| Totems |
Sam reading about the prophecies of butterflies and their different meanings.
Throughout the game, the player can find totems. These totems are based on Indigenous Native-American belief which signify prophecies to come in the form of butterflies. There are, in total, 30 totems grouped into five types of different colors, with each color correlating to different meaning:
- Death - black
- Danger - red
- Loss - brown
- Guidance - yellow
- Fortune - white
By looking into the butterfly-shaped hole on the back of the totem, the player will see a glimpse of a possible future event, giving them a chance to avoid or follow the said event. Collecting all the totems will earn the player the "Night of the Totem Hunter" trophy.
Below show the totems categorized by type. A chronological graph can be found at the bottom of the page.
Death[]
| “ | Black butterflies prophesied the dreamer's death. | ” |
This type of totem foretells a possible death of the character who found the totem. The individual segments are colored with black marks and together form a totem pole of demonic figures with ghoulish faces and prominent fangs and claws, symbolizing a direct threat of death.
Death Totem #1[]
Death Totem #1 can be found by Beth in the Prologue in the snow once she turns on her phone light. It foretells her and Hannah falling in the cave, with Beth fatally hitting her back on a rock.
The prophecy inevitably comes true at the end of the Prologue when Beth and Hannah, fleeing from an unseen threat, fall off a cliff.
Death Totem #2[]
Death Totem #2 can be found by Matt in Chapter 5 to the right of the upper cable car station, near the bushes. It foretells him falling off a cliff and crashing on a rock.
At the beginning of Chapter 6, if Matt attacks a deer and then fails one QTE or does nothing while trying to climb up a cliff, the prophecy will come true.
Death Totem #3[]
Death Totem #3 can be found by Mike in Chapter 5 and Chapter 9 in to the left of the entrance to Sanatorium dungeon. It foretells him striking his lighter and triggering the explosion that kills a Wendigo.
At the end of Chapter 10, if Sam fails the first or second Don't Move segment, or does nothing when she has the option to save Mike (causing him to be fatally injured by a Wendigo) and dies thereafter, the prophecy will come true and Mike will sacrifice himself to incinirate the Wendigos.
Death Totem #4[]
Death Totem #4 can be found by Chris in Chapter 4 and Chapter 8 on the left path of the intersection, near a pig's head. It foretells him struggling as he is grabbed and killed from the ceiling in the mines.
In Chapter 9, if Ashley chooses to leave Chris behind and later dies by opening the trapdoor, Chris will be decapitated by a Wendigo regardless of his choices and the prophecy will come true.
Death Totem #5[]
Death Totem #5 can be found by Emily in Chapter 7 in the miners station, at the end of the rail behind the ladder. It foretells Mike shooting her in the eye as Sam screams in the background.
In Chapter 8, if Emily gets bitten by a Wendigo (by not having the flare gun or failing to use it) and later Mike chooses to shoot her, the prophecy will come true.
Death Totem #6[]
Death Totem #6 can be found by Sam in Chapter 9 after climbing the rock wall, in the cave on the stairs to the right of the bridge. It foretells her being grabbed and impaled by a Wendigo.
At the end of Chapter 10, if Sam fails any Don't Move segments except the first one, or does nothing when given the choice to run or hide, the prophecy will come true.
Danger[]
| “ | Red butterflies warned of dangerous events. | ” |
This type of totem foretells a dangerous situation that the character find themselves in. The individual segments are colored with red marks and together form a totem pole of insects and arachnids like beetles, scorpions, and dragonflies, symbolizing a danger that could potentially lead to death.
Danger Totem #1[]
Danger Totem #1 can be found by Mike in Chapter 2 outside the cabin with the generator. It foretells the Psycho punching Ashley in the face, knocking her unconscious.
In Chapter 6, if Ashley finds the scissors and later decides to stab Psycho, the prophecy will come true.
