The Runes

[kgt]

I'd be grateful if anyone can post photos of each of the Rune symbols/markings on each character.

[kgt]

Erica was right when she said the markings are Rustin Parr's house were Ancient Witches' alphabet, I find it interesting at each character, had specific Rune markings on their flesh. Each Rune has a specific energy.

"Actually, some of these symbol's are positive, only those who don't under Witchcraft would be afraid of them."

[kgt]

The Futhark Runes



From left to right:

1. Success
2. Growth, change
3. Defense
4. Communication
5. Travel
6. Creativity
7. Union
8. Wishes granted

9. Chaos
10. Stability
11. Checkmate
12. Gifts
13. Transition
14. Quest, discovery
15. Protection
16. Victory

17. Commitment
18. Birth
19. Flexibility
20. Relationships
21. Intuition, magic
22. Transformation
23. Emergence
24. Ancestors, past lives

[kgt]

Here are some of the markings on Erica and Kim

[Tweek]

You know, these are the most BoS posts I've seen since... ever. I think we've doubled the number on the board in the last few days. At least.

[BlackHillsHermit]

I think the runes were just as misused as Erica's chants. Kind of like a, 'hey, these look good, throw 'em in the movie!'

As far as @ghostprints theory... well...
To me, the owl was possessed by the evil, as a way for it to have a physical appearance, or warning, to the group. When it switched hosts (not to Tristen, but to the baby developing inside of her) and overtook both bodies, the owl died and that's why we see Tristen dancing with it as if it was part of a sacrifice (cause, in a way, it was). After releasing its hold on the baby, the baby dies (miscarriage). The reappearance of the owl (a different owl, as far as I'm concerned) in the window at Jeff's is once again the evil showing a physical form to let them know they are being watched over and toyed with. Once it's done with it, it flies the owl through the window (I'm not sold that the children threw the owl through the window because it feels like such a stretch, something that isn't even hinted at, and Kim eating the owl is only witnessed by Jeff, quickly replaced with an image of Kim eating the leftover chicken. I have always been on the fence about if that was a trick from the evil or if it was Jeff's schizophrenia kicking in). And, as I've said before, that tree started messing with the group well before Erica's strange widdershins chant.

There are so many more questions about what we witnessed on the tapes from that night. Where did all of those candles come from? Who brought the bag full of machetes and knives (to be fair, it kinda looked like Kim's duffel bag, but that brings on a whole slew of other questions)? What else was in that bag? (as just the four weapons we're shown are not heavy enough to give Tristen that much trouble lifting it. Perhaps the rope used to tied the other tourists up, but what else?). Where did that skull come from (is it the same one from the cemetery scene)? Why do I overthink everything with this movie?

[BlackHillsHermit]

Sept 27, 2017 0:18:45 GMT -6 @ghostprints said:

So anyway, what's your take on "seek me no further or the children will again walk free"? I ask because that's what my little theory is based upon.

It was a warning, obviously, but the meaning can change depending on if you view it as a threatening warning or a pleading warning. From your perspective I would view it as a pleading warning, one where Elly is begging the tourists to not seek her out because it will wake the children as well (I'm not entirely sure how that can be considering the children vanished after Elly's death and it is usually considered her taking revenge on them after they ultimately caused her demise). I took it as a threatening warning, considering what the children had already done to Elly, releasing them as spirits upon those who seek the evil would have dire consequences. I don't think Elly is the main antagonist in this film, but rather a very old, formless evil that considered the forest its own and would toy with anything within it. During the final confrontation with Tristen, Jeff accuses her of being the witch and she takes a moment to look at him before mocking him and asking, "Is that what you think, crazy boy?" Take that for what you will, but I see it as a clear indication that it finds humor in Jeff's false assumption and is goading him further with its reply, as if to say, "You don't have any idea what you're really dealing with."

As far as widdershins/wittershins goes, I am just going with the popular spelling.

