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    40 views146 pages

    Vampire - The Dark Ages - House of Tremere

    Uploaded by

    Bruno Mercurio

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    . “e Reena AYA CREDITS SPECIAL THANKS Author: Robin D. Laws To Chad “Vodka Silverpants” Brown for being the one, Developer: Philippe R. Boule tue Patsy Cline fan; Aiitional Developunensts Rishard E. Daruky To Astsid "My Fo * Mosler for 19 Editor: Richard Ruane things to name here. We miss ya, kiddo. ‘Art Director: Richaad Thomas Layout & Typesetting: Pauline Benney Interior Art: Mitch Byrd, Guy Davis, Vince Locke, Conan Venws Front Cover Art: Patrick Lambert Front & Bach Cover Denign: Pauline Bennncy Py ©2000 White Wolf Publishing, Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction ic 735 PARK NORTH BLYD.wihour the writen permission of the publher © expressly forbidden a Smt ‘except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which 08 may be reprchiced forpenenal we only. White Wolf, Vampire, Vampire CURTIN, GA 30ND = Mose Varese Dak Ags Mage the Aceon, Wore Darkness and Aberrant are regitered trademarks of White Welt Publsh Wh ing, Ine. All nights rscrved. Werwol the Apvcalipsc, Wrath the Oblivion, Changeling the Dreaming, Hunter the Reckoning, Werewolf PUNLisaing the Wild West, Mage the Sorcerer’ Cnaad, Wraith the Great War, Trinity, House of Tremere, Blood Magic Secrets of Thaumatuny, Blood Treachery, Likes Sarguinis 2 Keepers ofthe Word, Ley: Lon & Lackey, Sorcerer Revised Edition, Transylvania by Nigh, Transylvania Chronicle, Tralvania lironiclesl Dark Tees ising and Yearof Reveationsaretrademarksof White Wolf Pblshin. Inc. Allrihtsteserved Allcharactes, name, pees and text herein ae copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is nota challenge tothe trademark or copyright concemed. Thishook uosthonypematurelforstsings charaersandthemes.Allmpeicalandupematiralclmenearficion and intended fr enterainment purpores only This book contains mature content. Reade dsretion sadvied Fora free White Wolf catalog eal 1-800-454-WOLF. Check out White Wolf online at hep white-wolf com; alt games.whitewolf and rec games fpstorteller PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES. CONTENTS Prevape: AN InTRuper's BrocRess INTRODUCTION: A. Ho@SE INUSPrre OF FrseLF Cuaprer ONE: AN ANCIENT/RoT Cuaprer Two: A Faraway €frapet Cuaprer THree: A House Dpyipep CuaprTer Four: THE BELLY OF THE BEAST CHAPTER FrvE: THOSE DAMNED AND SOON TO BE CHAPTER Six: SECRETS OF THE’ WORKSHOPS CHAPTER SEVEN: SHADOWS OF CEORIS Progeess Gs the secret doce aealed chust behvips> briprs Bogdan found that he coud not move focvoacd. Dis body voould not ober hirrt De voatched his firsqees cunt felt the urtrmovirig Hood wwithirs irr 4) fuer gelid. Altec an instant, Bogdan krsevo vohat he fel fas irripobatle as it seerred! Chis voas terror Chis sons not tobeexpected beetircen kneve bir as the leartess ore. De voas the ore vohod astonished all br voading inte a bortice foretrievehis sice’s battle helrn Bogdan was theone whod defied the Czimisce vohen ther tried to break hires Viothing they> dors to his body cotdd induce bir to beteay his beothers' secrets Bogdan vous the ore vohe could not be beokert Ory he coudd be teusted, if captuced. to reveal nothing De woas the ore whodstood alors int the snow before the lupirse price anid ders ided of birn his reat chacrn Bogdan heffed the leather bag containing the chacrrs it had wooded, reutealizinig words and opening locks It vas the acciused Trerrere who shroutd feet fear - of hirnt Bogdears vonifed ard his Hood lost ifs chill Be teied to rowehis fingers anid save that he could Be closed his exes for a moment arid ther vwoerst forvoar> inte the secret charrber's depths Calg were anywhere inthis cold, wind rated edifice, it woul be here, nthe hidden chambers where only the Cainite Tremere venture. Colgahaelnoe been head from in menthsand tad snely been found ost by the clan whore alleiance he'd foe solenafetged Bogan die nict ibe many Cainiteshisclaneaes inched, but fle fection for noble, natunelovirg Cla Bolin bad spent many weeks in Ceors in this guise as retainer to oneofthe mortal mages, Aswashis wont. he'd made hirmelf unnoticeable. He'd listened to the servants gomip, He'd ingeriated Niue vith he ewtalappeniics He Ganicdout the Cainites among them. His own. supposed master knew uh oftheC ca he forests walk orcause castes to crumble with the merest gesture Yer they couldn't see that Usurpers walled among them. A clattering sound echoed up the stats towards itn. He brought himself short. He