By Timothy Toner (thanatos@interaccess.com)
"It began with Bonisagus, the first to notice the phenomena. No, not quite the first to notice it. Perhaps the first to care about it. He noted that Magick, as it was practiced by the Traditions, took a terrible toll on the fabric of Reality, and on the minds of the Mages who utilized it. He reported his discoveries to the powers that be, but whether through negligence or indifference, they wholly ignored the warnings.
"Undaunted, Bonisagus continued his research, looking for a solution that would please all parties. In many ways, he emulated the Sons of Ether of today, for he knew that somewhere out there, the solution was waiting for him to find it.
"Then, one evening, while studying the habits of a pack of curious Garou, he stumbled upon a pocket of energy, deep within the Umbra. Make no mistake; it was not Prime. Its precise nature eluded him. It seemed to be a form of "shadow" quintessence, a realm formed as a sort of shadow when the power of Prime and quintessence bathed the Earth. Into this void fell all the free quintessence that dripped off earth. Here, it pooled and stored, waiting to be tapped. It was quintessence, but it was quintessence tainted by Pattern.
"Because of the Taint, it was not able to bend reality. Instead, it could be used to coax reality along gentle paths, not ripped and eviscerated like "true" Magick. It seemed to be the boon Bonisagus sought, and he raced to write up the report.
"Needless to say, they were not interested. Magick flowed freely and easily. Why should they waste their time limiting the freedom their powers allowed? Bonisagus was given a warm pat on the back, and sent packing.
"Undaunted, he devoted his existence to understanding this rare energy source. Research showed that minor mages had already been tapping this power source, but in random, erratic, and short term ways. It was a part of reality, as much as he, or the plants and the air. It could be controlled more readily than Magick, but that would take a great deal of discipline, but as he saw it, a little enforced discipline was a good thing. He struck upon a manner of defining what he saw, and separating it into the system of forms and techniques we know today.
"About ten years into the program, he was ready to start training a group of apprentices to control this new form of power, which he dubbed "Ars Magica." He sent a copy of his proposal to the Order of Hermes, and they replied promptly, demanding his presence before the Conclave.
"This part of history has long been hidden behind the closed doors of that enclave. Some say that it was the first incursion with the Maurauders, others say it was a run in with the Nephandi. Still more claimed it was the first Paradox backlash. The cause was hidden, but the effect was obvious. A group of young, inexperienced mages had probed too far, and unleashed something dreadful. The Order was trapped in a dilemma. It needed to train more magi to defend against further assaults, and yet it dared not expose any more Neonates to the reality ripping power, lest more holes open up, and let more creatures spill forth. Bonisagus heard all this and smiled. He knew what they were going to ask, and he was supremely pleased with himself.
"Indeed, they asked for him to present the formulae for his work. He knew that had he been allowed to create his mages a year before, under the auspices of the Order, compromises would have been made. Now that they needed him, he could exert as much control upon the workings of the new Order as he deemed necessary. Above all the cardinal rule was 'DISCIPLINE.' Without it, the magic would not flow, and all was lost.
"He created a system containing structure, yet free enough to allow for spontaneous events, which would please those once enamored with Magick. The power derived not from the raping of reality, but rather the subtle harvesting of the power from this other place, this 'Shadow Empyrean,' as it came to be known.
"Several other traditions joined in to assist the experiment. If an adequate system could be established, then those true Mages relegated to guard duty might very well be freed up to pursue the True Arts. Not all Traditions agreed with Bonisagus, however. The Chorus, with its control over Prime, was undisputed master of True reality, or the True Empyrean. Any threat, they thought, could be repulsed with but a gesture from them. Since True Magick could vaporize any Shadow effect, the Order of Hermes was not considered much of a threat.
"As the histories tell us, Bonisagus' plan worked well...too well. The more the power from this "Shadow Empyrean" was utilized, the more peculiar effects began to manifest. Some mages, too addicted by the power, slipped into a state very similar to the Quiet, enemy of all true mages. This state came to be known as Twilight, and it was to be feared above all.
