Symbols

Symbols are written, carved, or stamped icons that are used to signify something; this may be a family, a pack, a species, an object, or a concept. Most Werewolf packs have a symbol, which they use as tattoos to identify their allegiance or as messages to other packs regarding their territory. Some Hunter families of supernatural creatures also have their own symbols, which they use to mark their ammunition.

Symbols are also a series of seals and markings used extensively by witches, drawn as representations of various magical concepts. They are usually incorporated into rituals though, they may also act as physical representations of spells as well. Different symbols come in a variety of designs ranging from simple to intricate.

## Ancestral Magic Seals

During the sacrificial ceremony officiated by Genevieve with the two Harvest Girls Monique Deveraux and Abigail two symbols are present on either side of the altar and two on the altar itself. They are circular symbols containing braided lines and glyphs from unknown meaning.

Similar seals were often used by the witches of the French Quarter Coven. These are mainly circles containing lines and designs, such as that used by Davina to arouse clairvoyance and discover the exact point where Finn was hiding.

## Alpha Pack Symbol

The symbol of the Alpha Pack of Werewolves is what appears to be a triskelion, only instead of three spirals, the symbol has three angular lines in a somewhat triangular shape which bears a resemblance to two different but common symbols.

The Trinacria, also known as the triarca or trincaria, which means "triangular" and is a three-legged design used as the symbol of the island of Sicily. The original symbol literally has three human legs which are bent at the knee and which branch out from the center, which depicts the head of a Gorgon. The Gorgon represents the protection of the Greek goddess Athena, whose Roman equivalent is Minerva and who is the patron goddess of Sicily.

## Astral Projection Sigil

Several sigils are incorporated into various spells and rituals, each with different intentions. In This is What It Takes, Lizzie performs an astral projection spell to travel to the prison world with MG, while siponing from him. This spell, however, did not incorporate a sigil, just a salt circle, twelve candles, and various types of flower petals. Despite the similarities in spells, in Long Time, No See, Hope and Lizzie draw out an intricate chalk sigil for their astral projection spell. The chalk sigil is surrounded by a circle and just beyond the circle, four differing, smaller symbols, appearing equidistant from one another are interposed with various personal items from Landon. This sigil was incorporated into this astral projection spell so the pair could travel to the prison world and look for any clues that would reveal if Landon was alive. In You Can't Run From Who You Are, Hope would repeat the sigil for a second time, except for excluding the personal items, while drawing it from a grimoire. The spell was to astral project herself and Landon to the prison world to find and make a deal with the Necromancer.

## Awen

The Awen, while not a genuine symbol in the ancient Druid practice, still has association with a number of modern groups. In Gaelic, awen means "inspiration" or "essence," both in terms of artistic inspiration as well as spiritual enlightenment. The three rays in the symbol are a representation of the harmony of opposites, with the left and right rays representing masculine and feminine energy and the middle ray representing the balance between the two. Incidentally, the Awen symbol resembles three claw gashes, making it an interesting symbol to be used by a Druid Emissary of a pack of Werewolves and other shapeshifters such as the McCall Pack.

## Bank Symbol

According to an anonymous source, the logo of the First National Bank is a Celtic Druid symbol, but an exact representation of this symbol in Celtic symbology does not seem to exist. The closest approximation of this symbol is known as the Nestorian Cross; it is also known as the Assyrian Cross due to its association with the Assyrian Church of the East, though this is a cross that has been found across the world in places such as Khanbaliq (now Beijing), China, and in India. Crosses such as these with arms of equal length tend to have associations with typical groups of four, such as the four classical elements, the four seasons, or the four cardinal directions.[4]

The symbol also bears some resemblance to the Celtic cross, a cross used by the ancient Celtic people dating as far back as 7,000 years ago. Though its origin remains a mystery, it is believed that the cross was an early symbol used to represent the Gallic sun god Taranis. The cross then became the symbol of the Celtic Christian Church after the majority of the Celtic people converted to Christianity. Just like the spiral, the Celtic cross is a solar symbol.