Danger Totem #2[]
Danger Totem #2 can be found by Mike in Chapter 3 on the trail to the left of the old truck. It foretells a herd of deer.
The prophecy will inevitably come true at the very beginning of Chapter 6, when Matt and Emily get cornered by a herd of deer that could potentially lead Matt to his death.
Danger Totem #3[]
Danger Totem #3 can be found by Emily in Chapter 7 to the left of the doorway in the mines as she returns back to the powered elevator. It foretells Mike dodging the hand that is trying to grab him.
In Chapter 9, if Mike executes the first QTE when one of the Wendigos tries to grab him in the Sanatorium's Restraining Area, the prophecy will come true.
Danger Totem #4[]
Danger Totem #4 can be found by Mike in Chapter 9 through the far-left door in the chapel, near the exit to the outside. It foretells him fighting with a Wendigo who jumped on him.
In Chapter 9, if Mike was attacked by a single Wendigo and has a whole machete, the prophecy will come true and Mike will be able to attack the Wendigo with the machete and continue his segment.
Danger Totem #5[]
Danger Totem #5 can be found by Ashley in Chapter 9 in the tunnel to the manhole, in the alcove on the left. It foretells Josh partially turning into a Wendigo.
In Chapter 10, if Sam finds the Scrawled Journal and tells Josh the truth about his sisters, Hannah will spare him and the prophecy will come true in the epilogue.
Danger Totem #6[]
Danger Totem #6 can be found by Sam in Chapter 10 after she climbs out of the mines, at the end of the right trail across from the fallen tree. It foretells a Wendigo leaping inside the lodge and chasing the survivors.
At the end of Chapter 10, if Sam chooses not to lock the basement door, the prophecy will come true.
Loss[]
| “ | Brown butterflies foretold of tragedies affecting friends. | ” |
This type of totem foreshadows the possible death of a character other than the player's current character. The individual segments are colored with brown marks and together form a totem pole of reptiles and amphibians like snakes, lizards, and frogs, symbolizing the loss of something important.
Loss Totem #1[]
Loss Totem #1 can be found by Chris in Chapter 2 in the storage room of the lodge. It foretells Emily screaming as she burns to death in an explosion.
At the end of Chapter 10, if Sam chooses to run to the switch while Emily is still in the lodge, the prophecy will come true.
Loss Totem #2[]
Loss Totem #2 can be found by Mike in Chapter 2 on the trail to the left of the mine exit. It foretells Jessica falling down the elevator shaft with her lower jaw ripped off.
In Chapter 4, if Mike fails more than one QTE while taking all four slow paths or fails more than four QTEs while taking all four shortcuts, the prophecy will come true.
Loss Totem #3[]
Loss Totem #3 can be found by Chris in Chapter 4 and Chapter 8 to the far right of the shed, in the narrow yard. It foretells Ashley's head falling and rolling on the ground next to her body.
In Chapter 9, if Ashley chooses to investigate the voice and open the trapdoor, she will be killed by a Wendigo and the prophecy will come true.
Loss Totem #4[]
Loss Totem #4 can be found by Mike in Chapter 5 after entering the Sanatorium, in the shaft area behind the barrel. It foretells a Wendigo smashing Matt's face in.
In Chapter 10, if Matt fails any Don't Move segments, QTEs, or does nothing when given the choice, the prophecy will come true.
Loss Totem #5[]
Loss Totem #5 can be found by Ashley or Chris in Chapter 9 while investigating the voice in the mines, on the left path of the fork with the two barrels. It foretells Josh's head about to be crushed by a Wendigo.
In Chapter 10, if Sam does not find the Scrawled Journal, Josh and Hannah will not recognize each other and the prophecy will come true.
Loss Totem #6[]
Loss Totem #6 can be found by Matt or Jessica in Chapter 10 in the mines after passing the fallen elevator at the end of the rail (toward camera). It foretells Mike burning to death in an explosion.
