Keeping a Rune Weapon

[Zer0 Kay]

The kingdoms I run tend to treat rune weapons as backpack nukes, eg if you have one and want to get into credia and the authorities know you have it, unless you are on really good terms with the rulers they will either hold it for you, charge you an exorbitant licensing fee, tax it at %1 of its value or not let you in at all (first option somewhat common, last option most common). If you are caught with an unlicensed rune weapon and cause trouble they will hang you and keep the weapon.

How do they find it, the gate guards of bigger towns have magic detection capabilities.

Wow, sure lenient on pocket nukes.

Pocket nuke= confiscation by a strike force
Charges of terrorism and multiple counts of attempted murder
Charge for owning an illegal weapon

I try to keep my games a bit fun too, getting executed for having a rune weapon tends to get players overly excited, and rune weapons are an awesome reason for being able to keep prodding the players with things.

I'm not saying it shouldn't be fun, I'm saying it should be equated to varying a pocket nuke. Slight penalty/fees/confiscation is treating it like an illegal weapon NOT associated with terrorism and also NOT a WMD. So if all rune weapons are treated like that then the realm high level mages should be treated worse, as WMDs.

[Zer0 Kay]

If that works for you, cool! Though...I deplore the spread of magic, honestly. Giving gate guards magical detection abilities from items just grates on me. While having a wizard as a gate guard seems unsightly.

I dunno, I'm odd.

If you deplore magic shouldn't you be playing some historical RPG instead of a high fantasy RPG?

[kiralon]

If that works for you, cool! Though...I deplore the spread of magic, honestly. Giving gate guards magical detection abilities from items just grates on me. While having a wizard as a gate guard seems unsightly.

I dunno, I'm odd.

With what magic can do, registering magic users and powerful magic items as they enter a big city is basically a necessity as magic would be used with all sorts of nefarious deeds and if the keepers of the peace have no ability to detect it they really can't do anything about it.

don't get me started on psionics and the things you have to do to keep that sort of thing in check.

[Alrik Vas]

If you deplore magic shouldn't you be playing some historical RPG instead of a high fantasy RPG?

Ah, but I said I deplore the spread of magic, not magic itself. Anything that makes magic more understood and less...well...magical, I really don't like in RPGs. I've had too many experiences where players have their characters say, "I'll go to the magic shop and buy a wand of spell X", and I'm like..."Does your character even know what he's talking about? Do you have the lore magic skill?"

And they go into a whole long dissertation about how magic is so common and everyone knows and blah blah and I think...this isn't fantasy, it's science fiction with swords.

With what magic can do, registering magic users and powerful magic items as they enter a big city is basically a necessity as magic would be used with all sorts of nefarious deeds and if the keepers of the peace have no ability to detect it they really can't do anything about it.

I think this is sort of the point of why people in fantasy worlds are incredibly mistrustful of wizards and they're so heavily vilified...it's because no one knows what they're capable of and no one knows how to stop them. It's also why monarchs will sell their wives and daughters into slavery for a competent court wizard, because the benefit is rare and incredibly powerful.

don't get me started on psionics and the things you have to do to keep that sort of thing in check.

Yeah, psionics and magic both aren't really meant to be kept in check by the GM facilitating things for the world. There's a reason various inquisitions are created, and why no one trusts them either, because they get too close to the oogalie boogalie.

So now you know my opinion in a little more depth. Hopefully we can all move along.

[Zer0 Kay]

If you deplore magic shouldn't you be playing some historical RPG instead of a high fantasy RPG?

Ah, but I said I deplore the spread of magic, not magic itself. Anything that makes magic more understood and less...well...magical, I really don't like in RPGs. I've had too many experiences where players have their characters say, "I'll go to the magic shop and buy a wand of spell X", and I'm like..."Does your character even know what he's talking about? Do you have the lore magic skill?"

And they go into a whole long dissertation about how magic is so common and everyone knows and blah blah and I think...this isn't fantasy, it's science fiction with swords.

With what magic can do, registering magic users and powerful magic items as they enter a big city is basically a necessity as magic would be used with all sorts of nefarious deeds and if the keepers of the peace have no ability to detect it they really can't do anything about it.

I think this is sort of the point of why people in fantasy worlds are incredibly mistrustful of wizards and they're so heavily vilified...it's because no one knows what they're capable of and no one knows how to stop them. It's also why monarchs will sell their wives and daughters into slavery for a competent court wizard, because the benefit is rare and incredibly powerful.

don't get me started on psionics and the things you have to do to keep that sort of thing in check.

Yeah, psionics and magic both aren't really meant to be kept in check by the GM facilitating things for the world. There's a reason various inquisitions are created, and why no one trusts them either, because they get too close to the oogalie boogalie.

So now you know my opinion in a little more depth. Hopefully we can all move along.

Ah... ABSOLUTELY. Smack down those PK players.

[Library Ogre]

If that works for you, cool! Though...I deplore the spread of magic, honestly. Giving gate guards magical detection abilities from items just grates on me. While having a wizard as a gate guard seems unsightly.

I dunno, I'm odd.

I have less problem with it, depending on how you do it.

Consider: The gate guards can pretty reliably detect magic. How? Well, they might have an item that lets them do it, but what if one of them is simply a minor psychic? He's got either an ability that lets him detect magic, or a simple See Aura, or gets Clairvoyant flashes, or what have you. It doesn't require anything huge or special... just stuff that's already in the world.

[Alrik Vas]

Yeah, random psychics are part of the world. I can see that happening, but since the employer can't tell what abilities the guard truly has, the trust is difficult.

I think you have a point, but I see that as exceptional, not standard.

[Zer0 Kay]

Yeah, random psychics are part of the world. I can see that happening, but since the employer can't tell what abilities the guard truly has, the trust is difficult.

I think you have a point, but I see that as exceptional, not standard.

Really? How could he not tell? Psycher vesting. Take pay her to armory 100 weapons pick out the five magic ones. Of course they don't say that they have either added or removed one. Find one, easy, two lucky guess, three may be the real thing, four definitely talented, able to quicly identify that there are only four, able to identify that one was removed about an hour ago and it is in a box to the right of the table, hired.

[Alrik Vas]

Yes, of course, but I was referring to what other powers. Detect magic gets you in, astral projection or telepathy let you complete the spy mission for your real employer.

This is why he was saying regulation happens. Hard to trust someone, even harder if they have supernatural talents few understand.

[Razorwing]

The problem with magic detection powers is that they merely register the presence of magic... not how powerful something is. To a simple Sense Magic Spell... a dagger enchanted with a simple glow registers the same as a rune weapon. Beyond that... only those skilled in magic can reliably tell if an item with runes on it is a true Rune Weapon... or merely one with runes (magical or not). Even if one can tell if a Rune Weapon is real... identifying the specific weapon could take weeks, months or even years for even the most learned of Alchemists... simply because the records detailing such weapons are woefully incomplete. Add to that, if this is the first time the weapon has been seen in thousands of years... it may be even more difficult to identify as any recent books on Rune Weapons may not have this one recorded.

