Post by Greyson "Grey" Sebastien on Sept 16, 2010 15:07:57 GMT -5
Grey watched the students file in, raising his hand in brief greeting to the more familiar faces. His current roll sheet showed only one student who had not been present the previous term, and so he had decided to continue with slightly more advanced work. When the students settled, he began with a brief introduction before instructing them to open their copies of Ancient Runes, by Antiqua Runsfeld to page fifty-three.
"Today's lesson is about Vikings and runecasting," he said, his eyes scanning the students' faces. "The vikings had more knowledge of how to tell the future than you can imagine. Each day of the year has its own rune, name, and meaning, and next to special days, carved a special mark to set it apart. Therefore, we have the word remarkable. They cast spells and lifted curses using the Futhark alphabet we studied last term, carved into wood or stone.
"But onto more interesting things. Remember that runecasting is not fortune-telling. The past reflects the present, which affects the future. Runes give you the information, and you decide what to do with it. You are in control of your own Wyrd, or fate.
"This class we'll discuss the Nornic Runecast, and how to read it. You may close your books and take out your rune sets. If you don't have a rune set, work with someone who does."
Grey moved around his desk, where a black velvet bag rested, and opened the drawstring top, speaking as he demonstrated. He lay out a white cloth and began. "Cast the lots—your runes— onto the cloth and close your eyes. Then blindly pick three lots and lay them out in an inverted triangle, in order 1-2-3." He gestured with his hand as he spoke, one being the upper-left point, two being the upper-right point, and three being the lower point.
"One is the stead of Urd, That which was; the past. Two is the stead of Verdhandi, That which is becoming; the present. Three is the stead of Skuld, That which shall be; the future.
"Now for the details; how do you interpret the runes? Should a lot be read as bright-stave—positive—or as murk-stave—negative? You can find the aspect in essentially two ways: by the position a runelot falls in a casting, such as face up or face down, inside or outside a certain field, and by the angle at which one runelot is placed near another. We'll use the first method.
"If a rune lands face up, it is bright-stave; if it lands face down it may either be disregarded or read as murk-stave. Decide how the lots are to be interpreted before you cast, and be consistent. In some casting, runes that fall off the white cloth may also be read as murk-stave.
Homework:
Think of one question to ask the runes, then go to www.wejees.net/wejeesrunereading.html
Your three aspects will be read in this order: Urd, the past; Verdhandi, the present; Skuld, the future. Post your question, an abridged version of your results, and your interpretation.
Extra credit:
Write your name in runes at www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/runes.html
Just tell me if you visited the site. It's on the honor system.
This extra credit can only be completed once.
You may refer to your Rune Dictionary for help.
"Today's lesson is about Vikings and runecasting," he said, his eyes scanning the students' faces. "The vikings had more knowledge of how to tell the future than you can imagine. Each day of the year has its own rune, name, and meaning, and next to special days, carved a special mark to set it apart. Therefore, we have the word remarkable. They cast spells and lifted curses using the Futhark alphabet we studied last term, carved into wood or stone.
"But onto more interesting things. Remember that runecasting is not fortune-telling. The past reflects the present, which affects the future. Runes give you the information, and you decide what to do with it. You are in control of your own Wyrd, or fate.
"This class we'll discuss the Nornic Runecast, and how to read it. You may close your books and take out your rune sets. If you don't have a rune set, work with someone who does."
Grey moved around his desk, where a black velvet bag rested, and opened the drawstring top, speaking as he demonstrated. He lay out a white cloth and began. "Cast the lots—your runes— onto the cloth and close your eyes. Then blindly pick three lots and lay them out in an inverted triangle, in order 1-2-3." He gestured with his hand as he spoke, one being the upper-left point, two being the upper-right point, and three being the lower point.
"One is the stead of Urd, That which was; the past. Two is the stead of Verdhandi, That which is becoming; the present. Three is the stead of Skuld, That which shall be; the future.
"Now for the details; how do you interpret the runes? Should a lot be read as bright-stave—positive—or as murk-stave—negative? You can find the aspect in essentially two ways: by the position a runelot falls in a casting, such as face up or face down, inside or outside a certain field, and by the angle at which one runelot is placed near another. We'll use the first method.
"If a rune lands face up, it is bright-stave; if it lands face down it may either be disregarded or read as murk-stave. Decide how the lots are to be interpreted before you cast, and be consistent. In some casting, runes that fall off the white cloth may also be read as murk-stave.
Homework:
Think of one question to ask the runes, then go to www.wejees.net/wejeesrunereading.html
Your three aspects will be read in this order: Urd, the past; Verdhandi, the present; Skuld, the future. Post your question, an abridged version of your results, and your interpretation.
Extra credit:
Write your name in runes at www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/runes.html
Just tell me if you visited the site. It's on the honor system.
This extra credit can only be completed once.
You may refer to your Rune Dictionary for help.
