Consecrated burial box
Pine or cedar, hand-sanded, interior lined with crimson velvet. Seal with iron nails — silver if you expect interference. Inscribe the lid interior with the intended beneficiary's full name.
Orientation
Why the crossroads still answer
The old roads remember every oath paid in blood and every soul bartered beneath a moonless sky. A crossroads demon arrives when the veil thins at the junction of intention and sacrifice. Treat this dossier as a living document: your preparation and nerve determine whether you walk away with a sealed bargain or the scent of hellhounds on your trail.
Documented conditions favor a true cardinal crossroads, midnight local time, and soil enriched by at least a century of graveside runoff. The ritual succeeds without lunar alignment, but waning moons reduce resistance during negotiation.
Inventory
Required offerings & tools
Personal anchors
A photograph of the supplicant, a lock of hair, and a sentimental token. Authentic emotional resonance amplifies the summoning beacon.
Earth & bone
Quart mason jar of graveyard dirt mixed with powdered cat bone. Harvest respectfully; salt the disturbed plot afterward to avoid revenant complaints.
Offer's signature
Vial with nine drops of the summoner's blood suspended in 90-proof bourbon. Alcohol preserves the intent and carries the scent.
Light & warding
Four black candles dressed with wormwood oil, and a ring of goofer dust to control the perimeter. Do not skip the salt line outside the dust.
Binding sigil
Hand-drawn crossroad seal etched in chalk or bone ash. Place within the circle to anchor the demon inside negotiation distance.
Window
Opening the gate
Chronology
- 23:30 Cleanse the crossroads with smoldering sage and iron filings. Whisper the intended bargain thrice.
- 23:45 Lay the circle: salt outer ring, goofer dust inner ring, sigil centered.
- 23:55 Bury the prepared box precisely at the intersection. Pack soil firmly.
- 00:00 Ignite the candles counterclockwise, slicing your palm over the final flame.
Atmospheric signs
Watch for pressure drops, cicada silence, and the ripple of warm wind against the cold night. When the last candle gutters sideways and the dirt settles, the demon is at your back. Do not flinch.
Protocol
Step-by-step invocation
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1
Sanctify the junction
Mark the cardinal points with chalk arrows pointing inward. Kneel at the center, press your bleeding palm to the soil, and recite the petition: "I seek the keeper of crossroads to seal my pact."
Circle the site barefoot to leave your scent. Spirits catalog authenticity through contact; boots can mask hesitation.
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2
Offer the collection
Place the burial box into the freshly dug pit. Layer the personal anchors, pour the blood bourbon over them, and add the grave dirt. Close the lid, nail it shut, and bury it swiftly.
If the soil resists, you're on a false crossroads. Relocate immediately; a stubborn site attracts stray spirits.
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3
Seal the circle
Stand within the sigil, arms outstretched. Let three drops of blood fall on each candle while naming the demon class: "Spirit of the crossroad, bound by blood and earth, attend me."
Do not invite a specific name unless you have its true sigil. Generic summons prevent vendettas.
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4
Negotiate without flinching
When the demon manifests, keep the salt circle intact. State your request plainly and demand terms in writing. Insist on ten-year clauses and specify loophole protections — eyes, breath, heartbeat.
Match their gaze. Demons test resolve with illusions of loved ones; blink and they know your weakness.
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5
Close the covenant
Sign only after reading the reverse script under candlelight. Kiss to seal. Once the demon retreats, scatter blessed salt over the burial site and extinguish candles with moonwater.
Carry a devil's trap etched on a flask. If the demon lunges, smash the flask at their feet to buy a minute.
Countermeasures
Contingencies & aftermath
Hellhound evasive plan
Secure iron-chain collars for your sanctuary threshold and mark escape routes with devil's traps. Hellhounds can't cross river water blessed by a faith leader who believes in you.
Deal-break clauses
Embed the phrase "no claim on bloodline" within the contract. Without it, descendants become collateral. Demand proof of notarized infernal mark before consenting.
Breaking the bargain
Should you regret the seal, enlist a reaper-favor broker or locate the demon's burial jar and burn it with holy oil. Expect retaliation.
Field notes
Case studies from the road
1938 — The Fiddler's Deal
A traveling musician exchanged ten years for unholy virtuosity. Survived by layering a devil's trap under the stage and renegotiated the final night with a phoenix feather charm.
1972 — Coal Mine Arbitration
Miners sought to end a family curse. Demon required three signatures; foreman substituted blood with consecrated oil, nullifying the claim. Crossroads remained dormant for decades.
2006 — Hunter's Double Bind
Hunter offered soul to resurrect a partner. Backup team scribed a hidden trap in UV paint, capturing the demon long enough to free the partner without sealing the deal.
Appendix
Crossroads containment sigil
Sketch within a six-foot diameter. Chalk thickness should match a raven feather's quill. Reinforce corners with iron powder for added hold.