Using the Eposic RuneCaster
The RuneCaster is useful as an aid to help you vary the behavior of NPCs, to help make your NPCs more three
dimensional. There are eight categories that are rated by the runes: Physical, Mental,
Emotional, and Spiritual Health, Love Life, Money, Travel,
and Legal Matters. (If you'd like to see other categories added, send an e-mail
to me by clicking the Email link in the left margin, and I'll do my best to oblige you.)
Each category is assigned one of nine possible indications. From best to worst, these indications are: The Best, Very Good, Good,
Above Average, Average, Below Average, Poor, Very Poor, and The Worst. Most of the time, the
indications for an NPC in a given category will be close to average in each of these eight categories. (It's your
job to determine what is average for each NPC.) When the runes indicate that a category is average, then
you play the NPC as usual with regards to that category. When the runes indicate that a category is Good
or better (any of the green colored rankings), then you can play the NPC so that he/she is noticeably better in
that category. When the runes indicate that a category is Poor or worse (any
of the red colored rankings), then you can play the NPC so that he/she is noticeably worse in that category.
For instance, suppose Krahg, an orc NPC, is a self-professed foe of the PCs. You can base his actions during the
next session on his rune reading. Supposing that all indications were average except that Mental
was Very Good and Legal Matters was Good, then he just might have a sudden insight as to how he can cause trouble for the
PCs with the law. If on the other hand his Mental was Good
but his Legal Matters was Very Poor, he
might find trouble with the law himself, barely avoiding capture (unless perhaps the PCs intervened).
If a situation arises during a gaming session directly related to one of the categories, you can use the indication
for that category in playing out the NPC's involvement with the situation. For instance, if Krahg were already
involved in a legal proceeding, and his Legal Matters turned up The
Best, let him win his case. (If his Money turned out to be Poor, perhaps it is because he had to pay a hefty bribe...)
You are, of course, free to ignore any or all indications. The RuneCaster is provided to help your creativity,
not to stifle it. If a reading goes against your plans for a session, ignore the reading, or the offending indication.
(Or change your plans.)
I hope you find The RuneCaster helpful. If you have any suggestions for making it more useful, feel free to contact
me by clicking the Email link in the left margin.