"Then the power began to wane, and the World of Myth began to die. The whys have been bandied about the debate hall until the very subject burns with hateful rhetoric. Chapter Three of your texts more than adequately goes over the four basic theories. We will briefly cover each.
"The reason accepted at that time was the closing of the Arcadia Gateway, the Path into Faerie. Mages of other Traditions claimed that the Shadow Empyrean was the Faerie's personal power source, and that by draining it, we gave them no choice but to shut the entire system down. Recent conversations with the Fey have shown us this belief is false. The Closing of the Gateway was as much an effect as our loss of magic. The effect lay elsewhere.
"The second theory propounds that the Technomancers created the Umbral Gauntlet, not only shielding us from invaders, but also calcifying reality until it has reached its current state. This theory has become the most popular, simply because it blames a common enemy of the Debaters, the Hateful Technocracy. We of open minds must not allow our quest for understanding of Magickal Theory to be clouded by politics and prejudice. To be truly open minded, and not like the Technocracy, we must accept all possibilities.
"Magister, did not the brave Tremere discover the Technomancer threat?"
"Ah, who is that? Yes, Brown. Smart boy. You've been dipping into the Prohiberam Lectare, eh? Such intelligence will get you thirty whacks after class.
"Where was I? Yes. The third theory.
"The third theory was put forth in the final days of the Order of Hermes. After the Treachery of the Technomancers was discovered, many sought to justify why the Technomancers had turned on them. Now the majority were very pompous magi, who could not accept that a bunch of smelly Germans had pulled the wool over their eyes. But a few had clear minds, and from them we can see that the Technomancers were intensely interested in the drop in the vis levels. Many detractors claimed that they were merely looking to see how effective a job they were doing.
"Others pointed to some disturbing observations made by magi travelling in the Deep Umbra at the time. I will read one such passage, from Ektota, a Dreamspeaker:
"I had begun my journey of purification with a happy heart, but it is torn apart by the sight before me. The Umbra casts a dark pallor across the spectral landscape, and yet something deeper, darker, and more sinister has infected the land. Jagglings lay dying, ectoplasmic pus oozing from invisible wounds. This whole place, one natural, once alive, is dead. All I can blame are these black veins which course through the land, like a deep infection in the Umbra.
"One such area particularly drew my attention. There, many veins of the blackness flowed together into a giant pustulant sphere, a malignancy that seemed to absorb all. Where has it come from? What is it doing? I wish I knew. This is my fourth time to this place. I will not return here again.
"Dreamspeakers are not well known for their eloquence or rhetorical skill, or even for writing down memories. Thus, this one draws particular attention. In his opinion, a sickness was engulfing the Umbra, absorbing power. Perhaps this was the source of the drain. Did the Technomancers create the Gauntlet to protect the earth from an even greater threat? Only careful studying will tell.
"The final theory is a vicious bit of rumor, which I nevertheless must bring forth. There are those who claim that the Celestial Chorus are responsible for the death of the Order. The Chorus never quite believed that we weren't deriving our power from the Devil Himself. Some say they choked the Shadow Empyrean to put a stop to it once and for all. Other members of the Order claim that the Chorus were jealous that they no longer held the monopoly on Magick. So jealous were they, that they levelled the full brunt of Prime on our heads. Now I am all for maintaining a good relationship between the Traditions but the Chorus does have a long history of doing incredibly stupid things for the wrong reasons. The very fact that they lost control of a Sphere as powerful as Prime so easily suggests that they were somehow culpable in the rise of the Technocracy to power.
"Whatever the case, the following truth is known: your forefathers, the Tremere, were the most brilliant House in the Order. Never shirking from duty, they accepted the role of researchers, explorers, warriors, and martyrs. Whenever a problem arose, the Tremere were there to deal with the threat. They were masters of Certamen and spellcraft, and their very name described them well: "To tremble." Those who saw a Tremere performing the Ars trembled before the power.
