Karl Schrekt is a very powerful Tremere elder and the current ruler of the clan's House Tremere. He occupied the position of Justicar for the Tremere until 1997. Anastasz di Zagreb (the current Justicar), served as one of his Archons.
It is not clear if Schrekt only served a more limited amount of time, but refused to realize the fact and went on enforcing the rules of the Camarilla. It is said that Ulugh Begh is his rival within the clan, while Gustav Breidenstein was his mortal enemy.
Biography[]
In life, Karl Schrekt was a demon hunter from Vienna. A driven man, he was Embraced by his sire after being defeated in a difficult struggle. Surviving the fires of the Inquisition (a bitter and painful irony for a man who once hunted demons), he came to the conclusion that the Camarilla was the single greatest event in Kindred history.
In 1575 he was sent to Berlin by the Inner Council to investigate the death of one of their clanmates at the hands of the prince of that city. He was met harshly by Gustav Breidenstein, who staked a formal letter of apology to the Tremere through the Justicar's heart. Since then, Schrekt has kept a grudge against the Prince of Berlin.
He served for a long time as the Tremere Justicar, pursuing his duties in an almost fanatical fashion. He believed that the Camarilla was about all Kindred and so was one of the first Justicars to make it a point to select their Archons from other clans, even going so far as to have a Setite Archon for a time. During his tenure it was rumored that he killed and somehow diablerized a Lupine.
Schrekt stopped being a Tremere Justicar in 1997, but word has it he has continued to operate as if he still held the office. He resides currently in Castle Schrekt near Linz, Austria. Furthermore, he founded the E Division among the Archons, as a means to investigate paranormal occurrences that were beyond the experiences of most Kindred (although he did not choose the name, much to his chagrin).
Description[]
Clan Tremere is a hollow reflection of its former glories. With the Pyramid decapitated and its leadership scattered, Tremere traditionalists look to one vampire for authority: former Justicar, Karl Schrekt. A legend within his own clan and the Camarilla, Schrekt hunted vampires before his Embrace, and acting as the Camarilla's weapon against the Sabbat, Anarchs, and occult menaces for centuries. Few know that he suppressed or destroyed lore regarding Antediluvians, but most are aware that he eliminated countless threats to the Masquerade, and did it all without mercy. He earned his share of disciples, but also a few enemies. Those he got, he killed. Now he is one of the eldest Tremere remaining. Schrekt's descendants largely follow their ancestor's hardline clan and sect views: enforce the Traditions, strengthen the clan, and hide the secrets of Blood Magic from other vampires.
Loresheet[]
Remember the House: Once per story, you can ask the Storyteller for one piece of information regarding the activities of House Tremere or the clan before its grievous injury.
Hardliner: Schrek's way is the only way forward for your clan. You follow Schrek's laws fanatically. With the Storyteller's agreement, add two dice to any dice pool when testing to resist attempts to sway you from Schrek's goals.
Ritual Preparedness: Allegedly, Karl Schrek prepares all of his rituals in advance and keeps several such pre-prepared rituals about his person at all times. Once per story, you may perform one of your rituals in five minutes, without preparation, having done all the preparations beforehand.
Archon's Bane: You find Schrek's targeting of supernatural entities deplorable, and you have formed a tight bond with a member of another supernatural background. You have a four-dot Ally: a mage, werewolf, wraith, changeling, or something even stranger. You must keep your friend safe, as they are being hunted. Once per story, they come to your aid within one to ten hours when called.
Know the World: Karl Schrek believes knowledge is power, and vampires who limit their learning to the study of fellow Kindred are fools. Whether Schrek's puppet or nemesis, you agree with his assessment and keep archives on werewolves, magi, wraiths, fae, and other weird entities. This collection equates to a three-dot Haven Library (pick three suitable specialties of Occult), although you might not store your reference materials in your haven. Also, once per story, you can ask the Storyteller to answer any simple question related to such creatures.
Character Sheet[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- VTM: Berlin by Night, p. 106-108
- VTM: Trilogy of the Blood Curse 1: The Devil's Advocate, p. 254
- VTM: Trilogy of the Blood Curse 2: The Winnowing, p. 135, 285
- VTM: Archons & Templars, p. 21
- VTM: Encyclopaedia Vampirica, p. 30, 63, 148-149, 178, 186
- VTM: Camarilla, p. 120
- VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition Corebook, p. 409