There exist in the world a number of games which you really shouldn’t play. You probably already know one of the most famous ones – Bloody Mary – but here, in “The Most Dangerous Games,” I’ll be chronicling as many of these kinds of games as I can find. Like, for example, The Three Kings, which comes to us from a Redditor with an… interesting past.
Three Kings is, at its core, a meditation ritual more than anything else… or at least, that’s how it seems to me. Exactly what it is might depend on your own perspective; it could be different things for different people: Meditation practice, conduit to the unknown, invitation to the supernatural… it’s perhaps whatever you need it to be.
Originally posted to NoSleep in 2012, this ritual is the one that led to the creation of the r/ThreeKings subreddit. Just, y’know… in case you didn’t know that that’s where it came from.
[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]
At the original poster’s behest: Please don’t actually try this.
Players:
- One principal
- One partner
Note: Both principal and partner should both be mentally, emotionally, and spiritually stable. Do NOT attempt if either of you are having serious issues in your life. Do NOT attempt if either of you have consumed drugs or alcohol within the last three to five days.
Requirements:
- One large, quiet, empty room. A basement or cellar is ideal.
- A pack of candles
- A lighter
- A bucket of water
- A mug or cup
- An electric fan
- Two large mirrors
- Three chairs
- An alarm clock
- Fully charged mobile phones for both principal and partner.
- A place to sleep. Your bedroom is ideal, if playing inside your own home.
- A small object of sentimental value
Instructions:
The Prelude:
- Begin at 11pm. Do NOT begin if your partner is not present and/or has not been briefed on his or her role. Your partner should remain in your home for the entire duration of the game. If your designated room has windows, cover or block them as completely as possible prior to beginning.
- Place one chair facing north in the center of your designated dark room. This chair will be your throne. Place the other two chairs on either side of your throne, facing it, an arm’s length away. These will be your queen’s chair and your fool’s chair.
- Place one of your two mirrors on the queen’s chair and the other on the fool’s. The mirrors should be perpendicular to the chairs’ seats and facing both each other and you. You should be able to see your own reflection in each mirror from your peripheral vision while seated in your throne. You should not have to turn your head or move your eyes to do so.
- Place the bucket of water and the mug in front of you just out of reach.
- Place the fan behind your throne. Set it to medium or low – never high – and turn it on. Make sure it is stationary, not oscillating.
- Leave the room, but keep the door open.
- Go to your chosen sleeping spot. Set the candles, lighter, alarm clock, and cell phone next to your bed. Make sure your phone is charging and set your alarm clock for 3:30am.
- Turn the lights off, hold your object of sentimental value (your “power object”), climb into bed, and sleep.
The Main Event:
- Wake up at 3:30am when your alarm clock goes off. Turn off the alarm, but do not turn on the light. Keep a hold of your power object, pick up your mobile phone, light one candle, and return to the dark room. You must be seated in your throne by 3:33am.
- Do NOT proceed if any of the following occur:
- Your cell phone did not charge.
- Your alarm did not go off precisely at 3:30am.
- You approach the dark room and find the door closed.
- You approach the dark room and find the fan turned off.
- You are not seated in your throne by 3:33am.
- Should any of these incidents ensue, take your partner and any other occupants and leave your home. Do not return until after 6am.
- If you do not encounter any red flags, proceed. Take your throne, but do not look directly at either of the mirrors, and do not let the candle go out. Use your body to protect the candle from the fan.
- Keep your eyes focused at the darkness in front of you. Again, do not look at the mirrors and do not look at the candle. Should you have any questions you wish to ask, you may ask them now. You may or may not receive a response; if you do, your response will come from the direction of one of the mirrors. Do NOT turn to look at the mirrors. Any answers received should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt; one of the mirrors is the queen and one is the fool, but it may not be clear which is which. Also note that to whatever may settle in the mirrors, you yourself are either the queen or the fool.
- Remain in your throne until 4:34am.
The Ending:
- At 4:34am, your partner should call out your name to end the game.
- Should this fail, your partner should call your cell phone.
- Should this fail, your partner should enter the room and, without touching you, use the bucket of water and mug.
Concerning Failsafes:
If your body is suddenly moved, the fan will blow out the candle, ending the game.
Should you become lost or disoriented, your power object will guide your way back.
Do NOT ignore any of the previously noted red flags prior to seating yourself in your throne.
Do NOT attempt to stay in your home should these red flags appear.
