Pathfinder rune magic is a unique form of magic found in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. In this system, magic is channeled through the use of magical rune inscriptions. These runes are typically inscribed on objects or surfaces, and when activated, they unleash their magical power. Rune magic in Pathfinder is based on the concept of written language having inherent power. The runes themselves are symbols that represent a specific magical effect or power. Each rune has its own unique properties and effects, ranging from protective barriers to offensive spells.

Runesage

While runesages draw upon mystic energies of the sin runes, they temper their explorations with moderation and empathy, maintaining balance by using small gemstones as the foci for their spellcasting. Runesages are experts at identifying spell effects associated with Sin magic.

Runic Focus (Su)

A runesage can use her knowledge of runes to create a runic focus, a small, semiprecious stone engraved with runes that she manipulates to alter her spellcasting abilities. In function, a runic focus behaves like an ioun stone. To activate a runic focus, the runesage must meditate on it as she prepares her spells. Following spell preparation, she tosses the gemstone into the air, after which it orbits around her head. A runic focus remains in orbit until the next time the runesage prepares her spells. A runic focus automatically functions as a runesage’s bonded object.

A runesage does not have the option to specialize in an arcane school-all runesages must be universalists. However, when a runesage creates a runic focus, she must choose one Sin school of magic. When she prepares her spells, she is treated as a Sin Magic Specialist of her runic focus’s school for the purposes of determining what spells she can prepare (including gaining two additional spell slots per spell level of her school, and being unable to prepare spells from her runic focus’s two opposition schools). She does not gain the corresponding powers of that school, however, and always functions as a universalist wizard in this regard.

A runic focus allows the runesage to augment spells of a single arcane school to which the runic focus is aligned. As long as a runic focus remains activated, the runesage doesn’t require material components for any spell she casts from the runic focus’s aligned arcane school, provided the component’s cost never exceeds 10 gp x the runesage’s caster level. If the spell requires a material component that surpasses the cost limit, the runesage must have the material component on hand to cast the spell, as normal.

A runic focus has an AC of 24, 10 hit points, and hardness 5, as per an ioun stone. While the first runic focus a runesage creates is free, replacement runic foci can be created using the standard rules for replacing a bonded object for a wizard’s arcane bond. When a runesage creates a new runic focus, she can focus it on a different school of Sin magic than her previous focus as long as the new school is not one that was an oppositional school from her previous focus. For example, a runesage with a runic focus on necromancy could abandon that focus and replace it with a new focus on any school other than abjuration and enchantment (as these two schools are opposition schools to Sin necromancy).

This ability alters arcane bond and replaces arcane school.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Adventurer’s Guide © 2017, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Benjamin Bruck, John Compton, Crystal Frasier, Tim Hitchcock, Jenny Jarzabski, Isabelle Lee, Joe Pasini, Jessica Price, David Schwartz, and Josh Vogt.

Rune Blade Custom class and Rune Magic system

Looking for some feedback on a custom class I made for a player in a new campaign. They wanted to use "runes" to cast spells so I though up this weird little mechanic to see if they liked it. Unfortunately, I will also have a first time player in the party and this is the first time I am building a custom class. I don't want to make the class so weak that it shuns the person playing it, but don't want it so broken that it makes the new player feel useless. That is why i am looking for some feedback! Anything helps! Thank you all for your time!

Rune Magic: Classes that use Rune Magic are called Rune Casters
Rune Magic works very similarly to Wordcasting except that it must be placed on
an object. If a rune is placed on an object that is thrown, roll a d6 to find which
way the rune is facing when it lands. Directions are based on a north facing map.
If the object is flat, not round, the rune probably landed either up or down.
For this, flip a coin. 1 = up, 2 = west, 3 = south, 4 = north, 5 = east, 6 = down.
Runes may not be placed on top of eachother. If the Rune Caster attempts
to place a rune on a magical object, the object can make a DC 13 Will
save to avoid having the rune placed on it. If the object suceeds, the
level of spell the rune was supposed to be is used and will not be available
again until the Rune Casters next long rest. The rune moves with the
object it is placed on. When the rune is activated, the magic in the
rune is cast away from the rune. For example, if a rune is placed
on the floor, it will execute it's magic towards the ceiling; if
placed on a wall, it will execute it's magic into the room that the
wall is facing. Placing a rune is a standard action. Rune magic
uses all the rules for Word casting on top of the rules above.

