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True Runes

The 27 True Runes (27の真の紋章; Nijuu-Nana no Shin no Monshou) are special runes in the Suikoden series.

Details[]

They possess a unique power in comparison to their ordinary counterparts. They have ties with the universe, and are engaged in an eternal struggle of chaos versus order, often using humanity as their means to bring about their will.

History[]

The 27 True Runes

True Runes with their children runes.

In the beginning, there was "darkness."
Then finally, the "darkness" shed a "tear."
From that "tear," the brothers Sword and Shield were born.
Sword Bragged that he can cut anything. Shield replied that he could protect anything. Then the brothers began a legendary battle for seven days and seven nights.
At the end, Sword cut Shield and Shield smashed Sword.
Sword became the sky, Shield became the earth, and the sparks from the battle became the stars.
And the jewels that adorn Sword and Shield Became the True Runes--
The runes that all other runes were born from.

Function[]

According to the legend, true runes are the backbone of the Suikoden universe, allowing it to exist. Each True rune is effectively a sort of god, with its own will or agenda. Their immense power attract kings, emperors, and other secret organizations, which has ultimately led to many, many wars throughout the ages of Suikoden.

No one knows for certain where True Runes came from, but legend tells that the 27 True Runes were created when the brothers, "Sword" and "Shield" fought against each other and after the Sword and the Shield shattered each other, the 27 gems adorning Sword and Shield transformed into the 27 True Runes.

The battles between the True Runes are often paralleled by the struggles for power within and between nations.

Ashen Future[]

The 27 True Runes want to return to the era of the Sword and the Shield and The True Runes say that humanity only prolongs their separation.

When the True Runes succeed the "Ashen Future" will come. Ashen future is where the world turns gray and dark as death, no colors, no shapes, no sounds, no wind noise, no smell of grass, no heat of the sun. In short nothingness.

Abilities[]

All True Runes represent a certain aspect of existence, such as punishment, beginning, or even the basic elements (fire, wind, etc.). They are tied to the foundations of the universe, bringing both benefits and curses to its bearer, such as agelessness, immunity to disease, incredible magical powers, but most notably, the ability to control the destinies of entire nations.

As opposed to regular runes, which are chosen by people to wear or to temper into weapons, True Runes choose the people who will bear them. As unlike the regular runes, the True Runes are sentient, and have wishes and necessities. Each True Rune has a different desire and follow a different behavior to reach these desires. Some necessities can be potentially harmful or even lethal to the bearer of the rune.

True Runes have been known to destroy their own bearer, or even swap bearers, so that they can be more properly aligned with those with great power, or even the stars of destiny in order to bring greater order or chaos to the universe. When the True Rune has really harmful effects to its bearer, sometimes it's branded as "Cursed" by people.

Although the bearers of True Runes often stop aging and become immune to disease, they are still susceptible to death from physical causes, such as accidents, sacrifice, or murder. If this happens, the Rune will seek another host, or stay dormant. The Rune will also go with these conditions if the part of the body that the Rune is attached on gets severed from the main body, like the hand, for example. It is mentioned that the True Runes also have the ability to give their bearers immortality. In opposition, if the bearer excessively uses the power of the rune, the bearer will die.

There are still some mysteries concerning the True Rune capabilities as the series has shown that the runes can divide their powers, like in the case of the Rune of Beginning and the Gate Rune, but in each case, the rules of the split rune are treated differently as the Half Gate Runes have granted their bearers the full benefits of a True Rune while the Bright Shield and Black Sword do not.

Some True Runes are said to have started their life as one rune; such as the Sun and Night Rune originally being one. The Night Rune transformed itself into a sentient sword, and it's unknown if other True Runes may have done the same or if it a unique power to the Night Rune alone. The Runes have also shown to be contained by inanimate objects, such as the Sovereign Rune being embedded on Emperor Barbarossa's sword, though this may be a case of some sealing technique.

Some True Runes are also known to materialize themselves in the form of a creature or beast, when they feel threatened, called "Incarnations". Most of those incarnations serve as the final obstacle in several Suikoden games, like the Beast and Sun Runes.

Another ability is to see the future or the possible paths to take current events. Leknaat, Luc, and the Flame Champion were the first to have this ability. Only Leknaat is more conscious about trying to change the future by using force. The power of True Runes are devastating if the bearer loses control, but if they are destroyed, it could cause massive annihilation of continents or oceans in seconds.

Unlike a regular rune, the True Runes have some loyalty and respect for the original bearer, such as Sierra. Even runes have a conscience, demonstrated when bearers are desperate, the occult powers are activated. (example: Freyjadour and the Dawn Rune helped Lyon). Hikusaak was able to find a way to steal the true runes using unconventional methods but effects, using body parts and a special liquid in special crystal runes.

List[]

Beast Rune[]

Current Owner: Unknown
Past Owners: L'Renouille Palace
A True Rune representing animalistic rage and passion; the rune is officially said to have been given to the Blight family by the High Priest Sasarai. The fact is that the Beast Rune refused to be contained within Harmonia and took residence in L'Renouille according to its own will. Harmonia hid this fact by claiming that it was a gift, and used it as a political tool.
The Beast Rune laid dormant within L'Renouille until Luca Blight took interest in its power. After the Beast Rune was realized as a weapon of war, huge quantities of blood were sacrificed to it, awakening various "relatives of the Beast Rune" in the form of golden wolves. These wolves caused confusion to the Allied Forces when they took Muse--the city was filled with golden wolves. During the siege on L'Renouille, the Beast Rune took the form of the Silver Wolf and challenged the Allied Forces to a final bout. After it was defeated, it is unknown what happened to the Beast Rune.

