-o- The Runesmith
-o- The Runesmith Guild
-o- Runes
-o- Runesmith's Apprentice
-o- Runesmith
-o- New Skills
-o- Runesmith Advancement Table
-o- Maximum Number of Runes Known
-o- Runic Magic
-o- Learning of New Runes
-o- Making a Runic Item
-o- Rune Descriptions
-o- The Weapon Class
-o- The Armour Class
-o- The Engineering Class
-o- The Talismanic Class
-o- The Master Class
Magic pervades the Warhammer World and permeates all things. It flows into the material realm from beyond the Chaos Wastes as an ever shifting flux of energy. This energy can be perceived and used by the races of the Warhammer World. Some races such as Elves and Men can use magic to cast spells. Dwarfs on the other hand are extremely resistant to magic and its influence and only the most skilled can perceive its presence.
Dwarfs have learned to use magic in a different way, by incorporating it into magic items such as swords and armour. The dwarfs are the greatest and most successful of all races when it comes to making magic items. Indeed, many of the most powerful magic weapons used by elves and men were made by the dwarfs using their unique skills.
A dwarf who makes magic items is called a Runesmith. As dwarfs have no direct equivalent to a human wizard the Runesmith is a very important individual. The Runesmiths are an ancient guild of craftsmen. For thousands of years they have preserved the secrets of how to forge magic runes and how to make weapons, armour and other items of incredible power.
The guild itself is basically a clan containing only a few families who's knowledge and skills have been passed on from generation to generation. Even these families jealously guard their secrets from each other, so that the knowledge of how to use certain special runes may reside in only one or two individuals throughout all of the dwarf realm.
The ancient secrets of the Runesmiths have been passed down by word of mouth from the time of the ancestor gods. Each Runesmith teaches the basic skill of fire and forge to young members of his family, and he selects the most talented of these as his apprentice. Some family lines have been exhausted and so apprentices are adopted into families to ensure the traditions survive but this has not prevented the loss of whole fields of study through the lack of an heir.
The heir is chosen via a long and arduous selection process, testing the dwarfs magic sense, manual skill and loyalty to their limits. A hopeful dwarf can come from any background but must first pass the tests which are outlined below. The apprentice once chosen, learns from his master how to make magic runes and assists in the complex rituals that accompany the forging.
On the deathbed of the Runesmith, the apprentice not only inherits his master's role but his special ancestral name as well. They are very secretive and it is not uncommon for a Runesmith to protect his knowledge by dying with it or by imprinting it into a tablet of stone with a magic lock upon it. This makes it impossible for this knowledge to fall into the hands of the unworthy.
The more accomplished Runesmiths devote years of their lives to the search of further rune lore. If a weapon or magic item is found, a Runesmith will examine it carefully to find lost runes of some ancient and fabled Runesmith, for their presence marks out the a weapon as special and valuable beyond price. Only another Runesmith can follow the signs that mark out the presence of a long lost rune.
The dwarf language itself is a set of runes designed to be carved in stone or engraved on metal. magic runes differ to ordinary runes in shape and detail, but much of what makes a rune magical is how and when it is engraved. Magic runes trap magical power - their presence binds and holds magic drawn from the winds of magic that flow throughout the Warhammer world. Most dwarf runes trap a small amount of magic power but only Runesmiths can forge the awesome master runes or the secret runes of Grungni, Grimnir and Valaya.
A great magic rune glows dull red or flashes when it is replete with magic energy. However, many runes once the power is triggered is drained of power and cannot be used until it recharges. While in this state the rune will no longer glow but its outline is still detectable if faint. Recharging usually takes a full day (24hrs) but some of the more powerful runes can take longer. Some runes were charged with so much power it their creation that after eons of use, they have only dulled a little in brightness.
As previously stated, any Dwarf can try to become apprenticed to a Master Runesmith. To be accepted, the Dwarf can come from any logical occupation (ie some convincing of the GM will be necessary for a Trollslayer to be granted a chance) has to undergo a test which is outlined below. If successful, the Dwarf is then adopted into the master's family to carry on the tradition and name, forgoing any claim to their old identity and family. The character is then sworn to secrecy that all that will be taught to them will remain secret upon pain of death, ostracization and or having their name written in the Book of Grudges.
