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NorthernTraditionShamanism:ChildrenOfTheVoid:RunesAsSpiritAllies

TheDisclaimer:First,IdonotpracticeanyformofNativeAmericanspirituality.Mypracticeisderivedfrommy
understandingofancientnorthernEurasianpractices.Second,Iamnotnow,norhaveIeverbeen,amemberofanyAsatru
orHeathengroup.IdonotidentifyasAsatruorHeathen.IamanortherntraditionPagan,whichisareligioustraditionthat
isreconstructionistderived,ratherthanareconstructionistreligioustraditionsuchasAsatruand/orHeathenry.Theviews
espousedinthesepagesmayormaynotreflecttheviewsofmostAsatruand/orHeathenpeopleorreligiousgroups.They
arederivedfromthepersonalgnosisofmyselfandotherpeoplewhomItrustandrespect.Idonotclaimthattheyare
provablebyacademicsources,northattheyareanythingotherthanwhatIsaytheyare.Readatyourownrisk.

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Children Of The Void: Runes As Spirit Allies

excerpt from Wyrdwalkers: Techniques of NorthernTradition Shamanism

When Odin hung suffering on the Tree,

coming as close to death as he could
withoutpassingover,andinthatliminal
state managed to rip open a hole in
Ginnungagap for the Runes to come
through....what were they, really? The
answers tend to fall into the categories
either of "divinatory symbols" or
"magical talismans". It seems that no
oneeverthinkstoseethemasspiritsin
andofthemselves,whichperhapsisthe
hubris of the magician...or perhaps a
sort of camouflage that they have
erected. It seems that no matter how
long one works with them, unless it
occurs to one to see them as spirits
rather than mere symbols, one never
does. As soon as it occurs to you,
however,ithappens,andtheretheyare,
asiftosay,"Wewonderedwhenyou'dfigureitout."
YettheRunesarethespiritalliesmostcalledonbythosewhoworkwiththenortherntradition,nomatter
that they have no idea that the RuneSpirits exist as such. Have you ever stared at a runereading and
hadnoideawhatitsaid?That'sthemomenttocallonthespiritsoftheRunesthemselvesandaskthem
whatitmeans.I'msurethatyoucansee,now,howthiswouldbeusefulwhenitcomestogaldrmagicas
well.Thischapterismyexperienceswiththesespirits,andhowtheycametome,andhowIworkwith
them.
Runespiritsareagoodexampleofapartnershiprelationshipwithspiritstheyareverypowerful,butnot
enough to command, compel, or own a human being nor can they be commanded or compelled. They
aregenerallyquitewillingtodowhatitisintheirnaturetodo,andsolongasyoukeepthatinmind,you
canworkwiththem.Iftheychoosetoworkforyou,greatifnot,youcan'tmakethem.Onceyoustart
working with them as spirits rather than merely constructs, they will expect more of you in your rune
workings.Theywillhavesomethingtosayabouttheenchantmentsthatyouusethemin,andtheywillgo
on strike if they feel that you've done something wrong. On the other hand, they can be invaluable for
advice on creating magic or doing divination nobody understands the Runes better than the Runes
themselves. Working directly with them gives your magic a kick that merely playing with sacred sigils
doesn't,butyouwillneedtousethemmorecarefully.
ForthosewhohaveneverdealtwiththeRunesasdivinationandmagic,thischapterwillnothelpyouwith
that.Thereareplentyandenoughbooksonthesubject,aswellaspeoplewillingtoteach,andthereisn't
roomforthathere.And,frankly,ifyouaretryingtobeanortherntraditionspiritworkerofanykind,you
should already be familiar with the Runes, or be studying them and using them now. This is advanced
runeworkingforthosewhoalreadyknow,andnoapologiesaboutit.Aswithallthings,sinceIworkwith
theFuthorcrunes,IwillgobackandforthbetweentheNorseandSaxonnames,andpeoplewilljusthave
tofollowalonganddealwiththat.

BeyondAettir:RuneCategories
Inlookingthroughrunishlore,manyoldNorsetermscomeup,manyofwhicharefuzzyintheirmeanings.

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Ifunsure,thebestthingistoasktheRunesthemselves,andletthemgivethedefinitions.Someofthese
troublesomewordsinclude audhstafr,flrdgstafr,gamanrunar, hugrunar, malrunar, limrunar, svartrunar,
trollrunar, leodrunar, heidhrunand myrkstafr, and galdrastafr. As far as I can figure out, from my own
workingwithRunesinbothsymbolandspirit,thesearecategoriesbothoftheRunesthemselvesfortheir
properties,andofhowtheycanbecombined.Forexample,FehuandGyfuarebothusedforwealth,buta
bindruneofthetwowouldbeevenmorepowerful,andwouldalsobereferredtointhesamecategory.
Obviously,somecategorieshavebeenlost,soallwecandoistodefinetheonesthatremain,andlookfor
whatelsewecanfigureout.