## Calavera Skull

The skull is a symbol of the uppermost part of the human skeleton and is the symbol of the Calavera Family of Hunters. The skull is most commonly used to symbolize death and mortality, particularly in the Calaveras' home county of Mexico, where skulls and skeletons are an integral part of the celebration of El Día de los Muertos ("the Day of the Dead"). Interestingly enough, the word calavera also means "skull" in Spanish.

The skull was first shown to be connected to the Calavera Family after Derek Hale went missing; when Scott McCall, concerned by Derek's lack of communication, went to Derek's loft to see if he was there, he found dozens of bullet casings with the skull etched into them, which Alan Deaton identified as being the Calavera's symbol. The family also prints skulls on tarot-esque cards, which are then used as tickets to the club located in their compound.

## Celtic Knot

The Celtic Knot ix shown on a jar in which contained a brown powder. While it is primarily known as a Celtic symbol, similar symbols also exist in Chinese and Norse culture as well. Despite the symbol being well-known and recognized throughout the word in Celtic symbol guides, the true meaning of the Celtic Knot remains unknown due to the lack of historical documentation in Celtic culture; what little is known is that the symbol does not appear to mean "love," "loyalty," or "sisterhood," which are commonly attributed definitions. However, the continuous looping of the knot with no identifiable end seems to indicate an association with the concept of eternity and the interconnection of life.

## Cernunnos

Druid Emissaries, have been seen either wearing or possessing pendants of Cernunnos, also known as the Horned God, one of the two gods of the Wiccan religion and the consort of the Triple Goddess; in this aspect, the Horned God represents the sun, while his consort represents the moon. Cernunnos is a mysterious horned deity who was worshiped by ancient Celts during the Iron Age up until 1st century AD, making it an appropriate deity for present-day Druids to worship.

However, very little information about him exists—all that is known is his appearance is usually depicted as a man with deer antlers sitting in a meditative pose. Cernunnos is associated with animals (most frequently deer), fertility, and nature. Cernunnos also as associations with other gods and legendary figures in Celtic and Britannic mythology, such as Derg Corra, known as the Man in the Tree, Fionn (also known as Finn MacCuill, which, interestingly enough, is a Gaelic variation of the name McCall), and Herne the Hunter, among others. An equivalent to Cernunnos in Roman mythology is often said to be Mercury, and Cernunnos' symbol's visage is also believed to have influenced the commonly-accepted appearance of the Christian Devil.

## Circumpunct

The circumpunct, also known as a "circle inside a circle" or a "circle-dot," is the symbol of the McCall Pack. This symbol, like the spiral, is one of mankind's most ancient glyphs and is significant in many ancient religions and traditions. Like many of the symbols discussed on this page, the circumpunct is a solar symbol whose round shape with the circle inside of it is meant to represent the sun. In Gnosticism, it symbolizes the most primal aspect of God, with the larger circle representing the "all-encompassing power and infinite limitlessness of God," while the dot inside represented humanity's place within God.

To the Greek Pythagoreans, it represented the monad, or the point of the beginning of creation and thus eternity. The symbol represents the sun to those who study astrology and astronomy, and it stands for gold to those who studied alchemy. In Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, this symbol represented both the sun and the sun god, Ra, whereas in Chinese oracular script, it both represents the sun and a single day in the calendar year.

This symbol seems to have a similar meaning across many of these cultures: the sun, which gives the Earth its life, is represented by the dot in the middle of the symbol, while the greater universe is represented by the larger circle around it. In Freemasonry, the dot represents universal consciousness, the inner line of the circle is universal intelligence, and the outer line of the circle is universal force. The circumpunct also has similarities with other symbols as well, such as the nazar, a circle-dot-shaped amulet that is used by the Turkish people to ward against the "evil eye." In Christianity, the symbol has also been used to represent the Archangel Michael, who is also associated with the sun.

