Tremere: Difference between revisions

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=Clan Tremere=
=Clan Tremere=


Cursed by their unbridled sensuality, the divas are obsessed by aesthetic perfection. A fashion model overdosing on a bad batch of heroin, a YouTube clip of a perfectly executed beheading, the dazed eyes of a child who has seen too much, or the reflection of the moon in a pool of blood – these are the kinds of things that make a Toreador lose themselves. They say the first diva finally died in front of their looking glass, unable to tear their gaze away from the image of their face touched by the reflected dawn. But, to dismiss the Toreador as wanton perverts or shallow artists is the last mistake a Kindred will ever make. Beauty is power, and love can make anyone do just about anything. And that is the promise of the Toreador. They can make even the dead feel something raw, something real.  
A Hermetic mage in eighth century Romania, magick users rightfully feared for their obsession with knowledge and power. Tremere was the leader of cabal of - Able to prolong his life unnaturally for centuries, his powers eventually lessened and his grip on youth became shaky. Unable or unwilling to accept his own mortality, Tremere cast his eyes on the hallowed secret of immortality. In his greed, the mage instigated the most terrifying magickal experiments ever conducted, damning himself and his followers to a hell of their own making. Tousands of mortals were murdered and hundreds of Kindred vivisected and drained in ritual circles before Tremere and his cultists thought they had found the elixir of life. How surprised they were to have discovered the curse of Caine. Terrifed, they died and woke again to an eternity of unlife and hunger, cut off from their craft. In a mockery of their former magickal rituals, now only fresh blood allows the Tremere to cast their thaumaturgic spells to twist reality.


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'''''I serve my clan – your clan – in unearthing sleeping ancients such as yourself and introducing them to the world as it is tonight.
'''''“Allow me to call to order this meeting of minds. We must discuss the kinds of mortals who are brought into the fold on this and future nights.” Schrekt eyed his two counterparts across a triangular-shaped table. The room in which they sat existed in three places at once.  
'''''You seem surprised that a member of the Clan of the Rose would dirty her hands with excavation and study. Let me guess: you thought our clan more suited to parlors, admiring mortal singers, dancers, and artists? It is true, the face of our clan is one of superficial beauty, but we have not lost our core. At its heart, Clan Toreador is the clan of creation. The sculptor dirties her hands with chisel and stone. The painter will accumulate all manner of stains. My calling is in bringing the torpid back to us and asking for their stories. It is my art form.  


'''''Clan Toreador has not missed a step since you fell into torpor. We still ride high, leading a sect known as the Camarilla alongside our peers among the Ventrue and Tremere. Do not believe we take second or third place in that triumvirate. We are the voice, the inspiration, and the soul that binds the sect together.  
'''''“Herr Schrekt, I do not believe our practices have changed overmuch. We still Embrace only the most brilliant minds, and those already attuned to the occult. While my house does target subjects with less restrictive morals than yours, I can assure you that we will not be granting immortality to the undeserving.” Te representative for House Goratrix concluded his statement, leaning back into the shadows.  


'''''In these nights, the Toreador are the burning hope for all clans. We are proof that Kindred can be more than slaves to their Beast. Others come to us for guidance and seek to emulate our devotion to beauty and innocence. We teach, but none will master the arts as well as we.  
'''''Schrekt stared across the table at his counterparts. If the choice had been without consequence, both would be snuffed out without hesitation. Unfortunately, they served a purpose. He knew because his Blood told him it was so. He turned to the woman at the other corner. “And House Carna?”


'''''For every true artist, innovator, and great mind in our clan, we have a sycophant, amateur, and vapid beauty. It is as it should be. Everything is beautiful, old one, including the duality we represent. While the others mistake us for preening fools, we work our wonders to make all of Kindred society a better place.  
'''''Carna ran her right forefinger over the palm of her left hand as she spoke. “Our house rejects the old ways shaped by men, and seeks pagans, witches, and chaos magicians who look to the future. For the sake of our clan’s survival, we must cast our net wider. Now that the old bonds wither, and your house is one of the last keeping with the regimented structure of the Pyramid, I see no reason to cling to tradition.”


