Short Fiction

Vampiric Review

Card Review

Sample Deck

VEKN Official Clan Tremere Newsletter June 1999

Volume 1, Issue 5 June 3, 1999

Please direct all correspondence and commentary to Xian.

Blah blah blah, some legal stuff...I wrote all this on my own, so you'd better credit me or ask my permission (ideally, both). Depending, I may start using my participation in the JOL game Story5 as my fiction bits, but we'll see. I am of course playing a Tremere deck, as it just wouldn't be the me if I played my first story game with something else.

Short Fiction

The White Worm writhes languidly in its musty tomb. It sends tendrils of thought out to softly caress those it has selected as its tools.

The wards surrounding the tomb providing more than enough protection for now, as the only beings powerful enough to affect the White Worm could still be sensed gathering their forces, the creature arranged its opening play.

It silently sent a command of dismissal and sensation of pleasure at a job well done to the servant that had awoken it. Later, the worm might need to feed, but for now, this nameless servant had other, more important tasks to attend to... the Council of Seven needs to feel that it is making its own decisions, and the thrall would see to it.

A few more hours, a few more hours, the worm told itself.

As Ulugh Beg left the chamber, he felt a slightly warm feeling, a trickle of pleasure that hadn't existed there before. It always felt good to serve the master, a certain sign that he was doing the right thing. Obviously, if he did something foolish, or against the master's wishes, it would inherently feel wrong. There was no need for the master to say anything, for what the master desired was the only right way. It was a moral imperative that he help.

And it was a good thing that his own servants were so willing to acquire what the master needed without question. That book had helped a great amount. Without it, Ulugh Beg would have been unable to awaken the master in time, which would have been quite bad for House and Clan Tremere.

Briefing on Thaumaturgists of the Sabbat

NEED TO KNOW ONLY! MAY TREMERE HIMSELF SWALLOW YOUR SOUL IF YOU ARE NOT PRIVILEGED TO READ THIS!

Salinger - POT CEL PRE tha Brujah antitribu 9 Archbishop of Philadelphia
As a directed action, Salinger may enter combat with any Lasombra or Tzimisce. +1 bleed
--A brutal foe, to whom our wayward kin have taught some of our ancient arts. Versatile and deadly in combat.

Pieter - OBF PRO for tha Gangrel antitribu 6
--Upon first learning this one's capabilities, the natural reaction is to be worried. Fear not, however, as this reasonably old Kindred is so inept, his powers hardly work in a complementary fashion.

Samantha - CEL OBF PRO tha ani Gangrel antitribu 10 Bishop
Samantha's hand damage is aggravated. Samantha has +1 intercept vs. Lasombra.
--If Salinger didn't scare you, Samantha will. She, like many ancient Gangrel, is a ravening beast that can rarely be contained. Her knowledge of our arts onle serves to make her slightly more intimidating, as she is one of the eldest of the 'City Gangrel,' and has all the powers that this designation implies. Additionally, she causes fearsome wounds with her bare hands. You have been warned.

Antonio Delgado - DOM OBT POT tha Lasombra 9 Archbishop of Atlanta
If Antonio performs a successful political action, untap him at the end of the turn.
--A master manipulator rivalling some of the best of our clan, Delgado has apparently picked up some arcane lore through political dealings. It helps him little.

Quira, the Bitch Queen - OBF AUS tha obt Malkavian antitribu 6, +1 bleed
--Her innate skill at destroying resources makes her a dangerous opponent, even though she lacks more traditional powers. Her thaumaturgical knowledge oddly appears to be a spontaneous manifestation.

Yong-Sun, Harmonist - ANI aus OBF POT THA Nosferatu antitribu 10 Cardinal
As a (D) action, Yong-Sun may burn the top vampire of your prey's crypt.
--Possessing all of the skills of the clan which is the most constant thorn in our side, this thing also possesses a great deal of our knoledge. Most dangerous.

Ayelea, the Manipulator - AUS DOM OBT pre THA Tremere antitribu Cardinal
As a directed action, Ayelea may allow you to take control of a Tremere antitribu until the end of your next turn.

Brooke - dom tha Tremere antitribu 3

Bryan Van Duesen aus DOM pre THA Tremere antitribu 7
+1 bleed
--This vampire is skilled at manipulating mortals, resources, and magics, but he will likely have trouble surviving direct hostilities. If you need to nullify him, a direct assault is perhaps the best approach.

Ethan Locke - aus cel DOM pot THA Tremere antitribu 9 Archbishop of Toronto
As a directed action, Ethan may steal a Master Discipline card from another vampire if he does not already possess the superior version of the discipline
--A crafty magus with a number of his own unique rituals, Locks is also capable of defending himself. One of the few Sabbat Tremere with few glaring weaknesses. Luckily, he is also strong-willed as most elders are, and is not easily swayed from his own ends.

Heinrick Schlempt - tha Tremere antitribu 2
--Though skilled in different arts, no more or less adept than our youngest recruits.

Ian Forestal - AUS DOM THA Tremere antitribu 8
Ian can play cards of any Discipline as though he has the basic level of that Discipline. Master Discipline cards played on him grant the superior level of that Discipline
--Through some bizarre ritual or pact, Forestal has gained a wealth of knowledge. Expect him to show up anywhere and everywhere.