After the test and the swearing in comes the preliminary training which takes six months. After this time the Dwarf can then call themselves the Apprentice to whatever Runemaster and has the below skills and Advance Scheme available to them.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel | +10 | +2 | +10 |
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| Skills | Trappings |
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As with the apprentice, the Runesmith has to be tested again by the Master for suitability for training in the next level of Smithing. The same test as outlined below will have to be braved again before the Runesmith can avail themselves of the new skills and knowledge. The Runesmith must complete their current advance scheme and gain all skills of the current level before saving up the 100xps necessary to undergo the testing. A further swearing in follows a successful application with similar outcomes if the secrets are not kept.
Only a Runesmith of 4th Level can ever call themselves a Master and only then if they have the Create Master Rune skill, which is only passed on when their Master dies. This means that very few characters can ever hope to attain this title.
Level 1
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel | +10 | +1 | +3 | +10 |
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Level 2
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel | +20 | +10 | +1 | +1 | +4 | +10 | +1 | +20 | +10 | +20 | +10 | +10 |
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Level 3
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel | +20 | +10 | +1 | +2 | +5 | +20 | +1 | +30 | +20 | +30 | +20 | +20 |
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Level 4
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel | +30 | +10 | +2 | +2 | +6 | +30 | +2 | +40 | +30 | +30 | +30 | +30 |
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| Skills Level 1 | Skills Level 2 |
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Skills Level 3 | Skills Level 4 |
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Trappings:
Career Entry: Special - any Dwarf who has completed a basic career scheme.
Career Exits: None
Dispel Magic: As the skill outlined previously with the Runesmith having the same chance of Dispelling magic as a Wizard of equivalent level.
Create Rune Classes: There are four standard rune classes available to the Runesmith. The skill Create Rune allows the Runesmith to learn how to create runes of a particular class, for example, a third level Runesmith can learn to create three of the Rune classes. As a Runesmith rises in level and gains the knowledge of more rune classes, s/he must declare what class is learnt and this choice can never be later revoked.
Each separate Rune of each class must be learnt as spells are learnt by a Wizard. An intelligence test must be undergone when a particular Rune is to be learnt similarly and a maximum number of Runes can be learnt.
Create Master Rune: The special skill of Create Master Rune is the only way a Runesmith can learn to create these powerful runes. Once learnt, the Runesmith can then consider himself a master in his own right but this particular skill is usually only taught on the masters deathbed if at all. The number of master runes allowable is restricted by the maximum number of runes known (see below).
Create New Rune: Allows the Runesmith to create his own runes. The new rune that is to be attempted can only be of a similar nature to a rune already known ie a rune that causes fear can be modified to be a rune that causes stupidity or a rune that protects from fire can be modified to protect from cold or even electricity.
The properties of a new rune must be discussed with the Game Master and once settled on, a Intelligence test must be passed. If passed the new rune is created and the Runesmith is free to use this rune on any new item in the same way that the basis rune is used ie the new rune of cold protection can only be used as a talismanic rune similar to the rune of the furnace on which it was based.
If the test is failed, the Runesmith cannot attempt to create any other new rune for six months while s/he delves the books for the correct recipe. After this time, the same new rune or another can be attempted.
Runesmiths must be approved by their master before either becoming an Apprentice or gaining a further level. This testing is accomplished by the character gaining 100xps which is traded for a dice roll on the below table. This dice roll can be modified by +10% if the character has served the Master well in some way such as brought him rare components to make a runic item ie Raw Gromril. The dice roll can also be modified by +10% for each Runic item that is donated to the master. The dice roll can be further modified by -15% if the character has served the master badly in some way - ie has spoken badly of him, broken a runic item made by the master, killed his kin etc.
01 - 05 made outcast of current clan and can never try for Runesmith advancement again. This leaves the dwarf little choice but to become a troll slayer.
06 - 35 must take a trial. This trial is usually a quest to find and return a certain runic item but may also be kill an Orc hero or Dragon etc.
36 - 60 must accumulate another 100xps before trying again.
61 - 80 judged worthy and may enter the next level of Runesmithing.
