Ratanen

This is the first rune in what is essentially a looping cycle. It could be viewed as the rune between the cycles and therefore an excellent place to start the cycle. This is the dream fog of which everything is formed from and where everything that no longer has a purpose flows back to. One can view this rune as the primordial force of possibility and chaos that is just beyond the veneer of order and structure that surrounds us.

The rune just before Ratanen is Sathihan. This is, literally, all that is left when Sathihan has run its course. All that existed (in a given realm at the least) is returned to its basic building blocks. This form is an end, but as seen in the next coupling, it is also a beginning. Immediately after Ratanen is Drakani. The rune of Tiamat is a rune of focused Will and calling forth. With no where to call from, no possibility and no formlessness waiting to be given shape, there is little that the Will can do aside from altering what is already present. Merely by existing, Ratanen gives rise to the ability to create.

When meditating on Ratanen, it is can be likened to walking through both fantasy and nightmare at the same time. Everything that can or does exist will be found in Ratanen if only for a moment. If one has a focused Will, Ratanen is the quickest way to bring about a desired change by tapping it directly and pulling the desired form into stability. A good rune to use in this aspect to balance the inherent chaos is Athanen. It, representing Order, can assist in holding the desire as it was formed before it can slip back into the fog it flowed from. If one was to order these runes together, you would first focus on Ratanen, and then either a desire, or a rune representing that desire, and immediately followed by Athanen. To dismiss this effect or desire, visualize the Athanen rune releasing its grasp and replace it with Ratanen.

Another use for Ratanen in regards to scrying would be to visualize its shape over a dark reflective surface and use your preferred method of visualization to enact the divination. If used as a charm, Ratanen can enhance the random events that occur in ones life, either for good or ill if not coupled with any other rune or desire. While rather unpredictable when used in this way, it should at the very least, make things interesting. When used with another rune, it can lend strength and potential by accessing the vast realms of possibility that exist surrounding the primary rune. While highly effective in bringing about the primary rune, the side effects may vary widely.

When Ratanen turns up in Divination, It usually represents Dreams, Chaos, Untapped Potential, Timeless Mists, or Confusion. The exact interpretation of this rune depend on its position and the other runes that fall near it. For instance, in a simple spread of three runes in past/present/future with Athihan/Ratanen/Mah pulled respectively, One could see Ratanen as the Confusion or Chaos that has resulted from a conflict, and communication with the community is the best path to take to resolve this issue. If one pulled Ratanen/Thaenrathi/Ionali, then Ratanen more likely refers to the untapped potential that was recently instructed or advised upon that would assist with finding or furthering ones calling or purpose.