Impalement Ritual
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The Impalement Ritual was a ritual practised at the Kuze Shrine in Fatal Frame III. It prevented Tattooed Priestesses who could not stay asleep from waking up and wandering.
Preparation
The priestess is tattooed with the sorrows of Worshippers, and carves her own attachments onto a mirror. The Engravers collect blood from both the dead and the living to use as ink. Finally, the priestess shatters her mirror and proceeds towards the Chamber of Thorns.
The Ritual
The chosen Handmaidens take a hammer and stake in each hand and impale the hands and feet of the Tattooed Priestess in the Chamber of Thorns, pinning her down. The Ceremony Master of the Kuze Family is present, observing
Once the Priestess was impaled, the ceremony would continue above ground. The Handmaidens would impale dolls, dyed in soul ink and representing the pains engraved on the Priestess, and enshrine them in the Doll Altars. The lullaby would be sung over the dolls so that the Priestess would lie in peace.[1]
Result
The Priestess would bear the pain given to her into sleep.[2] The pain of the Holly would "eat away her soul" as she slept for all eternity.[1]
Alternative Names
- Rite of the Handmaiden's Song[3]