81 - 95 favoured by the master. Judged quite worthy. Is immediately taught one new rune of a currently known class.
96 - 00 The Masters Prime Choice - judged more than worthy. Taught a new class of rune immediately and also is given the knowledge of a rune in that new class. This means they do not have to learn the class available at the new level by expending extra xps.
The maximum number of runes that can be learnt in total including master runes is found by the below formula:
Willpower / 10 (rounded down) x (Level+1)
Example: A third level Runesmith with Willpower of 57 can know a maximum of 20 runes. If at any stage the willpower is raised, the extra runes knowable are available to be learnt.
Runic items are no different to other magic items except for the origin of the item. They are treated the same as other items and therefore can be identified, dispelled or destroyed similarly. The rituals that are involved in he creation of an item are long and tedious and only a stubborn dwarf would have the patience to endure them. Up to three runes can be cast on an item according to the strictures outlined below :
1. The rule of Three - No item can have more than three runes. The strain of more runes usually shatters the object being forged.
2. The rule of form - Weapon runes can only be engraved on weapons, Armour runes on armour, Engineering runes on machines, and talismanic runes on talismans.
3. Rule of Pride - Runesmiths may only use a specific combination of runes once. This means that a Runesmith who creates a weapon with the parrying rune alone on it cannot make another weapon the same. However, he can combine the parrying rune with another, say the rune of cleaving to create an new combination on another weapon.
4. Jealous Runes - No Master Rune can be used more than once and no other rune can appear with it on an item.
5. The Combining Rule - Besides the Master Runes, other runes can be used in any combination up to the limit of three runes as previously stated. Therefore, a rune of fury (+1 attack) can be struck on a weapon three times to give it +3 to attacks.
6. Rule of Purity - Runes cannot exist on an item that is already magical. Similarly, a weapon struck with a rune cannot be given other magical properties at a later stage.
There are various sources for recipes for creating new runes. The runesmith could find old manuscripts in an abandoned Dwarven Dungeon, could find a runic item and learn how to create it from there or could seek learning from the Master himself. This last one is costly in experience (100xps x No of Classes Known) and a magic item must also be offered in the bargain.
The rules for learning new Runes are the same as for a Wizard learning a new spell. ie have to pass an intelligence test etc.
The task of creating a runic item is not a simple one. First of all the Runesmith needs a forge, anvil, smithy tools and of course raw materials from which to make the item itself. The forge itself costs 100G to build with all the special needs of the Runesmith accomodated in the design. The raw materials for a runic device can also cost between 100G and 600G (1D6x100).
Next is the special component given in the below descriptions. These will be either expensive or will be annoying or downright dangerous to collect. These have to be gathered by the Runesmith themselves as only they know how to ritually slaughter a beast to keep the item 'pure'.
Lastly, the Runesmith needs an apprentice and specific quantity of time of uninterrupted study, ritual and manual labour. This means if the Runesmith is interrupted while at work for any reason, the ritual is broken and has to be started all over again with new raw materials and components. For this reason it is not safe to try and talk to a working runesmith and the runesmiths themselves tend to live apart from the rest of their clan.
The creation of a Rune does not need magic points to be expened as a magic spell would. Therefore it is not necessary for a Runesmith to have magic points as a Wizard would. however, many of the strictures that a Wizard must observe in casting spells.
The Weapons Class 1. Breaking 2. Cleaving 3. Curse 4. Cutting 5. Fire 6. Fate 7. Fury 8. Lesser Death 9. Might 10. Parrying 11. Return 12. Smiting 13. Striking 14. Swiftness
The Armour Class 1. Iron 2. Fortitude 3. Fear 4. Resistance 5. Spell Eater 6. Stone
The Engineering Class 1. Accuracy 2. Burning 3. Disguise 4. Forging 5. Fortune 6. Immolation 7. Penetration 8. Seeking
The Talismanic Class 1. Furnace 2. Luck 3. Passage 4. Protection 5. Renewal 6. Spells 7. Spellbreaking 8. Steadfastness
The Master Class 1. Adamant 2. Alaric the Mad 3. Banishment 4. Daemon Slaying 5. Death 6. Dismay 7. Dragon Slaying 8. Gromril 9. Groth One-Eye 10. Skalf Blackhammer's 11. Snorri Spangelhelms 12. Spite 13. Swiftness 14. Valaya
Breaking
Creation Time: one month
Components: A one-handed weapon, a piece of gold twine tied in a knot
Duration: Once a day
When this rune weapon comes into contact with a magic item, the dweomer on that item is broken and the magic ability of the target item is lost. If an object has more than one ability then only one is destroyed. The user must declare beforehand what item is being aimed for and a successful hit is all that is needed to break the item.
