Post originally by Stephenls at 2003-07-10 07:56:24
Converted from Phorums BB System

Fute wrote:

> I've got a few zillion questions, if anyone
> familiar with Mage & WoD would be so kind as
> to answer:

> How many Hermetic Houses are the
> same/different between Ars Magica and Mage?

The original houses were Bjornaer, Bonisagus, Criamon, Diedne, Flambeau, Jerbiton, Mercere, Meritina, Quaesitor, Tremere, Tytalus, and Verditius, yes? With Ex Miscellanea added and Diedne removed by Ars Magica's "now"?

The currently active Houses of Hermes are as follows: Bonisagus, Ex Miscellanea, Flambeau, Fortunae, Quaesitor, Shaea, Solificati, Tytalus, and Verditius. Ex Misc contains the Houses Criamon, Hong Lei, Jerbiton, Meritina, Ngoma, Skopos, and Xaos. House Diedne also exists, but only as a band of really angry old mages who recently emerged from the spirit world and who haven't made contact with the rest of the Order yet. They're assumed to be doing spooky, plot-like things in the background for STs to detail.

> Other than the vampirization of Tremere, are
> there significant metaplot-level schticks
> taking place within the Houses (rather than
> between OoH and the other Mage Traditions in
> general)?

Yes. The entirety of Tytalus was recently Censured for consorting with Tremere (and by "consorting" I mean "beating them up and taking their blood"), there was a house called Janissary but it got mostly killed for treason and the remainder folded into Quaesitor, there was a house called Thig but it merged with Verditius (who were a minor house in Ex Misc until that happened), and a bunch of other stuff is going on in the background.

> Is Kabbalah part of the Hermetic Tradition
> in this trad book as it is in Dark Ages:
> Mage?

Yes, but the book focuses more on alchemy.

> How many Order of Hermes' PCs can be in one
> party before there are character
> differentiation issues?

Depends entirely on the specific characters. Also, to an extent, it depends on which Houses to which the characters belong -- seven Tytalans would be much more fractious than seven Verditians, for example.

> How many angels can dance on a head of a
> pin?

42, of course.

> Much thanks!

Velcomp. Feel free to ask more questions.
--
Stephenls
Geek