Recently my brother introduced a storyline where three "Hermetic Wonders of the World" are endangered and only our covenant can save the day!
This got me thinking, what in the name of Hermes, is a Hermetic Wonder of the World?
Conveniently, my brother has left it to other GM's to solve this crisis (and detail the wonders).
I thought I would bring the question to the board to see what the lot of you might imagine.
I'll begin.
First I suspect my brother means items or places created by Hermetic Magi. So while there is no correct answer, I will also say mystic sites that are Pre-Hermetic or not Hermetic don't count.
Second, spells don't count either because the wonder is at risk at being destroyed and I don't know how you can destory a spell like Aegis of the Hearth.
Ok finally to narrow the parameters even more I want to divide this into two categories. Canon, and Non-Canon. I suspect that Canon will be much more difficult to imagine as the Order of Hermes doesn't seem to focus on 'great works'.
Here's my Canon list:
The Grave of the Arch Magi.
The Golden Ship (it's from an OLD magazine I think)
Calebois
Coeris, while not as impressive as Caleobis the book makes it sound cool and it may merit being on the list.
After this, I'm having a hard time thinking of Canon material that is truely exceptional. As for non-Canon stuff, I'll just be curious to hear what many of you list.
I'd imagine this to be stuff made from several magi working together, typically enchanted items (as they need to be permanent), and of an immense magnitude... (An enchanted diamod with a lvl 200 spell?)
It could also be stuff from experiments (that no-one have been able to recreate), or botches (gone "right", like an undying aegis of the heart).
I would think many of the Domus Magnae would fit into this category.
But if you are bent on focusing on purely "hermetic sites", I suspect the list will be short. But hermetic magic weren't created in a vacume, pre-hermetic sites were important to them, so I wouldn't se a problem with including them as "hermetic wonders".
I know it's a cop-out, but I think it's pretty much a given that the Seven Wonders of the World included mystic elements, making them Mystic Wonders of the World, too.
Here are two sites I feel are worth mentioning:
Although a pre-hermetic site the Portus Herculis, described in "The Mythic Seas" p. 46 is a great asset for the order as many Grogs of exceptional strength and stamina are recruited from this location. Perhaps it is in danger of losing it's powers due to an increasing Divine aura.
Acording to legend Hermes created a huge magical city named Adocentyn that has never been found by the order. Perhaps the order has found a gateway leading to this city but has never been able to open it. This gateway might perhaps be treatened.
What about a pyramid? But not just any pyramid - a flying one!
Crafted from seamless gleaming white stone with a golden capstone - and filled with excitement / mystery / danger.
Maybe created by an ancient Terrae-mage and written about by Guernicus (thus being considered Hermetic as it has origins with a true lineage, is mercurian, etc.)
Because I've been thinking about it while planning my next game the Axis mundi in the cave of twisting shadows definately should qualify. (From Sanctuary of Ice)