The use of Rune magic normally requires the caster to inscribe a symbol on a surface, whereupon the act of drawing channels the magic through the caster’s implement and binds it to the rune.

The magic from the rune permeates the object on which it is drawn, sometimes conferring magical properties on it or creating distortions in the area around it. Most Rune spells involve the act of writing or divining the meaning from writing.

Students of Rune magic often carry quills and pots of ink, so they can always inscribe a rune when needed. Often, their quills serve as their implements, enabling them to properly channel their power into the spells they cast. Other casters, especially those favoring combat-oriented runes, might use their weapons or even their armor as their implements. Some masters of rune magic discover faint writing appearing just under their skin. The writing is in a familiar script, but the meaning is never clear and resists translation.

Lasting Rune

Rune Utility Level 0

Target One creature or object you can reach that is under the effects of a Rune spell with a duration of 1 minute or longer


You touch the target. If the spell’s normal duration is less than 1 hour but at least 1 minute, it becomes 1 hour. If the spell’s duration is 1 hour or longer, you double the duration.

Sacrifice When you make an attack roll with a weapon, you can use a triggered action to expend a casting of this spell. If the attack roll results in a success, the attack deals 1d3 extra damage.

Rune of Finding

Rune Utility Level 0

Target One creature or object you can reach

Duration 1 hour


You touch the target and leave behind a sigil that remains for the duration. You always know the exact location of the creature or object bearing the sigil.

Rune of Invisibility

Rune Utility Level 0

Target One object you can reach

Duration 1 minute


You inscribe a rune on the target. Until the spell ends, the target is invisible to all creatures other than you.

Rune of Prohibition

Rune Utility Level 0

Area A cube of space, 2 yards on a side, originating from a point you can reach

Duration 1 minute


A gleaming rune appears inside the area and remains for the duration. Until the spell ends, whenever a living creature would enter the area, the creature must make a Will challenge roll with 1 bane. A creature becomes immune to this casting of the spell on a success, and on a failure becomes unable to enter the area by any means until the spell ends.

Translate Anything

Rune Utility Level 0

Duration 1 minute


For the duration, you can read any writing you see.

Brand of Doom

Rune Attack Level 1

Target One creature within short range


Make an Intellect attack roll against the target’s Agility. On a success, you bind a rune to the target for 1 minute. Once per round for the duration, when the target takes damage, it takes 1d6 extra damage from the rune.

Glyph of Fire

Rune Attack Level 1

Target A point in space within short range

Duration 1 minute


A fiery glyph appears on the target for the duration. When you cast the spell, and at the end of each round for the duration, the glyph looses flames that spread out through a 2-yard-radius sphere centered on a point in the target’s space, dealing 1d6 + 2 damage to everything in the area. Each creature in the area must make an Agility challenge roll with 1 bane, taking no damage on a success.

Rune of Force

Rune Utility Level 1

Target One weapon you can reach

Duration 1 minute


You inscribe a gleaming rune on the target weapon. For the duration, whenever a creature gets a success on an attack roll using the weapon, the target of the attack is moved 1d3 yards away from the creature. In addition, if the attack roll is 20 or higher and beats the target number by at least 5, the target of the attack falls prone.

Rune of Impact

Rune Utility Level 1

Target One weapon you can reach

Duration 1 minute


You inscribe a gleaming rune on the target that remains for the duration. Whenever a creature attacks with the target weapon and the total of the attack roll is 20 or higher and exceeds the target number by at least 5, the attack deals 1d6 extra damage.

Rune of Penetration

Rune Utility Level 1

Target One weapon you can reach

Duration 1 minute


You inscribe a gleaming rune on the target that remains for the duration. The rune grants 2 boons on attack rolls made using the target weapon against creatures wearing armor.

Rune of Suffering

Rune Utility Level 1

Target One creature you can reach


Make an Intellect attack roll against the target’s Agility. On a success, you touch the target and leave behind a gleaming rune that causes the target to become impaired for 1 minute. A target impaired in this way must make a Will challenge roll whenever it takes damage, falling prone on a failure.