Cleaving
Creation Time: One month
Components: a one handed weapon and the shoulder blade of an ox
Duration: permanent
This rune confers an additional +1 to the Strength statistic of the bearer. Only when the sword is drawn is the benefit felt so the owner of the sword is not permanently stronger.
Curse
Creation Time: two months
Components: a one handed weapon and the fangs of a vampire bat.
Duration: Once a day
If the wielder causes wounds with this weapon on an enemy, they can elect to deplete the toughness of the enemy by an equal amount to the strength of the bearer. ie a dwarf of strength 4 who hits and wounds a troll of toughness 5 negates 4 points of toughness causing the troll to have a toughness of 1 from then on. The targets toughness can never be less than 1 however so any extra losses are ignored.
Cutting
Creation Time: one month
Components: a one handed weapon and a crushed diamond of value 100gp
Duration: permanent
Any hit by this weapon ignores armour when the target figures the wounds inflicted.
Fire
Creation Time: one month
Components: any hand held weapon and 1 pound of sulphur
Duration: permanent
When drawn from the scabbard, this weapon will burst into flame. The weapon then does extra damage to flammable targets as per rules for fire. This does have its drawbacks however as it is hard to disguise and also obvious in a dark room etc.
Fate
Creation Time: two months
Components: one handed weapon and a claw of a hippogriff
Duration: once a day
At the bearers choosing, this weapon will inflict twice as many wounds as normal. This means that the user totals the wounds inflicted from a successful hit as normal and then after all bonuses are added, the amount is doubled. The user must declare that this rune is being used after the hit is made but before the wounds are figured.
Fury
Creation Time: three months
Components: a one handed weapon and a centipede
Duration: permanent
The user gains an extra attack in battle when using this weapon and no other. A shield can be used with this weapon but not a second weapon.
Lesser Death
Creation Time: three months
Components: a one handed weapon and the blood of the intended race.
Duration: permanent.
This rune is different to most others in that as part of the striking of the rune, the name of a certain race of creature is blended into it. The weapon will then cause automatic criticals when a creature of this kind is successfully hit. Instead of totalling wounds as normal, roll a D20 (or D6 for fast critical resolution) and the result is the level of critical sustained. This is deadly especially in the hands of an otherwise weak player or a trollslayer against a dragon.
Might
Creation Time: two months
Components: A one handed weapon and the beak of a wyvern
Duration: once a day
This weapon on the whim of the bearer will bestow the bearer with twice their normal strength (max of 10). Once activated this rune will last until there are no enemy in sight. After this the rune will fade until the next day while it recharges. This is very handy in large pitched battles where many enemy abound but remember, if there is no threat to the character, the rune is 'earthed' and the extra strength is lost for that day.
Parrying
Creation Time: Three months
Components: a One handed weapon and the horns of a lesser daemon
Duration: permanent
The Daemon horns are woven into the fabric of the weapon and allow the user to automatically parry one attack per round. This means that an opponent with one attack can never hit, but if two opponents attack only one attack from one opponent may be parried. The opponents to be parried has to be chosen before the to hit rolls are made and therefore the parry may be useless if that particular enemy fails to hit anyway.
Return
Creation Time: One Month
Components: a one handed weapon and the feathers of a cockatrice
Duration: once a day
This allows the bearer to draw the weapon and throw it at a target, automatically hitting it. Only one attack of this kind can be made each day but the weapon will instantly return to the owner the next round. The weapon can be tossed at a target up to 30yds away but the target must be seen with the naked eye.
Smiting
Creation Time: three months
Components: a one handed weapon and the tooth of a hydra.