Class Name: Rune Blade
Hit Die: d8

Class Skills:
Appraise(INT), Craft(INT), Fly(DEX), Knowledge(Arcana)(INT), Knowloedge(history)(INT),
Linguistics(INT), Perception(WIS), Profession(WIS), Sense Motive(WIS), Spellcraft(INT),
Survival(WIS), Use Magic Device(CHA).

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Simple and Martial weapons,
light and medium armor. Light
armor provides no arcane spell
failure chance.

Runic Formal Craft:
A Rune Blade must prepare his runes in advance by taking a long rest
and spending at least 1 hour using his arcane energies to inscribe
a temorary rune on objects. To regain runes per level per day,
the Rune Blade must take a long rest.A Rune Blade can place a
limited number of runes per level per day from his rune list.
Runes fade after 24 hours, not after use. To learn
or cast a rune, a Rune Blade must have a wisdom score equal
to at least 10 + the runes level. A saving throw DC for a
Rune Blade is 10 + the runes level + the Rune Blades Wisdom modifier.
Rune Blades may take any effect word from the sorcceror/bard
word list but cannot take any healing effect words.

Rune Tokens:
A Rune Blade has a certain number of tokens with which to activate
his runes. As a standard action, a Rune Blade can use a rune token
to activate any rune he has placed.This provokes an attack of opportunity.
A Rune Blade may use additional tokens to increase the caster level
of a rune by 1 caster level per additional token spent. A Rune Blade
cannot use this to surpass the limit on effects with limitations to
them. A rune Blade may also use rune level + 1 number of tokens to
decrease the rune level by 1. Example, a Rune Blade wishes to cast
a 6th level rune. He may use 7 tokens to cast it as a 5th level rune.

A Rune Blade gains a number of rune tokens per long rest.
A Rune Blade may gain extra tokens depending on his Wisdom modifier.
(Minimum 0). The number of tokens a Rune Blade may have cannot exceed
his max for his level plus extra from his wisdom modifier.

Rune Weapons/Armor (Sp):
As a swift action that costs 1 rune token, a Rune Blade
may give his weapon or armor an enhancement bonus. For melee
weapons, the enhancement acts like a touch spell. It adds
+1 to attack and damage until the weapon strikes a target.
The attack roll is resolved against touch AC.
For ranged weapons, it acts like a ranged touch attack,
providing a +1 to attack and damage. The attack roll is
resolved against touch AC.

For armor, the Rune Blade can choose to gain either +1 to
AC, or +1 to damage resistance for one round.

At levels 7, 14, 20 a Rune Blade may choose to use more
tokens to provide the same enhancement described above
but stack the effects. At level 7, he may spend 2 tokens,
at level 14 he may spend 3 Tokens, and at level 20 he may
spend 4 tokens.

Rune Binding (Sp):
The Rune Blade may spend 1 token to use his arcane power
to inscribe a temporary rune onto a target as a standard
action. This action does not provoke an attack of oportunity.
By inscribing a rune onto a target, that target will absorb
the Rune Blades damage received for the next minute up to
the Rune Blades caster level, rounded down, within 20ft. This
binding is visible to creatures, living or dead, as an
arcane rope between the Rune Blade and his target. If the
target leaves the 20ft range, the effect ends. The binding
link can be re-established if either the Rune Blade or his
target moves with 20 ft of the other again within the duration
of this ability.

At level 9, 15 and 19, the Rune Blade may choose to use
more tokens to provide improved benefits from the binding.
At level 9, the Rune Blade may use 2 tokens to cause the
target to absord 1.5 times the Rune Blades caster level
for 1.5 minutes; at level 15, 3 tokens for 2 times the
caster level for 2 minutes; at level 19, 4 tokens for
2.5 times the caster level for 2.5 minutes.

Additional tokens may be used to increase caster level as
described under Rune Tokens.

