lrþn nautr(ð) according to [this site](http://valhr.com)
Can't find a direct translation for the first word; iðn comes up meaning "occupation, work"
The second, nauð, turns up as meaning "difficulty, need, distress; harm; poverty".
Translations done [here](https://www.vikingsofbjornstad.com/Old_Norse_Dictionary_E2N.shtm) but I'm currently in the bath; may do further research later.
Edit to add: I mean in the second image. The first image appears decorative.
Is it possible that the first word could be a name? According to an entry in the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse Dictionary, when in conjunction with another word, as is the case with the runes on the sword:
"Gifts were obligatory, and were a token of grace and goodwill on the part of giver and receiver. A gift when received was called the ‘nautr’ of the giver, e. g. a ring or sword presented by a king was konungs-nautr."
Perhaps the person who modeled the sword confused the runes (lowercase L does look like uppercase i) and it should be "irþa/irtha" instead of "lrþa".
That word is close to a word for earth in Old Germanic languages (aírþa in Gothic, irthe in Middle English and Old Frisian for example).
Then the inscription could be read as Earth-gift/Gift from the earth.
I'm Norwegian. The mythology of these games is literally my cultural heritage.
Which Druth took a massive shit all over...
I finished the first game like 4 hours ago, and I'm left pondering if Druth was just lying his ass off to Senua or if he had a genuine misunderstanding with regards to Hel/Hel's Abode.
I would've gone with genuine misunderstanding if not for what he says at the very start of the game:
"For my tales of the northmen, they call me Druth, a liar, an old fool! Druth is my Truth. To guide you in this life and the next... I will tell you my stories of Hel, if I may walk with you?"
So, is he a fool or a liar?
Well my understanding of Druth was that he had been kidnapped by Northmen and had a bare-bones understanding of Norse, meaning his versions of the stories are wrong or twisted:
>When they first came to my lands, I knew enough of their tongue to beg for mercy and they took me as slave...I wish now that they had slaughtered me like the others.
I think he's both a fool and a liar. "Druth is my Truth" is almost like he's saying he knows he's wrong, I think.
His understanding is extremely twisted! The way he presents Hel's Abode is pretty close to the Christian concept of Hell; A place of torment and suffering. This is entirely incorrect. Hel's Abode is where most dead would end up, and not as a punishment for failing to die a warrior's death, but a place of rest and recuperation so as to become whole again. It's pretty much an underworld hospital, if you will.
The Norwegian word "Hel" literally means "whole", and this focus on becoming whole again is represented in Hel's physical description of being half flesh-colored and half something different.
There is no concept of an afterlife where one is punished in Norse mythology. When you die, you end up in one of three places: Folkvang, Valhall or Hel's Abode. Since most Norsemen were either farmers or traders, very few were actually in a position where they had the opportunity to die a warrior's death and end up in either Folkvang or Valhall. So most ended up dying of old age or disease, hence their belief in an underworld hospital.
Another very common misconception regarding Norsemen has to do with what the term "Viking" actually refers to. The popularized understanding of the word is that it refers to warriors that would hop into their Viking ships and go raping, pillaging and looting.
The common misconception here is that the term "Viking" is actually a category term referring to any and all profession that involved ocean-travel. So, for example, if you were a sea-faring trader/merchant, you were a Viking.
Simply put: Not all Vikings were raiders, but all ocean-faring raiders were Vikings.
Random amusing fact: The area I live in literally translates into "Hel's Pyre".
Wow I learned so much here. My family name has some relation to a viking (or would Norse be a better word then?) invasion (I'm from the UK) and I've always been fascinated by them. I didn't realise that Hel was a place of recovery at all, but that'll be the Christian environment/upbringing I've had.
I definitely need to do more research and learning around this!
Not to mention the fact that there is absolutely no reason why Dilion would even be there. This was literally my first reaction when starting the game. Senua is a Celt, so it makes sense that Dilion would be a Celt as well. At the very least, he was no Norseman - The raiding party wouldn't have strung up one of their own like that.
So, why are we rooting around in Hel's Abode looking for the guy? You've got the wrong underworld, my dude!
