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Over time it is possible, if very rare for most materials, for raw materials (stone, wood, etc) to gain magical properties. It is technically possible for objects/buildings to gain magical properties as well, but few structures have remained in the same place long enough for any such transformations to have occurred.
By crafting such altered materials magic items can be created. Although such items tend to gain powers loosely related to the crafter’s intent (a sword gaining a combat ability, etc), and most magical materials lean towards some sort of effect (like the bones of a dragon that was heavily tied to the fire art will likely have a fire-art power) the exact powers of the finished item is otherwise random. PC crafting results, should raw magical materials be found, are generally Staff designed but suggestions that fit whatever material has been acquired are welcome.
Some plants have a high tendency to become infused with magical properties, such as ashwood and mist lilies. The body parts of powerful magical creatures, such as the bones of dragons or the chitin of from magical crabs/insects sometimes remain magical after death.
All crafted magic items repair themselves over time unless being destroyed is a part of using their power. Even then some self-destructing items self-repair. There is no universal method for permanently destroying magic items, although using crafting techniques to unmake the object or add a self-destructive magical power … usually… works.
The body parts of still-living creatures cannot be used in this way for reasons not entirely understood. Sorry, creatures with regeneration / healing magic.
Rune Magic
Materials with enough inherent magic to be turned into a magical object are rare, but mildly magical materials are not. Over the centuries craftsmen have developed numerous techniques for creating magical paints and other mixes. Applying these paints directly made it possible to temporarily imbue a weapon with additional magical properties. Over time a more complex technique was developed:
1) Mix the materials into a paint along with a small amount of the owner’s blood.
2) Inscribe runes into the object with tools wet with the paint.
3) Use a variety of minor magical rituals/chants/etc to prevent the item from repairing away the physical alteration before the change is permanent.
This technique imbues an object with an additional power that will last as long as it is in its owner’s possession and for a few days/weeks/years afterword (depending on how long it was in their possession). Techniques for cheaply transferring ownership do exist.
Unlike the more unique high-magic materials, rune magic paints rely on more commonly found materials and thus techniques creating specific effects exist. These known enchantments are listed below in the “Magic Rune” section. The relevant crafting skills are described in the Specialist Skills section.
It is also possible to, via more complex runic circles, create various long-standing magical effects at a location. These later runes are called “Fortress Runes”, and are also described below.
How many extra enchantments an item can withstand is based on its material modifier:
Material Modifers
The tougher the material, the more rune magic enchantments it can bear. The number of enchantments is known as the object’s “modifier”.
Examples:
Materials tougher than steel exist, but are not commonly available.
Innate magical effects from the material itself have no such restriction - any of the item’s original powers do not count towards the item’s limit, only enchantments added via runes or similar effects are restricted in this way.
Magic Runes
The following magic runes are well-known and available from various npc craftsmen throughout the region (just pay the gold cost, RP it if you want to). Other runes exist, but are not commonly available. Individuals with the necessary crafting skills can craft any of the below runes themselves for 80% the listed price.
75g - Simple Runes: Runes that use mixtures of auraoil-based paints along with a variety of common dusts, soils, oils, etc. Dream - The wielder can perform small alterations to the object’s appearance/style (changing color, slightly altering its shape, appearing to be made of different material, becoming dull or sharp, etc) with a thought. Such transformations revert if the object leaves the wielder’s possession. Enveloping - Traditionally sewn into bags or garments with coated silver threads, enveloping runes use a combination of umbral and vital magics to expand the space available within an item. Most often used on bags to provide far greater storage with minimal weight increase, enveloping runes can also be employed to make small abodes more spacious on the inside. The space must be closable. Larger spaces require additional runes.
150g – Basic Art Runes: Among the most common runes, and the easiest to make if not the cheapest. Utilize auraoil-based paints, gold dust, and various common materials. Umbral - The object can glow/darken at will, anything from bright light to looking like a hole in reality is possible. The object can temporarily reduce its weight and size as well, becoming as much as 90% lighter and/or smaller (effect lasts as long as desired). Fire - Any part of the object can erupt with flames at will. Furthermore, the object becomes fireproof and heat resistant. Finally, the wielder can control how the item conducts heat (so part of a metal weapon can be on fire without heating up your grip, for example). Water - Any part of the object can become flexible, rigid, rubbery and/or spring-like at will. The object can also become more or less porous at will, anything from water proof to sponge-like is possible. Earth - The item becomes much tougher, effectively increasing its modifier by 2. This rune counts as 3 runes for determining how many the item can bear. Furthermore, the item can temporarily increase the weight any part of it by as much as 100% (effect lasts as long as desired). Storm - The item can generate a mild electric shock at will. Furthermore, the wielder may control the flow of electricity through the object and temporarily alter the item's magnetic properties, repelling or attracting metals with average strength. Body - The item can partially fuse with its wielder for as long as desired (such as a gauntlet becoming a sort of armored skin). The wielder may also extend their sense of touch through any such objects. Vital - The wielder can, while in contact with the object, treat it as a part of their own body for the purposes of using casting spells and using abilities. Furthermore, the wielder intuitively understands how to wield/utilize the item as though it were second nature to them. Primal - The item is highly resistant to magical effects that do not originate from its wielder. Furthermore, the wielder can will any part of the object to sheath itself in a millimeter thick barrier of force whose toughness is one less than the object itself. This barrier can be anything from completely dull to paper-sharp, and is non-reactive (isn't effected by acid, fire, etc).