shvankeback against the store wall, feeling ts dampness through his woo! tunic. If someone was 1p the stairs, be had no hope of exape :xood sill fora while, but hear no further noise. He «quickly made his way down the fs ofthe steps to the comdor below. It was no grinder than the ones above. Several doors though hed well acquninted hiesel wth hanay’s pubic areas, he'd never been through the hidden los of the chamber, He had no choice bur to open doors llswhere the pevanens were kept. They had to be in ‘par forthe moral magesiwore Ceeishekd nocaptves. Bogdan frome again as he heard sounds from the nearest of thedoors. The door was thick, and casein iron. He wasconfident that he could carefully creep along the corridor’ length without saisingan alarum with whoever clattered inside. Surely the cells would no be among the fist roms an inet would encons ter. He moved exefily ang the stone flooring, making net sound. Finally he turned acomer and found himself in a second ‘corridor, alto lined with metal door, He heard no woxnd, and travel iimelf firs torest adooe Hiscrecpings would come to nothing if all the doors here were well locked. But the door sgonnedslghtlyas be ahouldersd andl opened. He lite his Lamp to illuminate the darkened room. Inside were Gargoyles. He braced enel for dite combat But —he let love a freshortened gasp fei histiin decades — the Gargoyles were not moving. They were dead, ‘stufied and mounted like hunser’s trophies. Each bore a puzzling malfonnanen separating thetn fm the anvmated specimens Bopha knew from the uadhouses outside the chantry Then ogg heard sts hing ara haterirye fom lace inthe oom. Along two walls of the room were stacked ca clk: Dayphan pecred whose parts di not belong together. rat witht of a draponily. A surging maggot thing, bigger than a ca poreline. itself along the floor of its cage on ses with the slow puingrot what could Bogen had seer, many swf sil rwembed. [he creanursinthe cageswereditfeentinsorne way Boyglan did't have the word oe. They wee il-fited patch- ‘works, born our of acolder kind of madness chan the Trimisce’s. (Colga could explain it. He would find Cag and all would be rig He shoul be leavirg chi rocm wo find Cotga — there ‘woul benocell keyshere—buthe could not sop hie from Peeing into the cages He told himself that his brothers woull vant wo knew the secrets ofthis room. ‘Ove tae we vince by # ncoained cath. Bap moved it aie, then cused hime fr his lack of cation, The ‘beast insicke was formed from the of two wolves, 30 thateachsetofleg faced the otherardimetin the midiletmake shucking hevle Bowe Doers cfebarp epee sos ech ‘tonal, pinkish ide. Then the spines openedand Boysan sv tharthey were infact the beaksofcourtes birds Thebinisbeyan tochimp Bogan wanted to rush tothe dooe, make sue that no cpe-cenld hear the engtion of equming Bar somehingahou the noise bound him to the spot. Among their screeching, ‘cxophonexs song he soon heard words. Words in his home dhe: Then he ea the res fh othe hs athe. Jone dead chidren. He found himse¥ shaking. Then the wont changed: They named alle the times Bogdan had been dren ened, ule, tortured They gave words to the terror he'd tall himself he'd never felt. They put the lie wo his fealesnes, screamed of the terors he'l pushed down inside himself. The _creatute’s squalling pulled these terrors from deep inside him, and ‘wrapped him upin them, so thatthe Beas took him, Bogdan awoke and thouybe it natural that he would be ‘ound fo a stool in an iit cell. His arms were tied behind him, and his legsto those ofthe stool. He tested his hords bu ‘wasteaingly scolded by the insinuating voice afa woman who stepped, onsoftshod fet, into the chamber. ‘She came closer. Buin sober bur an sche taifafiekin ‘hit drank of the lamplight. The cu of her bleach wh traded Bop very cfs hb: She fare ‘hungry gee dseen before in other captors. They all though thot with a few crazed looks and some eloquent threats they ‘could fighten him into betraying his brothers. “Tam Mendcarina. {wil leam who sen you and why.” They were always confident, at first. “L won't promise you your lif," she continued. "We both know such a promise would be an absurd li. But you ‘can spare yourself pain.” Bogdan resolved to stay silent. It was the best way ¢9 frusrate them, he'd discovered, “iouve lerpel 0 low yr id evi 0 thought-stealen,” she croaked, her eyes sparkling in the Iamplightasshe leaned towards him. “Buc know that yout rhumne is Bopdan, that you've come to rescue someone, and that you believe yourself immune from my blandishments, But chat is because you are an unimaginative man. Your ‘mind cannot begin to encompass the agonies I wield. The ‘Tsimisce and what they did toyou—I couldby comparison snake thar « pinprick.” ‘Bogdan was surprised at how deeply she'd been able to cleave into his mind, Bur the things she wanted to know were well protected, hidden beneath layers of willfulness and concentration. ‘She caressed his face with dry-skinned fingers. "You Pride yourself on your fearlessness. Yet the chitterer broke down the walls of your courage as sure as Hebrew trumpets felled Jericho.” Bogdan decided that it would be right to ask questions Even though he had failed to find Colga, he might glean, useful knowledge to take back to his brothers ater his inevitable escape. “What was that beast!” he asked. ‘Mendacamina smiled and leaned back rom him. "A trifle served up by one of my colleagues. Her perpetual ‘experiments with nature always amuse and sometimes ‘prove useful. I've found her chitterer a fine thing to soften tm oversprond nin Bogdan heard objects being moved behind strained co tum his head tw see, but could pot, ethas four pople They guntd, sling hem obec: Ths there wn « scraping tobe — something bge anal metalic being pushed acros the cells stone flor. “Itdrove me to blood-rage it iste. But now freed, and whatever tore device yu realy, Ie cornet force ti to apeaket Mendacamninu'srettiness wheeled the appar into sight Fewasaa lange bore, cast in bronse, inscribed with sorcerer'ssymbols Jung afew inches out from the bux was a whet the se of fooeman’s shield. Mendacaminn souxk over to the bom anal withdrew from it along tube, ako of bronze, made of many articulated ports, exch nested in the other. Bogdan fle rough ‘hands on his face. They twisted his neck toone side. He heard chanting. there were others in the mom, beyond the lamp'scircle cfhmination. They were making. Boysan felt something mmoia beingapplicdtohistemple: Hiseyes vorsredaspin radiate) fro the spot. He thought he coul smell his lsh meking "You desire information to take back to your brothers “Though you will neverguinsce them shall nonethees tito you. The tube I hold isa carmuda. And this—" She revealed to ‘hima sharp triangular Made aff tothe end ofthe tube."— thisis called arom. Tosether they allow me to apie id froma abject. The larger device—"she indicated the fae elf “*—makes of your mind a pasty sort of fluid.” She signalled for the lighting of other imps, a task her minions imesteely pr formed. The new light revealed a table, upon which sit a ‘plobe-shaped thing, hidden beneath a length of dyed linen. “As ‘you can see, a second tube tmvels from the apparatus, where it feedssomeone] wish yout meet, Bogshin.”Shepulleithecloth quickly away from the object, revealing it asa thc foot br Teal, with hinged jaw and bobbling eyes af ivory enc in Ubu ile gs globes The face cerns to grin a him, "This is Paracelsus. He is enger to taste the pulped contenss of your ‘brain. You sai, Bogdan cht T cannot force you to speak, and that i tre. But Porsche shal pk ory.” ‘And she advanced, trocar in hand, ready to plunge it into Bogdan's temple. im. He + Gnd the cain descended, and the foods carne, arntd the wirtds blew. and beat upon that house anditfel: I and great woes tire fall of it { -Matthevw 7:27 BESIEGED Ceoris stands as the ultimate symbol of House and Clan Tremere, the brash conspirators of the mortal wizards of Europe and the brazen Usurpers of the Cainite ess. Loy magic-hewn walls, soaring towers and impregnable foundations seem to repre- sentall the power of the blood magicians within. Buc ita and perches in the most inaccessible part of ‘Transylvania. Dark things creep about it at night, stony monstrosities flit from its towers and screams ‘echo in itshalls. Ceoris isa testament to the Tremere’s efforts to keep the world’s predators out and their own evils tightly locked in. And predators and evils there are aplenty. ENEMIES WITHOUT Newcomers on the Cainite scene, the Tremere have made enemies with blinding speed. Their theft” cof vampirism and their founder's diablerie of Saulot have cee hain cs Uneaten pamestalicel oowcatee Some try todestroy them outright while others wish to profit from the newcomers. Te Fienns oF Carparnia Ceoris's most implacable foes are the Trimisce odes who ule much of the Transylvanian night. se inhuman ancients beara terrible grudge against the Usurpers for itis fromthem that the Tremere stole sof unlife. But that disgrace only fanned the flames of an already brewing hatred bred in pride and territory. The Tzimisce were loathe to share their omains with prancing mortal hedge wizards and the ‘move to vampirism hasonly