Lore: Tremere

Secondary Abilities

This Lore represents knowledge of the social structure, traditions and myths of the Tremere. It also represents how well a character might be able to recognize the names of famous Tremere and know the trends of the Clan within given regions.

Generally Possessed By: Tremere

Potential Specializations: Tremere antitribu Lore, Tremere Heirarchy, Tremere History, Tremere Martial History, Tremere/Order of Hermes History, Tremere/Salubri History, Tremere Psychology

Sources Consulted for this List: Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, Clanbook: Tremere (2nd Ed.), Clanbook: Tremere (Rev. Ed), Encyclopedia Vampyrica, Player's Guide to the Low Clans (Rev. Ed) line

Lore: Tremere *

You know that the primary Tremere Disciplines are Auspex, Dominate, and Thaumaturgy, and that Thaumaturgy is generally unique to their Clan.

You know that all Tremere are part of a hierarchical structure known as the Pyramid. You know that at the top of this Pyramid sits the legendary Tremere himself, and beneath him a group of elders know as the Council of Seven. You also know that each new Tremere is partially blood bound to the Councillers upon their Embrace.

You know that each member of the Council of Seven is supposedly served by seven Potifices, who in turn are served by seven Lords, who in turn are served by seven Apprentices, and you know what each rank in this structure is basically supposed to do.

You further know that each rank of the Pyramid has seven circles of mystery associated with it through which an initiate is supposed to ascend before gaining a higher rank.

You know that the Tremere are a "new" Clan, originating from mortal magicians back in the Dark Ages who somehow made themselves into vampires.

You know that the Tremere gained a great deal of solidarity as a Clan due to their place in supporting the newly founded Camarilla, and that they were able to lay a curse upon the entirety of Clan Assamite which prevented them from imbibing Kindred vitae.

You know that the Tremere all have to swear to the "Code of Tremere" before being accepted as part of Clan, although you do not necessarily know what the Code is unless you are a Tremere yourself.

You know what a Chantry is and how it functions.

You know that the Tremere operate from a central headquarters in Vienna.

You are aware of the existence of Gargoyles.

Lore: Tremere **

You know that the mage society from which the Tremere originally descended was known as the "Order of Hermes" and that their transformation into vampires was precipitated by the creation of a mystical potion (made by the now defected Goratrix) in 1022.

You know that the original headquarters for the Clan was a Transylvanian Chantry known as Ceoris, and that the move to Vienna happened later.

You know that the Tremere have a long-standing hatred of a now near extinct Clan known as the Salubri, whom they claim are all active diablerists and infernalists. You further know that the Tremere helped to wipe out most of this Clan in the Dark Ages.

You know that prior to generally gaining acceptance as a Clan, the Tremere were involved in a bloody and lengthy conflict with Clan Tzimisce (known as the War of Omens), and that it was as a result of this conflict that the Gargoyles were developed.

You know the names of those who sit upon the Council of Seven, and know what regions they have control over. You are familiar with the names Abetorius (Counciller of Southeast Asia), Elaine de Calinot (Counciller of Africa), Etrius (Counciller of Eastern Europe), Grimgoth (Counciller of Western Europe), Meerlinda (Counciller of North America), Thomas Wyncham (Counciller of Far East Asia), and Xaviar de Cincao (Counciller of Central and South America)

You have heard of the Tremere antitribu, a small splinter group from the main Clan who allied themselves with Goratrix the betrayer (who ceded from the Clan sometime before the formation of the Camarilla) and the Sabbat. You know that they were easily recognizable by a mark upon their foreheads.

You know that some Tremere are in fact Embraced outside of House Tremere (i.e. without the blood bond or Oath), and that these individuals are generally tolerated to a limited degree so long as they do not offend the Clan proper. As such there are a handful of "Tremere" Anarchs and autarkis in Kindred society.

You know that there are seldom enough Tremere in the Clan for each Pontifex to have seven Lords, each Lord to have seven Regents etc... and this is what allows for individual advancement within Clan Tremere.

You know that a Regent must meet with his Lord every year at the Lord's Chantry, that a Lord must meet with his Pontifex every three years at the Pontifex's Chantry, that a Pontifex must meet with his Counciller every seven years, and that the Counsel of Seven convenes in Vienna every ten years.

You know that a Chantry may have multiple positions therin, including an Archvist (recordkeeper), Procurer (responsible for gathering raw materials and reagents) and Sentinel (responsible for Chantry defense). You know that the ideal number of apprentices for a Chantry to support is said to be seven.

