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As runes can also be used for divination – where combinations of the runes can foretell future events or situations – we felt that it would be fun to incorporate the use of the Elder Script runes in Runemarks, at the beginning of each of the nine books within it, combining the runes in a way that hints at the storyline to come. Combinations of runes put together this way are known as sigils. Astute readers may well have already spotted this and had fun establishing which runes have been combined together; but for those who haven’t already worked this out, here are the runes we used for each Book within Runemarks (note: a reversed rune becomes a mirror image of the original rune).
Joanne Harris uses the Runes of the Elder Script and the Runes of the New Script in Runemarks. |
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Book One: World Above
Bjarkan + Raedo (reversed) + Aesk
Bjarkan is the first rune Maddy learns; Aesk – of course – is her own rune (or ‘ruinmark’ as the villagers would have it) and reversed Raedo represents One-Eye, the Outlander whose real identity Maddy does not know in this book. |
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Book Two: World Below
Yr + Sol + Kaen (reversed)
This sigil combines Yr for the World Below, into which Maddy is now venturing, with Sol, a rune she uses to give herself light in the tunnels, and Kaen reversed for Loki, wildfire Loki, whom Maddy meets by the firepit. |
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Book Three: The Whisperer
Os + Kaen + Aesk
This sigil reminds the reader of both the past - the battle between the Aesir (Os) and the Vanir (Kaen), which led to the creation of the Whisperer in the first place, and to the future - to Maddy and her new rune, Aesk. |
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Book Four: The Word
Madr + Hagall + Kaen + Isa
Much of this book revolves around the actions of the Folk (Madr) as they attempt to break into the Netherworld and destroy the gods (Hagall), using the Word to impose Order over Chaos (Kaen). The ice-rune (Isa) also appears as it is within this book that we first meet Skadi, the ice-goddess. |
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Book Five: The Sleepers
Kaen + Tyr + Hagall + Ur
These are the runes Maddy uses to awaken the first of the Vanir (Kaen). Tyr (the warrior/weapon), Hagall (to break open the ice prisons in which they sleep), and Ur for the strength needed. As these were the runes used to free the first sleeper, we felt the sigil was ideal for this Book, representing the freeing of the Sleepers, rather than individual gods and goddesses. |
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Book Six: Aesir and Vanir
Os + Kaen + Madr + Fe
The Aesir and the Vanir are, of course, represented by Os and Kaen; but a lot of the events in this Book also involve the Folk (Madr) and here we also meet Freyja (Fe), the goddess of desire who is fundamental to Skadi's plan to set the Vanir against Odin. |
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Book Seven: The Netherworld
Hagall + Thuris + Naudr
Clearly Hagalli is essential here to reflect the Netherworld setting; but as Maddy’s focus here is to free Thor, the other two runes – Thuris for Thor and Naudr, the Binder – reflect his imprisonment. |
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Book Eight: The Nameless
Os + Ethel
These two runes reflect both the re-emergence of the Aesir (Os) as Frigg, Sif and Tyr are together again; and the appearance of the new in the rune now marking the parson's wife - Ethel.
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Book Nine: Dream
Raedo (reversed) + Naudr + Bjarkan + Logr
Odin’s rune (Raedo reversed) combines with Naudr (distress/death) to reflect Odin’s defeat at the hands of the Nameless – yet Bjarkan (visions/dreams) and Logr (water) reflect the deluge of the River Dream which overwhelms all the characters towards the end of the confrontation, as Hel’s hold on the balance is challenged and Chaos threatens to break through. The river Dream is such a powerful image to conclude with that we felt this overpowered Chaos at the end and deserved to stand almost alone. |
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Maddy and Ethel’s new runes – Ethel and Aesk – then appear at the end of the book.
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RUNES OF THE NEW SCRIPT |
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Aesk: the Ash Tree, Yggdrasil |
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Ethel: the Homeland, Motherhood |
One further series of sigils then appears - these suggest that there may still be another story to be told within the New Age…
Ethel and Bjarkan combined: the new Oracle
Os and Aesk (reversed) as a second combination: is this Maddy with her new ‘family’ or does the reversal of Aesk suggest a new character or a reversal of fortune for Maddy?
Kaen and Hagall – to hint at the Chaos and destruction that slipped through in the deathwatch seconds when Lord Surt rose at the end of Runemarks: Chaos that could become a terrible new threat… |
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