The second half ofSilent Hill fdoes not allow you to relax, especially if you started a New Game+. A new mystery appears in the hall of the Dark Sanctuary – “Crimson Water”, associated with five bells, a bamboo fountain and an ancient purification ritual. Solving it is not so easy: it is important not only to press the right bells, but also to do it in the correct sequence and in time.
How to find the path to the Abode of Crimson Water
The path to “Crimson Water” opens only in NG+, in Chapter 9, when, when moving to another world, the game gives you the quest to chase the Fox Mask. Follow the stairs up to a room with a partially destroyed floor. On one of the walls you will see a bloody trail; you need to dispel the illusion and open the passage. Next there is a narrow corridor that ends at a locked door, behind which is hidden the Abode of Crimson Water.
Solution to the riddle “Crimson Water”
The riddle is needed to clear the katana for the Silence ending in Ebisugaoka. The clue to this puzzle is engraved on a stone slab near the bridge:
“He who seeks the crimson water that drives out evil… When the shishi-odoshi strikes once, let the bell ring. The bells will ring three times, telling the legends of this land. Imprisoned by our ancestors under a great stone, a water dragon from the era of the gods slumbers in the depths of the waters. Deprived of the spirit of the water dragon, the once lush great tree suffered the fate of complete withering.”
From the clue lines it is easy to identify the symbols – stone, water and tree.
- Stone – a bell in the temple itself, on its balcony. There in the room you can find Hotei-sama's medicine to get another ending
- Water – a bell with waves, standing next to a stone slab
- Tree – a bell with an image of a withered tree in the center of the courtyard
To activate the ritual and turn the water crimson, you need to ring three of the five bells in a strictly defined order:
- Stone
- Water
- Wood
You need to beat the bells to the beat of the shishi-odoshi (bamboo fountain), neither earlier nor later. If you have trouble following the rhythm, turn towards the pond so you can see the movement of the bamboo stem. You can understand that the ritual has been completed by the fact thatthe water around has become crimsonand even changed its color on the map. And also because bells can no longer be interacted with.
After the water turns crimson, you will be able to purify the Sacred Sword. This action affects some of the game's endings and is necessary if you want to see the true ending. However, be prepared: after purification, the sword loses its ability to restore durability if it is not used as an active weapon.
