TEXT: the adventure roleplaying game
  Preview Kit
  w w w . a t l a s - g a m e s . c o m
  
  In the RUNE Roleplaying Game,
  you seize the reins of action as you
  and your friends create your own
  fierce adventures and further
  explore the world of RUNE.
  In a roleplaying game, you create
  your own heroes, grab fistfuls of
  dice, and watch their action-
  packed adventures unfold before
  your eyes. You use rules to deter-
  mine whether you hit a foe, how
  much damage you do to him, if he
  hits you back, whether you can
  jump that raging river, and so on.
  In a traditional roleplaying game,
  one player becomes the Game
  Master, who controls everything
  about the world, inventing its
  story lines and populating its
  monster-filled subterranean pas-
  sageways. He gets to be in charge,
  but loses out on the opportunity to
  send a mighty-thewed character of
  his own screaming through the
  monstersÕ lairs, swinging his
  bloody battle-axe. Everybody else
  sticks to his chosen role of player,
  enjoying the battles but having no
  real say over the direction of the
  game. Although theyÕre called
  Ògames,Ó traditional roleplaying
  games offer no end-point, no over-
  all winner. The game goes on
  indefinitely, 
  and, 
  supposedly,
  Òeveryone is a winner.Ó
  To that, the RUNE RPG says, bah!
  What kind of Viking attitude is
  that?
  THIS IS A GAME
  YOU CAN WIN!
  ¥
  A winner is declared at the end
  of every session.
  ¥
  You also keep track of an over-
  all winner over a series of
  games.
  ¥
  You can play RUNE in tourna-
  ment format, or in a league. 
  ¥
  In RUNE, you score points
  every time your mighty sword
  slashes your foe. Naturally,
  you get extra points every time
  you strike a fatal blow Ñ even
  if youÕve stolen the kill from a
  fellow player whoÕs whittled
  the enemy down for you! You
  also get points whenever you
  succeed at one of your non-
  combat abilities, when you
  bring back bushels of silver to
  enhance your familyÕs stature,
  or when you act in a suitably
  Viking manner.
  ¥
  There is no single Game
  Moderator. Everybody gets a
  chance to pillage and slay!
  RUNE RPG
  RELEASE
  Hack-and-slash comes into its
  own with this roleplaying adapta-
  tion of Human Head StudiosÕ bru-
  tal RUNETM
  video game for
  Macintosh and PC. You and your
  band of bloodthirsty Vikings pur-
  sue epic adventure and glory in a
  land 
  of 
  Scandinavian 
  myth,
  smashing anything that gets in
  your way. From the icy depths of
  Nifleheim to the whispering evil
  of Svartalfheim, only the gods, or
  perhaps 
  the 
  apocalypse 
  of
  Ragnarok itself, could hope to
  deter your ravaging course.
  The RUNE
  roleplaying game
  includes stunning concept art from
  the video game, and stays true to its
  roots with its Òcompetitive role-
  playingÓ approach; players earn
  victory points during their exploits,
  and a winner is named at the end of
  the campaign É thatÕs right, you
  can win this roleplaying game! And
  for die-hard combat fiends whose
  Game Moderator may be contem-
  plating defection to a ÒstorytellingÓ
  system, RUNE offers a group GM-
  ing experience to lighten the load,
  in which players each design an
  encounter that the GM inserts into
  the larger plot. For added back-
  ground depth, the RUNE roleplay-
  ing system is based on a stream-
  lined version of Ars Magica,
  TM mak-
  ing it an easy entry point into
  Mythic Europe,
  TM or a way to spice
  up combat for your covenant.
  Copies of Human Head StudiosÕ
  RUNE demo will be included in
  each hardcover copy of Atlas
  GamesÕ roleplaying game. With
  this partnership, RUNE promises
  to bring the gore back to gaming!
  Available in March 2001
  The Pillaging Has Only BegunÉ
  CONTINUE YOUR VIKING
  ADVENTURES WITH THE
  RUNE ROLEPLAYING GAME
  ÉComing In 2001 From Atlas Games
  2
  www.atlas-games.com
  
  ¥
  Everyone takes a turn running
  and creating scenarios. Players
  build scenarios from a check-
  list, using a set number of
  points: things that endanger
  the heroes cost points; ele-
  ments that might benefit them
  add points. (So do terrain fea-
  tures, which make the fights
  more interesting and challeng-
  ing.) So you pay points for
  traps and tricky tests of skill,
  but gain them for including
  treasures or easy challenges.
  ¥
  And, even when youÕre the
  GM, you can still win!
  If thatÕs not
  enough to
  convince
  you to
  haunt
  your local
  game store
  until our
  dragon-
  prowed long-
  boats deliver
  shipments of
  the RUNE RPG,
  letÕs take a closer
  look at its fea-
  tures. 
  (Note that we are
  still honing these
  rules in our dwarven
  cyber-forge, and that
  some details may
  change between the
  writing of this pre-
  view kit and the
  release of the actual
  game.)
  The World
  of RUNE
  The world of RUNE offers both
  danger and glory to young Viking
  warriors such as yourselves.
  Enormous serpents infest the seas,
  ready to wrap their tails around
  longships and drag their crews
  down to watery graves. Giants
  stride 
  through
  mountain pass-
  es, their noses
  hungry 
  for
  the smell of
  manflesh.
  Elves 
  both 
  light 
  and 
  dark
  dwell in woods too deep for men
  to survive in. Deep in the moun-
  tains lie trackless miles of caverns
  and passageways, infested with all
  manner of creatures, from lowly
  but devious goblins to massive
  wyrms who can devour an entire
  raiding party without filling their
  monstrous bellies. 
  Men are but pawns in a war
  between gods, a battle which will
  reach its catastrophic climax when
  the day of Ragnarok comes. The
  chieftain of the gods dwells in
  Asgard, where he rules over two
  joined families of gods: the Aesir
  and Vanir. He is Odin, also called
  the All-Father, who cast out an eye
  and hung himself from the cosmic
  ash tree to gain divine wisdom. His
  son, Thor of the thundering ham-
  mer, is our warrior god, spurring
  us on to win glory in battle. Balder
  is OdinÕs fair-haired and glowing
  son of innocence and light. The
  prophecies of the three weird
  women, called the Norns, tell us
  that someday Balder will be slain
  by his half-brother, the cruel and
  ambitious Loki. Loki now writhes
  in chains in a secret chamber far
  below the earth, imprisoned by
  Odin and Thor in an attempt to
  stave off this predicted murder; for
  when Balder dies at LokiÕs hand,
  the final battle between giants and
  gods will commence. The grim
  ship Naglfar, made from the nail
  parings of the dead, will lose its
  anchor 
  as 
  the 
  sea 
  monster
  Jormungandr, one of the mon-
  strous spawn of Loki, makes its
  way towards the shores of
  Asgard, the godly realm. LokiÕs
  other progeny, Fenrir the
  wolf and Hel, queen of the
  damned, head an army
  to fight our gods. The
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  3
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  4
  prophecies tell us that the forces of
  both good and evil shall be utterly
  destroyed in this inevitable con-
  flict, and, with it, our mortal world.