More so, a lot of Rune Weapons are very picky when it comes to who they allow to actually touch them... often inflicting great pain or even damage to those who the weapon feels has no right to touch them. Do you really think that a City Guard is going to take such a weapon when the weapon itself is fully capable of discouraging such action?

Then there is the reputation of some adventurers that own such weapons... reputations that get so overblown that no one actually recognized the truth when it is standing right in front of them. A brilliant example of this was in the movie Braveheart when William Wallace had grown so renowned at killing the British that even his own people didn't believe the rather ordinary man in front of them was the Legend they heard about. The same will likely happen to those who wield such weapons.

Guard 1: Say... doesn't that staff look a lot like that one we've heard about... you know... Lol'thanar?
Guard 2: You mean that staff that is believed to be some sort of Rune Weapon capable of turning even a lowly peasant into a master sorcerer?
Guard 1: Yep... that's the one I am talking about... the one claimed by the Sorceress... what's her name?
Guard 2: Shiera the Enchantress... I believe. I heard that she is one of the most beautiful elven maidens one is ever to see.
Guard 1: Yeah... that's right... she has been able to shame even gorgons into turning away from her least the harm such perfection.
Guard 2: Then this woman can't possibly be her... while she is rather pleasant to look at... she isn't dressed in a gown of gossamer and magic... merely a woolen dress. Besides... she's human. No way this could be her... and no way that could be the legendary staff Lol'thanar.
Guard 1: Yeah... I guess you are right... my mistake. You may pass, miss.
Shiera: Thank you, kind sir.

One also has to remember that not all Rune Weapons are that powerful. Yes, some of the Greatest Rune Weapons could be considered as destructive as a pocket nuke... but in the latter years of the Elf/Dwarf war (not to mention long before that), the powerful souls needed to make such powerful weapons were in very short supply. By far, the most likely type of Rune Weapon one is likely to come across is a Lesser Rune Weapon... without any special or additional powers common to Greater and Greatest Rune Weapons. Most of these weapons really are only marginally better than regular weapons.

Finally, there is likely quite a market in faux-Rune Weapons... regular weapons (likely Dwarven crafted) that are made to look like Rune Weapons. Often these weapons are used in scams... either by greedy Alchemists looking to part a rube adventurer (or Noble) from his gold... or to cash in on the reputation one gets when they own such a legendary weapon. Since only the most learned of people are likely to identify a true Rune Weapon from these fakes... such deceptions can be quite profitable... especially if the weapon is enchanted with abilities similar to what such weapons often have. Of course, it probably won't take long for someone so deceived to realize the weapon he paid millions for doesn't have a hidden intelligence within it like it was claimed... or when the one wielding such a weapon is slain for it by other greedy individuals... but by that time the deceiver is likely long gone with his loot.

Yes, magic may be quite prevalent in this setting... but that doesn't mean that many people understand or have much access to it. Even those who do have access to the means of detecting magical items and such may not understand what such detections really means... like I said, an enchanted dagger is seen the same as a Rune Sword... as magical. The nature of the magic likely isn't revealed (and the guard isn't likely to know what it means even if it were).

[Library Ogre]

I'd say that, with psychic powers, they are prevalent enough that you can have a reasonable chance of getting a few guards who have the ability, and placing them where you need them.

If we assume that 20% of all psychic-capable races (humans, dwarves, elves, etc.) are psychic... a bit less than the book numbers, and even less when you consider the PCCs that we're not including... then 1 in 5 guards will have some kind of psychic ability. Assuming the 3 minor categories are fairly evenly distributed, 1 in 15 will have sensitive abilities. Not all of these will have ones that are directly applicable to guard duty, but if you have 300 soldiers, you're looking at 20 psychic sensitives, on average, who might be minor psychics with a couple sensitive powers, or major psychics with a suite of sensitive or varied powers.

If you're really worried about magical incursions into your town, you've got a nice small squad of psychic sensitives to use for that, without hiring actual psychic specialists.

[Alrik Vas]

I think, Mark, and mean no affront, that you're looking at it from too modern of a standpoint. We know people are psychic because we have a book of meta knowledge that tells us so.

Others with no education might think they were cursed by being able to hear thoughts, see strange colors or constantly be hypersensitive and on edge (an unrefined 6th sense comes across as paranoia to me ).

Is there any official information on how psychics are tested, for instance?

[Library Ogre]

My problem with the "They might think they're cursed" is that this is an incredibly common curse. Like, tons of people have it... if we assume the random chance for PCs carries to NPCs, then you're looking at 1 in 4 people having psychic powers, even if they don't make it their entire career. Even if we cut in half, you're looking at more than 1 in every 10 people having it. In some cases, entire species have it. Others make it their sole occupation, studying it and developing their power to heal, see the future, or any of a number of other things. And this has been the case for thousands of years, with psychic powers being real and verifiable... and independently verifiable, via magic, include spells castable by many priests (See Aura will determine if someone is psychic).

So, if Billy starts moving things with his mind when he gets mad, it's probably likely that someone else in town or the family can do something similar. Remember how Gramma used to always know when a storm is coming? Might be she had a knee that was sensitive to pressure changes, might be she was a warlock, and it might be that she was a psychic, given to true dreams via Clairvoyance.

So, while I can see some places being superstitious about it, I think that's going to get less common as you climb in population size and personal power.

[Razorwing]

While psychic phenomena is somewhat common in the setting, the understanding of such abilities isn't.

Remember, a lot of people in the setting "believe" that the Old Ones created all magic and thus magic is inherently evil... and that anyone using it is... at best, inadvertently rousing these beings from their magical slumber... or at worst, deliberately trying to rouse them.

To the vast majority of "educated" people, psychic powers are just another form of magic... one that seems innate to many humanoid species. To them, there is little difference between a Wizard and a Mind Mage... both are to be feared and respected for their power. As for the less educated masses (probably 90+% of the population), such abilities are very mysterious and frightening. In many rural areas, it wouldn't be uncommon for such individuals to be accused of witchcraft and persecuted... regardless of how benign the powers appear to be. Some may even claims such an individual is possessed by demons or other malevolent supernatural creatures.

Remember... magic may be a fairly common occurrence in the Palladium world... but it is by no means a well understood phenomena... especially by the common man.

[kiralon]

While psychic phenomena is somewhat common in the setting, the understanding of such abilities isn't.

Remember, a lot of people in the setting "believe" that the Old Ones created all magic and thus magic is inherently evil... and that anyone using it is... at best, inadvertently rousing these beings from their magical slumber... or at worst, deliberately trying to rouse them.