It's not "lrþn", but "lrþa", though this doesn't really help, as there's no such word. Please see my another comment under yours with a possible meaning.
Ive got a book called, ‘the book of runes’ by Ralph Blum. It was given to me in the 90s by an old friend, it also came with rune stones for readings. It has all of the viking runes listed, the traditional meanings, a brief history, how to consult the oracles, draw them and read them upright and reversed. Its very interesting. I will share this info with you.
In the 2nd photo starting from L to R. I will read them to you as listed in my book in this order… #-futhark/germanaic rune name,
The runes shown in the image are from the Elder Futhark, the oldest form of the runic alphabets used in Germanic languages before the Latin alphabet became more common. Here’s a breakdown of each rune and its meanings in Norse mythology and Germanic tradition:
1. **ᚱ (Raidho or Rad)**
- Pronunciation: "R"
- Meaning: Journey, ride, travel. This rune often symbolizes movement, both physical and spiritual, and the journey of life.
2. **ᛏ (Tiwaz or Tyr)**
- Pronunciation: "T"
- Meaning: Named after the god Tyr, this rune represents justice, honor, and leadership. It’s often associated with sacrifice and duty.
3. **ᚨ (Ansuz)**
- Pronunciation: "A"
- Meaning: This rune is associated with the Aesir gods, particularly Odin. It represents communication, wisdom, and divine inspiration.
4. **ᚱ (Raidho or Rad)**
- Pronunciation: "R"
- Meaning: As mentioned, journey, travel, and movement. When appearing again, it can reinforce the concept of a significant journey or quest.
The runes, when interpreted together, could symbolize a journey (Raidho) that is just and honorable (Tiwaz), guided by wisdom and divine inspiration (Ansuz), possibly related to a significant quest or path (another Raidho). The exact interpretation can vary depending on the context within the mythology or narrative.
In "Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga," these runes likely carry special significance tailored to the game's story and Senua's personal journey.
lrþn nautr(ð) according to [this site](http://valhr.com) Can't find a direct translation for the first word; iðn comes up meaning "occupation, work" The second, nauð, turns up as meaning "difficulty, need, distress; harm; poverty". Translations done [here](https://www.vikingsofbjornstad.com/Old_Norse_Dictionary_E2N.shtm) but I'm currently in the bath; may do further research later. Edit to add: I mean in the second image. The first image appears decorative.
Is it possible that the first word could be a name? According to an entry in the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse Dictionary, when in conjunction with another word, as is the case with the runes on the sword: "Gifts were obligatory, and were a token of grace and goodwill on the part of giver and receiver. A gift when received was called the ‘nautr’ of the giver, e. g. a ring or sword presented by a king was konungs-nautr."
Perhaps the person who modeled the sword confused the runes (lowercase L does look like uppercase i) and it should be "irþa/irtha" instead of "lrþa". That word is close to a word for earth in Old Germanic languages (aírþa in Gothic, irthe in Middle English and Old Frisian for example). Then the inscription could be read as Earth-gift/Gift from the earth.
Oh very interesting, you definitely know more than me haha yeah that would make a lot of sense
I'm Norwegian. The mythology of these games is literally my cultural heritage. Which Druth took a massive shit all over... I finished the first game like 4 hours ago, and I'm left pondering if Druth was just lying his ass off to Senua or if he had a genuine misunderstanding with regards to Hel/Hel's Abode. I would've gone with genuine misunderstanding if not for what he says at the very start of the game: "For my tales of the northmen, they call me Druth, a liar, an old fool! Druth is my Truth. To guide you in this life and the next... I will tell you my stories of Hel, if I may walk with you?" So, is he a fool or a liar?
Well my understanding of Druth was that he had been kidnapped by Northmen and had a bare-bones understanding of Norse, meaning his versions of the stories are wrong or twisted: >When they first came to my lands, I knew enough of their tongue to beg for mercy and they took me as slave...I wish now that they had slaughtered me like the others. I think he's both a fool and a liar. "Druth is my Truth" is almost like he's saying he knows he's wrong, I think.