Rune Carving (Ex):
At fifth level, a Rune Blade may carve or otherwise permanently
inscribe a rune into a peice of equipment. This proccess takes one day
to complete. A piece of equipment that is carved by the Rune
Blade can be activated as a standard action but does not cause an
attack of opportunity as activating a rune otherwise would. This
Rune does not disapear. Activating a rune like this costs 2
of the rune slots of that runes level. Runes that are inscribed
do not count towards the use of that runes level until they are
used. Example: A Rune Blade scribes a 1st level rune on a wall.
This reduces his remaining number of 1st level runes by 1.
He then uses a token to cast the spell inscribed in the rune.
For a carved rune, the rune takes no slots until it
is cast. If it was a 1st level rune, it would have cost
2 1st-level rune slots. There is no range limit on this activation.
A Rune Blade must have at least 2 slots available of the level of
the rune to cast a carved rune.

Rune Sight(Ex):
The Rune Blades eyes have been scarred by staring into the source of
strong arcane power of runes for so long. A rune hase been embeded in
the Rune Blades eyes. A Rune Blade gains a +7 to perception when
attempting to locate magical traps. Form a level 1 rune of target
word line. The Rune Blade may use this rune as a standard action
indefinitely. Activating the rune costs 1 token and does not provoke
an attack of opportunity.

Runic Magic

In Real Life, runes are the letters of the ancient Germanic alphabets — most famously the ones used by the ancient Norse, but continental and later English tribes used related systems. Their origins are not entirely clear, but they generally seem to be a descendant of ancient Italic alphabets, probably either the Latin or Etruscan ones, and ancient symbols already in use, that was modified to be easily carved in wood and stone, giving runes their distinctive angular shapes. As wood decays much faster than stone erodes, old runes carved into stone are more likely to survive to the present day. They were eventually replaced with the modern Latin alphabet and ultimately were simply another writing system. In common use, the term "runes" is often conflated with "hieroglyphics", a term which itself has been conflated with other lexigraph-based forms of writing and then finally appropriated to include systems in cultures other than exclusively Ancient Egypt. Some purists, however, may insist on reserving the term "rune" exclusively for the ancient Germanic systems.

In modern fiction, runes have become strongly associated with magic, being either something used to write magical spells in or magical in and of themselves. How this works varies from case to case, but the most common form is that you write or engrave a rune on something and that this makes that something magical, or at least better. Typically, this is explained as working through the rune's specific form resonating with, channeling, shaping, containing, or otherwise interacting with magic in a specific way to produce a desired effect, either by naturally drawing magic in, by generating it itself, or by having a certain amount of magic stored within it at some point. In these cases, runes are not usually letters and do not form words or a language — they are rarely placed in groups and never as actual words, with each rune being a magical "statement" in and of itself. Some works maintain historic runes' simple angular shapes, but others shed this aspect entirely; it's not uncommon for "rune" to end up meaning just "magic symbol". Sometimes they glow.

It's very common for runes to exist alongside other magic systems. Typically, runes are presented as a Boring, but Practical alternative form of magic; an individual rune may take a long time to inscribe and create, compared to quicker spellcasting, and they may not produce equally potent effects, but runes will also be portrayed as much safer and more reliable than other magic. This may be particularly emphasized when regular magic is already depicted as difficult to use and prone to dangerous failures. Runes also tend to be specialized for enhancing or altering the objects they are inscribed upon — you won't be able to shoot fireballs with runes, although you may be able to use them to create a Flaming Sword.

Runic magic is often associated with Nordic or otherwise Germanic characters, Fantasy Counterpart Cultures thereof, and beings from Germanic mythology. Due to their shared association with northern Europe and the Norse, safe but undramatic reliability and contrast with flashy and active magic, it's very common for runes to also be extensively used by dwarves.

Note that there are reasons to believe that there was a tradition of runes being used in magic in real life; however, evidence for this is somewhat scattered, and it's also very common for major languages to gain associations with magic and mysticism once they fade from common use. It is likelier that runes gained their modern associations through a combination of this process, of the romanticization of ancient cultures, and of the admittedly rather impressive appearance of large, decorated, and rune-inscribed stones left behind by Germanic peoples. Further, in preliterate societies, the skill to send exact words across time and space (writing) was powerful. Thus, what we call "magic" seemed only a small additional step.

