Basics of Runes
Taken on their own, runes are simply letters. When put into a string, they might form words and phrases such as "This hammer was made by Gunther" or "Peace be upon you." There is nothing wrong with using runes in this way, and most runic inscriptions are no more magical than the letters you write when completing your homework. The Elder Futhark is, first and foremost, a script for Old Norse in much the same way that Latin letters are used to write French or English.
Yet, runes are also, of course, used for magical purposes. They are used for divination, casting, spells and enchantments, and can even be used in potions by inscribing runes onto the cauldron or vials. They are frequently used as talismans, and it is well-known that runes can enhance almost all areas of magic. Runes may even be a necessary component for a spell to last or maintain its effect for extended periods of time. As will be explored more in-depth in further chapters, uses for runes are varied, and it may take a lifetime to learn them all. However, even the ability to recognize the difference between magical and non-magical runes or between Perthro upright (a fertility blessing) and Perthro merkstave or inverted (a curse of infertility) can serve a wizard well.
The Self-regenerating Theory
After the discovery of large numbers of Late Neolithic Chinese runes that did not seem to lose their strength, a British alchemist named Benjamin Bellows posited in the mid-20th century that runes only needed the initial transformation into magical runes. Once imbued, properly set runes would automatically maintain their magic until a magic user transformed the rune again.
It is also important to note that each runic script does not activate in the same way or with the same spells. After all, you would hardly expect the Mayans to use the same words to form magic that the Vikings would use! In fact, spells are not the only way to activate runes, though it certainly is the most common. However, for the purposes of this book, we will only be discussing spell-based activation as it applies to the various scripts of Scandinavia and Frisia.
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Rune Dictionary
Fiksi UmumThe go-to guide for beginners or those revisiting runology. Contains information about the history and origins of runes, how to use them, and a full dictionary containing the meanings and uses of each rune.
