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Runes of Power (Sigil)

Runes of Power is a mod for the Sigil System that introduces new mechanics for spellcasting through the use of runes and incantations. It provides detailed rules on creating magical effects using a modular slot-based system, character creation options, and archetypes for players. The mod emphasizes the importance of knowledge and creativity in wielding magic, allowing for diverse gameplay experiences.

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Eric Kumalac
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
195 views43 pages

Runes of Power (Sigil)

Runes of Power is a mod for the Sigil System that introduces new mechanics for spellcasting through the use of runes and incantations. It provides detailed rules on creating magical effects using a modular slot-based system, character creation options, and archetypes for players. The mod emphasizes the importance of knowledge and creativity in wielding magic, allowing for diverse gameplay experiences.

Uploaded by

Eric Kumalac
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Version 1.

DESIGNER: Izak Tait

Find more creations from Stormforge Productions at https://stormforge.carrd.co/

Join us on Discord and chat with us and other Stormforge fans: https://discord.gg/6GD43QD

©2014-2024 Stormforge Productions. All Rights Reserved. Unless stated otherwise, all content in
this book is owned by Stormforge Productions. Do not reproduce unless for personal or private use.
Introduction 4

The Power 6
The Rules of Magic 7
Synergy Slots 7
Drawing difficulties 7
Item Enchantments 8
Circles within Circles 9
Transmutation 9
Magnus Runos 9

Incantatio Maximus 11
Spoken magic 11
Circular Spellbooks 12
Words of Power 12
Human arrays 12
Aetheric Energy 13
Mystical Strain 13
Clean ranges 14
Transfiguration 14
Magical Sustenance 14
Incantatio Magnus 14

Creating a Spellcaster 17
The Arcanist 20
The Warmage 20
The Scholar 21
The Inquisitor 21

Perks & Quirks 22

Downtime 24
New Contacts 25

The Runes 26
List of all known runes 27

Sample Runic Arrays 35

3
Welcome to Runes of Power, a mod for the Sigil System that deals with casting spells, speaking the
aetheric words of incantations, and drawing arrays of runes to summon forth magical effects.
Runes of Power is all about using your mind as your as your greatest tool. Any man can learn
the runes and words of power to create magic either as a runewright who draws arrays of runes, or
as a spellcaster who can speak the words of creation as incantations. This means that anyone and
everyone can learn to create magical spells.

How to use this Mod


This mod is simply an addon to the core Sigil System rules, so you need to have the Sigil System (v1.7
or later) in order to effectively use these rules.
Runes of Power does not change any rules found in the corebook, but it does give you a lot
of new options for playing characters who have (or want to) become spellcasters, Sigiltongues or
runewrights.
As with any of the Sigil Mods, Runes of Power is entirely optional to use during your games, and
you can pick and choose which parts of it to use. The powers and abilities shown in this mod are all
balanced with each other, so it is highly recommended that if you use multiple powers in a section,
that you use them as they appear here.

What’s in this Mod


This mod is split into two distinct parts: THE RUNES and THE POWER.
THE RUNES will teach you how to wield the arcane powers of the aetheric realm in two similar,
yet distinct ways: through the ancient practice of drawing the runes in grand arrays to call forth the
magical power, as well as by teaching you how to speak the words of power so that you can cast
incantations.
At the end the section, there is a short character creation part that adds onto the Sigil System’s
core character creator, including Perks and Qurisk for character advancement. If you want to start
a game as a mage or spellcaster, then this part will help you discover how your character gained his
new-found abilities and how he has been forever changed by the ordeal. There is also a premade
version of four types of spellcaster if you just want to jump straight into the game.
THE POWER shows you each available rune that you can use as a runewright or a spellcaster and
the word of power that will allow you to speak it as part of an incantion. There are also dozens of
example spells (of both the drawing and speaking variety) that you can already use in your games.

Literacy versus Oration


There are two different means to create magical effects, both of which will be detailed in this mod.
The first is the way of the runewright, where you draw a series of runes and their connections, power
it with energy, and then see the magical effects unleashed.
The second magical means is called the way of the spellcaster or the sigiltongue. Rather than
writing or drawing the runes, you can speak them (if you know their true name) and say the
incantation to summon forth the aetheric power into the world.
You don’t need to limit your characters to doing things either one way or the other. If you know
both the rune’s shape and its true name, then you can both draw it and speak it. Finding both (or
either) can be a difficult challenge. This mod does not give rules for how to find the runes and their
true names. That is up to the GM to determine. Your character may end up knowing the shapes
of several runes and the true names for several unrelated other ones. If you are intending to play
a serious scholarly mage, then part of his life will have to be adventuering to find the shapes and
names of more and more runes.
Knowledge is, after all, power. The more runes you know, the more power you will have to effect
4 the world around you.
Archetypes
At the end of the character creation options, you’ll find some pre-made characters. These are styled
in the classic archetypes of the mod and are built to emphasise a specific aspect of the character
concept.
If you want to quickly jump into a game without having to go through the whole character
generation options of the Sigil System’s corebook, and the extra bits and bobs found here, then you
can just use the archetypes in this mod as-is and then start playing.
The archetypes come with a full Skill array, a Perk and Quirk each, and their equipment. All you’ll
need to do is give him them a name, make up their Contacts (the Contact Points value is given) and
then jump into the game.

Downtime
The mod also provides new options for Downtime, giving runewrights, spellcaster and all srots of
magic-user a new career to do Work in, as well as a new Activity to Play with. Lastly, each part of the
mod also gives you a new Contact for mages and sages that will surely come in handy. For any of the
mod-specific Downtime rules, your character will not always need to know how to use magic to be
able to partake in these activities.

5
THE RULES OF MAGIC
Synergy Slots
The mysteries of the runes and how they can invoke the mystical energies of the aetherial realm is
an instricate as it is arcane. However, to make it easy to use on the tabletop, the runic magic of the
Sigil System is a modular, slot-based magic system. As long as you know what all the slots are, and
what type of rune goes into which slot, you will be able to make tens of thousands of different runic
magical effects. The only limit is your imagination, literally.
There are five slots for each runic spell (called a runic array), and whenever you want to create
one, you must put a rune in each of the five slots in order for the runic array to work.

The five slots are as follows:


SIZE: describes how large the runic effect will be, compared to the size of the array itself.
SHAPE: defines what type of shape the runic effect will take, from cones to columns to spheres
and more.
ACTION: states what the runic array will actually do. It is the verb of the runic sentence and the
part of the array that performs the work.
TARGET: specifies what sort of thing the runic array will affect.
TRIGGER: shows what type of thing will set off the runic effect. If the Trigger isn’t present, then
the runic array will not do anything.

As as example, let’s say we had these runes set up in the five slots:

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER


Small Ball Create Fire Air

This would then create a fireball half the size of the runic array as long as air was present. If air
was suddenly not present, then the fireball would disappear as the Trigger is no longer there. Here is
how it would look inside a runic array line:

As you can see, each slot has its own designated space on the line and that space never changes.
It always goes SIZE - SHAPE - ACTION - TARGET - TRIGGER. So when you see the list of pre-made
arrays further along in the document, you’ll know exactly how to read them.
And that’s all there is to the rules of the runic slots. Each specific rune will have it’s own unique
effects and rules to it, but half the work is just knowing what slot to put them in.