'''''Welcome back to Clan Toreador.  
'''''Schrekt clenched his jaw without realizing it, his fists balling. “You would abandon centuries of tradition on a schismatic whim? How is it that House Tremere finds more in common with House Goratrix these nights?”


'''''The night is ours.
'''''Carna shrugged without looking up. “Tat sounds like a problem, Karl. One you need to address. Note that House Carna is still Camarilla, for the time being at least.” Her head facing her hands, her eyeline flicked upward, and her gaze connected briefly with his. “You have heard the same voices we have. Neither of us is wrong. We must be permitted to pursue our paths separately and come together when the time is right.”
 
'''''Schrekt smiled unconvincingly. The representative from House Goratrix vanished. “Just you and I now. Are we really going to fill our clan with amateur tarot readers, women who dawdle with tea leaves, and spiritualists? We were a noble clan.”
 
'''''Carna faded away, her voice softly following. “We were never noble. Our clan consists of mortals who sought power they didn’t deserve. Perhaps it’s time we Embrace those who love magic for its own sake.”
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==Who Are the Toreador==
==Who Are the Tremere==
 
After the Second Inquisition destroyed the Prime Chantry in Vienna in 2008, the Tremere fell from gray eminences to personae non gratae in many regions. The arrogance of the Pyramid had made the Usurpers few friends. But the need for sorcery has not disappeared; if anything, it grows as the cursed Blood shifts in the veins of the Kindred.
 
Without the Pyramid ordering them into rank and value, the warlocks find themselves competing with their fellow Kindred and, increasingly, with each other for anything that might allow them to regain some of their former power. A clan-wide chase for artifacts and grimoires belonging to their ashen ancestors rival the social intrigues in ugliness, and the alliance with the Camarilla is an of-used weapon between the houses of Clan Tremere. Meanwhile, the term “mercenary magus” is becoming increasingly widespread, as warlocks who were formerly Bound by the will of their masters find themselves free to serve for whatever price they choose.


Clan Toreador has ever preached selectiveness in its rituals of the Embrace. The clan elders stress time and again that the clan requires pioneers among the arts and every kind of avant-garde. The clan is at its strongest when comprised of the freshest thinkers and those who desire experimentation and aesthetic discovery. For this reason, many Toreador emerge from the ranks of accomplished artists, both new and faded. But not all artists need wield a brush: To the Toreador, art encompasses all forms of entertainment and stimulation. The clan courts the greatest actors, singers, writers, dancers, and even sex workers, if the degenerates believe such mortals will offer something new to their clan. Despite the custom of Embracing only the best, the Toreador fixation on beauty and innocence has caused many a diva to make a fledgling in haste. Many a moonlit night, new clan members have emerged as shallow hedonists, one-hit wonders, or just a stunning body with nothing else to offer. The greatest mistakes are erased and forgotten. Still, the clan is diverse, its members considering the ensemble as a kaleidoscope of talent and beauty.
Tremere serve in three ways: the Warlocks serve the other clans with occult expertise, they serve the Camarilla with Blood Sorcery, and they serve themselves with their missions to grasp power. Tough more Tremere ascend to praxis these nights than ever before, they still claim fewer thrones worldwide than Clan Nosferatu. In truth, most Warlocks acknowledge that becoming the Prince is only useful if it helps them expand their knowledge. Tremere see true power as knowing the ways of shaping the world, having access to the right blood, and owning the rarest of ancient artifacts.  


===Toreador Archetypes===
As the Tremere ally with confused coteries seeking them out, hunt for well-protected relics and artifacts, or closely analyze fragments of lore relating to the Cainite mythos – all the while miserly guarding their secrets from each other – they are all united in their thirst for knowledge. A Kindred who wishes to understand a piece of their history will do well to approach the Tremere for answers, as long as they are at peace with sharing a few secrets of their own – knowingly or otherwise.