200g – Advanced Runes : Runes that utilize a variety of rarer dusts, soils, and oils. A single person can only support 6 advanced runes between all objects they possess. Homebound - The wielder can will the object to fly directly to their grasp from up to 120’ away with titanic (or less, when desired) force. Alternately, the wielder can reject the object to propel it with mighty (or less) strength up to 120’ away from themselves. Loyal - Intense pain wracks the body of anyone that grips the object, except for the owner and those willingly given the object by owner. Furthermore, the owner can will the item to use its abilities even when they aren’t wielding it so long as they know where the item is. Life Bind - The wielder can instantly repair the object once per encounter, tiring themselves in the process. Alternately, they may will the object to shatter to heal themselves as though by the Heal spell (the object repairs itself after the encounter as normal).
350g – Master Runes : Runes that effect all other runes placed on an item. Utilize very rare dusts and oils. An object can only have two master runes, and with the exception of haunted each person can only support 3 master runes between all objects they possess. Prism - Alters the effect of all other current and future runes to align with a specific art (staff must approve alterations). The object also gains an additional power based on the chosen art and the other enchantments on it. Art combinations or even “random” is possible. Echo - Alters the effect of all other current and future runes to align with any initial powers the item possessed. The object also gains an additional power based on its innate power, or in some cases the initial power merely becomes more potent. Haunted - The object becomes an empty vessel, that can be filled by the spirit of the first sapient creature that dies while in contact with it, altering all rune enchantments on the item to fit the inhabitant. The item gains the ability to telepathically communicate with whoever currently possesses it and powers particular to the spirit itself. Enchantments on a haunted weapon can persist for centuries without a proper owner (if the spirit does not wish to finally pass on), and the spirit can choose to bind all of the enchantments to a new wielder after its former possessor dies. The spirit can use any of the object’s powers but generally cannot overrule the object owner’s will. Bound spirits are generally RP’d by the player, but if a pc binds a spirit that hates their guts we expect you to RP that properly. Also, most craftsmen notify local officials when they etch this rune, just in case any murders happen shortly afterward. Or refuse to etch it at all, suspicious PC X! Beast Weapon - Like haunted, except only non-sapient animal spirits can be bound. Animals tend to be easier to manage. Usually. Beast Weapon runes are also a lot less likely to make people wonder what you’re up to!
Removing Runes
It is possible to remove runes - except Haunted – from an object. This process costs 75g. Removing a Fortress Rune instead costs several hundred gold, with the exact amount varying wildly.
Fortress Runes
Fortress Runes are inscribed on floors, walls, etc and are used to create area effects. Such runes range from a few feet to room-size and may or may not have effects that extend beyond themselves. Most Fortress Runes are prohibitively expensive to create, used only by large organizations, governments, and immensely wealthy individuals. Fortress runes cease to function if significantly moved from their former geographical location (so not useful for ships).
Cost Varies - Summoning Rune - Each summoning rune is tied to a specific summoning spell. Anyone with magical ability to maintain summons may use one of their slots to power the rune, the resulting summon must remain within 20' of the rune. Rune itself is 1' in radius and costs either 750 (level 6 or below) or 2000 (level 7 or above) gold.
20,000g - Spell Suppression Rune - Lowers the maximum spell level those in its area are capable of casting by 5 (So most PCs are restricted to either 2nd or 5th level magic, based on potential to know not highest level spell actually known). Some suppression Runes only effect specific arts, but such runes are even more expensive than simply suppressing everything. There are no records of stronger suppression runes, although weaker ones (-1, -2, etc) exist. Area of effect is ~1000 feet, rune itself is about 10' wide.
Cost Varies - Storage Rune - Allows a single spell to be cast into the rune that is then released at a later point when some condition (specific to the rune) is met. Price depends on maximum spell level that can be stored, how long a spell can be stored, and how complex the trigger is. The cheapest Storage runes are 200g (Level 1, an hour, physical contact), the most expensive 15,000 (Any level, Centuries, Complex Trigger).
