VtM - WhiteWolf: Genealogy

VtM - Review: Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy
quasi-scientific approach to adopt and sanitize other magical systems, paring them down to their bare
essentials and discarding the spiritual, religious, and traditional baggage. It then goes on to discuss the
major and minor principles of Hermetic magic. These are vital in understanding how the Tremere
approach magic and are perfect for better describing how blood magic works within the game without a
lot of extra mechanics or requirements. Mostly, it is a discussion of paradigm which segues into a
discussion of other approaches and how the principles manifest (or don't manifest) in them, or what
principles they use instead. It is a nice approach to the topic, easy to understand and quick to use. The
reasoning for the use of both paths and rituals is particularly well thought out. Rating: 4
Next we get a short but sweet section on spirits and demons and how the Tremere deal with both,
particularly how the principles of Hermetic magic are applied. Also included is the creation of servants
possessed by both. The distinction between spirits (wraiths) and demons (umbral spirits) is actually very
well done, much better than in other books, and the wariness of the Tremere when dealing with either
sort of entity is well played. Rating: 3
Next is a section dealing with other 'traditions' of magic and how they are adapted to Thaumaturgy
through the process described in the beginning of the chapter. Particular stress is placed on how the
principles are used and variations on the perception of them in each tradition. Covered here are
Kabbalism, Voodoo/Santeria, Wicca, and Dark Thaumaturgy. They are all rather well done. The
treatment of Voodoo, in particular, is actually better than the more verbose bit in the last chapter. Rating:
4
Next, we get a section on chantries, including ranks, organization, advancement, and a bit on Certamen.
It is all very clear and well written, giving a good picture of how the Tremere hierarchy is set up and how
it is maintained. Next, the physical form of chantries is dealt with, including security considerations and
size (1 or 2 for a small city up to seven, the optimum). After that, a short bit on research stresses the
meritocratic aspects of the clan and the approach taken to path development. All in all, useful
information that gives a much clearer picture of how the clan operates. Rating: 4
The next section focuses entirely on what it means to be a Tremere apprentice, from duties to one's
master to means to advancement. It is very well done and gives a much clearer picture of the life of a
Tremere neonate (and the everyday life of the Tremere in general) than any of the main books. It also
makes a bit more sense of the mechanitions and the reasoning behind them which are rife within
chantries. The section closes up with a discussion of the perks and problems with taking non-Tremere
apprentices (it is rare and done only in secret) as well as attempting to learn Thaumaturgy without a
mentor (time-consuming and dangerous). Rating: 5
The last section is about Thaumaturgical texts, in the Call of Cthulhu tradition. They are a nice sampling,
though it would have been nice to have some system stuff for them, like was included for the Infernalist
texts in Path of Screams. Following it is a quick blurb on the potential of the Tremere to manipulate the
whole world through Thaumaturgy and another on the weakening of blood magic and the approach of
Gehenna. Nothing too spectacular here. Rating: 3
http://vampirerpg.free.fr/Books/2106.php3 (2 of 5) [6/1/2002 12:20:05 AM]