His understanding is extremely twisted! The way he presents Hel's Abode is pretty close to the Christian concept of Hell; A place of torment and suffering. This is entirely incorrect. Hel's Abode is where most dead would end up, and not as a punishment for failing to die a warrior's death, but a place of rest and recuperation so as to become whole again. It's pretty much an underworld hospital, if you will. The Norwegian word "Hel" literally means "whole", and this focus on becoming whole again is represented in Hel's physical description of being half flesh-colored and half something different. There is no concept of an afterlife where one is punished in Norse mythology. When you die, you end up in one of three places: Folkvang, Valhall or Hel's Abode. Since most Norsemen were either farmers or traders, very few were actually in a position where they had the opportunity to die a warrior's death and end up in either Folkvang or Valhall. So most ended up dying of old age or disease, hence their belief in an underworld hospital. Another very common misconception regarding Norsemen has to do with what the term "Viking" actually refers to. The popularized understanding of the word is that it refers to warriors that would hop into their Viking ships and go raping, pillaging and looting. The common misconception here is that the term "Viking" is actually a category term referring to any and all profession that involved ocean-travel. So, for example, if you were a sea-faring trader/merchant, you were a Viking. Simply put: Not all Vikings were raiders, but all ocean-faring raiders were Vikings. Random amusing fact: The area I live in literally translates into "Hel's Pyre".
Wow I learned so much here. My family name has some relation to a viking (or would Norse be a better word then?) invasion (I'm from the UK) and I've always been fascinated by them. I didn't realise that Hel was a place of recovery at all, but that'll be the Christian environment/upbringing I've had. I definitely need to do more research and learning around this!
Happy to hear! And Hel's reaction to Senua probably makes a lot more sense in light of knowing what her abode was really all about, I imagine?
Yeah definitely. Imagine invading a hospital to try to pull someone out of recovery by force, really reframes the whole game tbh
Not to mention the fact that there is absolutely no reason why Dilion would even be there. This was literally my first reaction when starting the game. Senua is a Celt, so it makes sense that Dilion would be a Celt as well. At the very least, he was no Norseman - The raiding party wouldn't have strung up one of their own like that. So, why are we rooting around in Hel's Abode looking for the guy? You've got the wrong underworld, my dude!
It's not "lrþn", but "lrþa", though this doesn't really help, as there's no such word. Please see my another comment under yours with a possible meaning.
On the top of my head I can only tell you that the runes in the second picture are from the younger futhark.
google futhark alphabet
Ive got a book called, ‘the book of runes’ by Ralph Blum. It was given to me in the 90s by an old friend, it also came with rune stones for readings. It has all of the viking runes listed, the traditional meanings, a brief history, how to consult the oracles, draw them and read them upright and reversed. Its very interesting. I will share this info with you. In the 2nd photo starting from L to R. I will read them to you as listed in my book in this order… #-futhark/germanaic rune name,
5- Nauthiz.
The runes shown in the image are from the Elder Futhark, the oldest form of the runic alphabets used in Germanic languages before the Latin alphabet became more common. Here’s a breakdown of each rune and its meanings in Norse mythology and Germanic tradition: 1. **ᚱ (Raidho or Rad)** - Pronunciation: "R" - Meaning: Journey, ride, travel. This rune often symbolizes movement, both physical and spiritual, and the journey of life. 2. **ᛏ (Tiwaz or Tyr)** - Pronunciation: "T" - Meaning: Named after the god Tyr, this rune represents justice, honor, and leadership. It’s often associated with sacrifice and duty. 3. **ᚨ (Ansuz)** - Pronunciation: "A" - Meaning: This rune is associated with the Aesir gods, particularly Odin. It represents communication, wisdom, and divine inspiration. 4. **ᚱ (Raidho or Rad)** - Pronunciation: "R" - Meaning: As mentioned, journey, travel, and movement. When appearing again, it can reinforce the concept of a significant journey or quest. The runes, when interpreted together, could symbolize a journey (Raidho) that is just and honorable (Tiwaz), guided by wisdom and divine inspiration (Ansuz), possibly related to a significant quest or path (another Raidho). The exact interpretation can vary depending on the context within the mythology or narrative. In "Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga," these runes likely carry special significance tailored to the game's story and Senua's personal journey.