How to Cast Runes
Though it caused me immense physical pain to endure the ritual, I sat unmoved as the seer danced in madness around the glade, pulling stones from a velvet bag and tossing them with abandon into an unseen realm. With each impact against the soil I felt a hungry pulse shudder across the earth. ~ Santhuira, spiritualist of Sapphire Stream
Arcane runes whose authors and meanings are lost to time are engraved on polished stone and scattered across a grid. The old gods take notice of these stones and guide their landing to reveal dark glimpses of forbidden gnosis. These symbols are read by a spiritualist called a seer; most akin to the priesthood of the current the theology.
Establishing a Grid
During the ritual, a grid is laid by the seer or apprentices; the plain is purified with incense and salt. Depending upon what type of ritual is being cast, the seer will be alone and unfettered, or, should it be a personal reading, accompanied only by the one seeking guidance. Runes are drawn blindly and scattered over the grid. If the gods are present, they will guide each rune to the cell that best interprets their message.
For best results, casting runes should be done on moonless nights when the veil between the beyond-realms and our own is at it’s thinnest. Red tallow candles may be burned; fat of wolves or other creatures of the night are preferred. Crystals that aid in other arcane rituals must not be present for casting runes as they will interfere with the voices of the silent gods.
The top of your casting grid should be oriented to the north, facing Kadath, that horrific realm of the silent gods, with the domain of 'The Purest Self' in the center. From the center, each domain spirals south and then run east, north, west, south and so on in that pattern. Be mindful that 'The Purest Self' does not remain the center as the grid expands. When you have settled on the size of your grid, establishing a barrier is recommended using salt or silver to ward off external influence.
For best results, casting runes should be done on moonless nights when the veil between the beyond-realms and our own is at it’s thinnest. Red tallow candles may be burned; fat of wolves or other creatures of the night are preferred. Crystals that aid in other arcane rituals must not be present for casting runes as they will interfere with the voices of the silent gods.
The top of your casting grid should be oriented to the north, facing Kadath, that horrific realm of the silent gods, with the domain of 'The Purest Self' in the center. From the center, each domain spirals south and then run east, north, west, south and so on in that pattern. Be mindful that 'The Purest Self' does not remain the center as the grid expands. When you have settled on the size of your grid, establishing a barrier is recommended using salt or silver to ward off external influence.
Casting the Runes
During the ritual a seer must learn to abandon thoughts of self and give themselves completely to the influence of the silent gods, as such, no clothing or jewelry should be worn during a casting. You may feel as if you are influencing a reading by choosing a certain rune, or by casting towards a specific direction, but, while the voice of the silent gods may be in the runes, you are the mouth through which they spit their wisdom.
While you may be in possession of a full set of runes, it is not necessary to cast each one. You, as the seer, will know when the silent gods have finished their message. Cast only one rune at a time; do not allow the message to be muddied by heaping a handful of runes over the grid with careless abandon. As you are casting, you might find that multiple runes have landed within the same cell -- this is common and must be considered during the reading. There is a relationship between every rune on the grid, and each domain that contains them. Should a rune fall outside the boundaries of the grid, do not seek to replace or move it; this is just as significant. When you feel a rune calling to you, listen. When you feel you are done, stop.
While you may be in possession of a full set of runes, it is not necessary to cast each one. You, as the seer, will know when the silent gods have finished their message. Cast only one rune at a time; do not allow the message to be muddied by heaping a handful of runes over the grid with careless abandon. As you are casting, you might find that multiple runes have landed within the same cell -- this is common and must be considered during the reading. There is a relationship between every rune on the grid, and each domain that contains them. Should a rune fall outside the boundaries of the grid, do not seek to replace or move it; this is just as significant. When you feel a rune calling to you, listen. When you feel you are done, stop.
Reading the Runes
Once you have finished casting your runes, you will need to translate the message of the silent gods. This is the most difficult part of the process, and the one most fraught with danger, both to the seer and those in attendance. It can often take hours or even entire moons to decipher the messages so do not make haste in interpreting the runes. If a particularly complicated message reveals itself, it might be best practice to dismiss the audience to focus intently on translating the runes.
Reading the runes is undoubtedly the most difficult part of the process - while we might be guided by the divine hands of the silent gods while casting our runes, it is alone and uninspired that we must make heads or tails of the message before us. Each rune has multiple interpretations and it is up to the wisdom of the seer to sort out which representation the gods have intended. While conducting a reading, one must take into careful consideration the rune and the domain in which it landed, as well as the other runes cast.
Reading the runes is undoubtedly the most difficult part of the process - while we might be guided by the divine hands of the silent gods while casting our runes, it is alone and uninspired that we must make heads or tails of the message before us. Each rune has multiple interpretations and it is up to the wisdom of the seer to sort out which representation the gods have intended. While conducting a reading, one must take into careful consideration the rune and the domain in which it landed, as well as the other runes cast.
Advanced Techniques
The runes have more to tell us than their set meanings let on. Today the forbidden rune of Mianach might foretell a devastating catastrophe, when tomorrow it alerts us to a life-changing fortune; casting on the offset 4x4 grid puts the domain of your enemies directly next to that of your wants - a rune could just as easily fall into one to call upon your ruin as it could grant your desires. To truly listen to the voices of the silent gods, one must study the relationships between the grid, the runes and the purpose of the reading.
For those who have mastered the basics, you may find further satisfaction in the hidden meanings behind the reading. Each symbol is made of repeating elements - which direction is the rune drawing your attention to? Did you cast exclusively pacifist runes, or did war show through each rune, not just in it's purpose, but in it's drawing? A barbed rune is inherently violent, while a clubbed rune is gentle by nature. Line thickness in the symbols matters, too, as does openness and curvature. What narrative does each symbol show, and, as a composition, what do these icons illustrate together? There is much to be considered when reading runes.
For those who have mastered the basics, you may find further satisfaction in the hidden meanings behind the reading. Each symbol is made of repeating elements - which direction is the rune drawing your attention to? Did you cast exclusively pacifist runes, or did war show through each rune, not just in it's purpose, but in it's drawing? A barbed rune is inherently violent, while a clubbed rune is gentle by nature. Line thickness in the symbols matters, too, as does openness and curvature. What narrative does each symbol show, and, as a composition, what do these icons illustrate together? There is much to be considered when reading runes.
The Grid
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Modern Method
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