Most gomes would say that the vas animi is the rarest and most powerful of all petraglifs but in some ways it is the opposite of a traditional petraglif.  The term comes from the Latin word vas meaning a vessel (like a vase or a jug) and animi meaning life.  Instead of finding a type of rock that humans have an emotional attachment to, gomes create a vas animi by finding a young human who has a strong emotional attachment to rocks and gomes and then turning that human into rock so that he or she can be crushed to extract very powerful and magical essence.  This can only be achieved in a very elaborate process.  It may take centuries to find the perfect young human who can be turned into a vas animi.  It is best if the human is in early adolescence when the life force is growing most strongly.  The gomes need to capture the individual and then feed the young human potions, food and drink laced with ground up petraglifs and spices.  It may take several days to fill the human with enough sludge and grit to be ready.

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When the human is prepared he or she is drugged with apisinthe (see below) and taken to the Transfer Chamber where a funnel-shaped window allows the light of a half-moon to flood the chamber at certain times of the year.  In addition to the human who is the vas animi a Great Gome Translator (kind of like a high priest) and a human Receiver must be present.  The Receiver is usually an older human who has helped capture the human that is to become the vas animi and who wants to receive its youthful life energy as the vas animi is petrified.  In order for the life energy to transfer from the vas animi to the Receiver the Receiver must drink a special potion in the Chalice of Acceptance.  The vas animi must also have his or her body bathed in the Wash of Conductance.  Then, when the half-moon is at its height the Great Translator focuses the power of the half-moon using a powerful petraglif and chants, “Luna Bella Renovari” (which is Latin for “Beautiful Moon of Rejuvenation”).  The Receiver touches the head of the vas animi and while the youthful energy passes to the Receiver the young human’s body petrifies.  Here is a diagram of what the ceremony looks like:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final part of the process takes place two weeks later when the moon is now full.  The petrified human must be taken to a place where the rocks have wielded great power and influence over humans for centuries.  The petrified body of the human is bathed in a second dousing wash so that, under the glare of the full moon, it gives up all of its youthful essence to the Receiver… permanently.  At that moment the van animi can be crushed into pieces that gomes gather up and take away to use in very powerful potions and ceremonies (that have not been revealed to us yet).

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At the end of Twilight Cave we find out that it is possible for a vas animi to reverse the petrification process (at least if they have a powerful gome like Wullie helping them!). But in Chondrite Vault Finn discovers that even though he has returned to his soft warm human form anytime he is really scared he can petrify.  In this state he is unable to move or speak and can only use one of his five senses at any one time but he is aware of the outside world and feels Wullie’s protective lifewarmth inside of him.  

 

Although Finn thinks that this is a terrible new “power” in his life, Wullie tries to convince him otherwise:

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“There’s no easy way fur me tae say this to ye, Finn.  You’ll just need tae get used tae how you feel right now.  This is the… new you.  This is your new normal.”

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“What!  But that’s horrible.  It’s like I’ve got a… a… what do they call it?  A seizure disorder, like Gary Cook at school, except that he takes pills and is feeling fine again, now.  But me, I just freeze up at random times for no reason at all.”

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“No, no, lad.  You’re not freezing.  You’re petrifying.  Turning to stone. And it’s not for no reason, it’s for a very good reason.  You’ll need tae practice learning how tae control your emotions so that you can use it to your advantage.”

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“No way, Wullie!  You’ve got to fix this.  There has to be some kind of awful-tasting gome pill or sludgy potion to make me normal again.”

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Wullie shrugged.  “Calm doon, lad.  You’re makin’ oot that this is a bad thing but ye just proved tae yersel that ye stand a better chance facing bullies, now, than ye used to.  That’s no’ a bad thing; that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

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“Ha!  You make it sound like I am some kind of amazing new superhero, now.  But it sure doesn’t feel like that to me.  Most superheroes can do really cool things like fly or become invisible or be able to stretch for miles or fire lightning bolts out their nose.  Well, actually I made that last one up.  I don’t know any actual superhero that can shoot lightning bolts out of his nose, but it would be cool if there was one who could do that.”

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“Aye, in Scotland he’d probably be called Snotterman.”

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“Stop making a joke about this, Wullie.  What I’ve got is not a superpower; it’s more like a… a… superweakness!  You’re telling me that if I don’t learn to stay calm when I’m scared I’ll turn back into a statue!  That’s terrible!  That scares me to death!  In fact I can feel my hands stiffening up right now just thinking about it.”

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As the story progresses Finn discovers that being able to petrify at will is indeed a very hand new superpower that he has.