made the conflict greater. ‘The Tsimisce know that Ceoris stands as an affronc to them, proof thattheyarenotasdominantand superior a they claim. Destruction is the only solution, Tue Cuans oF CAINE The other Cainites, both in Eastern Europe and chewhere, 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 Tremere show afew signs of fitting in just fine — their lust for power and brash actions have echoes in all clans — and many princes and cldersare willingtoaccommodate them. they weaken, and embarrass the Fiends, so much the better. More importantly, the Tremere have their wes. They wield a potent new kind of blood magic and HOUSE OF TREMERE seem willing to use it in exchange for some petty considerations. They are also neophytes in Cainite vvays, and so more easily manipulated. Far berter to establish a few links to the Usurpers, use them as best ‘one can and then destroy them from within, Outright warfare i a last result. Andanyway,Saulocandhishrood really were pigs Tue Dreap Kapaa ‘ The very air of Transylvania seems to bear ill ‘omens like dry leaves in the wind. The nights are deepery desu fencer and te winters cokler han, they should be. Friends tum to enemies and insults 0 violence in aheartheat: The grace of God seems very far away, indeed. While Tzimisce lords and simple thuman hatreds have theur share of the blame for this dark atmosphere, a good deal of it comes from an infernal influence. Kupala, a devil of ancient origin, has suffused the landsof Transylvania and surround: ing countries with its dark aura. Itfeeds on pride and lust for power, encouraging dark magical workings and other dread deeds and slowly curning practitio- ners to its ways. The magi of House Tremere. so full of pride and hunger, are ideal candida dates. Tue Orper or HERMES House Tremere, before its fall to vampirism, was a founding member in an association of mortal Root oF Aut AND Stars Apove Throughout House of Tremere there is mention of two powerful and enigmatic spii- tual beings Root of Aland Stars Above. They. are invoked at the foxind “Transylvania 1 possibilities dechronicles! They \tspiritsinvoked forpower; they may he Kupala or Saulot; Tremere himself (or another vampire) may have as- ‘sumed their mantle to hetter control his brood. wimards known as the Order of Hermes, ‘The Tremere now stand precariously balanced betwe the worlds of night and day, moving into Cainite affairs while maintaining the pretense of humanity metic coll i the time leception holds, butsuspicions are grow. nd the Usurpers know full well that they d notneed another nos 2 against on tules the Rivats WIrHIN If the walls of Ceoris with the at enemies, it is rivalries are still th day, forgotten when the Tz resumed in moments of peace. Neverth some factions are growing within the chantry and the house as a whole CONSERVATIVES Led by Etrius, the current mas in Ceoris, they a ly organi logical se yalty of his rival Goratrix are the « truly bind them together Conspmators The conspirators are th servatives. Go them from far on charisma. Goratrix is the active, ambitious f to Etrius’s caution, and many Caini as the future. Only the slumbering Tremer for caution forces Goratrix’s allies instead of acting openly INDEPEND! Not a faction per se, independent magi scill account for mast of the Cainite and mortals war- locks in Ceorie. Ie ie the heed chantey of the house and the center of its power, so most see working there as a validation of their own superiority, Partaking in Etrius's and Goratrix’s feud is a waste of time mben there isa was wo be fonagle and great new magic: to be opened. Every magus feels hers is the most vital ficld of research, the most enlightened view and the best way forward. So most hunker down in thet laboratories and strike at rivals for personal slights more than any real sense of ideology. Morrats Little do they know it, but the mortal magi of Ceoris — and of House Tremere asa whole — are inking minority. Many in Ceots stick to their labs and libraries and ignore the nightly skulking of their betters. An instinctive recognition of the predatory nature of the Cainitescows some into not asking too many questions. Some of the mortals are ot so easily dismissed, however. In particular, Tosia, apowerful sorceress burning with aChristian belief, sees evidence of the infernal in the nighttime activities of her fellows. She is preparing to move against them. SERVANTS AND SLAVES ‘The vast majority of Ceoris's inhabitants are no ‘magi atall, They are soldiers and mercenaries, Gar- sgoyle beasts of war, servants and apprentices. They are beneath notice as far as their