The song I used for ritual (and seems appropriate) is Atrium Carceri - The Traitor
The backstory and ritual for this evening is a little convoluted. It started with a friend of mine that’s been having problems with a shade. I had evoked Lilith (we’re still not sure how she got involved with the whole story, not just this part) and got some information on this shade and it sometimes harasses my friend. It wasn’t violent and was attempting to be threatening here and there. When she found out I was going down this path, she suggested I may want to use this shade, if the book called for it. Well, it kinda did, but the mechanism was a little different.
Some time passed and to get more information on this shade, confirm the story, and see about whether it was a candidate for this, I evoked Lilith earlier today. She confirmed, verified the signature I remembered, and gave me a name to call it by. I wasn’t sure if it was a real last name, but it was. good enough with the signature.
Not long after, Anuas and Azrael came to coach me on the steps to take for the evening’s ritual, specifically, the binding of the spirit into a stone and then using that stone in the ritual. I asked about the spirit and will include this portion of the conversation as it was given.
M: “This shade (for tonight), what is it doing here?”
A: “Torturing itself.” (I then got the impression that I could use this to my advantage. I then thought that it could ‘serve’ me to ‘earn’ its freedom - in its own mind, which is why it is tormented).
At this point, I’ll switch over to my ritual notes.
I followed the prep for the Spirit Trap, using an old cigar box for the housing. I washed all the dust and dirt off, as this box was bought as part of a bulk set 5 years ago.
My Necromantic Elixir still has a day left in it. Anuas came earlier to give me some tips for how to do the ritual tonight and indicated I should use it for the consecration of the box. After cleaning and anointing it, I empowered the box with Azrael’s energy, using both the incantation and him, as he had come with Anuas. As it states, I left it upon my Nexus Urn for 8.75 (less than 9) before starting the next part of the ritual.
Instead of finding a willing shade in a graveyard, I had an unwilling one causing a friend of mine trouble (and it doesn’t want to move on). I have spoken with Lilith about the situation and she felt it was a good candidate for this. Earlier, when speaking with Anuas, part of the agreement was the he would get used regularly to not only empower the shade, but to also help it finally earn it’s freedom and be moved on. Fine with me.
While I waited for the time to pass, I found and cleaned a piece of raw tourmaline I had around, to act as a house for the spirit. This tourmaline would get linked to the cigar box, so offerings could easily be made while keeping the box closed. Anuas indicated that keeping the box closed was important psychologically in keeping the spirit bound inside of it until called. It sends an unspoken message to the mind that this entity is sealed in this box until it is made to come forth. This stone which the spirit would reside in, would also act as a sympathetic link that I wouldn’t have, since I can’t gather dirt from the shade’s grave itself.
When the time came, I evoked the entity into the tourmaline. It was slower than I expected. I kept pulling the shade into it until I couldn’t feel any more of it going in. Lilith told me it was all in there, so I sealed the stone off, outside of it’s linkage to the box, and continued with the ritual. I would/did need to change some of the text to reflect this had already happened (calling the spirit forth).
I went into the calming phase. At the very end of the text, the line talks about being bound “eternally”. I changed this to “until I release you or I die”.
I moved into the empowerment phase/ritual next. There was no reason to alter it, but when I did the prayers to Azrael, Santa Muerte, and Az Jahi, they all came into the ritual space for their offerings (this is normally what happens). This also meant that the environment had more of their energies in it, which I gave to the shade. This resulted in a larger feeding than just the prayers alone.
I continued to obtain the “dead name” of the shade. I thought I misheard, but was told it was right. No, it wasn’t my own, but I probably would’ve laughed if it had been.
I sent the shade into slumber, paid my remaining guests that hadn’t already been, and started cleaning up.
Overall, I liked the ritual. I don’t know that I would’ve found a willing participant if I had to go to a small graveyard around here to find one. It would almost be more efficient to drive around to several and send a beacon to find one that is willing to save oneself the guesswork in the middle of ritual, waiting for one to volunteer.
I thought all of the ingredients and whatnot were reasonable. I didn’t waste the two black candles on the sides that it calls for because my table top torch with citronella in it was already going. The candles weren’t dressed or consecrated, so I stuck with something I had already lit on fire.
Forcibly binding the shade wasn’t something I was comfortable with at all. I typically move spirits on that are willing, to try to help them. It was clear this one was stuck in a sort of cycle, a repeat loop. So, I’m forcibly breaking that loop. I’d be lying if I said I was only doing it to help the spirit. I gain from the experience and of working with it. I’m curious about how it evolves over time. I was told that when the spirit finally felt it had earned its freedom, it would come to me for it. For my part, as part of the binding, I stated that I would release it when this happens and I intend to honor that agreement and move it along when this occurs.
Finally, the instructions I got from Anuas before doing the ritual are as follows:
"For binding the spirit to the stone, evoke it either into the stone itself or evoke it (into a triangle with the stone inside) and send it into it.
First, attach the stone to the box, so you can use the box and keep it closed. This is important psychologically and sends a message that doesn’t have to be thought about. Then, send it (the shade) into the stone. It’s the preferred method, but not absolute.
"
Essentially, once the shade is in the stone, close the box and interact with the box, not the stone (as it’s attached to the box).
I hope all this makes sense. I’m very tired and need to get to sleep.