To the vast majority of "educated" people, psychic powers are just another form of magic... one that seems innate to many humanoid species. To them, there is little difference between a Wizard and a Mind Mage... both are to be feared and respected for their power. As for the less educated masses (probably 90+% of the population), such abilities are very mysterious and frightening. In many rural areas, it wouldn't be uncommon for such individuals to be accused of witchcraft and persecuted... regardless of how benign the powers appear to be. Some may even claims such an individual is possessed by demons or other malevolent supernatural creatures.

Remember... magic may be a fairly common occurrence in the Palladium world... but it is by no means a well understood phenomena... especially by the common man.

Priests use magic too, and I doesn't have to be understood because its . . . maaagic, its what people think of technology these days, most people don't understand how it works, it just does, and just like in palladium there are people out there that think technology is the work of the devil or something, but as most places have priests most people would have come into contact with magic, even if it was just healing magic.
but that is one of my problems with palladium even though the stories and history says magic was everywhere and even more powerful then now, the world hasn't evolved with magic in it. It's more like it evolved like earth until 10-20 years ago and hey presto there was suddenly magic as there are no city/country wide defences against magic. Any of the major powers could wipe out any of the other major powers cities with a tiny hidden, undetectable force, especially if the gods are involved.

[Alrik Vas]

People trust the faith, though. We know priests have magic, but the masses believe in miracles from their divine protectors. One is mortals dabbling in the province of demons and gods, the other is the reward of piety.

Culturally there is a huge difference.

[eliakon]

People trust the faith, though. We know priests have magic, but the masses believe in miracles from their divine protectors. One is mortals dabbling in the province of demons and gods, the other is the reward of piety.

Culturally there is a huge difference.

WHY should they believe in that though?
I mean as written there is nothing in the books to suggest that there is 1) that sort of faith 2) any sort of justification for it.
There are no tales of massive miracles, even the main theocracies (up until the most recent books which have some MAJOR retcons) had huge theological questions, very little evidence, and absolutely no contact with their god (they were going totally on what their priests interpreted the god/goddesses will as)

Basically it was 50,000 years of the same century or two of the middle ages.....right up until the start of the 'game time line' then things started again.
(the best explanation I have come up with is that this is totally artificial and probably the interference of many gods, possibly a side effect of the stasis spell the Old Ones are under....the fact that they are now finely undergoing cultural evolution though would imply that the stasis spell is weakening.....)

[Alrik Vas]

I'll be happy to discuss why, but not here. We've derailed the conversation enough.

[Zer0 Kay]

People trust the faith, though. We know priests have magic, but the masses believe in miracles from their divine protectors. One is mortals dabbling in the province of demons and gods, the other is the reward of piety.

Culturally there is a huge difference.

WHY should they believe in that though?
I mean as written there is nothing in the books to suggest that there is 1) that sort of faith 2) any sort of justification for it.
There are no tales of massive miracles, even the main theocracies (up until the most recent books which have some MAJOR retcons) had huge theological questions, very little evidence, and absolutely no contact with their god (they were going totally on what their priests interpreted the god/goddesses will as)

Basically it was 50,000 years of the same century or two of the middle ages.....right up until the start of the 'game time line' then things started again.
(the best explanation I have come up with is that this is totally artificial and probably the interference of many gods, possibly a side effect of the stasis spell the Old Ones are under....the fact that they are now finely undergoing cultural evolution though would imply that the stasis spell is weakening.....)

Me likey your thought.

[Razorwing]

The thing is... magic was better understood in the ancient past... but the present condition is very much like them coming out of the Dark Ages.

Back at the height of the Elven and Dwarven Empires... magic was far more common and much better understood than it is now. Why? Because at the time there was relative peace for thousands of years... though a few minor skirmishes here and there. The study of magic and all that it could do flourished.

So what ended this Golden Age? The same thing that ends all golden ages... war. The Elf/Dwarf War raged for over 2000 years (with only intermittent periods of peace). In that war, everything both races had learned about magic was used... and unleashed terrible powers that haven't been seen since the end of the Age of Chaos. This is where many younger and more primitive races really saw the terrible destruction magic could cause... and for many it was frightening. Even the Elves and Dwarves were shocked by what they had unleashed... but by the time they had exhausted themselves fighting... much of their once great empires was laid to waste.

Of course this wasn't the end of things... for many had seen all the destruction that magic could unleash and vowed never to let that happen again... and began a holy crusade to destroy all magical knowledge and items from the world. Thus began the Millennium of Purification. During that time, many magics were lost... and many magical items were either destroyed or put beyond the reach of mortals. Even the greatest store house of knowledge... the fabled Prime Incunabula was set ablaze... but not before 10 groups had been sent out with a tiny fraction of the stored knowledge in the hope that all wouldn't be lost. Only one of these seed groups is known to have survived... as the Library of Bletherad. Yet even this Library, with its thousands of books is but a tiny fraction of what the original storehouse of knowledge once possessed.

Not only did the Millennium of Purification lead to the destruction of many kinds of magics... but it also is likely the reason magic is so feared because spread word of all the destruction magic had caused. The War had scattered many tribes across the world... some trying to escape the madness... others just caught up in its wake. Many knew not what was happening or why... they only witnessed the results... vast destruction wrought by magic. Even those wizards who managed to stay out of the fighting became shunned... for they too possessed the same potential for destruction... and were thus a danger.

After the Millennium of Purification ended, civilization was little more than a few scattered city-states and wandering tribes. It would be decade to centuries before nations like the Western Empire would claw their way back to civility... but even there, none of their achievements have come close to what was once possible.

Attempts have doubtlessly been made to try to recover some of the lost knowledge of the past... and they have succeeded in a small degree... but unlike the 8000 years of relative peace during the height of the Elven Empire before the war... the last 6000 years has been anything but peaceful. Nations have warred with each other... and with themselves too. Raiders have set many nations back generations (if not obliterated some completely). Much of the Old Kingdom of the Elves and Dwarves remains unexplored and infested with all sorts of monster races. All of this fighting has hindered the recovery of the lost knowledge of magic.

[Razorwing]

And in case anyone wonders what this has to do with Rune Weapons... the same general lack of knowledge about magic means that many Rune Weapons have been forgotten... their abilities... and even their existence. Remember it would take even the most learned of Alchemists quite some time to figure out just which Rune Sword you found in that ancient Dwarven ruin... provided any information on it survived the last 8000 years of history.

[Library Ogre]

And in case anyone wonders what this has to do with Rune Weapons... the same general lack of knowledge about magic means that many Rune Weapons have been forgotten... their abilities... and even their existence. Remember it would take even the most learned of Alchemists quite some time to figure out just which Rune Sword you found in that ancient Dwarven ruin... provided any information on it survived the last 8000 years of history.