Duration: Once a day
This will inflict not one but D6 hits for each successful attack made in one round. The bearer must choose before any attacks are rolled whether to use the rune and what the target is. If the attack hits its target, roll a D6 and that many hits have actually been made against the target. Roll separately for the damage of each hit. If the bearer has more than one attack, the attacks can be split up against multiple targets but the wounds from each hit cannot be spread about multiple targets. ie Blad the troll slayer has three attacks. He chooses to put one attack against three different orc opponents. Two of the hits are successful so one orc suffers 4 hits and another suffers 2. The third orc gets off free and sinks his dagger in the trollslayers back. Not an heroic way to die.
Striking
Creation Time: one month
Components: any hand held weapon and the eyes of a cat
Duration: permanent
This rune makes the weapon very light and easy to manoeuvre. This gives the wielder +10% to WS when using this weapon only.
Swiftness
Creation Time: one month
Components: any hand held weapon and the hoof of a pegasus
Duration: permanent
This rune makes the weapon cut through the air as if in a vacuum and seems oily to the touch. It bestows +10% to Initiative of the wielder when this weapon is used and the weapon will never be snagged nor the bearer disarmed when using this weapon.
Iron
Creation Time: three months
Components: a piece of armour and meteoric iron
Duration: permanent
The piece of armour struck with this rune will bestow +1 to the toughness of the wearer. This means only one piece need have this rune to affect the wearer. More than one piece of armour with this rune will NOT bestow another point of toughness but will stop an attack by a magical creature such as a daemon if it hits this body area on a 4,5 or 6 on a roll of a D6. This rune is usually struck on a shield or helmet.
Fortitude
Creation Time: three months
Components: Heart of an ox and a piece of armour
Duration: permanent
This rune bestows the ability to absorb an extra wound of damage. This means the bearer has an extra wound no matter where the damage was struck similar to Iron above. This does not have the benefit of adding to toughness tests as Iron would. Again more than one piece does not add more than one wound but this rune does also count as affective against magical creatures or attacks.
Fear
Creation Time: Four months
Components: The skull of an enemy and a helmet
Duration: once a day
This rune can only be struck on a helmet and the skull is woven into the fabric of the helm. This allows the wearer to cause fear as the Battle Magic spell once a day.
Resistance
Creation Time: four months
Components: the hide of an ogre
Duration: Once a day
This piece of armour will allow the wearer to negate the outcome of one attack a day. This means that after a hit has been made against the wearer but before the wounds are found, the wearer can choose to have that attack annulled. The attack then counts as missed. As with Iron, more than one piece of armour with this rune does not mean more than one attack is annulled. The rune is usually struck on a shield or helmet.
Spell Eater
Creation Time: five months
Components: A wizards staff
Duration: Permanent
This spell will bestow the skill of Dispel magic as if the character was a first level wizard. If the bearer already has this skill, their chance is raised by +10%. Note Wizards are not allowed to wear armour and so will not be able to use an item with this rune.
Stone
Creation Time: three months
Components: a river worn stone
Duration: permanent
This piece of armour is raised in armour value by one point. This means that a breastplate with this rune is of armour value 2 and if the breastplate were of Gromril it would have armour value of 3. This only affects the body area covered by the armour.
Accuracy
Creation Time: two months
Components: the eyes of a giant snake
Duration: once a day
A war machine with this rune can be used to make one attack per day that is totally accurate. Only other magic can negate the affects of this rune. This rune can also be struck on gunpowder weapons and crossbows.
Burning
Creation Time: one month
Components: a little salt petre
Duration: permanent
This rune causes any projectile shot from this machine to burst into flame. This will affect flammable targets according to the fire rules. This can also be struck on steam engines or forges allowing the fire to burn indefinitely on the whim of the owner. Note flammable projectiles can be dangerous especially in wheat fields, dry forests or near kegs of gunpowder.
Disguise
Creation Time: three months
Components: the skin of a chameleon
Duration: permanent
This rune distorts the fabric of space time around the intended machine, making it look as though the machine is invisible. This camouflages the machine from enemy detection but once a person has been shown the sight of the machine, it can never again be hidden from that characters eyes.
Forging
Creation Time: four months
Components: tail of a beaver
Duration: permanent
This rune is struck on a forge and causes any work undertaken on that forge to be completed in half the normal time. This means that creation of runic items on this particular forge will also take half the normal creation time.
