What do we actually know about the "rune magic" of Thassilon ?


Lost Omens Campaign Setting General Discussion


I seem to recall more comments as to what it's NOT...than what it IS.

It's not "sin" magic...unclear, at least to me.. if that is or is not what the Thassilonian Specalist archytype is about.

It is not simply the body of spells with "Glyph" or "Symbol" in their name.

Do we actually know anything about the Rune Magic that Lissala taught ???

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

The thassilonian specialist is what rune magic was all about. Sin magic was just an expression of which specialization magic was favored by the particular rune lord. Envy being Abjuration, Wrath being evocation, etc.

Lissala did not actually teach magic, that was all Xin and his apprentices.


LazarX wrote:

The thassilonian specialist is what rune magic was all about. Sin magic was just an expression of which specialization magic was favored by the particular rune lord. Envy being Abjuration, Wrath being evocation, etc.

Lissala did not actually teach magic, that was all Xin and his apprentices.

I'm pretty sure it was stated that Lissala taught Xin ?

I'm also pretty sure that someone...I think JJ, stated that the specalization as per the Thassilonian Specalist was not "rune" magic..but something the Runelords developed later ?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
nighttree wrote:
LazarX wrote:

The thassilonian specialist is what rune magic was all about. Sin magic was just an expression of which specialization magic was favored by the particular rune lord. Envy being Abjuration, Wrath being evocation, etc.

Lissala did not actually teach magic, that was all Xin and his apprentices.

I'm pretty sure it was stated that Lissala taught Xin ?

I'm also pretty sure that someone...I think JJ, stated that the specalization as per the Thassilonian Specalist was not "rune" magic..but something the Runelords developed later ?

All I can say is that if you want to learn what there is to learn about Thassilonian magic, get the Shattered Star AP.


LOL...actually we are in the first module, just entered the dungeon of the Crow.

Is there someplace specific I should jump ahead to and read ?


I guess that's a no....

Shadow Lodge

nighttree wrote:
I guess that's a no....

I've been running Shattered Star myself (kinda...), and at least up to the 3rd module I've found nothing regarding Rune Magic in particular.

You might have to make some stuff up yourself.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
nighttree wrote:

LOL...actually we are in the first module, just entered the dungeon of the Crow.

Is there someplace specific I should jump ahead to and read ?

I thought you were asking this from the viewpoint of a GM. Asking from a player side is a whole different kettle of fish.

Unless your character is some kind of ancient Thassilonian, (and that is something between you and your DM,} you don't have a need to know. And even if you were playing such in a Shattered Star AP, I'd be running you wouldn't have much of your knowledge anyway, it'd spoil too much.

Thassilon, like Azlant is Golarion's Atlantis, there simply isn't that much that's known even to the sages.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Also much of what may be described as "rune magic" may be nothing more than examples of standard magic developed back then, i.e. unique spells, items, and such.


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Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

It's the runeiest!


LazarX wrote:

I thought you were asking this from the viewpoint of a GM. Asking from a player side is a whole different kettle of fish.

Unless your character is some kind of ancient Thassilonian, (and that is something between you and your DM,} you don't have a need to know. And even if you were playing such in a Shattered Star AP, I'd be running you wouldn't have much of your knowledge anyway, it'd spoil too much.

Thassilon, like Azlant is Golarion's Atlantis, there simply isn't that much that's known even to the sages.

I am GM'ing Shattered Star...I just have not jumped that far ahead.

My interest lies more in future characters for myself (we switch off GM'ing duties so every one has a chance to play).
And I have always been intrigued by a character that is a cultist of Lissala, and trying to piece together her ancient worship.

The new Evangelist PrC has me thinking in this direction again ;)


I'm currently of the opinion that the most interesting way to go, is to develop some of the snippets that have already cropped up, Varisian tattoo, tattoed mystic, etc...etc...

They all seem to fit the flavor from the article on Lissala...


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...now I want to adapt Deep Magic's rune magic for the sin runes.


I'm actually adapting the third party "Sigil Mage" to a standard wizard Archytype.....I'll post it when I'm done.

The Exchange Contributor; Publisher, Kobold Press; RPG Superstar Judge

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Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:
...now I want to adapt Deep Magic's rune magic for the sin runes.

That strikes me as extremely cool. Seems doable with the Deep Magic approach, too.


Wolfgang Baur wrote:
Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:
...now I want to adapt Deep Magic's rune magic for the sin runes.
That strikes me as extremely cool. Seems doable with the Deep Magic approach, too.

Indeed. I think it'd have to be modified a bit -- since there are only seven runes in the system, I'm seeing a Sin Rune Mastery feat as only giving you one rune, though with broader scope. And if you're a Thassilonian specialist, you can't master your opposed runes, or maybe even are limited to only your chosen school's rune...


Well, talking about snippets, it could be interesting if the harrow deck is actually related to rune magic going waaaaaaay far back...and hearkens to a deeper form of it?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
GreyWolfLord wrote:
Well, talking about snippets, it could be interesting if the harrow deck is actually related to rune magic going waaaaaaay far back...and hearkens to a deeper form of it?

From what I've read, they've got absolutely nothing to do with each other. Rune magic was brought over from Azlant, and the Harrow deck seems natively Varisisan.

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