Creating your own runes

There are a lot of different ways to use runes, but the most important thing is to have own ones. The first step is to collect the stones or woodpieces that you are going to use. I would like to recommend a late evening in an isolated place. You should be alone and think of what you are doing. Try to feel which stones or woodpieces that feels right. Woodpieces should preferably be taken from a living tree (but take it from a place where it does less harm). Good tree species are ash, wych elm, yew and oak. Wether you collect stones or woodpieces it is important the shape is alike, so that you can not feel which one is which later on. Pick up as many stones/woodpieces you need. The germanic futhark's 24 runes is maybe the most usual. Take the stones home in a piece of cloth, not in a plasticbag.

When you cut in your runes you will notice that you need woodpieces with pretty smooth surface, so that you can see the rune clearly. You shouldn't use the most modern knife you have in your kitchen. The stones can be painted with ordinary hobbycolor. The realistic colors are red, green and blue. Even runes cut into woodpieces should be painted. Think of every stones/woodpieces runes meaning when you paint/cut it. Catting runes on stones is nothing I'm going to mention in this category. Now further to the keeping. Both stones and woodrunes could be kept in a clothbag. It's a good thing to have some embroided runes on (as a suggestion the owners name). The cloth shouldn't feel to new, wowen textiles is perfect. The cloth shouldn't have been to near other people (for example others sheets), it should be as "empty" as possible. Don't let other people squeeze and touch your stones, remember it's magic things. Everything of the text above is offcourse valid if you have only done one rune (wood or stone), that is not used for telling fortune, but other specified invocations. Bought, massmade plastic-runes... no good idea.

See also: Articles: Interview with a runecarver Runes: Rune alphabets Viking: Runestones