Incantationes
Key Facts
- Favored Tribunals: Western Mythic Europe
- Major Non-Hermetic Virtue: Lore of the Dead (Hooks p.29)
- Minor Hermetic Virtue: Mystical Choreography
- Major Hermetic Flaw: Necessary Condition (Touching Grimoire)
History
There are many minor traditions of necromancy throughout Mythic Europe, most origin lies within chthonic cults which predates Christ. The Order is familiar with many of them, most are beneath their notice and those that aren’t are either invited to House Ex Miscellanea or considered enemies.
One of these traditions are the Incantationes. Though the traditions' ancient history and more precise origin is rather obscure and not properly recorded. The tradition has however been very meticulously recorded in more recent years. This is due to the tradition having moved from ancient deep crypt to the spreading and influential monasteries.
The necromancers of Incantationes made monasteries their home for many reasons. Firstly, it served as a place where even a Gifted individual could be treated well. Secondly, the monasteries handle their own affairs and external powers have little influence in the daily affairs. Thirdly monasteries are a centre for books and knowledge, something vital for any wizard. This has the further advantage of book production not being viewed as suspicious. Lastly, being literate has become so vital for the tradition that seeking apprentices that have already begun learning Latin and Artes Liberales is a great boon.
Before being discovered by the Order in the 11th century the tradition was very obscure. A sort of secret brotherhood loosely connected in the complex network of sister and mother monasteries. The necromancers would greedily seek out the monasteries’ libraries for grimoires. These books containing spells, charms and Incantationes of powerful beings were the tradition’s source of insight into magic. They tried to recreate the complex ceremonies written down with limited success. The Incantationes wrote down the ceremonies which worked into new grimoires who were traded between different members.
The magi who introduced Incantationes to House Ex Miscellanea was a few years afterward march on charges of diabolism. It has been suggested that he accidently encountered the tradition while searching for grimoires containing names of powerful demons.
Culture
The Incantationes has always been a highly literate tradition, relying on books to teach the following generations. This was extra vital before the Parma since the Gift is a big hindrance to teaching. Each apprentice is tasked with writing a grimoire. Contenting ceremonies their parens himself has written down in his. Apprentices are encouraged to seek new ceremonies to add to their grimoire, but this is no easy task. The tradition of taking apprentices from monasteries still persists, even if many members now live at covenants rather than monasteries.
Characters
Characters hailing from this tradition are usually focused on non-corporal necromancy. Binding and contacting ghosts. Many have a Magical Focus in some aspect of necromancy. Mentem focus is exceedingly common. Puissant Artes Liberales is a common virtue, so is educated. Flaws resulting from monasteries are also common. Pious and Failed Monk are examples. Social Contact (Monks) is useful for finding apprentices and new grimoires.
Having been confined to Dominion auras and still having to cast spells had forced the tradition to become experts in Ceremonial Magic, they can put these practices into use in Hermetic Magic as well resulting in the Mystical Choreography virtue. The Necessary Condition (Touching Grimoire) is a result of the importance of constructing during the characters’ apprenticeship. Though the character must touch a grimoire it need not be his own, the grimoire need not even necessarily be from the Incantationes tradition. Hermetic books on spell mastery have even worked.