Rune

A Rune is a series of specific symbols drawn on a piece of material, such as stone or metal, that casts a desired spell or channels a limited amount of mana. Runes are most often used in subtle magic, defensive magic, martial magic, and even necromancy. Runes are also used for a variety of minor purposes, including repelling insects or cleaning rooms. Runes can even be used to defend against other runes.

Runes vary in size and patterns, from the very simple to complex and snake-like.

Some magicians, known as Runecarvers, specialize in organizing and carving special runes.

Use
Most runes only require low-level ambient magic in the vicinity to work, although a magician can charge runes themselves. The material chosen for the rune is important, as different materials produce different effects. For example, a rune scratched in the earth works quickly, but lasts shortly; a rune in metal can take weeks or months to take effect, and yet lasts much longer. Magic can be used to discover, and hence destroy, the runes in use. If a person waits too long, and hence receives too much influence from the rune, then even discovering the rune will grant no freedom.

Runes can be used in conjunction with one another; removing one of these runes may cause an imbalance, and hence disastrous results, depending on the spell.

Runes can be carved into a person's flesh to protect them from the effects of spells, especially subtle magic. If someone else carves into a person's flesh, the rune can be healed, and hence negated. If the flesh rune comes begins to work against another rune or spell, it begins to warm the flesh. Some magicians prefer to simply sew the rune into their clothes. It is also a possible danger that someone might offer a person a rune meant to protect them, but with completely opposite effects.

In most magical schools, such as Whitehall, students are initially taught how to read runes. By their fifth or sixth year, they are trained on how to craft their own. Any student caught attempting to carve runes into their own flesh is expelled "for gross stupidity."

In the Allied Lands, it is illegal for non-magicians to experiment with runes, no matter the justification.