  You see that our legends are as dark
  and gloom-enshrouded as the cold
  and foggy fjords in which we make
  our homes. We believe in no ulti-
  mate victory of good. Destruction
  is the final fate of man and god
  alike. The best we can do is forestall
  this inescapable doom, by keeping
  LokiÕs forces in check. This we do
  with axe and sword, felling those
  who serve him, and those who
  stand in the way of this goal. The
  winding caverns and passageways
  beneath the mountains and fjords
  connect our mortal realm to those
  of the gods. Warriors who fight
  well will win the favor of the gods,
  gaining the superhuman powers
  needed to cross over to those myth-
  ic places and thrive despite their
  many perils.
  The world we live in, the place of
  births and harvests and feast days,
  is called Midgard. We have
  explored it widely, having raided
  the homes of many other peoples
  who share the world with us. They
  are 
  ignorant 
  of 
  RagnarokÕs
  approach, and worship gods
  unknown to us. Though their
  beliefs are foolish, it is not for us to
  convert them to our ways. They
  will be but bystanders in the ulti-
  mate battle between light and
  darkness.
  On the edges of these distant
  realms are found the places of
  myth and story, which lie on the
  border between Midgard and the
  lands of the gods. To the East is
  Jotunheim, the mountainous place
  where giants stride. Further north
  than even we dare to dwell is
  Nidavellir, the underground realm
  of the Dwarves. Svartalfheim is
  the dense and woody domain of
  the Dark Elves, who will march in
  LokiÕs armies in the final battles.
  Though these can be reached by
  arduous far-travel, shortcuts exist
  to each of these realms, and more,
  by following the network of caves
  and passageways beneath the
  earth. Only those who enjoy the
  blessings of the gods may use
  these faster Ñ and more haz-
  ardous Ñ routes. This shadowy
  domain is known by many names,
  but we call it the Underworld.
  As 
  you 
  delve 
  through 
  the
  Underworld, your exploits will
  come to the attention of the many
  gods of the Aesir and Vanir. They
  will gift you with great powers that
  ordinary men can only envy. But
  beware their machinations. Not all
  of the gods believe that Ragnarok
  brings all-encompassing doom.
  Many of them scheme to position
  themselves to rule the existence
  they believe will follow Ragnarok.
  Perhaps these ambitious gods are
  correct; if so, it would be wise to
  accept their gifts, in preparation for
  the rewards of this unknowable
  new day. But if they are wrong, they
  merely play into the hands of Loki,
  and hasten our rush towards
  destruction. In any event, there are
  few gifts which do not come with a
  price. The more gifts you accept
  from a single god, the more his pup-
  pet you become. At times you will
  find your sword hand moved, or
  stilled, by your patron god, as he
  uses you to advance his scheme of
  the moment. It is best to take gifts
  only from gods you can trust, or to
  take but a few gifts from each god.
  And though it is possible to earn the
  dark gifts of Loki and his mon-
  strous kin, the perils of such greed
  are vast.
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  5
  Rules Basics
  Your hero is deep in the under-
  world, in a strange cavern which
  seems to swallow up and feed upon
  the light from his torch. He steps
  carefully forward. Suddenly, a net
  falls upon him! Can he avoid the
  net, or will he be trapped?
  Of course he can avoid the net! He
  is a hero, and heroes make their
  own luck by the strength of their
  backs, the speed of their feet, and
  the quickness of their wit.
  In this example, you play the role
  of your hero while a competing
  player is currently GM. His notes
  tell him how difficult it is for your
  hero to evade the net.
  Your characterÕs game statistics
  include Characteristics, Abilities,
  and Gifts. Characteristics measure
  his innate mental and bodily tal-
  ents, including his strength to
  wield an axe, his speed to hit an
  enemy before the enemy hits him,
  and his wit to gather information
  before he enters a fight. Abilities
  are the everyday, non-magical
  skills your character learned in the
  course of his upbringing, from
  sparring to shipbuilding. Gifts are
  extraordinary powers granted by
  the various gods. They allow your
  character to do things that ordi-
  nary people canÕt do, but may
  from time cause him to fall under
  the control of the god to whom he
  stands in the greatest debt.
  When you try to do something in
  the game, and the outcome of your
  attempt is uncertain, you roll a
  ten-sided die and add it to your
  bonus Ñ a number derived from
  some combination of your charac-
  teristics, abilities, and gifts. The
  GM then compares it to a
  Difficulty number. The tougher the
  task, the higher the number.
  Various circumstances set out in
  the rules may change your die roll
  either upwards or downwards. A
  number added to your die roll is
  called an increase. A number sub-
  tracted from your die roll is a
  decrease.
  Sometimes something bad will
  happen to your character and he
  will suffer a decrease to every roll
  he makes until the problem is rec-
  tified, either by your actions, or
  through the simple passage of
  time. This state is known as
  impairment. 
  Each 
  point 
  of
  decrease is called an impairment
  point. 
  Often the difference between your
  result and the Difficulty becomes
  important.
  So, that net was falling on your
  hero. The GM for the encounter
  has decided that it is Tough to
  evade Ñ that is, that your bonus
  plus die roll must equal or exceed a
  target number of 9. The GM tells
  you 
  which 
  Characteristics,
  Abilities, or Gifts to derive your
  bonus from; you can also use the
  rules to remind the GM of other
  applicable game statistics he may
  not have thought of. In this case,
  you derive your bonus from your
  Quickness characteristic (which is
  3), plus your Swiftness of Sleipnir
  gift (which is 2). Thus you add a
  total of 5 to your die roll. You roll a
  3. 5 plus 3 is 8 Ñ one less than the
  target number of 9. Looks like your
  hero will indeed fall prey to that
  net. But donÕt despair Ñ as a
  mighty-thewed Viking, you have
  more than one way of overcoming
  the dangers of the Underworld.
  Almost any action undertaken by
  a warrior in the heroic but doom-
  laden world of RUNE carries with
  it the potential for both over-
  whelming achievement or devas-
  tating misfortune; this is accom-
  plished with open-ended rolls.
  Whenever you roll a 10, you score
  a triumph. Reroll, take the result
  and add it to the 10 you already
  have. Unless, that is, that result
  also comes up as a 10, in which
  case you add that, too.
  Junie rolls a 10. She rerolls, getting
  a 3. She adds it to her original 10,
  for a result of 13.
  Target Number Chart
  Degree of Challenge
  Difficulty
  Very Easy
  3
  Average
  6
  Tough
  9
  Very Tough
  12
  Nearly Impossible
  15
  Superhuman
  16+
  
  Janie rolls a 10. She rerolls, getting
  another 10. She rerolls, getting yet
  another 10. She rerolls, getting a 6.
  Her result is a 36.
