On Thread Etiquette:
I'm not going to weigh in on the logic of either side's arguments, but I will ask that everyone read over what they write and really consider if the words they used are polite and won't be inflammatory intentionally or not. You cant account for people's tolerances perfectly but at least try to say your piece without saying things that can be easily construed as overly dismissive of the other side of the argument, thank you.
Thankfully Soul gives us a fair few helping hands and a bit of leeway with things; everything going on with Dolgi seems to point to giving us something to work with in that regards.
All basic runes are interchangeable between classes because narratively Snorri will know an equivalent to that rune that matches this specific Form. The only exception is Featherweight, because Dolgi hasn't invented those runes yet.
So yes CL isn't valid but Snorri also knows the Rune of Continuous Lightning or something that would be a weapon rune however its too much bookkeeping to record the same rune 5 times for each category.
Rule of form does matter for all runes, but Snorri is enough of a rune library that he knows a variant of each basic rune for each form.
Actually tracking that and coming up with different names would be a pain so we don't bother with that.
And then there's the Rune of Fire and the Rune of Burning, as well as the Rune of Lightning and the Rune of Lightning Strikes. So there's probably something about how Engineering Runes are sufficiently deviant from regular Weapon Runes for them to be categorized as a different thing.
And then there's the Rune of Fire and the Rune of Burning, as well as the Rune of Lightning and the Rune of Lightning Strikes. So there's probably something about how Engineering Runes are sufficiently deviant from regular Weapon Runes for them to be categorized as a different thing.
Yes, Engineering runes are used on siege weapons (and crossbow maybes), Weapon runes are used on axes and such. The real question is why the Rule of form considers a ballista and a catapult to be the same shape .
Burning and Fire are probably equivalents (Embers might be the armour variant), but since they came from canon they got copied in since it wasn't extra work to come up with the name and such and someone was going to ask.
Similarly Rune of Frost is probably the banner version of Rune of Cold.
And so on.
[Banner] Rune of Grit: Less potent version of the (armor version) Rune of Preservation, but still prevents Oneshot kill. Two copies increases allies' vitality (hp/Wounds), and three copies fortifies everyone's willpower and stubborness.
[Banner] Rune of Enduring: More potent version of the (armor version) Rune of Preservation that also prevents Oneshot kill. Two copies increases formation's resistance to disease and poison, both mundane and magical. Three copies increases their fortitude/toughness while further improving their poison/disease resistance.
[Talisman] Master Rune of Stabilizing: Greatly enhances wearer's magic resistance, and grants them an anti-magic aura in the vein of the Winds Denied trait (except weaker and without the "actively dispelling" part).
[Structural] Master Rune of Grounding Stone: Room/Wall/Structure inscribed with this Master Rune weakens enemy casting.
[Armor] Rune of Cinderspite: Stronger version of the Rune of Embers. Two copies adds an explosive quality that leaves wearer and allies unaffected; three copies has a chance to weaken and break the enemy's weapon and/or armor.
[Weapon] Rune of Hammering: Hammer version of the Rune of Cleaving that allows user to smash through the strongest stone. Two copies adds momentum to the user's swing. Three copies makes weapon act as if blows have greater mass.
[Weapon] Master Rune of Bludgeoning: The weapon strikes as though it has far greater strength, momentum, and mass. Can only be inscribed on hammers and other blunt tools.
So, been binge reading this over past week, wonderful work
Also, rune idea inspired by D&D 5e version of bane
Rune of bane (Weapon rune)
When an enemy is struck with a weapon bearing this rune they become off kiltered and disoriented for short period time, alongside difficulty concentrating
Master Rune of Bane (Weapon Rune)
A weapon bearing this rune causes the teaget to be greatly disoriented, making them very sluggish, and lose there grace, being very difficult to concentrate
In summary: A rune designed to give you openings while making your opponents life hell
[X] [Support:] Fully Support the proposal.
[X] [Line:] Being forced.
[X] A messenger from Kraka Krum, bearing a letter with the seal of Ogra Wardmaker.
[X] Brynna has been meaning to ask about the eye.
[X] A band of Runesmiths muttering to each other at levels they think are quiet.
[X] The Statue. You're fairly sure that being around the big Rune statue with your equipment will only improve its capabilities.
Not things you ever thought you'd feel again, things you aren't entirely sure you want to feel again. As a Runelord there were of course expectations that you sire children and carry on your lineage, and eight centuries ago you would have embraced such a duty. The thought of raising a child, perhaps even multiple if the Ancestors were kind, but maybe not as many as both Jorri and Dolgi were seemingly blessed with, you have crystal clear recollections about how that thought filled you both with such anticipation, such excitement. Quiet discussions about names in the firelight, shaking your head at the insistent prodding of both your parents, just another joy lost when that path was torn from your grasp. The thoughts and dreams of a younger Dwarf, a happier Dwarf, a married Dwarf.
And you weren't that Dwarf anymore.
Did that mean you could never be that Dwarf again?
So while your first instinct is to tell Brynna that under no circumstance would you even entertain the notion of romance. Some small part of you asks why and it makes you pause. It is a small thing, a miniscule speck against a rolling tide of certainty really, and yet the fact that it exists when for so many centuries it did not is enough to stall the processes of your mind.
Could you imagine yourself feeling even an ounce of the emotions you had for your wife for another?
Not particularly.
Could you be wrong?
Much as you wish to say otherwise, the logical part of your mind must admit it is equally likely.
Yet for what purpose would you even entertain the thought of a romantic relationship? The arguments for and against remarrying after the death of a spouse was a quagmire of politics, theology and heavy emotional attachment that you would not touch with a three-meter pole while wearing a suit of Adamant plate mail. And as you've said, you already had an heir, so the need for children was out. So you repeat the question in your mind. What reason then, could you ever have to think about romance once more? Happiness? That rings a bit truer, yet much as Jorri or Dolgi may count as evidence for it, you need neither a spouse nor children to be happy.
But are you happy?
You would say so, though you could obviously be happier.
Did you want to be as happy as you were back then? When your wife lived and the world did not seem so cold a place? Obviously, but you doubt you need romance to feel that way.
It is disquieting that you have no answer. You need to think about this more.
So in lieu of a more concrete response, you suppose you can only tell Brynna what is completely true.
"Being forced into it you suppose."
"Truly? I took you for the former," she admits, staring at you curiously.