You know the prescribed behaviors and requirements for advancing throught the apprentice circles of mystery - although several of them are severely outdated and seldom observed. You know that to ascend to the Second Circle an apprentice ought to have mastered three basic rituals; that to ascend to the Third they must have demonstrated progression in their primary path of study; that for the Fourth they must accomplish a task set by their regent; that the Fifth and Six require undefined services to be rendered to the Chantry; and that a Seventh Circle Apprentice ought have mastered one path, demonstrated competancy with a second, and have developed their own ritual.

You further know of such customs as apprentices below the rank of Third Circle not being allowed to speak to their betters; as apprentices below the Fifth Circle not being allowed to Embrace, and as all apprentices being expected to offer their own blood for any ritual as a matter of courtesy.

You know that Clan Tremere has many "Houses", secret societies and groups dedicated to the study of very specific forms of magic.

You know the basic social classifications generally given to Tremere. You are aware of: the Traditionalists, those who are very much in favor of performing magic and ritual by old time tested Hermetic methods; and the Transitionalists, those in favor of progressive views on the mystical, who tend to be more willing to experiment and to embrace modern technology.

You know that those Tremere who failed to adhere to the Code, may be labeled "Rogue" and that such miscreants, if apprehended, are either killed or recalled to Vienna to await an unknown fate. You know that normally for a Tremere to be declared Rogue, they must face a formal inquisition known as a Tribunal.

You have heard of the ritual of the Certamen, which allows for a magical duel between to members of the Clan who wish to solve a dispute.

You have heard of the Astors, a special group of secret police within the Tremere whose purpose it is to hunt down and destroy rogues in the Clan.

You know that Anastasz di Zagreb is the current Tremere Justicar of the Camarilla.

Lore: Tremere ***

You know some of the history between the Tremere and the "Order of Hermes". You know that in 1230 AD, the Order declared all of the Clan to be outcasts and called for their mass execution, resulting in what became known as the Massasa War.

You know that the alchemical potion that Goratrix created was made through some experimentation or collaboration involving Clan Tzimisce, and this might have somehow impacted the resulting wars with the Clan later on.

You know that the Tzimisce were aided in their feud with Clan Tremere by the Gangrel and Nosferatu. You know that it is the blood of these three Clans which is necessary to create a Gargoyle. You are also aware that many Gargoyles have since gone Rogue and that they themselves are capable of perpetuating the Embrace.

You know that Tremere himself is said to have personally destroyed the Antediluvian of the Salubri Clan during the Dark Ages, and it is through this show of might that he gained the respect of the other Clans as an Antediluvian himself.

You know some of the details of the history of Tremere himself and of the Council of Seven. You know that even before the schism, Goratrix and Etrius bore a considerable hatred for one another, and that Etrius originally argued against the use of the potion. You know that Meerlinda did considerable work in helping to found the Camarilla, and that some claim she organized the Convocation of Thorns herself.

You know that the Tremere antitribu were curse initially by the main Clan with the "Mark of the Betrayer" which manifests when they partake of the Vaulderie. You know further, that were destroyed through some sort of ritual cast upon them in 1998, after Goratrix summoned them all to a meeting in Mexico City. You know lastly, that in spite of the destruction of the antitribu, nothing technically prevents any Tremere from joining the Sabbat and partaking of the vaulderie, although the "Mark of the Betrayer" will still manifest.

You know all of the publicly known Houses that operate within Clan Tremere, such as: House Trismegistus (symbology and numerology), House Hashem (Kabbalah), House Rodolfo (divination), and the Auram Guild (alchemy).

You know of some of the more fanatical social cliques that have arisen within Clan Tremere: The Children of the Pyramid, those who take the concept of the Pyramid as an almost religious metaphor and regard the Clan with beatific devotion; the Elite, those who believe that the Tremere are the master race of vampire kind and who are noted for occasionally hunting down and destroying Thaumaturges outside the Clan; and the Guardians of Tradition, an ultra-conservative branch of the Traditionalists who refuse to acknowledge any modern policy shifts.

You know all the ins and outs of how a Tribunal works. You know that it has seven to twelve Regents presiding over the case and that the eldest ranking member takes the title of preaco. You also know that traditionally each region holds one Tribunal per year to deal with general cases.

You know that there is a great deal of interpretation and exegesis on the Tremere Code, which forms a series of laws known as the "Peripheral Code", You have heard rumor that Tremere at higher ranks swear allegiance to a different version of the basic Code anyhow.

