Runic Tattoo Magic

Runic Tattoo Magic

Basic Description
A mage utilizing Runic Tattoo Magic manipulates their will through runic tattoos placed on their own body. This sort of magic requires special training as it does not focus on the mage directly manipulating mana to form spells, as the runic tattoos manage this.

Technical Description
A Runic Tattoo Mage has runic tattoos inked across their body and is trained to use them in order to perform magic. This form of mage wills a spell to take form and channels that will through his or her tattoos. The runes themselves handle the manipulation of mana to form the desired spell. Due to this type of spellcrafting, the mage experiences degrees of physical and mental trauma proportional to the amount of magic being performed and the complexity of the magic itself. This trauma can range from noticeable irritation to a crippling headache and searing pain to unconsciousness and open bleeding. A mage performing this type of magic can kill themselves by overexerting their powers.

Differences Compared to 'Traditional' Magic
Other than the differences mentioned, if a mage was taught to use the runes to cast magic before learning traditional magic, their ability to use traditional magic will be seriously impaired if they are capable at all due to the extreme perceptual differences. The issue of feedback is mostly handled through the rune system: When runes are initially created, they are stored with a large degree of mana which is forced to be integrated. Much of the initial feedback is handled at this point. when new spells are cast through the runes, mana will feedback the runes themselves. This will feedback the inherent mana of the runes, meaning there is an eventual limit to the amount of magic that can be cast before a rune is depleted of internal mana until the mana returns to it. However, this limit is usually far above that of the host, because the feedback causes physical pain to the applied area of the runic tattoo and degrees of mental trauma from practicing magic. Because runes have specialized or limited functions, only simple spells for each runic tattoo may be cast. Complex spells of 'Traditional' Magic may be emulated through the combination of such simple spells. Additionally, a mage practicing this magic need not have The Sense so long as they are adequately proficient in their knowledge of this form of magic.

Requirements
AgeoftheWolf's approval.
No usage or heavy restriction on any other form of magic. Alternatively, heavy restriction on this form of magic if another is primarily used.
Early age requirements (childhood to teens), due to training, unless another form of magic is primarily used.

History
To be updated.

Notes: {WIP}

Tags: Mage, Magic, Mana, Runes, Runic Tattoo Magic

So I'm trying to think of ways to differentiate this from traditional magic more and make sure it remains unique to druidic magic and vice versa.

1. Make this the "structured" elemental magic. Reagent casing can be the "chaotic" form of elemental magic.

2. Runes are pre-loaded spells seared into the skin of the wielder. Water rune X would send out a small gush of water that could fill a water skin. Water rune Y would send out a highly condensed ball of water that could dent a brick wall. Water rune N would send out a wave of water that might knock a few people to their feet. Fire rune X would light a fire. Fire rune Y would shoot out a fireball that could torch someone. Ect ect ect.

3. Ideally the "publishing" process of putting the rune on the magic user would cause immense pain and take the users body a long time to recover from. This would be one to keep people from covering themselves in runes all at once or over a short period of time. Furthermore, in order to have the rune be published the first time the person would need to be able charge that rune. So inexperienced mages cannot have runes put on them that they would be incapable of casting by the "traditional/chaotic" method.

4. The source of the runes power would continue to be mana so all of the negative feedback mentioned by Chaos and used in the chaotic method applies to this as well.

5. The advantage is that it will be safer and more reliable. Because the agent being used is the rune, mages can be generally assured that the spell will trigger correctly ignoring extenuating circumstances and because the rune can only use the set amount of magic there is less likely hood they will drain enough mana to kill themselves.

6. The disadvantage would be adaptability. The runes are pre-loaded spells so while a chaotic mage might use reagents to cast a spell that perfectly fits the specific situation a rune mage would only be capable of using their published runes and just hope that they meet the situation demands.

7. In order to make sure these systems remain relatively exclusive and not gain the best of both worlds thus becoming "imba" we could suggest that beyond the complete difference in casting style associated with these systems, chaotic elemental magic does not manipulate well with the "structured" runes and is likely to explode in the users face.

