Ari Melamed
| Pronouns | They/them |
|---|---|
| Clan | House Tremere |
| Sect | Camarilla |
| Social Class | Pretender Elder |
| Morality | Humanity |
| Lineage | House Melamed |
Further Information
Ari Melamed is a short, remarkably beautiful and poised (Appearance focus) person of Korean ethnicity, usually dressed in long coats, skirts, or dresses in a color scheme of red and white, with black accents typically found on occasion in their hats or footwear. Their very long, dark hair is typically coiled in a chignon, potentially as part of a more elaborate coiffure, and their makeup is on the subtle side, but tends toward red and neutral tones. They carry themself with a quiet, proud sort of formality, avoiding physical affection and strong displays of emotion in public, and speak softly but with piercing clarity. While their presentation tends to span the divides of masculine and feminine, the archaic manner of their gender expression means that they lean on different cues than many modern Kindred might expect. When regarding others, they have the somewhat chilling tendency to look almost through people, or just over their shoulder, as if they see something others do not.
- 1604 - Born in Joseon.
- 1616 - Travels to the city of Hanseong, now Seoul, to train for service in the court.
- 1624 - Leaves Hanseong for a remote farming village under mysterious, but disgraceful circumstances.
- 1627 - Ghouled by a reclusive, eccentric Elder Tremere with a background in Taoist sorcery known to most of European Kindred society as Cartophylax.
- 1628 - Arrives in Genoa without a regnant. Curiously, is taken in by House Melamed as one of their ghouls.
- Managed to escape an encounter with a pirate ship belonging to one Gabriella, unbeknownst to either of them.
- 1650 - is Embraced by Chava, formally takes the name of Ari Melamed.
- 1825-1850s/60s - Travels much of the world with fellow House Melamed Tremere Jerry Holiday in his early years as a neonate, attempting to teach him etiquette and responsibility.
- 1830 - Embraces Aishe Rashid in Syria; had meant to embrace Aretas that night as well, but Jerry does so in her place, unprompted.
- It is said that Ari, Jerry, his ghoul, Aishe, and Aretas ended up in Vienna during this period; Ari prefers not to discuss the events of that particular incident.
- 1927-1937 - Ari disappears from American and European Korean politics to involve themself in affairs in occupied Korea.
- 1938-1945 - Ari is among the members of their house in Europe during the Second World War.
- 1946 - Ari returns to the Chantry in New York City, becoming very reclusive for a period of at least a decade; those close to them know that this was the lowest point of their Humanity.
- 2009 - Participates in the "Ritual to Save the World" in Bangladesh. [pending VIP]
- 2014 - Moves to the Boston area, setting up a Tremere chantry and claiming the cities of Wellesley and Weston as territory with the bold claim that if the few remaining Sabbat want it, they can take it.
- - Offers hospitality to all members of Clan Tremere who would work together to protect the clan's interests, regardless of Sect.
- 2015 - On April 19, is one of the signatories of the April Morning Accords, representing Clan Tremere.
- 2018 - In July, signs the Third Night Treaty as representative of Clan Tremere.
- 2020 - In January, signs the Paramount Treaty as representative of Clan Tremere.
Ari Melamed appears, in many ways, to be a typical Tremere Elder: studious, almost painfully courteous, and loyal to House and Clan. In Clan circles, they're known for eschewing the common hermetic practices of Tremere Thaumaturgy, basing their own magical paradigm in traditional Korean shamanism. While Ari is known to criticize the practice of necromancy as abusive and disrespectful to the dead, they openly state their nature as a Medium.
Outside of occult matters, which seem to consume most of their time, Ari is known as a Kindred who appreciates the arts, particularly music, dance, poetry, and painting. They have sometimes been seen with a brush in their right hand and a scroll unrolling in their left, lost in ink upon a page.
- Ari was not Chava's childe by Embrace, but has effectively been adopted into such a role.
- Ari has an irrational hatred of Clan Giovanni born from a torrid, ill-fated affair during their days as a neonate in Genoa.
- Ari is forbidden to share the details of their rituals and faith.
- Ari's unconventional beliefs have led them to skirt the line of heresy in the past.
- Ari hates astrology.
- Ari has spent centuries collecting boons from anyone who misgenders them.
- Ari is the only single member of House Melamed who doesn't want to be single.
- Ari would be Boston's Camarilla Tremere Primogen if they wanted it, but chooses not to be.
- "Some of us are both mercury and sulfur, light and darkness, warmth and cold. Why should those gifted with the sight of spirits and power beyond the reach of mortals restrict ourselves to such fleeting norms as those dictated by long-dead men and imposed upon our bodies?" - Ari Melamed
- "Your quote goes here." - Name
- "As someone whose roots come from Tengrism shamanism, I would love to understand more about their Korean shamanism. But I would also want to avoid a sermon on how necromancy is disrespectful to the dead. We are the dead. Understanding and controlling the world of the dead is part of our path to enlightenment." - Sevinch
- "I brought the trash. Ari brought the fire." - Jerry Holiday
- "Oh Elder Ari Melamed, oh um... you know how your parents warn you not to touch the stove cause it's hot? Yeah, um, like that. Yeah that works." - Kenneth Bilge
- "As you'd expect, I don't have warm fuzzies for a suit wearing, tower-touting usurper, but Ari Melamed and I agree on one point - Necromancy is an atrocity. While the stuffy old Lick might object for some arcane tradition mumbo jumbo and me a revulsion to the idea of soul stealing slave traders..if we were ever trapped in a room together at least we'd have something to talk about." Roach
- "On this front, I agree - 'soul stealing slave traders' is an accurate description of certain uses of necromancy, and I have yet to encounter an ethical practitioner."
- "It is both exciting and illuminating to have conversations with Elder Melamed. Illuminating for their depth of knowledge, exciting because tea with the elder is akin to holding a cup of nitroglycerine. For hours." - Simon Goodchilde
- "We're going to write fabulous Manhwa together some day. Or they'll set me on fire. It's a race to see which happens first." Finley Welles
- "If I have learned anything about those within House Melamed in my time associating with them.. it is that you should not be lulled into complacency by what you think you see on the surface. On the surface Elder Ari Melamed is the perfect picture of calm politeness.. like a mirror smooth surface of an ice cold pond on a warm summer afternoon.. so calm.. so beautiful.. that one almost forgets that those still surfaces hide depths and threats that one cannot fathom. Admire the stillness and the calm, but do not be lulled into complacency by it.. lest that be your last mistake." - Christian Whitechapel
- "My dear sibling, you have been a source of wisdom and guidance over the years, even if our paths have diverged in these strange times." Zalman-Rose Melamed