  However, if you get a 1 on your
  initial roll, you suffer a botch.
  Reroll and make the result a nega-
  tive number. If you get a 10 on the
  rerolled die, it becomes part of
  your negative total, and you keep
  rolling. Further 10s are also
  rerolled and added. 
  Junie rolls a 1. She rerolls and gets
  a 4. Her result is -4.
  Junie rolls a 1. She rerolls, and gets
  a 10. She rerolls, getting a 7. Her
  result is -17.
  Creating Your
  Hero
  The hero creation process is as
  follows:
  Step 1: Name Your Hero
  Your hero needs a suitably Norse
  name. Odin will not smile upon a
  Fred or Jimbo. He must be a
  Thorleik or Ansgar to earn the
  favor of the gods.
  Step 2: Buy Characteristics
  In this step, youÕll juggle the num-
  bers to give your hero the
  Characteristics you desire.   
  Step 3: Buy Abilities
  Here youÕll do the same for
  Abilities.
  Step 4: Choose Your Weapons
  Outfit yourself with as many
  weapons as you can carry. On sec-
  ond thought, you should perhaps
  leave some space in your pack for
  other useful items. Still, it is good
  to have a great many weapons.
  Step 5: Other Important Numbers
  Certain other game statistics are
  derived from your combined
  Characteristic, Ability and weapon
  choices. These are figured here.
  Characteristics
  As 
  previously 
  mentioned,
  Characteristics are basic talents res-
  ident within a heroÕs body and
  mind. There are eight of them:
  Strength, 
  Stamina, 
  Dexterity,
  Quickness, Perception, Intelligence,
  Communication and Presence.
  Each Characteristic a character has
  ranges from -3, the absolute worst
  possible score for any living human
  being, and +3, the apex of mortal
  possibility. The vast majority of peo-
  ple from your home village have a
  score of 0 in most of their
  Characteristics; it is the human aver-
  age. Through Divine Gifts, you may
  be able to increase Characteristics
  beyond the human limit of 3.
  Each Characteristic is associated
  with a particular Norse god. Heroes
  with many Gifts boosting a particu-
  lar Characteristic are apt to owe a
  great debt to that patron deity.
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  6
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  ¥
  Strength
  (STR) is muscle
  power, which you use to lift,
  shove, push, manhandle and
  Ñ above all Ñ hit those things
  in need of lifting, shoving,
  pushing, and hitting. You use
  it to smash down doors and to
  increase the damage done to
  your foes when you strike
  them. Thor the Thunderer is
  the patron god of Strength.
  ¥
  Where 
  the 
  previous
  Characteristic measures the
  damage you can dish out,
  Stamina (STA) shows how
  well you can take it. Stamina
  allows you to push yourself
  past the point of exhaustion, to
  resist diseases and poison, and
  to keep your head above water
  where weaker men would
  drown. The brave, suffering
  god Tyr, who lost a hand in
  battle, grants gifts of Stamina.
  ¥
  Dexterity (DEX) measures the
  grace and precision with
  which your hero moves. Most
  importantly, 
  it 
  determines
  your accuracy when wielding
  weapons. It also allows you to
  pick locks and stay on your
  horse when he rears back. Ull,
  god of the hunt, is patron to
  the dextrous.
  ¥
  If your hero has a high
  Quickness (QIK) rating, he runs
  fast and reacts quickly to sud-
  den dangers. It allows him to
  strike first in battle and to dodge
  blows. Njord, enigmatic god of
  the wind, extends Quickness to
  those who please him.
  ¥
  Intelligence (INT) measures
  your heroÕs memory and abili-
  ty to reason his way through
  problems. He might use it to
  recall the exact pattern of a
  series of runes he saw several
  encounters ago, or to figure out
  the answer to a riddle posed by
  a 
  menacing 
  bridge 
  troll.
  Intelligence is sometimes seen
  as suspect, for it is the trickster
  Loki who, of all the gods, pos-
  sesses it in abundance.
  ¥
  If your hero has a high
  Perception (PER) rating, he is
  good at noticing fine details in
  the world around them. His
  intuition allows him to sense
  dangers his conscious mind
  may not be aware of. He might
  use Perception to see the tell-
  tale glint of light that reveals a
  sword being drawn in the
  woods up ahead, or to eaves-
  drop 
  on 
  a 
  conversation
  between a priest of Hel and
  one of her undead minions.
  Watchful 
  Heimdal, 
  who
  guards the Bifrost Bridge link-
  ing Asgard and Midgard, is the
  god of Perception.
  ¥
  Presence (PRS) measures a
  heroÕs ability to make an
  immediate positive impression
  on others of his kind. A high
  score means that he is consid-
  ered handsome, according to
  the standards of his people,
  that he walks with confidence,
  and that he attracts the rapt
  attention of others. In some
  cases, Presence might indicate
  a strong negative impression
  that nonetheless commands
  obedience: a fearsome warrior
  might be big, mean-looking,
  and speak in a deep, booming
  voice shot through with men-
  ace. Presence is the trait of
  chieftains and leaders, so it is
  fitting that Odin, chieftain of
  the gods, grants it to the heroes
  he favors. It is also the trait that
  powers many of the Divine
  Gifts, super abilities granted
  by the gods which you acquire
  during play.
  ¥
  Communication
  (COM)
  allows a hero to speak clearly
  and persuasively. It deter-
  mines his talent not only for
  talking, but for listening to oth-
  ers, so as to best understand
  how to convince them to do
  what he wants. Freyr, the god
  of growing crops and bulging
  purses, blesses his favored
  heroes with the powers of
  Communication.
  7
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  Abilities
  After purchasing Characteristics,
  you buy your Abilities with the
  points left over. Some cost more than
  others, depending on how impor-
  tant they are to your adventures.
  You might not want to spend all of
  your creation points in the Ability
  stage, though, because you can
  also use them to purchase hit
  points, which increase the number
  of injuries you can take before
  things really start to get serious.
  The various abilities are listed in
  the chart to the right. 
  Hit Points
  A fight where a Viking warrior
  does not get bloodied is hardly a
  fight at all. Your hero begins the
  game with a number of hit points,
  which represent his ability to keep
  going even while injured.
  Your starting hit points are deter-
  mined by your combined Strength
  and Stamina Characteristics, as
  per the chart below.
  You can buy additional hit points
  by spending creation points. The
  number of extra hit points you get
  for each creation point spent varies
  according to your Stamina rating.
  8
  
  A word of warning: the hit points
  of the enemies you face are deter-
  mined in relation to the hit point
  ratings of the heroes in your raid-
  ing party. So if everyone buys
  huge numbers of hit points, no one
  benefits: you just make your ene-
  mies tougher. (Students of game
  theory will recognize this as a vari-
  ant of the prisonerÕs dilemma,
  where it is good to be the only per-
  son claiming a benefit, but bad to
  be one of many.)