Audhstafrmeans"staveofriches"theaudhstafrrunesareFehu,Gyfu,andJera.Usethemincombination
inordertobringwealthandabundance.
Flrdgstafrmeans"staveofdeception",andtheflrdgstafrrunesareHagalaz,Nyth,andThorn.Thornis
also the Trollrune, the rune of the Thurses (Thurisaz), and writing it thrice before any other rune will
invertthatrune'spower,recallingthepowerofthebottomoftheTreetoturnthingsaround,nomatter
whattheyaredeathischange,andallchangeisdeathtosomething.
Gamanrunar means "joyrunes" the gamanrunar are Wunjo, Sigil, and Chalc. These are antidepressant
runes,andincombinationtheycanhavea"lightening"effectonnearlyanyone.
Hugrunarmeans"mindrunes",andareusedformentalexcellence.Malrunarreferstorunesthatareused
forpersuasivespeech.Theseseemtobethesamesetofrunesindifferentcombinations.TheyareAnsuz,
Os, Yr, Ken, Dagaz, and Stan. Combine them into bind runes for improving the mind, speech,
communications,etc.
Limrunarmeans"healingrunes",andthelimrunarareUruz,Berkana,Laguz,andAc.Theyarealsocalled
Liknstafr,or"healthstave".Combinethemintobindrunesforhealingwork.
The Svartrunar are the "dark runes", meaning runes that are used for shadow work, heavy magics that
makeuseofthedarkness,andalsonegativemagic.TheSvartrunararePeorth,Ear,Ior,andCweorthyou
willnoticethatbothdeathrunesarehere,therottinggraveandthefuneralpyreslowdecayandquick
burning, as well as the binding Serpent and the Rune of Fate. These can be used in combination to do
seriousshadowworkbindingorrevealingordestroyingwhennecessary.
Fromhere,onecouldlookattheremainingrunesandconjectureothergroupingsforinstance,Mannaz,
OthilaandIngcombineintoagroupingthatspeaksofthePeopleandtheFleshbloodlines,sacrifice,and
reincarnation.Tyr,Algiz,andEihwazareprotective/defensive.Raido,Ehwaz,andIsaaremovementrunes
stopandgo.
The term galdrastafr means a stave of magic, a bind rune stave. Some of the galdrastafar in The
Galdrabok, the old Icelandic grimoire, seem to have no resemblance to the Runes per se, being vertical
lines off of which various signs and symbols hang. The vertical line is what creates the "stave" in all of
theseterms,aswellastheassumptionthatthesewereoncecarvedonsticksformagicalpurposes.
Twotermsthatseemtogotogether,atleastinmypractice,are heidhrun(or heidhstafr)and myrkstafr.
Ratherthansimplygoingwiththeirliteralmeanings"brightstave"and"murkystave",theyseemtobe
referringtothepositiveandnegativeaspectsofanygivenrune.Therefore,HeidhstafrFehumightmean
richesorsolidvalueswhileMyrkstafrFehumightmeanmaterialismandgreed.MyrkstafrThornisobvious,
butaHeidhstafrThornmightbethatwhichpricksthelazyintoaction.
Other terms that bear looking at include leodruna, which means "songrune" and may refer to a sung
galdr using rune names hlautar meaning "lots", which is a random term for runes and refers to the
sortilege"luck"natureofusingthemasdivination(andmakesonewonderifruneswereusedforsacred
lots to choose sacrifices) and teinar meaning "twigs" , which seems to be an ancient slang term for
magical staves. There is also the mysterious word Jotnavillur, which literally means the shadowy
enchantmentsoftheJotnar,andsomepeople'sUPGsuggeststhatthismayrefertosomeorallofHel's
Aett.

TheRuneSpirits:
Fehu/Feoh:TheHerderorWhore
TheRuneSpiritFehuisfeminineinnature,somewhatmaterialistic,andquitedomesticandhomeloving.
Fehu keeps and sells herd animals, and that simple fact is a defining quality of her nature. She is more
thanasimpleshepherdesssheownsampleflocksandherds,andthusiswealthyandhaspowerinthe
tribe. She may appear with cows, or goats, or sheep, or reindeer what matters is that she knows their
worth,anddoesnotsettleforanythinglessthanthebest.Amaturewomanofampleproportions,usually
clad in green, she likes comfort and even luxury. She loves physical sensuality and her bed is open to
many,butliketheSacredWhorethereisapricetopay,althoughitisprobablyworthpaying.Fehugives
abundance,butitislesstheabundanceofsuddenwindfallsthanoffairtradeinanatmosphereofbounty,
one'shonesteffortspayingoffbetterthanoneexpected.

Uruz/Ur:TheChieftain
Uruzisahighlymasculinewarriorspirit,manifestingasatall,broad,greatlymuscledmanwhostandsa
goodheadtallerthanalltheothers.Brownandbearded,hewearstheskinsofanimalslikeabarbarian
king,andthereisabulllikequalitytohisfaceandnature.Histotemisthegreataurochs,thenowextinct
Europeanbuffalo,andliketheaurochshewillbellowandtrampleanythingbetweenhimselfandhisgoals.
He is the irresistible force which sweeps all before it like leaves, the strong back that never bows in
weakness. However, unlike a berserker, he has the strength of selfcontrol as well, keeping himself in

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check.Uruzknowsthattobeoutofcontrolisinitselfaweakness,asistoomuchunharnessedrage.His
forcefulnesscanbedisconcertingtothoseofweakerwillwhosummonhimtheyoftenexpectabruteand
instead get a stern, forbidding mountain of a man who can push his case and sometimes bully them, if
they prove weak in his eyes. His leadership charisma is intense, and inspires loyalty. Uruz loves the
mountainsofJotunheimofalltheplacesintheNineWorlds.

