From the introduction: Wyrd is a role-playing game that makes use of an innovative game mechanic called "runecasting". It involves drawing "stones" from a bag, and "interpreting" those stones to "divine" your Hero's future. The innovative part comes when you start permanently removing stones from your bag; you can actually watch as your Hero's life grows shorter, his fate closing in on him. It is this element of Doom-and-Gloom that gives Wyrd its setting - the world of Nordic Myth. Wyrd can be used to tell any kind of story, but it is especially well suited for telling grim tales of fated Heroes struggling against an all-consuming destiny. This is a stark, beautiful world, full of unexplored opportunities for roleplaying.