[Runsaga] Magic runes

In the world of Runsaga, there's a form of metaphysical energy called Wyrd, that permeates all beings. It's a representation of willpower, of a drive to accomplish things.

One of the ways this energy can be used to alter reality is through runes. Believed to be the written language of the Goddesses, runes were discovered by Humans a couple of centuries ago. Today, they are used to create magical power armor suits and other weapons to aid in the ongoing war against the Demons.

Runes can be carved or inscribed on any solid material, and act as conduits for ambient Wyrd to flow through and work its magic.

Runes tattooed on skin, or inscribed on leather, cloth or other organic materials, are extremely weak. It's debatable if they even work at all. Some people tattoo runes on themselves thinking it will give them some kind of edge, in battle or life in general, but is it just some sort of placebo effect? Nobody really knows.

Runes carved on wood have an undeniable effect, although it's barely noticeable. It works a bit better on a living tree than on dead wood, which is why many forests in Aldaheim (the unified kingdom of Humans) have trees with protection charms etched into their bark, to stave off Demons and other dangerous creatures.

Ice is technically a bit better suited for carving runes, but the heat generated by their activation causes it to melt. As such, ice can be used in a pinch, but is unadvisable for longer enchantments.

Stone is by far the most durable material to carve runes into, as it's largely unaffected by the heat they radiate. Standing stones covered in charms dot the landscape of Aldaheim, and they're also carved into city walls.

Finally, there's metal. Iron and steel are the best candidates, and runes chiseled into them are the most potent. The problem is that metal is very conductive to heat, so any runic items made of metal can quickly become dangerous to their wielders.

Now, runecarving isn't an exact science by any means, and there are additional rules in place for how they work; for instance, the larger the rune, the more powerful it is. But also, the more powerful a rune is, the more Wyrd it "drains" from its surroundings, leaving less for other runes in the vicinity to work with.