'''L'Artiste'''
===Tremere Archetypes===


The Toreador indulge in the beauty of all art forms and strive to be creators themselves. Whether competent on the strings of the violin, weaving notes as lustrous as the subtle glow of the crescent moon, or wielding a spray-can to form harsh prismatic lines on back-alley walls, this Kindred is an artist revered intensely by their clan.
'''Pyramid Loyalist'''


'''Stage Manager'''
Until recently, the Pyramid hierarchy made the Tremere one of the most rigid clans. They still include a number of conservative loyalists, fiercely bound to the clan’s original order by will, if not by blood. A Pyramid loyalist might still adhere to the customs of responsibility between sire and childe, uphold the ranks and tutelage of a formal chantry, and seek to rebuild the clan’s prestige and notoriety. Some Pyramid loyalists wish to search Vienna for the remains of their clan’s information trove, though Tremere elders have declared the domain out-of-bounds.


Without a puppeteer to pull the strings, the puppet would not know how to dance. This diva’s finger is constantly on the pulse of the night. They know every happening at every club and bar worth a visit, and likely has great influence over several such places and the people who go there. Deeply connected to a city’s social atmosphere, they have the knowledge to help others gain or lose the spotlight as they please.
'''Eternal Scholar'''


'''Gadabout'''
This Tremere was a dedicated researcher before their Embrace, and death does nothing to stop them from their obsessive pursuit of knowledge. Even if the clan has always looked to the arcane, the scholar does not need to be a former occultist, but might as well have been a groundbreaking surgeon, a theologist with a taste for sacrilegious texts, or a collector of rare books. Often this Kindred is preoccupied with understanding their own nature, and it is possible they have become an expert on the history of their kind.


With charisma, social intellect, and a cunning smile, the world is yours to conquer. The gadabout hedonist masters the art of manipulation, attraction, and empathy so well that even shy Cainites desire their attention or take pleasure in watching as they effortlessly mingle into every clique and category. This Toreador fits into any profession in which handling customers, patients, or clients is key, and they use every trick in the book to get their targets exactly where they want them.
'''Pagan Noncomformist'''


'''Patron of the Arts'''
Other Kindred often style Tremere followers of Carna as “new agers,” failing to understand the depth of magical exploration, feminine worship, and liberty these warlocks practice. Whether actually a former Wiccan or Satanist, a prior member of Clan Tremere who has aligned with Carna’s rebellion, or just someone who in life was downtrodden and longed for personal autonomy and authority over those who would hurt them, something about this blood witch goes against the grain of the clan’s traditions. They speak of change, and excitedly pursue their dreams of forbidden magick.


The patron is a collector of raw talent and promising beauty that just needs a guiding hand. They shape not clay or glass into intricate forms but people, and they see it as their gift to the world to pick out the best before they wither. Te patron may pose as an eccentric heiress whose home is open to struggling poets and painters or they may take on the role of the talent scout or critic, aiding their pupils with funding and guidance in return for their blood.
'''Ambitious Outsider'''


'''Thespian Spy'''
Te new willingness to Embrace from outside the traditional ranks of academics and occultists brings forth an array of individuals with ideas for the clan and the practice of Taumaturgy. The ambitious outsider may be a white witch or a rebel destined for the Anarchs. It is likely such a Tremere would struggle to gain respect in the clan, but with a lot to prove and the nominal support of House Carna, the ambitious outsider could go far.


The Toreador love a performance, and the one who plays at being a spy knows how to pry valuable chunks of information from a target, often taking more time than they need to properly enjoy the game. Perhaps over-dramatic, yet rarely suspected due to an affable nature, the thespian spy inserts themselves in multiple domains to entertain, observe, and compile libraries of information to exchange for other pleasures.
'''Chief of Security'''


The Tremere are more than scholars and librarians. The gifts they possess allow them to identify threats, manipulate minds, and destroy aggressors – even after the dissolution of the Pyramid, many other Kindred still regard the usurpers with mistrust, remembering them as the clan of killers and torturers. The Tremere sheriff or chief of security likely inherited their specialized skills from a former life as an enforcer of some kind.


