HouseTremere (2000)

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189
By ROBIN D. LAWS

Author: Robin D. Laws To Chad "Vodka Silverpants" Brown for being the one,
Developer: Philippe R. Boulle true Patsy Cline fan;
Additional Development: Richard E. Dansky To Astrid "My Favorite German" Mosler for too many
Editor: Richard Ruane things to name here. We miss ya, kiddo.
Art Director: Richard Thomas

Layout & Typesetting: Pauline Benney
Interior Art: Mitch Byrd, Guy Davis, Vince Locke,
Conan Venus
Front Cover Art: Patrick Lambert
Front & Back Cover Design: Pauline Benney
©2000 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction

735 PARK NORTH BLVD. without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden,
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PRELUDE: AN INTRUDER'S 4
KNTRODUCTION: A HOOSE I 8
CHAPTER ONE: AN ANCIENT ROT 14
CHAPTER Two: A FARAWAY CI ADEL 30
CHAPTER THREE: A HOUSE DI DED 36
CHAPTER FOUR: THE BELLY OF THE BEAST 46
CHAPTER FIVE: THOSE DAM AND SOON TO BE 74
CHAPTER SIX: SECRETS OF TH

104
CHAPTER SEVEN: SHADOWS OF CEORIS 130

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into the sect'e~ d,a,.,.-bers be:pths.

IfColga were anywhere in this cold, wind-rattled edifice, it Bogdan froze again as he heard sounds from the nearest of
would be here, in the hidden chambers where only the Cainite the doors. The doorwas thick, and cast in iron. He was confident
Tremereventured. Colgahadnot been heard from in months and that he could carefully creep along the corridor's length without
had surely been found out by the clan whose allegiance he'd for raising an alarum with whoever clattered inside. Surely the cells
so longfeigned. Bogdandid not like many Cainites, his clanmates would not be among the first rooms an intruder would encoun
included, but felt affection for noble, nature-loving Colga. ter. He moved carefully along the stone flooring, making not a
Bogdan had spent many weeks in Ceoris in this guise as sound. Finally he turned a comer and found himself in a second
retainer toone of the mortal mages. fu was his wont, he'd made corridor, also lined with metal doors. He heard no solll1d, and
himself unnoticeable. He'd listened to the servants gossip. He'd braved himselfso far as to test a door. His creepings would come
ingratiated himselfwith the mortal apprentices. He'd sniffed out to nothing if all the doors here were well locked. But the door
the Cainites among them. His own supposed master knew groaned slightly as he shouldered it, and opened. He lifted his
naught of the Cainite world. It amused Bogdan. For hundreds of lamp to illuminate the darkened room. Inside were Gargoyles.
years he'd heard of the these wizards' might. They could make He braced himself for dire combat.
forests walk or cause castles to crumble with the merest gesture. But - he let loose a foreshortened gasp of relief, his first in
Yet they couldn't see that Usurpers walked among them. decades - the Gargoyles were not moving. They were dead,
A clattering sound echoed up the stairs towards him. He stuffed and mOlll1ted like hlll1ter's trophies. Each bore a puzzling
brought himself short. He shrank back against the stone wall, malfonnation separating them from the animated specimens
feeling its dampness through his wool tunic. If someone was Bogdan knew from the guardhouses outside the chantry. Then
coming up the stairs, he had no hope of escape. Bogdan heard scratchings and skitterings from elsewhere in the
He stood still for a while, but heard no further noise. He room. Along two walls of the room were stacked cages, most too
quickly made his way down the rest of the steps to the corridor small to hold a doe. Bogdan peered into the cages, and saw beasts
below. It was no grander than the ones above. Several doors whose parts did not belong together. A rat with the filmy wings
waited before him. Although he'd well acquainted himself with of a dragonfly. A surging maggot-thing, bigger than a cat,
the chantry's public areas, he'd never been through the hidden propelling itself along the floor of its cage on several pairs of
door before and had no idea of the extent of these unseen human tongues. A mourning dove whose breast suppurated
chambers. He had no choice but to open doors at whim till he with the slow pulsings of what could only be a woman's privates.
found the cells where the prisoners were kept. They had to be in Bogdan had seen many awful sights among the fleshcrafted
thesecret part, for the mortal magessworeCeorisheld no captives. victims of the T zimisce, which these creatures at first sight

resembled. The creatures in the cages were different in some way Bogdan was surprised at how deeply she'd been able
Bogdan didn't have the words for. They were ill-fitted patch to cleave into his mind. But the things she wanted to
works, born out ofa colder kind of madness than the Tzimisce's. know were well protected, hidden beneath layers of
Colga could explain it. He would find Colga and all would be willfulness and concentration.
right. He should be leaving this room to find Colga - there She caressed his face with dry-skinned fingers . "You
would be no cell keys here - but he could not stop himself from pride yourself on your fearlessness. Yet the chitterer broke
peering into the cages. He told himself that his brothers would down the walls of your courage as sure as Hebrew trumpets
want to know the secrets of this room. felled Jericho."
One cage was obscured by a rust-stained cloth. Bogdan Bogdan decided that it would be right to ask questions.
moved it aside, then cursed himself for his lack of caution. The Even though he had failed to find Colga, he might glean
beast inside was fonned from the hindquarters of two wolves, so useful knowledge to take back to his brothers, after his
[hat each set oflegs faced the other and met in the middle to make inevitable escape. "What was that beast?" he asked.
a bucking, headless beast. Dozens ofsharp spines rose up through Mendacamina smiled and leaned back from him. "A
its naked, pinkish hide. Then the spines opened and Bogdan saw trifle served up by one of my colleagues. Her perpetual
that they were in fact the beaks ofcountless birds. The birds began experiments with nature always amuse and sometimes
to chirp. Bogdan wanted to rush to the door, make sure that no prove useful. I've found her chitterer a fine thing to soften
one could hear the eruption of squawking. But something about an over-proud mind."
the noise bound him to the spot. Among their screeching, Bogdan heard objects being moved behind him. He
cacophonous song he soon heard words. Words in his home strained to turn his head to see, but could not. He heard
dialect. Then he heard the names of his mother, his father, his perhaps four people. They grunted, as iflifting a heavy object.
long-dead children. He found himself shaking. Then the words Then there was a scraping noise - something large and
changed. They named all of the times Bogdan had been threat metallic being pushed across the cell's stone floor.
ened, mauled, tortured. They gave words to the terror he'd told
"It drove me to blood-rage, it is true. But now I am not
himself he'd never felt. They put the lie to his fearlessness,
frenzied, and whatever torture device you ready, I tell you
screamed of the terrors he'd pushed down inside himself. The
it cannot force me to speak."
creature'ssqualling pulled these terrors from deep inside him, and
wrapped him up in them, so that the Beast took him. Mendacamina's retainers wheeled the apparatus into sight.
!twas a large box, cast in bronze, inscribed with sorcerer's symbols.
* * * Jutting a few inches out from the box was a wheel the size of a
Bogdan awoke and thought it natural that he would be footman's shield. Mendacamina strode over to the box and
bound to a stool in an ill-lit cell. His arms were tied behind withdrew from it a long tube, also of bronze, made of many
him, and his legs to those of the stool. He tested his bonds but articulated parts, each nested in the other. Bogdan felt rough
was teasingly scolded by the insinuating voice ofa woman who hands on his face. They twisted his neck to one side. He heard
stepped, on soft-shod feet, into the chamber. chanting; there were others in the room, beyond the lamp's circle
She came closer. of illumination. They were making magic. Bogdan felt something
Bogdan saw her beauty: an absolute teardrop of a face, skin moist being applied to his temple. Hiseyeswatered as pain radiated
that drank of the lamplight. The cut of her bleach-white robes from the spot. He thought he could smell his flesh melting.
reminded Bogdan vaguely of a nun's habit. She fixed him in a ''You desire information to take back to your brothers.
hun"ary gaze he'd seen before in other captors. They all thought Though you will never again see them, I shall nonetheless tutor
that with a few crazed looks and some eloquent threats they you. The tube I hold is a cannula. And this-" She revealed to
could frighten him into betraying his brothers. him a sharp, triangular blade affixed to the end of the tube. "
"I am Mendacamina. I will learn who sent you and why." this is called a trocar. Together they allow me to aspirate fluid
They were always confident, at first. from a subject. The larger device-" she indicated the box itself
"I won't promise you your life," she continued. "We "-makes of your mind a pasty sort of fluid." She signaled for the
both know such a promise would be an absurd lie. But you lighting of other lamps, a task her minions immediately per
can spare yourself pain." fonned. The new light revealed a table, upon which sat a
Bogdan resolved to stay silent. It was the best way to globe-shaped thing, hidden beneath a length of dyed linen. "As
frustrate them, he'd discovered. you can see, a second tube travels from the apparatus, where it
"You've learned to close your mind somewhat to feeds someone I wish you to meet, Bogdan." She pulled the cloth
thought-stealers," she croaked, her eyes sparkling in the quickly away from the object, revealing it as a three-foot bronze
lamplight as she leaned towards him. "But I know that your head, with hinged jaws and bobbling eyes of ivory encased in
name is Bogdan, that you've come to rescue someone, and liquid-filled glass globes. The face seemed to grin at him. "This
that you believe yourself immune from my blandishments. is Paracelsus. He is eager to taste the pulped contents of your
But that is because you are an unimaginative man. Your brain. You said, Bogdan, that I cannot force you to speak, and
mind cannot begin to encompass the agonies I wield . The that is true. But Paracelsus, he shall speak for you."
T zimisce and what they did to you - I could by comparison And she advanced, trocar in hand, ready to plunge it
make that a pinprick." into Bogdan's temple.

a'nb the L"mn ~beb. anb tI,e
f(oobs carne, anb tI,e ~nbs (,(~,
anb ~t- upon tf,at-f.?ouse:: anb i t-fell:
anb 8L"eat- ~ tI,e fall of i't
-~~7:27

Fl CHANTRY seem willing to use it in exchange for some petty
considerations. They are also neophytes in Cainite
BESIEGED ways, and so more easily manipulated. Far better to
establish a few links to the Usurpers, use them as best
Ceoris stands as the ultimate symbol of House one can and then destroy them from within. Outright
and Clan T remere, the brash conspirators of the warfare is a last result.
mortal wizards of Europe and the brazen Usurpers of And anyway, Saulot and his brood really were prigs....
the Cainite darkness. Its magic-hewn walls, soaring
towers and impregnable foundations seem to repre THE DREAD KUPALA
sent all the power of the blood magicians within. But The very air of Transylvania seems to bear ill
it a and perches in the most inaccessible part of omens like dry leaves in the wind. The nights are
Transylvania. Dark things creep about it at night, deeper, the storms fiercer and the winters colder than
stony monstrosities flit from its towers and screams they should be. Friends turn to enemies and insults to
echo in its halls. Ceoris is a testament to the T remere's violence in a heartbeat. The grace of God seems very
efforts to keep the world's predators out and their far away, indeed. While Tzimisce lords and simple
own evils tightly locked within. human hatreds have their share of the blame for this
dark atmosphere, a good deal of it comes from an
And predators and evils there are aplenty.
infernal influence. Kupala, a devil of ancient origin,
ENEMIES WITHOUT has suffused the lands of Transylvania and surround
ing countries with its dark aura. It feeds on pride and
Newcomers on the Cainite scene, the Tremere lust for power, encouraging dark magical workings
have made enemies with blinding speed. Their "theft" and other dread deeds and slowly turning practitio
of vampirism and their founder's diablerie of Saulot ners to its ways. The magi of House T remere, so full
have cast them as Usurpers, powerful and dangerous. of pride and hunger, are ideal candidates.
Some try to destroy them outright while others wish
to profit from the newcomers. THE ORDER OF HERMES
House Tremere, before its fall to vampirism,
THE FIENDS OF CARPATHIA
was a founding member in an association of mortal
Ceoris's most implacable foes are the T zimisce
voivodes who rule much of the Transylvanian night.
These inhuman ancients bear a terrible grudge against ROOT OF HLL AND STARS .ABOVE
the Usurpers for it is from them that the T remere stole

the secrets of unlife. But that disgrace only fanned the
flames of an already brewing hatred bred in pride and
territory.. The T zimisce were loathe to share their
domains with prancing mortal hedge wizards and the
move to vampirism has only made the conflict greater.
The T zimisce know that Ceoris stands as an affront to
them, proof that they are not as dominant and superior
as they claim. Destruction is the only solution.
THE CLANS OF CAINE
The other Cainites, both in Eastern Europe and
elsewhere, are slightly less vengeful. Gangrel and
Nosferatu have suffered in Ceoris's dungeons, and
many do wish to avenge Saulot, but vampires are a
pragmatic lot. The T remere show a few signs offitting
in just fine - their lust for power and brash actions
have echoes in all clans - and many princes and
elders are willing to accommodate them. If they weaken
and embarrass the Fiends, so much the better.
More importantly, the Tremere have their uses.
They wield a potent new kind of blood magic and
10
wizards known as the Order of Hermes. The
Tremere now stand precariously balanced between
the worlds of night and day, moving into Cainite
affairs while maintaining the pretense of humanity
before their hermetic colleagues. For the time
being, the deception holds, but suspicions are grow
ing and the Usurpers know full well that they do
not need another powerful enemy marching against
them at this juncture. For now, caution rules the
clan, but only for so long.
RIVALS WITHIN
If the walls of Ceoris resonate with the at
tacks of enemies, it is perhaps only that force
that keeps the chantry together. A willful, ambi
tious and egocentric band even in their mortal
days, the magi of House Tremere have only
become worse as the Curse of Caine has shaped
them. Personal rivalries are still the order of the
day, forgotten when the Tzimisce attack and
resumed in moments of peace. Nevertheless,
some factions are growing within the chantry
and the house as a whole.
CONSERVATIVES
Led by Etrius, the current master of Ceoris,
the so-called conservatives are those T remere
Cainites who advocate a slow conversion of the
rest of the house. They fear raising the ire of the
Order of Hermes with blatant displays of vampir
ism and favor caution in most things. Although
the conservatives are the most powerful faction
in Ceoris, they are hardly organized in any ideo
logical sense. Personal loyalty to Etrius and dislike
of his rival Goratrix are the only threads that
truly bind them together.
CONSPIRATORS
The conspirators are the flip-side of the con
servatives. Goratrix, who designed Ceoris, leads
them from far Paris where he has been sent by
Tremere. In Transylvania, his childe and appren
tice Malgorzata is his stand-in. Conspirators
advocate rapidly Embracing the rest of the mortal
magi of House Tremere and moving straight into
the realm of Cainite affairs, mortals and their
immortal souls be damned. Even more so than the
conservatives, the conspirators are a faction built
on charisma. Goratrix is the active, ambitious foil
to Etrius's caution, and many Cainites see his way
as the future. Only the slumbering Tremere's order
for caution forces Goratrix's allies to conspire
instead of acting openly.
""-----------=:::::::::=.n::::::::.....c
11

House of Tremere is mostly intended for
Not a faction per se, independent magi still Storytellers, providing them with a complete set
account for most of the Cainite and mortals war ting ready to welcome enterprising Tremere
locks in Ceoris. It is the head chantry of the house neonates or other Cainites. The material here
and the center of its power, so most see working can stand on its own, but additional context
there as a validation of their own superiority. appears in Transylvania by Night (which covers
Partaking in Etrius's and Goratrix's feud is a waste the entire region around Ceoris and the other
of time when there is a war to be fought and great clans' doings), the Transylvania Chronicles
new magical vistas to be opened. Every magus feels (which tell of Ceoris's fate) and Libellus San
hers is the most vital field of research, the most guinis 2: Keepers of the Word (which reveals
enlightened view and the best way forward. So other T remere secrets). The profiles of various
most hunker down in their laboratories and strike mortal magi also use the hedge magic paths found
at rivals for personal slights more than any real in Liege, Lord & Lackey.
sense of ideology.
GETTING THERE Is HALF THE FUN
MORTALS Ceoris and House of Tremere pose a conun
Little do they know it, but the mortal magi of drum to a Storyteller. Much of the place's mystique
Ceoris - and of House T remere as a whole - are exists precisely because it is inaccessible. But if
a shrinking minority. Many in Ceoris stick to their the players' characters never get to Ceoris, then
labs and libraries and ignore the nightly skulking of this book is hardly that useful, now is it? Several
their betters. An instinctive recognition of the options exist to actually get characters into Ceoris.
predatory nature of the Cainites cows some into not The easiest, of course, is to play a coterie of
asking too many questions. Some of the mortals are Usurpers. They may arrive in Ceoris for training
not so easily dismissed, however. In particular, and research, to help in the war with the T zimisce
T osia, a powerful sorceress burning with a Christian or even to gain the Embrace in its dark halls.
belief, sees evidence of the infernal in the nighttime In most cases, players will want to playa
activities of her fellows. She is preparing to move variety of clans, however. Getting them to Ceoris
against them. then depends on when the coterie coalesces. If
the Storyteller wants to use Ceoris as the center
SERVANTS AND SLAVES
of the chronicle, then those with non- T remere
The vast majority of Ceoris's inhabitants are no characters can portray envoys from the other
magi at all. They are soldiers and mercenaries, Gar clans seeking information and possible alliance
goyle beasts of war, servants and apprentices. They with the Usurpers. The characters can then come
are beneath notice as far as their betters are con together with a few Tremere neonates for their
cerned, but they see and sense a great deal about the own reasons (possibly to forge just such an alli
place. The Gargoyles are a new bloodline taking its ance). If Ceoris is to be only one stop (or the final
first steps toward some form of freedom. The mortal stop) in a more varied chronicle, then the charac
servants are free enough, until they accept special ters should come together elsewhere. With even
blood potions from certain magi. ... one Tremere in their midst they could garner an
How TO invitation to Ceoris after proving their willing

ness to stand together.
USE THIS BOOK CONTENTS

Chapter One: An Ancient Rot chronicles the
House of Tremere is your guide to one of the history of Ceoris and through it the fall of House
most secret and hidden place in the Dark Medieval Tremere to its own pride and desperation. Hatred,
world: Ceoris, the head chantry of Clan Tremere. jealousy and bile have tainted efforts in
Behind its dark walls and in its serpentine catacombs, Transylvania from the very beginning and the
T remere took the step toward vampirism and shared magi's damnation is only the culmination of their
his crime ofdiablerie. Cainite captives screamed and self-made fate.
were forged into Gargoyles. From this place, the
Chapter Two: A Faraway Citadel reveals the
vampiric world has been shaken to its foundations.
hard road to Ceoris. In the words of one of the
Now its secrets are laid bare for you.
12
chantry's enemies, this chapter shows just how diffi Cainites of Clan Tremere, but envoys from other
cult it is to get to the Usurpers' home. clans, mortal magi, ghoul servants and Gargoyles also
Chapter Three: A House Divided chronicles lurk in the dark halls.
the nightly affairs of the chantry. The castellan Chapter Six: Secrets of the Workshops pro
reports on the various rivalries and petty hatreds vides a variety of new game systems for use with the
that tear apart his house. inhabitants ofCeoris. This includes notes on mortal
Chapter Four: The Belly of the Beast reveals magi, new paths and rituals of Thaumaturgy and the
the rooms and halls of the chantry. From the lowly twisted beasts from the chantry's laboratories.
serving quarters to the resting place of T remere Chapter Seven: Shadows of Ceoris examines
, himself, it is all exposed for enterprising Storytellers. the other prominent T remere chantries in Europe.
Chapter Five: Those Damned and Soon to Be Paris, Vienna and Durham are home to power centers
details the prominent inhabitants ofCeoris. Most are in the house that will outlive Ceoris itself.
13
Cut" is the bt:anch tl,at" tnif/?t" ~
8"0~ fdlst"t:erit/?t
anb h...-neb is apollo 9 laut:d bout/?,
~t" 5Ornef"irne t}t:~ ~tl?in fI?is
l~bntan
-G,t:ist"op/?et: ~o~, '¢lodol"
~
15

them in their passions and in their drudgeries, I can
REVELATIONS
better guess. They'd have been wisely frightened. They'd
The Posthumous Testament of Ponticulus, Fonner seen and heard many unsettling things during their
Mage of Ceoris years of service to us. Like the women who scrub your
Bitiurges, pots and the men who guard your walls, they saw us as I
eccentric and forbidding masters. Few of them were

How strange it is to have flesh again . .. to feel a pen in
born Transylvanians, but by now they knew the place
my hands, a chair beneath me . . . to run my hands over the
well enough to fear a night in its wilds. Various vile and
surface ofthis desk. I feel a sense ofjoy,ofintoxication. But
dangerous creatures, sent by Satan, haunted the hills
this is at odds with the reason I have taken your body, why
and valleys. They knew they could not depend on us to
I hold your pen in your borrowed hand. I already feel your
use our power to protect them if the creatures came. It
will fighting with me, and I have much to write.
would be they, the servants, who would be expected to
Though I died long before your birth, Bitiurges, I stand fast, axes raised high.
know you well. I have watched you. Do not be sur And why should we, the robed figures on the
prised. Know that Ceoris is full of eyes, no two pairs outcrop, care for the fate of mere expendable men? We
working towards the same precise end. My eyes are had already lived for hundreds of years, our vigor main
those of a wretched and helpless shade . I see all that tained and extended by mystical rites and alchemical
transpires in this cesspit of blind and murderous am extracts. We were magi, wonder workers whose mastery
bition. I have seen enough of you to know that of sorcery's secrets allowed us transcendence over the
cloaked beneath your strutting airs and peacock's garb laws of nature, including the aging of our own bodies.
is a sharp mind, hungry for the truth. I will write until Leading us was a tall man with coal-black eyes: T remere,
your arm is sore. Feed you more truth than your head of our house, who once nearly became absolute
stomach can take . It may give you pause, Bitiurges. ruler of all Europe's magi. To each side of him were his
But do not let fear or caution deter you from doing the closest aides, fervid Goratrix and cautious Etrius. Across
things that are necessary. You, of all the still-living from him stood placid, consoling Meerlinda. Complet
magi, offers me my best hope. I know you to be more ing the circle of seven were Arundinis, whose doom
worldly than that stupid, cross-kissing Tosia. You would come before the next century; Anguisa, who
surely see that the missive I compose in your own hand would not survive another spring; and Ponticulus, who
is more than just the sending of some interfering imp had but minutes to live.
ordevil. Investigate the facts I lay before you, Bitiurges.
That is my name - Ponticulus. The day Ceoris was
Know their truth. Act, I implore you. The monsters
born was the day I died . And I have been sealed in its
can still be destroyed, before all is lost.
cage ever since.
Your hand did not slip when it wrote "still-living,"
Bitiurges. Read on, and I shall explain. THE RITUAL
THE CONSECRATION:
Goratrix had surveyed the location, devised the
ritual and chosen the autumnal equinox as the auspi
ANNO DoMINI 980 cious moment for the inauguration. On this site we
would erect Ceoris, the crowning jewel in the string of
Twenty years before the turn of the millennium, chantries Goratrix had placed throughout Transylvania.
seven men and women gathered in the mountainous The entire territory was rich in vis, the raw material we
wilderness of central Transylvania. They stood to use to power our workings. (Forgive me, Bitiurges, if I
gether on a rocky outcrop near a rough trail. I was write what you already know. Perhaps you will need to
one of the seven. I remember how the dusk welled up press these leaves of parchment into the hands of one
in the sky, driving off the swollen sun, swallowing its unfamiliar with our practices.) This spot, Goratrix's
last orange -lit clouds. Though the beauty of the painstaking calculations had told him, would reveal the
moment had a strangeness about it, it was beauty most abundant vein of all. When he passed his agate
nonetheless. It was the last pleasing sight my living pendulum over a mere map of the region, it quivered and
eyes would ever drink in. stopped above this spot.
Our guardsmen, guides and servants kept their Attacks against the villages that supported our
distance, watching the horses. There were two dozen of other chantries had increased over the past months.
them, I suppose. I was not in the habit of paying There was no question that the hellspawn were behind
attention to our retainers. At the time, I would not them. This spot would require extraordinary defenses,
have noted their fear. Now that I spend hour after hour in keeping with the great power it offered. It would be
watching the human servants of Ceoris, observing less a tower of learning than a fortress of might, a
16
strongpoint from which we could dominate the super hand, reaching between his legs with the left. Evidently
natural landscape for hundreds of leagues in every he thought it would require only a single slashing arc of
direction. Such a construct well-suited our leader the sickle to sever his phallus. But it took more than
Tremere's disposition, and our own. that. The flesh does not always yield, even to the blade.
But first it had to consecrated. The last rays of light Goratrix had to saw away at it. Where he had wounded
leeched from the sky. Goratrix began the rite. He it, the blood gushed like a fountain. It splattered
withdrew the miterofgold from his sack and unscrewed Meerlinda, and Etrius, and Tremere and the rest of us.
its seven pieces. He handed one to each participant, I still remember the warm wet feel of his gore splattering
giving the head of the staff to Tremere, his master. against the naked skin of my belly. None of us flinched.
Goratrix revealed the chalice of the spheres, poured We knew Goratrix had the magic to eventually grow
into it the ancient wine they'd found at Runcu, adulter his phallus back. And I confess that we had of late
ating that with the salt of Thoth. He passed it first to become inured to dark ritual doings, having developed
Tremere, who drank of it and gave it back. Goratrix a taste for the grimmer pages of our tomes. Most impor
gulped it, too, and passed the vessel to Etrius. Goratrix tantly, we knew that any outburst, any failure to maintain
waited until all seven of us had taken the potion. He the chant, would be fatal to the magic. Goratrix gri
signaled to his manservant, who was ready and blew a maced, steeled himself, tore at what was left, and held
hunting horn to warn the other retainers to turn their it up for us to see. Staggering, he placed it upon the
backs. They did so at once. We stepped out ofour robes, desired spot.
exposing our sun-starved, flaccid selves to the cold Then my shame. Perhaps a shame that saved my
winds. Goratrix asked if any present wished to make a soul. Certainly one to grant me one monstrous existence
greater sacrifice than his. We knew not to gainsay him; instead of another.
it was all part of the rituaL He would provide the roots, I did what I should not have done. I failed to control
the seed, the trunk of the great tree that was to be myself. I remember the feeling rising up in me, the desire
Ceoris. He would invoke the power of the axis mundi, to suppress it, my attempt to constrict my throat. My eyes
the mythic world tree that is the center of all existence. filling with water. Then my knees betraying me, falling
Tremere handed him the sickle. He took it in his right beneath me. Finally, the purging of my stomach. The bile

came up in me and out of my mouth. I knew even then .CONSTRUCTION
what they would have to do to prevent my weakness from
forever spoiling this perfect site. Not for an instant did I Construction would begin in earnest in the spring. In
think they'd spare me. the meantime, my murdered soul watched teams of retain
ers comb the mountainside, exploring and mapping its
Tremere must have nodded to Goratrix, sanction
many natural caverns. Builders and miners consulted with
ing the inevitable. Despite his injury, Goratrix found the
Goratrix, more sullen than usual in his winter of second
strength to step forward and, using the same blade with
puberty, working out the details of the grandest engineer
which he'd maimed himself, cut my throat. I brought my
ing project since the fall of Rome. Goratrix wanted hard
hands to the wound. I must have withdrawn one of them
things, mundane things, to make his bulwark against the
in my last moments, for the final image of my living days
creatures: battle-toughened fighting men, reinforced walls,
is of my palm, red and slick.
murder holes, a portcullis, traps.
Though I hate them, I will not claim that my murder
I found a home for myself in a tiny seed beneath the
played easily on their souls. They were not as yet accus
earth. Spring came. The seed began to grow. I had a form
tomed to slaying their own. Arundinis and Anguisa
again, though not a human body.
wordlessly withdrew knives from the pockets of their
discarded robes and got to work on my unworthy corpse. One day, Goratrix came, with Arundinis and
The knives, meant for ritual display, proved ill~suited to Anguisa, to ascertain that the sign was present. If the
the task. I saw the rest as if from on high. I watched them omen was right, the hundreds of workers they'd readied
cut my flesh and saw my bones. could be brought to the site. There was supposed to be a
fresh sapling growing on the spot where they'd buried my
Etrius took the lead for the remainder of the ritual.
head. I surprised them. I savored the looks of shock and
He produced a sack of Cretan earth and emptied it in the
anger on their faces. I was a great, oak-like thing with
middle of the circle. He waited for Arundinis and Anguisa
writhing, oily leaves. They drew closer and saw that
to finish, then took my severed head by the hair. He
etched in its bark my mocking features. I opened my
planted it in the mound of earth.
newly-grown mouth, drooling sap, and warned them
Now a question danced across Etrius' face. Where that they did the bidding of a thing none of them knew.
to put Goratrix's severed phallus, now that my head I felt the beings Stars Above and Root of All clawing
had to be buried in the mound too? Etrius studied through my dark roots. I was about to name them when
Goratrix's face; neither was permitted to speak. Etrius Goratrix set the tree alight with a spell. I fought back. My
would have to decide. branches punctured Anguisa's chest before Goratrix and
Why did Etrius make the choice he did? I have Arundinis killed me for the second time. Again I was
never been privy to anyone's thoughts. AliI can say reduced to the status of pitiful shade. I heard Goratrix
for certain is that, with his fingers, Etrius pinched my swear Arundinis to silence. He looked about for another
dead mouth open. The soul-rotted son of a Viking sapling, pulled it from the ground, and rep lanted it where
bastard put Goratrix's member inside my mouth, which my tree had been.
he then closed. He spaded the earth over my head.
The six remaining magi completed the chant. They
put their robes back on. Etrius cleared his throat,
THE CON5TRUCTION:
loudly. Goratrix' servant heard, and blew the horn.

Arundinis and Anguisa bore Goratrix to a tent, where 981-985
Meerlinda performed the spells to stop the bleeding For nearly five years I watched them complete the
and commence the regrowth. structure. Ant-like, a small corps of masons, carvers,
That I remained there, an invisible shade with the miners, hewers, smiths, carters and laborers toiled under
consistency of smoke, is surely no coincidence, how the supervision of Goratrix's chief engineer. Again,
ever. The order's tomes had said it was common for our these were all ordinary men, beneath the notice of
ilk to lurk in the realm of living a few moments, but that prideful mages.
I have remained all these centuries testifies to the As dedication time drew close, Etrius came to
power afoot that accursed night. By placing Goratrix's survey the site, and to oh-so-dispassionately questioned
member in my severed head, Etrius bound me to the the efficiency of his rival's building methods. I saw
spot. That bookish devil will claim innocence in any Goratrix bristle. Did Etrius? He was always cold as an
such endeavor, but do not trust him Bitiurges. He rose eel, even when the blood that pumped in his veins was
to Tremere's right hand through guile and betrayal just his own. I could not read his intentions. Etrius asked
like the rest of us. He meant for me to linger and grow, for, and received, Tremere's authority to magically
perhaps as his spy or slave, perhaps for his own pleasure. enhance Ceoris' fortifications. He created a massive
Trust him not. fissure in the earth, cutting a miles-deep trench around

Goratrix's mountain chantry, always the little acolyte, Over the next decade and a half, Ceoris repelled
displaying his capabilities before the master. the occasional nighttime raid launched by forces we at
When the building was complete, Goratrix and the time called night creatures. There were bandit
Etrius examined the listofhirelings who'd worked on the attacks, too, surely motivated by the region's fiendish
construction. They selected the men who knew more rulers. Although the raiders slew many in the surround
than was convenient about their new fortress. They told ing villages, Ceoris itself proved impregnable to them.
the more sensitive magi of the house that the builders' At first, the attacks greatly concerned the magi. The
memories would be magically erased. They'd be borne to other Transylvanian chantries suffered more seriously
their various homelands. They'd awaken from their from enemy assaults, but the raiders always failed to
walking slumber with gold in their purses, and would press their advantage after successful strikes. Goratrix
forever wonder how it got there. and Etrius became equally complacent. The haphazard
Goratrix and Etrius had these builders killed. The timing and half-hearted execution of the attacks led
others were permitted to settle in the villages around them to surmise that the night creatures were a disorga
Ceoris. The magi promised them fertile land to farm nized, barely intelligent lot.
and the protection of their mighty castle. Those who
did not see the attraction of this offer were also mur H DISQUIETING MYSTERY
dered. Some of their fates were delayed: They died During this time, the magicians of Ceoris faced
many years later on the tables of T remere or Goratrix. increasing frustration in their researches. Fruitful
I believe they were trying to construct homunculi from seeming avenues of magical inquiry began, one after
human tissue. One laboratory subject in particular the other, to disappoint. Rediscovered spells found in
screamed in a singular way, like a cat being flayed alive, mildewed texts wouldn't work as described. New in
and his cries still ring in my ears. cantations took longer to formulate. Each sequestered
(There is something that creeps among the pines behind his own stack of arcane tomes, none of the
outside Ceoris to this day. I can glimpse it only faintly, mages at first noticed that their colleagues shared
for it is too far from the foundation to which I am their creeping sense of having reached an abrupt limit.
bound. Its howls remind me of those ancient screams. In France, LeDuc's Grand Emanation of the Emerald
You should find this thing, Bitiurges. It might be an Knives collapsed without warning, slaying both of his
escaped homunculus, eager to balance accounts. It apprentices. Some found that their philters of immor
could confirm this tale, or tell you secrets to which tality did less to lift sagging muscle or invigorate tired
even I am not privy.) bones. Only in 995 did the magi ofCeoris discuss their
mutual dilemma and resolve to inquire into its causes.
THE EARLY YEARS:
I saw their fear and took pleasure in it. They were
supposed to be masters of all! Their occult knowledge
980 .. 999 gave them surpassing understanding of all the forces at
work in the world. Yet now they were proven to be
Tremere did not move into this new chantry. As fools. Some force they did not understand was slowly
was his custom, he kept moving from one enclave to stripping from them their sense of control over exist
another. He made Goratrix lord of Ceoris, but also ence. My laughter became audible then, echoing
installed Etrius to work at his elbow. The rivalry through my corridors and up to the cupola of the
between the two men turned gangrenous. Goratrix, Grand Library.
who previously exercised an interest in matters car In 996, Etrius proved that the potency of the
nal unusual for a magus, now slept in an unshared chantry's vis was slowly but measurably diminishing.
bed . I will tell you that his regrowth left something In 997, Ceoris hosted a grand conclave of Tremere
to be desired. He muttered ceaselessly about it in his magi who came from as far away as England and
private moments. He blamed Etrius for his sorry Jerusalem. The house now realized that they faced a
condition; if Etrius hadn't put the member in my universal diminishment of their powers. Their schol
mouth, all would have been well. Etrius did little to ars extended various hypotheses to account for it . The
ease Goratrix' turbulent mind, continually chiding approaching millennium had changed the numero
him for his supposed rashness . That conniving logical basis for magic, one popular theory claimed .
lickspittle cast me as a shade and Goratrix as a Others said the stars were shifting. Demons were
eunuch in one fell swoop. Other magi from the winning the war in Heaven, still others said. The
House of Tremere moved in. Some tried to remain conclave concluded in an orgy of wishful thinking;
on good terms with both men; others enthusiasti only a few dissenters were willing to even entertain
cally sided with one or the other of the rivals. the possibility that the power they'd worked so tong

for, that in many cases maintained their immortality, which magi could abandon aging bodies in favor of
could snuff itself out like a spent candle. Whatever healthy ones. The alchemist Therimna sent parties
the problem was, it was surely cyclical. out to the farthest corners of the world to capture some
Tremere himself had decided otherwise. When the of the monsters of legend, whose parts were then
conclave members left, he gathered the magicians of admixed into a variety of foul-tasting and utterly
Ceoris together and proposed that they proceed as if the inefficacious potions.
worst were about to happen. He put Goratrix in charge
of a grand investigation into the failure of their work ETRIUS'S HELL-MOUTH
ings. From 998 to 1000, Goratrixcajoled and coerced the Hypocritical Etrius delved into diabolism, seeking
other resident scholars of these halls to bend their to duplicate the effects of that forbidden field's rituals
researches as he wished. Through augury, visionary without actually making direct contact with demons.
meditation, astrological calculation, and alchemical How typical of him to make such a meaningless distinc
analysis, they eventually uncovered that their workings tion! Tremere himself had dabbled in diabolism after
were beginning to fade. The hermetic path was fading for his failed attempt, centuries past, to take over the Order
good. Both Goratrixand Etrius contributed to the project of Hermes, but had abandoned it after pinpointing its
great leaps of understanding. central paradox. Demons weak enough to be domi
Etrius wished to share their results with mages of nated by a mortal mage are never powerful enough to
other houses. He argued that if Ceoris' researchers could perform workings worthy of the trouble involved. De
come so far in so short a time, the combined efforts of mons mighty enough to grant great boons cannot be
Europe's best minds would certainly find aneven quicker dominated; they always cheat the magus in some way.
solution to the encroaching mystery. (Bitiurges, if you Tremere forbade his followers from engaging in infer
pass this letter to an uninitiated reader, you will certainly nal dabblings not out of moral or spiritual qualms, but
explain that the magi of House Tremere are but one of because the spells weren't effective enough. Etrius now
many groups who make up the Order of Hermes.) reasoned that the power of diabolic worship might lie
Tremere enjoined Etrius, and all the others, to (or be made to lie) not in the demons' power but in the
silence. They obeyed him, of course, but whispered repetition of ritual demands. He won Tremere's ap
behind his back. Why would he withhold the knowl proval to embark on a careful course of research into
edge they'd gleaned? Goratrix guessed that Tremere this proposition. After seeing poor results from the
meant them to find new means of achieving immor sacrifice of pigs and chickens, he sent retainers out into
tality to eclipse the known method, the future of the countryside to seize the virginal daughters of farm
which now seemed in doubt. With so great a new ers and foresters. He sacrificed over two dozen young
secret in hand, their House would finally rule the women over his two decades of research. Etrius re
others. Tremere would reverse his earlier failure to peated his experiments with newborn babes as sacrificial
take over the Order of Hermes. subjects, to no better effect. Sometimes he summoned
It was at about this time that Arundinis vanished demons unintentionally, sometimes he got nothing but
while on a journey south to Athens, along with a quartet a few foul smells for his trouble.
of the House's stoutest bodyguards. A search party fol His most spectacular failure, though, came on
lowed Arundinis' trail to the Danube's banks, where the autumnal equinox of 1003. The stars were right
they found nothing but a destroyed encampment and for appeals to Hell, he had discovered, and a grand
oddly tangled vegetation. ritual was in order. He had the secret names of three
THE princes of Dis, or so he thought, and was ready to

make demands backed by the blood of eight new
victims. He succeeded far beyond any hopes, and
1000 opened a doorway to Hell, allowing demons to take
over an entire floor in the chantry's dungeons! I feel
Tremere ordered his followers to investigate ev no shame at the queasy delight that shook me as the
ery possible substitute for their immortality workings. creatures poured up from the infernal depths, searing
Ceoris split into rival groups, each certain of its flesh and cutting bone. Two magi, four apprentices
methods and anxious to prove the others wrong. and a half-dozen retainers were consumed by hellfire
Nuntius oversaw a project to distill potent herbs into or torn asunder by demonic claw before Etrius found
a new immortality drug; it would not require magic to a way to partially reverse the ritual, closing a door
brew, he claimed. Paul Cordwood researched ways of and sealing Hell behind it.
measuring and then distilling the human soul. Epistatia When the crisis had passed, recriminations com
pursued a discipline she called spiritual migration, by menced. Naturally, the others wished Tremere's favorite

humbled, expelled, even slain, for the danger in which battle, but the assembled mages ultimately bound
he had placed them all. They dragged him before the Roland in sigil-inscribed chains and scorched him
conclave and demanded that he justify himself. His with fire. Goratrix promised him his freedom in ex
sputterings and twistings in defense of his actions were change for answers. From Roland, he gained his first
delicious to behold. First, he argued that he had done inklings of the breadth of vampire history and power.
everything correctly, that another had surely sabotaged He learned that the vampires belonged to factions,
him. How Goratrix's eyes bulged when he saw that called clans. Roland, forexample, was of the T zimisce,
Etrius sought to shift the blame to him! I could not a family of decaying aristocrats who mold flesh like
contain my laughter; the magi did not hear it, but saw clay. He also learned that these beast reproduced by
the flames of their candles gutter. At Tremere's com draining the blood of mortals, hence transforming
mand, Etrius withdrew the accusation and then claimed them in a process called the Embrace. I cannot in the
that demons had addled his senses. Surely, he said, they short time I control your hand convey all Goratrix
would be compelled by his devout faith to strike at him. learned about the night creatures, Bitiurges; I must
The disclaimer of fault was ludicrous, and one by one continue my narrative.
the others spoke for his destruction. Yet at conclave's When his head reeled with answers and further
end, T remere held up his hand and took on himse If the questions eluded him, Goratrix commanded Roland to
responsibility for Etrius' failure. He had advised Etrius, Embrace two shocked and unsuspecting apprentices,
guided his theory, sanctioned his experiment. IfEtrius Stephen and Pharus. Upon his return to Ceoris, Goratrix
was to face expulsion, so should he. Did any wish to bade Stephen and Pharus follow him down into his
stand for his destruction? The conclave fell silent. private suite of workshops. He secluded himself for
Etrius' wet eyes, aimed adoringly at Tremere, were years without boasting of any progress at all. Ceoris'
those of a lap dog. inhabitants soon came to speak of Stephen and Pharus
in the past tense.
THE SOLUTION OF GORATRIX
It was Goratrix who arrived at the fruitful theory.
Noting that the night woods supposedly crawled with
DESPERATION SETTLES IN
reputed immortals, he resolved to investigate the crea As the years ground on, and one group after
tures. He spent several years combing hermetic texts for another saw promising queries sputter and fail, an
vampiric lore, finding little of use. atmosphere of desperation descended upon the
chantry. When experiments went awry, magi cast
Then someone left Arundinis' head at Ceoris'
bitter looks at their rivals, certain they'd been sabo
threshold. Servants crossing the drawbridge found its
taged. Vinci us, apprentice to Paul Cordwood, was
desiccated remains one damp November morning. In
found strangled in his bed in 1011. This happened not
dividuals unknown had placed it just on the other side
long after Epistatia humiliated herself in front of the
of the chasm separating the fortress from the terrain
assembled magi by failing to project her consciousness
around it. Goratrix claimed the head, wishing to test a
into the mind of a captured hunter. She'd accused
spell he'd found in the necromantic texts he'd been
Vincius of putting the evil eye on her during her
consulting. Performing a ritual which involved pow
demonstration. She denied involvement in Vincius'
dering and ingesting the skull, Goratrix relived crucial
death. Nothing was proven against her.
moments from Arundinis' last days alive. His party had
been set upon during the night by creatures he soon Goratrix came to her defense, but at a price: He
came to know as vampires. He was kept alive for insisted she abandon her researches and assist him
months and tortured to the breaking point. He'd re with his. Epistatia was recruited to assist hUn in cast
vealed many of the House's secrets to his chief torturer, ing his consciousness about the world, or perhaps
a sneering beast named Roland. However, in moments through the ghostly realms of the underworld, in
of self-control he'd supplied much false information as search of further information about vampires.
well, greatly exaggerating the power of the Ceoris Epistatia's aid allowed Goratrix a series of break
mages. Goratrix dictated the contents of his visions to throughs. So much so that one might be forgiven for
an apprentice, and later sifted them for clues to the suspecting him of murdering Vincius in order to lure
creatures' whereabouts. He sent parties out to find her under his sway. (I did not see it happen, but think
landmarks he'd seen. it more likely than not.) He contacted at least two
different entities who provided him with crucial in
In 1005, Goratrix sought T remere's blessing for a
structions. Having been the world tree of Ceoris, I
daring raid. He personally led a war party to Roland's
recognized them as Root Of All and Stars Beyond, the
haven. His most ferociously loyal fighting men hacked
beings who had filled my roots with hate. Goratrix's
their way through the Tzimisce elder's own corps of
inquiries continued for another eleven years.
retainers. Dozens were slain on both sides of the

Bitiurges, you must learn who these beings really are None but Goratrix expected this result. The Span
and what they want with us. Without them, the damned iard Calderon lunged at his throat, swearing to kill him
chantry would never have been built and our house for misleading him as to the ritual's purpose. Etrius,
would not stand divided and damned. Perhaps, armed appalled, accused Goratrix of diabolic meddling of the
with that knowledge, you and trustworthy others might first order and predicted that this day would seal their
begin to undo what pride and willfulness have done to us. doom. Tremere, however, immediately sensed the effi
cacy of Goratrix's magic. He spoke in that damnably
THE BECOMING: commanding voice of his, the one that makes you forget
all sense and decency, and ordered them to hal t. He kept
1022 them close at hand, ordering that castellans govern their
chantries in their stead. They stayed in Ceoris over the
In 1022, Goratrix announced to a select few that next seven years, struggling to learn and master the new
they were needed to aid him in his final experiment. laws that ruled their bodies. Each became a night
Invited to join him were Tremere, Etrius, Meerlinda, dwelling recluse, worried that their chantry-mates would
and four other of our founder's closest associates. For see through the ruse. But none did; typically, their fellow
seven days and seven nights the participants went with magicians were too preoccupied with their private re
out sleep, engaging in a series of rituals so complex that searches to notice the changes in their fellows' routines.
the instructions covered one thousand leaves of parch I tried screaming into their ears, but, as in a child's dream,
ment. These were burnt in the course of the ritual. At the could not make myself heard.
ceremony's climax, the participants fell upon the Em
braced apprentices, Stephen and Pharus, tore them
apart bare-handed and ate of their flesh and blood, like
FAILED GAMBITS:
crazed maenads of ancient days. From violent delirium
they fell into a state of ecstatic agony, and then into
1024 -1026
unconsciousness. When they awakened, hours later, For decades I had tried to master my own new
they were unliving. Vampires. condition, to exercise some kind of power over events in
22
Ceoris. One night, in 1024 I think it was, I watched letters to his master, a vampire called Rustovitch. The
Etrius feed upon a once-innocent girl stolen from a letters repeated Goratrix's account of the capture and
nearby village. I wept at my helplessness, as I had so slaying of his childe, Roland, the Embrace of Stephen
many times previously, weeping tears as insubstantial as and Pharus and the ritual of usurpation. The letters
the rest of me. But this time the tears fell upon Etrius' found their mark, and soon Rustovitch's armies were
brow. He looked up, startled, and ceased his feeding. besieging our chantries.
Etrius could see me.
I hated him, and yet here I had an opportunity to A WAR IN EARNEST
speak. Was there still enough rationality left in him to Vampire-led ghoul armies swept through the other
make him see the slope on which he and the others Tremere chantries of Transylvania, destroying most
slid? Ifl could have seized him by the throat and shook of them over the course of a mere two years. I have
him to his senses, I would have. But I had words as my since learned about the other vampire clans who
only weapon. I told him I had observed the explor joined Rustovitch's war: the barbaric Gangrel and
atory rituals of Goratrix and Epistatia. They'd sensed hideous Nosferatu. Even magicians fell as wave upon
my presence and tried several times to drive me off, wave of shrieking, hissing soldiers swarmed past their
but each time I'd found a crack through which to slip. defenses. Survivors hid in the woods and then straggled
When humans drink the blood of vampires, I'd learned, to Ceoris. Ceoris itself suffered a number of feints,
it is far from usual for them to become vampires intended by Rustovitch more to demoralize the
themselves. They become ghouls, half-mortal slaves Tremere than to deliver a death-blow. He and his
to those whose blood they consume. But Goratrix and allies were winning, but still had no real means of
Epistatia's otherworldly patrons had provided the breaking through these walls.
means to ignore this law of vampirism. They'd also Like a na'if, I had hoped Rustovitch would have a
supplied power to the ritual. Etrius shook his head, way to slay only the eight. I did not mean for him to
rejecting my words. I demanded that he think back to make all mages his foe. I never wanted a war. I ceased
the ritual, remember the forces invoked. I had smelled my letters, and despaired at the failure of my gambit. I
All-Root and Stars Beyond, knew one of them as a beseeched fate to let madness seize me, so that I might
sort of demon, the second as something other. The forget my errors. But it would not do so. It haunts me
greatest of the Tremere, who'd always considered still that I managed only to accelerate our damnation in
themselves the masters of all, had made themselves trying to halt it.
mere puppets. And for what? For what? Mere life, I
fairly shrieked, mere life! There was only way to re
verse the slide, to honor whatever greatness they once
CruSIS WITHIN:
had. The eight would have to take the ultimate
control over their own existences, and end them.
1026---1036
Suicide would be the only way. The escalation of the war against the night crea
Etrius nodded and agreed to kill himself. He sought tures made these walls into a cage of terror. The mortal
out Goratrix, and told him of his encounter with me. magi smelled dread in the air. The more perceptive of
Joined by Epistatia, the two came to me, mouths full of them noted that something was gravely awry within the
lies, and attempted to bind me forever into an astral ranks. Both Goratrix and Etrius had withdrawn from
cage. Do not think me stupid. I was prepared for day-to-day activities. Others close to them were be
possible betrayal, and had readied a ghostly trick of my coming equally reclusive. They restricted access to
own - for in Ceoris my power is great. In a way, I am many of the experimental chambers. Strange noises
Ceoris. At least, I am as much a part of it as its stones emanated from the dungeon, now also forbidden to all
and its mortar. but a few. I admit I played a small role in opening eyes.
Destroy me, Bitiurges. Destroy Ceoris. Opening a doorway. Leaving a book open to a crucial
page. Yet I feared to intervene too closely, having
How THE TZIMISCE behaved so stupidly before.
LEARNED OF Us I took what petty pleasure I could in watching
hostilities break out among the usurpers. Goratrix
If the T remere vampires would not kill themselves, argued that only the immediate Embrace of all house
I realized that I would have to motivate their enemies members would gi ve them the strength they needed to
to do the deed instead. I waited for a T zimisce spy to fight back on an equal footing against their vampire
appear among our retainers, and sure enough, one did. attackers. Etrius proved an equally passionate advo
I took over his hand as I now take yours, and wrote cate of caution. The Embrace of unprepared magi

would bring nothing but confusion and betrayal. Their others agreed not to pursue any action against his
colleagues had to be carefully, methodically prepared house. I fear he even recruited some of them without
to abandon their illusions of morality. T remere agreed telling any of his followers that he'd Embraced promi
with Etrius but played the two men against one an nent magi of other houses.
other, stoking the long-simmering hatred between
them. On several occasions, Etrius found himself
warding off exploratory magical attacks against him.
CORNERSTONES OF
He blamed Goratrix and petitioned Tremere for re

lief. Tremere placated him but did little to check
THE PYRAMID:
Goratrix's rage. The two rivals concluded that their
master was testing them. They would fight, and the
1037
winner would earn Tremere's favor. Each recruited T remere then committed an act which has become
allies among the other Cainite magi. Calderon and the most open secret in clan lore. Using the Thessalonica
the Frenchman LeDuc took Etrius' part, others sup incident as a pretext, he summoned the seven to his
ported Goratrix, and skilled Meerlinda sought an end chambers, where he forced them all into the blood oath
to the dispute. Despite her efforts, the two sides with him. By commanding the mystical loyalty of each,
periodically struck at one another over the course of he would end the civil war. Thus only Tremere gained
the next decade. from the struggle between Goratrix and Etrius. Did he
deliberately stoke the flames of their rivalry, hoping
THE INCIDENT AT one of them would precipitate an action justifying the
blood oath? Of course he did.
THESSALONICA T remere told the seven that the blood oaths were
This crucial tale I know only second-hand, for it only the first step in the renewal of the House.
happened far from my gates and towers. In 1036, Etrius Survival depended on the exercise of a single deter
visited the chantry of another hermetic order, the mined will. He would institute an iron-clad hierarchy
Bonisagi, in Thessalonica. There he sought books of through which each newly Embraced T remere Cainite
lore concerning the vampires. While there, he faced would ultimately obey his orders . He unfurled a scroll
assault from an army of tiny, hissing homunculi with upon which he laid out a diagram mapping a pyramid
teeth of fire. They were born of a spell cast by Vitorio, of loyalties. T remere stood at the top of the pyramid.
a mortal magus under Goratrix's sway, which misfired The Inner Council of Seven, as he now called his
in a bloody manner I am cruel enough to find amusing. confederates, lay immediately beneath him. When
Whether it failed because he too rashly tried an ill the Embracing of the house was complete, each
formed ritual, or due to the ongoing volatility affecting would command a number of lords, who in turn
our magic, I do not know. The spell drew the material would oversee large areas, or realms, containing many
essence for the doll-like automatons not from the brick chantries. The regents, each head of a minor chantry,
and mortar of the chantry, as was intended, but from would command the magi and apprentices who lived
the flesh and blood of other magi sleeping near Etrius' there. The blood oath would secure the vows each
chamber. None of the magi ofThessalonica were slain, Cainite made to his superiors within the hierarchy.
but several were crippled: One had his eyes punctured, Upon initiation, apprentices would drink the blood
and another lost the flesh from both of his legs. Furious of their masters, admixed with that of T remere and
Bonisagi traced the fell magic back to its source. They the councilors. Magi would sup of their regent's
concluded that not only was Ceoris in the midst of a vitae; regents, of their lords, and so on. This tight
civil war, but its mages were surely drawing upon control over the actions of underlings would prove
infernal powers . Within months, this tale spread, with an even greater weapon against the other Cainites
the virulence of a disease, through Europe's chantries. than the T remere mastery of magic, he told his
Tremere spent five years visiting one mighty peer after council. Chaos was sweeping Europe and those who
another, persuading each that the Thessalonica Inci could stand firm would triumph.
dent had been grossly misunderstood. Vitorio was
Before dismissing the Council of Seven, T remere
murdered and held up as the sole guilty party. How I
informed them that Etrius would be accompanying him
wish I could have traveled at T remere's shoulder, to see
on a trek across Europe and the Holy Land in search of
him dissemble, beg, wheedle, and grovel before those
Cainite secrets. Goratrix would fi-nal-ly rule Ceoris alone.
he regarded as his lessers! Alas, his accursed powers of
A smile crept across each man's lips - until he saw the
persuasion, no doubt taking clever advantage of the
other. Then the rival's faces mirrored one another in
others' fear and narrow perceptions, won out. The
wary displeasure.

