[hider=Already made the history. Now for the details.] [b]Runes and Preparation[/b] Runes require first a resource that has the runes drawn in them. The runes must be drawn perfectly, and so they cannot be relied upon by memory. In general, one must make sure the area is clean; after all, trying to carve a rune on a bloodstained rock seems to not work quite as effectively (who knew?). In specific, it requires a specialty ink. The good news is that the ink is very light and makes dark stains even with a drop of it, so large quantities can be placed into small vials and used. It can also be mass produced. The bad news is that it is almost as hard to collect the substance, and correctly, as it is to make a high-tier runeword. It takes either someone experienced in alchemy, a masochist or a Runic mage to do it. [b]The "Particulars"[/b] Whether making a runestone or a rune tablet, or simply drawing runes into bricks or for those who have specialty runewords even air, one must take a good look at the position of the "central" rune. If there is only one rune, the matter is easy - find the center of a side and draw on it. If it's a stone tablet with multiple runes, it is much more important to have things correctly placed. There needs to be a clearly defined center and any other runes must form some sort of a pattern. Slapping runes all over a slab will typically have unfortunate side effects. Yes, they do stack... [b]Runestones[/b] Runestones are the simplest of runes to create and typically are used in conjunction with other runes or placed into objects. Larger does not necessarily equal more powerful, but if it's done right smaller does mean more convenient. Two runes on a single runestone or in close proximity triggers side effects. One rune type on one side and another on the other side, when complete, makes both sides explode. And have side effects. If a shape is out of balance or not to scale, side effects will form. If an unrelated marking is placed on the runestone, side effects will come out. If the rune is not cleaned often enough, side effects will grow. If <> is not done perfectly, something bad will happen. [s]If the rune doesn't like you it will explode.[/s] On the bright side, if the rune put on the back is identical to the one in the front, it is twice as powerful. [b]Runic Tablets[/b] Rune tablets require symmetry and some sort of logical system, or they will explode/have side effects. In general, runewords are documented after many long, hard years of people going through side effects. Every side effect possible on a rune on the tablet can form if everything is not done correctly. If one rune is off on the other side, should it be used, the tablet will explode and every nightmare of a side effect will occur. On the bright side, if both sides are identical the power will be doubled. If a runeword doesn't make some sort of word, it somehow figures that out and explodes. [s]If it doesn't like you, you know what happens.[/s] [b]Other Runewords[/b] Runewords can be put on a lot of objects, from walls to swords to clothing. [b]Flying Runewords[/b] Only chose that title because it sounded nice. Anyways, if you have the right tablet for it, you can draw runewords in the air with all the same details as before. The difference is, using the same tablet, you can store them and cast them at will. [b]The Power of Runewords and Etc[/b] -Runewords are almost unbreakable. -For a rune to have its focus, it must be designed with the focus in mind. If the rune's specialty is fire, great. What about fire? -It takes immense power to break a rune, but when the rune is broken... expect extreme side effects lasting for a while on all those in the area. And, of course, runes explode. Imagine the explosion of an indestructible rune? [b]Ok, enough with about the runes. What are the runes?[/b] [hider=How nice of you to ask.] (Names all based off of [url=http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Rune_list]here,[/url] as well as effects loosely based. First * is primary effects, second * is tier and third * is what is likely to happen happen if things are done wrong and that could happen to everyone exposed to the rune in question, more powerful with more bad runes.) El - Clarity *Understanding, vision. *Low End *Short-term blindness, confusion. Eld - Vitality *Stamina, reflexes, etc. with a possible side effect not favorable to the undead. *Low End *Reduced endurance, shortened temper, in large quantities the rising of dead. Tir - Spiritual Endurance *Improved magical capabilities, draining mana upon dealing spiritual damage. *Low End *Drain of all magical energies in the area. Nef - "Strongman" *Increased physical strength, blocking ability. *Low End. *Frailty, blindness to what's coming... Eth - Unfair *Combat focused, with opponents of the rune/runeword's wielder (usually for weapons) taking more of a blow than usual from the weapon in question if the weapon strikes flesh. *Low End *Sluggish movement of wielder. Ith - Strike *Similar to above, but focused on just the weapon or other item's durability (ie, making the answer obvious to the question of "which weapon breaks first?") *Low End *Item becomes stupidly easy to break. Tal - Viper *A rather strong, acidic effect that leaves whoever is