Hermetic Magic

This article deals with Hermetic Magic as it is understood within the Thanedom of Technocratic Republics, and it is inspired on the Hermetic Magic of the roleplaying game Ars Magica. This is by no means an attempt to explain how the entirety of magic works within the wolrd of Nation States, but how it does when regarding to the Hermetic Theory of Magic in the aforementioned nation.

Hermetic Theory of Magic

In the times before the Order of Hermes was founded by the creator of what today is known as the Hermetic Theory of Magic, the magus Bonisagus, the practice of magic was plagued by myriads of incompatible systems and methods, that made it impossible for two magi to share knowledge or train each other properly. Bonisagus' theory was built upon the need of an objective, meassurable and universally explainable method of controlling the magical energies. When he was done developing it, he managed to answer all those needs by creating a flexible, although simple, set of guidelines for the manipulation of magic.

The birth of the Hermetic Theory of Magic opened the doors for an impressive development of the Art of Magic, as magi could now share knowledge and set basic guidelines for the research of new fields of power.

Hermetic Magic, however, is not perfect, and although highly useful and practical, it has its own share of problems and limitations, represented mainly by the so-called Supreme Limits of Magic, which are barriers that not even the most powerful hermetic magus can overcome. These are explained in further detail below.

The Hermetic Arts

The term “Arts” refers collectively to Techniques and Forms —two classes of magical disciplines that work together in spellcasting. Techniques govern the essential manipulations that magic can perform; Forms, the essential natural phenomena that magic can manipulate. Techniques and Forms have Latin names. A Technique is referred to by a verb conjugated in first person, and a Form by a noun. All forms of magical effects allowed under the Hermetic Theory can be described as the conjuction of both a Technique and a Form.

There are 5 Techniques -Creo, Intellego, Muto, Perdo, and Rego- and 10 Forms -Animal, Aquam, Auram, Corpus, Herbam, Ignem, Imaginem, Mentem, Terram, and Vim-.

Creo (I Create)

This Art allows the production of objects from nothing. It turns dreams into reality. When using a Creo spell, the magus enters a momentary state of transcendent meditation and contact the realm of Forms, in which all the objects that ever were and ever could be exist as perfect ideas. His magic finds the proper Form and impresses it on the real world, creating an expression of it. Objects created this way are closer to the world of Forms than are normal objects, so they are always perfect and flawless. A magus can also use the Art of Creo to perfect things that have deteriorated from their ideal nature,such as to heal a broken arm or to mend a broken vase. Pronounced ‘CRAY-oh.’

Intellego (I Perceive)

Intellego is the Art of perception. All things in the world are connected to each other, and Intellego allows magi the ability to see, read, and learn from these connections. Pronounced ‘in-TEL-lego.’

Muto (I Transform)

This is the Art of transformation and transmutation. Through this Art, magi can direct and control the essential mechanisms of change itself. A transformation is easiest when there is a strong connection between the original object and that resulting from the transformation: for example, it is relatively easy to turn a leaf into an apple. However, turning a leaf (living, flexible, and vegetable) into a sword (inert, unyielding, and mineral) is quite difficult. Pronounced ‘MOO-toe.’

Perdo (I Destroy)

The one trait held in common by all objects and creatures in the temporal world is that some day, inevitably, they will cease to exist. The magus who understands the Art of Perdo knows this, and uses magic to control the universal process whereby things are destroyed. Aging, disease, decay, and dissolution are all properties inherent to objects and living things and can be drawn out through this Art. Pronounced ‘PARE-doe.’

Rego (I Control)

The Art of Rego allows a magus to regulate matter or compel the actions of living things. One kind of Rego spell might lift someone into the air, and another might make a person act a certain way. Pronounced ‘RAY-go.’

Animal (Animal)

Animál concerns animals of all kinds, from the fish of the sea to the birds of the air. Animal spells cannot affect people, for they have souls whereas animals do not. Pronounced ‘ah-nee-MAHL.’

Aquam (Water)

Aquam concerns all manner of liquids. Through this Art, the magus gains access to the might of a roaring flood and the gentleness of a clear pool. Pronounced ‘AH-kwahm.’

Auram (Air)

Auram is the Art of air, wind, and weather. True flight is only possible through this Art. Pronounced ‘OW-rahm.’

Corpus (Body)

Corpus is the Art of humans and humanlike bodies. It governs the intricate interactions that occur in those bodies with souls, as well as those that once had souls. Pronounced ‘COR-poos.’

Herbam (Plant)

This Form concerns plants and trees. This includes plant matter of all types, including that which is no longer alive —like dead wood and linens. Pronounced ‘HARE-bahm.’

Ignem (Fire)

This Form concerns fire, heat, and light. Fire is the most lifelike of the four elements: it moves, it devours, and it grows. Also, just as a living thing, it can be killed by the other three elements —smothered by earth, quenched by water, or blown apart by wind. Fire’s position midway between inert matter and living being gives it the advantages of both. Pronounced ‘IG-nem.’

Imaginem (Image)

This Form concerns illusions and phantasms. It affects only the senses and can never affect matter. Masters of this Art have learned to separate the impressions a thing leaves on the senses from the thing itself, and many of them likewise become separated from what those around them see as reality. Pronounced ‘ih-MAH-gihnem.’

Mentem (Mind)

This Form concerns minds, thoughts, and spirits. It comes as close as magic can to affecting souls. Through this Art, magi manipulate what they call the body of the soul: memories, thoughts, and emotions. They can also affect the “bodies” of noncorporeal beings, such as ghosts, as these are maintained in the physical world directly by a spirit’s will. Pronounced ‘MEN-tem.’

Terram (Earth)

This Form concerns solids, especially earth and stone. Indeed, Terram affects the very foundation of the world. Although Terram magic is mighty, the earth proves resistant to manipulation. Just as stone is heavy and hard to lift, it is inert and hard to change, even through magic. Pronounced ‘TARE-rahm.’

Vim (Power)

This Form concerns raw magical power. All the Arts rely on the raw energy and potential of magic, but this Art refines the use of magic itself, allowing magi to assume even greater control of their spells. Vim also affects demons, which are innately magical creatures. Dealing with demons, however, is dangerous because of the risk of corruption and because it is against the code of the Hermetic Oath. Pronounced ‘WEEM.’