A subtrope of Functional Magic. Compare Geometric Magic. If magic spells and effects manifest as runes when they're cast — in other words, if magic causes the runes instead of runes causing the magic — then that's Instant Runes. And because runes are ultimately letters used to spell words, they can serve as the written form of tropes dealing with magic words and speech. Symbol Face may be the rune that is the source of the magic. Compare Language of Magic, Magical Incantation and I Know Your True Name.

Each rune has its own unique properties and effects, ranging from protective barriers to offensive spells. In order to use rune magic, a character must first learn the runes and their meanings. This usually involves extensive study and training, as well as the ability to read and write in the language associated with the runes.

Examples:

• Black Clover: Mana Method is a technique used by the Heart Kingdom that forms runes out of natural mana that add effects to and increase the power of spells derived from magic attributes found in nature, at its peak forming the real element cast by the user. After the Clover Kingdom and Heart Kingdom form an alliance, it's taught to some Magic Knights.
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Under the sense that Alchemy Is Magic, the series plays with this in combination with Geometric Magic. The exact science isn't crystal clear, but generally, to cast alchemy, one requires "circles" to be drawn (including a literal circle and usually other accompanying shapes) and an accompanying set of runes, which presumably complete the desired effect. The nature of the runes is briefly discussed in a conversation regarding the "hand-clap" form of alchemy, where a handful of characters (specifically those who have seen the Gate of Truth) bypass this requirement and are able to transmute things with a single clap of their hands. The characters interpret the hands pressed together is what forms the circle but, while questioning where the runes are formed from, Izumi claims that perhaps she herself constitutes the runes (likely due to her being loaded with vast alchemical knowledge from seeing what lies beyond the Gate).
• Overlord (2012): Runic magic has been replaced by tier magic, which is a more efficient method of enchanting items (although rune magic doesn't require material components). Ainz tries to reignite interest in rune magic (and sell the rune weapons he has) by finding the one dwarf craftsman who still practices it and bringing him to Nazarick and ordering his demonic-looking minions to fake a weakness to rune weapons.

• Astro City: The cosmic hero Starfighter activates the powers of the Lorus by drawing glowing symbols on nearby objects or in midair. These powers include flight, sound suppression, costume changes, and interstellar travel.
• The Mighty Thor: Both Odin and Thor have used the power of the runes, which grants a variety of abilities including summoning spirits. When using this power source, they are some of the strongest gods in existence.
• Pandora's Legacy: One of the protagonists accidentally breaks her phone and is gifted one with a strange rune. That rune later turns out to be the reason her phone can trap monsters inside.
• Thor: Vikings: The entire miniseries comes about because of a misuse of rune magic, as Doctor Strange explains.

Doctor Strange: The powers that serve the runes are alien. No love for humanity constrains them. Think of a genie released from its bottle, granting its rescuer three wishes. Its immediate instinct is to twist and misinterpret the wording of those wishes, in order to shaft the poor bugger royally. Rune magic is not unlike that. So cursing a band of Vikings to everlasting pain results in unstoppable undead warriors. Though you sail for a thousand years you shall not reach the land you seek means they arrive at the end of the thousandth year.

