Soulsteel Necrotic Rune Stones

From: Soulsteel

Lore: Necrotic Rune Stones hold a significant place in the arcane practices of necromancers and those who delve into the mysteries of death and the Underworld. The recipe for crafting these stones dates back to ancient times when practitioners sought ways to channel the power of the Soulsteel metal and imbue it into the fabric of runic magic. Legends speak of necromancers who etched dark incantations onto polished rune stones, utilizing the unique properties of Soulsteel to enhance their necromantic spells and establish wards against undead creatures.

Use: Necrotic Rune Stones serve a variety of purposes for those skilled in necromancy and the manipulation of life force. Here are the details regarding their level one stats, skills, preparation, cost, process, and tags:

Level One Stats and Skills:

• Stats:
  • Spell Enhancement: Provides a moderate boost to necromantic spells, such as increasing their potency, range, or duration.
  • Undead Warding: Offers limited protection against undead creatures, such as repelling or weakening their attacks.
• Skills:
  • Runic Inscription: Novice to Intermediate level proficiency in carving and inscribing runes onto stones or other surfaces.
  • Necromantic Knowledge: Basic understanding of necromantic arts, rituals, and incantations.

Preparation, Cost, and Process:

• Preparation: Characters must acquire the necessary ingredients and possess the relevant skills to craft Necrotic Rune Stones.
• Cost: The cost of creating Necrotic Rune Stones may vary depending on the availability and rarity of Soulsteel, rune stones, necromantic ink, and the ingredients associated with death and the Underworld. The character may need to explore ancient crypts, interact with dark entities, or undertake quests to acquire these materials.
• Process:
  • Rune Stone Preparation: Obtain polished rune stones, typically made from materials such as obsidian or polished bone. These stones act as the base for the necrotic runes.
  • Soulsteel Engraving: Use molten Soulsteel to carve and engrave necrotic runes onto the surface of the rune stones. The Soulsteel enhances the potency of the runes and establishes a connection to the Underworld.
  • Necromantic Ink Creation: Mix necromantic ink using rare ingredients associated with death, such as powdered bone, crushed graveyard soil, or the essence of restless spirits. These ingredients are combined with specific rituals and alchemical processes to create the ink.
  • Rune Painting: Carefully paint the engraved necrotic runes on the rune stones using the prepared necromantic ink. As the runes are painted, the practitioner must chant dark incantations, infusing the stones with necromantic energy and empowering the runes.

Tags:

• Necromantic: The stones are imbued with necromantic energy, granting them enhanced properties for necromantic spells and rituals.
• Soulsteel-Enhanced: The use of Soulsteel in the crafting process strengthens the connection between the runes and the Underworld.
• Undead Warding: The presence of the necrotic runes provides limited protection against undead creatures, such as weakening their attacks or repelling them.
• Additional: Deathly Conduits, Underworld Resonance, Dark Ritual Focus, Arcane Amplification, Undead Suppression, Necromantic Synergy, Forbidden Craft, Warding Glyphs, Spirit Communion, Cursed Artifacts

Necrotic Rune Stones are highly sought after by practitioners of necromancy, occultists, and those who deal with the powers of death. While they can be used to enhance necromantic spells and rituals, they also serve as valuable tools for warding against undead creatures. Characters who possess these stones can tap into the dark arts, wielding greater control over the forces of death and potentially gaining an advantage when facing undead adversaries. However, the use of these stones may also draw unwanted attention from those who seek to thwart or eliminate necromantic practitioners.

Necrotic Rune Stones are not commonly sold in regular marketplaces or conventional shops due to their association with dark magic and necromancy. The recipe and materials required to craft them are often found in more specialized and esoteric establishments. Here’s more information on where and how the recipe for Necrotic Rune Stones can be obtained, as well as their usage and the environments in which they are employed:

• Occult Shops and Arcane Emporiums:
  Occult shops and arcane emporiums catering to practitioners of dark magic, necromancers, and those interested in the macabre are potential sources for acquiring the recipe for Necrotic Rune Stones. These establishments can be found in the shadowy corners of cities, hidden within labyrinthine alleys, or in remote locations associated with the occult. Characters seeking the recipe may need to establish trust with the shopkeepers, prove their commitment to the dark arts, or engage in secret dealings to acquire the knowledge.
• Forbidden Tomes and Relics:
  Forbidden tomes, ancient manuscripts, and occult relics hidden in secluded libraries or secret vaults may hold the secrets of crafting Necrotic Rune Stones. Characters may need to embark on quests or delve into perilous locations to discover these forbidden sources of knowledge. These environments can include hidden chambers within crypts, the libraries of dark cults, or the secret archives of powerful necromancers.
• Necromancer’s Guild or Covens:
  Necromancer’s guilds or covens that specialize in the study and practice of necromancy may guard the recipe for Necrotic Rune Stones. Characters may need to gain the trust of the guild leaders or coven elders, prove their worth through tests or rituals, or offer their services to the organization to gain access to the recipe. These environments can be found in remote locations, ancient catacombs, or within hidden underground chambers.

