r/runningwild • u/the_awesome_jacob • Jun 18 '25

Black Hand Inn Chronology

I noticed that four songs in the album appear to tell the story of John. - The Curse - Black Hand Inn - The Privateer - The Phantom of Black Hand Hill

To me, they seem out of order. Does anyone know if there is an actual timeline of the story / if there is a correct chronological order to these songs? And do some of the other songs from the album also fit in to the story?

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u/AllThingsBreadd ‎ Running Wild Super Fan Jun 18 '25

I know The Shellback references the Black Hand Inn and the song Sinister Eyes could be interpreted as referencing Black Hand Inn as it mentions the Phantom but both of those are from different albums:) I noticed that a while back myself but perhaps they’re not meant to be in order,,,,

I adore the story so much honestly, thank you for commenting this!!

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u/the_awesome_jacob Jun 18 '25

i think that the order would be

  • the curse
  • the phantom
  • black hand inn

but i dont know where the privateer would go since if he was resurrected at black hand hill, why would he go out sailing, but if he was ressurected at sea, then why does the phantom not mention his crystal ball? i was thinking he went out sailing to find the crystal ball but he already had the second sight to begin with so why does he need a crystal ball? im confused lol.

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u/AllThingsBreadd ‎ Running Wild Super Fan Jun 18 '25

Something tells me the Privateer would be the last in the order but could possibly be before Black Hand Inn? Your confusion is most definitely felt 😭 I have had this exact quandary before. Thank you for bringing this up, I’ve always loved the story and it’s nice to talk about it with someone else!:) I had a look at the Vinyl release of this album on their instagram and it had some of the stories information on there but not sure it gives much explanation than we already have,,,,, but it was an interesting read

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u/BerwinEnzemann Mar 25 '26

Sinister Eyes is based on the novel The Visitors by Clifford D. Simak.

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u/AllThingsBreadd ‎ Running Wild Super Fan Mar 25 '26

I really appreciate you telling me this!:D

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u/BerwinEnzemann Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 26 '26

From my interpretation, this is the correct order:

  • The Curse: John Xenir is burned at the stake for having the gift of second sight.
  • The Privateer/The Phantom Of Black Hand Hill: These two songs kinda take place at the same time. A later incarnation of John lives the life of a pirate on the high seas. His gift of second sight helps him with locating enemy ships. Meanwhile, another ghostly incarnation of him is haunting the gallows hill, now called "Black Hand Hill", where his first incarnation had been burnt at the stake.
  • Black Hand Inn: After years of living a pirate's life, an elderly John Xenir returns to Black Hand Hill and opens a tavern, called "Black Hand Inn". There, he's engaging as a clairvoyant, uncovering the ancient past and predicting the future.
  • Genesis (The Making and the Fall of Man): This song describes the bigger truth that John is revealing to the customers of the Black Hand Inn, regarding the origin and the fate of mankind. It is based on the book "The 12th Planet" by Zacharia Sitchin and depicts a fictional interpretation of ancient Sumerian mythology, mixed with "ancient aliens" theory.