## Dark Magic Symbols

Very little is known about Dark Magic and its origins, but we know that Dahlia, Esther and Freya are among the most skilled witches in this branch of Witchcraft. To defeat the witch Eva Sinclair, Esther has provided her daughter Freya a powerful spell that belongs to the dark magic and that makes use of a vaguely alchemical symbol consisting of a triangle in which the victims are laid and three forks on each side, the all designed with what looks like the white chalk. The witch then acts as an intermediary between the victims and a source of external power, being poised between the inside and the outside of the symbol, as a real "bridge". Dark Magic symbols were also seen written all over the walls inside of Eva Sinclair's house.

## Double-Face

The double-face symbol, also called the two-face symbol, represents the Anuk-ite, an ancient indigenous American shapeshifter who is made up of two beings. According to Alan Deaton, a Druid, the Anuk-ite represents duality, and often has one beautiful face and one hideous face; after the creature escaped the Wild Hunt, its duality was due to one half being a human and the other half a Werewolf. When the two halves are merged to become one, the symbol comes to represent disharmony, as the Anuk-ite takes the subtle fears of otherwise peaceful beings and amplifies it, turning their good will into paranoia, anger, violent, discord, and hate.

The double-face symbol is most often associated with Janus, the ancient Roman god of beginnings, endings, gateways, doorways, passages, transition, time, making him what is known as a liminal god. Janus is typically depicted as having two faces, as one of his gifts was seeing time and his two faces were used to see both the past and the future. Janus' similarity with the Anuk-ite is interesting, as his status as the god of beginnings and endings, he was involved in both war and peace, just as the Anuk-ite sought to start war in order to cause and feed on the resulting fear that comes from conflict.

## Expression Triangle

The Expression Triangle is the representation of twelve humans, twelve demons (hybrids), and twelve witches sacrifices in places strategically located which form a triangle. The images inside the triangle are two skeletons and a flower. The symbols of three species in the book where it describes the Expression Triangle, are symbols of three planets in the solar system.

* The humans' symbol represents "Earth". The Earth is the planet on which our lives become manifest, and the cross of matter is placed in the center, surrounded by the circle of Spirit, within which all life is contained.
* The demons' symbol represents "Neptune". Neptune is the crescent of soul impaled upon the cross of matter. Soul reaches upwards but is penetrated, or trapped, by matter. It symbolizes soul's suffering while it is encased in matter, and its longing to return to its source - the spirit.
* The witches' symbol (Lalande version) represents "Uranus". Uranus shows the cross of matter bracketed by two arcs of soul facing away from each other, one towards the past and one towards the future, harnessed by the cross of matter between them, over a small circle of spirit indicating the power of the mind to harness natural forces.

HumansDemonsWitches
## Five-fold Knot

The five-fold knot is a symbol used by Druids in several aspects of their lives. This symbol marked the Nemeton as the symbolic World Tree for the Beacon Hills Druids, making it sacred and powerful to them.

The five-fold knot was used as an illustration of the five-fold sacrifice ritual being performed by the Darach. Each of the knots represented a trio of humans who were sacrificed to bestow supernatural powers upon her: virgins (enhanced glamouring and seduction), warriors (superhuman strength, speed, and reflexes), healers (accelerated healing of herself and others), philosophers (superhuman knowledge and strategy), and guardians (presumably durability or invulnerability). A crude sketch of the five-fold knot was also drawn by Lydia Martin on the chalkboard of one of the philosopher sacrifices while she was in a Banshee fugue state.

The four outer knots of the five-fold knot represents the common four aspects in Celtic associations, with the center knot serving as the so-called "fifth element" of these associations:

* Numbers: One, two, three, four, five
* Cardinal Directions: East, South, West, North, Center
* Classical Elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth, Spirit/Aether
* Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Transit

All in all, the five-fold knot is meant to represent balance in nature, which is the main mission of a Druid.

