Post by Beolakh on Jan 30, 2009 3:46:05 GMT -5
Talambrian Rune Casting
Overview
Runecasting is a system of magic derived from the Henebion and similar ancient henges throughout the nation of Talambar. By this system, effects are achieved by using magically-charged inscribers to trace mystic sigils. This is the principle magic used in the Talmas and the Talambrian military.
Region of Use:
Tools used to draw magic runes must be charged at Talambrian runic monuments, and the rhyn enforces severe restrictions on exporting runic implements. Therefore, runecasting is difficult (though not impossible) to practice outside of Talambar.
Basic Principles
Runes
A rune is a sigil or glyph which can be traced on an object or in the air, depending on the spell and inscribing tool being used. The runes used for casting are all taken from the intricate engravings which cover the Henebion and other ancient monoliths. While immense study by the Caermarn Runic Academy has gone into isolating individual runes in the engravings and determining their effects, a huge number of runes remain undiscovered.
Even within the Academy, there are many different theories proposed for categorizing and understanding the relationships and functions of various runes. Some have been found to behave elementally, relating to a certain type of substance or energy, while others tend to invoke similar actions or relationships. However, if anything is constant about runes, it is their tendency to surprise.
One rune of particular note is what the Academy calls the Sylfaen, or Foundation Rune. It is a strikingly simple yet elegant rune which appears at the center of every runic monument, consisting of a triple-spiral pattern converging to form a circle. While the Sylfaen is quite easy to reproduce with mundane implements, no one has ever been able to complete it using a charged inscriber. The rune quickly builds an immense amount of magical potential and physically resists the caster; many overly-ambitious mages have destroyed themselves and their workshops attempting to inscribe the Sylfaen. A number of theories exist regarding the function of the Sylfaen, but the general consensus is that this rune is the gateway through which runic power flows, and it powers the charging process of the monoliths.
{The Sylfaen, burned onto a wooden plank. Image courtesy of Kryos.}
Inscribers
Inscribers (called arysgrifen in Talambrian) can be nearly any object which can trace a shape. Once charged at a monolith site, an arysgrifen will have magical effect when it traces runes.
Arllwys
Arllwys is the process of charging inscribers. This ritual can only be performed at the various runic monuments throughout Talambar, and only at certain times. The runic monuments respond to celestial alignments; an inscriber will have different properties depending on the stellar configuration which charged it. During an Arllwys, the object or objects to be charged are placed atop the monolith's central pedestal, on the Sylfaen. At the moment of alignment, the monolith's runes flare with light, and a bright halo envelops the Sylfaen marker. For a moment, the objects inside the halo appear to turn to transparent crystal; once the alignment passes and the light fades, they return to their original form. The Academy has experimented with influencing the charging process by tracing runes around the monument during Arllwys, but they have had mixed results.
The most common Arllwys is performed during full moons. An inscriber charged during a full moon Arllwys remains magical for a period of thirteen months, though it will gradually lose power toward the end of the cycle. Some high-power spells can overwhelm full-moon inscribers and cause them to break, but for the most part, these arysgrifen are cheap and easy to come by. A good number of objects can be charged at once during a full-moon Arllwys.
Inscribers charged on noon of the summer solstice or midnight of the winter solstice are much more valuable. They maintain charge for up to 50 years and can handle even the most powerful spells. However, summer-solstice inscribers can only trace runes on solid objects. While this makes such inscribers excellent tools for placing permanent spells on items, they are ineffective for quick, transitory spells better traced in the air. Winter-solstice inscribers, on the other hand, can only trace runes in the air and cannot etch permanent spells on surfaces. Only a few inscribers can charged at a time during the solstice.
Inscribers charged at sunrise or sunset of either equinox are somewhat more flexible. They hold charge for around 37 years and can trace runes on both solid objects and air, but they tend to be overwhelmed by more powerful spells. The Academy has had success charging up to seven objects at once during equinoxes.
The most powerful inscribers are charged during eclipses. Only one object can be charged at a monolith during an eclipse, and the Arllwys lasts for the eclipse's entire duration. Eclipse inscribers hold charge indefinitely and amplify the effects of any spells they trace. Inscribers charged during lunar eclipses double the power of the caster, though they tend to be somewhat unstable—in the way powerful spells tend to overwhelm and break full-moon inscribers, lunar-eclipse inscribers can overwhelm and break their wielders. However, solar eclipse inscribers are often called the ideal arysgrifen; they augment their wielders' power seven-fold and are tremendously stable. It is rumored that one mage nearly completed the Sylfaen using a solar-eclipse inscriber, and that afterwards, as his students were sorting through the rubble that remained of his laboratory, they found the arysgrifen unharmed.
