Huaco Retrato Envenenado
A Moche portrait vessel of a woman bearing the ‘sting of the High Scorpion’, the left side of her face paralyzed into a grimace. Gabriela Ber took it from a ‘lost’ huaca north of Trujillo. She donated this to the Haustorium as thanks for treating her acusis, which she claimed entirely unconnected to this particular artifact.
Initial Location: Historical Exhibit
I’m Reading…
The High Scorpion was invoked by the elite of Moche society to guard their wealth. While its worship survived the rise of the Fourfold Realm, she was charged with watching the roads which radiated from the Rock of the Owl. Some believe the huacas, the roadside sacred monuments, were named after the High Scorpion, leading to speculation that the deity is a manifestation of the language-goddess Vak, guardian of the Gate of Eyes.
I’ve Read…
This portrait seems to be of a priestess of the High Scorpion responsible for punishing those who desecrate the huacas. She would use this vessel to transmute liquids into the poisons of the High Scorpion, explaining the worn Scale-patterns adorning its surface, likely used to facilitate the process. While the priestess’s own paralysis can be interpreted negatively, it was likely viewed as a sign of honor, as it would indicate repeated exposure to the raw fumes of this sacred poison, presently known as Glassfinger Toxin.
Effect: Memory: Contradiction
Mastery: Lesson: Serpents & Venoms x2