Ok so here's the rune system. It functions a bit differently than words, but not horribly so. It's still based on the same stats but is pretty different in use. Here's a short list of how:
1.Building magic circles:The available magic circles are on page 1. There are 14 types and (except in one case) 5 varieties for each type. The larger ones have more rune slots, cost more to inscribe, and take longer to create, and the smaller ones have less, cost less and are made faster, sometimes "instant", like saying words.
I have created the below Runes and Circles to be easy to use even if you only have mspaint and no artistic skill (like me). Here's an example of a Blank circle
And one of a "Finished" circle
Thats literally all there is to it, just copy runes and paste them -Little runes into little slots, big rune into big slot -into the circle. But lets say you don't have mspaint, or you're doing this from a phone, or you hate my doodles or whatever and you don't want to edit pictures for each post. Well don't worry, you can still use the system. You do that using the little codes next to each picture. For instance the code form of that "finished circle" I posted earlier would be:
A2,B22,B41, E4,B2,B3
And the reason why it's like that is because it's Circle A2, and from left to right, top to bottom, uses runes B22, B41,E4,B2,B3. You can find the little alphanumeric code for each rune and circle directly above it in the listing. Make sense?
Oh, by the way, even if you're gonna make me happy and use my doodles for your post, make sure also to post the code version of it too, to make doing your spell a bit easier on my poor brain.
2.Costs and Cooperation:Unlike words which are always instant and always cost 1 point, Circles can cost many points and take several turns to make. However, these costs, both in time and points, can be lowered substantially by cooperating with another player. If 2 people work together the circle is completed twice as fast and each person need only pay half the point cost. If three people work together it goes three times as fast, is split 3 ways, etc. This means that a few people working together can do a hell of a lot more with runes and circles then they could do individually with words.
3.Mechanical differences. Runes are considered instant to draw, but you have to have something to draw with. Anything that can make a mark works, from a pencil to a hasty scribble with your own blood.
Making circles and runes is based on potency, just like words. When you cooperate to make a circle, all players are given a potency roll and the average is used.
The actual point deduction for making a circle comes when the circle is completed. If you can't pay it at that time, the circle simply doesn't become "charged" and hence is useless.
Empty circles, that is to say circles without runes and/or appropriate objects in appropriate places, won't do anything when you try to activate them.
You don't need to fill in the runes at the same time you make the circle. You can make a circle, rest to restore your energy, and then fill in the runes. When you put them there doesn't matter, as long as they're there when you activate the circle.
Not all slots in a circle need to be filled for it to function.
Circles are, under normal circumstances, activated by thinking about them in the same way tattoos are. There are ways to change this.
Breaking the circle breaks the spell.
To activate a circle created by multiple people ALL MAKERS MUST CHOOSE TO ACTIVATE IT AT THE SAME TIME. If even one of them decides not to allow it's activation, it will not activate. However, dead makers are not counted towards this; if a maker is dead they are considered an automatic "Yes".
If all the makers of a circle die, the circle loses it's power.
There are things, potentially very powerful things, you can do with runes and circles that you cannot do with Words, and vice versa.
Runes are 1 point to use. And they can be used without a circle, although not all of them will work without one. It's just like the 1 word spells.
There is 1 exception to that rule, one circle where it costs 3 points per rune, but that circle is pretty...pretty powerful in what it does.