Runic Shield

Rune Utility Level 1

Target One shield you can reach

Duration 1 minute


You inscribe a rune on the target that remains for the duration. Creatures making attacks with weapons against the target’s bearer make the attack rolls with 1 bane.

Scrimshaw of Battle

Rune Utility Level 1

Target A bit of bone, ivory, or horn worth 1 cp that you can reach

Duration 1 minute


You touch the target and cause a battle scene to appear on its surface. For the duration, you and each member of your group within short range of the target make attack rolls with 1 boon. In addition, any creature affected by this spell deals 1 extra damage on all attacks. When the spell ends, the target disappears.

Detonating Rune

Rune Utility Level 2

Target One creature you can reach


Make an Intellect attack roll against the target’s Agility. On a success, you touch the target somewhere on the its body and leave behind a gently pulsing red sigil that remains for 1 minute or until it detonates.

At the end of each round, roll a d6. On an even number, the rune detonates, exploding into a 5-yard radius sphere centered on a point in the target’s space. Everything in the area takes 3d6 damage, plus 1d6 damage for each round the rune did not detonate. A creature in the area, other than the target, can make an Agility challenge roll and takes half the damage on a success.

Glyphic Prison

Rune Attack Level 2

Target One creature you can see within medium range

Duration 1 minute


A ring of blazing glyphs surrounds the target and remains in place for the duration. If the target leaves that space and passes through the runes, it must make a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane. It takes 6d6 damage on a failure, or half the damage on a success.

Rune of Concealment

Rune Utility Level 2

Target One creature you can reach

Duration 1 hour


You touch the target, and a rune appears on it. For the duration, the target cannot be perceived by magic, and if it is in an obscured area at the end of the round, it automatically becomes hidden until it uses an action or moves.

Rune of Ice

Rune Utility Level 2

Target One weapon you can reach

Duration 1 hour


You touch the target. If you concentrate on the target for 1 minute, during which time you trace the rune of ice on it, the rune appears in a fl ash of white light and remains for the duration. Until the rune disappears, the air around the target becomes freezing cold, and attacks with the target weapon deal 1d6 extra damage. As well, when a creature attacks with the target weapon and the total of the roll is 20 or higher and exceeds the target number by 5 or more, the target of the attack must get a success on a Strength challenge roll or become immobilized for 1 minute.

Sickening Rune

Rune Utility Level 2

Target One weapon you can reach; it can be worn or carried by a creature other than you

Duration 1 minute


You inscribe a glowing rune on the weapon, which causes it to become poisonous for the duration. A creature that takes damage from an attack made using the weapon must get a success on a Strength challenge roll or take 2d6 damage from the poison and become poisoned for 1 minute. When poisoned in this way, the creature is impaired. If the creature is already poisoned, it takes 2d6 extra damage.

Rune of Calling

Rune Utility Level 3

Target One object you can reach

Duration 24 hours


You touch the target, and a squirming rune appears at the spot you touched, remaining for the duration. You can use an action, or a triggered action on your turn, to cause the target to teleport from its present location to your hand (or at your feet if your hands are full) at any time before the spell ends. The target teleports to you regardless of the distance between you and it.

Sacrifice You can use an action and expend a casting of this spell to teleport yourself to an open space within 1 yard of a target affected by this spell.

Permanence You must cast this spell each day on the same target for 100 days.

Rune of Might

Rune Utility Level 3

Target One creature you can reach

Duration 1 minute


A gleaming rune appears on the target where you touch it. For the duration, the target makes Strength attack rolls and challenge rolls with 2 boons, and its attacks with melee weapons deal 2d6 extra damage.

Sigil Trap

Rune Utility Level 3

Target A circle with a 4-yard radius centered on a point on the ground within medium range

Duration 1 minute


A rune appears at the origin point and remains for the duration. When a creature moves into the area from outside it, and at the end of each round for the duration, crackling lightning spreads out from the rune, dealing 2d6 damage to everything in the area. Each creature in the area must make an Agility challenge roll. It becomes immobilized for 1 round on a failure, or just takes half the damage on a success.