## Fleur-de-lis

The fleur-de-lis is a stylized lily that is the symbol of the Argent Family of Hunters. It has been incorporated into an endless number of European coats of arms and flags throughout history, but it has historically been associated with the French monarchy in particular, which makes it an excellent symbol for a family like the Argents, whose origins are in the French aristocracy. The image was used in Christian religious art in the Middle Ages, which led to its association with the Virgin Mary to symbolize purity, chastity, female virtue and spirituality; this makes it an interesting choice for the Argent family, which boasts a matriarchal leadership. This concept of purity was not solely with regards to sexuality, but also in terms of converting to Christianity, as demonstrated during the baptism of Clovis, King of the Franks, in the late 5th/early 6th century. The symbol's three petals makes it another icon that refers to the Holy Trinity or trios in general, similar to the Triquetra.

## Hunter's Mark

The Hunter's Mark symbols are very similar to the Icelandic Vegvísir, but distinct as the Vegvísir has eight arms while the Hunter's mark has six. This symbol apparently is related to the Supernatural Hunter, is a kind of map that unfolds every time one member of the five hunters kills a vampire or hybrid leading to the Tomb of the immortal Silas. Only a potential hunter can see the symbol.

## Horned God

The Horned God, also described by Scott McCall as "a circle with a crescent on top," is the symbol of the pack known as The Primal. The symbol is significant in the Wiccan faith and is said to represent the "masculine polarity of the universe." It also believed to represent the archetypal horned Shaman, which explains its association with the ancient gods of the hunt and vegetation; these gods include the Greek gods Dionysus and Pan, the Greek satyr, the Celtic god Cernunnos (whose own symbol is used frequently by Druids), the legendary British figure known as Herne the Hunter, and the Egyptian god Ammon, among many others. Unlike many of the symbols discussed thus far, which are known as solar symbols, the crescent on the top of this symbol makes the Horned God a lunar symbol; as such, it is the symbol of the goddess Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt. With this in mind, the symbol is very appropriate for a pack of Werewolves driven by their primal urges that is composed of all men, with the exception of their Alpha, Mrs. Finch, and her daughter, Quinn.

The symbol of the Horned God represents masculinity in the Wiccan religion's duotheistic system of worship, as the Horned God is the consort of the female Triple Goddess of the Moon or another Mother Goddess. This god is associated with hunting, the life cycle, nature, sexuality, and the wilderness, which again makes it an appropriate choice to symbolize The Primal pack. The Horned God is also a dualistic god on his own, representing two-fold aspects such as bright and dark, day and night, summer and winter, etc., which is symbolized by his two horns created by the points of the crescent.

## Jiko

Jiko, which can also be referred to as onore, is a symbol in the Japanese kanji language used by Oni and Kitsune. According to Katashi, a Japanese man and survivor of an Oni attack, the symbol means "self" or "oneself" and is used by these creatures to symbolize that a person is themselves, or, rather, that they are not possessed by spiritual creatures.

The symbol was first seen branded on Isaac Lahey's neck, right behind his left ear, by an Oni who had tested him to make sure he was not possessed by the Void Kitsune known as the Nogitsune being pursued by the Oni's summoner, Noshiko Yukimura (although this was not known at the time). After showing up at Derek Hale's loft during a party being thrown by Danny Mahealani and Ethan Steiner, Ethan, his twin brother Aiden, Derek, and Lydia Martin were all scanned and branded behind their left ears with the same symbol. The following day, the Oni arrived at the McCall House and, though they put up a fight, the Oni ultimately scanned and branded Scott McCall and Kira Yukimura with the symbol.

The last person to be scanned and branded with the symbol was Stiles Stilinski; the first time it was attempted, the Nogitsune, who was possessing him, awakened, took control of his body, and used it to kill three of the Oni by pulling out the firefly that animated it. The second attempt successfully occurred after the Nogitsune was exorcised from Stiles' body using a modification of the mind manipulation ritual performed by Scott McCall, confirming that the Nogitsune had left his body for good.