At the end of Chapter 10, if Sam chooses to run to the switch while Mike is still in the lodge, the prophecy will come true.
Guidance[]
| “ | Yellow butterflies offered visions to help and guide. | ” |
This type of totem foreshadows choices the character can make in the future. The individual segments are colored with yellow marks and together form a totem pole of mountain animals like bull, fox and beaver, symbolizing various aspects of survival.
Guidance Totem #1[]
Guidance Totem #1 can be found by Sam in Chapter 1 under the sign describing the Native American Totems. It foretells a bird landing and flying away from a table while Jessica and Mike play a snowball fight.
At the end of Chapter 1, Jessica has the choice to throw a snowball at the bird. By not doing so, the prophecy will come true and in Chapter 6, Matt will only encounter a calm deer.
Guidance Totem #2[]
Guidance Totem #2 can be found by Chris or Matt (in bonus segment) in Chapter 2 on the trail to the lodge, next to Matt. It foretells someone's fingers getting caught in a bear trap.
In Chapter 5, if Mike chooses to touch the moving hand in the Sanatorium morgue, the prophecy will come true and Mike could either lose his fingers or break a machete.
Guidance Totem #3[]
Guidance Totem #3 can be found by Mike in Chapter 3 in the snow right after his talk with Jessica about her prank. It foretells Sam climbing up a stone ledge next to a water wheel.
In Chapter 10, while walking through the water, Sam is able to climb up a ledge to the left of the water wheel. The prophecy will come true and Sam will find the Scrawled Journal, which will later save Josh's life.
Guidance Totem #4[]
Guidance Totem #4 can be found by Mike in Chapter 4 under the stairs to the mines. It foretells him petting a wolf.
In Chapter 5, if Mike did not kick the wolf and approaches him, the prophecy will come true and in Chapter 9, Wolfie will accompany Mike and protect him from the Wendigo with its own life.
Guidance Totem #5[]
Guidance Totem #5 can be found by Matt in Chapter 5 in the snow right after leaving the upper cable car station. It foretells Emily handing him a flare gun.
In Chapter 6, if Emily found the flare gun and chose to hand it to Matt, the prophecy will come true and Matt can potentially use the flare gun in the mines against a Wendigo to survive the attack (if he didn't agree to Emily's plan and tried to save her).
Guidance Totem #6[]
Guidance Totem #6 can be found by Emily in Chapter 6 by the stairs to the fire tower. It foretells Chris reluctantly putting down a gun onto a table.
In Chapter 6, if Chris does nothing while being caught in the Psycho's saw trap with Ashley, the prophecy will come true and Ashley will open the door for Chris in Chapter 8 after he escapes from the Wendigo.
Fortune[]
| “ | White butterflies brought dreams of luck and good fortune. | ” |
This type of totem foreshadows possible fortunate outcomes for characters. The individual segments are colored with white marks and together form a totem pole of birds, symbolizing freedom and well-being.
Fortune Totem #1[]
Fortune Totem #1 can be found by Mike in Chapter 2 in the mines, on the tracks where the mine cart came from. It foretells an injured Jessica waking up on a collapsed elevator shaft.
In Chapter 4, if Mike fails less than one QTE while taking all four slow paths or fails less than four QTEs while taking all four shortcuts, Jessica will survive and the prophecy will come true later in Chapter 9.
Fortune Totem #2[]
Fortune Totem #2 can be found by Mike in Chapter 5 at the gates of the Sanatorium. It foretells Matt outside the mine, cautiously looking back at the banging door.
In Chapter 10, if Matt chooses to keep running or abandon Jessica (if she's with him), the prophecy will come true.
Fortune Totem #3[]
Fortune Totem #3 can be found by Matt in Chapter 5 on the way to the cliff, under a tree. It foretells Ashley opening the door to let Chris in the lodge and Chris closing it.
In Chapter 8, if Chris executes every shooting QTE and didn't shoot Ashley in Chapter 6, the prophecy will come true.
