Okay, it is used by the order as a 'dumping ground' for very skilled hedge wizards and those who were originally trained in a non-Hermetic tradition.

But considering the fact that the house has largely fallen apart, how do you actually join?

Do you need to be iniated by an ex-misc, if so who? The semi-existant Primus, or will any ex-misc in good standing do. Does this have to be announced at a Tribunal.

Or does the Order as a whole merely place people in the house, in which case it is no longer a house. But a vauge term for Magi without a house.

If a Bonisagus finds a really powerful hedge wizard and partially trains him the Hermetic tradion can that Bonisagus 'dump' the individual into house ex-misc just by declaring it.

The version I prefer is this, (non-canon)

After Pralix's death the house decays. By the 13th century it has consistently failed to select a Primus. The Primi of the other houses recognise the fact it has died. It does simply become a dump for Hedge Wizards and Hermetics thrown out from other houses.

Existing Hermetics cast out of their houses but still part of the order are automatically recognised as ex-misc.

Outsiders must be sponsored by any Hermetic, including an ex-misc in very good standing. This simply requires an announcement at Tribunal and the permission of the Praeco and presiding Quaesitor.

All this is actually quite illegal. Ex-misc was never dissolved as a house but no one actually cares.

To be a member of House Ex-Misc is be a bit like a Caitiff in Vampire.

There have never been an Ex-Misc Quaesitor. House Guernicus has never recognised the house and views it as a potential hiding place for post Diedne survivors.

(in my interpretation house Diedne was treated very badly for political reasons, but they were up to dangerous and dodgy magics and certain Magi know this, including house Guernicus).

Potentially Ex Misc can be many things, but I don' think it can remain a stable House with a real tradition.

The first real possibility is that it serves as a "halfway House", one which non-Hermetics join on sort of a probationary level. If you spend enough time here and don't screw up you are allowed to join another House in the Order. This conforms neatly with the old "Join or Die" policy.

Secondly it could serve as a refuge for non-Hermetic traditions that want to be part of the Order. The notion here, though, is rather puzzling and would tend to set up regional (not even Tribunal-wide) versions of the House -- this would certainly explain why the House has very little political pull. Popular non-Hermetic traditions in a given area could essentially ally themselves to the Order of Hermes, accepting minimum requirments in return for umbrella protection and an ability to keep their own traditions alive. Of course this would lead to very particularlized Covenants that probably all practice the same form of non-Hermetic magic. Maintaining personal traditions in the face of the Hermetic culture would be, to say the least, difficult.

The third possibility is the easiest: "Hey, this is a game and we want to give all the players an 'out' in case they don't like the traditions we have created -- go to town! do what you feel!" This is the one used by 95% of all campaigns. Philosophically it is improbable, but it makes for fun gaming (and in the end, that's what it is all about!). Attatched to this is the idea of people raised in the House Ex Misc "tradition" -- this means that you have, as in "the third possibility", character who are created using a generalized Hermetic template to make whatever they want, allied neither to a real "hedge" tradition nor to a true Hermetic tradition. Essentially Ex Misc becomes "House Misfit", people who buck the notion of true traditions of any sort, including those of the Order.

Hmm, sounds like most players, neh? ;)

Its no longer a true house but is a dumping ground for misfits and rejects.

Consisting of, Hedge Wizards, Hedge Wizards with Hermetic training, Hermetics cast out from other houses. Descended from Pralix and outcast Hermetics are 'true' Hermetics that can be customised as a player sees fit.

So if a player likes the idea of playing a slightly despised, original Magus with no annoying house to give them orders then ex-misc it is.

The tribunals have the power to 'dump' hedge wizards into ex-misc.

I like this method, and unless anyone has a 'better' way this is what I will do. So I have really answered my own question!

This actually makes ex-misc potentially very powerful. If they could re-unite and reclaim house status then they would have a vast range of powers at their disposal.

Unfortunatly they are two disparate to do so, and combined with the fact that they have not controlled their own membership policy for a number of years they lack all sense of identity.

Those ex-misc who seek greater union/acceptance into the order are busy trying to perfect themselves so that they can join a true house!

You join ex Miscellanea by being presented at a Tribunal or wizard's council by an ex Miscellanea magus as your apprentice, ready to pass the ex Miscellanea apprentice's gauntlet. You pass that gauntlet - which may be just a formality -, pledge to the Code of Hermes and become a Magus ex Miscellanea.

So if a willing hedge wizard finds a sponsor ex Miscellanea willing to take the responsibility to be his Parens, he can join. There is no other canonical way to join ex Miscellanea or any House of the Order.

Yours,

Berengar

My own problem (?) with that is say the Order moves to a new region and sets up a new tribunal to govern it. There is a powerful non-Hermetic tradition in the area which is willing and ripe for politcial absorption.

None of the houses will admit these 'Magi' because they are not Hermetics. And lets just say that there are no ex-misc in the area. What happens?

I prefer the idea that a Tribunal will simply dump these individuals into the broad ex-misc category.

(Oh and did not houses book give membership criteria for the houses other than for being apprenticed to an existing member? You had to defeat three Certamen masters to get into the Tremere for instance)

You are right, I was not completely precise. There are certain conditions for Hermetic Magi who later wish to join another House than the one of their Parens, which they have to fullfill. These do not change their Parens. I tacitly assumed from the context of the discussion that the person joining ex Miscellanea was not a member of the Order already.

If a powerful local non-Hermetic tradition exists in a Tribunal, it could join ex Miscellanea either en gros or en detail.
A single member would have to find an ex Miscellanea sponsor to join, and thus become Filius of the sponsor.
If a substantial portion of the tradition would want to enter the Order, it could attempt to negotiate conditions with ex Miscellanea or the Tribunal, which better reflect the tradition's inner hierarchy. Perhaps a powerful non-Hermetic figure would join as the Filia of the Prima ex Miscellanea, and then sponsor the rest of the group as her own Filiae and Filii?

Yours,

Berengar

Yes you were right! I mistakenly thought you were making a wider comment!