Several people have. Forum member, Redshirt, has a pretty in depth theory that, reputedly, got some interesting attention from KC at a We're Alive Cast & Crew event. http://www.zombiepodcast.com/forum/s...-origin-theory
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Several people have. Forum member, Redshirt, has a pretty in depth theory that, reputedly, got some interesting attention from KC at a We're Alive Cast & Crew event. http://www.zombiepodcast.com/forum/s...-origin-theory
Just to add my highly insightful comments on TOWTM's tattoos.
The one on his face, in between the two snakes, looks like a sock giraffe.
I know, I know, that probably changes everything. You're welcome.
Very interesting theories. I read a few book on alchemy before and many of these symbols seem like variants of Alchemical Symbols. Alchemy was kept very secretive by Alchemists (who are basically modern day chemists) in fear of blasphemy. So they encrypted their formulas. It even goes back further, no one really knows, but I imagine that even some of these old works you have been discovering could of been alchemic legends themselves. I don't think it would even matter if you could decipher it. You would just get a lot of chemicals for a fictional outcome.
I posted this over in the 42 3/3 thread, but it desperately needs to be posted here.
I'll need to come back to it. To clean it up and expand upon it, but this all just came to me and kinda hit me like a freight train.
I copy pasted it to get it up here quickly, this thread seems to be easier to find and the chapter threads seem to get buried after a while.
Alright, I managed to shake of the funk I was in and I thing I might have nailed something significant to the wall:
From Chapter 42, 3/3:
Test Subject #2, George Armstrong, 53. Inmate conflict. Doped with Folistatin and Stanozolol.
(You may note that Puck repeated himself, pronouncing it two different ways. Maybe to be sure we got the spelling right?)
Stanozolol is a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from Dihydrotestosterone.
(You'll need to click on the images, black lines on a clear background.)
This is Stanozolol:
Attachment 2989
This is Dihydrotestosterone:
Attachment 2990
Look familiar yet? It should, Dihydrotestosterone looks like the tattoo on the back of his hand.
Now, Stanozolol chemistry is a bit vague, but it is said that: "The pyrazole ring in stanozolol can be prepared from oxymetholone by the condensation of a keto-aldehyde with hydrazine."
The Pyrazole ring is the HN/N pentagon on the left side of the Stanozolol. It looks like this:
Attachment 2991
Now like I said, I'm not clear on the chemistry, but I think it means that Stanozolol is synthesized from Oxymetholone By building a Pyrazole ring on one end.
Oxymetholone loks like this:
Attachment 2992
That looks remarkably like the tattoo on the right side of his skull.... and that Hydrogenated Cyclopentane isomer I mentioned above? It's actually probably a Pyrazole ring. The synthesis of Pyrazoles mention de-hydrogenation. (The removal of that little forked tail.)
The tattoos on his body are describing the synthesizing of one of the chemicals that he is using in his experiments. Stanozolol.
Boom baby. I still got it. Maybe.
Attachment 3004
Found this, it's a rune but I don't know how ancient.
It might be based on a real rune.
hraethigaldur: Puts fear into the enemy
Those seem to be Magical Norse/Viking runes, though not part of the Elder Futhark.
Here's the two that I mentioned in the WA FanCast this week... It's not posted as a podcast yet, though it is listenable through YouTube.
These are from the Season 4 artwork.
Left Hand:
Attachment 3005
(Hammer and sickle, hammer replaced with arrow.)
Right Hand:
Attachment 3006
("Alchemical Sulfur," except double barred and curly "tails.")
Now, I have yet to suss these out, but your post has opened a whole new branch of investigation.
Going back to the S4 art and with the rune lead, I discovered this, also on the left hand:
Attachment 3007
is a pretty close match for this:
Attachment 3008
Gibu Auja, for "Good Luck." Note however, that it is inverted in the tattoo. Might this then mean bad luck or a curse for others?
(Sorry for the double, but I think that I hit my picture posting limit in the last one.)
