Runes in popular culture

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Runes see some use in popular culture.

1 Literature
2 Esotericism
3 Television
4 Games
5 Bluetooth

[edit] Literature

Runes are often used in modern Fantasy literature. One of the most well known examples are J.R.R. Tolkien's Cirth, a runiform Elvish writing system that is being used by Dwarves.

[edit] Esotericism

Runic divination is popular in Neopagan, Esotericist and New Age circles.

[edit] Television

Stargate SG-1: Runes are the written language of an alien race known as the Asgard. The Asgard, similar in appearance to Greys, are the basis for Norse mythology in the Stargate universe and several characters share the same names as Norse gods (e.g. Thor, Hemidall), and so forth).
Witch Hunter Robin: Runes appear in the series associated with particular witches. Robin, for example, uses the rune Haglaz.

[edit] Games

Modified form of the Elder Futhark runic alphabet used in Ultima V

Originally inspired by fantasy literature, role-playing games (both computer games and pen-and-paper ones) often use either historical runes or invented runiform scripts for the effect, usually to write short messages, such as signs or tombstones. In some games, these are used so frequently that players quickly learn to read them without aid.

Dungeons & Dragons

In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game numerous monstrous races have been given their own runes, usually designed to reflect the nature of their cultures. The Githyanki have a runic script called tir'su in which the letters for each word are written in a ring, so each word forms a circular seal. Dungeons & Dragons was so influential that many other subsequent table top and video games retained this concept.

Ultima

The Ultima computer game series is a good example of this, also employing other invented scripts. See Artificial scripts in Ultima series.

Dungeon Master

In the Dungeon Master computer game, runes are used to cast magical spells.

RuneScape

In the online game RuneScape players often use runes to cast magic spells as well. Like Dungeon Master, there are typically many kinds and sophisticated magical effects may often be achieved by combining them during the casting or enchantment.

Gauntlet: Dark Legacy

In Gauntlet: Dark Legacy collection of Runestones is critical to success in the game.

Suikoden series

In the Suikoden series, runes are used to cast magic. They can be found in whole crystals, which are attached to characters, or in shards, which are attached to weapons.

Quake

In the first part of Quake, before fighting Shub-Niggurath, the player has to collect the four runes, which can be found at end of every world (Dimension of the Doomed, The Realm of Black Magic, The Netherworld, The Elder World).

Diablo II: Lord of Destruction

The expansion to Diablo II offers many runes to be put into socketed items, granting them many new properties that gems and jewels do not give.

Age of Mythology

In Age of Mythology worshipers of the Minor god Braggi are able to reasearch the technology "Thurisaz Rune" which makes all Myth Units more powerful.

Disciples II: Dark Prophecy

In the game Disciples II, the Mountain Clans (a dwarven faction) are worshippers of the god Wotan and have a Norse style. For a religious ceremony they attempt to gather a set of 12 runes, each carved in a stone, which are treasures of their race.

Heroes of Might and Magic V

In Hammers of Fate, an upcomming expansion for Heroes V that is scheduled to be released in November, the Dwarven Race is able to use "Runic Magic" However, at this point, little is know about these runes.

Golden Sun: The Lost Age

In Golden Sun: The Lost Age, second book to the Golden Sun saga on the Game Boy Advance, tablets can be found in certain dungeon that allow the player's party to call on multi-elemental summons. When the player first receives the tablet it breaks apart forming three lines of runes on the screen.

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem

Runes are collected with differing meanings and can are used to create spell sentences such as Protect, Area to set an area shield

[edit] Bluetooth

The logo for the Bluetooth wireless personal area network standard features a bindrune of ᚼ h and ᛒ b - the initials of 10th century Danish king Harald Blåtand after whom this standard is named.