"I only know with any degree of certainty that I would not tolerate being made to marry against my own wishes. As for whether I could conceive the notion of having romantic feelings for another…well it's not something I've thought much about. I suppose that in the theoretical sense it could happen, but in theory, I could stumble into a cave that held a massive Gromril vein tomorrow as well, however unlikely that is."
Brynna raises a brow at you.
"I stand by what I said," you grunt.
Just because it happened makes it no less unlikely.
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To say that Freyda is enthused by your willingness to support her cause understates things.
You aren't sure if hitching yourself to her efforts is particularly sensible during such a critical time, but neither can you argue that settling the North is not in the best interests of your people. The Fimir have completely subverted the western third of the Peninsula entirely unopposed. What would have happened had keen Dwarf eyes seen them the second they put their scaly feet onto shore. If Ranger cunning shut off passes, slew their scouts and rendered them tactically and strategically blind? If the call had been sent out earlier, such that a tide of steel and fury drove them off before they could ever even lay so much as a single foundation stone?
Of course it wasn't that simple, but it's unlikely the Fimir were more of a threat when they first arrived compared to now, when they've spent a century entrenching themselves.
Bah, the kind of theory you hated.
No use thinking about it now you reckon.
You and Freyda agree to another meeting in a few days, just enough time for the priestess to get things in order so that neither of you spend more time than is necessary.
As you watch Freyda leave the tent, you lean back into your chair and let out a breath.
You take no particular joy in the business of trading favours and daisy-chaining Dwarf debts to get someone to do things for you, your pride, and history of behaviour are proof enough of that, but for the purpose of a fully colonized North, it's worth partaking in such business. In the back of your head, you do admit to wondering what exactly the Cult would think your actions are worth though.
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In a vault deep below the earth, sealed by the most potent Wards and defenses not made by an Ancestor and under the constant guard of four ancient warriors, lies a room full of artifacts and heirlooms. Many worth the ransom of a Thane or three, some even worth the ransom of a King of the Southern Holds. In the center of this room of treasures, resting atop a raised section of the floor and behind several layers of defensive Runes, lies a chest. A masterfully made work of Ironwood, silver and purple cloth crafted by a grandson of Grungni and given as a gift to the Cult in its earliest days, that holds onto a far greater treasure. Within, a weapon gleams even in absolute darkness, a relic even in this ancient age. Forged by two sons in honour of their mother.
The supple purple leather of the grip is fitted to feel perfect in the hands of any Dwarf, and perhaps even supernaturally so in the fingers of its intended bearer. A haft of Wutroth half as long as a Dwarf's arm, the wood so dark as to appear purple, with tasteful bands of Gold-plated Gromril, each one inset with four cardinal gems of glittering brilliance, placed at even intervals up its length until it reaches the shoulder, where it is replaced by a solid block of the Star Metal, decorated with gold linework and inset jewels placed in a highly stylized depiction of Valaya's Rune. It feels like the claim of a madman to declare a weapon's mere haft as a masterwork on its own, and yet it is no less true. It is so beautiful as to make even the most recalcitrant and stingy Ancestor heap praise upon it, and yet it understandably pales in comparison to what rests atop it.
The axe's head too is composed of a Gromril body; it is decorated with Oathgold purified by the hands of Smednir, and the finest gems Thungni and His brother ever cut from the bedrock of Karak Izril to decorate its face. Yet it is no Snarling wyrm nor grim-faced forefather that is depicted here. Rather it is a matronly Dwarf woman; the lines of age lending a dignified and regal air to her that makes it clear she is nothing short of a Queen among Queens, a Gromril crown rests atop the depiction's brow and her lengthy Silverine braids fall down and taper off into the axe's hook, that adorns most of the axe's face. The work of Smednir the Smith, Maker of Legends and Lord of smelting, whose hand has played a part in creating the tools and weapons of the greatest heroes of the Dawi.
Yet it is in conjunction with the work of Thungni the Bold, Tamer of Magic and Lord of Runes, that it is elevated from befitting mere legends, to being worthy of an Ancestor. Scintillating teal light emanates from the Runes carved by the younger of the Ancestral brothers; his work, beyond comprehension and the ability of mortal folk to recreate, empowers the material beyond its natural capabilities. Abilities and powers rarely recreated and most never before seen have been bestowed by the keen mind and unerring skill of the Runeforger. Legends of a weapon whose swings rebuilt and healed as easily as they sundered and cleaved, whose glow calmed even Bellicose Grimnir and made unbreakable the will of any and all Dwarfs in its presence, and whose mere existence burned away the taint of the Winds and enforced the Will of their wielder on the mortal plane. An axe as at home in peace as in war, whose name belied the paradoxical purpose of its existence.
Each fragment of the weapon is perfect, and when they are together as they now, they create something even greater. A creation that has the rare privilege of not only being considered worthy by the Ancestors' astronomical expectations, but of being wielded by Them as well.
It is Kradskonti, the Peacegiver, axe and weapon of Valaya the Ancestor Queen, Founder of Holds, Teacher of Culture.
Mother and Defender of all Dwarfkind.
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As you get up to leave the tent at the meeting's conclusion you are stopped right outside by a middle-aged Dwarf with a sealed metal tube in his hands. The seal of Clan Diamondback, and the iconography of Kraka Krum on the messenger's person, help you narrow down who sent this easily enough.
"A message, to be delivered to Snorri, son of Klaus, from her ladyship Ogra, daughter of Iggun."
With a nod, you take the container from the messenger's hands and offer him a drinking horn from your belt as thanks before popping open the seal to pull out and read the letter within. The message is written on a thinly beaten sheet of brass that's about as long as your arm. The contents of the message are nothing especially noteworthy. Beginning with the sort of correspondence you would expect from a colleague introducing themselves and querying if you would be open to more frequent communication between the two of you. As you continue to read, with growing confusion, the incredibly benign letter your eyes begin to pick out a few oddities here and there amongst the text of the message.
Ah. You see now.
Keeping your face inscrutable, you roll up the sheet of metal and slide it back into its tube. Nodding at the messenger as he hands you back your, now empty, drinking horn and offers a quick word of appreciation before heading off towards a group of Krum warriors.
Your tent is a better place to decipher the true message that your fellow Runelord wanted to convey to you.
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Fjolla adjusts Snorri so that she can hold him with one arm before she walks over to open her door. When she does, she finds an enthusiastic Dolgi beaming back at her with a sack of what could only be toys.
