| Coclé Cat | |
|---|---|
| |
| "And when Jaguar looked at me, I bowed down." | |
|
Origin |
The Coclé People |
|
Type |
Golden Statue |
|
Effects |
Hypnotizes victims into becoming its guards |
|
Downsides |
Effects |
|
Activation |
Staring into the eyes |
|
Collected by |
|
|
Section |
|
|
Aisle |
180946-2277 |
|
Shelf |
568532-6329-225 |
|
Date of Collection |
1940 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
Not much is known about the Coclé, an indigenous people of Panama that flourished from 800 to 1300 C.E.. Their culture, belief systems, and societal structures were destroyed in almost their entirety by invading European in the 1500s. What little remains has been excavated from burial sites, especially the Rio Grande Coclé graveyard, where plaques, pendants, precious stones, and other antiquities were found. These richly designed artifacts hint at an advanced culture that may never be truly remembered.
Effects[]
This small statue, which was found in the graveyard, caused chaos during the 1940 dig when it transformed archaeologist J. Alden Mason's team into a skilled set of bodyguards for the site. When activated, the cat's eyes glow with a golden light, hypnotizing those who view it directly into protecting the immediate vicinity.
Victims of the cat retain no autonomy while afflicted, and seem to gain incredible physical endurance and skills in order to keep up with their "duties."