THERHGNOF wishing to Embrace all of Ceoris' magi at .once to better
enlist them in the war. Although he Embraced a few
GOAATRIX: individuals then, hecould not break with Tremere's hold

on him so soon after the blood oath ceremony.
1037 -1133 THE MAKING OF GARGOYLES

I saw Goratrix swallow his misgivings as Tremere Needing a weapon with which to fend off the
and the other councilors departed. Now he exulted Tzimisce and their allies, Goratrix turned once more to
in his sole dominion over Ceoris. He had always his research libraries. With Malgorzata and Epistatia at
intended to rule it single-handedly. Why else would his elbow, he Embraced captured peasants in order to
he have bound so much of his personal magic up in study the changes wrought on their anatomy by the
it? As long as Etrius, or any other participant in the progress of vampirism. He gleaned much from his pro
original ritual , occupied it, the center of his power gram of live dissections, but by 1109 found that the
would be obscured. I occupied it, too, of course, in study of newly Embraced Cainites had attained its
my way, but evidently dead old Ponticulus did not limit. Epistatia, her mind swimming with otherworldly
enter into his calculations . insight, advised Goratrix to seek experimental subjects
He turned his fury to the war against the T zimisce, even older than himself. He would have to capture
whose ghoul armies once again stepped up their at some genuine Cainites.
tacks. These assaults waxed and waned over the ensuing Goratrix began to Embrace not the magi of Ceoris,
decades. The night creatures would ravage the outlying but their retainers, especially fighting men. This did
chantries, come howling to the very gate of Ceoris, and not directly contravene the letter ofTremere's orders,
lay siege to it. Then the desperate magi would marshal you see . He sent his neonates on suicide missions to
their dwindling power, blast the creatures with a ter capture seasoned Cainites. Five or six dozen of them
rible working, and send them yelping back to their died working to fulfill his commands. A few parties
havens in northern Transylvania. At first I had hopes succeeded, dragging back furious Tzimisce, Gangrel
that the war would change things, but as the cycle and Nosferatu to face their master's scalpels. From
repeated, I saw in it only tedium and perhaps a cryptic 1110 to 1120, the dungeons of Ceoris reverberated
joke ofdestiny. Perhaps you are fond ofdates, Bitiurges, with the cries of mutilated Cainites. A new name
so I will list the years of the worst fighting: 1040, 1046, enters the tale here, one you will recognize: the newly
1062, 1066, 1086, and 1105. I do not entirely under Embraced mage Virstania, who even then was three
stand the long pauses between assaults, for I claim no quarters mad . It was her twisted love for the creatures
insight into the Tzimisce mind. At any rate, the magi, they were making that rendered them malleable, and
during the periods from 1047 to 1061 and from 1067 to infused them with hatred for their former brethren.
1085 , were able to erect wards to keep night creatures Goratrix's most loyal apprentice, Malgorzata, kept the
from even approaching our holdings. They rebuilt the participants from indulging theoretical flights oHancy,
outlying chantries during these times, frantically stock chiding them when they forgot that their lives de
piling vis for future use. Then the wards failed, the pended on the project's success.
enemy armies once more descended, and the magi fled In 1121, Goratrix unveiled the first of this remade
back to their chantry of chantries. race. The first Gargoyle was named Chaundice. It was
Many who dwell within these walls were Em to become typical of its kind, with a demonic visage,
braced during this time. You know blade-tongued stony skin, fearsome claws and bat-like wings. But
Malgorzata. Did you know she is not a noble, but a Goratrix, Malgorzata and Virstania spawned many other
young local Goratrix purchased from field-worker types of Gargoyles, ultimately less successful in design,
parents? He made her his apprentice, sheltering her during these years.
from his rivals. As is so often the case with appren By 1125, they'd created enough of these fearsome
tices, she became a coarser, less subtle version of her servants to turn them loose on their foes . The Gargoyles
master, emulating and exaggerating his most blatant turned the tide ofwar against the T zimisce. They flew out
traits. Her boldness and quick rise won few friends but over the battlefield, homing in on the few vampires
won the admiration of other apprentices. Five years among the throng of blood-crazed ghouls and terrified
after her own Embrace, she brought her most wet mortal warriors. They swooped down and plucked them
lipped admirer, jervais, into the Cainite fold . up, bearing them to Ceoris, where they too would be
A great Tzimisce offensive came in 1105. It crushed come raw material for new Gargoyles.
all of the Transylvanian chantries outside Ceoris. In 1126, Chaundice was sent out on such a mis
Goratrix struggled against the call of the blood oath, sion and did not come back. I presume the Tzimisce

found him, tore him apart, and learned what he was existence. They discovered that they could increase
made of. They attacked us with renewed ferocity soon their power by drinking blood closer to that of Caine,
after we lost Chaundice, allowing us to presume that the first vampire. (Yes, Caine, the first murderer.)
they reacted with horror and hate. (1 have heard Tremere immediately tested this theory, slaying an
Virstania whispering to her Gargoyle disciples about older vampire in Rome and consuming his vitae. As
one of their number who has escaped and created his soon as he knew that a hierarchy existed, Tremere
own colony beyond Tremere control. They call him feverishly worked to find its apex and topple whoever
the Rock Lord. From what they say, I do not think this occupied it. From 1126 to 1132, he and Etrius tracked
is Chaundice, but it might be.) down the ancient vampires known as Methuselahs.
THE RESEARCHES OF Whenever they found one, they carefully planned an

assault, summoning the other Councilors from their
posts to join in the kill. Through this means they
TREMEREAND increased the power of their own blood, in turn bolster
ing the strength of their Thaumaturgy.
ETRIUS: 1037 -1133 THE NEXT DEPRAVITY
Tremere and Etrius were not idle during this near In the sorry state Etrius and the others condemned
century of bloodshed. From 1037 to 1121, they traveled me to, my awareness goes no further than my own walls,
from one chantry to the next, conducting the secret Bitiurges. I do not know what the monsters I once called
experiments that spawned their vampiric art of colleagues do when away from me, so the next chapter in
Thaumaturgy. They had begun such work in Ceoris and this sorry tale is only conjecture. From what I have
now continued it abroad. It converted the spells and gathered, the hunt for the various elder vampires led
incantations of hermetic magic to a system of power T remere to wish to find a creature he called an Anted i1u
dependent not on vis, but on the supernatural potency viano This thing was a father of vampires, founder of one
of blood as converted and stored by the vampire's body. of the great lines of the hellspawn. T remere wanted its
The two appeared at Ceoris only to exchange their power for himself, I can only presume so that he could
resulting insights with those pearled from Goratrix's establish his claim to vampiric superiority.
Gargoyle project. Much of the first seven decades of Etrius and Tremere journeyed far and wide and I
their inquiries consisted of theoretical work. Practical have surmised that their journeys bore fruit in the
breakthroughs were apparently slow in coming and I lands now controlled by Moslems. I have heard whis
watched Goratrix use the addictive properties of his pered that they were seeking the resting place of Set
blood to enslave several magi to serve as his proxy in himself, vile god of ancient Egypt and a father of
the Gargoyle project and other matters. vampires. Even if this were true, they didn't find him.
T remere and Etrius expended the final twenty years Instead, in 1133, Tremere summoned the Council of
finding specific hermetic spells and rituals amenable to Seven to him and I spied Goratrix report that his
blood magic conversion and translating them into master had uncovered the tomb of a creature called
thaumaturgic formulae. Perhaps, Bitiurges, you might in Saulot. Bearing the third eye of wisdom, this ancient
conversation raise the names of the mages Gyrus, vampire was father of a line of creatures called Salubri.
Tabellarius, Decorar and Cautus. See what reaction Goratrix left with hopes of new power. He did not
their names provoke. They were enslaved by your sup return empty-handed, or alone. The entire council
posed betters, used as magical workhorses, then slain, arrived, with the prostrate body of Tremere in tow.
their brains and hearts dissected for the insights T remere Some were flush with new power, others raged against
thought might be found within them - to no useful the folly of hubris . Goratrix remained silent, but
purpose, as best I could tell. walked with a new hate in his step .
I do not know exactly what happened, Bitiurges. It
THE HUNT seems that Tremere drank the blood of Saulot and slew
By 1121, knowing Goratrix's success in creating him. He now has the power of the ancients, but has been
the Gargoyles, they felt ready to pursue various hints prone to deep sleeps and mysterious shifts of personality
and references in the literature of vampirism. Accom and even physical shape. T remere was once a man, once
panied by a few early Gargoyles, they traipsed through a vampire. Now he is a monster out of legend. No one
the dark corners of Europe, sometimes posing as vam seemed ready for this result and I have heard some
pires of other clans. (Here I rely again on conversations whisper that they foresaw House Tremere's downfall
overheard in Ceoris, whose boundaries I may not cross.) when Tremere committed this new crime.
They pieced together more basic facts of vampiric Find out the truth if you can Bitiurges, but beware.
26

SINCE 1133
was really quite stirring. I might myself have fallen in
line with him, had my own being not already been
During a period of wakefulness in Ceoris, T remere long ago consigned to hatred - a hatred which in
laid out the future development of his self-named clan. cluded him as one of its foremost objects.
LeDuc, master of the burgeoning Paris chantry, was to
travel to the Levant to pursue further clues as to the AN OLD RIvALRY REKINDLED
events that had unfolded. He would hunt Salubri and Goratrix decamped to the Paris chantry, from which
their secrets, apparently. Goratrix would step down as he launched a distant chess game to thwart Etrius . Both
Lord of Ceoris and head to France to take over the men used thaumaturgic means of communication to
Parisian hall. Steadfast Etrius would take over at Ceoris, recruit allies in the struggle. Malgorzata kept Goratrix
seeing to it that Tremere's rest was_undisturbed. informed of events transpiring within these walls. Un
knowingly, her reports kept me well-apprised, as well; I
THE FURY OF GORATRIX listened to them with the mordant detachment time has
Goratrix contained his apoplectic rage until he taught me to cultivate.
reached his chambers, where I saw him vent it in the I watched as Malgorzata, more charming than Etrius,
presence ofMalgorzata andJervais.lt was he, Goratrix, swayed the sympathies of many neonates to Goratrix's
who had saved the house by creating the Gargoyles conspirator faction. Goratrix moved carefully, forT remere
and driving back the night creatures! It was he who now showed little tolerance for the continued prosecu
had sacrificed his mystical essence to build Ceoris. It tion of the feud. In 1140, one ofGoratrix's most effective
was always supposed to be his! His strength would be new pawns, Misia Gies, attracted Tremere's attention; I
forever rent asunder if he did not occupy it! The am still not sure what she did. He summoned her here.
craven Etrius had out-smarted him after all. That Months later, he finished with her and sent her back to
lackey knew that the real seat of power was right at Paris, her consciousness utterly expunged. Goratrix, I
Tremere's side. What contribution had he made? would imagine, saw this as a warning from his master and
He'd surely coaxed Tremere into taking Ceoris from ceded the battleground to Etrius.
him. What a slap that was! What a renunciation of all The way Goratrix thinks is so well known to me
Goratrix had done! Etrius had merely been there to that sometimes I believe I hear him whispering in my
flatter Tremere, to attend to his comforts. Etrius had ear. Until a more propitious time for confrontation
done nothing, but won all! arises, he will wait, building his power. I do know that
Goratrix seized a sword from the wall and said he he has Embraced, or perhaps made ghouls, courtiers to
would walk down the corridor to the chamber where King Louis VII of France. He tells Malgorzata he finds
T remere lay and take his life as T remere had taken mortal politicking intriguing. At first, it seemed re
Saulot's. But then a change of expression fell upon his freshing: After all , mortals could act quickly because
face; I am sure it was more than just a trick of flicker their life spans were short. Then he discovered that
ing candlelight. Sometimes, as I bring the moment other courtiers were playthings of vampire clans only
back to recollection, I think he must have been vaguely familiar to him. He entered that world, and
overcome with love for Tremere, as the blood oath there forged links to vampire clans. He found particu
demands. But then it is just as likely that he was loath lar success with clans called Lasombra and
to call whatever curse had faced Tremere in Saulot's Cappadocian. You rub shoulders with their spawn,
tomb directly upon himself. So instead he told Bitiurges: Giacomo Guicciardini and Margaret Vasa,
Malgorzata that he would go to France and find a way frequent guests of House T remere, are in fact vampiric
to make of the Paris chantry what Ceoris should have envoys to Clan T remere. They first started coming
been. Etrius would rule in name only, he said. She here in the early 1150s.
would have to rule covertly, conspiratorially. Al Etrius could not allow Goratrix to outdo him as a
though it was true that they wished to move at speed, schemer. In 1155, he proved his mettle at intrigue by
and that Etrius was timid and overcautious, she must recruiting the first defector from another vampire
never forget the true matter of the struggle. It was clan: Dauud the Copt, formerly a follower of the
about two men, Goratrix and Etrius, and about the Egyptian snake god, Set. Etrius also aggressively re
loathing between them. Goratrix felt a hatred so great built and defended the outlying chantries. The mortal
that any number of others might take shelter beneath mages clamored for him to reclaim the chantries
it and draw strength from it. To grant one's loyalty to richest in vis .. Although he assured them he would do
a man, that is a mistake, Goratrix said, because men so, he instead built chan tries at strategic locations .
fail you . They surprise you . They waver. But give your They were fortresses in all but name . He hired merce
soul to hate, and you will grow and gain strength. He naries and bandits who used the chantries to harry the
27

populations of T zimisce villages. They were also used T remere dreams and prophesizes. I spend much of my
as bases for hunting expeditions when the vampires time perched near his frothing lips, attempting to find
needed fresh prey. the sense in his mutterings. He declares that his clan
will one day look back on this desperate time from a
THE ENDLESS WAR CONTINlIES position of unimaginable strength, that the entire
The tedious seesaw fight with Transylvania's other world will pay unknowing homage to him. I can see
vampire clans grinds on. 1169 was an especially bad year the doubt in the eyes of even the bootlick Etrius.
for Tzimisce assaults, and 1176 was worse. That was When loan retreats, Tremere's vampires resume their
when a new T zimisce champion, loan, took command of intriguing against one another. They're rats trapped
their armies. I have learned little of this loan except that together in a cage.
he is a skilled general. During his first campaign, he You too are in this cage, Bitiurges. Now that you
smashed many of the outlying chantries and rooted out see that, you must act. It is very late, but perhaps
infiltrators and spies. not too much so. Your hand grows tired, and I feel
Now he continues to make slow, steady advances you fighting my control. I have overstayed my wel
against the Tremere. It is worse than they tell you . come. Perhaps tomorrow night, I will come back,
You know that the outlying chantries once more lie in and tell you more. Of course you should not let
rubble. You do not know that the original wards have anyone see this until we have decided what you
failed. It is the blood magic of the vampires, not the shall do with this knowledge .
Hermetic rituals of your fellows, that keep the enemy
from swarming through my front gate.
Far below you, where he much of the time suffers
the tormented half-sleep the vampires call torpor,
28

I

+
J!3dla, I?ol'riba bd/a,

€ t - ~tn ffIUlt:o SpUffJan'teln
san.gu;»e ~_
(J- ~ ~S, f,otTi6le ~S, a-nb ff?e
~ foafflin8 ~tI, ~ 6loob.)
- Wirt}il ~ a~b
31

To THE
ThereportofAlexandruBasarab, Servant of theVoioodes
eight leagues east of the source of the River Arges, high in
those same mountains. This puts it also east of the tall
mountains Mindra and Negoiu. It is, say, 70 leagues, as the
My blessed liege, crow flies, from Bucharest, which is to the south and east of
it. Buda-Pest lies 240 leagues to the north and east of it, also
You know that I am not a man ofwords. I ask the scribe
you sent me to write with flowery words, so my poor way of as the crow flies. Your servants mayhap need me to say travel
speaking will not offend you. You want me to tell you how times instead of leagues. Now this is where the calculation
others may get inside the keep of the damned magickers. I becomes difficult, for the terrain is rough and laden with
speak honestly and say all that I know and hope that you do difficulties. Let us reckon, though, on a small party traveling
not mistake my forester's blunt speech for disrespect. with horses and weighed down with the general equipment
needed for safety and survival in a place so inhospitable to life
I have no doubt that there are ways to get inside those
gates, political ways, ways of honeyed words of which the and limb. Were you to go overland from Bucharest, naturally
book-educated may drip into each other's ears. There be not able to go as the crow flies, but avoiding the most hilly and
ways of deception, no doubt, of taking on other guises so or worst-forested lands, you would spend 11 days in journey
that the cursed witch-men let down their drawbridge and ing time. Were you to come from Buda-Pest, you should take
welcome you in with arms outstretched. I know nothing a water journey on the Dunav River, which your servants may
of those ways. I am a man of the woods and of the know as the Danube. You should expect a two-day journey
mountain and the rivers, and know only how you might until you reach the village where the women cannot speak
approach Castle Ceoris by means simple and material. So except to utter curses. The village has no name which the
these I will now lay down to your scribe here. people there will share with outsiders, but on the map I have
marked it with an evil eye. Do not drink any ofthe ale or water
GETTING THERE they give you there, but you may safely sup from the dinners
they cook in their large pots in the village circle. From there
Along with the words he writes I will send this map. I you begin a land journey of four score leagues. It will rob you
mark now where Ceoris is, in relation to the rest of our land. ofl7 days oftraveling time ifyou are lucky, more ifyou are not.
Itlies within the bosom ofthe mountains which your servants The trek is all uphill, from the lowlands of the Dunav to the
might know as the Transylvanian Alps. It stands roughly mountains where Ceoris waits. One of your servants once
tfje Area
§urroun8ing <teoris
32

told me Ceoris was nearly 6,000 feet up from the level of the We have from time to time overrun the guardhouses,
sea, though I do not know how he arrived at that figure. Were and I have studied them closely. Their floors measure ten
it possible to travel up the River Arges, the journeying time feet across and eight feet deep, the walls perhaps halfa hand
would be shortened to less than a day. Alas, the river is nigh in thickness. They are but simple constructions, granting
impassable in its upper reaches and heavily patrolled by those within the advantage of height over their attackers.
Gargoyles lower down. They stand three stories in height, I'd say forty hands high
(Should your servants be traveling in winter, which withal. The top story sits unroofed, so that Gargoyles might
I say they should do only in circumstances dire, they easily fly from their perches atop it. Battlements hide the
should double the times for travel overland. Water travel archers, whose murder holes give them ample room to fire
be the same as I said just now, and safer to boot, for it is at any who try to storm the guardhouse.
accomplished by sleds on the frozen rivers.) The second story provides shelter and warmth to
them among the watchers that need it.
GUARDHOUSES The ground level is given overto the storage ofweapons
and provisions. There is no need for flooring there, and the
The accursed wizards keep many guardhouses witch-men do not provide for it. Never have I found
through the area. They construct them of pine wood. anything worth looting in these places. They are not prizes
They are made to be put up quickly and then aban to be taken, but places of trouble, to be shunned.
doned or turned to firewood. By my reckoning, it takes
The keenness with which the guards watch is as reliable
them but half a day, what with two dozen or so of their
as a woman's virtue, which is to say one night is very
mortal workmen laboring away to erect one of these
different from the next. Should the magickers be alarmed,
posts. Thus they may continually move their posts
or otherwise have reason to be wary of assault, it is most
about in an effort to confuse us. I could mark the
difficult for a party of any size to creep past one without
locations where guardhouses have in the past been, but
notice. I have done it, but would not trust any to creep at my
to what end? By the time you gaze upon this map, they
side, for they have not my experience in the exercise. Also
will be in different places. So instead I make a dotted
it is difficult to pass by them in times when game is scarce,
line, a limiting point. I have never seen a guardhouse
for in hungry seasons the Gargoyles are eager to nose out the
outside the limiting line that I now draw.
faintest scent of prey. And make no mistake, we are but
I can but guess at the force you should expect when drink to those beasts, whether we be of mortal flesh , of the
stumbling across these temporary guardhouses. Thirteen secret nobility or lie somewhere in between. But when the
is, however, a witcher's number and the magickersseem to Gargoyles are fat and the sorcerers occupied with other
use it in the organization of their servants. You should matters, the fighting men may pay better attention to their
probably expect at least one complement of minimum 13 dice games and japes than to the snapping of twigs in the
war-hardened axmen, half as many steel-eyed archers forests surrounding them. With a skilled man's furtiveness
(with eyes as night-adept as owls) and a brood of Gar you may creep past one, two or even three such guardhouses
goyles which may number as few as three or as many as 13. in the course of a day's journey.
(You do not need me to remind you that there will be no
I cannot say how many guardhouses the enchanters
Gargoyles by day.) How many of the axmen and archers
keep on any single day. There is no way to know, until the
are still pure mortal in stock and how many have supped
day we overrun the place entire. I can attest that I have
of the blood of the wizards, I cannot say. Only rarely have
never seen more than three guardhouses over the course of
I found the demon-couplers themselves at these posts, and
an entire trek from the Dunav's banks to Ceoris's brink.
never at one more than a league distant from Ceoris itself.
When they are present, one must fear the fire they cast AMBUSHERS
from their fingers, the earth they move beneath your feet, Guards may wait in ambuscade, secreting themselves
the wind that cuts flesh like an oft-blooded blade and the behind boulders, in gullies or up in trees. Rarely do they do
water that rises up in the back ofyour throat, drowning you this unless you have made your presence known to them
from within. Though in truth I must say that the appear by dint of some unnatural commotion. The patience to
ances of magickers themselves have been less frequent of establish ambuscade without the reliable hope ofa party to
late than in decades past, and that their fury abates quickly fall upon exceeds what these foresters can muster.
after one or perhaps two shows of their fearsome magic.
On two occasions, when stumbling upon the guardhouses,
I saw creatures pour from within that were so awful in
PATROLS
aspect I swore they must be demons from the blackest pits Your servants must also be wary for the patrols that
of Hell. Yet your servant, she with the laugh that turned beat the brush around the castle. I will mark on the map
wine to vinegar, said them to be Gargoyles still, though a second line showing the line ofsafety. North of this line,
they had neither skins of stone nor a wyrm's wings. one must listen alertly for the presence of patrols. South of
--4~_ _~ A FARAWAY CIT
33

it, they only rarely go. The patrols themselves offer little an amulet inlaid with a symbol ofarcane portent, but other
threat to our best parties: The patrollers are always mortal, times gain safe passage merely with the utterance of a
save perhaps for a leader who has drank the dark wine. watchword. On more than one occasion have I followed
Never have I seen a patrol number greater than four a party journeying openly towards the castle, and through
though I do not count the times when the hag men beat stealthier means have secured the token needed for pas
the hills in search of an escapee or other quarry. Then one sage. A single token grants safety to an entire party, for few
can see just how many slaves the magic men command, come to the castle unattended by servants and squires.
and quail at the sight of their massed power. The patrollers themselves offer an even better ploy to
More vexing than the mortal patrollers are the Gar them willing to sustain a ruse for longer. The mortal fighters
goyles who freely range there in search offood. Wishing to come and go, arrive and die, with the frequency ofspringtime
see the monsters feed on nature's provender and not upon flies. Their numbers are great enough that not all know one
their own limited stores, the hag-men loose them in the another on sight. You thus may fall upon a small party of
woods around the castle to hunt. Some hunt alone, but I patrollers, seize their annor and insignia, and attempt to pass
have more often seen them in packs offive or six. If caught, as newly recruited minions.1brough such deception one can
you should adopt the manner of a lackwitted villager learn much of doings in the castle, for, with tongues slowed
strayed too far from safe hunting grounds. The Gargoyles by ale, the common fighters speak too freely for their own
stand commanded to convey interesting prisoners to the good. You must be prepared to execute witchman orders, and
castle for inquisition, a fate offering dangers far greater than are thus at risk of being dragged into doings most unmanly.
a monster's hunger. You have a chance of escaping a You might also find yourself fighting against others who seek
Gargoyle's teeth, but not the grim mercies of Ceoris. to intrude into the magickers' domain. So thus you may find
it safer merely to use stolen annor and insignia to move about
BYPASSING PATROLS within the environs without seeking entry to the castle.
Your servants might wish to pass through the patrols When we loosed that thing you sent us, the thing which
not by fighting or hiding from them, but through decep flowed upon the ground and scorched it and made the sound
tion. The magickers themselves, or those bidden to come that made our ears bleed, wedidso by means of this ruse. We
to their castle, must be able to pass through these lands crept up merely to the lip of the chasm that surrounds the
unmolested. They do so by presenting a token, most often castle, with no intention of going further.
34

Though I have succeeded with this trick on occasions
various, you must use it but sparingly. None prove more
suspicious than minions recently fooled . Even harder to
deceive are Gargoyles or the sorcerers themselves.
TRAPS
Where the witchers cannot patrol, their living min
ions lay traps. You should watch hawkishly for trip-wires,
which may bring blades or cascades of rock from the trees,
or send a spearhead into your heart muscle. The blanket
of needles and leaves which that the forest floor during all
the seasons may also conceal weakened planks atop yawn
ing pits. The unfortunate who falls into such a pit may
land upon a row of sharpened stakes or flooring of rocks.
HAUNTS
Gargoyles are not the only strange beasts to haunt
the woods around Ceoris. I have heard with my own
ears the groans of soldiers long dead in those dark
woods. Our own men becomes the allies of the enemy
in death, awaking great fear in those they have left
behind in the living world.
Then there are creatures even stranger. Beasts which
are half one thing and half another. I have seen a many
legged insect as large as a bear, with scything limbs,
which had fallen on one of my men and was feeding upon
the opened guts .. Others of us have seen creatures like
sheets ofskin shaped like men, or a towering beast which
looked as if it had been made from the guts and gore of
a hundred victims.
Once a woodsman of stout demeanor fell into a
wizard's pit, where he encountered a creature he de
scribed as a deer's head propelled by the legs of a
silverfish . It sucked the juices from his eyes and fouled
him mightily with some kind of ichor. Three days after
I rescued him, I did him the favor ofsinking a knife into
his kidneys, for he had gone mad.
l-XERE
My MISSIVE ENDS
My liege, this is all I know of the pathways to Ceoris
and their dangers. I have served you loyally here for
nearly five years. I now humbly ask you to let me return
to my home and my kinfolk. Please send another man
you can trust as you have done me so I may show him how
my tasks are done. My bones grow weary, and at night my
dreams are thick with blood.
Your unquestioned servant,
I\LrXANDRU
c!iifalldct;kJ''ip <§!/;/hl ~1'/.0!d';
35

([) ConspU'acv!
Sl,affls't tI,ou 'to sIJOYt;:) tI?tJ ban
gerous bt'OYt;:) btl nit/?'t,
~ ~ are fflIOS't f~~
-YVdliarn_a-dius~
37

rulership, to determine how the means of rule might be
REPORT OF THE extended and bettered. No god or authority determines
our destiny. We rule because we must; were we deprived
CHSTELLHN of power over others, too many would seek our destruc
tion. Only through sharpness of mind, through a profound
Master Etrius-
unlocking of the hidden methods and structures of the
I know you have no need of the flattery a lesser lord world around us, can we do what is necessary and impose
would expect from his loyal factotum. You have always our will on those who would otherwise bring us down.
been a man to demand the facts, to value clarity over The moment that our understanding and diligence fails
frippery, and to see in brevity the wisdom of the ages. I us will mark the beginning of our downfall. It is said that
shall therefore do as you have charged me, and answer the Cainite mind ossifies over time, that its patterns
your questions with all due frankness. But because the become set. If this is so, we must make the future now so
words I put down on this parchment are laid out with a that the world will be ours even a thousand years hence
comrade's forthrightness , I must bid you to take great care when the veil of dotage shrouds our thoughts.
in the disposition of this document after you have read it.
What Ceoris is today, the rest of the world will
It is not to be dreamt of that I would think of you as
become in days ahead. All shall be sorted by their worth
irresponsible, or thoughtless as to the dangers that might
and categorized by their duties as they are here.
result if some of those described herein were to lay hands
upon it. You know that is not so! It is merely that there are LORD OF THE CHANTRY
some within the walls of this hallowed center of learning
who might fairly be described as vipers stirring in their T remere, he who is master of us all, has in his wisdom
nests, restlessly seeking a foe to strike at. Knowledge is at chosen as the guiding symbol of our quest the pyramid,
its sharpest as a weapon when kept well-scabbarded. Our redolent of the esoteric mysteries of ancient Egypt. As
knowledge as to the truth of their motives must be the Egyptians placed their pharaohs, who they thought
withheld from them until the night comes when we are were manifestations of the godhead, at the top of their
best prepared to seize them from behind the head, pinch pyramid, we place a single Lord and master at the head
ing the hinge of the jaws as one must do to catch a viper of each chantry. At this chantry of chantries, you are that
while staying un bit. The writhing of these snakes reminds master, sagacious Etrius. Answerable only to Tremere
us that treachery springs from newly-gained power as himself, whose slumbers have, alack, grown too long of
naturally as oaks from acorns grow. late, you sit wisely atop our pyramid, looking down on
Herein I shall say how Ceoris works, and what must the rest of us. When a post here becomes vacant, it is you
be done to improve upon its perfection. You have who reaches down and selects a successor. Though we
charged me with making craft of your art, of taking your below you may take apprentices, perhaps grooming them
principles of understanding and applying them to the to perform our roles, the final decision lies in your hands.
nightly direction of this chantry. In this report you shall
judge if I have succeeded and whether I am worthy of
THE CASTELLAN
reward for my efforts. From your lips to my ears, milord Etrius. It is I, as
castellan of the chantry, who enforces your edicts and
HOWWESHAIL attends to niggling, nightly matters. You are thus free to
pursue your researches and further the goals of the House
PROSPER AGFllNST in this troubling time. I do not see much of you of late ,
milord, and thus I dare to believe that I have ably
THE ANCIENT FrnNDs discharged my duties.

I shall now list the many tasks I must commonly
Surely the greatest advantage we enjoy over the fulfill, so that - should some terrible fate befall me
creatures from whom we have liberated the secret of life you might appropriately tutor my successor. At least, I
eternal is our new thinking on the hierarchy as the trust that is why you ask me to list them. It is I who
natural expression of all order. While verily our T zimisce supervises Ceoris's defense. Each evening when I arise,
foes love to strut and swagger as they profess to lord it Esoara, who captains our guard forces, comes to my side
over all creation, they are too ancient of mind to have to give me his report. If either Ceoris or our villages have
applied the new science of reason to the relationship been attacked during the day, he tells me what has
between mastery and servitude. They perceive rulership happened. We may have lost peasants, soldiers, ghouls,
over others as their birthright, as a thing that will Gargoyles or magi. Buildings in the village may have
naturally accrue to them because it has always been so. been burned down. Supplies may have been looted from
They do not stop to consider the constituent elements of our vi llage storehouses. If any of these have happened, he
38

tells me what he will do to carve regret into the hides of to stoop to base and fawning diplomacy.) Virstania 's
those impudent enough to wrong us. I hasten to specify disposition towards her creations is, if you will forgive my
that on most nights, none of these things have occurred. troubling you with such petty plaints, most irksome.
The day has passed without moment. Perhaps there is a These creatures are our best weapons against the foes
minor problem of discipline: A soldier needs flogging, or that so sorely beset us, I will freely admit. Yet she clucks
a Gargoyle has become too mad to be trusted with further and coos over them in a manner I would call maternal
guard duty. Esoara knows I take great interest in matters were the very idea not wholly absurd. Woe betide me if
of obedience. Our thralls must fear us, and I am the face I should have to tell her that one of her charges has acted
of that fear. When there is a beating to deliver, I stand to disobediently! She accuses Esoara of exaggerating or not
watch as whip hits flesh. Esoara's sergeants wield the lash understanding or. .. Not all of her creations are as well
so adeptly; it would be a shame not to study their art. made as she believes. They are quite mad, some of them,
and incapable of obedience for more than a few months.
COMMANDING THE SLAVES I have taken to ordering Esoara to slay the worst of them.
Should Esoara report difficulty with the Gargoyles; Then I tell Virstania they were felled in the fight with the
it is Virstania I seek out. Many times have I insisted to Tzimisce. Matters are intolerable as they stand, milord .
her that my role as castellan demands respect, and that I beg you to help her again rightly see the pyramid's light.
she should seek me out to present a nightly narrative of
her activities and those of her Gargoyles. Perhaps if you THE RECRUITMENT OF MERCENARIES
spoke to her, milord, she would accept the necessity of It is often my task to approve the hiring of new men
obedience. The pyramid cannot stand if its foundation at-arms. Before our present troubles, I grant that I never
blocks caper about to their own tunes. I must confess that considered how hard it is to find a steady stream of
as of now I must go to her each night in her damp and doughty mortals to fight and die for one. It is especially
tunneled catacomb. If Esoara has told me of some prob hard in this forgotten comer of the world. Our villages
lem with one of our slaves, I must repeat the charge to throw up perhaps one young man per season with the
her. (I formerly bade Esoara to accompany me on these strength and temperament to risk life and limb in our
vexing treks, but 'twas clear her capriciousness angered defense. Yet we lose dozens of men per year. Clearly, we
him, and I did not wish to force our ferocious champion must attract mercenaries from elsewhere. Much of my
39

communication with other chantries concerns this vex ing his existence seems nowhere more evident than in the
ing question. In any city boasting a Tremere chantry, attitude ofcertain of our fellows. She seems to know we're
certain rumors float. One might hear the word in the at war only when battle rages at our very gates. When the
worst taverns, in the slums and bawdy houses - wher enemy temporarily withdraws, the threat vanishes from
ever vermin swarm. Only the roughest, most despised, her awareness. She once more thinks herself master of a
most hopeless hear in these rumors a siren's call. The world in which the difficulties of moving goods across the
tales say that there is a place far away, nestled 'gainst the continent are but someone else's concern . When I tell
Transylvanian Alps, where gold flows like water for such haughty scholars about enemy patrols, difficult
those desperate enough to come and serve its terrible terrain, weather conditions and the limits ofcommunica
masters. From Paris, Madrid, Byzantium and even Cairo tion, I see their attention depart from me. I suggest that
they come. They mutter and scrape and say they've perhaps their next researches ought to figure ways to
heard tell of a fortress full of gold and silver and of hard instantly transport goods from thousands of miles away to
barons who need it protected. Cutthroats, madmen, one's doorstep. But such comments naturally fall on ears
rapists and berserkers, most of them. Without our arcane by indifference deafened.
gifts, these men could not be safely herded into a cage. I oversee our mortal servants, so that our day-waking
Many of my hours are given over to the workings fellows need not worry their heads with the warmth of
required to strengthen their obedience and temper their their blankets, the flavor of their meals, or the timely
bloodlust. They must strike as savage beasts, but only emptying of their chamberpots. Thankfully, those taken
when we ordain it and only against our chosen targets. A into the blood appear less concerned with material
very few of them are truly cunning and well-favored by comforts. They can find their own way to the feeding
fate, as well as brutal and desperate. These we ghoul or chamber, at least.
propose for the Embrace. Esoara, ofcourse, was one such.
Esoara's scouts comb the land for chances to strike BLOOD MASTERS
against our foes . We need more Gargoyles. We need Those of our mages initiated into the blood mystery
fewer Tzimisce, Nosferatu and Gangrel. When they see - the term Cainite, I avow, still writes itself only reluc
a likely chance, Esoara comes to me with maps he has tantly upon this page - make up the next level of the
drawn. He tells me how many men he will need, how pyramid. This is not, alack, to say that they acknowledge
long they will be gone, and what supplies they will the rank I hold over them. I fear that you have not made
require. I decide if the reward is worth the risk. I say yea it fittingly perceptible to them that, as castellan, I am
or nay to any assault. more than their dogsbody. Each places herself on a
pedestal only slightly less elevated than yours, milord.
FOOD AND SUPPLIES They do not shy from making requests - nay, demands
Yet the management of war is but one of my chores. - of me, but do not obey orders, even those I pass on
I must see that Ceoris is amply supplied with food for the directly from your lips. When I require them to participate
mortal and blood for the immortal. The villages we in the chantry's defense, I must argue and explain and
control provide for Ceoris's simplest needs. From them, justify and wheedle. Ifwe are to win this war, I must beable
we get meat and bread and ale. The village women weave to command certain basic obediences without taking the
the cloth upon our backs and spin the thread with which time to coax our arrogant peers. As it stands, they accept
it is sewn. The men hew our wood and take the odd bit of orders only from T remere, whom they fear without bound
game with which to spice our mortals' tables. They catch ary, and you, whom they still believe to have your master's
fish in the rivers and pick berries in the forest. These ear. Yet it pains me to point out that there are some here
delicacies fall first to our unaware fellows, then as special - Malgorzata and Jervais, to put names to the matter
rewards for warriors who fight well for us. Other goods who obey you only so far as appearance demands or
come from afar. Ghoul-run caravans bring parchment, vigilance ensures. Aye, if they know you watch them,
inks, arcane essences, alchemical supplies and rare tomes they do as you ask. But what they can cook up behind your
from other chantries. They (and a few mortal merchants, back, milord ... Let us only say that their hearts are still
well-rewarded for their necessary courage) drop these with Goratrix. They mean to dagger you down the instant
shipments at the villages, then turn around for the they can do so safe from T remere's reproach. And as far as
dangerous journey back out of enemy terrirory. Our own obeying my ordinances ... they do not fear me enough to
servants take a cart every month or so to the villages, wait until my back is turned before they begin to mock me.
gathering up what they've stored for us. If a mage, We will never have a true pyramid of authority until you
breathing or not, wishes to have an ingredient essential make them either love or fear you. I intend no offense
to his workings, he asks me to secure it. Ifhe does not get when I say that the former is already impossible; they are
it in the time he deems agreeable, I suffer his reproaches. incapable of it. They must be brought to heel, milord, and
A magus's capacity to ignore the practicalities surround a true hierarchy made.
--------
40

If there is comfort to take from this unhappy circum tale of his demise. I should not be infuriated that our plan
stance, it is that our blood-made fellows show as little effects itself so well upon them, but by the tears of
love for one another as for you. They intrigue as if it is a Croesus, I am! I once thought these fools to be my peers
substitute for breathing. The librarian Celestyn, perhaps in learning, cunning and ambition! Magi of House
your most reliable inferior save for myself, found a T remere, masters in the making of the Order of Hermes !
month's worth of notes burned. What crime led to this That they be fooled so easily galls me. And as I said, I am
punishment? Why, the night before, he'd refused to the mildest among us.
intervene in an argument between Epistatia and The paradox doubles in upon itself when you consider
Mendacamina on the probable arrangement and nature that the mortal mages are infinitely more pliant and
of the celestial domes. Both became more offended at obedient than their secret masters. They greatly fear the
goodly, unintriguing Celestyn than they'd been with vampires hammering at our gates, especially as the power
one another. Either of them could have destroyed his of vis drains away from them. We blooded are nothing if
work with no motive better than simple spite. not cocksure, and they instinctively defer to our sense of
Two months back, Therimna tried to poison Paul assurance. They accept me as castellan, as your eyes and
Cordwood with an alchemical draught, I am sure of it. ears, and follow my commands with as little argument as
What the potion was meant to do, I cannot guess. can be expected. Malgorzata awakens in them their primal
Therimna's apprentice lay open-throated at the end of instincts to submit, as if they see in her the incarnation of
it. Yet the two reached some sort of accord and neither some primordial and capricious bog-goddess. They see
will now say a word against the other, at least not to me. Virstania as their savior for making the Gargoyles. They
I know I belabor the point, but our fellows seem do not ask themselves how she came upon the vampiric
determined to slay one another before the enemy can do secrets needed to construct them.
them the pleasure. We need to rally together every Therein lies the truth, I judge. It is not so much that
night, not just when we face attack. Who knows what aid we are fooling them as they are allowing themselves to be
Celestyn's destroyed research might have done us? He fooled . They smell the coppery tang of blood in the air.
smiles, shrugs and says it was oflittle consequence, but he They see what drips from the walls when the moon is
is too anxious to avoid conflict. Sometimes one must wrong. The screams from below do not escape their ears.
precipitate it in order to end it. But they fear to broach the subject, comprehending that
Scholars easily make rivals of one another, but the their fate is entirely in our hands.
blood mystery seems to have sharpened this proclivity,
MENDACAMINFfS SUSPICIONS
transmuting it from nuisance to threat. This gaping hole
in our pyramid must be filled with discipline from above For the sake of completeness, I shall here repeat
and obedience from below. Milord, you must act. the opinions ofMendacamina, mistress of our torture
chambers. I urged her to speak her own mind directly
MORTAL MAGI to you, which she resisted for reasons she said that
you would know.
The blood-made mages' humor cannot be improved
Mendacamina warns me not to overestimate the
by the need to treat mortal mages as their equals. Do not
mortal mages' credulity. The avowedly Christian mages
mistake me for a member of Goratrix's faction. I do not
who came here from the ruined chantry of Urn or Mons,
claim that they should all be Embraced forthwith. And
led by T osia and Omnifer, cleave closely to one another.
I avow that I have no easy deception with which to
convince the unaware mortals to accept the sudden Mendacamina claims that they are better-informed than
elevation of the blooded above them. Still, everything they seem. All around them, she says, are signs of what
about our former peers grates upon my senses, though I they would see as our corruption. She points to the low
be but the most mild of our hidden cabal. The longer moaning sound which issues periodically from the sealed
they accept our deception, the more foolish they seem doors to the abandoned laboratories far below us. The
and the more trying it becomes to countenance their blood which flows like tears from the statues of the great
blind arrogance. We never appear by day. Our pallor philosophers in our disused foyer. Mendacamina says
exceeds even that of the typical scholar, for whom that they ask too many questions regarding the Gar
sunlight is but a reminder that he's strayed too far from goyles' provenance.
his library carrel. We speak in a code in front of them, We must tread carefully around Tosia's cabal, it is true.
exchanging meaningful glances and furtive gestures. Even with diminished supplies of vis, they can do us great
Indeed, we did have to behead Jacobus last year when he harm should we antagonize them. In particular, Omnifer's
stumbled upon a feeding. But the others - they were too mastery ofcreo ignem gives one pause. But we must take care
occupied trying to wring the last drams of vis from the that we do not, by obvious and excessive vigilance, foster
land to take notice of the flaws in our hastily-constructed suspicions which do not now presently exist.
DIVIDED
41

us, milord, for your way requires in profusion both time
and silver-tongued insight into the foolish beliefs that
Between the true pyramid and the false one, it is separate men from true comprehension. Yet its wisdom
hard to know where to place the true apprentices, those is manifest. None of the apprentices gained in this way
recently taken into our blooded fold. I refer to them here have turned on us. None has sired a childe who has
as "true apprentices" to mark the difference between betrayed us. None have needed to be slain.
them and the mortal apprentice magi. (It would be
better, perhaps, to coin a new appellation for the freshly DISPOSING OF FFULURES
blooded to lessen confusion. I have suggested to several Alas, those ofGoratrix's faction employ no such art.
of the others that we call them "fledglings." Yet the Despite your orders, they embrace casually, without
rejoinders to this humble suggestion have been derisive, preparation. They ask themselves only if the childe is
so it is foolish to hope that my words might be heeded.) likely to serve them and will sympathize with Goratrix'
I shall now reiterate the edicts you have handed cause. It is almost exclusively magi they embrace, seek
down to us on the gaining of new apprentices, the better ing to remake the House in a matter of decades rather
to judge how well they have been followed, and who has than the century or so that is your plan. A full half of
been flouting them. You have told us, most ofall, to tread these have betrayed us in one way or another. Many have
slowly in embracing the magi of House Tremere. If they purposefully turned against their sires, promising to
harbor religious qualms, or uphold the ethics of the inform our mortal fellows. The shock of sudden fledging
ancient Greeks, they must carefully be stripped of these is too great for their minds. They do not yet perceive
restraining beliefs before we can safely reveal to them the themselves as beyond redemption.
true future ofthe House. Each must be subjected to a slow We have not yet failed to slay one of these before he
campaign which whittles away his sense of naive righ could wreak his mischief. Therimna sacrifices time she'd
teousness in favor of true perception. The war here at otherwise devote to alchemical researches as our chiefslayer
Ceoris serves as a most admirable tool in this undertak of wayward apprentices. She undertakes the task with cold
ing. The need to fight for survival dashes away a man's determination. Therimna is a huntress I would not care to
beliefs as a fast-flowing river cuts its banks to widen cross. She must on occasion also snuff out those apprentices
them. It is a long and difficult road you have laid out for who show great loyalty but little wisdom. Failures which
42

threaten superiors, arouse suspicion in the mortal magi or Few come from hereabouts. Our former fellows tend, as
allow the T zimisce to learn about us are too grave to indulge. we did, to pick apprentices met on travels. They look for
One error is misfortune. A second warrants castigation. initiative, imagination and a thirst for knowledge: all
The third means death at Therimna's hands. things most deadly to our deception. Not yet learned in
the techniques of ignoring all but their researches, often
WHO WE FLEDGE flush with lusts and other curiosities of the flesh, they are
Once we fledged none but magi, but now we more too likely to probe where they should not as they blunder
greatly need keen warriors, stealthy foresters, and men about in search of experience. We have had to see to the
well-placed to spy upon our foes. The first two sorts prove sudden disappearances of eleven apprentices in the last
easiest to find. Esoara, captain of our guard, keeps open five years alone. In making war against us, the Tzimisce
his falcon eyes. He picks favorites, charging them with do us one service: They provide an ever-credible expla
plum tasks. Those who please him greatly he submits to nation for anyone's sudden demise. If we merely suspect
me as practicable apprentices. In these he looks not only trouble from a mortal apprentice, we wait until his
for proven successes against our foes, but quick and
master sends him beyond the fortress walls to complete
ingenious minds. They must be clever enough to devise
some errand. If the need for haste is greater, I demand the
sudden solutions when faced with trials unanticipated
apprentice's attendance in a war party. Their masters
by the orders they've been given. When an aspirant
inevitably come to quibble and entreat with me. All
earns Esoara's trust, I bid him to visit me in my chambers.
must be ready to venture beyond the walls in waging this
I ask him questions to test whether his cleverness is in
war, I tell them. However we design to separate appren
nature subservient or rebellious. I ask him ifhe has given
tices from their masters, Therimna waits for them.
any thought to the true nature of his masters.lfhe bows
and scrapes and clucks his tongue and claims to have It is the mortal apprentices who offer the foe his best
allowed his head to remain untroubled by such things, I chance of breaching our walls by deception. We do not
dismiss him as a clot-head or base dissembler. He may know the extent of the T zimisce's knowledge of us. How
instead say that he knew that this day would come, difficult would it be to plant a pleasing servant in one of
hinting that he knows of us. His breast pumps with fear our na"ive fellow's path? They would train him in the
but he wishes to join our ranks withal, he says. I know the right words to say, the correct prostrations to adopt. They
one who speaks such words as an over-clever schemer, will one day try, you can be certain of that, milord.
possibly sent by the foe. I seek the middle ground, the I propose that you instruct the mortals in new rules
one who shows he has thought but not too much, that he governing the bringing of apprentices to Ceoris. No
is cunning but not against those above him. apprentice may come beyond the furthest watchtower
We also Em brace those who nest in the bosom ofour without first answering questions posed by Esoara and
foe, or can inveigle their way to it. These dwell not myself. The Tzimisce have surely prepared their cuckoos
within Ceoris; they nest themselves behind Tzimisce with false tales of their lives and of how they came to meet
walls. It is Paul Cordwood, our master of spies, who our mages. We shall look deep into these neophytes' eyes,
chooses which of these to fledge. How he chooses them to see the souls within. We shall ferret out the intriguers
is a matter he does not share with me. His childer are and make of them fountains to slake our thirst. Until this
made away from here, on his long travels through the rule is done, milord, it is as if we have flung our gates open
north, in the cities of the foe. When Cordwood is here, for the foe to enter. Even Paul Cordwood agrees with me
he receives many messages. He reports to you; you know on this; he says it is the first stratagem he would use against
what is in them. I do not. It seems to me that I, as us, were he the enemy's master of spies.
castellan, should know their contents, for they may tell
of likely dangers to this chantry. Cordwood hints to me, SERVANTS AND OTHERS
when he must, but treats me not as friend but rival. On Five score servants attend us in Ceoris. Though once I
several occasions his warnings of the enemy's approach thought such lowly creatures unworthy of attention, now
have come too late. With greater preparation, we could that I am castellan of a fortress at war, I look upon each with
have dispatched scores more of the foeman's vassals. Yet withering scrutiny. Our servants largely hail from the
he intrigues against me, accusing me of trying to amass surrounding villages and serve with little enthusiasm. Per
more power here than is my due. He is a Tremere magus, haps one in six came here as bride or child to a foreign
sworn to reason. I beg you, milord, to make him see it. mercenary. These former camp followers, most of them now
widowed or orphaned, prove both more sensible and more
MORTAL ApPRENTICES loyal to us. A small few Paul Cordwood has Embraced; their
The still-breathing apprentices of the mortal mages talents lay in realms greater than the emptying of chamber
are the most questionable stones in our great pyramid. It pots and the peeling of parsnips. The mortal servants of
is still left to each mortal mage to select his apprentices. course provide us a reliable font of fresh, vigorous blood, to
43

supplement the wasted vessels languishing in our feeding
chambers. I must aver, however, that we feed upon them TAlNING BLOOD
too readily. When at our most improvident, we leave them Our need for blood is great. We need it to live, and it
too weak to perform their duties. Beneath day's searing powers our workings both major and minor. I wonder if the
light, a surprising number come to actually resent their ancient Fiends use even a tenth as much of this life-liquid
status as our blood stock despite the pleasures our touch as we must do. It is Epistatia who organizes our hunts for
causes them. I can only attribute their sullermess to ances mortals on which to safely feed. Having wrested a number
tral recollection of their centuries under cruel T zimisce of Gargoyles from Virstania's too-loving bosom, she makes
overlords. More than one resentful servant has cultivated of them her forward forces in her searches, which must
an attachment to a mortal mage in order to confess of our roam ever farther afield so as to escape the notice of our
doings. In such cases, we must dispose of servant and mage enemies. They have fallen upon our hunting parties more
alike. The servants appear dispensable, but carmot be as than once in the past decade, and each time we have lost
readily replaced as one might suppose. We need peasants in many precious Gargoyles and well-heeled men-at-anns.
the village to till soil for us and to guard our stored goods. We Last year Epistatia's childe, Roman, was lost, and she wept
cannot take many more farmers, then. And the camp for consolation for many months after. (She received it ill
followers do not come to us frequently enough. I urge you, when I suggested that the incident showed the danger of
milord, to issue edicts to the others restricting unchecked
caring too greatly for those beneath us on the pyramid.)
feeding upon the servants. General ill-treatment must also
Epistatia's method is to take many mortals at once,
be forbidden. Last month Mendacamina disemboweled a
serving wench merely for disturbing her during an experi most often a dozen or so. This tactic lessens the chance of
ment. Such behavior is wasteful and reduces the eagerness discovery by the foe and eases the suspicion ofourunblooded
of our other servants. mages. The ruckus raised by the hauling of prisoners into
the chantry always arouses questions from our fellows, so
Each of us has taken the liberty of making ghouls of
'tis better to do it rarely. We keep them in the dungeon till
one or two of the more bright-eyed or fair-haired of the
they grow sick and die. I do my best to keep the wretches
servants, in accordance with our own proclivities. I
alive, their hearts pumping. Epistatia wishes to control the
myself am served by aquintet ofwise-eyed old thralls. My
ghouls are the head cook, lead washer, mistress of linens, schedule of feeding, but I say that is better left to the
the master repairer, and a fifth, whose quiet omnipres castellano Others, especially Malgorzata's faction, say they
ence nearly led me to omit him here: Hadu, our steward. should be free to feed at will. This matter threatens to
Though none are salubrious to look upon, they know dominate the intriguing amongst us, for control ofthe food
better than any of us what transpires between these supply is power at its basest level. You must grant it to me,
walls. I speak to each more than once a night, and it is milord, so you know the blood will be fairly dispensed with
from them that I know much of what I here report. The no favor to any faction. As it stands, the vessels waste away
old men and women are cunning and wise and have too soon, forcing Epistatia to once again risk the wilds to
provided me with much good counsel on local ways. find another dozen.
ENvOYS AND VmORS
From their tutelage I can now predict the actions of

villagers and T zimisce alike. One day I shall be forced to
fully blood them, but it would be a loss to raise them from
Despite the risks to our safety, we must occasionally
their lowly vantage points from which they see so much.
welcome outsiders into our chantry, the better to forge
PRISONERS links to the pre-existing vampire world. Their minds
Then there are the prisoners in the dungeons. They clouded by coffin-dust, our new peers see us as callow
are of course not ofour pyramid at all. Some are human, interlopers who regard their vaunted traditions with
others of the Cainite fold. It is Mendacamina who both ignorance and contempt. We cannot make them
attends to them, drawing from them what we wish to love us, but we can make some of them see how we might
know. Some we keep as hostages. They do not fully feel all prosper by pursuing mutual interests. We cannot
the thorns Mendacamina hides within her Kiss, for when expect to ever make amends with the clan Tzimisce or to
we someday return them to those who want them, they soon befriend the Gangrel or Nosferatu. But the others
must still be in good repair. Most are used in other ways might be brought to understanding eventually.
after their secrets stand revealed. If they are vampires, The envoys of two clans, Giacomo Guicciardini of
they are given to Virstania to transmute into Gargoyles. the Lasombra and the Cappadocian Margaret Vasa,
Mortals feed us. Alas, many of the prisoners are fellow spend much time here, and are treated as visiting schol
mages, and the blood of such is like a rudely fermented ars by the mortal mages. Of course there is no way to
wine, too heady a draught for the likes of us. We must make them submit to the pyramid, though the
keep our senses clear to see the dangers all about us. unpredictability they imply sometimes troubles me.
44
We have received visitors from most other clans not didate, a certain Cuculus at Perugia, only to find that he
named above. Most are oflow rank; evidently a mission to had already been taken by one of Goratrix's persuasion!
Ceoris is assigned only to the dispensable. The Ventrue Were our pyramid pure, its authority would move in only
have agreed to send us a warrior retainer in exchange for one predictable direction. I know that you will see that this
certain information provided to their leaders in France. I state of affairs stands revealed to the proper eyes, milord.
now negotiate an arrangement to send one of our appren
tices to advise a worthy Toreador in Florence. In return,
he will send one ofhis fledglings, pledged to obey us. These
IN PARTING,
arrangements are not without risk - these are strangers to

us-but! agree with your wise judgment that our House's
A PRoPOSAL
future depends on forging new alliances. As I complete this missive, it occurs to me to mention
an undertaking which has grown in my mind oflate. With
OTHER CHHNTRIES
each passing year, it becomes more greatly difficult to
conceal from visitors and mortal magi the atmosphere of
It is also my duty as castellan to oversee relations with dread which permeates our walls. The hallways too often
other chantries throughout Europe and the Near East. I echo with whispers and scratching noises, the source of
communicate with the chantries using rituals of my own which can never be pinpointed. Droplets ofwhat seems to
devising, which permit me to commune with other be blood materialize on the walls, or ooze up between the
castellans who have undergone a ritual upon visiting flooring stones - yet the substance is not nourishing, but
Ceoris. Once that bond is made, distance matters little. nauseating. Chill breezes waft even through sealed rooms.
My goal, as you have instructed, is to slowly trans Along with them come odd moods: One might suddenly
form each Tremere chantry, so that it mirrors Ceoris. be seized by melancholy, or rage, or giddy laughter, as if
Though, fate willing, they will not need the defenses we some intoxicating elixir has seeped through one's skin.
have constructed here, they will each conceal the same We exp lain these manifestations to the mortal mages
hidden pyramid of authority. Accordingly, I use your by naming them the night creatures' malign sendings.
name to summon mages from other chantries to come (In like manner, we have explained the sealing of the
here. I see if they have in them sufficient pride to windows and the shutting out of all sunlight, saying that
overcome the morality that keeps them weak ~ if they this is the only way to ward Ceoris from night-creature
can be remolded so that they lose their qualms without magic.) These things happen most at night, but, from
noticing the deficit. If their moral defenses need further what the ghouls say, have now begun to strike even at the
erosion, I do not move. The coming years will bring height of noon. There is perhaps one major manifesta
much opportunity to wring conversions from our former tion every four weeks or so, but the minor ill-omens
fellows. During these visits, I must carefully watch become all too frequent. The ghouls say that a mood of
Malgorzata and jervais, who like scavenging dogs circle panic has slowly crept up on Ceoris's mortal minds. The
my prey, hoping to Embrace before I do. I have already living leave their chambers only when they must, and
alluded to the disastrous consequences of this. Many travel swiftly down the hallways, heads bowed.
mages who would in time have properly succumbed to Celestyn has told me of the ritual that consecrated
me rebelled when surprised by Malgorzata's bite, and Ceoris. Surely the cause of these manifestations lies in the
thus made themselves fit for nothing but destruction. unfortunate errors that marred it. Perhaps we should inves
When I succeed, as I did with Probitas of Vienna, I tigate ways in which our foundations might be reconsecrated.
allow the fledgling to accept his condition. Then I have Though such a ritual would be complex and difficult, I
him send others to Ceoris to also meet the Embrace. submit that it would more than repay its cost in time and
When more than four blooded mages safely head an resources. Otherwise, the strangeness of our abcxle will
outer chantry, I permit them to begin embracing. Yet become so obvious as to threaten our entire pyramid.
vipers vex me here, for Goratrix's whelps already fan out I shall think on this more, and detail my proposal at
across the land, secretly making their own pyramids of a later date. I include it here merely as a parting thought.
authority within each chantry. Alas, the continual power I trust that this report has been all that you wished.
struggle here is yet one more thing mirrored from Ceoris. Naturally I shall make myself available to respond to any
If only you could persuade Master T remere to intervene queries that might arise from it.
and put a stop to this unreasoned self-slaughter! Only his Your most faithful of servants,
word will unite us to fight our foes and not one another.
The others spread the Embrace at a rate that will - eHrlfttrrHIk
surely appall Tremere when you make him aware of the
circumstance. Once I arranged to meet a promising can Castellan of Chantry Ceoris
45

Pet' n--Ite 5i ~ YIdla dna bole-nk
Pet' n--Ite si ~ YIdl' ef:et:no bolore,
Pet' n--Ite si ~ "tra fa perbut"a 8e-nk. ..
frrsda:kOtJni~~dierltt'ak!
('¢I?rouaIJ n--Ite is ff?e ~ "to ff?e

sotTo",fd d"ttJ. ~out/? n--Ite is ff?e
~"toe~Sufferin8·'¢I?rouaIJn--Ite
is tf,e ~ 10 jOinfos"tpeople. .. abal'T
bon alll?ope, tpu ~ e-n'tet:!)
- l;Dan"te Ci'li8i?ieri, 'QJi~inR
Co"'-U-l1~biR, 'mferno II
47

