Rune Engineering
By Screem, Rachel, Michelle and Rokku_Ryu
Rune power constructs fall into two categories, Rune powered machines (RPM) and runic devices. RPM’s 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, extremely difficult to make and are only capable, to our 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 torches 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 in huge quantities to the Celestial and Dusk Realms, 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 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 RPM’s and runic devices will differ as recipes for wires and circuits vary from engineer to engineer.
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.
Creation:
A runic shell is usually carved from a stone thats 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. The runic shells are very thin and often very fragile.
Coal
Used as a fuel source for torches
Function:
Coal is dipped in liquified rune dust. This creates a power source for runic devices, the rune dust, when dry it solidifies and causes the coal to burn much slower.
Gold, Copper, Iron, Silver
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 wire
Function:
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 wire
Function:
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 energy
Function:
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 energy
Function:
Silver on it’s 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 it’s 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 it’s 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, namly preventing the conversion of short-term memory into long-term. Though it’s effectiveness is spotty at best.
Topaz
Exparimental uses only, so far.
Function:
Topaz, with varying dagrees of success dependent on its color; Clear being least successful where yellow, red-orange is most. Converts the runic energy into a radiating warmth. This has theoretical applications in heating homes, cooking food, and various industrial needs.
Rune Powered Machines
RPM’s always need a few core components to function. First is the rune powder itself, or wiring. Rune powder is used to connect the components of the machine and transmit energy from one place to another. Second is the power source which ranges from levers, pressure plates, and buttons to energy torches, and runite. 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. RPM’s do require some runic devices, these however are larger and usually simpler devices than the compact sort that are generally referred to as runic devices.
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; 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. 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.
Energy Torch
Holds and transmits runic energy
Function:
Most rune devices can harvest the energy from a burning rune torch, they act as fuel and can also receive signals as well. When a rune torch is burning it gives off a postive feed to rune powder and powered devices, when another signals is fed into the torch, it reverses the feed to negative and essentially snuffs it out. Another signal will relight it and so on. Unless powered off, the energy will slowly deplete from the torch, though they are much longer lived than regular torches used for light.
Creation:
Take a small stake and split the end of the dowel. Insert small wedges to open the cuts in the end of the dowel. Then mix coal dust and rune powder, preferably, equal quantities of both, and slowly heat until the rune powder is molton. Heating too quickly can cause the rune powder to interact with the coal prematurely and short out the torch head. This is usually poured into a mold until cooled then set into the opening at the end of the dowel and secured. The rune powder and coal combination will have two stages, dormant and transmitting. When energy is fed into it, the rune powder in the torch will ignite and burn the coal mixed with it and use it as a source of energy. when ignited the rune torch produces a weak red glow that will slowly fade over time.
Runic Toggles
Toggles runic energy on and off
Function:
When flipped on, an energy torch is unblocked and power is let out. This power can then be sent into a rune current. Most levers have a compartment to replace the energy torch when it depletes.
Creation:
Levers are actually a form of runic device, but are often used in rune machines. The dowel pulled to trigger the power on and off for levers actually interacts with what is essentially a rune torch set into the stone casing at it’s base. The torch inlaid inside the device is simply a smaller version of the head on a normal rune torch, set inside a divot that has a small trail carved out for a rune wire. The lever strikes in the middle of this wire to deactivate the current and stuff the torch when in the ‘off’ position. This is considered the easiest runic devices to make.
Runic Trigger Plates
Transmits runic energy while depressed
Function:
When pressure is applied, a spark of kinetic energy is released which can then be transferred into a rune wire. Depending on the type of plate will affect how much pressure is required and how much kinetic energy is produced.
Creation:
Just like in its raw form, rune wire will transmit energy when struck or pressed, so a pressure plate is simple a wooden, metal or stone disk set into a stone shell supported by simple redstone coils that will depress when stepped on. When pressed the plate transfers the energy of that press into the wire to power the connected machine. The type of plate used will determine the amount of pressure needed to depress it. The amount of pressure directly affects how much energy is transferred into the rune wire.
Buttons
Transmits short burst of runic energy
Function:
When pressed a spark of kinetic energy can very briefly transmit power to rune wire. Depending on the type of button use, the length of the single will differ.
Creation:
Just like in its raw form, rune wire will transmit energy when struck or pressed, so a small button, stone or wooden is set into a stone shell with a coiled wire of runestone running through it’s base. When pressed the button transfers the energy into the wire to power the connected machine. The type of button will determine how long the signal will be transmitted. Stone is a shorter burst due to the heavier springs needed for it, whereas wood tends to take its time reverting back to it’s original position.
Amplifier
Extends range of or delays runic signals
Function:
In order to get power to continue along a great distance, it may be necessary to amplify the initial signal the activates it. This devices is designed to strengthen a signal fed to it so as to extend its reach along the rune powder. Given it’s design, it can also be set to delay the signal to allow for delicate timing in machines.
Creation:
Amplifiers are fairly simple runic devices that contain a single torch and a coil of gold wire installed along a path of redstone wire that runs through the middle of it. The coil of gold wire amplifies the runic signal and will do so regardless of the second. The second torch, along with sitting over the primary rune wire, is set along a series of looping wires with silver lined sockets. By moving the second torch into alternate positions you can set delays in the timing of the output for the device.