Drawing difficulties
The power of the runic arrays comes from the amount of fuel put into them. This fuel comes in a few
very different forms. The first is energy in any of its forms: heat, light, kinetic, etc. You can leave an
array out in the sun to soak up some light, or light a fire underneath it to give it some heat, or smash
it with a hammer to impart energy that way. Bear in mind that the arrays do not absorb the energy, 7
they make a copy of it and use that. So anything that can damage the material the array is drawn on
will do so unless you take precautions.
The second fuel for the runic arrays is human blood. It’s a lot more efficient than simple energy
and you can give a runic array a lot of energy in a short amount of time through opening a vein.
The final way to fuel an array is through the power of the soul. This could either be a mage
concentrating and meditating on an array and imparting a sliver of his soul into the array, capturing
a soul from a human or aetheric beast into a soul-gem and touching the crystal to the array, or by
spilling the blood of an aetheric beast onto the array.
However the runic array gets its fuel, it needs to release all that energy once the TRIGGER
is present. How well it releases that energy depends on how well you drew the array and, more
specifically, how well you drew each specific rune inside it.
Because of this, the first time that you use a runic array that you’ve drawn, you will roll a Fine-
Craft Skill Check. Succeed on this Skill Check and you’ve drawn that runic array well enough to do
what you want it to do. Fail it, and you’ve missed something somewhere in the runic array that means
it didn’t work. If you’ve drawn the runic array with the intent to hurt someone, then this Skill Check
will double as a Combat Skill Check.
As with all Skill Checks, there are Modifiers that the GM can use to make life easier or more
difficult for you. For creating runic arrays, there are two specific Modifiers to worry about: the
Diligence and Suitability Modifiers.
The Diligence Modifiers deal with how careful you have been DILIGENCE MODIFIERS
in drawing your runic arrays. If you’ve taken the time to do it
+30 Perfectionist
properly, then you’ll get higher Modifiers, but if you’ve rushed
+15 Attention to detail
through it, then you’ll get lower Modifiers.
+-0 Neatly drawn
To get the Perfectionist Modifier, you will need to put some
serious time and effort into drawing your array. How much time -15 Careless work
and effort? That is up to your GM based on the context of the -30 Illegible
scenario and the choices you’ve made for your character.
The Suitability Modifiers on the other hand deal with how
SUITABILITY MODIFIERS well you’ve thought out your runic arrays. There are a thousand
+30 Perfectly suitable ways to knock down a wall, if you are so inclined, but there a
+15 Fit for purpose million more ways to do it wrong. When you design your runic
+-0 Adequate array, your GM will decide how suitable it is for what you want to
do and apply one of the following Modifiers to your Skill Check.
-15 Inadequate
Since the GM runs the fictional world you’re playing in, he’ll
-30 Bare appropriate
know how suitable your runic array is for the problem at hand.
Remember, however, that your GM can simply say your runic
array has no chance of working, and that’s that.

Item Enchantments
If you have runic arrays ready-to-go on your weapons, armour, or other items (which you really
should) then you don’t have to roll an additional Fine-Craft Skill Check on top of the Combat Skill
Check to attack your opponents.
Instead, if your Combat Skill Check was successful and you hit ITEM SUITABILITY
your opponent, then you can use the refitted Suitability Modifiers +30 Perfectly suitable
below to increase the damage done by the weapon. +20 Fit for purpose
For example, if your Shoot Skill Roll was 10 points better than +10 Adequate
your opponent’s Athletics Skill Roll, this would ordinarily mean +-0 Inadequate
only a Minor Wound for your opponent. However, if the runic
8 array on the bullet you shot was “Perfectly suitable” for harming a person, that 10 would become a
40 and take the Minor Wound up to a Significant Wound.
The same thing can be done with Armour and the runic arrays you put on them. If you have runic
arrays on your armour and clothing and you get hit by an opponent’s attack, then you can use the
refitted Suitability Modifiers above to reduce the damage you are about to take. If you reduce the
damage number to 0 or below, you don’t take any damage at all.

Circles within Circles


To make both gameplay and reading this mod
easier, the runic magic is presented in array lines
like the Fireball line introduced earlier.
However, in the fictional world that your PCs
inhabit, the runes will be drawn as a series of
interconnected circles which serve to draw in the
mystical energies from the world beyond, the
Aether.
When a runic array circle is activated, the
energy will flow out from the centre of the circle
in whatever shape the array has been written to
produce. When it comes to determining the size
of any runic magical effect, the size of the effect
will always be based on the size of the runic array
itself... so the larger the runic array, the larger the
size of the aetheric effects.
Be warned, however, as the larger the runic
array, the more fuel it will require.

Transmutation
To transmute one substance into another is quite simple. Runic transmutation works by changing the
TRIGGER into the TARGET. So if you have Fire as your TRIGGER and Water as your TARGET, then as
soon you there is fire within your array’s area of effect, it will change into water.
Since the TRIGGER is already been used in the transmutation process, it means you can’t have a
separate TRIGGER to say when the transmutation should begin. As soon as the TRIGGER is present,
it will begin automatically.

Magnus Runos
The rules as laid out in this document state that you can only ever five runes in an array and each
rune must fill up one of the five specific slots.
However, if you are feeling adventurous and particularly scholastic then you can expand your
runic array to have as many runes inside it as you want.
This is not advisable for all games as the more runes an array has, the more complex it becomes,
and the longer it takes to figure it out.
But if you are prepared for all that, then there are just two things to keep in mind: firstly an array
can only ever have one TARGET, so all other runes must affect it. You can’t TARGET both Water and
Fire with one array.
Secondly your other runes must still fill out all the four remaining slots. Each time you want to add
more runes to an array, you do so in groups of four. Each “branch” of the array requires an ACTION
plus a single of each the SHAPE, SIZE and TRIGGER runes to go with it. You can’t add in runes
without first completing one of these “branches”. 9
You can also show complex runic arrays in line format, such as the one below which has two
“branches”. As you can see in the template below, both branches work on the same target. If you
want, you can even have three, four, or even ten branches on your array.

If you want to create really complex arrays, you can add MODIFCATION branches to the array
lines that specify exactly what you are TARGETTING and what the TRIGGER should be, and to
combine two SHAPES into one, like this:

The MOD runes for the TARGET and TRIGGER runes must also be TARGET/TRIGGER runes, and
the MOD rune for the SHAPE rune must be another SHAPE rune. You don’t always need to use up
both MOD slots for the TARGET rune. It’s just there for if you need it.
In this way, you can add Aether and Human to as a MOD for the Blood rune, to specify you want
to target magical human blood (i.e. blood from wizards), or you can combine a Ball and Cone rune to
create a SHAPE more like a bullet.
You can also add the MOD runes to the multiple branching array lines above, to create exactly the
right sort of spell that you need for any situation.

10
INCANTATIO MAXIMUS

Spoken magic
The runic magic of the Sigil System isn’t solely a written system of magic. While the runic arrays are
the easiest, and thus most common, form of drawing in the aetheric energies from beyond the veil,
there is another way: incantations. For those who know the words of power, spoken before the age
of creation, they can very literally speak magic into being. It is an art form as secret as it is dangerous,
but the mages and sages who perform its miracles say that any risk is worth the reward.
Incantations work almost exactly like runic arrays except for one main difference (other than the
fact that one is spoken and the other is drawn).
Incantations do not have a TRIGGER command. Since you are speaking the spell, once you finish
the incantation, the spell is cast. So no need for a trigger. It doesn’t lose out on a slot, though; the slot
simply moves outside the runic array as seen on the incantation template to the right to become a
different slot, called the Source of Creation or simply SOURCE.

The new slot is as follows:


SOURCE: states where on the body the magic originates from.

With this slot, you say where on your body the magic comes from. Do you want it to come from
your mouth, your hands, your feet, etc.
As an example, let’s use the runes from the first fireball array to fill up these five slots:

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET SOURCE


Small Ball Create Fire Left Hand

This still creates a small fireball, but now rather than waiting for air, it will create it on the palm of
your left hand as soon as you have finished with the incantation. As an array line, this is how it looks:

11
Circular Spellbooks
Just as with the runic arrays, you can still use the
circular format to display your incantations (or
you can use the runic lines to quickly get your
idea for an incantation across) and to keep a track
of all the incantations you know.
For the runic lines, the SOURCE slot takes the
space of the array’s TRIGGER slot as the one last
in line. So for the Incantation runic lines the order
goes SIZE-SHAPE-ACTION-TARGET-SOURCE.
For both the circular arrays and the array lines,
it is simple and easy to change from a drawn-
array to an incantation by swapping around the
TRIGGER and the SOURCE. This means that, as
long as you remember which is which, and which
rune goes where, you don’t need to keep track
of both an incantation and a drawn-array for the
same spell. If you have some go-to spells that you
know you will be using in both spoken form and
drawn format, then you can save time and space
by just keeping note of one of them.

Words of Power
As incantations are a spoken magic system, the most important parts to it are the words themselves
that make up the incantation.
You will find each rune’s associated word of power in italics right underneath it’s name in THE
RUNE section later in the mod.
To actually speak the incantation, all a character needs to do is string together the five slots’
words of power together into a sentence using the same order as the runic incantation line above.
So, to use the small fireball spell on the previous page as an example, if we were to turn it into an
incantation it would look like this:

KLEN BÔL MÔK VÜR LIGAHND

And with just those five magical words, you’d have a small fireball sitting on the palm of your hand.