THE ApPROACH 1:he <5roun8s
Visitors or attackers must approach Ceoris from the §urroun5ing <teoris
treacherous, heavily forested foothills to its south. As noted
below, unnatural winds, rain, and fog shield the valley from
the sun's rays most ofthe time. Guardsmen patrol the entire
valley. Groups of three to six mercenaries challenge any
visitor openly traveling through the valley and demand to
see the party leader's token of passage. Any traveler with
legitimate business in Ceoris receives a token from the
T remere who invited him there. Knowing that the token
holders can be powerful, haughty and quick to take offense,
the patrollers make their demands firmly but without
belligerence. Ifobserved unawares, they are equally likely to
be vigilantly beating the underbrush for intruders or slouch
ing lazily against one of the many boulders around which
the trail to Ceoris winds. They are more wary by night,
when hunched, hulking Gargoyles stride amongst them,
snorting threateningly at any mortals who dare to meet
their gaze. (For a detailed description of the valley and its
defenses, see Chapter Two.)
The trail leads through the valley and up a steep
incline to the gates of Ceoris. It is sufficiently rocky and
winding to prevent all but the most determined enemies
from hauling siege weapons within range of the chantry
walls. At many points, troops must dismount and walk
single-file around huge boulders Gargoyles have rolled
onto the roadway. The huge rocks provide ideal ambush
points for Ceoris' defenders.
GUARDHOUSES
As described in Chapter Two, the Tremere main
tain a number of temporary guardhouses throughout
their perimeter. Soldiers stationed at the guardhouses
mount regular patrols, watch for signs of movement, play
at dice and drink to drown their fears .
At any given time, there are nine guardhouses, more
or less evenly distributed throughout the surrounding
area. Manning each are ten to fifteen axmen, five to ten
archers and two to six Gargoyles. Lower numbers ofguards
are posted at times of low alarm; higher ones, when
hostilities are imminently expected. Esoara, the captain of
Ceoris' guard, may be forced to assign lower numbers of
guards if recent enemy assaults have depleted his forces.
CEORIS
FROM A DISTANCE
The vast tower-like structure that is Ceoris, bristling
with towers and turrets, juts up from the rain-lashed stone
of the surrounding Transylvanian Alps. Great gobbets of
unnaturally cohesive fog veil the chantry from the world,
concealing its outer face. Four days out of five, the ap
~~~....----:-:
48

proaching visitor sees nothing but a thick mantle of gray GATEHOUSE
mist that occasionally breaks to reveal a fragment of moun Over the drawbridge, on the chantry side, sits a stone
tain cliff or crag. Rain-laden, howling wind lashes it, but, in gate house that controls access to the structure. Soldiers
defiance of logic, does not dispel the fog. Instead the mist stationed behind a battlement atop the gatehouse watch
billows and courses about the structure like an unholy spirit. anyone approaching the chasm. They challenge visitors
Visitors who well know the nature of Ceoris' inhabitants with the traditional "Halt! Who goes there?" Even the
might correctly speculate that the concealing weather is chantry's most powerful must stop and identify them
the result of a great ritual working. Originally conjured by selves. The soldiers fear to cross traveling magi but know
Etrius and other of Tremere's inner circle during their the castellan Curaferrum will see them flayed if caught
mortal days, it is now kept active through blood magic. failing to challenge.
CEORIS BY DAY If the guards decide that would-be entrants are hos
tile, the senior officer makes a quiet calculation: Should
Even the mightiest of rituals can't constantly ward off
they try to capture them or simply refuse them? Ifhe thinks
the sun's rays. One day in five, daylight struggles through
they can safely capture these possible enemies, he invites
the perpetual cloud cover to drive off the rain and fog. On
them to come forward. Then, when they stand under the
those days, Ceoris stands revealed in all of its intimidating
gate house archway, the guards release a pulley-wheel that
glory. It is a vast shaft of black rock jutting up from a
causes portcullises on both sides to slam down, trapping
manmade plateau. Its surface, still bearing the pickax marks
the suspicious ones inside. If they're equipped with some
left by the hundreds of laborers who slaved to hew it from
extraordinary means of fighting back, like magical spells,
the mountain, is unmarred by decoration. Only dozens of
the guards can open a trap door and dump a cauldron of
long, narrow windows, now bricked up and sealed over with
caustic liquid down on their attackers.
lead sheeting, interrupt the perfect sheerness of its vertical
surfaces. Visitors who choose to stare for long periods at its After capturing the entrants, the guards clang a bell
surface sometimes begin to see shapes, such as enormous in warning. If available, Esoara comes to personally
skulls or mocking Gargoyle grimaces, forming in the pat determine the disposition of the captives. If he decides
terns of pickax marks. This may be one of the ill omens that that the guards have acted wrongly in detaining the
periodically manifest themselves in and around Ceoris or entrants, he frees them and ushers them to their proper
simply a vivid imagining on the part of the viewer. destinations within the chantry. Although he may prom
ise to discipline the guards, he will in fact reward them for
TOWERS AND TURRETS vigilance - better to momentarily discomfit an honest
Like spears in a rack, eight turrets and towers rise up entrant than admit a dangerous intruder. If Esoara is not
unevenly from the structure's bulk. Although originally available (during daylight, for example), a dozen or so
as straight and direct as Goratrix's determination to rule, guardsmen, led by a ghoul sergeant, arrive to haul the
they have begun to list slightly, each in a different captives to the dungeons. There they wait until Esoara,
direction. One in particular, the tallest on its eastern Curaferrum or another of the chantry's ruling circle finds
face, seems especially precarious, as if readying itself to the time to interview them. They release innocent
plunge to its death into the chasm below. entrants with profound apologies, false promises to pun
The towers and turrets exist merely to tempt airborne ish those responsible and reminders of the extreme
foes to their dooms. None provide entry to the castle. vigilance the denizens of Ceoris must maintain.
Most are built to break away, crumbling to their constitu The four to six men posted at the guardhouse are all
ent stones when forced to bear the weight of a party of seasoned archers. During hostilities, they're reinforced three
men. A couple of them burst spectacularly into consum fold, and supplemented with a force of up to six Gargoyles.
ing flames when weight is placed on them. Despite their At night, they see by lamplight. If attacked, they douse the
desire to keep a low profile, the Tremere can't entirely lights. The ordinary archers have no way ofseeing targets at
restrain their theatrical impulses, despite the fact that the night and so fire at positions on the drawbridge's lip.
winds have weakened these once-great architectural traps. Welcome entrants are quickly bidden to enter. The
guardsmen clang a great bell to alert the pulley operators on
ETRIUS' CHASM the other side of the chantry wall in the Grand Foyer. The
Agreatchasm, tom into the mountainside by Etrius's drawbridge takes about five minutes to raise and, thanks to
earth-moving magic, rings the chantry. Fifteen feet gravity, one to lower. If objects exceeding two thousand
across at its narrowest point and twenty at the widest, it pounds sit on the bridge, it may be impossible to raise.
represents a serious obstacle to intruders. Guards sta
tioned at the gate house command the lowering of a COURTYARD
drawbridge to bridge the gap. The heavy drawbridge is The space between the gatehouse and chantry is just
sturdy enough to support several tons of weight. a small field of rocks dotted by the occasional sprig of

wolfsbane, but the T remere are grandiose enough to The four axmen on duty bow awkwardly to greet
refer to it as a courtyard. Keen eyes might notice an ill superiors and grunt in acknowledgement to fellow sol
defined trai I lead ing off to the left. The real entranceway diers. Unaccompanied guests are asked to seat themselves
is to the right, but spells prevent the many feet that tread in a small antechamber. The senior guardsman rings a
upon it from forming any kind of visible trail. chime to attract a serving boy who then runs to fetch the
chantry resident who will serve as the visitor's host.
FALSE TRAIL
If the guards hear the gate house bell rung in its distinc
The courtyard trail curves around the mountain to tive warning pattern, they in tum banga big gong that hangs
a precarious shelf of rock about a foot wide. An intruder on the eastern wall. Guards at other stations also ring their
can carefully eke her way up this trail until she reaches own bells and gongs (including several placed in strategic
a 60-foot gap where the rocky shelf has crumbled away. parts of the chantry) and rouse the house to the danger.
The trail continues after the gap. Should the intruder Gongs in the barracks and in Virstania's Gargoyle pens tell
manage to struggle her way past the gap, the shelf
the chantry's defenders to go out and engage the foe. Several
continues to a small, barely detectable door ingeniously ingenious systems of ropes and bells allow a few guards to
crafted to look like the rock around it. raise the alarm throughout the great house without relying
It's a trap. The door doesn't open. The door and trail on magical workings.
exist merely to coax enemies to risk their necks seeking
a non-existent back door to the chantry.
FALSE ENTRANCEWAY
INSIDE CEOruS
Although those who know the name Ceoris shudder at
A graveled path, about thirty feet in length, extends its utterance, and it is certainly a place to inspire nightmar
past the gatehouse, through the courtyard, to Ceoris ish visions, the chantry also serves as a home to hundreds,
proper. It terminates at a fifteen-foot high set of double from Cainite thaumaturges to humble servants. Newcom
doors, banded in iron. These are carved with arcane ers soon make general observations about the mood of the
symbols; they throw off a wan, yellow-green light. A third place and the interactions between its inhabitants.
portcullis stands between the visitor and these doors. It
makes an eerie sound when the winds blow through it,
causing each bar to vibrate like the string ofa lute or harp.
GOVERNED By FEAR
The governing emotion of Ceoris is fear. It hangs in the
Those foolish enough to stand and listen may become
air like a contagion. The vampires fear the machinations of
convinced that they hear barely perceptible moaning
the Tzimisce, attacks by Gangrel and Nosferatu and, when
voices. Listeners become convinced over time that the
external threats recede, one another. Cainite anxieties in
portcullis voices say discernable things. Unfortunately,
tum infect their ghouls, who dread the day when they can
those things can drive an unprepared mind mad.
no longer nourish themselves on their masters' intoxicating
The doors have been permanently shut from within,
blood. Lowly servants fear the rulers of Ceoris even more
sealed by molten lead. A war party with a battering ram
than outside attackers. Mercenaries dread the next battle.
could get through both portcullis and double doors. This
Still-living mages fear destruction at the hands of the night
would lead them to the disused Grand Foyer and to
creatures. Those who suspect Ceoris's leaders of diabolic
another trap. See p. 53 for more.
activities worry that their suspicions might be exposed
TRUE ENTRANCEWAY before they discover the secrets at the matter's heart.
The small rear gate through which the chantry's These apprehensions permeate the behavior ofCeoris
friends enter it can't be seen head-on. It's around the residents. Its inhabitants tend to speak in whispers as if
comer, to the right. At the secret door, would-be entrants concerned that someone might overhear them. Tempers
must speak a password. Guests are given different pass flare easily; even a small misunderstanding between
words than residents. The guards here must be literate in soldiers or servants can explode into a vicious brawl.
order to correlate a long list of passwords to their rightful Sudden noises, such as the dropping of a fork in a dining
owners. They consult lists created by the castellan, hall, jolt startled people from their seats.
Curaferrum, which include questions to ask guests. The Fear heightens other emotions, especially among the
questions ask for information which should be known chantry's human inhabitants. The everyday presence of
only to the true password holder. The category of one's imminent death prompts them to extremes of desire,
password reflects the pyramidal hierarchy of House anger, sorrow and joy. Many periodically find themselves,
Tremere. The list, if liberated from its owner, could yield for no apparent reason, breaking down into racking sobs.
a great deal of information about Ceoris's organization. A mildly amusing jest may provoke uncontrollable howls
The list is kept in a rather complex code, but Curaferrum of teary-eyed belly-laughter. A momentary flicker of at
has had to teach it to the guards stationed at the entrance. traction between a male and female servant may prompt
50

them to leap upon one another for a bout offurious rutting CONSTANT ACTIVITY
- despite Curaferrum's violent prohibitions against such
disorder. Ceoris's residents, including the Cainite magi Ceoris is home to well over a thousand individuals
cians, believe that this heightening of passions is and hums with activity day and night. Its halls are full of
supernatural in nature. They theorize that stray emotions, furtive-eyed servants moving quickly about their tasks,
perhaps sent by enemy magic, waft through the halls to silently praying that they will neither attract the atten
tion of the masters nor witness any of the eerie
tear at the resolve of the mentally weak. This opinion
manifestations that plague the place. Any of them carry
reflects their bias towards esoteric explanations and their
tenuous understanding of mere human nature. The mor ing an item too heavy or bulky to be held in one hand
tal population is under great pressure and about to crack. must travel with a second servant to carry a lamp.
(Ceoris's wall sconces, which once held burning torches
have been plastered over to accommodate the unreason~
The chantry's perpetual lack of sunlight reinforces this
sense of dread, at least for its mortal inhabitants. Its outer
ing vampiric fear of fire.) The lamps throw long shadows
surface was originally covered in long, narrow windows, but
along the corridor floors and send new layers of soot to
these were all bricked up long ago. (Goratrix took the
join the black encrustation that cakes each ceiling.
precaution ofsealing out the sun's rays in the 1080s, justifying
it as a protective measure to strengthen the chantry's wards.) Soldiers, their boots slathered with muck as they
The chantry's ordinary folk yearn for daylight and feel return from guard duty, tramp down the halls, trading the
themselves withering under Ceoris' eternal night. Soldiers crude jests that form the common currency of warriors
covet daytime guard duty. Servants contrive reasons to go everywhere. Others of their number, assigned to roving
outside during the day, or even abandon their posts to feel the guard duty, do their best to appear menacing and vigilant
sun on their skins. Most mortal mages, bookish sorts indiffer as they stalk down the corridors, hands on sword-hilts.
ent to the benefits of the outdoor life, dismiss the possibility Those ordered to stand before doorways slouch against
that the absence of slmlight could in any way alter their walls, keeping a keen ear out for the confident tread of
ser~eants and masters. When a superior approaches, they
moods. They do not see that it renders them snappish,
perpetually tired and highly suggestible. qUICkly adopt a posture of stolid attentiveness.
Now and then, a magician (Cainite or mortal)
AMIDST ILL OMENS comes sweeping through the hallways, attended by an
e~tourage consisting of one or two servants, an appren
Ceoris was born under an ill star. Even had its consecra
tice, and perhaps others. The often unsociable masters
tion gone perfectly, it would have been a dark place. With
acknowled~e only their equals (or betters) when they
the bungled ritual that required the murder of Ponticulus,
pass others In the halls, and even then with the merest of
?ne of its participants, it has become a gloomy abode
grunts or slightest of nods.
mdeed. The ritual actions of the chantry founders trapped
their peer's spirit in the building. The passage of time has
amplified his anguish, self-loathing, despair, bitterness and CHAMBERS
mordant humor, so that they now physically manifest
themselves in a variety ofways. These include sudden chills
in the air, bleeding corridors and flooring stones (though
OF THE HOUSE
The following chambers are devoted to the business
theblood provides no nourishment or thaumaturgic power),
of House Tremere. Here visitors find mages, blooded and
whlspenng, laughter or moaning with no known source, a
mortal, as well as their apprentices and the most trusted
per:vading dampness, nightmarish images (often ofdecapi
of the chantry's servants. High-ranking mages walk
~a.tlon) that bubble up into the dreams of sleepers, similar
proudly through them, drinking in the admiration of
Images that momentarily appear in mirrors and other
their inferiors. When before their betters, apprentices
reflective surfaces, and the disappearance, materialization,
bob their heads with appropriate deference. When not,
or movement of objects when no one is present. These are
they stare wide-eyed and drink in the chambers' sights
not so much the willful acts of Ponticulus' shade as the
and smells, dreaming of the time when they, too, will
echoes of his anguish and anger.
march through them, puffed with a sense of ownership
The gloom and foreboding that wafts through Ceoris and entitlement. The Chamber of the Blooded on the
is evident to visitors, but those who end up dwelling here fourth floor (see p. 56) is the grand exception, reserved
for prolonged periods become inured to these feelings. for and known to the Tremere Cainites alone. Of all the
The place insidiously erodes residents' judgment so that chambers of the house, it is the most important.
they come to casually accept its many signs of impend ing
doom. Victims of the effect still perceive the ill omens COUNCIL CHAMBER
but lose sight of the fact that it is unnatural to live in a The mages of Ceoris conduct their official business in
place where they are commonplace. this large, ostentatious chamber. When the chantry meets in

council, Etrius and his trusted lieutenants of the moment sit discuss the progress of the war against the Tzimisce and
at the head table. Tremere spends most ofhis time in torpor, announce new policies affecting the rights or conduct of
so the chair reserved for him is almost invariably empty. The mortal magi and their entourages. Any house member or
castellan, Curaferrum, conducts the business ofthe meeting. chantry resident may bring up matters of concern. The
When a speaker addresses the council, he leaves his seat at amount ofdiscussion Etrius allows on a given matter shows
either the officers' table or in the spectators' court and walks how important it is; on trivial matters, everyone is permit
the long floor area as he speaks. It is bad form to look directly ted ample time to fulminate. Truly important decisions are
at the officers' table while addressing the council, although made by the chantry's leading officers (i.e. the Cainites)
the people sitting there make all the decisions. and announced to the assembled mages as faits accomplis.
T remere rarely appears these days; when he does show Still, the ceremony that rings in council meetings
up, a hush falls on the participants - a matter of the gravest may seem most impressive to visitors. It reaffirms chantry
importance is about to be mooted. Seating arrangements residents' sense that they belong to a group with a grand
betray the current progress of power struggles within the history, one which surely offers them the strength to
chantry. Those invited to sit with Etrius are on the rise. survive their current crisis. Each conclave opens with a
Someone who recently sat at the head table but now haunts procession. The council officers' apprentices enter first,
the risers has clearly suffered a setback. As it stands, the swinging smoking censers and chanting an invocation to
officers of the council are the castellan, Curaferrum; Virstania, protect the participants from magical attack. They take
mistress of Gargoyles; Esoara, captain of the guard; jervais, up a standing position behind the head table as their
gatherer of vis; Paul Cordwood, master of spies; and masters proceed into the room, decked out in full cer
Mendacamina, keeper of the dungeons. Malgorzata rounds emonial garb. Each officer wears an ermine-trimmed red
out the group, as a nod to Goratrix's faction, even though she velvet robe and a golden helm. Stag horns top the helms;
at present fulfills no official function in the house. each boasts a full face-plate depicting a different allegori
Mortal mages and their apprentices attend council cal figure: War (worn by Esoara), Benevolence
meetings, as do some ofthe chantry's guests. Accordingly, (Curaferrum), Art (Virstania), Mercy (Mendacamina),
no real business is conducted there. The council is now a Plenty (Jervais), Vision (Paul Cordwood), Fealty
sham meant to convince mortal mages and outsiders that (Malgorzata), Wisdom (Etrius) and Mastery (Tremere, if
the business of the chantry goes on as usual. The officers he happens to show up.) Still masked, the officers take
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52
their seats. The castellan then reads a stirring passage protective magics. They in fact owe their existence to the
from the Tremere Chronicles, a grandiose and wildly bored indifference of attendees who'd rather have been
slanted history of the house's early days. He rings a bell making calculations for their latest experiment than lis
three times, cueing the others to remove their masks. tening to the petty details of chantry business.
Then the business of the meeting commences. At the south wall, in front of the tapestry, sits a head
When council is not in session, the chamber remains table of polished walnut. It has not been defaced by any
empty, except for the debates held there perhaps once or idle mages. Before official business is conducted, atten
twice a week. Two mages with differing opinions on some dants lay a velvet cloth upon the table so that T remere's
matter, usually concerning an abstruse principle of arcane crest, embroidered in gold, faces the attendees.
theory, argue it out in front of their peers. At the end of the Three candle-laden chandeliers overhang the cham
formal argument, onlookers pepper the debaters with ques ber, keeping it well-lit when in session. Curaferrum has
tions. Each debater usually brings with him a few partisans to recently ordered than only one chandelier be used at any
ask vexing questions ofhis opponent. Eventually the suppos given time to decrease the unease of his fellow vampires.
edly neutral arbiter appointed to oversee the debate calls it to
a close. Spectators then mark pot shards with the name of GRAND FOYER
their chosen victor. An attendant collects them in a cloth Before Etrius instructed the servants to seal the main doors
lined hamper. The arbiter's apprentices go through the (see p. 50), this chamber provided the visitor his first awe
shards and count out the vote tally in front ofall concerned. inspiring glimpse ofCeoris' wonders. Now it is occupied only
Listening to debaters is the chantry's most popular social by servants stationed here to operate the drawbridge pulleys.
activity. It is not unknown for sore losers to magically strike A gigantic staircase dominates the room, leading up
out against their opponents - or audience members who to a pair of brass-bound oak doors. A brass frame around
asked embarrassing questions- after an especially humiliat the doors is styled in the shape of a bearded man's head,
ing defeat. In the old days, debates often prefigured power so people passing through the doorway must travel into
struggles within the house. An ambitious mage could mea his mouth. The figure is meant to be an allegorical
sure his support by challenging his chief rival. Victory by a representation of wisdom, but the play of flickering
wide margin showed him he could move against his enemy torchlight on the face lends it a sinister aspect. Mounted
without fear of reprisal. A loss warned him to pull back. These on the massive staircase's marble banisters are two rows
days, the importance of debates has receded as the Cainite of busts depicting the great sages of ancient times.
mages grow increasingly disinterested in them. Support from Among those represented are Aristotle, Pythagoras,
the mortal mages means nothing to their power struggles. Archimedes, Simon Magus, Anaximander and
They never seek debates now, though they may feel the need Anaxagoras. They're carved in stone in the distorted,
highly stylized manner of the 10th century. During the
to maintain the pretence of normalcy when challenged by a
day, these busts show a multitude of tiny cracks, unusual
high-ranking mortal mage. They do, however, attend the
because they were recently made. At night, the busts of
matches ofothers, especially when they wish to assess visiting
Aristotle and Pythagoras weep tears ofblood. The amount
mages they don't yet know well. Curaferrum and Malgorzata
of blood is too small to provide nourishment, but it
are the most frequent attendees; each looks for prospects
carries the heady tang of magus blood. This is the most
worthy of the Embrace.
consistent of the ill omens described above.
The room, long and rectangular, serves as the keep's
Two massive pulleys, one on each side of the sealed
official meeting place. The walls are lined in oak, save for
main doors, allow for the operation of the drawbridge.
the southern wall, which has been covered over with
Four guardsmen are always on duty here. When the
masonry. (This is the wall abutting the shaft trap, laid in gatehouse guards clang a big bell, the men at the draw
after the construction of the council chambers.) This bridge pulleys know to raise or lower the drawbridge.
unsightly wall has been covered with a tapestry depict
The chamber is kept unlit now, though an iron
ing T remere and Etrius standing before the Great
chandelier with prongs for two dozen candles still hangs
Pyramids at Giza in Egypt. Close examination of the
up above the staircase. Its lowering rope is still intact,
tapestry reveals that Etrius' face has been sewn into the
should anyone wish to put candles on it and raise it up.
tapestry, to replace someone else who's been cut out.
(The face on the tapestry used to be Goratrix's.) ARCANE TRAP
Two sets of tiered risers run along the east and west This trap leads from the grand foyer (see above). Its
walls. Each riser contains three tiers of seating. The chairs doorway, framed by the head of Wisdom, once led directly to
are made of oak, with staghorn armrests. Stag's hooves the council chambers. A false room has been partitioned off
adorn the chairs' feet. Sigils and other arcane marks have from the chambers to serve as a trap for invaders. To make the
been idly scratched into many of the seatbacks over the trap seem more credible, the door is bolted from the inside. Any
years. An observer might assume that these are mighty group succeeding in battering it down and charging inside finds
53

itself trapped. A second metal door, hidden in the wall above room; the mages drag them wherever they want the best
the entrance, slams into place behind them. As the intruders light. The furniture, floors and even walls are bespattered
struggle to find the non-existent exit, a crimson mist appears with decades worth ofstray candle wax. A series offriezes in
as if from nowhere and begins to strip them of flesh. ivory depicting a variety of saints and allegorical figures
decorate the walls. The delicate figures have suffered over
MASTERS' COMMON ROOM the years, as irreligious mages have repeatedly covered them
This chamber provides an informal meeting place for in wax, and devout ones have angrily picked it off, lopping
the chantry's full-fledged mages. These masters come here to off many canonized noses and fingers in the process.
hobnob with their brethren. However, they're a fairly anti
social lot. The room is rarely populated by more than a trio CHAPEL
of mages. Some take their meals here, but the vast majority After her escape from the war-ravaged T remere chantry
of magi order servants or apprentices to bring food to them of Umor Mons elsewhere in Transylvania, the pious
while they work. Those who do gather here sit apart from one mortal mage T osia insisted that a chapel be installed in her
another. Although they sometimes discuss their work or new haven of Ceoris. Although Malgorzata and others
occult theory, the main topic of conversation is the com opposed the measure, citing the House's traditional dis
plaint. Mages gripe about wrongs done them by absent tance from the Church. T osia appealed to Etrius, who, still
colleagues and speculate on the doomed progress of their seeing himself as a faithful if somewhat tarnished servant
current work. Although circumspect for a few minutes of Christ, could scarcely tum her down.
around mages visiting from elsewhere, the freedom to back The result is this small chamber, dominated by a
bite is well ingrained in chantry residents and they soon forget painted icon of the Christ child and Virgin Mary scav
themselves. Guests can therefore gather considerable gossip enged from the ruins of Umor Mons. It sits atop a small
by sitting circumspectly in the masters' common room. They altar, behind which rises a large brass rood (free-standing
won't, however, get a true picture of goings-on in Ceoris crucifix). Four benches face the altar. They offer only
because the Cainite mages almost never come here. enough seating for sixteen people, but the chapel is never
Well-made but long-mistreated tables and chairs lie this full, even during T osia's Sunday services. Ceoris has
about the room in a state ofperpetual disarrangement. Six no priest, so the worship services (also held each evening)
foot candelabras stand equally haphazardly throughout the consist merely of group contemplation before the altar.
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Of the Cainites, only Etrius makes a point of attend efforts to denude his collection. His apprentices, who man a
ing the services, doing so once a week, at most. long, heavily-scarred desk separating the rotunda from the
Mendacamina may be seen hovering outside in the hall stacks, try to get users to sign a log book whenever they take
way, as if on the verge of entering the chapel. She always an item. The withdrawing mage is supposed to list her name,
stops herself, though, and then strides briskly away. the name of the item, Celestyn's catalogue number and an
Because the conspirators they fear avoid the chapel, it estimated time by which the item will be returned. Because
provides a natural meeting place for T osia, Omnifer and magi never like others to know what they're working on, they
other mortal mages who suspect diabolism among the almost invariably supply false information ifthey deign to sign
chantry's night-dwellers. They may be found here, whisper the register at all. Library assistants are much more frightened
ing together, after their daily shift on watch duty ends. ofmost ofthe users than they are ofCelestyn and aren't about
When they hear outsiders approaching, they quickly change to confront their seniors. If a new assistant seems too zealous,
the subject of their conversations to theological matters. his fellows tell him about poor old Sedulus, who disappeared
a decade ago after demanding that Paul Cordwood account
LIBRARY for the many items he'd taken without signing the register.
The heart ofany chantry is its library, and this massive Sometimes, late at night, the library air seems to fill with the
chamber on the chantry's third floor is designed not just distinctive smell ofacrid sweat and fried onions, which in life
to impress visitors, but to overawe them. Although all of followed Sedulus wherever he went.
Ceoris' magi could easily use the stacks and carrels at once, Celestyn himself is absent during the day, and often
no self-respecting mage allows himself to be seen studying gone from Ceoris altogether in search of new materials for
in public. Instead, he takes the materials he's using back the library. He is thus unable to discipline his apprentices for
to his laboratory or private chambers for uninterrupted, allowing themse Ives to be cowed by the others. His complex
unobserved study. T remere mages have always been highly cataloguing system, its principles known only to himself,
proprietary about their researches. They've been known falls to pieces whenever he is gone. He seems to enjoy
to squirrel away important works for years, if not decades, putting the pieces back together again each time he returns.
sometimes just to deprive their rivals. It is like playing at puzzles, he says. He spends many a night
Celestyn, the curiously affable Cainite in charge of going from laboratory to laboratory in the chantry's lower
Ceoris' library, wages a losing battle against the residents' levels, knocking on doors and politely requesting the return
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55
of vanished materials. Celestyn, unusually diplomatic and attends the opening of a meeting of the blooded magi.
a known neutral in most power struggles, manages to do so Castellan Curaferrum runs the meeting, though it is Etrius
without arousing the ire of his colleagues. Even the most who wields the authority. Tensions at true council meetings
belligerent ofthem is loath to harm him because he's a font are often palpable. Malgorzata sometimes uses the meetings
ofknow ledge on all subjects arcane and has helped each and to test Etrius, directing her barbs at his man Curaferrum.
every one of them advance her research. Topics for discussion generally include the state of
Over a thousand tomes, scrolls, loose documents, Ceoris's defenses, the status of outlying chantries, the
journals, maps, clay tablets, chunks of hieroglyph-in conversion ofsuch chantries' leaders and diplomatic over
scribed rock and fragments of papyrus await the occult tures to other Cainite clans. The magi chart the progress of
researcher on the high wooden shelves that line the attempts to infiltrate the enemy, and share information on
south and east walls of the massive library chamber and Tzimisce forces and movements. After discussing urgent
on stand-alone shelves filling its southern annex. The business, the backbiting begins. Participants propose pet
study area is topped by a rotunda forty feet high. A projects which typically bring the responsibilities ofothers
mosaic, depicting a complex dance of demons, angels under their control. For example, Paul Cordwood might
and elementals through the celestial spheres, adoms the demand that Esoara cede him a number of his best merce
rotunda. Many of the tiles are covered in gold leaf or naries for a journey to T zimisce territory without exp laining
have been silvered. Beneath the rotunda are three rows how he will make use of them. Or Curaferrum might
of wooden study carrels, each line accompanied by a complain that Epistatia has been lax in capturing new
long, communal bench. The carrels are mostly deserted. mortals to feed from and must be urged to organize a hunting
party forthwith. When the chantry is hard-pressed by
ApPRENTICES' COMMON ROOM enemy attacks, the formal part of a true council meeting
This chamber serves the dozens of mortal apprentices takes up the bulk of its time, and the competing Cainites
who live in Ceoris. In contrast to the masters' room, this postpone the prosecution of grievances. When they feel
chamber is usually filled to capacity. Apprentices drink safe, the bulk of a council may be given over to wrangling.
ale, heap contempt on their masters, lament their general Visiting members of Tremere's fold are often taken
mistreatment and even engage in the occasional rapt aback by the open calumny that fills the air. No one is made
discussion of their fields of study. Masters aren't barred to feel more welcome at Ceoris than a visitor with no
from coming here, but rarely appear. If they do darken its declared alliances. Everyone wishes to befriend her in hopes
doors, the room plunges into immediate silence. Nor of using her to further personal ends. If the visitor has no
mally, if a master wants an apprentice, he sends a servant clear allegiance to a faction, both sides attempt to ensnare
to fetch him. A personal appearance can mean only that her in their stratagems. Even if avowedly a conspirator or
the mage is furious with the apprentice and wishes to conservative, she may be drawn into pettier disputes. It is at
deliver an immediate tongue-lashing, or worse. An infil the true council that the visitor is expected to choose sides
trator who's established herself as a full mage wouldn't, and join the fray. Doing so is dangerous; Ceoris's Cainites
then, be able to spend time here and gather useful infor feel safer attacking guests than long-time residents.
mation. In the guise of an apprentice, though, she could
Cainite councils are held only on the first and third
quickly learn Ceoris' ins and outs. The apprentices don't
Thursdays of each month. Etrius calls emergency sessions
know that they serve in a nest of vampires, but they're
after assaults on the chantry before anticipated attacks and
more attentive than their mortal masters to the fact that
when significant new information on enemy activities
something is severely amiss at Ceoris. Their noses aren't
presents itself. He has also been forced to call a number of
buried so deep in study that they're divorced from com
emergency meetings to attempt to enforce peace on feud
mon sense. They notice things like the bleeding busts in
ing Cainites. Because he leads one of the factions, he is
the Grand Foyer (see p. 53) and the wailing from below.
successful in these mediations only when the fight does
They know that their fellows disappear at a high rate.
not revolve around conflict between conservatives and
This chamber is smaller and humbler than the conspirators. All T remere Cainites currently present at
masters' room. Its walls are ofbare stone and its furniture Ceoris are required to attend any meeting of the true
is of barely-finished pine. Though more modest in every council, even if they're visiting from elsewhere. Tremere
way than the master's room, it is better maintained. The himself almost never appears, however. Ifhe is there, it is
apprentices take care to clean up wax spills from their because he has urgent business and wishes to issue direct
mismatched candelabra. They've decorated the walls orders to see that it is taken care of.
with maps and occult diagrams raided from the library.
The chamber's tables and chairs are blocky and
CHAMBER OF THE BLOODED utilitarian. The walls and floors are of unfinished stone,
This dark and unadorned secret chamber serves as hewn directly from the rock by Etrius' magic. The door
Ceoris' true council chambers. No particular ceremony is indistinguishable from the stonework of the surround
56
ing corridor and thanks to a powerful ward is part of that acti vi ty. A smaller version ofthe area map from the scrying
stonework for all intents and purposes. Temporarily chamber (above) is carved into the east wall. Esoara paints
dispelling the ward, allowing the door to swing open, the current locations of guardhouses onto the map. The
requires a simple Thaumaturgic ritual that involves room is spare and functional, in accordance with his
carving a triangle in the palm of one's hand. Vampiric respect for all things Spartan. His table and chair are well
blood is a necessary component of this rite (although made and sturdy but of unvarnished pine. The walls are
blood loss in negligible). Any ofCeoris's Cainites would adorned with weapons and armor pieces taken from en
view the presence of an intruder with great alarm and emies Esoara has himself dispatched. Esoara securely locks
would go to great lengths to dispatch her. his door whenever he leaves the chamber.
BARRACKS BARRACKS
Soldiers don't get beds to call their own. The dark
AND ARMORIES ened barracks are always full of sleeping men. When the
force is larger than usual, men must sleep in bedrolls on the
These chambers are dedicated to the chantry's defense floor. Some prefer bedrolls anyway; the beds aren't much
and belong to the soldiers and their commanders. When more comfortable and their straw mattresses are invariably
conscious and off-duty, the sold iers rough house, engage in infested with fleas, lice and bedbugs. The chamber occa
rude banter, drink, eat and otherwise attempt to distract sionally flies into a commotion as a sleeping soldier bursts
themselves from the probability that they will soon be dead. out of bed, having been awakened by a rat moving about
The rooms reek of curdled sweat. The soldiers are careless inside his mattress. The soldiers keep their meager per
of their surroundings; generations of them have carved sonal possessions in sacks beside their beds. They also keep
ribald designs into the stout furnishings or scratched them weapons and armor heaped nearby should a general alarm
onto the stone walls. Only the rooms managed directly by be sounded, calling them to battle.
Esoara truly reflect the commander's Spartan ways. Ceoris's guard captain, Esoara, tries to maintain a
force of five hundred and fifty fighting men to protect the
SCRYING CHAMBER chantry. His preferred balance of forces is as follows: 330
Paul Cordwood, master ofCeoris's spies, maintains this axmen, 160 archers and 10 woodsmen to act as scouts and
chamber on the ground floor of the chantry. Esoara is also a patrollers. After a prolonged series of battles, his forces
regular visitor, along with a few of his trusted ghouls. This may be reduced by as much as half. Poor recruiting success
chamber is dominated by a precise (by the standards of the could also reduce numbers. The applicants tend to appear
day) map ofthe region around Ceoris, upon which Cordwood in waves. Often, at the end of a war somewhere else in
and Esoara have marked the placement of various scrying Europe, rumors spreads through the ranks of idle merce
devices. These gruesome talismans, forged with the eyes of naries that there is great wealth to be had in working for
innocent victims, allow certain T remere to see through them the sorcerers. When large numbers come at once, Esoara
from within the chamber. The other walls ofthe chamber are has been known to hire on more mercenaries than he can
lined with lead coffers containing vials of prepared vitae. comfortably house, knowing that the next resumption of
These humors are the result of the same ritual that creates the hostilities will quickly whittle his forces down to a man
scrying eyes. By quaffing the right one, the T remere can see ageable level. So at any given time, the entire roster of
through the talisman even if it is leagues away. fighting men housed in the barracks can range from 200 to
Drinking from these unique blood preparations is 600. Combined, the various barracks provide beds for 160
necessary for the use of a scrying eye, but presence in the men. The soldiers serve in eight-hour shifts, manning the
chamber is not. Cordwood uses the scrying devices guardhouses outside the chantry. Assuming that Esoara
planted by his spies from the privacy of his own cham has about as many men as he wants at his disposal, he'll
bers, for example. It is helpful, however, to be in the have 130 stationed at the guardhouses at any given time.
scrying chamber as the geometry ofthe stones of the floor Another 170 will be sleeping. Forty stand guard at various
create a circle of power, augmenting the Thaumaturgy points throughout the chantry. The remaining 170 are off
that links potion and eye. See p. 110 for more informa duty. While off-duty, they're expected to devote at least
tion on Now Its Sight Is Ours, the ritual that creates the half of their time to training.
scrying eyes and accompanying concoctions.
SERGEANTS' BARRACKS
COMMAND CHAMBER Esoara has chosen about twenty-five soldiers to serve as
From this small office, Esoara manages his soldiers. He sergeants. A couple ofthem are recently- Embraced Cainites,
meets with his sergeants to get nightly reports regarding but most are ghouls. Esoara begins the process under the
the discipline of the men and their progress in his training guise of magical elixirs, and only reveals all the details ofthe
regimen. Sergeants also pass on any reports of suspicious Cainite conspiracy in time. He does not fully trust the power
57

of the blood oath. The ghouls who are in the know all wish corps of otherwise lazy, drunken mercenaries. About a
to become Cainites. The Cainites look forward to promo quarter of the men-at-arms enthusiastically embrace the
tion as guard captains of other chantries. All of them regard training program, reasoning that it might mean the differ
the mortal mages as prize fools and have difficulty conceal ence between life and death in a battle against a foe with
ing their amused contempt when ordered about by them. abilities beyond their ken. The rest engage in the program
The sergeants sleep in this gloomy chamber. Each only half-heartedly, putting full effort in only when barked
has a bed to call his own and a locked wooden chest in at by one of the sergeants. Assuming ideal force strength,
which to store his personal possessions. The walls are between 80 and 100 men, plus a couple of sergeants, sweat
unadorned and the torches in the sconces unused. As and strain here at any given time. The room's walls and
status-conscious fiends on their way up the pyramid, the flooring are primitively padded with straw-stuffed burlap.
sergeants are fiercely territorial. Anyone without proper Rough training dummies and poles stand throughout the
authority who ventures into the barracks (or the ser chamber. Piles ofblunted practice weapons lay haphazardly
geants' common room, below) faces angry interrogation. about, the racks where they are supposed to be stored when
not in use almost invariably bare. The room smells like
SERGEANTS' COMMON ROOM several generations of unventilated man-sweat. The sol
This small chamber allows the sergeants a place to diers scarcely seem to notice its reek.
congregate when off-duty. They play dice games, throw
darts, sharpen their blades, repair their armor and drink. ARMORY
Mostly they speculate on events within the chantry and This room houses spare weapons. Wooden racks
hatch schemes to propel themselves up into its hierarchy. hold about a hundred axes and fifty bows. Archers skilled
An odd few of them may be, with varying degrees of as fletchers spend their off-hours here, making arrows.
success, teaching themselves to read or even to learn the There are usually no more than four of them.
ways of magic. They're better informed on the true nature
of events here than anyone outside the inner circle of
Cainites who run the place. The sergeants react bitterly
THE MFlGfS SUITES
when intruded upon by anyone other than their rightful Every senior magician, blooded or not, claims a suite
commanders. Esoara they respect or revere, for he is either of rooms. They sleep, conduct their research and social
their sire, sire's sire or regnant. Most regard Curaferrum, to ize behind closed doors. Despite this, the floors devoted
whom they must also answer, as an annoying fusspot. to mages' suites are hardly quiet. A constant stream of
Although they'd surely fall on their knees in sincere servants and apprentices flows through the corridors,
prostration ifTremere or Etrius ever deigned to speak with doing their masters' bidding. Each mage keeps a servant
them, the respect they show to the chantry's other lead ing or two at his elbow, ready to execute errands on com
Cainites is determined solely by the fear they inspire. mand - a mage who wishes to speak to an inferior sends
They regard visitors with hostility and suspicion, reckon his dogsbody to find him. For hours on end these ser
ing that they're either spies or rivals who stand between vants, whom the magi would never dream of admitting
them and advancement up the pyramid. The way to win to their laboratories, are sentenced to wait outside the
a sergeant's favor is to credibly promise him faster ad doorway to their masters' suites. A very few kindly magi,
vancement than he'll win without the alliance. like Celestyn and Omnifer, might allow their servants to
The walls of the room are adorned with dart targets, squat on tiny stools or benches by their doors. Most
expect their servants to show proper deference to their
mounted stag horns and small tokens looted from the bodies
of especially hard-fighting enemies. The well-beaten, hap majesty by standing until called upon.
hazardly constructed furniture is of ragged pine. The servants Room assignments separate the Cainites from the
don't like to come here and the sergeants don't seem to care mortals. This arrangement came about gradually over the
when their room goes without cleaning for weeks at a time. decades as individuals moved in and out of the chantry.
Although it was natural for the vampires to wish to be
TRAINING ROOM close to one another, Curaferrum has become concerned
This large chamber serves as a gynmasium for combat that the arrangement may too closely mirror the chantry's
training. Day or night, it is filled with men wrestling, secret power structure. He would like to reassign the
sparring at swords, running or firing practice arrows at the chambers, again mixing mortals and vampires, but knows
targets in the archery annex. Medieval Europe is not known that their occupants are creatures of habit fiercely at
for the rigor of its combat training methods, but Esoara tached to their present rooms and laboratories. They'd
knows about the ancient Spartans and the lengths to which fight any forced rearrangement, so any change will have to
they went to transform themselves into ideal warriors. come about as gradually as did the current situation.
Through his sergeants, he tries to instill Spartan virtues The suites themselves are generally similar. The
or at least Spartan ferocity and readiness to die - in his bedchamber is small, and usually piled high with books

and scrolls. It typically contains a writing table, which CELESTYN'S CHAMBERS
mayor may not have a few square inches of bare surface Celestyn's rooms are unusual in that they contain no
showing, and a locked wardrobe for clothing, boots and books on permanent loan for the library. It would be
other personal effects. A washing table holds a basin and hypocritical of him, he feels, to ask others not to squirrel
a pitcher; the more fastidious mages may actually make materials away if he did so himself. He keeps detailed
regular use of them. A receiving room contains several journals of his travels under lock and key, written in a
chairs, comfortable by medieval standards, and perhaps complex numbered code. The journals fully describe his
a small side table. The bulk of floor space is given over to transformation into a vampire in detached, clinical
the mage's laboratory. Each laboratory contains one or terms. They do not provide much of interest on Ceoris's
more long work tables, their surfaces scorched by count politics, a matter of profound disinterest to their author.
less alchemical spills. Magical equipment, from strange Instead, the uninvited reader will find page after page of
contraptions of copper tubing to crystal skulls, may be nature description, historical speculation and diagrams
carefully arranged or strewn chaotically about the tables. ofdig sites where Celestyn expects to find ancient relics.
They compete for table space with scrolls and books.
CURAFERRUM'S CHAMBERS
Shelves filled with jars, each containing a chemical,
perfume or other magical ingredient, line the walls. The castellan's rooms show that his laboratory has fallen
Some labs contain cages containing live specimens into disuse. Too occupied by the running of Ceoris, he no
longer practices his craft. Wrapped in cloth and hidden in the
ranging from snakes to songbirds to chickens.
false bottom of his wardrobe is a desiccated human toe. He
Each suite has a sigil of power on its door that bars believes that this once jutted from the haughty foot of
entry to all but a select few. Although no one is supposed Malgorzata. He thinks he can use it to curse, control or even
to create a sigil which bars Curaferrum or Etrius, many destroy her should Ceoris' power struggles demand it.
dare to set them so that only they and their apprentices
can enter without triggering a magical attack. Some are so EPISTATIA'S CHAMBERS
protective of their research projects that they place sigils Epistatia's rooms are decorated with maps she's made of
(or other booby traps) throughout their laboratories. the surrounding territory. The maps are amazingly accurate for
Common features aside, each suite reflects the per the 12th century; they cover all ofTransylvania and large tracts
sonality and activities of its occupant. ofHungary, Bulgaria and Poland. She's marked over two dozen
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59

locations with red Maltese crosses. These indicate villages she pitcher are made ofsilver; her candlesticks are gold. Tapes
deems vulnerable to raids, in her capacity as mistress of the food tries, the booty from raids against Tzimisce strongholds,
hunt. She always keeps at least three human prisoners in her cover every wall, save for those in her laboratory. They
laboratory. Imprisoned in modified barrels, they wear the depict the processions and pastimes of kings. The most
blank, shocked faces of absolute despair. Even though they're impressive ofthem hangs beside her bed. It shows a ferocious
usually children, the barrels are too small even for them, and king on rearing horse, spearing a gigantic, vicious-looking
they spend their hours in a perpetual, painful hunch. Epistatia boar, as his slavering hunting dogs ring around it.
releases them only to feed upon or for use in her experiments
in soul migration. Every so often she kills a prisoner and tries
DAUUD's CHAMBERS
to caprure its soul. She thinks that the spirits of the dead can Only the occasional bauble dug from ancient Egypt's
be turned into a source ofpower greater even than blood magic. sands distinguishes Dauud's suite. Several faience neck
When in conversation with an ally or apprentice, she may idly laces, with scarabs or hippos, hang on a peg in his locked
strideovertoa barrel and jabasharpstick into itssmall opening, wardrobe. A small obelisk, graven with hieroglyphs,
just for the pleasure of hearing its occupant yelp. decorates his wash-stand.
ESOARFfS CHAMBERS MENDACAMINA'S CHAMBERS

The war leader's chambers lack a laboratory, writing Mendacamina's chambers give off the lush reek of
desk, books or any other accoutrements of the mage's decaying vegetable matter. Her laboratory overflows
profession. He is a soldier, not a sorcerer. The pitted with potted plants. Racks along the laboratory ceiling
surface of the wood paneling is an artifact of his incessant hold hundreds of drying sprigs, branches and leaves from
knife-throwing practice. He pursues this activity obses over six dozen plant types. She has decorated her walls
sively while thinking about Ceoris' defensive position, with hundreds of small pieces of parchment, each in
or even while entertaining another chantry resident. scribed with one of her own sketches of plant anatomy.
Like his office (see p. 57), the walls of his suite are PAUL CORDWOOD'S CHAMBERS
decorated with trophies taken from slain enemies.
Paul Cordwood's rooms contain a number of ancient
ETRIUS' CHAMBERS Greek plates and pots depicting either erotic scenes or
Etrius' chambers reveal a compulsion towards order. well-muscled men locked in battle. Laid out on his work
Every item is neatly arranged in its proper place. A light table are texts documenting various conceptions of the
smell of perfume hangs in the air. Over his bed hangs a afterlife, from the Egyptian Book ofTraveUng Forth By Day
symbol at odds with the arcane and allegorical imagery to various Greek works. In a locked and heavily warded
favored throughout Ceoris: a painted icon of the Virgin cabinet are written reports from his various spies through
Mary, her serene face surrounded by a gilt halo. out Transylvania. They contain a great deal of useful
information about the Tzimisce, Nosferatu and Gangrel
GORATRIX'S CHAMBERS clans in the province, hidden within an even greater array
The rooms of Goratrix stand disused since his exile of false suppositions, crazed rumors and outright lies.
to the Paris chantry, but he still keeps chambers here for
his occasional visits. Blankets drape his lab table, with
THERIMNA'S CHAMBERS
magical equipment still in place beneath them. Servants Therimna's suite smells like sulfur. Having already
continue to dust the room and clear out cobwebs. filled her laboratory to bursting with all manner of al
chemical equipment, she's crowded her own bedchamber
JERVAIS' CHAMBERS with additional tables to house her ever-growing collec
The items in Jervais' chambersare imposing and outsized. tion. Items include scales, burners of unquenchable fire,
Where his fellows sleep in simple beds, Jervais' thick mattress cauldrons, mortars ofall sizes and as many pestles. Miles of
lies upon a vast oak pallet with elaborately carved posts and copper tubing twist and tum through the chambers like an
headboard. His wardrobe is eight feet high, its doors inlaid enc ircling snake, wrapp ing around bedpos ts, ac ross she 1ves
with a grim-visaged allegorical figured representing Might. and up onto racks hanging from the ceiling. Therimna can
Locked in a large chest in the laboratory is his personal cache navigate through this vast copper web of hers, but anyone
ofvis, which he keeps on hand for the bribery of mortal mages. else attempting to move around in her chambers is bound
Stored in vials and jars, it is in the form of vis vaccuus, a to trip and run into things.
colorless, odorless liquid which is costly to refine but pleasing
to the widest variety of mages (see p.129 for more on vis). l\PPELLO'S CHAMBERS
These chambers look as though a wild boar ran
MALGORZATA'S CHAMBERS through them. Appello's periodic rages move him to
These rooms betray their occupant's love of luxury. upend his laboratory table every month or so, throwing
She sleeps under velvet-lined blankets; her basin and books and equipment every which way. He picks up a few
60

things, but always leaves items lying about. Shamed by GUEST CHAMBERS
his increasing lack of self-control, he goes to great Several suites and smaller chambers on the fifth floor
lengths to avoid inviting anyone inside his rooms. are set aside for Ceoris' guests. Some of these are naught
but bed chambers and other rooms, whi Ie others have full
BITIURGES' CHAMBERS
labs and are intended for visiting magi ofHouse T remere.
Bitiurges' rooms make this mortal mage's academic
That Dauud the Copt occupies one of the latter "guest
interest in earth sciences obvious. Samples ofrocks, precious
chambers" (see p. 60), speaks of his tenuous place in the
metals and gems lay strewn across his lab table. A panoply of
chantry. Currently, envoys from Cainite clans occupy
colorful cloth skull-caps, each encrusted with a series of
valuable gems, lies heaped atop his wardrobe. The robes two of the simple chambers (see below). Storytellers may
inside are peacock-like in their color and ornamentation. need more guest chambers to accommodate player char
acters; they can place them on the sixth floor, which we
OMNIFER'S CHAMBERS have left undefined.
The most notable feature of Omnifer's chambers is the
half-dozen prototypical artificial arms that lie, in various states GIACOMO GUICCIARDINI'S CHAMBERS
of completion, on his laboratory table. Each is made of a These guest rooms are heavily decorated, suggesting
different substance, including clay, marble and lead. Although that Guicciardini, an envoy of the Lasombra, means to
Omnifer never speaks about it, reluctant to make claims until stay for an extended period. He's covered his walls with
success is certain, it is clear to anyone taking a look around that tapestries and silver plates taken on raids against the
he intends to make a replacement for his slowly petrifying arm. Tzimisce. (He undertook these in partnership with Paul
Cordwood.) If entertaining in his chambers, he eloquently
T OSIA'S CHAMBERS discourses on the quality of these plundered items.
These rooms are second in tidiness only to Etrius'.
T osia has woven a chain ofwildflowers into an adornment lVlARGARET VASA'S CHAMBERS
for the head of her bed. She's painted her walls in a The Cappadocian envoy's rooms are, by contrast,
soothing shade of light blue. A colorful tapestry over her unadorned. Aside from a second raiment hanging in her
bed depicts the re-emergence of Persephone from the wardrobe, not a single object in her room so much as
Underworld, as spring flowers blossom up around her feet. hints as to her personality or interests.
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who can't see a foot in front of his face, but can perfectly see
Apprentices live communally, eight to a room. The the tiniest details on the head of a pin. He is utterly oblivious
cramped, anonymously appointed chambers remind their to the goings-on at Ceoris. Paul Cordwood toys with the idea
residents of their lowly status. Apprentices therefore of making him a ghoul or even a Cainite, simply to keep him
avoid spending time in their rooms, except to sleep in. alive so he can continue his excellent work. The grosser work
Apprentice quarters smell ofsweat and spoiled food with swords or horseshoes is done by a recent mortal recruit
many apprentices sneak bits of meals out of the common named Tescu. He's big, burly, hairy, sweaty and extremely
room to munch on at odd hours. Each apprentice claims a territorial about his tools and work space.
humble bed and a chest to hold personal possessions. Most
DINING HALL
lock their chests, but know that their masters can demand
In this large hall, furnished with long tables and benches,
to search them at any time. They don't adorn the walls with
mortal apprentices, servants and soldiers eat. The dining
maps and charts stolen from the library as they have done
hall must serve the 560 soldiers and 150 servants who live
with their common room. It's too easy for Celestyn to spot
in Ceoris two meals each per day. Given the shifts in which
the culprit if she hangs something above her own bed.
both servants and soldiers work, the dining-hall is in near
Etrius has winnowed the unturned apprentices from
constant use. This is the loudest room in Ceoris. It is one of
the Cainites. The Cainites dwell in the rooms nearest
the few places where the servants and soldiers are pennitted
the stairs. Vampires' chambers are empty during the
to act like ordinary people. They tell stories, joke with one
night, as are the mortals' by day; when awake, appren
another, trade insults and occasionally start brawls. Al
tices prefer to congregate in their common room (see p.
though perpetually crowded, they treat the hall as their
56). Occasionally an apprentice might come here for
refuge against the hushed madness ofthe rest ofthe chantry.
privacy when he expects his room to be abandoned. Any
The susurrus of its dozens of conversations reverberates
single, awake apprentice encountered here is likely to
through the entire floor.
resent anyone of equal or lower status intruding on his
bubble of quiet. However, if a master enters, any stray Mages eat in their personal suites, their food delivered
apprentices must leap to their feet, eager to serve. by serving girls. (Cainites pretend to have food brought to
them when the mages grow over-watchful.) Occasionally
THE BACK STFURS one comes down to this floor in a rage, his concentration
interrupted by the muffled sound of dining hall conversa
Though the masters of Ceoris may have divorced tions as they echo up through the structure. The sudden
themselves from many mortal needs, their chantry must appearance ofa master is cause for fear and shame. Suddenly
still bring in food, feed its human population and dispose the place falls into absolute silence, and the diners fix their
of its waste. A veritable hive of servants works tirelessly gazes down to their feet. Apprentices may be slightly less
to keep the chantry running, in ways most of the place's fearful, but still know that it is always a bad thing for a master
mages and Cainites are only dimly aware of. to arrive. Any visiting dignitary entering the hall will elicit
In these areas the lowly inhabitants of Ceoris try to a similar state of alann. Attempts to converse as equals with
escape their fear of the masters and enjoy simple human the people here are doomed to fail. The servants and
pleasures. These are the only rooms in the chantry that guardsmen know their place, and understand that familiar
occasionally echo with laughter. Their inhabitants group ity with masters always redounds to their misfortune sooner
together whenever they can, to jest and gossip and feel or later. The odd guardsman or serving boy may hope to be
a sense of safety in numbers. Whenever a figure of elevated to apprentice status and taught the ways of magic.
authority intrudes into their island of ordinary human Although he might speak up in answer to a query, he too will
ity, they freeze and silence themselves, reminded once keep a safe social distance from any potential patron.
again that no place in their world is truly a refuge.
KITCHEN
SMITHY The kitchen fires bum nearly constantly, as dozens of
This smithy manufactures and repairs weapons and serving women toil to feed the chantry's inhabitants. They
items of armor for the guards. It makes shoes for their horses knead dough, boil soup, baste spitted boars or calves, chop
and other metal items for general use in the chantry. Pots, vegetables and stir great, gluey pots of gruel. The chief cook,
pans, forks prongs and other kitchen appurtenances are Zuha, serves as Curaferrum's watchful eyes here. She reports
another of the smithy's specialties. It also manufactures to him any untoward activities she happens to observe. The
jewelry and similarly delicate items of precious metal, many appearance of any high-ranking personage in her domain
of which are used or consumed in the course of magical would definitely be cause for suspicion. Surely they would do
rituals. For example, the delicate gold settings for Paul so only with poisoning in mind. Food not yet prepared is
Cordwood's scrying devices (see p. 110) are made here by the stored in the pantry, a room perpetually dusted in flour. The
chantry's goldsmith, Ziphias Ash. Ash is a doddering mortal chantry's needs for fresh water are served by an artesian well.
62

Knowing that the well iscrucial toCeoris' survival, Curaferrum tinued by Curaferrum, who sees lustful behavior as an
assigns a large guard complement to thwart saboteurs. affront to good order. Of all of the masters' rules, this is the
one the servants and soldiers are most apt to violate. Even
STEWARD'S QUARTERS soldiers who otherwise admire Esoara bitterly resent his
Hadu, a gray-haired, skeletally-thin ghoul, heads rigid enforcement of this cold and impossible rule. Ser
Ceoris' corps ofservants. Answeringdirectly toCuraferrum vants and soldiers alike devote considerable ingenuity to
(both his superior and his regnant), he assigns duties to making their assignations without getting caught.
each servant, metes out iron-handed discipline and gath
Each room contains around eighteen beds. Servants
ers information on backstairs doings for his master. He keep what few personal items they own in rough sacks
dwells in this small, musty cubbyhole. His prize possession stored under their beds. The beds are used throughout
is his oversized bed. Compulsively obedient even for a the day as servants sleep in shifts. Like those in the
ghoul, he devotes his every waking hour to his duties, and barracks, the rough straw mattresses are infested with
is thus rarely found here except when sleeping. lice, ticks, fleas and the occasional rat.
SERVANTS' QUARTERS LAUNDRY
Servants live in large communal areas not unlike the Scrubbing women wash clothes and sheets in the
guardsmen's barracks. The quarters are segregated by laundry room. (The average garment in Ceoris gets washed
sex. The Tremere make no concessions for the fleshly perhaps once every three months.) Seamstresses repair the
desires of their servants. Those who wish to couple with masters' damaged robes in a small alcove in that room.
spouses or lovers must do so furtively. Hadu punishes Cleaned clothing and sheets are stored in the annex to the
only those whose assignations attract the attentions of north. Clothing in need of cleaning is stored in its twin to
the masters. He is, however, under strict instructions to the east. The women who labor here would be surprised
report any guardsmen dallying with serving girls to and alarmed to see any of the masters or their visitors enter
Esoara. Esoara prescribes lashings for those of his men these rooms. The most common interlopers here are the
unable to contain their lusts. apprentices of Malgorzata and T osia, who are periodically
Ceoris' strict prohibitions against sexual conduct dispatched to berate and threaten the laundresses when a
were instituted by Goratrix and are enthusiastically con delicate piece of fine clothing is damaged in the wash.
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63

WASTE COLLECTION AREAS their names or memorize faces. They live in their own set
The dozen or so Cainites at the pyramid's apex may no of quarters and eat at a separate table in the dining hall..
tonger eat or eliminate, but the hundreds of servants and They enjoy access to aU of the castle's living quarters, but
soldiers who serve them still produce sizeable quantities of have been told never to bother cleaning chamberpots out
piss and shit. The lowliest servants in the complex are of the rooms of certain mages. These are, of course, the
those who collect the chamber pots and wheel their Cainites, who no longer defecate. Thus, an intruder (or
contents on primitive gurneys down to a storage room. mortal Tremere) wanting a complete list ofCeoris' vam
The wastes are then collected in large barrels, which when pires coutd get it by asking the shit-men which private
full are piled onto a cart. The muck-carriers then pull the suites they've been told to avoid.
THE Tl-INGS BENFJrrn
cart down the long corridor to the alcove they've dubbed

the "Arse of Ceoris." This is a hole in the chasm wall,
disguised from outside observers by the thick coat of
magically-enhanced fog that shrouds the outer face. A Ceoris' lower levels hide its secrets. Some lower
heavy portcullis provides additional protection against chambers are hewn from the mountain rock, just like
any intruders capable of making their way down there. those on the upper floors. Others are enlarged versions of
The ordure-haulers must raise the portcullis before drop the original caverns that first inspired Goratrix and
ping their load. If they happen to be obeying instructions, Etrius to build their keep here. They did so because the
they pause to listen for any sign of watchers up on the lip largest of the caves was rich in vis .
of the chasm. Then they unlatch the back of their cart, Curaferrum keeps this area off-limits to all but the
sending the barrels rolling out the hole and down hun most trusted guests and discourages the mortal mages from
dreds of feet to the chasm's bottom. The shit-haulers are entering it. The magi know that the laboratories which
neither bright nor attentive, and are certainly not armed. spawned the Gargoyles are here, along with other unsa
Although no one has yet done so, the Arse of Ceoris vory locations such as a torture chamber and dungeon.
remains perhaps the best (if most undignified) way to Aside from T osia's group of Christian magi, they are quite
sneak into the castle. Those willing to stomach further content to put the upsetting realities of these places out of
indignity might don the servants' crap-spattered vest their minds. Naturally, they are central to the Tosia's
ments after overcoming them. Even other servants treat suspicions; she imagines an enormous demonic cathedral
the shit-carriers as invisible. Nobody bothers to learn complete with bloodstained altar. Unbeknownst to her,
'£ower
.£e\')er
two , §tairs
Up
Well'
/'Cunnel"
II4
64

Omnifer and his retainers have made several trips to this
forbidden area, penetrating many of Virstania's laborato
ries. They even heard the moans of the prisoners in the
feeding chamber (see below), but assumed them to be
future sacrificial victims, not sources of blood.
The air here is damp, and projects a chill into the
most vigorous bones. In the corridors, one might en
counter vampires such as Virstania, Malgorzata, Etrius,
Paul Cordwood or Mendacamina, along with their reti
nues. The former two would be most likely heading to or
from an experiment. Etrius will be heading towards, or
leaving, an audience with T remere. The business of the
latter two takes place in the cells and torture chamber.
All are especially on their guard down here and any of
them would be quick to interrogate those without right
ful business in these forbidden hallways.
VIRSTANUfS CHAMBERS
Virstania's chambers are drab and undecorated: she's
too obsessed with her Gargoyle project to concern herself
with petty matters of appearance. Servants don't come
down here, so the comers of her chamber are draped with her peers enjoys visiting with Virstania; if business forces
cobwebs. The naked stone flooring holds decades worth of them to endure her presence, they arrange to meet in the
dirt and grit. The sheets and blankets on her shabby bed Chamber of the Blooded (see p. 56).
haven't been laundered in years. The thin layer ofslime at The most notable feature of her chambers is the long
the bottom of her wash-basin betrays her increasing corridor abutting the Gargoyle pens. A series of seven
disinterest in personal hygiene. Her sitting room is used peepholes punctuates its wall and a long, leather-padded
only for storage, its chairs piled high with books. None of bench allows observers to sit and watch the creatures'
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65

behavior. Virstania does so for hours each day, marking soundly but not quietly, emitting a cacophony of snores,
her observations down in a series of blank-paged, bound wheezes, shrieks and grunts that waking Gargoyles seem
books which she leaves in heaps on the benches. When to find comforting but other observers (Virstania ex
she sees them doing something worthy of note, she cepted) are apt to find ear-rending.
reaches for the nearest book and begins to scribble. Thus, The Gargoyles react poorly to unfamiliar faces in
the observations of any given day could be scattered across their lair. They bow down before Virstania and shirk in
as many as half a dozen of her notebooks. A wooden shelf fear from Esoara. Ceoris's other Cainites give this place
hangs beneath the peepholes. Virstania has placed an a wide berth. Anyone else entering without Virstania or
inkwell and quill pen under each peephole. Esoara would be immediately confronted. At first, the
Gargoyles warn intruders by hissing, flapping their wings
GARGOYLE PENS
and baring their teeth. Interlopers who fail to slowly back
This series of connected caverns, enlarged by earth out of the lair face immediate attack by as many Gar
moving magic, provides a home to Ceoris' Gargoyle
goyles as can physically lay hands on them.
complement. Their number now stands at three hun
dred battle-ready beasts, plus about seventy-five EYRIE
malformed individuals. Virstania feels too great a sense This exit allows Gargoyles to fly in and out of Ceoris
of affection for them to do anything but let them perish without walking up through the castle. It is a long chamber
on their own. Healthy Gargoyles show a surprising opening up into the chasm separating the chantry from
solicitude for their weaker kin, bringing them captured the surrounding mountainside. Its length allows the Gar
animals - or sometimes enemy soldiers - to feed upon. goyles to get a running start as they work to take flight.
Strong Gargoyles fight amongst themselves on occasion, Here the Gargoyles display their trophy bones: the
but never attack the crippled ones. About a third of skulls of slain enemies arranged on poles. The exit is
Ceoris' Gargoyles gather here at anyone time. currently lined with six poles, each displaying upwards of
The chambers themselves are rough-hewn and twenty skulls. Many of the skulls show completely-smashed
adorned only by piles of bones. Although you can find the in craniums or large puncture wounds from tusk-like Gar
odd human skull or bone among the piles, most are cattle goyle teeth. Piles of finger bones lie at the bottom of each
bones, stripped clean and cracked open for the marrow. pole. Virstania aids their trophy collection. She uses a minor
Every so often the Gargoyles clean up the bones, bringing ritual of her invention to reconstitute slain Cainites' skulls
the piles to Virstania's Gargoyle apprentices. They then from the dust they immediately disintegrate into.
sort the bones by type of creature and powder them with
mortar and pestle. Bone powder is a useful alchemical The eyrie is seventy feet down the cliff face. Six
ingredient, which Ceoris exports to other chantries in Gargoyles always stand guard here. Their orders are to
exchange for salts and essences harvested elsewhere. destroy any mortal or vampire who attempts to come into
Ceoris through the eyrie, even if they look and smell like
Aside from fighting, Gargoyle activities in the pens
Virstania or Esoara. If attacked, the guards immediately
are largely confined to eating and sleeping. Now and
shriek for help, alerting the approximately one hundred
then they'll capture a large animal, enemy soldier or
adult Gargoyles likely to be elsewhere in the lair complex.
hapless villager to chase, torture and ultimately kill.
They do this for the sport of it, and to teach the newly During the day, the eyrie is guarded by about a dozen
made Gargoyles, who are awkward when first spawned, ghouls. These are crazed individuals who have been
how to hunt and slay. Virstania does not like to watch made ghouls by the Gargoyles themselves. To qualify for
them when they do this. She once forbade these torture this dubious distinction, a mercenary must display low
sessions, but saw morale suffer when the Gargoyles tried intelligence and a rabid bloodlust. Curaferrum sputtered
to obey her. She now unhappily accepts the games. apoplectically when he learned that Virstania had per
Ceoris can't supply the Gargoyles' vast appetite for mitted her Gargoyles to take ghouls. He petitioned Etrius
blood. Each adult Gargoyle is allowed to spend about a for the ghouls' immediate destruction, reasoning that the
third of its time hunting. (Another third is spent on duty.) slavish beasts could not be trusted with the right to
At first, the creatures consistently raided the herds of initiate blood oaths. Malgorzata, seeing an opportunity
nearby farmers and took deer and other game animals to mend relations with Virstania and vex Curaferrum,
from the surrounding forest. They soon depleted the stood up to argue that the strength of the pyramid could
forests of game and drove the farmers they preyed on to not be threatened by a handful of drooling guards in a
leave the region. Virstania taught them to cast a wider net, forgotten corner of the chantry. Etrius infuriated
and now some of the stronger specimens fly hundreds of Curaferrum by merely taking the matter under advise
miles a night to bring back meat for the community. ment and then doing nothing. Curaferrum would still
The Gargoyles sleep in large piles, as if comforted by like to see the ghouls here destroyed and not replaced,
physical proximity to others of their kind. They sleep and may seek junior allies to further this goal.
66

S IMULACRA AN NEX full of books fills the eastern wall. Shelves on the other
This small, unadorned chamber contains four beds, a walls contain tubs and jars full of various alchemical
washstand with basin and a wardrobe. This room provides a powders, pastes and solutions. In this chamber, Virstania
home toCeoris' simulacra -Gargoyles created in the image measures and tests the fluids gathered during an examina
of Cainites (see p. 126). These forlorn, doom-wracked tion. She mixes them with various alchemical powders,
creatures can't mix with the other Gargoyles. They register puts them in solution to see what salts crystallize out of
to the creatures' senses as either Gangrel, Tzimisce or them and then bums the salts. She catches the smoke on
Nosferatu. Most Gargoyles feel an instinctive, violent loath parchment, then divines from the pattern the powers she
ing of at least one, if not all, of those three clans. Although might impart to a Gargoyle using the subject's dismem
theyyeam to join the others in the Gargoyle pens, they know bered remains. The room smells like burnt meat.
they'd be set upon and tom apart. So they while away their
CONVERSION CHAMBER
time here, waiting to be given a dangerous mission by Paul
Cordwood. Pastimes which might alleviate the boredom of Virstania and her apprentices dismember their
a genuine Cainite, like reading, are of no interest to the Cainite prisoners in this chamber before turning them
simulacra. They just sit, staring at the wall, their faces into Gargoyles. Each victim must be dismembered ac
contorted in misery. Virstania takes pity on these creatures cording to a separate exacting procedure, the details of
and used to come and visit them. However, she expected which Virstania has already determined during the
them to be able to respond to her as peers and was distressed prisoner's stint in the examination chamber. To remind
when they could not. Her misshapen Gargoyle apprentice, herself of the precise incisions required, she makes a life
Fidus, has overcome his primal dislike of simulacra and does size diagram of the victim with dotted lines marked on it.
his best to provide them comfort during their short stays in The blood spatters so freely in this room that she usually
this chamber. Since he is only a halfway-acceptable Gargoyle slaps this vellum chart onto the wall, where the sticky
himself, the simulacra find his company encouraging, but still gore of past dismemberments holds it fast.
somewhat wanting .. This floor of this round room is permanently coated in
Although there are four beds here, Ceoris rarely houses tacky, mostly dried blood and is dotted with small knots of
that many simulacra at once. There may be none at all. desiccated viscera, some as big as thumbs. Hair and clotted
Simulacra are generally created for specific missions and blood clogs a drain in the middle of the floor. Wooden pegs
immediately sent out to perform them. Often they are caught jammed into holes in the stone walls hold a succession ofaxes
and killed. So there is a good chance that this room will be saws, razors, pins, scalpels, scissors, pincers, pliers and clamps:
empty. If so, only a strange air of unquenchable sadness will Torn scraps of old charts still stick to the wall in
greet the Cainite who ventures into this chamber. various places. If a character happens to have infiltrated
Ceoris looking for a kidnapped comrade, it is not incon
Ex MINATION CHAMBER ceivable that he might find a chart fragment bearing the
Virstania examines captured Cainites in this long, lost one's name still blood-pasted to these walls.
damp chamber with walls of rough-hewn rock. Her objec
tive is to measure their potential as raw materials for new SEEDING CHAMBER
Gargoyles. Ghoul guardsmen run the victim, blindfolded, In this small room, its dimensions mathematically deter
chained and hobbled, from his cell, through the guard mined to be ideal for the task, Virstania and her apprentices
house and down the corridor. They then slam him take the "converted" victims, now reduced to chunks of meat
backwards onto Virstania's examination table and buckle and bone, and begin to treat them. Some parts are soaked in
restraining straps around his wrists, ankles and neck. The chemical solutions. Others are tanned. Still other parts are
leather straps are reinforced with steel wire. Virstania, left to dry out, or preserved in salt. When all are ready,
assisted by her quartet of Gargoyle apprentices, then Virstania takes them and sews them together. She then
performs a series of measurements. She repeatedly pierces places them inside a fresh, untreated cow's hide, sewing the
the victim's body cavity to draw fluids for analysis in her whole thing up into a sac meant to mimic a uterus. Then her
lab. Finally she places a number of artificial gemstones on assistants haul the sac into the gestation chamber.
the victim's skin to measure the flow of magical energy GESTATION CHAMBER
through the body. The gems tum various colors, depend
The walls and door of this room are heavily padded in
ing on the degree of energy detected. As they do so, they
an attempt to muffle the non-stop screaming of the creature
bum and scorch the victim's flesh. As intrusive as this
that dwells inside. Dubbed Alvusia by its creator and
examination is, it draws little blood.
tormentor, this twenty-foot long, twelve-ton creature is the
V IRSTANlA'S S TUDY CHAMBER spawner of Gargoyles. (Virstania prefers to think of herself
This room looks like a smaller version of laboratories as their mother.) Its most notable feature is its distended,
connected to the other mages' pri vate apartments. A shelf dome-like belly, its taut surface woven with pulsing veins
67

and capillaries. A raw, reddened scar, threaded shut with louder and begins to give birth. Other Gargoyles gather,
twine, runs the length of the belly, perspiring dots of green pushing their way into the chamber to witness the miracle.
white pus. Where one might expect clawed hands and feet, They keen in nerve-jangling, high-pitched harmony to
there are only stumps, their surfaces cauterized and puck welcome their new sibling into the world. It pushes its own
ered. Metal bands, sunk deep into the stone flooring, keep way down her massive birth canal, parting the walls of
Alvusia trapped on her back. Although she can't move flesh to emerge, coated in greenish blood. The witnessing
more than a few inches, she nonetheless constantly writhes. Gargoyles nearest the front rush forward to fall upon him,
Her head, a six-foot globe improbably plopped onto a ecstatically licking up the birth juices. This action bonds
spindly neck incapable of supporting its weight, is thrown the Gargoyle to the rest of the pack. Later they will teach
back in agony. Her yard-long, toothless mouth alternately him to worship Virstania as mother, creator and goddess.
gasps slurpingly for air or emits an ear-shattering wail. The Gargoyles take their new brother to their holding
Virstania plugs her ears against Alvusia's screams; her pen, as Virstania beams in satisfaction at her new creation.
Gargoyle apprentices profess to find the sound soothing. It SECONDARY GESTATION CHAMBER
is the sound they associate with their months in the womb,
Four rows ofman-sized casks dominate this room. At any
their mother's song. given time, about a third ofthe casks have lids on them. These
When Virstania has created a seed - the sac full of are sealed with copious quantities of wax. Each cask has a
body parts, dismembered then sewn together in a new series of arcane sigils carved on it, as well as less permanent
arrangement - she brings it to the gestation chamber. markings in chalk. The chalk markings are mostly dates; in
With a freshly sharpened knife, she once again slices open Virstania's hand, these remind her when the fetal Gargoyles
thescaronAlvusia's belly, then bids her Gargoyles to drop inside were first installed, and when they were last checked.
the corpse-sized sac into the gaping belly. She resews the Births using Alvusia result in better-quality Gargoyles,
wound as Alvusia's screaming reaches a crescendo. Over and provide the rest of the Gargoyle colony with a much
the next few months, she regularly returns to the chamber more pleasing communal experience when a Gargoyle is
to perform various rituals necessary to the birthing pro born than do these casks. As much as Virstania might like
cess. Finally, at a time Virstania can predict with to lovingly prepare each Gargoyle the ritually perfect way,
mathematical certainty, Alvusia shudders, screams even her colleagues call on her to produce many more than the
68

few per year that would allow. So the bulk of the Gargoyles tents, but the boldest of them, Luma, once ventured
are gestated in casks, their sacs attached to the undersides inside and carefully examined its contents.
of the lids, suspended in nourishing alchemical fluid.
BIRTHING ANNEX
Virstania might invitea trusted ally to follow heron her
rounds as she carefully opens a cask or two and takes a In this annex of the Specimen Chamber, a very large,
sample of fluid. She won't allow anyone to tear open the barely alive doe of the red deer lies, tied down on its back,
sacs to see the developing Gargoyles within. Fetal Gar its belly sliced open and restitched like the Alvusia, the
goyles can sicken and die ifexposed to the air's "ill humors." spawner of Gargoyles. This unfortunate creature is to the
specimen chamber's altered animals whatAlvusia is to the
To deal with possible intruders who wish to tamper
Gargoyles: a living incubation chamber.
with the Gargoyles, Virstania places destructive wards
on the tops of each active cask's lid. Only she wears the IcHOR COLLECTION CHAMBER
counter-amulet that prevents them from going off. Be This is another chamber the Gargoyles know nothing
cause she wears a large number ofsimilar-looking amulets, about. In the center of the room is a gigantic, manually
even when sleeping, it is very hard to get the counter operated vise-like press. The device is big enough to crush
amulet from an unknowing Virstania. a man-sized object. Between the two sides of the press is a
In addition to Virstania, Malgorzata keeps a key to section of meshed flooring. Beneath the mesh is a large
this chamber. However, she rarely comes here these trough used to catch the bodily fluids squeezed from the
days, having long ago lost interest in Gargoyle making. creatures crushed by the vise. A channel in the trough
leads to a spout. If the vise is in use, a silver bucket is placed
SPECIMEN CHAMBER under the spout. Otherwise, careful inspection might
Virstania forbids her creations to come to this room, reveal a ring of a red sticky substance on the floor beneath
a repository both for preserved, dead Gargoyles and living the spout: This residue is spillover from a now-absent
examples ofher other experiments in sorcerous hybridiza bucket. Leaning up against a wall are a series of heavy
tion. Stacked from floor to ceiling along the east and north planks. A perceptive investigator might note that the
walls are dozens of wire cages, each containing a hideous planks are just the right size to place on top of the press to
animal spawned from Virstania's experiments. They in prevent the escape of any unlucky soul facing the vise.
clude fist-sized spiders with agonized human faces on the An observer sneaking into this room might well be
tops oftheir abdomens, disembodied stag's heads rendered puzzled by its purpose. It seems an inefficient means of
mobile by hundreds of millipede-like legs and a clump of blood collection. In fact, it's used in the bizarre ritual to
squamous, grayish tissue that can envelop and devour a rat extract a useful juices from an even more bizarre creature,
in less than a minute. The caged creatures chirp, whistle, the Gargoyle offshoot called the hexaped. See p. 113 for
hum, cluck and hoot when anyone enters the room. a description of the ritual and 124 for the hexaped itself.
Virstania lovingly feeds them by hand. Few of these
creatures are capable ofbreeding or surviving on their own PRISONERS' CELLS
for any length of time. Some of them are very dangerous The T remere occasionally keep certain prisoners in
predators, though. On several past occasions, when en reasonably good condition, to ransom them for the free
emy armies forced the abandonment ofall watch posts and dom of their own captured clanmates. At present, though,
withdrawal into the chantry, Virstania released hordes of the T remere are so hated and feared by their enemies that
these bizarre creatures to harass besieging forces. A small the opportunity to swap prisoners rarely presents itself.
number of them still survive in the woods. Ceoris's own They keep prisoners primarily to extract information from
guards and Gargoyles kill the things whenever they catch them. They may offer freedom to those who talk but are
them in the wild or place them at the bottom of pit traps not in the habit of keeping their word in such matters.
to await unlucky intruders. Captured Cainites, as vital ingredients in the Gargoyle
Deep shelves along the south wall contain the salt transformation, are a resource not to be squandered.
preserved bodies of dead Gargoyles. Some have been Mortal mages who suspect the T remere's transformation
thoroughly vivisected, while others are still intact. Virstania are too dangerous to be allowed to tell their tale.
studies these in her efforts to perfect the Gargoyle form. The Tremere keep their important prisoners in small,
Many were stillborn, and appear grossly deformed. Some damp cells. Each is magically hewn from solid stone: There
specimens display malformed claws, multiple faces, strange are no loose stones to hide objects behind, and no chance of
worm-like appendages or bifurcated limbs. digging one's way out. Designed to break their inhabitants'
Its door is ofsolid iron. Only Virstania has a key, but minds, they lack windows or sources of light. Food for the
she is sometimes forgetful about locking it. She thinks mortal captives is thrown into the cells through small slits in
their iron doors. Prisoners are not provided with plates or
her Gargoyle apprentices remain ignorant of its con
bowls and must pick their filthy food off the floor, morsel by
morsel. Drinking water is ladled to them through the slit; they
"-'LT~~< THE BELLY OF TIlE
69

must sit beneath the ladles like dogs to lap the water up. sucked from. The pale, scrofulous prisoners often seek their
Guards are not permitted to speak to prisoners, even to shout own deaths by putting themselves forward even near to
abuse at them. The doors cannot be unlocked from the fainting from blood loss. Whether they knowingly seek
inside. The only way out of the cell is to do what the T remere suicide or have simply lost their reason is a question Ceoris'
demand. Naturally, even the most intransigent prisoner is vampires regard with studied incuriosity.
taken from cell to torture chamber every so often.
GUARDHOUSE
Current prisoners are described in Chapter Five.
Six guards are always stationed here: one ghoul, one
FEEDING CHAMBER Gargoyle and four mortal soldiers. Despite the bone
In this much larger cell, from one hundred and fifty to rotting dampness of the area and the disquieting screams
of tortured prisoners, this is considered a plum task. It's
three hundred frightened peasants huddle in chains. These
neither significantly dangerous nor especially strenuous.
are the victims of Epistatia's latest food raid. Ceoris's de
The guards station the Gargoyle at the bottom ofthe stairs,
mands for blood are inordinate even for a large nest of nearer the cells. With him out of the way, they can play
vampires because the practice of thaumaturgy requires enor dice, eat, throw darts at a makeshift board and generally
mous quantities of vitae. Although Ceoris's Cainites try to loaf about. Until, that is, they hear approaching footsteps
feed upon them in moderation, sometimes they grow over coming down the corridor, at which point they snap to
hungry and drain a victim dry. The prisoners also tend to die attention and hide the evidence of their shirking. The
from malnutrition or sickness. Sometimes they try to kill ghoul, of course, reports all to Cordwood, who is secretly
each other in order to end their misery. When the number content to allow the men to enjoy their task.
of prisoners dips below sixty, Epistatia organizes another The guardhouse contains a bench, some darts, a
hunt. The captives have seen little ofCeoris, knowing only removable target and a few plates liberated from the
that they were captured by fiends and are now fed upon by dining hall. Former guards painted a lascivious picture
them. However, because the feedings arouse feelings of on the wall; it shows a woman in congress with a boar.
The paint is now peeling off.
ecstasy in the victims, they offer the only moments of relief
from misery these wretches ever experience. Whenever TORTURE CHAMBER
anyone enters their prison, the vessels surge forward heed This large and well-equipped torture chamber pro
lessly until brought short by their chains, each begging to be vides a site for Paul Cordwood's lengthy interrogations. It
§tairslDown
to Lower Le~eI'5i~~
Dis
<ta"Oern
Lower Le"ef (I -~ §tUil'S Up

I 11111 [
Jour -~~~~
70

features a rack, an iron lady, a variety of face cages, a imbibed by Cainites and mortals alike. Some Gargoyles
brazier full of coals, as well as a variety of pokers, knives have learned of its intoxicating effects and occasionally
and clamps. Victims not placed on the rack may be try to sneak in here to lap up the water. The pool used to
restrained by the leather straps on one of the chamber's yield dozens of crystals per month. Now a dozen in a year
heavy wooden chairs. A drain for blood gleams cruelly is remarkably high. Most of the chantry's vis now comes
from the room's center, matched by a small chimney from other chantries.
above for the brazier. Cordwood insists on sparkling Access to the vis cave comes through a thirty-foot
cleanliness in here; many of the torture implements are of vertical tunnel leading from the chantry's sub-basement.
silver and see regular polishing from the guards. Buckets of Metal rungs spaced along its height allow people to climb
water and lye sit near the door where they may be used to up and down the access-way. Jervais controls access to the
scrub up or to splash into eyes and open wounds. He uses vis.. The guards here are always led by at least one of his
the room about once every other night. A believer in ghouls and he has barred other mages from coming here.
thoroughness, he never ends an interrogation ifhe thinks Those who try to barge in face quite insolent comments
the victim could survive another session the next night. from the guards, which further enrages them. Although
any high magus mocked by a mere mortal might experi
V/S CAVE ence a powerful urge to obliterate the insolent monkey
Although rarely visited now, this gigantic under with conjured fire, Ceoris's residents know thatJervais was
ground chamber provided the original motivation for appointed to the post by T remere. They thus restra in
Ceoris'location. This cavern once housed one ofEurope's themselves when confronting his impudent guards .Jervais,
richest sources of vis, the supernatural substance mortal like the other Cainites, has no use for vis himselfbut keeps
mages use to power their magic. Vis can appear in any a close eye on stocks. He uses his vis to buy the loyalty of
number of forms - in mineral form, as magical fruit, or mortal mages. He tests them by offering them vis in
within the organs of magical beasts. In the vis cave, it exchange for performing petty but unsavory tasks, like
appears as crystalline deposits on the bed of an under spying on troublemakers or stealing experimental notes.
ground pooL The water in the pool contains magical The most pliable of them become targets for Malgorzata's
power in low concentration. Although not useful to Embrace. Jervais often brings them here to make his
power spells, it does have hallucinatory effects when proposals; the sight of budding vis stokes their greed.
Lower Le"er 5i"e

§tairs Up 'the X6un8on .lu6s

Guard duty at the vis pool is another coveted taunt him, Malgorzata has openly speculated that Etrius
assignment. The guards here get to loaf, sitting on opened a doorway to Hell. As the demons have never
improvised couches they've made from stolen sheets made it past the wards, Ceoris' leaders are content to let
and old crates. They hop to when they hear someone the matter lie. The entrance to the abandoned labs is
coming, though. They're usually bolstered by a Gar heavily guarded. Mages and apprentices are warned not
goyle of the fearsome iecur variety, a sub-type to even approach the area. Ghoul or Gargoyle guards
uninterested in drinking the waters. stand skittishly at their disquieting post, under orders to
The waters faintly luminesce, casting an eerie ripple attack and kill anyone trying to meddle with the wards,
pattern along the domed roof and across the faces of all after sounding an alarm by banging a large gong that
who gaze on it. A thick, colorless mat of fungus creeps up hangs by their post. Even if the door is opened, wards
the sides of the cavern from the pool. It smells like good along the hallway are strong enough to keep the demons
red wine but is highly poisonous to those foolish enough from pouring past the doorway. The sigils scream when
to taste it. Jervais sometimes harvests it to slip into the interfered with.
drinks of his faction's breathing enemies. The inhabitants of the other side are quiet unless a
person comes within a foot or so of the sealed door. The
ABANDONED LABS door begins to shake and rattle in its hinges, droplets of
During Etrius' early-II th century inquiries into slime condense on its surface, a sulphurous stench fills the
diabolism, he made a dreadful mistake, loosing a host air and billows of acrid smoke rise up from the flooring.
of demons into the level of the chantry which at that The guards' orders instruct them to stop anyone from
time housed the laboratories of a dozen mages. Seven getting close enough to the door to provoke this reaction.
apprentices, two mages and sixteen servants were The labs take up all of the fifth underground level of
devoured by the invading devils. Etrius and colleagues Ceoris. Note that the map represents the lab complex as
rallied to drive the fiends back and cast spells of built by Etrius and Goratrix. For all anyone at Ceoris
warding to seal the door. knows, its new residents may have since altered the
The demons presumably lurk there still. Etrius and floor's dimensions. Anyone somehow making it inside
Malgorzata join forces every few years to strengthen the the abandoned lab is immediately set upon by extraordi
sigils of warding which prevent their escape. Perhaps to narily powerful demons.
_.' ltremere's
I <t:~Ctm6er
)
.lower re\')er §ix
72

Etrius spends much of his time here, studying
Here lies T remere, who rarely emerges from a form Tremere's condition. He demands that the attendants
of torpor with symptoms that, to the consternation ofhis write down any of T remere's intelligible utterances.
clan, seem unlike anything else in their study of Cainite Periodically he conducts a cautious experiment to re
lore. Although unconscious and insensate, he thrashes store Tremere's consciousness and volition - he may
about on his elaborately carved oaken bed. He is always apply a poultice or speak an incantation. Visitors with
attended by at least two Cainite apprentices, who see to possible insight into T remere's condition may be ush
it that he does not injure himself in his tremors. The ered into his chamber to observe it for themselves, but
apprentices view this duty with intense trepidation. only if they enjoy Etrius' absolute trust.
I Sometimes Tremere, infused with unearthly strength, Etrius believes that he has successfully concealed the
lashes out at them, cursing them as agents ofSaulot. One full details ofTremere's tribulations from Malgorzata and
apprentice was driven into torpor by one of T remere's her faction of Goratrix loyalists. He is mistaken: she
attack; asecond was torn to pieces by a mere glance ofher bullies one of the attendants into reporting to her, and
master's glassy eyes. she passes the gist of his testimony to Goratrix in Paris.
The apprentices are not permitted to speak of She is willing to take the risk that one of her missives to
T remere's condition; over the years Therimna has killed Goratrix might be intercepted. She couches them in
several for breaking this admonition. Thus no one save euphemistic terms likely to confuse a reader not already
Etrius knows that Tremere frequently breaks from his familiar with Tremere and his condition.
torpor to speak, that he does so in two distinct voices, The chamber's single entrance is sealed with an iron
and that one of the voices speaks in a tongue none of door. Gargoyles, selected for their incuriosity, guard the
them recognize. Nor are they anxious to describe his door. The walls of the chamber drip with rivulets ofwater
periodic changes in appearance. Sometimes his arms seem to spring directly from the rock. Sometimes the
recede into his torso and his legs fuse together. His water runs red. The chamber is in no way decorated. On
already-pale skin sometimes becomes glossy and grub those rare occasions where T remere recovers his volition
white. New eyes bubble up like buboes on his forehead, and wishes to converse with someone other than Etrius,
only to pop in an eruption of pus and caustic vapors. he uses the Chamber of the Blooded (see p. 56).
73

I
.. .CrifflirJe: ab U~
~e Offlrli5.
(froffl theOrJe:criff1eL'ecognioe thet1'''
all as eulpri'ts)
-lOiL'tJil ~ a~
75

Atop Ceoris' ever-bloody pyramid of ambition sits Etrius heads the conservative faction at Ceoris, as he
an elite circle ofCainites, most of whom were Embraced does within the clan as a whole. His most loyal factotum
during the 11 th century. They are the chantry's survi is his castellan, Curaferrum, who makes of sycophancy a
vors. Apprentices and guests prove less durable, dying in personal creed.
the place of the masters who manipulate them. Mortal The conspirators would rather be open and frank
magi either obliviously pursue their own narrow goals, about their wish to Embrace, but must use guile to get
or, with frightened caution, seek to find proof to bolster around Etrius's power and Tremere's interdicts. The lead
their suspicions about Etrius and his circle. Beneath the ing conspirator is Malgorzata, protege and thrall ofGoratrix.
notice of the schemers, ghouls go about their duties and She has sworn to keep his chantry ready for the inevitable
Gargoyles unknowingly construct a society of their own. day when he will once again rule over it. She can count on
A Wm OF FiMBmoN
the absolute devotion of Jervais, the chantry's master of
vis. Through his access to that substance, Jervais enjoys
AND HATE"
leverage over the chantry's mortal magi.
The rest of the Cainites occupying senior posts in
clude Esoara the war master, Paul Cordwood the master of
Although the two factions that drive power struggles spies, Epistatia the huntress, Celestyn the librarian and
within Clan T remere certainly make their presence Mendacamina the torturer. They obey Etrius's orders
known, politics inside Ceoris consists, above all else, of (which are generally conveyed by Curaferrum) without
a web of temporary alliances between isolated players considering themselves members of the conservative fac
pursuing plans driven chiefly by bitterness and spite. tion. They follow Etrius because he is Ceoris's current lord.
Even before the Council of Seven undertook the arro They would likely obey his successor just as readily. Most
gant and reckless bargain that made them vampires, the safeguard their futures by occasionally siding with
leading magi of House Tremere were as noted for pursu Malgorzata, just in case she topples Etrius. Only Celestyn
ing vicious internal rivalries as for scheming for power is frankly more interested in his own research (learning
within the greater Order of Hermes. From its inception, Tzimisce secrets) than in contending against fellow
House T remere always exemplified the worst traits of the T remere. The rest determinedly encroach on one another's
scholarly mind, from a lofty disdain for the ordinary man responsibi lities, sabotage experiments and attempt to sub
to a green-eyed loathing for colleagues whose achieve orn others' apprentices. For most, chantry politics is a
ments outshone their own. For most vampiric magi, the question of achieving petty but pointed vengeance against
transformation has only intensified those flaws . Some, whichever colleague has most recently offended them.
regretting their irreversible error, fall into the depths of
self-hatred and learn to turn their spite outwards. Others AMONG THE MAGI
take greedily to vampiric existence, finding in the indul
Many of the mortal magi, especially visitors from other
gence of cruelty a sense of power purer and more primal
chantries, join in the internal rivalries without knowing
than any they'd gained from the working of magic. As if
they intrigue with or against vampires. For example, the
this were not enough to ensure that the high chantry
deceptively clever Bitiurges recently joined with
would become a cage full of rats battling one another for
Mendacamina to turn a would-be protege of Curaferrum
dominance, the siege against Ceoris by enemy clans
against him. He was pleased to earn a future favor from the
makes each of these ferociously self-willed individuals
fearsome Mendacamina and acted without knowing that
dependent on one another for survival- and for them
the chantry interrogator went on to Embrace the appren
there is no condition more hateful than being beholden
tice, whom Curaferrum had earmarked as his own.
to another. Their accursed interdependence brings fur
ther heat to their festering grudges and jealousies. A relatively new faction among the mortal magi,
unique to Ceoris, is that of the Christian sorcerers. They
VAMPIRIC FACTIONS take their lead from T osia, a venerable mage who redis
covered her religious faith after a humiliation at the
The two coherent factions at Ceoris are the con hands of Tremere. At her now-destroyed chantry of
spirators and conservatives. Conspirators argue for the Umor Mons, she surrounded herself with like-minded
immediate Embrace of all mortal Tremere. Conserva magi. The younger members of her faction increasingly
tives espouse a slow approach that ensures that no worry about her fitness to lead them, and turn quietly to
individual is taken into the fold before her acceptance of her former apprentice, the cursed but vigorous Omnifer.
it is certain. This difference in strategy seems a flimsy peg The Christian magi know that something is hideously
on which to hang a deadly, centuries-old conflict, and awry at Ceoris, and, in secret conclaves, point to Etrius
must be understood as a battle of personalities between as its author. However, they think that he leads a cabal
two men who despise one another with undimmed of diabolists and do not suspect vampirism.
fervor. They are, of course, Etrius and Goratrix.
76
VISITORS
Despite Ceoris's reputation as an impregnable for
tress, Etrius is in fact strongly motivated to open its gates
to useful outsiders. He is especially concerned with culti
vating possible allies within other clans. Goratrix, he
knows, is doing the same, and he does not want to see his
faction eclipsed through his rival's superior diplomacy.
EXPENDABLE ENVOYS
High-ranking Cainites from other clans are reluc
tant to enter Ceoris themselves (the Usurpers' magics
are still ill-understood), but send their more expendable
inferiors as permanent or temporary envoys. Some send
trusted agents, but others select fledglings, too-ambi
tious rivals and violators of clan discipline. Sometimes a
Cainite who wishes to indirectly dispose of an inferior
assigns him to Ceoris, knowing that the chances of his
meeting his Final Death there are excellent. In extreme
cases, the envoy arrives complete with a letter transfer
ring his feudal allegiance to the T remere, who are only
too happy to exploit pledges of unconditional loyalty.
Yu lnerable and uneasy envoys can find common inter
ests and may even coalesce into an informal coterie within
the chantry. One recent group of envoys included a French
knight from the Yentrue clan, an Italian Lasombra exiled
by his hostile sire and a Cappadocian researcher seeking to
extend her knowledge of death magic. The group disap
including the occult. Calnor's attentive ears picked up
peared during a trek north to the hold ofTzimisce overlord
rumors of nearby magi; these led him to a chantry near the
loan. Curaferrum recently sent out a brace ofletters casting
boundaries of his lord's holdings. He marched right up to
for a new set of envoys to replace them.
their doorway and asked to be apprenticed. Unable to tum
MAGI OF OTHER HOUSES down the silver-tongued lad or deny his thirst for esoteric
Although visiting vampires are coveted, Etrius dis knowledge, a mage named Persigno took him in and gave
courages the arrival of magi from other hermetic houses him the name Celestyn in recognition of his interest in
as much as possible, fearful that they might uncover the celestial bodies. Celestyn progressed rapidly and, by 995,
conspiracy. For their part, most non-Tremere magi pre was engaged in a peripatetic existence, traveling through
fer to avoid Ceoris. When business must take them to a Europe in search of ancient relics, lost books, and near
T remere chantry, they prefer a less forbidding one, such forgotten myths. In 999, Etdus, hearingofCelestyn's skill
as sleepy Lion's Gate in England or the sunny villas of in managing the London library, summoned him to Ceoris.
Perugia (both described in Chapter Seven). The magi, about to embark on their quest to find an
Still, the occasional mage concludes that research de alternative to hermetic immortality philters, had amassed
mands that rooting through Ceoris' famous library. T osia a vast but completely unorganized trove of texts from the
takes care to warmly receive such visitors and to see to their other T remere libraries. Etrius ordered Celestyn to as
needs as guests. Those she deems trustworthy may be permit semble it into an approachable whole. Celestyn joined in
ted to share in her suspicions of Etrius and his followers. the research and also impressed his masters with his brave
(or mad) forays into Tzimisce-held districts in search of
THE DAMNED information. Etrius Embraced him in 1039.

Unusually open for a T remere, Celestyn is always
looking for allies in his quest for knowledge. He may
TREMERE CruNITES meet up with clan outsiders during his exploits and then
CELESTYN, MASTER LIBRARIAN invite them to become guests at Ceoris.
Background: Celestyn began his journey through a Image: Celestyn presents the same hearty, fit appear
world ofcuriosities in 971. Under the name of Calnor, he ance he displayed when Embraced. His hair is dark and
was born near London to an eccentric lord's seneschal. blond, his eyes brown. His features are friendly if not
The connection permitted him an aristocratic education. devastatingly handsome. In Ceoris, he wears scholarly
His love of learning encompassed all fields of
~_""""-iI,......._
77

robes; these are well cared for and even a little ostentatious. tion 3, Law 1, Linguistics (Arabic, French, Greek, Hun
Outside, he adopts simple, rugged clothing that allows him garian) 4, Navigation 2, Occult 3, Science 2
to clamber through ruins or make hasty escapes. Disciplines: Auspex 3, Celerity 2, Dominate 1, Forti
Roleplaying Hints: You can't decide what excites tude 1, Thaumaturgy 4
you more: finding an obscure but illuminating passage Thaumaturgic Paths: Rego Aquam 2, Rego Motus 3,
buried in adustyold textorfightingoffscreamingwolfmen Rego Vitae I
as you flee from an ancient mound you've just excavated. Backgrounds: Contacts 4, Influence 2, Resources 2,
YourCainite transformation does not particularly burden Retainers 1, Status 3 (among T remere)
you; it gave you the chance to explore vampiric lore and Virtues: Conscience 4, Self-Control 3, Courage 4
will allow you to survive for centuries of exploration and Road: Humanity 7
scholarship. Your current inquires take you into the heart Willpower: 7
of Tzimisce territory. Learning their secrets has become
your chief obsession, one which you hope will lead to the PAUL CORDWOOD9 MASTER OF SPIES
war's end. Perhaps if there are no longer enemies atCeoris' Background: Paul Cord wood grew up as Harald the
gate, the slide into madness you see all around you will Thin, the youngest and scrawniest of five brothers. His
reverse itself. The only thing that utterly bores you is father was a notorious thane who fought alongside Eric
chantry politics, which you see as an utter waste of time. Bloodaxe, Norse occupier of 10th century Yorkshire. His
Secrets: Celestyn has concealed from the others the brothers sharpened their martial valor by abusing Harald
extent to which his adventures have brought him into with both tongue and fist. Herald learned to make himself
contact with Cainites of other clans. He doesn't want to small, to avoid the notice of others. He spent much of his
be thought of as a possible traitor. Nor does he wish to be time wandering the forests in the company of an uncle
pressed to squeeze secrets ofCainite wars and politics from thought to be slow. The uncle harbored secrets. He
his partners in scholarship. The French Gangrel Aristotle initiated the young man into the secrets of folk magic
de Laurent is a particular friend; the Byzantine Tzimisce (which Harald liked) and those of the flesh (which he did
Myca Vykos (see Constantinople by Night), a dire foe . not). Used to being put upon by those bigger than himself,
Influence: Celesryn is valued and liked by both fac he hid his loathing for the man who abused him. The uncle
tions within Ceoris.lfhe tried to mediate between them, or introduced him to other magicians who made his modest
involvehimselfin their affairs, he'd soon lose this status. His scryings pale by comparison. These were the Diedne, a
recent inquiries (and battles) against the Tzimisce are
winning him a reputation even outside the clan.
Destiny: Celesryn leaves Ceoris for the last time in 1313
and vanishes. His colleagues assume he's been slain by the
T zimisce. In fact, he has chosen to explore the esoteric secrets
of other lands in pursuit of lore concerning Gehenna. He
resurfaces in the late 20th century, having educated himself
in the Chinese art of geomancy, which he hopes to use to
influence the events leading up to Gehenna (as detailed in
Transylvania Chronicles IV: The Dragon Ascendant).
Clan: T remere
Sire: Etrius
Nature: Architect
Demeanor: Judge
Generation: 6th
Embrace: 1039
Apparent Age: late 20s
Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4.
Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3
Mental: Perception 5, Intelligence 5, Wits 4
Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 2,
Empathy 2, Larceny 3, Subterfuge 1
Skills: Animal Ken 1, Archery 1, Etiquette 3, Herbalism 2,
Melee 3, Ride 3, Stealth 2, Survival 4
Knowledges: Academics (Metaphysics) 5, Astrology 1,
Cartography 2, Hearth Wisdom 3, History 3, Investiga
78
house of nature magicians. They recognized talent, and delegation to end the war with the night creatures. There
inducted Herald into their ranks. To show his disdain for was only one thing to do with enemies: Exterminate them.
his kinfolk, he changed his name to Paul Cordwood. Over the following decades, his attention increas
Even among his new associates, he enjoyed lesser ingly turned to the war against the T zimisce. He argued
status. The women he longed for treated him as a that the Tremere had no choice but learn more about the
talented pet. The men ordered him about. His power had enemy. They would do so by infiltrating their camp. With
grown, but he was still surrounded by others greater than a quiet confidence that surprised both Goratrix and Etrius,
himself, who saw him as little more than a lackey. Cordwood took control of the effort and remains Ceoris'
In 1003, Epistatia, a mage from another tradition, master of spies to this day. Although willing to explain his
came to live among the Diedne. They didn't like or trust efforts to T remere or Etrius, he pursues his mission without
her, but needed her to assist in some great ritual Paul supervision or second-guessing. As he builds his network
wasn't privy to. The young magus liked Epistatia, who ofoperatives throughout the province, he Embraces non
treated him with respect and even asked his opinions magi with abandon. If it weren't for the fact that most of
about things. Epistatia asked him all about the Diedne: his childer are quickly found out and slain by the T zimisce,
who was cruel, who was just, who was clever, and who was he'd have long ago single-handedly exceeded the area's
foolish. Paul eagerly shared the secrets he'd learned while capacity to support Cainites.
making himself an unobtrusive observer. Little did he Cordwood is always looking for new recruits to join
know that Epistatia would use this information to touch his network ofspies. He or his agents might contact other
off a witch-war that ultimately destroyed the Diedne. Cainites to this end, drawing them to Ceoris.
Epistatia took Cordwood with her, inducting him Image: Cordwood stands just over six feet tall. The
into House Tremere. Cord wood became a minor figure crown of his head is bare; a silvery mane of hair remains.
within the house, more interested in his research than His eyes are a steely blue, his cheekbones high and bony.
the intrigues that occupied Tremere and the Inner His shoulders are broad and his arms well-muscled . He
Council. His main interest became the projection of the dresses in black; when outdoors, he wears a long, inky
astral consciousness from the physical form . His fellow cloak that seems to move quietly about of its own accord.
magi came to think of him as a harmless, even slightly Roleplaying Hints: Before you became a vampire, you
absurd fellow who could always be relied upon for an were weak and stupid. Everyone was right to mistreat you.
swers to esoteric questions. Some ofthem open Iy mocked You enjoy your new sense of personal power. Now it feels
him, but compared to what he'd endured in the past, this good when you use your body. Although you no longer feel
scarcely registered to him as mistreatment. the desire to possess women sexually, you like the fact that
He came to Ceoris in 1004. Both Etrius and Goratrix you can tum their heads. Nothing gives you greater pleasure
saw him as a neutral non-entity who might aid more than knowing that other people fear you. You also enjoy the
influential magi in their research as he puttered away in challenge of infiltrating T zimisce havens. Your old obses
his own lab. As the magi sought a means of bolstering sions seem airy and useless compared to this new, dangerous
their failing arts, he fruitlessly investigated soul migra task upon which your fellows depend. Finally you have
tion as a means of harvesting a more potent equivalent become the man you always should have been.
of vis from other celestial spheres. Secrets: Only Cordwood knows the identities of
In 1023, he became one of the first T remere outside every Tremere spy in Transylvania. He also knows a
the InnerCouncil to be Embraced. Again, neither Etrius great deal about the T zimisce, Gangrel and Nosferatu,
nor Goratrix could think ofsufficient reason to discount much of which he holds back from his fellows. He hides
him when his name was mooted. When approached by the full extent of his disrespect for the fussy, interfering
Tremere, Cordwood agreed, with some trepidation, to Curaferrum. One day he may need to eliminate the fool.
enter the fold . His inquiries into astral travel had stalled. His agents tell him that one of the Cainites at Ceoris has
Perhaps a perpetual existence on the threshold between made a secret arrangement with the T zimisce. Every few
life and death might bring him new illumination. days, he changes his guess as to who this might be.
The transformation changed him more than he'd Influence: His minions include haifa dozen Cainites,
anticipated. The physical power of the blood, the raging two dozen ghouls, and about sixty mortal operatives.
hungers of the Beast, all these brought him a fire he had Perhaps a third of the mortals know the true nature of
never known. He abandoned his habitual slouch, and their master and his enemies.
walked with the deadly grace ofa born predator. Colleagues Destiny: Cord wood extends his influence as the cen
unaware of the Cainite conspiracy could not help but sense turies grind on, slowly taking the lead of all House T remere
the change; he exuded a quality of menace that forced them spying activities. He seemingly disappears from Ceoris in
to pay him heed. He began to speak up at council, swatting the late 15th century, soon after many of chantry's Gar
down foolish proposals by the mortal magi. He parceled out goyles break with the clan. The general consensus is that he
special contempt for those who wanted to send a peace is killed in the figh ting or the ongoing Sabbat struggles, but
-T~::::=::::'....c
79

rumors persist that he has either joined with Goratrix's
rogue T remere or simply gone underground. Some believe
he still leads Tremere spies from a secret chantry.
Clan: Tremere
Sire: Epistatia
Nature: Loner
Demeanor: Autocrat
Generation: 7th
Embrace: 1023
Apparent Age: mid 30s
Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Talents: Acting 2, Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Brawl 1,
Dodge 1, Intimidation 3, Leadership 2, Subterfuge 4
Skills: Animal Ken 1, Melee 4, Ride I, Stealth 1
Knowledges: Academics 2, Investigation 5, Linguistics
(English, Norse) 2, Medicine I, Occult 5
Disciplines: Auspex 5, Dominate 3, Thaumaturgy 5
Thaumaturgical Paths: Creo Ignem 4, Perdo Magica 2,
Rego Tempestas 2, Rego Vitae 4, Way of Passage 2
Backgrounds: Contacts 5, Retainers 5, Status 3
(among T remere)
Virtues: Conviction 5, Instinct 2, Courage 3 By 1130, he'd convinced one of its magi, Iusta, to accept him
Road: Devil 7 as an apprentice. He dubbed himself Curaferrum.
Willpower: 7 In 1135, the Tzimisce overran Umor Mons. The survi
CURAFERRUM, CASTELLAN vors trekked to Ceoris. There, the ambitious Curaferrum,
AND PYRAMID CLIMBER newly elevated as a full-fledged mage, abandoned Iusta as his
patron and began to cultivate the friendship of Etrius. Etrius
Background: Curaferrum is a relative newcomer to
had only recently been installed as Ceoris' helmsman, and
the ranks of both magi and Cainites. With sterling
had few allies to rely on. Curaferrum presumed to advise the
political instincts and unwavering energy, he has pur
sometimes-inattentive Etrius on the finer points of running
sued power within Ceoris.
a chantry. He found himself answering a series of subtly odd
He was born near Minsk in 1098, as Yan, son of Symon. questions posed to him by the chantry lord over the course of
His father was a farmer, but his much older brother, Frantsyk, many months. Finally Etrius, apparently satisfied by his
had become an itinerant merchant. Yan's brother traveled answers, broached the secret of the Tremere Cainites.
throughout Eastern Europe selling holy relics (a small frac Curaferrum swallowed hard when he learned the truth, but,
tion of them authentic) to wealthy noblemen. Viewing with seeing that it was the only path to further power within the
horror a future life among pigs and chickens, Yan decided to house, chose immediately to assent to the Embrace. Etrius
follow in his brother's apparently glamorous footsteps. As selected as the fledgling's sire a now-missing thaumaturge
they built their list of patrons, they discovered that a certain named Pervicax. He appointed Curaferrum castellan six
number of individuals interested in saint's bones and pieces years later, in 1146. Malgorzata objected strenuously to the
of the True Cross were also prepared to buy other exotic appointment, but had no way of blocking it.
items: cockatrice eggs, unicorn horns, and certain naturally
In the five decades since, Curaferrum has become
occurring crystals. Afrer Frantsyk died in 1125 at the hands
increasingly insistent on his privileges as castellan and
of the guardsmen of a client he'd cheated, Yan put aside
somewhat less savvy in maintaining and expanding his
fakery and exploited his natural talent for locating items
power. The conspirator faction flouts him as much as it can
imbued with what his clients called vis. In 1128, a client
without provoking Etrius to personally intervene. Tosia
traded information for a handful ofYan'svis-laden pears. The
regards him as a thoughtless climber and regrets having
client told him about a chantry in Transylvania, one ruled by
allowed him through the gates ofUmor Mons. Other mortal
an honest mage-woman named T osia. That chantry, Umor
magi see him as an arrogant newcomer elevated beyond his
Mons, would take all of the vis Yan could find, and would
station. Mortal apprentices make him a figure of jest, aping
reward him handsomely for it. Yan went to T osia's chantry.
his haughty demeanor and fussy devotion to petty rules. His
arrogance and unquenchable self-confidence prevent him
80

from seeing just how little his fellow residents of Ceoris Generation: 8th
think of him. He's too cautious to conspire single-handedly Embrace: 1140
against his foes within the house; he'll only move against Apparent Age: late 50s
Malgorzata and Jervais if Etrius or T remere sanction it. Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
He wants to establish himself as more than Ceoris's Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 4, Appearance 1
castellan, and hopes to prove his broader political acuity by Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 5, Wits 3
attracting a prestigious envoy from another clan to Ceoris. Talents: Dodge 1, Intimidation 2, Leadership 3, Subterfuge 3
Image: Curaferrum wears a humble brown robe like Skills: Herbalism 4, Melee 1
Etrius's, but adorns it with jewels and fur trim. He adds Knowledges: Academics 2, Linguistics (Greek, Romanian)
an elaborate fur hat embroidered with mystical symbols. 2, Medicine 2, Occult 3, Politics 2, Science 2, Seneschal 3
Though still young-looking, he maintains a long, full Disciplines: Auspex 2, Dominate 2, Thaumaturgy 4
beard, meant to indicate his wisdom and stature. Thaumaturgical Paths: Path ofWarding 4, Rego Magica
Roleplaying Hints: Order is your watchword. You 3, Rego Motus 2, Rego Tempestas 2
believe in the pyramid ofauthority T remere has decreed. Backgrounds: Mentor 4, Retainers 5, Status 4
Your duty is to impose restraint on the unruly, willful (among Tremere)
denizens ofCeoris, who would be lost without it. They Virtues: Conscience 2, Self-Control 3, Courage 3
are fools who would be dead without your enforcement Road: Chivalry 6
of Etrius' wise policies. Someday they will all see what
Willpower: 7
you have done for them, and will fall all over themselves
thanking you. Etrius is a most admirable master. You do ESOARA, WAR LEADER OF CEORlS
not care when you yourself are mocked, but become Background: Esoara was born in a village outside
furious when he isn't shown due respect. Or so you tell Bistritz in 1116. His mother was a fourteen-year-old rape
yourself. You would never consider betraying Etrius or victim, the daughter ofa miller. She died in childbirth and
Tremere; to do so would be gross hypocrisy. Esoara's grandparents treated him as if he were somehow
Secrets: A network of ghoul servants report to responsible for their daughter's rape and death. They never
Curaferrum. Through them, he has learned a number of tired of cursing the grim-visaged, ax-wielding mercenary
interesting things about the mortal magi. He knows that who one night burst into the mill and took their daughter
T osia and the other Christian magi have been meeting from them. This mysterious figure, his hair wild and his
secretly and whispering together with apprehensi ve looks on armor blackened by fire, grew in young Esoara's imagina
their faces. He also knows that Bitiurges keeps a letter ofsome tion. He decided that he would become a mercenary
kind hidden on his person, and is curious to scan its contents. warrior, in order to one day find and fight alongside his fierce
Influence: Curaferrum manages the night-by-night father. As soon as he was old enough to lift a battle-axe he
activities of Ceoris. In this capacity, he wields consider left home in search ofwars to wage. He asked fellow soldiers
able influence. Yet he depends entirely on Etrius for his if they'd seen his father. Each shrugged and gave him vague
power, having failed to cultivate inferiors whose loyalty clues that led him to wars even further afield. By 1137, he
belongs to him alone. was far from home and had become an experienced merce
Destiny: Curaferrum is removed as castellan in nary. He fought with the Pisans at the sack ofAmalfi in that
1250, when Goratrix and Malgorzata frame him and one year. In 1144, he fought for Alfonso of Portugal, who took
of his apprentices. Accused of complicity in an incident Lisbon from the Muslims. In 1160, he swung his ax for
in which a Gangrel warrior not only penetrates Ceoris Frederick Barbarossa, and helped to raze Milan.
but nearly gets into the chamber of Tremere himself, A few months later, in a Spanish tavern, he over
Curaferrum spends halfa decade in the dungeons, under heard a group of palsied and toothless men boasting of
going periodic torture. However, Ceoris falls into malaise their past evils. One man, the feeblest of the lot, listed
and confusion without him, and Tremere officially for each of his rapes. Among them, described in unquestion
gives his non-existent betrayal in 1255. Curaferrum able detail, was the attack on Esoara's mother. The young
remains castellan until 1476, when Virstania leads her man was shocked. This was no mighty horseman on an
beloved Gargoyles into his chamber. They pin him down infernal, black steed. Even in his prime, he would not
and she drinks his heart-blood as a final statement of her have been such. By the man's accounts, he'd been a
disdain for the clan hierarchy. Ardan of the Golden cowardly and opportunistic looter, bandit, and scaven
Lane, former master of the small Prague chantry, takes ger. Esoara thought about killing the man for
Curaferrum's place in aftermath of the Gargoyle revolt. disappointing him, but couldn't bring himself to do even
Clan: T remere that. He resolved to return home.
Sire: Pervicax His route back to Transylvania took him into the
Nature: Autocrat thick ofa midnight battle between strange, bloody-faced
Demeanor: Autocrat
81

To Esoara's mind, his masters see the war as an intermit
tent nuisance worth bothering about only when it reaches
their gates. He knows that the way to deal with an enemy
is to destroy him utterly, and to take the initiative against
him. Jervais has taken to spending time in Esoara's pres
ence, listening to these complaints. Esoara is suspicious of
the man, but hopes to use the threat of his conspiracy to
prod his masters into more decisive action.
Image: Esoara is a gigantic man with bear-like shoul
ders and a massive, curled mop of greasy black hair. A
weedy, gnarled beard spider-webs its way across his jaw
and covers his neck. A great throbbing vein coils down
his forehead, pointing to his beak-like nose. His dark eyes
sit in his skull like coals. He wears heavy armor, his
breastplate embossed with an elaborate design of a snake
weaving its way through a human skull and ribcage. He
carries his massive ax with him everywhere he goes, often
seeming to forget that he even holds it.
Roleplaying Hints: Brooding on the past impairs a
man's confidence. You are not one to lament the path you
have taken or consider the ironies ofyour life. Fate brought
you to Ceoris and made you a vampire. Fate is not a thing
to be trifled with. It made you into a mighty warrior. You
were made to fight and to lead men. This is what you do;
in battle you fulfill your destiny. Your only problem is your
masters' inability to see what must be done to defeat their
enemies. You will do what you must to convince them.
Then you will show them what a true warrior can do.
warriors. Some of them attacked him, assuming him an Secrets: Esoara was quite taken with Meerlinda,
enemy. He defended himself, and, without realizing he Inner Council member and head of the London chantry,
was doing so, rallied the beleaguered forces of the other when he first met her. She flattered him by seeking his
side. As Esoara reared back on his horse, about to counsel on military matters. Soon he found himself agree
decapitate a mounted foe, lightning flashed. He caught ing to keep an eye on Etrius for her and to report any signs
a momentary glimpse of himself reflected in a muddy that he might be moving against Goratrix without
pool. He had become the terrible figure he had always T remere's approval. She presented the proposition to him
pictured when he thought of his father. He struck off the so that it didn't seem that it would be the least bit disloyal
foe's head and held his ax high, bellowing in a mixture of him to cooperate. After all, she has Etrius' best interests
of despair and exultation. at heart and seeks only to protect him from himself.
The Cainite leading the Tremere forces, for whom Meerlinda gave Esoara a silver sea-shell into which he can
Esoara had unknowingly battled, had been slain before his whisper any revelations he might care to share with her.
arrival. The now-ranking leader ofthe T remere party, one of Influence: Esoara runs Ceoris's military operation
Curaferrum's ghouls, thanked Esoara and told him that his but takes little interest in its politics. He answers to
masters would surely reward him with a position. Reckoning Curaferrum now, but would switch loyalties to another
that fate had brought him to this pass, Esoara agreed. He duly appointed castellan without so much as a grunt of
followed the troops back to Ceoris, where he met with the disapproval. The castellan has not renewed the blood
casteUan and was made a sergeant. He quickly proved his oath between them and it has faded to a respect of the
initiative and skill. Curaferrum made him a ghoul half a year position rather than the man.
later, and gifted him with the Embrace in 1167. Destiny: Esoara becomes overall military adviser for
As captain of the guards, Esoara has made himself an the T remere during their battle against the hermetic magi,
indispensable element of Ceoris' defense. He brings first which commences in a few years. Although he often
hand experience of war-making to a group dominated by leaves Ceoris to oversee sieges against rival chantries, it
mystics and academics. Although loyal to Curaferrum and remains his primary haunt. He fights valiantly when the
Etrius, he has begun to chafe at the limited role he enjoys Gargoyles rebel and the Anarch Revoltsweeps the Cainite
at Ceoris. He wants to personally Embrace more warriors, world. He never becomes a thaumaturge, however, and
and wage an all-out assault against Tzimisce strongholds.
82

finds his status slowly eroding. In 1720, he leaves the
Vienna chantry and joins Goratrix's Tremere antitribu.
Clan: T remere
Sire: Curaferrum
Nature: Barbarian
Demeanor: Defender
Generation: 9th
Embrace: 1167
Intimidation 3, Leadership 2
Skills: Animal Ken 1, Archery 2, Melee 3, Ride 3,
Stealth 2, Survival 1
Knowledges: Investigation 1, Linguistics (Spanish,
French, Italian) 3, Seneschal 1
Disciplines: Auspex 1, Dominate 2, Fortitude 2, Potence 2
Backgrounds: Mentor 3, Retainers 3, Status 2
(among Tremere)
Virtues: Conscience 4, Self-Control 3, Courage 5
Road: Humanity 4
Willpower: 10
EPISTATIA, USURPER HUNTRESS which to experiment. She bent her soul migration re
Background: Epistatia's magical researches have search towards the effort to counter the decline in effective
left her with only shadowy memories of her early life, a Tremere magics. In 1011, she accused Paul Cordwood's
fact that scarcely troubles her. Sometimes peculiar im apprentice, Vincius, of putting the evil eye on her, ruining
ages come to her in dreams, which might be drawn from a demonstration she'd staged before Ceoris' assembled
her vanished memories. Perhaps she was a senator's magi. He was soon found strangled in his bed. Though
daughter during the late days of the Roman Empire. Or suspected of the murder, no proof was ever brought against
perhaps an oracle tending an ancient temple. No matter. her. Goratrix thwarted attempts to investigate further,
She knows she has been a T remere magician for a very demanding that she abandon her researches to assist him
long time, which is all that matters to her. in his. He made her assist him in casting his consciousness
For as long as she can remember, she has been out into astral space. It was during these experiments that
obsessed by the idea that weak souls can be temporarily she contacted the two entities who taught Goratrix key
displaced from their bodies, which might then be operated parts of the ritual of transformation - or so she maintains.
from a distance by a magician's superior mind. She thinks Epistatia did not enjoy sufficient rank in the house to
perhaps she used to choose only criminals as subjects for warrant her participation in the ceremony of becoming.
her experiments. Unfortunately, rebels and outlaws tended But, immediately afterwards, she became the first outside
to manifest strong, independent wills, which made their the Inner Council to be Embraced when Goratrix blooded
souls difficult to dislodge. About two hundred years ago, her without Tremere's permission. Since she knew about
she decided that the interests of knowledge demanded her the ritual, his only other choice would have been to murder
use of weaker-willed peasants and other supposed inno her, and she'd proven herself too useful for that. Epistatia
cents of little value to God or man. Concealing her does not remember objecting to her new condition.
machinations from the master of her chantry, she paid For several years, the Cainites of Ceoris feasted indis
ruffians to capture victims for her experimental use. She criminately. But soon they realized why there were so few
continued this habit after moving to Etrius' Vienna chantry vampires in the world; victims became scarce when hunted
in the mid-10th century. Her notes tell her that Etrius openly. Then the Tzimisce came hammering on Ceoris'
discovered her activities in 990. He banished her from his doors. Epistatia volunteered to become mistress of the hunt,
chantry; she went to Ceoris to seek Goratrix's protection. organizing raiding parties to capture large numbers of victims
Goratrix involved her in the war against the magi of in single hunts. They would then be borne back to Ceoris and
House Diedne, rewarding her successes with peasants on kept in chains, providing blood for the rest of their lives.
TO BE
83

Since becoming mistress of the hunt, Epistatia hascontin feed upon. Occasionally, curious images of a terrible
uecl her inquiries into soul migration. If, in the course of her mountainside castle appear in her dreams.
hunts, she encounters vampires she thinks might be useful to Clan: Tremere
Ceoris -or provide insights into the mechanics of the soul Sire: Goratrix
she might bring them to the channy, willingly or otherwise. Nature: Fanatic
Image: Epistatia is a short, ungainly woman with a Demeanor: Innovator
doughy, almost featureless face. Her nose is thin and Generation: 6th
straight, her eyes slightly too far apart, and her mouth soft Embrace: 1022
and undefined. Long yellow-white hair dribbles from her Apparent Age: early 60s
head in long, uncombed skeins. She wears loose, formless Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3
dresses of light brown fabric. Her features remain placid Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1
and unperturbed even as she commits terrible cruelties.
Roleplaying Hints: The only important thing is your
research. Anything done to further it is justified. Becoming Intimidation 4, Leadership 3, Subterfuge 2
a vampire kept you alive in order to continue it, and may
Skills: Animal Ken 1, Archery 2, Herbalism 1, Melee 4,
yield important insights into the physical nature ofthe soul.
Ride 2, Stealth 3, Survival 2
You take on the huntress's duties because they are neces
Knowledges: Academics 3, Linguistics (Greek, Aramaic) 2,
sary. They keep you fed, and stop the other magi, who are
Medicine 2, Occult 5, Politics 2, Science 2, Seneschal 1
as a type jealous and interfering, from disrupting your work.
The lives of the people you capture are scarcely worth Disciplines: Auspex 4, Dominate 4, Thaumaturgy 6
thinking about. You must not form attachments to your Thaumaturgica1 Paths: Creo Ignem 3, Perdo Magica 2, Prey
colleagues; loyalty leads to entanglements. Keep them at a on the Soul's Fear 2, Rego Elementum 2, Rego Motus 2, Rego
distance, and always look to the strength of your position. Tempestas 3, Rego Vitae 5, Way of Passage 4
Backgrounds: Status 3 (among Tremere)
Secrets: Although Epistatia admits to a faulty
memory, she conceals the full extent ofher amnesia from Virtues: Conviction 4, Instinct 2, Courage 3
her fellows. Another fact she conceals is that she was first Road: Devil 6
contacted by the entity Stars Beyond in 1007, five years Willpower: 7
before the experiments that led to the becoming. I t came ETRIUS, LoRD OF CEORIS
to her while she was attempting to remove and contain
4th generation, nominal childe of T remere
a captured subject's soul, and offered her knowledge in
exchange for her silence. It provided some new avenues Nature: Tyrant
of research, some of which were linked to the ancient Demeanor: Conformist
vampires Tremere and Etrius hunted at the time. Embrace: 1022
Influence: Even with the departure of her patron, Apparent Age: early 30s
Goratrix, Epistatia retains an unassailable position within Born outside Gothenborg, Sweden in 850, Etrius was
the chantry. The Cainites of Ceoris might enjoy the the studious, withdrawn child of a roughhewn Viking who
benefits oftheirnew existence, but do not like to dwell upon became one of the first Christian converts in that land .
its costs. They are grateful that Epistatia relieves them ofthe Etrius' father served as protector and patron to Ansgar, the
vexation, danger, and distress that human-hunting entails. German bishop who made the first official mission to
She claims disinterest in the house's wider affairs, professing Sweden in 869. Ansgar made a great impression on the
neutrality in the struggle between conservatives and con malleable young Etrius, who found himself strongly drawn
spirators. In fact, she often does covert favors for both sides to Christian doctrine. Even from the beginning, his faith
in order to protect her position. In this, she emulates was idiosyncratic: His foremost belief was in his own
T remere's way ofplaying both factions against one another. essential holiness. As a saint in the making, he often
Destiny: Epistatiadisappears in 1282, and is presumed forgave himself transgressions he would condemn in oth
to have been taken by the mortal magi, who are by that time ers. Reasoning that the first step to canonization was to
waging war against the T remere. In fact, Epistatia has fully don the robes of the cleric, he resolved to become a priest.
succumbed to the effects of her amnesia, and has forgotten This would be a difficult task in the still-pagan Sweden.
her entire existence as a member of the house. She wanders His father sent him on a pilgrimage to Rome. Mere days
from town to town, periodically settling down, adopting into their journey, the pilgrims were attacked by enemies
various roles allowing her to maintain a night-time exist ofEtrius' father. Etrius was taken as a slave, and eventually
ence and feed without being noticed. In 1932, she becomes sold in far-off Constantinople. Etrius knew that it was all
the proprietor of a dusty five and dime store in Baltimore, part of God's great plan for him. His purchaser was
Maryland . She runs her convenience store to this day, Tremere, who immediately saw in him both a raw talent
capturing the occasional homeless person or shoplifter to for magic and an aptitude for following orders. T remere

tenure he quietly broke the tacit hermetic ban against
involvement in mortal political affairs by helping German
king (and later Holy Roman Emperor) Otto the Great
against the Magyar hordes at the Battle ofLechfeld in 955.
He did so as part of his program of cultivating contacts
within Austria's church and ruling classes. Although the
Ma~ars were even in 955 open to Christian conversion,
Etnus saw them as damnable pagans much like his own
countrymen. Also during his Vienna years, Etrius met
Mendacamina, becoming entwined with her in a doomed
and unrealized mutual passion.
In 980, he took second lead in Goratrix's ritual to
consecrate Ceoris. He chose to place Goratrix's severed
member, humiliatingly, inside the mouth of the mage
PontICulus, who had to be beheaded after making a ritual
error. Later, he questioned Goratrix's building methods
and created the chasm that separates chantry from moun~
tain. He spent much time at Ceoris during its early days, to
the consternation ofhis rival, Goratrix. In 996, he upstaged
Goratrix by definitively proving that magic was diminish
ing. The two then competed furiously to find a way to
counter the phenomenon. His zeal to win drove Etrius to
abandon his master's proscriptions against diabolism. He
at:empted to duplicate the forms of devil-conjuring magic
Without actually contacting demons. His experiments went
made Etrius his apprentice, the first since the stinging disastrously awry in 1014, when he attracted a veritable
failure of his attempt to take over the Order of Hermes. horde ofdevils (and may even have opened a doorway to the
Etrius remained at Tremere's side long after he'd infernal spheres), forcing the abandonment of an entire
proven himself as a mighty magus. T remere tolerated his suite of laboratories to a demonic host. Goratrix overleapt
Christian rhetoric, occasionally needling him by re- him in 1022, working the magic that turned Tremere and
minding him ofthe Church's antagonism towards wizards. seven of his house, including both Etrius and Goratrix, into
Etrius did not see fit to explain that the Lord had surely vampires. Etrius was appalled, and dared voice concern for
wanted him to become a magus. Why else would He his immortal soul. His fellows exchanged knowing glances
have arranged Etrius' destiny as He had? ~nd Etrius fel~ silent. (His moral objections had no longev-
Etrius' arrogance grew as he magically halted his own Ity. In later mghts, with Goratrix gone and vampirism the
aging and outlived his contemporaries. He put the idea of center of Tremere existence, Etrius would go so far as to
imminent beatification out of his mind, having concluded claim it was he who formulated the great ritual.)
God had a purpose for him greater than that of a mere saint. In 1024, the ghost of Ponticulus appeared before Etrius,
By the mid-900s, he'd begun to act as if any action he warning him thatGoratrixhad conspired with otherworldly
undertook by definition enjoyed God's sanction. In 962, he entities to bring about the ceremony of transformation.
reduced to dust an informer who sought to reveal a minor Ponticulus urged Etrius to lead the other ritual participants
T remere plot to rival magi. He justified it by saying that ifthe to suicide, lest magic be destroyed throughout the world.
disciples had been willing to kill for him, Christ need never Etrius had long expected Ponticulus' appearance and acted
have been crucified. Tremere smiled when he heard this. to enslave the ghost, but failed. Ponticulus escaped and
When Etri us first metGoratrix, while still an apprentice, went on to reveal the Tremere secret to the Tzimisce.
the two loathed one another on sight. T remere had prepared Etrius returned to his struggle against Goratrix, urging
himtodislikehis predecessor. Etriussaw in Goratrix all of the caution as they moved to Embrace new members. Those
evil he believed himself irrunune from. Goratrix considered taken without consent could not be trusted, Etrius argued. He
him a hypocrite of Biblical proportions. The more skillfully obscured the strategic wisdom of this plan by couching his
GoratrlX pomted out the flaws in Etrius' self-serving theol objections in religious terms. As T remere stood back, the two
ogy, the more stubbornly Etrius clung to them. Etrius, seeing waged internecine war against one another. In 1036, when
that Goratrix wished to eclipse Tremere, began to conceive 0 e struggle :rueatened to expose them all, Tremere stepped
of loyalty to his master as the greatest virtue of all. In and used It as the pretence to submit all seven of his Inner
. Etrius built the small Vienna chantry in 920, and was Council to the blood oath. Etrius saw this as a good result.
Its oft-absent but nominal master until 1022. During his Tremere took Etrius with him on his epic trek to
~_ _....._ _ leam more about vampires and their ways. By 1126, the
THOSE DAMNED AND SOON TO
85
two were actively tracking down and capturing
Methuselahs, so that the Council of Seven could then
join in diablerizing them. Etrius' pleas to exclude Goratrix
from the benefits of their quest fell on deaf ears.
In 1133, Etrius assisted Tremere in finding and
slaying Saulot. Some long buried conscience told him
this was the gravest crime yet, that he should stop. Yet,
T remere was anxious to move forward and surely Goratrix
would help him if Etrius did not. He held down the
dormant ancient while Tremere drank its blood. Any
lingering doubts vanished when Tremere awarded him
Ceoris and sent Goratrix off to Paris.
Yet as he took the chantry's reins, he saw that Goratrix's
forces were still in place. Especially vexing was Malgorzata,
a scheming childe of the exiled master who was insatiably
hungry for rank. The conspirator faction continued to
ignore his orders to go slow and Embrace only willing
magi. The struggle continues to this night.
JERVmS, HARVESTER OF VIs
Background: Jervais' father served as a scribe in the
household ofa minor French noble. Jervais was born in 1070
and educated to follow his father's career. His father's master
enjoyed some exotic connections and in 1085, arranged for
Jervais to be placed as a scrivener in the Paris Tremere
chantry. The librarian there assigned him to copy various
texts. Jervais found the occult manuscripts he copied difficult Jervais was present, Etrius wouldn't acknowledge him or
but interesting. The magi there saw a spark of magical talent address him directly. Jervais still nurses this slight.
in Jervais, though not enough to bother cultivating. Some Since his Embrace,Jervais has continued to nose out
liked him and showed him some kindness; most looked down vis. As he doles it out to the mortal magi, he works to win
on him in the haughty way of lofty magicians. their confidence. His mistress allows her pleasure in
In 1088, Malgorzata visited the Paris chantry with terrifying mortals to take free reign over her need to win
Goratrix. Jervais swooned when he saw her, his knees them to her side. Jervais presents the faction's friendlier
buckling as he drank in her beauty and terrible authority. He face. He hints to the untumed magi that there are secrets
approached her and told her he would like nothing more which, when revealed, will show her to be a benevolent
than to put himselffully at her disposal. Malgorzata, enjoying authority with their true interests always uppermost in
his servility, saw in him what the others had not. Jervais did mind. It is Etrius, he explains, they should truly fear. His
have talent, but itcould only blossom under the hand ofa finn inaction will doom them as magic slips out of the world.
and unyielding master. Malgorzata knew all about this; at the Jervais carefully gauges his listeners' reactions to his
time she was a ghoul of Goratrix. She took Jervais back to suggestions. Magi who seem especially contemptuous of
Ceoris to become her apprentice. Jervais' captivation with Etrius become candidates for the conspirators' Embrace.
his new mistress gave him the necessary motivation to Image: Jervais, ofmedium height and build, squints out
advanced in the hennetic arts. Soon he proved his Parisian at the world with short-sighted eyes. His squarish head and
employers wrong to have passed him over. He showed a jaw are framed by a fringe of brown hair and a closely
special talent for esoteric calculations and made important trimmed beard. Although he will acquire an aura ofmenace
strides in techniques to uncover the magical substance as the centuries wear on, he at present projects the slightly
known as vis. At the very time when this precious "fuel" was inept air of a kindly but put-upon man. This completely
become rarer, he found new stores. He also studied ways to belies his true nature as an accomplished political seducer.
collect these delicate fruits, pearls and other foons ofvis. His Roleplaying Hints: Although Malgorzata remains
ready access to supplies of the rapidly-disappearing material your goddess (you are still her thrall), your years as a
made the other magi beholden to him - and, through him, Cainite have given you increased confidence. You now
to Malgorzata and Goratrix. In 1102, five years after her own know that there are certain things, like persuading
Embrace, Malgorzata blooded him, with Goratrix's approval. mortal magi, that you do better than she. This pleases
A visiting Etrius gave Jervais personal reason to dislike him. you, and gi ves you hope for the future. The biggest threat
Etrius questioned Goratrix's decision to Embrace Jervais to that future is Etrius, who opposed your Embrace after
because it hadn't been approved by Tremere. Although the fact. It gives you great satisfaction to undermine him.
86

Your most fervent hope is that one day Malgorzata and MALGORZATA, THE CONSPIRATOR
Goratrix will give you the chance to destroy him. Background: Malgorzata, under her given name of
Secrets: Jervais keeps some information in reserve, Malana, spent her early life toiling as a serf for the Magyar
even from Malgorzata. He knows of at least four caches of occupiers who invaded Romania and stripped her family of
vis within a day's travel of Ceoris, which he can mine its noble rank. Her parents might have retained their status
should some emergency require him to quickly bribe a had they been willing to convert from Orthodox worship to
mortal magus. He also understands the ambitions and the Western faith of the Magyars. Even though she, as their
fears of the mortal magi better than any other Cainite at sixth child, would have enjoyed only marginal status had
Ceoris. He even knows that T osia and Omnifer suspect the Magyars not invaded, Malgorzata's parents fostered in
Etrius of diabolism, but has yet to share this fact with her a deep sense of grievance. They taught her that her true
Malgorzata. He fears that his beloved mistress might act destiny had been stolen from her, and that the priests of the
rashly in encouraging Tosia; after all, if the Hermetic Catholic Church were part and parcel in the theft.
Order discovers them, their inquisitorial wrath will spare However, when her parents sold her to a cloaked
neither faction. foreigner who carried himself with a sense of innate
Influence: Jervais is well-liked by the mortal magi and power, Malgorzata felt not betrayal but vindication. She
has significant power over them because of his access to vis. knew that this man, Goratrix, held the keys for her to
(He has ready access to the equivalent of about 40 stored reclaim the status and authority her hapless parents had
points and can harvest more.) Ceoris' Cainites regard him lost. For his part, Goratrix saw power in the girl; her
as merely the dogsbody of his mistress, but Malgorzata magical potential was so great he could smell it scorch
confides him with important tasks beyond the harvesting of the air around her. She learned quickly, surprising
vis. Several times he has traveled as her messenger to the Goratrix with her hungry demands for his attention. By
various towns of Hungary and Transylvania. the age of thirteen, she was a full mage. She combined
Destiny: Jervais is severely injured during the 1476 her own name, her masters', and that of a local goddess
Gargoyle revolt and goes into torpor for many years ofevil magic to give herself the mage name ofMalgorzata.
thereafter. In 1653, he resurfaces, apparently having When he became a Cainite in 1022, Goratrix could
made his peace with Etrius with the disappearance of his not conceal his transformation from her. She begged for
regnant Malgorzata. He advances Tremere interests by his gift of immortality. Though Goratrix did not imme
shadowing France's first minister, Cardinal Mazarin. He diately give in to her fervent entreaties, he did risk
meets his Final Death in 1931, set ablaze by Spanish Tremere's wrath by making her his ghoul, violating an
Republicans apparently acting at Goratrix's behest. edict laid down by the elder sorcerer. For decades she
Clan: T remere
Sire: Malgorzata
Nature: Architect
Demeanor: Tyrant
Generation: 7th
Embrace: 1102
Apparent Age: mid-30s
Subterfuge 3
Skills: Animal Ken 1, Archery 1, Etiquette 2, Herbalism 1,
Melee 2, Ride 2, Stealth 1, Survival 2
Knowledges: Academics 2, Occult (vis) 4, Politics 2,
Seneschal 1
Disciplines: Auspex 3, Thaumaturgy 5
Thaumaturgical Paths: Perdo Magica 4, Rego Aquam 3,
Rego Vitae 3, Way of the Levinbolt 3
Backgrounds: Contacts 3, Mentor 2, Status 2 (among
Tremere)
Virtues: Conviction 3, Instinct 3, Courage 3
Road: Devil 6
Willpower: 5

begged him to win Tremere over to her cause, finally greater power, which he will naturally share with her
gaining the Embrace a tortuous seventy-five years later. when the time is right. She has taken to organizing her
Although the blood oath made her unfailingly loyal to own secret food raids, so that Etrius can't use Curaferrum's
Goratrix, waiting stoked her bitterness towards T remere. control of the chantry herd to starve her faction into
She also learned to hate the founder's lickspittle, Etrius, submission. She keeps them imprisoned in a mountain
on whom Goratrix blamed his master's cautiousness in cave half a day's journey from Ceoris' gates.
Embracing magi outside the Council of Seven. Influence: Malgorzata evokes fear in mortal magi
Three years later, Goratrix sought her help in creating and Cainite colleagues alike. Although other ambitious
the Gargoy les. She worked alongside Virstania and Epistatia, vampires, like Therimna, Epistatia and Paul Cordwood,
but found them too willing to pursue scholarly tangents and sometimes subject her to verbaljabsor intrigue to embar
insufficiently aware of the immediate need for the weapons rass her, none dare attack her outright. She has a staunch
they worked to create. Malgorzata hectored them, at times ally in Jervais, and enjoys the support of Goratrix who,
even gently chiding Goratrix himself, so that they kept while distant, can never be underestimated.
their eyes on the true goal. She also supervised efforts to trap Destiny: After his departure from the clan's good
Ceoris' false towers, using her fire magic to create an graces in 1314, Goratrix remains in occasional contact
explosive surprise for any foe foolish enough to land there. with Malgorzata. She remains his eyes and ears in Ceoris
Her master's 1133 exile to Paris enraged Malgorzata, until the 1570s, when Tzimisce anarchs capture her
reminding her ofthe way her parents were stripped oftheir during a raid on the now fading chantry. Taken prisoner
birthright. She wanted to go with him, but he insisted she and tortured, she reveals all she knows about Ceoris
stay in Ceoris as his emissary. Reluctantly agreeing, she defenses and T remere plans. Goratrix himself, now leader
swore an oath to hasten the Embrace of the house's magi. of the Sabba t' s T remere antitribu finds her severa 1tortur
Goratrix has assured her that this is what Tremere really 0us decades later. She looks to him for rescue, but he
wants, and that for her efforts she'll win Etrius' position as turns his back on her and leaves her to linger. Quite
chantry master. Her loyalty to Goratrix prevents her from possibly, she lingers still, deformed and forgotten.
questioning the accuracy of this statement. Clan: Tremere
Errius's distance from the night-to-night affairs ofCeoris Sire: Goratrix
provide Malgorzata much space in which to work. She rreats Nature: Tyrant
his castellan, Curaferrum, with open contempt, obeying his Demeanor: Autocrat
edicts only when they suit her. Unfortunately, her plan suffers Generation: 6th
from a major drawback: The magi she Embraces without prior Embrace: 1097
warning often scorn her and threaten to reveal the Cainite Apparent Age: early 20s
conspiracy to other mortals. Therimna must then capture Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4
them for conversion into Gargoyles. The hunrress makes her
pleasure in this too obvious for Malgorzata's tastes.
Malgorzata takes a special interest in any wayward
Talents: Acting 2, Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Brawl 3,
envoys who might come to Ceoris from other clans. She
Dodge 1, Intimidation 3, Leadership 3, Subterfuge 2
attempts to draw them into her circle, hoping to thwart
Skills: Etiquette 2, Gargoyle Ken 3, Herbalism 2, Melee 2,
Etrius' attempts to outshine her master's diplomatic efforts.
Stealth 2
Image: Malgorzata presents an image of cold and
commanding beauty. Her eyes are the color of a clear and
(Greek) 1, Occult 4, Politics 3, Science 1, Seneschal 1
wintry sky. Her deep brown hair is often decorated with
Disciplines: Auspex 4, Dominate 4, Fortitude 1, Po
glittering gold jewelry set with gemstones. Within Ceoris,
tence 2, Thaumaturgy 6
she wears sumptuous magician's robes. On journeys, she
Thaumaturgical Paths: Creo Iglilem 5, Perdo Magica 3,
dresses as a Hungarian noblewoman.
Rego Vitae 4
Roleplaying Hints: Gorarrix is your only equal. T remere
Backgrounds: Mentor 4, Resources 1, Retainers 2,
is a distant, capricious figure to be feared. Everyone else
Status 3 (among Tremere)
you've ever met, from your wretched parents to the weak
livered Errius, is a fool to be crushed beneath your feet. Power
is the only goal worth pursuing, and others' fear of you is more Road: Devil 6
intoxicating than any wine. Show your love for Gorarrix by Willpower: 7
Embracingas many magi as you can. When they are Cainites, MENDACAMINA, THE IRON MAIDEN
they will love you for the way you rule them.
Background: Mendacamina was known as Sister Agnes
Secrets: Malgorzata is fully privy to Ceoris' secrets, when, as a young resident ofa convent outside Vienna, she
including those of Virstania's Gargoyle pens. She also first discovered her interest in plant life. She built a large
keeps a secret for Goratrix: He says he's found a way to garden and began to collect varieties of healing herbs.
88

Although some in the convent saw her interest as directing Vienna chantry to make Agnes her apprentice. Agnes
her eyes away from God, the Mother Superior encouraged took the name Mendacamina, and pursued her fascina
Sister Agnes' interests. Sister Agnes thought that this was tion with herbal magic. She and Etrius circled one another
because the potions and poultices she made from her herbs from a distance, each afraid of being overcome by passion.
eased a number of ailments suffered by various sisters. In Over the decades, their ardor seemed to cool.
fact, the Mother Superior, once a worldly woman, was a However, as the century turned, Etrius found him
confidant of the magus Etrius, whom she considered a holy self spending much of his time at Ceoris, despite his
man despite his occult knowledge. In 945, Etrius heard her nominal leadership of the Vienna chantry. Emboldened
descriptions of Sister Agnes and thought that the young by distance, Mendacamina once more began to corre
woman might possess magical talent. He arranged to send spond with him. The passion between them blossomed
her copies of ancient books about plants and gardening. In again. In 1022, they met in Vienna and nearly consum
the margins he inscribed notes explaining their mystical mated their love, drawing back at the last moment. Etrius
significance. Intrigued, Sister Agnes asked after her myste promised her that they would marry first. Then he went
rious benefactor. The Abbess reluctantly allowed her to to Ceoris, to participate in a certain ritual.
exchange letters with Etrius. Mendacamina received a letter from Etrius, saying that
This correspondence between two lonely believers he could not marry her. He would not explain why. She went
and scholars led to a burgeoning love, expressed in excla to Ceoris to confront him. She wept as he turned away from
mations of religious fervor and excited botanical her. She sensed that something had gone hideously awry
descriptions. A disapproving senior sister found Agnes' during the ritual. She continued to seek his company. Finally,
cache of letters, saw in them the emotions both writers a year later, he relented. He took her into his anns and
refused to recognize, and took them to the Mother Supe Embraced her. When she rose from death, her feelings for
rior, who read the letters and expelled Agnes from the Etrius had been destroyed. Hate consumed her as she realized
convent. She thought she would go to Etrius, which she that he had slain her capacity for true love. She became the
did. She also thought the two would admit their love for bitterest and most vicious of Ceoris' Cainites. She spumed
one another and marry. They did not. Etrius, tom by Etrius. She joined with Goratrix, helping him in his efforts to
shame for separating Agnes from God, suppressed his kill the man she'd once loved. WhenT remere forced Goratrix
longing for her. Agnes, certain that Etrius disapproved of and the other councilors into blood oath, Goratrix found it
her base and carnal impulses, dared not declare herself. difficult to convince her to give up her quest for vengeance.
With no living kinfolk, Agnes had no way ofsupport Seeing that the time to strike had passed, but reckoning that
ing herself. Etrius found a motherly fellow magician at the it would one day come again, Mendacamina promised to stay
her hand. She made Goratrix suffer first, though, rubbing in
the full irony of his having to plead for Etrius's life.
Goratrix soured on her as an ally but could not deny
the power of her inexhaustible wrath. In 1042, he made
her the mistress of Ceoris' dungeons, and chief interro
gator of its prisoners. When Goratrix was sent to France
in 1133, she retained her post. To this day, Etrius is afraid
to speak with her alone. Although troubled by the
capricious violence she occasionally wreaks against ser
vants who displease her, hejoins with the otherCainites
in concealing her crimes from mortal magi.
Mendacamina wants allies to aid her in her pursuit
of vengeance against Etrius but has yet to find any she
can completely trust. She might befriend junior visitors
to Ceoris and use them to further her ends without
apprising them of her true motives.
Image: Mendacamina's skin glows with a radiance
that belies the dark fury at play behind her olive eyes. Her
face is shaped like a perfect teardrop. She dresses all in
white, in a gown cut to remind the viewer of a nun's habit.
Roleplaying Hints: The person you once loved be
trayed and damned you. Now you see Etrius in all of his
hypocrisy. He loved neither you nor God, only himself. You
will have your vengeance against him. But that means
waiting, biding your time, pretending that you have some
TO BE
89

other reason for living. You pose as just another lore THERIMNA, THE EXECUTIONER
obsessed, scheming magus. You pretend that you care about Background: Therimna, born in Flanders in 882,
the fate of the house, your research, and the tide ofthe war. never expected to become a sorceress, let alone a vam
All of this you do simply to keep the object of your hatred pire. She did what was necessary to survive, and those
within reach. Every time you kill an annoying servant or actions together brought her to her present state. She
drive a red-hot poker into a prisoner's yielding flesh, you see does not know what the next centuries will bring, but she
Etrius' agonized features in place of your victim's. is certain that she will survive them.
Secrets: Only Goratrix knows how hard she tried to Her name was Irene, and she started life as the daughter
kill Etrius. No one knows that she merely bides her time of a prostitute. Although she did not wish to be groped and
before trying it again. pawed as her mother had been, she was given little choice
Influence: Through her skilled interrogations, in the matter. A retainer at the court of Flanders' ruler,
Mendacamina has proven her usefulness to the other Baldwin II, purchased her virginity when she was 12.
Cainites. Even though she has no true allies in the Though young, Irene saw an opportunity and inveigled her
chantry, she's so patently vengeful and fuelled by hatred way into his heart. She induced him to establish her as a
that they're all afraid to cross her. She has developed a courtesan, in a luxurious manor, attended by servants. By
distant fascination for the former Setite, Dauud the her twentieth birthday, she had bedded many of Banders'
Copt. It is not love, she tells herself, for her capacity for elite, and was well on the way to becoming a secret power
that emotion has forever been eradicated. Still, perhaps behind its affairs. Then she happened to meet and bed
after many years of careful observation, he might prove Goratrix, who was hunting vis in the French province. Irene
himself trustworthy enough to become a friend. correctly guessed that Goratrix was an ancient magus, and
Destiny: Tremere makes her head of the Vienna he correctly guessed that she would be an eager and talented
chantry in 1232, when her predecessor is slain by the apprentice. He took her with him when he left Flanders,
Order of Hermes. Mendacamina accepts the mortal giving her the name Therimna.
magi as substitute enemies and becomes their most By the time she'd become a full-fledged mage,
terrible pursuer. In 1240, she resigns her post to pursue Therimna had also bedded T remere to show Goratrix
magi as a solitary huntress. She takes special pleasure in she could easily switch patrons. Once she'd gained effec
destroying those who cloak themselves in a mantle of tive immortality through hermetic magic, she curtailed
purity. In 1284, she unexpectedly encounters Etrius in her sexual activities, however. She'd gotten what she
the Beauvais Cathedral. She tries to kill him, and their wanted out of sex and found a better way of making her
battle brings the structure crashing down around them.
Etrius escapes, but she is destroyed.
Clan: T remere
Sire: Etrius
Nature: Fanatic
Demeanor: Monster
Generation: 6th
Embrace: 1023
Apparent Age: late teens
Talents: Alertness 5, Dodge 5, Intimidation 5, Subterfuge 5
Skills: Animal Ken 2, Herbalism 5, Melee 2
Knowledges: Academics 2, Investigation 2, Occult 3
Disciplines: Auspex 3, Dominate 3, Thaumaturgy 6
Thaumaturgical Paths: Creo 19nem 3, Path of Warding 2,
Prey on the Soul's Fear 5, Rego Motus3, Rego Tempestas 2,
Rego Vitae 5
Backgrounds: Status 2 (among Tremere)
Road: Devil 7
. Willpower: 10
90

colleagues need her: She became the House's foremost loan. This mage, called Gravis, began to blackmail her,
practitioner of alchemy. She traveled from chantry to demanding her services as an alchemist in exchange for his
chantry throughout the 10th century, honing her knowl silence. When he took a trip to the Vienna chantry, she made
edge. When Ceoris was built, she set up a laboratory sure that loan knew the route and schedule of his caravan.
there, and has rarely ventured beyond its walls since. Just a few months ago, Paul Cordwood began to
When, in 996, Etrius demonstrated the imminent suspect Therimna's role in the 1185 disappearance of his
decline of hermetic magic, Therimna was seized with fear man, Neru. In a gesture of retaliation, he killed her
for the first time in many years. She worked without unturned apprentice, Pugio. They then reached a tenta
surcease to find an alchemical means of maintaining her tive truce. She convinced Cordwood that she'd slain
youth but failed . In 1026, she began to age rapidly. By that Neru because he'd been about to betray them to loan.
time, she'd guessed that something strange had happened Therimna recently took on the role of envoy to the
to Goratrix, T remere, and others. They no longer seemed Ventrue in Buda-Pest. (The previous diplomat, Contionari,
concerned with the secrets of immortality. She con was captured and slain by the Tzimisce during a return
fronted her old lover, Goratrix, and begged that he share journey.) She makes semi-annual forays there to demand
whatever he'd found. She didn't like the way he reveled in supplies from its prince, the Ventrue Vencel Rikard (see
her weakness; not since she'd been a courtesan in Flanders Transylvania By Night, p.105). She also badgers Rikard to
had he mustered this degree of power over her. After supply Ceoris with Cainite envoys, either from his own clan
making her suffer and grovel, he told her that Ceoris could or from others who owe him favors . Etrius sent Therimna's
scarcely do without its best alchemist and Embraced her. childe, Locus, to Rikard'scourt. A studious thaumaturge but
Therimna felt relief, not horror or guilt, upon her diffident politician, he frequently reminds her of his desire
transformation. Her survival seemed assured, but when the to be replaced by a more suitable candidate.
Tzimisce war worsened, she realized that her continued In terms of her magical research, Therimna has
existence was still in doubt. She worried also about the found her vampiric condition to be real boon. No longer
discovery of the vampire conspiracy by mortal magi. She concerned with her own mortality, she has opened up
began to keep a close eye on her unturned colleagues at new avenues with her alchemy. Thaumaturgic alchemy
Ceoris. Although she occasionally assisted Goratrix in his (see Dark Ages Companion, p. 92) is her creation,
power struggles against Etrius early in the 11 th century, she assuring her further status within the clan.
did so with an eye to secrecy. In 1042, she smothered a mortal Image: Therimna's hair is patchy and discolored
apprentice who'd startled Mendacamina and seen her fangs. from dozens of chemical accidents suffered over the
After she'd slain several others who'd proven too curious for years. The skin of her hands is perpetually raw and flaky.
her liking, Goratrix made official her position as executioner. She shows little concern for dress. Her robes are both
Over the past 150 years, she's killed nearly two dozen magi tatty from overuse and stained from the laboratory.
and apprentices for getting too close to the truth.The first full Roleplaying Hints: During the night, you are con
mage she dispatched was a herbalist named Ntmtius, once a fident in your manipulative prowess, and proud of the
student of hers. He succumbed to her lethal mercies in 1049. way you've kept yourself alive for over three hundred
In 1176, after advances made against the Tremere by the years. But when the baleful light of dawn comes and you
Tzimisce general loan, Therimna began to fret that the must creep into your cold bed, fear seizes you. You can
T remere cause might be doomed. Between the Order of think only of the countless enemies arrayed against you,
Hermes, the church and the various Cainite clans, the of the threat of exposure, and of the fact that in joining
enemies they faced were too strong. It was time once again to all sides, you've only made yourself more alone.
switch patrons. She suborned Neru, one of Paul Cordwood's Secrets: Aside from her alliance with loan, Therimna
best mortal spies, making him her ghoul. She sent him to the now attempts to make herself useful to both the Lasombra
Tztmisce to open negotiations. In 1178, after the exchange and Ventrue. She supplies information on T remere power
of many messages, Therimna left Ceoris, supposedly hunting struggles to Giacomo Guicciardini, hinting that she may
an escaped apprentice. (She'd arranged for the innocent require Lasombra protection if the Tzimisce destroy her
fellow's disappearance herself, to shroud the true nature of clan. She has also indicated to Prince Rikard of Buda-Pest
her journey.) She rendezvoused with loan and promised to that she might be willing to alter her allegiance, given
act as his eyes and ears within Ceoris. Since then, she's sent sufficient motivation. Both men have been cautiously
him htmdreds of messages. She provides him only with receptive, knowing she'll be of greater use to them in
enough information to guarantee her safety if Ceoris is ever Ceoris than as a fugitive from Tremere vengeance.
oveITlUl. She pretends to have little influence over, or
Therimna's thaumaturgic research has also led her
knowledge of, chantry affairs. Whenever she can credibly do
in unique directions. Combining her alchemy as mastery
so, she misleads him. When she does gift him, she makes her
over Cainite blood, she has found ways to break the
betrayals suit her own purposes. A decade ago, a mage
blood oath that ties her to the Tremere pyramid. Her
Embraced by Curaferrum intercepted one ofher messages to
secret alliances are a testament to her free will.
91

Influence: Therimna is respected, perhaps even feared, toys. Virstania showed early aptitude for magic, and was
but also disliked by her peers. Her duties as executioner apprenticed to the chantry's head, Iubara, at the age of
and envoy provide her with ample opportunity to move thirteen. Her natural understanding of esoteric prin
outside the chantry, but give her little influence within it. ciples and eagerness to please allowed her to eclipse older
Destiny: In 1327, a scrying eye placed in Prince apprentices, whose envy she quickly earned. Rather than
Rikard's chambers by Paul Cord wood shows Therimna try to win their friendship, she determined to avenge
betraying T remere secrets to the Ventrue. He attempts their taunts by becoming the chantry's youngest-ever
to capture her upon her return but fails. She seeks refuge full mage. She earned this honor in 1080. Her career at
in Buda-Pest but is cast out by Rikard a decade later on the chantry soon stagnated, however. The older magi
suspicion that she spies against him for the T zimisce. She treated her as a curiosity, not a colleague. She was still
becomes a wanderer, assisting various Cainite overlords younger than many apprentices. She found it impossible
in overseeing their domains. By the 20th century, she to form friendships, or to shield herself from the petty I
works under the name of Uta Kovacs, travelling from infighting of chantry politics. So she decided to make
city to city as a consultant and assassin. Uta Kovacs some companions. She animated clay figures and hybrid
presents herself as an ancient outcast of the T zimisce. ized animals, hiding the oft-gruesome living results ofher
Clan: Tremere experiments from the other magi. By 1105, she was a
Sire: Goratrix graying, friendless mage with a laboratory full of strange,
Nature: Survivor secret animals. In that same year, a Tzimisce assault
Demeanor: Judge leveled Cephesis and sent its surviving inhabitants run
Generation: 6th ning for Ceoris. As she fled her rooms, Virstania clasped
her favorite hybridized beast, a yellow mink with the
Embrace: 1023
head of a sturgeon, to her bosom. However, upon arrival
Apparent Age: varies
in Ceoris, the thing escaped, slithering through
Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4 guardsmen's legs and finally causing fits of hysteria in the
Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2 serving girl's quarters. Goratrix entered their chamber
Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3 and cornered the thing, only to have it die at his feet.
Talents: Acting 2, Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Dodge 3, He did not scold Virstania. Instead, he pronounced
Intimidation 3, Subterfuge 3 her ripe for an undertaking: the creation ofGargoyles. He
Skills: Animal Ken 1, Archery 2, Herbalism 1, Melee 2,
Ride 2, Stealth 2, Survival 2
(French, Flemish) 2, Occult 5
Disciplines: Auspex 5, Dominate 5, Serpentis 1,
Thaumaturgy 6
Thawnaturgical Paths: Perdo Magica 4, Rego Elementum
2, Rego Magica 4, Rego Vitae 5, Thaumaturgical Alchemy
5
Backgrounds: Contacts 4, Status 3 (among Tremere)
Road: Devil 6
Willpower: 10
VIRSTANIH9 MOTHER OF GARGOYLES
8th generation, childe of Brunavog
Nature: Fanatic
Demeanor: Innovator
Embrace: 1111
Apparent Age: mid-30s
Virstania was born in 1060, several hundred miles
southeastofCeoris, at House T remere's Cephesis chantry.
Her father was a warrior retainer of the T remere; her
mother, the chantry's head cook. Virstania has never
known any form of society outside the world ofTremere
magi. She grew up speaking Latin as her first language,
and used discarded alchemical equipment as her play-
92

allowed one of his allies, Brunavog, to Embrace her in Salubri warrior. The loss of his master left Dauud without
1111. Goratrix then sent him away and took over her plans or volition. The worship of Set meant little to him; it
tutelage himself. By the next year, he had her working at was the dynamic, driven Umar he'd been glad to follow. He
his side on the project. Virstania scarcely concerned could not conjure up a plan for himself; he looked back to
herself with the spiritual burdens of vampirism; instead, the days before he drank Umar's blood but could not recall
she blossomed again, excited to finally enjoy the approba any hopes or dreams. Even before his Embrace, he con
tion ofa fellow magus. She put her hybridization techniques cluded, he'd only been a shadow of a man.
to the test, and in 1121, helped Goratrix to create the first He wandered out of the Egyptian capital towards the
Gargoyles. She bathed them in the same unwavering love desert, looking for something to arouse his stillborn pas
she'd given her freakish constructs back in Cephesis. They sions. He founded several local cults of Set in small
responded to her as baby chicks to their mother, and their villages, but inevitably grew bored. Periodically he en
filial instincts made them easy to control. countered Salubri, and did his best to kill them, to avenge
When Goratrix was exiled to Paris in 1133, Virstania Umar. But this also felt empty to him. He considered
thought she'd lost her only friend among man or Cainite. slipping into voluntary torpor, but thought this a surren
(That Goratrix returned her feelings of friendship is der to his flawed character. He continued to wander
open to doubt.) Virstania retreated to the lower cham through Egypt, sometimes joining mixed coteries, helping
bers, continuing her effort to perfect her Gargoyle race. them to find whatever it was they sought. From time to
She brings them into the world, assigns them to their time he thought he'd found a new mentor among them,
tasks, and officiates at their mourning ceremonies. She but in the end, they always disappointed him, and he
encourages them to think of her as their Great Mother. moved on to yet another cycle of pointless experiences.
As the years creep on, Virstania has come to care more This changed in 1132, when, near tne small town of
for the Gargoyles than her fellow Cainites. Her children Dara, he found himself again half-heartedly commanding
still need the protection of Ceoris, she reasons, and will for a bandit gang who preyed on travelers. Dauud's cultists
many more years to come. But someday they'll be an alerted him to the presence in Dara of a pair of Europeans.
independent race all their own, one that both magi and With the aid of an interpreter, they'd been seeking infor
Cainites must fear. Luma, the most ambitious of Vi rstani a's mation on the god Set. Dauud found and befriended one
Gargoyle apprentices, has convinced her that both Esoara of the men: Etrius. Although Etrius did not reveal his
and Paul Cordwood stand in the way of this hope and must Cainite nature, Dauud understood what he was. More
be undermined if not eliminated. Although Virstania
herself has no appetite for infighting, she has extended
permission to Luma to watch the guard captain and master
of spies in search of weaknesses to exploit.
CFUNITES GUESTS AND ALLiES

DAUUD THE COPT
8th generation, childe of Umar
Clan: Followers of Set (rogue)
Nature: Loner
Demeanor: Innovator
Embrace: 902
Dauud was born in Fustat, Egypt, in 877. For centuries,
his family had been stalwarts of the Egyptian Coptic
Church. They led their communities and served various
Islamic dynasties as senior bureaucrats. Dauud, a stolid
fellow accustomed to obeying the expectations ofhis family
and community, took his expected position in the bureau
cracy. At the time, it was riddled with agents of a Setite
named Umar, who sought to crumble the regime from
within. Umar liked Dauud's instinctive obedience and
made him his ghoul. His will dulled by the blood oath,
Dauud unthinkingly followed Umar's instructions for many
years. Finally, Umar Embraced him and began to instruct
him in the ways of Setite blood magic. Unfortunately,
Umar met Final Death a few years later at the hands of a
93

importantly, he was captivated by the ambition that father. The towering, self-possessed man seemed murder
burned in Etrius' eyes. Etrius could be his new Umar, ously angry at first, but, as he interrogated Giacomo, surveyed
giving him strength and purpose! He wanted to throw the murderer with an increasingly wolfish eye.
himself at the man's feet and beg for acceptance, but kept Enrico, it transpired, was a vampire who had long since
his composure. A man as great as Etrius would not value given up on the hope of introducing his foolish wastrel ofa
a spineless bootlick. Etrius was investigating something in son into the fold. This young, daring upstart on the other
Dara, and would be back. Dauud waited for his chance. hand - his actions showed true promise! Enrico demanded
Etrius returned to Dara several times over the next that Giacomo present himself as a newly revealed bastard
decades. Each time he paid a call on Dauud. In 1153, Dauud son. His ghoul servants secretly tutored Giacomo in the
told Etrius he was a Setite. Two years later, Etrius suggested ways of the moneyed elite. After several years proving
that he join the Tremere cause and relocate to Ceoris. Still himself worthy of the privilege, Giacomo won Enrico's
desperate to impress Etrius as a useful minion, Dauud Embrace, and then learned the ways of the Lasombra. He
concealed the true extent ofhis inward elation. Since then sent his "new, true son" to Paris, for further study under the
he has added his knowledge ofSetite mysteries to the grand wing ofa higher-ranking mentor, Raymond the Lesser, one
project of turning hermetic rituals to blood magic. of the powers behind Louis VII's throne. In 1152, when
Dauud took a role in the targeting ofSaulot, which he intermediaries of Goratrix approached Raymond to make
has yet to admit to Etrius. During his periodic attacks on overtures of alliance, Giacomo was dispatched to the Paris
EgyptianSalubri, he slowly assembled a collection ofSalubri chantry to test the possibilities. He cleverly managed his
documents, elements ofwhich corresponded to things he'd relationship with Goratrix, telling his fellow Lasombra that
read in old Setite inscriptions. He did further research, and the Tremere trusted only him. Otherwise, his duties as
was rewarded with a possible resting place of the Salubri envoy to the Tremere would have been turned over to a
Antediluvian, Saulot. In 1128, his cultists at Dara infil more senior Lasombra.
trated a cell of Osiris priests hunting Set's tomb. Dauud fed Giacomo continues to trade on his T remere connec
them false information, pointing them instead to Saulot. tions to enhance his position within his clan. He gets magical
He believes they in tum unwittingly led Tremere to the treasures and secrets from the T remere, doling them out to his
Salubri progenitor. Dauud only realized the connection sire's allies. In return, he filters information on Cainite
between this stratagem and his beloved Etrius in 1153. He politics to the Tremere, both in Paris and Ceoris. He spends
has not told Etrius about this, because he has recently begun perhaps three months a year at Ceoris, wondering how to
to review the incidents which won him the documents in harness the potential ofblood magic and Gargoyle armies to
question. In retrospect, too many coincidences bind them speed his own ascension through Magister ranks.
together. Dauud now fears that some force greater than
himself - Set, surely - made a pawn of him.
Gu\COMO GUICCu\RDINI, MAGISTER ENVOY
10th generation, childe of Enrico Guicciardini
Clan: Lasombra
Nature: Rogue
Demeanor: Survivor
Embrace: 1147
Apparent Age: early 20s
GiacomoGuicciardini's Lasombra fellows would blanch
to know his true origins. He began his life as the son of a rat
catcher, beggar and all-around ne'er-do-well. Giacomo (then
bearing a different surname ) followed in his father's footsteps,
keeping himself barely clothed and fed on Naples' streets.
Forced during a dry spell to resort to prostitution, he was one
day hired by one BeniaminoGuicciardini, son ofa prominent
banker with ties to Naples' republican government. He
contrived to make the young man fall ill love with himso that
he might be showered with costly gifts. A few years into their
relationship, Beniamino caught him sporting with a mistress.
A violentargumentfollowed. Enraged by Beniamino's blows,
Giacomo killed his lover. He had the sense to flee Naples but
was nonetheless captured by agents of Beniamino's father,
who seemed peculiarly adept at tracking his movements.
Giacomowas taken before Enrico Guicciardini, Beniamino's~""::;~==-!IIE;_""".
OF TREMERE
94

Lately it has occurred to him that it might be a clever own course. She traveled to the temple at Erciyes, where
thing to help arrange for the installation in Ceoris of the elder Constancia agreed to become her new teacher
some low-ranking envoys from other clans - provided in exchange for service to the temple and clan. Margaret
that he can secure their true loyalty beforehand. agreed without hesitation; the chance to study with so
learned a thanatologist as the matron of the clan's
l\lARGARET VASA, GRAVEROBBER ENVOY greatest temple was impossible to pass up.
11 th Generation, chi Ide of Wechsel Constancia sent Margaret first to Paris to become
Clan: Cappadocian envoy to Goratrix and now to Ceoris itself. Her duty is to
Nature: Judge learn the secrets of the Usurpers and evaluate their
Demeanor: Innovator threat. The Clan of Death distrusts the newcomers, but
Embrace: 1145 the potential of Thaumaturgy is great indeed. Margaret's
Apparent Age: late teens reports may well determine whether Constancia seeks an
Margaret Vasa, a native of Hungary, merited the alliance with Tremere in the nights to come.
Embrace after surviving a plague that wiped out her Margaret spends about a third of her time at Ceoris
entire vi llage. Walking amidst the pox-ridden corpses of now, assisting Paul Cordwood and Epistatia in their
her friends and family, she sought the ill humor that experiments. She would like to help Virstania, but has
would take her life too. It came in the desiccated form of been barred by Curaferrum from detailed knowledge of
Wechsel, a Graverobber fascinated by plagues. She the Gargoyles.
asked for death and he gave her unlife.
In the 50 years since, Margaret has grown into a prom
isingscholaroftheclan. Wechsel'sobsessionswithpestilence
MORTALMAGK
F\PPELLO, THE HIDDEN DARKNESS
aside, he was a good teacher and prepared her well for the
Background: For generations, Appello's family has
world. For herself, Margaret has taken her new existence in
sent one of its non-inheriting sons to join the Tremere
stride. She was ready for painful death and has found immor
chantry on Crete. The tradition began in the 9th cen
tality and a new world of possibilities instead. She has begun
tury, after Tremere saved the family's head, then a
a study of the animation of corpses and the zombu creatures
humble fisherman, from a witch's curse. In 1130, the
empowered by some of her clan. She has heard that the
fisherman's ranking descendant, now a well-heeled mer
Italian Giovanni have much to teach her in this regard.
chant, sent his second-youngest son, Philip, to become a
A decade ago, Wechsel announced to Margaret that magician. Philip wanted a position in the family trading
he had taught her all he could and sent her to find her concern. Renamed Appello, he became an unruly ap
prentice who passed from master to master. His violent
temper and stubborn refusal to accept their authority
made him nearly impossible to train. The chantry mas
ter, Clementia, asked Tremere for permission to expel
Appello altogether, but was refused on the grounds that
breaking an ancient tradition could bring bad fortune to
the chantry or to Tremere himself. A displeased
Clementia, with beatings and the occasional imprison
ment, worked to tamp down Appello's temper. Eventually
Appello conceded that his spirit had been broken, and
settled down to his studies. He became a mage of reliable
if not extraordinary skill. However, his temper still
flashed from time to time, and Appello made himself
unpopular with each and every one of his Cretan col
leagues. In 1190, perhaps out of pique, Clementia
contrived a justification for Appello's transfer to Ceoris.
Since then, he's continued to work on his personal
research endeavor - an obscure technique he calls
"measuring absence." No one else understands what he
means by this. Ceoris' magi and Cainites are united in
regarding him as a vexing eccentric who must be toler
ated for the sake of peace and quiet.
Image: The tall and muscular Appello looks youthful
despite his approaching dotage. A cleft parts the promi-
TO BE
95

nent chin of his handsome face. When perturbed, his chalk make a certain mark on the doors to their rooms,
voice drops in register and develops a strangled quality. marking them for Kupala's touch.
Roleplaying Hints: You didn't want to be a mage. Influence: Appello has little influence - yet.
They think you've forgotten what they did to you, Destiny: Appello remains at Ceoris until 1329, when
beating you black and blue, but you haven't. Still, you'll Tectusa, an especially rash member of the conspirator's
show them all. Because you're not soft-headed like they faction, decides on a whim to Embrace him. By this time,
are, you can see what others can't. Once you've proven Appello has already transformed into a demonic servitor
your theory of Cosmic Absence, you'll destroy them all. ofKupala's, albeit one capable of maintaining human-like
Secrets: Appello has been in contact with a celestial form. The attempted Embrace slays T ectusa, melting her
entity which identifies itself as All-Root. It has been into corrosive slime, and reveals Appello's true nature to
providing him insight in exchange for certain small the others. He narrowly escapes from Ceoris and heads
favors, the import of which is lost on Appello. He may be west to England. He resurfaces as the abbot of a wealthy
asked to place a crow's skull behind a drape or to lick the monastery, as a financier of exploration during the Renais
pages of an ancient text and then transfer the dust and sance and, in the early 21st century, as a major stakeholder
ink to a cloth. It has warned him to keep these commu in a number of top communications firms.
nications secret, especially from Etrius and Curaferrum. House: T remere
Recently he was instructed to make a trip to Lion's Actual Age: 82
Gate, the Tremere chantry in the English town of Apparent Age: early 30s
Durham. There he met the magus Erro, who had herself Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
been contacted by All-Root during a sojourn at Ceoris. Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2
She identified All-Root as the demon Kupala and re Mental: Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
vealed that she had been promulgating his worship in Talents: Athletics 4, Brawl 3, Dodge 3, Intimidation 3
England. She predicted a great destiny for Appello, Skills: Archery 1, Herbalism 1, Melee 2, Ride 2
promising him that he would one day vent his anger on Knowledges: Academics 2, Linguistics (Greek, Hebrew)
the entire world, making it a fit place for the worshippers 2, Medicine 2, Occult 3
ofKupala. For now, his duty would be to find other likely
Paths: Creo Ignem 1, Infliction 3, Path of Warding 3,
cultists. Kupala now wanted to extend his reach beyond
Summoning 3
the Tremere. He should look to new arrivals to Ceoris,
Backgrounds: Contacts 1
examining them for their suitability. He should with
Vis supply: equivalent of 15 Willpower points
Willpower: 5
BITIURGES, A FOOL FOR ALL TO SEE
Background: The strutting, foppish Bitiurges comes
from a long line ofTremere magi. He grew up in a chantry,
speaks Latin as his first language, and knows little of the
mundane world that he hasn't read in a book. He changes
havens every five years or so, and has lived in every
T remere chantry at one time or another. He's also lived as
a guest in several chantries belonging to rival houses. This
makes him a splendid source of gossip, a pastime in which
he indulges with naughty delight. Although he plays the
fool and is uninterested in laborious research, he enjoys a
reputation for working magic skillfully.
Image: Bitiurges wears ornate tunics, colorful leg
gings, and elaborate hats. He feels undressed unless he
has at least three feathers pinned to his tunic or sticking
out of his hat. He punctuates his small, round face with
a large moustache and small goatee.
Roleplaying Hints: The wise man knows when to
play the fool. You know when to blabber out what you
know and when to hold your tongue. You know that
something is amiss at Ceoris, and you intend to learn
what it is without being slain.
Secrets: The shade of Ponticulus recently took
control of Bitiurges's body long enough to dictate to him
~~~~
96