In addition to being used by Oni to mark those who have been confirmed to not be possessed by dark spirits, the symbol was also used by Noshiko Yukimura in 1943 when she carved it into the stone wall behind which she buried the body of her lover, Corporal Rhys, who was briefly possessed by the Nogitsune; she later explained that she used this symbol as a sort of grave marker to signified that Rhys died as himself and not as a monster like the Nogitsune. The symbol also made appearances in Stiles' dreams and hallucinations while he was possessed by the Nogitsune, possibly due to his mind trying to communicate to himself about what was really happening.

## Lockwood's Cave Symbols

The Lockwood's Cave are full of archaic symbols engraved or painted in deep caves dug under the property of the Lockwood founding family. They were used by natives to express significant events that occurred during that time. Many of their meanings still remain a mystery however, several of them have be discovered by Alaric during his study of them.

* **Life and Death:** A drawing is shown of to represent a being alive when it is faced upwards. If it is faced downwards, they represent said being to be dead.
* **Vampire:** Vampires in these drawings are represented with an image, rather ironically, of the sun and two fangs. The Sun is used as part of the symbol for vampires due to it being used in Esther's spell. The fangs are the main feature of the vampires for their livelihood.
* **Werewolf:** The werewolves in these drawings are represented with the moon and two fangs. The Moon is used as part of the symbol for werewolves due their nature of turning on the full moon. The fangs are the main feature of the werewolves for their livelihood.
* **Witch:** A witch is represented by a drawing of the object which they used most frequently. In many cases, the design of their talisman.
* **Animal:** Unlike other symbols, animals are symbolized with its own form, or in ancient times, was the most common animal in the land representing others.
* **Human:** Generally, humans were represented by a basic shape, which has two arms, two legs, a balanced body and a head. The face, and other brands, were rarely painted, because the ancients consider themselves equal since Creation.

## Mark of Arcadius

The Mark of Arcadius is a mystical eight arm symbol with four points ending with a triangle that has direct connections to Hell. It was first seen by Georgina Dowling during her brief visit to hell in which she left a tattoo of the same symbol on her right abdomen. The symbol was seen again on the Staff of Arcadius.

It was shown by Seline that it can be used as part of a ritual to summon Arcadius or pay tribute to him with the right conditions.

## Mark of Malivore

The symbol first appeared in *Malivore*, idly drawn by the dryad who was captured in her attempt to retrieve the 'keys' to Malivore. The Mark of Malivore however was the physical representation of the Triad — the unholy union of a witch, a werewolf, and a vampire. Three supernatural factions coming together to create Malivore to oppose dragons. The golem was capable of consuming other supernatural creatures while wiping their existence from the collective conscious of the world. Descendants of the original worshipers of Malivore eventually founded Triad Industries and continued to use the mark as their company logo. After the Necromancer's return to Mystic Falls, he used the symbol, though for unknown means, on a jogger that he reanimated for is own dark deeds. "

## Mark of the Underworld

The symbol first appeared alongside of the Necromancer in *Mombie Dearest*, which is carved into his face. The mark hooks around his cheek that spans up to and across his forehead and repeats down the opposite cheek. The significance of the mark remains unknown, however, in *Hold on Tight* the symbol, which resembles the Greek sign, "Omega", was superimposed over the Triad Mark in the Necromancer’s spell to force control over Malivore.

## Norse Runes

Used almost exclusively by Esther, runes are the ancient alphabet used by the Norse population. Each rune has a precise meaning, but Esther uses them to write the name of her children when she wants to put a spell on them.

This practice was seen when she bound them together with a blood spell and a second time when she magically branded Kol, by displaying on the boy's arm runes that she had drawn in the sand. Runes are also on the walls of the cave, where the young Mikaelsons engraved their names in stone.

