In its inception, Slenderman was created as part of a scary pictures photoshop thread on Something Awful, what started as a simple tree-themed boogieman has become what many consider to be one of the most terrifying monsters in fiction. After several "found footage" style video series on YouTube and countless blogs, the myth of the Slenderman has grown. In short, Slenderman is an entity that appears in the form of an abnormally tall man, around 8 to 10 feet tall wearing a suit, but without any facial features or hair. Early entries in the mythos depicted its lack of face instead as a ghoulish face that would appear different to each person who saw it. It was said to be capable of causing those who witness it to be drawn to it, almost hypnotically. This can be seen still in various ways throughout the various series: Literally in those who are drawn to the Slenderman when in its presence, those who become slaves to the creature or, more abstract, those protagonists who hunt after it in the hopes of knowing why it's stalking them.
In many cases, the Slenderman is known to induce various forms of illness in those who encounter it: physical illness displaying itself in the forms of severe coughing, nausea, nose bleeds, or mental stresses ranging from increased paranoia (though, perhaps, not without merit) to outright inducement of madness.
Another disturbing property of the Slenderman is that it is capable of changing the length of its appendages, warping its already unusual appearance into something even more inhuman than before. It is capable of creating tendrils from its back, it is said, to ensnare victims or even simple locomotion.
But its body is not the only thing it can warp. It is believed that it has the ability to warp time and space, at least locally, however it may desire to deal with those whom it has targeted. Such unlucky souls have found themselves exploring houses in the middle of the day, only to be sent from room to repeating room for a few minutes, only to discover once their bizarre trip through space is concluded that bright daylight has suddenly become night. Others dealing with the being have even found themselves transported great distances from their homes to familiar (if they're lucky) locations, with no explanation of how they got there.
It is believed that the Slenderman has connections to the elements of fire and water. Associations of the Slenderman to the Great Floods of myth are not unusual, and it is possible that water is indicative of its presence. And fire is believed to be the Slenderman's tool for clearing the slate, as it were; fire has played a role in much of the Slenderman mythos, from the burned out husks of buildings where our heroes tread to the fires that nearly cost them their lives.
Perhaps most frightening of all, it is never certain just what the Slenderman does with those whom it abducts. Some victims are believed to have become servants to the being. Others, perhaps just bait for further victims. As for the others, perhaps it is for the best that their grisly fates are left unspoken. But for many it may never be known for sure…
As of current, there are several different video series that fans have flocked too.
The first, Marble Hornets, is considered by many to be the best of the lot. It was, next to Victor Surge's initial postings on Something Awful, the first major series to break into the public consciousness,
even garnering the attention of movie critic Roger Ebert. Other fan favorites include EverymanHYBRID and the Marble Hornets-esque Tribe Twelve. Of additional recent interest are the series DarkHarvest00 and The Angel's Game.
There are, additionally, countless text blogs across the net, each telling their own Slenderman Tale. Unfortunately, the quality of these stories can be rather hit or miss.
What follows are Infodumps for each of the major "Vlogs"
EDIT: Corrected grammar
Posts
What is "Marble Hornets"
Starting on June 20, a series of videos appeared on Youtube, posted by a user under the name of "Marble Hornets." These videos made up what seems to be a fledgling horror series by a group of amateur filmmakers surrounding an aborted student film project titled "Marble Hornets" and a potentially-supernatural entity known around the Internet as "Slenderman."
It has continued updating frequently since its start this past summer through a variety of outlets, including Youtube, Twitter, Instant Message and Something Awful postings. Whether it would be best classified ARG or just a new form of film making in the Internet-age is anyone's guess, but it's most assuredly fictional and has garnered a sizable base of viewers, and has even garnered the attention of film critics like Roger Ebert: http://twitter.com/ebertchicago/status/5495205792.
The Players
"J"/Jay: The uploader of "The Entries". A film student and college friend of the creator of "The Tapes," Alex Kralie, Jay hasn't spoken with or heard from Alex in since 2006 when he was given the tapes and told to burn them by Alex. Needless to say, he never followed this advice and began to look at them three years later, jumping down the rabbit hole he now finds himself in.
