Alternate Currents – Gargoyles: Dealing with the Devil

by Matt Roberts

Origin
Among the Tremere, the study of magical zoology has become a dead art. The mystical and bizarre creatures that once inhabited the world have long since vanished, and those Warlocks whose occupation focused on their study have since resigned themselves to an existence locked away from the modern world.

They have become little more than animate retainers of ancient knowledge, kept around more as a matter of course than for any real belief that their secrets may one day prove of some use. Their position’s within the hierarchy of Clan Tremere have long since lost the power they once contained. Like the dusty and decayed remains of mythological creatures they surround themselves with, they are artifacts of a bygone era. And it is only among the minds and written works of these impotent masters that curious searchers can uncover possible origins for the Tremere’s demonic allies, the Gargoyles. There are essentially two theories on the subject, both steeped in Judeo-Christian myth.

The first maintains that gargoyles are the descendents of those angels who refused to take sides during the War in Heaven. After Lucifer and his allies were cast down, the Lord turned to those who had insisted on neutrality, and set them upon the Earth as mortals. Their time on Earth would either serve as an act of contrition, or as the final step before eternal damnation. Many supporters of this belief find it ironic that the descendents of these beings, the Gargoyles, have likely become fallen in the eyes of God due to the Tremere (they also tend to take some spiteful satisfaction from it).

The second conjecture about Gargoyle origins, however, skirts the line of heresy in the eyes of many Cainites. It is very likely, say these Warlocks, that the Gargoyles are one of the monster races spawned by Lilith. They hold the ritual used to impart vampirism to a Gargoyle as evidence of this, insisting it is only through this connection that the Curse could be spread.

On the other hand, support for this theory is seen by some Tremere as evidence of possible interest in the Lilith heresy, and is thus frowned upon by the Council of Seven. Due to the questionable nature of their positions and continued usefulness, most Tremere researchers who support this belief keep fairly quiet about their opinions.

History
Gargoyle history is separated into two sections by Tremere historians: before the first large-scale Tremere/Gargoyle alliance, and after. The former is markedly vague, composed more of rumor and legend than fact. The only accurately known truths are records dating back to the time when House Tremere was still a part of the Order of Hermes, describing deals made between individual magi and solitary Gargoyle clans.

Additionally, ancient mountain cities have been discovered (and kept hidden) by the Tremere. These locations (many of which appear to have pre-dated the Great Flood) contain structures covered with intricate carvings of Gargoyles, an advanced system of aqueducts, and complex buildings and pathways clearly built for inhabitants both able to walk and fly. This clashes with the state of the Gargoyle clans at the time of the Deal, which was at a Stone Age level of development. Clearly, at some point in the past the Gargoyles had a more advanced society, but at some point it descended into barbarism. No answer has yet to be found for the question of why this happened. Gargoyle history within Clan Tremere is better documented, and is segmented by three large-scale events: the Deal, the Betrayal, and the Desertion.

The Deal
As has been mentioned, relations between the Tremere and the Gargoyle race traditionally went no further than individual Chantries and Gargoyle clans. After House Tremere cursed itself with vampirism, Tremere leadership began an urgent search for any and all advantages it could find. While Thaumaturgy was the main result of this program, Tremere warlocks also begun seeking allies among the supernatural world. At the same time, many Gargoyle clans were beginning to feel the effects of humanity’s ever-increasing expansion.

More and more often, the two races would be forced into confrontation, which inevitably led to fighting due to the Gargoyles heightened instinct of territoriality. Overwhelmed by numbers and more advanced weaponry, most Gargoyle clans lost these battles, with the few survivors forced to flee. It was among these desperate groups that the Tremere found a most willing ear. Taking advantage of their need for sanctuary, the Tremere offered these remnants protection and a home. The bargain wasn’t entirely one-sided, as the Tremere were beginning to feel the sting of attacks made by those Clans whose territory they were spreading into. A deal was struck, and Clan Tremere gained the strength and abilities of Gargoyle allies.

The Betrayal
During the Inquisition, many Tremere Chantries found themselves popular targets. As it’s members were not only undead but also sorcerers, they frequently found themselves the focus of local legend. Inquisitors seized upon these rumors, and soon the Tremere themselves fighting for their existence before the fires of the Inquisition. A solution to this problem was needed, and soon.

