Rune Engineering, Runic Devices & Runic Machines
By Screem, Rachel, Michelle, Rokku_Ryu and Zarkaylia
Rune power constructs fall into two categories, rune powered machines (RPM) and runic devices (RD). RPMs use an intricate combination of wire, energy, amplifiers, and machinery. These are used to make anything from doors to mills, and everything in between if you have the resources, space, and the engineering might for it. Runic devices however, are generally very small, difficult to make due to their complexity and are only capable, to our current knowledge, of carrying out a handful of specific tasks.
The thing about runes that makes them such a huge advancement is it has the ability to be powered by either thermal energy or kinetic energy. Only needing relatively small amounts of either. This is huge, as anything from people or burnable resources can be used to power machines of any given size. Thermal energy can be taken from rune batteries or runite crystals and kinetic energy is passed through interacting with the rune powder in some way, such as stepping on rune ore, pressing buttons or trigger plates.
Though by now it’s been traded to the Celestial Realm and (to a lesser extent) the Dusk Realm, rune dust (or powder) is a resource only found in the Middle Realm. Mining it can be difficult, since it is a dust, the easiest means of doing so is wetting the ore so it clumps when dug out of the stone. There is also a rare energy-packed type of rune crystal as well, called runite. Which is only found in scant few places in the Forbidden Lands. Though rune engineers can come from anywhere they’re most commonly Mesalian. Every engineer’s methods and knowledge of RPMs and RDs will differ as recipes for wires and circuits vary from engineer to engineer.
As we’ve touched on already, the base materials needed for rune engineering (rune dust or runite) are only found in the Middle Realm and the craft has existed in some parts of the realm for centuries. Thus working with these materials has a lost history to re-discover and Mesalians more commonly become engineers.
Ingredients
The following is used in a number of both rune machines and devices. This is a simple breakdown of the pieces and why they’re included in some constructs.
Rune Powder
Carries runic energy from one point to another
Function:
Raw rune powder is a shimmering sand-like substance that when poured out is known to carry energy between points. Given the granular nature of it, the rune powder can easily be disrupted, or washed away, and the energy quickly dissipates after a few meters.
Creation:
Rune powder is mined directly from the earth. It’s easily identified by its ability to glow when interacted with in its native form. The easiest way to mine rune powder is to wet it before mining to encourage clumping of the fine powder. It cannot be utilized until properly dried out.
Rune Wire
Alloy wire that carries runic energy from one point to another
Function:
Rune powder is often processed into an alloy; usually using gold, silver, copper or iron. The ratio for metal to rune powder varies from engineer to engineer and depends on the metal used. Poor mixtures will result in brittle alloy wires, or the inability to conduct the rune power. Rune wires conduct energy more efficiently, but in either case, complicated or large projects will always require an amplifier.
Creation:
The rune powder can be made into an alloy when it is mixed with metal scraps or powder, then heated until it’s molten liquid. From here it’s processed in two ways, either poured out into strips then hammered into narrow wires, or it can be poured directly into pre-cut grooves in the stone shells of runic devices. For runic devices the alloy must then be carefully chiseled and sanded to remove excess bits of alloy that may stick to the device, but only after it’s cooled in its setting.
Runite Crystals
A rare crystal that transmits runic energy
Function:
Runite has formed from plumes of magma high in rune ore. As the magma supply drains off, the plumes cool, leaving great solid crystals of Runite. The crystals seem to retain a charge from their creation that appears to last indefinitely in their natural state, only dissipating if the crystals are crushed down into rune powder or otherwise depleted with use in RPM’s.
Runic Shells
Carved stones used for creating runic devices
Function:
A rune shell is just the outside rock shell of any rune you find. Completely useless, until runic pieces are set inside of it. Rune shells are only used for portable runic devices. They are small enough to fit into a pocket, about the size of the palm of the hand (3 inches or ~7.5cm), their size does make them fragile and prone to cracking or breaking when dropped, throttled or otherwise misused. Cracks in the shell disrupt the runic pathways and often renders the rune inoperable or results in failure of the device. These days, modern rune engineers are experimenting with metal shells/cases and insulation made of, for example, glass fiber. This is however more costly than the traditional stone shells.
Creation:
A runic shell is usually carved from a stone whose center is hollowed out, then carved with shallow paths for runic wiring and deeper divots for gemstones or bands of silver or gold to sit in. The shell opening will often need a small lip to catch the button that will activate it and close the opening used to carve the innards. Supporting structures can be made inside the shell if the wiring requires it. The runic shells are traditionally very thin and often very fragile. Thicker shells can be made, trading away weight and space for wiring for robustness.
