Houses of Hermes

In 1994, Wizards of the Coast was interested in buying a role-playing game system that could be updated and expanded, and asked designer Jonathan Tweet about Ars Magica.

As game historian Shannon Appelcline described it in the 2014 book Designers & Dragons: The '90s, "Wizards consulted with Tweet, and after some thought, he recommended the purchase — which was completed around January 1994.

"[3] While Tweet worked on a revised fourth edition of Ars Magica for WotC, he also designed for them Houses of Hermes, a 152-page softcover book with additional contributions by Aron Anderson.

Interior illustrations were by Liz Danforth, John T. Snyder, Mark Tedin, Susan Van Camp, and Eric Hotz, and the cover art was by Rob Alexander.

"[3]: 137 In the September 1995 edition of Dragon (Issue #221), Rick Swan liked the fact that this book "downplays dreary historical summaries in favor of engaging profiles of master magicians [...] The characters make great adversaries and advisors."