Incredibly, the Tremere Gargoyles themselves were the ones to offer it. Clan Tremere began a campaign to spread rumors of the existence and location of demons walking upon the face of the earth. In essence, they sacrificed many of the remaining independent Gargoyle clans currently in existence to the Inquisition, both as a distraction and as a means of lowering the numbers of Inquisitors somewhat. The gambit worked, and allowed the Tremere time to prepare and take greater care in hiding their existence from their mortal neighbors. In the end, nearly a half of the remaining Gargoyle race was slaughtered. The rest found themselves alerted to the new danger posed by the Inquisition by helpful Tremere Gargoyles, and were offered sanctuary in the halls of the Tremere. Almost all those approached accepted this offer.

After joining, many eventually learned of who had manipulated the Inquisition to their homes, but by then it was too late, as they discovered another secret of the Tremere Gargoyles: a variation of the original ritual of vampirism used by House Tremere had been developed that would work on Gargoyles. Disguised as ritualized pacts and swearing of Oaths, all of the new additions were fed the blood of these vampiric Gargoyles, and forced into a Blood Bond. Those who had been promised sanctuary found themselves forced into slavery, betrayed by their own kind. And unfortunately, there was nothing they could do about it.

The Desertion
The third epoch of Gargoyle history is marked by the event known as the Desertion. After the pyres of the Inquisition had died down, but before the formation of the Camarilla, many of the new undead Gargoyles had become tired of their inability to rise beyond a specific point in the Tremere Hierarchy.

Believing themselves knowledgeable and powerful enough to no longer need the help of Clan Tremere, they began to conspire with one another, waiting for an appropriate opportunity to present itself. The Anarch Revolt proved to be exactly what they were waiting for. At the height of hostilities between elders and childer, a third of the Gargoyle population simply vanished. The sudden loss of their defenders severely weakened many Chantries, causing more than one to fall to the Anarch hordes. The Council of Seven’s reaction was quick and severe. All remaining vampire Gargoyles were given a choice: accept full Blood Bonding to one of the members of the Council, or be destroyed. All agreed to the Bond.

Since then, relations between the Gargoyle and Vampire members of Clan Tremere have remained fairly stable and static. Gargoyles have their own place within the structure of the organizational pyramid, determined by the Caste system that has formed over the years. Some are treated as trash, others as useful pawns, and a few are actually feared. Those who escaped (and their descendents) have learned how to survive in a world overrun by mankind, now preying upon those who once decimated their ancestors. For better or worse, the Gargoyle race has been permanently marked by the Tremere, and has established a place for itself among an unsuspecting world.

Gargoyles Within the Tremere
What positions a Gargoyle can have within the halls of the Tremere is determined by their Caste, of which there are three: the Bound, the Skilled, and the Cursed.

The Bound
The lowest rung on the Gargoyle social ladder, this Caste is composed of the descendents of those Gargoyles tricked during the Betrayal. They are fed the blood of a member of the Cursed caste once at birth, once on their first birthday, and a final time on their second birthday. They are used as servants, guards, shock troops, sacrifices, and occasionally as test subjects. They hold no power whatsoever within Clan Tremere, and most often are treated as little better than slaves. This is by far the largest Caste.

The Skilled
These Gargoyles are those that actually have some status among the Tremere, without being Embraced. They are basically on an equal level as most Neonates. They tend to fill positions as scouts, messengers, diplomats, security overseers, and minor sorcerers. Most answer directly to the highest ranking members of their home Chantry, and gain some authority while accomplishing tasks set before them by these elders. Members of this Caste almost never mate with members of the Bound. The Caste of any offspring from such an unusual union depends mainly on the wishes and status of the Skilled parent, and on the mothers Caste.

The Cursed
No Gargoyles are born into the Cursed Caste. It is the composed of those Gargoyles who have undergone the ritual of vampirism, or been Embraced by another Cursed Gargoyle. Each is Blood Bound to a very high-ranking Tremere (many directly to a member of the Council of Seven).

