Extract of Mnemosyne

The Necromantic Library of Phineus -x- Necromantic Mnemonic Rituals

Description: The Extract of Mnemosyne allows the necromancer to ingest the blood of recently dead mortals and vampires to temporarily gain that individuals abilities and specialties.

Origin: Benesj the Black -- While the necromancer known as Benesj the Black produced the latest versions of Greco-Roman rituals, the pale rites underwent three separate evolution beginning with the Cappadocian style and proceeding through an Egyptian style and finally the Greco-Roman style. All such rituals are based on the principle of Authority rather than that of Taboo.

Ingredients: A bag of sea salt for clarification. Incense made from rosemary for remembrance. A solid silver syringe (for purity) and the recently opened cranium of the victim in which to mix the ingredients.

Casting: The necromancer carry out the ritual within a recently used tomb. He or she then forms a perfect circle from the sea salt in which to stand as he casts the ritual; the circle of sea salt must be large enough to contain the prone body of the victim. Once the salt circle is complete, the caster invokes the chthonian goddess Mnemosyne and burns incense of rosemary as an offering. Then he saws the victim's cranium open (the victim must be dead or a vampire for this to work. Torturing living mortals by sawing their craniums open is just a twisted pass-time...) and plunges the silver syringe into the victim's heart, drawing forth at least a cup of blood. Then the necromancer fills the cranium-bowl from the syringe and asks the goddess for a boon of the chosen ability and drinks the stolen blood.

System: Intelligence + Rituals = difficulty six (6); greater successes equate to greater mnemonic clarity. This ritual takes ten (20) minutes to cast and lasts for one scene per success upon the casting roll. While the necromancer is borrowing the memory, wraiths associated with the cadaver or vampires cannot utilize the stolen abilities (talents, skills or knowledge). The necromancer who utilizes this ritual, gains no other benefits from drinking the blood, thus vampires cannot gain abilities and blood to fuel their other powers at the same time, likewise the blood of vampires does not grant a mortal necromancer the discipline of Potence upon ingesting the blood. But either mortals or vampiric necromancers can still be bound by three draughts of Cainite vitae.

Reference: Chalice of Memoirs - Necromancy Ritual Level 2