and Merinita (who dominate these two factions respectively). With regards to the agenda of the Elder Gild, none of the other factions really concern themselves with them. The Linden Gild often supports the peaceful agenda of the Apple Gild, especially against the combined might of the latter's three enemies, but the Linden Gild manages to remain neutral to all other factions at the same time; a testament to their powers of diplomacy.

The Lotharingian Tribunal

Many members of the Apple Gild are currently pushing a controversial issue in secret: together with covenants in Normandy they wish to form a separate Tribunal, tentatively called the Lotharingian Tribunal, which would cover the Low Countries in the north and west of the Rhine Tribunal. Oculus Septentrionalis, Triamore, and about half the magi of Fengheld are currently committed to the notion, along with two covenants of the Normandy Tribunal. The magi of Waddenzee, despite being opposed to most of the plans of the Apple Gild, are also keen to escape the stifling yoke of the Rhine Tribunal. This complement of covenants more than meets the Order's requirement for a legal Tribunal, and the gild plans to propose the motion at the Grand Tribunal of 1228. This new Tribunal would allow more freedom in dealing with mundanes, seeking friendly relations with Scandinavian wizards, and discarding many of the ancient Rhine traditions.

BEYOND THE RHINE TRIBUNAL

The Rhine Tribunal is no longer a dominant, or even a leading force in the Order of Hermes, but is well-respected due to its ancient pedigree. Also, the sheer size of the Tribunal, plus the fact that it is host to the Grand Tribunal, means that it can not be ignored. The historical tension with the Novgorod Tribunal still continues, except among Bjornaer magi. Relations with the covenants of the Greater Alps, on the other hand, are broadly favorable, with a significant amount of mutual trade and contact. Alpine magi, however, consider their grand Roman traditions and covenants to be superior to those of the Rhine. For their part, Rhine magi may either regard the archaic majesty of the Alps either with wistful admiration or with amused derision, for a traditional Bonisagus or a down-to-earth Bjornaer, respectively. The nearby Tremere-dominated Transylvanian Tribunal has long striven to exert its influence over the Rhine covenants, with limited success thus far. The Rhine Tribunal (except for its Tremere magi) have little interest or influence in Transylvania.