Gargoyle
History
The first Gargoyles were created by the Tremere Goriatrix in 1167, using a thaumatrgical ritual that merged two of three clans: Gangrel, Nosferatu, or Tzimisce, into a single entity: a Gargoyle. Used to fight the Tzimisce, slave Gargoyles were placed on the Road of Service, bloodbound, Conditioned and routinely dominated in order to ensure their loyalty. Nevertheless, the creatures began to rebel sometime after 1400, revealing to all the secret of how they were created. This caused the Gangrel Clan to publicly ally with the Tzimisce in a hundred years of war against the Tremere. During this time, the Gangrel sought out chantries with Gargoyles and freed, or destroyed, any that they found. In order to join the Camarilla, the Tremere were forced to sign a treaty stating, among other things, that they would destroy the rituals and never again create Gargoyles; indeed, they would free those they possessed, and no longer keep slaves. Grudgingly, the Tremere did so. Following this, in 1493, the newly freed Gargoyles flocked to Paris and began their lives as an independent clan. The Nosferatu and Gangrel continue to warn their childer about being made into Gargoyles even into the modern nights.
Currently, an overwhelming majority of Gargoyles are free members of the Camarilla, with only the occasional individual found among the Anarch or Sabbat factions. Whether they are seeking protection from the Tremere, or whether they feel a psychological need for hierarchy and command, Gargoyles have nonetheless served the sect well enough to include Archons among their number. A minute number of Gargoyles are still enslaved, though in great secrecy, by the Tremere.
It is extremely difficult for Gargoyles to embrace, and therefore, few exist. Gargoyles are repulsive in appearance and slow to act, tending toward patience and stoicism. Most other vampires consider them ‘abominations,’ and do not readily associate with them. They are typically loners, serving as guards and mercenaries for a high price. Upon embrace or creation, Gargoyles lose almost all of their original sense of self, retaining only scant, vague memories of their previous life. Also according to source, ‘Most Gargoyles feel an instinctive, violent loathing of at least one, if not all, of those three clans [from which the Gargoyles were originally made].'
Slaves
While the source material describes loyal(slave) gargoyles as a virtually unplayable concept, the Camarilla Fan Club allows players to explore the concept with the understanding that a loyal gargoyle is amongst the most challenging of roles and is not recommended for new players. Portraying a completely submissive and abused concept is not for new players and should be carefully discussed with the presiding ST before consideration. A loyal gargoyle can expect to be ordered around by everybody, including the lowliest Apprentice of the First. The loyal gargoyle will be a subservient PC from the start and aside from personal character development, there is no advancement [status or position] in the Tremere or the Camarilla. Forming connections with Tremere and other Gargoyle PC's is highly recommended.
These gargoyles been highly conditioned though the ample application of Dominate and other psychological adjustment techniques in order to produce a creature willing to sacrifice itself for the good of House and Clan Tremere. Loyalty is a very important ideal held by Clan Tremere and even more so within the gargoyles that serve them due to the very lethal cost associated with treason. The risk of another Gargoyle revolt is simply too high to take for the Pyramid.
Approval levels for Slave and Free Gargoyle concepts can be found in the Camarilla Masquerade Addenda.
Disciplines
Fortitude, Potence, Visceratika, Flight (*)
Note
Flight is not a standard discipline, but represents the skill progression of Gargoyles in mastering their ability to use their wings (and tail) to propel themselves into & through the air. It also increases the amount of weight they can carry as well as enabling some combat specific tactics.
To be created at the Ceoris chantry, as with any other interaction with established and important WW canon history in our chronicle, is Global Approval. To be created via ritual after 1493 is also Global Approval. The merit 'Embrace' from Faith and Fire is not sanctioned or in play; Gargoyle PCs may embrace as per normal vampire rules. For Tremere or other characters to possess or use the ritual 'At Our Command it Breathes' (the Gargoyle creation ritual) either currently, or in a character's history, is Global Approval.
Approval levels for Slave and Free Gargoyle concepts can be found in the Camarilla Masquerade Addenda.
Statistics & Lore
There are 13 Gargoyles specified in canon, ranging from 6th to 13th generation. The list of those who survive to modern-day includes two antitribu and only one slave; the rest are free. Gargoyles are specifically mentioned as serving among the Archons to the Camarilla; however, a gargoyle known as Ferox is the seventh of the Red List.
To know that the Gargoyles exist, and their history as Tremere slaves, a character would need Camarilla or Kindred lore x2. To know this, as well as specifics about the treaty with the Tremere that freed them and allowed the Tremere entry into the Camarilla, a character would need Camarilla or Anarch lore x3, or Tremere lore x2. To know this, plus the fact that Gargoyles were originally created by Thaumaturgical ritual (and specifics about which clans were used), a character would require Gangrel, Tremere, Tzimisce or Nosferatu lore x2. To know roughly how the ritual functioned (but not how to perform it) and that Goriatrix was the first to create Gargoyles, a character would require Tremere lore x4.
Sources
Primary Sources
- Book of Storyteller Secrets
- The Storyteller's Handbook
- House Tremere
- Clanbook: Tremere
- Clanbook: Gangrel
Secondary Sources
- Vampire: the Masquerade (revised)
- MET: Faith & Fire
- MET: Camarilla Guide
- Kindred: Most Wanted
- Jerusalem by Night
- Archons and Templars
- Vampire: the Masquerade – Redemption
- Chicago by Night (2nd ed)
- Transylvania Chronicles I
- Dark Tides Rising
- Caine’s Chosen
- Montreal by Night