Discovery

By 1220, the rune wizards of old seem to no longer live within the lands of the Order of Hermes, and many magi believe that their ancient magic has been forever lost. Yet some remnants of their power may still remain in the places they conquered, and Seekers interested in the magic of the North might be drawn to study these artifacts, to discover what made their rune magic so dangerous, and perhaps find a way to adapt it to the Hermetic Arts. To do this, they must track down an example of active rune magic, investigate it in the lab, and learn from its secrets. There are three possible means by which a magus might accomplish this task: by heading north into the territories where the rune wizards of the Order of Odin supposedly still reside, by seeking out barrow-markers and grave goods in places where rune wizards once lived and fought, or by making contact with ancient faeries who practice a similar sort of magic.

One method of finding active rune magic may be to find a living rune wizard, for though they have not been seen for many years, many magi believe they still live in the lands north of Mythic Europe — Denmark, Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland rebuilding their strength and preparing for another strike. The question of whether or not they survive is a point of great political contention within the Order of Hermes, for some say that the Order of Odin has been destroyed, and others vehemently maintain that they have not. Seekers in a position to definitively answer this question will likely encounter resistance from one side or other, and so it should be with some trepidation that they embark on such a quest.

A good place to start would be to try and make contact with the covenant of Heorot, in the Kingdom of Denmark. Just after the meeting of the Rhine Tribunal in 1214 AD, three magi decided to establish a covenant on the island of Zealand. They chose a site in Lethra, a ruined town that was abandoned sometime during the sixth century, but which was once the seat of the Danish kings and a thriving town at the center of the island. The main building is a great hall built on the site of the original structure, the hall of the famous King Hrothgar, and it was during his reign that the epic tale of Beowulf took place. Heorot was built as an authentic recreation of the great feast hall, with laboratories and housing in the surrounding area. Beyond the defenses at the edges of the covenant are marshes that are still prowled by fearsome monsters descended from the creature Grendel. These trolls are not invincible, but they still pose a powerful threat to those they catch in the wild.

The Heorot covenant has only existed for six years, and has yet to attend Tribunal and become officially recognized (see Guardians of the Forests, page 90). The magi are not convinced that the Order of Odin is dead, and one of the magi is reputedly interested in locating a rune wizard and studying his magic. He is afraid to leave the safety of the covenant, but perhaps he would be willing to collaborate on his investigation with anyone who can bring reliable information to him.

Another potential source of aid is the pirates of the Hermetic covenant of Waddenzee, a group of aggressive magi that sails in the Baltic Sea, raiding villages and other ships. They regularly strike at the settlements on the shores of Norway and Sweden, and often push deep inland on exploratory expeditions. They claim that they have found both great amounts of vis and members of the Order of Odin, all of whom they hunted down and killed. They might be convinced to allow a Seeker to travel with them for a while, or direct him toward areas where he might be likely to come across rune wizards and their descendants.

Even farther north are Iceland and Greenland, both of which could have evidence of rune wizards hiding within their Christian communities or living in the wilderness beyond the borders of the Dominion. Perhaps a Seeker might join up with a group of other characters with their own reasons for traveling into the Arctic islands, and spend time assisting them with their own adventures while searching for signs of the Order of Odin. There, they may even hear stories of Viking settlements even further west, where rune wizards might have fled, including the land of Vinland described in The Saga of Erik the Red.

Even if those who practiced the magic of the runes cannot be found, evidence of their spells can still be discovered. It is possible that magi might even come upon some examples of magical relics but have no idea what it is they have discovered. Because of the way that rune magic changes the nature of its target, objects with active effects do not seem magical to Intellego Vim spells. The only evidence of rune magic is the inscription, and the effect it has on its surroundings. This effect is entirely natural, however, and can only be divined by observation or through intensive magical investigation.

Rune wizards are said to have woven curses on gravestones and blessings on their swords, and by digging up their battlefields magi may unearth some examples of these sorts of items. Seekers may not be able to move the monumental rune-stones or grave-markers that that dot the northern landscape, though they may be able to study these relics in the wild. Or perhaps a Seeker may discover a discarded wooden wand, carved with strange vertical and diagonal runes, that does not seem to be a magical device but clearly has a magical effect on its surroundings.

