THE HISTORY OF HOUSE AND CLAN TREMERE by Casca Got something here y'all might find interesting. My friend Milo dropped by the other night to look at some information I acquired for him, and afterwards we got to talking. Milo's an interesting guy, even if he is an Order of Hermes. He's not as holier- than-thou as most of the OH's you or I've met. He is kinda odd, though..a real bookworm, always nose-deep in some musty old tome from Kibo-knows-where. One day I asked him what he was reading, and he gave me this *really* odd look. I swear his eyes went in two different directions. Seriously freaky stuff. He muttered something about "Ruhlayah" (I think that's how it's spelled), and offered to let me look at the pictures because it was in some squiffy language no one really knew, 'cept him & a few other OH's. Sorry, but by then I didn't _want_ to look.... Anyway, Milo's a neat guy, if weird. We call him Milo after that guy in "Bloom County" -- y'know, Milo Bloom? The guy with this whacked-out perspective on everything? That's him. I mean, Milo makes Verdweebas nervous,and we all know what they're like. Getting off-topic here. At any rate, me & him were trading stories and POV's about certain things; like, he wanted to know if it'd be easy to translate some of his freaky books into Latin with a translation program he'd discovered, amd wanted to know if I'd code it and let him run it on my system, me being a VA and all. After that, the conversation took a 90-turn, but it sounded kinda interesting, so I've got it here, mostly. It's a history, sorta, of a branch of the OH in the Middle Ages called the Tremere. They're vamps now. So listen and learn, kiddies, More free info for ya ;) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- House Tremere: A History by Milo Teiresius The clan of vampires known as the Tremere have a long and dubious history that dates back to the Middle Ages, shortly before the Renaissance and the Technocracy's ubiquitous rise to power. [ Ed. note -- Milo really _does_ talk like this, but only when he's lecturing. I'll try to cut some of the crap.] The history of the clan begins 900 years ago with the man known only as Tremere. Tremere was a member of our Order, and a mage of great insight and power. With power, however, comes lust for greater power, and Tremere's lust was insatiable. He hungered not only for power in magic, but also power over mortals. To this end he founded a chantry deep in the Carpathian mountains of Romania, in the area known as Transylvania. Here, Tremere found dominion over the peasantry, and systematically raped the land of anything magickal, be it Tass, children with the Potential, or sources of knowledge. Tremere's power grew, and soon he desired all of the country at his feet for him to rule. Tremere's conquest did not go unopposed. There were other beings in the Carpathians that did not approve of his rise to power, and thus he and his chantry were attacked many times by the vampires of clan Tzimisce, native to the area, and by the Garou tribe known as the Shadow Lords. Both resented Tremere's intrusion into their domain, and both made plans to crush him. Tremere was wily, however, and learned of this, and through the use of his apprentices and his amassed arcane lore, he was able to manipulate the Tzimisce into attacking the Shadow Lords, an easy feat considering that Garou and Kindred have been enemies since the creation of their races. [Ed. note -- I don't know how much of this is true, but if so, then I gotta start watching my back a lot more than I have been. I've met some vampires before, and they're sneaky bastiches as it is. If this Tremere guy could out-manipulate a clan of paranoid vampires into attacking a tribe of werewolves, I sure as hell don't wanna screw with his kids.] With his enemies busy annihilating each other, Tremere was free to do as he wished, and for many years he did just that. However, he soon noticed that the manipulation of magick was becoming more difficult as time passed, the result of the Technocracy's stratification of reality through science over "superstition" as the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment approached. He soon discovered that with the Technocracy's strangle-hold on the reigns of power, mages would be unable to practice their Art and would once again be mere mortals. [Ed. note: Yeah, okay, so Milo sounds like an elitist SOB here. How many of YOU would be willing to go back to being Joe and Jane Sleeper? I didn't think so.] After studying the