Keepers of the Gate

Backstory: It should come as no surprise that the city of Montreal would be of immeasurable interest to those who dabble in the occult. The city's cultural tapestry is rich and diverse, allowing for plenty of history, lore, traditions, folk medicines, beliefs, and a hodge podge of rites to co-exist and blend. The strength of this history and this community has attracted many Kindred over the years, for better or worse. Blood Sorcery has always been deeply ingrained in the city; long before the Anarchs came along, The Serpents of the Light and Tremere Antitribu weaved their dark powers in service of the Sabbat, and traces of their lineage remain to this day. More importantly, Montreal and it's sister city of Quebec were among the few places where European Kindred first stepped foot in the New World. In fact, Quebec City itself is renowned as one of the most valuable Tremere strongholds in the world. Prince Annabelle, along with her predecessors, have had their sights set on Montreal for well over a century, it's history and raw occult appeal locked away behind enemy lines. With the Sabbat now out of the picture, and the Anarchs primed to take the city over, it was only natural for Annabelle and the Tremere of House Carna in Quebec City to want a piece of the pie.

Fortunately, the incursion in the city of Montreal would be in dire need of occult expertise. Of course, Annabelle had hoped that her and her Tremere associates would be able to claim exclusive rights, but conflict soon reared its ugly head as other Clans began to campaign for a seat at the table. As conflict threatened to erupt, Annabelle conceded, agreeing to a meeting with representatives of the Hecata & Lasombra Clans. An agreement was reached; a Coterie that brought together representatives of each clans would be formed, they would also welcome occult collaborators from other Clans, assuming they had knowledge or expertise worthy of the name.

Each of the three clans chose their representative; For the Hecata, it was Maman Séraphine, a former member of the Samedi Bloodline who, in her mortal days, lived as a voodoo priestess in Haiti. For the Tremere, Annabelle chose her own Childe, Blythe Adams, to act not only as representative of the Clan of Warlocks, but also as Regent of the Montreal Chantry. Finally, the Lasombra appointed Carmine Salvi, a scholar of Abyss Mysticism and former Priest of the Catholic Church. In early 2025, the three representatives and their followers made the journey to Montreal after acquiring a property and land rich in history and occult potential. There, they built a home for all of them, where together, they planned on digging deep into Montreal's dark past, with the intent of sharing in the knowledge and power they would ( hopefully ) soon unlock.

Purpose and goals:

• Assist the sister Coteries in upholding the agreed upon Traditions, as well as keeping the city free of threats.
• Assume and maintaint control over the Occult, Church, Health & University spheres of influence within Montreal.
• Research remnants of the former supernatural inhabitants of Montreal to unearth their secrets and learn more about their fate.
• Keep an eye on local pagan cults and covens.
• Heavily monitor the city's religious cults and churches in order to anticipate and prevent hunter interference.
  

Style & Symbolism

• The Coterie prefers to be referred to as a Coven than a Coterie.
• The Coterie's chosen crest is the Reversed Hierophant; a Tarot card representing Wisdom, Spirituality and the pursuit of higher knowledge. In it's reversed position, it encourages to question norms and established dogmas while seeking spiritual growth and personal development.
• The Coterie's chosen color is Purple.
• Members of the Coterie tend to favor styles that are inspired by, or blend formal wear, goth, pagan, punk, alt or witchy aesthetics, especially during functions, rites & rituals.
  
  

Spheres of Influence: University, Occult, Church, Health.

Clans: Primarily Tremere, Hecata, & Lasombra. The Coterie also accepts members of the Banu-Haqim, Tzimisce, Malkavians and Ministry with Occult or suitable Academic focus.

Favored Candidates: Thaumaturges, Occultists, Scholars, Necromancers, Priests, Shamans, Sorcerers, Pagans, Seers, Diviners, Scientists.