"I hope you don't mind, but I brought gi-"
She closes the door, takes a breath, then opens it back up to stare at a still grinning, if more sheepishly so, Dolgi.
"What did I say about bringing more? The first one from Master Snorri was fine enough, but not after Snerra roped Nain and Karstah into doing the same as her. What possessed you to do this?"
"Ah, my apologies. Felt like I was missing out. Truly! You can give these to some Clansmen if you'd like, I didn't want to come visit you lot without a gift and you did just give birth so… May I come in?"
Fjolla snorts and moves aside, letting her fellow Runesmith into her home and watching dispassionately as he puts the bag of toys down alongside the other four she's gotten.
"Where's Joll?" her friend asks, poking his head in, and around random places like a beardling.
"Taking Stokki out on a little walk to visit some cousins. They seem to enjoy the experience well enough, and it stops Stokki from going through a tantrum and setting Snorri off," she answers, patting her youngest's little head for emphasis, "So what draws you out of your home to visit me?"
"Three reasons really, poking about and making sure you aren't being driven mad, Valaya knows Klorah was stressed when we had Skarri, reminding you that you can ask us for help if you need a night to yourself and no one in your family's available, and maybe to your own delight, seeking some professional advice," Dolgi explains, still fruitlessly checking for a sign of Joll's presence. Even if he were here, Fjolla doubts he'd find anything anyway, but she'd let him pretend.
"I appreciate the first two," she admits, "but you are right about the third. I'm bored out of my mind when I'm not busy with the children, Joll Included. So lay it on me Featherhead, what has Dolgi the Undaunted all tossed up in a tizzy?"
"The Master Rune of Featherweight," he replies, "I've hit a breakthrough, which is great! But it's gotten me thinking about what to do with it, which isn't that great."
"Didn't you ask Master Snorri about this?" she asks, walking over to the kitchen to fetch some tankards
"I did," he confirms, loud enough for her to hear, "and despite what he's said, the conundrum and the conflict, well it's still there Fjolla; a niggling thought in the back of my head that's stuck deeper than a piece of cheese in between my teeth that keeps asking if keeping this Rune so close to my breast is the smart idea."
Fjolla grunts, passing Dolgi his drink while she settles down onto her chair and sits her son on one of her legs and lets him play about with one of her braids.
"Let's attack this from a new angle then, if being given the go-ahead wasn't enough, or turned out to not be satisfying enough an answer. What exactly do you want this Rune to be?" she asks, watching as her oldest friend pauses and contemplates his answer.
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A quadruple-layered Southern cypher, three sets of metaphorical obfuscation and several allusions to the history of Karak Izirl, that is how deeply Ogra has buried her message within the blase and mundane words of her official message. By the end you can see just why she's gone to such lengths, all too well. You stare at both the letter and the sheet of parchment where you've written down the actual message it contained next to it with a contemplative silence before leaning back into your chair to let out a breath. The words running through your head in a constant loop.
Lord Klausson,
Do not allow the Monoliths in Fimir territory to remain in enemy hands. You will know them not only by the peculiarity of their placement and by how zealously the Fimir defend those they control, but I have given the commission to King Vikram the ability to detect their presence. Simply watch the Runes, and you will know. Once you find them, remove the Fimir from them and regain control of the territory around them, and if it comes to it, deny them to the Fimir even if it means destroying the Monolith by any means necessary. This is especially so for the four major Monoliths that I am all but certain they've built their cities around.
Had I the time and skill to do this myself I would not ask this of you, but when word spread that you were participating I decided that, despite your comportment, I could trust no one else to do this in my stead. In return I am willing to discuss proper forms of compensation, and if in the event that you aren't aware of the importance of the Monoliths, an explanation as well.
Ogra,
Well then.
It looks like Ogra also knew the importance of the Stones, and was asking that you do what you could to ensure the enemy could not control them. Doing so was never in question, of course, you swore an oath to Alric Thungnisson after all, instead, you're left wondering how Ogra knew. Alric claimed you were the only one he could entrust the task with, and so there were three possibilities. The first and least likely was that Alric Thungnisson was tugging you by the beard and lying, which is not only preposterous but more importantly he had no actual motive to do so. Then again you can't be entirely sure, but it seems the least likely in your head. After all, why would he not tell you about any other Runesmiths of note who knew? Secondly, that he told Ogra after telling you, but why he would have kept it secret you cannot say. Third, and perhaps the most interesting of them all, is that Ogra learned about the Stones from another source.
Alric had told you that there were other groups who were aware of the Stones, like the Watchers of Gazul for instance, so perhaps Ogra and maybe even her Clan had inherited that lore from one such source or had discovered them independently.
Your mind idly dredges up the fact that she was known for her skill in the creation and application of Runes meant to be used in buildings, as well as her research into Ancestor Runes as well.
But is that a consequence or the cause of her knowledge? You suppose you'll only be able to find out by meeting her face to face.
Just one more secret and mystery to add to the pile in the meantime.
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When the leader of your Hearthguard wants to speak about something he thinks is important, you tend to listen. Rudil takes his duty seriously and does his best not to bother you unless he thinks it's important. So it's not a difficult decision to make to take out some time and hear what he has to say.
"Right then Rudil," you begin, sitting down across from your grandnephew, "What did you want to discuss?"
"Well I wanted to broach the topic of more training for Hearth Guard members. The kind of training your consent and support would largely require."
You grunt.
"Right, well it started when I was having a drink with Norgrim a few months ago and it grew from there..."
As Rudil begins to explain you can already begin to piece together where he's going with it. Norgrim, the unofficial head ranger of your Hearth Guard and one of the few people Rudil trusted to lead their fellow retainers whenever they split themselves up, had come forward with a request to have the rangers train together. While it was no problem to divvy up Hearthwardens so that they were the best suited to go do whatever task you sent them on, Norgrim's, and now Rudil's and Ylva's concern was a question of consistency. It was no mistake on your part that the Hearth Guard drew Dwarfs from a variety of different backgrounds, but your grandnephew argues it need not remain that way.
Using the example Norgrim gave him, Rudil pointed out that rangers from several different Holds were part of your retinue, each one taught from a completely different set of skills, purpose and environments. While it was simple enough to send the Hearth Guard who served as Monster Wardens on tasks that needed big beasties dead and the Raven Cloaked on long-range reconnaissance, the issue lies in that same diversity. The nature of your retinue meant they had shorter careers than others on account of their age when they first joined, and with how eclectic your recruitment was, you could end up in scenarios where, Ancestors forbid, a large group of your retinue were rendered incapable of serving very suddenly would potentially mean you lose capabilities and skills. If say most of the former Monster Wardens were killed in action, that would mean your retainers lost that skillset until they could be replaced, and with the number of Elders available, plus recruitment limitations you decided on, they could end up being succeeded by Dwarfs who had completely different skill sets. Leading to a Retinue that, in the long term, did not have a very stable pool of skills and abilities as membership shifted and fluctuated.
