I have a question for those who consider themselves experts in the realm of Death Knight / Necromancy Roleplay… If a character had a rune left on their skin, as a result of an attack. What do you think might happen? Outright claims of ‘death’ aren’t really appreciated. Please discuss.
I’m not sure what you mean by ‘left a rune’, but I am going to assume that a death knight branded you with a mark of corruptive magic?
If so, it would depend on the type of mark left by the death knight. Frost would most likely leave you with nasty frostbite, blood would be akin to a infection of wounds that would not be able to heal correctly and unholy would just be plague and nasty.
But more information of this ‘rune on the skin’ would help give a more detailed answer.
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Would be depending on the rune, really. We know through other races and story setups that they can control, torment, or protect.
Take it with a grain of salt because it’s RPG Lore on Rune magic, thus not really canon anymore, but I’d say it’s better for an explanation than absolute nothingness. And there is evidence in the game that part of the info is still relevant.
Normally I’d have said you can’t carve a rune on someone unwilling, but Shadowlands rejected that considering the amount of spells that says “X carves a rune/sigil/etc… onto the player”. So that piece of Lore is out the window.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t look at the type of rune in question. If it was made as a result of an attack, there’s really only one type of rune that fits : The spontaneous rune (Technically Spontaneous Mark, since it’s imposed onto a person, opposed to Sigils which are on surfaces, and Glyphs on objects). Because Scribed Runes require magical ink, and Permanent Runes require a long time and a sacrifice of the self (or someone else, with info on how Runeforging works).
Good thing for you is that this type of rune is the weakest. A short-lived type of rune, though its effects can be delayed or extended, but that means it won’t remain forever and even disappear from your skin.
As for the effects, since you say it’s from a DK, that means it probably will be using the Maldraxxi runes, which are told to embody concepts of the Five Houses of Maldraxxus. So if you want to stay simple, you probably can expect blood/ice/rot like the ones directly used by DKs in roleplay - Having sores that don’t heal, feeling ill, stiff muscles and overall coldness, etc… Lot of leeway and imagination. But if you want to be more elaborate, you could be haunted by a spirit that gnaws at your sanity, a curse that withers your life force without too many visible marks, etc…
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I think runes is one of those things that have been truly muddled by Shadowlands and just general vagueness as to their function.
Personally, I don’t think it would have much of an effect to just brand someone with any ol’ DK rune. Otherwise, why would the runeforges of Acherus be special? Surely anyone could just write down a Frost rune, as easily as using basic frost magic.
I interpret runes as being invoked by the ones that make them, and they can only be invoked by those who can understand the “language” it’s carved in. So you can have a rune carved on something, but it won’t have an effect less someone/something attuned to it invokes it.
What language are DK runes in then? The lore that I’ve read would say Vrykul. Current lore would probably say Maldraxxi, as illustrated above, and also makes slightly more sense as not just anyone can learn the nature of Maldraxxus-magic or whatever it’s called.
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There’s two main styles of runes in universe.
One of them is based on the Futhark runes - Norse/Anglo Saxon ones which seem mostly used by those of Titanic origin, or descended from said creations. Vrykul, Drust, Iron Dwarves, Earthen etc.
The second is based on Enochian runes - the allegedly “celestial language” of Angels in western esotericism. These seem more associated with the “cosmic” spheres and are the ones you see used by the Scourge (Death) Orcs (Mostly Shadowmoon - Void) and the Burning Legion (Cult groups etc - Fel.)
I’d hazard a guess and say the Enochian style would line up with the whole “First Ones”/“Progenitors” style of things, a universal magic system that changes effects depending on whatever magic type is charged into it. That’s my speculation on it though.
In regards to Death Knight runes, they are Maldraxxi as stated -
World of Warcraft: Grimoire of the Shadowlands and Beyond, pg. 118, "To do this, he [The Primus] devised a unique language of intricate symbols, each individually representing a specific word tied to the very foundations of Maldraxxus and the might of the five houses, from simple commands to necromantic energy manipulation. One example keenly relevant to our interests on Azeroth are the runes found on the weaponry of its champions, known as death knights. Their massive two-handed runeblades are emblazoned with words of power set in runes - each with quaint translations such as “Razorice” and “Fallen Crusader.”
Shadowlands lore is fake news and I disregard it immediately.
Death Knight runes are a byproduct of the titanforged in Northrend, after the Lich King adapted them for his own forces - just like he adapted nerubian architecture. I refuse to be convinced otherwise.
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I think there’s room for multiple rooms of interpretation. What I preferred about old Blizzard lore was their ability to present lore from an in-universe perspective, which allowed for things to be chalked up as unreliable narrator/in-universe incompetence in the field of study instead of the Danuserverse applying the Marvel Effect to everything in sight.
Instead now we have insane contradictions from information not -two- expansions prior that has completely warped the underlying cosmology and the matter in which fundamental systems of the Warcraft universe such as magic operate on. All because Danuser can’t stop watching Capefest superhero movies.
Deciding to disregard entire expansions worth of lore as fake is a slippery slope that damages the RP experiences of everyone.
It’s perfectly plausible for both kinds of runes to exist and be used by the Scourge/Ebon Blade.
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Maybe they should write a better expansion next time.
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Oh absolutely.
But it’s a big chunk of lore now. People’s characters are going to be tied to it, maybe some went there, maybe some decided that Maldraxxi runes are kinda cool and want to implement them into RP.
Deciding to disregard it because you just personally don’t like that lore is how we end up with 80ft tall Shivarra waltzing the streets of Stormwind and getting a “how do you do?” from the local guards.
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Thanks all. Interesting theories.
True it’s unfortunate that Shadowlands has driven it to a level where people feel that to be necessary with such great feats as claiming all existence is from a 3D printer and diluting all necromancy and scourge lore to the point where it claims divine resurrection and necromancy are 1:1 the same.
It is written with the mindset that creates the
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