Thurisaz/Thorn:TheBerserker
Thorn is an unpleasant customer. When he laughs, it is probably because someone has suffered some
humiliatingturnthathasbroughtlowtheirpride.Whenheisfrowning,youcanexpectthattherewillbe
smiting,abevyofsmallnastyprickstodrivesomeoneinsane.Whenhehasworkedhimselfintoarageby
dintofthatsamemethodcontemplatingandobsessingonallthehorridthingsintheworldhegoeson
abloodyrampageunrivaledbyanyRuneSpiritsaveHagalaz.Thornlivestobringdowntheprideful,the
hypocritical,therigid,thecruel,thelazyand,yes,thenaive.Tall,muscled,bearded,hiseyesglintred
andhisfingersdripwithblood.Ifyoucanbearit,though,nooneisbetteratgettingyoumotivatedtodo
somethingthatyouhate.Ifyouaskhimto,hewillkeepatyouuntilyoudoitnofogofprocrastination
can stop his onslaught. He is also something of a reverser, with a gift of turning things around. This
meansthathecanturnaroundabadsituationaswell,ifhecarestobutonlyifthesufferingislevered
onto someone else. He is married to Nyth, and one way to control him is to invoke her as well. Thorn
lovesthewastesofNiflheim,wherehecanbealonewithhisrageandbitterness.

Ansuz/Aesc:TheWingedOne
Ansuzisfondofappearingasabirdofvarioussorts.Whenthisrunehastakenahumanfacetospeakto
me, it has been an androgynous winged being, not so much a shining angeltype as a halfbird
shapeshifterwithnervousenergy,flutteringorrushingfromoneperchtothenext.Ansuzcarriesallthe
powerofthebirdinflight,andsingsagreatdealpracticallyeverythingAnsuzsayscomesoutintheform
of a galdrsong. Ansuz is the Spirit of Freedom, wings outstretched and flying upwards even the glyph
suggests a bird ascending. When not looking at you or some other specific object, Ansuz always looks
upwards.AstheMessengerRune,Ansuzhasbeenknowntocarrymessagestoandfromdifferentparties,
or at the least can be asked to guide a spell to the right place, but Ansuz won't tap someone on the
shoulderunlesstheyhavemadesomesortofconnectionwiththisvolatilespirit,sothedeliveryismore
like dropping something in someone's lap and rushing off they may notice it, or they may not. As the
worldattheheightoftheTree,AnsuzismostfondofAsgard,andtheeagleHraesvelgthatlivesinthe
branchesabove.

Raido/Rade:TheWanderer
Raidoisacheerfuldarkyoungmalefigure,eyesonthehorizonandheartalwaysonthenextadventure.
He appears dressed in warm clothing and worn shoes, perhaps with a stick in his hand, perhaps with a
bagoverhisshoulder,alwaysonthemove.UnliketheHorsemanwhohasaspecificplaceinmindanda
set time to get there, Raido is happy to wander about as his feet take him. He fully intends to get
someplaceimportant,andusuallyhedoes,butinthemeantimethejourneyistheimportantpart.Tohim,
it'sallaboutcollectingexperience,andtodothathehastomakenoassumptionsastowherehemight
endup.Heisawonderfultravelingcompanion,butnotsogoodforthelonghaulofaboringlife,ashis
attention span is fairly short. While he loves every world on the Tree they all have their joys and
wondershisfavoriteis,strangelyenough,HelheimatthebottomoftheHelRoad.Tomostpeople,this
would be where all roads end Raido calls it his beginning road, where he starts out, and being there
meansthatallroadsareaheadofhim.

Kaunaz/Ken:TheSmith
Ken appeared to me as a blacksmith working at his forge. He is tall, strong, and wellmuscled, with a
piercing, straightforward gaze, and long hair drawn back out of his smudged face. I got the impression
thathemightsometimesappearinasomewhatDuergarform,andindeedhisfavoriteplaceisinNidavellir
intheircavesandforges,butformeheappearedasfairlyhuman.Heslammedhishammerdownonthe
anvilandspokeofhowtruthisthefirethatforges,thatburnsandmeltsawaythedross,andthehammer
blowsofLifearewhatmakeusstronger.Hismannerisverydirect,withnofrillshespeaksthingsexactly
as he sees and is somewhat scornful of the need for fancy verbal footwork. His words can be painful,
scorching like flames or falling like hammer blows, and he spares no one. Ken comes in with noise and
ringing and after he is gone, the air at least is clear, if some of the more sensitive souls are fallen in a
faint.Thereisoftenthesmellofsmokeandironwhencommunicatingwithhim.

Gebo/Gyfu:TheGiver
Gyfu appears to me as a northern housewife, plump and smiling amidst piles of blond curls, usually
bringingsomefinedishorfancytrinket,orworkingonahomemadegiftforsomeone.Shelovestogive
gifts,buttheymustbeproperlyappreciatedortherewillbenomoreforthcoming.Sheisnotinterestedin
thebargainingoffairtradealthoughtheyarebothspiritsofabundance,Fehu'smercenarysidemakesher
shake her head. In Gyfu's world, people just give each other things because they care and because it
makes one feel good to give, and one gift leads to another, and everyone gets everything they want
eventually.Ifsheisofferedsomethingoutofdutyorobligation,itisnotasgoodtohersheissubjective
and emotional and demands equal emotion for her generosity. Even a delighted thanks and a sincere

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complimentisreturnenough.Sheisagoodspirittocalluponforwaystoincreasehamingja,andfrithin
thecommunity,butshecanbeconfusingforlessemotionalpeopletodealwith.Shelovesthecrafthalls
ofSvartalfheimandthefieldsofVanaheim,anddivideshertimebetweenthose.

