Il Resto (Vampire: The Requiem)

Il Resto (The Remainder)
Level One Cruac Ritual

At times, it is necessary to provide proof of the death of someone or to take a trophy for one's mantel. This Ritual provides the means to do so.

While a slain vampire tends to fall apart at a high rate of speed, This ritual may be enacted in the mere minutes before the vampire turns completely to dust. Some vampires, of course, ash instantly, but for those who do not this ritual will work.  The ritual may also be cast on a staked vampire prior to his destruction in order to ensure freshness.

   The Crone must choose a part of the body to preserve. (Heads and hands are most common, although in at least one case a club foot and a Penis have been subjected to this ritual.)  The caster must tie a bow around the body part with an unspoiled white silk ribbon and bind a sprig of rosemary in the bow. He must offer some kind of blessing to the deceased.

(In many cases, this blessing is seldom elaborate as it is often used on the body parts of enemies, but casters have found that the spell will accept a benediction as simple as "You fought well" or "You were a worthy Adversary." )

 Once the blessing has been offered, the caster spends a point of blood and the annihilation of the body part is arrested utterly (The rest of the body will molder as normal) This state of affairs will exist as long the ribbon remains tied around it. If the target of the spell is staked, then the body part can be removed without a loss of freshness. 

 The "Remainder" is rendered useless for the purpose of almost all necromancy involving animation.  Any damage sustained by the Remainder will undo the magic preserving it.

   This ritual can only affect the body parts of Vampires. It has no effect on the bodies of living creatures or the freshly killed.

It has been noted, that one can effectively preserve the chopped off part of a kindred, and then not actually slay the kindred in question. Wily elders have seen this dodge before and will mostly ask for parts that a vampire can’t really survive without, Heads being the most common.