  Injuries can temporarily reduce
  your hit points below your nor-
  mal, or maximum level. Most
  injuries you receive are purely pic-
  turesque punctures, abrasions,
  and contusions which make you
  look appropriately courageous but
  do nothing to hamper your
  actions. That is, unless you receive
  a Impairment Ñ an especially
  nasty hit that can affect your char-
  acterÕs performance permanently.
  Ability
  Animal Handling
  Awareness
  Balance
  Bargain
  Bows
  Bravery
  Brawling
  Carouse
  Chain Weapon
  Climb
  Crossbows
  Deception
  Demeanor
  Disarm Trap
  Disguise
  Divine Awareness
  Dodge
  Gamble
  Great Weapon
  Healer
  Insight
  Jump
  Leadership
  Longshaft Weapon
  Lore
  Map
  Music
  Pick Lock
  Pursuit
  Repair
  Ride
  Runes
  Seamanship
  Sing
  Single Weapon
  Skald
  Ski
  Sleep
  Sprint
  Stealth
  Survival
  Swim
  Thrown Weapon
  Two Weapons
  Characteristic
  Presence
  Perception
  Dexterity
  Communication
  Perception
  Stamina
  Dexterity
  Stamina
  Dexterity
  Strength
  Perception
  Presence
  Presence
  Dexterity
  Intelligence
  Presence
  Quickness
  variable
  Dexterity
  Dexterity/Perception
  Communication
  Strength
  Presence
  Dexterity
  Intelligence
  Intelligence
  Communication
  Dexterity
  Perception
  Dexterity
  Dexterity
  Intelligence
  variable
  Stamina
  Dexterity
  Intelligence/Presence
  Dexterity
  Stamina
  Strength
  Dexterity
  Intelligence
  Strength/Stamina
  Perception
  Dexterity
  Abilities Chart
  Starting Hit Points
  STR + STA
  Hit Points
  -4 or less
  37
  -3 to -1
  40
  0
  44
  1 to 3
  48
  4
  52
  5
  56
  6
  60
  Buying Hit Points
  Stamina
  Hit Points
  -3
  1
  -2
  2
  -1
  3
  0
  4
  1
  5
  2
  6
  3
  7
  
  Weapons
  A
  mighty warriorÕs weapons
  become an extension of himself.
  Your warrior begins the game
  equipped with a selection of ordi-
  nary weapons created by his vil-
  lageÕs smith. In the course of his
  adventures, he will gradually
  accumulate even more powerful
  weapons. Some are so large that
  heÕll be able to use them properly
  only through the blessings of the
  gods.
  Weapons, just like heroes, have
  game statistics. These are as follows.
  Initiative Rating
  (INIT)
  The bigger the weapon, the short-
  er the distance between its killing
  surface and the skulls of your foes.
  The shorter the distance, the soon-
  er you act. The faster the weapon,
  the higher the initiative rating.
  Attack Rating
  (ATK)
  Some weapons are more wieldy
  than others. The easier it is to hit
  your foe with a weapon, the high-
  er its attack rating.
  Defense Rating
  (DFN)
  Most close-range weapons can be
  used to parry incoming blows. The
  more useful the weapon is when
  avoiding the attacks of others, the
  higher its defense rating.
  Damage (DAM)
  This is the amount of injury you
  inflict on your enemies as you mow
  through their
  ranks with your
  weapon of
  choice.
  Load
  Load 
  measures 
  a 
  weaponÕs
  weight. You can only carry so
  much, and your weapons con-
  tribute to the total Encumbrance
  you suffer when lugging all of
  your gear around.
  Ability
  The chart below notes the Ability
  you must use in order to wield the
  weapon. For example, youÕll see
  that a shortspear falls under the
  Single Weapon Ability, while a flail
  calls for the use of Chain Weapon.
  Availability
  Weapons are either common or
  rare. Common weapons are made
  by the smiths of your home vil-
  lage. You can start play with as
  many common weapons as you
  can carry. Rare weapons can only
  be gained in the course of play,
  either through trade or by loot-
  ing the corpses of the slain.
  Choosing
  Your
  Weapons
  At the beginning of the game,
  you may pick up to 3 com-
  mon weapons.
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  10
  
  Weapon Chart
  Name
  INIT
  ATK
  DFN
  DAM
  Load
  Ability
  Availability
  Billhook
  +5
  +6
  +1
  +8
  1.5
  Longshaft
  Rare
  Chair
  +2
  +2
  +3
  +1
  NA
  Brawling
  Ñ
  Composite Bow
  -1
  +1
  NA
  +8
  0.5
  Bow
  Rare
  Dagger
  +2
  +1
  +2
  +3
  0.25
  Single
  Common
  Double-bladed Axe
  +6
  +5
  +7
  +12
  3
  Great
  Rare
  Dwarven Battle Axe
  +8
  +7
  +8
  +14
  4
  Great
  Rare
  Dwarven Battle Hammer
  +8
  +8
  +10
  +14
  3
  Great
  Rare
  Dwarven Battle Sword
  +8
  +6
  +10
  +12
  1
  Great
  Rare
  Dwarven Work Hammer
  +6
  +6
  +8
  +10
  2
  Great
  Rare
  Dwarven Work Sword
  +6
  +4
  +6
  +8
  1
  Great
  Rare
  Fist/Kick
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +0
  NA
  Brawling
  Ñ
  Flail (2 handed)
  +2
  +7
  +1
  +7
  0.5
  Chain
  Common
  Four-bladed Mace
  +4
  +4
  +3
  +7
  0.5
  Single
  Rare
  Gauntlet
  +1
  +0
  +1
  +1
  0.25
  Brawling
  Rare
  Goblin Axe
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +7
  1
  Single
  Rare
  Goblin Spike Club
  +3
  +2
  +3
  +6
  0.5
  Single
  Rare
  Hand Axe
  +3
  +1
  +2
  +6
  0.5
  Single
  Common
  Heavy Crossbow
  -10
  +2
  NA
  +14
  1
  Crossbow
  Rare
  Light Crossbow
  -6
  +2
  NA
  +12
  0.5
  Crossbow
  Rare
  Long Bow
  -1
  +1
  NA
  +10
  1
  Bow
  Rare
  Mace
  +3
  +2
  +3
  +5
  0.5
  Single
  Common
  Morningstar (two-handed) +1
  +5
  +0
  +8
  0.5
  Chain
  Rare
  Net
  +0
  +4
  +2
  +0
  0.5
  Chain
  Common
  Pike
  +6
  +4
  +1
  +6
  1.5
  Longshaft
  Rare
  Polearm
  +6
  +3
  +5
  +9
  1.5
  Great
  Rare
  Puny Knife 
  +1
  +0
  +1
  +2
  0.15
  Single
  Common
  Quarterstaff
  +6
  +4
  +8
  +3
  1
  Great
  Common
  Rock
  +4
  +0
  NA
  +2
  0.0
  Thrown
  Common
  Roman Sword
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +4
  0.5
  Single
  Rare
  Sap
  +1
  +0
  +1
  +2
  0.15
  Single
  Common
  Severed Arm
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +1
  NA
  Great
  Special
  Short Bow
  +0
  +0
  NA
  +6
  0.5
  Bow
  Common
  Shortspear
  +5
  +1
  +2
  +3
  0.5
  Single
  Common
  Shortsword
  +4
  +2
  +3
  +3
  0.5
  Single
  Common
  Shortsword + Dagger
  +6
  +5
  +6
  +5
  0.75
  Two Weapons
  Common
  Sling
  +2
  +2
  NA
  +3
  0.1
  Thrown
  Common
  Spear (thrown)
  +0
  +2
  +0
  +6
  1
  Thrown
  Common
  Spear/Lance
  +5
  +6
  +4
  +6
  1
  Longshaft
  Common
  Throwing Axe
  +1
  +1
  +0
  +4
  0.5
  Thrown
  Common
  Throwing Knife
  +1
  +1
  n/a
  +3
  0.2
  Thrown
  Common
  Two Hand Axes
  +4
  +3
  +5
  +7
  1
  Two Weapons
  Common
  Two Short Swords
  +6
  +3
  +5
  +7
  1
  Two Weapons
  Common
  Viking Axe
  +5
  +3
  +4
  +10
  1.5
  Great
  Common
  Viking Broadsword
  +5
  +3
  +4
  +6
  1
  Single
  Common
  War Maul
  +5
  +2
  +4
  +10
  1.5
  Great
  Common
  Whip
  +0
  +6
  +0
  +2
  0.5
  Chain
  Common
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  12
  Armor
  Although you, as an eager warrior
  who has yet to be blooded, may
  have visions of running shrieking
  into combat, protected only by
  your screaming blades and the
  valor of your heart, veteran
  Vikings will tell you that there is
  no substitute for good armor pro-
  tection. Someday a treacherous foe
  will jab past your parrying sword
  or blocking shield, and on that day
  you will be glad you wrapped
  your hide in as much protective
  gear as you could muster.
