Meerlinda

Sire - Tremere
Generation - 4th
Embrace - 1022 A.D.
Apparent Age - Late Thirties
Position - Councilor of North America
Known Childer - Samael Abaddon, John Dee, John Diamond.

Meerlinda is a member of Tremere's original Inner Circle and she shared the experience of unexpected transformation into a vampire in the basement of Goratrix's chantry. Appearing as an attractive, mature woman in her late thirties, she is one of the more sober and levelheaded of the Councilors. Often acting as a mediator in internal disputes, especially between Etrius and Goratrix. She was also instrumental in the early formation of the Camarilla, though most of her efforts were disguised as the ideas of Etrius. The wiser observers among the Kindred recognize the intelligence lying behind her placcid exterior.

She was originally in charge of the British Isles, but her duties were drastically altered when Tremere, at the time of the great reapportionment, placed her in charge of the raw and undeveloped North American continent. Although it was first thought of as a bad assignment, she has since taken the opportunity to help develop this continent to its current state. To everyone's surprise, she has come to wield and immense amount of power.

Her critics had hoped to make use of several failures the Tremere have suffered in New England to bring her down, but despite the destruction of the Boston chantry years ago, Meerlinda retains her influence. Meerlinda has also been the member of the Inner Circle most likely to support renegade Tremere, and more than once, she has used such outcasts to further her own plans.

Meerlinda has used her childe Samael as a pawn throughout the centuries. He was far too young and wild to receive the embrace when he did, and she still sees him that way. Keeping a close eye on him keeps her from being embarrassed, and gives her a powerful tool with which to strike at her enemies.

In sending him to California she hopes to see him clash with the Anarchs and Cathayans. His skill at war she hopes will cow them, and make the presence of the clan felt here. What she thinks of his taking up the mantle of Primogen is unknown. He has been in her chantry for his entire existence, and therefore has never claimed any title higher than Apprentice of the Seventh Mystery. If she will try and maneuver him into the Pontifex position soon to replace the wavering one currently overseeing the area is anyone's guess.

Out of Character Notes: Meerlinda is a creation of the designers of White Wolf Games™ I am merely using her as part of my character's story, since he exists in their world. I would have created my own NPC for his sire, but I like the character of Meerlinda as she is described in the books, and it adds to his Fame. One I paid for with the Prestigious Sire Merit.

It is not a typo or a mistake that Meerlinda is 4th Generation, while Samael is 6th (the math would make him a 5th gen). It has to do with the Time of his embrace, and the events taking place in the World of Darkness™ at that same time.

Samael was embraced by Meerlinda before Tremere and the Inner Circle's Diablerie of the Salubri Antediluvian Saulot. Though it does not state specifically in the game books or novels. My interpretation of the history is that Tremere was a 4th gen, and the rest of the council his childer at the time of the Diablerie. Making Meerlinda a 5th generation vampire when she embraced Samael. Since he did not partake in the Diablerie he remains at his original generation of 6th to this day.

This information would hardly be common knowledge to those not of the Council or their immediate retainers. So to the world at large Samael is believed to be a 5th generation vampire. Which is perhaps both beneficial to him and detrimental. I will not accept any in character knowledge of this fact without some extremely good explainations for having such.

Copyright © 2000 Chris McKinney

Keywords and game design by White Wolf Games.