The Runic Armies

Runic Armies
Runic Armies originate from an unusual land with magickal traits. They are constantly bickering over power nexuses and have only recently started their conquests abroad. Most Rune Armies are small groups, controlled by either a warlord or a council of archmagi. They fight over leylines; natural sources of magic. However, more recently armies have been spotted focusing around crude oils, using their expertise to split them into flammable Hydrogen gasses and pure Carbon for use in defenses. An unusual development in the Runic humans is that they seem to fit into moral extremes almost without deviation, 'Good' and 'Evil', as it would be. This deviation was likely caused by the invention of Alignment Runes, which have different effects on 'Good' and 'Evil'.

Elemental Runes
Elemental Runes were the original magic powers on the planet, controlling all of the major sections of nature. Their use has been seen as archaic from those who prefer the discovery and improvement of Alignment Runes and the invention of Specialist Runes, but their raw, unlimited power makes them the most commonly used Runes.

FIRE

Leyline: Feo

The Feo Rune alone has a multitude of offensive and defensive capabilities. A solo Feo can cause a flame to appear for a certain amount of time, usually not too long, while an Array of Feo runes can cause a bonfire or a large circle of flame. Feo is used by nearly everyone; many a militia has fallen to a group of experienced Magi using Feo Runes, while civilians use Feo to cook or boil water.

Examples of use: Creating a cooking fire, wall of fire, fireball, etc...

WATER

Leyline: Awl

The Awl Rune is usually used for defense or survival. A mere Awl Rune can conjure water, a necessary Element for survival, and a Array of Awl Runes can supply water to anything from a small group to a village. Awl is the element that civilians usually use, as they often have no use for the Thunder and Wind Runes, and the Alignment Runes are usually used in military or religion.

Examples of use: Creating drinking water, filling moats, combo with Lightning for massive damage.

EARTH

Leyline: Eld

The First Rune, Eld is a very useful Rune, used by Crafters, Gardeners, and Magi. Gardeners use Eld to clear patches for gardening, for tilling soil, and for making irrigation canals for use with Awl Runes. Crafters use them to carve paths in cities, and make homes in smaller towns. Magi use Eld to gain the advantage in combat, from higher ground to fortifications.

Examples of use: create walls of clay or rock, trap/crush an enemy, or carve stone.

LIGHTNING

Leyline: Lin

One of the purely offensive Runes, the Lin Rune is almost exclusively used by Magi. They conjure up lightning, and combined with other elements, such as the Awl Rune, it can be dangerous. Splash some water with an Awl Rune, and then let ‘em have it with the Lin Rune.

Examples of use: Zap an enemy with lightning. Lin is not a Rune usually used solo, it is combined with other Runes, or preferably Inscribed on an object, which opens up more capabilities.

WIND

Leyline: Wyd

One of the least used Elemental Runes in combat, the Wyd Rune is usually used by Magi to transport objects, while certain Magi use its power with destructive capabilities. Even the most experienced Feo Magus’s power is meek compared to an expert Wyd Magus, whose mastery of the Wind has been used to eviscerate their foes. Most people have at least a basic grasp of Wyd, as people will vouch on the capabilities of picking up an object from several meters away.

Examples of use: grabbing an object from a distance, redirecting projectiles, or dealing lethal slices.

Alignment Runes
The original Alignment Runes were discovered recently, and they have already affected all of the Runic society. They are called such as they have differing effects by whether or not the user of it is morally good or evil. How it determines this, only some people know. Those people are the ones who manipulated the Runic energy to make the first Man-Made Runes.

LIGHT/HOLY

Leyline: Aur

The Aur Rune is usually used as a support Rune, as it has the power to create Shields, heal minor wounds, and raise morale. No good Magi army is complete without the wielders of the Light.

Examples of use: heal minor wounds, create a wall of holy energy, or smiting the foe

DARK/DEMONIC

Leyline: Fel

The Fel Rune is a destruction Rune. It combines the elements of Flame Runes, the havoc of the Thunder Runes, and the mysteriousness of the Light Runes into a power of pure mayhem, known as Felfire. It’s also the preferred choice of Conjuror and Cultist Magi, as it is easy (read: compared to performing surgery on oneself) to create a familiar using mostly Fel Runes.

Examples of use: creating familiars, causing disease, scourging the land

LIFE

'Leyline': Sol

Sol, the first Man-Made Rune, are essentially Aura Runes taken to the limits. Soul Runes have no offensive capabilities, but their mid- and post-combat support is exemplary. However, they cannot resurrect the dead, as in a fair twist of irony the Runes to create the fabled Rune of Relife requires Void Runes, and there are no known users of both Sol and Nul Runes simultaneously.