  You can start the game with any
  one type of common armor, and
  one common shield of your choice.
  Each armor configuration, as
  youÕll note from the chart, carries
  two values. Initiative has already
  been explained. Protection (PROT)
  is taken into account when calcu-
  lating Soak, which allows you to
  shrug off blows that would injure
  an warrior wearing lesser armor.
  Shields
  Shields 
  add 
  their 
  Initiative,
  Attack, Defense, Damage, and
  Load values to the values of the
  single weapon with which they
  are paired.
  Important
  Numbers
  Before you wade into combat, you
  need to calculate some more game
  statistics and note them on your
  hero sheet. Each of the following
  numbers plays an important role
  in the smiting of your enemies,
  and youÕll do well to have them
  handy 
  at 
  all
  times.
  Initiative (INIT)
  ItÕs good to hit your enemies before
  they can hit you. A high Initiative
  allows you to do this. Calculate
  your Initiative score as follows:
  Your QIK Characteristic + Your
  Weapon Ability + Your WeaponÕs
  INIT
  Note that you have a different
  Initiative value for each weapon you
  use, and that it changes whenever you
  add or discard items in your pack.
  Attack (ATK)
  A high Attack score increases your
  likelihood of actually hitting your
  foe in combat. Again, each weapon
  grants you a different Attack value. 
  Calculate the Attack values of
  melee weapons as follows:
  Your DEX Characteristic + Your
  Weapon Ability + Your WeaponÕs
  ATK
  Your Attack values for missile
  weapons (whose ranges are greater
  than Close) are calculated like so:
  Your PER Characteristic + Your
  Weapon Ability + Your WeaponÕs
  ATK
  Shield Chart
  Name
  INIT ATK DFN DAM Load Ability
  Availability
  Buckler
  -1
  +0
  +2
  +0
  0.25
  Single
  Common
  Round Shield
  -1
  -1
  +3
  +0
  0.5
  Single
  Common
  Kite Shield
  -1
  -1
  +4
  +0
  2
  Single
  Common
  Tower Shield
  -3
  -2
  +6
  +0
  3
  Single
  Rare
  Armor Chart
  Type
  PROT
  INIT
  Load
  Availability
  Quilted/Fur
  1
  -0
  1.0
  Common
  Heavy Leather
  3
  -1
  1.5
  Common
  Studded Leather
  5
  -3
  2.0
  Common
  Chain Mail
  7
  -5
  2.5
  Common
  Steel Scale Mail
  9
  -7
  3.0
  Rare
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  13
  Defense [DFN]
  Your Defense score measures the
  degree to which you can avoid
  being hit by opponents, either by
  getting out of the way of their
  blows, or parrying them with your
  weapon 
  or 
  shield. 
  Missile
  weapons donÕt confer Defense
  scores; if youÕre holding one when
  attacked, use your Brawling abili-
  ty (as modified by the Fist/Kick
  statistics on the Weapons Chart) as
  the basis for your Defense score.
  Calculate Defense as follows:
  (Your QIK Characteristic + Your
  Weapon Ability + Your WeaponÕs
  DFN) - Your SIZ
  Damage (DAM)
  Hitting your opponent is all well
  and good, but once youÕve done it
  youÕll want to know whether
  youÕve just scratched his hide, or
  delivered a disemboweling death-
  blow. Your Damage score tells you
  how much harm you do to your foe.
  Once more, it varies by weapon. 
  When using a melee or thrown
  weapon, calculate it like so:
  Your STR + SIZ + Your WeaponÕs
  DAM
  Missile weapons use the straight
  DAM rating of the particular
  weapon. 
  Soak
  Although even the bravest Viking
  prefers not to be hit in the first
  place, he knows that eventually a
  foemanÕs blade will taste of his
  flesh. When that time comes, it is
  good to be tough, and have the
  capacity to shrug off some of the
  damage. Your Soak score allows
  you to do that, and is calculated as
  follows:
  Your STA + Your SIZ + Your
  ArmorÕs PROT
  Combat
  When you enter combat, you first
  roll Initiative to see who goes first.
  If you get a really high result, you
  may be able to strike more than
  once in a single round. When you
  strike, you roll a die and add your
  Attack value; your opponent rolls
  a die, to which he adds his Defense
  value. If your result is equal to or
  greater than his, youÕve hit him.
  He suffers damage equal to the
  Damage rating of your weapon
  plus the difference between his
  Defense result and your Attack
  result. He subtracts his Soak from
  that Damage; the rest is subtracted
  from his hit point total. When he
  reaches 0 hit points, heÕs dead or
  dying.
  Missile combat works a bit differ-
  ently; here you roll either against a
  Difficulty to hit, which is based on
  factors like the distance between
  you and your enemy, the range of
  your weapon, and any cover your
  target might be cravenly lurking
  behind. Your opponent can always
  Dodge if he feels it will improve
  his odds of evading your missiles.
