Everyone has their own approach to roleplay in game, and especially so when it comes to magic. I’ve been continually developing my own for a number of years; I figured I might as well share it out for anyone who has interest in it, though this is of course, in no way, something I’d expect people to run with if they didn’t want to. I’m always open to chatting about it, lore, or any other parts of the game.
Think about the following in the context of a buffet table. You pick your main dish, then your sides. You’ll be selecting something from some (but not necessarily all) of the charts down below.
The Four Fragments
- The School of Magic
- The Shape of the Spell
- The Intensity and Power of the Spell
- The Fourth Rune/Word, and it’s Conditional Placement
Introduction to Runic/Power Word Spell Casting
Much like typical spell casting, Runic/Word Spell Casting is the projection of magics based within one of several schools of magic:
- Arcane: Arcane Magics, Conjuration, Abjuration (Wards and Protective Magics), Enchanting, Transmutation (Telemancy, Alteration), Illusion, Evocation, Pyromancy (Fire Magics), Cryomancy (Frost Magics), Chronomancy (Time Magics)
- Felmancy: Demonic Magics
- Holy: Holy Magics, Protection (Wards and Protective Magics), Discipline (Offensive Magics)
- Astromancy: Celestial/Astrological Magics, Divination
- Shadowmancy: Shadow/Void Magics, Necromancy (Death Magics)
- Naturalism: Druidism/Shamanism.
Runic/Power Word based spell casting is based on the use of sigils, power words, or runic figures, to channel, shape, and empower spells.
The spellcaster focuses on building upon modular components, instead of memorizing every spell or string of spells as their own individual set; for example, a spellcaster would not memorize the spell for fireball, and frostbolt, and teleport, individually - but instead would learn the base components for each and be able to mix and match. The practice of Runic/Power Word spell casting is broken into several sections, each one responsible for a fraction of the end result.
Runic/Power Word Fragment One:
The School of Magic
The first runic shape/power word that is forged, or crafted, is the school of magic. Each of the schools has its own identifying runic shape. In imagining, or framing that runic shape, a caster has the first component of their spell figured out. Each fraction of the whole spell is laid on top of that first shape, which becomes more and more complex with its formation.
E.G: Nux (Fel), Nox (Arcane)
Arcane Magic (Arcane Spellcasting)
| School | Spell Word | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arcane | Nox | Offensive arcane based magics. |
| Conjuration | Cons | Creation and arcane schools of summoning. |
| Abjuration | Defos | Protective and warding magics. |
| Enchanting | Divis | Imbuing of power and essences. |
| Transmutation | Noxus, Navus, Divos | Telemancy/teleportation (arcane based), Alteration and changing magics. |
| Illusion | Noxus, Resux | Replication, shaping/reshaping/vanishing magics. |
| Evocation | Evos | Replenishment, focusing of magical energy. |
| Pyromancy | Frus | Offensive fire based magics. |
| Cryomancy | Drus | Offensive frost based magics. |
| Chronomancy | Contrus | Time based magics. |
Fel Magic (Demonic Spellcasting)
| School | Spell Word | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fel | Nux | Offensive Fel based magics. |
| Transmutation | Nuxus | Telemancy/teleportation (Fel based) |
| Abjuration | Vefos | Protective and warding magics. |
Holy Magic (Holy Spellcasting)
| School | Spell Word | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Healing (Holy) | Aux | Offensive Fel based magics. |
| Healing (Nature) | Auras | Telemancy/teleportation (Fel based) |
| Protection | Defus | Protective and warding magics. |
| Discipline | Arus | Offensive holy based magics. |
Astromancy (Celestial/Astrological Spellcasting)
| School | Spell Word | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Divination | Scryus | Sight and prophetic/scrying magics. |
| Astromancy | Asrus | Celestial/astrological magics. |
Shadowmancy (Shadow/Void Spellcasting)
| School | Spell Word | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shadowmancy | Vux | Shadow/void magic (offense based). |
| Shadowmancy | Vufus | Shadow/void magic (defense based). |
| Necromancy | Neux | Death based magics, including reanimation. |
Naturalism (Druidism/Shamanism)
| School | Spell Word | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Balance | Asrus | Arcane/celestial based magics. |
| Restoration (Druid) | Auras | Natural healing magics. |
| Restoration (Shaman) | Kuras | Natural healing magics. |
| Elemental/Natural | Kuran | Elemental/natural magics. |
Runic/Power Word Fragment Two:
The Shape of the Spell
The first rune or power word defines the school of magic, but the second fragment shapes the spell - giving it direction and form. This word is added after the first fragment.