It hadn't happened yet, but eventually, it would, if not through conflict then by the simple passage of time.
The potential solution that Norgrim offered up was that, where possible, the Hearthguard teach each other their unique skills so that the retinue doesn't lose the benefit of their capabilities should they be unavailable. Not everything can be shared of course, because several things are locked behind Guild Secrets. But that is not a major obstacle to the Rangers, the lack of Craftguild that acts as one of the reasons for the stigma against the career actually benefits them in this case, as they're far more likely to share what they know compared to your other retainers.
"So you want to take the time to teach that knowledge and spread it around amongst yourselves I gather," you summarize.
"Aye," Rudil confirms, "sharing knowledge between us already happens from time to time, but it's haphazard and informal at best. Conflicting schedules and our constant deployments make it difficult to do anything more substantial than a heavily cut down lesson on the field or a day or two of instruction at most. Having a period of time we could dedicate to just teaching each other would be far more effective."
You nod, there was a truth to Rudil's statement. As much as you appreciate the eclectic mix of perspectives and skills your retainers possess, you can't guarantee that, in the long term, recruitment would let you keep the skills they possessed. There were of course other solutions you could pursue, having specific quotas for instance, but this too was also acceptable.
"This seems fine enough to me lad, but this is the sort of thing you'd normally just pass my way, so I imagine you want to take it somewhere that needs more support."
He nods.
"It isn't a pressing need, but I would like to broach the topic now. Just in case. The campaign will be hard-fought, and the enemies we will face are not to be trifled with," Rudil explains.
"Sensible, if grim," you tell him, catching onto his meaning easily enough.
"Just so. Well, I won't beat about the bush then. There are a few members within the retinue who cannot share their skills due to the strictures of their Guilds, skills that I sincerely believe would be to our benefit if they can be shared."
"And you want me to clear it with these Guilds in question."
"Aye, if at all possible. It's not pressing as I said, but I would ask that you consider the proposal."
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The shadow of Ogra's creation is a welcome reprieve from the brightness of the sun, creating a cool spot hidden away from the overbearing glare of that blasted light ball. The steady thumping of fine Dwarf boots not only kicks up a cloud of dust, but also creates a dull roar that serves as adequate background noise, interspersed as always by a hearty song sprung from thousands of mostly bearded throats. Yet for all this noise your eyes are keen, and your ears keener still, and you can hear the many conversations around you well enough to follow them if you chose to pay them any amount of attention, the beardlings are never as quiet as they think you see. Sometimes a fellow elder may smack some sense into their doodling heads to keep their eyes sharp, and their ears perked for a sign of the enemy, though a beardling's instinct is a silly sod of a thing and their observational skills barely any better, and sometimes they keep quiet because it is one of the few forms of entertainment they have while on the march. Elsewhere in the Throng, you imagine the topics being discussed would range from business at home, what sort of ale was best and worried garazi boasting about the foes they will slay and huffing Longbeards commenting on the lack of respect and challenge the youth face.
As for the Dwarfs around you, the context of the conversations are largely similar, if focused on a slightly more narrow spread of topics. For you are surrounded by Runesmiths, and when the Rhunki congregate they generally, you included, become a paradoxical mix of tight-lipped suspicion and glowing, boastful arrogance. Grumbles about untested and shoddy magic, a particularly rambunctious child boasting that his or her work is of far higher craftsmanship than most their age, or the odd wager between two rivals or friends about who's cast of Wrath and Ruin can strike down the most foes at once.
Anything less than two dozen is shoddy work and if you want to look yourself in the eye then aiming for three is the proper thing to do if that wasn't clear.
You have heard some variation of these same facts, statements and lines many a time in your millennium and change of life, so when your ears catch a wholly different sort of discussion you are understandably curious and listen in. Of course, it was still coming from the mouths of Masters barely a decade out of their apprenticeship and therefore was of circumspect quality of course, but you tend to find that it also has an inverse relationship with the amusement it generates.
"Client wants a suit of armour that will, 'not break before even the mightiest blow.'" he begins with an obvious feeling of exasperation, "Fair enough I suppose, don't futz with what works, but by Grungni's mighty brow I've heard some variation of that line more times than I can count," he grumbles, drawing a round of grunts from his compatriots.
Your eyes, tracking the sound to its source, note that the lad and his company in question hail from Kraka Drakk one and all. The silver dragon iconography and knotwork are self-evident on their equipment in one form or another.
"Rune of Warding or three would do the trick," one Runesmith offers.
"Just because I'm sick of doing it doesn't mean I won't make something so uninspired! Besides, I've already used that same combination in a third of my last dozen suits of armour. I'm no conservative but I'm no Snorrist—
Your beard twitches in annoyance when you hear that word. When you find the wazzok who started that nonsense you swear…
—either," the other retorts, "Gotta be something else for this one."
"Iron and Stone?" the third one, with black braids almost as long as his beard, offers.
"Iron and Stone, I suppose you could do worse," the first admits after taking a moment to consider it, stroking his moustache.
"Could do better too. Specialized array, now that's the vein you wanna mine. An enemy he sees frequent combat with?" the second grumbles.
"Beastmen of course," the first one answers, drawing a round of groans, "but who doesn't wade through fields of Gori during the campaign season?"
"Don't much like it. You said it was their first suit? Specialization works for a talisman, you can have a Kvinn's jewelry box worth of those, but a suit of armour? General defence is better," the third one says.
The fourth member, who has so far remained silent, finally speaks when the conversation enters a lull, "I have a suggestion."
"Out with it then."
"Silverfist has a Rune that may be what you're looking for, there's talk of him being willing to share it if you can prove yourself. Moves you out of the way from incoming blows," the fourth member explains.
The Rune of Response, your mind supplies as the youngsters share a round of disbelieving chuffs. A good Rune, and it fits the needs of the situation well enough.
"Heard of something like that, and you say Silverfist knows it? Who's vault did he fill to learn such a thing?"
"Well, it was last month when we—" the fourth begins to say before he is shushed by the other three.
