Author: Chris

An Introduction to Hermetic Politics
By Gregory of Jerbiton, Magi of Natura Antiqua

Greeting Sodales!
The attitudes of the Houses of Hermes to one another is a complex issue. I have attempted to elucidate this interaction by means of the following table, which demonstrates the warmness with which sodales greet one another on meeting magi of a different house. Dark Green demonstrates a tendency to trust one another immediately, as brethren in the same or associated houses.  Green means friendship – members of these houses see something good in one another’s attitudes, and are inclined to cooperate. Gold represents indifference: these two houses are effectively neutral on political issues, and their members offer as much support as any member of the Order is expected to, but little more. Red indicates an enmity or antipathy – not open hostility, but a definite disinclination to heed requests, grant access rights or support that House at Tribunal.  The table is not symmetrical – you will observe that 
For instance Magi of Bjornaer regard Bonisagi as useful and productive, yet those of House Bonisagus are disinclined to trust these uncivilised wizards and actively wonder if the Order would have been better off without the Bjornaer.

The left hand column is the magi whose opinion is sought: the top row is the Houses they are expressing an opinion of… 

------- | Bj | Bo | Cm | Ex | Fl | Gu | Je | Mc | Mt | Tr | Ty | Ve
Bjornaer | +3 | +1 | 0 | +1 | -1 | +2+2 | -1 | +1 | -1 | -1 | 0 | -1
Bonisagus | -1 | +3 | -1 | -1 | -1 | +2 | +1 | +1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0
Criamon | 0 | +1 | +3 | +1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ex Misc. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Flambeau | -1 | +1 | 0 | -1 | +3 | -1 | -1 | 0 | -1 | 0 | +1 | +1
Guernicus | -1 | +2 | 0 | -1 | 0 | +3 | -1 | +2 | -1 | +1 | -1 | +1
Jerbiton | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +2 | +3 | +1 | -1 | 0 | -1 | 0
Mercere | 0 | +2 | 0 | -1 | -1 | +2 | +1 | +3 | -1 | +1 | -1 | +1
Merenita | 0 | +1 | 0 | +1 | 0 | +0 | -1 | -1 | +3 | -1 | -1 | 0
Tremere | 0 | +2 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +2 | +1 | 0 | -1 | +3 | -1 | 0
Tytalus | 0 | -1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +2 | -1 | +1 | -1 | +1 | +3 | +1
Verditius | -1 | +1 | 0 | +1 | +1 | +2 | 0 | +1 | 0 | +1 | 0 | +3

The modified values were calculated to take in to account the Hermetic prestige and influence of each house.  No modifier greater than –1 was awarded no matter how bad relations, because by and large the Order does coexist peacefully.  This is based entirely on my reading of Houses of Hermes, and may be deeply flawed!