Human arrays
While the incantation is spoken, the runes in the slots of the incantation still need to know how to do
what you are telling them what to do. The most important of these is the SIZE slot.
Ordinarily, the size of the shape would depend on the size that the array was drawn at. Since
there are no physically drawn arrays to activate with the incantations, the size of the “array” will be
whatever body part is chosen.
For the hands, the size is the palm of the hand; for the feet, it is the ball of the foot; for the
mouth, the width of the mouth; for the waist, the circumference of the waist; for the skin, assume
12 every square centimetre (or inch for you imperials) is its own “array”, and so on.
Aetheric Energy
The power of an incantation comes from the mage’s very own soul. As such it requires patience and
practice to build up the power to cast the most powerful of incantations. There is no physical energy
or blood of humans or aetheric creatures needed to cast an incantation.
However, every time a mage wants to cast an incantation, they will have to pass a Skill Check.
Succeed and the magic works; fail and it doesn’t. The higher the result of a successful roll, the better
the incantation worked.
Unlike drawing runic arrays, there is no one Skill to be used for Incantations. Instead, it will
depend on the context at hand. For anything where you a throwing magical effects at a target or
shooting aetheric rays at something, the Skill you will need to use would be the Throw or Shoot Skills.
If you are trying to create or build using magic, then you’d need to use the Fine-Craft or Broad-Craft
Skills. Other contexts may require Perception, Luck or even Fight. If your GM is ever in doubt of which
Skill to use, the Logic and Intuition Skills are good defaults.
As with everything else in the Sigil System, there are Difficulty Modifiers that your GM will place
on your Skill Check. Two of these you will be able to work out for yourself (the Size and Matter
Modifiers) and your GM will decide on the Suitability Modifier as with the runic arrays.
The larger the magical effect is that you want to create or
SIZE MODIFIERS
affect, the more of your magical energy it will require. The reverse
is the same, the smaller you make your effect, the easier it will be +30 Pebble
for you. +15 Ball
The sizes presented here are just ball-park figures to give you +-0 Person
an idea of how easy or difficult it will be to create a magical effect, -15 Elephant
or control an existing effect, of a given size. -30 House
The Matter Modifiers
MATTER MODIFIERS deal with what you are trying to affect. The simpler a thing is, the
+30 Energy/Plasma easier it is to manipulate. Energy and plasma such as Light, Sound,
+15 Gas/Liquid and Heat are the simplest things to change. On the other hand,
+-0 Non-Living Solid living things like plants are more difficult, with animals being more
-15 Plants/Animals difficult, and creating or affecting humans and aetheric beasts
being the most difficult to manipulate due to their souls (mortal
-30 Humans/Aetheric Beast
or otherwise).

Mystical Strain
Using your soul to power your magic can be dangerous for the uninitiated. It doesn’t just require
good magical talent, but a strong will to avoid being driven insane by the aetheric forces released by
splitting off a piece of your soul.
When you roll a Skill Check to cast an incantation, if the result is higher than your Will Skill Level,
then you will take a Mental Wound equal in severity to how far above your Will Skill Level the roll to
create the magical effect was.
For example, if you rolled a 58 to successfully cast your incantation, but your Will Skill Level is only
32 then you will take 24 points of mental damage which equals a Significant Mental Wound. Bear in
mind that even if you fail the Skill Check, you’ll still need to check if you received a Mental Wound.
A reckless mage can always force a little bit more of his soul to be used to power his incantations,
knowing the damage it will cause him. Before you roll your Skill
MENTAL WOUND BONUSES
Check to cast your incantation, you can choose to suffer as Mental
Wound as you want. If you do this, you will gain a bonus to your +5 Minor
Skill Check and you will not need to check after the roll if you’ve +15 Signifcant
received another Mental Wound. +30 Grievous
+60 Location Destroyed
13
Clean ranges
The size runes are very specific in how big and far they can make something move, transmute, etc.
Sometimes, however, you want to electrocute someone from across the battlefield or throw around
some mean fireballs.
For your incantations, if you select the Clean SHAPE rune, you can use your inner mystical, soul-
driven, energy as the range for how far you can affect something.
The range at which you can affect something with the Clean
Shape rune depends on your Logic Skill Level. You don’t always SKILL LEVEL TO RANGES
have to choose to use your full range and can make your magical 0 - 50 Near
effects reach anywhere from yourself up to your current full 51 - 70 Medium
range. 71 - 90 Far
Match up your current Logic Skill Level with the ranges in the 91 - 100 Distant
table here to see how far your incantations can affect the world.

Transfiguration
By replacing the TRIGGER in the runic array with the SOURCE, you would think that Transmutation is
no longer possible since it changes the TRIGGER into the TARGET.
You still can but it works a little differently with an Incantation. Rather than just changing the
TRIGGER into the TARGET, a transmuting incantation transforms everything inside the SHAPE of the
incantation into the TARGET.
It goes without saying then to be careful since you cannot use the incantation to pick out a
specific thing inside the SHAPE to transmute. The transmutation will affect everything and anything
in there.

Magical Sustenance
Often you will want your magical effect to stay around for longer than an instant. To work out how
long the magical effect lasts, roll the Skill Check to cast the Incantation and then, if you passed, take
the first digit of the roll. That’s the number of narrative-actions or turns that your effect will last for.
When this time is up, if you want to have the effect last longer, you will need to roll another Skill
Check and the same rules will apply.
For example, if you passed your Skill Check and rolled a 30, then your magical effect will last for 3
narrative-actions or turns.
If you only passed the Skill Check by rolling a 9 or less, then the effect is only instantaneous.

Incantatio Magnus
Just like with the drawn runic arrays, you can string together more than one incantation into a single
spoken spell. The process works quite similarly whether you are saying the spell or drawing it.
As with the runes, the whole incantation can only ever have one TARGET, and the other
“branches” of the incantation must all focus on this one TARGET, but this is where the similarity
ends. Incantations can also only have one SOURCE. However, you can have as many “branches” filled
with SIZE, SHAPE, and ACTION runes as you wants.
With branching incantations, you can accomplish in one spell what would ordinarily take two
or three whole incantations to achieve. It dramatically increases the power and versatility that any
wizard brings to the party.
For example, take the incantation at the beginning of this chapter: a small ball of fire created on
the left-hand. On its own, it doesn’t do much, but if you could launch that ball of fire at someone,
14 then you’ve got an amazing spell.
You can either use two separate incantations, one to create it and one to push it, or you can use a
single, branching incantation to do both at once. Here is how that will look:

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET SOURCE


Small Ball Create
Fire Left Hand
Gargantuan Clean Push

Speaking the branching incantation is as easy as speaking a regular one. You say all the branches
first, and afterwards you say the Target and the Source. In between each “branch” of the incantation,
you simply put in the conjunction “NON” and you’ve done it.
So our thrown-fireball spell would sound like this:

KLEN BÔL MÔK NON MÜRGROT SKÜAHN YDRUCH VÜR VAN LIGAHND

And this is how it would look in an array line:

You can keep on adding “branches” to create as simple or as complex incantations as you want. The
only limit is your imagination (and how fast you can rattle of the spoken incantation before someone
hits you).
And just like the drawn arrays, you can add modifications to your incantations to further refine
your spells to create exactly the effect you want. The only difference here is that there are only MOD
runes on the TARGET and SHAPE, not on the SOURCE. The SOURCE will always just be the body
part that you are using, it cannot be modified to be something else.
Whenever a rune is modified by another, simply use the Word ANT before the modifying rune to
show that it is a MOD rune.

15
You can even combine the branching with the modifications to create a truly unique and powerful
spell, one that can become the hallmark of your character (although it will take some remembering of
all the Words of Power.
So, taking our original fireball spell, here is what a complex spell would look like:

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET SOURCE


Small Ball Create
Fire Left Hand
Gargantuan Clean Push
MOD MOD
Cone Aether
Cone Water

And it would sound like this:

KLEN BÔL MÔK ANT KIENAL NON MÜRGROT SKÜAHN ANT KIENAL YDRUCH VÜR ANT IËTAH
ANT DÔRS VAN LIGAHND

And this would create a bullet shaped (combining Ball and Cone) fireball that is spread out
anywhere in front of the caster (combining Clean and Cone) and the fire will be both magical and
liquid (combining Fire, Aether, and Water).

