House Diedne
(DEED-nay)

Motto: Beata Terra beata omnia eam servant  (Blessed be Earth and all who serve her).

Symbol: A triskele (A wheel with three curved spokes dividing it into equal portions.  Each section represents a member of the Druidic trinity of Earth, Man, and Otherworld).

"Then, we will join your `Order of Hermes', entering into the protection of you and yours.  We will teach you all you are ready to know, and learn your style of magic, but we will always remain ourselves, separate, yet within the whole."

- Diedne's covenant with Bonisagus upon forming House Diedne.

"I welcome you to the Order of Hermes, amicus, and pledge the protection of myself, my filia, and the Order to the House Diedne."

- Bonisagus, welcoming Diedne to the Order

Diedne magi serve two Orders: the Order of Hermes and the Order of the Wise, the order of Druids into which they are initiated after finishing their nineteen year apprenticeships and completing their apprentice's gauntlet.  Never more than nominally Hermetic, that trait has become more pronounced in recent years, in the years following the Schism War.

History

After the defeat of Vercingetorix in 52 BC, Caesar began a violent campaign of suppression against the Druids of Gaul, a persecution which spread with the Empire.  Because the Romans were unable to conquer Ireland and Scotland, these lands became a haven for Druids fleeing Roman persecution.  Some Druids, having kin in Germany also fled to those lands, eventually blending into the local population.
It was from these Gaulish refugees in Germany that Diedne descended.  Blessed with visions, she knew upon sighting Bonisagus that her future lay with this man.  However, the Chief Druid, after listening to Bonisagus, would have nothing to do with this Roman Wizard or his Roman Order.  Diedne spoke at length with Bonisagus, learning what his hopes for the Order were.  Diedne tried to convince the Chief Druid to join the Order, but still he would have nothing to do with the Romans.  Diedne left with Bonisagus, taking half the tribe's Druids with her.
Diedne's followers spread across Celtia bringing many Druids into the House, soon one of the largest in the Order.  Unlike the other non-Roman House, Bjornaer, the split between the Druids who joined and those who didn't was largely amicable, and initiates would be sent to the Magi of Diedne for some of their training.  The House was always concerned with teaching those around them,  from the proper time to plant and harvest to the ways of the natural world.  This continued for nearly two hundred and fifty years, until the advent of the Schism War.
House Diedne remained true to its Druidic roots, even as members of the Order.  Training of apprentices was slightly modified to accommodate the magical systems of Bonisagus, but they were still trained in Druidic magic and ceremonies.  Often living in covenants made up only of their own House, they continued the practice of Druidism out of sight of the other Houses.  When the corruption of House Tytalus was revealed, their paganism worked against them in an Order largely made up of those raised Christian.
The infamous Prima Tribunal then occurred.  During a heated argument, Archmagus Ailean publicly and viciously insulted the Primus of Tremere.  When the quaesitoris began their mad hunt for diabolists, the House resisted, knowing that their private rituals, though not diabolic, would not stand the scrutiny of outsiders.
For six years, the house managed to put off the quaesitoris.  Still angry at the insult, and more certain than ever that the Pagan Magi were diabolists, House Tremere declared a Wizard's War on House Diedne.  House Guernicus retroactively sanctioned this breach of precedent, and House Flambeau happily joined the slaughter.  The lineage of Bonisagus, sworn to defend the Magi of Diedne, did nothing to stop the War.  Merinita and Ex Miscellanea provided covert support, knowing that suspicion would next fall on them, while Bjornaer simply tried to survive this decade of magical violence.
Every Diedne covenant, from their Domus magna in the Normandy tribunal to the smallest hamlet covenant was destroyed.  Of the one hundred and six magi of Diedne, a mere five survived, two having completed their gauntlet only days before the violence began.  The survivors fled to Scotland, where the Order, especially Tremere and Flambeau, was weak.
Of the five, one wanted nothing more to do with the Order.  She had completed her gauntlet only recently, and retired to a small village, where she acted as the local wise woman until her death.  Llewellyn was burning with revenge, so he and his filius, Fearghus, prevailed upon the fae to enter Arcadia and have not been seen since.  The final magi, Briga and Menua, each quietly entered the House Ex Miscellanea as aonaranan (hermit magi).They were fortunately moderately experienced already, and each soon found new apprentices.  Now, two hundred and eight years after the Schism War, House Ex Miscellanea unknowingly contains twelve magi of the House Diedne and the Order of the Wise.

Notable Magi of Diedne

Diedne: Founder of the House, she was distrusted by all the First Primi, save Bjornaer and Bonisagus, for her non-Roman origins.

