Concealing Runes

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Veknironth
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Concealing Runes

Unread post by Veknironth »

Well, this should have come up long ago, but we didn't think of it. However, as I'm writing a story loosely based on an adventure I have to figure out a way around this. How do you own a rune sword, use it, and conceal it?

The obvious answer is to leave it sheathed if it's a sword or dagger. That wouldn't work for a mace, hammer, axe, etc.. You can have it covered with cloth or something, which is fine while just carrying it around. But what happens when you use it in combat? Do the runes glow? Do they only glow when a power is being used? If so, how visible are they? I only ask that because it seems like a fun if trite thing to have happen when the weapon uses a power. If they don't glow, how visible are the runes in general? If there is a mass combat situation and an ally breaks out a rune weapon, do his allies notice? What about the enemies?

It wouldn't seem like a big issue but once word gets around, even from a friendly source, that someone has a rune weapon, out come the cutthroats and opportunity seekers.

So, the best I could think is to have the runes filled in, and then a thin layer coating over the blade. It's sort of like fixing a hole in your wall. To all eyes, it looks like a regular blade. Now, this probably won't last long in a combat situation, but it should hide things well enough. However, do you think it would interfere with the magic of the runes?

Total side note, once the bond has been made with the item, can the owner activate (or have the item itself activate) it's abilities? For things like healing, there must be contact. But if the rune hammer is in a corner and it can cast fireballs, can someone have it do so without actively wielding it?

-Vek
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Re: Concealing Runes

Unread post by Library Ogre »

Is it appropriate for the weapon to know to conceal itself? Some weapons might do that. I can see painting over or enamelling the blade to conceal the runes, as well... if they're in a fuller, that might last for some time.
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Veknironth
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Re: Concealing Runes

Unread post by Veknironth »

Well, I think it's entirely appropriate for the weapon to know how to conceal itself. I guess the question is by which mechanism does it accomplish this?

-Vek
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Re: Concealing Runes

Unread post by Library Ogre »

Veknironth wrote:Well, I think it's entirely appropriate for the weapon to know how to conceal itself. I guess the question is by which mechanism does it accomplish this?


I was answering from my phone, so got a bit short.

If you've got a greater-than-least rune weapon that doesn't want to conceal itself, you probably won't get to conceal it; it can do things on its own, and will figure out a way around it.

Simple method to conceal one? Paint it. Sure, the paint will chip or wear off, but likely not to much, so quickly, that everyone's going to see that you're swinging the GDP of a small country in your left fist. Outlandish colors of paint (or even the emo favorite, black) may make it clear its a magical weapon (remember the Color special quality), but that can prevent people from looking deeper... it's just a magic weapon, more valuable but still pretty common.

The magic of the runes isn't an active thing, anymore, IMO... the runes bind and describe the magic contained in the blade but do not, by their nature, need to be visible to work. They're not wards, after all.
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Veknironth
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Re: Concealing Runes

Unread post by Veknironth »

Well, now this makes me wonder about how to fake a rune sword. I have had my favorite wizard character use all sorts of chicanery. One of my favorites was to use a wand or staff and always implement it in casting to make it seem as if the wand/staff was creating the fireball or whatever. I suppose someone could do something similar with a weapon. IT wouldn't fool anyone sharp, so finding the right sucker would be important. However, you might be able to trick them with their own greed - especially if you act like a rube and they think they're getting one over on you. Throw in a mind mage to do some telepathy to make it seem like the weapon is talking to the sucker...

-Vek
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Re: Concealing Runes

Unread post by ShadowLogan »

I don't think Runes themselves on weapons would necessarily attract attention and instantly identify it as a Rune or Magic Weapon since weapons can be made with non-magical Rune/Ward symbols. AFAIK there is no easy way to spot an energized Rune or Ward that hasn't been triggered (that's how Wards work, and Runes IMHO would be similar) without special abilities (at which point you can't really disguise it).
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Re: Concealing Runes

Unread post by Veknironth »

Well, they are probably not easily recognizable but the average Joe - I agree. I just think the risk is pretty high and if someone were to take steps to safeguard, what would they be?

-Vek
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Re: Concealing Runes

Unread post by Sir_Spirit »

Veknironth wrote:Total side note, once the bond has been made with the item, can the owner activate (or have the item itself activate) it's abilities? For things like healing, there must be contact. But if the rune hammer is in a corner and it can cast fireballs, can someone have it do so without actively wielding it?


So, maybe?
They can't all float around and make normal attacks, but what's the point of having a psychic rapport with a self-willed weapon if it can't do stuff on it's own at times?
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Re: Concealing Runes

Unread post by kiralon »

Veknironth wrote:Well, now this makes me wonder about how to fake a rune sword. I have had my favorite wizard character use all sorts of chicanery. One of my favorites was to use a wand or staff and always implement it in casting to make it seem as if the wand/staff was creating the fireball or whatever. I suppose someone could do something similar with a weapon. IT wouldn't fool anyone sharp, so finding the right sucker would be important. However, you might be able to trick them with their own greed - especially if you act like a rube and they think they're getting one over on you. Throw in a mind mage to do some telepathy to make it seem like the weapon is talking to the sucker...

-Vek
"Never trust a mind mage."

Ventriloquism is a spell hehe.
Get a glowing sword (blue is good), paint funny symbols in glowing paint, sell it to players for thrice what a blue glowing sword costs and say you have no idea what it does except that blue clashes with your outfit. Use telekinesis to make it float to a player and ventriloquism to make it say to the player "you're the chosen one".
profit.

I also have some alchemists selling a paste that you can cover a magic item with that reduces its magic signature.
Also I use the xray spell for ranges on how far magic auras penetrates through things, so making a 2inch thick lead box to hold the sword would work for most runeswords, bit inconvenient to get to in a fight though.
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Re: Concealing Runes

Unread post by Sir_Spirit »

Some weapons can turn into lesser items, normal looking weapons or jewelry.
Others have a Null Aura that makes them seem nonmagical to those that sense that sort of thing, but doesn't disguise it's runes...
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If you support ICE/BCP/BorderPatrol at this point, you would have called the Gestapo on the people surreptitiously moving into your neighbor's attic and huffed that you were only following the law.
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