16
CREATING A SPELLCASTER
This section is meant as a supplement to the Character Creation found in the Sigil System corebook.
If you’re busy creating your character (before you start the game with it) and you want to be a
Spellcaster that casts incantations (often called a Sigiltongue), then you can roll on the tables below
to get some additional information and background about your brand new Spellcaster character.
None of the tables below give additional Skill Levels, so don’t worry about adding anything onto
your current Skills. These are just there to flesh out your character.
As with the Character Creation found in the Sigil System corebook, simply roll a d100 on each of
the tables to discover how your Spellcaster or Sigiltongue came to be.
If you have already started an adventure or campaign and you wish to become a Spellcaster, then
the quest to do so will be up to your GM. Make sure you talk to your GM about it so you are both on
the same page about where you want to take your character.

Why did you want the Words of Power?


The why is always the most important. The
motivation behind becoming a wizard or a WHY DID YOU WANT THE WORDS?
mage will set the stage for everything he 01 - 10 I had no say in the matter.
does later in life. What you will do with the 11 - 20 I needed to prove my worth to the world.
Words of Power you know depends on why 21 - 30 I wanted to be a mage like in the myths.
you wanted them in the first place. 31 - 40 Knowledge is its own goal and reward.
41 - 50 There is no greater power in the world.
51 - 60 To be powerful enough to take a certain life.
61 - 70 To bring this chaotic world under control.
71 - 80 To free myself from the shackles of this world.
81 - 90 To help others the way nothing else can.
91 - 100 To overthrow the natural order of things.

How did you find your first Words of Power?


This may differ from setting to setting
and how the wizards or mages work in HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR FIRST WORDS?
them. However, no matter the setting, 01 - 10 A divine and thundering voice recited them to me.
your soon-to-be magician will have to 11 - 20 A figure in a dark alley sold them to me.
have learnt their first Words of Power 21 - 30 An old fugitive entrusted me to keep them safe.
somehow. 31 - 40 I found a strange corpse tattooed with runes.
The way in which he does this will 41 - 50 I found them hidden inside an unexplored tomb.
colour how he looks for the next Words
51 - 60 My mentor taught me when I was proven worthy.
of Power and how he protects the ones
61 - 70 Scrawled in a dusty book in a forgotten library.
he already has.
71 - 80 They came to me in a feverish and vivid dream.
81 - 90 They were handed down from my ancestors.
91 - 100 They were handed down from my ancestors.

17
How has the Words of Power changed you?
Dealing with the Words of Power is a
dangerous business. Many enchanters HOW HAS THE WORDS CHANGED YOU?
have been driven insane because they 01 - 10 All food tastes bland and flavourless now.
underestimated just how powerful 11 - 20 I can no longer dream.
the Words can be. It doesn’t matter 21 - 30 I feel another soul within me wanting out.
how careful you are or how many 31 - 40 I feel that someone is always watching me.
precautions you have taken, simply by
41 - 50 I see the runes of power everywhere.
using the Words, you will be changed in
51 - 60 I’ve become obsessed with neatness.
ways often too subtle for you to detect.
61 - 70 My memory worsens as each day goes by.
71 - 80 Quiet whispers follow me wherever I go.
81 - 90 Strange voices interrupt my dreams.
91 - 100 The very idea of silence now terrifies me.
What are you known as?
Every great magic user eventually finds his title. Being able
to warp the very fabric of the universe is a great power, and WHAT ARE YOU KNOWN AS?
with that power comes respect. Many wizards’ names are 01 - 10 the Arcanist
forgotten, and eventually they are only known by their titles. 11 - 20 the Enchanter
21 - 30 the Illusionist
31 - 40 the Invoker
41 - 50 the Mage
51 - 60 the Magician
61 - 70 the Magus
71 - 80 the Runecaster
81 - 90 the Thaumaturge
91 - 100 the Wizard

How many Words of Power do you know?


A mage’s power is measured by his ability to control reality through the Words of Power, and the
more Words he has under his command, the greater he can influence and shape reality.
There are five different types of Words (Size, Shape, Action, Target, Source) and each type of
Word has its section on the table below that you can roll on to determine how many Words of that
type your magus knows.
After that, you can head over to the Rune List section to pick out the Words you want. That part
isn’t random, so you can tailor the number of Words your character knows to his life and backstory.

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET SOURCE


1-40 1 1-30 1 1-20 1 1-20 1 1-30 1
41-70 2 31-50 2 21-40 2 21-40 5 31-50 2
71-85 3 51-70 3 41-55 3 41-55 9 51-70 3
86-95 4 71-80 4 56-70 4 56-70 13 71-80 4
96-100 5 81-90 5 71-80 5 71-80 17 81-90 5
91-95 6 81-90 6 81-90 21 91-95 6
96-100 7 91-94 8 91-94 25 96-100 7
95-98 10 95-98 29

18 99
100
12
14
99
100
33
36
What mystical curio do you always keep on hand?
Of all the people in the realms, it is the
wizards and mages which are so often MYSTICAL CURIO
drawn to items of mystical energies. Or 01 - 10 A crystal ball that shows your dreams.
perhaps simply being in contact with 11 - 20 A crystal gem filled with storm clouds.
an enchanter imbues the item with 21 - 30 A fist sized orb covered in unknown runes.
aetheric powers. However this curio 31 - 40 A pipe that never runs out of tobacco.
found its magical touch, you have kept it
41 - 50 A staff with four faces on one end.
on you since you first laid eyes on it.
51 - 60 A tea kettle that always remains warm.
Perhaps it was a gift from your
61 - 70 A wide brimmed hat that can’t get wet.
mentor, or perhaps it’s a stolen treasure.
Maybe it was your only inheritance. 71 - 80 An ancient tarot card bearing your face.
Whatever the case may be, you will 81 - 90 An obsidian candle with a scarlet flame.
never wish to part with it, and not only 91 - 100 An oil lamp said to once have held a spirit.
because of its magical properties.

And there you have it: a brand new Spellcaster ready for play and able to bend reality to his will.

19
The Arcanist
SKILLS PERK & QUIRK
Athletics 30 Intuition 35 Sagacity Mental Wounds you receive from
Broad-Craft 40 Investigate 40 failed Incantation Skill Checks are
reduced in severity by one step (to
Burglary 35 Logic 45
a minimum of Minor).
Constitution 30 Luck 50
Arcane When you fail an Incantation Skill
Deceive 35 Might 30 Corruption Check, instead of taking damage,
Diplomacy 30 Perception 40 part of your body is permanently
Drive 40 Shoot 30 corrupted, mutated and disfigured
Fight 30 Stealth 40 by the magic. The degree of
corruption is determined as with
Fine-Craft 45 Throw 35 Wounds, as is the Hit Location.
Intimidate 35 Will 45

STATISTICS WORDS EQUIPMENT


Contact Points 9 Size 2 Weapons Staff (Medium Melee weapon)
Sigil Threshold 5 Shape 3 Armour Simple Clothing (no Armour)
Physical Wounds 3 Action 4
Mental Wounds 4 Target 11
Source 2

The Warmage
SKILLS PERK & QUIRK
Athletics 50 Intuition 30 Warmage If you successfully hit something
Broad-Craft 40 Investigate 30 with a Fight Skill Check, you can
spend a Sigil to immediately cast
Burglary 35 Logic 35
an Incantation Skill Check.
Constitution 45 Luck 30
Magical Beacon Whenever you cast an Incantation,
Deceive 30 Might 40 every other character within Far
Diplomacy 30 Perception 35 Range that is capable of casting
Drive 35 Shoot 45 incantations is alerted, those
Fight 45 Stealth 35 within Medium Range is aware
of the incantation’s location, and
Fine-Craft 40 Throw 40 those within Near Range knows
Intimidate 30 Will 40 what incantation you casted.