Her daughter, Freya Mikaelson, also adopted the use of Runes in her spells such as when she used a rune of the word "baby" to find Hope and when she used her linking spell to link her siblings together to perform a variation of The Immortality Slumber Spell.

## Ogham

On the many jars and cans of herbs and other magical implements are symbols written in the Celtic Oracular Alphabet known as Ogham. This alphabet dates back to the fourth century and is named after the ancient Celtic god of knowledge and communication, Ogmos, whose Greek counterpart is Hermes. This alphabet consists of twenty letters, each of which correspond to one of the sacred trees to Druids and which have their own theme or meaning. These letters are often used as a means of divination by modern-day Druids and other Neopagans in a manner similar to Norse rune-stones.

The main letter of the Ogham alphabet shown in the series is Luís (pronounced loo-weesh), which is a vertical line with two shorter horizontal lines extending from the middle of the right side. Luís was shown as the label on a jar of Mountain Ash, a very appropriate choice, as the letter represents the Rowan tree, and Mountain Ash is made from burning Rowan wood. Luís is also used to represent the concepts of protection and of instinctual knowledge.

## Ouroboros

The ouroboros is a symbol used by the Dread Doctors, which they used to adorn the entrances to their various laboratories in Beacon Hills, California and in Russia. The name is Greek and literally translates to "tail swallower," an apt translation given the fact that the symbol is of a snake or serpent swallowing its own tail. Its origins are in Egypt, where it was a symbol of the sun and its travel around the Earth, and in Gnosticism, it signifies eternity, making it an excellent symbol for the Dread Doctors' use, as their studies led them to obtain a form of immortality; there is also such thing as a double ouroboros, where there are two snakes swallowing each other's tails forming the infinity symbol.

The ouroboros is also a symbol that was used in alchemy. It was said to represent the "spirit" of Mercury and the theme of continuous renewal, as the snake itself is a symbol of resurrection due to its cycle of shedding its skin. The ouroboros also stands for the cycle of life and death. The symbol appears in other cultures as well as those mentioned above, such as in the Norse myth of Jormungandr, the serpent that coiled itself around the roots of Yggdrasil, the World tree, and Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec serpent god.

The Ouroboros was also used as representation of Silas, the first immortal. The symbol itself shows a serpent or dragon eating its own tail in a never ending cycle in a sense of constant re-creation. This is fitting for Silas and his doppelgängers as the doppelgängers were Nature's way of creating something that could die in Silas' stead as they are mystically recurring and the only balance to true immortality.

## Pentagram

The Pentagram is a five pointed star encased in a circle and one of the most common symbol used by witches. It is the representation of the main elements that abound in the world: Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Spirit. In the series, several powerful witches use the pentagram to strengthen their magic or destroy a threat.

* Emily Bennett was the first witch seen to use this symbol to prevent the release of the vampires of the tomb. She destroyed her talisman using the pentagram and the magic of her descendant.
* Sheila Bennett used the pentagram to open the door of the tomb, but due to the hard work and magic used to maintain the seal down, the original spell canceled, and the seal is broken, freeing the vampires.
* Esther uses this symbol when she attempted to use a spell to reverse the vamprism in the Original Vampires. According to her words, each of the points of the pentagram is for each of her children: Elijah, Finn, Niklaus, Kol, Rebekah.
* Aja was seen using a pentagram along with her coven when they attempted a spell that would cleanse Bonnie of Expression.
* The Witch of The Five was the witch who created symbols of the Hunter's Mark found on the left arm on each of the members of the Five of which, a pentagram is included. During their creation, each hunter stood at five points surrounding the witch, it can be assumed that each hunters represents an edge of the pentagram.
* Freya used the pentagram when she attempted to bind Hope's werewolf side in order to save the latter's mother. She chanted the incantation while putting the moonstone in the middle of the pentagram then proceeded to move the stone toward Hope's forehead. She was stopped by Klaus, who angrily halted the ceremony.

