The Mysteries, Revised Edition (Ars Magica Fantasy Roleplaying) [Hardcover]

Chris Jensen-Romer (Author), Neil Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 2006

There are Mystery Cults beyond the four Houses within the Order of Hermes. They keep their secrets from other magi, revealing their knowledge one piece at a time to those who undergo grueling initiations. This book reveals all, from alchemists seeking immortality to theurgists trying to become gods. Now your magus can also walk the path of The Mysteries!

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Atlas Games (July 31, 2006)
• ISBN-10: 1589780760
• ISBN-13: 978-1589780767
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,215,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Christian Jensen Romer, known to everyone but his parents as "CJ",is not much of an author, and features here only because he has been lucky enough to be able to collaborate on a number of books with decent writers. The single exception is the Parpsychologist's Handbook monograph for Call of Cthulhu, where he is called "Chris Jerome", because it fits better on the cover!

In real life he wanders aimlessly around the fringes of academic parapsychology - and occasionally writes reviews or short pieces for the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, & The Paranormal Review, some of which may get published from time to time. (www.spr.ac.uk)

If you are interested in reading more of his stuff he runs two blogs - the rather eclectic "and sometimes he's so nameless" and the poltergeist themed "Polterwotsit".

Described as "professionally vague", CJ is endlessly touched that anyone reads what he has written, and is always happy to hear from his critics (and fans, if such exist!)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good collection of rules for cults that expand on the four mystery cult houses., December 16, 2007

By 

S. Schonberger (near Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mysteries, Revised Edition (Ars Magica Fantasy Roleplaying) (Hardcover)

This book consists of 14 chapters and three appendices.

1. The Mysteries: This introduces the concept of "mysteries", which are both secrets and cults or organizations that teach secrets to their members. Each cult has a world view. Four are houses; others draw membership from one or more houses.

2. Entering the Mysteries: This describes initiation into mystery cults, advancement within them, creating new cults, and game-play guidelines. Initiation and advancement are accomplished through traditional quests, ordeals, and sacrifices; power has its price. Rules are offered for each, in the form of initiation scripts.

3. Storyguides & the Mysteries: Mystery cults have responsibilities and advancement requirements that can draw characters into stories; rival cults may also drive stories.

4. Curious Common Magics: Some powers are available throughout the Order, but most often learned through mystery cults. They include Memory Palaces, the virtues Spell Binding, Performance Magic, Planetary Magic, Potent Magic, Vulgar Alchemy, and Withstand Casting, several modified virtues and flaws, and the ability to master ceremonial casting.

5. Hermetic Alchemy: This includes improved vis extraction (Hermetic and Philosophic Alchemy), improved longevity rituals (Lesser and Greater Elixir), and a cult (Order of the Green Cockerel).

6. Hermetic Astrology: This includes the Periapt and Celestial Magic virtues, the Magical Armillary Sphere device, and the Magoi of the Star cult. An appendix describes astrological influences.

7. Divination & Alchemy: This is a virtue that a magus can use to gain information from signs, by various methods. Methods include astrology (requiring Planetary Magic, above), dream interpretation (requiring a virtue detailed in this chapter), numerology (requiring Hermetic Numerology, below), and many simpler methods.

8. Hermetic Spirit Magic: This involves summoning and binding spirits; it includes the virtues Hermetic Empowerment (to power devices with spirits), Spirit Familiar, Inscription on the Soul, and Living Ghost.

9. Hermetic Theurgy: This is name-magic, a pagan practice best kept secret from the Church. It includes the virtues Names of Power, Invocation Magic, Hermetic Theurgy, Theurgic Spirit Familiar, Ascendency to the Hall of Heroes, Hermetic Synthemata, and Synthemata Magia, and sidebars on Gnosticism and spirits.

10. The Great Talisman: The virtues Great Talisman and Consummate Talisman improve on standard talismans.

11. Arithmetic Magic: This includes the virtues Hermetic Numerology (improving spontaneous magic), Hermetic Geology (adding casting options), Hermetic Architecture (huge enchantments, aura improvements, and regio modifications).

12. The Mysteries of Dreams: This includes the virtues Dream Magic and Greater Dream Grimoire, totalling eight pages of assorted rules, a Dream Landscape section, and the Volshebnii Mechtateli mystery cult.

13. Mercurian Magic: This describes the Cult of Mercury, the Neo-Mercurians (with assorted rules), and the virtue Hermetic Sacrifice (substituting offerings for vis).

14. Mystery Cults: This summarizes numerous cults: the Legion of Mithras (heroic soldiers), Philosophers of Rome (pagan sensual Gnostic theurgists), Children of Hermes (openly recruiting for their charismatic leader), the Mystic Fraternity of Samos (Pythagorean numerologists), Disciples of the Worm (necromancers, theurgists, preservers of ancient magic), and Knights of the Green Stone (questing, wisdom-seeking troubadors).

Appendix A. Immortal Magi: Common rules for immortals, particularly those who used the Great Elixir, the Living Ghost, or Ascendency to the Hall of Heroes. Immortals resist change, harmful or beneficial.

Appendix B. Conversion: Rules for adapting Fourth Edition characters.

Appendix C. Daimons: Nine examples of daimons (powerful magical spirits).