Famreal Remnant - Runeship FT

The peaceful and light-filled former homeworld of the Eldenians, now lost to the great powers of the Abomination. Having survived the trials and tribulations of the Great Wars of Magic, the powerful sorceries revealed in that strife were turned to the betterment of the surviving Kingdoms. Light and prosperity blossomed, the newly discovered might of the planet’s gems making Magic more accessible and integral than ever before in the past. However, this power did not go unnoticed. Unbeknownst to the inhabitants of Famreal, dark entities from the Void watched the blossoming civilization from afar, and desired the Gems for themselves. Thus, by the time the first Runeships had been sung from mighty oaks and adorned with the finest gems and armoured of stone, when Artificers were beginning to flit between the stars, bringing the gifts of Magic with them, the Aberrations descended from the stars. Famreal was laid to waste, its powerful defenses crumbling before the onslaught, and the Runeships that stood in her defense met the same fate. However, this was not the death of Famreal’s magic. Amidst the destruction some Runeships escaped, carrying with them artifacts of the civilization and its people. Some of the Citadels wrought powerful spells that saved them from the catastrophe, flitting through gaps in the Abomination’s net to drift among the stars, alone but alive. And still others escaped by pure chance, the magic of Famreal spiriting them away in its death throes even in the midst of being devoured. Famreal no longer exists, consumed by a horror the Eldenians had never faced the likes of before.

Runeships

Grown from trees and wrought of stone, adorned with precious metals and gems, with the strongest crystals among these seated at the heart of the vessel. The minds of the trees used in its construction remain, assisting the crew with their function and thwarting enemies who venture inside. No two vessels are completely alike, wrought by separate Artificers with different designs and magics, many share similarities with one another. While previously Runeships contained limited armament, the war-weary races attempting to usher in an era of peace rather than violence, they all now carry older, terrible magics, remade after the events at Famreal. Some have grown in size, accommodating civilian refugees alongside the crew, while others still maintain their previous appearance and mission, traversing space bringing the knowledge of magic to other worlds, albeit with a dire warning to never use its true power, lest the Enemy detect them too. The Runeships are constantly pursued, as though spells and strategies have been developed to hide them from the Deathships of the Aberrations they are constantly searching, lusting for the crystals that make up the heart of the Famreal vessels.

Runeships are crewed by a mixture of Artificers, wizards who work in runes and craftsmanship, repairing and enhancing the vessel with fixed magics, and Sorcerers, those whose inherent magic flows without the order or binding of runes. Artificers are therefore akin to engineers on ships of science, and while Sorcerers are required to know the runes and crafting of the ship, it is the Artificers who keep the ship voidborne. The Sorcerers are not without their own primary uses, however- precognitive and telepathic mages are essential in the navigation and targeting of the vessel, while battle-mages ward off attacks should boarders enter the vessel. Most essential are the Astropaths, powerful precognitive mages who work with the Artificers to move the Runeship between the stars.

Ranks is established in the following fashion- at the bottom of the command chain are Nuéaphuin, the greenest crew and officers on board. Should they prove themselves exceptional in some way they are promoted to Fhîontion, translated roughly to “leader amongst peers”. These crew members report to the Noèars Famreàl Eaûurs, translated imperfectly to “Famreal’s guidance”, the leader of the vessel. They are charged with carrying the Light of Famreal to new races and civilizations, and recovering their lost fragments from Deathships whenever possible. Above all they are tasked with surviving, to continue the survival of the races of Famreal.