Gold, Copper, Iron, Silver (other metals and alloys may occur depending on desired effect and the individual engineer)
Used in the creation of rune wire
Function:
Scraps and metal dust are melted down with rune powder to make runic wire.
- Iron: Used to make rune wireFunction:Iron scraps and dust is melted down and mixed with rune dust to make runic wire, the percentage of iron to rune dust is generally a point of professional pride and dispute among the engineering community. It’s hotly debated whether iron conducts runic energy better than copper. It’s believed the mixture of metal to runic dust has more to do with the efficiency of rune wire.
- Copper: Used to make rune wireFunction:Copper scraps and dust is melted down and mixed with rune dust to make runic wire, the percentage of copper to rune dust is generally a point of professional pride and dispute among the engineering community. It’s hotly debated whether copper conducts runic energy better than iron. It’s believed the mixture of metal to runic dust has more to do with the efficiency of rune wire.
- Gold: Used to amplify runic energyFunction:Gold is tricky to work with when it comes to creating runic wire or devices as it has the remarkable ability to enhance runic signals. Gold accelerates the transfer of energy and amplifies what energy is fed into it.
- Silver: Used to dampen runic energyFunction:Silver on its own will halt runic energy outright and not allow it to pass through. There are many things that cause this but none so effectively as silver. When silver is mixed with redstone to make a wire it works as a sort of dampener. Silver can and will conduct redstone energy if the energy being fed into the section of wire is powerful enough. If not, the energy will dissipate and won't go any farther.
Diamond
Used in the creation of communication & home runes
Function:
Each chunk of diamond has its own unique energy signature. This signature remains even when the chunk of diamond is split. When runic energy is fed into a piece of diamond the energy from it is radiated into both pieces. Resulting in the instant transmission of energy or vibrations. This has been utilized to make communication and transportation over distances possible. The energy and vibrations are not powerful enough to transmit when a piece of diamond is broken down too small, so it is currently only possible to link two pieces. Has an approximate range of 500 meters.
Emerald
Used in the creation of communication & home runes
Function:
Each chunk of emerald has its own unique energy signature. This signature remains even when the chunk of emerald is split. When runic energy is fed into a piece of emerald the energy from it is radiated into both pieces. Resulting in the instant transmission of energy or vibrations. This has been utilized to make communication and transportation over distances possible. The energy and vibrations are not powerful enough to transmit when a piece of emerald is broken down too small, so it is currently only possible to link two pieces. Has an approximate range of 100 meters.
Lapis Lazuli
Used in the creation of communication & home runes
Function:
Lapis can function as a sort of translator for the vibrations and energy received from either diamonds or emeralds. The resulting effect of the lapis is that it reconstructs the energy or vibrations from the emerald or diamonds back into its original form, be it a voice or person.
Quartz
Used in the creation of memory runes
Function:
Quartz when fed enough energy can pulse waves of energy that can disrupt some frontal lobe activity, namely preventing the conversion of short-term memory into long-term. Though its effectiveness is spotty at best.
Rune Powered Machines
RPM’s always need a few core components to function. The first would be wiring of some sort. Second is the power source which can be any source of kinetic energy to rune batteries and runite. These power sources can be controlled by levers, switches, pressure plates, and so on. Since runes can be powered by such a diverse array of things this makes constructing machines much simpler. Finally the last component would be the output which is whatever the machine is built to do, such as moving a piston or spinning a wheel. RPMs can range in size from massive constructions to small.
[spoiler]Rune Powder
Carries runic energy or ‘signals’ from one point to another
Function:
Raw rune powder is a shimmering sand-like substance that when poured out is known to carry energy between points. Given the granular nature of it the rune powder can easily be disrupted or washed away, and the energy quickly dissipates after a few meters. For this reason rune powder is often processed into an alloy. The ratio for metal to rune powder varies from engineer to engineer and depends on the metal used. Poor mixtures will result in brittle alloy wires, or the inability to conduct the rune power. Rune wires conduct energy more efficiently, but in either case complicated or large projects will always require an amplifier. Rune powder can be heated into a liquid at a fairly low temperature, and can be heated to extremes without burning. At the moment it’s not clear what temperature would be necessary to actually scorch rune powder.
Creation:
Rune powder is mined directly from the earth. It’s easily identified by its ability to glow when interacted with in its native form. The rune powder can be made into an alloy when it is mixed with metal scraps or powder, then heated until it’s molten liquid. From here it’s processed in two ways, either poured out into strips then hammered into narrow wires, or it can be poured directly into pre-cut grooves in the stone shells of runic devices. For runic devices the alloy must then be carefully chiseled and sanded to remove excess bits of alloy that may stick to the device, but only after it’s cooled in its setting.
