Mercurian magic had important roots in ancient Greek society, which stressed intellectual achievement and higher learning. Therefore, this tradition is a scholarly one and requires much in the way of apparatus and memorized ritual in order to operate effectively.
The scholarly investigation of the composition of reality in ancient Greece and Egypt placed an emphasis on the objects (Forms) affected by magic. Mercurian magi were not as interested in what could be done with things, but rather were curious about the inherent qualities of objects. The four elements (Auram, Aquam, Ignem and Terram), the body (Corpus) and the supernatural (Vim) received the most attention. If they stressed any magical action, it was destruction (Perdo), for Mercurian magi were interested in the composition of matter and how it breaks down into smaller and smaller units.
The methodical Mercurian approach to magic also allowed Mercurian magi to perform extremely powerful rituals. Through a complicated process not preserved in the newer Hermetic tradition, Mercurian magi were able to use the Rego Vim Waiting Spell and Watching Ward rituals in conjunction with other rituals. They did not require raw Vis to perform rituals in the Mercurian tradition, though the complicated ingredients, time required, and astrological requirements balanced that advantage.
The Mercurian tradition made certain sacrifices to achieve prominence in its scholarly, ritualistic pursuits. Of major note was the Mercurian magus' complete inability to perform spontaneous magic. This manner of using magic was too loose for their precepts to accommodate; they required thought and study before they could cast a spell. Their magic tended to work better in numbers, and the benefits of Wizard's Communion were automatically conferred when a formalized spell was cast.
Mercurian Magic +1This version of Mercurian Magic represents an influence of Mercurian traditions upon a Hermetic magus' magic, not the magic which would be found in a fully fledged Priest of Mercury in Ancient Rome. Due to their strong intellectual interest in the structure of magic, Mercurian magi receive a 20% bonus to their current strength in the Perdo technique and their favored six forms only when casting ritual spells. (These six forms are: Aquam, Auram, Corpus, Ignem, Terram and Vim). Mercurian magi in the Hermetic tradition have a limited ability to perform spontaneous magic. When attempting to cast a spontaneous spell, these magi automatically lose a fatigue level and must divide by five, not two. If at least three magi are working in concert, and all of them know the spell being cast, the benefits of the Wizard's Communion (MuVi) spell are automatically conferred. |
Taken from pages 12-15 of The Tempest (Lion Rampant, 1990).
Last modified: Tue Jan 5, 1999 / Jeremiah Genest