I've read through Black Fire Pass, and while liking the "rules" on Rune-smiths, one strikes me as slightly odd.

Think it's the third rule, that states Rune-smiths will never under any circumstances trade their work for gold (or equivalent). They'll give them as gifts, or make them for Thanes/Kings. This is a great rule, game-wise, as this means the players wont try to purchase rune-work, or sell it (as a rune-smith).

But on the other hand the clans of Runesmiths are amongst the wealthiest in the whole dwarven realm, but how does one become wealthy (and even how does one afford purchasing resources to perform ones craft) if one never sells their craft?

Is it to be assumed that they only craft stuff for gold to thanes and kings, and the income from this is so large that it can sustain their craft AND their clan's wealth-base?

I would like others opinion on this of course, but in my world it seems that this "rule" is purely there as a game-mechanic, and that it would be very odd that all other dwarven crafters happily sells their craft, but rune-smiths seem to be restricted.

I planned to adjust this rule, so that the clans were very strict on who the rune-smiths sold their work to, so any sale would have to be accepted by a council of rune-smiths. This council would obvious be there just to obstruct younger rune-smiths from mass-producing for gold, and would always allow the rune-smiths to "sell" their work to the clan, which would then sell it. "Laddie, why don't you sell it to the clan for a symbolic sum, and then we can sell it? This way your costs are covered, and the clan benefits from your work, everyone wins, am I right?"

So kinda make the rune-smiths like the engineers, in that young dwarfs were being obstructed in any attempt to get success.

One word: donations.

WHY do the runesmiths gift runic items to Thanes and Kings? Because Thanes and Kings have money, and Thanes and Kings like runic armor, weapons and talismans just like anyone else does. Whether the gifts come first or the donations come first, who knows, but it seems to me like this would be a very common practice. Thanes pay a standard tithe to 'patron' the runesmithing arts (much like a rich person in the real world would donate money to charity, to a museum, to an art gallery or theatre and the like in order to 'patron' something they enjoy), and runesmiths pay them back with gratitude as well as gifts of runic items.

Now, your idea is perfectly fine, if you wanted to do that instead (or indeed, in addition to), go with it. It's more important that you be comfortable with the idea. I'm certainly not a Warhammer lore guru, but I feel this is probably correct. It just makes sense to me, personally.

there is much prestige and honour in being the patron of the truly gifted.

New Zombie said:

Now this answer (I know Nabikasu said basically the same, but this was a shorter answer) is a great answer

Thanks a bunch.

Another thing to consider. Just because they won't sell their rune-imbued goods, doesn't mean they won't market other superior quality weaponry and armor -- or use their crafting skills to create portcullises, thrones, and other general use items of astounding quality.

Amehdaus said:

Sure, but I'd guess weapon/armor-crafter guilds would do this at a better quality.

I see the Runesmiths as likely masters of such crafting guilds; after all, they have a lot to teach and are the best-qualified to oversee that the produced goods are of utmost quality. Making legendary weapons requires legendary materials, selected from the pool of resources available to crafting guilds. You can only spend so much time making things before you need to sit back and train a new generation... an retinue of apprentices hundreds of years away from rune-level craftsmanship, but still far superiour to modern market (especially modern human market).