Meaning of "The Runes of the Earth"

[burgs]

From SRD in the GI:

You're right about Anele and the title. In the text, there is a deliberate confusion about Anele's perception of the knowledge contained within the bones of the Earth: he "sees" it, or he "hears" it, or he "feels" it; no one can be sure exactly which. It's a language problem: I simply don't know how to describe *exactly* how Anele registers what the stone around him is thinking. But there's an old line from somewhere (I can't remember it exactly) about "fate" or "truth" being "graven in the heart of the rock." So "The Runes of the Earth" refers to secrets written where no ordinary person can read them. Anele's blessing/curse is that he has learned how to read that secret language.

So Anele isn't a patsy after all.

[Creator]

Yeah, I posted a question to see if this is the reference SRD can't remember:


"We must give ourselves to Him .... and have it graven in the heart, as if it were written on the rocks ...."

from:

online.cbccts.ca/alliancestudies/simpson/4fold2.htm

[I'm Murrin]

I found it interesting that Anele's chosen purpose as an Unfettered was the same as that of the Unfettered in TPTP - although the original was not anywhere near as successful in his attempt to read the stones, since Anele was helped by his innate Earthpower.

[burgs]

Is it certain that Anele is one of the Unfettered? I don't see how that would be possible. Unfettered Ones spent time at the Loreseratt (sp?), and then went off to explore their own special interests.

[Edge]

Anele is, so to speak, a 'self-taught' Unfettered One. As Linden says:

He's like an Unfettered One. He's taught himself to hear slowly enough to understand what the rocks are saying.

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

I always got the impression that the average unfettered one eventually lost touch with everything they could have learned at the Loresraat... also lost touch with communication skills, apparently. Not one of them could have a decent conversation

[I'm Murrin]

Anele certainly considered himself Unfettered - he tells Linden about it when the Kresh are attacking, that he chose to become Unfettered so that he could discover his purpose.

[drew]

I dont see why he couln't be Unfettered, his GRandfather (nasic) was, and his father before him, and before him-etc...it just skipped a generation (sunder)

[ur-bane]

Is it certain that Anele is one of the Unfettered? I don't see how that would be possible. Unfettered Ones spent time at the Loreseratt (sp?), and then went off to explore their own special interests.

Anele certainly considered himself Unfettered - he tells Linden about it when the Kresh are attacking, that he chose to become Unfettered so that he could discover his purpose.

Anele did consider himself Unfettered, by his own admission, as Murrin pointed out. These were his words in Runes:

"High among these crests and vales," he explained, nodding to the mountians, "I
made a place for myself--not so distant from Mithil Stonedown that I could not has-
ten to the Land's aid at need, but far enough to attain the silence and lonliness, the
freedom from astonishment, which my spirit craved.
"There I became Unfettered. The Haruchai had spoken of such men and women.
From them I learned the words, though I did not know the song."
In a frail voice, he recited:

"Free
Unfettered
Shriven
Free--
Dream that what is dreamed will be:
Hold eyes clasped shut until they see,
And sing the silent prophecy--
And be
Unfettered
Shriven
Free."

[burgs]

Ah. Thanks for the reference. Of course, now I do remember it clearly.

I have so many darn books to read! I really want to reread Runes, but the list is so long...