And provided it was one of the recorded and major ones... lots of rune weapons are effectively anonymous, having little to no personality, no special powers, just an indestructible weapon that does some more damage and has a particular kind of writing on it. Not every rune weapon is a Deathkiss or Necrom... most are "Bob, the rune short sword, who doesn't really say anything and can't do anything more than a short sword, but a little harder."

That said, if you want to make Rune Weapons the kind of things that people kill for, borrow from Steven Brust's Dragaera novels and the Morganti weapons. Regular Morganti weapons are soul-stealers. There are 17 Great Weapons, which in addition to being soul-stealers, also bear all sorts of powers... including the ability to choose whether to devour a soul, and to protect their wielder's soul from devouring.

[Razorwing]

Of course, the reputation of Rune Weapons in general is a little overblown because of legendary weapons like Castlerake, and such. Many people probably believe that all Rune Weapons can lay waste to armies and destroy cities. Do you really think that a greedy Noble who has learned you have a Rune Sword will believe you when you say that it doesn't do much (it is just a Lesser Rune Sword)? Of course he isn't because he has heard legends of the kind of powers such weapons have... and he's too blinded by his greed and lust for power to even consider you are telling the truth. Besides, he probably figures that you're just lying to cover up the weapon's true power... something he would probably do so that rivals wouldn't be interested in killing him for the weapon.

[Zer0 Kay]

Of course, the reputation of Rune Weapons in general is a little overblown because of legendary weapons like Castlerake, and such. Many people probably believe that all Rune Weapons can lay waste to armies and destroy cities. Do you really think that a greedy Noble who has learned you have a Rune Sword will believe you when you say that it doesn't do much (it is just a Lesser Rune Sword)? Of course he isn't because he has heard legends of the kind of powers such weapons have... and he's too blinded by his greed and lust for power to even consider you are telling the truth. Besides, he probably figures that you're just lying to cover up the weapon's true power... something he would probably do so that rivals wouldn't be interested in killing him for the weapon.

Castle take would be a legend as well as most of the things in the library of Blethorad. It isn't like Blethorad is a place everyone goes nevermind most cant read.

When is the last time in canon a greatest rune weapon has has been used.

I think it'd be great if someone had been going from castle to castle with a sword that has Castlerake engraved on its blade demanding money or they'll bring down the castle. Of course the sword had some minor enchantment put on it so it registers as magic.

[Hotrod]

I think we're missing the true value of rune weapons in this discussion. They are a living record that stretches back for millennia. Rune weapons are conscious, aware of their surroundings, very old, tend to be in the hands of some very interesting people over the course of many thousands of years, and they tend to be loyal and obedient to their wielders. A 10,000 year-old rune weapon has experienced the equivalent of 200 full lifetimes, and unless it got shoved into storage somewhere, it's been either wielded by or close to some very powerful people.

Their vast experience could be useful in all kinds of ways:

Old Ones Spoiler below:

Spoiler:

+Imagine if you were going into the Place of Magic and your lesser rune dagger, who remembers the place, said "Woah, buddy, you should hug the wall here. There's a nasty experimental magic circle under that mud that the dwarves made, and you do not want to become a pseudo-demon."

+Rune weapons tend to be privy to their wielders' deepest secrets. They could guide a worthy wielder to long-forgotten treasures hidden away long ago or take advantage of still-sensitive secrets.
+Rune weapons have fought all kinds of horrible enemies. They could give excellent advice on how to defeat all kinds of enemies like demons and devils.
+Rune weapons have been through places that are now ruins. Their memories could help a wielder find his/her way through ancient ruins, avoid ancient traps, et cetera.
+Rune weapons have seen wielders wield all manner of magic. They could help a wielder rediscover secrets of long-lost magics.
+Long-active rune weapons have interacted with many cultures and could give a character insight into situations that no ordinary character would otherwise have.

I'm sure there are other ways to use the incredible knowledge of multiple millennia. When you think about it this way, an experienced lesser rune weapon could be far, far more valuable than Castledrake, who has spent most of his existence disassembled and presumably unconscious.

Imagine if some rune dagger got crafted in ancient Sumeria for a king, then presented to the ancient Egyptian royal dynasties for a few thousand years, then passed on to the Greeks, taken by the Romans, sold to the Phoenicians, captured by Vikings, captured again and taken on the crusades, given as a ransom to the Saracens, captured by the mongols, sold to Marco Polo, taken to the New World by Cortez, captured by Blackbeard, taken by Horatio Nelson, given to the Duke of Wellington, passed on to his descendents until World War 1, where it was captured by Rommel, who passed it on to his son upon his death, and so on. The value of such a dagger would be incalculable! Who cares if it can spit fire a few times a day when it can lead you to King Tut's tomb, translate heiroglyphics before the Rosetta Stone was discovered, tell you what happened to Caesar's missing treasure (and guide you to its hiding place), tell you how to make Greek fire, Damascus steel, reveal the secrets of Viking navigation, tell you what the Templars actually found in Jerusalem, et cetera?

This is why I see rune weapons as being so incredibly valuable. Where a petty adventurer might just see a super-invincible sword that he can talk to when he gets bored, an inquiring, curious, ambitious wielder sees a base of knowledge he can use to catapult himself to outrageous fame, vast fortunes, defeated enemies, far-reaching influence, and/or any of his/her goals.

[Razorwing]

You should check out the "From Ruins to Runes" article in issue 52 of the Rifter for an interesting idea for Rune Weapons.

[Whiskeyjack]

I really like your thinking on this Hotrod. Makes them much more than a powerful weapon.
One thing that I think people also mistake is the number of weapons active at any given time. Sure there are a lot spread throughout the books, but by no means are they all in use. Many are lost or hidden, or just inactive. Even if there are 300 in use at any given time, that's over a very large land mass, so they are still going to be extremely rare, and most people will no nothing about them outside of stories and legends. Most of these will be embellished to make the weapons appear to make whoever wields them invincible. Even if people learn who wields it, many will be scared off by the legend surrounding it. Only the powerful would likely try and claim it. And if they're powerful enough for that, then they're likely not concerned with the rabble knowing they killed someone to take it.

[Janus]

I have had three characters run through the Tombs of Gersidi three times successfully and each time I have walked out with the doubling sword and Deathkiss. I have yet to find the Hammer of Jejua (sp?). Regardless, I have never had issue with keeping Deathkiss.

Currently, within the context of my game the sword has been handed over to another character of mine and secreted away unless needed. It has not physically resided on the world since it was found.

[eliakon]

I have had three characters run through the Tombs of Gersidi three times successfully and each time I have walked out with the doubling sword and Deathkiss. I have yet to find the Hammer of Jejua (sp?). Regardless, I have never had issue with keeping Deathkiss.

Currently, within the context of my game the sword has been handed over to another character of mine and secreted away unless needed. It has not physically resided on the world since it was found.