  In a fight, you have a number of
  options you can trot out to suit
  your circumstances. If youÕre
  already toe-to-toe with your
  enemy, you can increase your
  Defense by ducking and weaving,
  or bolster your Attack by holding
  ground. When your foe seems on
  the cusp of death, you can more
  easily dispatch him by going
  berserk, adding your Defense to
  your Attack value. But beware: if
  you donÕt finish him, he gets a free
  shot at you, and your Defense is
  zero!
  Other special choices may occa-
  sionally add a bloodthirsty dimen-
  sion to your battles. For example,
  you score extra points if you can
  beat a foe to death with his own
  severed arm.
  Other Ways To
  Get Mangled
  Of course, it is entirely possible
  that you will succumb to your
  foesÕ attacks. And you must also
  evade a host of other dangers out-
  side of combat. Fire, poison,
  drowning, falling, and exposure
  are chief among them.
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  Gifts of the
  Gods
  Ever aware of the dangers you
  face, the gods smile grimly on
  heroes whose axes smite their foes.
  As you progress, you can acquire
  the Gifts of the gods, magical
  superpowers which extend your
  heroesÕ survivability and capacity
  for destruction. Divine Gifts may
  increase 
  your 
  Characteristics,
  pump up your hit points, or grant
  you even more spectacular talents.
  Examples include:
  Agony Postponed
  Allows you to ignore penalties
  youÕd otherwise suffer when
  severely wounded.
  Aura Of Phlegmatic
  Acceptance
  Allows you to ignore victory
  point losses youÕd otherwise
  take from injuries in combat.
  Banish His Blade
  When you disarm a foe, his
  weapon travels further than it
  normally would Ñ and you
  gain extra victory points, too!
  Boon of Angrboda
  Allows 
  you 
  to 
  temporarily
  increase your size; named after a
  giantess paramour of LokiÕs.
  Bone-SettersÕ Blessing
  Makes you tougher to hit when
  youÕre healing your comradesÕ
  wounds.
  Buffeting Gale
  Knocks your foes down when
  you hit them.
  The Chattering Squirrel 
  Grants you extra victory points for
  the use of Deception.
  The Clatter of Rushing Boots
  Increases the potency of your
  attacks when you charge.
  Dying Blow
  Allows you to keep fighting when
  mortally wounded, so that you
  may add one last legendary act to
  the list of great deeds recited at
  your funeral.
  The Eager Arrow
  Makes your missile
  weapons seek other
  targets after suc-
  cessful hits.
  Eyes Like Glowing Coals
  Stare down weak foes, discourag-
  ing them from hitting you.
  From Lofty AsgardÕs Peaks
  Gain bonuses when fighting from
  superior ground.
  Imprecation of Doom
  Designate a foe who will also be
  wounded whenever you hit any
  other enemy.
  The Knitting of Meat and Bone
  Magically heal yourself during
  combat.
  Nurturing of Yggdrasil
  Gain victory points when
  you heal an ally.
  The Owl Hears the Viper
  Adds to Awareness rolls
  made to evade traps.
  Penetrating Lightning
  Destroy 
  items 
  of
  cover 
  behind
  which 
  foes
  cower.
  Plumed Up
  By Njordsbreath
  Survive dangerous
  falls.
  Ripples 
  From 
  the
  Well of Knowledge
  Identify potions and
  charms.
  14
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  15
  Rune Weapons
  Long before they turned their back
  on the Aesir to make blades and
  armor exclusively for Loki, the
  dwarves aided Odin and his kin
  by discovering a system of magical
  correspondences between various
  weapons and the elemental runes
  of power. Odin shared these
  secrets with the other Aesir, who
  in turn parceled them out to
  their favored warrior devo-
  tees, both on Midgard and in
  Valhalla. 
  Many weapon types have
  innate magical power. Each
  power is unique to a particu-
  lar type of weapon. A hero of suf-
  ficient 
  accomplishment 
  can
  learn to activate these powers
  for brief periods of time,
  provided that he bears the
  required weapon. He can
  use any version of that
  weapon, including the one
  with which he started his
  career, to activate Rune Powers.
  Unlike other Divine Gifts, Rune
  Powers can be used by anyone
  who knows the secrets behind
  them. Even goblins, dwarves,
  elves, the Dishonored, and trolls
  can use them. In fact, some Rune
  Powers 
  are 
  associated 
  with
  weapons used by dwarves and
  goblins. 
  These 
  secrets 
  were
  released by the dwarves after they
  concluded that Odin had swindled
  them out of fair payment for their
  discovery.
  Rune weapon Powers do not
  increase your divine rating. Nor
  do they have patron deities.
  Otherwise they work exactly as
  any other Divine Gift.
  Rune Power: Viking Short Sword
  When you activate the Rune
  Power of the Viking Short Sword,
  a glowing, translucent sphere
  appears and shields you from
  damage. 
  Rune Power: Roman Sword
  Your sword ignites, sheathed
  in fire that burns your enemies
  and other flammable things.
  Rune Power: Viking Broad Sword
  When you activate this Power, all
  actual Damage you deal to opponents
  (after Soak is taken into account) is
  added to your hit point total. 
  Rune Power: Dwarven Work Sword
  When you activate this Power,
  lightning launches out from the tip
  of your sword, seeking out up to
  three enemies.
  Rune Power: Dwarven Battle Sword
  Your weapon emits a beam of mag-
  ical energy which seeks out a cho-
  sen opponent and scorches him
  with armor-ignoring arcane force. 
  Rune Power: Hand Axe
  When you activate the Rune
  Power inherent in your hand axe,
  you become insubstantial. 
  Rune Power: Goblin Axe
  When you activate this Power, you
  may once per round create a magi-
  cal duplicate of the axe, which you
  can then throw at an opponent
  using your Thrown Weapons skill. 
  Rune Power: Viking Axe
  Turns an enemy into a fanatical
  ally for a short period.
  Rune Power: Double-Bladed Axe
  Transform your foe into a crow.
  Rune Power: Mace
  You may cause the mace to emit a
  single blast of radiating force which
  buffets the characters closest to you. 
  Rune Power: Goblin Spike Club
  When you activate this Power, you
  cause a cone-shaped barrage of
  rocks to fire outwards from the busi-
  ness end of your outstretched club.
  Rune Power: Four-Bladed Mace
  Activating this Power turns you into
  the center of a raging conflagration.  
  Rune Power: Dwarven Work Hammer
  When you activate this Power and
  then strike an opponent with the
  dwarven work hammer, he imme-
  diately turns to ice. 
  Rune Power: Dwarven Battle Hammer
  This Rune Power is a more fearsome
  version of the above: the victim turns
  permanently to stone instead of ice.
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  Encounters
  When your turn to GM comes
  around, your challenge is to use
  the rules to design an encounter
  most likely to yield you victory
  points. Your goal is to reduce as
  many heroes as possible to within
  a quivering inch of death, without
  actually killing them off.
  A group of encounters is called an
  adventure. One player becomes the
  plotter, choosing the location of the
  adventure. 
