Homebrew Divination Runes for the Land of the Linnorm Kings

[venefica]

Hi everyone. I'm a first time poster here, so if this isn't the right forum I apologize. Some fellow players told me this was worth sharing in case others would find it useful. We're playing a campaign set in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings and so I designed a custom divination rune set for my character. I posted a photograph of them here.

Here are the various meanings and interpretations for the runes, in the order in which they appear. A slash mark separates the usual meaning from the inverted meaning.

Rune meanings:

Row 1: Animal Runes
Elk: An act of kindness, social cohesion, good will
Weasel: Persistence. Shoot first, questions later; dogged pursuit, sneak attacks.
Otter: Joy, celebration, a lucky streak / Saving for a rainy day, preparation, apprehension.
Fox: Wisdom, using cunning and wiles to survive.
Wolf: Loyalty, allegiance, the good of many. / Hierarchical order, tyranny.
Bear: A challenge or test, and obstacle you cannot avoid./ Life or death threats.
Mammoth: Heritage, inheritance. / Being true to yourself, knowing yourself.
Raven: Seeing worth in things, appraisal or appreciation. / Snatching something up opportunistically, stealing, or kidnapping.
Eagle: Allies, people one feels strongly for. / Rivals, more than it appears.
Seal: Quarrels, bluffs, displays of power. Struggle for dominance.
Wooly Caterpillar: Growth period, gestation, private matters one must handle alone.
Rabbit: Idiocy, greed, ruining one's own chances. / Dignity, naivete.
Lynx: Great knowledge, secrets, useful information.
Row 2: Environment Runes
Blizzard: "try again later", a clouded sight. Inability to do anything to impact the situation.
Sea: Mysterious discoveries. Open-mindedness. Be prepared to accept what you meet.
Northern Lights: Message from above, divine wisdom. Hope.
Lichen: Laziness, hesitation. Things go on without you.
Honeyberry: Nourishment, wealth, a gift.
Ice: Statics, preservation. Unshakable foundations.
Bones: Death, failure, and end. / A warning.
Mountain: Resolute strength. Being above a problem or influence.
Flower: Something brief, transitory. Self-actualizing, doing something for its own sake.
Thorn: an attack, retaliation, tit for tat. / A compromise, paying an unpleasant price willingly.
Thaw: Changing attitudes or situations. / Gullible folk or delicate situations.
Sun: Motivation, lifeforce, a distant dream. / Working too hard, burnout.
Forest: Improvisation, desperation, risk-taking, living hand-to-mouth.
Row 3: Civilization Runes
Hunter: Fear, victimization. / Mastery over fear, making an impression.
Hammer: Raw power or potential. Right use of power, chance to build or destroy.
Bonfire: Shelter, safety. Reassurance.
Blade: Coincidences, small moments of great weight, treat cautiously with open eyes.
Arrow: Natural order, culling the weak. / Adaptability.
Cup: Peace, emotional relief, being able to let one's guard down.
Vessel: Goals, long efforts. Journeys and discoveries.
Lute: A message, diplomacy or negotiation. Listening and being heard.
Judge: Justice, karma. What's done is done. / Persecution or wrongful accusation, a frame-up.
Mirror: Deception, trickery. / Denying the truth, not looking closely enough.
Crown: Respect, earned influence. All things have their time. / A pretender or poser.
Shield: Righteousness, true belief. Willingness to stand alone if necessary.
Forge: Needed tools or keys. Mysterious gains; a gift with no note. / A useless treasure, a compass without a map.
Row 4: Magic Runes
Linnorm: Greatness, victory. / Failure or shame.
Rusalka: Disappointment, resentment, past sins, guilt.
Wendigo: Weakness, helplessness. Paralysis. / Efficacy, competence.
Witchfire: Poison, blackmail or enchantment. / Foolishness, callousness, unintentional evil.
Primal: sudden, violent change. The truth comes out. / Unexpected tragedy, irreversible downfall.
Staff: Desire to effect change. / Temptation to impose one's will.
Blackmoon: Mysteries of the universe, things few can understand. An unknown factor, something forgotten.
Troll: Health, recovery. A comeback.
Einherjar: Self-control, self-sacrifice. / Carrying unwanted burdens or responsibility.
Kraken: inner darkness, anxiety, depression, or madness.
Were: Transformation, metamorphosis. / Two-facedness, treachery, imprisonment.
Worms: Balance, compromise, you need the opposite of what you want.
Dragon Turtle: Old history, deeds of past heroes. Lasting impact or consequences.

I created these runes with the Ulfen and Erutaki's daily lives in mind. While casters will of course see greater significance in them, ordinary folk are looking for quick, concrete predictions and interpretations to guide their actions. The meanings of the runes focus on aspects of life important to the Ulfen and Erutaki. In our game these runes are used across the Linnorm Lands, and some Erutaki believe them to have been handed down by the norns. The runes are composed of straight lines and dots because these are the easiest to carve with knives, so the runes can be made quickly by anyone who knows them. They're not used as an alphabet though, just as a mean of clarifying a situation or telling the future.

I also worked in a few references to other parts of the campaign setting:
- The blackmoon rune refers to Acavna, the deceased goddess of the moon. Nobody is aware of this except the norns and a few others.
- The Rusalka rune's meaning has been shaped by common misconceptions about the nature of Rusalkas as vengeful ghosts.
- The worms rune refers to the frost worm and its natural enemy the remorhaz.

I made my runes out of cardboard, so they were quite cheap and fast to make. Feel free to make your own if you like them.

[JarithBloodstone]

should have used The (Real)Futhark Runes and their meaning's,...that would have given them a realistic feel!!!!,...just a suggestion, and could have made them out of clay, or a recipe u clould find using flour and salt and made your own little slab's.

Take it from a real Wiccan!!!!!

[Deaths Adorable Apprentice]

That is rather cool!