However, magi are more likely to discover runes that they think are magical but upon further investigation are found to be entirely mundane, either because age has damaged the runes or because they were never enchanted at all. Another aspect of rune magic that Seekers might stumble upon is that runes with active magic are lasting Arcane Connections to the caster. Simple Intellego Corpus spells might reveal that a rune-stone is connected to a dead body, and this is one way to prove that its magic is genuine and still in effect.

There may be other places in European lands settled by the Vikings or the Anglo-Saxons where the old faith is still practiced, or at least the old stories are remembered and told. From such folk wisdom, a Seeker might learn the story of how Odin learned the magic of the runes, a ritual in which he hung from a tree with his side pierced for nine days, and afterward received enlightenment. Perhaps a magus can locate a tree that is said to have been used in such a ceremony, or undergo a similar ordeal in hopes of achieving the same insight.

Many Seekers believe that the Norse gods were actually the primeval originators of magic, known as the Old Ones, believed to be the first wizards ever to walk the earth. It is said they eventually overcame their

mortal forms and ascended to godhood, becoming the figures of legend told in the tales. It is also possible that they are very powerful faeries. Finding one of these beings is a worthy quest on its own, not just for the purpose of learning the secret of the runes. However, a Seeker who discovers a way to communicate with the Norse gods may be able to convince them to teach him rune magic, and while the magnificence of meeting a god is an awe-inspiring experience all to itself, it is also an opportunity for knowledge that a true Seeker should not overlook.

The rune wizards are not the only ones in the lands of the far North who practiced rune magic. The ancient race of beings called the dvergar also knows the secrets, and practiced it long before Odin taught men. They are unfriendly beings who dwell in Faerie regiones deep within the bowels of the earth, or in Arcadia, accessible only through the cellars of abandoned buildings or in tunnels hidden under mountains in lands where the rune wizards once lived. They use the power of the runes to craft fantastic magical items, the like of which has never been seen in Christian lands.

A Seeker who finds his way into Nithavellir (the underground land of the dvergar and other dark faeries) may locate a dverge and convince it to construct him an artifact. Dvergar do not have items for sale, as each one is handcrafted for a particular person and purpose. The Seeker must describe what he wants the dverge to make and why, for these beings do not waste their time for just anyone, and legend tells that a person who receives an enchanted item from them is destined for greatness, a heroic but ultimately unhappy life. Then the dverge begins the process of forging the item, a long and tedious process, in its workshop, and after many seasons of calculations, reciting litanies, and hard labor, the artifact is complete.

Dverge-forged items differ from the runes that rune wizards carve in a few small but meaningful ways. For one thing, the runes may be hidden where they cannot be seen at all, such as on the inside of steel or woven with black thread into black cloth. The runes of the dverge are also said to allow effects that are not possible with typical rune magic, such as gold rings that can multiply themselves or runes that bring men back from the dead. Finally, dverge artifacts resemble Hermetic devices, in that they can have multiple uses per day, triggered effects, increased Penetration, and activated Powers. This makes them much more valuable than anything the rune wizards ever crafted.

However, faerie runes also typically affect the wielder, changing him in subtle or not-so-subtle ways — those with dverge-forged devices may find they do not feel comfortable being without them, or talk to them, or develop other strange personality quirks associated with their relationship to the object. Madness and a thirst for violence are common side effects of interacting with the Norse fae.

Once the item has been constructed, the Seeker must pay for it. The price is set after its creation, and since dvergar do not haggle and despise those who do, the Seeker must either accept or refuse. Being faeries, dvergar usually ask for things that seem alien, things that human beings take for granted. The price may sound simple and mundane, but it always has hidden costs. For example, a dverge might request that the Seeker give his heart's desire, and if the Seeker agrees, he finds that the faerie hasen't taken the thing that was his heart's desire, but rather his actual desire for it. Some other example dverge-prices might include:

• the edge of his sight •
• a bit of his luck •
• two of his toes •
• two of his fingers •
• the color of his eyes •
• his height •
• his hair •
• his friends •
• his good name •
• his fondest wish •
• 100 words •
• the first thing he sees upon returning to his home •
• seven years of his life •

Dverge-made items only function for the person for whom they were crafted, though they may be inherited by a blood relative (and still include the hidden costs for the new owner). Even if the heir cannot use these items, such artifacts may still be investigated by those seeking to learn rune magic, and the craftsmanship is such that they always fetch a high price simply for the quality of the object.