8. This would aid in uniqueness and be considerably different from the druidic magic system while giving clear and undeniable advantages.

CromTheConqueror wrote:So I'm trying to think of ways to differentiate this from traditional magic more and make sure it remains unique to druidic magic and vice versa.

1. Make this the "structured" elemental magic. Reagent casing can be the "chaotic" form of elemental magic.

The problem with that terminology is that there are already chaotic elements, such as fire, lightning, wind and "storm". The terminology also implies this is widely used; it shouldn't be at this juncture. I'm guessing it was a long time ago, but the Conclave has only made minor progress. The group Nacatha is from has had it for a very long time in perfected form.

2. Runes are pre-loaded spells seared into the skin of the wielder. Water rune X would send out a small gush of water that could fill a water skin. Water rune Y would send out a highly condensed ball of water that could dent a brick wall. Water rune N would send out a wave of water that might knock a few people to their feet. Fire rune X would light a fire. Fire rune Y would shoot out a fireball that could torch someone. Ect ect ect.

That's pretty much exactly it. I guess I need to make that clearer in my post.

3. Ideally the "publishing" process of putting the rune on the magic user would cause immense pain and take the users body a long time to recover from. This would be one to keep people from covering themselves in runes all at once or over a short period of time.

That was my intent, although I never said that explicitly. I'll have to edit my post to reflect that.

Furthermore, in order to have the rune be published the first time the person would need to be able charge that rune. So inexperienced mages cannot have runes put on them that they would be incapable of casting by the "traditional/chaotic" method.

I don't think this has to be true at all. A mage doesn't have to learn traditional magic to have these tattoos on them, they only need to learn how to use the tattoos. This does not require mana manipulation at all, it only requires the manipulations of runes. One must still have a "Sense" so they can recognize and will around the inherent power in the runes, but they need not be able to cast traditional magic.

Alternatively, I read what you said wrong and you're saying that someone needs to be able to make the spell for the rune in the first place. This is absolutely true. The person just doesn't need to be the one with the runes on them.

4. The source of the runes power would continue to be mana so all of the negative feedback mentioned by Chaos and used in the chaotic method applies to this as well.

I'm not really sure what you're saying, unless you're reiterating that mana is the fuel source, which should be obvious.

5. The advantage is that it will be safer and more reliable. Because the agent being used is the rune, mages can be generally assured that the spell will trigger correctly ignoring extenuating circumstances and because the rune can only use the set amount of magic there is less likely hood they will drain enough mana to kill themselves.

Right. I'll have to edit my post to reflect that, although the latter half of this isn't quite true. They can use enough mana to kill themselves, it just depends on if their body can handle the trauma.

6. The disadvantage would be adaptability. The runes are pre-loaded spells so while a chaotic mage might use reagents to cast a spell that perfectly fits the specific situation a rune mage would only be capable of using their published runes and just hope that they meet the situation demands.

Right. That should be reflected in what I said. "Because runes have specialized or limited functions, only simple spells for each runic tattoo may be cast."

I guess it's not stated as explicitly as it needs to be.

7. In order to make sure these systems remain relatively exclusive and not gain the best of both worlds thus becoming "imba" we could suggest that beyond the complete difference in casting style associated with these systems, chaotic elemental magic does not manipulate well with the "structured" runes and is likely to explode in the users face.

There are already strict limitations on this. Using a rune to cast magic and using traditional magic are related but are very, very different styles in that the mentality used for either are different. A traditional mage, even one who is used to runes, will have a hard time figuring out the right process for application, training, use, etc. They will likely kill themselves looking into it rather than ever getting there. Likewise, runic tattoo mages will likely kill themselves practicing traditional magic because they will attempt to form it like a rune; that is, they will completely lack any of the fundamentals of spellcasting, get ahold of a ton of mana, and kaboom themselves.

That's not to say it's impossible for the two to work together and there's no inherent problem with one to the other. However, I suppose there's a greater risk in losing concentration. Trying to cast a spell with runic tattoos on you and losing concentration might cause you to will some of the effect into your runes. You lose control of both the spell you were trying to cast and the runic tattoo going off. Fun.