• Daily Equestria Life with Monster Girl: Runes light up on a magical magic analysis device when it detects something.
• A Diplomatic Visit: Swift-Pad is a Rune Caster, able to channel his inner magic through the proper runes (which have to be carefully carved and the magic infused into them while doing so), and it's a relatively common skill in the Packlands. He begins teaching Twilight the ability later on.
• The Dresden Fillies: In the prologue of False Masks, a door "covered in runes" that give off "mystic power" is mentioned as protecting a location.
• Dungeon Keeper Ami:
  • Instant Runes are made as part of the most common summoning spell.
  • Snyder hammers some runes into stone to use in magical wards.
  • Under the Northern Lights: One of the heavily Norse-inspired reindeer's main magical traditions is rune-crafting, which consists of imbuing special properties into objects by carving them with specific symbols; this can range from carving runes of death onto a weapon to make it deadlier to carving runes of seeing into a building's walls to create a surveillance system. It is one of the few methods of magic that the normally sorcery-fearing reindeer trust.
  Films — Live-Action
  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: Tying into the WandaVision example below, the fact that the monster Gargantos is covered in runes tips off Wong and Strange that they are dealing with Witchcraft, which is a distinct practice of magic than the Sorcery used by the students of Kamar-Taj.
  • Halloween: Starting in the fifth film, Michael Myers is shown to have a tattoo of the thorn rune note a letter from older germanic languages standing for the "th" sound on his right wrist upon waking up from his year-long coma. The next film reveals that Michael was put under a curse by a cult of druids that compels him to wipe out his bloodline.
  • Stardust: Lamia is shown using a set of runes to find her way to the fallen star. Septimus's soothsayer also uses them, but Septimus quickly susses out that the man has been paid by Septimus's brother to lead him astray, so he has the soothsayer throw his runes while Septimus asks him some control questions to determine how they land when an answer is correct/incorrect (symbols up = correct, symbols down = incorrect), before asking him the serious question. When the runes land symbols up, Septimus kills him.
  Literature
  • American Gods: In one chapter, Mr. Wednesday — Odin — draws some runes in salt on a restaurant table in order to seduce a waitress who proved resistant to his normal charms. Later, he shunts himself, Shadow, and the Winnebago they're driving into an alternate plane to avoid a roadblock by sketching runes in chalk on the dashboard.
  • "Casting the Runes", by M. R. James: Papers with strange runic letters on them are used by a shady alchemist to place people who have crossed him under a curse.
  • A Certain Magical Index: Stiyl Magnus uses runes for his magic to define zones that perform certain functions, like allowing his summon, Innocentius, to manifest, and People-Clearing Fields to ward off Muggles.
  • The Death Gate Cycle involves rune magic. While both the Sartans and Patryns use rune magic, the former draw them in the air, sing them, dance them, etc, while the latter inscribe them on their own bodies for use later. Some discussion is had about the importance of fitting runes together properly but in the end, the whole thing is just window dressing for a quantum superposition-based magic system in which wit and elegance trump raw power.
  • The Dresden Files: Rune magic is one of the many types of magic that exists within the setting. It's considered extremely ancient and powerful magic and requires considerable amounts of preparation and care to do right, but the effects can be incredibly powerful. As such, few magic users can master it. The Valkyrie Sigrun Gard (who is somewhere over a thousand years old) is one of the few people Harry knows who can use it, with him describing her doing so as "devoting them the care and attention one would to military-grade explosives".
  • Egil's Saga: Several times, Egil displays his knowledge of the magical use of runes.
    • Attending a feast at Atloy-Bard's, hostility builds up between Egil and Bard until Bard puts poison in Egil's drink. Egil is suspicious and stabs the palm of his hand with his knife, carves runes into the drinking horn, smears them with his blood, and speaks a skaldic verse. The horn shatters, implying the runes magically detected the poison.
    • After King Erik has banished Egil from Norway, Egil curses Erik and Gunhild by erecting a wooden "scorn-pole" with the severed head of a horse on top while chanting a curse on Erik and Gunhild, and additionally carving the same curse on the pole with runes.
    • On their journey to Varmland, Egil and his companions are taken in by a farmer whose daughter is sick and has not been getting better for a long time; the farmer, Thorfinn, explains that the son of one of his neighbors tried to cure her by carving runes into a piece of whalebone and putting the bone into her bed, but she has only been getting worse since then. Egil examines the runes and declares that they have been carved incorrectly by a hack, and that is what is making the daughter sick. Egil scrapes off the runes and burns the bone, then carves another rune bone and puts it under the daughter's pillow. She immediately begins to feel better. On the return journey, Egil again meets Thorfinn and learns that his daughter has made a full recovery, and also that the neighbor's son had tried to carve a love-spell, but screwed it up because of his lack of expertise.