Domain: The Keepers of the Gate were granted a large cluster of smaller domains that many would consider to be the very Heart of Montreal. The first and most iconic is the Mount Royal Park itself. A large natural mountain surrounded by a even larger natural park, this historic location may seem like the city's prime hunting ground, however, the Mount Royal Park is home to dangers that only the Keepers of the Gate are equipped to face; The first is the St-Joseph Oratory, a legendary church atop the slopes of Mount Royal that contains a relic so holy that no Kindred is able to approach the reliquary that safeguards it. It is a pilgrimage site renowned the world over, and is rumored to have been the epicentre of Second Inquisition activity following the events of the Night of Ashes. At the foot of the mountain is the Notre-Dame-Des-Neiges Cemetery, a location as bewitching as it is unsettling; rumors of strange sightings and cult activity have long loomed over the otherwise tranquil and haunting beauty of this immense resting place.

Just to the north of Mount-Royal is the district of Mont-Royal, not to be confused with the mountain of the same name. Mont-Royal is a large, charmingly historic neighborhood that mostly attract members of the upper and upper-middle class, with it's endless rows of sightly three stories town houses, many of which have been converted into triplexes. The streets of Mont-Royal are lined with large, healthy trees, bike lanes, cozy cafes and small local boutiques and book stores. Trendy restaurants, bars and nightclubs, as well as countless theatres and art galleries all contribute to create one of the most desirable community life in the city. It is also where the Keepers have chosen to establish their Headquarters. Mont-Royal is also the location of the University of Montreal Campus, as well as the Jewish General Hospital & Holocaust Museum.

Additionally, the Keepers of the Gate have laid claim to two smaller domains further south in the downtown core; the first is the McGill University Campus, and the second is the UQAM University Campus. McGill University is renowned the World Over for welcoming countless international students. Meanquile, the UQAM University is home to one of the largest student hospital in the city.

The Keepers of the Gate is more than just another Coven, it is a carefully balanced collaborative effort between Clans that, under regular circumstances, would be unwilling to work together as closely as they are. To maintain the peace, the Coven works as a Democracy where the leader of each of the 3 Clans responsible for the creation of the Coterie ( the Tremere, Hecata and Lasombra ) all have one vote when it comes to administrative or political decisions. There is also a possibility for other clans with enough representation within the Coven to petition for a vote.

The 'leader' of the Coven carries the rank of High Priestess ( or Priest ), and while this role offers no particular privilege within the Coven, it comes with the burden of acting as the Coven's public face. This position is currently held by Blythe Adams.

The true leaders of the Coven are the representatives of each Clan, known within the Coterie as Crones. ( Note that the Coven's High Priestess usually also acts as her Clan's designated Crone. These positions are currently held by Blythe Adams for Clan Tremere, Maman Séraphine for the Hecata, and Carmine Salvi as the head of Clan Lasombra.

Full members of the Coven are referred to as Inner Court, while initiates, trainees or visitors are known as the Outer court.

Also to consider; each of the individual Clans have their own inner workings; The Tremere have their own Chantry and structure while the Hecata answer to the Familia. The Lasombra, on the other hand, seem to be a handful of free agent who seek to operate outside of their Sabbat & Camarilla brethren.

The Seat of the Coven
The Seat of the Covenant is a small, secluded estate in the Mount-Royal district, surrounded with stone and wrought iron gates, and heavily guarded by wards, ghouls, zombies and other spirits. It serves as not only a base of operation for the Keepers, but also as an occult library and laboratory, safe house and place of power. Members of the Keepers are free to use it as a communal haven, claiming one of the rooms as their own as long as they want. Among its most interesting features is an extensive occult library that provides characters with a +1 dice bonus on occult research rolls as well as a sizable and secluded garden that not only serves as a Ritualistic space, but also sits on a powerful Furcus where multiple ley lines cross, granting +2 dice bonus to any ritual conducted on the Garden grounds. The location of the seat is to be guarded and kept secret by all members of the Coven.

