This is an alternate set of rules for Symbolic (Runic) magic using the GURPS system. It was created with the "Kartazia" setting in mind, so there are many references along the text to Kartazia-specific aspects, although the basic mechanics could be altered to apply to any other setting.
Magic of the Orksen[]
Runic magic is performed by the Orksen who live far north. In Orksen society, these mages are called Runecasters and are granted a religious status among their people. They venerate deities called Runegods which they believe that grant them their powers, and to whom they attribute a capricious nature and human passions. Any Kartazian mage would tell them that these deities are in fact demons. The Orksen refute this stating that the fact that these entities are supernatural doesn't mean they are inherently malignant: they are powerful, and they choose to share their powers with mankind, and that is what matters.
Runecasters are subject to Hubris just like any other mage, but they explain this by saying that their Runegods are easily angered when a mage tries to usurp their powers for himself, and that Hubris is their way of keeping mankind in balance with the powers they grant.
Many Kartazian mages go to study with the Orksen Runecasters. Only to a select few humans do they share their secrets, but it is not unknown that human mages have been trained in their traditions.
Runes and Runegods[]
Runic alphabet uses Orksen runes, and each rune corresponds exactly to one magical school in Kartazian magical tradition. Runecasters must also learn the "Demonic" language to cast their spells, and all their magical lore is written in this language.
The Orksen runes are:
| Rune | Runegod | Magical School |
| Air / Lightning | Azraldur | Air / Weather |
| Animal | Goichoron | Animal |
| Control | Elusia | Body Controlling |
| Communicate | Tarfannas | Communication and Empathy |
| Earth | Guldranok | Earth |
| Enchant | Valzerya | Enchantment |
| Fire / Destroy | Ferlanak | Fire |
| Food | Gurick | Food |
| Heal | Zerahn | Healing |
| Create | Koltranas | Illusion and Creation |
| Know | Vassarion | Knowledge |
| Light / Dark | Radranak | Light and Darkness |
| Matter | Vessana | Making and Breaking |
| Magic | Ouruz | Meta |
| Mind / Thought | Zerdon | Mind Conatrol |
| Move | Kalistra | Movement |
| Death | Iulzanak | Necromancy |
| Plant | Teldrana | Plant |
| Protect | Rartanas | Protection and Warning |
| Sound | Skrujdrok | Sound |
| Technology | Zarmech | Technological |
| Water / Ice | Guelizza | Water |
Spells and House Rules[]
Every rune is an IQ/VH skill which is modified by the character's Magery. A character without magery cannot learn runes.
The character has to purchase his runic spells in addition to the runes themselves. Each spell is a "GURPS Magic" spell that cannot overcome the skill level of the rune which represents its school of magic. Thus, a "Fireball" spell cannot be used in a level above the "Fire" rune.
A character buys runic spells directly, disregarding the prerequisite tree. A runecaster could purchase an "Explosive Fireball" with no need to learn a "Fireball" spell in advance.
Runic spells do not have their energy or time to cast modified by high skill.
It is not possible to perform a ceremonial runic spell. This effectively bars runic mages from using a tradeoff of energy for skill unless they have the "Independent Magic" advantage.
All runic spells require gestures and no words.
Runic spells can only be taught or studied through a book. Mages cannot "develop" new spells. Each runic spell is a secret granted by the runegods directly to mankind. Therefore, a mage has to learn from different masters if he is to diversify his knowledge of spells. Furthermore, there is nothing preventing a runecaster from knowing entirely new spell effects or variations not covered by the Kartazian magical theory.
Time to Cast[]
- The time to cast of a runic spell equals the time to cast of the "GURPS Magic" spell. This is the time that the runecaster has to spend inscribing runes on the floor, the wall or any other hard surface. If he cannot inscribe them, for any reason, he cannot perform spells.
- A runecaster can have a number of spells "prepared". He can carry stone tablets with runic spells inscribed on them. However, these tablets weight a lot and there is a feasible limit to how much of them one person can carry and have ready at once.
- Each rune tablet weights in pounds as much as its time to cast in turns. Spells that take minutes or hours to cast are too complex to carry around on a tablet. Possession of one such tablet, however, lowers the spell's time to cast to a reaction, and allow it to be used at he character's initiative on a given turn of combat.
- After a character has scribed a runic spell on the floor or the wall, or any hard surface, he could cast the spell again by touching the inscription with only 1 turn of concentration.
Limitations of Runic magic[]
Some magical effects cannot be achieved by runic magic:
- Mind reading or influencing the minds of other intelligent beings in any way.
- Knowing things future or past.
- Preventing aging or becomming immortal.
- Flying
- Teletransporting or any means of very rapid travel (Cloud Vaulting, etc).
- Altering the flow of time.
- Creating or producing knowledge (increasing skill levels, for instance).
Energy used in Runic Magic[]
A runecaster can choose to power his spells from one of three sources: Breath, Blood or Pain.
Using one's breath means that the rune magic will be performed by spending fatigue points. This is the default method for powering up one's spells.
Using one's blood means that the caster will burn his HP to gain energy for the spell. Each 1 point of HP spent yields 3 energy points for the spell. The caster does NOT suffer the effects of pain when using this method: he simply grows weaker.
Using pain is a little more complex and requires further explanation:
Powering up spells through pain[]
- A runecaster can allow the spell's energy to run through his very bones and burn him up from within, causing him great agony. The psychological trauma of that pain is used to fuel up the spell. If a mage wants to use this method, he has to allow the spell to actually cause him pain, so "High Pain Treshold" does him no avail here. Likewise, if a character does not feel pain (due to a disease or physical handicap), he cannot use this method of casting.
- The caster receives a penalty in his next turn's actions which equal the pain the spell caused him. Each -1 yields 2 energy points to power up the spell. On the turn after that, the character can act normally again.
- Pain spells are agonizing experiences and no matter how strong-willed a character is, no sane person would choose to undergo this ordeal if he could avoid it.
Pain Endurance[]
- Characters must take note of a value called "Endurance", which equals their willpower minus 10. This is the number of Pain spells they can safely cast on the same hour. If a character casts an additional Pain spell, he must roll a fright check with a penalty equaling the spell's energy cost. The spell, however, does happen.
- Also, Pain Endurance is the maximum number of pain penalty that a runecaser can safely withstand when using a Pain spell. If he attempts to cast a spell whose penalty is greater than his endurance, he must roll a fright check with a penalty equaling the margin by which the spell's pain penalty overcame his Endurance.
- All of these fright checks suffer a cumulative -1 per roll made within the same hour.
- The maximum pain penalty that a character can assume equals his HT. His body simply cannot withstand more pain than this.
Runic Enchantment[]
Runecasters can inscribe an item with runes and cause it to display permanent magical properties, enchanting it. To that end, they have to use "essence" like any other mage. All other rules of a normal enchantment apply. However, these items have to be fully inscribed in magical runes, and any other runic mage that takes hold of the item will know what it's supposed to do simply by reading it.