An inscriber's power can also be influenced by the site where it was charged; however, only arysgrifen charged at the Henebion show any reliable advantage over other implements.
There is another infusion ritual practiced by particularly dedicated (and, some would argue, insane) mages. The Croenarllwys is very rarely performed, mostly due to the dangers inherent in the process, but some deem it worth the risk. In this ritual, a mage attempts to charge his own hands as arysgrifen. It can only be performed on solstices or eclipses (though eclipse Croenarrlwys have a much higher chance of killing the subject). In order to survive the charging process, the mage covers his body in runes to bind the monolith's power only in his hands. Any flaw in these precautions results occasionally only in severe injury and disability, but usually death. If the ritual is successful, the preparation runes on the mage's hands become permanent, and depending on the solstice on which the Croenarrlwys was performed, he becomes able to trace either air or surface runes with nothing but his fingers.
Technique
A defining trait of runecasting is its propensity for innovation. Runes can be combined and modified in countless ways to produce a vast array of effects, and there are enough theories and schools of thought on the subject to keep the Caermarn Academy in business for a very long time. Some of the more prominent theories are addressed here:
Traeanic Theory
One of the oldest schools of thought among runecasters, Traeanic Theory was developed by Marcus Traean, one of the first great masters of the art, in the forty-third century d.s. According to this theory, the three spirals of the Sylfaen represent the trifold-nature of matter: Matter, Form, and Action. Traeanic spells therefore always consist of sequences of triples—a rune for Matter, a rune for Form, and a rune for Action. Traeanic practitioners benefit from precise and solid effects. However, while Traeanic spells can be quickly modified by replacing various component runes, they cannot achieve the subtle variations possible through other methods.
Unoliaethic Theory
The principle of unoliaeth (unity) was developed around 5000 d.s. by Tybar Holliach, an archmage of the Caermarn Academy, who theorized that the power of the Sylfaen was not in its three coils, but in the fact that the three parts merged to form a single whole. Therefore, Unoliaethic spells consist not of sequenced runes, but of single composite runes formed by merging more basic sigils. The way in which runes are combined can be varied to no end, allowing for a huge range of effects to be derived from a single base spell; however, these modifications are difficult to improvise. Therefore, while Unoliaethic practitioners tend to be very powerful, they are for the most part limited to a memorized library of composite runes.
Deunyddic Theory
The Deunyddic school of thought was propagated in the fifty-sixth century by Garyn Affonys, a self-taught mage not affiliated with the Academy. His teachings were highly controversial and generated fierce opposition from more mainstream authorities. However, the power of the effects he produced was undeniable, and to this day a faction of mages remains who regard his system as the highest realization of runecasting theory.
Affonys asserted that matter, and matter alone, existed, though in a form greater than the eye perceived at any one moment. All action and movement was in fact illusion; rather, all objects had a llun, or shape, which was gradually revealed as time progressed, creating the appearance of force and movement. Much of the aggression against Deunyddic Theory arose from this idea, which directly contradicted the classical Traeanic concept that Action was one of existence's three fundamental components.
According to Deunyddic teaching, the runes etched on the monoliths were not glyphs, but actually pictographs depicting the timeless llun of various objects. This gave rise to Deunyddic casting's most distinguishing trait—Deunyddic spells appear less like symbols or sequences of glyphs and more like murals and pictures. A Deunyddic spell seeks to reshape the llun of the mage's environment by redrawing it in runes. The Deunyddic method allowed spells to be easily improvised and modified in subtle and powerful ways—however, such spells are difficult to transcribe or pass on. Additionally, Deunyddic principles remain rather taboo in the halls of the Academy, so teachers in the art are difficult to come by. Once a teacher is found, the volume of principles involved in Deunyddic Theory require years of study before they can be usefully applied.
Methods of Study
Virtually the only venue for training in runecasting is the Runic Academy in Caermarn. The Academy maintains a firm grip on the known runic monuments, so getting close to analyze engravings is difficult without the institution's support. While there are some groups outside the Academy that manage to practice casting (most notably Deunyddic practitioners), the most effective way to become a runecaster is to enroll there. This puts a demographic damper on the art, as tuition at the school is not particularly cheap; however, faculty members will occasionally sponsor promising individuals without the means to otherwise attend.
Study at the Academy follows cycles of three. A cycle of three years is called a triple; a cycle of three triples is called a turn; three turns form a tour.
For their first triple, students focus on learning basic principles of Arllwys, handling inscribers, runecasting history, and other entry-level skills. In their second triple, students begin to study Traeanic Theory and some Unoliaethic principles. In their third triple, study becomes more flexible and personalized—students begin to specialize and pursue their own interests within the art.