    • In the Sigrdrífumál, the Valkyrie Sigrdrifa presents Sigurd with a memory-draught of ale charmed with "gladness runes" and then goes on to list victory-runes to be carved on a sword-hilt, runes to protect against bewitching ale, runes to facilitate childbirth, runes to protect ships.
    • In the HávamálOdin mentions runes used for divination, healing, and Interrogating the Dead.
    Live-Action TV
    • WandaVision introduces runes as one of a magic user's tools of trade; when used to bind a specific place, said place will only allow whoever casts the runes to use magic, and prevents other magic users inside from using their powers. Agatha demonstrates this against Wanda when she traps Wanda inside her basement, which already has runes in place. Wanda later flips this against Agatha by etching runes into the barriers of the Hex, rendering Agatha powerless.
    Tabletop Games
    • Ars Magica: Norse rune magic is Old Magic that predates the Order of Hermes' unified magic system and has been largely lost. Though less flexible than Hermetic magic, it can create enchantments that last as long as the rune does without some of the usual Item Crafting requirements, making it a tempting prize for any magical research to try to integrate into Hermetic theory.
    • Dungeons & Dragons:
      • In 3rd edition, runes are often associated with dwarves and giants.
        • Races of Stone has the Runesmith Prestige Class for dwarven arcane casters, who can prepare spells in the form of an inscribed rune rather than holding them in their mind - this allows the spell to be activated without its standard material and somatic components, with the primary effect of making it easier to cast in armour; at higher levels they can imbue some of these runes with extra power so that other characters can use them, and eventually carve a permanent rune into their own body which can be activated twice per day.
        • Forgotten Realms setting has the "Inscribe Rune" item creation feat, exclusive to divine spellcasters, which creates a Limited-Use Magical Device that activates on touch. The Runecaster Prestige Class can make these runes stronger, or modify them to have continuous or multi-charge effects or trigger under different conditions, and at high levels can boost the power of their regular spells by tracing a rune in the air.
        • Notably, only a small group of rune cards are actually typed as Runes — specifically, five depicting artifacts from the Viking plane of Kaldheim. These depict items marked with engraved runes that confer some magical ability to their wearers, and can be applied to either creatures or items — Rune of Flight is a necklace that lets its wearer fly, Rune of Might is a helmet that makes its wearer mightier, Rune of Mortality is a sword that lets its wielder kill anything it touches, Rune of Speed is a bracer that makes its owner faster, and Rune of Sustenance enchants a creature so that damage to it gives equal life to its player.
        • There are several additional enchantments named as and depicting runes, which often work in mainly the same manner, but they don't share the type. These include the Runemarks from the Fate Reforged set, which grant creatures they're given to a power boost and some additional abilities; the Runes of Protection from Urza's Saga, which ward against damage from specific sources; and Runes of the Deus , which make creatures they're inscribed on tougher and stronger.
        • In 2nd edition, runes can be etched into weapons and armor to give them magic properties, or even transferred from one item to another.
        • Ultimate Psionics, a third-party conversion of D&D 3.5e's psionics system, includes a brief suggestion that the mechanics of psionics (which are normally distinguished from magic by being fuelled and controlled entirely by the user rather than a Background Magic Field) could be used to represent characters who wield the power of runes instead.
        Video Games
        • Battle for Wesnoth: The dwarves have no casters like the other races but their Runesmiths are talented artisans who can infuse magical power into weapons using runes.
        • The Binding of Isaac: In Rebirth and the DLC, runes appear as stones with runes from the Elder Futhark alphabet carved onto them. They are consumable items with a variety of benefical effects, such as shielding the player and removing curse effects.
        • ''Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night': Circles of Enochian symbols around the crystallized areas on someone's body, when written correctly, are basically guaranteed to stop the crystals from growing, if the affected don't increase their magi-crystal load through absorbing shards like Mariam does.
        • Diablo II: Runes are small stones engraved with runes that give items with sockets magical boosts when placed into those sockets. Additionally, some runes create runewords when placed into an item in a particular order, which gives boosts above and beyond the runes' normal enhancements.
        • Epic Battle Fantasy:
          • Viking Monolith enemies have runes engraved on them that glow when they cast magic.
          • The Rune Blade weapon greatly boosts the power of magical attacks. Presumably because runes.
          • The elementally magical Rune enemy class don't actually appear to involve carved runes and instead resemble small clusters of floating stone objects.
          • The Dark Rune item is a chunk of black stone carved with complex red lines that is used to craft Dark-aligned items.
          Gauntlet etched with magical runes.
          • Rune Mastery magic is available to the player.
          • The Dvergr Runestones weapon are throwable runes that deal elemental damage and boost a "Magical Charge" skill.
          Visual Novels
          • The Familiar of Zero: Void familiars, as part of the Magic Kiss of familiarization, get runes with the name of their power on some part of their body. Left Hand for Gandalfr. Right Hand for Vindalfr, Forehead for Mjöðvitnir, and Chest for Lífþrasir.