Over the years, they have become a sort of secret police within the Clan, reporting any suspicious activity they learn of to their patron. Where other Castes look for threats from without, they look inwards for betrayal, demon-worship, and any plots targeting their masters. They are always drawn from members of the Skilled Caste, and are always deferred to by members of the lower Castes. They often have no single residence, instead travelling from Chantry to Chantry every few months.

Independents
After fleeing from Clan Tremere, most of the deserters immediately split up into smaller groups. While this lack of central organization was what made their ancestors vulnerable in the first place, it couldn’t be helped. Five monsters can hide better than twenty. Fortunately, their time spent with the Tremere has armed them with several advantages Gargoyles of the past did not have, including a working understanding of sorcery, greater insight in the way of mankind, and a healthy respect for cold, calculated cruelty. Most keep in touch with one another through the use of sorcery and messengers. There are several ways in which independent Gargoyle clans have managed to survive in the modern nights. Most are dependent on the unique resources available to them in their chosen region. However, there are two methods that have proven most successful over the years.

Returning to the Earth
The first solution is to find a large system of caves, and settle down. They should be difficult to travel through without the advantage of flight, ideally impossible without the use of modern caving tools. This serves the dual purpose of keeping food sources (chickens, dogs, drifters, runaways) from escaping, and also acts as added protection from Lupines (wolves aren’t well known for their spelunking skills).

Occasionally, nearby small towns are converted into worshippers, forming cults around the Gargoyles. The caverns can then be turned into a tourist attraction, allowing vampiric Gargoyles to feed without the dangers inherent of kidnapping, merely having to Dominate small groups of visitors.

The Sewer Rat Gambit
There is also an option open for the more hideous Gargoyle groups: finding a location devoid of Nosferatu, and setting up shop posing as members of that Clan. As long as you smell like shit and are ugly as sin, most Kindred don’t feel the need to question your origins too closely. It’s also sometimes possible for a small group of Gargoyles to join an established Nosferatu community. This hinges on whether or not the group can convince the Nosferatu leaders of their usefulness. However, there is the danger that the Nosferatu will just take what they want from the Gargoyles, and proceed to turn them over to the nearest Tremere.

Appearance
Gargoyle’s Appearance trait begins at 0, and can only have a maximum of 3. They range across the spectrum from grotesque to passably human (with the right clothing). Skin color tends to be in various shades of grey, green, and brown. Even the human looking ones have a fairly demonic appearance.

Unique Abilities (Kewl Powerz)
A couple inherent advantages Gargoyles might have.
– Flight: In urban areas, this should be highly restricted, and allowable only in emergencies.
– Claws: Non-retractable, but in all other ways the same as the Protean power Feral Claws.
– Numina: Allowing some Gargoyles to learn Hedge Magic probably shouldn’t be out of the question (at least for the Skilled Caste).
– Potence and Fortitude: Appropriate for members of the Bound Caste, due to Ghouling (perhaps even making them a sort of proto-Revenant family).
– Awareness. Like the Talent from Mage: the Ascension. Appropriate for those Gargoyles used as sentinels or bloodhounds by Clan Tremere. Roll Perception
+ Awareness to sense the supernatural.

Vampiric Gargoyles
Beginning Disciplines: Dominate, Auspex, Thaumaturgy
Weakness: Blood bound to a high ranking Tremere, or Hunted if Independent
Common Backgrounds: Generation, Mentor and Status for Tremere Gargoyles, Herd and Servants for Independents who gather a Cult around them.

Uses in a Vampire Game
A major reason for incorporating the above changes would be to increase the number of possible roles for Gargoyles (both as PC’s and NPC’s) within Clan Tremere. Paranoia should be a common Theme when involving them: whether slave or pawn, they are always watching, and always ready to report what they have seen.

A Tremere PC might find himself the subject of a Cursed inquisitors questioning, asked about past deeds she thought had gone unseen. Spiritual Corruption is also something you might want to play up, as well. Stories involving Independent Gargoyles work well to highlight themes of Revenge, Survival, and pure Monstrousness.

They also can be used as an unusual antagonist a Coterie might encounter in the least expected places. Finally, it might be fun to run one or two stories as a Dark Parody of the cartoon, using all the above Themes.