Of the common Runes typically held by absolutely normal people, most were of one of the Elements as perceived by the Norse. Common Runes were handy in any number of typical day-to-day situations. Just having a minor element Rune granted some skill or protection to the bearer. Water Rune bearers could get a feel for the emotions around them. Fire Rune bearers could project emotions. Earth Rune bearers had slightly greater strength and endurance. Wind Rune bearers could feel changes in the weather. Lightning Rune bearers had a minor resistance to electrical discharges and a feel for the currents running through wires and appliances. And so on and so forth.
Low level powers that could be activated and used were small and could typically only be used once or twice an hour if the person rested shortly thereafter.
The thing of it was - people tended to get better at using their Runes as they practiced or worked with their Rune. Firefighters with Water Runes eventually got to the point where their little blasts of water were more similar to those of a water cannon. Earth Rune bearing bodyguards could shield themselves and their employer by drawing on the land's strength as a defensive field. Lightning Rune bearers could call on lightning to slam into several opponents at once.
Rune bearers tended to make more money than non-Rune bearers. They could go on vacation more often, and go to places like Greece as a result.
Draupnir's bearer had the ability to invoke a Copy ability, which caused eight lesser versions of itself to appear every nine days. These lesser copies were lesser Runes - each a portion of the Rune which made up Draupnir. So every nine days, the Draupnir True Rune would drop eight lesser Runes - mostly Earth Runes. Occasionally some other Runes would drop, sometimes a fairly rare one like a Fortune Rune or a Sight Rune.
Selling those Runes tended to make the Draupnir Runebearer very very wealthy. They kept the better ones for associates though.
"Poison Rune!" said someone in the crowd, pointing towards the knife wielder.
Someone with a Sight Rune could see an active Rune of someone else, and had noted the Poison Rune (also known as the Assassin's Rune) in use - the word spread, and people on vacation abruptly began using their various Runes to practiced effect.
"Earth Rune - Protect!" said a policewoman from London, shielding herself and her companion with a sparkling golden-brown aura.
"Fire Rune - Blaze!" said a French businesswoman, summoning a ball of fire to her hand.
"Lightning Rune - Raging Blow!" called out a suddenly nervous bodyguard, lashing out at a small crowd nearby.
With that single action, bodyguards and the Draupnir Runebearer became targets in the eyes of those around them.
"Earth Rune - Protect!" called out another bodyguard, seeing what was about to happen.
"Falcon Rune!" called out another tourist.
"Double Beat Rune!" called out still another tourist.
"Wind Rune!" "Lightning Rune!" "Water Rune!" "Flowing Rune!" "Fury Rune!"
The attacks came fast and furious as people began accessing their Runes and firing them off at a perceived threat.
Genma made up his mind then and there as he ran away from the firefight with his son. He was going to get a Rune of his own.
In fact, in the next village:
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(Posted Fri, 05 Aug 2005 09:49)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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