TREMERE - TELYAVELIC

Source Book: Libellus Sanguinis II, by White Wolf

ABILITY SET: AUSPEX, PRESENCE, SEILANIC THAUMATURGY

The Beginning of Tremere Telyavelic

In the early nights of Clan Tremere, before the diablerie of Saulot, a small band of Warlocks made its way into Lithuania. Clan records state that the original goal of this journey was to expand the Clan’s influence into these lands, or to find allies. Some elder Tremere, though, claim that these pilgrims took the journey to escape from the clutches of their Clan once and for all. 

Whatever the original motive behind the exodus, when the Tremere arrived, they fell in with the pagan peoples of Lithuania and learned of Telyavel, the protector of the dead and were taught the skills of ancient Rune Crafting. The local people saw the vampires— nocturnal, bloodthirsty, and obviously magical —as incarnations or avatars of their death-gods, and the Tremere grew to believe them. They cast off the name “Tremere,” and simply became the “Telyavs.” While they had some infrequent contact with chantries outside of Lithuania, for the most party they remained patrons and predators to the villagers. 

Modern Times - Dominions of Darkness
As times changed, so did the Telyavelic. Perhaps not so much in their founding beliefs, but more so in recognition of the shifting world around them. In the late 1700s, more than half of the Telyavelic migrated with the pagan peoples of Lithuania to the New World. Protected by these humans, they took root in the new land and through a series of conferences, reconnected with their Tremere brothers and sisters. 

The Tremere of the New World eagerly welcomed them back into the fold and the clan was significantly strengthened by their discoveries of merging blood magic with the natural world. Initially the Telyavelic attempted to teach their Tremere kin the arts of Rune Crafting and the powers they could wield using this most ancient of all magics. Unfortunately, the Tremere prove to be either incapable of learning or refusing to learn due to the very primitive nature of the art. Some of the Tremere, specifically the Elites, felt that Rune Crafting was taking the clan backwards instead of forwards, much like returning to fingerpainting when one has already studied at the feet of the Masters.

Unlike other clans that reject change and concepts that do not mirror the foundation of a thousand years before, the Tremere are strengthened by discovery and absorb new knowledge that, as a whole, continually add to their power and influence. And they have become stronger still by embracing both the old and the new.

This enlightenment, while ignited in the New World, eventually found its way back to Eastern Europe. While the Telyavelic there have deeper roots, even they could not argue that they are all still Tremere and the power of Seilianic Thaumaturgy is an innovation best shared as a pillar of The Pyramid.

Change has always been the greatest challenge, and greatest weakness, for most vampire clans. But the Tremere have turned it into their greatest strength, recognizing that knowledge, and the search for it, must ever move forward and the only constant in this world is change.

ABOUT TREMERE TELYAVELIC

Quote: We reached too high. Power and enlightenment aren’t only found in formulae. They are also found in dirt, stone, wood, and blood.

Nickname: Telyavs, Shepherds, Druids

Disciplines: Auspex, Presence, Seilianic Thaumaturgy

Weakness: The Telyavs bound their fates so tightly to their pagan herds that they took on some of the same fears and enemies. They are weak against Christian symbols and faith. Difficulties to resist frenzy are -10 Mod higher than normal when confronted by such enemies. They recoil from the sight of the cross or other symbols of the Christian faith.  

Strength: The core of their research is to some day find the means of reversing the catastrophic change they had under gone from human to vampire. In the wilds of Lithuania, these Tremere are revered among the pagan population, who saw them as incarnations of Telyavel (or Kaleval) and welcomed the newcomers into their midst as priests and shamans. The New World pagans continue this belief and have bound themselves willingly to their Earthly gods for the benefit of both.

Seilanic Thaumaturgy: The Telyavs sensed a mystical emanation from the land, one which permeated the soil, forests and animals. They learned from their pagan followers that this “emanation” came from the Siela, the part of the spirit that remains bound to the world after death and also inhabits animals, plants and even stones. 

