 The Rune Stones can be of any material and glyphs can be inscribed in any manner. Care must be taken that individual pieces cannot be distinguished by touch. The Rune Stones must also "feel right" to the Runemeister so that they are not approached during a Runemal with a negative attitude. An often easy way to achieve good feelings is for the Runemeister to make his own set of Runestones. The quality of construction of the individual stones is irrelevant to their effectiveness unless the Runemeister perceives it differently. A very traditional set is made of wood with the Runes first being carved into the wood and then applying paint inside the carved area to make it stand out. For the non-handy small seasoned hardwood boards can be purchased at lumber yards and home repair centers. These stores will often also cut up boards to your specifications, charging on a per cut or some other basis. This is a great easy way to get nice uniform pieces as long as you don't mind having to explain to the store clerk why you want to destroy a beautiful piece of wood by turning it into little chips. Saying you want to repair a marquetry floor might be such a good excuse, but I haven't tried it. The chips can be any size keeping in mind ease of handling of individual pieces as well as carrying around a whole twenty five piece set of them. They should also be longer on the side so that you don't pick them up sideways. Think about the sizes that domino makers have come up with as they face the same size problems. The next step, carving the Runes into the wood, is optional as to do it safely and well you really should be skilled with tools. Exacto hobby carving tools are an inexpensive way to carve and should give superior results to a knife. Dremel hand held power tools with a rotary bit make carving easier if you have a steady hand to make a straight line. These tools can be purchased at hobby stores. A flex shaft attachment for power drill might be a bit harder to control but who says the lines have to be perfect, the original Rune carvers sure didn't worry about making perfect shaped glyphs. If you are not familiar with using tools, forget about the carving for safety sake and just paint the Runes on. The traditional paint color is red, because a permanent red was the easiest color for the ancients to manufacture. Any color you feel comfortable with will do. My set sports black paint because I happen to like the color, and for me easier to read. Another way but nearly as complicated as the wood set, is making the set from clay. You can find clay at any of the craft stores like Michael's or Frank's Nursery. I use Sculpey III or Laquana Ovencraft Clay, depending on my mood. Both clays are soft and easy to use, plus both can be baked in the oven. The time it takes to bake though is different for each, so remember to read the instructions on the package for which ever one you choose. Sculpey III also comes in a wide variety of colors. So choose this if you want to blend color to make your set more interesting. Laquana Ovencraft Clay comes in four colors (white, buff, terra cotta, and brown), but feels more like stone when baked. As with any project with these clays, you need to knead it well before you begin to shape it. Make a thick "snake" or coil and long enough to cut enough slices for all the Runes. Slice it with an Exacto blade in 1/4" slices, and shape as desired. A china or stoneware plate (do not bake on metal) is best to bake on as well as to carve on. Using the plate as a work surface allows you to go from work to bake without disturbing the finished product. You can carve the Rune on each using any number of items, such as a paint brush handle or stick. Remember not to go down too deep into the clay, as you don't want to have holes in your Rune. Bake your set, again follow the directions on the package. While it is baking this would be a good time to mix your paint, make sure it isn't too watery. When the set is cool enough to touch use a fine tipped paint brush to paint the carved Rune. You can use a tissue or paper towel to wipe off any excess paint. Let it air dry before using a spray fixative like Krylon Workable Fixatif will help protect your set without adding a glossy finish. Make sure while spraying this, that you are in an area that has plenty of fresh air. This stuff can cause quite an odor. A rough and ready quick set of Runestones can be made by marking up ordinary playing cards. A permanent marker like Sanford's Sharpie sold in stationary and other stores to mark difficult surfaces such as metal is ideal. It looks like a felt tip pen, applies easily like a felt tip pen, makes a heavy black line that stands out, and adheres to the slick surface. (The Sharpie will also work on hardwood and can be used instead of paint.) The serious drawback to cards is that care must be taken when scuffling the deck to keep reversing parts of it so that the Runestaves are given the opportunity to come either side up. Again a spray fixative like Krylon Workable Fixatif will help protect the card without adding a glossy finish. Make sure while spraying this, that you are in an area that has plenty of fresh air. This stuff can cause quite an odor. Happy Rune Casting Starshyne
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