The second turn is an apprenticeship period. At the end of their first turn, students perform in a set of competitive Trials to catch the eye of mage-level casters. Each mage selects one student as an apprentice and mentors him for the next nine years. Apprentices live with their mentors during this time and often travel a good deal, as the leadership of the Academy still considers mages with apprentices to be in active duty.
In their third turn, casters receive the rank of Journeyman. This period consists of independent study and is usually fairly unstructured.
However, once casters enter their second tour and become Mages, they once again enter the service of the Academy and the Rhyn. Most mages are expected to accept apprentices and take assignments throughout the kingdom—most often in the military.
Mages who live to see their third tour and become Archmages are given a good deal of leeway by the government. Most return to the Academy as professors.
Titles within the Caermarn Runic Academy:
While females are not rare within the ranks of the Academy, they are uncommon—no express rule exists to hinder women from enrolling, but various societal norms and expectations prevent a large number from pursuing careers as mages.
History/Origin
The first historical reference to runecasting dates back to the thirty-third century d.s., in a ballad relating the exploits of a barbarian hero who was able to “read the stones” and used them to defeat his enemies. In terms of actual origin, no one is certain—all attempts to date the Henebion and other monuments have been futile. If there ever was an event by which the monoliths were created, it escapes the sight of archaeology and magic.
According to mythology, the runic stones were first given by the Thirteen Stars to Haul, the sun god, and his sister Lloer, the moon. However, in a squabble over who would keep the stones, Haul and Lloer dropped them to the earth.
The Caermarn Academy was founded by the first rhyn, Brencynt, in 4233 d.s. The use of runecasters had played a large role in allowing Brencynt to seize power, and he sought to maintain a monopoly over the art as a safeguard against usurpers. Since then, relationships between the palace and the Academy have loosened; the Academy is still officially under the Rhyn's control, but most of the Academy's leadership quietly regards their regal obligations as a formality to be manipulated to their own ends.
Overview
Runecasting is a system of magic derived from the Henebion and similar ancient henges throughout the nation of Talambar. By this system, effects are achieved by using magically-charged inscribers to trace mystic sigils. This is the principle magic used in the Talmas and the Talambrian military.
Region of Use:
Tools used to draw magic runes must be charged at Talambrian runic monuments, and the rhyn enforces severe restrictions on exporting runic implements. Therefore, runecasting is difficult (though not impossible) to practice outside of Talambar.
Basic Principles
Runes
A rune is a sigil or glyph which can be traced on an object or in the air, depending on the spell and inscribing tool being used. The runes used for casting are all taken from the intricate engravings which cover the Henebion and other ancient monoliths. While immense study by the Caermarn Runic Academy has gone into isolating individual runes in the engravings and determining their effects, a huge number of runes remain undiscovered.
Even within the Academy, there are many different theories proposed for categorizing and understanding the relationships and functions of various runes. Some have been found to behave elementally, relating to a certain type of substance or energy, while others tend to invoke similar actions or relationships. However, if anything is constant about runes, it is their tendency to surprise.
One rune of particular note is what the Academy calls the Sylfaen, or Foundation Rune. It is a strikingly simple yet elegant rune which appears at the center of every runic monument, consisting of a triple-spiral pattern converging to form a circle. While the Sylfaen is quite easy to reproduce with mundane implements, no one has ever been able to complete it using a charged inscriber. The rune quickly builds an immense amount of magical potential and physically resists the caster; many overly-ambitious mages have destroyed themselves and their workshops attempting to inscribe the Sylfaen. A number of theories exist regarding the function of the Sylfaen, but the general consensus is that this rune is the gateway through which runic power flows, and it powers the charging process of the monoliths.
{The Sylfaen, burned onto a wooden plank. Image courtesy of Kryos.}
Inscribers
Inscribers (called arysgrifen in Talambrian) can be nearly any object which can trace a shape. Once charged at a monolith site, an arysgrifen will have magical effect when it traces runes.
Arllwys
Arllwys is the process of charging inscribers. This ritual can only be performed at the various runic monuments throughout Talambar, and only at certain times. The runic monuments respond to celestial alignments; an inscriber will have different properties depending on the stellar configuration which charged it. During an Arllwys, the object or objects to be charged are placed atop the monolith's central pedestal, on the Sylfaen. At the moment of alignment, the monolith's runes flare with light, and a bright halo envelops the Sylfaen marker. For a moment, the objects inside the halo appear to turn to transparent crystal; once the alignment passes and the light fades, they return to their original form. The Academy has experimented with influencing the charging process by tracing runes around the monument during Arllwys, but they have had mixed results.
