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Ichor is bright like human arterial blood. It has the same consistency and is often difficult to differentiate without boiling (ichor has a higher boiling point).

Not all homunculi can produce ichor. It is not an inheritable trait. It’s more common amongst vampires where being spawned with the ability is a one in six chance. This is because vampires are generally the most defenceless of their family. Homunculi with ichoric blood can shoot their blood from their mouth (spitting / spraying) and eyes (increasing blood pressure to rupture vessels around eyelids). Glands secrete the protein into the blood before it is squirted from the body. Ichor is harmful if gotten on one’s bare skin or ingested. In this way, it is considered a type of venom.

Ichor does not carry out agglutination. Once the protein enters the blood, the blood can no longer be used in live-saving transfusions anymore.

Injested ichor causes effects likened to chronic wasting disease. While physically destructive in the sense that it will almost always lead to progressive death through necrosis, it is more characterized by behavioral changes. Loss of fear, hunger, and guilt are common. It is also a natural aphrodisiac.

Unlike traditional necrosis where damaged cells are still left in the body, Ichoric necrosis causes cell death by eating and effectively getting rid of them. Because of this, there is potential in cancer research.

Lab-processed ichor is sometimes, very crudely, called lifeblood. It negates the harmful effects of ichor... presumably.

Unfortunately, the ICHR protein is only temporarily broken apart. Remarkably, it can avoid excretion from the body, locate bits of itself and reassemble under almost any condition. This means that those who have taken lab-processed ichor under the pretext that it was safe will definitely succumb to its effects.

Historically, ichor has been integrated in the process of self-mummification where its’ effect on one’s appetite helped wean monks onto the diet of seeds and resins. Ichor was not considered a drug.

The application of ichor in modern medicine is nascent and being explored by Torres. Research is currently at a deadlock because of global conflicts surrounding the distribution of homunculi that are capable of interactly relatively safely with humans (there’s really not a lot).