STATISTICS WORDS EQUIPMENT


Contact Points 9 Size 3 Weapons Sword (Medium Melee weapon)
Sigil Threshold 3 Shape 2 Polearm (Heavy Melee weapon)
Physical Wounds 4 Action 3 Armour Mail (Sturdy Armour)
Mental Wounds 4 Target 7 Shield (Sturdy Armour)
Source 3

20
The Scholar
SKILLS PERK & QUIRK
Athletics 35 Intuition 30 Ventriloquist You can have your incantation
Broad-Craft 40 Investigate 45 originate from another character
within Near Range instead of
Burglary 40 Logic 40
yourself.
Constitution 30 Luck 30
Fragile Mind Mental Wounds you receive from
Deceive 30 Might 35 failed Incantation Skill Checks are
Diplomacy 30 Perception 50 increased in severity by one step.
Drive 45 Shoot 35
Fight 35 Stealth 45
Fine-Craft 35 Throw 40
Intimidate 30 Will 40

STATISTICS WORDS EQUIPMENT


Contact Points 9 Size 2 Weapons Knife (Light Melee weapon)
Sigil Threshold 3 Shape 2 Baton (Light Melee weapon)
Physical Wounds 3 Action 4 Armour Simple Clothing (no armour)
Mental Wounds 4 Target 9
Source 1

The Inquisitor
SKILLS PERK & QUIRK
Athletics 40 Intuition 50 Familiar Choose one specific, individual
Broad-Craft 30 Investigate 30 animal. While it is within Close
Range, you can reroll one failed
Burglary 30 Logic 35
Opposed Check to defend against a
Constitution 40 Luck 45 supernatural attack per round.
Deceive 45 Might 35 Corrupted When hit with an incantation, as
Diplomacy 45 Perception 30 Innocence well as taking damage, part of your
Drive 30 Shoot 40 body is permanently corrupted,
Fight 40 Stealth 30 mutated and disfigured by the
magic. The degree of corruption is
Fine-Craft 35 Throw 35 determined as with Wounds.
Intimidate 40 Will 35

STATISTICS WORDS EQUIPMENT


Contact Points 12 Size 1 Weapons Dagger (Light Melee weapon)
Sigil Threshold 4 Shape 2 Crossbow (Medium Range, Medium
Physical Wounds 4 Action 3 Damage ranged weapon)
Mental Wounds 3 Target 8 Armour Leathers (Soft armour)
Source 1

21
PERKS & QUIRKS
This section gives you Perks & Quirks built around the spellcaster themes that you can use to further
customise and grow your lightsider. Some of the Perks & Quirks below require you to be able to cast
incantations in order to use them, however you will be able to select any of them regardless of which
Skill you level up.

SPELLCASTER PERKS
NAME EFFECT PREREQ.
You can choose to take a Physical Wound of your choice when making
Can cast
Cast from Health an Incantation Skill Check in order to get a bonus to your roll. +10 for a
incantations
Minor Wound, +25 for a Significant, and +50 for a Grievous Wound.
Familiar Choose one specific, individual animal. While it is within Close -
Range, you can reroll one failed Opposed Check to defend against a
supernatural attack per round.

Can cast
Farseer Extend the Range Band in which you can cast incantations by 1 Band.
incantations

If you successfully cast an incantation with an Incantation Skill Check,


you can spend a Sigil to immediately cast one more incantation. Any Can cast
Fast Talker
modifiers from the first Check applies to this Check. (This Perk can be incantations
selected multiple times)

When you hit an opponent with an incantation via a Skill Check, you Can cast
Lethal Magic
can spend a Sigil to increase the severity of the Wound caused. incantations

You learn a new Word of Power of your choice. (This Perk can be
Revelation -
selected multiple times)
Mental Wounds you receive from failed Incantation Skill Checks are Can cast
Sagacity
reduced in severity by one step (to a minimum of Minor). incantations
When you cast an AoE incantation, choose a number of characters
Selective Can cast
within that AoE up to the first digit of your Will Skill Level. The chosen
Incanting incantations
characters are unaffected by the incantation's effects.
When you cast an incantation, you can spend a Sigil to do so without Can cast
Silent Spell
physically and audibly having to say the incantation. incantations
You can only cast an incantation if you spend a Sigil, however when
Sorceror you do you have access to all Words of Power. You must still do the -
Incantation Skill Check as normal.
Studeo You can use Logic instead of any other Skill for Skill Checks to cast Can cast
Aeternum incantations. incantations
You can use Intuition instead of Fight during combat-related Skill Can cast
Swordmage
Checks incantations
You can't use any supernatural powers or effects, but no supernatural
Tranquility power or effect can directly target you. You are treated as always have -
20 Armour for the purposes of defending against supernatural effects.
You can have your incantation originate from another character within Can cast
Ventriloquist
Near Range instead of yourself. incantations
If you successfully hit something with a Fight Skill Check, you can Can cast
Warmage
spend a Sigil to immediately cast an Incantation Skill Check. incantations

22
SPELLCASTER QUIRKS
NAME EFFECT PREREQ.
You forget, and lose access to, one Word of Power that you know (GM's
Can cast
Akashic Amnesia decision as to which Word is forgotten). (This Quirk can be selected
incantations
multiple times)
When you fail an Incantation Skill Check, instead of taking damage, part
Arcane of your body is permanently corrupted, mutated and disfigured by the Can cast
Corruption magic. The degree of corruption is determined as with Wounds, as is the incantations
Hit Location.
Failing an Incantation Skill Check still results in the incantation being Can cast
Backfire
cast, but you become the target of the incantation. incantations
Constrained Can cast
Reduce the Range Band in which you can cast incantations by 1 Band.
Mind incantations
When hit with an incantation, as well as taking damage, part of your
Corrupted
body is permanently corrupted, mutated and disfigured by the magic. -
Innocence
The degree of corruption is determined as with Wounds.
Mental Wounds you receive from failed Incantation Skill Checks are Can cast
Fragile Mind
increased in severity by one step. incantations
Whenever you cast an Incantation, every other character within Far
Range that is capable of casting incantations is alerted, those within Can cast
Magical Beacon
Medium Range is aware of the incantation's location, and those within incantations
Near Range knows what incantation you casted.
At the start of each session, roll a d100 and record the result. If any
Maniacal die roll in that session matches this one, each character in near range
-
Magical Mayhem (including you) casts a random incantation (determined by the GM) on
themselves, with an assumed Incantation Skill Level of 100.
Each round, any ally within Near Range must reroll their first successful
Outsider's Spite -
Incantation Check or Opposed Check to defend against an incantation.
Failing an Incantation Skill Check results in gaining Physical Wounds
Psychosomatic Can cast
instead of Mental Wounds. (Determine Hit Location by reversing the
Pain incantations
numbers of the Skill roll)
You can only know one Word of Power for each type. If you know more Can cast
Single Minded
than one per type, you can choose which ones to give up. incantations
Spectral You cannot do any defensive actions or Opposed Skill Checks when
-
Pincushion attacked by incantations.
It takes twice as long for you to cast an incantation. In combat, this Can cast
Stuttering Spell
means it takes two turns for you to cast a simple incantation. incantations
When hit with an incantation attack, as well as taking damage, you
The Withering -
also permanently lose 1 Level in a Skill chosen by your GM.
You cannot spend Sigils to give bonuses to, or reroll, Incantation Can cast
Whisper incantations
Skill Checks.

23
DOWNTIME
You won’t always be out on the road, in the thick of an adventure, or doing a daring mission.
Sometimes, you will have some time on your hands and peace of mind. This is Downtime, and there
are a few extra options for Spellcasters, Sigiltongues and runewrights during Downtime.

Work
In addition to the careers provided in the Sigil System corebook, you can choose one of the new
careers below if you can pass a Skill Check of its associated Skills. You don’t need to be a Spellcaster
to do this line of work, but it certainly helps. All rules for Downtime and Work follow the core Sigil
System rules.

CAREER: Advisor
SKILLS: Deceive, Diplomacy, Intuition, Logic

Play
When not working during Downtime, you have the opportunity to indulge in some Activities. Among
the ones found in the Sigil System corebook, you can also try this one out below. Neither of these
activities require you to be a Spellcaster; however they do require that you know at least one rune
of power from each of the five types of runes. All rules for Downtime and Play follow the core Sigil
System rules.