It should be noted that Jay's memory seems to be inaccurate in various instances, forgetting events and large gaps of time, both in the short and longterm. It is likely whatever is causing these memory gaps is connected to the events that transpired the production of Marble Hornets.
Alex Kralie: The man behind the student film Marble Hornets. Many of the tapes from which The Entries are taken were filmed by him. It is not yet known what exactly happened to him, but what is known follows: Sometime during production on Marble Hornets, something happened to Alex that affected him for the worse. He became paranoid and irritable and eventually took to filming himself almost 24/7, as though he was watching out for something or perhaps trying to ward it off (or, perhaps, for another purpose entirely).
It appears from the entries that sometime around the start of production he encountered the entity known as "Slenderman." Three years ago, he gave Jay the tapes from the aborted film and moved away, never contacting Jay since.
Tim: One of the actors Alex cast in Marble Hornets. Nothing is really known about him, aside from knowing Alex through his friend and neighbor Brian. Seems to have been involved from the project near it's beginning. Seems to have suffered some form of illness during Marble Hornets early stages and unknown if it continued through the rest of production.
The Rest of the MH Cast and Crew: Brian, Sarah and Seth: Nothing much is really known about these three, aside from the fact that they were involved in the production of Alex's student film.
ToTheArk: A person of unknown identity, ToTheArk is the Youtube handle of someone who has been responding to Jay's posting of the Entries through video postings of his or her own. These videos often have odd elements to them, cryptic and coded messages hidden throughout them and footage of TTA's own, some of which dates back to the production of Marble Hornets student film three years prior to the start of the series. However, it is believed by some that a new "antagonist" in Season 2, a hooded figure with a crudely-made mask, may be TTA.
Masked Figure
As the name implies, this is an anonymous, masked individual that made his first appearance one of the later entries. In his appearances, he has frequently antagonized Jay, either through direct physical assault, stalking behavior or just plain fucking around with him. After their initial encounter, Jay believed him to be ToTheArk. It was revealed around the start of Season Two that the Masked Figure was
Jessica
Jessica was introduced at the start of season two, staying one door down at the same hotel as Jay after his 7-month-long hiatus from posting. Like Jay, she had no idea how it was she came to be in the hotel, and suspected (rightly) that Jay knew more than he was letting on to her. Eventually, the two planned to leave the hotel together, but she disappeared when they were packing to leave. It was recently revealed that Jessica
The Entries
These are the Entries that have been posted on Youtube so far. Composed of a mix of footage from The Tapes and Jay's own footage, these chronicle both Alex's descent into the mystery three years ago and Jays attempt to unravel it in the present. Spoiler tagged for length and light spoilers.
Entry 1: Wherein something awaits outside Alex's front door
Entry 2: Wherein Alex drives out to a secluded lamppost alone, looking for the man he saw while out earlier.
Entry 3: Wherein Alex films himself and things are unusual.
Entry 4: Wherein Alex explores a playground and finds something that causes him to run.
Entry 5: Wherein Jay accompanies Alex on scouting, and the footage takes on bizarre deformations.
Entry 6: Wherein we are again in Alex's house, with something wanting to get inside.
Entry 7: Wherein a Marble Hornets rehearsal reveals something is following Alex.
Entry 8: Wherein the drawings begin.
Entry 9: Wherein Alex shows signs of strange behavior during rehearsals.
Entry 10: Wherein Alex flees from something that is after him.
Entry 11: Wherein something isn't quite right in the house.
Entry 12: Wherein filming is attempted and a "stranger" gets in the shot.
Entry 13: Wherein Jay is sent off and Alex searches for something. And possibly finds it.
Entry 14 Wherein Alex has a close encounter.
Entry 15 - Interview with Tim: Wherein Jay interviews Tim to try and gain insight.
Entry 16: Wherein Jay probably violates trespassing laws and discovers disturbing findings.
Entry 17: Wherein we see a rehearsal and a sighting.
Entry 18: Wherein we learn why we don't enter houses without power at night without a safety buddy.
