Despite the common Muggle view that the study of runes belongs in distant past, it may surprise you to find out that runes and their descendants are still used all around us. Ancient Runes is a big and complex subject, and for many it can become difficult to keep everything straight. That is what this book hopes to be able to help with.

So, what is runology? In short, runology is the study of ancient magical scripts. This can include their history, usage, meaning, and magical significance, whether alone or in conjunction with other branches of magic including, but not limited to, Alchemy, Charms, Divination, Herbology, and Transfiguration. What makes runes special -- even magical -- is not their shape or design, but rather their ability to reach across time. Remember how the "curse of the Pharaohs" remained deadly when Muggle explorers disturbed the pyramids in Egypt thousands of years after the curse had been instilled using magically-imbued hieroglyphic runes? As the famous 18th century cure-breaker Mason Hobbs liked to say, "Impedimenta lasts ten seconds, while Isa lasts a millennium."

This volume covers the Old Norse Futhark, with supplemental texts covering additional writing and runic systems such as the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc and Old Irish Ogham script, as well as additional principles of linguistics and philology. Chapters 1 and 2 of this textbook account for the origins and history of the Futhark as well as providing a general introduction to the alphabet. Chapters 3 through 5 delve deeper into the symbolism of each individual rune as well as their magical uses. Chapter 6 introduces and describes the most-used methods of runecasting. Chapters 7 through 10 explore runic magic with details on how to invoke individual runes and make runic charms. The remaining pages contain a glossary of key terms in runology as well as a list of further resources for those who are eager to expand their knowledge about this subject.

Best wishes on your runic studies,



OOC: Please note that this textbook is a work in progress. Changes will be made over time.