Ordo Trismegistus

Domain Summary

The Ordo Trismegistus is by far the most arcane domains in Dischordia. Its most powerful territory, the Society of Deus, was built before the Fall around an immense library of occult knowledge which is unsurpassed in the Seventh Age. No other domain possesses the sheer magical prowess of the Ordo's sorcerers.

Dominant Races

Vampires and Mages

Costuming and Archetypes

Modern Military Mage, Ancient Wizard, Modern Businessman, Roman Gladiator, Greek King, Special Forces Agent, Modern Middle Eastern Nobility, Professional Hitman, Wasteland Biker

Domain Advantages

Ordo Trismegistus - Magical experimentation and generations of arcane study have infused the Society on their path to power. Time and focus on bettering the nature of humans over the past 250 years have made Deus magically unmatched. Any noble of the Ordo Trismegistus may gain Occult influence x 5 for free.

Society of Deus - Still the bastion of great learning it always was, under the leadership of Menelaus, serving as the Crown Prince, the libraries of Deus have continued to collect artifacts and lores over the years. Each character choosing to represent a character from Deus proper, joins their faction of militarized nobles. This grants the user private access to the libraries of the Society of Deus. You may gain Library background x5 for free.

The Great Pyramid - Founded on the principles of the great Hermes Trismegistus, thrice-great Hermes, the traditions of the Ordo follows the teachings of the House and Clan Tremere, and the Order of Hermes - namely, the taking of apprentices. Upon reaching a rank of nobility, an individual is encouraged to accept apprentices for training. Such apprentices are indebted to their teacher and will serve as Retainers and aid their mentor in that capacity. Should you choose to serve as a teacher, you gain Retainers x 5 for free.

Domain Disadvantage

Geas 5-point Flaw - Bound into noble servitude. Each Noble has the 5pt. Flaw, Geas. Characters from the Twin Cities each have a Seven Sided by Seven Sided Ruby with the soul of a Djinn or Eastern Demon bound by their sister city. Cunning and Vile, these demons seek freedom by any measure, through knowledge, power, and temptation. Every noble in the Society must bear this burden to resist temptation and imprison these spirits lest they be released and wage war once again. Characters from the refugees of Constantinople each each have a set of golden rings that that wind together as a snake eating itself. It contains a powerful Nephwrack or Wraith from the War of the Dead to prevent from returning to it's masters. It does all it can to call upon it's brothers and seek freedom, or worse, Oblivion.

Politics & NPCs

Though the Society of Deus is the largest and most significant holding of the Ordo, the former Domain Lord, Damien Vryce, has placed the Methuselah, Menelaus, in charge of the domain for the time being. Whispers claim that Menelaus is merely a figurehead, with Vryce still pulling his strings. The lords of each individual territory, Adam of Rome representing New Constantinople, and Damien Vryce of the Society of Deus.

---Loading Oaths---

Allies

Appalachian Alliance, Empyrean Dysambigua

Enemies

Bermuda, Wolves of the North

Kingdom Views

"What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an Angel! In apprehension how like a god!" As above, and so below - the magi of the world know this simple statement to be truth. It is through the will of mankind that the heavens are shaped. It is from the power granted unto them from the heavens that they shape it. All the creatures of myth, and gods of the pantheons are created by humanity and given form, power, and truth. From a child’s dream to a scientist’s greatest invention, the act of creation is a distinctly divine act. One which only a human soul can perform. Divinity sleeps within mankind, we seek to awaken the god in all who have the will to grasp it.

Dischordia

Appalachian Alliance - We have not always seen eye-to-eye with the Appalachians, as our conflicts over the Second City can attest. Since the War of Aether, however, they have been our allies, and we will value them as such until it no longer benefits us to do so.

Empyrean Dysambigua - We share similar ideals with our valued allies. Bistri has been a welcome visitor to the Libraries of Deus since before the Fall, and values our contribution to knowledge and enlightenment.

Imperials - The leadership the Imperials display is questionable. They are too unfocused and undisciplined. They work against one another more often than they work for the benefit of the kingdom. This is not the sort of thing an enlightened leader should tolerate...

Imperial Bermuda - Aranta-Shadur is responsible for much of the difficulty we have faced in the last few decades. Much has changed, for both domains, and so it is unclear if the animosity once shared between who we were, will persist between us in our new incarnations.

