The Code of Hermes

I, Bonisagus, hereby swear my everlasting loyalty to the Order of Hermes and its members.

Bonisagus was the first magus to swear to the Code, so when it is written, his name is used. When the oath is actually taken by someone who is becoming a Hermetic magus, they insert their own name where Bonisagus' name appears here.

I will not deprive nor attempt to deprive any member of the Order of his magical power. I will not slay nor attempt to slay any member of the Order, except in justly executed and formally declared Wizard's War. I hereby understand that Wizard's War is an open conflict between two magi who may slay each other without breaking this oath, and that should I be slain in a Wizard's War, no retribution shall fall on he who slays me.

This is the most important clause in the Code. Note that the magi regard losing one's magical power as even more serious than death. This clause ended the strife that had plagued the wizards in the eighth century. A Wizard's War is carefully defined by the Peripheral Code. Flambeau was largely responsible for including provision for a Wizard's War in the Code.

I will abide by the decisions made by fair vote at the Tribunal. I will have one vote at the Tribunal, and I will use it prudently. I will respect as equal the votes of all others at the Tribunal.

When the Order began, there was only one Tribunal. The Peripheral Code states that this clause refers to all official Hermetic Tribunals. Voting is regulated by sigils. Each magus has one sigil, given to them by their master, and whoever holds a magus' sigil by permission may vote as that magus' proxy at that magus' Tribunal.

I will not endanger the Order through my actions. Nor will I interfere with the affairs of mundanes and thereby bring ruin upon my sodalis. I will not deal with devils, lest I imperil my soul and the souls of my sodalis as well. I will not molest the faeries, lest their vengeance catch my sodalis also.

This vital clause has been variously interpreted through the years. At first it was taken to mean that magi must not interfere at all in mortal affairs. Such a stipulation, however, has proved to be infeasible, especially as the mortal population has grown. Now it is interpreted to mean that only those interferences that could result in retribution are prohibited. The prohibition against dealing with devils, however, is still strictly enforced. The corruption of House Tytalus in the tenth century has made Hermetic magi so afraid of Hell that even talking with demons can be ruled a punishable offense. House Merinita has tried to enforce the provision against molesting faeries, but faerie lands provide such large sources of raw vis that, again, this prohibition extends only to those offenses that endanger the Order or a significant number of magi.

I will not use magic to scry upon members of the Order of Hermes, nor shall I use it to peer into their affairs.

This clause prevents magi from reading each others' minds, using clairvoyance spells to look into each others' sancta, and generally using spells that gain information about other magi. All these spells, of course, may be used with the permission of the magus being "spied" on, but such permission may not be forced, even through certamen. The Quaesitoris, however, can exercise their right to spy on magi when the safety of the Order or its members is in question. Other magi resent this use of their power, so the Quaesitoris do not use this right often (or at least do not let themselves get caught at it).

I will train apprentices who will swear to this Code, and should any of them turn against the Order and my sodalis, I shall be the first to strike them down and bring them to justice. No apprentice of mine shall be called magus until he first swears to uphold this Code.

Technically, this provision includes a promise to train apprentices, so that those who do not do so are in violation of the oath. This interpretation, however, is not enforced. Still, magi do see training apprentices as a duty to be performed even if one will not personally profit from it. The only restriction this provision now imposes is that all apprentices must become Hermetic magi. The Peripheral Code outlines what is seen as fair and unfair treatment of apprentices.

I concede to Bonisagus the right to take my apprentice if he should find my apprentice valuable to him in his studies.

This clause was not spoken by Bonisagus, nor is it spoken by his followers. The Peripheral Code rules that the followers of Bonisagus have the same right as he did to take the apprentices of others.

I shall further the knowledge of the Order and share with its members all that I find in my search for wisdom and power.

Of the Founders, only Bonisagus spoke this provision, and now only his followers take this part of the oath. This clause compensates the other magi for the apprentices taken by Bonisagus and his followers.

I request that, should I break this oath, I be cast out of the Order. If I am cast out, I ask my sodalis to find me and slay me that my life may not continue in degradation and infamy.

This clause underscores the importance of following the Code. Those who break the Code can be Renounced, in which case a Wizards' March is called against the offender.

The enemies of the Order are my enemies. The friends of the Order are my friends. The allies of the Order are my allies. Let us work as one and grow hale and strong.

This unenforceable provision was an attempt to unify the magi. In practice, magi make their own enemies and friends, and the Order is generally divided as to who qualifies as enemy, friend, and ally. Even though this provision is not enforced or universally followed, it remains as the ideal within the Order.

This oath I hereby swear on the third day of Pisces, in the nine hundred and fifth year of Aries. Woe to they who try to tempt me to break this oath, and woe to me if I succumb to the temptation.

Bonisagus took the oath on February 21st, A.D. 767, which is the third day of Pisces in the nine hundred and fifth year of Aries, according to Hermetic reckoning. Hermetic astrologers place the Age of Aries as beginning in 139 B.C. Each new magus states the current date in place of this one as they take the oath. It is traditional to use the astrological date, rather than the common one.