matter, Tremere realized that unless something was done quickly, the age of magick would soon be at an end. However, Tremere was a self-serving man and thought not of ending the Technocracy's plan, but rather of insuring the continued existence of power for himself and his followers. During his many years of study, Tremere had discovered a fundamental difference between vampires and humans: [besides the fact that they're dead, that is ;) ] humans are living beings, and as such Quintessence flows through their Pattern in a steady stream from the Pool of Prime. Vampires, on the other hand, are dead and so behave as objects: Quintessence no longer flows through them, but rather collects inside them, accumulating as Tass inside their potent vitae. [Ed. note -- I later cornered Milo on this, and he tells me that you can glean about 1 Tass per pint of blood in a vampire. Most vamps carry about 10 pints if they're fully fed; however, your mileage may vary. ;) Especially with the really moldy types.] This was a discovery of tremendous proportions for Tremere: vampires, as objects, did not suffer the increasing effects of Paradox which were occurring with increasing regularity that he and other mages did. Immunity to Paradox, coupled with the continual flow of Quintessence into vampiric vitae, plus the promise of immortality, was a temptation too great for him to resist. Gathering his apprentices and acolytes about him, Tremere cast a powerful ritual using captured Tzimisce vampires as raw material. From these victims, Tremere and his followers stole vampiric immortality, becoming a wholly artifical vampiric bloodline. Tremere was heady with his power. Here was certain victory against not only the Technomancers, but death itself! It was much later, though, that he learned the price he had paid for his eternal existence. For by becoming a vampire, Tremere willingly altered the flow of Quintessence through his body, and it is that flow that allows the true manipulation of magick to take place. He had gained immortality, but had lost that which he had sought to protect: the continued practice of his Art. Bitter and angry, Tremere began a genocidal war against his now-Kindred, seeking both to destroy them in retribution and to seize their power for his own. He learned of Diablerie, the stealing of the power in the blood through vampiric cannibalism. He discovered the resting place of Saulot, the Antidiluvian founder of the Salubri, a clan of gentle vampiric healers. [Ed. note -- anyone else but me think this a contradiction in terms?] There, he drank Saulot's blood, and became of the Third Generation himself. The Tremere bloodline had become a clan. This act shocked the vampiric community, and they declared war upon Tremere and his ilk. Chief among his foes was a group known apocryphally as the Inconnu, of which Saulot was a member. Clan Tremere suffered heavy losses, and they could not increase their numbers to make up for their dead. For some unknown reason, almost all those chosen to be embraced by the Tremere died, the unlife-giving properties of vampiric vitae falling upon cold, lifeless lips. [Ed. note -- he can get really poetic at times, can't he? ;) ] It was then that the great weakness of the Tremere line was discovered. As an artificial clan created through magick, they needed magick to sustain their unlives. No ordinary mortal would survive the embrace -- only those who had the potential to become mages in their own right could gain from the gift. This is why the Tremere of today are so selective in whom they choose to gift with unlife. [Ed. note -- and for that, boyz 'n girlz, we should all get down on our hands and knees and thank the supreme being of your choice that your mentor got you before they did.] Faced with dwindling numbers against ever-increasing odds, Tremere re-created his experiment. Using several captured vampires, including those of clans Gangrel and Nosferatu, Tremere synthesized another bloodline of vampires known as the Gargoyles. Created as a servitor race, they existed but to serve the Tremere, and the Tremere weakness had been bred out of them. They were commanded to go forth and multiply, and they did so, bolstering the strength of the Tremere. It was their might that allowed the Tremere to survive their first great conflict. And thus it remains today. Nothing more need be said, save this: even with the blood of mages running in their withered veins, despite the fact that they choose for their dark gift only those who, if not for their