Deathkiss is really a special case among a class of unique special cases though....if she doesn't agree to being wielded she simply eats the person holding her until someone she accepts takes her up....
Which is something a lot of people overlook. These weapons are not usually forced to serve...its a partnership. Heaven help the king who murders a wielder and steals the weapon if it turns out that the sword was fond of them.
Heck look at all those powers the swords have. Those are the swords powers, they are not granted to the bearer.
If the sword thinks that the situation calls for a smiting then Call Lighting is coming, will ye or nil ye.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Okay... so you've delved deep into the darkest and most dangerous dungeons the Palladium World has to offer and managed to find one of the legendary Rune Weapons that Kings would give up entire kingdoms to own... so what are your chances of being able to keep this weapon for any length of time?

The moment you draw this weapon to fight anyone, people are likely to recognize it as a powerful magical weapon at the very least (the mystic runes carved along it tend to be a give away in this case) and sooner or later rumors of this weapon are going to reach knowledgeable ears (those with access to the knowledge needed to identify this weapon... even with how wild such rumors can get). This is even more likely once one reaches a major town or city where city guards or a nation's militia are based to keep the peace... as it is the responsibility of these individuals to inspect those coming and going (especially taking not of adventurers and mercenaries... including any obvious magical items they may be carrying).

So what are the chances that a city guard or militia captain seeing a weapon covered in mystical runes NOT confiscating a potentially dangerous magical item? Rune Weapons have a reputation of being the MOST powerful weapons on the Palladium World... and even if this rune covered weapon turns out not to be a Rune Weapon... do they dare take the risk that such a powerful weapon is in the hands of someone who's loyalty they can't be sure of? It would be like a police officer allowing someone to walk around the city carrying an assault rifle... or worse... wouldn't it?

Then there are the greedy and the ambitious... especially nobles who believe that the laws of the land don't actually apply to them... or that they can use them to justify anything they do. Since most adventurers aren't likely from their lands, chances are they will have little to no legal recourse to address any abuses of power such nobles use against them. Additionally, such nobles could reasonably have them arrested and their possessions confiscated by merely accusing them of any number of crimes that they would be hard pressed to disprove (in most cases in feudal societies... one is guilty until proven innocent), by which time getting back such a weapon would be difficult at best (it has probably been secured in the noble's treasury under the heaviest of guards). Many Nobles may even see it as their right to take such a weapon as it is a weapon that deserves to be in the hands of a Noble... and not some common adventurer who would squander such power anyways.

True, Rune Weapons often have the means to prevent the unworthy from using them... but is that really likely to stop someone from trying to take it... either out of concern that it is in "unworthy" hands or out of simple greed? And what of those Rune Weapons that don't have these means to discourage those from taking them (some actually enjoy the chaos and anarchy they spread as the corrupt and greedy fight for control of their power)?

So... in your games... just how difficult do you make keeping a Rune Weapon for your players once they have earned such a weapon?

Why not just paint it to hide the runes? use some rubber or chalk to fill up the bits then coat it. Not like any rule says the runes have to be visible for it to work.

This could actually be why such powerful artifacts tend to be lost so frequently. They're really really easy to conceal as a mundane magical sword.

[mirithol]

Okay... so you've delved deep into the darkest and most dangerous dungeons the Palladium World has to offer and managed to find one of the legendary Rune Weapons that Kings would give up entire kingdoms to own... so what are your chances of being able to keep this weapon for any length of time?

The moment you draw this weapon to fight anyone, people are likely to recognize it as a powerful magical weapon at the very least (the mystic runes carved along it tend to be a give away in this case) and sooner or later rumors of this weapon are going to reach knowledgeable ears (those with access to the knowledge needed to identify this weapon... even with how wild such rumors can get). This is even more likely once one reaches a major town or city where city guards or a nation's militia are based to keep the peace... as it is the responsibility of these individuals to inspect those coming and going (especially taking not of adventurers and mercenaries... including any obvious magical items they may be carrying).

So what are the chances that a city guard or militia captain seeing a weapon covered in mystical runes NOT confiscating a potentially dangerous magical item? Rune Weapons have a reputation of being the MOST powerful weapons on the Palladium World... and even if this rune covered weapon turns out not to be a Rune Weapon... do they dare take the risk that such a powerful weapon is in the hands of someone who's loyalty they can't be sure of? It would be like a police officer allowing someone to walk around the city carrying an assault rifle... or worse... wouldn't it?

Then there are the greedy and the ambitious... especially nobles who believe that the laws of the land don't actually apply to them... or that they can use them to justify anything they do. Since most adventurers aren't likely from their lands, chances are they will have little to no legal recourse to address any abuses of power such nobles use against them. Additionally, such nobles could reasonably have them arrested and their possessions confiscated by merely accusing them of any number of crimes that they would be hard pressed to disprove (in most cases in feudal societies... one is guilty until proven innocent), by which time getting back such a weapon would be difficult at best (it has probably been secured in the noble's treasury under the heaviest of guards). Many Nobles may even see it as their right to take such a weapon as it is a weapon that deserves to be in the hands of a Noble... and not some common adventurer who would squander such power anyways.

True, Rune Weapons often have the means to prevent the unworthy from using them... but is that really likely to stop someone from trying to take it... either out of concern that it is in "unworthy" hands or out of simple greed? And what of those Rune Weapons that don't have these means to discourage those from taking them (some actually enjoy the chaos and anarchy they spread as the corrupt and greedy fight for control of their power)?

So... in your games... just how difficult do you make keeping a Rune Weapon for your players once they have earned such a weapon?

Why not just paint it to hide the runes? use some rubber or chalk to fill up the bits then coat it. Not like any rule says the runes have to be visible for it to work.

This could actually be why such powerful artifacts tend to be lost so frequently. They're really really easy to conceal as a mundane magical sword.

I assign my Special Weapons, Rune and otherwise, Ego scores. They are old, rare, and usually feel entitled. They may or may not cooperate with the player depending upon the circumstance and relationship. A quick test: How would your cat react to being doused in rubber or covered in chalk dust?

[Alrik Vas]

Depends on whether or not you picked the cat yo by the scruff.

[cosmicfish]

I like rune weapons, but they do not seem worth the money. With few exceptions, it seems like you are better off selling them, as even at the lowest price you can purchase or hire all the same utility without all the drawbacks and with a big stack of cash left over.

So why keep them?

[eliakon]

I like rune weapons, but they do not seem worth the money. With few exceptions, it seems like you are better off selling them, as even at the lowest price you can purchase or hire all the same utility without all the drawbacks and with a big stack of cash left over.

So why keep them?

Finding someone that will buy them, has the money to buy one, and won't just try to take it from you or cheat you is always one problem.

