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The Fellowship of the Secret Word is a Tradition chantry located in the city of Prospect, California. The fellowship is a society of will workers hailing mostly from the Order of Hermes but is open to any Tradition mage with an allied paradigm. Besides advancing the Hermetic agenda on the West Coast, the Fellowship pursues Ascension through academic and occult influence, self-mastery, art and craftsmanship, and the preservation of the Dreaming and the Fae.
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Members
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The Magi
The Apprentices
The Consors
Members Emeritus
Members Deceased
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Membership and Tutelage
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Admission Policy
- Admission - Fellowship of the Secret Word is primarily recruits from the Order of Hermes at large but mages from other Traditions with related affinities are encouraged to apply as well. Prospective members should have backgrounds in religious/mysticism (clerical, scholarly or artistic), the creation of Wonders, exploration of the spirit worlds, academic or scholarship, an interest in languages, preservation of knowledge through the written word and/or translation, or a connection to the ancient Egypt, the Amenti, the Fae or shifters (particularly Bubasti).
- We also accept consors of every type though vampires are probably not a good fit.
- Orphans are generally not accepted unless they can demonstrate not only compatibility but also a rigorous praxis, discipline, and a desire towards Ascension. Special consideration for Orphans who are actively pursuing Ascension, have an allied paradigm, ideals or vision, a relationship to one of our affinity groups (e.g. Changelings, Amenti, Bubasti), and/or they are petitioning to or are willing to petition to join one of the Nine Traditions.
- Apprentices - Students wishing to be admitted as apprentices are at the discretion of the Primus and their prospective mater, pater or mentor. Students are evaluated based on merit, scholarly or artistic acumen, magical promise, and most importantly, endurance.
- Magi -Tradition magi are evaluated for harmony of goals and ideas, standing within their tradition and the council community as a whole, status, magical prowess, destiny, scholarly acumen, and their vision for the future of the chantry. Magi must also pass an interview or examination that the Primus deems fitting.
- Tuition
- Apprentices - The chantry has an endowment so tuition is waved for most students. Those needing a Sleeper cover are granted scholarship to graduate programs at UC Prospect. Apprentices are expected to perform reasonable service for the chantry. Generally, this is menial work the magi have little time for.
- Magi - Magi are expected to contribute to the health, wealth and well being of the chantry in a way that is reasonable for them. The Fellowship recognizes that each mage has different gifts and will contribute in a different manner. All members are expected to uphold the chantry's values, security, and integrity.
Disciplinary Code
- Honor, integrity and subtlety are the watch words of chantry accord.
- Apprentices - High standards of behavior are applied to apprentices, particularly Hermetic apprentices who's success or failure reflects on their mater or pater. Regardless of the tradition apprentices are expected to abide by the rules and restrictions placed on them by their mentor and the primus. Apprentices can be expected to be disciplined by their mentor.
- Hermetics - Are expected to follow the Code of Hermes and Peripheral Corrigenda plus the Protocols as well as internal chantry policies. Disciplinary action against Hermetics are taken solely by the Primus or the ranking Hermetic of their House in the area.
- Magi & Consors - Are bound by the Protocols as well as internal chantry policies. Disciplinary action against magi are taken solely by the Primus. Should a mage's crime fall outside the chantry's purview the offending mage is turned over to the ranking member of their tradition in Prospect.
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Nodes
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- Oasis of Serket - A secreted oasis somewhere in Egypt that houses a long forgotten temple to the consort of Horus. The node is a reedy pool with an outcropping of rocks that holds the ruins of the temple. Tass comes in the form of Great Sand Sea glass. The Oasis of Serket also serves as a sacred place where the Amenti can refresh themselves.
- The Cornero Vault - An abandoned Prohibition Era hooch vault rumored to have been owned by mobster bootleggers, Frank and Tony Cornero. Tass seems to like to accumulate in the booze stored in the vault so it needs to be kept well stocked.
Chantry Description
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Earthly manifestations
- Feather of Maat Books - A bookstore housed in a dilapidated storefront on E St. and Third Ave. While not as well known as Prospect Roasters, those with Lore Mage (2+) would learn that the book store is a safe contact point for the Traditions in Prospect as well as the Order of Hermes.
- Off The Record - An independent, coffee house and record shop locally owned and run by Magus John Balance. Those with Lore Changeling (2+) would know the shop serves as the chantry's outward contact point for gifted Kinain and Kith. Those with Lore Mage (3+) would know that it is also a contact point for House Merinita, the enigmatic fae mages of the Order of Hermes.
- The Glass House - Purchased in 2014, the Glass House is the heart of the covenant. This modern, minimalist mansion's construction is inspired equally by Frank Lloyd Wright, Bauhaus and the monuments of ancient Egypt.
- The Per-ankh - "House of Life" is the wizard's cleverly hidden on the grounds of the Glass House. The Per-ankh contains the chantry's magical might; libraries, sanctums and a shared temple space for group workings.
- UC Prospect - The chantry has a very discreet presence on the UC Prospect campus via Primus Stella Amunet. The primus is the chair of the School of Anthropology and recruits heavily from her students.
- District Grand Lodge of Cairo - The chantry keeps a base of operation in a former Masonic lodge in Cairo, Egypt. To the Sleeper world they are simply assumed to be Rite of Memphis Free Masonry. The true purpose is to assist the Amenti and to attend to the religious and political affairs of House Shaea.
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Purpose
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Purpose
- The chantry is a college chantry. It's primary purpose is to seek Ascension through the promulgation and tutelage of magic. Since it's inception it serves as the unofficial contact point between mages and the fae and works closely with the Amenti and the Bubasti in a manner harkening back to the Osirian League.
