This is one of my favorite pieces of lore, and one of the reasons I decided to start this story in the first place. Enjoy.

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The Master Runes is a heavy iron bound tome. It's covers are shards of ancient rune stones riveted in place with metal bands. each stone shard bears the worn carving of a rune meticulously scratched into it's surface by some of the first dwarven tools.

At least, that's the impression you get from the volume as you feel it's weight and power in your hands.

Cracking open its pages requires the unbuckling of steel latches, the squeak of metal on metal reminisce of the opening of a mighty fortress gate. As the cover lifts and falls away, your eyes begin dancing across a work of incredible beauty.

Intricacies hidden within details cling like cobwebs hidden in arches as structures of fine calligraphy fill every page. The sweeping arcs and hard corners of the dwarven tongue gather like warriors, summoned from all corners to a single great runic inscription at the center of each page.

These are the Master Runes, the first runes sent down by lightning from the sky by Bahralt himself to forever etch themselves into the living stone of the world's mountains. Each rune more perfect than the last, yet lacking something it's predecessors possessed. Numbering eighteen in total, all other runes are their children.

Strength, Loyalty, Unity, Majesty, the list continues. Each of the Master Runes embodies an ideal so complete and compelling that a dwarf might live his entire life under the philosophy of just a single one. It is a great dwarf who can live by the ideals of two such runes. To be a Runemaster, however, a dwarf must live by all eighteen. The Runemasters are the wisest and most revered of their people, for they live the philosophy of the runes not just singly, but also unified, and in all combinations between.

Because of this great wisdom and understanding learned from Bahralt's Master Runes, the Runemasters are entrusted with the power of rune magic, and it's ability to change the world around them. This power is not under lock and key, or greedily exchanged for gold and jewels. It is free for any to learn by gazing upon Bahralts gift unto the living stone of the world. All Bahralt asks in return for this power is to learn the discipline of the runes, to learn their place in the universe, and in turn, to know their own. Only one who has done so can hope to embrace the power of the Master Runes, and in doing so, command the power of the Runemaster.