Ailean: Fiery Scottish Archmage whose insult to Primus Cercistum of Tremere precipitated the Schism War.

Briga and Menua: Today called the Second Founders of House Diedne, theirs are the only Diedne lineages left on Earth.

Current Status

Membership: Twelve

Domus magna: None.  The old Domus magna, near the great Cathedral of Chartres in the Normandy tribunal, was completely destroyed in the Schism War.  Only one wall, no more than five feet high, remains.  The only covenant of the House is registered to House Ex Miscellanea, and is largely ignored.  Should the House ever be re-accepted, the Covenant at Snowdon will likely be the Domus magna.

Primus: Anivair, filius of Menua

Current concerns: The remaining magi are interested in avoiding detection by the Order.  Although one covenant of five magi exists in Wales (all five descendants of Briga, who agreed to try to bring back the days before the War), all others are either hermit magi, spread throughout the British Isles and Gaul.  Though they were once strong there, the Diedne have not returned to Iberia for fear of attracting the attention of the Reconquista.

As always, they are concerned with maintaining both Orders.  They are a religious group, practicing the eight major ceremonies of the year with their non-hermetic brethren and instructing the people of their lands in maintaining the balance of nature.  The lands around the Snowdon covenant are now clandestinely Druidic.

No one may enter the House Diedne save through apprenticeships and apprentices are chosen very carefully.  The Druidic training of Diedne Magi is altered somewhat, allowing them to incorporate Hermetic magic.  As such, normal druids have trouble entering the House after their own initiations.  Many have Exceptional talents or innate magical abilities.

Magi of Diedne

Starting Abilities:  Speak own Language (Scots or Irish Gaelic, Welsh or Breton) 5, Speak Latin 3, Scribe Latin 2, Parma Magica 3, Magic Theory 4, Scribe Ogham 4, Storytelling 2, Organization Lore (House Diedne) 3, Druidic Theology (as normal theology, but following the tenets of Druidism) 3, Artes Liberales 2, Philosophiae 2,  Medicine 2, Legend Lore 1

Starting Experience Points: Equal to age

Note that while this may seem to be a lot of abilities, their apprenticeships are four and a half years longer than standard to account for this.  Also, Diedne Magi can use Storytelling in place of Disputatio to teach students.

Required Flaw: Diedne Magic (Hermetic Flaw -1)

Having learned magic from one of the decedents of the druids your magic works differently from hermetic magic. When casting spontaneous spells you always add the stress die value after the spontaneous Magic sum is divided. On the other hand when researching or studying standard formulaic spells (though not rituals or spells designed to incorporate Druidic magic) your Form score is treated as a requisite of the Technique. For example if you are researching the spell Eyes of the Cat, MuCo 10, Req: An, and your scores are, Int +3, Magic Theory +6, Aura +4, Muto +6, Corpus +8, Animal 12 and Magic Affinity(Corpus) +3, your total is (3+6+4+6)= 19 and the spell takes you two seasons to invent. However if you had the Affinity in Muto your score would have been (3+6+4+6+3)= 22 and you invent the spell in one season.   Formulaic spells designed by Diedne magi can be cast by normal Hermetic magi, but have the same effect of normal spells on Diedne magi (the Form being a prerequisite for the Technique).

Common Virtues and Flaws

Life-linked Spontaneous Magic (+3): The Druidic blood magic has changed, but members of Diedne's house have always had a natural ability for both it and spontaneous magic.
Hedge Wizard (-1): As members of Ex Miscellanea, most members of the Winter House (as they refer to themselves now) are branded Hedge Wizards.
Old (-3): The longer apprenticeships of Diedne magi often lead to apprentices passing their gauntlets rather late in life.
Any exceptional Talent (varies): Magi of this house tend to select apprentices with some natural talents, and work to nurture these abilities through their apprenticeships.
True Faith (+3): True Faith for members of this House is Druidic in nature, rather than in the Christian god.
Visual Eidetic Memory (+3): Most members of the House have Eidetic Memories
Dark Secret (-1)

Mentality of a Diedne Magus

As a descendant of Briga, you are likely to see it as your duty to rebuild the House Diedne.  For now, that means hiding within the House Miscellanea and combating the official history with the true history of your House.  It also means choosing your apprentices carefully and training them fully in the history of the house.
As a descendant of Menua, your job is to rediscover the ancient secrets of House Diedne.  That means travelling to non-Hermetic Druids and learning to combine the traditions, as well as combing the libraries of Hermetic covenants for information that may have been hidden there.