Notable Runeships

Runeship Valiant – One of the most modern Runeships to escape the Fall of Famreal, Valiant carries with it an exceptionally powerful Gem, allowing magic-intensive additions to the vessel. It’s also unique in that non-magicians are capable of utilizing the ship’s systems, with Runeplates made of inscribed gold and silver and vocalizers enabling Valiant’s collective consciousness to communicate with non-telepaths. Its armament consists of Runic Spear missiles, Eternal Fire torpedoes, Lightning Cannons, and the spinal-mounted Scatterlight Cannon. In terms of defenses the Runeships are equipped with shielding spells projected by arcane generators throughout the ship, precognitive portal point defenses against missiles, and a hull of stone and wood enchanted with runes of power and protection. These defenses are moderately effective against most weapons of science encountered thus far, though most powerful armaments are capable of piercing the shielding and chipping away at the armour.
- Runic Spears: A length of rune-covered oak tipped with a head of enchanted silver, these utilize previously forbidden magics from the Great War. Each missile’s magic is sustained by a heart of Famreal Crystal, a difficult substance to be replaced. The tip of runic silver is enchanted to pierce most armour and shields, consuming itself in the process and leaving an opening for the oak shaft. Once inside the enemy vessel the core of the missile sets its spell in motion- undamaged runes command the wood beneath to combine its very essence, releasing the true power contained within. A brilliant flash of light and energy results, tearing apart enemy vessels from within.
- Eternal Fire: A dark spell which releases globules of unquenchable fire upon impact, eating through enemy armour and hull until it can find nothing else to sustain itself. It can find little purchase on most shielding, finding little to sustain itself caught between pure energy and the void of space. It tracks targets, guided by the mind of the spellcaster who summoned it, and unless the enemy ship manages to outmaneuver the Eldenian guiding this projectile.
- Lightning Cannons: Wide-bore runic cannons, enchanted to loose powerful bursts of magical lightning at hostile ships. While these bolts are simple elemental magic, their destructive capacity is not to be underestimated, frequently punching holes in enemy shielding due to overloads and causing powerful explosions upon enemy armour upon impact.
- Scatterlight Cannon: The most destructive armament on Valiant, this massive runic cannon runs the length of the ship. Each rune calls upon the Crystal Heart’s power to summon pure energy in the form of light, the quantity of which builds as more and more power is drawn from all available systems. Upon the order to fire or the point where it is no longer safe to keep building power the sealing runes at the front of the weapon deactivate, and the storm of light is directed in a concentrated beam directly ahead, punching through any shielding, armour, and hull thus encountered by the Eldenians.

Runeship Alasia - A Runeship that began construction with the mission of colonizing other worlds once they were explored, this vessel took on as many fleeing Eldenians as it could during the Fall of Famreal and jumped blindly through Astral Space, the ship's Astromancer falling unconscious just after pulling the ship back into Realspace. The ship's Astomancer

Runeship Prioria - The pet project of the Modesian royal family, Prioria was actually hosting the nation's prince and princess when Famreal was attacked by the Entity. With the ship's Astropath receiving news of the catastrophe and King Micae ordering the siblings not to return, the prince managed to persuade his sister to abide by their father's last wish and make best speed from the planet. After being pursued by the Entity and evading multiple traps intended to ensnare them, the two realized that they were being tracked in some fashion. Divining and scrying spells managed to extract the information that Famreal Crystal attracted the Entity, and subsequent collaboration by the sibling's skilled retainers, the ship's Artificers, and the royals themselves managed to produce a warding spell capable of shrouding their energies from the watchful eyes of the Enemy. After this, the two ventured throughout the stars, tracking down beleugered Citadels and Runeships and sharing their knowledge, helping them evade the armadas tracking them all.

Citadel Rhaine - The stronghold of the Xelitan Republic, Rhaine came under attack alongside the rest of the planet during the Fall. While the knights and sorcerers stationed within the city fended off Abberations and evacuated citizens to the stronghold, the city's Astromancers began weaving a last, desperate spell. By the time the gates were breached and the walls overrun they executed the incantation, thousands of hurriedly carved runes throughout the city glowing with the black light of the void. All at once the city fell from the world, disappearing through an Astral gateway to drift within that other realm. Taking so much power that it cracked the city's Crystal Heart, the city was tossed through the chaotic energies of this other dimension, eddies toppling buildings and stray energy strands slaying Eldenians and Aberrations alike. Finally, the spell abated, and the battered planetary island reentered Realspace, general wards thankfully still intact enough to restrain the city's atmosphere from jettisoning into the vacuum that now surrounded them. The zero-gravity combat in the following hours against remaining Abberations was abstract and brutal, but finally the Council's personal guards and the city garrison were able to slay the last of the beasts. The following weeks were a constant tribulation for the remaining Xelitan citizens, fighting for their lives against Aberration vessels and

Runewings

Smaller Runeships designed with transatmospheric and high-maneuverability interactions in mind, Runewings are often carried by larger Runeships to service missions away from the main ship despite. Many carry Runic Spears for use in self-defense, and more combat-oriented constructs are capable of mounting Lightning Cannons or other offensive spellcasting devices.

Ground Weapons

Name: Storm Pistol
Strength: 18.9cm Runic Silver
Type: Sidearm
The primary weapon of most Eldenians when visiting another planet, it is made with the intent to be kept on the hip rather than be drawn in anger. Upon the user squeezing the oaken handle it draws upon the runic silver's inherent power to release a strike of lightning at the target of the user's attention, causing explosions at the impact site.

Name: Boomstick
Strength: 83cm Runic Silver
Type: Rifle
A weapon only taken when conflict is expected, the Boomstick is the term used to describe the primary lightning weapon used by Eldenian Artificers. While it functions in a similar fashion to the Storm Pistol, the increase in length gives the Boomstick a much stronger bolt, allowing it to punch through the armour most scientific races utilize.