http://callmewednesday.livejournal.com/ (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
callmewednesday.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
hh_mirror2009-08-12 09:04 pm
callmewednesday.livejournal.com) wrote in hh_mirror2009-08-12 09:04 pm
Ancient Runes class: your get-out-of-jail-free card
The Ancient Runes classroom: no frills, no fancy equipment. It contained rows of desks, a lectern, a chalkboard upon which angular letters had been drawn.
For the present occasion, it also contained a properly berobed Mr. Wednesday. He had stuck a sign on the door reading "Ancient Runes class in session", the date, and the time. This room had long stood in disuse, and Wednesday well knew what uses the students found for Hogwarts' surfeit of empty classrooms — not that he cared as a general rule, but his class session should not be interrupted by trysting youths, karate kids, or Michael Scott.
He began without fanfare. "Welcome to Ancient Runes. I hope you left your preconceptions at the door.
"There's too much hearsay when it comes to runes. Neo-pagans, bless their hearts, get excited about these things, and few of them have a background in comparative linguistics, even the lore-keen Asatruar. On the other hand, the first runemasters wouldn't have had the first clue about comparative linguistics, either. Modern sophistication can help us keep our terms straight, but remember it's no substitute for heart.
"Heart is important. Belief is important. If you do not believe in the power of the runes, you cannot use them with magical intent. The same is true for any alphabetic or numerical system, or indeed any symbol in the history of mankind. Understand I mean the belief and intent of the caster, not the object of the enchantment. The object need not have the first clue what a rune is or looks like."
Wednesday was not lying. Belief made magic work. It just so happened that a belief in runic magic also helped to build the kind of subconscious faith that strengthened and sustained old gods like himself.
"The runic alphabet was used by speakers of the Germanic languages, primarily in the first millennium of the Common Era" (damned if he'd use that upstart Yeshua's birth as a temporal marker). Mr. Wednesday proceeded to give a cursory overview of the history of the Germanic languages: all of them having descended from Proto-Indo-European, thence to Proto-Germanic, and subsequently diverging into several branches labeled by geography. North Germanic, West Germanic, East Germanic. "East Germanic we have as a relic in the Gothic language. The Goths devised their own alphabet, which you can use for numerological purposes if you like, but it's not runic, and we're not going to be discussing it here." He went on to touch briefly upon the distinction between North Germanic – its descendants the modern Scandinavian languages – and West Germanic.
"Modern scholars will tell you that the runes may somehow have been inspired by a North Italic or Etruscan script. Impressive similarities between the runes and Old Italic alphabets can be identified. Where did those people get their letters, so similar to runes in shape? From the Latin alphabet? The medieval Scandinavian mythographer Snorri Sturluson wrote that Odin himself came from Asia. Let's not get carried away with visions of Fu Manchu mustaches, and realize that Snorri was pointing back to the selfsame roots we've only just discussed from a linguistic perspective: the connectedness of Indo-European languages and culture. Chicken and egg, my dears, this Etruscan business versus a Northern European point of origin. What Snorri could tell you, what the Eddas will tell you, is that the runes have a divine origin. Hogwarts will have shown you that gods are real, whether you choose to worship them, whether they're indeed worthy of your worship. And in this class, we will not debate the divine origin of the runes. It's that origin that gives them their magic. On the other hand, this doesn't mean we can't be levelheaded about tracing what mankind has done with the runes."
He then detailed, again briefly, the various uses to which runes had historically been put. "What you'll find is that the older runic inscriptions have magicoreligious significance, whereas the more prosaic and mundane uses of runes, the business notes and such, are later inscriptions. I use the word ‘prosaic' loosely here. Remember that naming and claiming are themselves not acts devoid of magic." There were bracteates, mass-produced metal talismans that bore runic inscriptions likely meant for protection. There were runestones erected as monuments to the dead. There were simple scratchings of names into combs made of bone, labels of ownership. Likewise, wooden tags bearing names in runic letters, "like writing your name inside your shirt with a Magic Marker before mommy sends you off to camp." And there were rune-staves, wooden sticks bearing everything from magic charms to business memos.
"So: wood, stone, bone, metal are the objects upon which you'll find ‘ancient runes' engraved. The use of parchment came with Roman influence, and the sorts of people who were using that kind of material were going to be writing in the Roman alphabet, you can infer.
"Nonetheless, paper is cheaper these days, and the worst you'll incur using quill and ink is a papercut, unless you're truly clumsy or hellbent on destruction. So paper it will be, in this classroom. When you're better at runes, you may wish to carve your own rune-staves or engrave your own metal amulets, and you may see me in my office for guidance.
"In the last class, I told you there are several variants of the runic alphabet. The Elder and Younger Futhark are Norse, and while I am fondest of these, we won't be using them today. We'll be using the English runes – the futhorc. Why? Because we're in England. English runes will work better for us, here on English soil. If you're interested in the older forms of the runic alphabet, I can direct you to some external reading. Alternately, you can stab yourself in the side with a spear and hang on a tree for nine days and nights, as a sacrifice to me and to yourself, in that order. That option will gain you extra credit." He smiled, to show it was a joke, but the smile was uncommonly toothy.