Do NOT attempt if you do not completely and totally trust your partner.
Good luck.
***
Follow The Ghost In My Machine on Twitter @GhostMachine13 and on Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine. And don’t forget to check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available now from Chronicle Books!
I didn’t understand… My aunt played this game but in that she didn’t use mug, fan, nor water in it… But still succeed in it… How come?
Well, I guess it’s because those things aren’t really necessary. The fan is only there if you need to end the ritual early, and the mug and water is there for a failsafe. It’s possible that she never got to the point where she needed to use those things, but still, it’s really dangerous if you don’t.
What would happen, do you think, if you sang “We Three Kings” during the ritual?
To be honest I’m scared but I also can’t stop thinking about the fact of how adventurous it may be what should I do???
What do we mean when we say drugs. Technically all medicine is a drug, as well as caffeine. Probably some more common food stuffs as well. Are we counting these things as well?
Mentally balanced thrill seeker? Is that even possible?
what would happen if one of the mirrors breaks?
You will let out the evil so it’s best if you don’t let one of the mirrors break.
If I convince someone to attempt this with me as their partner and then I leave their home as soon as they go to the dark room at 3.30 am, thus leaving them on their own, how screwed will they be?
depends on how mentally or intellectually powerful they are. let’s say they have a very logical mind – they understand that their biggest concern here is overthinking and they beside to err of the (somewhat) safe side and say nothing at all. they might not be screwed at all. but if you’re partner is like me and tends to freeze when scared and overthink things constantly then they’re probably screwed.
I’d say it depends on whether or not they end up falling into a trance. Thus, they are very, very screwed.
Does this really work?
No offense guys. You’re all entitled to believe what you want to believe, of course. The only thing that manifests either visually or mentally within this ritual is your own expectation. Some of this is fuelled by the implied seriousness of the instructions, some inferred from folklore and legend and the rest is simply to do with the way in which the eye and the brain function. Put all three of those factors into the same ‘ritual’ and you’ll come up with all sorts of visually frightening and intellectually horrifying results. The results vary because individual expectation and belief varies. The same thing occurs in each instance however. What differs is your experience and rationalization of the experience.
If your partner had to come into the room to end the ritual, should they also avoid looking into the mirrors?
you know i wondered the exact same thing. i’d assume since they’re not the “king” so to speak they shouldn’t worry too much, but just to be safe i’d avoid looking directly at the mirrors.
What would happen if you purposely broke the mirrors? Say combined this ritual with the dark reflection ritual?
What happens if the candle goes out in the middle of the entity answering your question?
Then you just cut them off. Since blowing the candle out in any way, shape, or form ends the game (I think).
Just curious, what happens if the mirrors on the chair fall over before or during the ritual?
Get out immediately, and do not return until 6 am
Okay, there’s a couple things that indicate you should get out if that happens –
1. You will no longer be able to see that mirror in your peripheral vision. This is clearly indicated as dangerous.
2. What moved it? A fan isn’t strong enough to push over a mirror…
3. If it breaks… well, there’s spirits in that thing… and it just broke. What do you think will happen to those spirits?
So… get out and don’t come back till six.
Even tho im never doing this it would probably be fun. What if you look in a mirror but not on purpose or an evil entity moves your throne to look at the mirror? I have many questions to ask.
I doubt this would happen as they are in the mirror. But if they ever did, you would most likey have time to shut you eyes feeling yourself-or hearing-being moved. After that, I would just leave the house and not come back untill 6 am. Hopefuly this helped!
I’m trying this one
Ok, for real. If you have one eye.
and can only see one mirror out of your peripheral…like…can I still do this?
or should I adjust the mirror to where I can see both out of my peripheral. Idk if I can do that. the mirror would have to be pretty close and angled differently so my nose won’t obscure it.
I wouldn’t recommend it personally. Never done this kind of thing before, but if the other entities believe that they are the king, then the chairs will be set up wrong, and that could anger them.
Would I not be able to play this game if I played Daruma-san or a game where I could no longer look in mirrors?
If we had previously played games where we were forbidden from looking in mirrors or staying in the dark for too long, would we be unable to play the Three Kings game?
Just to be safe, stay near ‘nope!’
If you play a game like the Hosting Game or the Candles Game then play this one, would there be a chance that an entity trapped in the mirrors could be talking to you?
Do you know if the queen and fool have different voices or if they switch places without your knowledge at any point of you asking questions?