The Tree of the Dead
Standing on the Seat's Furcus, sprouting out of the ground is a tall, dead birch tree. Called the Tree of the Dead, it is the tree upon which many of the Wards and Rituals protecting the Seat of the Coven are cast. Maintaining these spells has a cost, and each Coven member must pay. Once per month, each member must spill some of their blood on the soil at the foot of the tree to feed it. ( This requires a Rouse check ) This empowers the tree and the ensures that the wards protecting the property do not fail. It also provides a number of advantages. See the Merits & Flaws section below for more information on the ritual's effects.

The Ties That Bind
The Ties That Bind is the Coven's initiation ritual. The Ceremony is simple, solemn and without much fanfare; Coven members gather in the Seat of the Coven's gardens, around the tree of the dead. ( An old, dead birch tree that sits directly on the Furcus. ) The inductee must cut open their palm, spilling enough of their vitae to fill a ceremonial cup ( A rouse check is required ). A long white ribbon is then dipped into the cup and carefully coated with the new Coven mate's blood before being handed to one of the three Clan representatives. The representative leading the procession then kisses the long strip of blood soaked fabric before tying it to one of the tree's branches, and finally placing a blood soaked kiss on the new inductee's forehead. The Ritual takes effect immediately, binding the new inductee to the rest of the Coven. See the Merits & Flaws section below for more information on the ritual's effects.

Pre-Requisites:

• Allowed Clans: Hecata, Lasombra & Tremere ( House Carna & Ipsissimus only )
• Restricted Clans: Banu Haqim, Malkavian, Ministry, Tzimisce. Restricted clans can easily become members of the Keepers assuming they have suitable skills, knowledge or perks.
• Heavily Restricted Clans: All the rest. Members of Heavily restricted Clans are very unlikely to become members of the Keepers of the Gate.
• Must have the Blood Sorcery or Oblivion disciplines, or have at least 3 dots in Occult, Science or Academics with suitable specialties. Examples of suitable specialties would include; Noddism, Archeology, Alchemy, Ancient History, etc. Malkavians with the Cob-Web Loresheet are also accepted as Oracles.
  

Merits and Advantages:

• Seat of the Coven: +1 to Research dice pools when using the Seat of the Coven's library. +2 to rituals conducted on the Seat of the Coven's grounds thanks to the Furcus.
• Occult Authority: The Keepers of the Gate have been making waves in the occult circles of Montreal. Members of the Coven gain a +1 to all social rolls that involve dealing with NPCs who are part of the city's occult community. ( For example: A member of a circle of Hedge Mages, the owner of a New Age store, Members of the local pagan circles, etc. )
• All members of the Keepers of the Gate get the background Mawla •• ( The Crones ). This allows them to seek out the counsel of the Heads of the Coven ( Maman Séraphine, Blythe Adams & Carmine Salvi ) which they will often ( but not always ) provide without demanding boons or favors in exchange.
  

Character Creation Tips

• Players who wish to create a character for the Keepers of the Gate should enjoy occult, supernatural and mystery focused role-playing.
• Characters who join the Keepers of the Gate can do so for a wide variety of reasons; For example, they simply may seek to make a name for themselves within their Clan? Perhaps they are attracted by the collaboration between the many occult Clans, seeking to sharpen their skills and learn a thing or two from other Clans? Maybe they have reasons to want to unearth the mysteries hidden beneath the many layers of the city of Montreal, a city that has been off limit to anyone but the Sabbat since it's creation centuries ago. One thing is for sure, the thirst for power and knowledge is common among the members of the Keepers of the Gate.
• Make sure to ask a storyteller if you wish to make a character from a Clan outside of the Tremere, Hecata & Lasombra, as we may choose to limit their creation to ensure the main three clans have suitable representation within the Coven.
  
  

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  Blythe
  
  

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  Séraphine
  
  

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  Carmine
  
  

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  Eremon
  

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  Rowena
  

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