==Disciplines==
==Disciplines==


===Auspex===
===Auspex===
[[Auspex]]: Toreador are ever on the hunt for exquisite experiences and use Auspex to identify the most susceptible vessels and those who might, through their feelings and temperament, offer new tastes and sensations to the drinker during the feed. Toreador also frequently use the Discipline on other Kindred, catering to their desires or antagonizing them with truths they should not know.
[[Auspex]]: Tremere use Auspex to perceive the auras of others, search for evidence of magical essences and important objects left behind, and to communicate with each other across vast distances without fear of being overheard. When needing to feed, Auspex assists a Tremere looking for a pliable vessel, as they can discern the enthusiastic from the reluctant. Many Tremere use Auspex to determine what a mortal needs in order to be more malleable.


===Celerity===
===Blood Sorcery===
[[Celerity]]: The Toreador claim they are not combatants, but few move as swiftly as the degenerate using Celerity to cut an opponent to ribbons before they have even had time to draw their weapon. Toreador often use Celerity to enhance artistic or performative skills. In feeding, they use the Discipline to take what they need from a vessel and vanish before the mortal realizes the truth of what has occurred.
[[Blood Sorcery]]: Master thaumaturges, the Tremere’s expertise in blood magick makes them a valued, if mistrusted, pillar of the Camarilla. Using Blood Sorcery, they can convey devastating attacks on an opponent’s mind and body, defend themselves, and ease their feeding. Some warlocks use Taumaturgy to sap a mortal’s blood from their veins without ever having to touch them.


===Presence===
===Dominate===
[[Presence]]: The Toreador master the Discipline of Presence, often using it in concert with Auspex to manipulate the emotions of Kindred and kine. Presence can guarantee an appreciative audience or cause the failure of another artist. Some Toreador will use the Discipline to indulge in carnal pleasures with an unnaturally enthusiastic partner or to lure a vessel into their arms and under their fangs. The members of the clan adore willing vessels, even if the willingness is a supernaturally induced façade.
[[Dominate]]: The Tremere will do almost anything for the sake of knowledge and influence, and Dominate is the Discipline that lets them get away with it. Thievery, backstabbing, and the unjust murder of a clan member’s ghoul are all made easier by the ability to control a mortal’s mind and body. When attempting to feed, a Tremere will show little compunction against using the Discipline to force a mortal into baring their throat.


==Bane==
==Bane==


Toreador exemplify the old saying that art in the blood takes strange forms. They desire beauty so intensely that they suffer in its absence.  
Once the clan was defined by a rigid hierarchy of Blood Bonds reaching from the top to the bottom of the Pyramid. But after the fall of Vienna, their Blood has recoiled and aborted all such connections.  
 
'''Tremere vitae can no longer Blood Bond other Kindred, though they themselves can be Bound by Kindred from other clans.
 
A Tremere can still bind mortals and ghouls, though the corrupted vitae must be drunk an additional number of times equal to the vampire’s Bane Severity for the bond to form. Some theorize this change is the revenge of the Antediluvian devoured by Tremere, others attribute it to a simple mutation. Regardless, the clan studies their vitae intently to discover if the process can be reversed, and, indeed, determine if they would want to do so


'''While your character finds itself in less than beautiful surroundings, lose the equivalent of their Bane Severity in dice from dice pools to use Disciplines.
==Pics==


The Storyteller decides specifically how the beauty or ugliness of the Toreador’s environment (including clothing, blood dolls, etc.) penalizes them, based on the character’s aesthetics. That said, even devotees of the Ashcan School never find normal streets perfectly beautiful. This obsession with aesthetics also causes divas to lose themselves in moments of beauty and a bestial failure often results in a rapt trance, as detailed in the Compulsion rules.
[[File:Tremere_examples.jpg]]


{{Clan_List}}
{{Clan_List}}

Latest revision as of 02:10, 10 December 2018

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Clan Tremere[edit]

A Hermetic mage in eighth century Romania, magick users rightfully feared for their obsession with knowledge and power. Tremere was the leader of cabal of - Able to prolong his life unnaturally for centuries, his powers eventually lessened and his grip on youth became shaky. Unable or unwilling to accept his own mortality, Tremere cast his eyes on the hallowed secret of immortality. In his greed, the mage instigated the most terrifying magickal experiments ever conducted, damning himself and his followers to a hell of their own making. Tousands of mortals were murdered and hundreds of Kindred vivisected and drained in ritual circles before Tremere and his cultists thought they had found the elixir of life. How surprised they were to have discovered the curse of Caine. Terrifed, they died and woke again to an eternity of unlife and hunger, cut off from their craft. In a mockery of their former magickal rituals, now only fresh blood allows the Tremere to cast their thaumaturgic spells to twist reality.

