The cost for enchanting weapon

[jps]

One of my players has an ingot of iron (from character's creation) and would like to have it enchanted. I know that raw iron cost 700L per ENC but what about enchanting iron? Is it costly? Is it common enough that you merely have to go to Boldhome and you'll find someone with the ability to do it?

What do you think?

[Austin]

16 minutes ago, jps said:

One of my players has an ingot of iron (from character's creation) and would like to have it enchanted. I know that raw iron cost 700L per ENC but what about enchanting iron? Is it costly? Is it common enough that you merely have to go to Boldhome and you'll find someone with the ability to do it?

What do you think?

Enchant Iron is a one-use Rune spell, and all of the Rune enchantments are locked to God-Talkers, Priests, and Rune Lords only. So it'll probably be pretty hard to get it enchanted (without GM fiat, anyway). My suggestion is that your player could have it forged into the desired weapon by a skilled redsmith (I don't think RQG really has a distinction in different types of smithing... yet, anyway), and then the enchantment might be a reward for completing a big quest or service for a temple.

That is, unless they become a Rune Lord or Priest and enchant it on their own. It's going to cost a point of POW for whoever casts it, so it's a non-trivial spell.

[jajagappa]

1 hour ago, Crel said:

My suggestion is that your player could have it forged into the desired weapon by a skilled redsmith (I don't think RQG really has a distinction in different types of smithing... yet, anyway)

IIRC, only the mostali and the cult of the Third Eye Blue know the secrets of forging iron.  However, it may be that those cults who know how to enchant iron also know the secrets of forging it.

[jps]

Thanks a lot. Yes, when I GMed RuneQuest (way back) I considered only the Mostali knew the secret of enchanted iron (I wasn't sure it was canon). In this case, the big quest should have something to do with helping the Mostali and getting a reward ... or finding this rare someone able to enchant iron.

[jajagappa]

2 hours ago, jps said:

I considered only the Mostali knew the secret of enchanted iron (I wasn't sure it was canon). In this case, the big quest should have something to do with helping the Mostali and getting a reward ... or finding this rare someone able to enchant iron.

That was one of the reasons that the King of Imther (despite the kingdom's small stature) was so important in the Lunar Provinces - he controlled the dwarf market of the Imther Mountains and access to items such as those made of iron.

[Humakt]

Ingenew redson has some of knowledge about to forge enchanted iron swords

[David Scott]

7 hours ago, jps said:

but what about enchanting iron? Is it costly? Is it common enough that you merely have to go to Boldhome and you'll find someone with the ability to do it?

This is covered on page 406 of the core rule book:

Quote

A temple will usually cast cult magic [...] on its members, but typically expects to receive a sacrifice from the beneficiary equal to 20 L per Rune point expended. One-use spells cost ten times this amount. If the caster must spend magic points, the beneficiary must spend an additional 1 L per point spent.

So firstly you need to be a member of a cult that has access to the magic: Babeester Gor, Humakt, Issaries, Orlanth and storm Bull in the core rules. Valind, Yanafal Tarnils, Iron Dwarfs currently can enchant iron in the upcoming gods book. Then

Quote

One point of POW is sacrificed for each 10 ENC (or fraction thereof) of the metal enchanted.

so your probably okay if it's enough for an ENC 1 sword. So 200 L, just for the magic. Getting someone to craft it will be more of a problem as only Humakt has Craft (Iron) and Iron dwarfs do it by magic.

So if it's 200L for a member of a cult like humakt to get it enchanted, if they did it for outsiders (issaries almost certainly) I'd easily say 2000 per point. Getting a humakti to craft an item for you might be an adventure in itself. 

Edited November 18, 2018 by David Scott

[womble]

8 hours ago, Crel said:

Enchant Iron is a one-use Rune spell, and all of the Rune enchantments are locked to God-Talkers, Priests, and Rune Lords only. So it'll probably be pretty hard to get it enchanted (without GM fiat, anyway). My suggestion is that your player could have it forged into the desired weapon by a skilled redsmith (I don't think RQG really has a distinction in different types of smithing... yet, anyway), and then the enchantment might be a reward for completing a big quest or service for a temple.

That is, unless they become a Rune Lord or Priest and enchant it on their own. It's going to cost a point of POW for whoever casts it, so it's a non-trivial spell.

Strictly, it's a 1 point Rune Spell which requires the sacrifice of POW during its casting to affect up to 10 ENC of the material (only relevant in that you don't 'forget' the knowledge of how to do the Enchantment, and that it takes 1 Rune Point (which comes back at Worship time) plus the previously-uncommitted POW). Since 'additional' points of POW can be provided by folks other than the Enchanter, you'll only have to pay for 1 point of POW (which, though it's not explicitly stated, probably costs the same as a 1 point single-use Rune Spell, because the difference isn't worth the Temple giving a discount).