Wunjo/Wyn:TheLightbringer
Wyncametomeinanauraofradiantgoldenlight,aslenderfigurewithlongpalehair.Shewasfemale,
butandrogynous,andIgottheimpressionthatshecouldjustaseasilyappearasanandrogynousmale
figureaswell,aslenderbrothertothesisterpresented.Therewassomethingvaguelyelflikeinherlarge
eyes and graceful movements, and certainly the world that she loves most is Ljossalfheim, and that is
where she can generally be found. She is a dancer, sometimes carrying a torch that sheds light
everywhere,andsometimessheherselfisthetorch,wreathedinlightlikeafigureofSt.Lucia.Whenshe
moves,herfigureleavesatrackoflightontheinnereyethattakesawhiletofade.Wynisalwayssmiling
atworsetimeshersmilemightbeslightlysad,atbetteronesitispositivelybeamingandsheisthe
bringeroflightintodarkplaces,andjoyintosadness.Sheistheonewholiftsdepression,castsawaydark
clouds, and shines clarity into shadows, bringing forth creativity and laughter. If there is nothing but
sorrowaboutwhenyoucallher,andshecannotbringanylight,shewillmerelyvanishherattentionspan
isnotalongone.

Hagalaz/Haegl:TheStormbringer
HagalazisgenerallyconsideredtobetheharshestoftheRunes,andsheisnotonetobetrifledwith.She
appears as a paleskinned woman almost corpsepale with long black hair that is either whipping in
high windsorplasteredtoherhead withraintheonly time thatIsaw it floating gentlywas when she
appeared in the middle of a blizzard. Hagalaz brings down storms on people sometimes chaos,
sometimesradicalchange,sometimesjustmisfortune.Sheisacreatureofstrongpassionssheweeps,
screams, rages, laughs hysterically but the thing to remember is that her smiting of people is never
random.Shealwaysfeelsthatthereisagoodreasonthatthispersonshouldsufferthistrial,althoughyou
may not understand or agree with her purposes. To her, either the storm makes you stronger, sweeps
away the unnecessary, and clears the air for new growth....or it destroys you, in which case you were
weakanyway,andpartoftheflotsamtobecleanedout.Themostdangerousofthesvartrunar,shehasa
strong affinity with the worlds of Helheim (which she finds peaceful) and Niflheim (which she finds
invigorating),andoccasionallywithlightningstruckJotunheimaswell.

Nauthiz/Nyth:TheCrone
Nythisanoldwoman,sternanduprightandglaring,ateacherbutnotaneasyone.Sheteachessurvival
skillsinaschoolofhardknockswhenyoulearnsomethingfromher,youwilldefinitelyknowitwell,but
itmaynotbeapleasantexperience.Sheisatribaljudgeofthepowerbehindthethronesort,oneofthe
oldwomenthatthechiefdarednotmistreatfortheirsharptongues.Hernarrowedeyeswilllookyouup
anddownandjudgeyouquicklyandharshly,andthentellyouexactlywhatitisthatyouneedtolearnin
ordertoimproveyoursorrycondition.Itmaybesomethingthatseemshumiliatinglyfoolishandbasicit
may be something that you despair of ever reaching. She will not, however, offer to teach you that is
something that you must ask for yourself, and then submit to whatever lesson she inflicts. Nyth is the
poweroftheneedfire,thewarmthwithoutwhichourancestorswouldnothavesurvived,andtheskillit
tooktomakeit.IamundertheimpressionthatsheisthewifeofThorn,andtheonlyonewhocankeep
himincheck.HerfavoriteworldisMuspellheim,whichwarmsherchillyoldbones.

Isa/Is:TheIceQueen
Mistress Isa is, like her name suggests, very much the Ice Queen. Tall, pale, eyes blue as shadows on
snow,hair blackasthewaterundertheice,sheisrobed inwhite and silver.Herdemeanorisstiffand
haughtyshedislikesmostpeopleandshowsit.However,sheisnotpettyandwilleitherhelporleave,
perhapswithanexcoriatingremarkintheprocess.LikeNyth,sheisaNosayer,settinglimitswhenthey
need to be set. "Everything needs to stop sometimes," she says. "Unbridled growth leads to imbalance.
Somethingsmustremainstillthatotherscanmoveaboutthem."Appealingtohervanitymaymakeher
morelikelytohelpyou,asshedoesactuallyenjoyusingherpowerstostopthingsintheirtracks.Never
insult her dignity or imply that she ought to loosen up, or that freezing glance will alight on you, and
shrivelyou.MistressIsaprefersthesnowypartsoffrozenNiflheimforherperfectvacationgetaway.

Jera/Jer:TheFarmer
WheneverJeraappears,shealwayshassomekindoffarmimplementinherhandadiggingstick,ahoe,
a shovel, a threshing flail, a winnowing basket, a bag of seeds to put lovingly into the earth. Although
farmerscanbeanygender,Jeraappearsasfemaleamaturewomanwithcallousedhands,sunbrowned
face,sturdyworkclothes,hairbraidedbacksoasnottointerferewiththeWork.AndWorkitissheisthe
Laborer,thehardestworkingofthemall.ToJera,nothingislefttoluck.Allworthmustbeearned,and
thereisnothingsweeterthantheharvestwhenyouhaveputinyourtimeandtherewardcanbegathered
in.Thatisthetruemeasureofworth,shetellsus.Yetshedoesnottoilmerelyoutofduty.Jerahonestly
lovestheearththatshetends,andshelivesdaytodayinthecycleofweatherandtime,andshowsus
howlaborcanalsobesacred.SheismostfondoftheworldofVanaheim,wherethesoilisthemostfertile
and the Wheel of the Year the most keenly felt, and all the farming energy patterns the land like a

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patchworkquiltofgoodintention.