Entry 19: Wherein Jay reveals a secret he has kept
Entry 19.5: Wherein Jay holes himself up in the dark and starts going over things he has found
Entry 20: Wherein we see the potential start of the Marble Hornets student film
Entry 21: Wherein Jay returns to The Tower
Entry 22: Wherein the latest tape is shown and shit hits walls
Entry 23: Wherein third time is the charm... ?
Entry 24: Wherein we see Jay's homelife
Entry ######: Wherein %#@&T@!$))!@^@!!!@######
Entry 25: Wherein Jay gets some unpleasant news
Entry 26: Wherein an old friend returns...
Entry 27: Wherein Jay resurfcaces after meonths of inactivity
Entry 28: Wherein Jay attemps to figure out just what the hell is going on
Entry 29: Wherein Jay finds some footage of shit hitting his fan
Entry 30: Wherein the girl next door is more than she appears
ToTheArk Videos
What follow is the series of videos posted by ToTheArk in response to The Entries. It is hard to say what many of these mean, while others are more overt in at least one of the messages they convey. Spoilered, again, for length and light spoilers in the descriptions.
Operator: Wherein we have crytic messages and missing audio from an Entry.
Deluge: Wherein we have backwards talking, a fluorescent light and the bizarre.
Impurity:Wherein be storms and hidden codes.
Exit: Wherein someone has been at this for a while now.
Program: Wherein TTA asks very unkind things from someone.
Advocate: Wherein more confusion is front and center.
Addition: Wherein Jay is not alone.
Signal: Wherein TTA wants us to come back, and looks to be a fan of older films?
Messages: Wherin Jay has been hiding something from us.
Return: Wherein FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF-
Version: Wherein TTA beckons Jay to the Tower and delivers a barrage of grammar.
Attention: Wherein someone beckons
Admission: Wherein doors...
Warning: Wherein someone is done playing games...
In addition, there have been correspondences between TTA and others online, supposedly. Here they are, taken from the MH Wikidot site. Spoilered for length:
August 6, 2009
August 7, 2009
September 2, 2009
September 3, 2009
Slenderman
Slenderman did not begin with Marble Hornets, but actually dates back to a SomethingAwful thread where, I believe, Goons were coming up with urban legends and myths. From this thread, the concept of "Slenderman" was born. The creature is tall, approximately 8 to 10 feet and bears a resemblance to a skinny, long-legged, long-armed man in a business suit. It's other defining characteristic is the creature's head, which has no facial features whatsoever.
"Slenderman," according to the original myth, had the capability of changing its form to whatever suited it best for tracking or capturing prey, and often showed the ability to change it's arms into tendrils capable into ensnaring said prey. It is also believed that those who witness the creature are drawn to it, in an almost hypnotic state.
Little is known about the Marble Hornets incarnation of the creature, known simply as The Operator. It is presumed that contact with the creature, or pursuit of it, has ill affects on the health of an individual and possibly has some capability in the manipulation of memories. It is believed that strange effects dealt to the footage and audio on the tapes, as shown in the Entires is caused by the presence of the Slenderman. It is likely, as well, that those who have stumbled across it have met terrible fates.
Reoccurring Themes and important items
Operator Symbol: An oval or circular shape with an X in it's center (sometimes even passing the borders of the circle). It's meaning is still unknown, outside of it's connection to the Operator itself.
Water: It seems that there is a reoccuring theme of water throughout several of the Entries and responses by ToTheArk. Be it streams nearby, empty waterbottles or simply the thematic elements of TTA's videos, water is an inescapable element within the story.
Bullet casing: A bullet casing found at the house visited in Entries 16 and 18. Now missing after the events of Entry 19.
Bottle of Pills: A bottle of pills found at the house visited in Entries 16 and 18. The label has been removed and the contents missing after the events of Entry 19.
The Tower: A red tower located at one of the locations Alex and Jay scouted for filming Marble Hornets. Believed to be anything from a climbing wall to a practice tower for local firemen, it's existence has taken on a more eerie and mysterious one following Entry 19.5
Entry 22's Tape: Found by Jay at The Tower. How it got there is anyone's guess, but the contents within have Jay fearing for his safety now more than ever.