Comparators
Changes output based on amount of incoming power
Function:
The ability to measure the amount of power fed through a machine has resulted in comparators. Comparators can accepted two different lines of rune powder and depending on which lines has a more powerful signal will determine if it continues it’s signal or not. A newer creation, the comparators open the door for even more complicated RPM’s.
Creation:
The Comparator has the ability to accept multiple inputs from varying sources, so the comparator has runic wiring from both the back of the device and the side. Both of these sources are fed through a coil of silver rune wire. If the primary input to the device is powerful enough not to dissipate in the coil, the comparator will continue the energy input from it's primary. A runic torch is set into the base of this device at the end of the coil. The torch is left ignited so that the device can output the energy fed into it. This torch can be deactivated and will result in the device only outputting the remnants of the energy from between the two inputs.
Runic Devices
*it takes a competent skill level or higher to create the following devices.
Runic devices are essentially miniature RPM's. Only the wire is all carved into a palm sized stone casing. Inside this casing there would not only be the paths necessary to connect button that activates it but also tiny power sources and various other materials that interact with the rune powder in varying ways to get the desired result.
It takes a good knowledge of Rune technology to understand any runic device let alone create one. They are small, extremely detailed and delicate, a single mistake can render the device worthless or dangerous depending on what it is being attempted. All runic devices take a considerable amount of time, resources, preparation and study to create. The ingredients for these devices differs widely depending on the intention, the following are used in the most well known of the runic devices.
Runic devices can be submerged in water, and so long as they are dried out will function again. If a runic device is activated while wet it will most likely short out and never activate again. The hollow stone shells are deceptively fragile and can crack apart if abused, so dropping or mishandling runic devices can and will break them.
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 either heat or kinetic energy 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). The T-CR’s core transmits the energy fed into it to the R-CR and also activates the rest of the runic wire inside of itself. 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 runing will burn it out. Burning out occurs when the runic wire overheat and scorch 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 torches (5-6)
Silver
In order to create a communication rune, the rune shell has to be modified to have holes ventilation cut out in it’s 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. 5-6 internal runic torches power the device, all set outside of a narrow band of silver that keeps the power from the small torches from overloading the rest of the device when in use.
~note this a cross-section. The runic shell is one piece with the only opening being the hole in the top for the button. This is the opening in which the shell is carved from.
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 energy torches 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 no where 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 persons 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 overheat and scorch 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 torches (8-10)
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 torches, and lapis, to help decode and reconstruct the person or thing transported back in the correct order.
~note this a cross-section. The runic shell is one piece with the only opening being the hole in the top for the button. This is the opening in which the shell is carved from.
Target Rune Device
Creation:
Diamond or emerald (1)
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 lapis or power of its own. Its inner rings 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.
Memory Rune
Function:
The purpose of a memory rune (MR) is to erase short-term memories. What it actually does is disrupts the signals in the brain causing the short-term memories to be lost or preventing them from being transferred into long term memories. These devices are rare and by far the most complicated of the runic devices to create. They function through power being fed through looping path ways channeled through quartz crystals which release pulses of energy. This energy has no place to go but through the top of the device and the quartz located in the button. This provide a rough ability to aim the discharge, it’s recommended to do so at the targets head as the effects of the quartz energy on the body is still unknown.
The act of depressing the button on a MR channels runic energy throughout the device, the runic wiring in the device is designed to loop through the quartz crystals resulting in energy pulsating in and out of them multiple times after only one button press. The gold set into the devices amplifies this process to allow more pulses of energy before the initial charge fully dissipates and the device burns out. The pulsating energy inside of the device has no avenue of escape except the quartz mounted in its button, so the pulses of quartz pass through as bright white energy. The quartz mounted in its lid (The channel quartz) needs to be larger to allow the best dispersal of energy. Due to the design that requires the energy to recycle through the device to create pulses of energy this runic device will burn out after one use.
A MR is far from absolute, it can at the most erase nearly a day’s worth of memories, but with a 50% success rate. Attempts to erase more than that has a better chance of killing the subject then erasing any memories. The more memories the device is required to erase the more complicated the looping pathways must become to accommodate the additional quartz required to accomplish it’s task. The MR device effectively bombards the brain with energy and it’s thought this process is what results in death. The MR has a better success rate with smaller segments of memory but still only averages around 60-70% effective. No memory rune is absolute. After the memory rune discharges its energy it burns out, not only scorching the runic pathways but the quartz gets a ‘burnt’ appearance as well as thick black discolorations appear inside of the crystals after use. Burnt crystals cannot be repurposed.
Creation:
Runic shell
Button
Quartz (6-20)
Rune wire
Runic torches (4-10)
Gold
The MR is built around two constants, it needs to have round looping pathways around every quartz set into it to allow for the energy to pulsate inside the device when activated. Gold rings are set inside the device to amplify and encourage as much pulsation of energy before the paths and the quartz burn out. The runic wire pathways and the fragile nature of the quartz is the base of the disposable nature of the MR. Though as far as runic devices go they are the most time consuming to construct (requiring over a week for each). The lid (or button) of this device houses the channel quartz that allows the energy to escape the device and in a way into the target of the memory rune. The example below shows a MR intended for memory loss of about 2.5 hours.
~note this a cross-section. The runic shell is one piece with the only opening being the hole in the top for the button. This is the opening in which the shell is carved from.
Experimental Rune Technology
If it seems theres 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 change 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 an 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 it’s creators 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 most likely has died with it’s 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 built twice. The knowledge of it’s creation also lost, recreation is far from impossible, if not expensive.
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 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.