Elric - Rune Questions (again)...

[DamonJynx]

Hi,

We just returned to my Elric game again last night after a bit of a lay-off. Unfortunately the PC roster was a little light. I started to throw 3 Elenoin at them (4 PC's) but after all of them were paralysed for 2 CA on the Elenoins first CA (they won initiative) and the players howls of protest I reduced it to 1 Elenoin which even so was a blast. 1 PC was unconscious from a chest wound for the whole combat and another had to burn a hero point to re-roll a failed parry that resulted in his character being split from skull-to-sternum! So the session raised a couple of questions regarding runes, namely the Rune of Confinement and the Rune of Leeching.

1. The text for Rune of Confinement states that each MP invested in the Rune affects 1 cubic metre. I just want to be 100% that this is correct and it isn't meant to be 1 metre cubed for each MP. I know it's semantics, but in this instance it makes a massive difference; i.e if 4 MP is invested in the inscribed rune does it affect an area 4 x 1 x 1 or 2 x 2 x 1 (which is what I think is correct) or is it an area 4 x 4 x 4 (which is what I did last night, trying to lay a trap for my erstwhile PC's)? in other words is it meant to affect a complete room, or just the entrances and exits?

2. The Rune of Leeching, if one of the players inscribed this on himself and used it to drain the Rune of Confinement how would that "manifest" on the player? Does the player simply get a one-off use of that Rune without learning it? Does he bleed when cut?
Or is he just severely constipated?

I'd appreciate any comments guys.

Cheers,

[GevatterHein]

Confinement: Iwould say, you get one cubic metre per MP invested. So, to block a room 3x3x3 metres, you need 27 MP. Otherwise the rune description should read "the rune affects one cubic metre per Magic point invested" - IMHO.

Leeching: To cut a rune on your bood will damage the skin and you will bleed. When the leeching rune has drained some other rune, it could change it's shape into the absorped power. You will bear this mark forever, however. And yes, it burns one point of INT - you will never forget the new power. So, leeching would be a powerfull tool to learn new runes. Of Course, you have to inscribe the leeching rune each time on your body to drain another one. And I would rule, you have to cut deep into your own flesh to inscribe it, loose D4+2 HP. A very gruesome way to learn new magic...

[GevatterHein]

Confinement: Iwould say, you get one cubic metre per MP invested. So, to block a room 3x3x3 metres, you need 27 MP. Otherwise the rune description should read "the rune affects one cubic metre per Magic point invested" - IMHO.

Leeching: To cut a rune on your bood will damage the skin and you will bleed. When the leeching rune has drained some other rune, it could change it's shape into the absorped power. You will bear this mark forever, however. And yes, it burns one point of INT - you will never forget the new power. So, leeching would be a powerfull tool to learn new runes. Of Course, you have to inscribe the leeching rune each time on your body to drain another one. And I would rule, you have to cut deep into your own flesh to inscribe it, loose D4+2 HP. A very gruesome way to learn new magic...

[Vortigern]

1.) Personally I would go with the 4 X 4 X 4, operating with the number of Magic Points setting a diameter of effect, rather than specifically setting exact square meter per magic point. I would rather that things flowed quickly and easily for this purpose.

I may be wrong but I would think this is also the intent of the passage, even if it isn't 'perfectly' stated.

2.)

'The leeching rune’s absorbed power lasts until the leaching rune
expires, or the targeted rune elapses.'

I would assume that the trap-laying Sorcerer would rather quickly drop their devoted Magic Points to maintaining the inscription of the Confinement effect, after completing the ambush. This would remove the power that was co-opted by the Leeching Rune.

'If vocalised, the sorcerer manifests the absorbed rune. If inscribed, then it is the object that holds the Leaching Rune, which manifests the new power.'

However, until then, the exact same magic points that were drained away from the original confinement spell would be transferred as described. The effect doesn't provide exact control over the drained away energy. I'm not sure if there really would be any benefit to draining a Confinement effect into yourself directly. Actually I would imagine that having a rather negative effect, but that would be my view. Instead I would have drawn the Leeching rune on the ground, in small circle, and used it to draw away the confinement effect into the smaller sub-circle, so that I could get out.

[DamonJynx]

Confinement: Iwould say, you get one cubic metre per MP invested. So, to block a room 3x3x3 metres, you need 27 MP. Otherwise the rune description should read "the rune affects one cubic metre per Magic point invested" - IMHO.

You are most likely right, as this appears to be RAW, however there is always the possibility of a slip of the pen. And I think your last comment should be; "the rune effects 1 metre cubed per magic point invested." See what I mean.

Leeching: To cut a rune on your bood will damage the skin and you will bleed. When the leeching rune has drained some other rune, it could change it's shape into the absorped power. You will bear this mark forever, however. And yes, it burns one point of INT - you will never forget the new power. So, leeching would be a powerfull tool to learn new runes. Of Course, you have to inscribe the leeching rune each time on your body to drain another one. And I would rule, you have to cut deep into your own flesh to inscribe it, loose D4+2 HP. A very gruesome way to learn new magic...

Not sure about this. I don't believe you have to "tattoo" the Rune so-to-speak. You can paint it on so that it will wash off, however the Rune remains and is visible to those with Witch Sight. I'm not sure if learning Runes in this manner is possible, the text implies you get the power of the Rune, not an intimate knowledge of the Rune. Otherwise all would-be sorcerers would learn this Rune to further their knowledge.

Personally I would go with the 4 X 4 X 4, operating with the number of Magic Points setting a diameter of effect, rather than specifically setting exact square meter per magic point. I would rather that things flowed quickly and easily for this purpose.

I may be wrong but I would think this is also the intent of the passage, even if it isn't 'perfectly' stated.

That's what I went with on the night, it does make the Rune very powerful though for a relatively small cost, which is what makes me think it maybe slightly off the mark. Imagine if your whole party enters a room that is so enscorelled, with the loss of 4 MP for a couple of weeks you could starve them to death very easily.

Regarding 2, I guess I'm trying to work out what "manifests" means. Obviously the effect will be different for each and every Rune, some more suited than others to being 'leeched' in this way. I suppose you could use it as a sort of Rune of Protection against magic though. Which would be quite interesting.

Thanks for the comments guys! Keep'em coming.

[DamonJynx]

Discussing other stuff with Loz and he confirmed the Rune of Confinement should be metres cubed per MP, i.e 4 x 4 x 4 for a 4MP investment.

Also, Leeching gives you the power of the Rune, you don't learn it as such. Therefore in this case, as the PC didn't know the Confinement Rune and it can't be vocalised, if he had drained it using the Rune of Leeching the power of the Rune would have dissipated as he was unable to use it.