So...I only have a few ideas for this, but I'm making a rune oracle mystery. I've ran out of steam, it seems, so does anybody have any ideas they'd like to see in a rune mystery?
Mmm... many powers and spells related to divination and writing, maybe Automatic Writing. Also future prediction and binding elements to your will. And some revelation to engrave a rune in a weapon or item.
Spontaneous Symbology, too.
Living Menhir (Su): you can place Rune spells (spells with rune on their name or symbol and warding spells) on yourself as you were an object. You can have one spell active at time. You must be at least 11th level to select this revelation.
Rune of Summoning (Su): you can inscribe ancient runes that helps your summoning last longer. Whenever you use a Summon Monster spell its duration is increased by 5 rounds. At level 5 and every five levels thereafter increase the duration by 5.
Solemn Warding (Su): You can call upon the inner power of the magic and form a coat around you of glowing and twisting runes that blocks incoming attacks and grants you a +4 armor bonus. At 7th level, and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +2. At 13th level, this coats protects you against magic giving you a spell resistance of 5 + your oracle level. You can use this shield for 1 hour per day per oracle level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-hour increments.
Spontaneous Simbology (Ex): as the Lore mistery.
Rune Delver (Ex): you can sense the presence of runes and symbols nearby you. Everytime you pass between 10 feet of a rune spells, you can make Knowledge (arcane) or a Perception check against a DC of 20 + spell level to detect it without activang the effects. At 7th level you can directly look and observe a rune or pass on a symbol without activating it if you have sensed before their presence. At level 13th and every 4 levels after the radius of this ability increases by 10 feet. You must be at least 3rd level to select this revelation.
Work In Progress...
So...I only have a few ideas for this, but I'm making a rune oracle mystery. I've ran out of steam, it seems, so does anybody have any ideas they'd like to see in a rune mystery?
The central element of my rune-casting magical tradition is that the rune acts as the point of origin of the spell.
Admittedly, it works better with a prepared spellcaster than with a spontaneous caster like the oracle, but for example, a rune of cure light wounds that has been drawn on the fighter before the battle could be activated by the oracle at distance; the rune acting as the "toucher".
[edit] If you're afraid of the ramification that this may have, just give the mystery a divine reach of 30 ft based on the fluff mentioned above.
'findel
I would add an ability to disable magical traps.
Disabling runes: You can disable magical traps with a Spellcraft check on which you get 1/2 your oracle level as bonus. At 5th level you can use up one free spell slot you have gaining +2 per level of the slot on your attempt. Level 0 spell slots count as 1/2 level for this. At 11th level you caqn instead choose to move the trap up to yout standard move from where it was.
The Secrets of Forgotten Magic Items has some rules for runes, as well as a subdomain for those new rules. As disclosure, I wrote the book. The comments section mentions a Pathways free magazine that has supporting information.
Places to look for ideas for this mystery:
* Rune domain
* Cypher Mage prestige class (can be found on d20pfsrd)
* Book of Eldritch Might by Monte Cooke for 3.5 (or maybe it was experimental might)
* Lore oracle
I actually am partial to the idea that such a mystery would be subject to arcane spell failure. The reason is that arcane magic is all about the precise geometric hand gestures...much like runes require.