Examples of use: heal near-lethal wounds, cure poison, and invoke belief that the Lord of Soul has blessed their army.

DEATH

'Leyline': Nul

Nul Runes are the embodiment of Fel: senseless chaos and death. However, like Fel, the power of Nul is a hybrid of Feo, Lin, and Sol. Practitioners of Nul are usually abolished by society, and as such their powers are not used often, but for those who have the resources to maintain a Nul Magus (i.e., not get him lynched) find themselves glad he is on their side.

Examples of use: summoning a meteorite, engulf an object in Felfire, or temporarily reviving the dead.

Specialist Runes
Runes created in very recent years, these are solely used for military matters and were created as such. They have little combat use, but are mighty useful for maintenance.

NOISE

'Leyline': Noc

Likely considered the most interesting and situational of Runes, Sonic is generally used for scouting purposes, transferring sound quickly over long distances by inscribing an object with a series of Runes usually called the Noc Communications or NocCom. It also can be used to deafen enemies, or interfere with their own NocCom. Most magi know how to use this, but rare few specialize in it, as it is nearly useless in combat.

Examples of use: A NocCom system, a PA system, silencing a person, room, or object.

ILLUSION

'Leyline': Vil

Illusion Runes are the older brother of the card tricks of yore. A mere man can seem like an army, or not there at all, with Illusion Runes. This young rune is used by specialist magi who use the abilities in the field to make it seem like they’re using common runes and not Illusion Runes.

Examples of use: creating an illusionary wall of flame, creating the illusion of an enemy soldier and having him cut in half by ‘Wyd Runes’

TRANSMUTATION

'Leyline': Aed

The newest Rune, Morph Runes are used to change something into something else of similar mass and material. Often called the Science of Magic, most Morphmagi are people that stay at the base camp of a campaign, creating and repairing objects from local materials.

Examples: turning lead into gold, turning water into wine, turning oil into diamonds and Hydrogen gas.

Conglomeration Runes
Runes can be combined together for varying effects, leaving almost limitless possibilities for use. The format for a Rune is essentially the order the Runes would execute, with the Leyline names separated by apostrophes. For example, Holy Fire would be Feo'Aur, creating fire and making it holy, or the illusion of someone silently dying would be Vil'Nul'Noc. Seemingly reversible Rune effects also can have different effects. Feo'Eld (Fire Earth) can set an eternally burning flame on the ground, while Eld'Feo (Earth Fire) can conjure magma.

Chain Runes
A ‘Rune’ that is used to invoke other Runes simultaneously, i.e., set up several Feo Runes and connects them with Chain Runes, and invoking one will invoke all of them. This sort of setup is called an Array. Inscribing Chain Runes will have no effect on the object, as the object works as a form of Chaining magic. A common use of Chain Runes is Array Rope, a strong cloth with Chain Runes sown in, allowing for distant evocations.

Rune Armies in Picture Wars


The Rune armies use a Tier system.

Tier 1
This is when Seers claim that an area is rich in resources and they send a small team out to establish a base.

Units from Left-Right: NocCom: Literally, 'Noise Communicator', this connects the base to the base camp, which allows them to call in reinforcements. It's connected to another NocCom via Array Rope, a tool used by Magi to connect Runes. All Magi carry a seemingly infinite amount of this rope on them at all times. Also, the NocCom is self-powered, but requires a person to be present at all times for new orders to be sent. Magiscout: The basic combat unit of Tier 1, these greenhorns are lightly armored and armed with a dagger and basic Elemental Rune knowledge. Chances are these guys will see little to no combat, but they move quickly. Once Tier 1 ends, they become Magiconstructors.

Tier 2
When the beginning surveys are over and a NocCom is constructed, Tier 2 begins. Runic armies start mobilizing their military division and begin fortifying their bases.