"Such brilliance carried a heavy price. When the magic began to die, several Traditions raided the Houses, seeking those who would make excellent True Mages. The Tremere knew their duty, and not a one deserted their honored position. They studied the problem on every level. Whereas the scholar mage was content to study vis concentrations around faerie rings, the Tremere studied the politicks amongst the houses, and amongst the Traditions. Many thought that the Tremere were benefitting from such activities, but nothing could be farther from the truth.
"Then two decades before the rise of Copernicus, with his official declaration of the Magickal supremacy of the Technocracy, one member of House Tremere, whose name is lost except for in the warmest reaches of our hearts, discovered the truth. Reading the original notes of Bonisagus, he noted that access to the Shadow Empyrean waxed and waned in a cycle similar to the Garou's natural ability to enter the Umbra. The two were somehow linked. Questioning a few curious Garou, the mage discovered that as the vis waned, the difficulty to enter the umbra increased. The Tremere surmised that a physical barrier was being created between Earth and the Shadow Empyrean.
"By the time he reached his colleagues with the bitter information, it was too late. The Technocracy had fashioned the whole of reality into a fantastical machine, and it was only a matter of time before it crushed all Magick within its gears. However, an Enclave of seven Tremere, including the Honored one, clustered together to compare notes on what they had learned about their new foes.
"It would seem that the Technomancers had convinced the vampiric population, once victims of witch hunts, to hide in the shadows, and actively seek to erase their existence from the minds of man. Many wondered at this. With a few careful spells, the Technocracy could do the same. Why make the vampires do it on their own?
"The Honored One realized that the vampires played a much greater role in all this than anyone imagined, perhaps even themselves. The Technocracy was using them, using the effort the Kindred exerted in hiding themselves, to turn the wheels of a reality where such Supernatural creatures did not exist.
"It was inherently obvious to them that the only way to defeat the Technomancers was to emulate the vampires (and not a few of the Traditions) and hide in plain sight. However, the Seven represented the most visible of the Tremere, the most visible House in the Order. Further, with their vis fading fast, and with the realization that their plan to foil the Technocracy would take years, a new, more dangerous course would have to be selected. If they envisioned a plan to bell the cat, then they would have to be the ones to do it.
"Time was running out. The Seven realized that they would have to move swiftly and ruthlessly, as they had seen the vampires act in the past. The Honored one was chosen to be the first, to find a powerful vampire, and learn his secrets. This he did.
"It is with a heavy heart that I now tell you, mea discipuli, that in order to sequester the power, the Honored One had to seek out the most vulnerable, most trusting of the Kindred. A noble soul died that day, but for the greater good of all. With his power firmly entrenched, the Honored One, now known only as Tremere, turned the rest of the Seven into vampires."
The master sighed, paused but a moment, and mopped his neck with a cloth. Clearing his throat, he continued. "Now we enter perhaps the least understood time in the History of our Forefathers. The Seven went to the leaders of the surviving Houses, and told them the plan. As a one, they refused to have anything to do with something so macabre, so evil. They could not see the truth until it destroyed them.
"The seven realized that they were unquestionably in a state of distress. With no backing from the other Houses, no one in the Traditions speaking to them, and the entire Kindred population wondering from the shadows where a powerful member had gone to, the Seven were compelled into action. They spread their belief throughout their House, and most joined in readily. A few had to be convinced through unpleasant means. In a short amount of time, it was done. House Tremere was dead. Clan Tremere was born. And the Technocracy would pay bitterly for the sacrifices that were made.
"Understanding the nature of Kindred society was easy. There existed a powerful thing called a 'Blood Bond,' which could compel brother to fight brother. To prevent any involuntary blood bonding, all would be bonded for mutual protection. This was readily agreed to. Once this was done, the Clan could more readily drop the "us vs. them" facade.
"And so they continue to this day, further gaining ground, further cutting into the power of the Technocracy, using magic which does not accumulate Paradox. They are bringing a blood magick back to the earth a thousand times more potent than anything the Verbena could cook up. You see, my students, they have discovered a gateway to the Shadow Empyrean. It lies within them."