“Allow me to call to order this meeting of minds. We must discuss the kinds of mortals who are brought into the fold on this and future nights.” Schrekt eyed his two counterparts across a triangular-shaped table. The room in which they sat existed in three places at once.

“Herr Schrekt, I do not believe our practices have changed overmuch. We still Embrace only the most brilliant minds, and those already attuned to the occult. While my house does target subjects with less restrictive morals than yours, I can assure you that we will not be granting immortality to the undeserving.” Te representative for House Goratrix concluded his statement, leaning back into the shadows.

Schrekt stared across the table at his counterparts. If the choice had been without consequence, both would be snuffed out without hesitation. Unfortunately, they served a purpose. He knew because his Blood told him it was so. He turned to the woman at the other corner. “And House Carna?”

Carna ran her right forefinger over the palm of her left hand as she spoke. “Our house rejects the old ways shaped by men, and seeks pagans, witches, and chaos magicians who look to the future. For the sake of our clan’s survival, we must cast our net wider. Now that the old bonds wither, and your house is one of the last keeping with the regimented structure of the Pyramid, I see no reason to cling to tradition.”

Schrekt clenched his jaw without realizing it, his fists balling. “You would abandon centuries of tradition on a schismatic whim? How is it that House Tremere finds more in common with House Goratrix these nights?”

Carna shrugged without looking up. “Tat sounds like a problem, Karl. One you need to address. Note that House Carna is still Camarilla, for the time being at least.” Her head facing her hands, her eyeline flicked upward, and her gaze connected briefly with his. “You have heard the same voices we have. Neither of us is wrong. We must be permitted to pursue our paths separately and come together when the time is right.”

Schrekt smiled unconvincingly. The representative from House Goratrix vanished. “Just you and I now. Are we really going to fill our clan with amateur tarot readers, women who dawdle with tea leaves, and spiritualists? We were a noble clan.”

Carna faded away, her voice softly following. “We were never noble. Our clan consists of mortals who sought power they didn’t deserve. Perhaps it’s time we Embrace those who love magic for its own sake.”

Who Are the Tremere[edit]

After the Second Inquisition destroyed the Prime Chantry in Vienna in 2008, the Tremere fell from gray eminences to personae non gratae in many regions. The arrogance of the Pyramid had made the Usurpers few friends. But the need for sorcery has not disappeared; if anything, it grows as the cursed Blood shifts in the veins of the Kindred.

Without the Pyramid ordering them into rank and value, the warlocks find themselves competing with their fellow Kindred and, increasingly, with each other for anything that might allow them to regain some of their former power. A clan-wide chase for artifacts and grimoires belonging to their ashen ancestors rival the social intrigues in ugliness, and the alliance with the Camarilla is an of-used weapon between the houses of Clan Tremere. Meanwhile, the term “mercenary magus” is becoming increasingly widespread, as warlocks who were formerly Bound by the will of their masters find themselves free to serve for whatever price they choose.

Tremere serve in three ways: the Warlocks serve the other clans with occult expertise, they serve the Camarilla with Blood Sorcery, and they serve themselves with their missions to grasp power. Tough more Tremere ascend to praxis these nights than ever before, they still claim fewer thrones worldwide than Clan Nosferatu. In truth, most Warlocks acknowledge that becoming the Prince is only useful if it helps them expand their knowledge. Tremere see true power as knowing the ways of shaping the world, having access to the right blood, and owning the rarest of ancient artifacts.

As the Tremere ally with confused coteries seeking them out, hunt for well-protected relics and artifacts, or closely analyze fragments of lore relating to the Cainite mythos – all the while miserly guarding their secrets from each other – they are all united in their thirst for knowledge. A Kindred who wishes to understand a piece of their history will do well to approach the Tremere for answers, as long as they are at peace with sharing a few secrets of their own – knowingly or otherwise.