Rune Battery
Holds and transmits runic energy
Function:
A rune battery is a (usually) small, red stone-like creation that holds an amount of power. The amount varies as there is no standard between engineers creating them and the battery’s life can be prolonged by a carefully calculated amount of incoming power. It will however eventually deplete and there has so far been no successful attempt at recharging them. Their function is, of course, to keep life and power into rune devices when connected with wiring. They can also be utilized in RMPs but may require switching out depleted batteries for new ones on a regular basis. Runite can be used as a more efficient source of power, but it is largely unheard of, extremely rare and potentially extremely expensive if one were to find a seller.
Creation:
Batteries are created by superheating pure rune powder and then applying high enough pressure to the heated powder that it binds together. It is then important to let the battery cool naturally over time so that the bindings won’t become fragile and break upon use. Once cooled correctly, the powder will have formed a stone, or rock, that has maintained some of the kinetic energy used in the process of creation.Communication Runes
Function:
The communication rune functions due to two components and a carefully moderated amount of energy moving from all parts of the device. Emerald and diamond (or the ‘core’ of the device) can transmit energy and vibrate, lapis converts this back into a voice.
Since runes can be powered by heat, kinetic energy or batteries, the act of depressing the button on a device is what activates both the transmitting communication rune (T-CR) and the receiving communication rune (R-CR). Usually by activating a battery, if the rune is of the more reliable sort.
The T-CR’s core transmits the energy fed into it to the R-CR. While the T-CR is active the R-CR cannot transmit. Due to the delicate nature of the power systems inside of the communication rune, the T-CR can only be activated for a little over 5 minutes at a time before burning out. When the button is released on the T-CR the power feed will end and deactivate both devices.
Communication runes glow from the ventilation in the lid of the runic shell. Water inside of a runic device while running will burn it out. Burning out occurs when the runic wire overheats and scorches the pathways the wire is set in, effectively rendering the device inoperable and irreparable. Though the core, silver, and lapis can still be salvaged for another device.
Creation:
Runic Shell (1)
Button (1)
Rune wire
Lapis Lazuli (5-6)
Diamond or emerald (1)
Runic batteries (1-5)
Silver
In order to create a communication rune, the rune shell has to be modified to have holes ventilation cut out in its lid to allow for the sound to get in and out. In the center of the runic shell under the coil for the button sits the core which is the main transmitter surrounded by pieces of lapis all looped and set in redstone wire. 1-5 internal runic batteries power the device, all set outside of a narrow band of silver that keeps the power from the batteries from overloading the rest of the device when in use. The amount of batteries can affect longevity and/or transmission radius depending on wiring.
Home Runes
Function:
The core of the science behind home runes is similar to that of communication runes. They function through the interaction of a core (diamond or emerald) and lapis through a carefully amplified energy system feeding the device itself and the target. The core transmits energy and in the case of a home rune utilizes an immense amount of it to convert a person into such and back again via the transportation process. Due to the amount of power it takes the home rune takes a moment of holding the button and holding still to activate.
The act of depressing the button on the home rune device (HRD), activates both it and the target rune device (TRD). The HRD takes a moment to activate, the core and lapis through the utilization of immensely amplified batteries transfers anyone or thing touching it from the HRD’s location (This includes the HRD itself) to the location of the TRD. The TRD must be located on the ground somewhere with the core facing open air otherwise the energy transmitted (IE; the person) by the HRD will have nowhere to go, so it will not transfer and the home rune will fail to activate. If it does activate there is a chance of splicing or dissipation. Once the HRD and TRD have done their jobs, the device will deactivate and should not be used for 2-3 hours afterwards. Constant reuse of the device will burn it out.
Home runes are one-way and will carry at the maximum two people. Anymore has had catastrophic results for all involved. Splicing occurs when the TRD is obscured, and can be anything from a foot being stuck in a floorboard to a bed fusing through a person's chest. Small amounts of dust are generally harmless. Dissipation occurs when the lapis fails to reconstruct the person all together and the energy is lost, usually this sort of catastrophic failure results in an explosive discharge of energy from the TRD. Water inside of a runic device while running will burn it out. Burning out occurs when the runic wire overheats and scorches the pathways the wire is set in, effectively rendering the device inoperable and irreparable. Though the core, gold, and lapis can still be salvaged for another device.
Creation:
Home Rune Device
Runic Shell (1)
Button (1)
Rune wire
Lapis Lazuli (8-12)
Diamond or emerald (1)
Runic batteries (5-6)(Adding more may overload the small device and result in catastrophic failure)
Gold
Creating a home rune requires an extremely complicated set of runic wire paths carved into it. The sequence of paths is generally designed and developed a little differently by every engineer but all of it serves to try to transfer the most amount of power without burning the runic wire out before it completes the transfer of energy. In the center of the device is the core of emerald or diamond. The core is then surrounded by rings of gold to amplify the energy fed into it from the runic batteries, and lapis, to help decode and reconstruct the person or thing transported back in the correct order.