          • Fate/stay night: Lancer can use runes to supplement his immense skill with the spear. A single fire rune, Ansuz, is enough to burn down an entire castle, and he can also use runes to create barriers and force a one-on-one confrontation where no one leaves until either he or his opponent is dead.
          Webcomics
          • Aurora (2019): Runes are a system of inscriptions consisting of complex patterns of dots and looping lines (except for stone and lightning runes, which tend to feature angular patterns and dashes), which are used to shape and direct the flow of elemental magic in objects. They are believed to have been the original language of the Primordials, and individual runes can still be combined into more complex arrays. Runes allow magic to be reliably channeled in specific manners, without introducing the risk of accident inherent in manually redoing a single ritual again and again, by providing strict limitations for what magic is called upon and how and to what degree when the runs are activated — for example, a set of fire runes may be used to create a Flaming Sword by specifying for flame to be created around the blade, burn continuously and spread no further. Each element also has a unique master rune that, when activated, simply gathers ambient magic and stores it within its object until deactivated. Master runes are typically inscribed on lacrimas, magic-storing crystals which are then inscribed with other runic patterns to allow them to be used as directed spell batteries, or tattooed by mages upon themselves to provide them with a constant source of magic for their spells. Active runes also glow in their associated element's color — red for fire, blue for water, white for stone, purple for air, green for life, and yellow for lightning.
          • The Order of the Stick: The dwarves use faux-runic engravings on stone walls or floors to create permanent Protective Charms on the Temple of Firmament and the Clan Elders' council chamber. Early in the strip, one of V's favorite spells is Explosive Runes, which inscribes magical runes on something (usually a document, but walls or doors work as well) that explode when read. Although in that case the magic is in the writing itself rather than the meaning of the writing, so V will often make the text mock the person who reads it.
          • Stand Still, Stay Silent: Runes are an important part of the Icelandic magic tradition, and usually take the form of complex circular diagrams adorned with a variety of curving and angular shapes. Their powers are usually passive or indirect, and focus on things such as creating mental suggestions or warding away dangerous magical influences. Most runes seen on-page are fairly large, inscribed or painted over vehicles or around campsites, and are intended to do things such as preventing ghosts from entering a site or creating a mental suggestion for wandering monsters to steer around the area where the rune is inscribed.
          Western Animation
          • The Dragon Prince: Primal magic users rely on runes to cast magic. Mages must draw the rune by hand in the air and recite a draconic incantation in order to cast spells. Runes can also be placed on an object to enchant it, such as the Moonstone Path into Xadia, which glows under the light of the moon, and the magic mirror. Runes can also be drawn on a person in order to give them magical abilities, such as Sky mages drawing runes on their arms to grow wings for flight.
          • Hilda: A rune stick is a key component for summoning ghosts from their graves, which is done by rolling the stick over the grave while chanting a summoning spell.
          • Samurai Jack: The Scotsman's sword is etched with Celtic runes to give it supernatural sharpness and durability, allowing it to clash evenly with even Jack's blessed sword meant to slay Aku.
          • The Owl House: Luz, being a human, does not have the organ that witches on the Boiling Isles use to access and store magic and has to rely on the older technique of drawing a circle with a rune (or glyph as Luz calls it) inside to invoke a particular spell. These glyphs occur in nature if you know where to look, and while there are only four known (Light, Ice, Plant, and Fire), they can be modified and chained together in larger spell circles to theoretically cast any spell. Lilith even theorizes that the glyphs are like words in a language (albeit a very context heavy one given that a glyph's location on a larger combo can completely alter the properties it imbues into a spell) that commands the magic around them. Once a glyph has been inscribed in something, the effect remains dormant until "activated". This makes it function like a scroll and allows Luz to build a stockpile and use them as spell "grenades". The fact that they rely on the Background Magic Field of the Titan to power them means that they're rendered inert on Earth or the In Between Realm (unless you happen to have some Titan's Blood nearby, as it's magically potent enough to power glyphs a short distance away even in an environment that is otherwise devoid of magic). The Grand Finale also establishes that each individual member of the Titan race had their own unique "language", and once their spirit departs for the afterlife their specific glyph designs stop working altogether.
          Real Life
          • Magic spells written in runes on wood, bones, and, in rare cases, stones have been discovered in Scandinavia. They are mostly from the Bergen region in Norway and the Uppland region in Sweden. Most of them are healing spells against sickness, though a love spell and protective spells have also been found.
          

