About twenty four little stories taken from the Works of Tolkien, each Connected to a rune from the old Nordic culture. There are plenty of characters fitting the tales of the runes.
The first rune of this chapter is the rune known as Nyd, it means need or distress in a very negative way, it signals difficulties, resistance both from the inside and from outside forces. It also signals that one can overcome it all by having endurance and inner strength, one must take it easy, accept the situation and learn from the discomfort, it may also serve as a warning that the good times are coming to an end. If Nyd shows up during a reading it will slow down the other runes and there will be a delay in what they are telling you. Since Nyd is such a sinister rune in many ways I have chosen a sinister situation for this one. Maedhros captivity in Angband.
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It was never ending, like a nightmare one is unable to wake up from. The constant fear of what would come next his only companion and he was clinging on to whatever hope he had with every last ounce of strength. He would not be broken, could not give in. He was the firstborn of Fëanor, of the spirit of flame, and his own fire burned no less wildly than that of his father.
He was shivering slightly, the constant torment and pain was pushing his energy to its limit, he didn't heal as fast as he used to and the last whipping had been merciless. His back a mass of torn tissue and coagulated blood and he knew he was a mess. The cell so small and dark and dank and his only joy the porridge some orc would bring every now and then. It tasted like crap and had no nutritional value but it was food.
He had been so strong, but now he was fearing that his strength was fading. His muscles had gone and he was skin and bones and he knew that only his anger and his hatred kept him alive. And the oath, not to forget that accursed oath. How the dark one loved to taunt him, mock him, standing there with those three bright gems shining from his crown. His brothers could do nothing to save him and he knew that, they hadn't abandoned him as that accursed maia claimed for he knew his brothers and nothing that fallen maia said could convince him they had. He wasn't stupid, sometimes you have got to make sacrifices, no matter how horrible and this time the price was his to pay.
They had beaten him, put red hot irons to his skin, cut into him and yet he refused to break. He remained defiant and told them nothing, no matter what they did. Not even when they used his body to sate their own perverted lusts did he break, although that was the worst torment he had yet to endure. He had become like a sword, beaten out, folded and reshaped over and over again and for each time stronger, less likely to break. When they thought they were breaking him they were in fact forging a weapon that would be wielded against them, his wrath and his hatred burning hotter than the lava of Thangorodrim, and one day it would be unleashed. It was an oath just as sacred as the one they had all sworn, and he would live to see it fulfilled.
The next Rune this time is Lagu, it means water and is a feminine rune. It is important to life, in fact there can hardly be life without water and yet it can be lethal. This rune has an element of something elusive and insubstantial, ever changing and yet uncontrollable. This can in some settings mean a sensual madness or sexual obsession. Lagu does also deal with the subconscious and intuition, psychic abilities and the supernatural. It can be deceptive at times, more elusive and fleeting than directly wicked, and it is a feminine force. Lagu is often a rune which is thought to represent witches. For this rune I have chosen quite a feminine force, namely Melian.