Rune of Beginning[]

Current Owner: Riou (if alternate ending is chosen)
Past Owners: Unknown
A True Rune representing the "initial chaos of birth" inherent in times of creation. This True Rune is always found separated into its components -- the Bright Shield and Black Sword runes, and bearers of these two runes are bound by the rune's power to fight against each other until only one survives to win the other component. Scholars are uncertain whether the Black Sword and Bright Shield are the same "sword" and "shield" from the legends of creation, and no one knows what exact power the Rune of Beginning bears. It is said that the rune grants its owner the power to "judge war."
Current Owner: Jowy (when the "good ending" is reached)
Past Owners: Han Cunningham
The Black Sword Rune is one of the components of the Rune of Beginning. Representing the offensive power necessary for "the beginning," this rune holds devastating powers. Much of the power is manifested in the form of swords, and all of its spells unleash painful attacks with magical swords.
Current Owner: Riou (when the "good ending" is reached)
Past Owners: Genkaku
The Bright Shield Rune is the other component of the Rune of Beginning. Representing the power to protect "the beginning," this rune holds tremendous defensive powers. Many of its spells heal its bearer and those who are with the bearer in spirit. It is also said that those who are close to this rune won't die even when they suffer wounds that would have otherwise killed them.

Moon Rune[]

Current Owner: Sierra
Past Owners: Sierra, Blue Moon Village, Neclord
A Rune representing compassion and destruction, this rune also turns its bearer into a vampire. This rune carries with it a huge curse, as it actually dominates its bearer's mind until s/he gains mastery over its powers. When Sierra Mikain came into possession of this rune, she ended up going on a killing rampage, forcing her to retreat into the forest to keep herself from harming others.
As she gained mastery over this rune, she was able to tap into the powers of compassion, which diminished her vampiric impulses to drink the blood of the living. This led to the creation of the Blue Moon Village, where Sierra lived with others who had cast their pasts away, such as Rean Penenberg and Neclord. Sierra removed the Moon Rune from herself and placed it on an altar at the center of the village. Neclord, overtaken by the lust for power, stole the Moon Rune and fled, robbing immortality from the villagers other than Sierra. Some of the villagers fled to sustain their immortality through sucking the blood of others.
Although Sierra lost physical possession of the Moon Rune, the rune still recognized her as its master. Thus, when Sierra caught up with Neclord, she was able to command the rune to obey her and deactivate itself. Neclord used the Moon Rune during the Dunan Unification War to take over Tinto. Its magic requires the blood of 100 people.

Rune of Change[]

Current Owner: Unknown (Leader of the Sindar)
Past Owners: Unknown
A True Rune representing change that affects all in the universe. The powers of this rune and its whereabouts remain a mystery. It is said that the Leader of the Sindar hold this rune, forcing the Sindars to move from place to place as a curse, and that the Sindars finally found their "eternal city" after their eternal wander.

Circle Rune[]

Current Owner: Hikusaak
Past Owners: Unknown
A True Rune representing order and stagnation, not much is known about this rune as well as its bearer. The Holy Kingdom of Harmonia is named after this rune's power of bringing peace and harmony. Scholars argue that the power of stagnation has become more prevalent in recent times, stalling the progress of the Holy Kingdom. The High Priest Hikusaak, its bearer, has also been rumored missing since Solis 230, causing a civil war.

Dragon Rune[]

Current Owner: Milia
Past Owners: Joshua Levenheit
This rune enables dragons to exist in the world of Suikoden. It also grants the power to control dragons. This rune is possessed by the current leader of the dragon knights, and it was possessed by the former leader.

Eightfold Rune[]

Current Owner: Yuber
Past Owners: Unknown
Owned by Yuber, no one knows what powers this rune may hold. Scholars argue that Yuber's affinity with monsters (summoning, for example) and the power of teleportation is derived from this rune, but no one is certain.

Gate Rune[]

Current Owner: Split into Front and Back halves
Last Owners: Unknown
A True Rune with the power to connect worlds, this rune holds great powers. The Blue Gate Rune was born from this rune. Belonging to the Gate Rune Clan, this rune has been protected for centuries.The clan was destroyed by invading Harmonians in Solis 78. The two sisters, Windy and Leknaat (In the Gate Rune Clan, all members were considered siblings), separated the Gate Rune into two halves and teleported away. The Gate Rune was unheard of for centuries but surfaced during the "Gate Rune Wars" when the Liberation Army fought against the Scarlet Moon Empire -- controlled by Windy.
The "Front Half" of the Gate Rune remains missing after Windy's disappearance following the collapse of the Hanging Gardens of Barbarossa.
Current Owner: N/A
Past Owners: Leknaat
The Back Gate Rune is one of the halves of the Gate Rune, separated by Windy and Leknaat. After Leknaat teleported away from the destruction of her clan, she eventually escaped to the Magician's Isle, creating powerful wards to protect herself from anyone who wished to take her rune. Her greatest threat, ironically, ended up being Windy. During the final battle of the Gate Rune Wars, Leknaat used her Back Gate Rune to send Windy's monster troops back to the "World of Emptiness." Her power alone was too weak to send all of them back, requiring the help of Joshua Levenheit's Dragon Rune for complete success.
Current Owner: N/A
Past Owners: Windy
The Front Gate Rune is one of the halves of the Gate Rune, separated by Windy and Leknaat. After Windy teleported away from the destruction of her clan, she sought greater power to seek revenge against the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia. Knowing that one person could only wield one True Rune, she researched ways to attach two True Runes on herself. Thus, she started searching for True Runes with other True Rune Bearers, Yuber and Neclord. She scoured the lands in search of True Runes, ironically doing the same thing Harmonia did to her clan to gain True Runes. In the end, she found the bearer of the Soul Eater, Ted, and tried to take it from him, but ultimately fails.
Her unyielding wish to gain the Rune of Life and Death indirectly caused the Gate Rune Wars. In the final battle, Windy used her Front Gate Rune to summon 80,000 monster troops from the "World of Emptiness." Her monster troops were sent back by Leknaat and Joshua Levenheit. In the end, she died when Barbarossa fell from the balcony of his "Floating Garden," taking her along. Since then, the rune has been missing, suggesting that Windy may still be alive.

Night Rune[]

Current Owner: Edge
Past Owners: Viktor
A True Rune representing the "power of the night," this rune allows "creatures of the night," such as zombies, skeletons, and vampires to exist. There is argument over the nature of this rune due to the Zodiac Sword's claim that he is a "manifestation" of the Night Rune. Other sources state that the Night Rune is merely attached to its hilt. It is also known that the Zodiac Sword used to be another entity entirely, who had some past relations with Sierra Mikain.
The Night Rune also gives the Zodiac Sword the ability to destroy "creatures of the night", even vampires. The Zodiac Sword had been in possession of Viktor, but he passed it to Edge for "safekeeping", no one is certain whether Viktor or Edge actually aged while using the Zodiac Sword, so this doesn't serve as proof of whether the Zodiac Sword "is" the Night Rune. The Zodiac Sword itself is a legendary sword, never rusting, which makes one wonder if "immortality" even applies to inanimate objects.

Soul Eater[]

Current Owner: Tir McDohl
Past Owners: Ted's Grandpa, Ted, Fog Ship Guide
Better known as the "Rune of Life and Death," this rune represents two inevitabilities: life and death. The rune has devastating powers, and an equally devastating curse. The rune is prone to bend fate of people close to its bearer so they can get killed allowing the rune to eat their souls.
This rune was kept by the Village of the Hidden Rune until Solis 150 when Windy, along with Yuber and Neclord, destroyed the Village. The rune was passed on from Ted's Grandpa onto Ted, and Ted since wandered the world. Eventually, worn down by the rune's curse and the social exclusion that it brought, Ted accepted the offer of the mysterious Fog Ship Guide to hand over the rune and disappear from the world.
His exile lasted years, but when he saw the actions of the bearer of the Rune of Punishment (another heavily cursed rune), Ted decided to leave the Fog Ship and return to the outside world. The Fog Ship Guide was unwilling to part with the Soul Eater and battled for possession of it and the Rune of Punishment. Following the Guide's defeat Ted reclaimed the rune and aided the bearer of the Rune of Punishment in the war between the Island Nations and Kooluk. Once the conflict was over Ted returned to a solo nomadic life.
After his wandering, he befriended the son of General Teo McDohl, Tir. After Windy realized that Ted bore the Soul Eater, he was attacked by Windy. Barely escaping with his life, Ted begged Tir to become the next bearer of the Soul Eater, which Tir accepted. From that point onwards, the rune bent the fate of those around Tir and dragged them into the clutches of death, starting with Odessa Silverberg, then with Gremio, Teo McDohl, and even its own ex-bearer, Ted. It is uncertain whether having one's soul sucked by the Soul Eater means death, as the spirits of those who have died live on within the bearer of the Soul Eater.

Rune of Punishment[]

Current Owner: Razro
Past Owners: Glen Cott, Brandeau, SteeleGraham Cray, Graham Cray's Son, Queen of Obel
The Rune of Punishment governs atonement and forgiveness, attaching itself to a bearer's left arm. The Rune has tremendous destructive power, as it comes at the cost of the bearer's own vitality. When the wielder's life-force is at an end, their memories are absorbed by the rune, and the person bearing the rune turns to dust. The Rune then transfers to the nearest available host.
The Rune of Punishment is supposedly the deadliest rune among all the 27 True Runes. While it is still believed that the Rune of Punishment will grant standard True Rune abilities such as agelessness; there is no record of any of its previous bearers surviving long enough for this to be an issue.
The Rune became sealed in Obel after its then bearer died without potential host in range; it remained in the Ruins there for many years until discovered by the then Queen of Obel. She resisted the Rune's call to be used until a time when pirates threatened her children and her kingdom. Since that time, it has moved around the region causing death to its bearers and destruction to those around them; no matter how much they may resist, fate transpires to place the bearers in situations where they end up using the Rune to save themselves or others.
One such incident occurred in a border village between Kooluk and the Scarlet Moon Empire: some Scarlet Moon nobles dressed up as Kooluk raiders and attacked the town to drum up support for a war. The then bearer of the Rune (who was a small child) unleashed its power and the nobles, as well as the village, were decimated. The succeeding bearer Graham Cray was the father of the previous bearer, and in order to escape the Rune's curse he severed his left arm from his body; the act saved him from the Rune, but he then developed a fixation on the power he had discarded.
The Rune continued its cycle of death and destruction, returning to the Island Nations where it claimed the life of an innocent fisherman who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, then it passed on to the notorious Pirate Steele, who used it to attack the Pirate Edgar, who he killed. As Steele lay dying, the Rune passed onto Edgar's friend Brandeau.
Brandeau isolated himself from his friends and crewed his ships with strangers; eventually on a raiding mission that went bad he used the Rune to try and escape, and seeing one young man remain who bested him in combat he felt as though he knew who the next bearer would be. He was mistaken, as Glen Cott stepped in the way just as Brandeau died. Glen returned to his home of Razril but did not bear the Rune long before he was forced to use it against an invading fleet; although he tried to keep everyone away from him when he did so, circumstances saw the same young man named Lazlo being close to Glen when he died and it transferred to him this time around.
Exiled from Razril for being belived to be responsible for Glen's death this Lazlo became embroiled in a war that started due to Koolouk's expansion progress, but continued due to Graham Cray's desire to obtain the Rune again. During this time Lazlo managed to survive using the Rune's power a total of four time; before the power of the 108 Stars of Destiny moved the Rune into its little seen forgiveness phase, where it no longer drains the life of its bearer. He later joined Kyril and his party in the Destruction of the Rune Canons.

Sovereign Rune[]

Current Owner: Unknown
Past Owners: Barbarossa
A True Rune representing absolute rule, the Sovereign Rune has been the Rugner family's family heirloom since Kranach Rugner created the Scarlet Moon Empire. Before that, the Sovereign Rune belonged to the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia, and was protected within the Holy City of Rupanda (later renamed Gregminster). The rune's powers are still a mystery, but it grants its bearers complete immunity to all runes, and also allows its bearer to change into a three-headed dragon. Barbarossa, as its bearer, chose to embed this rune on his Dragon King Sword. Since Barbarossa fell from his castle's balcony, this rune's whereabouts are unknown.

Sun Rune[]

Current Owner: None
Past Owners: King of the Ancient Armes Dynasty, Arshtat Falenas
The True Rune representing the Sun, it holds power over both the nurturing and destructive benefits of the Sun. Originally connected to the Night Rune, the two runes were split when the Night Rune took the form of a sword and severed their link together. In the past, the Sun Rune was controlled by the King of the Ancient Armes Kingdom before he used its power to destroy his lands, while the Queendom of Felena used it to bring prosperity back to the lands.
In Falena, the Sun Rune is considered to be too powerful to be controlled by one person, so the Rune is traditionally sealed in a bust and watched over by priests. The Sun Rune shares a symbiotic link with the Dawn Rune and Twilight Rune with the two runes creating a balance with the Sun Rune that prevents its harmful effects. The Sun Rune has the power to seduce the mind of its wielder and creates split personality that bears a god-complex which wishes to use the rune's power.
When the Dawn Rune was stolen during the Lordlake Rebellion, Arshtat, the Queen of Falena, bore the rune at advice of tactician Lucretia Merces, who speculated that the Godwins faction may attempt steal the rune in response to the disappearance of the Dawn Rune. Without the Dawn Rune to temper the Sun Rune's influence, the Queen began to suffer from the same mental insanity the Ancient King of Armes had fallen to. Though her husband Ferid was able to quell her bouts of insanity, he was unable to stop her from using the Sun Rune against the loyal citizens of Lordlake for supposedly betraying her. When Arshtat is slain during the Godwins' coup, the Sun Rune returned to the chamber were it was originally sealed. The capricious nature of the Sun Rune allows only those it selects to bear it, as both Lymsleia Falenas and Gizel Godwin were rejected as hosts.
Current Bearers: Freyjadour Falenas
Previous Bearers: Unknown
A piece left over after the Night Rune turned into a sword and split from the Sun Rune, the Dawn Rune is a one-of-a-kind rune and one of the three treasures of Falena. Borne on the right hand, the Dawn Rune grants its bearer a numerous powers, most importantly, the power to heal others who have wounds that would ordinarily kill them. Its true power comes when used in conjunction with the Sun Rune. When combined with its counterpart, the Twilight Rune, the Dawn Rune has the power of the Sun Rune to stabilize and prevents the insanity bearing the Sun Rune normally causes.
When the Sindar people lived in Falena, they used the power of the Dawn Rune extensively. The water level in the Ceras Lake could be controlled through a Sindar dam that used the power of the Dawn Rune. The Sindar constructed similar buildings in the western forests and the northern mountains. Even though these palaces were not designed specifically for the Dawn Rune, the Dawn Rune could still activate them. After the disappearance of the Sindar, the Dawn Rune was kept in the East Palace of Falena on a magical bust, but an attack on the palace in 445 In Solis caused it to go missing.
The Barows family had incited the people of Lordlake to attack in East Palace during protest of the construction of a dam that contaminated their water, using the riot for the Barows troops to enter the East Palace and steal the rune. Salum Barows hid the rune in a wardrobe in his basement, with only his son Euram being aware of its location; to prevent his daughter Luserina or anyone else from discovering the rune, Salum told the vault's guardian Chuck that a wedding present for Luserina had been hidden in the basement. It is unknown what Lord Barows planned to use the Dawn Rune for, though it is speculated that he either planned to use it as a goodwill offering to the nation of Armes, to trade it to the Godwins, or intended to keep it until he could figure out how to use it himself.
After the Prince of Falena discovers Lord Barows' attempts to align himself with Armes, a desperate Euram reveals that the Barows have the Dawn Rune. Luserina quickly deduces the rune's location and brings the Prince to the basement, where the Dawn Rune selects him as its host. During the Falenan Civil War, the Prince uses the Dawn Rune's various powers on the ruins of the Sindar, to heal his bodyguard Lyon from a wound that would have killed her otherwise, and to control a use of the Sun Rune. After the war, the Dawn Rune and the Twilight Rune are sealed in busts kept next to the Sun Rune.
Current Bearers: Freyjadour Falenas (If it's gone to Bad Ending)
Previous Bearers: Lyon, Sialeeds Falenas, Alenia
A piece left over after the Night Rune turned into a sword and split from the Sun Rune, the Twilight Rune is a unique rune and one of the three treasures of Falena. Borne on the left hand, the Twilight Rune grants its bearer tremendous offensive power. When used in conjunction with the Sun and Dawn Runes, the insanity that occurs with bearing the Sun Rune can be halted, and the power of the rune can be forcibly quelled.
The Sindar people used the power of the Twilight Rune, their western buildings were built with the Twilight Rune serving as a key. Although the eastern buildings and northern ones were not constructed specifically for the Twilight Rune, the Twilight Rune still can function as a key for them. During the reign of the Queendom of Falena, the Twilight Rune was kept in the West Palace. It wasn't until the civil war would become more extreme between the Prince's faction and the Godwin faction that the Godwins would call upon its power.
The first bearer of the rune was Alenia, a Queen's Knight loyal to the Godwin cause. The rune mistress, Jeane, is able to attach the rune to Alenia, but Alenia was unable to draw out the power of the rune. When Gizel Godwin realized that the Twilight Rune would only allow a bearer it had chosen to utilize its full power, he had the rune removed from Alenia. The Twilight Rune subsequently chose Sialeeds Falenas, the sister of Queen Arshtat, as its next bearer.
Unlike Alenia, the Twilight Rune allowed itself to be used by Sialeeds, who was able to wield its destructive powers to a great extent, including the destruction of forces the Godwins had prepared to ambush the Prince of Falena. Though Sialeeds attempts to use the Twilight Rune to destroy the main dam at Sol-Falena to sweep the Prince's army away, the Prince's arrival at the dam and the realization that someone is using the Sun Rune's power forces Sialeeds and the Prince to cooperate with the runes to curb the Sun Rune's power. The strain of stopping the attack is too much for the wounded Sialeeds and the rune selects the Prince's bodyguard, Lyon, as Sialeeds' successor.
In the war's final battle, Lyon uses the Twilight Rune at the northern ruins alongside the Prince's Dawn Rune to subdue the Sun Rune. After the war, the Twilight Rune is removed and placed back on a magical bust, where is kept alongside the Dawn and Sun Runes.

True Earth Rune[]

Current Owner: Sasarai
Past Owners: Unknown
A True Rune representing the power of the earth. The Earth Rune and Mother Earth Rune are born from this rune. It is currently owned by the Priest General, Sasarai. Its powers are vast, granting great protection spells to its bearer.

True Fire Rune[]

Current Owner: Hugo, Chris Lightfellow, or Geddoe (assumed to be Hugo by most sources)
Past Owners: The Flame Champion
A True Rune representing the power of fire. The Fire Rune and Rage Rune are born from this True Rune. It is currently owned by the new Flame Champion, but it used to be owned by Harmonia. Hidden in the depths of the One Temple, this rune was stolen by the "Fire Bringer." Since then, the "Flame Champion" fought against Harmonian troops and even defeated them in numerous battles. The Flame Champion disappeared after wishing to be free from the True Rune's destiny, removing it from his body using an ancient Sindar secret. The rune grants powerful flame-based spells that hurt friend and foe alike if within the area of effect.

True Lightning Rune[]

Current Owner: Geddoe or Hugo (assumed to be Geddoe by most sources)
Past Owners: Geddoe
A True Rune representing the power of lightning. The Lightning Rune and Thunder Rune are born from this rune. The rune was a treasure of a nation destroyed by Harmonia, but Geddoe escaped this nation with the True Rune. Later he lent his powers to the Flame Champion during the huge conflict in the Grasslands. He has sealed the powers of the True Lightning Rune ever since, but unsealed it during the 2nd Flame Champion War. The rune grants incredibly powerful offensive spells to its bearer.

True Water Rune[]

Current Owner: Chris Lightfellow or Hugo (assumed to be Chris by most sources)
Past Owners: Wyatt Lightfellow
A True Rune representing the power of water. The Water and Flowing Runes are born from this rune. Owned by Wyatt Lightfellow, the rune played a part during the First Fire Bringer War, assisting the Flame Champion along with the True Lightning Rune. Since that conflict, the rune has been sealed in multiple locations, but was unsealed once again during the Second Fire Bringer War, where the rune is passed on from the hands of Wyatt to either Chris Lightfellow or Hugo. The rune grants powerful healing spells along with attack spells to its bearer.

True Wind Rune[]

Current Owner: Unknown
Past Owners: Luc
A True Rune representing the power of the wind. The Wind Rune and Cyclone Rune are born from this True Rune. It its current owner is unknown, but it was owned by Luc until recently. Luc has been seen using this rune to summon a Golem, and he also used it to defeat Harmonian forces during the Dunan Unification War. He also attempted to destroy the True Wind Rune during the second Flame Champion War, but failed due to the resistance given by the new flame champion.

Commonly Mistaken True Runes[]

Due to misinformation, many people are under the assumption that some runes are True Runes, when they in fact are not. Here is a list of commonly misunderstood runes.

Current Owner: Stallion
Past Owners: Cedric, Cathari
The True Holy Rune, despite its name, is not a true rune. The original Japanese word, "Shin shin gyou hou no monsyou" literally translates to, "True divine transportation method rune," and is based on an actual item used in the original story, the Water Margin. Konami has confirmed this rune to be a normal support rune. Later games have corrected the translation error and the rune is now more accurately named the Godspeed Rune.
Current Owner: N/A
Past Owners: Windy
The Conqueror Rune is often thought of as a True Rune, but some simple logic will tell otherwise. For one thing, even Windy can only wield two true runes at once. The fact the she already had the Front Gate Rune, and her attempt to obtain the Soul Eater would make it obvious that the conqueror rune is a normal rune (albeit quite rare). Also, sources list this rune to be a "Miscellaneous Rune" (such as the official guide). In fact, the Conqueror Rune is merely the official name of the Black Rune, which Windy uses to control Kwanda Rosman and Milich Oppenheimer.
Current Owner: Viki
Past Owners: Viki
A once popular fan theory claimed that Viki's Blinking Rune was a true rune, but there is no evidence from official sources that confirm this speculation. The fact the Blinking Rune is attainable in various Rune shops largely debunks the theory. It may have started due to the limited information concerning the Rune of Change which the Blinking Rune seems to be derived from.
Current owner: Jeane
Even though the rune seemed unique and the owner, Jeane remained young and well over hundreds of years. But throughout the series, and with words from Konami staff, the Charm Rune was confirmed as a rare regular rune while Jeane's nature was hinted to be not an ordinary being, thus that explained her agelessness.

Trivia[]

  • The True Runes are based on the primordial deities in ancient mythologies (Greek, Egyptian, Japanese, Chinese, etc.)
  • All True Runes are equal in power, and none can out-step their bounds into another True Rune territory of influence. Two or more True Runes could "team up" to subjugate another True Rune.
  • It has never been stated if the Rune of Beginning and the Gate Rune are now complete, as Windy's fate is unknown and the true ending of Suikoden II leaves the Rune of Beginning's fate unanswered.
  • Despite the existence of the Resurrection Rune, there is no mention of the origin of this rune or it is derived from a true rune.
  • While it has never been directly shown or stated, the series has shown that the Sindar had an advanced knowledge of the True Runes, which allowed them to develop a special sealing technology to contain them as well as building structures that operated by control of the Runes. The various structures they left behind have often proven to be of great use to several figures in the course of the series.
  • Luc explains that the True Runes are aware of the fate of the world, which will end in either chaos or dharma usurping the balance and remaking the world in their image. According to him, the True Runes are the key to this cosmic struggle and destroying even one of them could end it.
  • It is possible the that the Necklace of Harmonia from Greek mythology may have served as one of the inspirations for the development of the True Runes by the Suikoden design team. The necklace was said to grant eternal youth and immortality but was cursed to cause misfortune to those who possessed it and resulted in the wars that eventually brought one dynastic family in Thebes to ruin.
  • Throughout the Suikoden series, fifteen true runes are present during the conflicts/wars in the series, and eighteen have been reported. Of which, two of them are divided:
  • The Gate Rune was divided by Leknaat and Windy, and it is unknown what happened to Front Gate Rune after Suikoden I.
  • The Rune of Beginning was divided into the Black Sword Rune and the Bright Shield Rune. It was only seen in its true form if Jowy died.
  • The Sun Rune was divided into three parts by the Night Rune. It is mentioned that both the sun and the night were together at first, but it isn't clear about this information, causing doubt if it's just one rune or a reference to the prime deity.
Incarnations

Incarnations of the Beast, Night, Sovereign, Sun, and True Wind Runes

  • The only true runes that have officially revealed their incarnations are: Sun, Night, Wind, Fire, Water, Sovereign and Beast.
    • In addition, each of the incarnations are fought as a boss in their respective games.
  • The runes that have shown their true strength when they lost control are: Sun, Water, Fire, and the Rune of Punishment.
  • The Rune of Punishment and the Soul Eater are considered the most dangerous to the living. The Rune of Punishment normally killed the bearer and destroyed everything around it, while the Soul Eater killed and devoured the souls of those close to the bearer.
  • According to Luc, both the chaos and the cosmos/dharma will have the victory over each other. In Suikoden III, cosmos / dharma is victorious in the vision shown to successor where the world is desolate.

References[]

Suikoden
Characters
108 Stars
of Destiny
Playable
AlenAnjiAntonioBlackmanCamilleCleoCliveCrowleyEikeiEileenFlikFu Su LuFukienFumaFutchGenGonGremioGrensealGriffithHellionHixHumphreyJeaneJuppoKageKaiKamandolKanakKasimKasumiKesslerKimberleyKirkeKirkisKreutzKrinKuromimiKwanda RosmanLeonardoLepantLesterLiukanLorelaiLotteLucMaasMaceMeeseMegMiliaMilich OppenheimerMinaMooseMorganMosePahnPesmergaQuincyRonnieRubiSansukeSarahSergeiSheenaSonyaStallionSydoniaSylvinaTai HoTengaarTir McDohlValeriaVarkasVikiViktorWarrenYam Koo
Non-Playable
(except in Major Battles)
AppleChandlerChapmanEsmeraldaGasparGeorgesGiovanniHugoIvanovJabbaJoshuaKasiosKun ToLedonLeonMarcoMarieMathiuMaximillianMelodyeOnilQlonRockSanchoTaggartTempletonTeslaVincentWindowZen
Allies
Temporary Playable
TedOdessa
Non-Playable
LeknaatSanchezBlackChief of Elf VillageChief of Dwarf VillageZorak
Adversaries
Scarlet Moon Empire
BarbarossaWindyTeoKrazeKanaanGradyAin Gide
Other NeclordYuber
Other
Non-Playable MinaClaudiaKilawherKliftMichelanGeilRoshSchmidtHanzoBergenKranachAchillesDennis
Locations
Towns/Villages
GregminsterMagician's IslandRocklandLenankampSaradyKakuSeikaToran Lake Castle / Toran Castle (HQ) • KouanGreat Forest VillageGreat Forest Kobold VillageVillage of the ElvesVillage of the DwarvesTeienRikonAnteiScarleticiaKirovWarriors' VillageQlon TempleVillage of the Hidden RuneGate Rune Village
Other
Cave of the PastDragon's DenDragon Knights' FortressDwarf TrailDwarves' VaultFortress of DuhaFortress of RakanGaran FortressKwaba FortressLorimar FortressMoran ForestMoraviaMt. SeifuMt. TigerwolfNeclord's CastlePannu YakutaSeek ValleyShasarazadeSoniere
Nations
Scarlet Moon EmpireCity-States of Jowston
Groups
Armies
Armored CavalryDragon KnightsLiberation ArmyMaximillian Knights
Families
RugnersMcDohlsSilverbergs
Races
DwarvesElvesKoboldsHumansGul-Horses
Lore
Terms
AntoinetteBlack RuneBurning MirrorFire SpearsTrue Runes
Wars
Toran Liberation War
Gameplay
Database
RecruitmentUnite AttacksHeadquartersItemsRunesEnemiesUseful TipsHQ ServicesMinigamesArmy BattlesDuelsRune PiecesWeaponsPotchHealth StatusBath ScenesCalendarGlitchesThe World of SuikodenMusics
Suikoden II
Characters
108 Stars
of Destiny
Playable
AbizboahAmadaAnitaAydaBadeauxBobBolganCamusChacoCliveEilieFeatherFlikFreedFutchGabochaGadgetGantetsuGengenGenshuGeorgGijimuHai YoHannaHauserHixHoiHumphreyKahnKarenKasumiKilleyKinnisonKoyuLo WenLong Chan-ChanLorelaiLucMazusMegMiklotovMillieMondoMukumukuNanamiNinaOulanPesmergaRikimaruRinaRiouSasukeSheenaShiloShinShiroSidSierraSigfriedSimoneStallionTai HoTengaarTomoTsaiTutaValeriaVikiViktorVincentWakabaYoshinoZamza
Non-Playable
(except in Major Battles)
BarbaraLeonaAppleGilbertShuHuanRichmondAlexHildaAdlaiTempletonYam KooTakiHansFitcherRidley/BorisTetsuTonyEmiliaJeaneYuzuTeresaKibaKlausLebranteGordonAnnalleeConnellTenkouRauraJessMarlowePicoJudeAlbertoTessaiMaximillian
Allies
Playable
(non-Stars of Destiny)
RulodiaChucharaMakumakuMikumikuMokumokuMekumekuMcDohlBonaparte
Temporary Playable
Jowy
Non-Playable
PilikaJilliaAnabelleLeknaatGremioBrightPohlSusuLillyGustavGranmeyerPeteMakai
Adversaries
Highland Army
LucaSeedCulganAgaresSolon JheeHan Cunningham
Other NeclordSasaraiYuberLuciaBeechamLeon
Other
Non-Playable Marcel AtreidesRosa AtreidesElzaKoEllieGenkakuSaraAlenGrensealMarieLiukanCleoPahnEileenLepantVarkasKageShun MinJowstonRobertBernandHikusaakMarouxRevierSoldedtUriahAlecYu KumGoetsuShikiRyukiBashokRyukoAntonioGyokuranRetsoLesterJinkaiBiancaAlen WisemailKianuDaisyDarelJoannaKentCrimsonHanzoFu Tan ChenMarcoMarxMomo
Locations
Nations
City-States of JowstonDunan RepublicHighland KingdomToran Republic
Towns
Mercenary Fortress (HQ) • Kyaro TownRyube VillageToto VillageMuse CityCoronet TownKuskus TownSouth Window CityRadat TownNorth Window Village / Dunan Castle (HQ) • Lakewest TownTwo River CityKobold VillageForest VillageGreenhill City / New Leaf AcademyRockaxe TownHighway VillageBanner VillageGregminsterRokkaku HamletDrakemouth VillageTigermouth VillageCrom VillageTinto CitySajahLycanthrope Village
Other
Tenzan PassNorth Sparrow PassRyube ForestWhite Deer Inn / Sindar RuinsMuse-Greenhill Brdr.Muse-Highland BorderCave of the WindTwo River SewersKobold ForestGreenhill ForestPath to MatildaRakutei MountainMuse-Matilda BorderBanner PassTinto PassTinto MinesL'Renouille
Groups
Races
ElvesHumansKoboldsHumansLycanthropesSindarVampiresWinged Horde
Armies
Blue KnightsHarmonian ArmyHighland ArmyJowston ArmyMaximillian KnightsNew State ArmyRed KnightsWhite Knights
Families
AtreidesBlightsSilverbergsWindamiersWizens
Others
Howling Voice Guild
Lore
Terms
Fire SpearsTrue Runes
Wars
Battle of L'RenouilleBattle of North Window CastleBattle of RadatDunan Unification WarHigheast RebellionJowston-Highland War
Gameplay
Guides
RecruitmentUnite Attack ListEnemiesTrading GuideUseful TipsComment BoxCalendarsMinigamesHQ Services • • Army BattlesFishing Items
Database
Unite AttacksHeadquartersItemsRunesWeaponsHealth StatusComment BoxCalendarsHQ ServicesDuelsGlitchesBath ScenesReturning CharactersExclusive CharactersCharacters NamePotchFishing ItemsThe World of SuikodenMusics
Suikoden III
Characters
108 Stars
of Destiny
Playable
HugoSgt. JoeFubarMelvilleAlanisLillySamusReedHallecMuaChrisSalomeRolandBorusLeoPercivalNashFredRicoRhettWilderYumiYuiriGeddoeAceQueenJokerJacquesAilaShibaThomasCecilePiccoloJuanEdgeMelTwaikinAugustineNeiToppoShabonBelleGadget ZKorokuKenjiWatariAyameSanae Y.LandisWan FuEmilyEstellaRodyJimbaLuciaBeechamDupaBazbaVikiLittle VikiFutchSharonBrightFranzRubyDukeGauNicolasElaineSasarai
Non-Playable
(except in Major Battles)
LouisYunIkuElliotMutoMarthaSebastianEikeShizuPeggiJeaneDominicMikeScottMioGoroErnieKathyKiddHortez VIIArthurGordonBillyMamieBartsLuceAnneJeffersonNadirTutaGuillaumeAppleDiosCaesar
Allies
Playable
(not counted as a Star of Destiny)
ConnieKoichiKogoroKosanji
Temporary Playable
Lulu
Non-Playable
LeknaatWyattZeponFlame ChampionSana
Adversaries
Destroyers
LucYuberAlbertSarah
Other
Durabum
Other
Non-Playable GezelHikusaakGalahadPelizeThomasAnnaLowmaBrankyBrownJonathanHoward
Locations
Towns
Karaya VillageVinay del ZexayBrass CastleIksayGreat HollowChisha VillageAlma Kinan VillageBudehuc CastleVillage of NorCaleriaDuck VillageLe Buque
Plains
Amur PlainsYaza PlainKuput ForestZexen Forest
Ruins
Ceremonial SiteAncient HighwayFlame Champion Hideaway
Nations
GrasslandsHoly Kingdom of HarmoniaZexen Confederacy
Groups
Armies
Fire BringerFree Knights of CamaroHarmonian ArmyMaximillian Knights
Families
LightfellowsSilverbergs
Clans
Alma Kinan ClanChisha ClanDuck ClanKaraya ClanLizard ClanSafir Clan
Races
HumansElvesDogsKoboldsLizardsDoReMi ElvesDragonsMantors
Others
Zexen Archeology AssociationZexen Council
Lore
Terms
True RunesRitual of Soul-Sending
Wars
First Fire Bringer WarSecond Fire Bringer WarZexen-Tinto War
Gameplay
Guides
RecruitmentUnite AttacksUseful TipsSkillsMinigamesMamie's RestaurantNadir's Theater
Database
Unite AttacksHeadquartersItemsRunesEnemiesUseful TipsWeaponsSkillsHealth StatusComment BoxNewspaperCalendarsRecipesMinigamesHQ ServicesDuelsArmy BattlesGlitchesBath ScenesReturning CharactersExclusive CharactersCharacters NamePotchThe World of SuikodenMusics
Suikoden IV
Characters
Playable
Battle
AkaghiAldoAmeriaAxelBartholomewChampoCharlemagneChiepooDarioEugeneFlareFredericaGauGretchenHelgaHelmutHerveyIzakJeaneJeremyJewelKarlKatarinaKateKenethKikaKonradLino En KuldesLo FongLo HakLo SengMaxineMillayMitsubaMizukiNalkulOrnanPabloPaulaRachelRazroReinbach IIIReinholdRitaSelmaShiramineSigurdSnoweTalTedTravisTrishtanUgetsuVikiWarlockWendel
Support
AdrienneAgnesBasilBangBrecCarrieCedricChadliDeborahDesmondElenorEmaEtienneFunghiGarethGaryGunterHarutoIgorJangoKeenKevinLilanLilenLilinLilonLiloonLouiseManuMaoMickyNabokovNalleoNaoNatalyNicoNoahOlegOskarPamPecolaPerraultPhilRamadaReneRakgiRikieSetsuTaisukeTanyaTovYu
Non-Playable
Allies
Glen CottLeknaat
Adversaries
BrandeauPeckTroyCray
Other
Graham Cray's SonQueen of ObelRakgi's FatherAncient ElfReinbach IIVincentChief of Na-Nal
Locations
Towns
RazrilMiddleportKingdom of ObelNay IslandNa-NalPirate's NestIluyaHermitage IslandRuins of Obel
Small Island
Mordo IslandDonut IslandMountain Mass IslandLime Shelf IslandDeserted Island
Nations
Island NationsKooluk
Groups
Armies
Gaien KnightsGaien Marine KnightsGaien NavyIsland Liberation NavyIsland Nations Federation NavyKnights of RazrilKooluk Imperial NavyObel Royal Navy
Families
En KuldesReinbachsSilverbergsVingerhuts
Races
HumanNay-KoboldsElvesMermaids
Lore
Terms
Rune CannonTrue RunesForgiveness PhaseKindling Ritual
Wars
Island Liberation WarGaien-Kooluk WarObel-Kooluk War
Gameplay
Guides
RecruitmentUnite AttacksNaval BattleNet FishingMice CatchingMint and Mushroom CultivationRitaponTreasure MapsTreasure HuntUseful Tips
Database
HeadquartersAdrienne's ShopPhil's ShopTradable ItemsEquippable ItemsUsable ItemsFishing ItemsOrnamentsVasesPaintingsItemsOther ItemsRare ItemsItemsRunesEnemiesUnite AttacksWeaponsHealth StatusComment BoxNewspapersShipsCalendarsMinigamesHQ ServicesDuelsGlitchesBath ScenesReturning CharactersExclusive CharactersArmy BattlesCharacters NamePotchThe World of SuikodenMusics
Suikoden V
Characters
108 Stars
of Destiny
Playable
FreyjadourLyonGeorgKyleLunLoggLeleiCiusKisaraVikiZweigLorelaiZeraseRoyMaroonBernadetteMiakisGalleonWabonGundeRoogRahalLanceFlailNickAxSharmistaNifsaraShoonCornelioJosephineZegaiShigureSagiriMuroonBelcootSubalaRichardGenohSorensenLuAlhazredJeaneNikeaFaylenFaylonNakulaIsabelMathiasCathariByakurenMiroonMeroonMoroonYahrNelisLeviBergenNormaErnstGavayaRavenIsatoUrdaEreshHazukiKilleyGoeschDinn
Non-Playable
(except in Major Battles)
LucretiaRajaBozLuserinaChuckTalgeylTomaSilvaWasilVolgaOrokFuwalafuwaluCraigYoranShulaSairohEgbertShinroTakamuNordenOboroFuyoMarinaWilhelmMuellerBabbageBastanZundaMohsenMuradTaylorLinfaDongoRetsoShun MinChisatoHaswarRaniaHalethEuram
Allies
Playable
(not counted as a Star of Destiny)
ReMiFaFaSoLaSoLaTiMiFaSoLaTiDo
Temporary Playable
Sialeeds
Non-Playable
ArshtatFeridLymsleiaMelissaSkaldSalishaSolis
Adversaries
House of Godwin
GizelMarscalDilberZahhakAleniaJidan GuisuMahaDolphChilderichBahram
Other
Non-Playable
ElemarkKhorshedHaladHinoyagiKayanuRoundierRovereTakefuteJinkuDe BeersRosalindFalzrahmKaussShahrewarOlhazetaSalumJalatMr. MouseCrimsonHiram
Locations
Towns
Sol-FalenaLordlakeRaftfleetHaudRainwallStormfistDoraatBeaver LodgeGordiusSableNirva IslandLelcarSauronix
Nations
Queendom of FalenaNew Armes Kingdom
Groups
Races
HumanElfBeaverDwarf
Factions
House of GodwinHouse of BarowsHouse of Falenas
Independent
Feitas Dragon CavalryOboro's Detective AgencyQueen's KnightsNether GateDoReMi Symphony OrchestraSun Palace Dragon BrigadeFalenan Royal FamilyFalenan SenateLoyalist ArmyHowling Voice Guild
Lore
Terms
True RunesBook of Condemnation
Wars
Succession ConflictSun Rune War
Gameplay
Database
RecruitmentUnite AttacksHeadquartersItemsRunesEnemiesUseful TipsWeaponsSkillsBattle FormationsHealth StatusRune PieceComment BoxNewspapersCalendarsMinigamesWar TacticsHQ ServicesDuelsArmy BattlesGlitchesBath ScenesReturning CharactersExclusive CharactersCharacters NamePotchFishing ItemsThe World of SuikodenMusics
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