~Today's Topics

-Elder Futhark divided into 3 sets of 8. Today's is an aett.
-aettir is aett plural
-derived from Old Norse "clan" or "family"
-"merkstave" means "dark stick", is the dark side of a rune
-"stick" comes from the beech wood ("buchestab") runes were carved into and is the origin of the German word for letter
-merkstave refers to the dark side of the stick, the one without a carved letter/rune
-In divination, merkstave refers to the position or orientation of a rune when it is drawn
-we use merkstave if a rune is mirrored, at a 90 degree angle, upside-down, or different from standard form at all
-usually means opposite/negative meaning to the standard rune
-regular form of rune=standard/upright

~The First Aett - Freya's Aett

-Freya's aett is the first rune group in Elder Futhark
- runes in Freya’s aett are symbolic of nurturing and concerned with concrete matters of daily life
-enhance effects
--Fehu:
-Standard form: ᚠ
-"F"
-cattle, wealth
-Fehu can refer to the richness and gain of spirituality or individual happiness
-Schreiber correction is fortune (material and immaterial)
-Merkstave: Fehu represents the opposite: loss (both personally and materially) as well as the negative forces that come with wealth: greed and poverty
-We can use Fehu in a practical aspect to stabilize our magic and reduce the chances of backfire and side effects
-good to combine with other runes (including unknown)
--Uruz:
-Standard: ᚢ
-"aurochs" or "water"
-bravery, strength
-instead of an aurochs, Schreiber noted the pictographic translation to be that of a Graphorn, which is the symbol for the number two in arithmancy
-Merkstave: Uruz speaks of slowness, dullness, and potentially even cowardice depending on how it is combined with other runes.
-can be used to enhance spells
-every spell has a consequence
-Law of Unintended Consequences: "Every action has some unintended or unforeseen reaction that may be positive (i.e. luck, goodwill), negative (backfire, unnecessary harm), or neutral (the benefits and negatives cancel each other out)."
--Thurisaz:
-Standard: ᚦ
-ideogram
-the magical use of Thurisaz is associated with change, constructive conflict, and defense
-"jotun" - denotes the Norse giants, or can also be translated as "Thor"
-accepted as a general rune for danger
-Merkstave, Thurisaz represents unbridled destruction and danger, as well as unresolved conflict. Most often used to bolster defensive spells and decrease destruction caused by offensive spellwork
-Upright form can also bolster offensive spells, but this is not recommended
--Ansuz:
-Standard: ᚫ
-derives from "aesir" which is "god" or "gods" in Norse
-interpretation speaks to spiritual and magical side of human nature
-Schreiber - "Nordic Magi"
-also stands for higher powers or connection to higher powers like prayer
-Merkstave: Ansuz speaks to delusion and misunderstanding, and it may be used in conjunction with memory and befuddlement charms to increase their effectiveness. When used on Muggles, it can overpower their minds and make them go insane and was so declared illegal in 1939
-in terms of magic, Ansuz can mean advice, communication, and wisdom
-can be used in divination and spell craft, and can enhance communication tools
-famous quills inscribed with Ansuz promise to “increase information retention!” (not recommended)
--Raido:
-Standard: ᚱ
-same meaning in all languages: to ride and to journey
-significant in magical transportation
-the first Portkeys were stones with Raido inscribed
-Merkstave: Chaos, stagnancy
-Magical effect: Stabilizes transportation spells, but no evidence that Raido reduces splinching risk in Apparition
--Kenaz:
-Standard: ^ (that was, however, a variant - the real Kenaz looks similar to a "c")
-stands for disease most often, sometimes torch
-Merkstave (rightward-facing) form promotes vigour, health, illumination, and creativity, while standard form stands for weakness, ill health (often mentally), and confusion
-Used in potions more than wand work
--Gebo:
-Standard: ᚷ
-"gift"
-not much known
- “Gift” is possibly an all-inclusive word for theorized interpretations such as sacrifice, companionship, and generosity; those are generally the accepted understandings
-Merkstave: Greed, loneliness, selfishness
-upright and merkstave look exactly alike
-not recommended for spellwork
-nobody's sure what the effect is
-may stand for human sacrifice in relation to planet alignings
-most likely meant to bring destruction to rival civilizations or influence the course of history within a kingdom
--Wunjo:
-Standard: ᚹ
-Joy
-deals with emotions
-St. Mungo's will use them for atmospheres of calm, happiness, fellowship, and clarity
-Merkstave: sorrow, anger, delirium, and debilitating mania
-enhances spells requiring emotion, like the Patronus Charm
-Wunjo has been used positively and negatively
-Dumbledore had Wunjo in his office for calm
-Morgan le Fay is rumored to have used the merkstave Wunjo to depress those around her, ensuring her total power during her reign
-Upright Wunjo can cancel out merkstave Wunjo

~Vocabulary

-Aett: Set of eight runes dedicated to one particular Germanic god. There are three aettir in the Elder Futhark.
-Freya: The Norse goddess of beauty and fertility.
-Law of Unintended Consequences: Every action has an unforeseen positive, neutral, or negative effect.
-Merkstave: Literally “dark stick”; refers to a rune drawn or shown in an inverted or mirrored position.
-Standard or Upright: The normal form of the rune.

~Assignments

-Study for midterm
-Quiz
-Read chapter 4 of Rune Dictionary