History
- The Fellowship was founded by Maga Stella Amunet bani Shaea, maigister scholae of the Order of Hermes in 2012 as a college chantry. Primus Amunet founded the chantry after leaving the now defunct Queen Anne's Lodge in New York. With the help of Maga Josephine bani Shaea the covenant was established in the building that houses Feather of Maat Books. The covenant was briefly located in a mansion procured by Magus Alexander. Determined to find a stable chapterhouse to grow the chantry's library After his death, Primus Amunet purchased the Glass House where the chantry now resides. Since then the chantry has secured nodes, increased it's library and continues to train apprentices.
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Inhabitants
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Custos
- Cult & Apprentices - Primus Amunet oversees a series of sororities at UC Prospect and sororal alumni societies from which she draws the chantry's apprentices. Even those not on track for apprenticeship are versed enough in the ways of magic to assist with important magical rites. White robed apprentices can be seen about the house performing menial work or studying in the library.
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Internal Structure and Relations
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Internal Structure
- There are four ranks
- Neophyte - Probationary recruits who have not yet been initiated into the chantry proper but are being considered for apprentices. Usually they are unaware of the true nature of the chantry and are often drawn from personal or chantry cults.
- Neophytes have limited access to mentors via recruitment cults or society. They are fed a steady diet of veiled occult secrets intended to lead them out of the false maze of illusion and into the light of the true Art.
- Apprentice - Apprentices who have been selected or assigned to a mentor in the chantry. They are fully aware of it's nature and are pursuing Awakening, True Magic and Ascension. They are not full members of the chantry.
- Apprentices have intensive relationships with their mater/pater or mentor. At first, apprentices are given very little personal freedom but as they progress their independence is increased. Ideally, they will Awaken but in reality few will actually do so. Those who demonstrate mastery of linear magic may advance to Magus/Maga rank, albeit more slowly.
- Apprentices are given limited and supervised access to the chantry libraries. Tass and laboratory time may be granted to them at the discretion of their mentor.
- Magus/Maga - Full members of the chantry. Either advanced sorcerers or fully Awakened magi. Magi are expected to work towards Ascension and the chantry's role within it (in their own fashion), assist with the day to day running of the chantry (including security), maintain a discreet presence among the Sleepers, and be in good standing with both their tradition and the Traditions as a whole. Magi are strongly encouraged to either take apprentices or teach current apprentices under the supervision of their mentor.
- Magi are given full access to the chantry library, a personal laboratory or sanctum, and access to shared Nodes and the Tass produced as befits their Hermetic rank (or non-Hermetic equivalent there of).
- Primus - Currently the chantry is lead solely by the primus with extensive input from the magi rank. Ultimately, however, decisions are made by the primus.
External Relations
- Status: 3 - Prior to the Avatar Storm the Fellowship wouldn't merit much attention but the Awakened community is in a period of renewal leaving room for new chantries to gain a reputation. The Fellowship is a small chantry who's research capacity is well respected but lacks the magical might to contend with larger, older chantries. Of the chantries founded since the Avatar Storm it is one of the rising stars West Coast star.
- Reputation: 2
- Aloof - The chantry is on friendly enough terms locally but remains aloof preferring to seek Ascension in it's own way rather than mingling with Traditionalists more broadly. The prominence of Primus Amunet among the Hermetics and the fact that it draws it's majority membership from her tradition has forged a reputation that the chantry is closed to other traditions. While this is not the case it is a rumor that the chantry cannot shake. Few non-Hermetics have been admitted and given how selective the primus seems to be perhaps there is some truth to it?
- Circumspect - Primus Amunet holds her chantry close and is more conservative (some say paranoid) about Sleepers or enemy intrusions into the nature of the chantry. Her attitudes have rubbed off on the rest of the chantry giving it a reputation of being unfriendly to outsiders.
- Boring - Did I say BORING?! The Fellowship is known to put scholarship above celebration. They don't host parties. There are no adult film performers among them. None of them plays guitar like Ziggy Stardust. If there have been legendary deeds beyond multiple PhDs and summers off from school they aren't talking. The bookshop is run by a cranky old wizard and the record store is owned by a curmudgeonly punk. Prospect has a bit of a party culture that the Fellowship seems to disdain, in fact some of them seem to even delight in going against the grain. In short, they don't make trouble but they also aren't all that much fun to be around.
- Math Is Hard - Studying with the Fellowship is hard. While the mentors invest deeply in their students the curriculum is extremely difficult and many simply do not have the academic temperament or mental endurance to pass the many scholastic puzzles, magical tests and punishing examinations. More than a few apprentices have washed out and sought tutelage elsewhere. Those that have managed to graduate garner a deal of scholarly prestige among the Awakened and are sought after for their magical prowess and academic expertise.
- Policy Regarding Outsiders
- Primus Amunet has strict rules regarding outsiders. The chantry's physical location is a secret known only to chantry members. Outsiders are to be dealt with elsewhere regardless of how friendly they are. While an open secret among the Traditions, Amunet is discreet when discussing magic or the supernatural at the shop. The chantry takes pains to remain unknown to Sleepers and to only engage in aggressive action when provoked.
- Alles and Enemies
- The chantry has allies among the fae, the Bubasti and the Amenti.
- If the chantry has enemies they aren't telling...
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Research Capacity
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- The Per-ankh is a rising center of magical learning. The chantry pride's itself on the freedom it allows it's members in their research. Magi in good standing are allowed to pursue their Gift and Ascension in any way they see fit so long as these pursuits do not rouse the attention of enemies or cause permanent damage to the chantry assets or reputation.
- The chantry's library is it's pride and jewel. Simply referred to as the House of Life it is a rich and deep collection of texts, some of them exceedingly rare.
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