Runes

The Runes are what sets the gods apart from other beings in the Nine Realms. Odin gave his eye at the Well of Mimir for their secret.

Characters can learn how to inscribe magical Runes. You begin with the Rune of your god, and one other random Rune.

Of course, mundane runes can be drawn by anyone (for example, human priests of Thor can draw Thurisaz), but they will not be magical unless inscribed using the secret art taught by the gods.

Additional Runes can be granted by the gods, but they don't part with them lightly. Rumour has it the secret of Runes can be stolen from the gods, as well as granted, but obviously such an act would be sacriligeous. Once you know how to inscribe a Rune it cannot be taken from you, even by the god you received it from. It is not sufficient to simply know how to inscribe a rune to grant it to others; only the owner of the Rune understands its secrets well enough to teach it.

Runes can be cast for immediate effects, or used in inscription.

Runes

Rune	Name	Meanings	God	Power
ᚠ	Fehu	Cattle, Crop-Fertility and Prosperity	Freyja	EARTH HEAL(*)
ᚢ	Ūruz	Strength, both of Body and of Mind	Magni and Modi	THUNDER BASH
ᚦ	Thurisaz	Giants, Thorns, Thunder and Victory	Thor	THUNDER SHATTER
ᚨ	Ansuz	Communication, Divinity and Wisdom	Odin	DARK Learn
ᚱ	Raidō	Self-Reflection, Spiritual Insight, The Moon and Travelling	Mani	ICE Insight
ᚲ	Kenaz	Creativity, Fire, Inspiration and Passion	Bragi	FLAME Create
ᚷ	Gebō	Answers, Generosity and Gifts	Kvasir	LIGHT Claim
ᚹ	Wunjō	Joy, Gambling and Harmony	Balder	LIGHT Would You Kindly Calm Down(*)
ᚺ	Hagalaz	Destruction, Disruptive Change, Trickery and Hail	Loki	Trickery
ᚾ	Naudiz	Binding and Death	Hel	DARK FREEZE
ᛁ	Isaz	Clarity, Dependability, Ice and Peaceful Change	Sigyn	ICE FREEZE
ᛃ	Jēra	Harvest, Healing and Peace	Idun	WATER HEAL(*)
ᛇ	Ēihaz	Bridging Life and Death, Endurance and Protection	Vali	LIGHT RESIST(*)
ᛈ	Perthaz	Divination, Mysteries and Secrets	Mimir	DARK Insight
ᛉ	Algiz	Guarding, Protection and Vigilance	Heimdall	THUNDER RESIST(*)
ᛊ	Sōwilō	Enlightenment, Success and The Sun	Sol	FLAME Learn
ᛏ	Tîwaz	Battle, Warriors and Weapons	Tyr	THUNDER REPEL
ᛒ	Berkanan	Dreams, Self-Care and Renewal	Sif	LIGHT HEAL(*)
ᛖ	Ehwaz	Horses, Hunting, and Vengeance	Vidar	DARK BASH
ᛗ	Mannaz	The Middle Folk	Hod	EARTH Would You Kindly Calm Down(*)
ᛚ	Laguz	Boats, Life and Water	Njord	WATER REPEL
ᛜ	Ingwaz	Abundance, Prosperity and Unity	Ingvi	EARTH Create
ᛞ	Dagaz	Anger, Daytime and Energy	Dagur	FLAME SHATTER
ᛟ	Othala	Ancestry, Heritage, Motherhood and The Wisdom of Age	Frig	EARTH Claim

Runecasting

Most Runes are cast through the power granted by your Material to perform their described call, but some work differently or have extra conditions as detailed below.

Normally when you cast a rune you must say its name, then perform the action appropriate to your material, then say the call. For example an Iron godling with Thurisaz could shout "by Thurisaz!", swing their sword and call "THUNDER SHATTER!" when they hit. If you use the same power again shortly after (either because you missed and want to try again, or you're Iron or Stone and can just do that) you don't need to state the rune name again.

