Brand of Sacrifice

This is the brand of darkness magically attached by Void, leader of the God Hand. The brand is evidence that the person was offered to the darkness and anyone thus branded will be forever hounded by demons. Branded humans also feel pain whenever powers of magic are near. Guts bears this accursed brand.
– Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage

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The Brand of Sacrifice

The Brand of Sacrifice marks those sacrificed during a sacrificial ceremony in which an Apostle or God Hand is created. The sacrifice must be someone, or something, close and dear to the summoner. They will be devoured by spirits and demons from the Abyss as the new Apostle or God Hand is born. On a minor note, those sacrificed cannot be sacrificed again, as shown with the Count, who is unable to sacrifice Guts for that reason (in addition to their relation as mere enemies).

Fate

Branded humans who are fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to survive reside in the Interstice between the Physical and Astral worlds, causing ghosts and demons to hunger for their flesh at night. In response to evil, the brand will bleed and cause pain. Around ordinary evil spirits or apostles, the blood will only trickle out, and the pain will be relatively minimal. Around a God Hand, the brand will shoot blood out in huge gushes, and the pain inflicted will be truly agonizing. And if the evil is too great, it can supposedly kill the Branded.

Survivors

Guts and Casca are the only known branded survivors to date. When the two traveled together, they attracted an unusual amount of evil spirits, causing catastrophe to every human settlement that they passed by. The witches Flora and Schierke are able to mitigate the effects of the Brands by inscribing temporary seals over them.

Brand Locations

• Guts' Brand is on the right side of his neck near his jugular vein.
• Casca's Brand is on the upper-middle part of her left breast.

Trivia

• It is unknown if the Brand can be severed if on an extremity, like in Judeau or Pippin's case, by severing the limb. Guts and Casca's Brands are located over vitals, however.
• Given the brand is consecrated on an individual on the astral plane, and it has been shown living creatures have an astral body, this seems unlikely.