Alex's Drawings: A collection of frenzied and cryptic drawings and writings compiled by Alex after he encountered the mysterious entity, "Slenderman," during production of Marble Hornets.
Where to check it out
Jay's Marble Hornets Youtube Channel
Jay's Marble Hornets Twitter Page
ToTheArk's YouTube Channel
You can also find Jay posting, in character, on SomethingAwful from time to time, but I am unsure what thread specifically.
As well, there appear to be other "Slenderman"-related projects popping up around the net in the wake of Marble Hornets but do not appear to be related to the series. If something new pops up that does tie into the series, Jay will acknowledge it in some fashion.
--Suspension of Disbelief Zone--
As some have found that talking about the series outside of the fiction breaks their immersion, this section shall be spoiler tagged
Shortly after Entry 26 went up on Youtube, Director Troy Wagner uploaded a set of Credits up on his Youtube account. Aside from the usual Credit bits, it also revealed that what we have seen so far is only Part 1 of Marble Hornets. Co-writer and co-star Joseph Delage has said that fans will know about Part 2 when it's ready.
Credits
Q&A
After the credits went up, Wagner revealed that they were gathering up questions from fans to be answered in an upcoming Q&A session which they would be posting on the SomethingAwful and UnFiction forums. You can find transcriptions of those Q&A's in this thread:
Q&A 1
Q&A 2
Then, in Late June, Wagner and Delage did a College Radio interview where they once more answered questions on the series and the production. It was then posted on Wagner's Youtube Channel, "TroyHasACamera" over the course of the following week or so:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr38zIG3SUI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKLTzf2MB0Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q29jwasMVw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNm7RBkSQU8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEMnOhopMzA
And now, the series first season is out on DVD :
Currently, the first run of 1000 units is sold out, but:
On August 14, Troy announced on his Blog that they will be producing a third and final season of Marble Hornets:
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette did an article on the series:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11236/1169306-67-0.stm?cmpid=newspanel0
--Suspension of Disbelief Zone--
And, if you're new to Marble Hornets, Drez has kindly provided a series of links for all of the Entries and totheark videos arranged in order for easy viewing. You can find that here.
What is "EverymanHYBRID"
EverymanHYBRID is a health and fitness series that you can find on Youtube... but with a strange twist. As you can see in the videos, a strange and familiar thing can be found hanging about in the episodes. It's a bit difficult to explain, so the best explanation I can offer is to go and check it out, at least up to Public Service Announcement.
It's fairly new and also has a rather likable cast. In addition to their episodes on Youtube and twitter updates, the EH crew has and will be participating in live chats online via Web sites like Ustream. You can find their channel at the end of the post.
POST-"JOKE'S OVER": The Jeff's girlfriend, Jessa, is missing. The crew is no longer certain that their theory from Public Service Announcement is the truth, in fact, it seems completely abandoned at this point. Now the crew has gone from making an exercise vlog to what may just be a documentary their investigation into a mysterious situation that may trace back to before the boys were even born...
The Cast
Spoilered for some mid-to-late series reveals
The Episodes
You can find all episodes posted thus far here:
EverymanHYBRID Youtube Channel
WickedStickeyAlex, Alex Youtube Channel
ARTIFACTS
Mysterious boxes and bags have been left around the Jersey/Pennsylvania region with ties to the mystery surrounding the guys. So far, three boxes and one bag have been found. These have contained odd bits implying threat towards the gang and mysterious, decades old letters from Dr. James Corenthal. It is likely that these documents have been left behind by HABIT.
CANYOUSEETHEWORDS
CANYOUSEETHEWORDS is a blog put together by an artist who has recently moved to Princeton, New Jersey. Throughout her blog, you can see allusions to floods from myth and history, as well as some of her paintings, which some people believe relate to Slenderman. It appears this blog somehow ties into the events surrounding Vinny, Evan and Jeff. Links to the blog and twitter at the end of the post. Since Stephanie's rescue, she has abandoned the blog, feeling it is no longer necessary. It contains the only account of her story regarding the death of her family and reasons for moving out of Alabama.