In addition to the main power granted, all runes can be cast for minor miracles, calling just its material part. For example Dagaz could be used to call FLAME to make a small flame to appear in your hand instead of its usual shattering effect, or Ēihaz to make a flash of light. This can be used for changing the environment, such as lighting a candle, or it can be directed at a foe to exploit its weaknesses, such as using Raidō to strike a fire troll with ICE, even though that rune would not normally be usable offensively.

Trickery

Loki has perfected the use of his rune to don the guise of other runes to help his lokilings blend in with the godlings of other gods. At the start of each event and downtime choose another rune and your Hagalaz rune will perfectly mimic it, acting as that rune in all ways.

It can also be used as itself in inscription, but doing so would be very risky to a lokiling's cover.

Heal

Runes of healing require careful channeling to cast. You must perform 5 seconds of appropriate roleplay within range of the target to call HEAL on them.

The rune is cast at the end of the channeling. If you do not complete the channeling then the rune is not cast, it does not expend a rune cast for the encounter, and you do not need to wait to try to cast again.

You cannot begin or continue casting while affected by FREEZE.

Resist

You can cast this on yourself to call RESIST to any call made against you except IMPALE. If you resist a composite call, you must resist all of it with one runecast (so if someone strikes you with a weapon and calls WATER REPEL, you resist all of the WATER, REPEL and the implicit SINGLE from the weapon strike). You can use this rune on the uncalled SINGLE from weapon strikes.

Would You Kindly Calm Down

These runes can be used to call "Would You Kindly Calm Down". You cannot use this rune on the same target twice in an encounter.

If your material delivers rune casts by touch you can use this power on people within your weapon range or arms reach. You do not need to strike or touch them.

Claim

Once per event you can cast this rune on yourself to grant you a boon. Exactly what you receive isn't guaranteed, but you can ask for it to be relevant to a problem before you.

Learn

Once per event you can cast this rune on yourself to ask a question and get a short factual answer about the present or past. You can ask questions not even the gods know, but some things are hidden even from the runes of knowledge. The runes will never deliberately mislead but they are not completely infalliable.

Insight

Once per event you can cast this rune on yourself when performing Seidr for various effects.

Create

Once per event you can cast this on yourself to gain a bonus when crafting or inscribing.

Material

Godlings and lokilings are made infused with one of the magical materials of the world to give them the power to cast runes. Your material does not need to match the runes you cast, though it might be slightly uncomfortable if they don't (for example a godling infused with Ice can freely cast FLAME runes, but it might singe a bit).

Iron or Stone

Solid and reliable, Iron and Stone empower you to cast runes 3 times per encounter using melee strikes or by touch with no need to wait.

Godlings of Iron and Stone can only cast runes of RESIST once per encounter.

Iron and Stone are able to deliver a lot of punishment in a short time, but they lack longevity, making them good shock troops and berserkers.

Ice or Greenery

Patient and adaptable, Ice and Greenery empower you to cast runes any number of times per encounter using melee strikes or by touch, but you must wait 10 seconds between casts.

Godlings of Ice and Greenery can only cast runes of HEAL once per encounter.

Ice and Greenery are good at hit and run skirmishing; their power increases the longer a fight goes on.

Darkness or Fire

Darkness and Fire are energetic but must be controlled. Godlings infused with either of them cast their runes at close range by indicating the target, but they can only do so 3 times per encounter and must also wait 10 seconds between casts.

When godlings of Darkness or Fire cast SHATTER at someone wielding a polearm, they may call "SHATTER that polearm!".

Darkness and Fire godlings have the drawbacks of both Iron and Stone, and Ice and Greenery, but they make up for it by using their range and ability to ignore mundane defenses like shields. Darkness and Fire godlings often lean more on their runecasts and less on weapon strikes for victory than other materials.