(Old Akkadian, Babylonian, Arabic, Ugaritic) 4, Occult 4
Paths: Divination 2, Enchantment 3, Ephemera 5, Path
of Warding 4
Backgrounds: Contacts 4, Resources 3, Retainers 1
Vis supply: equivalent of 17 Willpower points
Willpower: 7
OMNIFER, THE STRONG
Background: Omnifer was born in Swabia in 936, the
son of an armorer. Under his given name, Reinhard, he
fought in King Henry the Fowler's Saxon Army. In 956, he
was assigned to guard a woman granted free passage through
Saxony. That woman was T osia, still stinging from the
defection ofCanalista, an apprentice she'd felt great affec
tion for. T osia resolved to find a man to be her next
apprentice, reasoning that she could bettersee through him
if he began to scheme against her. Brusque and na'ive,
Reinhard was taken with his charismatic charge, and con
fessed to her his dislike of the soldier's life. She saw only
middling talent but great forthrightness in the young man,
and offered him a new life as her apprentice. He struggled
with religious qualms throughout the journey, but contin
ued on with Tosia after reaching the king's border.
Though not a clever student, he showed persever
ance; he finally became a full mage in 980 and adopted the
name Omnifer. He stayed by Tosia's side at the
Transylvanian chantry of Umor Mons until its final de
a detailed missive detailing the history ofCeoris' vampiric struction in 1176. Shortly before the exodus, he experienced
conspiracy. (Its text appears as Chapter One of this a vision of the Virgin in the woods. She told him that she
book.) Although Ponticulus meant him to take action was granting him a terrible boon that would test his
against Tremere and his allies, Bitiurges has drawn his strength. It would cause him great suffering, but would
own conclusions. He keeps the letter on his person at all allow him to know a truth that must be revealed. If he
times so it will not be discovered as he patiently awaits endured, he would be absolved of the sin of witchcraft.
his own opportunity to be Embraced. Before Omnifer could ask any questions, the vision disap
Influence: Bitiurges exercises surprising influence. He peared. The incident troubled him for many years, but
has guessed the secrets of many Ceoris residents. He knows nothing came of it, and gradually he put it out ofhis mind.
who despises whom, and, should someone take a dislike to it came back to him two years ago, when his right arm
him, can covertly engineer a plot against his rival simply by became increasingly stiff and actually began to tum to
dropping discreet hints into the appropriate ears. stone. Its ossification began at the fingertips and has now
Destiny: In 1202, when the Order of Hermes discov worked its way up to his shoulder. He can't feel the
ers the Tremere secret, it is Bitiurges who brings advance petrified portions, but the skin and muscle directly abut
warning to Etrius. In exchange for his service, he wins the ting them are perpetually inflamed and radiate pain through
Embrace he has hoped for. In 1707 he apparently defects his body. Although the part of him that is a dispassionate
to the antitribu, but by 1917 is back among the T remere. magus thinks that this may be a symptom of his immortal
He apparently dies in 1977 during an assault by West ity magic slowly going awry, his faithful soul tells him that
German police on a terrorist hideout serving as his haven. this is a religious tribulation.
House: Tremere The pain is so great as to prevent him from sleeping
Actual Age: 40 more than a few hours each night. He has taken to
Apparent Age: 40 wandering the chantry halls when he cannot sleep.
Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2 Having seen the nighttime activities ofCeoris firsthand,
Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3 he has concluded that something is terribly wrong.
Tremere, Etrius, Curaferrum and perhaps others are
surely engaged in diabolic worship. This must be the
Talents: Acting 2 Alertness 2, Dodge 3, Empathy 2
truth the Blessed Virgin wanted him to see. He has been
Skills: Etiquette 1, Herbalism 1, Music 1, Ride 1, Stealth 1
_ __afflicted in order that they might be revealed.
~..r'''''''