## Sacrificial Magic Symbols

Sacrificial Magic makes use of different symbols. One of the most powerful spells of sacrificial involves placing the victim in a circle containing drawings of crosses and snakes. Papa Tunde's magic hallmark was a cross surmounted by two oblique lines. Sacrificial symbols differ from user to user. As such, victims of Eva Sinclair, Finn Mikaelson and Papa Tunde all have different marks on their foreheads.

Papa Tune's Sacrificial SymbolFinn's Sacrificial SymbolEva Sinclair's Sacrificial Symbol
## Shield Knot

The Shield Knot is a very ancient symbol among many cultures that seems to have a universal meaning of protection and warding. In Mesopotamia, the symbol was meant to represent the invocation of the gods of the four corners of the earth in protective spells, while in the mystic Jewish practice of Kabbalah, it was used in prayers and spells to invoke the four Archangels. Celtic and Norse cultures also used it as symbolic protection in their respective cultures, and Christianity also incorporated it into their belief system, referring to it as the St. Hans Cross in honor of John the Baptist in the bible.

## Sigils

Sigils are complicated magical symbols weaponized and condensed to its most potent form. Little is known it's origins although they have been shown to be used by the 1,000 year old witch Freya Mikaelson. One such sigil was used by Freya to restrain and weaken the Beast, Lucien Castle. She would have been successful had it not been for The Ancestors' interference.

* In *Gather Up the Killers*, an unknown sigil started to appear in witch territories of New Orleans, leading Sofya to believe the witches were meeting and aligning for power against Marcel. The sigil itself appears to be the Ouroboros and represents the Hollow but nothing else is currently known.

## Spiral

The spiral is one of the world's most ancient symbols, with spiral-like carvings found in stone works dating all the way back to roughly 12,000 years ago in cultures all over the world: this includes decorative objects in Mezine, Ukraine; monuments in County Meath, Ireland; petroglyphs in Guanajuato, Mexico; roof tiles in ancient Chang'an, China; and the Nazca Lines in the coastal desert of Peru. In Werewolf culture, the spiral is the symbol for revenge, and it is carved or scrawled, typically in public places, as a message to those who have wronged them that they will be seeking their vengeance.

Interestingly enough, though the spiral is a Werewolf symbol, and Werewolves are moon-oriented creatures, the spiral is often interpreted to be a solar symbol. It is believed to be a symbol of creation and growth due to the fact that it is fundamental to nature, as evidenced by snails, seashells, whirlpools, hurricanes, tornadoes, and spinning galaxies, all of which are natural representations of the symbol. Most cultures are in agreement that the spiral represents cycles, such as nature's seasons and the life cycle of birth, growth, and death.

## Stacked Rocks

The stacked rocks symbol, or symbol of ovals of descending size stacked upon one another, is the symbol of Satomi Ito's Werewolf pack. It is based on the Buddhist practice of stacking rocks, which seems to have several associations with the pack, including the Buddhist religious beliefs of everyone in the pack, the pack's policy against unnecessary violence, and their dedication to maintaining calmness and control over their transformations in their everyday lives. Their symbol is of four ovals that decrease in size as they move upward.

The ritual of stacking rocks is a meditative Buddhist yogic practice that requires patience, focus, and calmness to perform correctly, traits that are all important in helping a Werewolf maintain control over their shapeshifting powers; this appears to be a new take on Satomi's original method of maintaining calmness, as she was originally known for playing the Eastern Asian strategy game Go in her early Werewolf life to keep her identity hidden from the military during her time in the Oak Creek internment camp through World War II.

On their own, stones or rocks symbolize eternity and truth due to the fact that they can endure centuries of the elements while remaining largely unchanged. Humans throughout time have stacked stones for a number of reasons, including as monuments to their deities, as gravestones for deceased loved ones, as trail markers (particularly to symbolize those people who have come before and to assure oneself that they are on the correct path), and to direct oneself to certain stars or constellations. They have also been said to represent one's priorities in day-to-day life (stacking stones from largest to smallest) and how one navigates complex situations.