Target Rune Device
Creation:
Diamond or emerald (1)
Lapis (2)
Gold
Silver
Rune wire
The TRD is nothing more than a receiver for the immense amount of energy transferred through the HRD. When activated the rune glows brightly before whatever is transported manifests on top of it. Since the TRD only receives the transport from the HRD it doesn’t require power of its own. Its inner rings and 2 lapis receive and reform, the outer rings are designed to dissipate the remaining energy from the transfer. The TRD needs to be set in the ground of wherever the HRD is supposed to target.
Experimental Rune Technology
If it seems there's a lot of gaps in the general knowledge of how things work in rune engineering, that’s because there is a great deal that simply isn’t understood about the properties of rune powder and how it interacts with other materials. As such, new technologies are always being pioneered, and while there are exponentially more failures than successes, there is clearly much more to learn about runes, what they do, and how they do it. As such, rune technology is constantly changing and growing.
Advanced enough engineers may find themselves making new creations that utilize the power of runes to make even more devices than what’s listed here. Advanced runic devices, or essentially new runic inventions should be done IC and require a competent or better understanding of rune engineering to undertake. Creating new rune technology can take years to get even a prototype that may or may not work. It can also be dangerous as a misfiring runic device could explode in its creator's hands. Things that fall into this category of pioneering new technology are:
Runic listening Device -
Designed and built once, but with limited success. Just like with communication runes, this technology has a problem with shorting out after a long enough time active. Only one person knows how it's created and keeps it a closely guarded secret.
Runic limbs -
Thus far attempted, designed and successfully built all of once*. This is a lost technology more or less and exactly how it’s done is known only to one individual that has died with its secrets.
*unsuccessful attempts are dangerous as runes inside of a living body generally result in a violent and explosive release of energy from the inside out.
Explosives* -
Designing new types of explosives or experimenting with new types of weaponry is immensely dangerous. This field of study is the leading cause of death to those who pursue it.
*This obviously requires an advanced understanding of explosives as well, please see the [explosive lore] for more information.
Teleporters -
Another experimental technology, a teleporter is a lot like a much larger attempt at a home rune. The massive device requires a great deal more energy, and is considerably more difficult to construct than home runes. Both the destination and departure points are fixed, meaning the device needs to be built twice.
Ancient versions of these machines have been found in lost ruins of bygone ages, implying it and many other advanced technologies may have been lost to the Mesalian people over time.
Powered Mine Rails -
Another new technology, a powered rail, uses gold and batteries to amplify runic power into a modified track that has rollers powered by runic devices that accelerate mine carts. This technology is new, and while more is known about this technology than the others listed, it is still a new technology just starting to take root in remote reaches of the Forbidden Lands and Mainlands.
Flying Machines -
An ancient technology found only in aether rich areas, and have not been studied. They appear to operate like any other runic machines, but instead of moving a door or a platform along a wall, these machines lift into the air. It's not well understood how they move free of support, but it's assumed it has something to do with the aether in the areas these devices have only ever been found in.
To experiment with new rune technology, please talk to staff before beginning and let them know both the design and intention for the device. Please keep in mind that OP play, powergaming and metagaming all have to be considered before approving a new rune technology.
[Proposal/WIP] Rune Communication Transmitter (Prototype)
Function:
The transmitter is a runic machine allowing its user to communicate with multiple (so far three have been tested) receiving (modified) communication runes at once.
Creation:
Steel casing (1)
Glass fiber isolation
Button (1)
Rune wire (including silver and gold alloys)
Diamond (2)
Emerald (1)
Runic batteries (8-10)
Lapis lazuli shards (10)
To create the transmitter one needs a steel casing with glass fiber isolation. The device is like regular communication runes in that it has only one button to press and has several holes in the case to allow for sound and heat to be emitted.
The rune wiring is a carefully constructed webb connecting 8-10 runic batteries with the machine’s core. Silver alloy* is used to connect the batteries. Its core consists of a copper ring and an inner circle of small lapis lazuli shards that are wired to the copper circle. Inside this sits a row consisting of 2 diamonds and an emerald in the center. These rocks are all connected with a gold alloy wiring and held by wiring to the lapis lazuli.
The receivers are made in similar fashion to regular communication runes with only slight modifications in wiring.
*”Alloy” in this text refers to combining rune dust and a metal.
Notes:
- This prototype will transmit to all connected receivers and cannot distinguish between them.
- The receiving runes can only communicate back to the transmitter, not between one another.
- This is a prototype. A lot remains unexplored and it has flaws and room for improvement.
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