GRAND RITUAL
A key risk to casting incantations, and the core reason why more men don’t become spellcasters, is
the mental toll that it takes. Nearly all spellcasters and sigiltongues eventually go insane, and there
are a few unlucky few whose bodies become changed and deformed by the power of the aetherial
forces flowing through them.
There is a way around this problem, however, for those in the know. The Grand Ritual is way to
combine spellcasting and drawing runic arrays to cast an invocation without suffering mental injuries
or physical deformation, but it requires some additional preparation.
To partake in this Activity, you will need to draw out the spell that you wish to cast as if it was a
spoken invocation (i.e. with a SOURCE rather than a TRIGGER). The incantation array can be as big
and complex as you want it to be, with as many branches as is required. The size of the array won’t
affect the length of the Activity.
The key to ensuring that you do not receive any Wounds (Mental or otherwise) from the spell,
you will need to place an alchemical reagent on each rune in the array. The alchemical reaction
must contain the essence of what the rune stands for. For example, if you have a Fire rune, then you
will need to place an alchemical concoction that contains the essence of fire on it. If you are not an
alchemist yourself, you will need to go buy, steal, or otherwise acquire these reagents.
Once the array has been drawn and the alchemical essences placed, it is time to say the words of
power and cast the incantation. Instead of having Size and Matter modifiers, you will instead roll two
Skill Checks. First is a Fine-Craft Skill Check to determine how well you drew the array. The result of
this Check then becomes a modifier for either an Intuition or Logic Skill Check to cast the incantation
itself.
You won’t gain any Wounds from casting this Grand Ritual, as the alchemical reagents will take the
brunt of the aetheric force. All reagents will be destroyed when casting the incantation and cannot
be used again. You can still, however, choose to suffer a Mental Wound to boost the strength of your
24 spell and gain a bonus to your incantation as normal.
CREATE SPELL SCROLL
Just because not everyone can speak the words of power, doesn’t mean that everyone is forever shut
off from magic. Enterprising spellcasters can create Spell Scrolls that anyone can use, regardless of
their aptitude for the mystic arts.
During any single Activity, a mage can create as many Spell Scrolls as half the first digit of his
Fine-Craft Skill, rounded down. So, for a Fine-Craft Skill of 50, a wizard can create 2 Spell Scrolls per
Activity.
When creating a Spell Scroll, a spellcaster draws a runic array representing an incantation (i.e.
with a SOURCE rather than a TRIGGER) on a scroll. This array can be as complex as needed with as
many branches as the spellcaster wants.
The spellcaster then medidates on the Spell Scroll, imparting a piece of his soul into it, pouring
aetheric power directly into the scroll. This works much like a simple Incantation Skill Check. The
Spellcaster rolls a Logic Skill Check, taking into account the Size and Matter Modifiers. Because a piece
of his soul has been wrenched free to ‘live’ within the Scroll, the spellcaster may still suffer Mental
Wounds when making this Logic Check, just as with a standard Incantation Skill Check.
If this Logic Skill Check is a success, then record the result number next to the incantation array. If
the Logic Skill Check was failed, then count it as if had rolled a 1.
The Spell Scroll is then complete. It can then be used by the spellcaster himself, or by any other
character. It takes one turn/narrative-action to use a Spell Scroll, but it does not require any Skill
Check. Instead, it uses the result from the Logic Check above as if a Check had been rolled by the
character reading the Spell Scroll. The scroll’s reader is also counted as the origin and SOURCE of the
spell. The reader of the scroll also doesn’t suffer any Mental Wounds from reading the scroll.
Once used, a Spell Scroll disintegrates as the aetheric energy flows through it.
Should any character wishes to buy or search for spell scrolls, rather than making it, the GM can
roll a Check presuming a Level of 50 to see the power of the scroll. A failure here is still only counted
as a 1.

New Contacts
While not strictly a part of Downtime, Spellcasters and runewrights have the option of acquiring a
new type of Contact. This can be done during character creation by spending Contact Points, or this
new Contact can be gained during a campaign via roleplay.

LIBRARIAN
A spellcaster and runewright may be a mighty wizard, a vaunted sage, and an excellent advisor, but
that doesn’t mean he knows everything. There is always more knowledge that can be obtained, and
more wisdom that can be sought out. For those adventuring spellcasters and runewrights, knowledge
(and the wisdom to use it) is their greatest weapon.
If a mage doesn’t know the answer to a question, he better know at least where to get that
answer. This is where a Librarian comes in handy. A Librarian is to knowledge as a ranger is to the
wilderness: a guide to traversing difficult ground to reach a destination. No Librarian knows every
word in each book within his collection, but he will know the topics of his tomes. Thus, when a
spellcaster or runewright needs to find a nugget of knowledge, a Librarian can guide him towards his
goal.
Even if it isn’t in his own collection, a Librarian often knows where to find the answer you seek,
if you can make it worth his while, that is. A Librarian is only as good as his collection, and the best
Librarians have the best collections. Bring a Librarian a scroll, a tome, or a book, and he will be in the
very best of moods to help you.

25
LIST OF ALL KNOWN RUNES
Here you will find all the known runes, their true names for incantations, and a brief description of
how they may be used.
The runes are broken up into the categories used in the array-line slots, with the exception of the
“time” runes which have been seperated from the rest of the action runes.
Note that for the creation of anything (such as animals and their parts, plants, stones, wood, etc),
runic arrays and incantions will always create a duplicate the type of the closest specimen. However,
unless the Life rune is used to modify the TARGET to be created, it will always be created dead.

Size Runes

TINY SMALL NORMAL LARGE GARGANTUAN


Mürklen Klen Gerittel Grot Mürgrot

Makes the size Makes the size of Makes the size of Makes the size of Makes the size of
of the Shape the Shape Rune the Shape Rune the Shape Rune 10 the Shape Rune
Rune 1/100th the 1/10th array’s size. the same as the times the array’s 100 times the
array’s size. array’s size. size. array’s size.

Shape Runes

BALL CLEAN COLUMN CONE DISK


Bôl Sküahn Külôm Kienal Rônde

A sphere that No shape, the A cylinder resting A sharpened cone, A flat disk on the
rests on top of the target simply flows on the array and its point in the array, 1/10th as
array. out from the array. extending 10 centre of the array, deep as it is wide.
times its diameter twice as long as it 27
outwards. is wide.
DOME WALL
Küp Skehrem

A perfect half- A wall around the


sphere with its flat edge of the array,
side on the array. 1/10th as thick as
it is wide.

Time Runes

HASTEN QUICKEN SPUR STALL SLOW


Finnich Schniv Haz Ztadik Gidats

Accelerates the Accelerates the Accelerates the Decelerates the Decelerates the
target’s time by target’s time by a target’s time by target’s time by target’s time by
a factor of 10 factor of 1 (100%). a factor of 0.1 a factor of 0.01 a factor of 0.1
(1,000%). (10%). (1%). (10%).

STOP
Ztansil

Halts time for the


Target.

28
Action Runes

CONTAIN COOL CREATE DEGRADE FEEL


Hohd Afkoht Môk Niitug Vûl

Holds the Target Cools the target at Spontaneously Degrades the Increase the
within the Shape. 10°C per second. generates the Target, increasing Target’s sense of
Target. its entropy by touch, or give the
tenfold. sense if a Target
has none.

FLOAT GRAVITY GROW HEAT INVERT


Dryffel Züarkrach Chrûi Watze Omkîrdi

Cancels out the Increases the Increases the Heats the target at Inverts the
effect of gravity on effect of gravity Target’s mass by 10°C per second. intended purpose
the Target. on the Target by 100%, increasesing of the rune.
100%. its volume
accordingly.

LISTEN PULL PUSH RECEIVE ROTATE


Luizsta Trekæn Druch Ontkery Drahaî

Increase the Moves the Target Moves the Target Receives Moves the Target
Target’s sense of inwards from outwards to transported effects clockwise around
hearing, or give the edge of the the edge of the of from an array the array. This
the sense if a Shape. This takes 1 Shape. This takes 1 with the Send takes 1 second
Target has none. second regardless second regardless rune. regardless of the 29
of the shape’s size. of the shape’s size. shape’s size.
SEE SEND SMELL SOUL SUSTAIN
Zihen Ztür Ruîk Zîl Anhal

Increase the Transports all Increase the Grant the target a Maintains
Target’s sense of effects to an array Target’s sense of soul. the Target at
sight, or give the with the Receive smell, or give the its current
sense if a Target rune. sense if a Target momentum and
has none. has none. state.

TASTE TRANSFER TRANSMUTE


Parû Üardrach Ferformyr

Increase the Transfer the Transforms the


Target’s sense of Trigger’s essence Trigger into the
taste, or give the to the Target. Target.
sense if a Target
has none.

Target/Trigger Runes

AETHER AIR ANIMAL ANTIMONY ARSENIC


Iëtah Sürluch Dyr Gihf Seenir

The netherrealm The mixture of Any organism A lustrous gray A grey crystalline
and all mystical gases present in of the kingdom metal that is metal with the
energies that flow the atmosphere Animalia. crystalline and chemical symbol
30 from it within the around the array. brittle. Chemical of As.
mortal plane. symbol is Sb.
BIRD BLOOD BONE BOVID CANID
Vüal Roiatter Biun Kui Holf

Any animal of A red liquid that A part of an Any animal of the Any animal of the
the class Aves. If flows in the veins animal skeleton. If family Bovidae. If family Canidae. If
created, the array of animals. If created, the array created, the array created, the array
would duplicate created, the array would duplicate a would duplicate would duplicate
a corpse of the would duplicate bone of the closest a corpse of the a corpse of the
closest bird. the blood of the animal. closest ruminant. closest dog.
closest animal.

