Rune magic

The Sihedron Rune, symbol of Thassilonian rune magic. Each of the seven Thassilonian runes and its associated sin in sin magic follows its associated point on the star, clockwise from top: greed, sloth, envy, lust, pride, wrath, and gluttony.

This article covers the general practice of rune magic, including the ancient Thassilonian rune magic practiced by the Runelords. For runes themselves, see rune.

Rune magic is the application of runes to create magical effects. Often associated with Thassilon, whose founder Xin innovated the form in -6501 AR, rune magic is the foundation of its sin magic but has applications beyond its Thassilonian practices. The seven Azlanti virtues of rule around which Xin structured his concept of rune magic also linked to the schools of magic, representing all but divination, which Xin deemed useful to all wizards but not essential to master.

Seven runes of Thassilon

Thassilonian rune magic focused on seven runes, each associated with an emotion, color, and school of magic, and each with its own name.

Name	Color	Virtue	Sin/Reward	School of magic
The Precious Gleam	Yellow	Generosity	Greed	Transmutation
The Reclined	Blue	Zeal	Sloth	Conjuration
The Cutting Eye	Green	Charity	Envy	Abjuration
The Heart's Hook	Red	Love	Lust	Enchantment
The Crescent Scepter	Violet	Humility	Pride	Illusion
The Vengeful Glare	Orange	Kindness	Wrath	Evocation
The All-Encompassing	Indigo	Temperance	Gluttony	Necromancy

History

Rune magic dates to Azlanti tradition and research into the fundamental nature of magic, from which Xin devised his theories on rune magic and implemented them by bargaining with ancient creatures such as dragons and outsiders, as well as the worship of Lissala, goddess of runes. It is possible that Lissala herself invented rune magic. Xin theorized that the runes that appeared during spellcasting represented the nature of magic and were of a script of the language of creation; harnessing them would, in turn, grant their wielder the ability to rewrite reality.

Xin further identified seven runes that he believed held the most power, each associated with one of the schools of magic, and arranged them into a seven-pointed star known as the Sihedron. Upon this foundation Xin exiled himself from Azlant to travel to Avistan and found Thassilon, and he named the followers who mastered rune magic its runelords.

Sin magic

Krune, Runelord of Sloth, bears runic tattoos.

Sin magic, also known as Thassilonian magic, is an ancient form of magic first practiced by the seven runelords of ancient Thassilon based on rune magic. The practice of rune magic evokes an emotional response alongside their power that could be addictive in nature. As the seven Azlanti virtues of rule were realigned into seven Thassilonian rewards of rule—envy, sloth, greed, gluttony, wrath, pride, and lust—Thassilonian rune magic developed into sin magic. Practitioners spuriously associated the power of rune magic with debauchery and overindulged in the emotional aspects of each rune. Each runelord specialized into a single sin and reshaped their lives around debasing themselves in the pursuit of ever greater power.

With the re-emergence of New Thassilon, the surviving runelord Sorshen determined that sin magic was not as inherent to the practice of rune magic as Xin had instructed, leading to the modern application of runes.

Modern rune magic

A modern practitioner of rune magic self-styled as a runelord.

See also: Runelord (archetype)

The re-emergence of New Thassilon and redemptive efforts of Sorshen to divorce rune magic from Thassilonian sin magic has resulted in a surge of academic research in its application, as well as a redefinition of the term "runelord" from its Thassilonian association with sin magic into a more general practitioner of rune magic.

Modern arcane school of Thassilonian rune magic

All modern runelords are students of Thassilonian rune magic, which is taught at select arcane colleges throughout New Thassilon. A runelord selects one of the seven rewards of rule to serve as their focus, and can either indulge in its sin or meditate upon its nature in order to regain power.

Each sin has two that philosophically oppose it, represented by a triangle formed by opposing points on the Sihedron Rune. Violating the anathema of their sin robs a runelord of the benefit of its power; their spells all have a chance of failure until they atone.

• Gluttony fills its users with deep emptiness and compels them to consume. Gluttony specialists must not use magic to protect others or manipulate minds.
• Greed carries the knowledge that forms can change and resources can be hoarded. Greed specialists cannot use their magic to affect the mind or perception instead of physical reality.
• Envy reveals weakness in the self and others, and creates them when needed. Envy specialists cannot use their magic to cause harm with elements or the void.
• Lust drowns rationality in desire until the target serves the runelord's wishes. Lust specialists cannot use their magic to alter physical forms or invoke the void.
• Pride convinces users of their superiority. Pride specialists cannot use their magic to create or change objects instead of their appearances.
• Sloth gives a sense of restful peace. Sloth specialists cannot use their magic to manipulate appearances or harm with the elements.
• Wrath fills its users with zealous rage and restlessness. Wrath specialists cannot use their magic to protect or create.

Works

Written works on the nature of rune magic include:

• A Little Chat about Runes, by Queen Sorshen of Eurythnia, New Thassilon

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.