RUNIC MAGIC
In my world, the rules of magic are a tiny bit different. Instead of having material components, spells are cast by Rune Wielding.
Rune Wielding is a complicated process that takes years to learn. The basic idea is thus: Magic has a particular form, and in order to manipulate the strands of magical energy in such a way as to produce the desired effect, one has to physically bind those lines of power together in a coherent form.
Each spell has a certain form, and in order to cast a spell, the magic user must know each line, bar, and curve of the rune perfectly.
For example, let’s say the following rune was the rune for the spell “Burning Hands”:
This is a first level rune, and is easily learned. It can be formed by the coupled down sweep of the hands, and then the spreading of the fingers. However, even a rune this simple can be misdrawn.
Now let’s take this to an extreme. Let’s say, for example, that this is the rune for “Chain Lightening”, which is a fifth level spell:
It is not difficult to comprehend why this spell would be more difficult to learn.
There are two parts to casting Rune spells. The first is the sketch, the second part is the binding. Each is a separate skill.
Sketching is actually drawing the rune in mid-air. This sound easy enough, but each separate line must be drawn exact, each crossbar must be put precisely in the right place, and each line must be drawn in the correct order. Binding is taking the magical energies associated with the rune & tying them to it. The former takes knowledge, the latter takes power. Thus, a 1st level mage couldn’t cast Chain Lightening even if he had the sketch perfect, because he couldn’t bind the necessary arcane energies to the rune.
Each spellcaster has a certain amount of personal energy he can expend on rune binding. (This applies to Priests as well as Wizards, the difference being that the Priestly power is divinely granted.) To save confusion, I’m going to refer to this power as ‘mana’, and it is set up on a point scale which I will elaborate on shortly.
A ‘Mana Point’ can be defined as thus: the amount of mana it takes to bind a first level rune. A character's number of Mana points (MP) can be easily determined: multiply the amount of spells of a given level that the character is allowed to cast by the level of those spells, and sum all multiplications. For example: a 3rd level Mage with an Intelligence of 17 (which implies that he gets two extra first level spells and two extra second levels spells) has 10 MP, because he is allowed to cast four first level spells (two because he is 1st level, and two because of his high Intelligence), and three second level spells (one because of his level, and two because of his Intelligence): (4x1) + (3x2) = 10. Note that he does not have 13 MP: the extra third level spell his Intelligence allows him to cast only comes into the account when he reaches 5th level and he may cast third level spells: he will then have 20 MP (= (6x1) + (4x2) + (2x3)). Each spell costs an amount of MP equal to the level it has. Thus, a Magic Missile costs 1 MP, while a Fireball costs 3 MP.
Runic Spells are learned just like normal spells in the standard D&D world, with one exception. Once you’ve completely mastered a rune, you’ve got it. All you have to do is review the structures once a day. Thus, a character can bind runic spells as long as he or she has enough Mana points for the spell. However, no character can cast spells of a higher level than he or she is normally allowed to cast, even if the character has enough Mana points for the spells and, for Wizards and Bards, even if the character has the spell in his or her spellbook. Hence, a 3rd level Mage with 10 MP is not allowed to cast Chain Lightning (6 MP) or Wish (9 MP). This is not unrealistic, as the character simply does not have the experience and the ability to invoke magical energies of such power and intricacy (but magic_rich areas may boost the character's spell ability).
Priests are limited in a similar way, as deities do not think the low_level character has shown himself worthy enough of receiving high_level spells _ although a deity is of course free to grant the high_level spell if he or she finds it necessary to further the 'right' cause.
Both for Wizard and Priest spells, there is no limit any more on the number of times a character can cast a specific spell, providing of course that the character has enough MP and that the spell level limit is not exceeded.
The time a character needs to study (Wizardly magic) or meditate (Priestly magic) to regain spent Mana points is one hour (this is needed to clear one's mind completely of other thoughts) plus ten minutes per Mana point: e.g. to regain 10 MP a character needs to study or meditate two hours and forty minutes. For those who can cast both Wizardly and Priestly magic: the one hour period of preparation is only needed once. Note that a full night's sleep will not in itself restore any Mana points; and that characters who haven't slept for a full day (24 hours) are too tired to regain spells - at least six hours of sleep are needed.
SpellBooks
Just like with regular magic, Runic sorcerers must carry spell books. Those spell books contain all the runes that the Magic User currently has perfected. However, there is one major difference. In spell books, the constructed runes are actually bound to the page, which means that when in dire straits, Wizards and Bards can use their spellbooks as scrolls. However, after the casting, the spell disappears from the spellbook.
This may sound odd, but it is actually very well grounded. When a rune is cast in air, that power is immediately released. However, when that same rune is bound to a physical object, that object then becomes a channel for that power. Thus, this explains the presence of magical artifacts. By definition, any item with a rune bound on it becomes magical.
Copying spells from a scroll or a spellbook to another spellbook takes 1 hour per spell level. Wizards and Bards still have to roll to check whether they succeed in learning the new sketch.
However, people playing Wizards and Bards should take note: the content of their characters' spellbooks must be described in detail, i.e. they must have an index which says which spells are on which pages. This will be used when the spellbook is damaged - by water, fire and the like - to see which runes were made illegible or destroyed. In this way, parts of the spellbook can still be used. If there is no index of the spellbook, then it will be automatically assumed that the entire book is wasted - you were warned.
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