Tremere Archetypes[edit]

Pyramid Loyalist

Until recently, the Pyramid hierarchy made the Tremere one of the most rigid clans. They still include a number of conservative loyalists, fiercely bound to the clan’s original order by will, if not by blood. A Pyramid loyalist might still adhere to the customs of responsibility between sire and childe, uphold the ranks and tutelage of a formal chantry, and seek to rebuild the clan’s prestige and notoriety. Some Pyramid loyalists wish to search Vienna for the remains of their clan’s information trove, though Tremere elders have declared the domain out-of-bounds.

Eternal Scholar

This Tremere was a dedicated researcher before their Embrace, and death does nothing to stop them from their obsessive pursuit of knowledge. Even if the clan has always looked to the arcane, the scholar does not need to be a former occultist, but might as well have been a groundbreaking surgeon, a theologist with a taste for sacrilegious texts, or a collector of rare books. Often this Kindred is preoccupied with understanding their own nature, and it is possible they have become an expert on the history of their kind.

Pagan Noncomformist

Other Kindred often style Tremere followers of Carna as “new agers,” failing to understand the depth of magical exploration, feminine worship, and liberty these warlocks practice. Whether actually a former Wiccan or Satanist, a prior member of Clan Tremere who has aligned with Carna’s rebellion, or just someone who in life was downtrodden and longed for personal autonomy and authority over those who would hurt them, something about this blood witch goes against the grain of the clan’s traditions. They speak of change, and excitedly pursue their dreams of forbidden magick.

Ambitious Outsider

Te new willingness to Embrace from outside the traditional ranks of academics and occultists brings forth an array of individuals with ideas for the clan and the practice of Taumaturgy. The ambitious outsider may be a white witch or a rebel destined for the Anarchs. It is likely such a Tremere would struggle to gain respect in the clan, but with a lot to prove and the nominal support of House Carna, the ambitious outsider could go far.

Chief of Security

The Tremere are more than scholars and librarians. The gifts they possess allow them to identify threats, manipulate minds, and destroy aggressors – even after the dissolution of the Pyramid, many other Kindred still regard the usurpers with mistrust, remembering them as the clan of killers and torturers. The Tremere sheriff or chief of security likely inherited their specialized skills from a former life as an enforcer of some kind.

Disciplines[edit]

Auspex[edit]

Auspex: Tremere use Auspex to perceive the auras of others, search for evidence of magical essences and important objects left behind, and to communicate with each other across vast distances without fear of being overheard. When needing to feed, Auspex assists a Tremere looking for a pliable vessel, as they can discern the enthusiastic from the reluctant. Many Tremere use Auspex to determine what a mortal needs in order to be more malleable.

Blood Sorcery[edit]

Blood Sorcery: Master thaumaturges, the Tremere’s expertise in blood magick makes them a valued, if mistrusted, pillar of the Camarilla. Using Blood Sorcery, they can convey devastating attacks on an opponent’s mind and body, defend themselves, and ease their feeding. Some warlocks use Taumaturgy to sap a mortal’s blood from their veins without ever having to touch them.

Dominate[edit]

Dominate: The Tremere will do almost anything for the sake of knowledge and influence, and Dominate is the Discipline that lets them get away with it. Thievery, backstabbing, and the unjust murder of a clan member’s ghoul are all made easier by the ability to control a mortal’s mind and body. When attempting to feed, a Tremere will show little compunction against using the Discipline to force a mortal into baring their throat.

Bane[edit]

Once the clan was defined by a rigid hierarchy of Blood Bonds reaching from the top to the bottom of the Pyramid. But after the fall of Vienna, their Blood has recoiled and aborted all such connections.

Tremere vitae can no longer Blood Bond other Kindred, though they themselves can be Bound by Kindred from other clans.

A Tremere can still bind mortals and ghouls, though the corrupted vitae must be drunk an additional number of times equal to the vampire’s Bane Severity for the bond to form. Some theorize this change is the revenge of the Antediluvian devoured by Tremere, others attribute it to a simple mutation. Regardless, the clan studies their vitae intently to discover if the process can be reversed, and, indeed, determine if they would want to do so

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