betters are con- cerned, but they see and sense a great deal about the place. The Gargoyles are a new bloodline taking its first steps toward some form of freedom. The mortal servants are free enough, until they accept special blood potions from certain magi... HowTo Use Tuts Book House of Tremere is your guide to one of the ‘most secret and hidden place in the Dark Medieval world: Ceotis, the head chantry of Clan Tremere Behind tsdark wallsandin itsserpentine catacombs, ‘Tremere took the step toward vampirism andshared hiscrime of diablerie. Cainite captives screamed and were forged into Gargoyles. From this place, the vampiric world has been shaken to its foundations. Now its secrets are laid bare for you. HOUSE OF TREMERE House of Tremere is mostly intended for Storytellers, providing them with a complete set- ting ready to welcome enterprising Tremere neonates or other Cainites, The material here can stand on its own, but additional context appears in Transylvania by Night (which covers the entire region around Ceoris and the other clans! doings), the Transylvania Chronicles (which tell of Ceoris's face) and Libellus Sa guinis 2: Keepers of the Word (which reveals other Tremere secrets). The profiles of various mortal magt also use the hedge magic paths found in Liege, Lord & Lackey. GetTine Tere Is HALF THE FUN Ceoris aind House of Tremere pose « conun- drum toaStoryteller. Much of the place's mystique ‘exists precisely because it is inaccessible. But if the players’ characters never get to Ceoris, then this book 1s hardly that useful, now 1s it! Several options existto actually get characters into Ceoris. The easiest, of course, is to play a coterie of Usurpers. They may arrive in Ceoris for training and research, to help in the war with the Tzimisce ‘or even to gain the Embrace in its dark halls. In most cases, players will want to play a variety of clans. however. Getting them to Ceoris then depends on when the coterie coalesces. If the Storyteller wants to use Ceoris as the center of the chronicle, then those with non-Tremere characters can portray envoys from the other clans seeking information and possible alliance with the Usurpers. The characters can then come together with a few Tremere neanates for their own reasons (possibly to forge just such an alli ance). If Ceoris is to be only onestop (or the final stop) in amore varied chronicle, then the charac- ters should come together elsewhere. With even one Tremere in their midst they could garner an invitation to Ceoris after proving their willing- ness to stand together. Contents Chapter One: An Ancient Rot chronicles the history of Ceoris and through it the fall of House ‘Tremere to its own pride and desperation. Hatred, jealousy and bile have cainted efforts in ‘Transylvania from the very beginning and the ‘magi’s damnation is only the culmination of their self-made fate. Chapter Two: A Faraway Citadel reveals the hard road to Ceoris. In the words of one of the 1 shows just low diff- jer Three: A House Divided chronicles ly affairs of the chantry. The castellan feports on the various rivalries and petty hatreds that tear apart his house. Chapter Four: The Belly of the Beast reveals the rooms and halls of the chantry. From the lowly quarters to the resting place of Tremere himself itil expose for enterprising Storyteller. Soon to Be clans, mortal magi Jurk in the dark hails. Chapter Six: Secrets of the Workshops pro. vides Variety o 1 systems for use with the inha x is includes notes on mortal magi, new paths and rituals of Tha twisted beasts from the chantry Chapter § the other prominent Europe opower centers Cut is the bearich that might have grovon full steaight. Gnd burned is Apollo's laucel bough, That sometime geevo within this | learned rman -Onistopher Madowe, Doctor ; REVELATIONS ‘The Posthumous Testamentof Ponticulus, Former Mage of Ceneie Biciurges, How strange it isto have leshagain...to eel apen in ‘my hands, a chair beneath me... torunmy hands over the surface ofthisdesk. eclencens off insatvation. But this isa odds with the reason {have taken yourbody, why J hold yourpen in your borrowed hand. I already feel your wil fighting with me, and I have much to write. “Thowgls I ted long before your birch, Diciurges, know you well. have watched you. Do not be sur- prised. Know that Ceoris is full of eyes, no two pairs working towards the same precise end. My eyes ate those of a wrehed and helples shade. I see all that transpires in this cesspit of blind and murderous am- bition. 1 have seen enough of you to know thar

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