Apart from "Threats", where do we get references for the Ordo Maximus. Are they used in the 4th ed era?

One Novel. Terminus something somethnig. Not as far as i remember.

They are mentioned in augmentation as having a connection to some cyberzombie research and I think there is something about them in Street magic... What I can gather they're a bunch of vampire magi dealing with some seriously shady stuff

Blood in the Boardroom, pp 32-35, introduced a cooperation between the Ordo Maximus and Fuchi Americas to develop cybermancy techniques. In 4th edition, Augmentation, pp. 145-148, features information on the cooperation continuing with Novatech and then Neonet, and how Transys Neuronet experts and Celedyr get to learn about it.

PDF Magical Societies, pp. 16-17 describe the actual Ordo Maximus, the magical group that (supposedly) acts as a cover for the vampire conspiracy.

Ok so they only remained minor in plot hooks, if I summarize.

Maybe we will get to see a throwdown between the Ordo Maximus and Fear the Dark.

Ordo representing the old school black bloods who want to rule from behind the figurative throne while the relatively young pups of FTD wants to drag the Vamp issue right out into the open.
Which is something the Ordo may not necessarily desire since they know what a fully rallied human race can do if awakened to the threat.

Yes, people know they exist but few suspect just how far their reach is given how both organizations have their fangs sunk into numerous agencies and for the most part the general populace treat them as one off monsters that crop up and get taken down by cops or monster hunters with the occasional token 'good vamp' thrown in to really muddy the waters.
So while it makes for titillating headlines on the morning AR, it doesn't impact most folk directly and thus the vampire threat is not taken as seriously as they might.

Well . . depends on how serious you want to take the terminus novel . .

What's in this novel?


To take another "Threat" exemple, Winternight is linked to System Failure.

When I mean minor in the plot, I mean they weren't used in plotbooks (and probably won't anytime soon)

Seeing how this novel is YEARS old, i won't bother with spoilter tags at all:
Basically, the ordo is genetically tampering with the HMHVV.
For example in one experimental strain they take out the regeneration ability. So now you get cybered vampires.
In another they take away the magic ability and give the poor sod basically an impressive immunity to most things magical.
They have a strain in early dev that may bodily cripple the recipient, but also make him immunte to the suns rays.
At the end of the book, they have a strain used on somebody that makes him not a cripple, still immune to sunlight, does not need to suck blud anymore, he can eat and drink normal food again, he retains the magical abilities and regeneration . . still problems with wood in that one though.
And just for shits and giggles, they have a partnership for this experimentation with a mafia clan. So if they succeeded in rolling out that particular strain to more members of the mafia dons family . . you now have a basically immortal mafia clan.

Edit: Ninja'd by Stahl

And I guess they get stopped by De Vries.

Doesn't seem trully exceptionnal.

De Vries is statted back in Prime Runners originally, and has some background for the Ordo. He shows up again more recently in Storm Front. Wherever he goes , there is information on the Ordo.

I'd like to add that the novel is generally terrible with a runner team of Gary-Stu-Argents (the one from Mel Odom, not Findley's), a rocket launcher wielding sex worker, a de Vries who resembles Vampire Hunter D, waves (!) of cybervampirezombies, and overall cheesiness as if it had been bad Robocop 2/3 fanfic.

1/5 HMHVV-Strains, would not recommend.

Given FotD's choice of targets, the non-vampire members of the OM might see them as an even larger problem. Seven-7 in a restaurant just wreaks havoc with the wine