A runeblade can make one of his own runes permanent. Creating an inscribed rune requires one hundred times the normal amount of time. In addition, it calls for 1,000 gp worth of valuable inks or materials for a lesser rune, 4,000 gp for an advanced rune, 10,000 gp for a greater rune, 22,000 gp for a rune of power, and 50,000 gp for the ultimate rune. The rune can still be erased, but otherwise it never fades. Thus, a touch-trigger rune triggers every time someone touches it (no more than once per round), and an enchanted object rune never loses its enchantment. Applied runes cannot be inscribed. Inscribed runes still count toward the runeblade’s total rune value.
Applied to the runeblade’s runic weapon, this enchanted object rune inflicts 1d6 points of additional elemental damage on a successful strike. It is usable once per level during the duration; the runeblade decides whether to use it at the beginning of his turn (although the rune is not used until he successfully strikes with the weapon). It functions only on the runeblade’s runic weapon and no others. The runeblade chooses the element when creating the rune.
RUNE of PROTECTION:
Spoiler:
When written on the runeblade’s armor, this enchanted object rune adds a +1 luck bonus to his Armor Class. It must be applied to armor, and only to the runeblade’s armor. Like all enchanted object runes, it lasts one day per class level.
ALARM RUNE:
Spoiler:
An applied rune. The runeblade is mentally warned any time a creature of tiny or larger size passes through a doorway on which this rune in applied, or passes within 20 feet of it when it is applied on a flat surface. Lasts 2 hours per runeblade level.
RUNE OF ELEMENTAL CONJURING:
Spoiler:
When touched, this touch-trigger rune summons a small elemental, type chosen by the runeblade at the time of creation. The elemental attacks the creature that triggered the rune for 1 round per runeblade level (or until destroyed). If the runeblade triggers the rune, he can command the summoned creature and it automatically obeys, even if it does not understand the character’s language. A runeblade using the invested rune ability (see page 24) can summon a medium elemental instead of doubling the effect’s duration.
This touch trigger rune blasts the target for 1d6 points of elemental damage +1 point per runeblade level. A reflex saving throw (DC + runeblade level + INT bonus) reduces the damage by half. The runeblade chooses the element when creating the rune.
SKILLS:
Appraise +5
Craft (Weaponsmithing) +4,
Handle Animal +5,
Profession (Miner) +1,
Intimidate +6,
Perception +6
[-7 Armor Penalty]
POSSESSIONS:
Torc of Displacement (3 charges/day: 1 charge 20% miss, 2 charges 30% miss, 4 charges 40% miss for one round, using charge is immediate action)
Belt of Giant Strength +4
+1 Ring of Protection
+1 Cloak of resistance
+1 Runic Weapon: Adamantine MW Waraxe
+1 Cold Iron Warhammer
+1 Silver Waraxe
+1 Dagger
Crossbow, light
Bolts, crossbow (10)
MW Full Plate +1
Backpack:
-coin: 13pp, 7 sp, 15 cp (Stig owes 1500)
-crystal with dragon hologram
-whetstone, renders one weapon +1 magical per day
-waterskin
-bedroll
-bronze mug
Beltpouch:
-1 potion CLW
-1 potion CSW
-1 potion jump
-1 potion barkskin
-1 potion water breathing
-2 potions water walking
-1 potion enlarge person
STIG'S STORY:
Nestled in an iron rich hill where the southern arm of the Good Hills meet the Dreadwood forest, not far from Copperhead, sits the small hold of the Woodhill Clan dwarves about 200 strong, enjoying brisk trade with the Barony of Westgate militias and cavalry based in Millen. Also called the Dreadhold dwarves, the Woodhills enjoy a reputation for having produced masterwork arms and armour for almost 300 years. Chief among the Woodhills in the forging of blades are the Mæch’Hæmmærs, especially their patriarch Sugwold, who also has the reputation of being one of the most prolific breeders in dwarfdom, siring 8 boys: Larf, Egrold, Sammich, Ulgon, Poobis, Ænus, Ferris, and Stigwold — and with this last dwarf child our story begins.
Stigwold from the time he first nuzzled his mamma’s beard was the nugget of his father’s eye - yet it didn’t take long for disappointment to set in as Stig proved to be a lazy, uncoordinated, foolish, and drunken child. It was not until his 39th birthday (for his father is eminently patient) that Stig’s father realized the boy needed to be disinherited and thrown out. It all started when one of the blades Stig had forged shattered in the hands of a reknowned Westgate knight during an epic engagement with raiding orcs - resulting in an embarrassing decapitation - embarrassing for the Mæch’Hæmmærs, that is.
So, with weapons and armour of dubious reliability all of his own making, the lonely, drunken, rejected, and suicidal dwarf set off from the halls of his birth seeking… well, seeking some good ale. South he went, toward Brokenoak, drinking his way from tavern to tavern and sleeping in fields and ditches, and eventually, as most do, he ran out of funds. Death by monster being all the more appealing than another day without ale, Stigwold veered off into the Dreadwood leaving a trail of butchered goblins from the fringes of the forest into its heart, and there it was that Stig met his one and only friend: a cold, hungry and masterless young hound who was about to meet his demise on a spit over a goblin campfire. The hound became 'Tenser', after the great wizard in Greyhawk whose adventures were told around campfires. The goblin meat didn’t last long, other game was scarce, and alcohol withdrawal was coming down hard, so the pair set off again with empty bellies and what few coppers they had liberated, Stig in search of ale and gold, and Tenser in search of squirrels and rabbits.
Cutting south, Stig, who had always had a way with animals but not much common sense, did his best to teach the hound to scent gold, but quickly learned that Tenser had his own agenda - hunting diamonds fared no better. But Stig’s first bout of luck in forty years saw that he made it to the southern edge of the Dreadwood alive.
And so Stig settled in Saltmarsh, for a time anyway, renting a room and loading kegs for the Blue Frog Brewery. At night he kept council at the Lizard’s Boat, gorging on seafood and ale and keeping a smile on patrons faces with bizarre underground perspectives and demi-human vulgarity. He still today counts the proprietor, Kailee Restinan, among his close friends and is famed for seeing the dawning sun in a drinking contest held by his former boss, Ryan Kirtap.
Lately, in the company of motley comrades of dubious intelligence and morality, Stig has honed his drinking and fighting skills against all manner of creature, scumball, and villain - and taken their gold. Stig, no doubt fated one day to return home with his head held high (and on that day kick his seven brothers in their asses soundly), continues to amass experience, riches... and errr... more body mass... in hopes of reconciling with his father Sugwold.