Nightmare Lands - The decision to invite them to join Dischordia was a poor one - just another in a series of poor decisions. They should have been obliterated after the Nightmare War, while they were weak.

Sultanate of Glass - Once we were close allies, but Al-Ashrad seems to have forgotten how we came to their aid when Lazarus was on their doorstep. He has broken his Oaths to us, and the Sultan has taken that which is rightfully ours. When the code of solomon expires, and the seals open, they will plead with us for our aid, but it will be far too late.

Wolves of the North - Ignorant savages led by an ignorant savage. Odin claims wisdom, but is so convinced of his own strength that he believes they can stand alone as an island in a sea of enemies. We have saved them from drowning twice... there will not be a third.

Other Kingdoms

Aether - The so-called 'Dark Ages' were a euphemistic metaphor that evoked ignorance and a cultural deterioration. This new Dark Age is, sadly, less metaphorical. We will not abide the darkness of ignorance to claim the world, so long as the spark of our enlightenment can keep it at bay.

Aztlan - Willing pawns of Lazarus and the Unification... if they only knew that their beliefs would be wiped clean and subjugated along with the rest...

Diamond Congo - A kingdom which clings to might makes right, and yet their leaders have been proven weak time and again. Let me know when one is able to hold power for longer than a year.

Jade Empire - The Emperor and his people were well-prepared for the Fall, having never forgotten the old stories told by their ancestors. Even before the fall, the people honored their ancestors and feared the Yokai.

Jukurrpa - They are... insignificant. They will accomplish nothing on their own, and they will serve no purpose but to strengthen another kingdom.

Kingdom of the Iron Lotus - Dischordia seems to pay them little heed, but underestimating them is a dire mistake. They claim Nul is afraid of Kali, but I wonder what the truth is...

Lazarus' Empire - Lazarus seeks to shepherd humanity... a noble ideal, until you realize that a shepherd leads flocks of sheep. If Lazarus had his way, humanity would blindly follow his word, remain ignorant ignorant of the wondrous world. Faith in him would blind mankind to magic and legend, snuffing it out.

Ukhu Amarumaya - The Lord of Suicide once called this kingdom his, and owed his fealty to the Unification. The rise of Supay and their hatred of Lazarus is encouraging, if they did not also hate Dischordia with equal passion.

Umbral Realms

Low Umbra - Shroud 5
Middle Umbra - Gauntlet 8
Dreaming - Mists 0 (Far Dreaming - Mists 6, Deep Dreaming - Mists 9) / Banality 8
High Umbra - Periphery 4 (Vulgate - Periphery 3, Fortress of Government - Periphery 5,Elemental Courts of Occident - Periphery 6)

Historical Information

Harbingers of the Fall

Leading to the Fall, the Twin Cities were a battleground between scions of ancient powers. Serabella, childe and pawn of the Toreador Antediluvian, championed comfort and complacency. Serabella fought to keep mankind docile. Vryce, patronized by Saulot, fought to awaken mankind and return magic to the world. Armed with the knowledge that such awakenings are rarely peaceful, Vryce had prepared. The Twin Cities had prepared for the inevitable upheaval for quite some time. When the fall finally came, with the War of the Dead, the Society of Deus withstood better than most. Their green walls of eldritch magic turned aside the armies of the dead with ease. In the wastelands outside their walls, Balor turned the tide of war against the legions of the dead.

Constantinople Joins Dischordia

Tensions remained high between Lazarus and Dischordia throughout the Foundation Era. When Constantinople found itself threatened by Lazarus, Al-Ashrad sent a representative to seek aid from Dischordia and the Society of Deus in particular. Dischordia sent one noble from each domain to negotiate with Lazarean diplomats.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

In the Foundation Era, the Society of Deus was a force to be reckoned with. In spite of their power, or because of it, many domains counted Deus among their enemies. The brash Crown Prince of Deus, Gabriel De’Angelo garnered much of that emnity. His aggressive pursuit of power, with little regard for consequences, earned the ire of many a domain.

Surveyor's Court

Ordo's aggressive stance towards the other domains emboldened enemies and alienated allies. Foremost among them was Aranta-Shadur, with whom they shared a bitter rivalry.

War of Aether

Nul, the King of Aether, cut a scar between worlds to strike at the Society of Deus at nightfall. Abyssal creatures from beyond launched a full assault on the walled city. Some of the mightiest heroes in Deus fell that night. The Society's elite soldiers and ancient vampires were ill-prepared to face such a threat.