Eihwaz/Eoh:TheProtector,orBridegroom
Eihwaz is the husband of Mannaz the pregnant bride, and the protector of their future children. Tall,
sturdy,andhonestfaced,hebearsonlyhisstaffofyewasweaponandasproofofhisvirility.UnlikeTyr
who fights out of honor and service to the tribe, or Algiz who guards out of territoriality, or Thorn who
battlesoutofrage,Eihwazliftshisstaffonlyoutofloveforthosehecaresfor.Heputshisbodybetween
his family and the enemy because his love for them is so great that he would die to protect them, yet
mostlyhewishesforahappyandcontenthome.Thatisforemostinhisthoughtshedoesnotseebattle
as glorious but as a temporary obstacle between one content homebound day and another. He is
unsophisticatedbutloyal,asmuchormorealoverthanafighter.Thoughheispoisedonthethresholdof
leavingyouthaltogether,thereisstillaninnocenceabouthim.Likehiswife,helovesMidgardmorethan
anyotherworld,foritistherethatthefolkmostneedprotecting.

Perth/Peorth:TheWeaver,orPriestess
Perthappearsasawomanrobedinblack,silverofhairandofmiddleyears.Sometimessheisspinningor
weavingataloom,althoughshewillnottellyouwhatitisthatsheismaking,orforwhatpurpose.Itis
likelythatherworkislinkedinsomehowtothatoftheNornir,perhapsapalereflectionthereof.Shewill
alsosometimesappearwithahandfuloflotsmadefromthepasternbonesofsheep,whichwereusedto
choosesacrificialvictims.Ifyouwanthertoaidyou,shemayrequestthatyoutakeyourchanceswiththe
lots, and see what comes up. While such a request should be pondered for a good long time, life is
nothing without risk. Perth is a priestess, and is wise in the ways of Wyrd and hamingja she is also a
goodaidforanydivinertohave,especiallywhentheymusttranslateinscrutablemessages.Asonemight
expect,PerthlikestobeneartheWellofWyrdinAsgard,althoughshewillalsotraveltoMimir'sWelland
otherplacesofwisdom.

Algiz/Eolhx:TheGuardian
Algizisawarrior,butunlikeTyr,whoisquitewillingtogoonaggressivemaneuverssolongasthecause
is honorable, Algiz keeps solely to the defensive warding of set boundaries. He is the border guard, the
marker of territory, and as such has a strong affinity with all animals who mark territory, especially
predators.Heistall,dark,wild,andreclusive,sometimesshowinghimselfinwolf'shameandsometimes
antlered, staring through pine boughs from where he watches and guards. He speaks little and does
much,andisexcellenttobesettowatchone'sback.Thereisoftenastronganimalsmell,orsometimes
anevergreenforestscent,whenheappears.Generallytherewillbeafewmomentsoflagtimebetween
callinghimandnoticingthathehasappeared,andyoumissedit.Whenarousedtobattle,heisafierce
challenger, standing his ground and barring the path, and none shall pass without getting past him. He
hasastrongaffinityforthewildsofJotunheim,andalldeepforests.

Sowelu/Sigil:TheValkyrie
SigilappearsasaValkyrie,allwhiteandgoldwithaswordinherhand,andgreatswanmaiden'swings.
UnlikeWynorDagaz,theother"bright"RuneSpirits,sheisfairlysternandsometimesevengrim,evenas
she glows mightily. She is known for only appearing briefly she stays rarely more than a minute when
summonedbyhumanbeings.Shehaslittleuseforweaklingsandwhiners,andwillonlycometothebrave
ofheart."Victoryiswhatyoumakeofit,"shesayscryptically,andthensheisgone.Ifyouarelucky,she
has pointed out the one thing you need to do in order to be victorious, often she comes and leaves
without saying a word. As one might expect, Sigil prefers Asgard to all the other worlds, and she is
reveredtherebyallOdin'sValkyries.

Teiwaz/Tyr:TheWarrior
It'snotsurprisingthatthisrunewasnamedforthegreatgodTyr,LordofSwords,forTyrtheruneisvery
muchlikeTyrtheGod.Heisquitemale,blunt,grim,courageous,valiant,andhonorabletothelastdrop
of his blood. He does not like to lend his magic to any aggressive purpose that could be deemed
dishonorable,andwillsilently,stubbornlyrefuseitifyouincorporatethisruneintoabindruneforastave
and he does not approve of it, it simply won't work. He is energetic but not merry he laughs little but
caresgreatly.Tyrisagoodteacherofthemartialarts,especiallythepsychologicalsideofit:thegivingof
couragetemperedwithreasonandhonor.Hehasgreatpatiencewiththosewhoaregivingafighttheir
best shot and losing he has none at all for those who waste his time. Tyr is fond of both Asgard and
Jotunheim,asthatiswherethegreatestwarriorslie,andherefusestochoosebetweenthem.

