Hexenbiest & Zauberbiest

A Hexenbiest (HEK-sən-beest; Ger. Hexe "witch" + Biest "beast") is a witch-like (or warlock-like if it's male) Wesen that resembles a zombie, with visibly decaying flesh. They first appeared in.

Rosalee indicated that the term Hexenbiest is reserved for the female, while a male (such as Sean Renard) is instead called a Zauberbiest (TSOW-bər-beest; Germ. Zauber "magic" or Zauberer "wizard" + Biest "beast") or Warlock. (Grimm: The Warlock Issue 4)

Characteristics
When they woge, unlike many other Wesen, Hexenbiests still appear human; however, their skin decays so that it resembles a corpse, their teeth sharpen, and their hair may turn gray. Their woged appearance becomes more decrepit-looking as they age. Interestingly, Hexenbiests find this decayed look sexy.

Woged or not, they can be identified by a dark U-shaped birthmark on the underside of their tongues.

Hexenbiests are also shown to possess superhuman strength. They are able to casually overpower a grown man and rip him apart, but they can only access these powers in their Hexenbiest form and not their human one. They are not as strong as Grimms, as on three separate occasions, Grimms were able to gain the upper hand in a fight with Hexenbiests. However, Hexenbiests are physically powerful enough to give Grimms a degree of trouble.

They also possess other abilities, such as telekinesis, demonstrated when Adalind turned the gun of one of the Verrat against him at a distance. They can be somewhat pyrokinetic, as Adalind's daughter, Diana, lit up a fire in the fireplace at the cabin. They can create illusions, as Diana caused Meisner to bring firewood to the cabin after he thought he actually picked her up in the middle of the forest, and she did the same thing at Nick and Juliette's home, where she made it look like she was alone on the bed until Juliette picked her up and saw she only picked up a pillow. Elizabeth Lascelles has shown the ability to temporarily freeze people in time, but it's unclear if all Hexenbiests possess this ability or not. Hexenbiests have a sixth sense: they can "smell" and identify magic using their noses. They also have the ability to harness seductive powers on others who are within their immediate proximity. Hexenbiests are also shown to have the ability to fuse human cartilage together.

Hexenbiests who are "created" (as a Verfluchte Zwillingsschwester potion side effect for example) are more deadly than normal Hexenbiests.

They are also known for their knowledge of Zaubertränke, chemical or alchemical concoctions and potions. These are used to many effects, such as bewitching a person, and have many highly emotive, compulsive, and deadly effects. Their abilities are not limited to just Zaubertränke, however, as Catherine Schade owned a key that could open any door, and Elizabeth used a two-headed black and red snake to revive Sean Renard after he flatlined.

If a Hexenbiest ingests the blood of a Grimm, their Wesen part will be destroyed and they will become a normal human. The weakness is common knowledge amongst Hexenbiests but seems to be closely guarded from outsiders. Hexenbiests have the ability to detect a former Hexenbiest who has had her powers removed this way as well. Since Adalind was visibly shocked when she realized that Nick knew about it, it seems that even Grimms generally don't know about this vulnerability. A Hexenbiest turned human in this way still retains her knowledge of Zaubertränke and can still create the most dangerous of concoctions. However, stripping their powers clearly has some affect on their ability to make Zaubertränke, as Adalind claimed she could not create a cure for Renard's obsession due to Nick stripping her of her Hexenbiest powers. Destroying the Wesen part of them will cause some of their Zaubertränke to stop working, but this will not occur if the Hexenbiest is killed.

The only known way to regain their lost powers involves the still beating heart of another Hexenbiest, after which the Contaminatio Ritualis must be performed by the former Hexenbiest. They must cut off the hands and feet and pluck out the eyeballs of the dead Hexenbiest. Then, they must take them to a special field and bury everything in a certain place, the last bit being buried with their own hands. If they are accepted, all the flowers in the field in a large circle will die, and they must then pick all the dead flowers. After this, the flowers must be placed inside the dead Hexenbiest's body, and the body must then be sewn up. After a period of several hours, it must be slit open, and a red sludge will ooze out. Said sludge must be collected and then rubbed onto the stomach, and if the Hexenbiest performing this ritual is pregnant, it must be rubbed onto the abdomen throughout the remainder of her pregnancy. There is a way to suppress a Hexenbiest without the blood of a Grimm. To make the suppressant, the liver, gall bladder, tongue, and four ribs of a dead Hexenbiest, that has not recently died, are some of the required ingredients, and the Witch's Hat is needed to strain the boiled mixture. Then once the Hexenbiest drinks the mixture, they will start to violently convulse and their spirit will rise out for a short period of time before entering back into their body. Once their powers are suppressed, their woge will be a tiny ripple and their telekinetic abilities will be limited. The suppressant's effects don't last forever and will eventually wear off. When the suppressant starts to wear off, the Hexenbiest will experience pain and a slight woge, along with uncontrollable telekinetic abilities.

Behavior
Seemingly concerned only about their own beauty and popularity, they have been known to do things, such as apply leeches to the face, to make their skin paler. They work at the command of royalty and are extremely loyal creatures, but they are only loyal to whomever they serve, as to others they are treacherous and manipulative, even to their own kind.

When dealing with Hexenbiests, it is important to not get on their bad side, as they do not forgive and are capable of exacting their revenge in multiple ways that never end well for their offender(s). According to Rosalee, it is not normal for a human to fall for a Hexenbiest. This implies that despite their attractive human forms, Hexenbiests either fail to maintain human behavior in their relationships, or humans are somehow able to sense their true nature unless the Hexenbiests use deliberate manipulation. However, they are able to reproduce with humans and have half-breed children, as Sean Renard is proof of such offspring.

They are feared throughout the Wesen community and are not above bullying weaker Wesen. Even Monroe has seemed worried about dealing with Hexenbiests. It seems as though they are known for telling lies, as Kelly Burkhardt was surprised that Catherine Schade told the truth to Nick, and Stefania Vaduva Popescu confirmed that Adalind's baby was a Royal and didn't take Adalind's word for it even though she was only a former Hexenbiest.

They are the only natural enemy of Mellifers.

Hexenbiests also have a particular affinity for cats, often using them as vectors for spells or potions that they conjure. Adalind used a cat in this manner when she fed it L'esprit ailleurs in its milk, and it later scratched Juliette's hand.

Excerpt from Grimm Diaries


(from book entitled Hexen - Biest)



Season 1 Blu-ray Grimm Guide Profile
"Witch-like creature that somewhat resembles a demon/goblin. They work at the behest of royalty. Identifiable from a dark birthmark under their tongues in both human and morphed forms."

Trivia

 * A Hexenbiest (Adalind Schade) was the first Wesen that Nick Burkhardt saw woge.
 * Although the term "warlock" is now associated with dark magic, the Old English root indicates an "oath-breaker."
 * The original name for Hexenbiests was "Schlauraffen," which in German means cockaigne, or a fabled land of luxury and idleness.
 * Original Hexenbiest name.jpg