You've got a hell of a address there... hope replying doesn't put me on any list of dubious characters!
>I have only just signed up to the list and I apologise for the
>unashamed use of RQII terminology but I think it fits even better
>within the new system!
Another bloody theist...
>Anyway, I haven't yet rolled a die in anger and I've been casting
>about for examples of the use of Rune Magic.
There's just no limit, really. I'll use my own Vingan character as an example, and stick to the combat style feats more familiar to RQ players...
First up, decide what level of magic you have. Possibly this will be
cleared up in the impending 2nd edition, but at present there are two
conflicting schools of thought.
1) Using a feat exactly as written, the world has little resistance,
only the default 14. Thus you can Leap Over (any mundane stretch of)
Water with a resistance of only 14. If you Leap Over Mud, you take an
Improvisation Modifier (probably just -3), AND the resistance becomes
the same as against a mundane ability - dependant on distance.
2) Normal resistances as per mundane abilities.
I use the first case, it's more mythic & heroic (but, admittedly, less 'realistic' and a higher level of power).
Now, you can use feats as simple augments - use Deadly Spear Throw to get a bit better rating on Ranged Combat, or put a bit of edge on your javelin. This is the new Battle Magic. OR, you can completely replace the mundane ability with the magic. Roll Deadly Spear Throw instead of Ranged Combat. That's the new Rune Magic.
Some magic you can combine. I think of it as the 'bow and arrow' (or, in modern terminology, 'missile & warhead') technique. For example, use Mile Javelin Throw to get the RANGE on a javelin, then, if successful, use Deadly Spear Throw or Ranged Combat (as part of the same action) to actually hit. Of course, you could augment one with the other, but I like this combination style, in strictly limited situations where one feat/ability does a different thing to another (in this case, range vs. accuracy).
Next up, you can use feats literally, or as metaphors. For example, I used Leap Over Water to get up to hack at a Dream Dragon flying overhead - he was belching out steam, so clearly he had a water connection. A quick Improv Modifier and I could reach him with Close Combat. Not only that, but my character was on horseback - why shouldn't the feat work that way? Read the Javern Spithorn writeup somewhere (I can't find it) on the Issaries site if you can find it, it takes one single feat - Sunset Leap - and shows how to do a dozen different things with it.
Now, as to how you PLAY it, that depends on your players' eloquence and imagination:
"As Vinga slew the giant on the path to Orlanth's stead, I cast my
javelin at the tusker's heart!"
"I'll use Deadly Spear Throw."
Both work for me, the first example can lead to some tongue-tied and
confused descriptions... save them for the metaphorical uses, I'd say.
Wulf
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