The Lich King, Damien Vryce, made his way to the upper city to defend his city. He had little recourse but to challenge Nul, himself. Even as Vryce unleashed his arcane might, Nul's body mended itself. Each time Vryce thought his adversary vanquished, Nul reformed from another shadow. Vryce's power dwindling, Nul looked upon him with a small grin. With a gesture, Nul ripped Vryce's shadow from him, and his Avatar with it, and vanished again into shadow.

After his defeat at Nul's hands, Vryce returned to seclusion beneath the Society of Deus. None knew exactly what had transpired, but it became clear that Vryce had lost much of his power. All knew he was plotting his return to power, and a means to recover his Avatar a second time.

Yet Ordo's defeats continued to mount. In Vryce's absence, the Wolves of the North sought a strong leader. Odin's return answered their hopes. The Wolves broke from the Ordo, bringing many of the northern territories with them.

When the Aether struck at Constantinople, Al-Ashrad called upon the Ordo for aid. Gabriel De'Angelo and his allies responded, fighting to reclaim the portals to Contantinople... only to discover that Nul had severed them. None know for certain what transpired, but De'Angelo and his officers vanished in the chaos of the battle which followed. De'Angelo and those who accompanied him were never heard from again. Survivors swear they saw De'Angelo's army enter the portal moments before its destruction. Serabella and Adam of Rome fought to save St. Louis from total destruction at Aether's hands.

Shortly after De'Angelo's disappearance, the Society's elite army, the Amo a Deus, vanished as well. This left the Society of Deus quite vulnerable. Only the Society's Gargoyles, lead by Onyx, remained to defend the territory. Through their sacrifice, Deus survived the war. Onyx and the Gargoyles did not.

The Sage and Methuselah Councils of Deus grew restless, believing Vryce no longer fit to lead. As the power that had founded the Society began to unravel, it teetered on the brink of a civil war . Ambitious nobles maneuvered against each other as much as they maneuvered against Aether. Vryce emerged from seclusion to save what he had built. He acknowledged that he was in no state to lead. With the Sage Council as witnesses, Vryce placed Menelaus in the position of Domain Lord. Yet not all were convinced that the Primus of the Society of Deus would be so willing to relinquish his power. Many suspected that Vryce still held a firm grasp on the strings behind the scenes.

Struggles During the Court of Empires

Following the defeats during the War of Aether, Ordo found it difficult to find it's footing at court. They still bore the stigma of De’Angelo and Morningkill , and accusations of treason. Damien Vryce's absence deprived the domain of his drive and vision. Their nobles lacked specific goals to pursue, making their time at court difficult.

War of Maelstrom's Rebuke

During the Court of Empires, diplomatic relations between Dischordia and Lazarus' Kingdom failed. Dischordian nobles learned of a dark ritual planned by the Prince Alyosha Buljiev. In response, Dischordia launched a coordinated attack on Buljiev's domain of Carpathia. Their attack, seen by Lazarus' Empire as unprovoked, precipitated the conflict. The hostility between the two kingdoms erupted into the War of Maelstrom's Rebuke.

The Ordo sent troops to fight at the Praetor's command, but they led no battles and claimed no territory. They received considerable scorn from their rivals for their lack of action, but they offered no explanation. They claimed only that their plans would become clear in time.

As the war waged, officers on battlefields across Europe reported witnessing magical duels. In each case, an unknown man appeared to challenge a Lazarean Tremere officer to a Certamen duel. In each case, the man defeated his adversary, before vanishing once again.

Before long, the man's identity became known: the infamous Primus Damien Vryce. Vryce had remained in seclusion for more than two decades, since the opening volleys of the War of Aether. Ordo nobles revealed nothing of his re-emergence, or what his plans might be. Yet, month after month, Vryce continued his campaign of Certamen. It soon became clear that each challenge was more powerful than the last.

Vryce's plan came to fruition in the final months of the war, on a contentious battlefield in the city of Kiev. Vryce appeared, and challenged Grimgroth for his control of the Ceoris council. They drew the Certamen circle, and set upon one another in a flurry of magic and blades. In the end, Vryce emerged wounded, but victorious. Vryce retrieved a talisman from Grimgroth's ashes before vanishing once again.