Slenderman
Slenderman in EverymanHYBRID has been somewhat of an interesting case, particulary because of the fact that
"The Rake"
During the events of "Cops Checked, No Body," Jeff and Vincent witnessed a bizarre, albino humanoid after shortly discovering the dead body of a young woman in the ruins of the Lambertville High School. Rightfully freaked out, the duo ran back into the ruins of the school to get Evan and Jessie out of there before the creature could potentially do anything. However, this was not their last encounter with the beast. Sometime after, it apparently took up residence in Alex's closet where it repeatedly scratched him at night until one night where it left deep gashes in his forearm. It has since vacated his room through means the others cannot understand, but are unwilling to look a gift horse in the mouth. In an unsigned tweet, HABIT referred to the Rake as "Snoopy," likely indicating that the feral creature is subordinate to either Slenderman or Itself.
Where to check it out
EverymanHYBRID Youtube Channel
EverymanHYBRID Twitter
EverymanHybrid Ustream
CANYOUSEETHEWORDS Blog
CANYOUSEETHEWORDS Twitter
WickedStickeyAlex, Alex Youtube Channel
What is "TribeTwelve"
In 2008, Milo Asher visited his cousin Noah at his home in Florida. However, the reunion was somewhat strained, as Milo exhibited strange behavior: paranoia, prone to flight at at unknown threat, going out on his own at night with his cousin's camera. However, in the present day Noah learns that Milo has suddenly passed away. Saddened, Milo turns to those old home movies to create an online memorial for his late cousin. However, Noah soon discovers that whatever Milo feared might now be stalking him as well, driving the already isolated young man down the very path that Milo himself may have walked before his mysterious (and oft questioned) death.
TribeTwelve is, as you can tell, another online horror series like Marble Hornets and EverymanHYBRID. While EverymanHYBRID takes it's own stylistic approach to the viral horror genre, it would be accurate to say that TribeTwelve skews closer to it's likely inspiration in Marble Hornets. Like Marble Hornets, TribeTwelve uses a silent, text narration to provide background for it's entries; while Marble Hornets based it's past entries on the remnants of a student film project, TribeTwelve utilizes the home movies of the two cousins Noah and Milo.
The Players
Noah: The Narrator of the series, Noah created the TribeTwelve youtube account as part of a project on the Twelve Tribes of Israel before his teacher cancelled the project. He lives in Florida and it is his camera used to record the story. He dug the tapes he and his cousin, Milo, recorded during Milo's last visit two years prior to the story.
Milo Asher: Noah's cousin and friend. Apparently from Alabama, Milo visited Noah at his home in Florida two years prior to the series. However, he exhibited paranoid behavior and dodginess regarding his tendency to take off running without notice. Additionally, Milo would occassionally venture around at night with Noah's camera for reasons unknown to his cousin. He is now deceased, supposedly from an overdose of his medication. However, the lies the possibility that his cause of death may not be what it appears.
Sarah: Sarah is the name of a fan who offered her home to Noah for Thanksgiving, as he didn't have the money to return home. However, this tranquil escape from the bizarre events surrounding Noah was shattered brutally, when Noah was possessed by something in her father's home; Noah has distanced himself from her after not only engaging in self-mutilation but attacking Sarah before he was snapped out of his trance that night.
Slenderman
Slenderman is a bit more elusive in this series than in the other two, but so far it seems to operate in a similar fashion to its role in Marble Hornets. It seems that Milo has encountered it before, but it is hard to say currently what he knew about it, if anything.
The Observer
The Observer appears to be Noah's secondary antagonist. While there are signs of being stalked by the Slenderman, more visible is the evidence of a mysterious stalker known only as "The Observer," who has left peculiar clues and taunts for Noah, repeatedly goading him to return to Victor Park, a site where Noah (unaware) and Milo (quite aware) encountered the Slenderman three years ago. While it's unknown just who Observer is, footage and video evidence so far point to it being a human being, whose only clear identifying feature, as seen thusfar, is that he or she wears glasses.
