My memory is fuzzy so feel free to correct me in the replies!
The fact that 'Hikaru' or the Brainsnatcher was a being that grants wishes, obviously it ain't a god. Since it was repelled by the shrine, and all. But people still worshipped it and gave it offerings, offering that usually consists of human head. And now we learn that the Brainsnatcher's name is 'Unuki-sama'.
We can assume that Unuki-sama was responsible for keeping the spirits of the offerings (dead decapitated people) isolated and within the mountains. With the travelling priest being murdered perhaps the village was cursed?
And the ghosts that gather are a result of the resentment of those who were murdered in the past... The Indoh's sin must be either protecting the village or murdering someone named 'Hichi' (The small wooden head Hikaru was carrying before he died)
Is Hichi the priest that was murdered? Is that why when Hikaru died, the Brainsnatcher was released? Because the doll of Hichi's head wasn't returned to the temple?
The Brainsnatcher's name in Japanese is "Nounuki-sama" aka "Lord Brain Taker." "Unuki-sama" was I believed written in Katakana, so it's probably just the way the Indohs call him.
My memory is fuzzy so feel free to correct me in the replies!
The fact that 'Hikaru' or the Brainsnatcher was a being that grants wishes, obviously it ain't a god. Since it was repelled by the shrine, and all. But people still worshipped it and gave it offerings, offering that usually consists of human head. And now we learn that the Brainsnatcher's name is 'Unuki-sama'.
We can assume that Unuki-sama was responsible for keeping the spirits of the offerings (dead decapitated people) isolated and within the mountains. With the travelling priest being murdered perhaps the village was cursed?
And the ghosts that gather are a result of the resentment of those who were murdered in the past... The Indoh's sin must be either protecting the village or murdering someone named 'Hichi' (The small wooden head Hikaru was carrying before he died)
Is Hichi the priest that was murdered? Is that why when Hikaru died, the Brainsnatcher was released? Because the doll of Hichi's head wasn't returned to the temple?
Safe to say, someone's karma is involved here.