Fortune Totem #4[]
Fortune Totem #4 can be found by Emily in Chapter 8 to the right of the second minecart, on the ground in the wooden structure. It foretells Mike about to shoot someone, but ultimately refuses.
In Chapter 8, if Emily gets bitten by a Wendigo (by not having the flare gun or failing to use it) and later Mike chooses not to shoot her, the prophecy will come true.
Fortune Totem #5[]
Fortune Totem #5 can be found by Sam in Chapter 10 in the mines, near the entrance to the lake. It foretells the survivors looking back at the burning lodge.
The prophecy will inevitably come true at the very end of Chapter 10, when Sam or Mike blow up the lodge and kill all the Wendigos and possibly survivors.
Fortune Totem #6[]
Fortune Totem #6 can be found by Josh in Chapter 10 after Sam leaves, on the left path of the intersection in the far back of the alcove. It foretells a Wendigo inching closer to Sam as she stays still.
In Chapter 10, if Sam successfully completes the first two Don't Move segments and chooses to save Mike, the prophecy will come true and Mike will be able to escape from the lodge while either Ashley or Emily is guaranteed to escape and survive.
Graph[]
This graph shows the chronological order of when each totem can be found, what they entail, who can find them, and where.
| Totem | Chapter | Character | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death Totem #1 | Prologue | Beth | Once Beth turns on her phone light, she can find Death Totem #1. It shows her and Hannah falling to their demise. |
| Guidance Totem #1 | 1 | Sam | Sam can find Guidance Totem #1 as she is walking to the cable car station. It is located next to the sign describing the Native American Totems. The premonition foretells a bird landing. |
| Guidance Totem #2 | 2 | Chris; Matt |
Chris can find Guidance Totem #2 in front of the lodge's steps, if he steps forwards to where Matt and Sam are. It shows Mike's fingers being caught in a bear trap. Matt can also find the totem later on in the chapter if Chris hadn't found it and if the player has the DLC Chapter. |
| Loss Totem #1 | 2 | Chris | Chris finds Loss Totem #1 when he breaks into the storage room of the lodge, showing Emily being burnt to death. |
| Danger Totem #1 | 2 | Mike | Mike can find Danger Totem #1 outside the lodge where the generator is, showing Ashley getting punched by The Psycho. |
| Fortune Totem #1 | 2 | Mike | After a cart was almost hitting Mike, instead of walk left and up the stairs, turn right and he can find Fortune Totem #1 in the mines, showing an injured Jessica waking up in an elevator shaft. |
| Loss Totem #2 | 2 | Mike | Right after getting out of the cave, turn left and Mike can find Loss Totem #2 at the dead end showing Jessica landing on an elevator with her jaw ripped off. |
| Danger Totem #2 | 3 | Mike | Turn left by the old truck and Mike can find Danger Totem #2, showing a herd of deer closing in. |
| Guidance Totem #3 | 3 | Mike | After Mike and Jess had a conversation about Jess' prank to Mike, he can find Guidance Totem #3 right in front of the starting point, showing Sam climbing up a wall next to a water wheel. |
| Guidance Totem #4 | 4 | Mike | After going down the stairs in the mines, Mike can find Guidance Totem #4, showing him petting a wolf. |
| Death Totem #4 | 4; 8 |
Chris | In the same place where Chris finds a pig's head, he can also find Death Totem #4, showing himself getting hung up by a screeching creature. Chris can also find this totem later on in Chapter 8 if he had missed it. |
| Loss Totem #3 | 4; 8 |
Chris | Before entering the shed, go to the right. At the dead end, Chris can find Loss Totem #3, showing Ashley's decapitated head fall and roll on the ground. Chris can also find this totem later on in Chapter 8 if he had missed it. |
| Fortune Totem #2 | 5 | Mike | Mike can find Fortune Totem #2 outside the gate found heading left from the starting point instead of right, showing Matt backing away from a banging door. |
