Ancient Germanic alphabetic characters used for writing, divination, and magical purposes. Letters of early Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon writing systems.
From Old Norse 'rún' meaning 'letter' or 'secret', related to Old English 'rūn' meaning 'mystery' or 'counsel'. The word originally carried connotations of whispered secrets and magical knowledge, as runes were believed to possess mystical properties beyond mere writing.
Each runic character wasn't just a letter but carried deep symbolic meaning - the word 'rune' itself meant 'secret' or 'mystery', and runic inscriptions were often carved into weapons and stones for protection. Modern fantasy literature has kept runic magic alive, though historical runes were primarily practical writing tools for trade and commemorative inscriptions.
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