The Fate of Elspeth Runes

Elspeth Runes was a quieter, more calculating figure than Morgana. She was known for carving strange symbols into stones and leaving them in villagers’ doorways. While some thought she might be blessing their homes, others suspected her markings brought ill fortune. When a sickness swept through the village, the elders accused Elspeth of cursing their land.

Bartholomew decided to subject her to the “dunking test,” a cruel method of determining guilt where the accused was bound and thrown into the river. If they floated, it meant the water had “rejected” them, marking them as guilty. Bound tightly, Elspeth was dropped into the freezing river. Miraculously, she managed to surface, floating above the water. Terrified, the villagers declared her a witch on the spot and drove her from the village. She was never seen again, though her eerie markings continued to appear around Wookey Hole.