  He 
  creates 
  three
  encounters 
  (the 
  Set-Up,
  Development, and Climax) around
  which the rest of you wrap your
  own encounters. He chooses where
  the encounters are set. For example:
  ¥
  Scandinavia: The adventure
  takes place in various wilder-
  ness locations and villages near
  your home base. YouÕll be
  negotiating with other Vikings,
  occasionally fighting them, and
  braving the hazards of travel in
  difficult, rocky territory.
  ¥
  Jotunheim, the mountains where
  giants live: The heroes face the
  dangers of cold weather and
  treacherous mountain terrain,
  as well as the threats, puzzles,
  and challenges posed by giants.
  Giants are sometimes friendly,
  sometimes hostile. 
  ¥
  Nidavellir, the strange domain
  of the mechanistic dwarves:
  All or most encounters will be
  with dwarves or their mysteri-
  ous devices. Carefully-engi-
  neered traps of incomprehensi-
  ble workmanship abound.
  ¥
  Svartalfheim, the thick, gloomy
  forest where the Dark Elves
  live: Encounters will take place
  in the wilderness. Opponents
  often include unusually fero-
  cious wild beasts. Traps consist
  of snares and other outdoorsy
  hazards. 
  ¥
  Foreign Lands: The players go
  to another region of Midgard
  and lay waste to it in search of
  treasure. You must specify
  where they go. They might
  burn 
  down 
  wealth-laden
  abbeys in England, battle hos-
  tile natives on the cold and
  rocky 
  shores 
  of
  Newfoundland, or serve as
  mercenaries in the Holy Land.
  This hook works splendidly if
  everybody is a history buff,
  but should be used with care if
  some of your fellow players
  couldnÕt tell a Varangian guard
  from a Valencia orange.
  ¥
  Other Dimensions: The heroes
  visit another fantasy world or
  game setting with which all of
  the players are already famil-
  iar, in order to sack and pillage
  it. The further afield you go
  from a Viking world, the more
  work you and the other play-
  ers will have to do ahead of
  time to develop extra rules for
  guns, laser cannons, or what-
  ever other trappings of the set-
  ting cry out for game system
  support.
  16
  
  Opponents
  No RUNE encounter is complete
  without a bone-crunching, viscera-
  spewing fight scene. You can pick
  any of the creature types youÕll
  know from the computer game:
  goblins, dwarves, land crabs, Sark
  Amen, and wendols. You can
  include one big fight, or a small
  and a medium one. You decide
  how threatening the opponents
  are in relation to the heroes. Foes
  come in seven threat categories,
  from Pitiful to Terrifying. You give
  them their Atk, Dfn, Dam, Soak
  and other game numbers depend-
  ing on the collective strength of the
  heroes. The greater the threat cate-
  gory, the fewer foes appear: you
  get only one Terrifying foe for
  every four heroes. On the other
  hand, Pitiful foes outnumber the
  heroes by  four to one.
  A handy flow-chart governs the
  behavior of enemies in combat,
  preventing you from playing
  favorites and killing off the guy
  who never pays for his share of the
  pizza.
  Non-Combat
  Opponents
  Not every enemy will fight
  the heroes. Some might face
  them in non-violent contests of
  skill, subject them to riddles, or
  try to out-bargain them while
  swapping silver for plundered
  gear.
  You must pay points for any
  situation in which the
  heroes must overcome a
  Difficulty greater than 6.
  You can gain encounter points to
  use elsewhere by creating situa-
  tions 
  in 
  which 
  they 
  face
  Difficulties less than 6.
  Traps
  YouÕll build traps by choosing the
  Difficulty to avoid and the
  Damage dealt. Costs vary for spe-
  cial cases. Sometimes only one
  hero need successfully roll to
  avoid a trap. On other occasions,
  everybody can try. In others,
  everybody must succeed. Some
  traps target specific characters.
  Some types of trap carry special
  rules: the rules spell out the
  Damage
  s u f f e r e d
  from 
  falls,
  depending 
  on
  the height and the hardness of the
  landing. Some traps, like fire and
  acid, deal out recurring or escalat-
  ing damage. Others take multiple
  shots at the heroes until deactivat-
  ed. Especially nasty traps deal out
  Impairment, a much-feared penal-
  ty against every subsequent roll a
  hero makes. You name it; if a trap
  can do it, thereÕs a rule and a price
  for it.
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  17
  
  Terrain
  For the first couple of fights, a bat-
  tle waged on a flat and featureless
  surface remains as exciting as any
  in the Norse sagas. But then you
  need to add terrain features to
  spice things up a bit, making each
  combat distinct from the last. You
  get encounter points when you
  add terrain features; even better,
  these convert to victory points if
  they actually have an impact on
  the course of the battle when you
  run the encounter. Add cover,
  sloped or slippery surfaces, multi-
  ple levels, or traps to which both
  heroes and villains are vulnerable;
  these are just a few of your avail-
  able choices.
  Gains
  Pay for your traps and high-
  Difficulty ability rolls with plenty
  of goodies for the heroes to take
  away with them. These gains
  might be intangible, like clues to
  use in later events during your
  encounter, or they might be
  opportunities to win status or
  please the gods, which score the
  players victory points. They can
  even be actual swag, from ounces
  of silver to salvaged equipment to
  magical charms, potions, and
  amulets. The more potent the item
  or bigger the haul of silver, the
  more points you gain to spend
  elsewhere in the encounter.
  The Checklist
  Manage all of your encounter pur-
  chasing with our handy checklist,
  surely a gift from Odin himself.
  You can either photocopy the
  entire list and check off the appro-
  priate boxes, or download it as a
  document file from our web site
  and cut and paste it into an order
  that makes sense for you.
  A sample of the checklist appears
  at the end of this kit.
  Encounter
  Trading
  Because encounters all obey a
  standard format and can be mixed
  and matched to fit into any adven-
  ture sharing the same basic hook,
  youÕll be able to trade your
  encounters with other RUNE play-
  ers via the Internet. Thus, even
  when you donÕt have time to whip
  up an encounter of your own, you
  can still bring a suitably fun and
  fiendish fight-fest to the table
  when itÕs your turn to run.
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  18
  
  More ON THE
  WORLD OF RUNE
  A chapter devoted to the creatures
  of RUNE provides additional
  information on the creatures you
  fight in the computer game, as
  well as other figures in the shad-
  ows, from dark elves to
  giants.
  Another chapter pro-
  vides further informa-
  tion on RagnarÕs world,
  from the different areas of
  Scandinavia, to foreign
  lands ripe for plunder, to the
  mythic realms of the gods.
  Join us For
  Glorious
  battle!
  As we write, itÕs fall of 2000,
  and weÕre hip-deep in test-
  ing the RUNE rules. Amid
  the bodies of the slain, we
  ready 
  ourselves 
  for 
  your
  onslaught as you descend upon
  game stores in search of the RUNE
  Roleplaying Game. By OdinÕs
  beard, both our rules and your
  fellow players will be
  ready to face its grim but
  heroic challenges. Are
  you ready, young war-
  rior?
