Ancient Runeforging

When Zovilla first taught the Narmen how to use magic, she taught them how to inscribe symbols of power to call upon primal magics and to control their expression, these symbols became known as runes. With the loss of access to their innate magic however, Narmen lost the ability to inscribe the runes without the aid large apparatus such as the Radiant Inscriber located in the High Emperor's palace in the capital. Since then lesser sets of runes have been discovered with the original set being called "true" runes.
Narmen usually apply runes onto weapons and armor during forging, shaping them deep into the metal and applying a steady stream of magic from start to finish. The current major rune set used by the Narmen is called Althizo and can produce the same effects employed by the major modern enchanting methods plus some unique features.
Runic inscriptions are usually structured starting with a name that is unique to that item followed by a list of effects each of which is composed of one or more primal forces mixed with words to control their expression. After the list of effects is a section called the invocation who's job it is call power into the runes in order to fuel their magic. Originally, it would call power from the blade, the wielder, the smith, and Zovilla in that order providing energy to power the enchantments. Modernly, it still calls from the blade in the case of golden weapons but in most cases it is no longer able to call power from the other sources and so adjustments had to made calling it from forces of nature and the machinery of the universe. Finally, a sealing word is placed. Which word is used matters little and is often the preference of the smith. The sealing word ends the inscription, together with the name, binding the inscription into a single enchantment.