CARBON COPPER FELID FIRE FISH


Kôltos Valoud Slehgat Vür Noglees

Black, nonmetallic, A malleable Any animal of the Flammable plasma Any animal of the
tetravalent reddish metal family Felidae. If discharge. family Pisces. If
compound with a with very high created, the array created, the array
chemical symbol conductivity and a would duplicate would duplicate
of C. chemical symbol a corpse of the a corpse of the
of Cu. closest cat. closest fish.

FLESH FLOWERING GOLD GRAVITY HEARING


Bleis PLANT Gelout Züarkrach Luizsta
Stiblom
Muscle and tissue A bright yellow A attractive force An entity’s sense
of an animal. Any plant metal with the of that causes of hearing and
of the clade chemical symbol objects with mass aural perception.
Angiosperms. of Au. to pull towards 31
each other
HUMAN IRON LEAD LIFE LIGHT
Mænsich Yst Wapelôt Leeva Jôcht

One of us. If A hard, grey metal A dull grey, soft The difference If created,
created, the array used with carbon heavy metal with and distinction produces white
would duplicate to create steel, a chemical symbol between organic light at an
a corpse of the with a chemical of Pb. and inorganic intensity of 1
closest human. symbol of Fe. matte. lumen per 10cm3.

LIGHTNING LIZARD MAGENTIC FIELD MAMMAL MERCURY


Blîkse Dyrakke Antrek Sôgdyr Kwikstal
Any animal of the
An electrostatic Any animal of the A field influencing class Mammalia. If A silver metal that
discharge of suborder Lacertilia. the directional created, the array is liquid at 0°C
alternating If created, the array movement of would duplicate with a chemical
current. would duplicate electric charges a corpse of the symbol of Hg.
a corpse of the and magnetic closest mammal.
closest lizard. fields. Arrays create
dipole magnets.

ORICHALCUM PLANT PORTAL PRIMATE RODENT


Brof Stamkur Dîura Apis Rôtas

A pearlescent Any organism An opening in Any animal of the Any animal of the
reddish-gold of the kingdom spacetime. Moving order Primates. order Rodentia.
metal that can be Plantae. through it moves an
enhanted or used entity or object to
32 as fuel for runic another activated
arrays. Portal of choice.
SEED PLANTS SIGHT SILVER SMELL SOUL
Zadeblom Zihen Sulbîr Ruîk Zîl

Any plant An entity’s sense A white reflective An entity’s The essence of


of the clade of sight and visual metal with sense of smell man that is his
Gymnosperms. perception. the highest and chemical true self and the
conductivity and a perception. spark which gives
chemical symbol him life.
of Ag.

SOUND STONE SULPHUR TASTE TIME


Keraus Klüp Zwael Parû Teie

If created, Soil, earth, ground. A bright yellow, An entity’s sense The fourth
produces sound foul smelling, of taste and dimension which
at 1 kHz at an nonmetallic flavour perception. can be used to
intensity of 1 compound with order events into
decibel per 10cm3. chemical symbol “past”, “present”
of S. and “future”.

TIN TOUCH URSID WATER WOOD


Klîbbe Vûl Lenber Dôrs Kopihod

A malleable, An entity’s Any animal of the H2O in all its forms. Fibrous tissue
crystalline white sense of touch family Ursidae. found in branches
metal with a and physical and stems of
chemical symbol
of Sn.
perception. plants.
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Sources of Creation

LEFT FOOT LEFT HAND MOUTH RIGHT FOOT RIGHT HAND


Fin Linküt Fin Ligahnd Fin Bæk Fin Renküt Fin Regahnd

The source of the The source of the The source of the The source of the The source of the
incantation is the incantation is the incantation is the incantation is the incantation is the
bottom of the left palm of the left open mouth. bottom of the palm of the right
foot. hand. right foot. hand.

SIGHT SOUL SKIN WAIST


Fin Zihen Fin Zîl Fin Hal Fin Gôrbehl

Source of the The source of the The source of The source of the
incantation is both incantation is the the incantation incantation is the
of the eyes. soul or spirit. is every part of waist, pointing
exposed skin. towards the head.

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SAMPLE RUNIC ARRAYS
If you want to get an idea of how to create runic lines for drawn arrays or spoken incantions, you will
find several completed arrays in this section. You can also use these arrays as a quick way to start a
character off with a few usefull spells during character creation.

Angel Wings Armour of Light

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Large Column Push Human Human Gargantuan Disk Transmute Light ???

It’s straightforward and simple to draw. Whether A very simple defensive array that transmutes
you’re going up or down, the Angel Wings is whatever specific thing you want into pure white
there to make sure you do so safely. The array light. So if that “thing” (whether it be a blade,
works quite simply, it removes the effect of bullet, or anything else) the part that touches
gravity from a human (not their clothes or the Massive Disk shape area of effect will vanish
equipment or anything else they’re carrying) and and a pure white light will show for an instant,
pushes said person away from the array. keeping you safe and sound.
In short, this works like a lift or elevator, and Keep in mind that you will need to create a
a gentle one at that. It can also help to catch your separate array for each individual target (ie: Lead,
fall if you need to come down in a hurry, as the Iron, Wood, Copper, etc), and so you’ll need
speed at which you fall will be counteracted by to cover your entire armour and clothing with
the gentle pushing of the array. dozens of variations of this array.

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Blessed Solitude Blood Drinker

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Gargantuan Wall Destroy Sound Sound Gargantuan Dome Pull Blood Blood

This is a very simple array with a very specific A very effective and clean killing tool. Put this
action. All it does is destroy sound if there is any array on a weapon and it will absorb any blood
sound in the Wall-shaped area of effect around that comes near it. Since arrays are also powered
the array. by blood, this means the blood it absorbs will
The purpose, of course, is to give whomever refuel it.
is using it a little bit of privacy. Any sound If this goes into a person for any length of
that comes into contact with the Wall will be time, it can even bleed them dry, showing how a
destroyed, meaning no sound can go in or come small wound anywhere in the body can kill.
out. Unfortunately you and whomever you are It also means that an assassination can be
scheming with won’t hear what is going on clean as any blood spilled can be cleaned up
outside either. using this array.

Bloodhound Cartridge Ignition

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Gargantuan Dome Transmute Light Blood Normal Clean Create Fire Copper

Transmuting blood into light might not seem very If the array’s notation didn’t give it away, the
useful, but put this array on a bullet and shoot it name most definitely did. These arrays can be
into someone at night and suddenly they have a found on firearm cartridges and are responsible
spotlight shining out of them. Now, everyone will for igniting the black powder in those cartridges,
know where they are and can easily target them. thereby propelling the pistol or musket balls out
Or, put this on a blade and each time you of the barrel at a, hopefully, terminal velocity. It’s
cut someone there will be a bright flash of light, cheap and reliable and will therefore be staying
distracting your enemy and making you look around for quite a long time.
intimidating and awesome.

36
Constable’s friend Dark Folly

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Large Disk Create Lightning Human Normal Column Invert Time Human

This a favourite array of constables and As powerful as the Invert rune is, by affecting
policeman as it is meant to be a non-lethal time it becomes perhaps the most powerful of all
offensive array. runes, because inverting time does exactly what
Since it only creates electricity (Lightning) in it sounds like: it makes time run backwards.
a disk twice as large as the array, you can put this The effect of inverting is that the human
on a small club/stick and you’ve got yourself a inside moves backwards and any wounds start to
perfect stun weapon. Each time you hit someone, knit themselves as time flows backwards. While
you will also be giving them an electric jolt. you can use this to heal cuts and scrapes, men
You can also always put this on a bullet use this to bring the dead back to life.
and shoot it into someone, ensuring they will Those brought back are changed by the
constantly be shocked and stunned, but this can event. They are different now, more distant
lead to the victim getting electrocuted and dying with less ties to friends and family. To call them
as a result. soulless may not merely be a metaphor.

