Runic Inks¶
Rules system: homebrew, the skill-based Sancturi system (2019 document; ink quality scales effective skill level).
Lore: the inks and the alchemists who make them are described on Runic Inks under Magic.
Legacy design material, not canon for play. The ink rules shared by both rune traditions, Namakan and Khardic, from Runic Inks (S230): how an ink's rating changes the effective skill of the writing, how runes are made permanent, and the fourteen well-known inks. The rune forms themselves are on Namakan Runecasting and Khardic Runecasting.
Ink ratings¶
Each class of rune magic rates inks for its own use, and the rating changes the effective skill level of the writing:
| Rating | Effect |
|---|---|
| Poor | Reduces Skill to 50%. |
| Fair | Reduces Skill to 75%. |
| Normal | Normal Skill. |
| Good | Increases Skill by 25%. |
| Ideal | Increases Skill by 50%. |
The source introduces the scale as "unusable, poor, fair, good, excellent and ideal" but defines the five ratings above. Any ink not rated for a class is Poor.
Permanent mediums¶
Runes are made persistent by applying them to a surface that supports detailed work and does not easily break or decompose.
- Engravings work on most hard surfaces, including stone, metal, glass, bone and wood. They require basic skill in working the material (stoneworker, metalworker, glassworker and so on) and additional divine energy and heat.
- Paintings work on permeable materials such as cloth, canvas, tattoos and embroidery, and on properly prepared (flattened but permeable) stone and wood. They require basic skill in working the material (painter, tailor and so on) and additional divine energy and heat.
Well-known inks¶
The table rates each ink for the two rune traditions (Namakan, Khardic) and for runecaster classes (Runesmith, Runewarder, Runelock, Runemage, Runepriest, Runekeeper, Runebinder). Permanence is whether the ink is painted or engraved. An asterisk (*) on the cost means the ink requires a special container.
| Ink | Permanence | Cost | Fair | Normal | Good | Ideal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dyed Ink | Paint | 1s per oz | Namakan, Khardic | — | — | — |
| Bone Ink | Engrave | 1g per oz | — | Namakan | — | — |
| Manganese Ink | Engrave | 1g per oz | — | Khardic | — | — |
| Cupric Ink | Engrave | 10g per oz | Khardic | Runesmith | Runewarder | — |
| Blood Ink | Paint | 10g per oz* | Namakan | Runekeeper | Runebinder | — |
| Hollowed Ink | Paint | 10g per oz* | — | Runemage | Runelock | — |
| Nightshade Ink | Engrave | 10g per oz | — | — | Namakan | — |
| Lightveil Ink | Paint | 100g per oz | — | Namakan | Runepriest | Runekeeper |
| Praestic Ink | Paint | 100g per oz | — | Namakan | Runekeeper | Runepriest |
| Electrum Ink | Engrave | 100g per oz | — | Khardic | Runemage (Realm A,W or L) | Runelock |
| Beryllic Ink | Engrave | 100g per oz | Namakan | Khardic | Runesmith, Runemage (Realm E, F or D) | Runewarder |
| Mithric Ink | Engrave | 200g per oz* | Namakan | — | Khardic | Runesmith |
| Essence Ink | Paint | 100g per oz* | — | — | Namakan | Runebinder |
| Fae Inks (/Realm) | Engrave | 100g per oz* | — | — | Runemage (Realm Adj) | Runemage (Realm) |
The Runemage entries name Fae realms by letter (A, W, L; E, F, D) and "Realm Adj"; the source does not expand them.
Table and prose disagree
The table's Permanence column says Paint for Dyed, Blood, Hollowed, Praestic and Essence inks, but the prose headings below call all five "Engraving". The prose also calls Bone ink a "Carving" (table: Engrave), and gives Mithric ink as "Carving, Engraving" and Cupric as "Engraving, Carving". Both readings are kept.
Simple inks¶
Most runecasters can mix these, given the ingredients.
- Dyed Ink / Engraving: made from most dyes combined with Holy Water; very cheap and easy to produce and obtain. It works as a fair ink for all Forms.
- Bone Ink / Carving: crushed bone mixed with acids to soften and dissolve it. An ivory-brown ink that lasts without preservation; somewhat labour-intensive but made from readily available materials. Normal for all Namakan Forms.
- Praestic Ink / Engraving: made from Praestic Powder, a Sancturi holy substance harvested by the Penitus Monks, usually combined with holy water and other additives. It keeps its bright red colour as an ink and glows when surrounding Mithis levels are very elevated within a couple of feet (not quite as effective as the powder or incense at detecting Mithis). Particularly potent for most Runepriest Forms; simple to create given the powder.
- Manganese Ink / Engraving: manganese mixed with holy water; easy to make given manganese, which experienced smelters or miners extract from manganese-rich rock relatively easily.
Complex inks¶
These require specialised experience and knowledge.
| Ink | Made from | Maker | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollowed Ink / Engraving | A mixture of Hollowed herbs; stored in a bottle enchanted with a containment rune | Experienced Corporeal Alchemist | Effective with arcane and elemental magic; particularly potent for most Runemage Forms. |
| Blood Ink / Engraving | Fresh blood mixed with reagents that extract its living energy | Experienced Empyrean Alchemist | Especially potent for spirit-based runes (most Runebinder Forms). Vials spoil and are generally enchanted with preservation magic. Dries deep reddish brown. |
| Fae Inks (one per Fae Realm) / Engraving | The fae essence of a fae creature | Experienced Corporeal Alchemist | Highly specialised to one Fae domain; ideal when it aligns directly with the Form. |
| Nightshade Ink / Engraving | The highly poisonous Nightshade plant | Experienced Empyrean Alchemist | Completely black even after use; "appears to absorb all light completely". Rare and somewhat dangerous to handle; not poisonous once dried. |
| Mithric Ink / Carving, Engraving | Mithril or Mithis depleted by an expert Metallurgist | Experienced Corporeal Alchemist | "Much more difficult and expensive than it was", because depleting the source is difficult and time-consuming. |
| Electrum Ink / Engraving | An alloy of pure metals including silver, gold and nickel | Experienced Corporeal Alchemist | Used heavily with Khardic runes; works reasonably well with Namakan Forms of Water, Air and Light. |
| Beryllic Ink / Engraving | An alloy of pure metals including copper and beryllium | Experienced Corporeal Alchemist | Used heavily with Khardic runes; works reasonably well with Namakan Forms of Fire, Earth and Darkness. |
| Essence Ink / Engraving | Soul essences | Proficient Empyrean Alchemist | Pale white or blue glow, "almost ethereal in nature while in the bottle"; applies as a high-contrast bluish white with a faint glow. |
| Cupric Ink / Engraving, Carving | A solution of purified copper with stabilising reagents and minerals | Proficient Corporeal Alchemist | Dries like a film of bright copper that oxidises blue-green. |
The Corporeal and Empyrean Alchemists who make these inks are described on Runic Inks under Magic; their Focus Feats are on Sancturi Magic System.
Gap
Lightveil Ink appears in the table (Paint, 100g per oz) but has no description in the source.