The students glanced at each other incredulously. "Of course!" a few called out, astonished.
The master waved his hand, and the talking died. "So where does that leave us?"
"Good question, eh, Gunter? Gunter. Yes. There was another group of Tremere, other than the Seven, who discovered something incredible. The Shadow Empyrean was still accessible, still there. Many had thought it dried up, but in fact, the Technomancers had only built up a wall. If a means could be discovered to punch a hole in the Gauntlet, then the Ars Magica would flow freely.
"These Tremere presented their theory too late. By the time they came out of their labs, over half the House had been turned. It would be many years before anything conclusive could be discovered, and they thought it best to drop from view for a time.
"To answer your unspoken question, yes, they did run. But they ran for the right reasons. They ran not out of fear, but out of necessity. The Ars Magica was still alive. They only needed to keep the spirit going, until they devised a means of linking it to its power.
"They kept their magick alive--barely--by convincing Dreamspeakers and Garou to intentionally chew holes in the Gauntlet around the Shadow Empyrean, and just enough leaked out to make their magick seem more than pretty words and gestures. After the Houses fell, they took those the Traditions thought they could not train in Magick, and housed them, needing their assistance to keep the dream alive.
"Raids by the Technocracy and vampires--either Tremere who thought they spotted a few renegade hold backs, or other vampires who thought that they were assaulting a Clan Tremere chantry, convinced them to spread out, and live normal lives, all the while conducting their research.
"I was trained in that time, and it was indeed hard. The gestures we did held no true power. The only effect we could muster was a slight glowing, grim proof that something was happening. If only we knew what.
"But those days are gone. In 1863, amid the revolutions that swept Europe, a member of our Order, dubbed the Order of Tremere, since we held no allegiance to the Order of Hermes, the House Tremere, or Clan Tremere, discovered the Prime Ram. Herrick and his experiments are discussed in depth in Chapter 22 of the text. I will give a brief overview for those who haven't done the reading.
"Herrick knew the problem did not lay within the grasp of the Traditions. They had repudiated the existence of the Shadow Empyrean from the start. However, he convinced a friend of his in the Order to take him into the Umbra. At first, she was hesitant, but he informed her that it was critical to his research. Relenting, she took him on his quest.
"He was amazed by the visual beauty of the Umbra. Everything seemed alive to him. The magick he had only read about, and felt dribbling off his fingers was here! He asked his friend to make for a huge morass of white webs, an enormous calcified sphere almost as big as he imagined the Earth to be.
"Puzzled, his friend told Herrick that she saw no such place. Intrigued, he asked his friend to indulge him. Knowing the basics of pattern theory, he commanded his friend to fire a Prime charge into the pattern of the Web. Once again, she claimed to see nothing. He pleaded her to just extend her hand, and let loose a bolt. Desiring to get this over with, she agreed, and fired the bolt.
"Invisible to her, the bolt ruptured a hole in the webbing. Herrick, knowing his friend would soon insist upon returning, lept forward...and vanished.
"When he retured, he did so under his own power. The Ars Magica was borne again, and now the Order of Tremere controlled it.
"Years of persecution and hiding reinforced the beliefs of Bonisagus: DISCIPLINE, above all. Just because our magick does not create paradox, does not mean we should squander it. You who sit before me will, by the end of the week, pay your first visit to the Shadow Realm, the source of our power. Within a month, those of you who survive unscathed will become full Magi in our Order.
"You descend from a proud, noble heritage. Your ancestors were Bonisagus, who anticipated the current crisis we now face, the Honored One, who sacrificed all so that the Technomancers would not triumph, and Herrick, who rediscovered the power within. Take each name to heart, mea discipuli, and bring them with you as you endure the Shadow Empyrean. They will guide you in your darkest hour.
"Any questions?"
"Yes, Magister."
"Hanson?"
The young man stood. "Magister, why did Bonisagus create the Ars Magica in the first place?"