"That concludes the lecture section of our little meeting. Let's take a brief break, and return in ten minutes for the practical portion. The part where I teach you to do magic."
The magic turned out to be a useful variety, this time around. True to his word, Wednesday focused on English runes. He told the students a story, an incident mentioned in Bede's Ecclesiastical History, in which a Northumbrian warrior named Imma was captured by enemy forces and kept in shackles, but the shackles fell off. "Bede recorded this incident as an object lesson supporting his own faith. Imma had a brother who was a Christian priest, and who had been saying masses for Imma's soul. These incantations, intended to free the soul of the departed from the shackles of posthumous punishment, turned out to have earthly power. A Christian miracle, says our Venerable Bede! What makes this episode of interest to us is another aspect of the story. You see, the enemy leader was not a Christian, and Bede records that this very sensible fellow presumed Imma was carrying litteras solutorias -- ‘loosing letters'. Bede was writing in Latin, you see. He was translated by his own countrymen into their native tongue, and in that tongue, which we now call Old English – a West Germanic language, you'll recall from the lecture earlier – the translator rendered litteras solutorias as alysendlecan rune. The Mercian warrior, Imma's captor, asked him whether he had rune-staves concealed on his person.
"You can imagine what a handy thing that might be to have.
"We're going to learn today how to make one. On paper, rather than on twigs, but if you imbue it with the proper power, this little runic charm will loosen fetters from you. It's a one-time use, and loses its efficacy after it's been activated, so in a real-life practical situation, you'd best finalize your escape quickly. Our friend Imma wasn't so lucky, otherwise we wouldn't have this little story to memorialize his experience."
Wednesday drew the runic formula on the chalkboard. "There's more to this than copying the figures out," he warned. "Some of you won't have the level of necessary faith. Some of you simply won't have the talent of alphabetic magic, the same way some of you aren't naturally gifted at music or athletics. And some of you will simply have beginner's luck. What I'd like you to do is to practice making your runic charms, then try it out on one another by use of these handcuffs."
They were real handcuffs. Wednesday had the keys to each set.
"If you yourself put yourself in fetters, the charm won't work. You have to be fettered by another person. Pair up and give it a go. I'll add that unlike some members of the faculty –" he was thinking of Professor Snape's infamous sex ed class – "I have absolutely no interest in watching students play slap-and-tickle. If handcuffing one another excites you too much, go find another classroom. An empty one, thank you."
For the present occasion, it also contained a properly berobed Mr. Wednesday. He had stuck a sign on the door reading "Ancient Runes class in session", the date, and the time. This room had long stood in disuse, and Wednesday well knew what uses the students found for Hogwarts' surfeit of empty classrooms — not that he cared as a general rule, but his class session should not be interrupted by trysting youths, karate kids, or Michael Scott.
He began without fanfare. "Welcome to Ancient Runes. I hope you left your preconceptions at the door.
"There's too much hearsay when it comes to runes. Neo-pagans, bless their hearts, get excited about these things, and few of them have a background in comparative linguistics, even the lore-keen Asatruar. On the other hand, the first runemasters wouldn't have had the first clue about comparative linguistics, either. Modern sophistication can help us keep our terms straight, but remember it's no substitute for heart.
"Heart is important. Belief is important. If you do not believe in the power of the runes, you cannot use them with magical intent. The same is true for any alphabetic or numerical system, or indeed any symbol in the history of mankind. Understand I mean the belief and intent of the caster, not the object of the enchantment. The object need not have the first clue what a rune is or looks like."
Wednesday was not lying. Belief made magic work. It just so happened that a belief in runic magic also helped to build the kind of subconscious faith that strengthened and sustained old gods like himself.
"The runic alphabet was used by speakers of the Germanic languages, primarily in the first millennium of the Common Era" (damned if he'd use that upstart Yeshua's birth as a temporal marker). Mr. Wednesday proceeded to give a cursory overview of the history of the Germanic languages: all of them having descended from Proto-Indo-European, thence to Proto-Germanic, and subsequently diverging into several branches labeled by geography. North Germanic, West Germanic, East Germanic. "East Germanic we have as a relic in the Gothic language. The Goths devised their own alphabet, which you can use for numerological purposes if you like, but it's not runic, and we're not going to be discussing it here." He went on to touch briefly upon the distinction between North Germanic – its descendants the modern Scandinavian languages – and West Germanic.