Excited by this discovery, the Telyavs soon developed a Thaumaturgical Path based on combining their vitae with soil, the sap of trees or the blood of animals, producing a variety of effects. In addition, their deliberate closeness to the vis-rich soil itself enables them to draw upon the metamorphic aspects of their Tzimisce blood.

Unlike their colleagues elsewhere in Europe, who prefer to distance themselves from mortals and conduct their business in secret, Telyavs operate openly among the pagan population of Lithuania. Their nocturnal habits and sanguinary tastes seem utterly appropriate for their roles as servants of the protector of the dead. 

While they do insist on keeping their chantries’ locations secret, they move about in human society with relative freedom. Though the Telyavelic Tremere are no closer to restoring their original humanity than they were when they first separated themselves from their parent clan, they have managed to attain a compensatory sense of connection with the living world. By assuming the duties of priests and shamans, they have also carved out for themselves a place in pagan society as a bridge between the living and the dead.

Appearance: Dressing in the somber clothing of their more scholarly parent clan, the Telyavs dress to fit in with the local population, adopting either the dress of the common folk or the robes and symbols of their newly adopted patron deity. While easily adapting to modern times, there are situations that harken them back in appearance to their more druidic choices of clothing. This is certainly an individual choice, though most Telyavs feel the wearing of their pagan robes during certain ceremonies and when embracing childer honors their history.

Haven: Historical locations of chantries have typically been sacred woodland sites, such as the chantry near Riga situated in a copse of trees atop a sacred hill. The more traditional Telyavelic will seek the refuge of more pastoral havens, but even they acknowledge that one's connection with the Mother Goddess is not so much about the location, as it is about the vampire's ability to commune with her wherever he is.

In more modern times, the Telyavelic Tremere have slowly moved into towns and cities, though living on the outskirts if possible. The concept that Nature can only exist in secluded forests has been abandoned in recognition of the undeniable fact that Nature is tenacious, and she is powerful. Anyone who has ever had to fight the growth of weeds or keep squirrels out of their birdfeeders can attest to this. Consider the delicate flower that blooms in the cracks of an urban sidewalk, or the vines that flourish in lush green leafy cascades on the stone walls of massive human structures. Nature is everywhere, if only you open your eyes and look for her.

Telyavelic chantries in modern times can be found along golf courses, around city parks, by rivers and creeks, or if such locations are unavailable, in planted lush gardens that take over their fenced yards. Occasionally, a lone Telyav dwells among her pagan followers, protected by ghouls. In addition to their chantries, Telyavelic Tremere often have secondary homes, which also serve as shrines for pagan worship and the recruitment of those dedicated to serve the Telyav as the sacred Mother or Father.

Embrace: Unlike most Tremere, the Telyavelic actively Embraced women, seeing them as embodiments of the dark mother-goddess figures of local paganism. Although the majority of this group is still male, nearly a third is female, and many of these were created during the middle age. 

Candidates for the Embrace must come from the ranks of pagans. Many of them are priests and priestesses of the old religion, though this is changing in the modern world. Younger generations are selecting childer who are chosen out of companionship or what passes for love among vampires, as fleeting as those attractions may be for many vampires. But more than that, the newly embrace represent the embodiment of either Nature Goddess or Forest Father. 

Because of their ancient Lithuanian heritage and the remembrance of the time when it was a battleground between the pagan tribes and the Christian Order of the Sword, there are those who strengthen their bloodlines with warrior stock as well. These guardians of the Mother and Father are champions of Nature, as well as protectors of his more priestly brothers and sisters.

These private "Embracing Ceremonies" ideally take place in sacred woodland sites under a full moon. There the exchange of blood is an event blessed by Siela, filled with reverence for the miraculous transformation that is taking place. An embrace may take from sundown till just before sunrise as the Vampire slowly drains the human's life away and replaces it with his own. 

Character Creation: Telyavelic Tremere generally have shamanic or druidic concepts. As in their parent clan, Mental Skills assume primary importance in most cases, although a warrior may emphasize Physical Attributes and Talents. Unlike the rest of the Tremere Clan, Occult is a very important skill, adding higher chances of success when using Seilanic Thaumaturgy abilities.

