Elven Rune Magic

[mguarino]

Hello Everyone,

I've been running a Fantasy Hero game for a little while, and I'm wanting to put in a new style of magic. The magic works by inscribing runes into small tokens, you can then use the tokens at a later time to get the benefit of the spell.

 

An example spell is as follows:

SILME, RUNE OF STARLIGHT: Nightvision, Delayed Effect (x2 number active; can carry up to INT in tokens); Extra Time (1 Hour, crafting time, -3), 1 Charge (-2), OAF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; a small bit of hardened candle wax; -1), Requires A Roll (Rune Magic: Elven roll; -1/2), Time Limit (6 Hours; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Cost to player 1 pt.

*I divide the real cost by 3 just like in the base fantasy setting

 

I'm using the Lord of the Ring Elven Language Tengwar Queny for the base Runes and the description of what they mean. the below image is the bases for each of the spells.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]44431[/ATTACH]

 

So my question is looking at the above runes and their symbolic meanings, can you all assist in developing cool spell concepts, keeping in mind that they are a lot like potions, actually a heck of a lot like potions just renamed tokens and give a elven flare.

 

Thanks for your thoughts on the matter.

 

I eventually plan on doing Dwarven and Draconic runes as well.

[Lucius]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

Lambe, Rune of Tongues: (Total: 63 Active Cost, 2 Real Cost) Universal Translator INT Roll +1, Delayed Effect (x2 number active; +1/2), Time Limit (6 Hours; +1 1/2) (63 Active Points); 1 Charge (-2), Extra Time (1 Hour, Only to Activate, -1 1/2), OAF (Inscribed runic token; -1), Limited Power Not for written language (-1), Requires A Roll (Elven Rune Magic Skill roll; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) (Real Cost: 2)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

House of the Palindromedary

[Greywind]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

Baa-a-a?

[Lucius]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

For 3 pts instead of 2, it can be INT roll +7

 

By the way, I think there's an error in the first example. The Extra Time should be "activation only" unless you want it to take an hour every time you look at something.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Only to Activate Palindromedary

[Lucius]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

Anna, The Gift Rune (Rune for Improvement): (Total: 70 Active Cost, 2 Real Cost) Aid 3d6+1 (standard effect: 10 points), Delayed Effect (x2 number active; +1/2), Variable Advantage (+1/2 Advantages; Limited Group of Advantages: Any Variable Effect; +3/4), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes; +1 1/4) (70 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Hour, -3), 1 Charge (-2), OAF (Inscribed runic token; -1), One Use At A Time (-1), Requires A Roll (Elven Rune Magic Skill roll; -1/2), Only to Aid Others (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4) (Real Cost: 2)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary knew I could find rune for improvement

[mguarino]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

By the way, I think there's an error in the first example. The Extra Time should be "activation only" unless you want it to take an hour every time you look at something.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Ya, know I thought that too at first, and you may be correct. However I'm using the 6th Grimoire Alchemy spells as a guide for this and every single one of them has the "Extra Time (6 Hours to brew; -3 1/2) limiter with out the activation only reduction. Thus until I can find an errata on that subject I have little choice but to reference a pre-existing spell setup. But thankyou for the great Idea on Lambe, I actually built the exact same spell that you did for Anto (Mouth), but I do think that Lambe (tongue) is a far better fit.

 

Here is a new one

 

SULE, THE RUNE OF SPIRIT

 

Effect: Detect Spirits, Perceive into the void.

Target:One Character

Casting Time: 1 Hour, crafting time,

Casting Procedures:Focus, Gestures, Incantations

Duration: 1 Hour

Range:Touch

Magic Roll Penalty:-3

END Cost: 3 to craft

Charges: 1

 

Description:This token gifts the character with the ability to see sprits both partial physical manifestations and non physical manifestations.

 

Game Information: Detect Spirits 11- (no Sense Group), Discriminatory, Perceive into the Void, Range, Sense, Delayed Effect (x2 number active; +1/2); Extra Time (1 Hour, -3), 1 Charge (-2), OAF Expendable (Difficult to obtain new Focus; a small piece of smokey quartz; -1 1/4), Time Limit (1 Hour; -3/4), Requires A Roll (Skill roll; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4) Total cost: 1 points.

