Ooh, combining Ancestral Aegis and Hearthward with Mountainsouled... That's a fascinating idea. Now I want to study the Runes of Valaya, in order to see if my hunch that it'll get us MValaya on a Talisman is correct, so that we can make a Hearthward variant that uses MValaya.
The idea of the mountain, the ancestors that defend it, and the
home that lies within it... Yeah, that's powerful. That speaks to me. Especially because this means we'd have an MGrungni item (Ancestral Aegis) and an MValaya item (Hearthward-ish). Now we just need a good MGrimnir item, ideally a good weapon, and we'd be golden... ((Curse you BelligerentGnu for that MCurrents Smednir Grimnir idea which is so so tempting and juicy. Especially as it satisfies my desire to make a good MCurrents weapon -- though I still want a Cold-elemental MCurrents weapon, to get a counterpart to Meteorfall! -- but does not involve being a weapon that holds MGrimnir. ><))
Although, you know, thinking about it... Had an amusing thought. You know what could potentially achieve a really neat "volcano" aesthetic?
Pyrestrike.
I mean. It's right there in what it does. It forms a shield of fire and hot air and it detonates it. And now we have the
Master Rune of Grimnir to make it with. Mountain plus Pyrestrike does sort of feel like a volcano, right? (Of course... Now I'm wondering about the possibility of MGrungni and Frost, in order to make a Hailmantle centered around Grungni. I want to see if it's possible to get elemental-themed stuff with Ancestor God runes like that.)
I'm not actually advocating for making that be our cloak, actually. Just, thinking out loud sorta. i.e. I remembered that Pyrestrike was a thing, snorted in amusement, and thought "Oh hey that'd be amusing."
Although, if that ends up making a real good MGrimnir cloak -- spreading Grimnir's martial skill to people? Well, I guess that's neat.
...
(Hopefully MGrimnir and MValaya work with Pyrestrike and Hearthward even if they're Master Runes rather than normal runes.)
For the other two runes to go with compressed Hearthward... For one of them, think we finally have a proper use for the Rune of Brotherhood. What else would fit for representing the bonds you hold dear and protect? That make up your home? The last rune... I need help with. Something that would help make it a combo about Home, that would reach through the connection to those that connect to you through the Rune of Brotherhood.
We could also do a dwarf solidarity talisman with Brotherhood, Stone (representing dwarfs) and Warding for Dwarves united in protecting each other.
The Rune of Brotherhood, huh. That was the rune that some people tried to cheese into being a training montage rune. I argued that what it was was more of a "fellowship" rune; a rune that welcomes somebody into a close-knit group. It's the Rune of a warrior lodge of battle-brothers. A group of rangers taking on an apprentice to pass on their arts. A band of brothers adventuring in the wilds or the deep. It's about the connection between a group of people. Not a hack to get increased learning speed.
And so with that said...
Y'know, here's an idea: Grimnir, Grungni... and Brotherhood.
Because, y'know, Grimnir and Grungni basically are. And so...
Make it MGrimnr and on a Banner, and I picture that you get something like "
He who stands with me in the battleline is my brother." It spreads the prowess of Grimnir to those in the battleline. And Brotherhood (hopefully?) channels the connection between Grimnir and Grungni. And the end result, is that everyone holding the line, feels like they're brothers in arms and so fight all the harder.
Well... okay to be frank? Your arguments are what are bringing up the T5s. I personally don't think Snorri needs a T5 since T4s are equivalent to stuff like the Axe of Dargo, the weapon used by Slayer Kings in canon to absolutely murderize their enemies. If we're going to be making a T5 weapon I want to be making it for the purposes of giving to a king of Kraka Drakk or the High King, some being that will make copious use of it since they go out into battle every turn or lead a Throng or are an adventurer.
Yeah you know now that you pointed it out that way... I don't want a T5 weapon. And I do think it would be more appropriate and feel more right in the hands of another, like a king or warrior.
