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Norse runic magic

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annebeeche watching down on us from by the long tidal river Since: Nov, 2010
watching down on us
#1: Mar 19th 2011 at 8:47:20 AM

This is for Anne Beeche's Beowulf, because I don't want the titular character (who is completely different from the original) to be completely useless in combat.

Despite the fact that Beowulf obviously takes place in a fantastic variation of 6th century Scandinavia, I still value historical accuracy very highly. (Some people may see the presence of a fantastic element as a free pass to drop any and all attempts at accuracy, but I don't.) Much of my brainstorming is done via reading about how the people actually lived.

Stuff I already know:

  • The runic alphabet (more specifically the Anglo-Saxon futhorc, which I use for this comic), which I am already very familiar with.
  • Runes were used back in the day for two main purposes besides writing: in divination on cast lots, and as inscriptions on weapons, rings, amulets, etc to increase luck and their ability.
    • Both is cool and I've used the latter in the form of a 30x ring of strength, but I'm looking for direct use of runes in combat.
  • They wrote on stone, wood, anything that they could get their mitts on. I'm doubtful they used chalk, though.

I briefly thought up Beowulf scratching something that implies explosion onto a piece of wood, then throwing it like it's a hand-grenade.

edited 19th Mar '11 9:12:44 AM by annebeeche

Banned entirely for telling FE that he was being rude and not contributing to the discussion. I shall watch down from the goon heavens.
MattII Since: Sep, 2009
#2: Mar 19th 2011 at 1:26:23 PM

How do you differentiate between normal runes and magical ones? Magical tools? Only wizards can do it?

Theram A travelling scholar Since: Jan, 2011
A travelling scholar
#3: Mar 19th 2011 at 4:58:08 PM

Matt. All runes were thought to be magical to an extend If I still remember correctly.

MattII Since: Sep, 2009
#4: Mar 19th 2011 at 10:39:56 PM

which means nothing in context since we're not talking about the original myths but about Annabeeche's world.

annebeeche watching down on us from by the long tidal river Since: Nov, 2010
watching down on us
#5: Mar 19th 2011 at 10:59:52 PM

Actual history and what the people of the time believed have very high priority here, so we are talking about the historical world and the original myths in a way.

Back to the topic: Yes, all runes were thought to be magical. Magical inscriptions that have been found like "alu/lau" and "gagagagaga..." probably either don't work or have a subtle effect that you wouldn't be able to reliably observe, so runic magic is probably finding the right thing to write and the right way to write it. (Evidenced by how the people of the day wrote their magical inscriptions in every way imaginable, including backwards, and attached to each other.)

The people living on Asgarð (another of the Nine Worlds of Norse mythology that is home to the Æsir, we are living on Midgarð), however, have more or less perfected the science, and that is how they're able to make 30x rings of strength.

edited 19th Mar '11 11:02:09 PM by annebeeche

Banned entirely for telling FE that he was being rude and not contributing to the discussion. I shall watch down from the goon heavens.
MattII Since: Sep, 2009
#6: Mar 20th 2011 at 2:27:34 AM

So you have another text for mundane use, or do you have to handle each and every scroll like an explosive?

annebeeche watching down on us from by the long tidal river Since: Nov, 2010
watching down on us
#7: Mar 20th 2011 at 3:09:55 AM

The runic alphabet was mostly written on stuff like amulets, helms, etc, and runestones, too, not scrolls. I don't think they ever discovered parchment. (Or they probably did on raids down south, but didn't need it.)

They used the same alphabet for regular inscription as they did magical inscription. At the time Beowulf takes place, they would have used the Elder Futhark, but in my comic I use the Anglo-Saxon futhorc in its place.

But I see what you mean, there needs to be some kind of a distinction between a dangerous inscription and a normal one. In Asgarðr, at least, dangerous inscriptions in Midgarðr would be so rare that one wouldn't even consider it.

Some ideas I thought up to that effect:

  • writing in a little warning
  • leaving the inscription incomplete so that when the user receives it, he has to first activate it by scratching in the missing letter.
  • more powerful/dangerous inscriptions only work in isolation, so some jerk can't work an exposive inscription into some deceased king's obituary and kill the first mourner for the lulz.

edited 20th Mar '11 3:11:08 AM by annebeeche

Banned entirely for telling FE that he was being rude and not contributing to the discussion. I shall watch down from the goon heavens.
Theram A travelling scholar Since: Jan, 2011
A travelling scholar
#8: Mar 21st 2011 at 4:50:13 AM

I believe you could do it like this:

  • Statements of power have to address power or element affected directly
i.e Water, rise and sweep away all my enemies instead of the water rose and swept away her enemies.
  • Spells with a sudden or explosive effect have to be read to be activated.
  • Power is not so much a thing of raw force than of intelligence.

In germanic and south american tradition, many gods were described as excellent and cunning magicians, who achieved their goals by being better at the art of magic, rather than simply using divine will. From this follows that the spell, as well as the skill of the person using it are very important factors.

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