It’s been quite a while since we showed off a new runic array, but with the Enchridion Sigillum getting closer to completion, there’s no better time to make a couple of new runic arrays. The Sanctuary array takes something old and classic, modifies and mixes it up to create a whole new effect: showing you exactly what you can do with any runic array in the Enchiridion.
Notation
Create and Sustain a Containment field that is twice as Large as the array’s area size that Excludes Wood, Silver, Copper, Lead, Iron and Gold, and apply this to all humans within an area 100 greater than the array.
Description
Offence is not always the best defence. If you can avoid the fight altogether then there is nothing to defend against, but how to avoid a fight once you are already in the thick of it? Well, when that fight becomes overwhelming, the Sanctuary array often is the only answer.
You will see something very familiar in this array: the good, old Middelburg Standard, pride of Alfresia and perhaps the most common defensive array in the grand city. However, the Sanctuary array takes the old Middelburg Standard and uses it in a brand new to change its ultimate purpose.
The Middelburg Standard is a perfectly good array as it is, and that’s why it has been used so frequently across the ages, but by applying it to all humans within range, you are putting it directly on every part of their skin. In effect, by turning everyone into arrays, you make everyone a defensive array. Now, no wood, silver, copper, lead, iron or gold will be able to touch human skin as long as they stay within the array’s range. If you inscribe this array onto a ten centimetre disk, that means everyone within ten metres are now invulnerable to those materials.
However, it goes a bit further than this. As any containment field that excludes a material activates, if any of that material is within the containment field, it will be instantly destroyed. This means that if anyone within range is holding a weapon, and perhaps even their armour, will suddenly and permanently disappear. To go even further, as long as they remain inside the array, they won’t be able to get close to a weapon, since the Middelburg Standard’s containment field will keep pushing the weapons beyond reach.
But how far does this containment field reach? Ordinarily, the Disk rune says one tenth the diameter of the array, but what happens when it is applied onto human skin? Where do you draw the diameter across the body? Well, runewrights have long thought on this question, and came to a conclusion: as all arrays by nature are circular, and when an effect is applied onto something else, it will seek the most efficient circular path to act from. Thus, when applied to a human, the quickest and easiest surface would the torso as it is a wide open canvas to work on. So if you want to know how deep the containment field is, it would be one tenth of the width of your torso.
In short, by activating this array, you will remove (almost) all the weapons in your vicinity and make everyone immune to those weapons. Unless someone is carrying alloy weapons, everyone within the array’s range should now be safe. Maybe you can talk things through now, or maybe you will have to resort to good old fisticuffs. Whatever the case may be, you now have at least a semblance of sanctuary in which to catch your breath.
If you to learn more about the runes and arrays, and see what the upcoming Enchiridion Sigillum looks like, then come join our Discord server!
Definitely looking forward to seeing more arrays.