intervention, could have become powerful mages, the clan of Tremere is still highly unstable. As abominable as vampires are, they are at least a natural abomination, having existed alongside humantiy since its inception. The Tremere have not even this meager blessing. Their artifical bloodline requires constant reinforcement. They gather each Halloween in their chantry house in Vienna, the entire clan coming together as one. There, they utilize what little magic is left in their blood to recast the great ritual that created their founder. This ensures their continued existence for yet another year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pretty heavy shit, ain't it? I know most of it went straight over my head. Make of it whatever you want, kiddies. Milo's always been straight with me before, so I don't see any reason to stop believing him now. Me, I'm gonna be a little more careful around the leeches, and stop making jokes about "half-pint mages". They may not be able to cast heavy-duty magick any more, but if half of this is true, they've got a long history of staying around even though nobody likes them. Any group that can make themselves into vampires is definitely a set of people to stay away from. -- Cipher THEORIES ON TREMERE AND THE DIABLERIE OF SAULOT Saulot's Soul by Jack Dracula Tremere diabolizes Saulot. Imaging the Rush-> "Phenomenal Cosmic Power!" He has made his Clan a foe to be reckoned with. A few decades pass, with the Tremere creating the Gargoyles, and securing their place of power within the World of Darkness. Then ol' Tremmie lets his next victim go, her plaintie cries echoing in his mind. Why? Instead of crushing his enemies, he simply ceeds a pact with them, leaving their village in peace. And rather than continue to fight the Camarilla, he pledges for acceptance. What monster has been affecting his emotions? What plot to make him just average, instead of the most powerful of the undead? Saulot. Suddenly, he starts an introspective journey. He goes back into the deepest recesses of his mind, and realizes that the force he thought was the last vestige of a consciousness was actually a voice, suggesting nicer things to do. Tremere was in a fury. He stole the life and soul of Saulot, but only now, almost a century later, does he find out: out can't destroy a soul. Saulot had realized the same; instead of passing on, the promise of Golconda, he had been trapped in the mind and soul of Tremere. The magician wanted to exorcise him immediately. He called the worldwide hunt on the childer of Saulot, hoping by destroying the descendents, the sire would fade. True, many Salubri were slain, but the most insidious trick was to follow. Saulot could not let the massacre continue. He summoned up his will, and came to the fore of Tremere, just behind the eyes. And when he needed to, he used all his inner strength, and shielded Tremere's eyes. He also began to touch Tremere's subconscious and emotions again, just a touch here and there... Tremere declared to his brood and to the Camarilla that the soul-stealers had been slain. {and if any escaped his ever-watchful eyes, then it could surely be but a handful...} The Camarilla agreed, and put it to canon, closing the book on the Salubri. And over the years, Tremere grows older still, slipping only now and then, only when Saulot needs him to... A True History of Clan Tremere: What the Seven Won't Talk About by Devin Moss (The Vampire Player's Guide, 2nd ed) p.128 states The leader of Clan Tremere diablarized Saulot, the Salubri founder. (Vampire, The Masq, 2nd Ed.) p. unknown The paragraph on the Tremere states that the most powerful Tremere diablarized the clan founder. Both of these statements refer to the same individual, Saulot. Saulot actually founded Clan Tremere. Saulot, one of seven 3rd generation Kindred in existance, went East looking for knowledge. He found instead a demon named Baphomet. The demon somehow inhabited or controlled Saulot, and he goes home with this wonderous new gift of "healing", and a story of the wonderous state of Golconda. He carries with him the mark of Baphomet, the third eye. 1. (World of Darkness) Contains the description of the castle with the 12 Iconnu hiding out from the Tremere. Look carefully at the picture of Baphomet. How many eyes does he have? Who was the first Vampire to have 3 eyes? Saulot, after he returned from the East with the promise of Golconda and the discipline Obeah. The Curse of Baphomet The Curse of Baphomet is a form of posession. It is usually