| Loss Totem #4 | 5 | Mike | Mike can find Loss Totem #4 inside the Sanatorium cellar if he turns left at the shaft area before getting the barrels to go up, showing Matt's face getting bashed in. |
| Death Totem #3 | 5; 9 |
Mike | In the same area of the Mine Rescue Photo, before walking down the stairs, turn left and Mike can find Death Totem #3 showing himself lighting up a lighter and an explosion erupting. Mike can also find this totem later on in Chapter 9 if he had missed it. |
| Death Totem #2 | 5 | Matt | Instead of heading to the cable car station, turn right into the open area and Matt can find Death Totem #2 near the bushes, showing himself falling to his death. |
| Guidance Totem #5 | 5 | Matt | Right after leaving the cable car station with Emily, Matt can find Guidance Totem #5 before following Emily, showing Emily handing him a flare gun. |
| Fortune Totem #3 | 5 | Matt | Matt can find Fortune Totem #3 along the way to the cliff, showing Ashley opening a door to let Chris in. |
| Guidance Totem #6 | 6 | Emily | Right after Emily approaches the fire tower, she can find Guidance Totem #6, depicting Chris putting down a gun that was initially pointing at his chin. |
| Death Totem #5 | 7 | Emily | Emily can find Death Totem #5 near a ladder in the mines, which depicts her being shot in the eye. |
| Danger Totem #3 | 7 | Emily | Emily can find Danger Totem #3 near a rope, which depicts a Wendigo reaching for Mike through bars. |
| Fortune Totem #4 | 8 | Emily | After passing a mine cart, there will be another wooden structure. Here, Emily can find Fortune Totem #4, showing Mike choosing not to shoot a gun. |
| Danger Totem #4 | 9 | Mike | Walking through the door on the far right of the chapel, Mike can find Danger Totem #4 on the left, showing him getting attacked by a Wendigo. |
| Danger Totem #5 | 9 | Ashley | Down the hallway to the manhole, going left will lead into a small alcove, where Ashley can pick up Danger Totem #5, showing Josh as a partially transformed Wendigo. |
| Loss Totem #5 | 9 | Ashley; Chris |
If Ashley investigates the voice, she can pick up Loss Totem #5, on the left path of the fork with the two barrels, showing Josh having his head crushed. Chris can also find the totem later on in the chapter if he had been left behind and Ashley hadn't found it. |
| Death Totem #6 | 9 | Sam | If Sam goes up the stairs on the right (after climbing the wall), and continues to head straight, she can find Death Totem #6, showing her being impaled by a Wendigo in the lodge. |
| Fortune Totem #5 | 10 | Sam | Right before dropping into the water, on the right of the entrance, Sam can find Fortune Totem #5 showing her and her friends surviving after the lodge fire. |
| Fortune Totem #6 | 10 | Josh | Immediately after taking control of Josh, before heading out into the room with the bodies, turn left and walk all the way down, and Josh can find Fortune Totem #6, showing Sam standing motionless in front of an approaching Wendigo. |
| Loss Totem #6 | 10 | Matt; Jessica |
Loss Totem #6 can be found by Matt or Jessica (the latter if Matt is dead) on the side of the tracks, depicting Mike being incinerated in an explosion. |
| Danger Totem #6 | 10 | Sam | Sam can find Danger Totem #6 if she takes the right path near a tree, depicting a Wendigo leaping into the lodge and chasing the survivors. |
The Events of the Past[]
Each totem found by the player unlocks a piece of a short video, called The Events of the Past. By finding all totems, the puzzle will be completed near the end of the game, and the complete video will be unlocked.
In the video, The Stranger is heard talking about his grandfather, who, just like him, devoted his life to keeping the mountain safe from the Wendigos. He hunted them down and kept them contained, but there was one - the "fiercest of them all," whom he could not defeat: The Makkapitew. He then explains how the miners came to the mountain and how they were trapped within the mines during a cave-in. They resorted to murdering and devouring each other, reawakening the curse.