"Don't just talk about that so openly. Are you daft?" the first hisses, drawing nods from the other two.
"Right, right. Sorry. The point stands though. It's something to look into at least."
A round of affirming grunts later and the discussion has moved on to arguing about the best way to powder dried troll tendon, but you remain fixated on the earlier slip up by the fourth youngster. It's clear enough that the beardling probably meant a meeting of some sort, and you can guess that they probably have some sort of group that regularly communicates with each other. A little club between Masters is not frowned upon, nor is it spectacularly out of the ordinary. There's usually one secret society amidst a group of Dwarfs after all, hell you're in two of them, though they admittedly stretch the secret part a bit, the point stands though, but when mixed with the context of the rest of the discussion it has your mind on high alert. There's something about the tone, the ease with which they speak about things that you know Runesmiths generally keep hush-hush that have you wondering if there's more to it than what's on the surface.
As Runelord of your Hold, there are several precedents established by Thungni that have become a few of the actual duties your rank holds. One of them was ensuring the quality of Runecraft in a Hold did not deteriorate in the sense that the Runesmiths were getting lazy. If a Rune became scarce because there weren't enough worthy Runesmiths to learn it that was one thing, but if some fool tried to half-arse their Runecraft? Well if they survived committing such stupidity, they would not survive the reckoning you would unleash on them. Runes were your life, and you would not have the name of your art besmirched because someone tried to actually give a client a shoddy Rune. Some Runelords, you knew, took this further and kept an eye on the Runesmithing culture of their Hold. Independence was your right, but peer pressure and the disapproval of your elders were weighty weapons indeed, and while some wielded them with great care like a mason would a chisel when sculpting a statue, others freely swung it down on any nail they saw stick even a millimetre out of place. You largely remained hands-off, happy with simply serving as an example of acceptable behaviour for them to point or look towards.
Maybe you ought to keep a closer eye on things?
The Throng marches on, heedless of your internal rumination.
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A few nights after your initial discussion, you are once again approached by Brynna. She finds you sitting by a fire on your lonesome, as you've let Karstah run off and interact with people her age and shooed away your Retainers to do something more productive than protecting your arse like joining the nightly watch or helping patch up the few wounded rangers that are sent back from the defensive screen over the course of the march.
"Lady Gildedeyes," you greet, "what can I do for you?"
"Lord Klausson," she returns, taking a seat across from you, "A question, if I may be so bold."
As if it saw the need to add emphasis, an errant rumble of thunder overhead decides to make itself known. You glance up and grunt at the turning of the weather, both thankful and annoyed at the Brana's handiwork. Kraka Drakk's Throng was getting a bit antsy without their now customary cloud cover and it had been a hassle and a half to keep the youngsters and even some of the adults from bolting about like hares at the sound of a falcon's cry.
"You can ask, but I make no promises about answering," you tell her plainly, poking at the flames with a stick you had Mhorni find for you.
"Your prosthetic eye, has it bothered you since you started wearing it?"
You quirk a brow, but decide there's no issue with answering honestly.
"Not terribly. Going from being eyeless for two decades to having two again was a bit of an adjustment of course, but the orb doesn't chafe or irritate if that's what you're wondering. Not as if Snerra used Lead or something worse like Quicksilver in its creation."
"I also assume that your Niece's creation is more than just a prosthetic too?"
"You would be correct," you confirm, pulling out a drinking horn and taking a long swig from it.
"And I take it you won't reveal what it does unless it's prudent?"
"Right again," you say with a grin.
"Very well," she concedes, "Will you describe the vision it grants then? Compared to your original eye."
A curious question, but you acquiesce once more.
"For me specifically? I cannot say I notice too much of a difference from before. Someone with a more keen eye may notice a difference, the Runes do not perfectly recreate that individual's vision, simply the average Dwarf's, but better lesser vision than none at all. The same holds true for the blind as well. I do wonder though, what makes you ask now of all times?"
Brynna does not reply immediately. Instead, she grabs a stick from the ground and begins poking at the flames for a while before she seems to muster up the courage to explain herself.
"My youngest brother is missing an eye. It was lost on a campaign some decades ago, a gor's axe is not the cleanest weapon, and so the Priestesses had it excised lest the infection spread. I had to learn this from those outside my Clan, for reasons I believe you can discern easily enough."
You look at Brynna, her placid face still staring thoughtfully into the fire, embers kicked up by her poking fluttering about in the nighttime air.
"He was on his Journeyman's trial when I left. What he must have thought when he came back and found me gone, is not something I try to dwell on. What shall he think, I wonder, when he finds out that his sister did not deign to return to congratulate him, but sends an eye centuries later in her stead," she continues, seemingly more to herself than to you.
You nod in understanding. Half the reason the Runes of Forged Limb exist at all is that Jorri had to go and get his fool arm chopped off after all. Precious few people were as close to you as your siblings. Even after Hrokki had decided to strike it out on his own, the three of you kept in touch as best as you were able. To be isolated from them, even of your own volition, would hurt quite a bit. There are many ways you could go about replying to her, but you decide on a reply you think is the most suitable for the situation.
"Ask yourself then, what do you lose by trying? To reach out to him specifically," you broach carefully.
Your fellow Runelord is silent for a long while, and you're content to simply sip idly with nothing but the crackle of the flame, the occasional rumble of thunder and the constant noise of the idle nightly chatter to accompany you.
"I will take your words into consideration Lord Klausson."
━<><><><==><><><>━
The room smells of blood and iron. A vast chamber that was built into the heart of the fortress, where already countless lives have been spent in preparation for the ritual to come. The screaming souls of an uncountable multitude of slaves and captives shiver and undulate in a spiralling torrent of energy around a stone table. At the foot of which the Fimir Matriarch channels and weaves the growing mix of Dhar and souls, while her Choir of Dirarch thrallmates chant profane incantations in a circle around the room to support her. The ritual is powered by the massive Obelisk at the centre, its profaned surface leaking blackened liquid as Dhar seeps out of it, providing the power needed to even attempt the fel deed being undertaken at its base.
The clang of hammers, the scent of blood, and the indignant scream of a broken bull.
The Daemonfriends hack and wheeze sorcerous commands, and some of the thrallmates buckle and keel over as the energy grows beyond their ability to grasp and contain.
A baleful eye, the feeling of searing heat and the ringing of metal on metal.