[cosmicfish]

I like rune weapons, but they do not seem worth the money. With few exceptions, it seems like you are better off selling them, as even at the lowest price you can purchase or hire all the same utility without all the drawbacks and with a big stack of cash left over.

So why keep them?

Finding someone that will buy them, has the money to buy one, and won't just try to take it from you or cheat you is always one problem.

The way I figure it, governments and magical guilds are the way to go - they have the money, the interest, and the ability to protect their investment, and can often do in trade what they lack in cash. And as for just having it taken or being cheated, there are steps you can take, like being careful who knows about it, being circumspect about the delivery, and engaging third parties (for a cut of the take, of course) to ensure security and above-board dealings. You aren't going to sell it to Vinnie the Mafia Ogre in the dark alley of his choosing, you are going to sell in a manner and to a customer who has a long term interest in not screwing over vendors.

Regardless, the hassle of selling it is still going to be less than the hassle of protecting it while using it and warding off (if even possible) the negative side effects.

[Hotrod]

It seems strange to see so many people here dismissing rune weapons. Most rune weapons are portrayed as being helpful to their wielders, and their vast experience and memories are likely to be far more valuable than their value as pointy sticks or glorified magic wands. Sure, some of them are more trouble than they're worth, especially the ones that have been cursed (usually for no apparent reason other that some notion of balance) and the ones that have been buried with dead people (because that's what you should do with useful, indestructible, sentient weapons? Lock them away in solitary next to the corpses of their friends?). I think they're one of the nicer and more interesting pieces of Palladium Fantasy lore.

The notion of "my sword has runes, therefore everyone will want to steal it" belies the nature of these weapons. They bond with one owner at a time and often won't tolerate someone incompatible handling them. Sure, they'll attract attention, but odds are that your characters are doing that already.

[cosmicfish]

Most rune weapons are helpful, but that does not mean that they are either worth the long term costs (or risks) or that they are more useful than the extraordinarily large pile of money that some will exchange for them. As to the ones that are cursed, the effects may have been introduced for game balance but they are not necessarily unreasonable, either! Rune weapons have a living, thinking soul inside them, and while many do nothing, others have agendas and power, even over their wielder. That bonding can make them useless to other members of your party even when it is sensible that they should want to borrow them, and their vast experience and memories (where relevant) are in service to their own needs first, the wielders second or not at all!

Rifts muddied things a bit, because the Splugorth-produced rune weapons are largely without curses, side effects, or conscious, communicative souls, but even in Rifts there are alternatives that are far affordable for the effectiveness. And in PFRPG there are relatively few truly powerful weapons that are worth it unless you have a GM who decides to just ignore all the negatives so that players can have their rune blades.

But remember that the game itself gives the ultimate negative endorsement of rune weapons - after the greatest war in mortal history, the creators of rune weaponry and everyone else all got together and did their best to remove them completely from the world. Note that they didn't just get rid of the Necroms of the world, they tried to get rid of even the most inoffensive and benevolent of rune weapons as well. All of it was judged by the world to be the worst idea they'd ever come up with. I think they were right.

You spend 6 months finding it a lot easier to knock of bad guys, then a short lifetime trying to kill all dwarves while wearing high fashion fifty millennia out of date. Not worth it. Give me the money any day, I'll spend it at the alchemist buying magic weapons that don't consume your being.

[Razorwing]

Rune Weapons are (if you pardon the term) double edged swords... often granting their wielder impressive powers while also drawing a lot of attention to them as well (sometimes more than they usually would if using any other type of weapon).

As outside parties looking down into the game world, we can see both the gain and drawbacks to these weapons fairly clearly... but the people in the Palladium World aren't as blessed with such omnipotence as us. How many actually know that not all Rune Weapons are created equally? Sure, many Alchemists will know that Rune Weapons come in a variety of power levels as it is their business to know such things... but what of your average king or noble who knows very little about magic in general... or the criminal kingpin who knows only legend and rumor of such weapons? How likely are they to know that killing the chosen wielder of such weapons is usually not the way to gain the weapon's power? Do you think that would actually stop them from trying to assassinate the wielder or arrogantly demanding such a weapon to be turned over to them? All the average person (including a majority of nobles) is likely to know about such weapons is that they are very powerful and could give a commoner the power to become a king (even though such rumors are quite overblown).

Keeping a Rune Weapon from those who believe they can claim its power (right or wrong) can sometimes be far more than it is worth... provided people even realize what the weapon is. As for disguising or otherwise hiding the nature of the weapon... it may not be as easy as one would think. First, the weapon itself would need to be willing to be disguised as such (most probably wouldn't submit to being treated in such a manner). Second, even if one were able to do so, it is unlikely such a disguise would last long (using such a weapon in a fight is likely to cause such a disguise to be worn away fairly quickly... the weapon may be indestructible, but the disguise isn't). Lastly, hiding the weapon's magical nature is likely to be a lot more difficult, especially to those with the means to detect such things (detecting magic is usually a lot easier than masking it). True, it may not be possible to prove a weapon is a Rune Weapon just by detecting magic, but it does give those detecting the magic an idea that the weapon may be more than it appears.

This said... not everyone that a person encounters will want to steal the Rune Weapon they recently acquired... especially if no one yet realizes that they have such a weapon (while all Rune Weapons have runes, not all weapons with runes are Rune Weapons). Others may think that they wouldn't be able to take such a weapon from the person who wields it... especially if they are known adventurers of some amount of fame. The number of people who would have the means to acquire such weapons from their current owners given the power such weapons are believed to have will be fairly small... and an even smaller number would actually try to do so.

In the end, Rune Weapons are as much a tool for GMs to introduce interesting times on players as they are a tool for players to overcome such interesting times their GMs decide to give them. Done in moderation and for plausible reasons, such attempts can add flavor to owning such a weapon. Done too often (having every noble, king and wizard they meet try to assassinate them or every guard at every city and town the enter try to strip them of such weapons) can make it seem more like the players are being punished for owning such a potent weapon. It really is the way players and GMs go about such weapons that will make them either keep them for a time or get rid of them at their earliest convenience.

[Glistam]

One of the most memorable things about the Rifts campaign I last played in was the rune sword my G.M. let my character have. Forcibly removing it from the prison it was in literally broke time and space, and that was just the start of their adventure. I can no longer envision that mage character without the sword Lytsong strapped to his back. That G.M. really put a lot of effort into fleshing out the spirit within the sword and her history, making the entire experience very memorable - despite the sword's curse.

In fact, once the curse became known he tried to get rid of the sword but instead the G.M. had me roll against her Trust/Intimidate to get rid of it, and I failed. The character believed her sob story and "elected" not to get rid of the sword then and there. I've never been happier to have failed a roll in all my gaming experience.