Omnifer's forthrightness, courage and military bearing calm
their fears. Although she is the senior mage of the group of
concerned mortals, it is Omnifer they tum to for guidance.
Destiny: In 1202, when the Hermetic Order casts out
House T remere and brands them as anathema, Omnifer
helps many mortal magi, including T osia, escape Ceoris'
Gargoyles. He makes his way north and joins a small cabal of
mortal T remere refugees who eventually take the name
House Liban. Several decades later, his health failing and his
curse of ossification creeping into his chest, he travels south
to attempt to find T osia. He falls before the Inquisition
instead and feeds a pyre in France. (For more on House Liban,
see Sorcerer, Revised Edition for Mage: The Ascension.)
House: Tremere
Actual Age: 261
Empathy 3, Leadership 4
Skills: Herbalism 2, Melee 2, Ride 2, Stealth 2, Survival 3
(Norse, Arabic, Gaelic, Burgundian, Frisian) 5, Occult
5, Politics 3, Science 2
Paths: Creo Ignem 5, Enchantment 3, Perdo Magica 3,
Way of the Levinbolt 4
Backgrounds: Allies 3, Contacts 3, Retainers 3
Omnifer told T osia, who had suspicions of her own. Vis supply: equivalent of 30 Willpower points
Together they lead a group of mortal magi secretly con Willpower: 8
cerned with the night doings of Ceoris. T osia has warned
them to step carefully. Omnifer has sworn to do so, but finds TOSIA, THE HOLY MOTHER
it difficult not to share his darkest speculations with others, Background: Born over six hundred years ago into a
to lighten the burden he labors under. His judgment is scholarly Athenian family, T asia is the longest-serving
clouded both by constant pain and the inability to sleep. T remere mage outside the circle of Cainites. In the early
Image: Omnifer's rectangular, flat-planed face and days of the house, she stood alongside Goratrix as one of
strongly-set features present an image of stony determina Tremere's closest advisors, and she helped him in his
tion. Beads ofsweat gather cons tantl yon his furrowed brow, attempt to take over the Order of Hermes after its creation.
hinting at the pain he so resolutely conceals. Except at T osia was taught by her skeptical parents to disbelieve
ceremonial occasions, he wears a soldier's simple off-duty in gods of all kinds. They were merely representations of
outfit. A dagger at his belt also suggests his soldierly past. human hopes and fears, her father told her. She brought this
Roleplaying Hints: You mustn't allow anyone to attitude with her into her life as a mage. But in 869, she
know the extent of your suffering. You were raised as a experienced a religious conversion. While investigating a
man, and men conceal their weaknesses. You worry that crypt near Jerusalem, she was seized by a vision. She saw the
Tosia is too cautious; when she's ready to act, YOll might dead Christ rise and ascend from the tomb. The more she
be a man entirely made of stone. A worse fear is that tried to forget the experience or dismiss it as the result of
you'll fail the Virgin's test, and suffer damnation. malfunctioning magic, the more it took hold on her mind.
Secrets: Anxious to bring the mystery of Ceoris to a She wrestled with the significance of the vision for decades
head Omnifer recently sent a message to the Archbishop before finally seeking out a priest and submitting to baptism.
ofVienna, a church official known for his permissive view During her years ofspiri tual crisis, she distanced herse Iffrom
of the Hermetic Order. In it, he strongly hints ofdiabolism T remere and his schemes. T osia didn't confront him; she
at Ceoris, but does not spell out his accusations. simply retreated into her research and made herself unavail
Influence: WithoutOmnifer, many ofthe mortal magi able when he prosecuted his vendettas against various rival
would be afraid to follow T osia. They don't trust her to magi. Although Christian magi weren't unknown in the
make practical decisions or keep her head in a cnSLS. House, T asia kept her beliefs to herself for over thirty years

