[ben_w]

It's also the only time he used that for "e" on that page, everywhere else on that page has "ᛖ" (ehwaz).

Quite plausibly because, as you say, it's somewhat phonetic, given that's a silent "e".

And yes, it is indeed a mess, the futhark I learned had only "ᚲ" for both "c" and "k", while that text has a different symbol for each in "back".

[thaumasiotes]

> It's also the only time he used that for "e" on that page, everywhere else on that page has "ᛖ" (ehwaz).

He isn't using it for "e". He's using it for "eo".