8. This would aid in uniqueness and be considerably different from the druidic magic system while giving clear and undeniable advantages.

I actually forgot about the druidic system. Not that it existed, but that I forgot there was a formal system in place. I'll have to review it.

1. The terminalogy can change but the meaning behind the word is the same. Elemental magic is chaotic but there is a more structured and less structured way of manifesting that. That's fine if it is not widely used but again my post had more to do with looking at the word from a mechanic point of view not in-game terminology.

2. Great

3. 1/2 Awesome.
2/2And I meant it more to do with the mana intake. When the rune is published it draws the mana from the person to create the original charge for the rune. That amount of mana has to be something the mage is capable of drawing on. Otherwise the rune would kill the first person. I'm not saying they would have to have the knowledge to cast that in its "nonstructured" form. They would inherently contradict them as two very different magic systems.

4. Yep, but for clarity sake I wanted to put it out there.

5. Indeed the person can still draw enough mana to kill themselves since as stated above we are using a mana source. However, the probability is decreased. The rune will use the same amount of mana consistently and not be excessive. This means a person will have a much better grasp of the spell and be far less likely do to something that kills them.

6. Yeah, a little more explicitely stated would be nice but again glad we're onboard there.

7. I think we agree on this point. The main concern is limiting hybrid mages who use both systems. We'd probably have more fun if we made them exclusive and people had to choose between the clear advantage and disadvantages of one or the other.

8. Sounds good.

CromTheConqueror wrote:1. The terminalogy can change but the meaning behind the word is the same. Elemental magic is chaotic but there is a more structured and less structured way of manifesting that. That's fine if it is not widely used but again my post had more to do with looking at the word from a mechanic point of view not in-game terminology.

Mechanically you're pretty much right, except the rune itself is the casting method. The rune is using "chaotic" magic, even though it is something structured.
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3. 1/2 Awesome.
2/2And I meant it more to do with the mana intake. When the rune is published it draws the mana from the person to create the original charge for the rune. That amount of mana has to be something the mage is capable of drawing on. Otherwise the rune would kill the first person. I'm not saying they would have to have the knowledge to cast that in its "nonstructured" form. They would inherently contradict them as two very different magic systems.

So what you're talking about is that the "Inscriber" (Like that mentioned in Age's writing) would have to be able to draw upon the initial mana and make the rune itself. This is true. However, they need not be great mages, they need only to be able to perform that task.

5. Indeed the person can still draw enough mana to kill themselves since as stated above we are using a mana source. However, the probability is decreased. The rune will use the same amount of mana consistently and not be excessive. This means a person will have a much better grasp of the spell and be far less likely do to something that kills them.

I would say that the possibility of death is just as great, the source is different. A traditional mage could screw up a spell and have it explode in their face. They could screw up a spell that couldn't even explode and die from the feedback.

A runic tattoo mage could die because the spells they cast have NO feedback ground other than the runes, which soak most of it, but cause trauma to the mage. Overusing their abilities, even if the spells themselves are far less likely to screw up, will still kill them.

I guess this analogy would work: Traditional magic is like dancing in a room full of sharp objects. If you're skilled, you'll be able to avoid them, and in the off chance you do get cut you can avoid most of the damage. However, there's always a possibility you'll trip and impale yourself and instantly die.

Runic Tattoo Magic is like walking in a room of suspended razorblades. Any movement at all will cut you a little, but you'll be fine as long as you move slowly. If you start to run, you're likely to get tangled up and cut up so much you just bleed out to death.

7. I think we agree on this point. The main concern is limiting hybrid mages who use both systems. We'd probably have more fun if we made them exclusive and people had to choose between the clear advantage and disadvantages of one or the other.

That's pretty much what we have. I just don't want to explicitly say "NO!", because it really and truly is possible to use both systems. Likely it's happened in the past. I should limit it to senior members characters though. Maybe I should start calling them "Prestige" characters? =P