Priorities of a Descendant of Briga

1) Remain undiscovered
2) Train new apprentices
3) Rebuild House Diedne

Priorities of a Descendant of Menua

1) Remain undiscovered
2) Re-learn the secrets of House Diedne
3) Train new apprentices

Outlook

Bjornaer: We do not blame them for their lack of help during our Winter.  Their magic is interesting, and they understand that self-control is the first aspect of guiding nature.

Bonisagus: Where were you?  Does the word of your founder mean nothing?

Criamon: They contemplate their own navels so much that they forget that the rest of the world has bellies.

Ex Miscellanea: Because of their non-Roman origins, these are the future of the Order.  They still know that a word is a bond.

Flambeau: In their haste to destroy, they forget that whatever is destroyed grows back.

Jerbiton: They see that mundanes deserve the fruits of our knowledge.  Those that know should teach those that don't.

Mercere: They know more than they let on.  They may know our secret, but they will protect it, for they keep the Houses together.

Merinita:  Our friends. they understand nature, but they revere what we only respect.

Quaesitor: The Law can change with time, but in their zeal to enforce it, they forgot the Law should be enforced equally.  Where were their inquiries into Tremere, or Bonisagus, or themselves?

Tremere: They try to control what should be led.

Tytalus: Conflict is just another side of peace, but they don't see that.

Verditius: Tools are important, and perhaps through them we can bring magic to the mundanes.

The Church: In their obsession with death, they forget that life is eternal and continuous.

Nobility: We try to avoid them, for their gossip could undo us.

Commoners: We have close ties to those who are close to the Earth.  Too bad most of them have fallen under the sway of a Church that preaches only rigidity and death, rather than Law and Life.

Faeries: These spirits are wise, and must be respected.

Intra-house Relations

Within the House, the word of the Primus is law.  Otherwise, you are to respect the opinion of everyone, from apprentice to Archmagus, but the ultimate responsibility for your actions is your own.  Maintaining your Druidic heritage is important, as it helps to bind us together.  Practice the rituals of the seasons, but avoid discovery.  Should either the Church or the Order discover your existence, you'll be cut off from the House, sacrificing a limb to save the body.
One area where all are united within the House is how to deal with the possible return of Llewelyn.  Should he and his filius return, they will avoid contacting him, as his still-fresh desire for revenge would wreck their carefully laid plans to grow and survive.  It is accepted that, in leaving the House in the dark days after the War, he forfeited his rights as Primus, and will be given only minimal aid by the House.

Druids, The True Empyrean, and Pious Diedne

Note: This section is based off my own views of the Mythic Europe paradigm.  My interpretation may not match with yours.