The Meargh does not care for the death of the weak, acting more like a merchant who has found coins at his feet. Yet more currency to be used for the bargain to be struck, more bait to dangle in front of the trap it has built.
Feed. Consume. LEARN.
The body on the table, a Fianna of immense proportions clad in and then fused to the finest armour the Dharsmiths and Dirarchs could create, begin to convulse and shake. The once-mighty "noble," does not scream, for his mouth is sealed shut beneath a heavy iron helmet, only the frantic and pained movement of his reddened, cyclopean eye, shows any sign that a mortal mind still lurks within the living weapon his body has become.
Dark harmonies and chaotic choruses resonate from guttural reptilian throats, oaths and pacts bound with blood and sealed by the threat of betrayal with powers of sorcerous might are conducted. Beseechments to Bale-eyed Balor, and calls to the God of Mud and Dirt to protect them against retaliation, at a terrible price paid by the hapless souls swirling about are made with a mix of fervent faith and terrified subservience.
A fel bargain.
The body on the table loses cohesion, metal and flesh are unmade and reknit over and over as dark things enter their new vessel, and ancient magics too wretched to exist in this world are used to fuse the mortal and the Aethyric together. Above the twitching not-corpse a sphere of blood, Dhar, and soul-stuff convulses and quivers; ripples that bear screaming faces and grasping hands disrupt its shape and cause it to pulse and undulate like a beating heart. The chanting reaches a crescendo, culminating to a point where the sphere launches a dozen on dozen tendrils from itself out and then down towards the body beneath, and then, over the course of several minutes, slowly shrinks as more and more of its volume is seemingly pumped into the vessel. The body accepts it all, taking in far more than what it should realistically be able to contain until the sphere is completely subsumed.
Its body is still, and then it is not. Languid limbs push it off the altar, the claw-like fingers leaving indents in the Granite as if it were mere clay. The ironclad form has grown by a third, a hulking behemoth of metal, daemon and flesh.
The Meargh is pleased, and with a croaking noise, calls for the two Shearls to bring her the final piece of her newest weapon.
━<><><><==><><><>━
Days pass, and the column finds itself passing through a metaphorical and physical threshold; leaving the relative safety of the mountains and beginning to head downwards towards the lowlands, rather than upwards through passes and valleys of the westward march up to this point. The Storm of the Brana is well and truly active now, a black and grey shield that hides you from the sun and smites at unseen foes with deadly bolts of lightning and thunder. A part of you itches to see if Skarrenbakraz can do something with that mass of Azyr above you, but you hold back, just in case your meddling does more harm than good.
The Fimir too have begun to more actively fight against you, here at the edge of their lands, and the parties that probe at the Ranger Screen grow bolder and bolder as their numbers swell. The Vanguard has had to remain on alert almost perpetually, as the probing attacks that break through the Rangers and reach the marching column begin growing.
Now is the time, the Throng's leadership reckons, that they ought to think about testing Ogra's statue. Not to see if it works, because it obviously will, but to work out an efficient and proper plan for best using the advantage it provides.
In the days that you've been walking alongside it, you've taken to following the instructions in Ogra's letter, watching as the Runes on the statue pulse to an unseen rhythm. Comparing the statue's data with your own map points to it being relatively accurate, if off by a few degrees every so often. Nothing entirely unmanageable with the aid of Brana scouts and hard-won experience to make up for the discrepancy at the very least.
This is why, no matter what happens, you are likely to stick close to this massive hunk of stone when they begin testing it at the edge of Fimir territory in a few days time. Both to protect it and to see just how much the presence of your armour will improve its stated capabilities. The real question, you suppose, is where you want those who follow you, save Mhorni for obvious reasons, to go.
Karstah is, for all you say otherwise, not a beardling anymore. A veteran of many years, she'll certainly not be a burden wherever she ends up, and the fact that Dreng is still following her around is yet another factor to consider. Then of course there are your Hearthwardens. A potent force, but now that you're going to enter the thick of things, you may want to decide where you'll want them. Around Karstah? With you? Perhaps bolstering the defensive screen?
Decisions. Decisions.
When the Statue is tested, where will Snorri be?
[ ] [You:] Alone. Cannot take if either Karstah or Retainers are with you. Stand a good distance away from the statue while it works. You'd well out into a sort of no man's land, where you'd purposefully be making yourself an equally juicy target for the Fimir to think about attacking instead of the statue and its work crew if they manage to get to your lines. You still can't bring the full capabilities of your cloak to bear, not like if you were properly out alone by yourself, but you can certainly bring out more than if you were near anyone.
[ ] [You:] At the front. You will be at the very forefront of the statue's defence. Close enough to reinforce others, but far enough ahead that you'll be in the thick of things. A compromise between both extremes.
[ ] [You:] By the statue. Whatever improvement your armour may confer to Ogra's statue, it will be the strongest standing right next to it, of that you have no doubt. You'll be surrounded by Runesmiths and other Dwarfs though, limiting the expression of your capabilities.
[ ] [Karstah:] With you. Karstah and Dreng will be nearby when combat eventually finds you.
[ ] [Karstah:] With the front. Karstah will be among the first to enter combat if the enemy breaks through the Ranger screen.
[ ] [Karstah:] With the statue. Task your heir with ensuring the statue's protection. Its survival is paramount after all. Never mind the reality that she'll be the most protected here as well of course.
[ ] [Retainers:] With you. Where their lord leads, they shall follow. Whether it be into the highest peak or the hottest depths. Just as they have sworn.
[ ] [Retainers:] With Karstah. She is your heir, the legacy you will leave behind should the worst come to pass. They will guard her, as they would you, with their lives.
[ ] [Retainers:] With the Statue. Ogra's creation presents a significant strategic asset with how quickly it can increase the speed of the campaign's push. Losing it would not be a mortal blow, but it would be a bad one.
[ ] [Retainers:] With the screen. Keeping abreast of the situation on the ground will be key in the coming conflict, and what better way to ensure that nothing gets through the defensive screen than by filling its gaps with deadly Dwarf elders and flying bird lions that can shred metal with their talons?
━<><><>< Khazalid Trivia ><><><>━
Kvinn - Lady
Nubungki - A Dwarf child deformed at birth, shunned by its Clan and exiled. A great shame to the Clan and the Hold.
Wazzok - One who has exchanged gold or a valuable for an item of no worth; a foolish, gullible Dwarf; an insult
━<><><>< Gain ><><><>━
- +2 Standing with the Cult of Valaya, new totals: Standing 10, Favours 200
-- Standing Bonus received! Standing 10, Kradskonti: Peace Bringer, the Axe of the Ancestor Queen.
