Michelle Gagnon, author of Kidnap & Ransom, The Gatekeeper, Boneyard and The Tunnels

Runes are an ancient Germanic alphabet used for writing, divination, and magic. They were used throughout northern Europe, Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Iceland from about 100 B.C.E. to 1600 C.E. The Elder Futhark is the oldest form of the runic alphabet. Named after the initial phoneme of the first six rune names, it consists of twenty-four runes, often arranged in three groups (or "aett") of eight each. A full set also includes a blank rune.

Runes work best if you detail your current circumstances and then ask a specific question. Rune readings are sometimes obscure. They hint toward answers, but you have to figure out the details. They're mainly used as a means of analyzing the path that one is on and revealing the likely outcome. If you don't like the prediction, you can always change paths.Making your own set of runes:

For purposes of divination it's recommended that each rune be cut from the same tree branch to assure continuity, and the ideal harvest time is during the month of Samhain (October). Cure the branch for a year and a day (a year to assure proper drying so runes do not crack or wear, and a day to magically imbue them). Only natural stains (linseed oil) should be used to cure the rune. For best results burn the rune into the wood, don't stamp it. Color the rune red (blood is optional) to give it life's hue.

The Younger Futhark

Fé (livestock, gold, wealth.) Fé is the rune of mobile power in the world and in the self. It is a power which, like money, must be circulated in order to have an effect. In casting, this rune is beneficial for works intended to draw wealth or riches.

Úr (drizzle, aurochs) Úr is the power which organizes and holds life together. It's a purifier that drives out the elements that cause one to be weak. In rune casting, it can be used to bind other runes together in an organized fashion. It can also be beneficial for healing and regeneration.

Thurs (giant) A Thurs is a force in nature. For magical purposes, the Thurs is a powerful form of aggressive defense. In divination it shows that you are being opposed by outside forces, and a crisis is coming; it may act as a catalyst for change.

Áss (god) This is the rune of Odin, the god of transformation. It's the rune of ecstasy and poetic inspiration. Use this rune to invoke cxreative powersÑand to master the power of the world.

Reidh (riding) Reidh is the rune for the journey of life and the pathway to power. It's ised in magic to guide magical energies along the correct pathways. In divination, it indicates that help may come from unexpected sources.

Kaun (sore) Kaun is the power of fire to break things up in to their component parts. In the work of galdor, it's unseful for controlling energy toward creative purposes. In divination, it signifies degeneration, disease, or decay.

Hagall (hail) Effective as a powerful weapon or tool for protection. In rune-casting, hagall expresses trauma or crisis.

Naudh (need) The n-stave reflects the principle of resistance or friction in the world. Magically, it can be employed as a psychological tool to overcome distress or to gain insight. In divination, it points to friction or opposition, most likely coming from within.

Íss (ice) A powerful force for concentrating the will. Also a way to constrain or restrict elements you want to "freeze, " or bring to a standstill. In rune-casting the i-stave indicates a concentration within the self or a focus on a single aspect of life.

Ár (good-year)The rune of eternal return and the cycles of nature. In magic, a sign used to provoke the power of harmonius enlightenment. It's the rune of reward for the actions of the apst; the subject of the rune-cast receives peace and tranquility.

Sól (sun) Magically sól can protect the magician, or be the power by which he breaks through the barriers to a higher being. In divination, the s-stave offer guidance and hope, and promises success as long as you set your goals and remain true to them.

Týr (týr) This rune refers directly to Týr, the god of law and order in the cosmos. Work done through the power of the t-stave includes obtaining success or justice. In divination, it is the power of the purest form of justice, and points to the presence of loyalty and faithfulness in your life. Some sacrifice of self-interest may be involved.

Bjarkan (birch-twig) This rune name refers not to the birch tree as such, but to the birch goddess Freyja. In magic the b-stave is the rune of concealment and protection. Bjarkan is the stave of new beginnings and transformations based on eternal patterns. It's also the sign of hidden influences.

Madhr (man) The rune of humanity. Magivcally Madhr is the rune which unlockes the storehouse of imagery stored in the mind's hidden eye. The m-stave promotes deep knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence. It counseld a clar and deep assessment of the subject's position in life.

Iögr (water) The sign of the waters of life. In the sphere of magical workings, it's used as a tool for increasing one's intuition and for developing one's force of vital power. The l-stave may indicate that stern tests lie ahead, but that the power and force of vital organic life is present.

Ýr (yew) The yew is the tree of eternal life. This rune is full of tension, the potential energy just waiting to be released. The power of the yew-rune should be approached only with great caution and respect; do not use its power frivolously. In magic, the yew is the basis of the most powerful death curses. In rune readings, the ýr rune indicates the conclusion of a process.

SPOILER ALERT:

In The Tunnels, the featured runes are Thurs, Úr, Íss, Ár, Reidh, and the Yew rune.

Disclaimer: For the above information I am indebted to Edred Thorsson's work Northern Magic, Rune Mysteries and Shamanism.

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