Over the next few years, the Stranger tried to catch the Makkapitew, but failed each time, as he would escape his grasp. It was until one night, when he was finally able to get a Wendigo in his sight. Conveniently, it was the same night that Hannah and Beth were out in the woods. The Makkapitew chased and forced them off the cliff, killing Beth. Despite his attempts, The Stranger could not save the twins, however, he could avenge them.
And so he did, killing the Makkapitew with fire. The Makkapitew was dead - but not entirely: its spirit continued to roam the mountain again, waiting for a next victim to possess.
Trivia[]
- In the remake, the totem system has been redesigned:
- A new type of totem called "Hunger Totems" is introduced.
- Totems are hidden in different locations.
- Some totems have new premonitions.
- The player needs to manually inspect the totems to find the premonitions.
- The achievement for getting all of them is changed to "An Omen" instead of "Night Of The Totem Hunter".
- Chapter 5 has the most totems able to be found, with a total of 6 totems.
- The Prologue, Chapter 1, and Chapter 6 have the least totems able to be found, with 1 in each.
- Mike can find the most totems out of all the protagonists, with a total of 10 totems.
- Josh and Jessica can find the least totems out of all protagonists, with 1 totem each.
- Considering that Jessica can find a totem only if Matt is dead, she may be the only protagonist who can't find any totems at all.
- The totems found on the mountain by the group of friends were put there by the Stranger who copied the Cree's artifacts in order to protect people against the Wendigos.
- According to the Stranger's Journal, totems have no effect inside buildings, which puts into question the location of most totems in the lodge, sanatorium and mines.
- Fortune totems usually represent a good outcome, however, Fortune Totem #2 implies that Jessica is dead.
- Death Totem #1, Danger Totem #2 and Fortune Totem #5 show the events that will always happen in the game, regardless of the player's decisions (albeit, the latter shows silhouettes of survivors).
- A few totems can be found in different segments and chapters, or found by different protagonists:
- Death Totem #3 can be found in the same location in both Chapter 5 and Chapter 9.
- Death Totem #4 can be found in the same location in both Chapter 4 and Chapter 8.
- Loss Totem #3 can be found in the same location in both Chapter 4 and Chapter 8.
- Loss Totem #5 can be found in the same location by Ashley or Chris (if he was left behind, and Ashley didn't find the totem before him).
- Loss Totem #6 can be found in the same location by Matt or Jessica (if Matt died in Chapter 6, while Jessica survived Chapter 4).
- Guidance Totem #2 can be found in the same location by Chris or Matt (during the DLC segment, and if Chris didn't find the totem before him).
- Guidance Totem #6 in the original game reveals animation that does not actually happen during the story. Though the totem urges the player to do nothing, which is an option, there is no on-screen moment in which Chris places the gun back down.
- In the remake, this totem was replaced by Chris putting the gun to his own head which does use animation the player will see and is another option to save Chris.
- In an earlier build of the game, the totems' visions were much more distorted.[1]
- In an earlier build of the game, Emily could find a Death Totem in Chapter 6 showing Matt's jaw being impaled on the meat hook, in the spot she finds Guidance Totem #6 instead in the final version.[2]
- This reveals that the mechanics of totems were changed in development. In the final version of the game, a Death Totem always shows the death of the character who found the totem, while a Loss Totem always shows the death of a character other than the one who found the totem. However, the Death Totem in this demo build didn't show Emily's death, despite her finding it. Additionally, there are no totems with premonitions of characters that may have already died at the time the totem could be found in the original game. This Death Totem of Matt could've been found after he might have already died at the clifftop.
Gallery[]
Locations Guide[]
UNTIL DAWN - All Totem Locations
All totem locations.
References[]
Game Mechanics
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Butterfly Effect |
 Clues |
 Totems |
 Trophies |
 Don't Move |