Also, I am drawn back to this area on his scalp:
Attachment 3010
Which bears some artistic similarity to this piece:
Attachment 3011
(Russian site, I'll need to reverse image search this one for more info.)
Well shucks, I didn't think I was going to have much to do tonight... looks like I'll actually have my hands full chasing these down.
Edit/update:
I think I've got this one drilled down a bit more, it seems to be similar to Icelandic Magical Staves, though I haven't found a match yet... though there seems to be a fascination for this in Russia. A lot of sites I've come across are in Russian.
Triple post, but I think it's worth it.
Shifting gears back to Chemistry, I wanted to chase down something I noticed earlier:
This hydrocarbon:
Attachment 3014
Repeated in the Season 4 art:
Attachment 3015
I figured a little deduction aught to be able to crack this one open. I found a site where I learned that a hexagon diagram without the double lines (or circle) is actually Cyclohexane, not Benzine:
Benzine:
Attachment 3016
Cyclohexane:
Attachment 3018
So, using a bit of chemistry logic, I applied the prefix "Di-" to the front of the chemical. Dicyclohexane does exist:
Attachment 3019
...and I think I found a gold mine.
I found a scientific paper written about a study on the affect of Dicyclohexane derivatives on testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in rats. Trying to get my head around it, but it sounds like it has a selective inhibition effect on testosterone. Pay wall, but the abstract is HERE.
However, I also learned that Dicyclohexane inhibits the aromatization of testosterone... simply meaning that it slows/stops the conversion of androgens into estrogens. Aromatase plays a strong role in sexual development and if it is deficient in women, it can lead to Virilization and Amenorrhoea... sounds a bit like the "underdeveloped secondary sexual characteristics" that Tanya discovered in the autopsy.
Reports of excess Aromatase (AES) have indicated that besides the sexual differentiation complications, it can lead to short stature... It stands to reason that if it is inhibited, the reverse could be true. Tall inklings and Behemoths.
It has also been shown to decrease cell death in brain injuries... therefore its absence or inhibition may increase neural cell death, ie, zombification.
Wow.
I just found out about your podcast! I listened to the last one but not the live one (I wanna). I can't believe you've been going for so long without me knowing:britt:.
BTW I noticed you did some awesome isolations (shutup spell check, it is too a word) of the tattoos. Can Jannit and I use them for The Symbols category for the Wiki? We wanna have his head and have closeups with possible meanings (the Wiki "no more than 5 attachments" rule sucks mud)
I first recognized the Voodoo Veve on his hand in the art for Chapter 27 and I've found bunches more since.
Attachment 1685
Ah yes, fun on a Saturday night.
The thing about the veves is there are lots of sub-types for the same Loa (spirit) depending on who it comes from. Papa Damballah figures very prominently in Mr. Ink's face-lapedia. Here's a doll from a website that has a bunch of his symbols on it:
Attachment 3013
But here's another one from a different website that looks very much like the ones on his left cheek near his mouth and his chin.
Attachment 1678
Why this photo isn't showing up I have no clue; just click on it I guess
The sort of ginormous one on his scalp I believe is for Loko (now no longer a gray image on a black background).:D He was the first priest/hougan and looks after them.
Attachment 3020
Funny thing is, none of the Loas he's tattooed himself with are dark or difficult. Papa Damballah is a protector and guider of mankind (hrm, sound familiar?)
I think that's the seal for either the angel Bethor or Phaleg, from a book Agrippa wrote--I haven't decided which.
Attachment 3012
Here's a link that I hope works to a book on talismans and amulets which quotes it (by a guy with the wonderful name of Budge )
It was also used in Silent Hill, something about a bunch of symbols on the TVs in the mall.
Of the two, I'm leaning towards Bethor.
- #2 "Seal of Bethor who commanded 29,000 legions of spirits"
- #3 "Seal of Phaleg the warlord."
There's more but it's late...like :mad: late