--- Action unlocked! Examine Kradskonti: [Cost: 75 Favour with the Cult of Valaya] Gain ???. The Axe of Valaya, held in trust by her Cult until such a time that a worthy Dwarf shall take it up one day. Until then, you have the option of examining the mighty Runes used on it. You will get the Favour Cost of this action waived for the first one.
--- Can substitute Favour cost from any Dwarf Hold or Institution with Favour held with the Cult of Valaya.
--- Retainers now have access and training to safely administer advanced Valayan Medical procedures, and treatments. Things only trusted to senior priestesses whom the Cult can be sure won't cock it up. A sign of great trust indeed, ++ Medical Aid and Endurance, new totals: Medical Aid > Medical Expertise, Supreme Endurance
- A meeting with Ogra Wardmaker after the Campaign.
- Options Unlocked! Hearthguard Training.
━<><><><==><><><>━ There will be a two-hour moratorium for discussion.
AN: AN OATH WAS SWORN THAT I WOULD RELEASE BY THE WEEK'S END AND BY GRUNGNI I MANAGED IT.
You may have noticed that I have created a Discord and Patreon in my signature respectively. Why? Well besides the money, the circumstances of this thread and the background have changed things.
TLDR: My attempts to dissuade a Discord community have been bungled by my own actions and made the few people who ARE in it have a potential advantage and are already probably pretty cabal-like if you squint. So I decided to just make things as open as I could feasibly manage.
Fair warning, you're about to read like several hundred words of me trying to explain why I have started a Discord and Patreon.
As you may or may not know when I was asked about a Discord way back during the quest's early stages I had said that while I had no real issues with a Discord, I didn't want a cabal forming for Rhunrikki in the background. So I didn't have a Discord link publically available anywhere for that reason, and well also because I was using a different person's server to do stuff in and while I didn't think they'd have minded I still felt weird? Kinda like going to a party and bringing several dozen uninvited guests in my head. Weird I know. Anyway, flash forward a few years to now and here I am making a Discord and Patreon so what's changed?
Well, the Patreon is pretty obvious I think. I still have some reservations about it if I'm honest, but I figure at worst it becomes like 5 bucks I get a month that I can spend on ice cream or it can, in my wildest dreams, become a second source of income and man I'd like to commission more art without worrying about my tuition, bills and ice cream!
Now the Discord. Yeah, I fucked up here. Trying to be obtuse about it I think screwed me over because it meant only some people got in rather than everyone, which made an exclusive club sort of feeling. If I could do it again I should have probably never mentioned the Discord existing or been forthright with a link entirely rather than my half-and-half approach. So what, I had a small number of people in the Discord who saw the Duct Tape and popsicle sticks behind everything, no issue if I didn't spoil certain things right? Correct, but I did! A mix of overeagerness and I felt weird having a channel where I posted nothing at all, so over the course of these past few years I have posted a few odds and ends that on reflection could have easily led to cabal-like behaviour like posting voting sections to the Discord earlier than the thread. Not often mind you, but often enough that I don't like it. The people in the channel kept a tight leash on how they interacted with that knowledge, but In a few year's time I may have ended up forming the perfect breeding ground for a Cabal that was not only able to see updates and voting segments early, but you had to go through hoops to get access too. The funny thing is, talking to others and trying to think of fair Patreon rewards made me realize the extent of my error.
So now I've sort of opened the can of worms already, and I can't exactly seal it back up again without a fair amount of pain, I like hearing feedback and getting early impressions about parts I'm not sure about. So fuck it, I'm opening it wide and doing my best not to fragment my readers. At this point I had to decide if I wanted a Discord just for Rhunrikki, or for my writing in general. I decided on the latter because I do have a few ideas on the backburner.
The nitty-gritty of it. Thread:
Where I will post updates once fully complete, and finalized WoGs and announcements. Nothing changes on this end.
Discord:
You can talk about stuff in there too, and arguably some discussions will probably benefit more from Discord's format than a forum's. The link is open and permanent and any announcements or WoGs I post there will be posted here in a more formal and finalized form to maintain informational parity and keep people who'd prefer to be thread only from feeling like they're at an informational disadvantage.
Patreon:
In Discord, you get access to certain channels where you'll get to see some sections earlier. Stuff like the scene with Fjolla and Dolgi in the latest update, and some that may or may not have narrative significance like the Fimir one, but you will never see a vote before this thread does. And these scenes will ALL appear in the next update regardless.
- Tier 1: Neat title You get access to a channel where I post said snippets. - Tier 2: Neater TitleYou get access to the Mechanics channel as well, where you can see me tinker away on stuff as I prepare it for the final release.
- Tier 3: Even Neater Title. You also get to vote on a monthly poll for a snippet I'll fully develop. :^)
- Tier 4:Super Duperdy Neat Title. Prestige. Quite literally nothing but a fancy title.
So yeah. If you like wanna toss a dollar my way I'd greatly appreciate it, but I will do everything I can to try and ensure it will never be necessary to participate in this quest. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to air them, god knows Im flying by the seat of my fuckin pants. I think this post is acceptable by SV rules but I could be wrong, please let me know as well.
- +2 Standing with the Cult of Valaya, new totals: Standing 10, Favours 200
-- Standing Bonus received! Standing 10, Kradskonti: Peace Bringer, the Axe of the Ancestor Queen.
Keeping your face inscrutable, you roll up the sheet of metal and slide it back into its tube. Nodding at the messenger as he hands you back your, now empty, drinking horn and offers a quick word of appreciation be
"Silverfist has a Rune that may be what you're looking for, there's talk of him being willing to share it if you can prove yourself. Moves you out of the way from incoming blows,"
Beseechments to Bale-eyed Balor, and calls to the God of Mud and Dirt to protect them against rapprochement, at a terrible price paid by the hapless souls swirling about.
I suppose that in the theoretical sense it could happen, but in theory, I could stumble into a cave that held a massive Gromril vein tomorrow as well, however unlikely that is."
Brynna raises a brow at you.
"I stand by what I said," you grunt.
Just because it happened makes it no less unlikely.
Well, that was something. Being able to examine an ancestors axe is a hell of a thing. I'm thinking we go out front so we can cut loose, task karstah with guarding the statue so she and it will be safer, and have the retainers in the screen so they can shred anything trying to slip through. That bit about a broken bull makes me concerned that the fomor found some last fragment of hashut and we're gonna end up fighting an avatar of his.
