Item
Rune of Power
The common engraving and the measure of every other rune
The most common rune in Askenon and the first one a smith learns. It has no unusual effect: it makes a weapon deadlier, armor harder, or a shield stronger.
A level N Rune of Power grants the level N fundamental bonus, using the same table as human enchantment.
| Rune Level | Fundamental Bonus |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | +4 |
| 3–4 | +8 |
| 5–6 | +16 |
| 7–8 | +32 |
| 9 | +64 |
| 10 | +128 |
A weapon adds this value to its damage, armor adds it to magical DR, and a shield uses its level to determine what it can block—exactly like an enchanted object.
The difference lies elsewhere. The rune has no caster level. Nothing dispels it, no antimagic field suppresses it, and it requires neither gold nor renewal. A level 5 runic sword equals the sword of a Cerberan mage and owes nothing to anyone. This absence, more than the number itself, defines the reputation of dwarven craft.