House Tremere

Synopsis

One of the twelve Houses of the Order of Hermes, a true lineage of the Founder Tremere. Tremere magi gather a few days before Tribunal, and every ten years in Coeris; they also hold Ceremonies of Welcome and funerals for their Housemates; HoHTL 116.

Specialties

While individual members of other Houses sometimes choose to keep rather loose connections to their respective siblings, no other House maintains a level of organization that is as strict as the one kept among the members of House Tremere. Tremere not only organize themselves strictly hierarchically on a House-wide scope, but also cultivate a rather formal parens-fili{us,a}-relationship throughout their lives. If there is one trait that can be applied to-, one label that can be stuck on-, and one drawer that can be used to accommodate the members of House Tremere as a whole, it is most probably ""control"", the House motto being Voluntas vincit omnia (lat. The mind conquers all). Although this might be considered nothing more than an unqualified allegation from members outside the House, it is as likely one that members of House Tremere are unlikely to disclaim.

House Tremere (actively or accidentally) maintains a reputation of being a solid stronghold in the unsteady current of the Hermetic landscape, an insular, completely self-contained corporately construct, whose secrets and treasures are available only to the members of the House � and even then only the hardiest and most ambitious individuals are likely to quality to reach the ranks of the innermost circles. Contrary to other Houses that, under certain cicrumstances, sometimes accept members from other Houses into their ranks, House Tremere accepts no one but the ones that were raised under the cane and careful guidance of a watchful Tremere parens.

The relationship of other Houses towards the Tremere is twofold, to say the least: on the one hand, nobody outside the House really knows what kind of wind is going to blow next from Coeris, bolstering the stalwart reputation of an untouchable, inbred family of remote Transylvanians. On the other hand, hardly any other House, with the notable exception of the other three True Lineages, matches the unbroken rigidity House Tremere cultivates with regard to the continuous stability of the Order of Hermes.

Members of House Tremere are (in-)famous throughout the Order for their proficiency in Certamen.

Members

The following Tremere magi are mentioned in various Ars Magica supplements:

Living Members

Poena
Stentorius (see Fengheld): GotF page 84

Famous Members (deceased)

Tremere the Founder
Cercistum: HoHTL page 110

Fifth Edition Virtue Controversy

According to the RAW, all members of House Tremere receive the virtue Minor Magical Focus in Certamen as a free house virtue. Since a magus may not have two magical foci, and since foci significantly increase the magus' power within their area, the result is that Tremere magi are at a severe disadvantage as specialists. The virtue also grants them a significant advantage in Certamen, which many fans feel would undermine the fairness of the custom so that it would be unreasonable to maintain it past the Sundering.

For these reasons, many troupes choose to provide an alternative free house virtue through a house rule. Possible virtues include Skilled Parens or equivalents (the advantage of the equivalent is that it allows the magus to enjoy both the Tremre training and a skilled parens), a "Puissant Certamen" providing +3 to Certamen rolls, or allowing Tremere magi to have a second Magical Focus. Some troupes have also expanded the free house virtue of all houses, allowing magi of all houses some (limited) selection of free virtues (note that this is explicitly recommended for Flambeau magi, in HoHTL p.26).

The RAW situation, however, is not without its advantages. By diminishing the benefits of specialization, Tremere magi are encouraged to engage more in cooperation and team-work. While their advantage in Certamen is considerable, Wizard's War is still far more risky and violent, and a poorer reflection of magi's non-martial capacity and cunning, while a Tribunal hearing is even less immediate and simple - so it stands to reason Certamen would be accepted in Hermetic society even given the Tremere advantage, especially as the House is likely to lobby for it.

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House Tremere and Vampires

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References

Core description in ArM5, p. 12, 30.
The House is described in great detail in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages 110-143. This description was written by Timothy Ferguson.
See also The Line of Muj.

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Legacy Page

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