Wall of Runes

Rune Utility Level 3

Area A line, 20 yards long, 5 yards high, and 2 yards wide originating from a point within long range

Duration 1 hour


A barrier of gleaming runes fills the area and remains for the duration. The wall partially covers everything behind it. When the wall appears, everything in the area must get a success on a Strength challenge roll or become immobilized until the spell ends. A creature immobilized in this way can use an action to make a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane and removes the affliction on a success.

Creatures can move through the wall’s area, but they treat it as difficult terrain. As well, when a creature moves into the area from outside it, it must get a success or become immobilized as above.

Pulsing Glyph

Rune Utility Level 4

Target A point you can see within short range

Duration 1 minute


A shimmering glyph appears at the target and remains for the duration. When the glyph appears and again at the end of each round until the spell ends, the glyph releases a pulse of energy that spreads out from it in a 5-yard radius. Each creature in the area must make a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane. A creature takes 3d6 damage, moves 1d3 + 1 yards away from the glyph, and falls prone on a failure, or just takes half the damage on a success.

Rune of Thunder

Rune Utility Level 4

Target One weapon you can reach; it can be worn or carried by a creature other than you

Duration 1 hour


A twisting, glowing rune that makes a rumbling noise appears on the weapon and remains for the duration. When a creature gets a success on an attack roll made using the weapon, thunder booms from it. Each creature within 1 yard of the weapon other than the weapon’s wielder must get a success on a Strength challenge roll or take 2d6 + 3 damage from the thunder and become deafened for 1 minute.

Rune of Vitality

Rune Utility Level 4

Target One weapon you can reach; it can be worn or carried by a creature other than you

Duration 1 hour


A twisting, glowing rune that makes a rumbling noise appears on the weapon and remains for the duration. When a creature gets a success on an attack roll made using the weapon, thunder booms from it. Each creature within 1 yard of the weapon other than the weapon’s wielder must get a success on a Strength challenge roll or take 2d6 + 3 damage from the thunder and become deafened for 1 minute.

Runic Weapon

Rune Utility Level 4

Target One weapon you can reach

Duration 1 minute


You inscribe a gleaming rune on the target weapon. For the duration, attacks using that weapon deal 3d6 extra damage.

Rune of Power

Rune Utility Level 5

Target One creature you can reach

Duration 1 hour


A gleaming rune appears on the target where you touch it. For the duration, the target makes attack rolls and challenge rolls with 2 boons, gains a +20 bonus to Health, and deals 1d6 extra damage on any attack that deals damage.

Rune of Speed

Rune Utility Level 5

Target One willing creature you can reach

Duration 1 hour


You touch the target and leave behind a glowing rune that lasts for the duration, causing the target to move with astonishing speed. The rune confers all the following benefits:

  • The target gains a +4 bonus to Speed.
  • It makes attack rolls with 1 boon.
  • It makes Agility challenge rolls to resist attacks with 2 boons.
  • If the target takes a fast turn, it can use an action and move up to its Speed. If the target takes a slow turn, it can use an action and move up to twice its Speed.

When the spell ends, the target can immediately move up to its Speed and use an action.

Rune of the Giant

Rune Utility Level 5

Target One willing creature of Size 3 or smaller that you can reach

Duration 1 hour


You touch the target and leave behind a gleaming rune that remains for the duration. When the rune appears, it causes the target to grow larger, gaining a +2 bonus to Size (maximum of Size 4). The rune also affects anything the target wears or carries, causing such items to grow to an appropriate size. While the target has this bonus to its Size, it also has a +2 bonus to Speed and a +20 bonus to Health.

Runic Armor

Rune Utility Level 5

Target One suit of armor worn by a creature you can reach

Duration 1 minute


You inscribe a gleaming rune on the target armor that remains for the duration. While the armor bears the rune, attack rolls against the creature wearing the armor are made with 2 banes.