The most common Arllwys is performed during full moons. An inscriber charged during a full moon Arllwys remains magical for a period of thirteen months, though it will gradually lose power toward the end of the cycle. Some high-power spells can overwhelm full-moon inscribers and cause them to break, but for the most part, these arysgrifen are cheap and easy to come by. A good number of objects can be charged at once during a full-moon Arllwys.
Inscribers charged on noon of the summer solstice or midnight of the winter solstice are much more valuable. They maintain charge for up to 50 years and can handle even the most powerful spells. However, summer-solstice inscribers can only trace runes on solid objects. While this makes such inscribers excellent tools for placing permanent spells on items, they are ineffective for quick, transitory spells better traced in the air. Winter-solstice inscribers, on the other hand, can only trace runes in the air and cannot etch permanent spells on surfaces. Only a few inscribers can charged at a time during the solstice.
Inscribers charged at sunrise or sunset of either equinox are somewhat more flexible. They hold charge for around 37 years and can trace runes on both solid objects and air, but they tend to be overwhelmed by more powerful spells. The Academy has had success charging up to seven objects at once during equinoxes.
The most powerful inscribers are charged during eclipses. Only one object can be charged at a monolith during an eclipse, and the Arllwys lasts for the eclipse's entire duration. Eclipse inscribers hold charge indefinitely and amplify the effects of any spells they trace. Inscribers charged during lunar eclipses double the power of the caster, though they tend to be somewhat unstable—in the way powerful spells tend to overwhelm and break full-moon inscribers, lunar-eclipse inscribers can overwhelm and break their wielders. However, solar eclipse inscribers are often called the ideal arysgrifen; they augment their wielders' power seven-fold and are tremendously stable. It is rumored that one mage nearly completed the Sylfaen using a solar-eclipse inscriber, and that afterwards, as his students were sorting through the rubble that remained of his laboratory, they found the arysgrifen unharmed.
An inscriber's power can also be influenced by the site where it was charged; however, only arysgrifen charged at the Henebion show any reliable advantage over other implements.
There is another infusion ritual practiced by particularly dedicated (and, some would argue, insane) mages. The Croenarllwys is very rarely performed, mostly due to the dangers inherent in the process, but some deem it worth the risk. In this ritual, a mage attempts to charge his own hands as arysgrifen. It can only be performed on solstices or eclipses (though eclipse Croenarrlwys have a much higher chance of killing the subject). In order to survive the charging process, the mage covers his body in runes to bind the monolith's power only in his hands. Any flaw in these precautions results occasionally only in severe injury and disability, but usually death. If the ritual is successful, the preparation runes on the mage's hands become permanent, and depending on the solstice on which the Croenarrlwys was performed, he becomes able to trace either air or surface runes with nothing but his fingers.
Technique
A defining trait of runecasting is its propensity for innovation. Runes can be combined and modified in countless ways to produce a vast array of effects, and there are enough theories and schools of thought on the subject to keep the Caermarn Academy in business for a very long time. Some of the more prominent theories are addressed here:
Traeanic Theory
One of the oldest schools of thought among runecasters, Traeanic Theory was developed by Marcus Traean, one of the first great masters of the art, in the forty-third century d.s. According to this theory, the three spirals of the Sylfaen represent the trifold-nature of matter: Matter, Form, and Action. Traeanic spells therefore always consist of sequences of triples—a rune for Matter, a rune for Form, and a rune for Action. Traeanic practitioners benefit from precise and solid effects. However, while Traeanic spells can be quickly modified by replacing various component runes, they cannot achieve the subtle variations possible through other methods.
Unoliaethic Theory
The principle of unoliaeth (unity) was developed around 5000 d.s. by Tybar Holliach, an archmage of the Caermarn Academy, who theorized that the power of the Sylfaen was not in its three coils, but in the fact that the three parts merged to form a single whole. Therefore, Unoliaethic spells consist not of sequenced runes, but of single composite runes formed by merging more basic sigils. The way in which runes are combined can be varied to no end, allowing for a huge range of effects to be derived from a single base spell; however, these modifications are difficult to improvise. Therefore, while Unoliaethic practitioners tend to be very powerful, they are for the most part limited to a memorized library of composite runes.
Deunyddic Theory
The Deunyddic school of thought was propagated in the fifty-sixth century by Garyn Affonys, a self-taught mage not affiliated with the Academy. His teachings were highly controversial and generated fierce opposition from more mainstream authorities. However, the power of the effects he produced was undeniable, and to this day a faction of mages remains who regard his system as the highest realization of runecasting theory.
