RuneDoku

I like logic puzzles. Not easy logic puzzles. Not super-tough logic puzzles. I like logic puzzles that require effort, but not a great amount of mental strain. So I play sudoku. But I play sudoku with runes instead of Arabic numerals.

I call it RuneDoku. Silly, I know, but it's not your ordinary sudoku. Here's a link to the PDF pictured above which gives the rules. If you want to play RuneDoku all the time, go to sourceforge.net and download HoDoKu. Then, if for some reason you haven't installed my NuRunish font yet, install it now and change HoDoKu's properties so it uses the font. Sorry, you will have to set the font size to 50 or 60.

The result looks like this.

This will help you learn the order of the first nine runes and also give a sense of numeric value for the runes.

Elder Futhark Hexadecimal Multiplication Table

I have been playing again. Actually, I'm trying to decide on a consistent Runic number system for my personal use. I have not decided yet, but here's an Elder Futhark hexadecimal multiplication table just for the fun of it.

This was going to be part of a longer article on modern Runic number systems, but I don't know who my audience might be.

Elder Futhark Rune Dice

In October of last year an idea crossed my mind. I thought of making dice with the Runes of the Elder Futhark. Not the usual 6 sided dice, but three dies of eight sides. That's 3d8 for those of you who have played table top RPGs.

Each d8 represents an Aett of the Elder Futhark. Each die has 24 angles and represents the whole Rune row. Freyr's Aett has the Runes Fehu through Wunjo and the numeric values on the Runes on any two opposite side is 9. Hagal's Aett contains the Runes Hagalaz through Sowillo and the sum of opposite sides is 25. Tyr's Aett contains the Runes Tiwaz through Othala and the sum of opposite sides is 164. The sum of all Aetts is 300. The following table shows the pairs and sums:

Frey'rs Aett
Rune Pairs	Fehu & Wunjo	Uruz & Gebo	Thurisaz & Kenaz	Ansuz & Raidho
Numeric Value and Sum	1 + 8 = 9	2 + 7 = 9	3 + 6 = 9	4 + 5 = 9	4 * 9 = 36
Hagal's Aett
Rune Pairs	Hagalaz & Sowillo	Nauthiz & Elhaz	Isa & Pertho	Jera & Ihwaz
Numeric Value and Sum	9 + 16 =  25	10 + 15 = 25	11 + 14 = 25	12 + 13 =25	4 * 25 = 100
Tyr's Aett
Rune Pairs	Tiwaz & Othala	Berkano & Dagaz	Ehwaz & Ingwaz	Mannaz & Laguz
Numeric Value and Sum	17 + 24 =  41	18 + 23 = 41	19 + 22 = 41	20 + 21 = 41	4* 41 = 164
					All 3 Aetts add to 300

I searched all round online and the first mention I found that sounded similar to my 3d8 was on Witch School. The post popped up in a google search and reads:

Does anyone use rune dice? I just purchased a set of futhark 3 dice which are 8 sided. They haven't arrived yet for UK, I live in the USA. So I am not sure how to read them. My intial thought is a 9 rune spread, with 3 rolls of the dice. I am very connected to Dragons and I expect my Dragon guides to give me push in the right direction. But was hoping this group might have some information.Brightest Blessing, Runestar 

So I joined the website just to ask about these Rune Dice. No answer yet.

I have been making the dice in paper and clay since October of last year. I would really love to make them of wood, but I have no idea how to go about that.

A couple of hours ago I found a patent in google patent search. It's the exact same layout as I have. I can't find them for sale anywhere, though. You can find it HERE.

Anyway, I have been making my dice from Premo Sculpey clay. I just knead them until they feel and look right, bake them and then sand them down and paint on the Runes with paint markers.

As you can see from the picture, I've worked everything out on paper first before marking the Runes on the clay dice. I made my dice extra large because I like the over-sized feel.

If you would like to see what the 3d8 Rune dice look like, print this out, cut and fold. I'm sure you can figure it out.

Of course, the first thing that one tries to work out is a system of divination, but I am now playing with concepts for true Rune Games. I'm working on unique dice notation and figuring out the probability distributions. Is there already a Beowulf RPG? I need to do more googling.


Elder Futhark Rune Dice by Jason Bales is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at greybookofrunes.blogspot.com.

Addenda: On further inspection, the patent does not match my dice in the Rune forms or in their pairings based on Runic Numbers.

7-2-2012: I just found these on Etsy. They also do not match my design, but they look cool. No, I don't know this person and I won't make any money if you buy from him (seems to matter to some people).