As we're pushing into a really incredible number of stretch goals, we've decided to open up "Marketplace" stretch goals that unlock new Add-Ons. The first is the metal Ordo Hermae Medallions handcrafted by Atlas Games president John Nephew. You can find those in the Add-Ons tab now!
Vim Vis Tokens
Also, note we have similar but smaller "Vim Vis Tokens" on our webstore, made of recycled plastic, for a much lower price. These tokens are made to each represent one pawn of vim vis. We make them one at a time with our benchtop injection molder, using a mold that John hand carved from aluminum with a dremel tool.
Another Project We Love: Trail of Cthulhu 2nd Ed
If you love ancient magical tomes as much as we do, try Trail of Cthulhu 2nd Ed. Uncover the clues to solve mysteries, face cosmic horrors, and dive into unforgettable campaigns. Dust off your tomes and ready your sanity checks, then pledge now for the GUMSHOE-powered game of 1930s occult investigation and cosmic horror, from our friends at Pelgrane Press.
Book Recommendations: The Bright Ages and Oathbreakers
For many of us, our love of Ars Magica marches alongside a fascination with the Middle Ages. If you're looking for some historical context for your saga in Mythic Europe, I'd like to recommend a couple of popular history books by Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry -- one available now, the other due to be released soon -- rooted in the latest historical scholarship. (Perry and Gabriele also have a free newsletter, Modern Medieval: https://buttondown.com/ModernMedieval)
The Bright Ageschallenges the myth of the "dark ages," a purported time of ignorance and isolation. The medieval world was rich, complex, and interconnected. As members of the Order of Hermes, your magi and their companions have plenty of occasion to experience or embody this diversity.
Oathbreakers is about the collapse of the Carolingian Empire. It's due for release on December 10th. I placed my pre-order today at Zenith Books in west Duluth! For the Ars Magica fan, this book promises inspiration, especially for sagas early in the history of the Order of Hermes.
According to Ars Magica game lore, thirteen wizards swore an oath in the Black Forest in 767, creating the Order. A year later, Charlemagne became King of the Franks. Coincidence? As Charlemagne built the Carolingian Empire, the Hermetic founders spread across Europe, demanding that wizards join the Order or die. How about a saga that begins at the death of Charlemagne, when the order has blossomed across Europe, perhaps even as the true "Carolingian renaissance" ... but now the mundane world is about to plunge into division and civil war!
Share your own recommendations in the comments below. What books about history would you recommend for Ars Magica players and storyguides, and why?
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