Ichor of the Hexaped

Level 3.

The hexaped is an unusual form of Gargoyle that tracks its victims and, when it confronts them, coats them in a substance establishing a psychic link between victim and hexaped (see p. 124). In order to make use of the link, the vampire uses this ritual to crush the juice from the hexaped's body for distillation. The hexaped, which must be conscious during the ritual, is lowered into a gigantic, man-sized press. Although less intelligent than other Gargoyles, the hexaped generally realizes what is about to happen and fights to free itself from whatever restraints its captors have put on it. If it does escape, it certainly attacks its tormentors. If it does not, the bearers lower it into the press and then struggle to place heavy planks over its top, preventing the hexaped from springing out. Then, as the vampire chants and draws a series of arcane sigils in the air, the assistants begin to turn the large wheel that controls the vise-like press. As the two halves of the vise squeeze the life out of it, its blood and other juices drip down through the mesh and collect in a copper trough below. The sludgy mass drips from there into a silver bucket. When no more ichor can be pressed from the beast, the vampire takes the full pail back to his laboratory, where he mixes it with myrrh, copper powder, wine dregs and some of his own vitae. He then pours it into a shallow silver bowl about three feet in diameter. After another round of chanting, accompanied by the burning of six kinds of incense, an image appears in the greenish-red liquid in the bowl. When looking into the bowl, the thaumaturge can now see a blurry representation of what the hexaped's victim sees. If he leans forward and concentrates a bit, he can hear the victim's surface thoughts like a quiet voice in the back of his own head.

Epistatia is responsible for the creation of the hexaped. She made it for Paul Cordwood, to show the inefficacy of his own petty rituals. Though at first both annoyed and appalled by her gesture, he has since had occasion to usefully employ them. Like the simulacra (see p. 126), he finds them useful for their demoralizing effect on those unlucky enough to behold them as for any information they might gather for him.

System: One success allows watchers to see what the victim sees; two are required to hear his thoughts. Unless the vampire got three or more successes, the victim experiences a haunting sense of surveillance whenever the thaumaturge looks into the bowl. The liquid must be refreshed with a point of the thaumaturge's blood every week. If not, it congeals into a clotted mass and no longer receives images.

Historical Note: The Tremere's use of hexapeds largely comes to an end when they join the Camarilla and accept the terms of the Masquerade.