          Once a character has learned the runes, they can then inscribe them onto objects or surfaces to activate their magical power. The activation of a rune is typically done through the use of a specific magical gesture or incantation. When the gesture or incantation is performed correctly, the rune will activate and unleash its magical effect. The power and duration of the effect depend on the specific rune used. Unlike other forms of magic in Pathfinder, rune magic does not require the use of spell slots or spell levels. Instead, characters can inscribe and activate as many runes as they have the materials and time to do so. This makes rune magic a versatile and potentially powerful form of magic, as characters can carry and activate multiple runes at a time. There are also specific rules and mechanics governing the use of rune magic in combat. For example, activating a rune typically requires a standard or move action, meaning that characters must carefully plan their actions in battle. Additionally, some runes may require the expenditure of a limited resource, such as charges from a magic item, in order to activate. Overall, Pathfinder rune magic offers players a unique and flexible form of magic that can be tailored to suit different playstyles and character concepts. Its reliance on knowledge, preparation, and careful timing makes it an intriguing and challenging aspect of the game..

          Reviews for "The Origins and History of Rune Magic in the Pathfinder Universe"

          - John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Pathfinder rune magic system. It felt convoluted and unnecessary, adding an extra layer of complexity to an already rule-heavy game. The rules for creating and using runes were not clearly explained, and it felt like an afterthought rather than a well-integrated part of the magic system. Overall, I found it more frustrating than enjoyable to use, and I would not recommend it to others.

          - Sarah - 1 star - I found the Pathfinder rune magic system to be completely underwhelming. It seemed like a half-hearted attempt to introduce something new and unique to the game, but it fell flat. The mechanics were confusing and poorly explained, and the benefits of using rune magic were not worth the effort. I quickly abandoned using it in my game and went back to traditional magic systems. Save yourself the trouble and skip this poorly executed addition to Pathfinder.

          - Michael - 2 stars - I have been a long-time fan of Pathfinder, but the rune magic system left me sorely disappointed. It felt like a gimmick rather than a well-thought-out addition to the game. The rules were overly complex and difficult to implement, and it seemed like the designers were more focused on making it flashy and unique rather than making it actually enjoyable to use. I quickly grew frustrated with the system and found myself avoiding it altogether. I would recommend sticking with the core magic system and ignoring the rune magic option.

          - Emily - 2 stars - I was really excited to try out rune magic in Pathfinder, but it ended up being a letdown. The mechanics were confusing and hard to understand, even after multiple attempts to figure them out. It felt like a missed opportunity to introduce something new and exciting to the game, but instead, it just added unnecessary complexity. I eventually gave up on using rune magic and stuck to the traditional magic system, which was much more enjoyable and easier to grasp. Overall, I would not recommend wasting your time with this confusing and poorly executed addition to Pathfinder.

          Unleashing the Power of Runes: A Practical Guide to Rune Magic in Pathfinder