Fortune
Creation Time: two months
Components: eggshell of a giant eagle
Duration: once a day
This rune allows the user of a siege engine, crossbow or gunpowder weapon to negate one missed shot a day. Once a shot is determined as being missed, the character can trigger the rune and nullify the outcome. This means he can then immediately roll the to hit dice again.
Immolation
Creation Time: two months
Components: The tongue of a salamander
Duration: permanent
This rune is unique in that its creation serves as its ultimate destruction. When a machine with this rune falls into the hands of the enemy, the owner of the machine need only vocalise a secret word and the machine bursts into flame as if struck by the wizard spell Blast. This destroys the machine and has the potential to damage the enemy as well. The owner can be any where on the face of the Warhammer world and still the secret word when spoken will affect the target.
Penetration
Creation Time: three months
Components: The talons of a manticore
Duration: permanent
Any missile shot from this engine, crossbow or gunpowder weapon adds +1 to its strength if it successfully hits its target. This cannot be used in conjunction with magic missiles.
Seeking
Creation Time: three months
Components: The ears of a giant bat
Duration: permanent
This rune causes the siege engine, crossbow, gunpowder weapon to be shot with keener accuracy. The shooter gains +10% to BS when using this weapon only. This cannot be used in combination with magic missiles however.
Furnace
Creation Time: four months
Components: glacial ice
Duration: permanent
This talisman will bestow the bearer with protection against fire based attacks including fireball spells. Any attacks from flaming weapons do normal damage without the fire bonus and the bearer is immune to red dragon breath.
Luck
Creation Time:
Components: The tail of a great cat (lion etc)
Duration: once a day
This talisman will bestow the skill of luck on the bearer. If at any stage the talisman is taken off, the luck for that day is negated. A character who already has the skill of luck does not get any bonuses from this rune.
Passage
Creation Time: four months
Components: a drill bit made of gold (50gp worth)
Duration: once a day
The bearer of this talisman can walk or look straight through one piece of terrain a day. This includes walking through solid rock walls up to a distance of ten yards. If the bearer tries to walk through an object that is wider than this will suddenly find that they no longer have the ability and become part of the wall itself ie. instantly dead. As stated above, the user can try to peer through an object of no more than ten yards thickness and can see as if that object were not there similar to Superdwarfs Xray vision (a fabled character of dwarf folklore).
Protection
Creation Time: three months
Components: Some of the Runesmiths own blood
Duration: permanent
This bestows +10% to the willpower of the bearer. If the bearer is a mage, this will mean that extra spells can be known by them. If this is the case, the extra spells chosen will have to be marked as belonging to the talisman and if the talismans power is lost or denied, these spell will be lost to the spell user. If the talismans power is then regained, then spells are then regained as well.
Renewal
Creation Time: four months
Components: a flawless gem of 500gp worth
Duration: permanent
This talisman stores up to D10 magic points. The mage has to charge the talisman with its own spell points and can recall them at any point instead of using their own magic points. This means that the mage can put ten points in the talisman and then meditate regaining those used spell points. This give the mage the potential to have a significantly greater amount of points than would normally be available to them at any one time. Once the talisman is created throw a D10 to find the maximum amount of points that can be held by the item. If this is ever exceeded, the item may short circuit and shatter. The chance of this happening is 10% per extra point over the threshold. This makes using found talismans of this sort dangerous to use as only another Runesmith can ever know the capacity of the object for certain.
Spells
Creation Time: four months
Components: a harpies tongue
Duration: permanent
Similar to the Renewal talisman, this runic item stores one particular spell to be used as if cast by that magician. This means the mage can place a fireball of devastating strength in the talisman and then meditate to regain those magic points used. A maximum of ten points can be stored in this way and these can only be used for the one spell. This means that a four point fireball can be stored with six extra magic points to help against it being dispelled by an unkindly enemy mage.
Spellbreaking
Creation Time: two months
Components: the ashes of a burnt magic scroll
Duration: permanent
As the armour rune, this talismanic rune bestows the skill of dispel magic on the wearer. If the wearer already has this skill then it adds +10% to their ability to dispel.