E.G: Nux-sas (Felbolt). Nox-unwrash (Arcane Blast)
Spell Shaping and Form
| Shape/Form | Spell Word | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt | Sas | A jagged shard; projectile. |
| Ball | Sus | A spherical projectile. |
| Modular Splash | Add “un”. (E.G. Susun) | A spherical projectile that splashes magic across its target after impact. |
| Modular Explosion | Add “ug”. (E.G. Susug) | A spherical projectile that explodes upon impact. |
| Gout (Burst) | Garash | An upwards burst from the point of origin. |
| Blast/Explosion | Unwrash | An explosion, or blast effect. |
| Rain | Fauld | A downfall, or showering effect. |
| Endure | Waus | An enduring effect, like a burn or slow. |
| Passage | Thranas | The magical rift or connection between two designated points. (Used for teleportation and portals.) |
| Cone | Balas | A conical burst targeted outwards from the point of origin. |
| Projection/Form | Conag | A projection or mirror image of a source. |
| Essence/Substance | Valsun | Used when conjuring items (non-entities). |
| Control | Mordas | Used when taking control of a subject. |
| Essence/Control | Mordvalsun | Used when summoning, and (or) taking control of a conjured or summoned entity. |
| Vision/Farsight/Scry | Shalas | Used when using magic to grant sight across distance (or time). |
| Draw | Cregas | Siphons energy/magic/essence from a target or source. |
| Imbue | Vregas | Transfers energy/magic/essence to a target or source. Notably used for enchanting. |
| Rune | Kesh | A sigil or rune set in one place. |
| Ward-Self | Kand | Shields the caster. |
| Ward-Other | Kans | Shields a subject or focus. |
| Ward-Item | Kan | Shields an item/object or focus. |
| Transform/Transmute | Thrudas | Shifts an object from one form to another. |
Runic/Power Word Fragment Three:
The Strength of the Spell
The first two runes or power words define the school of magic and shape/form, but the third fragment is what grants a spell its power. This word is added after the second fragment.
E.G: Nux-sus-wrex (Massive Felbolt). Nox-unwrash-shula (Minor Arcane Blast).
Spell Power
| Strength | Spell Word | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Massive/Exquisite | Wrex | Massive amounts of energy in spells/enchants. |
| Strong/Greater | Vash | Strong amounts of energy in spells/enchants. |
| Medium | Kash | Medium powered spells. |
| Weak/Minor | Shula | Weaker amounts of energy in spells/enchants. |
| Overpowered | Wrexamul | Spells that are overloaded with power. |
| Power drawn from an item | Pawnas | For power items and scrolls. |
| Power drawn from a realm | Pawnar | For power drawn from realms. |
| Power drawn from a source | Pawnam | For power drawn from less tangible sources. |
| Power drawn from a plane | Pawnthu | For power drawn from planes (shamans, primarily). |
| Drain | Vunarl | For drawing from living beings/elementals/conjured or summoned entities. Used with Shape Word Draw. |
Runic/Power Word Fragment Four:
Conditional Placement
The fourth rune/word of power is one that is not necessarily required, but dramatically impacts the formation of a spell. For teleportation (portals/teleports/summons) a location may be required at the end. For certain teleportation spells that don’t have an anchor at the far side (like a city or mage tower would have) the spell will need to be directed to a more specific location.
E.G: Noxus-thranas-vash-kanturn-Stormwind. (Teleport an entity to Stormwind with arcane magic). Nuxus-thranas-vash-kuzax (Summon an entity using fel magic).
Conditional Runes/Words of Power
| Function | Spell Word | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Portal (Lasting) | Kayarn | Anchors a portal, which can be kept open. |
| Teleport Entity (Temporary) | Kanturn | Teleports an entity. |
| Teleport Object (Temporary) | Kantern | Teleports an object. |
| Summon Entity | Kuzax | Summons an entity. |
| Summon Object | Kuzas | Summons an object. |