[Hotrod]

Perhaps the best approach to rune weapons is a balanced one, with increased risk from attention and curses also comes with increased opportunities (by taking advantage of the weapon's memories/experience or by using its powers). The same should also be said of the money that can come from selling such a weapon ("Hey Bob, these morons just sold the Vorpal Sword of a Thousand Truths for a million gold worth of gems on our turf! Let's see... lots of money plus less of a threat... let's go make them an offer they won't refuse.").

Properly used, a rune weapon makes for a great plot device. Glistam's story is a great example of this.

Bringing in a rune weapon should provide a way to dramatically accelerate the pace of a campaign, either with new capabilities for overcoming obstacles (Castledrake/Frostfoil), new possibilities that come from exploiting the weapon's knowledge (virtually any weapon that hasn't been hidden in a hole since it was made), or new threats that must be escaped or otherwise dealt with (hello, Eternity Blade!). The only way to avoid the new dramas and dangers that should almost certainly come with a rune weapon would be to never pick it up in the first place, and really, this is an adventuring game, isn't it? Shouldn't our characters want to see what they can learn and do with what they find? In real life, sure, most of us would probably pass, but this is fantasy, where we can all be Neo, take the red pill, and see how far down yon rabbit hole goes!

[Razorwing]

Has anyone looked at the Ruins to Runes article in Rifter 52... it gives a rather unique take on how to include Rune Weapons in to an adventuring party... as an actual member of the party.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Okay... so you've delved deep into the darkest and most dangerous dungeons the Palladium World has to offer and managed to find one of the legendary Rune Weapons that Kings would give up entire kingdoms to own... so what are your chances of being able to keep this weapon for any length of time?

The moment you draw this weapon to fight anyone, people are likely to recognize it as a powerful magical weapon at the very least (the mystic runes carved along it tend to be a give away in this case) and sooner or later rumors of this weapon are going to reach knowledgeable ears (those with access to the knowledge needed to identify this weapon... even with how wild such rumors can get). This is even more likely once one reaches a major town or city where city guards or a nation's militia are based to keep the peace... as it is the responsibility of these individuals to inspect those coming and going (especially taking not of adventurers and mercenaries... including any obvious magical items they may be carrying).

So what are the chances that a city guard or militia captain seeing a weapon covered in mystical runes NOT confiscating a potentially dangerous magical item? Rune Weapons have a reputation of being the MOST powerful weapons on the Palladium World... and even if this rune covered weapon turns out not to be a Rune Weapon... do they dare take the risk that such a powerful weapon is in the hands of someone who's loyalty they can't be sure of? It would be like a police officer allowing someone to walk around the city carrying an assault rifle... or worse... wouldn't it?

Then there are the greedy and the ambitious... especially nobles who believe that the laws of the land don't actually apply to them... or that they can use them to justify anything they do. Since most adventurers aren't likely from their lands, chances are they will have little to no legal recourse to address any abuses of power such nobles use against them. Additionally, such nobles could reasonably have them arrested and their possessions confiscated by merely accusing them of any number of crimes that they would be hard pressed to disprove (in most cases in feudal societies... one is guilty until proven innocent), by which time getting back such a weapon would be difficult at best (it has probably been secured in the noble's treasury under the heaviest of guards). Many Nobles may even see it as their right to take such a weapon as it is a weapon that deserves to be in the hands of a Noble... and not some common adventurer who would squander such power anyways.

True, Rune Weapons often have the means to prevent the unworthy from using them... but is that really likely to stop someone from trying to take it... either out of concern that it is in "unworthy" hands or out of simple greed? And what of those Rune Weapons that don't have these means to discourage those from taking them (some actually enjoy the chaos and anarchy they spread as the corrupt and greedy fight for control of their power)?

So... in your games... just how difficult do you make keeping a Rune Weapon for your players once they have earned such a weapon?

Why not just paint it to hide the runes? use some rubber or chalk to fill up the bits then coat it. Not like any rule says the runes have to be visible for it to work.

This could actually be why such powerful artifacts tend to be lost so frequently. They're really really easy to conceal as a mundane magical sword.

I assign my Special Weapons, Rune and otherwise, Ego scores. They are old, rare, and usually feel entitled. They may or may not cooperate with the player depending upon the circumstance and relationship. A quick test: How would your cat react to being doused in rubber or covered in chalk dust?

I would probablly be a broken shell of a person from the stress of being trapped in a sword for eternity with no body or freedom, so my ability to care about anything wouldn't be too terribly high.

To give a more serious answer, between the choice of being covered in paint or being thrown into the ocean or burried in an unmarked cavern I don't think the rune weapons would complain too overtly sinse most of them are waiting to be weilded again. It's not like your doing it out of blantant disregard for them. They might not be happy, but pointing out that the alternative is to be grabbed and passed around like a cheep trinket at a county fair, most would be reasonable enough to allow it, if grudgingly. Maybe some ego stroking would be required but it wouldn't be a terribly difficult sell in most cases I would think. They are old, not stupid, after all. (Well technically they might be stupid, in which case you might just trick them instead)

Besides, it's not like it matters much if they hate you anyway. Unless it's noted to be one of the rare rune weapons with the power of freewill (which counts as a greater ability slot)They can only refuse people of noncompatible alignments, and must obey and serve one of compatible alignment no matter how much they personally destest them.

Also remember the majority of rune weapons were enslaved into being one and likely are not terribly happy about it. I would expect most of them veiw their blade as their literal eternal prison and likely don't much care what it's covered with. If it wasn't for the fact that a rune weapons sense of time is destroyed so that mellenia feel like days, they probablly would be gibbering shells wispering madness to whoever is unfortunate enough to grab one.

[Library Ogre]

I would probablly be a broken shell of a person from the stress of being trapped in a sword for eternity with no body or freedom, so my ability to care about anything wouldn't be too terribly high.

I had an idea for a rune sword with a truly insane amount of ISP that was an Illusionist... and a bit crazy. It used its power to create an alternate reality around it, leading to local tribesmen regarding it as a god.

[Whiskeyjack]

I've always wondered what existence is like for a lifeforce in a rune weapon. Is the weapon its body and they see around it? Do they have a physical body trapped in a limbo inside the sword? Can they even see anymore, or do they see through the eyes of their weilder? Depending on the way you play it would have far different impacts on the sanity of the weapon. If they can go dormant during periods they are not in use would help as well. Especially for a weapon burried under the balgor wastelands since the end of the Elf/Dwarf war, or even worse, burried in the land of the damned since the end of the war against the old ones. Millenia being essentially buried alive while fully aware would drive most beings insane.