All members of House Diedne are Druids.  At the end of the nineteen and a half year apprenticeship, an initiate is taken for his gauntlet to a nearby circle of Druids.  Snowdon is a common choice, as there are sufficient Druids there to conduct the ceremony, but they are welcome at any of the few groves within Mythic Europe.
The ceremony itself, and what happens during it, is a closely held secret, but it is known that no apprentice fails and survives.  One either becomes a magus or dies.  If the new magus survives, there is a great feast with all the Druids in the area.  All magi come away from the ceremony changed.  They no longer fear death, but they relish life.  A few Druids come away remembering living before, finally understanding some aspects of their lives that have always blessed or plagued them.  Some Diedne do not make longevity potions, since they no longer fear death.  Many more opt to start a family before taking the potion.  In fact, all of the senior Diedne today have spouses and children, some who are also Diedne or Druids (few initiates opt to learn Bonisagus's magic).
Druids have a deep connection to the Source, a more mystical aspect of the True Empyrean.  As such, their consecrated areas possess Divine auras.  The Divine Auras of Druid groves, however, act on magical powers much the same way as Faerie auras, adding half their rating to a magus's magical endeavors.  To faeries, the aura acts as a mundane area, neither afflicting or helping them.  It still has standard effects on Divine (whether Christian or pagan) and Infernal powers, however.
While followers of Druidism worship individual gods, the Druids themselves recognize the gods as merely faces of the Source.  Taranis the Thunderer in Gaul, Teuates, the god of the tribe, and The Dagda of Ireland are all aspects of the Source, and an important way of understanding the world.
To Druids, the soul is immortal, but in a different way than in the Christian tradition.  A soul is reborn an infinite number of times, a life of grandeur being followed by a life of ignominy.  Some Diedne have recognized people they once knew, and found that they share many of the same interests and style as they had previously, and that friendships and loves continue past death.
Druids respect nature, the fae, the mundanes, and even the Church.  While they may not like them, they even respect the Infernal minions as a natural and needed balance on the powers of the True Empyrean.  In their cosmology, the Shadow is the balance between the Dark and the Light, two equal forces in a dynamic balance.  Neither is to be shunned, but neither is to be embraced as the only way.  They have discovered that a balanced land is a healthy land, and as such attempt to keep the balance, since all are tied to the land.
To the Druids, everything is bound into a pattern.  By observing the patterns in nature, they can learn important lessons.  They observe the greater patterns of nature, such as lunar and tidal cycles, as well as the lesser patterns in bird flights andfalling leaves.  People who follow their pattern are considered lucky, and those who don't, unlucky.
Sacrifice is one of the Druidic ways of keeping the balance.  While rituals, feasts, and other workings are the first option, sacrifice is used as a last resort.  Most sacrifices are animal, propriating the Otherworld (in the mythic cosmology, the True and Ash Empyreans) and trying to keep the land healthy and the cycles of nature continuing on their normal path.  However, human sacrifice is used in rare occasions, and is the most sacred of rites.  While an animal’s spirit may please the Source, a human soul, knowing the importance of the rite, can go to his death willingly in order to protect the land and people.  Offering flesh and blood in a sacred tribute, it obligates the Source to give an equal gift in turn.  Most human sacrifices are condemned criminals, though some go willingly, often those nearing the end of their current life.
Because of their connection to the True Empyrean, Diedne magi can become Pious Magi, though the process is slightly different for them.  To date, there has been one Pious Diedne, and his name is long since lost to history.
The first act is that of hermitage.  The magus must leave all his possessions behind save for a robe and a sickle made of gold.  They leave for a secluded area, spending their time in meditation and the honest labor needed to survive.  No one may accompany the magus, but he may not refuse aid to any who need it.  During this time, they are barred from using Hermetic magic, though exceptional talents, natural abilities and the subtle magic of the Druids may still be used.  Note that they retain their Hermetic Arts, and can return to them at any time, thus admitting defeat and being forced to start over.  During this time, they will be sorely tempted to throw themselves out of balance, and more than one magus has fallen by the wayside due to this period.
At a certain point in their meditations, they begin to forget their Hermetic life.  He spends less and less time on his physical needs, finding the pattern of the world infinitely engrossing, and fearing to move and disturb it, finding the Harmony in the pattern.  They lose track of time, performing on final Samhain (October 31st) ritual before slipping into a coma.  In this coma, they meditate on the pattern and their place in it.  For all intents and purposes, they die until Imbolc (February 2nd), when they awaken.  After enacting the Imbolc ritual, the magus understands his place in the world and Empyreans and can begin to move without fear of disrupting it.  At this point, the begin to relearn their Hermetic Arts.
Now, all of the abilities and restrictions of a Pious magus become manifest, with a few minor alterations.  The ethos they must uphold with their abilities is that of the Druids, not of the Catholic Church.  As such, their magic focuses on returning things to their proper place in nature, be it bringing down someone who rose above himself or combating demons, who try to entice people to forsake themselves.    Also inherent in this is the idea that people must be free to follow their own pattern, so they act to bring down oppressive lords and stop forcible conversions.
Since their abilities are Druidic rather than Christian, Archangel Lore is replaced by the special knowledge called Aura Lore (exclusive to Pious magi of Druidic persuasion).  A successful Aura Lore + quality die roll against a difficulty equal to three times equal to the area's aura rating allows the Pious Magus to use the aura of the area in the most beneficial way (as if his powers were Infernal in nature in an Infernal aura, for example).  In mundane areas, the score is a straight bonus to all magical activity that helps bring people to their proper place, as well as all magic used in teaching.

Magic

Diedne magic have little focus for their magical abilities as a House.  Individually, they tend to concentrate on one or two Techniques and three or four Forms, but parens try to teach a balanced program to their apprentices.  As such, many magi begin with scores of 3 in all the Arts before they are allowed to follow their own inclinations (thus fulfilling the needs of both balance and individual pattern).
The Magi of Diedne once had a huge repertoire of unusual spells, but the war destroyed most of them.  Neither Menua or Briga were outstanding wizards, so they knew little of the special magics.  It is likely that the only living mages to know these spells are the Lost Llewelyn and his filius.
Normally, this section would include an NPC and ideas for using the House in a Saga.  Given the rarity of the house, an NPC would lessen the ability of a Storyguide to control his world, and the use of House Diedne will likely be based around something more deliberate.
This text contains many trademarks owned by Atlas Games.  The use of these trademarks are in no way intended as a challenge to their ownership.  The flaw of "Diedne Magic" was created by an unrevealed source and was taken from the Library of Evermere.  The actual text of this piece, as well as many of concepts, are copyright 1998 by Mark Hall.  Do not reproduce without permission, save for your personal use and the use of your Troupe.

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