Dragon’s Breath Fire Extinguisher

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET SOURCE SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Gargantuan Cone Create Fire Mouth Gargantuan Clean Transmute Water Fire

A classical spell straight from the repertoires Not every array is going to look flashy or be used
of every great mage throughout all the various in combat. This one is mundane, but you will love
worlds and realms of creation. In fact, some it once it saves your life.
would say you can’t call yourself a great mage, As its name says, it’s a fire extinguisher. It
wizard, magus or warlock without knowing this transmutes fire into water if there is any. You
spell. To be able to breathe fire like a dragon can might not be covering yourself in this array (you
put the fear of any gods into your enemies and want to leave space for all the defensive ones)
puts you a step above the petty hedge wizards but you should definitely keep this on your
and adventuring sorcerers. belongings you wish to keep.
The Dragon’s Breath incantation is certainly a Or even put these on small metal balls to
powerful spell, but you must take great caution throw at any fire you see to quickly put them out.
with such power. Much like a real dragon’s
breath, the Dragon’s Breath is as explosive and
dangerous as it is powerful.

37
Fireball Furnace Fist

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER


Large Disk Create Fire ???
SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET SOURCE
Another array where you get to pick your target,
Normal Ball Create
Fire Right Hand but this array isn’t defensive by any means.
Gargantuan Clean Push
This array is meant for brass knuckles and to be
The very first incantation anyone ever thought tattooed onto fists.
to put to paper. Whether this speaks of the
After that, it’s all very simple. You punch
ever-present human desire to inflict damage and
something, you also create fire and try and set
destruction, or merely a wizard’s paranoia that
that thing on fire. There really isn’t anything
someone will come get him, we will never know.
more to it. This is a brutishly efficient and
All we know is that this has become the most
straightforward array.
traditional of incantations.
The Fireball does exactly what you think it
does: it shoots a ball of fire at whatever you are
pointing at. There is no subtlety or charm in it,
just good old destructive force.

Gilded Touch God’s Razor

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET SOURCE SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Tiny Disk Transmute ??? Left Hand Large Disk Destroy Human Human

Recorded incantations may be few and far “Destroy Human if Human” should tell you
between these days as the magi become even how lethal this array is, and in skilled hands it
more insular, but this one surely makes up for becomes even deadlier.
lost time. It is an incantation meant for the This array is meant for swords and daggers
narcissistic, the artistic, the sadistic or those who where the area of effect would reach beyond the
are just plain bored. At its heart, one can call this blade’s edge, forming an invisible “secondary”
a whimsical sort of incantation. edge that will slice through a human easier than
There is clearly no practical purpose for this a knife through butter.
incantation that a dozen others couldn’t do Only way to stop yourself dying is to get
quicker or more efficiently. However, this array something else in between you and it. It doesn’t
is far more satisfying in that it adds a personal target anything else, so get yourself armour and
touch. a blade.

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Heartfire Hide and Seek

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Gargantuan Clean Transmute Fire Blood Gargantuan Column Create Light Human

At first glance, the way this array works seems If you are the sort of person who often works
fairly straightforward: it transmutes blood to fire. in the dark and need to find someone creeping
With all of this, it is easy to work out that the around where they shouldn’t be, then this array
intention of this array design is to create a fire is for you. It creates light if there is a human
within the human body, presumably to create as within the Column area of effect.
much pain and suffering as possible to keep an Sounds simple, but what this means is that
enemy occupied. you can walk through an area and wave this
Ordinarily, blood inside a human cannot be array around. If that Massive Column passes over
targeted because your skin blocks the array’s someone hiding in the shadows, the huge flash
field of effect. But break through the skin, and of light won’t only blind them, but you’ll know
then the blood is fair game. Should you be lucky where they are and so will everyone else.
enough to strike a major artery then this array’s
effects can flow into nearly every artery it can
find, transmuting blood across the body into an
everlasting fire.

Hospitaller’s Respite Manstopper

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Normal Disk Stop Blood Blood Gargantuan Dome Push Human Blood

This is something everyone in a dangerous This is the most common array ever put on a
profession needs. This array is always drawn bullet, and for good reason. As soon as the bullet
on bandages just waiting to be used. If you or enters the body, this creates an opening inside
someone gets injured and there’s a lot of blood the person ten times larger than the bullet.
involved, wrap them in these runic bandages and It’s like a slowly exploding bullet, causing
the blood will immediately stop rushing out of agony for the victim and usually means you don’t
their bodies. have to shoot twice.
This will definitely save a life and that life
could just be yours.

39
Middelburg Standard Peace of Mind

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Gargantuan Disk Destroy ??? ??? Small Clean Create Arsenic Blood

The standard when it comes to defensive arrays, When you absolutely need to be sure that
pun entirely intended. If something hits the array, someone is dead, you use this array. Put it on a
it destroys it. Simple as that. No muss, no fuss. blade or bullet and it will definitely kill someone.
A few things to remember, you need to As soon as it gets into someone it starts
always have the Target and Trigger runes pumping out arsenic. You only need 300
matched up or the array won’t work as intended. milligrams of arsenic in the blood for a lethal
Secondly, to make sure you are completely dose, so it won’t take long for this array to end
protected, you need a lot of these sprinkled someone’s life.
across your armour/clothing to make sure you
cover all the Targets that can hit you.
A coat covered in these arrays is often called
a “runic coat”.

Sculptor Soft Fall Boots 1

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Gargantuan Dome Transmute Stone Human Normal Clean Destroy Sound Sound

An offensive array with an artistic flair. As with This is one of a two-part array system. Together
many offensive arrays, this one is meant for they are called the Soft Fall Boots and what they
bullets, and as soon it enters a human it turns a are meant for is to lessen the noise made by your
large part of that victim into stone. shoes.
Not only is this an efficient way to kill This array goes on the bottom of the shoe
someone (through removing parts of them piece and it destroys any sound it finds. The energy
by piece), but it also has a severe psychological used to fuel the array comes from the person’s
affect on the victim as they literally see chunks of steps, meaning this array will always be working.
themselves falling away, never to be recovered.

40
Soft Fall Boots 2 Sound Bomb

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Large Clean Float Human Human Gargantuan Clean Create Sound ???

The second part of this array system and this This array does exactly what it says it does. It
arrays goes on the inside sole of your shoes. creates a lot of noise when it hits the thing you
What it does is it cancels out the effect of have added as the trigger.
gravity on your feet. It might not seem like much, These are normally carved onto small metal
but you will weigh a little less and your feet won’t balls and then thrown onto a surface to create
be hitting the ground as hard as they normal the noise. You can see how these are most often
would, meaning you will be creating less noise used for distractions. Create a noise here while
anyway. moving there.
Coupled with the above array, you will be Just be sure to prepare the right Trigger for
able to walk anywhere at any time without the right environment.
creating a whisper of noise.

Spellgate Splinter

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
Normal Column Create Portal Human Normal Disk Pull Human Human

Travelling can be a perilous issue. The further A splinter is often one of the most difficult things
one travels, the more one will be beset by the to get rid of. This goes doubly so if that splinter is
troubles of man and nature. If only there were a bullet or a knife.
a way to get around the lengthy journeys that This array just pulls humans towards it, but
adventurers must go on. The Spellgate neatly the third law of motion says that if you can’t pull
solves all of those issues. something toward you then you will be pulled
As soon as someone walks onto the array, towards it.
he is transported to another array with a Portal That’s what happens with this array. Put it on
rune (and that is activated). If there are multiple a knife, stick it into someone and the knife will
activated portal-arrays, he will go to the nearest try its very hardest to stay as close to the human
one, but this can be avoided if the Portal is surface around it as possible.
modified with one of the elemental runes. Rather
than turning the Portal into the elements, the
elemental runes work like a code, to specify
which Portals should be linked together.

41
Terminator Walking Bomb

SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER


Gargantuan Dome Destroy Human Human
SIZE SHAPE ACTION TARGET TRIGGER
The best solution is often the simplest. This array
Gargantuan Clean Transmute Human
destroys human if one gets close. It also does it in Stone
Gargantuan Clean Push Stone
quite a large radius.
The danger, and effectiveness, of the Walking
So just put it on a bullet and shoot it at
Bomb comes not from transmuting human flesh
someone. Your bullet (if it hits someone) is now
into stone, but rather from the runic explosion
effectively ten times larger. It will be like firing
that comes afterwards. Turning a human into
cannonballs from your rifle instead of bullets.
stone will kill them regardless of the Push rune
in the array or not. The true malice, or genius
depending on who you ask, is that Push rune. By
pushing the newly created stone so quickly, and
from inside that very stone, the array creates an
explosion.
The speed of the force rips apart the ex-
human statue and flings it at everyone in the
vicinity. This array was not created to kill only
one person, it was designed to kill a room full of
people.

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