Kij Dansky - AUS DOM obt THA Tremere antitribu 8 Priscus
--Though powerful and prestigious, there is little special about her, making her likely relegated to Sabbat war rooms, rather than sieges.

Kurt Strauss - aus DOM tha Tremere antitribu 5
--He has a compelling way with people, but is ill-equipped to defend himself against his quals in age.

Reverend Blackwood - DOM obf THA Tremere antitribu 6 Bishop
Reverend Blackwood inflicts +1 damage with strikes that require thaumaturgy
--A truly mighty vampire, he has a keen understanding of blood magic, which his enemies often bemoan.

Richard Tauber, Ayelea's Puppet - AUS tha Tremere antitribu 4
Richard gets -1 intercept against Lasombra and Tzimisces
--A gifted medium, he is less than fear-inducing otherwise.

Thelonius - aus dom tha Tremere antitribu 4
--Displaying all the basic abilities of our kind, he is a rather all-purpose magus.

Violet Tremain - dom pre tha vic Tzimisce 6 Bishop
If Violet successfully inflicts at least 2 hand damage to an opposing vampire, reduce that vampire's capacity by one
--Unusual even for a Tzimisce, Violet is perhaps too versatile. She appears to be one of the few of our ancient enemies who remembers their old craft.

Marlene, The Infernalist - AUS dem DOM for tha Ventrue antitribu
--She would be a welcome addition to aopur clan for all of her abilities. Though not truly gifted in the magical arts, what she knows complements her other powers well.

Focus on a Card

Outcast Mage
Ally
Tremere
2 pool
Ally with 2 life, 2R, 1 bleed. Outcast Mage gets one optional maneuver each combat.

I'm not sure what people are going to think about this. I have always preferred the Outcast Mage to Thadius Zho. I think I have about 8 Thadius, and about 3 Outcast Mages in my collection. It's strange. But anyway, although the Outcast lacks the special ability Thadius has, he's 50% cheaper, can still bleed, and is non-unique. For the same cost as a .44, you get an ally that can bleed, and has a built-in .44. Building a deck around the Outcast Mage might not be completely futile. I'll have to think a little harder about that, and maybe come up with something after I finally figure out James Coupe's "intercept deck that wins".

I'll do a brief comparison to a few other standard allies.

So, going over this quickly, though the Outcast Mage is more expensive than the other allies listed, he is also one of the few with ranged damage. In addition, he has a maneuver, unlike the Slashers. Again, he is non-unique...you could use two Outcasts instead of Thadius, and would see little (if any) downgrade in the effectiveness. Give them each a laptop or other equipment (Flak Jacket, IR Goggles) and, they're a vast improvement over Thadius. Also, the Outcast Mage can bleed, unlike many allies...the Political Ally being one of the few exceptions, and it is very weak in combat.

To conclude, I like the Outcast Mage; you may not. In that case, you're wrong. So there.

Sample Deck

Title: Tremere gonna put the smack down

Tremere & !Tremere bleed

Crypt
Jing Wei
Brooke
Thelonius
Ignatius
2x Sarah Cobbler
2x Kurt Strauss
2x Merrill Molitor
Lydia Van Cuelen
Reverend Blackwood
Average: 4.5, Worst: 22, Best: 14

Library (90)

Master(18)
4x Thaumaturgy skill card
4x Dominate skill card
3x Effective Management
2x Chantry
2x Arcane Library
3x Blood Doll

Action(19)
17x Scouting Mission
1x Tremere Justicar
1x Anakara Citadel, Turkey

Action Modifier(17)
17x Bonding

Combat(24)
10x Movement of the Mind
8x Theft of Vitae
3x Walk of Flame
3x Soul Burn

Reaction(12)
4x Wake with Evening's Freshness
4x Deflection
4x Delaying Tactics

Comments: I don't think I've ever built a Tremere deck like this before. Although it is fairly focused, I have tended to concentrate on either combat, something completely weird, or a standard auspex/dominate/thaumaturgy deck. I like the focus here on bleeding, with adequate combat backup. Obviously, it's not going to stand up to a determined assault, but it should provide a nuisance to anyone that wants to block. The minions are relatively small, making it your best bet to ignore rushers and simply keep bleeding and pulling out more vampires.

This deck uses Scouting Mission and Bonding to achieve a fairly standard bleed of 3 at +1 stealth. If you're not scared of Archon Investigation, switch to Govern the Unaligned and/or Threats/Conditioning; however, I wasn't sure how this deck would do on regaining blood, even with the Theft of Vitae available. 4 or 5 vampires bleeding for 3 each per turn should prove relatively threatening in most environments. The +1 stealth would not cut it in my usual playgroup, as they tend to have light intercept in almost every deck. It should, however, work acceptably in other environments.

I originally designed this without the Effective Managements, the WWEF, and Deflections, but I thought they might be useful. If you want, take them out, and add in one more Blood Doll, a couple more Delaying Tactics, 2 Scouting Missions & Bondings, and 2 each of Movement of the Mind and Theft of Vitae. Or, that's what I recommend at least. Admittedly, without the WWEF, the Delaying Tactics are less useful. I also originally had a couple of Political Backlashes thrown in for fun, as I never see them, and they might be amusing to throw in.