Usage of Necrotic Rune Stones:
Once the characters possess Necrotic Rune Stones, they can be used in various ways:

• Spell Enhancement: Necromancers can use the rune stones to enhance their necromantic spells. By incorporating the stones into their rituals or casting spells through them, they can amplify the potency, range, or duration of their magical effects. The rune stones act as conduits for channeling and focusing necromantic energies, making the spells more formidable and effective.
• Warding against Undead: The necrotic runes inscribed on the stones provide a form of protection against undead creatures. When strategically placed or activated, the stones create a warding effect that weakens or repels undead entities. Necromancers can use these stones as protective talismans or place them in specific locations to create barriers against undead incursions.
• Divination and Spirit Communication: Necrotic Rune Stones can also serve as tools for divination and spirit communication. Necromancers skilled in the art of scrying or communing with spirits can utilize the stones as focal points for their abilities. By gazing into the runes or holding the stones during rituals, they can gain insights into the spirit world, communicate with restless souls, or uncover hidden knowledge associated with death and the Underworld.

The usage of Necrotic Rune Stones often takes place in environments associated with death, the occult, and the study of necromancy. These can include ancient burial sites, dark catacombs, secluded ritual chambers, or ethereal realms connected to the Underworld. Necromancers, occultists, or those with a fascination for the macabre utilize the rune stones to deepen their understanding of death, manipulate necromantic forces, and gain power over the realm of spirits.

Due to their association with forbidden knowledge and the potential for misuse, Necrotic Rune Stones may attract the attention of rival necromancers, occult organizations, or righteous orders seeking to suppress the dark arts. Characters in possession of these stones must be cautious and discreet, as their usage can draw unwanted scrutiny and place them at odds with those who oppose necromancy.

Tale of the Gravekeeper’s Tears

Long before the dawn of empires, when death walked unshrouded among the living, there was a man called Vethar, known as the Gravekeeper. He was neither king nor warrior, but a silent guardian of the dead, tending the burial grounds at the edge of a forgotten realm. It is said that Vethar could hear the whispers of the departed and that his duty was to ensure their rest was undisturbed.

One night, beneath a moon choked with shadow, a wandering necromancer came to Vethar’s grounds. This stranger, cloaked in veils of darkness, spoke of the dead rising from their slumber, of restless souls clawing their way to the surface. The necromancer offered Vethar a gift: shards of Soulsteel, born of suffering and steeped in the essence of the Underworld. “With these,” the necromancer said, “you may carve runes to seal the restless and protect the living.”

Vethar, though wary, accepted the gift. By the light of dying stars, he shaped the shards into smooth stones and etched upon them runes drawn from the whispers of the dead. The stones glowed with a pale, sickly light, and when placed upon a grave, their power would ripple through the soil, calming the restless and binding their spirits below.

But the power of the stones was not without cost. Each rune carved drained a fragment of Vethar’s vitality, and as the years passed, he grew gaunt and hollow. The whispers he once heard as a comfort turned into a cacophony, voices of the bound dead pleading for freedom. Yet Vethar continued his work, his sacrifice ensuring the peace of the land.

Legends say that when Vethar’s time came, he etched one final rune upon a stone and placed it upon his own grave. The light of the rune burned bright and then faded, sealing his spirit within the earth forever. The Necrotic Rune Stones, as they came to be known, were scattered across the realm, sought by necromancers and wardens of the dead alike. Their power endures, but so too does their curse, for to wield them is to bear the weight of the restless.

Moral of the Story: The power to protect often demands sacrifice, and those who seek to bind the restless may find themselves bound in turn.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

• Description: Stones carved with necromantic runes, imbued with the power of Soulsteel, used to enhance spells and ward against the undead.
• Item Type: Arcane Tool
• Effects:
  • Spell Enhancement: Grants a +15% bonus to Cthulhu Mythos or Occult rolls when casting spells related to necromancy or communicating with the dead.
  • Undead Warding: When activated, the stones repel undead creatures within a 10-foot radius. The undead must succeed on a POW roll (Hard difficulty) to approach.
  • Sanity Cost: Each use costs 1d4 Sanity as the stones’ whispers invade the user’s mind.
• Use Limitations:
  • Each stone may only be used once per day. Overuse can result in temporary insanity as determined by the Keeper.

Blades in the Dark

• Description: Soulsteel-imbued stones etched with runes, used to manipulate the dead and protect against their wrath.
• Item Type: Arcane Item
• Mechanics:
  • Necrotic Focus: Grants +1d to Attune rolls when dealing with spirits or necromantic rituals.
  • Warding Aura: As a downtime activity, a stone can be placed in a location to create a spirit ward. Undead or ghosts must roll to resist its effects or be repelled.
  • Drawbacks: The stones hum faintly when used, potentially alerting nearby spirits or enemies sensitive to magic.
• Load: 1

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Necrotic Rune Stones

• Wondrous Item, Rare (Requires Attunement by a spellcaster)
• Effects:
  • Spell Amplification: Increases the range or duration of necromancy spells by 50%.
  • Undead Warding: As an action, place a rune stone to create a 15-foot radius ward. Undead creatures in this area must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be unable to enter the warded area for 1 minute.
  • Drawbacks: Each use requires a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the user takes 1d6 psychic damage as the runes leech their vitality.
• Cost: Typically valued at 750 gp due to their rarity and potency.