after her baptism. She quietly built relationships with other chantry as enemies approached its gates. A horde of
Christian T remere. In 928, she supervised construction of screaming bat-men (that is, fleshcrafted T zimisce war
the chantry at Umor Mons, which harvested vis from a ghouls) razed Umor Mons for good in 1176. Several of
magical stream high in the Transylvanian Alps. She en T asia's young allies died to permit her escape to Ceoris.
couraged other devout T remere to join her there, and by T osia sensed the curse hanging over Ceoris at once, but
950 the majority of the house's Christians called it home. for many years thought it the result of malign sendings from
Etrius, too interested in currying favor with T remere to the night creatures. Only in the last few years has the
accept the almost monastic existence at Umor Mons magi, insomniac Omnifer convinced her that Ceoris' evil lies
proved a notable exception. within. Neither suspects a vampiric transformation; instead,
In 954, her apprentice, Canalista, betrayed her. Tosia they have uncovered evidence of Etrius' failed researches at
had kept an encoded journal of her spiritual reflections, the tum of the century and smell the spoor ofdevil-worship.
which included many unfavorable descriptions of T asia resists Omnifer's demands for a quick confrontation. If
Tremere's actions over the centuries. Canalista stole the T remere and Etrius are in a demon's grip, their power might
journal, decoded it, and passed her notes along to Etrius. be incalculable. She was humiliated by T remere once before
He in tum gave them to T remere, who challenged T osia and knows the setback she'll face if she lunges at him and
to certarnen, a magical duel. T osia knew that T remere, the misses. She wants to be sure of victory before she strikes.
originator of this form of sorcerous combat, was bound to Image: The sin that most challenges T osia is pride, as
win. She declined the duel, losing the respect of her her appearance shows. She's kept herself youthful, if not
Christian followers. Although she remained the chantry's young and nubile. Her warm, attractive features are framed
titular leader, its magi began to treat her as a figurehead, by a wreath of golden hair. Colorful velvet robes display
instead deferring to the orders of its castellano Canalista her plump figure. On ceremonial occasions, she permits
accepted a prestigious posting to Etrius' Vienna chantry. herself a display ofcleavage, offset by a silver crucifix worn
In 956, Tosia took Omnifer as her apprentice. She'd around her neck. As hermetic methods of immortality
always taught women before, but had now decided they become more difficult to work, T osia must devote increas
couldn't be trusted. As the 11 th century dawned, she'd ing time and energy to her rituals of rejuvenation. If
surrounded herself with a new, younger group of loyal encountered at a time of anxiety or preoccupation, she
ists, and was again in command at U mor Mons. Then the may suddenly appear much older than is her norm.
Tzimisce attacks began. Three times she had to flee the Roleplaying Hints: Christ expects much ofyou. It is
not enough merely to be virtuous; you must be successful
in smiting his enemies. All depends on you. If you are
embarrassed or shown to be weak, then the cause of
Christ among the T remere is damaged. You must there
fore act cautiously and within the bounds of Christian
morality. If Tremere's power were to tempt you to sacri
fice your soul's purity in your attempt to bring him down,
he would enjoy the greatest victory of all.
Secrets: Tosia has begun to see diabolism every
where. Etrius, whom she once thought pure, is clearly
leader of some Satanic undertaking. Her closest aid
Omnifer, apparently loyal, still suffers from a curse of
ossification she can't help but believe is derived from
some mark on his soul. Magic, it seems, is inherently
unholy. Seeking guidance, Tosia has begun a correspon
dence with some scholars within the Church.
Influence: T osia is respected by the mortal magi who
suspect diabolism at Ceoris - but in the way one might
respect a battle-scarred old veteran who is no longer up to
the fight. They trust her spiritual guidance, but look to
Omnifer for plans ofaction. Ceoris' Cainites underestimate
her as a threat, having dismissed her as a force in T remere
affairs ever since her refusal of certarnen against T remere.
Destiny: In 1202, in large part because of reports
from T osia, the Order discovers the truth about T remere
and declares war on his House. Unfortunately for Tosia,
Tremere spies know about the decision as soon as it is
99

made and she must flee into the night. She joins with the task. The mean man listed the many rules he'd have to live
other hermetic houses, but sees evil in them as well. By by. It was easy for a servant to be killed here, he said.
1225, she has fled to the church and joined the emergent Hadu learned the rules. In the eating hall, he sat
Inquisition, ready to redeem herself. Soon thereafter she with the youngest of the other servants. He was not bad
hears word ofOmnifer. Knowing him to be devil-spawn, looking, and found a serving girl who would talk to him.
she gladly sends him to the pyre. Her name was Zuha. He came to love her, and soon they
House: T remere were stealing time together. She told him one of the
Actual Age: 630 visiting witch-men had ordered her to clean out his
Apparent Age: mid-50s room. Then he'd made her do other things. She'd found
Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2 some parchments he'd hidden under his wardrobe.
Social: Charisma 4, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3 Hadu asked to see them. If the visitor was hiding the
Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 5, Wits 2 parchments, they had to be interesting. Hadu took the
Talents: Dodge 5, Empathy 3, Intimidation 2, Leadership 2 papers to the new castellan, Curaferrum. He said the
Skills: Etiquette 3, Herbalism 5, Ride 1 parchments weren't important, but that Hadu's deci
Knowledges: Academics 5, Investigation 2, Linguistics sion to bring them showed intelligence unusual in a
(Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, ancient Egyptian, French) 5, mere serving boy. He made Hadu assistant to the
Medicine 1, Occult 5, Science 2 steward, an old, stooped man like his grandfather. Hadu
did his job well. One day the old steward was gone from
Paths: Divination 4, Ephemera 5, Healing 4, Herbal
his bed. Hadu didn't know why. He sought out
Ways 4, Perdo Magica 2, Summoning 4
Curaferrum and argued that he could do all the things
Backgrounds: Allies 5, Contacts 5, Influence 3, Re
the vanished man had done had, faster and better.
sources 3, Retainers 3
Curaferrum made him steward. But he also made him
Vis supply: equivalent of 30 Willpower points drink a potion in an opaque flask. He warned Hadu that
Willpower: 10 he'd be changed. He would live forever, Curaferrum
SERvIwrSAND 5tAvJe;
promised. He would have to take three doses of the
philter, spaced out over as many nights.
When Hadu drank the last dose, he fainted. When he
GHOULS awoke, he looked at himself in the mirror. He was old and
HADU 9 STEWARD OF CEORIS
Ghoul of Curaferrum
Nature: Fanatic
Demeanor: Caretaker
Actual Age: 50
Apparent Age: 90
Hadu was born in a nearby village. He grew up
hearing tales of the mage-men in the black castle on the
mountain. He'dseen their servants come to town. Dressed
in fine clothes, well-fed, armed and assured, they were
everything he wanted to be. He looked at his grandfather,
who'd raised him alone after sickness came and took the
rest of his family from him. His grandfather, also called
Hadu, was stooped and dirty. His cattle were dying. A
cough rattled around in his chest, sure to claim him soon.
Hadu loved his grandfather but did not want to end up as
he had. He wanted to be a mage-man's servant. The next
time the men from the castle came to leave packages in
the storehouse, he begged to join them. They gruffly
poked at him, pinching him to see how much meat he had
on him, and lifting his upper lip to inspect his gums. They
left, making no promises. Weeks later, they came for him,
and took him to the terrible castle. There he trembled
alone in a dark room until a forbidding old man entered
and gave him his orders. He would start by swabbing
floors. Ifhe did well, perhaps one day he would get a better
100

stooped, like the man before him. "I had to make you look
old, so the others wouldn't be jealous," Curaferrum told
him. They'll think you infirm and stupid, and loosen their
tongues in your presence. You'll take what they say and
report it to me.
Hadu thought he should be angry, but wasn't. He
loved Curaferrum now. When Zuha saw him wrinkled
and rheumy -eyed, she cried, but Hadu cared not. He
warned Curaferrum that he might have to get rid of her.
Curaferrum decided otherwise. He wanted his ghouls to
get along. He needed a new head cook. Other servants
had told him the girl was as clever as he. He'd feed her
his potion, too. Hadu felt jealous. He didn't want Zuha
to share in this beautiful thing. But she did. She came to
him, her skin like a dried river bed and her breasts like
a cow's saggy teats. She told him she'd been pregnant
with his son when she drank the potion. Now it would
not be born right, but it no longer seemed to matter.
Hadu thought upon this, and realized he did not care
either. He asked Zuha how she knew it was a son, and she
said, "Because I feel him inside me, more than ever."
Hadu shrugged. Something about it troubled him, but
he would not let it affect his love for Curaferrum.
Later Hadu realized that there were other ghouls of
Curaferrum's on the servants' rolls. He didn't like this. He GARGOYLES
would have to get rid of them if he could do so without
disappointing the master he so loved. This all happened PIDUS, T llE S HHUNKEN BE ST
over fifty years ago. No one seems to have noticed that 10th generation Gargoyle
Hadu hasn't gotten any older, or died, in the interim. No Nature: Innovator
one notices him. He is like the tapestries, the furniture, the Demeanor: Loner
very stone from which Ceoris is carved: He is always Manufacture: 1187
present but scarcely noticed. Fidus is ten years old. He's the youngest of the four
ZUHH, MISTRESS OF THE KITCHENS apprentices, having impressed V irs tan ia with his eagerness and
Ghoul of Curaferrum
Nature: Fanatic
Demeanor: Child
Actual Age: 60
Apparent Age: 60
Much of Zuha's story is told above, as part of Hadu's.
She was born to a serving girl in the castle, raised in a
neighboring village, then recruited to serve as her mother
had. She fell in love with the bright-eyed and ambitious
Hadu. She was pregnant with his child when Curaferrum
made her his ghoul, as he had done with Hadu. Zuha forgot
to love Hadu and started loving Curaferrum instead. He
made her head of the kitchen staff.
Fifty years after her first taste ofCuraferrum's vitae, the
fetus still gurgles and kicks inside her womb. This is not
supposed to happen when pregnant women become ghouls,
but Ceoris is a place where strange things happen. Zuha
long ago grew inured to the discomfort.
Zuha spies on the other servants and makes sure they
obey Curaferrum's commands. She is especially vigilant
with new servants, who might be infiltrators from outside.
--~~~~--~~~~~~~~
101

intelligence. Unless he can possibly help it, he never leaves her tasks for Virstania. She submits to the indignity to learn
side. Too weak and defonned to act as a guard or take part in more about her mistress and the secrets of her race.
raids, he makes himself useful in other ways. Of the four, he's Luma is a slender creature with the serene, lovely
the only one who has any actual insight into magic. He can face of an ancient Greek statue. Her long, sensuously
read and has even given Virstania useful magical advice on a curving claws and razor-tipped wings somehow add to
few occasions. Looking at Virstania's rituals, Fidus sees some her unearthly beauty. Her alabaster-like skin glows a
ways to change them so that Gargoyles might be more faint yellow; the effect is only visible in the dark.
independent-minded. However, he sees no use for this knowl
edge because he thinks they're not loyal enough now SAXUM, MASTER OF SLAVES
A mere four feet tall, Fidus has a perpetually bowed neck, 8th generation Gargoyle
attached to which is a long head dominated by a curved beak. Nature: Autocrat
His eyes look like tiny, sparkling black beads. Fidus' wings are Demeanor: Defender
small, twisted and useless. He drools uncontrollably and Manufactured 1123
speaks with a lisp others may find comical. Saxum is the quietly dominating leader of Virstania's
LUMA, STONE BEAUTY Gargoyle apprentices. (There are three ofthem, in addition
9th generation Gargoyle to himself.) He is the oldest surviving Gargoyle, having
Nature: Rebel been created in 1123 . (The original, Chaundice, went
missing in 1127 and is presumed destroyed.) As well as
Demeanor: Tyrant
assisting Virstania in her experiments, Sax urn acts as Gar
Manufacture: 1183
goyle leader, passing her instructions to the others. He
Luma was born fourteen years ago. Virstania wishes breaks up figh ts, parcels ou t focx:l and conveys compla in ts to
she could precisely duplicate the conditions of her manu the Great Mother. His loyalty is to her, not the T remere.
facture to get more like her. Luma is not only one of the
Saxum is an exemplary specimen of the basic Gargoyle
most aggressive Gargoyles, but also the most charis
matic. Other Gargoyles instinctively heed her commands. type. His facial features are strongly chiseled, almost heroic.
The males all wish to copulate with her but are too His stony skin is smooth, like marble and his musculature
frightened to approach without permission. impressive. His wingspan is longer than many of his type, at
Luma has, without Virstania's knowledge, inveigled
two recently-spawned Gargoyles, Crystallus and Am
pulla, into blood oath with her. Each was created using
the same ritual methods as Luma, and is a spitting image
her. Luma now serves as one of Vi rstani a's assistants. Of
the four, she is the least interested in performing menial
102

ten feet from one fully outstretched tip to the other. He l?ULSATIO, LOST ApPRENTICE
proud lywears agold-trimmed robe given tohim by Virstania. Mortal apprentice of House T remere
Nature: Defender
PRISONERS Demeanor: Defender
The following poor souls languish in the prisons of Actual Age: 35
Ceoris as of 1197. Apparent Age: mid-30s
i TERA, WRETCHED USURPER The brawny mortal Pulsatio served as both body
7th generation T remere, childe of Malgorzata guard and apprentice to T osia, the most influential of
Nature: Architect Ceoris' unturned mages. He was taken prisoner very
recently, after asking too many questions at a council
Demeanor: Judge
meeting. He didn't know what was going on before, but
Embrace: 1197
since his imprisonment has assembled the clues. Pulsatio
Apparent Age: late 30s thinks he can escape by overpowering the guards on the
Itera is a visiting mage recently embraced by Malgorzata. way to the torture chamber. Thus, he has to give
She wrote a letter to Probitas, head of House T remere's Cordwood a reason to torture him. He's made up a story
Perugia chantry, warning him ofa vampiric plot at Ceoris. She in which he's been sent by a rival Hermetic House to
did not suspect that Probitas had already been turned or that uncover the mystery of the T remere. He intends to tell
the conspiracy extended beyond Ceoris. Etrius wants Itera his story a little bit at a time , enduring torture sess ions
kept alive asa reminderofMalgorzata's folly. Malgorzata wants until he gets a chance to make a run for it. Then he'll try
her dead. Curaferrum has removed Malgorzata'sghoul guards to find T osia and rally the mortal mages against Ceoris'
men from the dungeons to prevent her from having Itera night-creatures. His great confidence prevents him from
killed. This infuriates Malgorzata and may provoke a new seeing the sheer folly of seeking out torture.
spate of factional intrigue in Ceoris.
VILICH, LEPER MARTYR
M ARTA, CHARLATAN Spy
12 th generation Nosferatu, childe of T ybald
9th generation Ravnos, childe ofVassily Taltos
Nature: Loner
Nature: Survivor
Demeanor: Penitent
Demeanor: Rogue
Embrace: 1193
Embrace: 1175
Apparent Age: unknown
Vilich is a Nosferatu neonate opportunistically
The Ravnos who calls herself Marta was caught after
captured by Gargoyles during a cattle raid. His sire leads
infiltrating Ceoris in the guise of a serving girl. Curaferrum
a hermit's existence, embracing only the occasional
found her lying wounded in front of his door, injured by the
village outcast so he can have someone to talk to and
sigil of warding he'd placed on it. Marta was blinded by the
play chess with. Vilich's sire taught him to be wary of
blast. Cordwood now feeds her enough blood to regenerate
her eyes. Then, as soon as she's recovered dim glimpses of involvement in Cainite wars, especially the battle
sight, he coolly blinds her with a hot poker. He's done this against the strange new witch-clan. Vilich laments his
three times now, and Marta is almost ready to talk. She's capture as a terrible and unfair twist of fate. He begs for
claimed so far that she wanted to penetrate Ceoris merely for his survival to anyone who will listen. Although he's
the trickster ish joy of it because she'd been told it was been truthful when he says he knows nothing about
impregnable. But in fact the Tzimisce warlord Vladimir Nosferatu efforts against the T remere, Paul Cordwood
Rustovitch (see Transylvania By Night, p. 117) secured her doesn't believe him. Cord wood subjects him to regular
services in exchange for the freedom of her mortal brother, torture sessions, marveling at the young Cainite's abil
whom he holds prisoner. Marta has already decided to admit ity to keep his secrets while suffering unimaginably. If
she works for Rustovitch, but not the part about her brother. freed, Vilich would want only to escape Ceoris as
She hopes to trick Cord wood by offering tospyon Rustovitch quickly and safely as possible.
for him.
103

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105

struction (Perdo) of a single category of force or object.
THAUMATUGIC
Common categories include animals, each of the four
classical elements, the mind or plants. The Latin term for
DEVELOPMENTS
the force orobject appears as the second word of the path's
name. For example, a path permitting the thaumaturge to
In the two centuries or so since T remere and his
create illnesses would be called Creo Malum.
fellows became vampires, much of their efforts have been
dedicated to finding ways to preserve and recover their The process of research involves years of effort
abilities at magical arts. The new blood magic they call poring over dusty tomes, making calculations and per
Thaumaturgy is the product of that research, which is still forming alchemical tests. The key is uncovering the
on going. In the overall scheme ofthings, T remere and the various ways in which to mimic hermetic effects through
other thaumaturges are still in the early phase of their the powers ofCainite blood. The thaumaturge begins by
work. They have established the basic workings of creating the first power in the path, and then creates
Thaumaturgy and are busy adapting hermetic arts and successively more mighty magics, until he has created at
rituals to its demands (using the Rego Magica path de least five powers. Thaumaturges who gain a rating of 6 in
tailed below). Relatively little innovation has taken place, the created path may improvise additionally powerful
with the notable exception of the blood-centered Rego effects. The vampire may make extensive notes allowing
Vitae path. In a few decades, House Tremere breaks once others to learn the path or commit the secrets to memory
and for all with the mortal Order of Hermes. This marks so he can keep them to himself. If he fai Is to take notes
the end of the "conversion" phase of thaumaturgic devel during the process of creation, however, he'll find it very
opment, both because T remere and Etrius have exhausted difficult to teach it to another thaumaturge later.
the most viable arts and rituals and because they are System: The player creates a power by writing it up in
banned from the great hermetic libraries. From the middle the format given here, with descriptive information on its
of the 13th century onward, Thaumaturgy takes its own capabilities listed in a paragraph or two followed by specific
course separate from that of hermetic lore. information on game mechanics in a paragraph labeled
Readers interested in the development of "System."The Storyteller has final say over the path and the
Thaumaturgy and other forms of blood magic may wish individual power; it should meet the following criteria:
to consult Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy. • It must match the desired dot rating. If the charac
Those who wish to see the gulf that comes to separate ter is creating his first power in the path, it must be a
T remere and hermetic magi in the subsequent centuries one-dot power. After that, he must create a two-dot
can consult Blood Treachery, a supplement for Mage: power, and so on.
The Ascension. Neither book is necessary to enjoy • The vampire's rating in Rego Magica must exceed
House of Tremere or use the systems below, however. the power's desired dot rating by at least 2.
The following two thaumaturgic paths are available • It must be roughly as effective as powers from other
only at the Storyteller's discretion. Rego Magica is T remere paths which share its dot rating. Levell powers
especially rare and appears here mostly to give Storytell have no greater effect on a story than the movement of
ers a glimpse at the process of magical conversion an object weighing a pound, the summoning of fog or a
underway. Perdo Magica is somewhat more widely known. candle-sized flame, viewing past events in a specific
location or the increase of Attributes by spending Will
REGO MAGICA (NEW PATH) power. Level 2 powers are about as effective as forcing
another vampire to involuntarily spend blood points, the
Tremere, Goratrix and Etrius devised this path to
movement of 20 pounds, the summoning of rain or the
allow them to convert Hermetic techniques to blood
magic. T remere has ordered that knowledge of this path chance to converse with an inanimate object. Level 3
powers do things like allow the vampire to temporarily
be tightly controlled. He doesn't want his juniors devising
decrease his effective generation, create a campfire-sized
paths he doesn't himselfknow. That could be disastrous in
flame, move 200 pounds, remove 1 health level per
the event of a rebellion. The path also offers a formidable
success scored over the victim's opposing roll or cause a
array of techniques to use against enemy magi. Therimna
chair to grab its occupant. Level4 powers are ofsufficient
and Curaferrum have been trained in the path: the former
magnitude to steal blood points from a distance, summon
to better ply them; the latter to more efficiently slay them.
The Inner Circle knows of its existence, though not all of a bonfire or storm, move 500 pounds or create a watery
them can use the path. At present, no one else walks it. wall through which supernatural beings can't pass. Level
5 should be no less powerful than those which remove
CREATING NEW PATHS both health levels and blood points per success, call
After a suitable period of research into equivalent down lightning, move 1000 pounds or summon a mighty
Hermetic magics, the thaumaturge can create a new path entity from another realm of being.
which he, and thaumaturges after him, may use. The path The Storyteller may modify the system paragraph to
must revolve around the creation (Creo), control (Rego), bring it more in line with other comparable powers. She
perception (lntellego), transformation (Muto) or de
OF ~~~T-
106

may penuit the power's victim a roll to resist, making it less each of the power's dots before a new attempt can be made.
effective for each success scored, scale the effect to the If a power proves unsatisfactory in play, Storytellers
number of successes scored, increase or decrease the should reserve the right to revise its system details. They
effect's size or impose requirements on the user, such as his should introduce additional limitations to scale back
physical proximity to the effect or an expenditure of extra powers too useful for their dot-ratings, while being just as
blood points in addition to the usual 1 per power use. quick to boost the effectiveness of powers that turn out
• It must fit the overall theme of the path. For to be lackluster.
example, if the player is creating the Creo Malum path,
the power must create a disease. CREATING NEW RITUALS
• It may not duplicate the effect of another path or Rego Magica also allows the creation of new blood
Discipline power. (It may, however, offer a broader rituals. The thaumaturge wishing to do so must first
version of an effect conferred by an existing ritual.) conduct extensive research into existing hermetic ritu
Storytellers needn't worry about powers listed in books als. She endeavors to find those which most closely
to which they don't have access. Extremely common duplicate the desired effect and must then select and
effects - such as the dealing of damage - may be purify ritual items which correspond to the forces she
accepted if they propose a unique twist on the basic wishes to control. The ritual actions she performs with
formula or simply seem too entertaining to reject. these items serves as a visual metaphor for the magic she
Once player and Storyteller have arrived at a final wishes to create. For example, if she wishes to create a
write-up for the power, the character embarks on a period ritual which binds an unsuspecting victim to her will, she
of extensi ve research, looking for ways to tum theory into might select a bng's scepter (representing command)
practice. He must spend one year for each of the power's and a marionette (to stand for the target). In the course
dots, assuming that the thaumaturge can devote at least of the ritual, she might attach the marionette's strings to
thirty hours per week to his efforts. Having spent that the control stick and then wave the scepter over the
time, the vampire rolls Intelligence + Occult (difficulty completed puppet. The act of stringing the marionette
6); he must score a number of successes equal to or greater represents her desired dominance over the subject, as
than the power's dot rating. Failure requires a return to the does the waving of the scepter.
library and laboratory, spending at least six months for She must go to her laboratory and formulate salts,
humors or salves. These might fortify the caster during
107

the ritual, effect necessary transformations in the ritual ethos. The effects to which Tremere rituals are best
items (including their destruction) or work directly suited are as follows:
upon the target item or individual. She must devise the • The effect interferes with the natural composition
chants and incantations used to unleash the ritual's of living or unliving beings, such as the Gargoyle and
innate power. For this purpose, she must employ a hybrid creature rituals listed later in this chapter.
manual of calculations, established by Goratrix, which • It offers protection from the T remere's many enemies.
adjust hermetic formulae for the use of blood magi. ~his • It alters the laws of vampirism to assist in their
manual is still very much a work in progress and proVIdes survival.
only rough equivalencies useful for experimentation;
However, the Tremere are still in their early, cre
the thaumaturge must still make adjustments in her lab.
ative stage, and may be able to branch out into new areas
Once she's devised her ritual, she rehearses it exten if Storytellers so decide.
sively, practicing its movements and incantations and
If the Storyteller accepts the effect, she must then
repeatedly testing any required alchemical reaction~ . She
assign a ritual level to it by comparing the new ritual to
inserts harmless mock chants and movements at pIvotal
existing ones in terms of its usefulness to the caster and
moments, so as not to draw down powerful magic before she
the degree of change it exerts on its target. Effects that
is sure of the means to harness it. During this time she must
will have only a small impact on the course of a story
remain wary of lurking impish spirits or other forces drawn
merit low ri tuallevels. Ones wi th the potential to abruptly
by the potential for malign mischief. They may attempt to
change the direction of a storyline demand high levels.
confuse her mind, so that she practices movements and
Similarly, effects that bring about widespread or obvious ,
invocations bound to rain disaster down on her.
change require high ritual levels.
Finally she attempts the ritual, knowing that she
Although the level determines the standard difficulty
may get one of three results. She may succeed in estab
of a ritual, the Storyteller can always add additional require
lishing it as a permanent, reasonably reliable method of
ments to limit the use of a mighty effect. The most reliable
evoking the desired effect. She may fail in such a way as
of these is a blood point cost. Start with a cost of 1 Blood
to allow her to retrace her steps and re-attempt the ritual
point perrituallevel and adjust as needed. A Storyteller may
later. Or she may suffer a catastrophe which carries
also require the expenditure of rare or valuable items in the
various immediate consequences, but also prevents her
execution of a ritual, stipulate that it requires the help of
from ever successfully establishing the ritual or passing
assistants or other thaumaturges, extend the time required
along her notes to another for completion.
to cast the ritual or limit the duration of its effect. Never use
Assuming the first result, the final step in finalizing the exact results of a botch as a limiting factor, even if they're
a successful new ritual is to give it a suitably poetic name. especially nasty. Botches should never be predictable so
The brief phrase is written on a piece of parchment and that Storytellers can enjoy free rein in deviously fitting
burned, so that all of creation's elementals and demons them to the circumstances at hand.
may know and fear it.
(Players can always build limitations into their de
System: The player creates a ritual write-up follow scription in advance, hoping to sway a Storyteller to
ing the format seen here or other products. The first their cause. Some Storytellers may wish to evoke the
section describes, without rules mechanics, the effect of rigors of the research process by refusing to suggest
the ritual and provides a brief description of the means limitations themselves. Instead, they'll simply reject the
required to evoke it. ritual as written and send the player back to the drawing
Storytellers first check to see if the effect is similar to board without specific guidance as to how to improve it.)
that of another Discipline or ritual. They need only Once player and Storyteller have by whatever means
worry about those listed in books to which th~y have arrived at an acceptable ritual, the character may at
access. If the effect is already known, the caster dIscovers tempt to make the ritual part of the T remere canon, and
this during the early stages of research and can't go to learn it herself. The amount of time she must expend
forward. If the effect is not known, the Storyteller then in researching and rehearsing the ritual is as follows:
asks himself if it conforms to the themes associated with
The times listed here assume that the thaumaturge
Tremere magic. The details of the ritual should evoke
spends the vast bulk of her research time on this single
the rationalistic, callous and semi-scientific Tremere
ritual and that her other obligations do not prevent her
Level Time for Original Research Time Before Another Try

One 1 Month 1 Week
Two 3 Months 1 Month
Three 1 Year 3 Months
3 Years 1 Year
10 Years 5 Years
108

Research Successes Perfonnance Successes Result
0 0 The ritual has not been created. Any further attempts the thaumaturge makes
to create it (or something very similar) are doomed to fail.
1+ 0 The ritual has not been created. The thaumaturge can try again by spending
the time listed above under "Time Before Another Try."
2+ 0 The thaumaturge has successfully created a ritual she does not herself yet fully
understand. After devoting the retry period to additional research, she learns
the new ritual, with no further rolls required.
0 1+ The ritual has not been created. The thaumaturge can try again by spending
the time listed above under "Time Before Another Try."
0 2+ The effect manifests itself, but the thaumaturge can't repeat the ritual or teach
it to others. She can try again by spending the time listed above under "Time
Before Another Try."
1+ 1+ The ritual has been created; its effects manifest themselves.
from devoting at least 30 hours a week to research. At the

end of this time, she makes two rolls. Normally the CIRCUMVENTING RITUAL
vampire may proceed with these rolls only ifher dots in LEVEL LIMITATIONS
Rego Magica exceed the level of the ritual by at least 2.

The first is an Intelligence + Occult (difficulty 5) roll;
this measures her success in researching the ritual. She
must then actually perform the ritual successfully; the
second roll is therefore that of the ritual she wishes to
create. Results vary depending on the successes scored in
each roll, as per the following chart.
After successfully creating a ritual, the thaumaturge
is the only one who knows it. If she wishes to share it with
others, she can teach them directly, or write down
detailed instructions in a book or on a scroll. Writing the
ritual down makes it easier for far-distant colleagues to
learn, but also creates an opportunity for rivals to pilfer
a copy and wield the effect without permission. Ceoris's
researchers are highly jealous of one another and never
casually share the fruits of their research. They loosen
their grips on their magical secrets when they wish to
cement alliances, settle grievances or provide compen
sation for services rendered.
COMBINING EFFORTS
Thaumaturges can overcome limitations on the cre
ation of paths or rituals by working in concert. To find the
single effective Rego Magica rating of a group of researchers,
subtract 1 from the Rego Magica score of each participating
individual, and then add them together. Only one of the
researchers may make the rolls necessary for success. A chantry lord has the right to order one practitioner
The ability to combine research efforts exerts a great of Rego Magica to assist another. Thaumaturges bitterly
influence over Ceoris politics. The research assistance of resent being forced to abandon their own projects to serve
other blood magicians is a highly coveted commodity. a colleague's interests, so a wise lord uses this rule sparingly.
The offer of assistance is a powerful inducement, and is
often used to settle feuds or bartered for other potent PERDO MHGICH
favors. For example, Mendacamina once persuaded Cainite Tremere continue to exist cheek-by-jowl with
Epistatia to bring a mage she hunted back to Ceoris as a un turned magi, and wisely fear their abilities. They adapted
prisoner instead of killing him on the spot. She did this by the following path from Hermetic practice in order to
promising to aid her with her latest soul migration ritual. defend themselves against mortal colleagues. When per
(Mendacamina wanted toslay the fellow herself-slowly.) forming countermagic, the thaumaturge makes a dismissive
--~-- OF THE
109

gesture, as if swatting away gnats, and speaks a brief incan Creative vampires may devise other uses for the
tation. The path offers several dozen of these incantations, ritual. For example, it is more disheartening to the kin of
each of them corresponding to a force or element com one's enemy to drop a fresh-looking head in his lap than
monly present in magical workings. The incantation to to deliver a mere skull. It is also useful in the formation
dispel fire magic includes a reference to water, for example. of alibis; by the time discoverers find a body treated in
The path partially counters other types of sorcery, this way, the caster may have traveled many leagues
including necromancy and the Setite, Assamite and away, leaving a corpse that looks fresh-killed. This ritual
Koldunic practices. Perdo Magica does not counter non can also preserve blood for later consumption.
sorcerous Disciplines, however. System: Simple success preserves five blood points or
Perdo Magica will prove its usefulness soon, when 100 pounds of meat from a single specimen for up to a
House Tremere is banned by the Order of Hermes, usher week. Players can spend additional successes to extend the
ing in an eighty-year war against their former fellows. preservation time (one week per success) or the amount
When the war ends, the T remere leadership discourages preserved (five blood point/lOO pounds per success).
the use of this path because it is also effective against Historical Note: The advent of refrigeration makes
Thaumaturgy. The clan's most powerful thaumaturges do this ritual a relic of the past.
not want others to know how to swat away their deadliest
workings. By the time of the modem nights, the Order of Now ITS SIGHT Is OURS
Hermes will have altered its practices enough to make This ritual creates a scrying device which can be used
Perdo Magica ineffective, while the T remere concentrate to observe enemies and events from safety; Paul Cordwood
on undoing their internal enemies' workings. In the devised it for his use and that of his spies. The ritual
modem nights, it becomes Thaumaturgical Countermagic requires a three-inch, golden pin, a length of wire, a small
(see Guide to the Camarilla, p. 108). golden claw cast in the shape ofa rooster's foot, some of the
System: The vampire may nullify the effect of any caster's vitae, and a human victim with at least one
Thaumaturgic or Hermetic path or ritual, provided that his healthy eye. As the ritual begins, the victim is on her
rating in Perdo Magica equals or exceeds the dots of the knees, bound, gagged and blindfolded. The ritualist (or an
path power or the level of the ritual. The player spends one assistant; usually two helpers are required to restrain the
blood point and rolls a number of dice equal to twice the victim during the stage to follow) removes the victim's
character's Perdo Magica rating (difficulty equal to that of blindfold and shines a bright light into his face. Using a
the effect being nullified). Each success he rolls cancels out caliper, the vampire plucks out the desired eye, taking care
a success scored by the opposing magician. When counter not to unduly damage it. While assistants remove the
ing paths and rituals which are neither Thaumaturgic nor victim, the ritualist speaks a series of incantations and
Hermetic, the vampire's Perdo Magica die pool is halved. pierces the eye with the pin. He attaches the pin to the
wire and the wire to the claw, draws the eye through the
THAUMATURGIC smoke of several censers as a preservative measure and
then dips it in a pool of his own vitae that rests in a golden
bowl inscribed with the image of Thoth, Egyptian god of
RITUALS knowledge. The vitae is then drawn off, placed in a
Ceoris is currently the center of Tremere learning. solution of preservative salts and essences and saved.
In the emerging art of thaumaturgic blood magic, it is the The device can now be placed in any location the
first university. As such, it is home to a variety of unique vampire wishes to survey from a distance. The claw is
and new rituals, many of which are unknown beyond its used to secure it to a surface. Needless to say, it must be
walls. Unless otherwise indicated, all rituals require the well-hidden from observant targets.
standard Intelligence + Occult (difficulty 4 + level of the To see through the eye of the device, the user (who
ritual) roll. The default time to cast a ritual is five must be a vampire, but needn't be the original ritualist)
minutes per level. ingests the vitae potion. The device takes over his visual
perceptions; instead of what stands before him, he sees
LEVEL ONE RITUALS what the device sees.
System: The ritualist must spend at least 3 blood
THE CARRION FLY DELAYED
points in making the vitae potion but is not limited to
This ritual allows for the preservation of body parts that quantity. Each point yields four doses of the potion.
from living (or unliving) beings so that they can be used
Using the device requires no roll, unless the user is fed
in rituals demanding fresh fleshy components long after
the prepared blood unwillingly. In that case she may roll
being hewn from their original owners. The caster must
Willpower against a difficulty of9 to resist the vision. The
make a series of incantations before vivisecting the
image flooding the user's vision is flat; a single eye yields
living victim. He conducts the vivisection and then
no perception of depth. It is purely visual, conveying no
passes the desired parts through smoke from a censer
sounds, smells or other sensory information. The user may
burning alchemical salts.
vary the duration of the vision by altering the quantity of
110

the vitae potion she drinks. It lasts for ten minutes for The item must be properly displayed to allow the
every dose consumed. The potion does not also nourish movements of the hand or face to be clearly seen. A hand
the drinker; it can't be used to increase her blood pool. is placed on the end of a series of copper rods, constructed
The eye remains potent until destroyed but is useless to provide an arm's range ofmovement, a mask in a rounded
without the correct potion of blood. The original metal frame. The viewer may then deduce the current
thaumaturge, and only the original thaumaturge, can activities of the victim from the articulations of the hand or
perform a new ritual using an existing eye (and no new the expressions of the face. If the victim writes something,
victims) to gain further doses of blood. Each time this is apen may be placed in the hand to provide an indistinguish
done to a single eye, the ritual difficulty rises by 2. able facsimile of the document. The mask boasts a
well-formed mouth, lips and tongue, and reproduces all
LEVEL Two RITUALS sounds made by the victim. (A touch of an agate-tipped
wand induces it to silence, if the user so desires. Two quick
DUST OF REMEMBRANCE touches gets it talking again.) Once created, the ritualist
Curaferrum devised this ritual to alert him to signs may give it to someone else with instructions for care.
ofdisorder in his chantry . To perform it, the thaumaturge
The ritualist may at any time sever the connection
severs one of her fingers, allowing it to crumble to
between victim and item. In the case of the mask it is
corpse-dust as he grows a new one. She combines the
sometimes useful to do this. The mask retains its articu
dust with myrrh, wine dregs, silver powder and salt
lation, and can be worn on the face to disguise oneself as
extracted from the tears of a child, allows the mixture to the victim. When used in this way, the mask moves to
dry and then performs a series of incantations. The result
conform to the wearer's facial manipulations. Although
is several drams of whitish powder. The thaumaturge
the false face seems real and is difficult to distinguish
sprinkles the powder on an object of interest to her. If the
from that of the victim, it confers to the user no addi
object is moved while she is not in its presence, the
tional ability to mimic his characteristic expressions.
thaumaturge feels a sharp pain in her regrown finger.
The ritualist cannot reestablish a severed connection.
The castellan uses this strategically by placing dust The skin that makes up the item is in some sense
on certain doors to know when unwanted intrusions
alive and must be kept that way. The user nourishes the
occur. He also sometimes makes petty use of it. He might
hand by bathing it in a blood and water solution once a
place the dust in linen closets to catch out the mortal
week. The solution requires 3 blood points to make.
servants, or on a tapestry depicting Etrius, to see who has
been splattering it with paint. IT STEALS YOUR WHISPERS
System: The ritualist may sprinkle the dust on up to The ritualist creates a device with which he can hear
twenty objects during the ritual. She can tell which of sounds over a great distance. Also designed by Paul Cordwcxxi,
them is being interfered if the player passes an Intelligence it is similar to the ritual Now Its Sight Is Ours (p.IIO), with
+ Occult roll. The connection with prepared objects lasts the following exceptions: The body part taken from the
for one lunar month per success on the ritual roll. human victim is an ear; the ritualist must saw it off with a
small, silver saw, on the handle of which appears an image of
MEMBRANOUS ApPROPRIATION Hades, Greek god ofthe underworld. The ear is dipped in the
The raw material for this ritual is the reconsti vampire's vitae, which is then drawn off into an elixir. The
tuted skin that appears in the ritualist's alchemical ritualist coats the surface of a copper hom with the vapor.
apparatus after a Cainite is attacked by skin eaters (see
System: Assuming a successful ritual, the vampire
p. 123). Unlike other rituals using this material, the
has created an item which can then be secretly placed in
thaumaturge must take care that the skin derives only
a location of interest. It captures any sound within
from a single individual. The ritualist kneads the skin
human earshot of it, sending it to the copper horn.
like bread dough, then cooks it in an oven heated not
Anyone drinking a portion of the elixir hears the cap
by flame, but by distillate of vis (see p. 129) . She
tured sounds. The ritualist player must spend at least
removes it from the alchemical oven partway through
three blood points, but may spend more. For every point
the cooking process and then sculpts it into either a
spent, the ritual creates one dose of elixir.
right hand or a mask-like visage. She returns it to the
l oven, periodically basting it with alum, pine resin and The duration of the remote hearing depends on the
powdered serpent scales. amount ofelixir the user takes: the effect spans 10 minutes
for every dose consumed. During this time he is unable to
System: When the ri tual is complete, the thaumaturge hear sounds emanating from the area around him. The
possesses an object with a link to the individual whose
elixir is not nourishing; the drinker's blood pool does not
skin she used. It may be a disembodied hand or a mask. If
increase. The magic disregards distance or obstacles be
the victim is conscious, either item will begin to pulse and
tween ear and horn. The device does not clarify muffled
twitch and within moments begin to reproduce the subject's sounds or translate languages unknown to the listener.
movements as he makes them. Distance between victim
and item proves no impediment. Like an eye in Cordwood's other ritual, the ear
remains potent until destroyed, but is useless without the
111

correct potion of blood. The original thaumaturge, and tion, although the regenerative abilities of vampires
only the original thaumaturge, can perform a new ritual mean such an affliction is often temporary.
using an existing ear {and no new victims} togain further Assuming a successful ritual, the eye stays open so
does of blood. Each time this is done with a single ear long as the subject avoids Final Death. If the subject goes
raises the ritual difficulty by 2. into torpor, the lids of the eyes close shut. They open
again when he awakens. If the subject meets Final Death,
Y OUR FATE SHALL BE KNOWN the eye crumbles into dust. The eye therefore serves as an
The thaumaturge exchanges blood with a willing indicator of the user's general fate.
participant who may be either a Cainite or ghoul. The
thaumaturge then uses a small golden needle to pen LEVEL THREE RITUALS
etrate one of the subject's eyes and withdraw a small
amount of vitreous humor, the jelly-like substance that CRUCIBLE OF SYMPATHETIC AGONY
fills the eyeball. She takes an agate or other semi Mendacamina, Ceoris's chief torturer, performs much
precious stone and rubs the humor onto it. Over the of her ministrations using perfectly mundane and effec
course of a week, the gem is passed through a series of tive techniques. She has, however, bent her thaumaturgic
alchemical vapors. A human-like skin forms around the talents to pushing back the frontiers of pain and persua
gem during this process. When it is complete, the skin sion. Crucible of Sympathetic Agony disassociates the
splits in two, revealing that the gem has become an eye. torture victim's bcxly from his pain, hence getting around
Paul Cordwood designed the ritual to keep track of his many mental strongholds. It is ideally suited to creating
spy network. He keeps the eyes on a pendant which he obedience but does have other uses.
wears beneath his tunic. Virstania also uses the ritual to Two victims are placed together on a long iron-shod
know the fates offavored Gargoyles. She's attached the eyes bed so that their feet touch. The ritualist sews the soles
to a silver crown, which she sometimes wears in her of their feet together. If the victims are capable oforgasm,
laboratories. assistants work to stimulate each, with the object of
System: Performing the ritual {whether successful bringing them to ecstasy at the same moment. If the
or not} causes one level of lethal damage to the con ritualist has a Cainite collaborator, the two of them
cerned vampire or ghoul. A botch may result in additional simultaneously feed from the subjects when climax comes,
levels of damage or blindness at the Storyteller's discre so as to intensify the effect. Then the thaumaturge begins
112

to torture one subject with implements that have been return the soul to the body, although it may linger as a
bathed in alchemical salts and vapors. ghost at the Storyteller's discretion.
The second subject feels all of the agony suffered by Two successes indicate that the soul has indeed traveled
the first, but remains physically unharmed. The suffering into the animal, but cannot be returned. The victim lives the
of the first subject batters down any resistance he could rest of the animal's lifespan trapped in its bcxly. It lacks the
otherwise muster against cracking under torture. If the animal's instincts and may be ill-equipped to survive. A
first victim is slain, the second feels what it is like to die. semblance of the victim's intellect, shorn of memory, desire
System: If the thaumaturge is using the ritual as a or willpower, remains in the human body. The soulless being
simple aid to torture, successes on the player's ritual roll is suggestible and follows instructions given by the
add to his dice pool for a subsequent torture or interroga thaumaturge, but only if they do not require interpretation.
tion roll. If the ritual is used to create simple obedience, It continues to follow the instructions when out of the
however, the ritual roll itself is opposed by a Willpower ritualist's presence, but only for a few minutes. After it realizes
roll from the victim's player. If the ritualist obtains any net that the thaumaturge is no longer present, it simply stops. It
successes, the victim agrees to carry out whatever instruc either remains standing or curls up on the ground in the fetal
tions the thaumaturge issues to him, short of killing position. Without volition, it doesn't even seek its own basic
himself outright. If the thaumaturge's successes exceed survival and will die of thirst if not ordered to drink.
the victim's by two or more, she can, at will, re-evoke the Three successes allows the thaumaturge to return the
pain experienced by the victim during the height of the victim's soul to his body at the ritual's conclusion. The victim
ritual, provided she can make eye contact with him. retains no memory ofthe time his soul spent outside his body.
If the thaumaturge's orders place the victim in immedi Four successes not only allow the soul's return to its body, but
ate mortal danger, the Storyteller may allow a second permit the victim to report sensations he experienced both in
Willpower roll (difficulty 8) to resist the commands until the the animal's bcxly and during the transmigration. In each of
danger passes. A victim under orders has a broken will and the latter two cases, the soul remains transgressed for approxi
although not in a trance per se, appears listless and spent. mately two hours, less ten minutes for each point of the
victim's Willpower. The victim's player can nullify the effect
DISPLACEMENT OF THE PNEUMA entirely by spending Willpower points in excess of the
A prisoner is suspended inside a frame of copper ritualist's dots in Thaumaturgy.
tubing, secured to it by an elaborate system ofleather belts Note: This ritual is a work in progress, the most
and iron chains. Clamps are placed on the victim's eyelids, coherent expression so far of Epistatia's researches into
forcing them open. Copper clips are clamped onto inci soul migration. She considers it successful if she is able to
sions in the victim's neck, over his heart, kidney and glean memories and impressions from the victim after
stomach, on his genitals and inside his rectum. Alchemi ward. She keeps careful notes of these extra-bodily
cal vapors are wafted onto him, with the aid of a bellows. sensations, hoping she will one day be able to use them
If the victim passes out from pain or terror, the ritual must to design a more complete ritual. Her ultimate aim is to
be suspended until he recovers consciousness. be able to possess a victim's body at will, with no
An animal, such as a goat or ewe, is led into the room. permanent harm to either soul. She continues these
It is placed in a cage and also incised at various critical points investigations out of curiosity, even though the house
of its anatomy, and clips attached. The clips connect to cat has found a different replacement for Hermetic immor
gut strings, which all lead to a simmering vat. The tality. She does not know where they will lead, but is sure
thaumaturge performs incantations to draw the energies of that there is power in them.
extra-worldly beings into the vat. She ritually "slays" the
prisoner by drawing a dull blade across his throat. The blade icHOR OF THE HEXAPED
is hollow and contains a quantity of her own blood; a lever The hexaped is an unusual form ofGargoyle that tracks
on the trick blade releases the blood, which gushes down its victims and, when it confronts them, coats them in a
onto the victim's chest. The ritual works best if the victim substance establishing a psychic link between victim and
is unaware of the trickery and momentarily believes he's hexaped (see p. 124). In order to make use of the link, the
seeing his own throat being slashed. vampire uses this ritual to crush the juice from the hex aped's
At this moment, the thaumaturge shouts a word of bcxlyfordistillation. The hexaped, which must be conscious
power into the victim's ear, as loudly as she can. If during the ritual, is lowered into a gigantic, man-sized press.
successful, she shocks the victim's soul out of his body. It Although less intelligent than otherGargoyles, the hexaped
travels through the clips, along the cat-gut, into the vat generally realizes what is about to happen and fights to free
and then out into the body of the animal. itself from whatever restraints its captors have put on it. If
System: One success means that the victim's soul it does escape, it certainly attacks its tormentors. If it does
has been separated from the body, but has not traveled not, the bearers lower it into the press and then struggle to
into the animal. The victim might as well have been place heavy planks over its top, preventing the hexaped
murdered by mundane means. There is no known way to from springing out. Then, as the vampire chants and draws
a series of arcane sigils in the air, the assistants begin to turn
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the large wheel that controls the vise-like press. The • Stage Two: Finding of Correspondences. The
hexaped squinns on the wire mesh flooring of the press. As vampire identifies the qualities she wishes to invest into
the two halves of the vise squeeze the life out of it, its blood the new creature. She consults scholarly texts concerning
and other juices drip down through the mesh and collect in the natural world. She takes preserved parts of the crea
a copper trough below. The sludgy mass drips from there tures vivisected during the first stage and bathes them in
into a silver bucket. When no more ichor can be pressed alchemical substances. Through these means, she deter
from the beast, the vampire takes the full pail back to his mines which parts of the creature house the qualities she
laboratory, where he mixes it with myrrh, copper powder, seeks. For example, she may wish to create a centipede
wine dregs and some ofhis own vitae. He then pours it into with the tracking instincts of a bloodhound. She may
a shallow silver bowl about three feet in diameter. After surmise that the instincts are resident in the bloodhound's
another round of chanting, accompanied by the burning of snout, but must confirm this by subjecting a snout to
six kinds of incense, an image appears in the greenish-red alchemical testing. When she is satisfied that she has
liquid in the bowl. When looking into the bowl, the located the correct body parts, she proceeds. This process
thaumaturge can now see a blurry representation of what takes roughly two nights of research after which the
the hexaped's victim sees. Ifhe leans forward and concen thaumaturge rolls Intelligence + Occult (difficulty 6).
trates a bit, he can hear the victim's surface thoughts like a • Stage Three: Constructing the Fetal Entity. She
quiet voice in the back of his own head. then takes a living specimen of each creature to be used
Epistatia is responsible for the creation of the and vivisects it. She puts aside the vivisected parts iden
hexaped. She made it for Paul Cordwood, to show the tified during the finding ofcorrespondences, as well as any
inefficacy of his own petty rituals. Though at first both required to give the animal its desired anatomy. (If she
annoyed and appalled by her gesture, he has since had wants a centipede with the head of an owl, she must have
occasion to usefully employ them. Like the simulacra an owl's head and centipede's body.) She places these in
(see p. 126), he finds them as useful for their demoraliz a sac made from the uterus of a cow, sheep or other large
ingeffect on those unlucky enough to behold them as for animal. She then places them in a gestation chamber. This
any information they might gather for him. may be a barrel filled with a uterine solution created by
System: One success allows watchers to see what the alchemy. More powerfully, it might be the womb of
victim sees; two are required to hear his thoughts. Unless the creature created by a previous casting of this ritual to serve
vampire got three or more successes, the victim experiences as a birthing device for further horrors. (The creature in
a haunting sense of surveillance whenever the thaumaturge Virstania's Birthing Annex, p. 67, provides an example of
looks into the bowl. The liquid must be refreshed with a point this technique.) This takes a few hours of work, after
of the thaumaturge's blood every week. Ifnot, it congeals into which the player rolls Dexterity + Medicine (difficulty 6).
a clotted mass and no longer receives images. • Stage Four: Donning the Creator's Mantle.
Historical Note: The Tremere's use of hexapeds Using an astrological ephemeris, the vampire calculates
largely comes to an end when they join the Camarilla the amount of time required for gestation. When the
and accept the terms of the Masquerade. creature is ready to be born, she opens the gestation
barrel or makes an incision in the birthing beast's belly.
POPULA.TE NIGHT'S GA.RDENS She pulls the newborn creature loose and breathes the
With this ritual, the vampire creates a hybrid crea smoke of burned blood salts on it with a bellows. The
ture from animals oftwo or more different types. Virstania, vampire must now exercise great caution, as the new
Malgorzata and Goratrix established it as a prelude to the creature may immediately attack, especially if it was bred
Gargoyle project with some assistance supplied by for viciousness. The minimum duration of gestation is at
Epistatia. Only Virstania continues as an enthusiastic the Storyteller's discretion, and the player rolls Intelli
user of the ritual, the results of which she seems to enjoy gence + Occult (difficulty 7). The use of a living womb
for their own sake. The others find her obsession with during stage three lowers the difficulty of stage four to 5.
the hybrids gratuitously morbid and are glad to put The amount of blood used during the final stage
behind them their memories of its creation. depends on the new creature's desired game statistics. The
System: The ritual takes place in stages. The vam player must spend 3 blood points for each dot of Strength,
pire can leave as much time as she wishes between stages. Dexterity, Stamina or Perception and 9 blood points for
The player must succeed at each stage before the vam each dot ofCharisma, Manipulation, Intelligence or Wits,
pire can proceed to the next; failure at any stage does not which animals generally do not possess. Alertness, Brawl,
invalidate previous successes, however. Dodge, Intimidation, Stealth and Survival also cost3 points
• Stage One: Vivisection. The vampire vivisects at least per dot. Animals imbued with Intelligence may, at the
three living specimens of each animal type to be hybridized. Storyteller's discretion, use other Abilities, at a cost of5 per
She draws exacting diagrams of the creatures' anatomies, point. Every point of damage done by creature when it
naming the parts. The process takes two full nights of work, attacks costs 1 blood point. Infrequently-used attacks may
afterwhich the player rolls Dexterity + Medicine (difficulty 5). cost only half a blood point per point of damage. The
Storyteller may levy additional blood costs for special
114

attacks or abilities, such as poisonous bites, petrifying gazes, System: If there are no magicians (characters with
unusual senses or exotic methods of locomotion. dots in any path of hedge wizardry or other supernatural
The final stage of the ritual may take place over a long powers) within a hundred feet of the quicksilver eel
period of time, allowing the ritualist to store up the needed when freed, it beelines in a random direction until it
blood. It is also possible to collaborate with others, drawing finds one or loses its potency. The device remains potent
blood from apprentices. Virstania's Gargoyles are worship for a number of days equal to twice the successes of the
fully ready to assist her whenever she calls on them for blood. player's role to invoke the ritual. The eel harms the
The ritual creates short-lived creatures; they die after magician by devouring his individual will, thought by
a number of days equal to the blood spent on the final hermetic magi to be the seat of all magical power. The
stage. Neither does the ritual grant the caster any control victim suffers no wounds when the eel burrows into him,
over the creature. However, both problems can be solved although he can certainly feel it swimming up through
if the vampire chooses to ghoul its creation, which grants his flesh and sinew. For each day it remains installed in
the standard advantages of longevity and obedience. the target's brain, it permanently lowers the magician's
The creatures are infertile, but the caster can attempt an Willpower by one. Any path, numina or other mortal
additional Intellect + Occult roll (difficulty 8) at the conclu supernatural Trait rated equal or higher than the
sion of Donning the Creator's Mantle. If successful, the character's Willpower is also reduced by one at the time .
creature is fertile and may be bred with another specimen of If the victim's Willpower drops to 0 while the
its exact type. (Ghoul creatures lose whatever fertility they quicksilver eel is still active, he rolls Stamina. Failure
once had.) Breeding the creatures requires an Intelligence + means instantaneous death, as the tissues of his brain dry
Animal Ken (difficulty 7) roll. It takes up to five days before up and crumble to dust. One or more success allows him
the success of the attempt is determined. One specimen is to linger as a mindless, drooling husk of his former self.
born for each success. Bred specimens are of a random sex, If the eel survives its victim, it may be extracted from
usually fertile and enjoy lifespans about thirty times longer the body. If distilled down, it provides 2 points of vis for
than their created parents. Subsequent generations maintain every point of Willpower it devoured. The type of vis
the fertility and longevity of their parents. matches that most often used by the victim.
Historical Note: When Virstania leaves the T remere,
the ritual is forgotten. Although copies of it still exist in LEVEL FOUR RITUALS
Vienna chantry and a few other chantries, modem Cainites
would hesitate before risking the Masquerade with large THE BRONZE HEAD SPEAKS
scale production of hideous hybrid beasts. Mendacamina devised this ritual to counteract a vexing
limitation of the Auspex Discipline. While the Steal Secrets
QUICKSILVER EEL power makes it possible to experience the surface thoughts of
By mixing various alchemical substances in his labo a victim, the results are often a series of annoying visual
ratory, the thaumaturge creates a device which can burrow images. When seeking the plans and secrets of the enemy, the
into the flesh of a mage and steal his will. The ritual Tremere require precision. When they ask a prisoner where
produces a writhing ball of quicksilver about the size of a the nearest T zimisce haven is, they want anexact description,
man's fist. It must be placed in a non-porous container for not a cloudy vision ofa babbling brook and a moonlit bridge.
transport. A glass flask with a stopper works best. This ritual permits the desired exactitude, at least when the
When the user (who need not be its creator) finds subject is a bound and helpless prisoner headed for vivisection
himself in the presence of a mortal mage, he releases the on Virstania's lab tables.
device from its container. (In a combat situation, he As assistants chant an elegy to lost souls, warning
might lob the glass flask to smash at his enemy's feet.) them that another doomed one is about to join them, the
When released, the device comes to a semblance of life, ritualist rubs the victim's head in an alchemical salve
resembling a silvery liquid tadpole with a face full of that saps the will, melts off interfering hair, and softens
dagger-like teeth. The device launches itself at the clos the skull. She then takes a flexible bronze tube (a
est magician, burrowing through clothes or shoe leather cannula) with a sharpened end (a trocar) and jabs it
into his flesh. It then works its way up the victim's through the prisoner's right temple and on into his brain.
skeletal structure from within, riding up the spinal col The tube is attached to a manually-operated pump.
umn into the brain. From there it begins to devour the Assistants turn the pump's crank wheel throughout the
victim's will and with it his ability to wield magic. rest of the process, drawing the victim's pulped brain
This ritual was devised by Epistatia for use in weaken matter through the tubing to a large bronze head. The
ing or even destroying the mortal mages she must sometimes head is expensive to produce and must be made by master
hunt down. She finds this manifestation of her creativity craftsmen. It stands about two feet high and has an
endlessly fascinating. She sometimes sits by a victim's side articulated jaw for speech. Its eyes are balls of ivory
as the device takes its toll on him, verbally taunting him as suspended in small, liquid-filled crystals; these bobble
his willpower flickers away like the wick of a dying candle. around whenever the victim suffers a jolt of pain or pang
of regret from the secrets it hears revealed.
115

