Idea's For Rune-Magic

[Rhys Cronquist]

So if you guys caught my worldbuilding post You know what I would like for the Character of Rhys as a whole in that world but i would like thoughts on how the Magic works. My two thoughts are this. First: A rune=mage can draw a single rune and embue it with magic and cast the spell using intent what they want (IE: using the rune for Sun or Fire and being able to cast fireball). The second idea is the one i am more inclined to use. The Rune-writes out a series of runes to cast a spell. (A piece of paper being used to write out the runes for Fire, throwing(ranged) and others to keep people outside of the enemy being hurt to cast the spell.) Both would take time even if the paper is prewritten with the spell it would take mana to embue and a word to release the magic. Please I am all for other thoughts or even your thoughts on my two capabilities here. For the most part Rhys would be embuing the spells onto mediums such as a sword armor or something similar even modern day guns being embued with runes to fire the spells he wishes.

 

[The King of Ash]

Hi there,

I think both work wonderfully for runic-based magic honestly. Imbuing the runes with mana or perhaps linking them to a "tax" on the body corresponding to the type might also work? Say, the user writes a rune of fire, it draws warmth from their body to fuel this rune. Thus creating a "limit" of how much the magic can be used. Training with this technique would reduce the amount of heat taken with experience allowing for greater or more plentiful casts? For pure kinetic energy, it could sap vitality making the user sluggish or tired? Mental magic could tax the memory or cognitive response time etc? Imbuing items in advance takes more energy to initially create it making it a rare and more complex ability - but allows the items to be activated at a fraction of the cost later.

Just my two cents of how to further deepen rune magic!

Kind regards,
~ The Ashen King ~

 

[Genbu83]

I'd look into Brandon Sandersons Articles on the rules of creating magic systems. It sounds like you have a hard magic system in mind. I think the bigges things to focus on are the limitations, abilities, and cost/mechanics of using this rune magic.

A few primers
Can anyone use the runes?

Are the runes strict in their form, or is it a placeholder for a concept?

How does this magic affect the world, tech, and culture?

How does all shape your character's use of it and feelings about magic?