Hermetics are not necessarily similar, but unless you've got Magic in the Shadows, Shadowrun doesn't really differentiate them because rules-wise, having them all be more or less the same is OK.

The big difference between hermetic mages is one of emphasis in interest. Some are going to be more truly "Hermetic" and follow the magical philosophies set forth in the Hermetica. Some may reach into Egyptian mythology and magic for their inspiration. Others may be more Kabbalistic and incorporate the Sephiroth and other Jewish mysticism ideas into their magic. Others may follow the Christian-based path laid forth by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa and his ilk. There are those follow the Victorian polyglot leanings of Aleister Crowley and the HOGD. The list is at least as complex as it is for the shamanic tradition, only it requries somewhat more specialized research on the part of the player than picking a totemic animal and playing the character sort of like that animal. The following are just a couple of the mages that have appeared in one form or another in my own game.

Belial — Pseudo-diabolic Street Mage
Male elf with Native American ancestry

Belial isn't really the wycked Evil diabolist that he poses as, but he plays the role well. He uses his pointed ears, the redness of his skin, and the blackness of his hair (cut, of course, into a Lugosi-esque widow's peak) to heighten the sense of menace that he projects. If it's not too over-the-top, he has horns (surgically implanted or SURGEd). He wears only black and black leather or immaculately tailored suits, and he's always talking about "the Deal." He claims that his Art was attained through a Deal, and he often hints that he is now a Dealmaker representing some Lower Power.

Belial is a bad boy mage in the tradition of Aleister Crowley and a nearly infinite number of Goth Talk poseurs, only he has real power. He's actually a mage and his spells run towards the Combat kind with an emphasis on the element of fire. His fire spells come with a sulfuric stench and a whiff of brimstone. His library includes scans of a few real grimoires, and he constantly implies that he's read from the worst of the worst. Belial reads mediaeval Latin and German, as most of his library is in those languages. He is wily and clever, but inherently untrustworthy in the long run. He is likely to be quick in combat, but evasive. He prefers to hit from a distance and with a lot of planning. He is usually accompanied by a Fire Elemental that remains in the Middle Umbra unless Belial beckons.


Rebbe Zelman ben Eran (Rebbe Zelman) — Hasidim Jewish mystic and advisor
Elderly male human

Rebbe Zelman ben Eran (Zelman = Solomon = “peaceful,” ben = “son of...,” Eran = “watcher or awake”) is the current Seattle Rebbe, following in the tradition of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is a conservative, traditional, mystical Hasidim. His life is dedicated to gathering the klippoth remaining from the shattering of the vessels.

Rebbe Zelman is nearly 80; he was born shortly after 1980. His grandfather endured Auschwitz before emigrating to New York and from there to Seattle. During the mid-seventeenth century, one of his ancestors was associated with Sabbatai Zevi, a pseudo-messiah and Kabbalist. That ancestor kept a journal of Sabbatai Zevi’s teachings, which Rebbe Zelman’s grandfather translated after coming to the United States. This journal, other traditional Jewish documents (Torah, Midrash Haggadah, Midrash Halakah), and Kabbalah works (Sefer Yezirah, Sefer ha-Behir, Sefer ha-Zohar, etc.) make up the core of his library. He speaks and read Hebrew and Yiddish, and he can read Aramaic and Greek.

Rebbe Zelman is normally completely uninvolved with the shadowrunning community and the mysterious world of secret history. He serves a small synagogue of Hasidim in the Bellevue area. He is particularly gifted in repairing that which is damaged in the metahuman being. In addition to strong spells of healing, he has some competency in modern, scientific medicine.


Emerald Astra (Vincent Greene) — Hermetic Occultist
Human male
Knight Magus of the Eastern Portal in Omega Epsilon Rho (aka The Order of Five Rings)

Emerald Astra is a thin gentleman in his late 60s and has studied the occult all of his life. He is a practicing magician in the Victorian tradition and has been able to work real magic since 2012. His library is built around the works ot eh hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and the writings of the members that were not Aleister Crowley in particular. He reads Latin and Greek, but not very well. His understanding is based on the use of devices in magic, including wands, rings, and other small items. He is a focus-heavy mage and he specializes in Illusion and Detection spells.

The Order of Five Rings is a secretive group that builds foci and other magical knick-knacks and occasionally sells them. They have a strict hierarchy of membership based on HOGD and Masonic degrees. All of the members have craft names, many of which incorporate their titles.


Sa-Heru — Egyptian Priest
Human male

Sa-Heru ("Son of Horus") is a warrior-mage in the service of HEMU-KA, an entirely Egyptian-themed magical order. He is a young human male specialized in Combat spells, most of which incorporate a bright flash of sun-like light in their casting. Sa-Heru's library consists in papyri, reproductions of inscriptions, and several reproductions of the Book of the Dead. He can read hieroglyphs, a little French, and some German.

Sa-Heru is often teamed with Sat-Djehuti ("Daughter of Thoth"), a highly skilled researcher, scholar, and Divination mage. It's possible that they are brother and sister or married, or, given their tradition, both. In addition to being completely fluent in reading hieroglyphs and German and French, she can read Demotic, Greek, and some Latin.

HEMU-KA (The Hermetic and Esoteric Memphite Union and Keepers of the Adytum) ("Servents of the Ka") is a large, semi-secret group dedicated to preserving the Egyptian roots of magic in much the same way that the Atlantean Foundation works.


That's a really long way of saying "look at pages 24-26 of Magic in the Shadows, and then start your research."

Que?

Quincy rules! Not to mention the fact that Quincy is shown regularly on British Daytime TV! Woohoo!

(I always liked the little Oriental guy - his assistant, Sam...)