## Sun Wheel

Another symbol is the Sun Wheel, a symbol in ancient Druidic tradition that typically involves a circle with six or eight spokes inside of it. It is also known as the Wheel of Taranis, the Celtic god of the sun and thunder, and represents the solar calendar; the spokes mark the position of the sun at the equinoxes and the solstices, and the solar cross and Celtic cross are both known to be adaptations of this symbol.

## Transfusion Ritual Sigil

In There's No I In Team, or Whatever, Ayomi used an intricate sigil with her transfusion ritual performed on two warriors from her village. Cleo also showed this memory with Hope where the spell was performed by Josie with Malivore and Ryan. The sigil is a bit more complex, as it has a circle and heart-like-shape within one another that is perpendicularly transected with a closed dot within each quarter. The horizontal transect meets the vertical transect, forming an outermost triangle. The two outermost dots have lines that move outward and meet perpendicular to the outer lines, opposite the casting witch. The single outer point and two horizontal points have additional symbols that connect the casting witch and two people for the transfusion, respectfully. Despite needing the sigil to cast the transfusion ritual, it was not necessary when Hope performed the spell on Ryan to transfer the dybbuk out of him.

## Triquetra

The Triquetra is a symbol made of one unbroken line that forms three interlocked vesica pisces. Though it is commonly associated with triple goddesses such as the Fates, the Norns, and the Morrigan, there is nothing known that confirms this belief. The symbol has connections to Wicca, several pagan cultures, as well as Christianity, and appears to universally refer to various trinities: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Christianity; the earth, sky, and sea; the Mother, Maiden, and Crone; or the mind, body, and soul. This symbol may or may not include a circle enclosing the tripartite aspect; the presence of this circle is typically used to emphasize the unity aspect of the trinity. Interestingly enough, the symbol is often used to represent the Morrígan, a Celtic battle goddess (and sometimes referred to as a triple goddess) who is associated with Banshees and wolves.

## Triskelion

The triskelion, also known as the triskele or triple spiral, is a Celtic symbol used by the Hale Family to signify their Werewolf pack. The name comes from the Greek triskeles, which means "three legs." The symbol has a close association with the triquetra, another Celtic symbol used to represent trinities. The triskelion is a solar symbol that signifies motion of action, cycles, progress, revolution, etc.; this can include representations such as pregnancy (with each spiral representing a trimester, or three-month period of time, equaling the nine month length of a human pregnancy) and reincarnation (as the symbol is drawn with one continuous line to represent the movement of time).

It is a common element in the art of the Celtic people and is carved into the neolithic Newgrange tomb in Ireland. Like many tripartite symbols, the triskelion represents common trio concepts such as: earth, water and sky (the Celtic concept of the domains of material existence); mother, maiden, crone; mother, father, child; life, death, rebirth; past, present, future; mind, body, soul; creation, preservation, destruction; etc. It is also believed to represent the three Celtic worlds: the spiritual world, the present world, and the celestial world, as well as the new moon, the half moon, and the full moon, an interesting association for a family of Werewolves.

In the Hale Family and Hale Pack, the symbol is said to mean "Alpha, Beta, Omega," which is used to remind them that, as Werewolves, they can always rise to one rank or fall to another, with Betas becoming Alphas by killing one (or, in rare cases, rising from their own force of will as True Alphas) and Alphas sacrificing their powers to become Betas or Omegas. The symbol has been seen on Hale Family artifacts, such as the Triskelion Urn, a box made of wood from the Nemeton by Alan Deaton that contained Talia Hale's claws and had the symbol carved onto its lid, and the Triskelion Medallion, a large bronze coin with the symbol stamped into it, which Talia used to train new Betas by giving it to them to use as a focus when using the mantra "Alpha, Beta, Omega" to maintain control on full moons.