Knave

Necrotic Rune Stones

• Type: Magical Item (1 slot)
• Effects:
  • Spell Boost: Grants +2 to rolls for necromantic spells cast while holding the stones.
  • Warding Effect: Can be placed as an action to repel undead within a 10-foot radius for 1d4 exploration turns. Undead must succeed on a Wisdom save (DC 15) to enter the radius.
  • Drawbacks: Each use reduces the user’s Wisdom by 1 for 24 hours as the runes drain their mental fortitude.
• Use in Game: Found in ancient crypts or gifted by powerful necromancers, these stones are both tools of power and harbingers of risk.

Fate Core

• Description: Mystical stones carved with necromantic runes, used to enhance spells and repel undead.
• Item Type: Arcane Focus
• Mechanics:
  • Aspect: “Carved with the Whispers of the Dead”
  • Grants +2 to Lore rolls related to necromancy or dealing with undead.
  • Stunt: Once per session, the user can invoke the stones to create a barrier against undead, preventing them from advancing for one scene.
  • Drawbacks: The GM may compel the stones’ aspect to create moments of spiritual instability or attract the attention of malevolent spirits.
• Availability: Rare, often found in ancient ruins or necromancer’s lairs.

Numenera & Cypher System

Necrotic Rune Stones

• Item Type: Artifact
• Level: 7
• Effects:
  • Spell Enhancement: Reduces the difficulty of necromancy-related tasks by 1 step.
  • Undead Warding: Once per day, creates a 10-foot radius aura that forces undead to make a Might roll (difficulty 6) to enter.
  • Depletion: Roll 1d20 after each use. On a result of 1–3, the rune stones lose their magical properties permanently.
• Source: Found in ancient crypts or traded among dark mystics.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Necrotic Rune Stones

• Item Type: Magical Warding Tool, Rare
• Usage: Held or placed as a single action.
• Effects:
  • Spell Boost: Provides a +1 item bonus to the DC of necromancy spells cast while holding the stones.
  • Warding Effect: Creates a 15-foot aura for 1 minute. Undead entering the area must succeed at a DC 20 Will save or take a -2 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws for 1 minute.
  • Drawbacks: Each use drains 1d4 Hit Points from the user as the runes leech their vitality.
• Price: 1,200 gp

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Necrotic Rune Stones

• Item Type: Magical Artifact
• Mechanics:
  • Spell Amplification: Provides a +2 bonus to necromantic spellcasting rolls.
  • Undead Ward: When activated, creates a 5-yard radius barrier for 3 rounds. Undead must make a Spirit roll at -2 to enter the barrier.
  • Drawbacks: On a failed roll to activate the ward, the user gains a level of Fatigue due to the energy drawn by the stones.
• Weight: Negligible
• Cost: 500 gold

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Necrotic Rune Stones

• Item Type: Magical Tool
• Effects:
  • Spell Amplification: Provides +2 dice to Sorcery tests when casting necromantic or spirit-based spells.
  • Undead Ward: When activated, creates a 5-meter radius ward that forces spirits and undead to resist with Magic + Willpower (Threshold 3) or be unable to enter.
  • Drawbacks: Each activation causes 1 Stun damage to the user as the runes draw on their life force.
• Availability: 10F
• Cost: 7,000¥

Starfinder

Necrotic Rune Stones

• Item Type: Magic Item (Wondrous), Level 8
• Activation: Standard action (activate warding effect)
• Effects:
  • Spell Amplification: Grants a +2 bonus to Mysticism checks when casting necromantic spells.
  • Undead Warding: Creates a 15-foot radius aura for 1 minute. Undead creatures within the area must succeed at a DC 18 Will save or take a -2 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws while inside the aura.
  • Drawbacks: After activation, the user takes 1d4 Stamina damage due to the runes’ draining effect.
• Bulk: L
• Price: 8,500 credits

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Necrotic Rune Stones

• Item Type: Arcane Artifact
• Effects:
  • Spell Boost: Grants DM+2 to all skill checks involving psionics or necromantic rituals.
  • Undead Ward: Once per day, activates a 5-meter aura that prevents undead from entering. Undead must succeed on an opposed Psionic Strength roll to bypass the barrier.
  • Drawbacks: Each activation reduces the user’s Endurance by 1 for 1d6 hours as the stones leech their vitality.
• Availability: Rare, often found in ancient ruins or black markets.
• Price: 50,000 credits

Warhammer (4th Edition)

Necrotic Rune Stones

• Item Type: Magical Artifact, Rare
• Effects:
  • Spell Amplification: Grants +10 to Language (Magick) tests when casting necromantic spells.
  • Undead Ward: Once per day, creates a 10-yard radius ward that prevents undead from entering for 1 minute unless they succeed at a Challenging (+0) Willpower Test.
  • Curse: On a failed attempt to activate the ward, the user gains 1 Corruption Point due to the dark energies released by the stones.
• Encumbrance: 1
• Cost: 40 gold crowns