"Modern scholars will tell you that the runes may somehow have been inspired by a North Italic or Etruscan script. Impressive similarities between the runes and Old Italic alphabets can be identified. Where did those people get their letters, so similar to runes in shape? From the Latin alphabet? The medieval Scandinavian mythographer Snorri Sturluson wrote that Odin himself came from Asia. Let's not get carried away with visions of Fu Manchu mustaches, and realize that Snorri was pointing back to the selfsame roots we've only just discussed from a linguistic perspective: the connectedness of Indo-European languages and culture. Chicken and egg, my dears, this Etruscan business versus a Northern European point of origin. What Snorri could tell you, what the Eddas will tell you, is that the runes have a divine origin. Hogwarts will have shown you that gods are real, whether you choose to worship them, whether they're indeed worthy of your worship. And in this class, we will not debate the divine origin of the runes. It's that origin that gives them their magic. On the other hand, this doesn't mean we can't be levelheaded about tracing what mankind has done with the runes."
He then detailed, again briefly, the various uses to which runes had historically been put. "What you'll find is that the older runic inscriptions have magicoreligious significance, whereas the more prosaic and mundane uses of runes, the business notes and such, are later inscriptions. I use the word ‘prosaic' loosely here. Remember that naming and claiming are themselves not acts devoid of magic." There were bracteates, mass-produced metal talismans that bore runic inscriptions likely meant for protection. There were runestones erected as monuments to the dead. There were simple scratchings of names into combs made of bone, labels of ownership. Likewise, wooden tags bearing names in runic letters, "like writing your name inside your shirt with a Magic Marker before mommy sends you off to camp." And there were rune-staves, wooden sticks bearing everything from magic charms to business memos.
"So: wood, stone, bone, metal are the objects upon which you'll find ‘ancient runes' engraved. The use of parchment came with Roman influence, and the sorts of people who were using that kind of material were going to be writing in the Roman alphabet, you can infer.
"Nonetheless, paper is cheaper these days, and the worst you'll incur using quill and ink is a papercut, unless you're truly clumsy or hellbent on destruction. So paper it will be, in this classroom. When you're better at runes, you may wish to carve your own rune-staves or engrave your own metal amulets, and you may see me in my office for guidance.
"In the last class, I told you there are several variants of the runic alphabet. The Elder and Younger Futhark are Norse, and while I am fondest of these, we won't be using them today. We'll be using the English runes – the futhorc. Why? Because we're in England. English runes will work better for us, here on English soil. If you're interested in the older forms of the runic alphabet, I can direct you to some external reading. Alternately, you can stab yourself in the side with a spear and hang on a tree for nine days and nights, as a sacrifice to me and to yourself, in that order. That option will gain you extra credit." He smiled, to show it was a joke, but the smile was uncommonly toothy.
"That concludes the lecture section of our little meeting. Let's take a brief break, and return in ten minutes for the practical portion. The part where I teach you to do magic."
The magic turned out to be a useful variety, this time around. True to his word, Wednesday focused on English runes. He told the students a story, an incident mentioned in Bede's Ecclesiastical History, in which a Northumbrian warrior named Imma was captured by enemy forces and kept in shackles, but the shackles fell off. "Bede recorded this incident as an object lesson supporting his own faith. Imma had a brother who was a Christian priest, and who had been saying masses for Imma's soul. These incantations, intended to free the soul of the departed from the shackles of posthumous punishment, turned out to have earthly power. A Christian miracle, says our Venerable Bede! What makes this episode of interest to us is another aspect of the story. You see, the enemy leader was not a Christian, and Bede records that this very sensible fellow presumed Imma was carrying litteras solutorias -- ‘loosing letters'. Bede was writing in Latin, you see. He was translated by his own countrymen into their native tongue, and in that tongue, which we now call Old English – a West Germanic language, you'll recall from the lecture earlier – the translator rendered litteras solutorias as alysendlecan rune. The Mercian warrior, Imma's captor, asked him whether he had rune-staves concealed on his person.
"You can imagine what a handy thing that might be to have.
"We're going to learn today how to make one. On paper, rather than on twigs, but if you imbue it with the proper power, this little runic charm will loosen fetters from you. It's a one-time use, and loses its efficacy after it's been activated, so in a real-life practical situation, you'd best finalize your escape quickly. Our friend Imma wasn't so lucky, otherwise we wouldn't have this little story to memorialize his experience."
Wednesday drew the runic formula on the chalkboard. "There's more to this than copying the figures out," he warned. "Some of you won't have the level of necessary faith. Some of you simply won't have the talent of alphabetic magic, the same way some of you aren't naturally gifted at music or athletics. And some of you will simply have beginner's luck. What I'd like you to do is to practice making your runic charms, then try it out on one another by use of these handcuffs."
They were real handcuffs. Wednesday had the keys to each set.
"If you yourself put yourself in fetters, the charm won't work. You have to be fettered by another person. Pair up and give it a go. I'll add that unlike some members of the faculty –" he was thinking of Professor Snape's infamous sex ed class – "I have absolutely no interest in watching students play slap-and-tickle. If handcuffing one another excites you too much, go find another classroom. An empty one, thank you."
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
I snap the cuffs on him and watch to see if he can extract himself.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject