Roots & Runes
A Journey Through Celtic Folklore
Roots & Runes is a year-long reading and listening journey exploring the folklore that shaped modern fantasy — guided by monthly themes and thoughtfully curated selections.
Fantasy didn’t begin on bestseller lists.
Long before dragons filled modern pages and fae courts ruled romantasy shelves, stories were passed from voice to voice — around fires, across fields, and through generations. These were the myths, legends, and folktales of Celtic cultures: Irish, Scottish, and Welsh stories that helped people understand the world, their place within it, and the unseen forces shaping their lives.
Roots & Runes is a curated journey back to those beginnings.
This year-long reading and listening journey explores the foundations of Celtic folklore — the stories, places, symbols, and traditions that quietly underpin so much of today’s fantasy literature. From oral storytelling and the Otherworld to heroes, monsters, and runes, Roots & Runes traces how ancient tales became belief systems, cultural touchstones, and, eventually, modern storytelling.
This is not an academic course — and it’s not a spiritual guide.
It’s an invitation.
An invitation to slow down.
To read with intention.
To notice where familiar themes come from.
And to reconnect with the deep roots of the stories we love.
What to Expect
Each month of the Roots & Runes journey focuses on a specific theme, such as:
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Foundations of Irish, Scottish, and Welsh folklore
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Oral tradition and storytelling
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Place, land, and the Otherworld
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Liminal spaces, fae, and crossing points
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Pan-Celtic myths and shared traditions
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Story as worldview
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Celtic spirituality
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Gods, heroes, monsters, and archetypes
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Runes, symbols, and protection
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How ancient folklore echoes through modern fantasy
Every monthly selection is available in print and audiobook formats, making this journey accessible whether you prefer to read, listen, or do a bit of both.
You can follow along at your own pace — there’s no pressure to “keep up,” only an open path to explore.
Why Roots & Runes Exists
At Faebles, we’ve always believed in the power of stories — not just as entertainment, but as inheritance. Stories carry memory, meaning, and connection across time.
Roots & Runes was created to honor the tomes that carried these stories forward, and to gently trace the line from ancient folklore to the fantasy worlds that continue to capture our imaginations today.
If you’ve ever wondered why certain themes feel familiar — why places like Tír na nÓg or Annwn echo across books, or why time travel, changelings, fae courts, and heroic cycles appear again and again — this journey offers context without complication.
Join the Journey
Interested in following along?
Sign up to receive monthly Roots & Runes updates, reading links, and theme introductions.
Our Monthly Newsletter includes:
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The monthly Roots & Runes reading or listening selection
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Direct links to each book
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A short introduction to each month’s them
Monthly emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Roots & Runes is a quiet journey — meant to be taken slowly, thoughtfully, and with curiosity.
We’re glad you’re here.