Rope Shrine Maiden

Rope Shrine Maiden Game Fatal Frame & Fatal Frame III Kanji/Kana 縄の巫女 (なわのみこ) Alias(es) Rope Priestess Range of Age Around 17 years (chosen around 7 years) Occupation Sacrifice Purpose To have no earthly connections and sacrifice herself to the Strangling Ritual to keep the Hell Gate from opening. Rituals Strangling Ritual & Demon Tag Ritual Location Himuro Mansion Total Member 1 in the ritual every 10 years (many are mentioned)

The Rope Shrine Maidens of Himuro Mansion were maidens chosen with the sacred duty of protecting the area from the unleashing of the Hell Gate. The maidens were chosen for their spiritual power based on a game of Demon Tag.

Selection

All of the female children of the Himuro Family above the age of 7 years, 9 months and 25 days would be assembled in the Demon Mouth for a game of Demon Tag, and Blind Demon would try to catch them. The first child caught was raised to become the next Blind Demon; however, the last child caught was chosen to be the next Rope Shrine Maiden. It was believed that she was able to avoid the Blind Demon the longest because of her high spiritual power.

Preparation

The chosen child was then taken to a cell, and separated from the outside world for a period of 3,669 days (approximately 10 years). During this time she could not see her family. Priests would attend to her, wearing masks to cover their faces at all times. In this way she would remain in a purified state, free from attachment to the world. When the 13th day of the 12 month approached (a decade later), the maiden would be taken to the Moon Shrine to cleanse and purify herself.

Strangling Ritual

Once her purification was complete, the ceremony master and priests would take her to the Rope Shrine. It was here that she was tied by her neck, hands, and feet. These ropes were attached to wheels. As the wheels were turned, the Rope Shrine Maiden's limbs were pulled off. The blood-soaked ropes used to kill her were then taken and bound around the Hell Gate to secure it again for another 10 years.

After the ritual, the maiden's dismembered body would be enshrined within the walls and rafters of Himuro Mansion, to offer further protection against evil spirits. The first Rope Shrine Maiden's mummified body is enshrined at the bottom of the Moon Well.

Known Rope Shrine Maidens

• Kirie Himuro
• Kizuna Himuro
• Long Arms' Daughter
• Tokitada Kyuki's Lover
• Former Shrine Maiden (before Kirie)
• Rope Hallway Shrine Maiden
• The first Rope Shrine Maiden (the one mummified in the Moon Shrine)

Misc Info

• It is not unheard of for servants or people who became too close to the Rope Shrine Maidens to be killed or ordered to commit Seppuku. These murders were thought just to keep the ritual a secret and keep the Calamity from occurring.
• In the Doll Room of the Himuro Mansion, there is a special doll dedicated to the Rope Shrine Maiden. It is set apart from all the other dolls and encircled with sacred rope, just as the maiden herself was isolated and treated as a holy being.