Background: Telyavelic Tremere usually reflect the Telyavs’ pagan outlook and they value the allegiance of their their mortal pagan followers. They tend to have a closer bond to their Sire's generation than other Tremere.

Each generation drinks twice of the blood of the previous generation, thus bringing them to the verge of forming a Blood Oath with their sires’ generation. Typically, a number of Telyavs gather together to oversee the Embrace of a new member, thus ensuring a sufficient supply of elder blood to establish the hierarchical bond between generations.

While their years in the 16th century nearly destroyed them, enough were able to hide away for centuries, selecting their childer and growing their number with great discretion, until reemerging in the New World. Through those centuries it was enough simply to survive, and it hardened their resolve to protect the secrets they learned of Seilanic Thaumaturgy so they could rejoin the their Tremere brothers and sister and strengthen the Great Pyramid. 

Runecraft: Of all the Vampires, only the Telyavelic Tremere are capable of working with Runes. While the other Tremere look down upon this type of primitive magic, it may be in part that they simply do not have the type of connection with the Earth that the Telyavelic have. Their Pagan roots dig deep into the past and connect with this world's first and original magic.

Each level of Runecraft must be purchased with Experience Points, which not only increases your chances of successfully creating runes, but adds to your overall Physical and Mental Skills.

About Elder Runes
The word “Rune” means secret, or whisper, and those who learn the power of the Runes and how to use them keep the secrets they’ve learned to themselves, only passing down their knowledge verbally to their apprentices. Their powers need to be learned, not given. Anyone breaking this code can expect retribution from other practitioners of Rune knowledge. Elder Runes are the oldest form of the runic alphabets and, when done correctly by a Master Runecrafter, have great potential to influence spiritual and physical power over the corporeal world. Each Rune has three distinct characteristics that Runecrafters need to understand in order to use them correctly, and to create even more powerful Bind Runes. 

For more information on Rune crafting and How to use this ability to create powerful Rune items, CLICK HERE.

TELYAVELIC TREMERE ABILITIES

SEILANIC THAUMATURGY

This unique power allows the vampire to become part of the natural world that surrounds her, partaking of the abilities inherent in the earth, trees, rocks and life forms of any ground to which she has attuned herself. 

While most practitioners of this skill use it within their “home” territories, a simple ritual (see at bottom of the page) enables the character to attune herself to any plot of ground provided she has sufficient time in which to do so.

This skill set occasionally requires the vampire to ingest some rather foul concoctions of her own blood mixed with animal blood, soil, even leaves and grass. It remains a continual mystery (particularly to those outside the Telyavelic circles) how the practitioners of this Path can drink these mixtures without promptly heaving them. 

Some Telyavs claim that study of the Seilanic way prepares one for such necessities, while others posit that a form of transubstantiation, such as that which is said to change the bread and wine during Mass, is at work. Whatever the reason, the Telyavs continue to swallow and work their magic without difficulty.

◉◎◎◎◎◎◎◎: Seilanic Thaumaturgy 1 - Eyes of the Earth (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 50
• Energy/Blood Cost: 3
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Mental Skill
• Resist: None
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Mental Attack
  • +5 Athletics/Reflexes

Description: 
The vampire “sees” everything that goes on within 10 miles of her haven (or shrine) by utilizing the spirits of the grass and other plants, trees, rocks and animals in the vicinity. Thus, a Telyavelic Tremere dwelling within her chantry may know instantly of the approach of worshippers or strangers. 

In addition, she can also view events transpiring within the range of her attunement. Such visions do not come with handy explanations, though. No sound comes through, and unless the Telyavelic can read lips, she cannot know anything that is being said in a spied-upon location.

Further, if the sorcerer wishes to keep track of a particular person as he travels, and if she views him for longer than one night, she must locate him once again after each broken contact (to sleep or perform other actions, for example).

System: 
The vampire ingests an infusion of her own vitae mixed with soil, grass shoots, leaves, animal fur and bird feathers (or blood from these creatures). The Player then spends 3 points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. The higher the number rolled, the longer the Vampire can observe from afar. 