Affonys asserted that matter, and matter alone, existed, though in a form greater than the eye perceived at any one moment. All action and movement was in fact illusion; rather, all objects had a llun, or shape, which was gradually revealed as time progressed, creating the appearance of force and movement. Much of the aggression against Deunyddic Theory arose from this idea, which directly contradicted the classical Traeanic concept that Action was one of existence's three fundamental components.
According to Deunyddic teaching, the runes etched on the monoliths were not glyphs, but actually pictographs depicting the timeless llun of various objects. This gave rise to Deunyddic casting's most distinguishing trait—Deunyddic spells appear less like symbols or sequences of glyphs and more like murals and pictures. A Deunyddic spell seeks to reshape the llun of the mage's environment by redrawing it in runes. The Deunyddic method allowed spells to be easily improvised and modified in subtle and powerful ways—however, such spells are difficult to transcribe or pass on. Additionally, Deunyddic principles remain rather taboo in the halls of the Academy, so teachers in the art are difficult to come by. Once a teacher is found, the volume of principles involved in Deunyddic Theory require years of study before they can be usefully applied.
Methods of Study
Virtually the only venue for training in runecasting is the Runic Academy in Caermarn. The Academy maintains a firm grip on the known runic monuments, so getting close to analyze engravings is difficult without the institution's support. While there are some groups outside the Academy that manage to practice casting (most notably Deunyddic practitioners), the most effective way to become a runecaster is to enroll there. This puts a demographic damper on the art, as tuition at the school is not particularly cheap; however, faculty members will occasionally sponsor promising individuals without the means to otherwise attend.
Study at the Academy follows cycles of three. A cycle of three years is called a triple; a cycle of three triples is called a turn; three turns form a tour.
For their first triple, students focus on learning basic principles of Arllwys, handling inscribers, runecasting history, and other entry-level skills. In their second triple, students begin to study Traeanic Theory and some Unoliaethic principles. In their third triple, study becomes more flexible and personalized—students begin to specialize and pursue their own interests within the art.
The second turn is an apprenticeship period. At the end of their first turn, students perform in a set of competitive Trials to catch the eye of mage-level casters. Each mage selects one student as an apprentice and mentors him for the next nine years. Apprentices live with their mentors during this time and often travel a good deal, as the leadership of the Academy still considers mages with apprentices to be in active duty.
In their third turn, casters receive the rank of Journeyman. This period consists of independent study and is usually fairly unstructured.
However, once casters enter their second tour and become Mages, they once again enter the service of the Academy and the Rhyn. Most mages are expected to accept apprentices and take assignments throughout the kingdom—most often in the military.
Mages who live to see their third tour and become Archmages are given a good deal of leeway by the government. Most return to the Academy as professors.
Titles within the Caermarn Runic Academy:
- First tour:
- First Turn: Initiate
- First Triple: Novice
- Second Triple: Tyro
- Third Triple: Inquirer
- First Triple: Novice
- Second Turn: Apprentice
- Fourth Triple: Attendant
- Fifth Triple: Adherent
- Sixth Triple: Companion
- Fourth Triple: Attendant
- Third Turn: Journeyman
- Seventh Triple: Practitioner
- Eighth Triple: Rook
- Ninth Triple: Adept
- Seventh Triple: Practitioner
- First Turn: Initiate
- Second tour: Mage
- Fourth Turn: Maven
- Fifth Turn: Doyen
- Sixth Turn: Master
- Fourth Turn: Maven
- Third tour: Archmage
While females are not rare within the ranks of the Academy, they are uncommon—no express rule exists to hinder women from enrolling, but various societal norms and expectations prevent a large number from pursuing careers as mages.
History/Origin
The first historical reference to runecasting dates back to the thirty-third century d.s., in a ballad relating the exploits of a barbarian hero who was able to “read the stones” and used them to defeat his enemies. In terms of actual origin, no one is certain—all attempts to date the Henebion and other monuments have been futile. If there ever was an event by which the monoliths were created, it escapes the sight of archaeology and magic.
According to mythology, the runic stones were first given by the Thirteen Stars to Haul, the sun god, and his sister Lloer, the moon. However, in a squabble over who would keep the stones, Haul and Lloer dropped them to the earth.
The Caermarn Academy was founded by the first rhyn, Brencynt, in 4233 d.s. The use of runecasters had played a large role in allowing Brencynt to seize power, and he sought to maintain a monopoly over the art as a safeguard against usurpers. Since then, relationships between the palace and the Academy have loosened; the Academy is still officially under the Rhyn's control, but most of the Academy's leadership quietly regards their regal obligations as a formality to be manipulated to their own ends.