"Good. Excellent question. The book goes over it quickly, because this aspect of his reseach does not survive to this day. Several revisionist theorists think that he perceived a tearing in the reality around earth. In very many ways, it is like a forest, planted with a variety of trees. A few are excellent in absorbing, storing, and using water to grow. The rest are standard trees.
When water, or in our case, quintessence, flows into the Pattern of Earth, those who can use it absorb it better than those who cannot.
"If Quintessence was not essential for survival, then this would be no problem. If Quintessence was infinite, then this would not have mattered. But Quintessence is a vital energy, necessary for life, for freedom, and most important, for change. Without the free flow of Quintessence, reality becomes stagnant. People lose their ability to think for themselves, to choose, to be individuals. The Machinations of the Technocracy seek to drain all avaliable Quintessence into their machines. However, any that remain are currently being devoured by the Traditions.
"This is how it was before the Rise of the Technocracy. A few select Mages, Masters and Oracles, controlled the available tass in a region. They were unaware that although life was going on, no babies were born tasting Quintessence, and thus able to use magick. They were starving their people, and frankly they did not care.
"Bonisagus sensed this. He knew that the hoarding of Tass had to stop, and so he envisioned a power source which would not restrict the free flow of Tass through the world pattern.
"There is more. Bonisagus was not content that Arete held the answers the the question of comprehending reality and its varitations. It made a good theory, but there was something missing, something he saw in the eyes of those lost to Quiet. The reality warping of Magick has a terrible, detrimental effect on the mind of the Mage. Put simply, man was not, and is not, ready for the level of control that Magick allows him. Ars Magica, with its inherent limitations, prevents this from happening. Nothing can be made permanent without Quintessence. There is the Lunar Limit, to prevent us from using Conjunctional Magick, and the Pandora's Box contained therein. In short, Ars Magica is all the power you, or I, should ever need.
"Any more questions? Good. Tomorrow is your final exam on forms and techniques. I have asked that each of you provide me with a list of the ones you have chosen, and why. You will be drilled on them, until we are content that you will never use them in folly. The day after, you will all fashion your first Prime Rams, and by the end of the week, the Walkers will take you to the Shadow Realm, for the final ceremony. Until then, good luck.
"Oh, and Brown? I believe you, I and my adamantine paddle should have a conference at this time."
It was at this time that a sympathetic voice in the Order of Hermes made the personal journals available to the Remnants (as they were called by the Order of Hermes). They poured over the notes, and after doing a little bit of espionage on their own, discovered the "truth," long suppressed by a disbelieving Order.
This knowledge helped bolster them in their cause. The Shadow Empyrean was a place, and not just a force, as originally believed. This revelation made them dig deeper into the hidden records of the Houses.
A group of Mages, the surviving members of House Tremere, then led a new crusade. They opened the secret records of the "betrayal," the transformation of the House into the Clan. So moved were they by the record of sacrifice, they renamed their Order, and refocused their mission: to regain the Shadow Empyrean, and return free magick to the world.
Some dissonant voices within the Order claim that the survivors of House Tremere faked the documents to make themselves seem less cowards, running from demons, and more crusaders, fighting the good fight. However, one such detractor approached a member of the Tremere Inner Circle, to learn the truth. The Tremere merely smiled and nodded, before embracing the curious mage.
Whatever the case, the powerful rhetoric, espoused above in the final speech before the Awakening, keeps many of the critics in line. They realize theirs is a secretive order, nowhere near as powerful as the potent Traditions, and yet omnipotent in their own way.
In this day, the Order of Tremere is spreading across the world, finding those who can be Awakened, and yet are passed over by both the Traditions and the Technocracy for not possessing the proper philosophy. Many would accuse the Order of brainwashing, but the mindless devotion only pertains to the way they react to the other Magick-using groups. They wish that all humanity could wield magic, but know, like any good parent, that unless discipline is enforced, it will all be lost.
Often members of the Traditions will use the Tremere as go betweens when they have to deal with the other denizens of the WoD. Many see the Hermes Experiment as a blot in the History of Magick, and will do anything to alleviate the suffering of the victims. To them, the Tremere are victims, to be pitied. As can be imagined, this makes the average Tremere livid. When one can wield the force of arcane fire, one should not be patted on the head.