The number of successes achieved on the Willpower roll determines the duration of the subsequent “earth-sight.”

1-10: Botch! (Rolling a natural 1-10) The creation of the vitae mixture has somehow gone wrong and causes the Vampire to projectile vomit. The Vampire is also unable to attempt this ability again for the duration of the scene.

11-49: For some reason, nothing happens. However, the Vampire can attempt this again next turn.

50-79: The vision lasts for one turn.

80-89: The vision lasts for one real-time hour.

90-95: The vision lasts for the duration of the scene.

96-100: The vision lasts for one real-time week

100+: The vision lasts for one real-time month

◉◉◎◎◎◎◎◎: Seilanic Thaumaturgy 2- See the Dead (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 50
• Energy/Blood Cost: 1
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Mental Skill
• Resist: None
• Area of Effect: 20 meters (Chat Range)
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Mental Skill
• Temporary Affects: (duration of the scene)
  • +5 Mental Defense
  • +5 Occult

Description: 
The vampire can view the ghosts of the dead that inhabit the area upon which she focuses her attention. In addition, she can determine the general attitude of these wraiths. Relatives of a person who has recently died often seek out the local shaman to ask whether the soul of the departed seems content or if it needs propitiating in some fashion.

System: 
The Player spends one point of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. vampire must expend a blood point and concentrate on a specific area. The Vampire can now detect the presence of any wraiths (or Spectres) in the vicinity of her concentration. She can also determine details about the ghost’s attitude.

◉◉◉◎◎◎◎◎: Seilanic Thaumaturgy 3- Roots of Power (Buff)

• Base Roll: 80
• Energy/Blood Cost: 2
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Physical Skill, Occult
• Area of Effect: 50 feet around the vampire’s original position (i.e., where the Cainite’s blood first touched the soil.)
• Duration: Scene
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Physical Skill
  • +5 Physical Attack
• Temporary Affects: (duration of the scene)
  • +10 Awareness
  • +5 Physical Defense

Description: 
This ability enables the Sielanic practitioner to draw upon the power latent in the earth itself to enhance her own physical abilities — so long as she remains in contact within the vicinity of the soil or rocks in the Earth.

System: 
The Player spends 2 points of Energy/Blood and the Player's Character cuts the soles of her feet, letting her blood soak into the naked earth. The Player then makes a successful roll. The higher the number, the more temp points added to the Player's Physical Skill, Physical Attack and Physical Defense. 

The temp points earned may exceed the normal maximum number of allowed points for the duration of the scene.

1-79: No points earned.

80-85: 5 points

86-89: 10 points

90-95: 15 points

96-99: 20 points

100+: 30 points

The duration of this effect is one scene, and the effect covers an area of approximately 50 feet around the vampire’s original position (i.e., where the Cainite’s blood first touched the soil). Should the Vampire leave the area of effect, the bonus points disappear and cannot be reclaimed without again using this ability and making a successful roll.

◉◉◉◉◎◎◎◎: Seilanic Thaumaturgy 4 - Command the Freshly Dead (Mental Attack)

• Base Roll: 100
• Energy/Blood Cost: 3
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Mental Skill, Physical Skill, Occult
• Area of Effect: 50 feet around the vampire’s original position (i.e., where the Cainite’s blood first touched the soil.)
• Duration: Scene
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Mental Skill
  • +5 Mental Attack
• Temporary Affects
  • +10 Persuasion

Description: 
The vampire can command any ghost that she can see to obey her. With this power, the practitioner may receive answers to questions within the ghost’s realm of awareness or require the soul to deliver a message to someone else. 

Additional simple tasks fall within the parameters of this power, although the vampire cannot compel the ghost to do anything that requires a material form to accomplish.

System: 
To use this skill requires the following steps:

1. First, the Vampire must locate a desirable spirit by using See the Dead, and make a successful roll.
2. The Player then spends 3 points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll to Command the Dead. 
3. The Spirit will naturally attempt to resist, requiring a Willpower roll against the wraith. (Most ghosts have a 50 Willpower (Storyteller's discretion), verses the Tremere's Willpower, plus Mods).
4. For every point over 100 made to use Command the Dead, Player's Character can command the ghost to answer an additional question or accomplish a simple task. 
   • If a Player rolls 100, the may make one command. If they roll 101, they may make two commands, etc., etc. 