Where to check it out
TribeTwelve's Youtube Channel
TribeTwelve's Twitter
Noah's Formspring
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
I am also struck by how weird Jay's eyes are... he is one weird looking dude.
Also, is it just me or did his arms look unnaturally long while he was taking off his clothes at the end of 27? Am I super late to this party?
EDIT: And goddamnit, I wnat them to make note of the "Never forget, what I see sees me" jerks.
EDIT2: I am also yet to be convinced that Masky is totheark.
What about the figure at the end of the tunnel? Slander men?
He is in entry 29 right at the end. In a new Slenderific shape that looks way more intimidating in my eyes than any of the first "season."
Also, here's Jay.
Where does the creepy Alex ripped photo response go? I thought it was a response to 35...?
Also, is anyone
Going to put the Tribe Twelve info dump in a bit. I've got some other things to do but I'll make a most when each thing gets an update
Well the assumption on the rest of the nerts is
I remain unconvinced of this interpretation. It's possible, but not, I think confirmed one way or the other, and the idea that they are separate entities is more appealing to me. In addition to which if TTA is a Masky the fact that the Masky in question is a rather more feminine one than Tim (or a feminine one has appeared in one of the responses) would make me wonder if TTA is a Masky if it is Tim.
I am also still unconvinced that Masky is malevolent, even with the last 2 appearances. I like the idea of masks preventing Slenderman from recognising you and an aversion to cameras being a survival technique because of some crazy camera connection with SM.
Also, are we convinced that TTA is the correct interpretation of the name as opposed to the dog-German TotHeark?
I wish there were a way to filter the different topics out of this thread. I am most interested in MH and haven't watched the other stuff.
I think the "TotHeark" interpretation isn't the correct tense or the correct spelling for whatever it's supposed to mean. It sort of works but it's more gibberish than not if you do the literal translation. That at least makes me lean towards it being ToTheArk
Also
youthful high spirits...
But srs
EDIT: I shoud add that I am perfectly open to a more direct reading being the case, my point is just that I do not believe we have been given sufficient information to make definitive judgements on any of the above. I am not of the position that such a conclusion is inconsistent with the available evidence, that is for sure.
As for the alternative phrase, perhaps then. But what could the symbolism behind the name mean?
Also, now for something completely different. IMMERSION BREAKING ELEMENTS WITHIN
And interesting view of the wall. Anyone else seeing what I'm seeing in the graffiti?
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpk90OwM2jw&feature=feedu
I sense a little over-acting in Alana and squinty new guy. Moreso I mean.
OH GOD THE FACE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyVNInfbYwc&feature=feedu
Evan's reaction is completely understandable. Wonder how it got uploaded though given it?
You may be right...
Maybe I am beating a dead horse. But an alternative explanation is:
Initially trying to protect Jay the realisation occurs that it's not going to happen, so starts running instead, and then when J and Alex appear he tries getting rid of them.
Probably by Vinny, not trying to be like captain obvious. But if he recorded it, he probably either convinced Evan they should do it or just did it behind his back. Possibly leading to conflict between the two down the road because of disagreements. Maybe this is why Evan decides to go all Rambo on him in the non-con but mightbecannonthatsnotreallysurecanon "Slenderman" from Vin's channel. Either way, Evan and Jeff's conversation needs to get cataloged because it seemed pretty in depth.
Also this was in the vid's description for those who didn't click through to Youtube.
http://thenimbus.deviantart.com/art/Wacky-Tie-Day-Slender-Man-198803629
New video from our favorite masked psycho totheark. As far as I can tell: "Rawrrawrraawrrawrrawr" and an underwater? distorting shot of someone's silhouette on the right hand side looking down.
Also, someone has cleaned up the audio a bit.
Also, Josh tweeted today, but I'll include some older ones too:
he also has a blog now, which is counting down to March 14th
http://kindervonderritter.blogspot.com/
Splendorman
The only way that could have been better if it popped up on Jay's twitter feed.