passed through diablerie or Embracing. House Tremere used to know how to protect from posession, but Clan Tremere has long since forgotten. As it is usually passed through diablarie, the Cursed use the promise of Golconda to pass it on. This explains the Salubri behavior of having thier own Children kill them. Golconda is a big lie. It promises everything; freedom from the Beast, ease in learning high level Disciplines, even the chance to be mortal again. When word gets around to Kindred of this wonderous state, some of them attempt to gain it. They are doomed to failure. Many fall into dispair. When they do, the Salubri are there with Obeah (level 5), ready to soothe and "repair" your soul. By drawing it out of your body. And sacrificing it to Baphomet. Re-read the section on Golconda in Vampire, the Masquerade. The final dreaming described is an effort to invoke guilt and sorrow in the victim. This causes the victims to fall into a deep despair, making them more open to the gentle ministrations of the Salubri. Saulot created the Salubri specifically for the purpose of spreading this demon-spawned Golconda lie. Recently, it has been discovered that Obeah can be taught as a discipline. According to the Vampire Players Guide, 2nd ed., anyone who learns Obeah develops the third eye. Those who learn this "healing" art take the Curse of Baphomet onto themselves. At the time of Saulot's death (see below), only seven Salubri had been created. They cannot pass the Curse through Embracing...only Saulot could when he was inhabited by Baphomet himself. Tremere Clan Origins One of Saulot's intended children was a magi of House Tremere. House Tremere was wise in the ways of protecting themselves from demons (having fought House Tytalus for so long), so the Curse was not passed on to him. This first Tremere quickly adapted his magic to Thaumatergy, and quickly Embraced some of his brothers. They quickly dominated House Tremere. The Tremere bided their time until Saulot was sleeping, then sent Saulot's Childe to diablarize him, which he did. This action by the Tremere elevated them to the status of a full Clan, as their founder ascended to 3rd generation. Saulot's death scared the heck out of the Iconnu who knew him, and believed in the Golconda lie. His death also released Baphomet. Baphomet then visited the Ventrue sorcerer, and convinced him to lead the other 11 Iconnu into the castle-hiding ritual (as described in the World of Darkness sourcebook). Clan Tremere ordered the destruction of the Salubri, in an effort to purge the Kindered of the demon taint, and destroy Baphomet. They didn't know he had escaped, and was being fed by the Iconnu in the castle. But the Golconda lie caught on too quickly, and the other Kindred foolishly protected them. The Dark Secret Clan Tremere cannot let the truth get out. If it becomes known that the Salubri are demon tainted, and the Tremere are their brothers, the Tremere would be hunted along side of the Salubri. Clan Tremere has many rivals and enemies: the Ventrue, the Tzimisce, and the Tremere antitribu of the Sabbat. General knowledge of Golconda being a lie would cause panic and fear among the Kindred. Many would defect to the Sabbat, causing a shift in the balance of power, and breaking the Masquerade once and for all. None of the rank and file Tremere know thier true clan origin. The only ones who know about this are: the 7 remaining Salubri the Circle of Seven of the Tremere the 12 Iconnu in the Castle. The Salubri will not reveal the truth under any circumstances. Knowledge of the curse would cause all Kindred to turn against them. The Seven will not reveal this information for the reasons outlined above. The Castle Iconnu have most likely discussed it with other Iconnu at the mass meetings. Since none have broken the secret, they may be supporting Clan Tremere in some way. Perhaps they understand that the Tremere are the best hope for defeating the Antediluvians during Ghenna. Perhaps they fear the Tremere. It has long been suspected that the true goal of Clan Tremere is to elevate each of the Seven by Diablarizing an antediluvian, if they can find them. The got Saulot already. The Iconnu may support them in this....when Ghenna comes, the Tremere must lead the resistance. The Origins of the Giovani by Dennis Payne Saulot and several of his childer were concerned about the growing power of the Tremere. They discovered the secrets of the circle of seven. Tremere ordered them to be destroyed. He told Giovani, a trusted childer, to