  19
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  20
  Trap/Hazard Sheet
  Event #:
  Sheet #:
  Nature of trap / hazard:
  c Blade trap
  c Crushing trap
  c Impaling trap 
  c Flame jets
  c Falling debris
  c Acid jet
  c Fall 
  c Slide
  c Impact 
  c Breakaway stairs 
  c Magic
  c Drowning
  c Acid bath
  c Avalanche
  c Exposure
  c Freezing
  c Poison
  c Disease
  c Sleep deprivation
  c Alarm
  c Nuisance animals 
  c Tube-striker
  c Loss of status
  c Other (specify) ____________________________
  Unorthodox Description: (specify) ____________________________________________________ / +10
  Appears: 
  c out of combat / Costs positive, as normal
  c in combat, but foes are not at risk of falling prey to it /  Costs positive, as normal
  c as combat terrain feature / All positive costs (except Difficulty) treated as negative 
  (treat values of less than -30 as -30)
  c area effect, spreads in:
  c all directions / -15
  c linear manner / -20
  Roll to Avoid
  Ability ____________________________ 
  Difficulty:
  c 4 / -20
  c 5 / -10
  c 6 / +0
  c 7 / +10
  c 8 /+20
  c 9 / +30
  c 10 / +40
  c
  11 
  / 
  +50
  c 13 / +60
  c 14 / +70
  c 15 / +80
  Singular?
  c No
  c Rush
  c Dogpile
  c No-fault / -15
  c Limited Targeting, affects:
  c 1 victim / -15
  c 2 victims / -10
  c 3 victims / +0
  c 4 victims / +0
  c 5 victims / +0
  c 6 victims / +0
  Selection method:
  c Affects heroes who choose to: ________________________________
  c Random
  c Specific Targeting, affects:
  c 1 hero / + 25
  c 2 heroes / +20
  c 3 heroes / +5
  c more than half the party / +5
  c Singles out victims with the 
  c highest ____________________
  c lowest ____________________
  c Exotic roll 
  c Characteristic only / +6
  c Divine rating / +12
  c Ability no hero has / +20
  c Alternate method / -10
  c Simultaneous with another roll / +15 (that roll appears ____________________________)
  c Cannot be avoided (cost doubles)
  c Can be conditionally avoided by ____________________________ / Cost -10
  c Equipment not needed / -3
  c Tube-striker may hurl heroes into it / Cost _____ (+7 per tube striker)
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  21
  Extra rolls allowed:
  c Hero may make ___ extra attempts after initial failure / Cost _____ (-5 per attempt)
  c faces no set limit on extra attempts / -20
  c loses a combat action for each attempt / halve above Cost; adjusted Cost = ___
  Extra rolls required:
  c every round until condition is met / +25
  Specify condition: ________________________________________________________ 
  (if roll required, see sheet # ___ for description)
  c distance to task ___ / Cost _____ (+10 for each 15 paces over 30)
  c By a single hero, over a period of:
  c 3 / +15
  c 4 / +20 
  c 5 rounds / +25
  c By any number of heroes, for a total of:
  c 3 / +15 
  c 4 / +20 
  c 5 rolls / +25
  c All must succeed, with following # of players:
  c 2 / +10
  c 3 / +25
  c 4 / +40
  c 5 / +60
  c 6 / +75
  c Additional players / Another +25 per additional player / Cost _____
  c Parallel task: # of tasks ___  / Cost _____ (# of parallel tasks _ all above cost elements)
  c Positional modifier
  c maximum increase ___ / Cost _____ (-increase _ 10)
  c maximum decrease___ / Cost _____ (+increase _ 10)
  c Zone of shelter:
  c increase of ___; shelters up to ___ heroes (-decrease _ heroes sheltered _ 3)
  Nature of Harm:
  c Fixed number of hit points
  c Dam rating 15 or less
  Dam rating ______ Cost _____ (total Dam rating)
  c Dam rating > 15:
  c 16 / +21
  c 17 / +22
  c 18 / +23
  c 19 / +24
  c 20 / +25
  c 21 / +31
  c 22 / +32
  c 23 / +33
  c 24 / +34
  c 25 / +35
  c 26 / +41
  c 27 / +42
  c 28 / +43
  c 29 / +44
  c 30 / +45
  c 35 / +55
  c 40 / +65
  c 45 / +70
  c 50 / +85
  c Damage recurs:
  c every round / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 2.5)
  c every 5 minutes / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 2.25)
  c every hour / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 2)
  c every 3 hours / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 1.75)
  c every 8 hours / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 1.5)
  c every 24 hours / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 1.25)
  c Action required to end recurring damage: ____________________________
  c distance to task ___ / Cost _____ (+10 for each 15 paces over 30)
  c Damage escalates
  c every round / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 6)
  c every 5 minutes / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 5)
  
  RUNE Roleplaying Game Overview
  c every hour / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 4)
  c every 3 hours / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 3)
  c every 8 hours / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 2)
  c every 24 hours / Adjusted Cost: ___ (above cost _ 1.5)
  c Action required to end recurring damage: ____________________________
  c distance to task ___ / Cost _____ (+10 for each 15 paces over 30)
  c Dam rating derived from die roll
  Number of dice: _____ Cost _____ (# of dice _ 6) 
  c Impairment:
  c general, affects
  c ___ combat sequences / Cost _____ (# of sequences _ 30)
  c ___ rolls to avoid traps or trigger gains / Cost _____ (# of rolls _ 5)
  c ___ freestanding rolls / Cost _____ 
  Total base cost ___
  c specific, affects the following ability/roll: ____________________________
  c roll affected  ___ times / Cost _____  (# of occurrences _ 5)
  c roll occurs in ___ combat sequences / Cost _____  (# of sequences _ 10)
  Total base cost: _____
  c deals ___ points of Impairment / Final Cost _____ (# of points _ base cost)
  Does Damage Ignore Armor? 
  c No
  c Yes / Cost _____ +(heroesÕ average Armor Prot)
  Triggered by Combat Event? 
  c character falls down o character takes damage
  c dropped weapon or object
  c divine power used
  c other (specify) ____________________________
  c Parallel traps: # of traps ___  / Cost _____ (# of traps _ final cost of single trap)
  22
  LegaleSe
  Rune is copyright 2000 Human Head
  Studios, Inc. All rights reserved. Rune, the
  Rune logo, Human Head Studios, Inc. and
  the Human Head Studios logo are trade-
  marks of Human Head Studios, Inc., and
  are used under license.
  The Rune RPG Preview Kit is copyright
  2000 Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games. All
  rights reserved. Atlas Games is a trademark
  of John Nephew and Trident, Inc.
  PO Box 31233
  Roseville, MN 55113
  info@atlas-games.com
  www.atlas-games.com
  
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