That's what it read like to me. Which on the one hand, good; that's one less shard that could be used to resurrect him. But on the other hand, bad: we have to deal with a demon-bound shard of Hashut.
He's probably going to have to make a few will saves just to get past the whole 'I'm a fool to think that I could ever hope to distantly approach the skill of the Ancestors' thing etc etc. Remember how he reacted to looking at the throne?
@soulcake, an Armor rune for you to play with!
Rune of Girding: Stronger than the Rune of Stone, weaker than the (Armor) Rune of Grungni. Two copies prevents armor from degrading, three copies reinforces the more vulnerable areas and prevents oneshot kill.
That is a thing it can do, but it could also, for instance, have them aimed at two different points, like one pointed behind it, and one pointed out from the right in case of flanking. Or one front, one right, one left to cover a 270 degrees. Or have them covering different points at one direction so, for instance, one is straight on, one is swiveled to the right to cover that wing, and one to the left, and so on. So they aren't firing at the same thing, but they are firing at the same time, and their aim is controlled by the King piece so they can more easily cover ground. The movement thing would be like, no autonomous ballista drone swarms but with the right mechanics you could swivel them 360 degrees.
Actually, the inspiration was from the Master Rune of Snakeskin in the Armour section.
To be honest, I figured some of the earliest Structural Runes meant for Gates and Walls are inscribed on Stone, and that most of them seem to have something to do with Dawi values and their connection with Stone.
@soulcake
Rune suggestions:
Rune of Earthfall: when a bolt bearing this rune reaches the zenith of its flight it's point will be drawn to the earth with immense force, sending the bolt hurtling directly downward. As it falls an equal spike of stone will be drawn from the earth.
Master Rune of Windfall: unlike its base rune, at the apex of its flight the rune of windfall is drawn to the greatest concentration of the winds of magic available below it. As it falls it rips the winds towards it, disrupting any spells the target might be casting.
Master Rune of Grudgefall: unlike its base rune, at the apex of its flight the bolt will be pulled towards the target of the strongest grudge below it. This pulls on the target, and if the difference in mass is small enough it can pull some targets into the air to meet the bolt. Pairs extremely well with a grudge rune.
Rune of Skystrike (engineering): projectiles fired from a siege engine bearing this rune will, at the apex of their flight, have all of their horizontal momentum transformed directly into vertical momentum vectored towards the earth.
Rune of Repellant (Armor/Talismanic/Engineering Rune): Troll Vomit and other liquids/floating particulate are pushed away before contact. Also works against small insects (ie, flies, gnats, mosquitos). May or may not provide very minor deflection against enemy attacks and small rocks and such.
Exactly what it sounds like - originally designed as a mean of helping miners keep beards and gear clean in the many and varied filthy hazards of the tunnels, it also proved sufficiently strong to deflect Troll vomit during a freak incident where dawi miners accidentally broke through into a Troll's den. Further adaptation by rangers proved its effectiveness against small insects. Seems to rapidly lose effectiveness as the material to be deflected scales up in size.
Rune of Discordant Echoes (Structural): This rune works to randomly delay, soften, outright silence, or alter the pitch of any sounds when those sounds hit the walls/floors/ceilings. This makes it considerably harder to accurately estimate the distance and direction for the original source of any particular sound (as long as they are not within normal speaking range and directly audible without echoes), and beings reliant on echo-location have severe difficulties judging their surroundings.
Master Rune of Crimson Blood (Armour): A rarely spoken Armour Rune, applicable only to whole body plated armour, Allows a Dawi to consume blood, either an enemy's spilt upon them or -much more efficiently -their own from within, to temporarily empower their bodies at great cost.
As a personal project, I took up the task of creating variants for multiple-copy runes for banners, talismans, and engineering.
The fruits of the labor of the Stringent Pride Runelords working reasonably together (by, it must be kept in mind, Dwarf standards), each can act as a replacement for a single copy of a certain other Rune solving the somewhat self-imposed problem, expresses itself differently from the usual forms and therefore adds versatility to a Dwarf's arsenal, and the study required to produce them ended in new Master Runes, itself a very worthy thing.
--
And with that there probably won't be new runes from me for a while.
(By which I mean at least five days because I have a problem)
Jeez this is a lot, I need more time to get through this one I think. I do appreciate your contributions, but I think this is reinforcing the fact that I need a dedicated second who can just sort through these and put them into the spreadsheet for me. A good problem to have though! Thanks again.
[Banner] Rune of Grit: Less potent version of the (armor version) Rune of Preservation, but still prevents Oneshot kill. Two copies increases allies' vitality (hp/Wounds), and three copies fortifies everyone's willpower and stubborness.
[Banner] Rune of Enduring: More potent version of the (armor version) Rune of Preservation that also prevents Oneshot kill. Two copies increases formation's resistance to disease and poison, both mundane and magical. Three copies increases their fortitude/toughness while further improving their poison/disease resistance.
[Talisman] Master Rune of Stabilizing: Greatly enhances wearer's magic resistance, and grants them an anti-magic aura in the vein of the Winds Denied trait (except weaker and without the "actively dispelling" part).
[Structural] Master Rune of Grounding Stone: Room/Wall/Structure inscribed with this Master Rune weakens enemy casting.
[Armor] Rune of Cinderspite: Stronger version of the Rune of Embers. Two copies adds an explosive quality that leaves wearer and allies unaffected; three copies has a chance to weaken and break the enemy's weapon and/or armor.
[Weapon] Rune of Hammering: Hammer version of the Rune of Cleaving that allows user to smash through the strongest stone. Two copies adds momentum to the user's swing. Three copies makes weapon act as if blows have greater mass.
[Weapon] Master Rune of Bludgeoning: The weapon strikes as though it has far greater strength, momentum, and mass. Can only be inscribed on hammers and other blunt tools.
So, been binge reading this over past week, wonderful work
Also, rune idea inspired by D&D 5e version of bane
Rune of bane (Weapon rune)
When an enemy is struck with a weapon bearing this rune they become off kiltered and disoriented for short period time, alongside difficulty concentrating
Master Rune of Bane (Weapon Rune)
A weapon bearing this rune causes the teaget to be greatly disoriented, making them very sluggish, and lose there grace, being very difficult to concentrate
In summary: A rune designed to give you openings while making your opponents life hell
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