Steadfastness
Creation Time: three months
Components: brain of a badger
Duration: permanent
The user of this talisman is immune to the psychological affect of fear. If faced by a monster who causes terror, the wearer will only act as if affected by fear instead of terror.
Adamant
Creation Time: twelve months
Components: the hide of a dragon
Duration: permanent
The armour struck by this rune has +4 extra armour points
Alaric the Mad
Creation Time: six months
Components: the mandibles of a gigantic spider
Duration: permanent
The wielder of a weapon with this rune will ignore the affects of his target armour when he successfully hits. This does not affect the affects of magical armour however. Therefore magical plate with a +1 bonus struck by this weapon will stop 1 point of damage only (not two).
Banishment
Creation Time: six months
Components: the ashes of a cremated hero
Duration: once a day
Once a day any undead creature that takes wounds from this creature can be banished - ie destroyed, never to rise again. The target gets a willpower roll to save against the affects.
Daemon Slaying
Creation Time: six months
Components: feathers of an angel
Duration: once a day
Once a day, any daemon that is successfully hit by the wielder of this weapon can choose to slay it outright. The daemon then gets a willpower test or be slain.
Death
Creation Time: six months
Components: the skull of a dragon
Duration: permanent
This weapon will always inflict a critical when it hits. Instead of tallying wounds when a hit is made, roll a D20 (or D6 for fast criticals) and consult the critical table. This is the result of the attack. If the bearer has multiple attacks, the targets of these attacks must be elected before the hits are determined.
Dismay
Creation Time: six months
Components: the larynx of a troll
Duration: once a day
Once a day, the musical instrument struck with this rune can be sounded. The result is all enemy within hearing must take a willpower test or flee. monsters without ears or the ability to hear (including most undead) are not affected.
Dragon Slaying
Creation Time: six months
Components: Blood of a dragon
Duration: permanent
Any hits made by the weapon bearing this rune will do automatic criticals to a dragon as described for the Death rune above. Only dragons are affected and unfortunately dragons can detect the rune by sight so the wielder will have to face all dragons in the vicinity. What a shame.
Gromril
Creation Time: six months
Components: three pounds of Gromril
Duration: permanent
The wearer of a piece of armour bearing this rune will have a toughness of 10. However, the bearer cannot wear any other form of armour while bearing this as the rune itself is even more jealous than normal master runes. Good for troll slayers if placed on a shield. Not so good for Knights Panther
Groth One-Eye
Creation Time: six months
Components: The horn of a unicorn
Duration: permanent
The wearer of a helmet struck with this rune will act as if s/he had a leadership of 100% and will make leadership tests similarly. if the helmet is not worn the leadership reverts to normal.
Skalf Blackhammer's
Creation Time: twelve months
Components: the spleen of a warboar
Duration: permanent
Any successful hits by a character wielding a weapon with this rune do an automatic amount of damage. Instead of rolling the damage dice, it is counted as a six (although no extra dice are rolled). This means that the weapon will never do extra damage as if a d6 was rolled as in normal combat.
Snorri Spangelhelms
Creation Time: six months
Components: the sting of a scorpion
Duration: once a day
This is cast on a weapon and on the choice of the wielder makes all attacks automatically hit for one round. This even affects monsters of a magical nature including daemons and ghosts etc. Wounds are determined as normal.
Spite
Creation Time: six months
Components: The fangs of a giant snake
Duration: permanent
Any wounds suffered by the wearer of the piece of armour struck by this rune will rebound on the attacker. That is the amount of actual wounds deducted from the wearers wounds will also be deducted from the enemies wounds. This could well result in a critical hit on an enemy just by the bearer getting hit.
Swiftness
Creation Time: six months
Components: The whiskers of a giant rat
Duration: permanent
Any attacks made by the bearer of a weapon with this rune are always before any enemies attacks. Only an enemy with surprise could ever hope to hit first in a round.
Valaya
Creation Time: six months
Components: a silver mirror worth 100gp
Duration: once a day
The bearer of the talisman with this rune can automatically dispel the affects of one spell cast against them per day. When this talisman is used against the spell, the spell will fail.
Prepared by D J Brattan II - 20/08/93