Runes are Elden Ring’s in-game currency for purchases and character leveling.
Players obtain runes by defeating enemies, selling certain items, and discovering some consumable rune items throughout the Lands Between. After meeting Melina, the player can spend accumulated runes at Sites of Grace to raise attributes and increase their level. Merchants and other vendors also accept runes for equipment, materials, and consumables.
Runes serve a role similar to the souls in Dark Souls and blood echoes in Bloodborne, which explains why players sometimes use those older terms by mistake. Elden Ring officially calls its currency runes, and the same word also describes several consumable items that grant a fixed amount.
If the player dies, their unspent runes remain at the death location. Dying again before recovering them causes that dropped amount to be lost permanently, making rune recovery an important part of exploration.