Units from Left to Right: Local NocCom: An addition to a NocCom, the Local version emits ultrahigh frequency signals that can only be picked up by units that have a NocRez (Sonic Reciever)...which is everyone (Other armies with sufficiently high sound technology can pick it up, but it's encoded. Think a wireless Telegraph). Basically, this allows short-range communication from the base to almost anywhere in the field. Magus: the basic long-ranged unit, the standard Magus is fairly powerful. Knowledgeable in all elemental types, these units are powerful at medium range. They lack power at close range, although they will likely give their opponents some painful zaps/torches/impalings before they die. They are also weaker at longer ranges, where the only viable attacks are the hardest to master (Full-power lightning bolts, fireballs, etc...) Magiconstructor: The standard builder for Runic Armies. These guys can build really quickly, but have no armor or weapon. These guys are pretty much dead meat if they get in 1v1 combat. They are also the only unit along with Magiscouts who can make NocComs. Speaking of which, Magiscouts become this unit when Tiers change. Magiknight: The bread+butter unit of any army, these guys are armed with a Rune-engraved blade and wear medium armor. They have a good amount of magickal capability, but less than a Magus. In later tiers, they gain shields, which increase their defense, and their swords become reinforced. Knight: Basic, strong, dumb. These guys are heavily armored, but deal the least damage of the three basic units. They also cannot use magic. They gain shields and better weapons as the Tiers increase, as well.

Tier 3
Generally started when enemy units are sighted and the first skirmishes begin. This is likely the Tier most of the mid- and late-game will be in.

Units from Left to Right: Adept: a stronger Magus. Better all around, although they still are unarmed and unarmored. Their mastery and extensive usage of Runes is having an effect on them, and they are more resistant to damage. Runestone: a little stone engraved with a few Runes. These have a load of uses, such as causing AoE flight for a while, moving large objects, or throwing and exploding. Shielded Magiknight: Stronger Weapon, Stronger shield, slightly more magic. Moving on... Shielded Knight: Second verse, same as first. Except with more defense and attack. Paladin: The Good Special unit, Paladins are masters of the Light Rune and dabblers in the Life Rune. They are heavily armored, and powerful at close and melee range, but have no long-range attacks. They deal more damage against Evil armies, as they always Smite Evil, and have healing magic. Unlike other units, their usage of Life Runes allows them to level up. For example, once a Paladin levels up once they can Consecrate Land, which prevents Evil armies from entering the area around the Paladin for a few turns Once they max out their Alignment Runes (The lesser Rune (Light) starts maxed out, while the Greater (Life) starts at minimum) and Tier 4 is achieved, their Runic energies become massively powerful and they become...well, I don't want to spoil it. 'LOL SECRET' is on there for a reason :P Cultist: Same as a Paladin, except now they're ranged units and the army must be Evil. They are masters of Dark Runes and dabblers in Death Runes. They can make the ground unstable and can create a spray of pure Evil energy. They also can use Death Runes to do AoE spells and create Anti-Good shields, like the Anti-Consecrate. Again, once they max out their Death Runes, they become more powerful than you can ever imagine :D

Tier 4
You Shall Not Pass! Runic armies pull out all their stops and allow the strongest units to the field. This is the lategame Tier.

Units from Left to Right: Archmagi: Very few Magi can become Archmagi (As in, only a few will be on the battlefield at a time), but the ones that do become living embodiments of Elemental Magic. So much, that they specialize in a Magic type. Red is Fire, Blue is Water, Green is Air, Yellow is Lightning (Earth Archmagi are too busy instantly creating cities from a speck of dust and creating bottomless pits to come. They are THAT broken :P). They have tons of magical power, and are experts in every Elemental Magic field, except for their specialization, where they are a Master. This lets all Archmagi to do the following: Fly for a few turns, fire fireballs and lightning bolts, create powerful water sprays, and use Earth magic at a range. Fire Archmagi can use long-range fire blasts, or a medium-range 'Welder' blast that melts through almost anything. Water Archmagi are the most useless and are the target of criticism from several groups for fighting and not giving water to poor Ethiopian children. Anyway, they...can make water. Like every magic unit. Except they just make a lot of it at high speeds. Wind Archmagi are the rarest, but only because Wind is extremely difficult to master. They can fly indefinitely and fire extremely consecrated 'Air Blades' that can push vehicles and sever the limbs of footsoldiers. Lightning Archmagi are arguably the best for combat, as Lightning is the element of Combat. They can fire extremely long-range blasts of lightning and short-circuit many electronics. However, for all their power these units have drawbacks. Their expertise of Runes gives them very good damage resistance, but at the cost of constantly giving out a bright Magickal aura. Even the most uneducated minion can tell that these units are powerful, and can easily pick them out in a crowd. Grandmaster Magiknight and Grandmaster Knight: I honestly can't think of any way to upgrade these guys, but typing out the description for Archmagi I don't think I need to... LOL SECRET: Heaven/Hell on Earth, depends on whether the Runic Army in question is Good or Evil.