Sept 27, 2017 0:18:45 GMT -6 @ghostprints said:

Tristen takes on the role of Elly Kedward while the other three become "just like the bad little boys pathetic little children of Blair Village. So afraid, so afraid" And then they become tormenting and murderous.

Interestingly enough, that would still hold true even if the evil is not Elly, as it could have observed the children as they were tormenting the woman and came to that conclusion. Our protagonists, just like the vile children of Blair, are too afraid to understand what is really going on, what they are up against.

[BlackHillsHermit]

Sept 27, 2017 11:27:19 GMT -6 @ghostprints said:

Then it's the ancient forest evil that's possessing an owl as well as our Blair Witch-Hunt group. Simply toying with them while using the Blair Witch Legend. Taking away their memories, making them kill people without remembering.

I like that idea better. It's simpler. But it doesn't match up with 'the children will again walk free'

hmm .. just had a thought.. if taken metaphorically rather than literally it could be seen as the forest evil using a style of haunting - using the bad children, enjoying the outcome of all their cruelty and hatred.

Yes, we are very much walking along the same line of thought on this. The events with Elly and the aftermath are likely the best (or worst, depending on your viewpoint) thing to happen to it if it enjoys tormenting things. There is now a legend, a draw, to the place and people will freely enter just to see if they actually stack up... and some of them will fall prey to the evil. Best of all, everyone suspects it is Elly's vengeful spirit haunting the woods, so no one ever attempts to take different steps to avoid/remove the evil. Like Erica said after they all got a nano-second glimpse of the new Black Hills murders, "Great American pastime - blame it on a witch."

While I'm not a huge fan of the possession idea overall (evil altering reality around our protagonists is still my preferred theory), I fully admit that when you mix all these theories together, it does hold strong ground that can make sense when not a whole hell of a lot else does.

Sept 27, 2017 11:27:19 GMT -6 @ghostprints said:

But the tape showing them hanging Tristen really happened that way, they just don't remember it like that. In their memories it was more of an accident that Tristen hopped off the ledge.

In both scenarios it is Stephen who pushes her off the ledge. It's just that in one she is taunting him to do it while while accusing him of being a coward and in the other she is begging for her life, pleading for him not to do it.

Totally random side-note, but I always snort out a laugh when Tristen says 'will' backwards as 'Lee' and 'the' as 'eight'. I get it, it's hard to try to figure out how to pronounce 'lliw' (perhaps 'Lou?') and 'eht', but damn!

[BlackHillsHermit]

Sept 27, 2017 13:29:56 GMT -6 @ghostprints said:

Come to think of it we should be asking ourselves beyond the greater Theory of Everything .. why did everyone end up marked with any markings anyway?

Like I said, I just feel like they were lazily thrown in there with no true rhyme or reason. I never really bought Erica's excuse for the rune markings in the movie (touched by a witch) and have always preferred the first draft script use of markings instead. Not sure if you have read it or not, but instead of runes, the group finds that long, spidery lines of red start to appear on their skin. As times goes on, these marking become more distinct. Some are the shapes of small, child-like hands all over their body (like Jeff experiences in the film) and then there are the red marks on their necks, which look exactly like rope burns you would find on a hanged person. They were being marked just as Elly was before she died.

[BlackHillsHermit]

Sept 27, 2017 19:47:50 GMT -6 @ghostprints said:

Closely watching viewers weren't supposed to look up a rune chart.

We were just supposed to go "oh freaky!
They all got marked with those foundation symbols #_& !!"

Exactly.

I will say though, that some of the negative definitions I have found for reversed runes are interesting (but broad enough to basically apply to any situation, so everyone feels like they can relate, just like astrology).
Take Thorn for example. Reversed it could mean danger, defenselessness, compulsion, betrayal, dullness, evil, malice, hatred, torment, spite, lies. A bad man or woman. (And who's to say that a forward facing run for our protagonists isn't a backwards facing one for the evil?)