saber de clanes 344257123-V20-Lore-of-the-Bloodlines-11056187-pdf | Page 31

stand upon to dust and polish me. The sou
nd of the splintering finally draws her att
ention
away from the Book. My Master whi
rls in time for the jagged leg to sink dee
p into her chest.
The look on her face wounds me deeply
. It reminds me of what she looked like
when I climbed
out of my birth sac to see her weeping
face. She slumps to the floor and I scoo
p the Lamb up
in my arms. I quickly exit through the
window into the night air. I fly toward
Elysium where
the Lamb should be safe for the evenin
g. The noise will draw the others. They
will find the Book
and the Knife. My Master will blam
e me and I will be hunted by anyone
who believes her.
I swore to protect my Master, her Hou
se and her Clan. Even if I must cas
t myself out to
protect my Master from herself.
A History of
Chains and Flight
Many bloodlines have their origins hidden in the fog of
legend and the mists of time. We are fortunate in that our
history traces back to a distinct place and time. We can take
solace in that we know where we came from and what we
were meant to do. But we can also point to the moment
when we found our freedom, so we know we are able to
exert our wills and do what we feel is necessary. Despite
our monstrous appearances and the piteous attitudes of
other Kindred toward us, we should take pride that we
have two moments in history that we can grip tightly. We
were born in chains and, more importantly, were set free
to fly. The Gargoyles all owe our existence to the Tremere.
But we do not belong to them.
The Tremere of the 12th Century were bold, brash creatures
that little resembled the secretive schemers we know today.
They were foolhardy enough to jump into the Jyhad and pull
one of the Antediluvians from his seat at the table. They could
have stayed a bloodline known for its study of blood magic, but
they wanted more. By becoming a Clan, they made themselves
targets of the other Cainites of the day. Their usurpation may
have also triggered the tumults that created The Camarilla, so
they needed as many allies as possible. When they couldn’t
find many amongst the Kindred, they did the next best thing.
They made them. They made us.
The Mother of Gargoyles
Our bloodline was founded by a Tremere mage named
Virstania. She, too, was Embraced with a purpose. Her
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mastery of summoning familiars and creating servants
brought her to the attention of the Tremere elders. Many
Kindred were brought to Ceoris, the original Chantry of
the Tremere, to be studied, especially those known for
malleable blood. That these Kindred were also some of the
Tremere’s most vicious enemies at the time was certainly
not a coincidence. Dozens of Kindred were destroyed by
her efforts, but eventually they began to bear a macabre
fruit. The secret was combining different types of vitae with
certain ingredients that provoked a violent, magical reaction.
Virstania created the ritual that made our bloodline.
We know it today as At Our Command It Breathes. The
ritual requires several dead bodies and specially prepared
materials. I hesitate to go into too much detail, but it
involves stitching the bodies together, immersing them in
an alchemical solution for a few months, and performing
incantations until the Gargoyle burst forth. Perhaps her
most unusual breakthrough was our ability to fly. She took
our name from the creatures guarding churches at the time,
so she decided to give us the ability to mimic their flight.
All of us have the capacity. It’s as obvious to us as walking.
She cared for these first clutches as if they were her own
children. Some would say she got too close to her creations.
Virstania, inspired by the Anarch Revolt of the 15th century,
sided with the Gargoyles when they decided to throw off the
shackles of their oppressive masters. Many Gargoyles given to
other chantries were tortured, beaten, and starved to break their
spirits. A few who had discovered the Embrace were put to the
torch for violating The Traditions. This may be why she’s rarely
mentioned in the company of historic Tremere. She protected
and fought for us, forsaking her loyalty to the chantry. We revere
her for this stance. The Tremere looking to retain our services
are wise to invoke her name when speaking to us.
GARGOYLES