unlucky enough to be at the receiving end feeling like crap for hours, never mind the first minute with acid eating away slowly but painfully... *Low End *Entire area becomes coated with acid. Including the one making the rune... Ral - Flame *A fiery coating around the item in question.. *Low End *"Where'd that fire come from?" Zet - You're Not Coming In *Specialized rune for warding. *Low End *The door is rather flimsy, and what ever happened to the psychic protection?! Mas - Runic "Happy Stuff" *Can cheer folks up in a single exposure. Could be used for the opposite... *Low End *It takes out the happy part of meth and leaves you with everything wrong with it. Ort - Shocking *Affects the energy field around the item to have more of a "bite" to it... *Low End *Deep fries the maker is what tends to happen. Thul - The Bite of Death *Cold, cold and more cold... it can make nice air conditioning in a runeword, though. *Low End *Certain "things" (aka, the maker) seem to be a little frozen. Might not want to be near a fireplace... Amn - The Essence of Life *Either steals or regenerates life. *Low-Mid End *Aging suddenly becomes a real... birchwood. Sol - "Can't feel it!" *Short term defensive rune reducing damage. *Mid End *That paper cut just turned into a fountain. Mar - Satation *Usually used to reduce hunger. Doesn't gurantee that it will be good for you... *Mid End *Nothing like starving in just 5 seconds. Shael - Speed *Pretty much what it says above. *Mid End *Can't...... frick.....in....mooooo...vvvvv....e.... Dol - Fear Me *That nightmare just got a little more real. In your mind, of course. *Mid End *You remember that bloody floating skull that looks like it wants to eat you? It's back... Hel - Noob Friendly *One suddenly realizes they know exactly how to use it. *Mid End *"What is this bowstring you speak of?" Lum - Plentiful *Energy reserves just got deeper. *Mid End *Take the last one that related to energy, and double it. Ko - Samurai's Friend *Reflex specialty. *Mid End *"I know that chair was coming at me, I just couldn't move!" Fal - Brawn *A cheap zod. Not indestructible but pretty powerful anyways... *Mid End *Go ahead, punch that feather. Don't complain to me when you mash your fist into powder... Rek - What Gravity? *Adds weightlessness to whatever it is on. Some runes have recently fell on people's heads as a result of some of the first experiments finally wearing down. *Mid End *Things not only lose all their gravity, they go up rather quickly, too. Lem - Fortune *Fortunes just got better. *Mid End *"You mean to tell me you hunted for gold in a mine where it grows off the ceilings and didn't find one piece? And you tripped five times?" Pul - Demons Beware *Wards against demons - demons in its radius get burned... badly. *Mid-High End *Demon magnet and they get a nice buff when they're around. I hear the blood lust isn't helping... Um - Oh Dear... *Breaking things in a civilized way. From paper cuts to fountains, from protected walls to a new gateway-sized hole. *High End (noted for extreme difficulty in making) *"It seems that another runic mage was found in pieces..." Mal - Not So Fast *Healing becomes non existent. Healing effects short of extremely powerful ones are like watching paint dry. *High End *"Wasn't that scar already healed?" Ist - Lem 2.0 *Enchanted items become easier to find. Your old rotting blade just got a makeover... *High End *You'll find them, alright. Embedded in the wrong place... Omn - Curse You *Very high end warding, causing specialized disluck. *High End *The floor has suddenly lost its weight. Gul - Elements Beware *The elements, natural and magical, suddenly don't seem so dangerous. *High End *Might not want to step outside, the wind might have something in store for you. Vex - Gul's Magic Twin *Magic in that magical effects are much less effective. *High End *That knock back turned into a knock-through-six-walls. Ohm - y *A romantic rune that really has no practical reason to exist. Or does it?... *High End (noted for extreme difficulty in making) *You suddenly get urges, growing stronger and stronger until you wake up the next morning in a bed with 20 former virgins. Sur - Illusionist *Create illusions at will.. *High End *"Uh oh, it's a- oh, it wasn't real? Wait! There's another one!" Ber - Nullify *Voids the effects of runes, a rule that can be twisted, that are not higher than this one. *High End *Every rune in the room starts getting extremely powerful side effects... Jah - The Slayer *Your defenses are now void. Unless they are godly, the Primus himself or a Zod. *High End (2nd most difficult) *Their defenses aren't void. Yours are. From even those flies buzzing overhead... Cham - Never Feel Cold Again *At least, the above is one of its uses. The other is to make the other fellow feel cold the rest of eternity. Think of a Gorgan's effect. Another use could be Stasis... *High End (3rd most difficult) Zod - Unbreakable meets... nobody. *^Nobody worth mentioning. If it's zodded, you aren't going to break it. A nuke won't blow it up. Unless you're the Primus at his maximum power with an army behind you, a god or 10,000 Um's... *Top (good luck making it) *The mansion somehow vanished. Must have been one of those damn zod-makers. [/hider] [/hider]