Once the .head sputters to its semblance of life, the elemental. Then she sends a swarm of the tiny, manufac
ritualist may ask it questions. The head's knowledge is tured insects called skin eaters (see p. 127) out to dine on
restricted to the memories of the victim, but the unwilling a victim. When they do, much of the victim's skin appears
ness or failing memory ofthe prisoner poses no impediment in the glass apparatus. The thaumaturge now has the raw
to the head. The head can dredge down into his mind to free materials to create a velluma. She flattens the skin with a
up long-buried remembrances ofhis pre-Cainite life or even hot iron, taking care not to scorch it. Then she stretches
memories suppressed by magical means. The further a it out onto a wire frame whose shape mimics the outline of
memory from the victim's conscious understanding, the the human body. She summons spirits of illusion called
longer the head must take to scoop it out. phantasms and induces one to enter the flattened sheet of
The head does not speak with the voice of the victim; skin, which it then animates.
instead it has a rudimentary persona of its own. The head This ritual was devised by Virstania in a convoluted
atCeoris, dubbed Paracelsus, behaves obsequiously, asking attempt to make further use of a previous creation, the
after Mendacamina's health and taking every opportunity skin eaters. She presented the first velluma as a gift to
to praise the perspicacity that led her to construct him. He Paul Cordwood in a gesture of peace required when one
may also make grim jokes at the victim's expense or of her favored Gargoyles broke the neck of one of his
volunteer humiliating information about him. ("This one apprentices. Though at first skeptical of the things'
was very sinful with his sister when he was ordinary flesh, utility, Cordwood now encourages her to create them for
I'm sad to say.") When having a hard time finding an him. She doles them out generously, hoping to secure
answer to a question, it might exhort the assistants to pump Cordwood's support when she one day petitions Etrius
harder or warn Mendacamina that the victim's now and Tremere to extend greater rights to her Gargoyles.
spongy brain is unlikely to hold out much longer. System: The player rolls Dexterity + Occult (diffi
Mendacamina is not always amused by his banter and may culty 6) for the ritualist to make a form suitable for
order him to silence himself, which he does. animation, and then Charisma + Occult (difficulty 6) for
No two heads have exactly the same personality, her to lure a phantasm. The velluma lives for six months
though all are in some way chillingly disregardful of the per success in the latter roll. Because much blood is
victim's suffering. spilled by the victim of the skin eaters, the ritualist need
System: The thaumaturge's player rolls Intelligence not supply any of her own.
+ Occult (as normal), opposed by the victim's Stamina Historical Note: Virstania takes her notes on the
+ Fortitude (difficulty 9). Each net success provides the manufacture of vellumae with her when she leaves
thaumaturge with one immediately useful piece of infor Ceoris. Modem Tremere do not know the ritual.
mation. The exact content is up to the Storyteller.
A mortal, or a ghoul without Fortitude, cannot LEVEL FIVE RITUALS
survive the process of having her brain pulped. Vam
pires, especially those with Fortitude (and ghouls with AT OUR COMMAND IT BREATHES
that Discipline), have a chance of surviving because of This ritual permits the creationofa Gargoyle from the
their inhuman regenerative abilities. The player rolls dismembered parts of slain Cainites and is the process
Stamina + Fortitude (difficulty 9) and requires three through which the first of that line came into being. The
successes for the character to survive and end the torture vampire (with assistants, if desired) takes fresh-cut por
session in torpor. Five successes leave the character tions from the bodies of various victims and sews them
Incapacitated instead. Ghouls cannot enter torpor and together into a single humanoid form . She then sews a sac
so need five successes even to survive. made from an animal's womb (usually from a cow but
A vampire killed by the ritual can be vivisected for sometimes sheep or deer) around her creation. The sac is
the purpose of using him as raw material for a Gargoyle, then suspended in a cask containing an alchemical equiva
provided that his pieces can be used right away or lent of the womb's waters or placed inside an oversized,
magically preserved. specially prepared female Gargoyle for gestation. During a
Historical Note: Although Paracelsus is destroyed period ranging from one to three months, the thaumaturge
with Ceoris in 1476, the ritual survived, and several must periodically visit the gestating Gargoyle and perform
major Tremere chantries built new bronze heads when various incantations and blessings. If she is away from the
they found themselves at war with enemies. The ritual is gestation chamber for more than a week at a time, the fetal
still in use today, its intrusive capabilities hardly eclipsed Gargoyle dies and cannot be revived. Finally the Gargoyle
by lie detectors or truth serums. either forces its way down the living mother's birth canal
or bursts forth from its cask. The ritualist must be present
FURTIVE INTEGUMENT to waft purifying smoke onto the newborn Gargoyle. Any
The thaumaturge creates one specimen of a quasi other Gargoyles within half a mile instinctively sense the
Gargoyle called a vellum a (see p. 127). The ritual takes impending birth of a new brother. They feel a powerful
place in two steps. First, the magician consecrates a series urge to flock to its side when it is born and lick the bodily
ofglass flasks and beakers by seeking the blessing of a flesh fluids off its skin. Although this custom helps bond the

Gargoyle to its new community, it is not a requisite of the victim's and the humor. The entire process takes at least six
ritual. A Gargoyle can be born in isolation. hours. Receptacles lose three health levels. They may also
System: The thaumaturge sews together pieces of suffer other ill-effects related to the nature of the humor,
Cainites in order to form a full humanoid shape and to especially if used repeatedly for this purpose. (Those who
grant various capabilities to the new Gargoyle. The serve as a receptacle for three times are subject to the blood
correspondence of parts to capabilities is laid out in a oath.) The substance remains dormant in the user's system
variety ofancient and arcane medical texts (for example, until he wishes to make use of its power. Then he speaks a
the heart provides courage and resolve, the eyes percep brief incantation which activates its inherent magic.
tion and wisdom) but also depends on specific alchemical Unless otherwise noted, only the player of the ritualist
preparations. Physical beauty is beyond the ritual's capa who created the humor need make a roll. He makes the
bilities, though. All Gargoyles appear stony and twisted. standard Intelligence + Occult roll against a difficulty equal
The thaumaturge makes the ritual roll as the fetal sac to 4 + level. A single success indicates that the vampire has
is put into gestation. The roll is Intelligence + Occult successfully prepared the humor and infused it into the
(difficulty 9 + one for each donor after the first) . An Gargoyle through the receptacle. The Gargoyle's playerneed
unlivingwomb (such as that of Alvusia, see p. 67) reduces not make a roll; unless otherwise noted, activation is auto
the difficulty by 4. A single success allows the creation of matic as long as the Gargoy Ie can speak the proper incantation.
a Gargoyle character built according to the standard Humors exist in what Malgorzata euphemistically
character creation rules (see Book of Storyteller Se calls "a stage prior to perfection." In other words, their
crets). The basic blood cost ofthe ritual isS points for each often impressive effects come at a great risk of serious
Cainite used in the Gargoyle's manufacture. Add an extra harm to their users. These drawbacks were built into the
5 points if the caster wants the Gargoyle to be fertile. rituals in accordance to the Law of Equilibrium, a Her
By devoting further years of research to the Gargoyle metic principle which holds that any magical action is
arts, the thaumaturge may devise and construct variant somewhere opposed by a counter-action. By accepting
types like the hexaped, iecurorwomb-bearers like Alvusia the ill-effects of the countervailing force, one can work
(see pages 124, 125 and 67 for descriptions). stronger magic. Humors are typically used only on Gar
Historical Note: The Tremere cease making Gar goyles, however, and Virstania wants to make them safer
goyles after the Slaves revolt, and, as part of the Camarilla to protect her charges. This would entail creating new,
negotiations, promise never to revive the technique. more advanced rituals of formulation based on the cur
The instructions for the ritual have been hidden, but not rent ones. The other thaumaturges, indifferent to
destroyed. Some suspect that the Gargoyle Fidus occa Gargoyle suffering, have moved on to other concerns .
sionally makes use of them. Although the Gargoyle creators have gone to no great
effort to hide the existence of the humors, not all of
MAUGN HUMORS Ceoris's residents know of their existence. Those who do
believe that they work only on Gargoyles. In fact, they'd
Over the years, Virstania, Malgorzata and Goratrix work perfectly well for other Cainites, too. However,
have devised a series of rituals allowing them to formu Goratrix decided to shield other T remere from the temp
late magical humors. All of these temporarily enhance tation ofusing the dangerous substances - for the moment,
the capabilities of Gargoyles, but exact a toll later on. at least. No doubt there are circumstances sufficiently
Because these rather workaday rituals are low on alarming to prompt him, Malgorzata or Virstania to set
drama and visual interest, Storytellers should gloss over aside any scruples they harbor, especially if the recipient is
the actual process of manufacture. Each ritual requires its a neonate, clan outsider or other low-ranking dupe.
own list of exotic ingredients, the exact nature of which is
left up to the Storyteller. The ingredients correspond with LEVEL ONE HUMORS
the nature of the humor. For example, Serpent's Cruel
Milk, a humor that grants the user a poisonous bite, might ADMIXTURE OF JUST ACQUIESCENCE
require a live, poisonous snake, along with other toxins. This is not a humor unto itself, but a substance mixed
The user can't just quaff a humor as he would a tankard into another humor to ensure that the recipient follows the
of ale. He must submit to a transfusion procedure in which commands of the ritualist supplying him. The ritualist
considerable quantities ofhis vitae are drained out with the instructs the recipient in the details ofhis mission as he feeds
aid ofa large mechanical device. The vitae is admixed with on the receptacle. If, at any point during the admixture's
the humor, then transfused back into a captive victim, who duration, the Gargoyle wishes to directly contravene the
may be a human, Cainite or large animal. (Humors using ritualist's commands, the player must make a Self-Control
the blood of Lupines or magi, whose blood has unusual or Instinct roll against a difficulty equal to the ritualist's
qualities, are likely to carry side-effects both unexpected Willpower. Ifhe fails, the Gargoyle loses 1 blood point per
and unpleasant.) The Gargoyle then feeds on this tempo tum until he once again acts in accordance with his
rary receptacle, drinking his own lost blood, some of the instructions. Nothing prevents the user from acting against
the spirit of the instructions. As long as he can make a

reasonable, literal interpretation that suits his purposes, he Gargoyle goes from Mauled to Crippled, the player would
remains safe from its punishing effects. normally lose three dice, taking him from -2 dice to -S. If
Duration: One night per point in ritualist's Willpower. he succeeds at his roll, he ignores the loss, and instead may
Dire Consequences: In some cases, the need to obey apply an additional three damage dice. This pertains even
the letter of the ritualist's instructions may prevent the user ifhe already succeeded at his previous Willpower rolls and
from taking a necessary course of action, either to save his does not suffer an actual penalty. He may apply his dice
life or successfully complete his task. The admixture's bonuses from Draught of Molten Fury regardless of any
creators eliminated any risks the Law of Equilibrium might other limitations on the number of dice he may roll. If the
have posed to themselves as beneficiaries of this magic. Gargoyle reaches Incapacitated or below he still falls
Note: The Admixture of Just Acquiescence was unconscious, enters torpor or is destroyed, as appropriate.
devised by Goratrix and is sometimes used by Malgorzata. Duration: A number of turns equal to the
Virstania considers herself sufficiently well-loved by her ritualist's Willpower.
brood as to render unnecessary such coarse coercion. Dire Consequences: The humor only defers the
effects of injuries, which the exertions of the user worsen.
LEVEL Two HUMORS When the humor's duration expires, all accumulated
penalties apply. The player must also soak against a
ALE OF TRUE REMEMBRANCE number of dice equal to the total damage bonus he
By activating this humor as she commences to devour enjoyed thanks to the humor.
the brain ofa Cainite victim, the user gains his memories.
Upon completing her feast, she must roll Willpower POTIO MARTYRIUM
(difficulty 6); for each success she gains one decade's The user may cause his own body to explode in a terrible
worth of memories, starting at the present and moving eruption of flaming flesh. He is immediately destroyed and
backwards in time. She cannot gain memories lost to the anyone within three feet of him suffers as if exposed to an
victim himself. She can recall to mind what the victim intense bonfire. Witnesses further away may be hit by
was seeing, hearing, feeling and thinking at a specific chunks of the user's burning meat, propelled as far as thirty
time. The memories most accessible to her are those of feet away. (The bystanders' players should roll Wits +
dramatic events causing an emotional response in the Dodge against a difficulty of 6 to avoid the chunks.) Thus,
victim. Moments of calm contemplation, such as the the Potio Martyrium provides an ideal weapon for use in
memorization ofa book, are harder to reach. Conjuring up suicide attacks. Although it is possible to force a victim to
a specific memory requires the player to make an Intelli drink the potion, or trick him into doing so, it is the user who
gence roll againstadifficultyset by the Storyteller. Dramatic must activate its power by wishing for death. It remains in
events impose a difficulty of4 or even lower, while precise the user's system for an indefinite time. Thus it is possible to
academic details impose a difficulty of 8 or higher. unknowingly drink of it and, decades later, explode after
Duration: Access to the memories lasts for one hour feeling a momentary urge towards suicide.
for each point of the ritualist's Willpower. Duration: Instantaneous.
Dire Consequences: The memories of another are Dire Consequences: As noted above.
not a simple thing to meddle with; they can root them Note: The Potio Martyrium was devised by
selves in the user's consciousness, taking on a life of their Malgorzata. Virstania fights against its use whenever the
own. When the duration expires, the Storyteller makes other T remere propose it, but is sometimes overruled.
a secret Road roll (difficulty 8) on the player's behalf. If
she fails, the victim's memories arise to the Gargoyle's THE SERPENT'S CRUEL MILK
mind unbidden. These overwhelmingly emotional As the user feeds, he replaces the blood he takes with
memories occur when the user can least afford disquiet a corrosive poison which takes a lethal toll on his victim.
ing distractions, and may increase the difficulties of a The victim's player rolls Stamina (or Stamina + Fortitude,
wide variety of rolls. They might even provoke frenzy or ifavailable) againstadifficultyequal to the original ritualist's
Rbtschreck. The Gargoyle suffers a number of separate Willpower. Victims who fail suffer one non-aggravated
flashbacks equal to the victim's Willpower. wound per night until they die or go into torpor, or the
poison looses its effectiveness. A mortal victim who be
DRAUGHT OF MOLTEN FURY comes incapacitated by the poison may be kept from
The user not only ignores the debilitating effects of slipping over the brink of death by a daily Medicine roll
wounds during the heat ofcombat, but uses his pain to fuel (difficulty 8, two successes required.) The user's player can
mighty blows against his attackers. After the Gargoyle spend a point of Willpower to prevent the victim from
activates the humor's power, his player makes a Will suffering that night's wound, provided the Gargoyle is in the
power roll (difficulty 7) each time he loses a health level victim's presence. (This makes the poison an ideal means by
in combat. If successful, the player ignores any new dice which to threaten a victim into obeying the user.) One
pool penalty and instead gains that same number of dice victim may be poisoned multiple times by the same (or
for the purpose of his damage rolls. For example, if a separate) users, and suffer multiple wounds per night.
118

-..
Duration: The user's bite is poisonous for one tum per Dire Consequences: The Law of Equilibrium acts
point of the ritualist's Willpower. After the victim suffers its crudely in this instance. When the duration ends, the
effect, the poison lingers for three times that number ofnights. Gargoyle's player rolls Stamina (difficulty 6). Failure
Dire Consequences: One of the ingredients in the means that he also suffers the bile's poisoning effect.
humor is a bit of stolen mental energy from an imp or
other minor, malign entity. Sometimes this energy re
lVlEDICAMENT OF RESISTING FLESH
tains some of the malignity of its unwilling donor, and Invoking this humor imparts resistance against the
works spitefully to balance the usefulness of the effect dread Tzimisce ability to craft a victim's flesh like a clay.
with an unwanted result. The Storyteller makes a secret The humor reduces a Fiend player's dice pool for uses
Stamina roll (difficulty equals the original ritualist's against the Gargoyle by half the original ritualist's Will
Willpower) on the user's behalf. If the roll fails, he power. If used by a Gargoyle formed at least in part from
poisons the victim of a subsequent feeding whether he the body of a Tzimisce, it reduces the Tzimisce dice pool
wishes to do so or not. The Storyteller determines by the ritualist's full Willpower.
randomly which subsequent feeding goes wrong. The Duration: One hour per point ofthe ritualist's Willpower.
poison in such a feeding only lasts for ·one third the Dire Consequences: In formulating this ritual,
normal number of nights, though. Virstania obeyed the Law of Equilibrium by making the
user becomes more vulnerable to Thaumaturgy. If a user
LEVEL THREE HUMORS becomes the victim of an undesirable Thaumaturgic
effect within one month of having consumed the medi
CAUSTIC BILE cament, the thaumaturge's player adds half the humor's
The user causes the skin of his hands (or another body creator's Willpower to his dice pool for that effect alone.
part, if desired) to ooze a toxic substance which, if trans
ferred to the exposed skin of a victim, exerts a slowly THE TEARS OF PHOEBUS
debilitating effect. Other than its method ofapplication, its The user resists the destructive effects of sunlight.
effects are the same as The Serpent's Cruel Milk. The player For every four full points in the ritualist's Willpower, the
must achieve at least one Brawl success to apply the poison. difficulty of resisting damage from sunlight is reduced by
Duration: The user secretes the toxic substance for one 1, down to a minimum of 2. (See the chart on p. 200 of
tum per point of the ritualist's Willpower. Once applied, the Vampire: The Dark Ages.)
poison lasts for three times that number of nights.
:.-r-'--"~"""'iIl
119

Duration: Two turns for each point of the her discretion, the Storyteller may make a secret roll on the
ritualist's Willpower. player's behalf.) This roll is applied against the relevant
Dire Consequences: The humor increases the user's difficulty when the user activates the humor.
resistance to sunlight by stealing some of his future To get the level of this ritual, add 2 to the level of the
ability to withstand it. The user's player must make a path power it duplicates.
Road roll (difficulty 7) when the duration ends. If she Duration: As per the power in question.
fails, the difficulty of her resistance during the Gargoyle's Dire Consequences: The blind use of magical powers
next exposure to sunlight increases by the same amount often causes a build-up of arcane energy around their ill
it was reduced on this occasion. trained user. These energies sometimes dissipate on their
own, but may discharge all at once in a manner that reverses
LEVEL FIVE HUMORS the user's original success. The Storyteller makes a secret
SERUM OF PERPETUATING- VITAE Wits + Occult roll (difficulty 6) on the Gargoyle's player's
Whenever the user's player would otherwise spend behalf. Failure means that he will suffer a botch result for the
a blood point, he makes a Willpower roll (Difficulty 8). power in question before the end of the current story. The
If successful, the humor causes the Gargoyle's bones to Storyteller times the botch for maximum dramatic effect
generate a compensating quantity of blood, so that his that is, to create the greatest possible woe for the user.
blood pool remains unaltered.
Duration: One night for each point of the SPAWN OF
ritualist's Willpower.
Dire Consequences: The Law of Equilibrium ex
acts its toll in blood when the serum's duration ends.
THE W ORKSl-KOPS
Thereafter, the user gains only 1 blood point for every The Gargoyle bloodline is one of the great testa
two points of blood he drains from those he feeds on. ments to Tremere power and Tremere folly. This slave
The ill consequence lasts for the same duration as the race is born of the thaumaturgic melding of several
original humor. It may be staved off by taking another Cainite lines (Tzimisce, Gangrel and Nosferatu) . It has
dose of the Serum. When the duration of any dose of turned the tide of the war against the Fiends, but also
the serum ends, the vampire also suffers a raging hunger fuels their hatred of the Usurpers.
for blood as the Beast rises in him. The player must roll The nature ofGargoyles is, much like House Tremere
to avoid frenzy (difficulty 10) the next time he is before itself, still in flux . They are Cainites, but imperfect ones as
a source of mortal blood. Gargoyle keepers get around yet not fully self-aware. Psychologically they experience a
this problem by making sure to have a victim around to very powerful, animalistic pack instinct. They protect each
sate the creature. other, bow before the T remere they consider their masters,
and even partake in sexual mating. These couplings cannot
SERUM OF VAUNTED EXHORTATION produce offspring, of course, and seem to be more about
Effect: The user more easily resists Rotschreck. The dominance and bonding within the pack than any pleasure.
difficulty of any Courage rolls is reduced by 1 for every The stony faced, bat-winged humanoid Gargoyle is
success scored by the ritualist's player when formulating the culmination of a large amount of research and
the humor. experimentation. These peak specimens account for
Duration: Two turns for each point of the about one third of all Gargoyles. The others are lesser
ritualist's Willpower. forms , deformed or deficient in one way or another. Most
Dire Consequences: In accordance with the Law of the peak Gargoyles can Embrace progeny and most of
of Equilibrium, the serum creates a magical deficit the others cannot. The T remere are still unsure about
that the user must eventually repay. It provides him how viable even the best Gargoyle's progeny is, and
courage in the present by stealing it from his future Virstania has noted that childer are not as readily ac
self. The user loses 1 die when he next rolls Courage cepted into the pack as those emerging from the artificial
without the humor's aid. The penalty remains until he wombs in the labs. Because of this, she uses most childer
fails a Courage roll. as shock troops and prefers to pursue her artificial cre
ation process, which not coincidentally, ensures her
VARIABLE LEVEL HUMORS position as the bloodline's creator and mother.
IcHOR OF OCCULT TRANSMISSION THE ROAD OF SERVICE

Effect: The user may make one use of an individual Gargoyles are thought by many T remere to lack free
power from a Thaumaturgic path known to the formulating will. Accordingly, or so they think, the Gargoyles follow
ritualist. The ritualist must be able to use that power herself. them because the magic of the rituals that created them
The player makes a Thaumaturgy roll when the vampire leaves them no other choice. In fact, the Gargoyles
creates the ichor, as if actually unleashing the power. (At follow a Road of their own, the Road of Service, which
120

happens to coincide with the interests of their creators. The Road ofService relies on the Virtues ofConvic
Later they will abandon it and seek independence from tion and Instinct.
the T remere - ifnot from thei r Great Mother, V irstania.
The Road of Service, or Via Servilis, proclaims that GRUESOME HYBRIDS
only actions which please and venerate the creators of Virstania has also on occasion released hybridized
Gargoyle-kind are worthy of admiration. The Great animals into the foothills surrounding Ceoris. She claims to
Mother, Virstania, is the kindliest and most loving of the do so to bolster the chantry's defenses. The savage creatures
creators, and she must be hailed above all. But the might attack intruders, she says, alerting guardsmen and
distant Goratrix and the intimidating Malgorzata must Gargoyles. Esoara vehemently objects to her efforts to stock
be paid homage as well. Both the Great Mother and the the woods with freakish beasts; he argues that they're more
other creators decree that the purpose of the Gargoyles likely to attack his forces, who must patrol the woods every
is to follow the edicts of the T remere clan. If they say it, night, than the occasional invader. Whenever Esoara presses
it must be so. If the creators ever altered their intentions his complaints, Curaferrum relays them to Etrius, who may
and commanded the Gargoyles to serve another clan, or may not rouse himself to come down to Virstania's lair
they would then do that. But until that day comes, glory
and honor redounds to those who carry out Tremere
orders with the greatest courage and exactitude. The
Tremere are the masters. To question them is to spit in GARGOYLE KEN (NEW SKILL)
the faces of the Great Mother and the Creators. Gargoyles are like self-willed, intelligent beings
Gargoyles are ruled by powerful passions. Unlike in some ways, and like pack animals in others. They
other vampires, they still feel sexual lust, the desire to instinctively hate Cainites belonging to the clans
copulate with one another. They rage against their their constituent parts were harvested from and
infertility and plead with Virstania to give them the revere their creators as near-divine entities. Toavoid
means to breed other Gargoyles. They treat those they accidentally provoking them to frenzy, those who
Embrace as wolves do their cubs, feeling a mighty in deal with them must understand their primal cus
stinct to protect their fledglings from the wrath of the toms. Gargoyles obe.y Tremere other than Virstania
world. They seek one another's company, feeling com only to the exten that theybelieve their orders to be
fort or even ecstasy in the presence of large numbers of in keeping widl the ires of their Great Mother.
their brethren. Strong Gargoyles feel a great urge to
A lchoug less rebellious now than they will later
dominate weaker ones. The weak defer instinctively to
come, G argoyles may till alk at instructions
the strong. When an ambitious young Gargoyle sees the
dominant leader weakening, her greatest urge is to fall g'ven them by superio igno t of their animalistic
upon him, rend his wings, bloody his face and seize the h'lerarchy ortheiraspirado o greater things. Th e
mantle of leadership. Most especially, though, Gar most adept at d aling with Gargoy es supplem nt
goyles feel an irrepressible, violent loathing for members tHeir instructions with the wordless signals, frli> m
of the vampire clans from which their bodies were made. s~arls to teeth-b . g. that the creatures use [0 settle
Though their masters' orders in many ways permit matters 0 pte · Bence. between the elv .
the Gargoyles to give free rein to these passions, they • vice: Y can converse with Oarg yle
must sometimes put service above instinct. This is where w~thout m king it want to kill y u.
the Road becomes difficult to follow. A master may order racticed: If authorized By Virstania to
a Gargoyle to spare the life of a Tzimisce, even as hatred give orde to Garg yles, t hey will warily
for that clan afflicts him like a fever. Masters may order follow sensible-see ing instructions.
one's beloved whelps into danger, forbidding the Gar Co petent: If you ve been authorized by
goyle to protect them. They may designate as leader a Virstania, Garg.oyle <wiUfoli w even your
Gargoyle considered weak by the rest of the eyrie. All of
u usual orders.
these orders must be obeyed. To give in to these instincts
is to become a beast, a thing. • • • • Expert: G argoyles a ume simply from your
bearingthat ~ uhave en given Virstania's
One day the Gargoyles will completely prove them
selves to the Masters, who will see that they have blessing to order the about.
conquered their passions and are worthy of full status as ••••• Master: Gargoyles ~ll risk their lives foryou .
equals. Then they will make their own, new Road, or •••••• Legend: Gargoyles recognize you as their
choose the Roads true Cainites now walk. Or so the creator and goddess.
Great Mother says. This day will only come if Gargoyles Possessed by: Ceoris's leading Cainites; its cap
master the Road of Service. Any Gargoyle who strays tain and sergeants
from it betrays not only herself, but the others of her
Specialties: Guard Duty, Lab Assistance,
eyrie. She deserves nothing but shame and death.
Patrols, Raids
121

and gently askher to desist. When chided, Virstania stops credible facts previously unknown to the hearer. A vam
releasing her creatures - for a time. pire exposed to a chitterer must resist frenzy (difficulty 7).
Esoara has, on the other hand, considered releasing Chitterers use their beaks to feed, pecking for seeds,
these creatures into enemy territory to harry opposing roots and edible shoots. However, they can't feed fast
soldiers. He has yet to implement this plan for lack of enough to nourish themselves and thus also sustain their
suitably robust henchmen to perform it. The more use bodies by absorbing the stray magical energies permeat
fully dangerous a creature would be to the enemy, the ing the area around Ceoris.
more risks a war party would face in transporting it Mendacamina, ever the wrathful punisher of sins,
northwards. A coterie assigned to serve the masters of sometimes uses chitterers to soften up prisoners for
Ceoris might face this task as a test of its skill and loyalty. interrogation. She looses one into a prisoner's cell, after
Although the ritual that led to their creation was a making sure that her subject is restrained and unable to
forerunner of At Our Command It Breathes, hybrids are slay the creature. Paul Cord wood took a couple with him
not Gargoyles. Neither are they any other kind of vam on a mission into Tzimisce territory, but they escaped on
pire. They are strange animals produced by magical the way home and still lurk in the foothills of Ceoris.
means. As such, they can't Embrace and do not suffer the They reproduce by laying eggs; each hindquarter can
Curse of Caine. Neither can they be Embraced. fertilize the eggs of the other.
Malgorzata once conducted an experiment in which
CHITTERER
a vampire prisoner was forced to drink a chitterer's blood.
The chitterer is made up of the hindquarters of two The Gangrel victim turned into an imitation Malkavian.
wolves; they face together and meet in the middle. The
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Stamina 1,
surface of its hairless, pinkish body is covered in dozens of
Perception 1, Wits 1
squawking bird beaks. The thing feeds by pecking seeds
and grains with the more accessible of these haphazardly Health Levels: OK, -1, -3, -5, Incapacitated
placed mouths. Singly, the cheeps made by each beak are Attack: None, but forces roll against frenzy for every
only moderately shrill and hair-raising. But something two turns of exposure to it
about the cacophony of combined shrieks can prey on the Abilities: Dodge 5, Stealth 2
mind. Listeners can't help but hear patterns in the squawk Blood Pool: 3, Willpower: 2
ing.lf they listen for even a few seconds, they begin to hear Historical Note: Chitterers die out a few hundred
the odd, random word in their mother tongue. Before years after Ceoris's destruction. By that time, the strange
much longer they are hearing complete sentences, mock magical aura of the place has dissipated. Without it, they
ingly enumerating their sins and crimes. The knowledge starve to death.
they draw on does not seem to come only from the victim's
thoughts. Somehow the chittering voices seem to know
HIERARCHY OF SINS
Road Rating Minimum Wrongdoing for Conscience roll Rationale
10 Disobeying the direct order of the Great Mother Virstania is your goddess; to defy her is the
grossest of sacrileges.
Disobeying the direct order of another Creator We owe honor to those who assisted the
Great Mother in our creation.
8 Disobeying a direct order of a Tremere master The masters know better than we, and may
given authority over Gargoyles by a Creator choose our commanders.
7 Thwarting the intent of an order It is craven to disappoint the Great Mother;
given by the Great Mother doubly so to sift her words for excuses to fail her.
6 Disobeying any master Without the masters and their pyramid of
authority, we would not exist.
5 Failing to punish an insult against the masters To allow disrespect of the masters is to agree with it.
4 Failing to avenge a crime against the masters If foes do not fear us, we are worthless.
3 Remarking on the fallibility of the masters It is not our place to question those
greater than ourselves.
2 Shirking an opportunity to suffer injury To shed blood on the battlefield is to show
in battle with the masters' foes the depth of your devotion.
1 Shirking an opportunity to die gloriously The masters gave us our lives; it is fitting that
while following orders we should someday give them back.
122

REAPER Attack: scythe-like forelimbs, 8 dice of damage
The Reaper, named for two large, scything forelimbs Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, BrawlS, Dodge 2,
perfectly engineered for decapitation, is a man-sized Stealth 3
beetle with a concatenation offeuding, hissing rat heads Blood Pool: 10, Willpower: 5
where its face should be. Withered, flightless wings fold Historical Note: The T remere's former mortal vassals in
beneath its soot-black carapace. It hunts at night, prey the nearby villages wait a suitable interval after the destruc
ing on creatures as small as foxes and as large as bears. tion ofCeoris and then systematically hunt these dangerous
Reapers live in cramped burrows that they dig in loose creatures out of existence. None survive to the modem day.
earth. If threatened with serious injury, a reaper can
squish itself down and disappear into a burrow, should SKIN EATERS
one be nearby. It can quickly collapse its exoskeleton so To create the skin eaters, Virstania used the Populating
that its body becomes no thicker than two feet at its Night's Garden ritual to create tiny flea-like insects with
widest point. They're afraid of fire, arrows and the clang gluttonous appetites. She gestated them in casks filled with
of metal swords. the blood of her Gargoyle assistants. They thereby became
The reaper is a prime example ofVi rstani a's misguided ghouled to the Gargoyles in whose blood they'd grown.
attempt to defend the chantry by releasing uncontrolled, Under Virstania's watchful eyes, the Gargoyles trained the
dangerous creatures into the wilds. Although the things are creatures to obey simple commands, creating a voracious
difficult to exterminate, they seem little interested in flea circus with a hunger for skin instead of the usual blood.
expanding their range. Perhaps they can only survive with A skin eater is almost too small to be seen with the
the aid of the stray magical energies that surround the naked eye; it looks like a speck of red pepper. Under
chantry. Occasionally Esoara discovers a nest of them and magnifying lenses, an observer can see that they are red
sends a troop of soldiers and Gargoyles to exterminate mites with oddly outsized jaws. Unlike some of her other
them. One time he found a burrow containing over a dozen laboratory creations, Virstania keeps the skin eaters well
of the things. Should he happen to find himself in com controlled. A sealed jar full ofskin eaters makes a fearsome
mand of, say, a group of young vampires sent to Ceoris to weapon. Therimna and Paul Cordwood use them against
serve its masters, he might well send them on an extermi enemies when they wish to spare their minions the risk or
nation mission as a preliminary test of their mettle. If they inconvenience of a direct assault. Skin eaters also provide
prove themselves against the reapers, they might indeed be a splendid means of smoking an enemy out of a bolthole.
ready for the terrors of the Tremere-Tzimisce War. The user need merely sneak up to the building, cave or
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5, trench in which the enemy is ensconced. He lobs in the jar
Perception 5, Wits 2 ofskin eaters and runs for his life, hoping that none of the
Health Levels: OK, OK, -1, -3, -5, Incapacitated tiny creatures get a whiff of his own flesh.
Skin eaters navigate almost entirely by smell; they can
sniff out mammals, mortals and Cainites from as far away
as fifty yards. They swarm towards the nearest source of
flesh. If they succeed in contacting bare flesh, they rapidly
course their way across the victim's body, stripping it of its
outer layers of skin in a matter of moments.
Neither Brawl nor Melee skills are of use when skin
eaters attack. Sometimes it is possible to outrun a swarm. A
swarm travels at a speed of about 26 yards a minute. Skin
eaters don't fly while attacking or otherwise feeding, but
quickly skitter up, down and across any surface. The more
complex the terrain, the slower they move in absolute
terms. A table turned on its side might delay them long
enough for a potential victim to get a several-tum head
start, for example. Naturally, if the fleeing prey is stopped by
obstacles of his own, the skin eaters can catch up to him.
Water or other liquids slow them down. Direct
contact with acid, flame, boiling oil or extreme cold kills
them immediately. It is difficult but possible to crush an
entire swarm at once, by dropping a large object such as
a large slab of flooring marble down on them. Other
exotic methods of killing skin eaters no doubt exist.
Contact with the swarm results in the loss of 1 health
....._ _ _.-,;;:;".._ _.-,;.:-..._ _ _ _ _ _--::::::;:::;~_...:.level per tum until the victim is Mauled, at which point the
123

skin eaters cease feeding because the victim is stripped raw. Caine. The rituals used to create them, however, make
However, without any skin, the victim will soon bleed to them mules, unable to Embrace.
death, continuing to lose 1 health level per tum until dying
or falling into torpor. Vampires forced to regenerate all of HEXAPED
their skin never look quite right again. Skin grown all at Rarely made because construction requires six good
once seems too smooth and unformed, giving the sufferer a vampire arms, the Hexaped permits the T remere long
waxy, undifferentiated appearance. Such survivors of skin lasting knowledge ofan enemy's thoughts and perceptions.
eater attacks lose 1 point of Appearance. The hexaped orients itself horizontally , like an insect,
The creatures are able to eat an amount of flesh hun with the back of its torso pointed upwards. Its head juts out
dreds of times their combined body weight. The creatures from between the torso's shoulders. Affixed to the torso's
end their attack after consuming the skin, at which point underside are two sets ofthree arms. The elbows rest on the
they unfold tiny wings and fly back to Ceoris. They return to ground, acting as feet. The forearms and hands extend up
special ceramic collectors mounted inside the great chasm. past the torso's back. Its fingers are covered in a gummy,
When they reach it, they drop from exhaustion. They bloat adhesive substance with which it can stick, like a fly, to
up with their meals and burst open, one by one. The sound ceilings or walls. Its locomotion is much faster when
of these hundreds of tiny pops is somewhat like a handful of moving via fingertip than when skittering on its elbows.
sand being dropped onto a marble surface. The death of a The hexaped uses no actual legs in its construction; the
swarm ofskin eaters looks like an explosion of chalky white torso ends at the buttocks. Its head lacks a face; instead it
dust. Left behind in the collector is an undifferentiated glob is a mass ofscar tissue. An angry, reddened, perpendicular
ofskin tissue, which the Gargoyles retrieve for Virstania. She incision runs from its crown to chin. Leather thongs
uses it as the raw material in Membranous Appropriation (p. crisscross through the incision to hold it tightly together.
111), and the ritual to create the Gargoyles called vellumae Though fresh when applied, these thick laces quickly
(p. 127). become ingrained with blood, pus and dirt.
Possessed of dog-like intelligence but powerful in
STRANGE GARGOYLES stincts, the hexaped relentlessly tracks a victim once
The following creatures are rare forms of Gargoyles. acquainted with its psychic scent. The Gargoyle's creator
As such, they are vampires and do suffer the Curse of need only wave an object recently worn or extensively

handled by the target under the hexaped's chest. Soon a IECUR
puckered sphincter in the chest winks open, disgorging a The good thing about iecur is that they can be made
worm-shaped appendage protected by a sharp, chitinous from the scraps left over from regular Gargoyle construc
carapace. The appendage is equipped with sensory organs tion. The bad thing is that the result is so utterly loathsome
that look like nostrils but in fact read the victim's aura, the that even other Gargoyles can't look at them without a
residue of which still lingers on the proffered object. After sense of nausea. An iecur is a six-foot tall, shambling pile
getting a good whiff, the hex aped skitters away. Instinc of innards, organs and viscera. Vaguely shaped like a cone
tively able to open doors, worry away at locks and skitter sitting on its base, the surface of an iecur is festooned with
past guards, it overcomes whatever obstacles lie between dozens of wet, flapping livers and bladders. The iecur
it and the intended victim. Its tracking powers, though grows extra livers and bladders during the gestation pro
not infallible, far exceed that of any normal creature. By cess; though only six or so of each might be sewn into the
constantly sniffing the air for traces of its quarry's aura, it fetal sac, dozens appear by the time the creatures are full
can zero in on her from hundreds of miles away. By grown. Iecur (the term is both plural and singular) don't
preference, it travels along ceilings while indoors. Out speak but show signs of intelligence, such as the ability to
doors it prefers treetops, high cliffs and mountainsides. respond to complex orders. They can even reinterpret
When threatened, its overwhelming instinct is to flee. their instructions when confronted with new circum
If it escapes pursuers, it hides for a while and then resumes stances. However, they are chiefly governed by an
its hunt. If given no choice but to fight, it launches itself overwhelming instinct to devour the flesh of vampires,
belly-first at its enemy. Its only weapon is its chest append and will act on it unless given ironclad instructions to the
age, which is hard enough to punch through medium contrary. Given a choice of victims, they prefer Cainites
armor. It tries to burrow its sharp appendage into the of the clans from which their parts came. They'll digest
victim's chest, from which it sucks blood. ghouls, mortals or other Gargoyles if threatened by them,
When it finally confronts its quarry, it reaches up with but initiate attacks against these less appetizing beings
one of its forward hands and rips out the leather thong only on orders or when ravenously hungry.
holding the two halves of its head together. The face opens The iecur eats by pushing up against the victim and
up as ifhinged. The hex aped then ejaculates a foamy mass of enveloping her. When possible, it traps its victim up against
tissue from its exposed brain onto the victim. Having forged a wall or other hard surface and then pushes itself onto and
a powerful psychic link with the victim, it then retreats. With around her. If no suitable surface presents itself, the iecur
an indomitable homing instinct, it heads back to the point at attempts to snag one of its victim's limbs with a ropy loop of
which was first acquainted with its quarry's scent. Its progress intestine, and then pull the victim up to it. It then draws the
home is only slightly hampered by the periodic clapping victim inside its body, for maximum contact with its hun
together of its skull halves. A layer ofleaves, soil, pine needles dreds of bile ducts. Each duct releases large quantities of a
and other detritus may gather on its exposed brain, but this powerful digestive acid which immediately begins to reduce
doesn't pose a serious impediment, either. the victim's body into a mushy paste. Hundreds ofintestinal
Like a delighted dog returning a stick to its master, loops then absorb the paste. The digestive fluid blinds if it
the hexaped seeks out its creator. Instead of a reward, it gets into the eyes. Its powerful smell often triggers a primor
faces a terrible betrayal. The thaumaturge orders reluc dial sense of terror, as victims instinctively realize they're
tant henchmen to grapple with and immobilize the being digested. In Cainites, this terror triggers Rbtschreck.
hexaped, and then to bear it to a specially-equipped Fortunately for Tremere foes, iecur move slowly
chamber for the Ichor of the Hexaped ritual (see p. 113). except on flat surfaces. Fallen branches, rocks, slopes and
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5, other common features of outdoor terrain put them at a
Perception 5, Wits 2. near standstill. Virstania keeps them inside Ceoris. They
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, -3, -5, don't patrol outside or go on raids. On rare occasions the
Incapacitated. clan has shipped iecur to other chantries to perform
Attack: Hand-to-hand attacks do normal damage. guard duties in their forbidden basements. To transport
Head appendage does 8 dice but stops attacking after a an iecur, one must put it in a lead-lined coffin and bear
successful hit, instead draining 3 blood per tum. it to its destination as freight. (The lead lining stops the
iecur's digestive acids from leaking through the casket
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, BrawlS, Dodge 5,
and destroying it.) Iecur die if not fed 10 pounds offresh
Stealth 7.
meat per day. They become alternately listless and vola
Disciplines: Auspex 2, Potence 2, Fortitude 3. tile unless a quarter of that meat comes from a Cainite.
Blood Pool: 10, Willpower: 5. Fortunately, they can store up whatever magical sub
Historical Note: The Tremere create few hexapeds stances they derive from devouring Cainite meat. Each
after the Camarilla forms but keep records of the rituals blood point possessed by a vampire victim allows the
required to create them in several oftheir older chantries, iecur to go for one day without further Cainite flesh.
including Vienna.
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Historical Note: The iecur remain at Ceoris after
the other Gargoyles decamp and continue to serve as
guardians of its darkest comers. All of Ceoris's iecur are
destroyed along with the chantry itself in 1476.
SIMULACRUM
Virstania occasionally creates a Gargoyle in the image
of one of the vampires from which its body is made. The
resulting creature looks like a rough, unfinished version of
the original Cainite, but thinks and acts like a Gargoyle.
A simulacrum won't pass close inspection by the original's
intimates, but may successfully carry on an imposture with
those who knew the Cainite in passing or by reputation
only. Simulacra are sometimes provided by Pau 1Cordwood
with false identities and used in his plots. He might, for
example, send a Nosferatu simulacrum to infiltrate a
parley between members of that clan. Cordwood's false
backgrounds usually claim that the simulacrum was Em
braced in a far-distant land by a since-destroyed sire.
Simulacra, whose thoughts can be slow, aren't well suited
to complex, lengthy deceptions. Cordwood's plans for
them assume that they'll be quickly found out. Often he
expects them merely to get inside an enemy haven, take
quick action and then flee. They may be assigned to plant
scrying devices, steal documents or make rash assassina
tion attempts. Sometimes Cord wood uses them purely to
demoralize his enemies, most often by having Virstania
convert a special foe's captured protege to a simulacra and
then sending her back to her mentor. He does this simply
to exact an emotional toll from his enemy, forcing him to
kill his beloved ally. Simulacra are tough, and this horrific
act can take a while.
Virstania occasionally Embraces a mortal from the Simulacra are the most sorrowful and lonely of
feeding chamber simply to make food for her iecur. She Gargoyles. They're lucky if the common Gargoyles merely
knows that Etrius would disapprove of this and therefore shun them. To a Gargoyle, they look and smell like
keeps it a secret from her fellows. She occasionally experi Gangre1, N osferatu or T zimisce. Simulacra, wishing noth
ments on the iecur in hopes of finding a way to reduce their ing more than to be with the rest of the pack, feel
onerous food requirements, but has made no progress. scourged by this rejection. As they wait for instructions,
Though bizarre, the iecur are, like standard Gar they sit in their dim chamber, forlornly listening to the
goyles, a form of Cainite. They are as vulnerable to fire excited yelps and growls of the nearby Gargoyle pen.
and sunlight as any other vampire. Occasionally an acidic tear drops from an eye, to stain
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 1, Stamina 10, the rough sheets that cover their beds.
Perception 1, Wits 1. Cordwood and Virstania work to conceal from the
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, -1, -1, -3, -3, -5, simulacra the degree to which they're considered ex
Incapacitated. pendable. The lonely creatures are told that they've been
Attack: Must make a successful Body Slam or Grapple created to perform a great and noble sacrifice for their
before beginning to digest its victim. Having done so, it creators. The simulacra look forward to these assign
then strips its victim of one health level and one blood ments with a mixture of dread and anticipation. They
point per subsequent tum, no further rolls required. For a hope that they will be destroyed and freed from their
victim to release herself from enveloping iecur, the player miserable half-existence, but are possessed ofan accursedly
must roll Strength + Brawl. If trapped up against a wall, a strong instinct for survival, which prevents them from
victim has no way out of its grip, and must hope she (or her performing their duties with suicidal intent. When first
allies) can kill it before it reduces her entirely to paste. injured, they discover to their chagrin that they are all
Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 8. too difficult to slay.
Blood Pool: 10, Willpower: 5. Cord wood has no way of knowing for sure that every
simulacra he's sent off to its doom has in fact died. It is
126

and all Knowledges. Subtract 2 from all other Abilities and
Disciplines. (1 remains the minimum.) Halve Willpower;
reduce blood pool to 10.
VELLUMA
Virstania and Fidus engage in long semantic debates
as to whether the vellumae are Gargoyles or hybrid
monsters. A velluma is made from stolen tissues, but it
isn't formed through the usual ritual. Nor need its donors
be Cainites. On the other hand, they are harmed by
sunlight and flee from fire, like any Gargoyle or vampire.
A velluma is made from flesh devoured by skin eaters
(see p. 123), which is harvested into a set of flasks in
Virstania's labs whenever they strip a victim. It is man
shaped, but entirely flat, consisting of a sheet of skin no
thicker than a piece of parchment. Strong light shines
through it. It can stretch or contract its form . Byexpand
ing its arms into wing-like structures, it can become a kite
ofskin, to soar on the winds. Most vellumae lack any sign
of facial features on their flat, round heads; a few display
squished, grinning features frozen in an eternal rictus.
The Tremere value their ability to penetrate other
wise impregnable places. A velluma can fold itself up
into a square a few inches across and a quarter- inch thick.
It can flow under a doorway or between the planks that
make up a floor. Almost any room offers a velluma a
plethora of hiding places: it can flatten itself against a
curtain, fold into a drawer, even hide among someone's
personal effects. They therefore serve as ideal spies.
Vellumae are often equipped with scrying devices and
entirely possible that a few of them have chosen not to sent out to follow Tremere enemies.
return to Ceoris after successfully completing their tasks Although incapable of speech, vellumae are intelli
for him. If these individuals exist, they're likely seeking gent. If formed from the skin ofa literate person, they can
some kind of solace or meaningful existence. write. Thus it is possible to send one out to spy without
Simulacra look like grotesque exaggerations of their a scrying device. It can instead write a report of its
former selves. Facial features are coarse and swollen. All activities. Most often the velluma will do this upon its
body hair bleaches out and must be crudely dyed to return to Ceoris. In some circumstances, Paul Cord wood
approximate the original's appearance. Large scars run has made arrangements for a velluma to stay within
like a halo along the crowns of their skulls, showing where enemy territory, occasionally leaving its reports at a
their brains were cut out and tampered with. Scars also predetermined site. Other members of his network of
zigzag their torsos. The simulacra's skin is white and watchers then retrieve the document and arrange for it
chalky, no matter how robust the original's complexion to be conveyed to Ceoris.
might have seemed. The creature's flesh either puffs out or Vellumae are easily damaged and ordinarily possess
develops sagging sheets of skin which hang limply off the no means of harming those who attack them. This defi
body. Joints swell, gums recede from teeth and eyelids ciency can be remedied with a humor, particularly Caustic
shrink, leaving the simulacra with a pop-eyed look. Bile (see p. 119). The Serpent's Cruel Milk is sometimes
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Cha used, but is rarely useful in combat because the vellumae
risma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 1, Perception 2, find it difficult to bite opponents in the midst of battle
Intelligence 1, Wits 2. before being tom to shreds. When discovered, they typi
Health Levels: OK, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -2, -2, -5, cally flee, rising up with surprising speed to lope off into the
Incapacitated. night in a series of long, springing strides.
A velluma feeds by laying itself up against its victim's
Abilities: Acting 1, Alertness 1, Athletics 2, Brawl3,
bare skin. It draws blood through the victim's pores and
Dodge 1, Subterfuge 1, Melee 3, Stealth 2, Survival 2.
into its own. The velluma reddens and swells slightly
Blood Pool: 10, Willpower: 3. immediately after a feeding. They contain only small
If you already know the statistics of the original Cainite, quantities of blood and must feed regularly or die.
reduce all Social Attributes to 1. Subtract 3 from Intelligence
127

Because vellumae are uncommunicative, it is diffi
cult to know what they think about or which emotions By ANY OTHER NAME
they feel. Their reports don't reveal much about this

topic, though if one reads between the lines, a sinister
glee in their ability to move unseen through the Cainite
world seems apparent. They may feel a sort of contempt
for those they spy upon, especially those from whose
skins they are made. A velluma formed from Tzimisce
skin seems to show a special enthusiasm for spying on
Tzimisce, for example. A few have escaped from the
T remere but still haunt their assigned targets. They may
be aware of how disturbing their presence is, and take
delight in appearing at inopportune times.
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 5, Stamina 2,
Perception 3, Intelligence 1, Wits 1
Health Levels: OK, -2, -5, Incapacitated.
Abilities: Academics 1 (occasionally), Alertness 4,
Dodge 4, Melee 1, Stealth 4, Survival 2
Blood Pool: 3, Willpower: 3
MORTA.L MA.GICS
Even in Ceoris, mortal magi still walk the halls.
These sorcerers are past their prime and see many of their
workings starting to fail, but they are not without their
resources. The following section provides some ways to
portray mortal magics of the T remere in a Vampire: The
Dark Ages chronicle.
TREMERE MAGIC
T remere magic is a subset ofhermetic magic as practiced
by the diverse and fractious Order of the Hermes. The order Players in Vampire: The Dark Ages portray vampires,
exists because it allows its members to (imperfectly) share not mages, so Storytellers can use a loose structure to adjudi
their understanding and learn from one another. The order cate the effects of mortal magic. Nevertheless, those who
in general, and the T remere more specifically, rely on formu want to roleplay the time before aTremere's Embrace orwish
lae and complex incantations to accomplish workings. They to be consistent with mortal Storyteller characters can use the
follow instructions in tomes; they prepare alchemical salves; following options to represent the arcane magics of the
they inscribe ancient symbols in circles of power. The T remere. Those who wish to use more elaborate systems
T remere are notoriously pragmatic in their outlook and their designed with players' characters in mind can consult Mage:
sorcery issystematic and almost scientific in character. Spirits The Ascension, the Mage supplement Sorcerer, Revised
are still summoned and chants chanted, but it is with the ~_tio~_oF _Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade.
attitude of an engineer working a grand machine. Note that in all cases, the ability to use these various
T remere and many other hermetic follow a dizzying magical powers vanishes with the Embrace, although the
array of paths with Latin names. These names generally underlying knowledge does not.
combine what sorts of things they do (techniques) and
what they do it to (forms). The most common techniques USING HEDGE MAGIC
are control (Rego), creation (Creo), destruction (Perdo), Liege, Lord and Lackey details rules for so-called
perception (Intellego) and transformation (Muto.) Forms hedge magic used by mortals. While that supplement
are far more varied and often vary from magus to magus; implies that those paths are somehow inferior to the arts
common ones include the body (Corporem), earth of "true mages," that distinction is largely meaningless.
(Terram) and the senses (lmagonem). It is from these arts The Tremere simply have access to multiple paths and at
that the pa ths ofThaumaturgy deri ve and get their names. fairly high levels. While the correlation between the
Mortal Tremere also use a dizzying array of rituals, established hedge magic paths and Tremere combina
which function largely like Thaumaturgy rituals tions of techniques and functions is not quite perfect, it
although they are not so absolutely reliant on blood. is hardly an insurmountable hurdle. Storytellers should
feel free to adjust the paths to better suit the Tremere
128

style and give them suitably Latin names (Perdo metic youth potions. The first two templates are appropri
Corporem for Infliction, for example). ate options for player character before their Embrace.
USING THAUMATURGY Apprentice (Age 20): Attributes (6/4/3 dots); Abili
ties 01/7/4 dots}; Backgrounds (5 dots); Paths 0 dot};
The various paths of Thaumaturgy almost all derive
Virtues (7 dots); Freebies (21); Vis 0
from older hermetic arts and paths, converted and trans
formed to blood magic by the Cainites among House Young Magus (Age 35): Attributes (7/5/3 dots);
T remere. As such, it's perfectly viable to use these paths Abilities 03/9/5 dots}; Backgrounds (5 dots); Paths (5
with mortal Tremere magi, with a few modifications. dots); Virtues (7 dots); Freebies (15); Vis 10
The basic system for use of the paths is the same as for Accomplished Magus (Age 60): Attributes (8/5/3
vampires, save that a mortal magus' player spends a point dots); Abilities (21/12/7 dots); Backgrounds (10 dots);
of Willpower instead of a blood point. She still rolls Paths 00 dots}; Virtues (7 dots); Freebies OS}; Vis 20
Willpower against a difficulty of power level +3. Some Aging Master (Age 100): Attributes (8/5/3 dots);
paths concerned with the vampiric condition, such as Abilities (25/15/10 dots); Backgrounds 00 dots}; Paths
Rego Vitae and Rego Magica, are unavailable to mortals. (20 dots); Virtues (7 dots); Freebies OS}; Vis 30
Most thaumaturgy rituals are also available in slightly less
gruesome forms (and at the Storyteller's discretion).
VIS
Another reason magi of House T remere (and other
hermetic orders) achieve more than those they deni THE DEATH OF MAGIC
grate as hedge wizards is a consistent access to the rare AND OTHER FALLACIES
substance (or substances) called vis. The true nature of

vis is the subject of much debate, but it seems to be the
potential for power made tangible. Much like lowly
timber and charcoal is capable of fueling great fires, vis
appears rather mundane to the untrained eye but can
power magnificent magical workings. It magnifies and
accentuates the sorcerer's will in the same way that a
lever accentuates a workman's strength.
Vis appears in a variety of forms, most often tied to
one of the classical elements. Precious gems may be vis of
the earth, rarefied mists vis of the air, and so on. The
organs of exotic creatures and the fruits of nearly extinct
trees can also provide forms of vis. In days past, vis was
plentiful. Now it is rarer and rarer and mortal magi fight
over dwindling supplies. Most importantly, vis is the key
ingredient in the various immortality potions and rites
that keep hermetic magi young. It is their increasing
failure that has sent the house to vampirism.
In game terms, vis serves a mortal magus as a store of
Willpower that can be spent on magical effects. This
Willpower can be spent to power the effect as need be
and to purchase automatic successes in those effects. It
cannot be used to power non-magical feats and does not
effect the magus' actual Willpower rating.
QUICK AND DIRTY MAGI

