Rutor's Hands
Gargoyles and homunculi remain relatively common in some Tremere chantries, but few Kindred know of Rutor's Hands, or would want to. A thaumaturge of sufficient will can pluck out his own eye and set atop one of his own severed hands - the ritual preserves them from disintegration - and animate this thing as a scurrying, malevolent spy. The eye rests on the back of the hand and swivels about to watch its surroundings, while the hand scuttles like a desiccated spider. The construct obeys the will of its owner and can relay what it sees and hears (even though it has no ears) back to its master, as the thaumaturge desires.
System: The thaumaturge cuts off his hand and plucks out his eye and the conclusion of this ritual; this causes five levels of unsoakable aggravated damage. Once this damage is healed, the Tremere regenerates his hand and eye, though the ghastly homunculus may still prowl. Completing this ritual may also require a Willpower roll, at the Storyteller's discretion, simply to carry out the painful finale. The animate hand has one health level of its own and moves about with the equivalent of two dots in each Physical Attribute and in Perception, though it cannot fight. The caster mentally directs the thing's movement at will (so long as the thaumaturge remains conscious, of course). The Hand must have one point of blood each week, or else it crumbles to dust. Likewise, if the hand is exposed to sunlight or fire, it vanishes with a squeal and leaves a greasy stench.