◉◉◉◉◉◎◎◎: Seilanic Thaumaturgy 5 - Arbor of Protection (Physical Skill)

• Base Roll: 80
• Energy/Blood Cost: 3
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Physical Skill, Occult
• Duration: 
  • A max time of 24 hours, after which the tree ejects
  • Or, the Vampire can leave the tree at any time before this at will
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Physical Defense
• Temporary Affects:
  • +10 Physical Defense
  • +10 Stealth

Description: 
The vampire uses this ability to seek refuge within the living wood of of a tree. Thus, he is able to encase his body within any tree. In this fashion, he may conceal his presence from enemies. 

• NOTE: There is a -15 modifier for anyone attempting to use Auspex or any other ability to detect his presence.  

In addition, the character may use any Disciplines and abilities not dependent on physical gestures that he possesses. While the vampire can “see” his surroundings, he cannot make eye contact with specific creatures, so any power which requires meeting the victim’s gaze does not function. 

Should the vampire enter a tree to avoid the coming dawn, he is fully protected from the sun, so long as he stays within the tree. 

• If the tree is chopped down, the vampire suffers 50 HP of damage. 
• Setting the tree on fire inflicts the same amount of damage, but also incurs Rötschreck.

System: 
Vampire must first drink a mixture of blood and tree sap. The Player then spends 3 Energy/Blood points and makes a successful roll.  

A single success allows the vampire to remain inside a tree for one turn; two successes extend the duration for an entire scene. Three or more successes allow the vampire to maintain his position within a single tree for up to 24 hours. When the time limit expires, the tree ejects the vampire. 

◉◉◉◉◉◉◎◎: Seilanic Thaumaturgy 6 - Course of the Beast (Physical Skill)

• Base Roll: 90
• Energy/Blood Cost: 2
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Physical Skill, Occult
• Duration: Scene, unless the Vampire wishes to end the effect earlier.
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Physical Attack
  • +5 Physical Skill
• Temporary Affects:
  • +10 Physical Defense
  • +10 Stealth

Description: 
This power give the Sielanic practitioner the power to assume the shape of any animal that exists within her domain and, in some cases, to change from one animal form to another without returning to her human form. 

The vampire gains all the physical attributes and skills of the chosen creature, although she retains her undead nature in all forms. This includes bursting into flames with the sun.

While transformed, the vampire may use any mental Disciplines she possesses, as well as other powers the Storyteller considers reasonable within the limitations of her form. The ability lasts from moonrise to moonrise.

System:
The Vampire must first mix her own blood with that of any animal's, and then drink the concoction. After which, the Player expends 3 points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. The number of animal forms the Vampire can achieve is related to how high his roll was (see Roll Chart).

Roll Chart:

1-10: Botch!

11-89: No effect. The animal blood was somehow contaminated or diseased and prevents your transformation from working. If you have the blood from a different animal, you may attempt this ability on another turn.

90-95: You may turn into any one animal form.

96-97: You may turn into a second different animal form.

98-99: You may turn into a third different animal form.

99-100: You may turn into a fourth different animal form.

101+: You may turn into six different animal forms.

For Example: a roll of 98 enables the vampire to assume the shape of a deer for swift travel, then transform into a fish to conceal herself and move about easily underwater, and, finally, take on the form of a bird to fly to safety.

◉◉◉◉◉◉◉◎: Seilanic Thaumaturgy 7 - Way of Stone (Defense)

• Base Roll: 100
• Energy/Blood Cost: 2
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Physical Skill, Occult
• Duration: Up to a week, unless the Vampire wishes to end the effect earlier.
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Physical Defense
• Temporary Affects:
  • +10 Physical Defense
  • +10 Stealth

Description: 
The vampire uses this power to transform himself into stone. This can take the form of a marble statue, a tombstone, or other stone structure, such as a megalithic dolmen.