Berkana/Beorc:TheMother
Berkanaisthemostfeminineofalltherunesherveryglyphisapairofbreasts,andsheoverflowswith
nurturing.Sheisespeciallylinkedwiththemagicoftrees(especiallybirches,ofcourse)andcontainsthe
energy of the tree reaching yearningly toward the sky. She is growth with no limits and no boundaries,
andassuchshewillgiveuntilshehasnomore,andthenquietlyfadeawayforatime,andnothingwill
bringherbackuntilshehasrecuperated.Sheisespeciallyfondofmothers,children,andtheneedyshe
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greatestofthe limrunar,thehealingrunes,butshecanonlyhealinaccordwithWyrd,soifshecannot
help,looktothethreadsforinformation.Ifshedoesnotlikethepurposeofthemagicsheisbeingtied
into, she will weep, but not strike back. However, some of the other more aggressive runes may strike
backonherbehalf,sobewarned.BerkanaismostfondoftherealmofVanaheim,althoughshehasan
oddfondnessforthetalltreesoftheJotunheimforests.

Ehwaz/Eh:TheHorseman
Despiteallfictiontothecontrary,theHorsemanRuneSpiritisnoromantichighwayman.Hecomesacross
as a cheerful, plain workingman whose job is traveling from one specific place to another, usually on
horseback.Sometimesheisacarterbringingacargoofgoodsfromoneplacetothenext,urgingonhis
ploddingcarthorsetheoriginalteamster/trucker,bringingProgressonemileatatime.Sometimesheisa
courier,gallopingonhisswiftfootedsteed,deliveringhismessageandtearingoffwiththereplywithout
even getting out of the saddle. Unlike Raido, who takes long journeys for the experience of it, perhaps
without even being sure where the journey will end, Ehwaz prefers to know where he is going, have a
decentmap,andgetthereandbackwiththemissionsafelyaccomplished.Thegoalisthepoint,notthe
tripheissupremelygoalorientedandstaysfocusedonthat.Hehasagooddealofpatience,though
sometimesthehorseisjustaploddingplowhorseandthat'sthataslongasheknowsthatit'salltowards
thegreatergoal.EhwazismostathomeintheworldofMidgard,asthatistheworldfromwhichnoother
worldistoofaraway,thecenterpointofconnections.

Mannaz/Mann:TheBride
IexpectedMannaztobemalewhenIcalledthatRuneSpiritforth,andIwastakenabacktofindayoung
female presence, garlanded with flowers, and very pregnant. "I am the Hope of the People," she said
simply.Ittookmeamomenttogetovermysurprise,andthenIrememberedthattheword Mannhas
only meant "male human" for a millennium before that it was were and wif for man and woman, and
MannwasaneutralwordforpersonpluralizeditwasThePeople,asinthewordfortheGermanictribe
AlemanniAllThePeople..(Thestoryofhow"person"cametomean"maleperson"and"femaleperson"
cametomean"marriedfemaleperson"isonenotevenworthgoingintoforthepainofit.)Iremembered,
also,thattheglyphforMannazisthemanandwomanbeinghandfasted.
Sohereshewas,thepregnantbride.MuchyoungerthanBerkana,ripewithherfirstbabebutnotyeta
mother, just a maiden blossoming to the far edge of maidenhood. Mannaz is the one who carries the
futureofthePeople,theonewhomtheywouldprotect,theonewhoholdsoutherhandsinfrithtobring
tribes together on her wedding day. She is the one with constant hope, the mediator who resolves
confrontations,theonewhoisreadytogiveofherselfforthesakeofherpeople,andallpeoplebeyond
that.OfalltheplacesintheNineWorlds,itisMidgardthatsheloves,forherheartisgiventothosemost
beleagueredandinneednotoutofpityormercy,butoutoftheurgetobringpeacemakingandjustice,
andsetthingsright.

Laguz/Lac:TheRiverDaughter
The RuneSpirit of Water appears like a riverspirit or lakespirit, bluegarbed and glistening wet knee
deepintheriver,orlonghairswirlingasshearisesnakedandsparklingfromthelake.Herlaughisthe
rushofwhitewaterandhertouchiscoolandsoothing,butthereisacoldnesstoherthatremindsusthat
she is not Berkana or Gyfu. She may laugh or weep in front of you, but it is for her own reasons and
nothingtodowithyoutograspheristoseeherslipthroughyourfingerslikewater.Sheisahealer,but
notfromcompassionsomuchascasualgenerosityifherhealingwatersfallonyouandworkwonderful.
If not, she cares little. Her song is hypnotizing she is solitary but seductive, drowning you in caresses,
perhapsactuallydrowningyouinsomewayifyouarenotcareful.Laguz'sambivalentnatureisshownby
her favorite lurking places: she greatly enjoys Ljossalfheim's enchanted rivers and streams and springs,
buthersecretplaceisthecoldwatersofNiflheim,aroundthefrozenwaters.Itisrumoredthatsheisthe
daughterofMistressIsa,andjustascoldinherownway.

Inguz/Ing:TheCornKing
IngisoneoftheRuneSpiritswhocarriesaverycleararchetype:thatoftheCornKingwhoiscutdown
thatothersmaylive.LiketheGodIngvi/Freywhosenamehecarries,IngtheRuneplaysthesamepart,
thatofsacrificinghimselfthatothersmaylive.Goldenandbeautifulwithhauntingeyes,heisperhapsa
bitmorewistfulthantheGodswithwhomhesharesthistitle.Herarelycomestopeopleunsummoned,
and rarely when actually summoned. His job is to aid with sacrifice when it is necessary, and walk the
individual through the often painful process. Ing is a romantic, an idealist, one who is willing to give
everythingthatsomeoneelsebesaved.Heoftenappearswreathedingrainorevenboundintoacorn
sheaf he may also appear as a golden lover on the night of his sacrifice. He has a strange and erotic
relationship with Perth, whose hand wields the sickle that lays him low. Ing is very much a creature of
Vanaheim,whereheishonoredasFirstoftheRunes.