diablerise Saulot. Thus formed the Giovani clan. He embraced several members of his family. In time those outside of family were embraced. They betrayed the clan to the Nosferatu. For that they cursed to a form worse then their allies (Samedi bloodline). When the Camarilla was formed it was agreed Tremere would join to observe the other clans and Giovani would remain disconected to continue Tremere plan without restriction. It is not Gehena you should fear but the Tremere and Giovani. - Jason DeLauren Clan Salubri The Progeny of Saulot by Jared K. Leadbetter Hmmm... about the Tremere (whom I am quite partial towards ;}), I have a few ideas... their magic, but even more so, their tenacity, is what enabled them to survive and eventually rise as a clan. They used everything available to them in beating off other clans and supernatural creatures. Depending on what rumors are true, they allied with the Unseelie, they created the Gargoyle bloodline, they used their Spirit Thaumaturgies... all to survive. Also, an interesting concept that I haven't seen around on any mailing lists, was this: Tremere diablerized Saulot, the Salubri Antediluvian. In the Player's Guide, there is a ritual (8th level I believe) that allows a person control over others... The details of the ritual are this. The casting vampire must diablerize a vampire. The ritual then allows an attempt to control all Progeny of that vampire. If this were true, then Tremere (if s/he/it is still alive), would control all remaining Salubri. Then why are the Tremere hunting the Salubri? Well, it could be for a number of reasons. 1) They somehow escaped the effects of the ritual, and the Tremere are so determined to control them that they try to capture them under the guise of "killing " them. 2) The Salubri have some secret knowledge/power about/over the Tremere, a sort of Achilles Heel for the Tremere, and are too dangerous to live. 3) The Tremere want to gain mastery over the Obeah Discipline... and they need the Salubri... quaint, how there are seven members of the Tremere's Inner Circle, and seven Salubri left in the world... 4) The eyes of the Salubri are components for a powerful spell of some sort, either healing or information gathering, or perhaps even destructive. 5) Those third eyes unnerve them too much. See "The Tell-Tale Heart" for details... 6) Preparation for Gehenna. If you were Tremere, wouldn't it be great if you had seven physicians to heal all those nasty aggravated wounds that the Gangrel Antediluvian gave you? Read the Darksword Trilogy, with special attention to the catalysts. Well, to give the Tremere the benefit of the doubt (yeah, right), we won't accuse them of doing anything so nasty. After all, the Salubri are mean, wretched diablerizing freaks now, aren't they? And if you believe that... TREMERE CURSE ON THE ANTIBRU by Brus Wasson (brus@netcom.com) Every Tremere has the mark. The curse has been linked to the whole clan. However, if you go to Vienna and present yourself to the head council, you get the magickal antidote along with their point of blood (or three points if you play 1st edition). This would be a really sneaky way to make sure there were no unauthorized embraces. Anyone making a tremere would have a child with the sabbat mark. Unless presented in Vienna, they look like a Sabbat. by Deird'Re Brooks (margaly@netcom.com) The reason for the mark is that Goratrix was marked, and all who left with him is marked. It's transmitted through the blood via sympathy and contagion, it's really very simple. by Sarah Warlund (warlunds@coral.concordia.ca) Perhaps it is the trauma of the Sabbat creation rites that causes the Tremere Antitribu to develop the mark. It would explain why there are some rogue Tremere out there-their sires created them without Vienna's permission, so Vienna never got ahold of any of their blood. But they did not go through the creation ritual, so no little mark on their forehead. by Dennis Payne (payned@rpi.edu) You've probably seen _The Hunt for the Red October_ or read it. The Russian commander sent a letter to Moscow to be delivered after departing stating his intentions just so that no one would turn back. Since Tremere never seem to trust each other why wouldn't the first Sabat Tremere use the same logic. In other words the Tremere antibru created the mark. The Camarilla Tremere claim to has placed the mark there to warn people of their power. So the real questions is do all the Tremere antibru have the mark or are some spying on the Tremere unnoticed.