HOUSE TREMERE

By Kyle Schaefer (kschaefe@direct.ca)

Nicknames

Wizards, warlocks, magus', etc.

Description

Similar to V:tM, but with some changes, not the least of which being that not all of its members trace their lineage back to Tremere and the council of seven. Their history is the same as presented in Clanbook: Tremere. There are many in House Tremere who are descended from Tremere and the council of seven and these Kindred tend to hold the greatest share of the power in the organization. However, they have increased their numbers greatly by recruiting other Kindred who have demonstated appropriate "skills" into joining the order. These vampires are offered "great and secret knowledge" (like Thaumaturgy) in return for their service as apprentices. Also, members of the House have secretly used various methods of procuring vampire vitae of non-Tremere vampires to "embrace" their own childer, whom they then train in their ways. Thus, you can find many kinds of vampire in House Tremere.

Preferred Paths

As in the Player's Guide to the Sabbat. Those who follow the Path of Evil Revelations will have Daimoinon as their primary Thaumaturgical Path instead of the Path of Blood, while those who follow the Path of Death and the Soul will have Necromancy as their primary Path. These kindred would have to keep their True Path secret, of course, or they may be thought Baali or Giovanni spies.

Secret Orders

The Secret Orders from the clanbook are actually fewer in total. They are:

The Order of the Quaesitori: The clanbook has the Quaesitori, the Elite, and the Guardians of Tradition. Here they are actually the same order, with the latter two being nicknames for the first. Simply read the three descriptions and apply them to one organization, with the "racism" of the "Elite" manifesting also as hatred for all members of the House not descended by blood from Tremere and the council; they consider these "lesser" vampires "infiltrators." They are the "Traditionalists."

The Astors: The Astors and the "Children of the Pyramid" (their nickname) from the clanbook. They are the "Transitionalists."

Also: The Brothers of the Absinte, the Order of Naturists, the Humanus League, the Illuminated Brotherhood, the Eye of the Serpent (are they Setites or aren't they?-who knows?), and the Order of the Wyrm (sponsored by Pentex?). The Tremere clanbook lists these orders which still exist, but which are neither "secret," nor "internal" (ie. not strictly for Tremere). Some (the last two above) need not be even just for vampires. This way, they can be part of any chronicle that the ST sees fit to include them in. Of course, as secret socities go, these six can't really hold a candle to the Sabbat, the Sabbat Black Hand, the Tal'mahe'Ra, the Inconnu, or the Followers of Set.