Something I didn't get to voice when the discussion about T5s came up a day or so ago, was this. My suspicion that T5s are things that are not just a product of
craftsmanship... They are things of
destiny. That, that
importance of an item, is what determines if it is T5. Ghal Maraz is T5 not just because it was made with high craftsmanship, but because it is the weapon that spawned an Empire and determined the course of history for millennia, and because it is the single most important cultural object of a culture. It's the weapon of the hero-god. The Books of Nagash would be T5 because they are world-shaking things, made by the inventor and greatest master of necromancy, and to hold them is to hold the fate of your area in your hands. The armor of Aenarion and Tyrion's sword Sunfang... those might be T5s; because it was borne by the hero-god of the High Elves, and is now borne by his descendant, who is the Defender of Ulthuan, who strikes down evil that threatens the Asur. (They might just be T4s, of course. That, too, would be not unappropriate. Runefangs are T4s after all.)
So, T5s aren't just things that come about with a high enough craftsmanship skill. I think, T5s are things that... are going to, or already are as soon as they are made, affect and influence a people.
And, okay, sure, you could point out that you
could achieve that with just a really high craftsmanship skill check. By making a weapon or shield that is really really good, and so
anybody wielding it IS going to end up changing the world. But, it won't be until it comes to, in some way, fulfill that potential and fate... that we can really call it a T5. And I feel... like that's almost a chicken-or-egg thing.
What I'm saying is... High Tier 5s might not just be something that is "really really good and effective and of the highest craftsmanship." I think a T5 thing is a thing of destiny. Or of
personal significance. Something that
is tied to your story; something that
is your story. And that's not something you can just grant it with a high craftsmanship skill check. But, actually, do not despair about that; that just means that you can have a
really really damn good T4. Do you understand what I am saying? I am saying that some T4s could be
as good in its stats and in the hands of its wielders, as a T5 would be. Because T5 requires something... ephemeral, destined, personal expression story, culture-setting or shifting or cultural artifact. And, you don't
need that grand power of ineffable stuff, in order to have a really good weapon. So, don't feel disappointed if you "only" get T4s or borderline T5s or whatever. Because T4s might be all you need. (Though, like, it's not like T3s would be bad for a Runelord. It's just, T4 is where I feel we reach the "Okay. I am basically never going to need to replace this, ever." state. Where we could feel that things are "sufficient" and "finished.") They might provide all the equivalent power and quality that you
need for your purpose and your work. You are not missing out on anything except "narrative significance and weight." (And, sure, you might say that you'd
like to have all the narrative significance. But meh. You don't need to be the single most important person in the world. Or even in the local area. You can just... do your best.)
So. Why did Barak Azamar come out as a T5? Because it was made by
the Runelord of the North. The Dwarf who had shaped and forged and changed the North, influenced its destiny, and hoped to continue to defend and serve it forevermore. Because it was made to channel the theme of "This far and no further." Drawing upon experiences and history. Because it also used runes and a combination that
fit that idea. Because it used a potent ingredient of a personal foe... one in which we put our determination to work to try and stop him no matter that our bones were breaking (thus, putting into practice our oath and intent of "defending the north" and "not letting the enemy encroach or threaten the people we defend.")
And
all of that, plus supernal material of Adamant and lots of sweat and effort, combined to get a T5. It happened because it was an artifact made to protect eternally, to provide eternal stamina and fortitude, and being made by somebody who intended to stand and defend his people eternally, and who was a figure of great influence and fame in the north.
So. Thinking of things through that lens... Do we
want Snorri bearing a T5 weapon? Probably not really. We don't want Snorri to be carrying the weapon that decides the fate of the north entire and forever -- that's King Otrek's place. It would be too much. If Snorri were destined to wield both an armor that affected the fate of peoples
and an axe too. That's too greedy in... in
importance. In wanting all the narrative weight to yourself. (And also just in pressure -- if you bear armaments equal to Grimnir or Aenarion, you damn well better be running around and putting that to as much use as Tyrion the Defender or Sigmar.) But, Snorri is
very appropriate to bear Barak Azamar. Because of the values he holds and determinations/decisions he came to, and the ideals and narratives he represents and holds.
