The Shadow of Hands That Serve
Description: This ritual summons the smallest beings that dwell in the Abyss and grants them brief existence in the material world as servitors of the mystics who invoke them. Such entities are not demons or ghosts or true spirits, but rather something else that defies comprehension or classification. All that is certain is that they hate light, hunger for life and bear a malign cognition that would shatter the sanity of any who truly understood it. Although the creatures summoned with this ritual are harmless, they make excellent spies and are so called the Eyes of Ahriman.
System: The vampire crushes and extinguishes a candle in his fist, suffering one level of aggravated damage and prompting an immediate check for Rötschreck (difficulty 4). If the vampire can maintain control, his player rolls Intelligence + Occult (difficulty 6). Botching this roll results in a further level of unsoakable aggravated damage. If successful, however, the vampire tightens his fist until blood drips from his fingers. The blood blackens and burns as it falls, undulating and extending horrible tendrils to reclaim the wisps of acrid smoke. When the blood lands, it shrieks in pain and births a momentary gateway to the Abyss. Out of this brief rift emerges a globe of shadow substance the size of a child’s hand. As the vampire opens and upturns his burnt and bloody palm, the orb flies to his hand and licks it clean with extruded tentacles. The creature endures one night per success on the casting roll before returning to the Abyss. Until this time, it serves the vampire’s spoken will with unquestioning if unimaginative fervor. It can crudely communicate with material beings in images and emotional impressions, but only while in physical contact.
Note: A level-two version of this ritual exists, known as The Heart That Beats in Silence. This ritual follows the same rules and process, save that the summoned being is twice as large and possesses greater mastery of Obtenebration, allowing it to attack its caster’s foes physically. A vampire may not summon more beings through castings of The Shadow of Hands That Serve and/or The Heart That Beats in Silence than his Occult rating.
Side Effect: None
Commonly Known As: Eyes of Ahriman
Attributes:
Strength 0, Dexterity 5, Stamina 1,
Charisma 1, Manipulation 3, Appearance 0,
Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Dodge 3, Intimidation 2, Stealth 5 (In Shadows +1)
Disciplines: Obtenebration 1
Willpower: 3, Health Levels: 3
Other Notes: These creatures may freely invoke their Obtenebration without spending blood. They can fly at 30 yards per turn and are always assumed to be in shadow form as per Tenebrous Avatar (Dark Ages: Vampire, p. 200). They suffer no wound penalties, but the touch of fire or sunlight instantly destroys these creatures. Communicating with a material being requires contact and a successful Wits roll. Each success transfers one set of related images or one emotion directly into the target’s psyche.
