Tremere

The Tremere are the youngest of the great clans — and the only one that created itself deliberately. Medieval mages who studied vampiric vitae until they understood how to use it to bootstrap their own immortality, they are vampires who chose the condition. They brought their magical traditions with them. The result is Thaumaturgy: blood magic systematic enough to be a Discipline, versatile enough to handle almost anything.

Nickname: Warlocks

Sect: Camarilla (deeply embedded)

In-Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy

Weakness

Clan Blood Bond: Every Tremere is blood bonded to the clan hierarchy from Embrace. The Seven of the Inner Council, through a ceremony performed at first waking, are the sources of every Tremere’s deepest loyalty. This bond cannot be broken — not by isolation, not by time, not by any magic the Tremere themselves have discovered.

In practical terms: Tremere do not act against the fundamental interests of the clan. This is not always visible as a command structure (the Inner Council does not micromanage), but when fundamental interests are at stake, the blood speaks.

Additionally: Other vampires are aware of this weakness. Being Tremere means being regarded as an agent of the clan’s interests by everyone else. Trust has a ceiling.

The Chantry System

Tremere organize through Chantries — fortified magical workplaces that serve as chapter houses, laboratories, political embassies, and fortresses simultaneously. Every Tremere city presence has a Chantry. The Regent of a Chantry is the clan’s representative to the local Prince.

Hierarchy: Apprentice → Initiate → Adept → Master → Regent → Lord → Councillor → Inner Council (the Seven).

Internal politics: The Tremere hierarchy is genuinely hierarchical in ways most Kindred power structures are not. Rank determines what Thaumaturgy paths can be taught, what rituals are accessible, and what resources can be drawn on.

Clan Culture

The Tremere are the Camarilla’s most reliable institutional allies — and the Camarilla knows it. They provide magical capabilities that no other clan can offer. In exchange, they receive protection, political standing, and the Masquerade’s cover for their operations.

The Tremere-Tzimisce war: The founding enmity between the Tremere (who created themselves by partially diablering the Tzimisce progenitor Saulot) and the Tzimisce is unresolved. It is the coldest of cold wars, conducted through proxies, magical attacks, and very old grudges.

Roleplaying Notes

Tremere characters are always navigating dual loyalty: to their own interests and relationships, and to the clan that owns a piece of their blood. This creates interesting pressure at moments when those align — and sharp ethical dilemmas when they don’t.

The Thaumaturgy Discipline is the most versatile magical system in V20. A Tremere can specialize or generalize; the Path system allows genuine customization. The primary cost is that other vampires know exactly who and what you are when they see blood magic in use.

Merits & Flaws

Embraced without the Cup (1pt. Merit) — For some reason you did not drink the blood of the elders during your induction into Clan Tremere, or it had no effect. You are not blood bound to the Clan hierarchy. If discovered, this will typically be “corrected” — though some suspect the Clan has a special purpose in mind for you.

Secret Society Member (1pt. Merit) — You have joined one of the Tremere’s internal secret societies. Your society backs you and helps you increase power within the pyramid, but expects you to uphold its tenets and agenda. Membership is kept secret but is not itself a crime.

Keys to the Library (1–5pt. Merit) — You have the chantry librarian position, with complete access to its magical lore and the authority to decide who else may access it. No matter how restrictive the chantry, you may research freely. Cost equals the chantry’s Library rating.

Outside Haven (2pt. Merit) — You maintain a private haven outside the chantry, trusted with more privacy than most Tremere are granted. May indicate proven loyalty — or a test of it.

Unmarked Antitribu (2 or 5pt. Merit) — You are part of the Sabbat but remain unmarked by the antitribu curse that brands most renegade Tremere. You are not easily recognized as a traitor. Telyavelic bloodline: 2 points. Other Tremere: 5 points.

Quartermaster (3pt. Merit) — You manage the chantry’s mundane supplies. You may access anything from the chantry’s stores (as defined by its Stores rating), with the expectation that borrowed materials are returned or replaced.

Arcane Curse (1–5pt. Flaw) — You suffer from a magical curse. At 1 point: minor oddity (strange eye color, an animal feature). At 2 points: recognizable magical taint or pattern. At 3 points: people sicken or animals attack you. At 4 points: you have developed another clan’s weakness. At 5 points: moonlight is as dangerous to you as sunlight. Curing it may require a quest or advanced research.

Cloistered (2pt. Flaw) — You have spent almost all your undead existence within the chantry. Kindred society is new and confusing to you. All social interactions with those outside the Tremere suffer a −2 dice penalty.

Betrayer’s Mark (3pt. Flaw) — You bear the mark of the antitribu despite being loyal to the Clan (perhaps from an undercover operation or the Vaulderie). Other Tremere are wary of you. You must go above and beyond to prove yourself, and few will trust you with positions of power.

Bound to the Clan (3pt. Flaw) — You have been fully blood bound to Clan Tremere (not just a single elder — to the Clan itself). You cannot act against the Clan and everything you do serves Tremere interests. You are immune to being blood bound by any individual, which compensates slightly.

Mage Blood (5pt. Flaw) — Your blood is so tied to magic that you can only learn Thaumaturgy (including all its paths and rituals). All other Disciplines are completely inaccessible. Non-Tremere with this Flaw still pay out-of-clan costs for Thaumaturgy.

Thaumaturgically Inept (5pt. Flaw; Tremere only) — Something in you refuses to respond to blood magic. You cannot learn Thaumaturgy, any of its paths, or any of its rituals. For a Tremere, this is a severe political and social handicap.