Dagaz/Daeg:TheAwakener
DagazisanandrogynousRuneSpiritwhocomesinaflashoflight.UnlikeWyn,whoisalwayssurrounded
byaglowingnimbus,Dagazflashesontothesceneinablazethatstartles,thenquicklydiesdowntoa
humming glow. Indeed, Dagaz practically hums with restrained energy in between dashes, as if being

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confined to one place for too long would build up so much energy that there would be an explosion.
Brighthairedandbrighteyed,quickfingeredandintense,thereisanalmosthyperactivefeeltothisspirit.
ThepresenceofDagazbringsanimmediateheighteningofenergyandawakenessitisimpossibletobe
sleepywiththathummingforcerightnexttoyou.DagazpreferstheworldofAsgardtoallothers,largely
becauseofitspresencenearthetopoftheTreewheremorningcomesfirstandlongest.

Othila/Oethel:TheGrandmotherorGrandfather
Othilaisanotheroneofthespiritswhocanappearaseithermaleorfemaledependingoncircumstance,
but unlike the elfmaiden/elfyouth Wyn, Othila always appears as an aged elder of the community.
Sometimes she is the Grandmother, keeping her memories at the heart of the home, guarding the
hearthfire and the grandchildren. Sometimes he is the Grandfather, passing on the tales of wisdom,
adjudicatinginheritance,dividinguplandforhomesforthenextgeneration.Othilaisaquiet,introverted
spiritwhoknowsmuchaboutbloodlinesandancestry,andhasthelongestmemoryofanyoftheRune
Spirits. Othila is strongly tied to the past, and does not like to work with modern things or concepts,
althoughthatcanbenegotiatedwithdifficulty.Othilaisalsoveryhomebound,andpreferstoworkwitha
familyonapieceoflandthattheyown,ratherthanwithsomeonetransient.Othilapreferstheworldof
Midgardtoanyother,especiallytheoldestplacesthere.

Ear:TheReaper
Ear sometimes appears as male, sometimes as female, sometimes as a figure of indecipherable gender.
Eitherway,Earisclothedinblack,bearingablade,witheyesthatchilltothebone.Whenmale,theblade
is a sword, when female, a sickle, when androgynous, a curved knife. Ear is the one to call when
somethingneedstogoandyoudonothavethehearttodothedirtydeedyourself.Earispatient,and
strangelycompassionate,butitisunwisetosummonthisspiritunlessyouhavesomethingforEartotake
away,ortheReaperwilltakesomethinganyway.Earwill,however,listenpatientlywhileyoumourn,bea
witnesstoyourpain,andnevertellyouthatyoushouldbegettingoverthisnow.Earalsodoesthework
ofburyingtheDead,andreturningthemtotheEarth,andisgoodtocallonforalinktotheAncestors.As
onemightexpect,EarismostoftenfoundinHelheim,theLandoftheDead.

Ac:TheChieftess
AcissimilartoTyrinthatsheisawarrior,butratherthanbeingthewarriorinservice,shehasprogressed
tobeingtheleaderofwarriors,andthenofthewholetribe.HerenergyisalsosimilartothatofUruz,in
that strength fairly reverberates from her, but rather than aggressive strength it is more that of
endurance,oftheoaktreethatbearsthestormanddoesnotfall.Sheisamaturefemale,appearingto
me dressed still in her warrior's leathers and cloaked in brown, with a great oaken staff on which she
leans,bothweaponandmarkofoffice.Sometimesitseemstobethepolethatholdsupthewholesky,
andaroundwhichthestarswheeleitherway,onegetsthesensefromherofutterreliability.Whenallis
chaos,shecanbedependedontotakechargecalmlyandsensibly,andbrookingnoargument.Sheisthe
powerofstableleadership,secureinitselfanditsconfidence,asimmovableasamountainandasdecisive
asthesweepingstaff.SheismostathomeinJotunheim,andofcoursehasanaffinityforalloaktrees.

Ior:TheShapeshifter
Ioristheguardianofallliminalstatesthatwhichisneitherthisnorthat,andthepassagebetweenso
when Ior comes, Ior is always somewhere in between male and female, or human and animal, or solid
and ethereal. Ior's shape changes constantly, and it is impossible to follow the shifts you will become
mesmerized,andthendizzy,ifyoutry.SometimesconversationswithIorarebestdonelookingawayfor
periodsoftime.Iorisexcellentforhelpingyoushapeyourhame,andisoftensummonedforthis.Onthe
other hand, another of Ior's gifts is binding, so Ior is capable of binding someone into one shape or
anotherIorsimplychoosesnottodothistoIorself.WhenIordoesbindings,thereisadefinite"twining"
or"clinging"feel,likeivy,andthenyouaresolidinthewaythatyouwant,untilyouundothebindingand
letitdriftawayintonothingness,andbegintoshiftagain.InspiteofIor'sshiftingnature,Iorlikesbeing
aroundMidgard,especiallyaroundtheSerpent.