As such, the vampire can withstand the rigors of daylight and is immune to flame. In addition, he can even move about in a very limited fashion. The legends of stones that walk and move about during the night come from the practice of this potent art.

System: 
The Vampire spills his blood on the type of stone he wishes to emulate. For example, if he wishes to look like marble, he spills his blood on the sample of marble, or a granite tombstone if he wishes to appear as granite. 

The Player then spends 2 points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. For example: The Vampire allows his blood to drain onto a boulder, at which point he assumes the boulder’s rough shape and consistency. 

The form he takes in his new stone visage is completely up to him. Using this ability the Vampire may appear to be a replica of his own body done in stone, or simply a rough chunk of slate in a river. 

While in this form, the Vampire's eyes, ears, mouth and appendages all function normally, except that the difficulty for all physical actions must be done at one-fourth normal rate.

A Vampire can maintain this form for up to an OOC week. After this time, the Vampire will return to his formal self and will require him to repeat this ability to again take the stone form.

◉◉◉◉◉◉◉◉: Seilanic Thaumaturgy 8 - Army of Souls (Defense)

• Base Roll: 80
• Energy/Blood Cost: 2
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Physical Skill, Occult
• Duration: Up to a week, unless the Vampire wishes to end the effect earlier.
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Physical Defense
• Temporary Affects:
  • +10 Physical Defense
  • +10 Stealth

Description: 
The Sielanic practitioner uses this power to raise a spectral troop to act as defenders or to deliver warnings to her enemies. These ghosts appear as ethereal images of warriors long dead. Although the tattered images cannot materialize completely in the physical world, they can use their own powers to hurl objects or frighten away attackers.

System: 
The Player spends 2 points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. The number of successes determines how many ghosts (mindless shells of the dead, called Drones) the Cainite can summon. The ghosts return to their rest at the end of the night upon which they were summoned. Or if released by the Vampire who summoned it.

Ghosts summoned have the following stats:

• Health Points: 30
• Attack: (Mental Attacks Only) 
  • Fear: Causes an uncontrollable sense of fear that decreases the Target's Mental Defense by -5 and their Willpower by -5. This is cumulative for every time it is successfully used against a target within a scene. Every time the Target fails to resist, they must make a roll not to Fox Frenzy.
    • DIF: 70
    • Resist: Mod Mental Defense
    • Failure to resist:
      • -5 Mental Defense and Willpower (Cumulative)
      • Must roll vs. Fox Frenzy:
        • DIF: 50
        • Mod: Willpower
• Mental Attacks: +10 
• Mental Defense: -5
• Damage: Ghosts can do no physical damage, nor can physical attacks affect them.
• Special Abilities & Limitations:
  • Movement: Normal movement speeds for walking and running. Buildings or physical obstacles to no affect them.
  • Initiative: Ghosts always go first.
  • Willpower: +5
  • Attack: Once per turn.
  • Immune to:
    • Physical attacks
  • Weaknesses:
    • -5 Mental Defense.
    • Ghosts cannot touch or move physical objects. 
    • Ghosts summoned cannot cross water.
    • Can be dispelled by Necromantic spells that affect ghosts.

Roll Chart:

1-10: Botch! Not only do no ghosts appear, the Vampire is instantly subjected to an out-of-body experience where his/her/their soul leaves their body. The Vampire's body collapses and becomes torpored. The Vampire's spirit becomes a free-floating entity that cannot wander farther away from it's body than 20 meters. The Vampire can still use his/her/their mental abilities but cannot use their physical abilities. While in this state, if the Vampire is attacked by another spirit, their defense and attack mods/abilities are based on their Physical abilities.

11-79: No effect.

80-85: The Vampire summons 3 ghostly warriors to serve as defenders or messengers.

86-89: The Vampire summons 5 ghostly warriors to serve as defenders or messengers.

90-94: The Vampire summons 8 ghostly warriors to serve as defenders or messengers.

95-99: The Vampire summons 10 ghostly warriors to serve as defenders or messengers.

100+: The Vampire summons 10 ghostly warriors to serve as defenders or messengers, PLUS an Abomino.