The Tremere are truly not seen as a threat, since their magick can be easily dispelled with the slightest application of Prime (Prime 2). However, this is a dangerous myth. The Tremere, wise to the ways of the World of Darkness, merely allow the Traditions to think them weak, without protection. In truth, many are Adepts of Prime right out of training.
The other members of the world of Darkness, perhaps a bit scared that true Magi can control such awesome power, prefer to see the Tremere as the representatives of Magick in the world. If a vampire or Garou wishes to consult on a matter of arcane principle, chances are that the forces of the universe will direct them to a Tremere, who would be content to answer the question, for the usual fee.
When the Tremere deal with vampires, they never use the name of the order. Often, they will harken back to simpler days, calling themselves Hermetic Mages, and smiling broadly at those vampires old enough to remember what that meant. Such beings are an endless source of knowledge believed lost, and subsequently, many mages keep in the good graces of a city's Kindred population.
The Garou, too, choose to deal with mages when they come across magickal problems that they cannot comprehend. Often, the Tremere will direct them to a local Dreamspeaker, though it is rumored that the Shadow Lords and the Tremere have a global pact of mutual protection and non-interference.
The final goal of the Order is to shatter the Gauntlet between the Shadow Empyrean and Earth. Once this is done, all people will be able to wield safe magick, and a new Mythic Age will sweep the world. In order to accomplish this goal, the Technocracy must be defeated. However, the Order of Tremere trusts not the other Traditions. They are convinced that the second the war ends, a new one will begin, a nine-way tug of war, with reality as the rope. This new situation is even worse than the current one.
Subsequently, the Tremere are making allies within the other occult forces. Several Anarchs, who long to end the Masquerade, agree with them and their plan. A schism in the Children of Gaia manifested, when one Child discovered a Gift that allowed the Veil to be dropped indefinitely. Each group seeks to restore a sense of wonder back into the world, so that the Technomancer's chains will be voluntarily thrown off.
Now the Order are not fools. They know that if the Technomancers become aware that a group of mages exist whose magick incurs no paradox, then the full force of the Pogrom will return to them, a fate none want to experience again. Subsequently, they exploit the temporary nature of their powers as much as possible. Still, the sight of a Tremere going full out, casting Vulgar acts right and left, is a truly awe inspiring scene, and has been known to Awaken a few sleepers spontaneously. Sadly, most of these are picked up by the Technomancers, or the Order of Hermes, before the Tremere can reach them.
After the Initiate is prepared, she is given her final exam, and once that is passed, is asked to record a casting name and the form and technique she will employ. Then, in a solemn ceremony, a group of Tremere known as Walkers (Masters of Spirit) escort the Initiates into the Umbra, and bathe them in the Shadow Empyrean, so that forevermore they can taste its essence, and know it for what it is, and where it hides. It is then that the Tremere awakens, and gains her Avatar.
After this point, a short time is spent at the Chantry (seldom more than a month), learning the Prime Ram rote, as well as becoming reacquainted with the world outside. The Acolyte is then asked where she wants to live, and is reestablished there, with a list of three contacts in the area (just names; no addresses or promises of Favors is given). A few choose to remain and teach. Regardless of where they go, a Tremere is expected to make their way to the closest Chantry for the meetings.
There is a world Chantry of the Order of Tremere, a sort of home office. It is found deep in the mountains of Switzerland, near the Gornergratt. Many Mages believe that the Tremere were responsible for many acts of braver during the war, helping refugees escape into Switzerland, and most importantly, keeping the Nazis out. For their actions, the Swiss government protects the location of the Chantry, and anyone seeking it out must first deal with the Swiss government, a very unpleasant experience, regardless of power level).
Celestial Chorus: Hateful bastards! They know all too well their role in the Surrendering of Reality to the Technocracy, and in the pogroms that nearly wiped us out. If only we could return the favor somehow. (Don't worry, we will).
