What degree of knowledge does a given score in Ordo Hermei Lore indicate? It is possible, using only die-roll mechanics, to know almost anything about anything, if one gets a lucky die roll. Depending on the Troupe, this sort of result may or may not be desirable.

For the Bohemian Rhapsody Saga, a general idea of the sorts of things that a character would likely know about Ordo Hermei, without rolling dice, is desirable. Dice rolls may still be required for particular information that is not generally known. In any case, the dubious guidelines in Lords of Men (40-41) outlining what nobles know about the Order will not be used in the Bohemian Rhapsody Saga. A general discussion of this topic may be found here.

The source of Ordo Hermei Lore is relevant to what is generally known. Knowledge that one gains as an apprentice, or as a custos to a maga, is likely to be different than knowledge gained by a merchant who does business with a covenant, or that gained by a noble who knows a magus Jerbitonis. This may be summarized as "Internal" vs "External" sources of knowledge. Internal knowledge applies to characters within Ordo Hermei: either magi and apprentices, or those who work for them in a manner that exposes them to the Order in a direct way. For example, they attend Tribunal with a magus, or they visit other covenants with a magus.

External knowledge applies to characters outside the Order. They may hear about the Order from others, or they may have met a magus who mentioned the Order, or discussed it in some way, or they may do business with a covenant that is open about the Order and the covenant's place in the Order.

A character with Ordo Hermei Lore will typically know the things indicated in the table below with a score equal or less than the character's score in Ordo Hermei Lore, without need for a die roll. For characters whose source of knowledge is External, the Storyguide may wish to further limit knowledge according to the source of the character's exposure to the Order. Alternately, the Storyguide may choose to require a die roll for such a character.

"Heard of" a magus includes the Domus affiliation, if that is part of the name the magus is generally known by - for most magi, this will be the case.

"Basic information" includes the Domus affiliation, the Tribunal of residence, and notable information about the character's or covenant's Reputation - i.e. the most notable events or achievements that contributed to that Reputation.

"Additional information" includes the covenant of residence of a character, or the region where a covenant is located within a Tribunal; the parens and lineage of a maga, if the lineage is generally recognized as such; political allegiances, if such are applicable to Hermetic politics; more extensive information about the character's Reputation, including all significant events or achievements that contributed to that Reputation.

"Detailed information" includes notable residents of a covenant, notable allies or enemies of a character or covenant, and notable public behavior, whether or not that behavior contributed to a general Hermetic Reputation.

Note that some characters and covenants may have more than one general Hermetic Reputation, and that knowledge applicable to a given Reputation may be greater or lesser according to the Reputation score.

Note that geographical knowledge of covenants and tribunals is limited by the character's specific knowlege of geography. If a character has no knowledge of Greece, for example, then his applicable knowledge of Tribunal Graecia might be limited to "in Greece, wherever that is" or "somewhere east of here."

In all cases, knowledge derived from Ordo Hermei Lore does not include private matters or secrets that magi or covenants may possess. Only publically available knowledge is included, die roll or not. Note also that some information that has been "heard" by a character may not be accurate.

Note that knowledge about the Gift or the effects of the Gift is governed by Magic Lore, not by Ordo Hermei Lore. Knowing that someone with mystical powers makes animals uneasy has nothing to do with knowledge of an Order of wizards. It is entirely possible for someone with no knowledge of Magic Lore or Ordo Hermei Lore to observe animals reacting badly to a magus, and not realize that might be a sign of The Gift, or that this might be a wizard of Ordo Hermei.
Further, neither of those conclusions is logically justified by the scant evidence provided, even if the character possesses both Magic Lore and Ordo Hermei Lore. There are characters without The Gift who offend animals, and there are characters with the Gift who aren't magi of Ordo Hermei. Character knowledge and perspective must always be taken into account.