[kiralon]

Phenomenal Cosmic power
Itty bitty living space

[Nekira Sudacne]

I've always wondered what existence is like for a lifeforce in a rune weapon. Is the weapon its body and they see around it? Do they have a physical body trapped in a limbo inside the sword? Can they even see anymore, or do they see through the eyes of their weilder? Depending on the way you play it would have far different impacts on the sanity of the weapon. If they can go dormant during periods they are not in use would help as well. Especially for a weapon burried under the balgor wastelands since the end of the Elf/Dwarf war, or even worse, burried in the land of the damned since the end of the war against the old ones. Millenia being essentially buried alive while fully aware would drive most beings insane.

The cannon answer is the soul is trapped inside a pocket limbo dimension where their sense of time is destroyed, however while the time distortion helps in that a few centuries might only seem like a day or so. Atlantis page 126.

Mind when you consider geologic time, that's still nasty. one billion years trapped would still seem like thousands of years at that rate, and they are indestructable, so it's entirely possible for them to go insane that way.

[cosmicfish]

Mind when you consider geologic time, that's still nasty. one billion years trapped would still seem like thousands of years at that rate, and they are indestructable, so it's entirely possible for them to go insane that way.

The whole process is chock-full of ways for them to go insane!

[Razorwing]

Besides, it's not like it matters much if they hate you anyway. Unless it's noted to be one of the rare rune weapons with the power of freewill (which counts as a greater ability slot)They can only refuse people of noncompatible alignments, and must obey and serve one of compatible alignment no matter how much they personally destest them.

Ummm... where exactly did you get this information? Last I checked, all Rune Weapons have free will... they can withhold their powers from anyone for any reason... regardless of "compatible" alignments... it is the weapon that has the power, not their wielder. This is how many of them influence their owners (especially the manipulative ones).

Yes... most of them want to be used... but they also know that they are the one empowering their wielder... so it is a give and take relationship. If the wielder is doing all the taking, the weapon doesn't have to give them anything... even if bonded. Sure, you can have an all powerful rune weapon, but treat it like a lowly slave rather than an equal (or superior) partner and you will learn that all it will let you do is use it as the weapon it looks like (and that is being generous... some may decide to use any abilities to deter the unworthy against their owner... and due to the bond, there may not be a save).

Many owners of rune weapons thought that they had a slave in the weapons they used... only to learn (or be painfully taught) otherwise.

Adventurer: Okay, Mercyblade, grant me your healing powers so that I might save the lives of my comrades in arms!
Mercyblade: And why would I do that? You really haven't been very respectful of my abilities... or myself for that matter.
Adventurer: What do you mean?
Mercyblade: You've covered me in paint!
Adventurer: That is so no one would recognize you as a rune weapon and try to assassinate us to steal you.
Mercyblade: And what happened to the last thief who tried to take me from your side?
Adventurer: You... um... sucked out his soul and left him a corpse in the market place.
Mercyblade: And you think I need your protection to keep me?
Adventurer: But there will be those who might demand I hand you over to them if they realized what you actually are!
Mecyblade: And you don't think I could do the same to them if they tried... or to you if you keep treating me as your slave? If you want my power, you are going to have to treat me with a little more respect than this! If the lives of your friends are important to you, you will consider it. If not, perhaps my next owner will be a little more respectful. Kapeesh?

[cosmicfish]

Ummm... where exactly did you get this information? Last I checked, all Rune Weapons have free will... they can withhold their powers from anyone for any reason... regardless of "compatible" alignments... it is the weapon that has the power, not their wielder. This is how many of them influence their owners (especially the manipulative ones).

Where did you get that information? Sincerely, all I can find is that they all have intelligence, personality, and limited telepathy, I don't see anything about control over their own usage, outside a few very specific weapons.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Besides, it's not like it matters much if they hate you anyway. Unless it's noted to be one of the rare rune weapons with the power of freewill (which counts as a greater ability slot)They can only refuse people of noncompatible alignments, and must obey and serve one of compatible alignment no matter how much they personally destest them.

Ummm... where exactly did you get this information? Last I checked, all Rune Weapons have free will... they can withhold their powers from anyone for any reason... regardless of "compatible" alignments... it is the weapon that has the power, not their wielder. This is how many of them influence their owners (especially the manipulative ones).

Dragons and Gods has Free Will be a specific power that the rune weapon must be made with to have free will (page 232), and then and only then can it refuse to let it's owner use it's powers, or use them on it's own. Many rune items are CURSED to influence their owner in a specific way, but that does not mean they have free will. Those that do have this are considered amoung the most powerful and dangerous in the world, because only then can they use their own iniative. And of course, if you need a greater power slot to do that, then obviously ones without it can't do it, because then it'd be pointless to have.

Secondly, it just says flat out in the rules for Rune Magic in Rifts Atlantis that the magic involved enslaves the spirit in the sword so it must obey a compatible weilder no matter what it says, and cannot prevent the user from drawing on it's powers at will, page 127.

Yes... most of them want to be used... but they also know that they are the one empowering their wielder... so it is a give and take relationship. If the wielder is doing all the taking, the weapon doesn't have to give them anything... even if bonded. Sure, you can have an all powerful rune weapon, but treat it like a lowly slave rather than an equal (or superior) partner and you will learn that all it will let you do is use it as the weapon it looks like (and that is being generous... some may decide to use any abilities to deter the unworthy against their owner... and due to the bond, there may not be a save).

Many owners of rune weapons thought that they had a slave in the weapons they used... only to learn (or be painfully taught) otherwise.

Adventurer: Okay, Mercyblade, grant me your healing powers so that I might save the lives of my comrades in arms!
Mercyblade: And why would I do that? You really haven't been very respectful of my abilities... or myself for that matter.
Adventurer: What do you mean?
Mercyblade: You've covered me in paint!
Adventurer: That is so no one would recognize you as a rune weapon and try to assassinate us to steal you.
Mercyblade: And what happened to the last thief who tried to take me from your side?
Adventurer: You... um... sucked out his soul and left him a corpse in the market place.
Mercyblade: And you think I need your protection to keep me?
Adventurer: But there will be those who might demand I hand you over to them if they realized what you actually are!
Mecyblade: And you don't think I could do the same to them if they tried... or to you if you keep treating me as your slave? If you want my power, you are going to have to treat me with a little more respect than this! If the lives of your friends are important to you, you will consider it. If not, perhaps my next owner will be a little more respectful. Kapeesh?

Yes, some rune weapons can do that, that's why the "Freewill" power is a thing, so the GM can have weapons like that in the hands of the player (it makes a great story), but the default is that the magic of a rune weapon out and out enslaves them to their bonded weilder.

It also says in the same part that many Good-aligned people will refuse to use rune weapons for this very reason, and will only do so if the rune weapon begs them to be used to fight the good fight. it's a form of slavery.

It sounds like a classic case of Headcannon. You read the section and got your own ideas on how they work into your head based on the lack-of-detail in the actual main book, then didn't notice where it was later contradicted in a supplement. It's fine. Headcannon rules i'd been using for years and years turned out to be wrong all along when I ran across something that contradicted it later myself