[jps]

1 hour ago, David Scott said:

This is covered on page 406 of the core rule book:

Quote

Thanks, David it's just that I wasn't sure if this runic spell was easily available.

3 hours ago, Humakt said:

Ingenew redson has some of knowledge about to forge enchanted iron swords

Who is this guy? ^^ 

[Joerg]

Just now, jps said:

Thanks, David it's just that I wasn't sure if this runic spell was easily available.

Who is this guy? ^^ 

A smithing subcult or hero cult of Humakt, with at a guess usually one to three initiates per Humakti century, taking care of equipment needs.

Some more information is published in the Hero Wars book Storm Tribe:

Quote

In the Gods War, Humakt lost his original sword and needed replacements, so Inginew made them for him. Inginew’s father was Gustbran the Smith, but Inginew specialized and so surpassed even his father. He made many famous blades: the Diamond Blade; the first sword forged from iron, called Uz-Cleaver; Mazta’s Invisible Sword; the Wind Sword; and many others. Initiates first learn metallurgy and basic weapon crafting, then may learn to enchant metal and make magical weapons.

Inginew has a special geas and gift:

Quote

Raise one sword’s weapon rank by 5 against a specific foe species. - Never accept magical healing.

A D20 raise by 5 translates as a raise by 25 percentiles, and/or an increase in damage (which in Hero Wars/Heroquest is expressed in the quality of the opposed roll solution).

[jps]

Thanks a lot, the PC is a Humakti so, this is a better avenue for him  

[David Scott]

12 hours ago, jps said:

Ingenew redson

He doesn't appearing RQG or the upcoming GoG, seeing as all Humakti can take craft (iron). However, His father is Gustbran the Work-Fire, who fires clay and forges metal. I would see him as the Craft god of Humakti who've a workshop and make more than fight. He's a hero cult so likely only give one particular skill/magic and I'd say it's craft (iron). With that he's pretty much subsumed into Humakt and an unneeded complication. The most recent references are in Sartar Kingdom of Heroes page 171 (2012) or Heortling Mythology page 152 (2010).

Wouldn't suggest using the Hero Wars Storm Tribe (2001) mechanics although YGMV.

[Joerg]

The alternative to such a serious sword-maker and iron-worker cult like mister Ingenuity is of course Eurmal, who (in)famously made copies of the original Death and pushed those onto just about everybody in the Gods War. Eurmal Deathbringer, master copyist, and provider of iron implements to all those rune lords outside of the cult of Humakt (or Mostal). Sounds like a really good idea.

Edited November 19, 2018 by Joerg

[Julian Lord]

I'd probably rule that only the specialist blacksmith magic cults and similar magical smithing traditions would have the magic required to forge magical steel out a good piece of iron, but that various sources of non-magical blacksmithing do exist, and some other cults and traditions with the magic to enchant an iron weapon to have similar properties.

In that situation, finding the blacksmith would be one quest ; finding the magician, would be a second one. Actually performing the magic might even, if overall story elements in the campaign suggested it, be a third quest in its own right.

I wouldn't consider it as just being a matter of how much money it will cost you.

I might start the first quest as asking the player to make a POWx1 Luck roll at the start of each session, to represent his continual seeking for rumours about any good weaponsmiths skilled at the work with iron, possibly with circumstantial modifiers if such should seem right, and then wait 'til he succeeds (or fumbles) and then improvise something on the fly that would seem coherent with the scenario already lined up for that session's play.

Edited November 19, 2018 by Julian Lord

[jps]

Looking thru the original Apple Lane I found out that Piku Gastapakis used to be a Third Blue Eye member and knew how to enchant iron. Now (reading the Gamemaster screen pack) he is not around any longer. Where is he? I'm considering that Fazzur's men took his family hostage to recruit him as an asset for Fazzur to take the power back in Tarsh. If my PCs go to Tarsh to free Piku and his family he would be most likely to enchant the sword for free.

[Austin]

7 hours ago, Joerg said:

Eurmal Deathbringer, master copyist, and provider of iron implements to all those rune lords outside of the cult of Humakt (or Mostal).

You get an iron sword! And you get an iron sword! Iron swords for everyone!

Oprah the Trickster? I'm into it.

[soltakss]

On 11/19/2018 at 11:54 AM, Joerg said:

The alternative to such a serious sword-maker and iron-worker cult like mister Ingenuity is of course Eurmal, who (in)famously made copies of the original Death and pushed those onto just about everybody in the Gods War. Eurmal Deathbringer, master copyist, and provider of iron implements to all those rune lords outside of the cult of Humakt (or Mostal). Sounds like a really good idea.

Exactly - What could go wrong?

[Lord High Munchkin]

Like Roger Rabbit  - "only when it's funny!"