Ifyou wish to use mortal magi as Storyteller characters
beyond those provided in Chapter Five, you can use the
following guidelines to give them game statistics depend
ing on their status. Knowledges are almost always the
primary Abilities and older magi rarely have high Physical
Attributes, especially with the increasing failure of her
129

~ si't in batkness lJa'e
Vatd?in,g ~n en-tpire:5.
-iJoI,n ~-t.;,n, r-hrRbise .£h;t
131

Although southern Transylvania has for several Tremere and his lapdog, Etrius. After several years in
centuries been a locus ofTremere activities, the House's Paris, however, he came to see the method in T remere's
influence extends throughout Europe. More than most madness. France presented Goratrix with a fascinating
Hermetic factions, the T remere have always been drawn view of mortal politics. Kings contested against their
to worldly affairs. Disdaining the sylvan glades and noble relations for territory - and the revenue that arose
hidden valleys favored by their rivals, they often place from it. Churchmen intrigued for gold and advantage.
chantries in or near cities. Their two most important Goratrix could not resist involving himself in this fer
Western European chantries are those at Paris and ment; he could play others as Tremere had played him.
Vienna. The former serves as the primary haunt of the The discovery that older Cainite clans had long ago
conspirator faction, the latter as an outpost for the entered the game merely whetted his sense of challenge.
conservatives. The Durham chantry is worthy of note Although he has supervised at least one great, secret
due to the recent influence exerted over it by a mysteri magical experiment since his arrival in Paris, Goratrix's
ous entity somehow tied to the Transylvanian attentions in recent years fix themselves on the pursuit
arch-demon Kupala. Italy's Perugia chantry provides an of temporal power. Eventually he will overstep himself,
example of a smaller, sleepier Tremere meeting place, bringing the wrath ofthe Inquisition down on all Cainites
one in which neonates might test the waters before being and provoking his final break with T remere. But for now,
fully drawn into clan power struggles. his influence and sense of confidence are ever-rising.
PA~~ A MIGHTY KING A 9
Tl-fE NEST OF VIPERS

BURGEONING CITY The Paris of 1197 is an energetic, growing city.
Although Cainites cannot hear the constant sounds of
In 1133, Tremere cast Goratrix from his creation,
Ceoris, and sent him here to head the Paris chantry. At construction that ring out by day, they can see the
the time, Goratrix saw this as a terrible defeat, not to resulting improvements and expansions of the city's
mention a humiliating betrayal on the part of the master buildings, port facilities and roadways. In the sumptuous
he'd so fiercely served. He vowed revenge on both garments and sparkling jewels affected by its prosperous
132

merchant class, they can see the ci ty' s wealth. Merchant's matter is the icy-voiced Frondator. A tall, thin-boned
gold draws people to the city from all over Europe, filling woman, the casually sadistic Frondator became entirely
Paris with prey. Goratrix's underlings have Embraced a hairless after her Embrace. She uses a large collection of
pair of prominent members of the marchandise de l' eau, wigs to regularly change her appearance. Though useful
the mercantile guild that owns the city's main port. in hunting escaped neonates, she adopts the hairpieces
Given considerable autonomy by the king, they take mostly for fashion's sake.
proud credit for the city's good fortunes. Goratrix leaves alchemical research to the scholarl y,
Goratrix has himself made ghouls ofseveral influen socially-backwards Lectora, whose chronic lack of tact
tial courtiers to King Philip 11 (also known as Philippe would have gotten her slain long ago were it not for her
Auguste), one of the more redoubtable men to wear the master's protection and her blindness to chantry in
French crown. Joining a Cainite alliance favorable to trigues. She even-handedly dispenses supplies and
the king, he helped Philip bring rival nobles to heel, laboratory time to those chantry residents still interested
freeing him to fight the English kings Henry 11 and then in magical inquiry.
Richard the Lion-Hearted for control of Normandy. Orlando Oriundus is a moon-faced, elderly former
Using his church connections, Goratrix recently agi mage known for his outrageous claims. For example, he
tated for Philip's participation in the Third Crusade. says he once developed a ritual to travel backwards in
Goratrix sent retainers to the war in hopes of uncovering time and spent time as factotum to Alexander the Great.
secret lore concerning Saulot and the Salubri. Although Goratrix Embraced him despite his obvious charlatanry.
Philip returned to France after a year of uneasy alliance As a Cainite, he showed acumen he'd never displayed in
with his rival, King Richard, Goratrix learned the names life. He became Goratrix's closest adviser on mortal
of many surviving Salubri and their hiding places through politics. He says that as an accomplished liar, he can
out the Mediterranean region. He now intends to track unerringly nose out the deceptions of others. Orlando
them down in hopes of extracting information useful to has adopted a false identity as the Burgundian monk
T remere. Depending on the nature of these hypothetical Brother Osvaldus. In this guise, he accompanies wealthy
secrets, he will either use them to win back Tremere's pilgrims, accumulating gossip useful to Goratrix's schemes.
favor or to blackmail him into handing over Etrius to AsOsvaldus, hewentwith King Philip to the Holy Land,
face final comeuppance. where he discovered the list of Salubri names. Goratrix
has come to greatly value Orlando's counsel, but also
MINIONS OF GOAATRIX wants to install him as at least a frequent visitor to Ceoris.
The only mortal magi left in the Paris chantry are If anything ever happens to his protege, Malgorzata,
those who come for brief visits. Even they should guard Goratrix will certainly try to send Orlando to replace her
their necks at night because Goratrix continues to Em as his agent in Etrius's midst.
brace, or allow others to do so, at a pace that would shock Marcel of Dreux, a battle-hungry knight, went with
most other Cainites. His castellan, Lucubratio, enthusias Orlando on the Third Crusade. En route, he protected the
ticallyfurthers Goratrix's political intrigues and has himself king during a bandit attack, earning a land grant that he
Embraced half a dozen prominent Parisians. A gourmand turned over to the chantry. Originally Embraced as a
in mortal life, this moist-lipped former mage now indulges dispensable minion, Goratrix now regrets having fed him
his connoisseurship with human blood, which he analyzes too much artificial vitae (see p.134). The potion has eaten
with the same rigor he once applied to fine wines. He away at Marcel's reason, and he finds himself perpetually on
neglects the night-to-night operations of the chantry, the verge of uncontrollable rage. Even with this drawback,
leaving them to his ghoul, Isabella, who produces what Goratrix highly values both his ability in melee and his
Lucubratio claims to be the finest-tasting blood in all of acute sense ofdanger. He recently saved Goratrix's life from
France. Isabella's contributions to the chantry's success a pack of ghouled war dogs, single-handedly downing a
should have earned her an Embrace by now, but Lucubratio dozen of them. Goratrix has ordered Lectora to find a way
resists, and has so far convinced Goratrix to heed his to reverse the maddening effect of artificial vitae on him.
wishes. He jests that he doesn't want to lose her fine blood Meanwhi Ie, Marcel grows increasingly restless, slipping out
(since, as a full Cainite, she will no longer produce any) of the chantry at night in search of simple, physical trouble
but really worries that her blood oath to the T remere to distract him from his accelerating lunacy.
pyramid would overpower the one he holds over her. In The Moorish wizard Remugio joined the house of
that case, he can imagine her quickly eclipsing him if Tremere a decade ago after being exiled from his home
elevated to full status. Lucubratio takes a special interest land. (He adopted his Latin mage name after that time
in church affairs and is Goratrix's primary expert on them. although he'd been schooled by Arabic magicians.) He
Goratrix must order the killing of many magi who speaks with a deep, bellowing voice which, when al
react unfavorably to the Embrace. His lieutenant in this lowed its full volume, intimidates even Goratrix. Remugio
133

bitterly resented his surprise Embrace when it first came (AND BENEATH)
but kept his anger wisely to himself. He continued his
researches and kept his eyes open. Although he isn't part THE LEFT BANK
of Goratrix's circle, neither is he seen as a threat. The chantry is located in the city's academic
Remugio travels to Vienna every other year or so, and quarter. The University of Paris exists as a tutor's
has made quiet contacts with members of the conserva guild but has not yet been formally recognized by the
tive faction there. He secretly sends letters to Vienna King. When, in a few years, he does so, he will name
reporting on Goratrix's activities. These are then passed this area the Left Bank. Dozens of freelance tutors
along to Etrius at Ceoris. Although his allies within the compete for the patronage of well-heeled students,
clan make him feel more secure, Remugio has grown operating out of buildings ranging from the grand to
disenchanted with the Tremere in general and now the ramshackle. The students, who are generally
contemplates defection to another clan. He has made aristocratic, hotheaded and drunk, often clash vio
discreet approaches to a Ventrue courtier loyal to Philip's lently with other citizens.
rivals. However, he won't leave the Paris chantry unless The chantry disguises itself as just another private
he can strike decisively at Goratrix in the process. institution of learning, avoiding the attention of in
Revenge interests him more than survival, though he quisitorial clergy. It doesn't recruit students; only those
has no special desire to meet his Final Death. He makes already in the know understand its true nature and seek
a policy of befriending Tremere neonates assigned to apprenticeship. To further misdirect the authorities,
Paris by masters unconnected to Goratrix, and may try to Goratrix has ordered that the once-opulent exterior be
make himself a mentor to a promising arrival. allowed to lapse into disrepair. Crumbling statuary
The maternal but hot-tempered Lignupeda re figures decorate its pitted stone face. Their hands, feet
cently arrived from the Durham chantry, certain she'd and faces have fallen away, though an astute viewer can
been wise in fleeing that chantry's oppressive gloom. still tell that they represent allegorical figures of learn
Two nights later, she'd been pounced upon by one of ing and spiritual development.
Goratrix' minions, the foul-breathed Culmen, and By hiding in the open, the chantry avoids the
Embraced. Shocked and angered, she unleashed a need for the stringent defensive measures of Ceoris.
spell reducing Culmen to a pile of damp sawdust. Ghoul attendants scrutinize all would-be entrants
Shackled in the dungeon, she allowed Goratrix to through a peephole, barring the door against those
think that he'd seduced her into accepting her new who fail to pass inspection. Wards against unwanted
status. Having won her release, she now wonders what intruders appear on the front doors and in a few
to do next. Remugio considers approaching her but sensitive locations throughout the chantry. The guards
wishes to be sure he can trust her before revealing his are not often troubled. The Tzimisce are not a pres
intentions. She might instead turn to other newcom ence in France. Gangrel won't come into the city
ers for advice and assistance. Her eventual loyalties except in the direst emergency. Parisian Nosferatu are
remain to be determined. surely aware of their brothers' struggle against the
The manic, compulsively talkative Manicae hides Tremere of Transylvania but, without allies, seem in I
in the chantry after murdering one of King Philip's no hurry to open a front here. They do not wish to be
scribes in full view of a dozen witnesses. A mage of turned into Gargoyles. (Goratrix has periodically toyed
little accomplishment before his Embrace, he was with the idea of sending Frondator to hunt Nosferatu
sent, after his blooding, to pose as one of the king's for this purpose; he has always concluded that it
scriveners. He made himself useful by copying vital wouldn't be worth the risk. Instead he imports Gar
messages and sending them to Goratrix. Unfortu goyle retainers from Ceoris when any of his small
nately, he too was given alchemical vitae so he complement of the creatures must be replaced.)
wouldn't need to risk hunting at court. Its effect drove Laboratories, quarters and common areas are
him to the murder. Frondator wants to kill him imme mostly above ground, on one of the building's five
diately, a fact she has not bothered to conceal from a floors. Dungeons, Gargoyle pens and the secret labo
terrified Manicae. Goratrix instead contemplates send ratory (see below) are found deep below an ancient
ing him to Ceoris to kill Etrius. catacomb underlying the chantry. Despite it's now
Goratrix has yet to realize the full extent to which humble exterior, the chantry is well appointed and
the burgeoning size of his vampire stable has aroused the fairly spacious.
fury of the city's long-established Cainites. Paris' Cainite
rulers, most notably the Ventrue Alexander, weigh a ALCHEMICAL VITAE
number of creative punishments for Goratrix' effron In 1135, shortly after Goratrix's assumption of
tery, but have yet to move against him. the reins in Paris, several of his neonates were hunted

down and staked after feeding indiscreetly. A joint
Lasombra- Ventrue delegation intercepted Goratrix VIENNIl~
during carnival and warned him to better heed the
correct proportion of predator to prey. Goratrix THrE HOOSE THAT
feared to cross Paris' established Cainites but didn't

want to slow his Embraces. So he began to work on
a new project, using knowledge of vampiric anatomy
Emus BtuLT
Little do most of its inhabitants know, but the
garnered during his Gargoyle researches of the previ Vienna chantry has only emerged from a quarantine of
ous century. As he became increasingly mesmerized over a century. After the becoming, Etrius expressed
by political gamesmanship, he ceded the actual work serious concerns about spreading vampirism through the
to Lectora, who in 1141 devised an alchemical house. Tremere eventually supported his caution and
method to manufacture adequately nourishing blood. ordered a slow conversion. Etrius took this authority to
A living (or Cainite) prisoner is still required to ban all Embraces in Vienna, claiming that he would be
catalyze the process. Extraction tubes draw blood responsible for the small number of magi there. From
from the victim, circulating it into a series of vats 1030 to 1185, he and Tremere were the only vampires to
and pans, where it is admixed with various trace enter the Austrian chantry. While Goratrix Embraced
metals, organs of exotic creatures and a small quan magi as fast has Tremere's orders would allow, Etrius
tity of vis. The resulting concoction turns one pint of bided his time and slowly wore away at the morals of his
the victim's blood into 10. The vitae can be stored potential candidates. In 1185, he invited a cabal of
for up to a month, and resists the degrading effects of Vienna's magi to Ceoris and took the final step. They
heat and cold. It tastes foul in its natural state, but returned as his firm allies and agents. Etrius proudly
Lectora is able to disguise the taste and texture of announced Vienna open to the rest of the clan.
small quantities of the liquid if need be. Artificial
All this careful plarming has paid off. Vienna is the
vitae cannot be used to power blood magic.
safest haunt for the clan's conservative faction. Its master,
Goratrix feeds this blood to his expendable neo Filaereus, is as staunch a supporter of Etrius in unlife as he
nates but neither consumes it himself, nor distributes was in life. Visitors to his chantry known to be allied with
it to his trusted allies at the chantry. Although it Goratrix are put under a close watch meant to make them
keeps its users alive and can be spent as per normal feel unwelcome. Filaereus greets others with a speech
blood points (save for Thaumaturgy), long-term reli inveighing against the rashness and turpitude of the "Paris
ance on alchemical vitae has corrosive effect on the faction," as he sniffingly calls the conspirators. Even
soul. After a vampire has consumed 50 points of mortal magi are warned against Goratrix's perfidy. Natu
artificial vitae, the player must make a Self-Controll rally, a chantry ruled by conservatives hosts an unusually
Instinct roll (difficulty 4) or lose 1 dot from the large proportion of mortal magi. Only four of its ten senior
vampire's Self-Control/Instinct rating. For every 10 magi have been Embraced.
points of the stuff the vampire subsequently con
sumes, the player must make another roll, the difficulty UNACCUSTOMED INFLUENCE
increasing by 1 each time. (Storytellers should slightly
randomize the thresholds at which player characters The Vienna chantry, which dates back to 920, was
should make rolls so that the precise danger points built according to Etrius's specifications. He served as its
can't be exactly predicted.) master from its founding until 1022, although he was
often absent from the tum of the century on, leaving its
Artificial vitae only partially solves Goratrix's prob
administration in the hands of its then-castellan,
lem. Neonates who drink it become increasingly unstable
Filaereus. During his time at Vienna, Etrius flouted the
and sometimes call spectacular attention to themselves
Order of Hermes' ban on involvement in worldly affairs
when they are finally driven into frenzy. After a close
to curry favor with local rulers. He established friendly
shave involving a disemboweled abbot, Goratrix has
ties with church leaders, his fervent expressions of piety
learned to look for the signs and act preemptively. He
disarming any fears the clergy might otherwise have had
assigns Frondator to quietly arrange for the permanent
about sorcerers. He took pains to downplay both the size
disappearance of any minion who shows the signs
of House T remere and the true extent of his supernatural
popping eyes, dry lips, bulging veins - of having supped
abilities. When he did lend magical aid to his temporal
too much false vitae.
allies, he shunned credit for his actions. In 955, he subtly
Goratrix hoped that artificial vitae alone would employed his earth magic to help the German king Otto
alleviate other Cainites' fear and hostility towards his the Great repulse Magyar invaders. He'd helped strike
chantry. It did not. Now he warns neonates to mask their down the Magyars because they were pagans, and there
true nature from the city's other vampires. fore enemies to all God-fearing men. He made the
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ground muddy under Magyar feet, and solid beneath and his followers wield. Filaereus has even taken to Em
Otto's forces. The chaos of the battlefield concealed the bracing outside the chantry in order to provide the Ventrue
role of Etrius's magic in the victory. Etrius also kept his with the agents they demand.
intervention secret from his fellow magi, including Although Etrius is vaguely aware of Guicciardini
T remere. He thought T remere would mock his altruism. having had some business in Vienna with Filaereus, he
At the time, he had no idea that the Magyars had has no concept of the depth of his protege's involvement
vampires in their midst. Nordid he spot the telltale signs in the political crisis there. Filaereus has hidden it from
of vampiric involvement at Otto's court. him, just as Etrius hid from Tremere his participation in
As Etrius's appearances in Vienna grew scarcer, Otto's battles. Filaereus dreads Etrius's disapproval, and
Filaereus sought introductions to his leader's friends at is certain that his increasingly obvious role as a Ventrue
court and in the church hierarchy. In the mid_11th pawn would earn just that.
century, he became an occasional adviser to Austria's
ruler, Duke Leopold III, then-head of the region's pow AGAINST GOAATRIX ARAAYED
erful ruling family, the Babenburgs. Filaereus didn't help Filaereus is a craggy-faced man who forgets his usual
the Babenburgs by cutting vast chasms in the earth or taciturnity whenever he thinks of Goratrix. He has long
sending forests of walking trees to beset their enemies on since given up any attempt at concealing his hatred for
the battlefield. Instead, he presented himself as a scholar Ceoris's founder. Filaereus was brought into House T remere
capable of a few diverting parlor tricks. Much of the by Etrius after being treacherously expelled from another
advice he dispensed drew more from his innate sense of hermetic house. Although he regards Etrius with gratitude
caution than any arcane insights. Filaereus, too, failed to for having given him shelter, his hatred for Goratrix is no
see Cainite machinations behind certain strange deci mere shadow of his friend's. Ninety years ago, Goratrix
sions made by various Babenburgs over the years. Nor humiliated Filaereus during a magical demonstration at
did he connect several attempts on his life to the "night Ceoris. Filaereus had slaved for months over an effect with
creatures" who by that time also vexed Ceoris. The which he intended to impress T remere himself: He would
beings who stood in the Babenburg's shadows eventually materialize diamonds from the air, which would fall on the
accommodated themselves to Filaereus' presence, or so council chambers like a gentle rain. Instead the convened
it seems - he hasn't been attacked in decades. great magi ofTremere were pelted with coal dust. Goratrix
1197 is the last of a four-year period in which the four subjected Filaereus to his barbed wit, and T remere joined
sons of the deceased Leopold V divide the rule ofAustrian in the general laughter. Although never able to prove it,
territories between them. Filaereus has taken a liking to Filaereus suspects that Goratrix had interfered with his
Leopold VI, obviously the brightest and most charismatic casting. Even his allies in Vienna know this story and
of the four. Although his interest in temporal politics has impute Filaereus' hatred of Goratrix to it - though they'd
waned, he occasionally visits Leopold VI, supplying him never be so impolitic as to say so to his face. In his darkest
with auguries and wise counsel free of occult overtones. moments, Filaereus is prepared to admit to himself that his
The confusion that now reigns in Austria retards efforts to expunge his humiliation simply make himself
Vienna's prosperity. Filaereus, now a vampire, has realized look more ridiculous. But the more he broods on this long
that Cainites manipulate mortal politics here, as they do ago incident, the greater his hate grows. He'd now suffer
throughout Europe. Various clans support each ofthe four Final Death, even send his soul to eternal torment, if it
contesting brothers. Nighttime disappearances grow ever meant taking Goratrix with him.
more frequent as the hidden Cainite struggle increases in Aaxen-haired, voluptuous Ala loved Filaereus from
ferocity. Despite a sense offoreboding, Filaereus has begun afar for many years before being taken into his Embrace. In
to learn the names and plans of the city's secret hierarchy. life, her strong, quietly-expressed Christian faith sealed a
Although he would like to see Leopold VI triumph, that friendship with Tosia, now the moral leader of Ceoris's
goal is secondary to the continued protection of the living magi. Ala knew her at Umor Mons, her Transylvanian
chantry. To this end, he's forged an alliance with Leopold's chantry. However, because she harbored wild and lustful
Ventrue backers, and reached an understanding with urges she could never quite suppress, Ala secretly thought
Viennese Lasombra, who support Frederick Babenburg. herself unworthy ofTosia's admiration. When she fled to
The latter non-aggression agreement was brokered with Vienna, her devil-sent fantasies began to center around the
the aid of Giacomo Guicciardini, Lasombra envoy to chantry master, Filaereus. Although his weather-beaten
Ceoris. Ifeitherof the other brothers should win, Filaereus features and barrel chest made him an attractive man, her
fears an attack by enemy clans against his peaceful chantry. lust for him seemed utterly irrational to her. Even his friends
Although he'd like to withdraw from the power struggle, saw him as a slightly absurd figure. He seemed to sense how
the Ventrue are drawing him further into it, happy to she felt about him, which drove her to further torment.
befuddle their foes with the unfamiliar powers Filaereus When she finally relented and threw herself into his arms,
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he Embraced her. The discovery of his vampirism proved a vain and imperious, he is only grudgingly tolerated by his
great relief to her: Clearly, he'd ensorcelled her with his chantry-mates. He has memorized entire occult texts and
supernatural powers. She was so relieved to find an expla shows an annoying ability to quickly answer almost any
nation for her lusts that she scarcely bothered to mourn her question of arcane methodology put before him, no matter
stolen innocence. Instead, she reveled in her new clarity. how obscure. His abilities as a magician are legendary
She has become Filaereus' most vociferous supporter at he once defeated T remere himselfincerramen, the magical
Vienna. While some of its other Cainites mock Filaereus duel invented by the latter wizard. However, Lucidus is
behind his back, they fear and respect Ala. If she is still reluctant to use his powers without a full examination of
willing to support Filaereus, so are they. If something were any and all possible consequences. He'd sooner second
to happen to her, however, he might find his leadership guess others than take actions which might arouse the
under challenge by a colleague whose dedication to the scorn or scrutiny of others. Filaereus knows Lucidus too
conservative cause grows more from judicious conviction well to mistake his unpopularity for foolishness, and
than the prosecution of a ludicrous grudge. worries that he will soon discover the truth. Lucidus holds
That challenge might well come from the unnatu him in open contempt, and Filaereus has assigned lovely
rally youthful Audax, who is the victim of a demon's Ala the task of preparing him for the Embrace. She fears
curse. At the age of fourteen, he used his innate magical that he's too stubborn to ever voluntarily join the ranks of
talent to drive a devil, who'd taken human form, from his the blooded and too magically adept to easily dispose of.
home village. It enchanted him so that his appearance
would never change. Throughout his career, from his STOUT TIMBERS
apprenticeship to aTremere magus to his present state as Perched on a jagged promontory several miles to the
a Cainite at Vienna, he's suffered others' inevitable north of the city, the Vienna chantry looks like a large and
tendency to treat him as a callow youth. Even those who imposing hunting lodge. Its walls are composed of massive
know ofhis great accomplishments as a mage and scholar chunks of gray stone, hewn from the earth by Etrius's magic.
can't help regarding him as a fresh-faced young pup. Massive timbers act as pillars and cross-beams throughout
Audax regards the world with great seriousness, deter the structure. Every chamber is grand and oversized.
mined to overcome this deficiency without bitterness An extensive network of disused chambers criss
towards those who fall prey to perceptions. He seldom crosses the hill on which the building stands. Etrius built
strays from the Vienna chantry, where others know and these to allow room for future expansion without arous
respect him. He made an ideally accepting Cainite; now ing unwanted attention. The chantry has never required
he operates in a world where one's apparent age is the space, and the chambers have been sealed off for
discounted. He has become the most dedicated partici centuries. Intruders into the chantry might be tempted
pant in the politics of the Austrian night. He enjoys by the lead seals on the doors leading to the underground
meeting other Cainites; even the enemies he must try to chambers, and expend considerable effort to break into
destroy fascinate him. One day he may stop and realize an area not used even for storage.
that this might have been the entire objective of the Vienna's laboratories are larger and better-stocked
demon's curse - to prepare him for a day when he would than Ceoris's. It is much easier to ship the exotic ingredients
discard his soul to blithely embrace a vampiric existence. alchemists require to Vienna than to the Transylvanian
Partnering with Audax in the covert battle on Alps. Laboratories are not attached to individual living
Leopold VI's behalf is Peter Schloss, a former mercenary quarters. Each mage may select a lab for his own use, and
whose blood ran to ice even before his Embrace. Schloss' enforces his privacy with locks, wards, and alarms.
forte is death from a distance. He delivers his adversaries The library is the best the Tremere have at their
to Final Death by building elaborate booby-traps, dosing disposal, aside from that at Ceoris. When Goratrix first
victims with alchemical poisons or manipulating foes created the library at Ceoris, he raided the collections of
into turning on one another. Schloss has bitterly feared other chantries. Etrius shielded his chantry's library by
death ever since his first foray onto the battlefield as a successfully appealing to Tremere for relief. Vienna's
young man. He is grateful to the Tremere, and Filaereus library is smaller than Ceoris's but kept in better order. Its
in particular, for offering him the possibility of eternal librarian, the mortal mage Farica, rigidly polices her
existence. But he would never allow his sense of loyalty colleagues, hectoring them for the return of missing
to them to force him into action that might genuinely materials. Although the chantry residents - Cainites
threaten his own survival. He enjoys Audax's company especially - bristle at her scoldings, they recognize that
and has taken on the task of encouraging the serious her rude passion for order benefits them in the end.
fellow to enjoy the world's fleeting pleasures. Farica ensures that documents are available and easily
Among the mortal magi, perhaps the chief threat to located. Viennese Tremere returning from Ceoris, with
Filaereus' authority is the Teutonic rigorist Lucidus. Bald, its chaotically controlled collection, find reason to ap

HA.M~
preciate Farica for her tireless, if annoying, determina
tion. Ceoris's own magi sometimes come to Vienna to
find tomes that ought to be readily accessible in their
own chantry but have been purloined by a rival. HE SLEEPING LION
Common areas are at the same time sumptuous and The Durham chantry is also known as Lion's Green.
forbidding. Heavy wooden furniture is padded in gold Meerlinda, the most seemingly benevolent of the Coun
embroidered velvet. Incense of overpowering sweetness, cil of Seven, administers it wisely. She devotes her
favored by Ala, wafts from numerous copper censers. considerable diplomatic talents to reconciling the con
Tapestries depict T remere, Goratrix, Etrius and several spirator and conservative factions. A strange conspiracy
long-dead founders of the Hermetic tradition; all seem to arising within the ranks of the mortal magi has so far
stare disapprovingly down at the room's occupants. concealed itself from her attention.
Massive stag's horns, boar's heads and other game tro
phies appear throughout the building. OUTSIDE THE WALLS
The Vienna chantry lacks the elaborate protective Like France, England is prosperous, building new
measures of oft-attacked Ceoris, but Filaereus has added port facilities and enjoying the fruits of trade. Richard
a few features as the Tremere become increasingly vis has decamped to France to protect his territory in
ible in the city's Cainite circles. Audax and Peter Schloss Normandy from Philip II, who is equally determined to
have joined together to lard the grounds with ingenious drive him out. In his stead, the Archbishop of Canter
traps; Schloss designs them and Audax creates them bury, Hubert Walter, administers the country. In 1197,
with Thaumaturgic Alchemy. his title is Justiciar; by 1199 he'll be Chancellor.
A CONSERVATIVE STRONGHOLD Chantry residents care little about affairs outside
their walls. Their interests are already well served with
Vienna is well known in conspiratorial circles as out their having to meddle in politics. England's prosperity
enemy territory. They call it "Etrius's chantry"- a makes it a simple matter to get supplies. Travels through
double insult that questions both Etrius's right to rule the countryside are fairly safe from bandits, because local
Ceoris and Filaereus' status as anything other than his lords can well afford to equip patrols. Churchmen, fat
mentor's bootlick. Goratrix hasn't set foot in Vienna from generous tithes and preoccupied with governance,
since the becoming. Malgorzata has never been here, are too complacent to beat the bushes for sorcerers.
though she's sent Jervais to use its library on several If Durham's Cainites were more attentive to external
occasions since the reopening. Aside from its role as the politics, they'd see that the apparent placidity of their
conservative bastion, Vienna's primary claim to emi surroundings conceals simmering resentments bound to
nence is the well-ordered library. When Goratrix wishes disrupt their peace. Nobles and city fathers alike complain
to place a pair of ears inside Vienna's walls, he sends a bitterly of the heavy taxation they endured to raise the
low-status ally to comb through its stacks. Filaereus ransom to free Richard from Leopold. Next in line to the
would like to bar Goratrix's proxies from entry, but has throne is John, who, when he ascends in a few years, will
been counseled otherwise by Etrius. Etrius knows that make himselfa notoriously unpopular monarch. He'll prompt
such a move would be seen as a provocation by the a revolt of the nobility eventually forcing him to sign the
conspirators, who would likely appeal to T remere and Magna Carta. Many of England's more experienced Cainites
possibly secure Filaereus' ouster. Instead, Filaereus makes already see this chain of events; in fact, some are actively
conspiratorial visitors feel uneasy by keeping obvious conniving to bring it about. T remere who establish connec
watch on them. An unsubtle player, he never thinks to tions among other clans may find themselves drawn into
entice or persuade them into betraying their leader. the ferment. Most, however, keep to their own affairs. They
Audax, on the other hand, sees that Goratrix' pride and know that London's Prince is named Mithras and fear his
taste for ridicule make him a hard master to serve. He power. Their chantry is far from London in order to avoid
makes a point of sounding out Goratrix's minions when his grasp. Another reason for building Lion's Green at
they visit and has earmarked several as potential defec Durham can be found in the area's magical resonance. Said
tors. He thinks that Frondator, Goratrix's Parisian huntress, to house the bones of St. Cuthbert and the Lindisfarne
might be made to tum against him if promised a small gospels, as well as housing a network of pagan ley lines, the
chantry of her own. Audax has even tried to lure Jervais immed iate region's innate magic rivals that ofTransy Ivania.
onto the straight and narrow path. ThoughJervais has no
intention of betraying Malgorzata, he enjoys the verbal MEERLINDA'S DOMAIN
sparring with Audax and has even conceived a grudging Meerlinda presents herself as an attractive, serene
affection for him. Each hopes he won't have to destroy the woman in her late thirties. She governs the Durham
other should open warfare split the clan. chantry with soft-spoken assurance. She relies on her
138

extraordinary persuasive powers to secure the coopera enraged wolfhound during the so-called Witch War
tion of those under her command. She hates discord and against House Diedne. Although he adores telling stories
works to smooth it over at its first eruption. She seeks out of his long-ago exploits, he hates to see his former
the parties to any dispute and takes them aside sepa youthful heedlessness in others. It is more out of tem
rately. Allowing them to gaze deeply into her limpid perament and prejudice rather than rational agreement
eyes, she assures them of her sympathy for their position, with Etrius's position that has prompted Virfortis to
if not their tactics. Meerlinda assures them that they will become the chantry's staunchest defender of the conser
eventually realize their goals if only they heed her advice vative cause. That the chantry's chief conspirator
for the moment. Then she secures promises of peace and personifies all that Virfortis now loathes adds fire to his
cooperation, in the process brokering a deal between the fist-shaking denunciations.
disputants. She may not be able to inspire love between The young and fecklessly handsome Oblatam heads
antagonists who bitterly loathe one another, but she can Lion's Green's conspirator faction. Blond, square-jawed
usually persuade them to conduct their dispute in a way and possessed ofblindingly perfect teeth (a rare thing in
that doesn't threaten the broader interests ofthe chantry. the Dark Medieval era), Oblatam learned long ago to
Meerlinda serves the same role in the hmer Council. think of himself as God's giftto the 12th century. He sees
She maintains the respect of both Goratrix and Etrius, and power as his natural birthright, and threw in his lot with
has often acted to decrease the heat between them. Goratrix because he thought the elder Cainite likely to
Meerlinda has instructed informants in both Ceoris and the win out over Etrius. An enthusiastic religious hypocrite,
Paris chantry to discreetly inform her should they come he believes in God because God surely believes in him.
across evidence that one of the two faction leaders plans to He is disinclined to examine the contradiction between
act dramatically against the other. Although Lion's Green his supposed faith and his present activities as a Cainite.
includes members of both factions, they know better than Although he'd like to impress Goratrix by, say, shipping
to clash under her watchful eye. They confine their rivalry him Virfortis' severed and lime-caked head, he's too
to debates, barbed witticisms and the occasional act of petty wary ofMeerlinda to act that boldly. Instead, he regularly
sabotage. She hints to members of each side that she is open sends information to Goratrix and bides his time, wait
to be persuaded to their cause; in order to win her over, they ing for the opportunity that will catapult him into his
become her half-witting informants. pre-ordained place as a top member of the clan.
Meerlinda's castellan, the blandly self-possessed, Meerlinda's chiefCainite rival shares her neutrality
bald-headed Dulcis, occupies a position which is almost in the eternal sparring between conservative and con
entirely ceremonial. Meerlinda can't help involving spirator. When Embraced thirty years ago by Brunavog,
herself in the smallest details ofchantry operations, from Domina was shocked - not by the transformation but by
the exact quantities of grain it purchases to the hiring of the fact she'd not been taken into the fold years before.
stable hands. Dulcis tells himself that he could probably She blamed this on Meerlinda, who she has for years seen
perform many of these tasks more ably than his mistress, as the object eclipsing her true worth in Tremere's eyes.
and makes the occasional teasing comment to this effect. Centuries ago, Domina engaged in a one-sided romantic
He knows that she would not be the person she is if she dalliance with him. She thinks that Meerlinda enjoyed
didn't continually interfere in his duties. He loved her his bed prior to the transformation of 1023 and kept
fiercely and secretly even before his Embrace and blood Domina from her rightful place in the Inner Circle. Her
oath, and would die with a smile on his face if he could hatred of Meerlinda has festered beyond any rational
sacrifice himself for her safety. Other inhabitants of bounds. She has constructed an elaborate fantasy in
Lion's Green impotently despise him for his snooping which she captures Meerlinda, keeping her imprisoned
ways; they know he diligently reports to his mistress the for years if not decades. Domina spends much of her time
least infraction of chantry procedures. Meerlinda knows refining the elaborate schedules of torture that would
he loves her, and values his loyalty, but does not re ensue from this. Having grown increasingly unhinged
motely return his feelings. Dulcis could become rebellious, since her descent into vampirism, she may take rash
even murderously so, were he ever to face definite proof action soon. She hopes to find impressionable allies who
that his love is a hopeless one. might join her in hating the damnably charismatic
Sleepy-eyed and fussy, Virfortis was an old man Meerlinda among newcomers to lion's Green. Domina
when Embraced, and has not invigorated himself, think would without qualm betray lion's Green to another
ing it unseemly. Despite his sometimes-petulant clan if she thought they could help her capture her foe.
insistence on his rights as an elder of the House, several like Paris, Lion's Gate is home to enough vampires
of the chantry's Cainites still look to him for leadership, to disturb the thoughts of its region's long-established
remembering his great past deeds. Once a warrior-mage Cainites. Unlike Goratrix, the silky-voiced Meerlinda
of considerable valor and ferocity, he fought like an has tackled the problem with skillful diplomacy, promis
139

ing would-be enemies to keep her activities within strict failed him; his mind was bound by his narrow concept of
bounds. She's shown the local hierarchy how useful personal power. Kupala had spoken to T remere only
blood magic can be when turned to their ends. through intermediaries but had now found someone
worthy of becoming his consort and sitting on his throne
KUPALA'S REACH ofskulls. He'd made T remere and his followers into mere
Able to observe the daytime activities of the mortal blood lings, but Erro would be something much greater
magi only through the reports of her ghoul servitors, than that. But in order to bring about her transformation,
Meerlinda has so far missed a burgeoning cabal of diabo she would need to destroy those Kupala had erroneously
lists among them. This group of six magi is led by the invested with his magic. Erro had hoped to form a cabal
stiff-lipped, officious Erro, a stork-thin woman cloaked of magi at Ceoris and work to undermine its Cainites
in an air of rectitude that belies her true actions. Erro from their very bosom. She found it difficult to inveigle
returned to her home chantry last year after an extended colleagues with righteous T osia in the way. Finally
stay at Ceoris. While there, she researched magic con Epistatia succeeded in having her ejected from Ceoris.
cerning the human soul, in the process arousing the Never possessed of an easy manner, Erro found
jealousy and distrust of Epistatia, who resented the herself gifted in Lion's Green with powers of persuasion
intrusion into her field ofstudy. As the months wore on, nearly rivaling Meerlinda's. Quietly, always with an eye
her nights were increasingly troubled by gore-soaked out for spies, Erro gathered together the chantry's most
visions of a hellish battlefield . The visions began to independent magi. One by one, she powdered their
intrude into her waking hours, and eventually drove her drinks, transmitting to them the same madness-inducing
to the brink of madness. An entity began to manifest visions she'd suffered at Ceoris. One of the magi had to
itself to her during her experiments. At first, it identified be smothered in his bed, but the others took readily to
itself as Stars Beyond, but eventually encouraged her to Kupala's service.
call it Kupala. It told her that it had worked a transfor Erro hails from a noble family owning heavily forested
mation on the leaders of her house, hoping to bring land a few day's ride from Durham. She maintains a
about some kind of final battle which would allow it to modest shrine to Kupala in a seldom-visited comer of her
roam free across the face of the earth. But T remere had father's holdings. The small patch of forest surrounding
140

the shrine has become increasingly bleak and oddly remi confused his senses during a summoning ritual. Imps
niscentofthe Transylvanian landscape. Four times a year, appeared and stole his eardrum. The chantry's Cainites
Erro and her cabal secretly travel there to make offerings have largely conceded the laboratories to the mortal
to Kupala. He has recently begun to demand human magi, relying on Ceoris for innovations in Thaumaturgy.
sacrifices. Erro satisfies him by hiring thieves to kidnap Lion's Green lacks cellsortorture chambers. Meerlinda
street urchins for her. The need to transport the captive rarely needs to confine or interrogate enemies. Captured
children with them on their trek to the shrine makes it foes are dealt with in one of the Cainites' personal cham
harder to avoid attention. Although they've been ac bers, then quickly dispatched. This has happened only
costed on several occasions, Erro has always succeeded in twice in the last three decades. Those who search Lion's
persuading curious travelers that nothing is awry. Green for secret chambers will hunt in vain. Powerful
Other members ofErro's cabal include the battle-scarred wards prevent unwanted guests from entering Cainite
Fascinare, flirtatious Singula and voluble Numen. All have quarters during the day. These caused curious comment
submerged their previous personalities to the dimly-felt but from mortal magi when first installed, but the magi then
irresistible calling imposed upon them by Kupala. inscribed similar sigils on their own doors, regarding them
Erro's first goal is to destroy Meerlinda and then the as a show of status. Now they're so much a part of the
other members ofTremere's Inner Circle. Only then will chantry that forgetful magi occasionally neglect to read
they be able to slay T remere himself. Erro wishes to just them to admit newly hired servants.
return to Ceoris, but Kupala now forbids it. He does, Perhaps the most notable feature of Lion's Green is
however, encourage her to send other members of her its sumptuous gardens, designed by Meerlinda herself.
cabal to breathe Transylvania's dread-laced air. Her delicately confusing hedge maze provokes subtle
epiphanies in those who traverse them by moonlight.
A MANSE MOST MODEST More than one apprentice has learned that the quickest
Lion's Green is a tall stone tower. Most locals way to burst Meerlinda's air of placidity is to pluck a rose
assume it to be a secondary manse belonging to a noble or accidentally trample through a bed of young plants.
with a taste for city life.
Unwilling to attract attention by expanding the PEROOU\
structure, Meerlinda forces its inhabitants to live at close
quarters. Lodgings are cramped. The least drafty of them
were claimed long ago by high-ranking members of the
FAR FROM TIffi STORM
Nestled in the ragged hills of this small city north of
chantry. Quarters for visitors and newcomers are ex
Rome in central Italy, the Perugia chantry is an example
tremely chilly. Although cold enough to remind a Cainite
of a modest Tremere stronghold. Its head, Probitas, was
of his vulnerability to freezing, the guest quarters won't
only recently brought into the ranks of the unliving.
actually harm their inhabitants.
Although situated near a rich source of vis, most T remere
The once-grand library has fallen into disrepair know it as a sort of resort spot, where magi can gather
since its former administrator, Celestyn, was called to informally and enjoy a change of scenery.
Ceoris. It occupies almost an entire floor. Its huge
wooden shelves, invaded by damp, have warped. They
loom threateningly over library visitors, perpetually on
EASE ECLIPSED By TURMOIL
the verge of toppling. Books and scrolls are no longer Italy is no freer than any other part of Europe from
well-ordered, so it is nearly impossible to quickly find interesting turmoil, stirred behind the scenes by compet
documents, or even know what the collection contains. ing Cainite factions. It is dominated by afar from the
A search for references to diabolism yields nothing; Erro German king (and Holy Roman Emperor) Henry IV. He
and her cabal have systematically stolen away all useful elbows aside the temporal power of the elderly pope,
texts, hiding them in a shed near their shrine to Kupala. Celestine Ill. Revolt stirs to the south in Sicily, prompting
brutal repression by Henry's forces. But as of yet the
Magi must share one of four communal laboratories.
Tremere have paid no heed to Italian politics, the com
This arrangement is rife with potential conflict. Re
plexities of which dwarf even their own internal struggles.
searchers must proceed under the jealous eyes of their
colleagues. Delicate experiments often come to naught In the past, Perugia was a haven of rest from Her
thanks to the accidental intervention of other magi or, metic intrigue. The House of Tremere let their internal
when rivalries heat up, deliberate sabotage. Sometimes conflicts soften under a haze of relaxation and fellow
simultaneous experiments react badly together, to disas ship. However, neither Perugia's wine cellars nor its
trous effect. Several years before he pledged his soul to sun-drenched patios offer any sort of pleasure to its
Kupala, the mage Fascinare lost the hearing in his right Cainite members. Although Perugia is still treated as a
ear when a cloud ofgas from a colleague's alchemical vats place of leisure by mortal magi, who gather here by the
141

dozen to flee the winters of more northern chantries, the seeing the world, one which prevented him from acting
vampires mostly shun it. When they come here it means as a true mage should. When darker moods seize him, he
instead that factional rivalries have reached a boiling admits to himself that he has damned himself beyond
point, forcing a confrontation on neutral ground. redemption. His main goal as chantry head is to delay
the inevitable discovery of the Cainite conspiracy by
A CHANTRY the house's mortal magi. Of all the Cainite Tremere,
Probitas shows the greatest foresight as to the devastat
RUN BY FLEDGUNGS ing consequences of a split with the unturned wizards.
Chantry head Probitas has been a Cainite for only Both Etrius and Goratrix, he believes, are already too
two years. One year ago he was given authorization by preoccupied wi th the threats posed by other Cainites to
Etrius to Embrace others, provided that they were well recognize the grave danger in their own organization.
prepared for the transformation. When one of his neo As a recent convert to vampirism, he understands all
nates rebelled and threatened to reveal the Cainite plot to too well the gulf that separates a mighty mage, well
other magi, Etrius sent a more experienced Cainite from supplied with vis, from a practitioner of mere
Ceoris to aid him. Goratrix, anxious to keep Perugia from Thaumaturgy. Probitas, too lowly to warrant T remere's
becoming another Vienna, sent several minions as well. attention, hasn't yet been granted the Thaumaturgic
However, the agents of both Inner Councilors are oflesser secrets meant to counter Hermetic magic, so he doesn't
stature. Perugia is but a pawn on the T remere chessboard. see the root of his masters' confidence. He sees almost
Before his Embrace, Probitas felt his Christian all of the house's remaining mortals over the course of
faith with a vehemence bordering on the self-righ a year. (Tosia and her cohort are an exception. They
teous. Ceoris's castellan, Curaferrum, played brilliantly remain in Ceoris to better monitor the "diabolical"
on his pride and insecurity and over the course of goings-on there.) Every day he must size up a visiting
several years convinced Probitas to commit terrible mage. He knows who is suspicious, and can also spot
atrocities in the name of occult research, and then to likely candidates for the Embrace. He despises the
gladly accept Caine's mantle. Unlike Etrius, Probitas conflict between Goratrix and Etrius, fearing that it
has now rejected his former faith. On good nights, he will lead one side or the other to make a mistake which
tells himself that he has discarded a foolish way of will reveal all. Unfortunately, Probitas lacks both the
142

stature and persuasive talents of a Meerlinda. It taxes took an unreasoning dislike to Jean and began to suspect
him just to keep the local partisans of both factions him as a central player in the supposed diabolism at
safely separated. Ceoris. She thought him connected to the Knights
His childe, Sodalis, devoted his life to the recruitment Templar, about whom she's heard rumors of black magic.
and seduction of lubricious young apprentices. While his Her vision of him as a paragon of evil is ironically out of
raffishly disheveled appearance and droll wit might not step with his placid, plodding character. Jean abandoned
have earned him much romantic success outside the con the priesthood because it was too mentally taxing for
fines of a chantry, it did, over the centuries, appeal to a him. He's good at fighting but out of his depth as an
surprising number of budding enchantresses. His roster of intriguer, at Perugia or anywhere else. He has learned to
former conquests includes Farica, now librarian at Vienna, hate and fear Merusa and the chantry's friends ofGoratrix.
and Lignupeda, who now sits in the dungeons of the Paris Assuming he can get away with it, he wants to do
chantry. Though startled by the Embrace, Sodalis took to something simple to them - kill them, probably.
it quickly. For him, the weeks and months ofseduction were Goratrix's men are the identical twins Michel and
always more satisfying that the mere act ofconsummation. Martial Culrier. Tall, loose-limbed and equipped with
He doesn't regret the diminishment of his sexual capacity, bulging lower lips, both are grinningly rapacious ex
and relishes his powers of mental domination. He follows ruffians Embraced by Frondator for their mastery of
Probitas' orders merely to buy himself time to indulge these violence. Each pretends to be smarter and more refined
delightful new abilities. Sodalis, never one to worry about than the other, but both are lazy, sadistic thugs. Goratrix
tomorrow, can't imagine that anything truly bad will come soon tired of their presence, but wanted to keep them
of the house's Cainite transformation. Although he wouldn't alive for possible later use. He packed Michel and Mar
object to Embracing every mage in the house immediately, tial off to Perugia with orders to keep the conservatives
he sees the struggle between conspirator and conservative from taking over the place. They've occupied their time
as pure folly. Despite his complete lack of sympathy for mostly by threatening Jean in none-too-veiled ways, and
Probitas, his neutrality and cleverness make him the chantry in feeding indiscriminately on city residents. A bored
leader's most dependable ally. Merusa toys with them, setting them against one another
Sodalis in tum Embraced his latest willing apprentice, by pretending a romantic interest in them. Probitas
the long-tressed Merusa, without waiting for permission regards them as the foulest scum ever to seep up through
from Ceoris. Probitas retroactively secured Transylvania's the cracks of the earth, and has instructed Sodalis to do
consent, without informing Curaferrum that the deed had away with them at the earliest opportunity. Sodalis
already been done. Merusa, the daughter of a wealthy hopes to do this through trickery, perhaps by leading
courtesan raised in a splendor many local nobles would them to antagonize a Cainite outside the clan.
envy, was well tutored from a young age in the art of Few mortal magi make Perugia a permanent home.
befuddling lustful men. Only months after her Embrace, she Most prominent among them is Cultor, a hard-drinking
reckons she's derived all available benefits from her associa fellow whose earthy ways contrast sharply with the
tion with Sodalis. She sees vampirism as the gateway to scholarly bent usual among T remere. His mastery of the
undreamt-of power. She wants to go to Ceoris, where true various plant magics is unparalleled among the T remere.
advancement lies. Having been an apprentice of a few Probitas fears his abilities. He might be able to mobilize
months standing upon her Embrace, she has no real respect entire forests to attack Cainite strongholds, making him
for house tradition. She despises the mortal magi and a threat even to Ceoris itself. Cultor, who spends much
wonders why the Cainites wish to Embrace them at all. of his time hand-tending the vast olive grove that sur
They should all be slain so that young, vibrant recruits like rounds the chantry, seems especially resistant to the
herself can provide the clan with the strength it needs. Embrace. He speaks frequently of his love for life as
Merusa takes slights poorly. She has already killed two magi manifested in nature. Oddly enough, he gets on well with
on their way back to their home chantries. No one knows the thuggish Culrier twins. Their complete lack ofsocial
she's responsible for the attacks, which she arranged to look graces provokes him to quivering belly-laughter. Many
like the work of bandits. bookish magi feel intimidated by Cultor's self-confi
Etrius's representative at Perugia is square-shoul dence and full-throated zest for life. If he survives the
dered Jean Entende, a warrior who won distinction in next few years, they may look to him as a leader in their
the Crusades and gradually drifted to Ceoris as a merce imminent battle against the T remere vampires.
nary. Esoara admired his valor against the Tzimisce, Blond-haired, arrogant Aculeus mans the tower which
even when out-numbered, and put his name forward for harvests aurum vis. The chantry is situated to catch the
the Embrace. Etrius was later forced to send him away gusts ofa magical wind current. Aculeus' carefully-tended
from Ceoris when T osia learned he was a former priest nets draw the residue from these winds. A formidable
who'd renounced his vows for a swordsman's life. Tosia practitioner of air magic, he uses much of the vis himself.
143

What he does not use, he passes along to other magi, insobriety all but forced some down his gullet during an
making sure they know how great a favor they owe him in especially wild debauch. Sodalis let his old friend,
return. His aloof conviction in the superiority of his talent Praedurus of Flanders, live, but now wishes he hadn't.
makes him difficult to like. Probitas thinks him selfish Word from Flanders has it that Praedurus plans a visit
enough to welcome the Embrace but worries he would not to T osia at Ceoris.
accept his subordination to seniors of the clan. Aculeus The chantry generates a surprising amount of rev,
brandishes his contempt for Probitas at every opportunity enue. Visiting magi are expected to pay a generous
but tolerates the company of Sodalis. Sodalis isn't sure stipend keyed to the length of their stays. Probitas has for
that Aculeus will ever be ready to be turned, but continues years falsely maintained that these fees barely cover his
to subtly test him. simple expenses, from upkeep on the buildings to the
cost offood. In fact, he was overcharging shamelessly. He
MARBLE l-IALLS used to donate the money to Perugia's poor as an act of
The Perugia chantry is a sprawlingcomplex of one, contrition. Since his transformation he's had to divert
story villas. The tallest structure in the compound is the extra fees to support an increasingly large community
Aculeus' tower, a spidery structure of whitewashed of guards, servants and their dependents. Visiting magi
pine. A system of wooden struts supports a pentagonal enjoy being waited upon extravagantly by Perugia's
net of fine fabric. Rungs along the tower allow Aculeus over, large staff. They have no idea that the entourage
to climb up and harvest the collected vis. Apart from exists as a herd for Perugia's resident and visiting Cainites.
this, the structures at Perugia are alllow,slung marble The area's other Cainites are only dimly aware of the
buildings. Most are private quarters, with a bedchamber, Tremere presence here, leaving the chantry free from
servants' rooms, a small and ill,equipped laboratory attack for the time being. In preparation for inevitable
and space to entertain a few guests. A large central conflict, Probitas has allowed the Culrier brothers to
structure provides a common area for gatherings, along train the most able, bodied herd members as guards. He
with a large kitchen and pantry. Much of the chantry's has also begun construction ofa low marble fence around
social interaction takes place on large patios attached the chantry perimeter. It's not tall enough to impede
to this central hall. An east,facing patio catches the invaders, but allows for the placement of magical wards.
morning sun; visitors shift to its westward partner in At present, the fence is only half-complete.
the afternoon. Cainites of course decline to expose
themselves to sunlight, but their avoidance isn't as NEUTRAL GROUND
obvious as it might be among other company. Magi are Perugia sometimes becomes a tense meeting place
accustomed to burning the midnight oil in their labs, for delegations representing Etrius and Goratrix. Before
and activity on the patios often continues long into the Probitas was turned, he mistook these diplomatic parleys
night. Large lanterns hang from the patio's high rails, as convocations of diabolists. Now he knows why parties
bobbing gently in the side,draft of the magical winds. of scowling magi suddenly appear, retire to villas for
Although discussion of occult minutiae is always the private conference and abruptly leave, often bearing
main activity, the assembled magi always drink wine, even sourer expressions. He takes care to shield the
often declaim poetry and sometimes play elaborate parleying Cainites from the snooping of mortal magi. To
games of chance. One popular game involves the ani, both factions he makes clear the dangers of indiscretion,
mation of small beads of quicksilver, which the magi and to date they have respected the boundaries he lays
then race about the patio's tiles. Anyone of these down. In an early meeting at Perugia, the two factions
activities can quickly tum sour, as banter becomes agreed not to attempt physical harm to other Cainites at
sharper and the participants grow drunker. Rivalries the chantry, nor subject rivals to thaumaturgic workings.
are never far below the surface among prideful magi. Probitas has equipped several of the villas with en,
Wine drinking is impossible for vampires; Sodalis nearly chanted tapestries whose figures begin to caper and wail
exposed his new nature when a former partner in when magic takes effect in the room.
144


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Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Developer: Philippe R. Boulle true Patsy Cline fan;

Editor: Richard Ruane things to name here. We miss ya, kiddo.

Art Director: Richard Thomas

©2000 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

CHAPTER ONE: AN ANCIENT ROT 14

CHAPTER Two: A FARAWAY CI ADEL 30

CHAPTER THREE: A HOUSE DI DED 36

CHAPTER FOUR: THE BELLY OF THE BEAST 46

CHAPTER FIVE: THOSE DAM AND SOON TO BE 74

CHAPTER SIX: SECRETS OF TH

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

the Usurpers for it is from them that the T remere stole

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

How TO invitation to Ceoris after proving their willing­

USE THIS BOOK CONTENTS

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

eccentric and forbidding masters. Few of them were

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

loudly. Goratrix' servant heard, and blew the horn.

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

THE princes of Dis, or so he thought, and was ready to

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

He blamed Goratrix and petitioned Tremere for re­

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

GOAATRIX: individuals then, hecould not break with Tremere's hold

1037 -1133 THE MAKING OF GARGOYLES

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

THE RESEARCHES OF Whenever they found one, they carefully planned an

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

J!3dla, I?ol'riba bd/a,

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

c!iifalldct;kJ''ip <§!/;/hl ~1'/.0!d';

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

THE ANCIENT FrnNDs discharged my duties.

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

Arthur Ferreira (order #2432848) 189

ENvOYS AND VmORS

From their tutelage I can now predict the actions of

arrangements are not without risk - these are strangers to

How TO invitation to Ceoris after proving their willing

He blamed Goratrix and petitioned Tremere for re