So who actually are these entities the queen & joker? We are to ask them questions but what questions? Are we trying to contact for example family passed on or just seeing who pops up!
Hey guys I have a couple of questions:
1- can you put a circle of salt around the throne chair to protect yourself just in case?
2- what exactly is your partner supposed to with the bucket of water and the mug if the other two don’t work?
3- what if I decided to use a Bible as my power object? would that upset any entities?
4- concerning the failsafe what do you mean should your body move suddenly the fan will blow out the candle the game will end does that mean if you decide to end the game you should move your body so the fan blows out the candle?
5- what if you don’t want to wait all the way until 4:34 in the morning should nothing happen can you have your friends end the game?
– if you do stay until 4:34 and the game is ended do you have to leave your house and return at 6?
Thanks so much I wasn’t trying or planning on playing the game I was just wondering thanks for if any and or all answers
I am obviously not the owner of this website but I do believe I may be able to provide a few answers for the questions that ail you so.
1- I do not think that a circle of salt would do anything at all, honestly enough, the entities should not be able to do anything but speak. I believe that is the purpose of the candle and power object, to keep them at bay. Although that is from the standpoint of this being something to summon creatures to speak with you; from the sounds of this ritual, it is purely psychological (using the evidence of needing to be “woken up” by calling out to the player, calling their phone, and pouring water on them; also due to the fact that an electronic is allowed considering that in almost every ritual they are not allowed).
2- As stated in my answer above, I think it is to pour water on the person to “wake” the player and bring them back to reality.
3- A bible may be alright, going by the possibility of this being purely psychological (reasons stated in the first answer I gave). But, just to be safe, I do not think any player should have a religious power object.
4- I have no other answer for this question other than the player might not be conscious enough to willingly do that. It might just be their subconscious moving the body to end the game. I’m sorry I cannot provide more detail for this.
5- It might be best to wait until 4:34, I could not read any failsafe or abort protocols that do not pertain to redflags. It would be up to your partner to determine if to end the game early, and even then there would be no way for them to do so without entering the room before the designated time (which is explicitly stated as a no-go in the directions).
6- I do not believe that is necessary, but for those more suspicious it would be best to do so just to be safe. If it were me playing this game, I would leave the house and return at 6 out of concern of other entities, but that is just me.
Other opinions to my own would be appreciated.
Theologically speaking, using a bible as your power object would seem ideal. It has been long said that to disperse evil spirits and beings to quote scripture and saying things like “In Christ’s name, be gone!” And banishing them through God’s name…if one truly believes in God’s all mighty power a bible, cross, etc. would be the PERFECT power object…if you don’t truly believe, or have lacking faith, though, I wouldn’t suggest it…if the beings really are evil and you lack faith or don’t believe, they will simply becoming provoked…which, would definitely not be good…just saying…
I’ll answer your questions.
1. Can you put a circle of salt/basil around your throne to protect yourself?
Sure, why not? Even though what’s happening is only in the mirrors, it’s still a good idea to put a circle of salt/basil around your throne/chair. Who knows what might happen?
2. What is your partner supposed to do with the bucket and mug?
According to the FAQ, your partner is supposed to take the mug, submerge in bucket, fill with water, splash on face.
3. What is I used a Bible as my power object? Would that upset any entities/beings?
Nope, you’re not really dealing with a literal demon haunting your house. But who knows? So, I guess it would be okay.
4. What do you mean by “your body is suddenly moved and the candle is blown, ending the game”?
Your body is moved and then the candle has no protection and it will be blown out by the fan. That will end the game then.
5. What is you don’t want to wait until 4:34AM? Could you ask your partner to end the game?
I guess so. But that might upset any entities, so probably.
6. If you stayed until 4:34AM, do you still have to leave your house?
Nope, you don’t. You did the ritual completely, there is no need to panic. But I do recommend doing that because who knows what will happen? In the Otherworld, nothing is impossible.
Danger Factor: 100% (Very High)
Would I play?: Nope.
Recommendation for you: Do not play it. Who knows what will happen?
There is an older game from which it comes.
http://imgur.com/g5Lbw0v
The older version is part of a series of five — all of which are at the bottom of https://rpggeek.com/rpgseries/28429/dear-mr-hadley
You are playing with something you can’t understand nor control. Proceed at your own risk…
is it safe or ok to play in a church after hours??
That probably wouldn’t work because it’s a church.
A church or any other worshipping place is filled with spiritual power to summon something there might give it more power than in your own home. Also churches usually have lots of big windows so It might take a while to completely cover them up.
What happens if you ignore these red flags or look in the mirrors? Also what would happen if you tried to convince these “beings” that you are the king. Are they spiritual beings or is it all psychological?
Just a pro tip, but I wouldn’t want to be the one to answer you first two questions haha! Though I am unable to specify what will happen, I doubt it would be anything kind. Also, that is an interesting last question. I guess whether you believe they are demons or all psychological, that is up to your belief system, or maybe your own experience.
Why is 6am always the safe hour with these rituals?
I am not the owner of the website, but my best guess is becauase 6AM is usually thought of as the morning. People start to get up for school or work at 6, and depending on the season, that is when the sky starts to get brighter
That’s my guess, too — it’s generally believed that nighttime makes whatever lurks in the beyond (whether it’s the Shadowside or whether it’s… somewhere else) stronger. All those Whatevers seemingly have a harder time functioning in the light of day.
Because at dawn, most paranormal activity stops. Demons and spirits are most powerful at night , more specifically between 12am and 4am.
Bc the 6am is the end of night and the time when morning comes.. In other words it is the new start.
Because that is the time the sun rises and the time which is kind of impossible for the otherworldly to enter our world
Well, 6am is when the sun usually rises and most evil spirits leave by then. (Not all though) It’s usually safe then, but be cautious for you never know if the evil entity may stil be lurking in the shadows.
Bc it’s sunrise I’d assume
what if i have to leave my home and i have pets?
In that case, you must sacrifice your pets. In that case, you can stay at home afterwards, otherwise you are doomed.
I would totally just grab my pet as well as my partner!
ARMY?!?! Lol
IT’s a good idea to leave your pet(s) with a trusted person and out of your house.
What actually happens if you stay in the house? And what does happen if you look at the mirrors?
Well, nothing good I know what. From what I gather the real danger of looking into the mirror is you may see a warped destorted or other wise horror imagine of yourself, of course it’s not really you though. This is typically enough to mentally scare most people. The real danger is taking you side vision off the other mirror, because mirrors and darkness don’t mix well. Also a tip is to have a team of people stationed outside your home or so.ewhete else so the can monitor what happens even if you must about the game, and if you want to record you experience, which I don’t recommend because most supernatural entities don’t like electronic. Just hide the camera in a corn and use a small camera like a secret security one. As always, think critically and have many safe fault systems and back ups. – Faith.
Thanks for the warnings! Definitely do not want to see a distorted version of myself again. I saw one once when I was little in my parents mirror, I definitely do not want to see that again.
What do people mostly hear or see I want to try it but can’t seem to figure out what to really listen for or to look for should
I’ll answer your questions:
1. I don’t know, but I don’t expect it to be good. My theory is that the spirits from the mirrors will kinda’ try to harm you until 6AM.
2. You see something horrible, but seriously dude, I don’t know what the f*** will you see there.
Where should your partner be when you’re in the throne? Is he/she left in you bed, or in the dark house, or are they there with you?
Your partner should remain in your home for the entire duration of the game (until 4:34am) — however, they should NOT be in the throne room with you when you’re completing the main event. If you encounter any of the red flags mentioned right before starting the main event, grab your partner (and anyone else who might be in the house with you) and vacate; it’ll be safe to return at 6am.
Hope this helps!
what happens if you stay in your house after you encounter a flag? or what happens if you proceed anyways?
How does your partner know if something is wrong or you didn’t do something right
Wherever they want, silly.
But NOT the throne room.
Cool, are you going to cover The Midnight Game? That one’s pretty scary but a lot of people do it wrong. that one, and The Hosting game.
Thanks for the suggestions! The Midnight Game was actually the second one I covered here; the Hosting Game, however, is definitely on my to-do list.
Awesome idea for a series!!! Can’t wait to read the rest of them 🙂
Thanks! If you know of any games you’d like to see covered, feel free to suggest them!
Lucia!!! I had NO IDEA you posted this until now!! Lol. I saw this post and was really confused, then went to the top and saw your name. Then I realised xD
mantis man
the la llorona challange it’s on youtube
I’m hardcore as f*ck and I tried this it seemed to work but my dog came in and blew it out so I’m pretty much screwed ?
uh oh. You’re supposed to keep your pets out of the game. They aren’t participants or partners in the game.