Os:TheSkald
Osappearedtomeasamiddleagedman,proudofbearingandkeenofeye,hairtouchedwithgreyand
long moustaches, and with a mellifluous voice that could put you into a trance if you listened to it too
closely.Heistheonewhoteachesaboutpublicspeaking,makingpeoplehearyouandmakingyourwords
penetratepasttheirboundaries."Itdoesnotmatterhowtheyrememberthattheideacametothem,"he
says, "only that is get in. In fact, if they remember themselves as coming up with it, rather than you
tellingthem,allthebetter,forthentheywilldefenditallthemorefiercely!"Tothisend,hecanassume
many faces: fatherly, authoritarian, humble, impassioned, mystical, direct, sober or cheerful, and all are
toolsforhimtoreachhisaudience.Osismusician,singer,speaker,writer,anythingtodowithwordsand
sound, internal and external. As the greatest of the malrunar, he bestows the gift of great speech, but
onlyforashortperiodoftimewhentheneedarises.

Yr:TheArcherorCraftsman

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Yr always appears to me as a very Duergarlike man, small and wiry and craggy and silent. He bears a
bow and arrows, and his hands look as if they could bring forth all sorts of wonderful things potter's
hands, carver's hands, sculptor's hands. He is capable of sitting and staring at something for an
unbelievablylongtime,withagazethatcoulddrillholesthroughwalls,andthenwithagrunthereaches
outandMakessomethingofit.Thelongstarewashiswayoflearningalltherewastoknowaboutit,so
that it is as nothing to tweak some small thing and change it. His patience is immense, and his aim is
keenlyaccurate.Hespeakslittle,butwhenhespeaksitwillcuttothequickwithasinglephrase.Asone
ofthe hugrunar, his powers lend focus and aim when bound with other skilloriented runes. Yr is most
fondoftheworldofSvartalfheim,boththeabovegroundforests(wherehecanhuntwithhisarrows)and
thebelowgroundhavensofcraft.

Cweorth:TheFireKeeper
Cweorth always comes with fire. Making fire is what he loves best. That may be carefully tending the
communal flame that warms the tribe, cooks their food, keeps predators away, and is crucial to their
survival.Itmaybelightingthefuneralpyreforthebeloveddead,andmarkinghisfacewiththeirashesin
mourning.Itmayalsobeburningsomeone'shousedown,oreventheentireforest,invengeancefora
slight. Fire and its passion is central to Cweorth's nature, as is smoke and ash. He is summoned when
somethingneedstogoawayfast,now,nevermindthepain,justripitoutandburnitdown,andheis
usuallygladtohelp,althoughhemaynotseemso.Cweorthisreservedandguarded,laconicofspeech,a
thin dark wiry man who crouches by the fire, feeding it wood as if it was his child. He is close with his
feelingsanddoesnotspeakoften,althoughhewillsingloudlywhenthepyreragesandleapshigh.His
homeis,ofcourse,Muspellheim,whereheisgreatlylovedbySurt.

Chalc:TheDreamer
Chalc is another of the RuneSpirits who can show themselves as male or female depending on the
circumstanceandthesummoner.Chalcisadreamyadolescentwithahighflownimaginationwhospeaks
inpoetryandvividimages.SometimesChalcisayounggirlwithfaeriesinhereyes,sometimesayoung
boysetonfutureadventure.BeautyandgloryareveryimportanttoChalc,asistheideaoflove,butitis
notwisetodependonChalctocarrythingsthroughdifficultandgrubbytimes.However,Chalc'sgreatest
giftisadeepwelloffaithinthefuture,andinone'sabilitytopursuejoy,thatmanyfolkswoulddowellto
learntotapinto.Chalc'sgreatestloveistheworldofLjossalfheim,forthatworldcontainsthousandsof
dreamsandimages,andisthemostbeautifulofalltheworlds.

Stan:TheGatekeeper
Stan is one of the androgynous RuneSpirits whose gender is not apparent. Stan often appears as a
grinning, hunched, gnomelike figure wearing a cloak which sprouts moss and weeds, with a face that
looksindeedlikeitwascarvedoutofstone...butthatlumpishfigureisnottobeunderestimated.Stanis
wisewoman,cunningman,hedgewitch,theonewhoknowsmanyoldsecretsandkeepsthemclose.Stan
is the Gatekeeper to the Mysteries, and knows much but teaches little you will mostly get riddles and
conundrums and metaphors out of that chuckling mouth. Stan loves any arched gate, any door in an
outsidewall,anycircleofstandingstones,andwillsingunintelligiblesongsinahigh,shrillvoice.IfStan
showsupwithoutbeinginvited,itmeansthatwhatisgoingonnowiscrucial,reverberatingoutbeyond
oneperson'sinnerworld,andStanwantstobetheretoseeithappen.StanpreferstobeinLjossalfheim,
andhasagreatloveofthecommonAlfarandfaeries.

Gar:TheDoor
Garnevershowsitselfwithahumanfaceitispurelyaspiritpresence,sometimesapillaroflightshading
to dark at the bottom. Gar is a living spiritdoorway, a connection to the Gods and the Cosmos, the
entrypointof wod.Garisrarelycalledon,andwhencalled,rarelycomesitisnotpossibletocommand
thegatewaytotheGodstoopen.Onemustsummon,pray,andhope.IfGardoescome,Garisthebest
spirit possible for signal clarity in receiving messages. Gar belongs to no grouping no aett, no stafr
group.Itissimplyitself,apart,"allaloneandevermoreshallbeso,"asonespiritworkerreferredtoit,
quoting the old song. No world holds any more interest for Gar than any other its affinity is with the
WorldTreeitself.

Copyright2006RavenKaldera.ContactRaven:cauldronfarm@hotmail.com.

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