Runes

Runes are meaningful symbols that are often imbued with magic to grant them special effects. The effects depend on the rune, the material, and the object they are engraved on. Giants tend to have the easiest time carving runes. The concept behind runecarving is that each rune symbolises a universal truth understood by the runecarver, with every line corresponding to an aspect of that truth. It is through understanding that truth that the carver can make that truth obey them. They make that truth obey them by engraving runes on particular objects made of particular materials.

## History

Runecarving as a form of magic was invented by the giants in the distant past. These Elder Runes form the basis of all later forms of runic magic. The knowledge of the Elder Runes was a closely guarded secret, even amongst the giants, and so very little is known about it and even fewer can perform the runecarving.

The legendary stone giant runecarver Hildead Secretmaker had perhaps the greatest understanding of runes in her age and realised there were many more universal truths than just the ones the runecarvers knew. She started researching these truths and developed new runes to manifest them. These runes were more limited than their elder forebears, and so she taught these lesser runes to many of her contemporaries. These lesser runes became known as Giant Runes to differentiate them from the Elder Runes. One of her earliest apprentices soon afterwards devised a method of transferring Giant Runes from one material to another, something seemingly unique to Giant Runes.

Around the same time Hildead was developing the Giant Runes, a dwarf called Alaric Masterhammer learned of the Elder Runes from a fire giant runecarver he had captured and learned what he could from him before releasing him back into the wilds. Using this knowledge, Alaric was able to develop another set of runes based on the universal truths as understood by the dwarves. He created an extensive selection of runes, and that has only grown over time with work from other runecarvers. Dwarven runes typically manifest spell effects rather than the more unusual effects of Giant and Elder Runes.

From the dwarves, the knowledge later spread to the gnomes, and also to the elves, who developed their own runes in a similar way. Gnomish runes are often viewed by dwarven runecarvers as strange variant runes that function more like those of the giants. The elven ones that developed from the gnomish runecrafting school are much more fluid and flowing in form than the other runes, which generally annoys the dwarven runecarvers, but fascinates the gnomish ones. Elven Runes are also known by some as Sylvan Runes due to them also being used by fey migrants to Alvheim, who later took the knowledge with them back to Vafheim.

The dwarves later pioneered the usage of runestones to temporarily hold spell runes, which they can make quickly but are more closely tied to the magical ability of the runecarver. This use of traditional magic to empower runestones is generally viewed as the most acceptable form of magic by most dwarves, as it takes otherwise random magic and forces it into a known pattern with known effects, making runestone casting seem much more in line with traditional dwarven culture than other spellcasting.

Some humans from Nordmarch also learned how to carve runes from the giants and developed their own runes. While many assume that these runes are part of the Nordic Alphabet, they are mistaken. The Nordic Alphabet consists of runes, but none of them are magical runes. Those runes are kept secret and generally only passed down to trusted apprentices.

The being known as the All-Smith uses their own variety of runes, seemingly of their own creation that are either completely unrelated to other runes, or were derived directly from elder runes.

## Runecarving

All runes require mastery of the rune on the medium that they are to be carved on.

Elder Runes are carved through casting the *Glyph of Warding* spell. The effect depends on the view of the carver towards the activator.

Giant Runes are also carved through casting the *Glyph of Warding* spell, though true giants have an innate ability to carve them. They have different effects depending on what they are carved on. Some individuals have developed other methods of carving them.

Dwarven Runes are typically used for casting spells, as well as item enchantments.

Gnomish Runes are also typically used for casting spells and item enchantments but can cause more unusual effects if used through a *Glyph of Warding* spell.

Sylvan Runes are typically used for item enchantments and have the widest variety of effects of all types of runes when used this way.

Nordic Runes are simply carved through time and effort, but generally require specialist components to carve and have incredibly specific effects.

The All-Smith's runes have only been demonstrated as being used for enchanting golemtech equipment.

## Known Runes

### Elder Runes

Anarath - Protection & SacrificeAngras - WarBairemuth - DeathGatha - FeyIngolth - The SunKorombos - ChaosLaebos - FireLammath - SecurityNchasme - DecisionQualos - WaterRetniw - CampingSavaros - GoblinkindTergara - EarthUllathar - PassageUttebyn - ReligionVakaros - WaterMaster Rune - Keisara
### Giant Runes

Haug - HillIld - FireIse - Ice & FrostSkye - CloudStein - StoneUvar - StormBinde - BindingHastighet - SpeedHelbrede - HealingStyrke - Strength
### Elven Runes

Cumlacht - Physical MightGealach - MoonlightCosaint o Mhallachtai Sioga - Protection from Fey CursesVariant Uisce (Dowr) - Water (Huldrefolk)Variant Tine (Tan) - Fire (Huldrefolk)Variant Aer (Ayr) - Air (Huldrefolk)Telamh Variant (Dor) - Earth (Huldrefolk)
### All-Smith Runes

Strength EnhancementReflex EnhancementDamage Output Increase