Cult of Ecstacy: Get off the acid. Reality isn't a toy, to be screwed, smoked, and shat out when it no longer amuses you. You who possess no discipline would learn well the Story of the Ants and the Grasshopper, and prepare for the storm.
Discordians: Order within Chaos? Chaos within Order? Please. They are wholly untrustworthy, tools of the Marauders. Trust them not.
Dreamspeakers: Kindred spirits, we understand the essential nature of the Umbra, to be savored and not captured, to be used, not exploited. If only the other Traditions were so open- minded.
Euthanatos: Their fixation on a single event makes them far too narrow-minded. Reality is much more than decay, and promoting its death is criminal.
Hollow Ones: We could teach them a thing or two. You would be surprised how quickly a student learns when he is chained to his desk. Discipline, Discipline, Discipline!
Necromancers: Ugh! These grim ones should have been the reason why the Witch Hunts were called. As victims and survivors, if it managed to take out this group, then it would have been all worthwhile.
Order of Hermes: Our respected masters, our benevolent protectors, our trusted patrons. You left us to die, you expected us to die. But we didn't. No. We took the bitter pill you fed us, and made something to be proud of, something beautiful, wondrous, and free, as alien a concept as anyone of you morally bankrupt bastards could comprehend. I do hope you all rot.
Runecasters: A puzzling group, and one which we would like to learn more. Too bad they are more interested in their secrecy, than sharing their wisdom.
Sons of Jupiter: Who are you, sirs? Your power, your wisdom is legendary, and yet you do nothing with it. Learn our ways, and fight our wars.
Sons of Ether: Their musings on objective reality have tainted our magick. We can tie the first case of twilight due to exposure to the Shadow Empyrean to one of their "forefathers," commenting that his (flawed) research showed that Quiet should) affect us! And lo, it did. Keep your musings to yourself!
Technolibertarians: They and the Technocracy are but two sides of the same coin. One day, they will realize that, and all who trusted in them will perish.
Trenchcoaters: There is no reason why we our two groups should not get along, but they accuse us of being flashy and manipulative, and will have nothing to do with us. It matters not to us.
Virtual Adept: Those who try to fight fire with fire will only get burned in the end. Their spreading of destabilizing magick into the stable reality of the Technocracy will doom us all!
Wikkans: A brave and noble group, they understand the old ways better than any.
Each level does a different thing to produce the same effect: opening a non-physical gateway into the Shadow Empyrean, a huge reserve of "tainted" Quintessence. This quintessence is unusable by true Magi, since it most closely resembles Raw Quintessence, locked into a certain reality paradigm. To the Tremere, though, this is the Lifesblood of their power. They allow the shadow tass to flow through their pattern, where it conforms to the established forms and techniques which they practice.
Since the Shadow Tass has already soaked through the Technomancer reality, it can no longer create Paradox, since it is (or was) an essential part of that reality. However, the energy burns out quickly, making dramatic effects that are short term in duration, unless tass is used to power it further.
The duration of the breach depends on how many successes were garnered on the initial roll:
| 1 | 12 Hours |
| 2 | 1 Day |
| 3 | 2 Days |
| 4 | 4 Days |
| 5 | A Week |
To dispel a Shadow magick effect, the Mage must shut down the Tremere's connection to the Shadow Empyrean. Most of the time, a Tremere will simply drop the effect, to perpetuate the myth that the Shadow Empyrean is NOTHING compared to the True Empyrean. In fact, a Magick- CounterMagick situation is set up. Difficulty is the Rank of the Prime used in the initial Prime Ram + 3. Each success brings the time limit down one level. With enough successes, the conduit is completely shattered, and the effect dies. Each success also decreases the power of the spell (seen later) being cast at that time. Note that using the CounterMagick is considered Vulgar.
However, the Paradox generated from the first Paradox Ram never goes away. It fashions itself into a permanent 1 point Paradox Flaw, which hinders the mage for the rest of her life. Such is the price of the power they wield.