You know all of the formal rules for Certamen, and are aware that the defending party may place any three restrictions he so wishes upon the combat. You have heard that someCertamen are fought to the final death.

You've heard of that the Tremere wrested control of one of the Tzimisce Revanent families during the conflict between them. You know that a Revanent is a mortal who shows the aspects of ghouldom at birth and without ingesting vampiric blood.

You are aware that the Tremere have been credited with embracing such historical figures as Dr. John Dee.

You have at least heard, in passing, of famous Tremere such as: Aisling Sturbirdge, the former --in UnMasqued canon only-- Regent of New York's five Chantries; Niccolai Antonescu, the former-in UnMasqued canon only- Primogen of Chicago and ord of the Midwestern States; and Joseph Ravenfeather, the so-called "Anarch" Regent, who set up shop in the Free State around San Diego.

Lore: Tremere ****

You know that not only did Tremere destroy Saulot, but that he also diablerized him, hence giving himself the power of an Antediluvian.

You know that Goratrix imprisoned, tortured and killed a Tzimisce in the process of creating the mystical potion, and it is for this, for the perceived threat to their secrets of sorcery and for the perceived invasion of their territory that the Tzimisce declared war.

You know that the Gargoyles were made by perpetrating terrible and painful experiments upon Tzimisce, Gangrel and Nosferatu prisoners, and that the end result was far more sapient than the creators intended. You know that originally fourteen of them were created at the Chantry Ceoris, and that over a hundred Kindred died to create them.

You know that Goratrix, himself, was not killed with the rest of the Tremere antitribu.

You know of the obscure or even forbidden Houses that operate within Clan Tremere, such as: House of High Saturday (voudoun and Necromancy - open to Non-Tremere), and the Horned Society (infernalism).

You have heard of the forbidden and supposedly now defunct House Quaesitor, a throwback from the Order of Hermes, which supposedly still holds the mortal "Code of Hermes" over the Tremere Code. You know that all Tremere found to be part of this organization (should it even exist) would be immediately shipped off to Vienna.

You know of some of the very secretive, forbidden or even now defunct social groups that once existed within Clan Tremere, such as: The Brothers of Absinthe, those who claim the ability to achieve mystical enlightenment through imbibing a specially prepared version of absinthe; the Illuminated Brotherhood, a group that believes in the existence of ancient enlightened beings known as the Old Ones and seeks to learn from them; the Order of Naturists (Defunct), those interested with Druidic sorcery and nature magic; the Humanus League (Defunct), those who wished to reverse the curse of vampirism and return to humanity; the Golden Path of Harmony (Defunct), those who wished to foster unity and cooperation within Clan Tremere; and the Order of the Wyrm, a heretical few who believe that Tremere himself has been replaced by another being and seek to destroy it.

You have heard that at certain points in the Tremere hierarchy, such as the rank of Pontifex, the only way to advance is through Certamen to the death.

You are familiar with the Duchevsky, the one Tremere Revanant bloodline, and you know that they originated with the Tzimisce family known as the Krevcheski. You know furthermore that they are supposedly never Embraced, but rather only employed for their scholarly skills.

You've heard of some of the fairly obscure Tremere of note, such as Masika St. John, the innovative Madagasgar neonate who created the Path of Technomancy.

Lore: Tremere *****

You know that the Salubri's reputation was greatly exaggerated by Clan Tremere to justify their genocide, and that upon diablerizing Saulot, Tremere saw a third eye upon on the creatures forehead, which supposedly gazed at him peacefully.

You have heard of the Telyavelic Tremere, a now extinct bloodline of Lithuanian Tremere who combined their magic with Pagan practices of the region. You know that they sought to somehow regain their lost humanity through these magics, but ultimately failed.

You know that Etrius, who tends the body of Tremere in the Vienna crypts, has apparently noticed something terrible about the progenitor. You have heard all manner of rumors ranging from the blossoming of a third eye on the Antediluvian's forehead, to the outlandish claim that the corpse has been replaced with a great and terrible white worm. This might be backing for the "Order of the Wyrm's" concerns.

You have heard that the Gargoyles can now reproduce without the Embrace and that they may birth childer through eggs.

You've heard rumors of who actually leads the forbidden House Quaesitor.

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Credit to the Author: http://www.unmasqued.com/lores_tremere.php?PHPSESSID=4a857d794b24ca1328125aeedf6e6b69