Runic

From Valwiki

At the dawn of creation, the Ancients wrote upon the very walls of the cosmos a great language of power. This language, Runic, could command change over any and all things within the universe. The lettering and words of this language are protected secrets of the gods, and as such it is little known and understood by mortals.

Magic refers to the spoken form of this language, while Runic is the written form.

Runes

The Rune of Fire. This rune is called Flamus in the spoken version of the language of power.

Bizarre letters that represent terms in the language of power. Each Rune is a symbol that represents a concept that never changes. For example, the concept of 'Fire' has just one rune design. The interpretation of that design can be changed, and the rune will still function so long as it is just near enough to the real design to be understood, much like letters in the english language can be slightly warped and still be understood.

Runewords

A Runeword is a series of runes that creates an effect. By combining singular runes, a developed sentence is written in the language of power. When mana touches a written runeword, that mana shifts and transforms to become what is described by it.

If a runeword were built out of the runes of Fire, Wall, Move and Fast, it would force any mana that touches it to turn into a fast moving wall of flame!

Runic Technology

Runes, as solid forms of magic, can be used in combination with eachother to make complex machinery. The gods, especially Wol, create heavenly devices of intricate runic design that better resemble shining cities and temples than the machines of men.

Mortals have created Runic Technology using what few runes are understood to them. As only certain runes are known by mortals, machines require contrived concepts to function.

The vast majority of durandalite technology uses a combustion engine based on Runes. You have a great big steam boiler, and a bunch of turbines, and the boiler is heated with fire runes that creates steam pressure to push the turbines. Ice runes cool the steam quickly back into water, and the cycle continues. This creates rotational torque, used to turn gears and wheels.