 

(For clarification, in this setting Partial Physical manifestations are represented as Desolidification, Invisibility "Spirit", and Non Physical Manifestations are effects that happen from strong sprits in the Void (a place that all those whom do not have gods go, when they die)

[mguarino]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

Anna, The Gift Rune (Rune for Improvement): (Total: 70 Active Cost, 2 Real Cost) Aid 3d6+1 (standard effect: 10 points), Delayed Effect (x2 number active; +1/2), Variable Advantage (+1/2 Advantages; Limited Group of Advantages: Any Variable Effect; +3/4), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes; +1 1/4) (70 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Hour, -3), 1 Charge (-2), OAF (Inscribed runic token; -1), One Use At A Time (-1), Requires A Roll (Elven Rune Magic Skill roll; -1/2), Only to Aid Others (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4) (Real Cost: 2)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary knew I could find rune for improvement

 

 

Wow, I really like that concept Lucius. I'm assuming if I'm reading the mechanics correctly, that is spell allows the creator of the rune to determine what the Aid will effect at the time of creation. Thus it encompasses a lot powers but only some many runes can be created. Very Sexy.

 

However I'm not sure but should it not be only to aid self? sense the token is used by the person holding it, kinda like how potions don't need usable by other? I could be completely off base with this, but I'm just checking. However I love the concept.

[Lucius]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

Wow, I really like that concept Lucius. I'm assuming if I'm reading the mechanics correctly, that is spell allows the creator of the rune to determine what the Aid will effect at the time of creation. Thus it encompasses a lot powers but only some many runes can be created. Very Sexy.

 

However I'm not sure but should it not be only to aid self? sense the token is used by the person holding it, kinda like how potions don't need usable by other? I could be completely off base with this, but I'm just checking. However I love the concept.

 

If it's only for yourself it's not much of a Gift, is it??

 

Edit: The palindromedary reminds me that if a Focus is defined as "Universal" you can just give it to someone. Okay, maybe I can rewrite this.

 

You're right of course that it is designed to Aid literally anything the person running the game decides Aid can apply to.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says be Elvish, not Selvish

[Lucius]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

Parma, Rune of Books: (Total: 86 Active Cost, 4 Real Cost)

Universal Translator INT +3, Time Limit (1 Minute; +1/2), Delayed Effect (x2 number active; +1/2) (46 Active Points); 1 Charge (-2), Extra Time (1 Hour, Only to Activate, -1 1/2), OAF (Inscribed runic token; -1), Limited Power Only for written language (-1), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (0 DCV; -1), Requires A Roll (Elven Rune Magic Skill roll; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) (Real Cost: 1)

plus

Speed Reading (x1,000), Delayed Effect (x2 number active; +1/2) (12 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Hour, Only to Activate, -1 1/2), OAF (Inscribed runic token; -1), Linked (Universal Translator; -1/2) (Real Cost: 1)

plus

Eidetic Memory, Delayed Effect (x2 number active; +1/2) (7 Active Points); OAF (-1), Linked (Universal Translator; -1/2) (Real Cost: 1)

plus

Cramming , Delayed Effect (x2 number active; +1/2), Time Limit (1 Year; +2 3/4) (21 Active Points); 1 Charge (-2), OAF (-1), Linked (Universal Translator; -1/2) (Real Cost: 1)

 

 

I didn't bother to write in all the Limitations on the secondary Powers; they're kind of implied by "Linked" and they're all down to 1 pt anyway. Note that the Skill Roll only applies to Universal Translator.

 

This costs 4 pts, but if allowed can let a character rack up a huge number of free 1 pt Skills

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says I need to go edit that last post

[Christopher]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

Edit: The palindromedary reminds me that if a Focus is defined as "Universal" you can just give it to someone. Okay' date=' maybe I can rewrite this.[/quote']

But would that not run against the Intents of Delayed Effect to give the Focus away?

[Markdoc]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

More to the point, the focus may be universal, but the aid is not: so giving them the rune would let them use the power - in which case the delayed effect would still affect them as normal, when they wanted to use the power. Lucius is right that the extra time takes effect when you want to use the power. Usually (for things like potions) this is gotten around by using the "trigger" advantage - you do the setup - which takes time - and use the power: but then define a trigger which will set off the power at a later point (for a potion that's usually "drink the potion"). If they're writing it with extra time but without trigger, then they are almost certainly doing it wrong: it wouldn't be the first Hero system product to contain errors, alas.

 

cheers, Mark

[mguarino]

Re: Elven Rune Magic

 

More to the point, the focus may be universal, but the aid is not: so giving them the rune would let them use the power - in which case the delayed effect would still affect them as normal, when they wanted to use the power. Lucius is right that the extra time takes effect when you want to use the power. Usually (for things like potions) this is gotten around by using the "trigger" advantage - you do the setup - which takes time - and use the power: but then define a trigger which will set off the power at a later point (for a potion that's usually "drink the potion"). If they're writing it with extra time but without trigger, then they are almost certainly doing it wrong: it wouldn't be the first Hero system product to contain errors, alas.

 

cheers, Mark

 

It may be a bending of the rules so potions might actually exist in an affordable manner. Not real sure. Thanks for the heads up, I will have to look into this.