Even as Vryce dueled Grimgroth, the armies of Ordo laid siege to the Tremere city of Vienna. Hundreds of magi chipped away at the Tremere's wards. The Methuselahs of Deus hammered at the physical structures with unmatched force. Once the wards had fallen, the outer walls offered little resistance. When Vryce re-appeared, he brandished the talisman of the fallen Grimgroth. The Tremere of Vienna surrendered, and Vryce the now-vacant seat on the Ceoris council.

Yet the victory was not without its cost. Adam, Lord of New Constantinople, fell during the battle. The death of their lord severed New Constantinople’s Oaths to the Ordo Trismegistus. Chaos engulfed the city, and all contact with them was lost.

The Sublime Cataclysm

The tides of the war began to turn to their enemy’s favor. The Dischordian lords of prepared a spectacular attack to bring a swift end to the conflict. Sultan Suleiman, a master of spirit magic, led the largest ritual the kingdom had ever seen. New Faith ritualists, students of the Arcane Academy, and a million occultists gathered from all domains aided him. The sky itself bled with the power they summoned. Chunks torn from the spirit realms themselves bombarded Lazarus’ Empire. As each realm struck, it laid waste to thousands of miles of Lazarus' territory. Millions perished in an instant, as the realms destroyed immense swaths of land.

As Europe reeled from Dischordia's devastating attack, Aether seized their chance to cripple both. Cities which had fallen to darkness during the War of Aether bled shadows like an open wound. Abyssal armies swarmed from these tears in reality. Shadow-eaten vampires, spectres, and demons laid waste to surrounding territories. The Aether fought without regard for their own destruction, and inflicted considerable damage.

One such attack consumed the city of New Constantinople, as the Gateway Arch portal unleashed an army of demons and djinn. Citizens fled, only to find the city surrounded by spectral remnants of the Domain of the Dead. They fought a desperate battle but, without their lord's leadership, suffered devastating losses. They carved an opening through the enemy, affording survivors the means to escape

A column of refugees fled, without rest, for the safety of the Society of Deus and the Second City. Their spectral pursuers thinned their numbers with each passing mile. Only a fraction of the refugees survived to reach the safety of the other cities. Each refugee knew that Nothing remained in the city of New Constantinople.

Those refugees who reached the walls of the Society of Deus found it, too, under siege. Many of the outlying cities had already fallen to the endless waves of abyssal enemies. Nul’s forces appeared to take particular delight in slaughtering the city of Saint Cloud... the settlement which housed refugees from the former Domain of the Dead. Yet some of the outer cities were saved, by a great shadowy dragon. Though none can say why, the creature appeared and aided in halting the Aether's advance.

The Twin Cities themselves were well-defended behind their magical, eldritch-green walls. As the Sage Council took up defensive posts, the abyssal threat battered the walls. Deus nobles, known for their arcane studies, unleashed waves of magic to turn back the attacks.

After hours of determined persistence, the first cracks formed in the walls. Black tendrils seeped into the cracks and picked away at the brick. Arcane sigils and wards burned them apart, but the tendrils were without end. The wards finally failed, and a section of the wall crumbled away. Dark fog poured through the streets, reducing anyone it enveloped to mere shadow. As it neared the center of the city, a lone figure floated above the tower.

Through the driving rain, the citizens of the city saw Damien Vryce for the first time in decades. Though the body was not his own, his magic was a telltale sign. At his command, lightning and fire tore into the shadowed army, shredding their forms. When the last of the Aether’s minions had vanished, he vanished once again into an arcane gate.

Treaty of Maelstrom's Rebuke

The war ended one year, to the day, after the events which marked its beginning. Delegates from Dischordia and Lazarus met to solidify a treaty and bring the war to a close. Every kingdom sent diplomats to witness the signing, but each had ulterior motives. Each hoped to see their kingdom's goals reflected in the final document. The Treaty detailed terms of ceasefire, such as returning prisoners and withdrawing troops. Yet it also contained several initiatives which advanced specific agendas.

Despite heavy losses during the final months of the war, Ordo counted the Treaty as a great victory. Though the Treaty demanded the return of conquered territory, it exempted Ordo. It explicitly granted their claim to Vienna, Ceoris, and all attached realms, libraries, and holdings around the world. Ordo was thus the only domain to keep their European holdings. This gave Ordo scholars the unique opportunity to study the newly-fallen realms.