It is the calm before the storm. Where once Vendhya enjoyed a misplaced sense of security in the consolidated might of the hillsmen, with whom their countries share a border, it now grows anxious that the Afghuli civil war has left it vulnerable to Turan.
The Old Tribes have established a tenuous hold in the snowy wilds in the mountain village of Bawalij while Turan basks in the spoils of war in the newly-occupied city of Khorbhul.
But as Ghulistan and Turan traded blows in hill and in dune, their eyes blinded by the lust for red war, something else began to move within the shadows. The watchful eye of the terrible sorcerer known as Nazar the Black moved, unseen, upon the desert. From his stronghold set within the lawless archipelago of the Misty Isles, the Necromancer began to set his master plan into motion.
Vendhya elected to turn its cautious gaze towards the hills where the Himelians grew restless beneath the threat of Turan, and in doing so, turned away from what seethed and plotted beyond its shores. There the Red Brotherhood swelled in numbers, and the seas roiled with villainy as the pirates pledged allegiance to the terrible power of the Necromancer.
✥ About Our Server ✥
Wiped: September 8, 2023
Runes and Ruin is an 18+ story-heavy serious RP server with solid foundations in the literature of Robert E. Howard. Our server’s story is set in the Blue East, amidst several nations of free Hyboria, inluding Vendhya, Ghulistan and the Himelian Mountains–a feat made possible by our custom-modded Exiled Lands map created and maintained by Emberlight’sDr. Nash.
Our new season’s plot will center around the menacing encroach of the pirates of the Red Brotherhood and the machinations of the dark sorcerer pulling the strings from his tower in the Misty Isles.
We are a text-based RP server and welcome those new to RP as well as seasoned writers.
A living world with dozens of meaningful MMO-like quests, memorable NPCs and IC experiences. Two distinct IC factions to join, each striving towards a contending goal. Profession system: you can go on duty and be paid for RPing a job. Class system that rewards your playstyle rather than limits you. Taxation and territories add a sense of danger and authenticity to the IC experience. Robust economy with numerous markets and NPC vendors with unique opportunities for trade. Sorcery is allowed both OOC and with an application for IC magic-users. Unique mechanics using Thrall Wars Utilities that reward or inflict consequences for character decisions. Starter kits and level boosts available for new characters.
✥ More Information ✥
Name of Server: Runes and Ruin
Map Played On: Exiled Lands (Modified)
PvP Enabled: Yes. We offer both mechanical and dice PvP combat resolutions. Defender’s choice.
Perma-death: No. While there are ways for characters to be killed through RP, we are a consent-heavy server and do not consider characters dead based on game mechanics.
ERP Culture: Allowed but not the focus of the server. We are a mature 18+ community and while adult/sexual characters and storylines are welcome, we do not consider ourselves an ERP server.
Age Restrictions: 18+, full nudity.
✥ Rules Overview ✥
All members are required to join our Discord server.
Characters should be lore-adherent and fit the server landscape.
Be courteous.
No slurs, hate speech or bullying.
Keep hot-button real world issues out of public chat spaces.
LGBTQIA+ inclusive community.
No harassment.
Don’t escalate arguments with others. Ask Staff for help.
Leave previous drama with other servers and players at the door.
Don’t make your fellow members uncomfortable.
Three-week inactivity purge for players and clans.
XP rate: 5.0
Harvest Amount Multiplier: 1.5
Day Cycle Speed: 0.1
Day Time Speed: 0.5
Night Time Speed: 0.4
Dawn/Dusk Time Speed: 0.1
Catch-Up Time Enabled: No
Hunger/Thirst settings: 0.1
Logged Out Players Remain In World: No
Drop Equipment on Death: No
God Avatars Enabled: No
Purge Enabled: No
Sandstorm Enabled: No
Containers Ignore Ownership: Yes
We require that all prospective applicants first join our Discord server before submitting their application. For the sake of transparency, however, our application questions are as follows (additional requests for information may be required):
What is your Discord ID and Steam ID?
Are you 18+ and have you read our rules?
Tell us a little about your character.
Is your character famous or powerful?
Please provide a small RP sample.
Server Lore:
Heavy Robert E Howard lore, no fantasy or custom races (in addition to not allowing Yamatai characters due to our setting). Server setting takes place amidst several free nations of Hyboria (Vendhya, Ghulistan, Turan, Himelian Mountains) and no players on our server are in the Exiled Lands IC with slave bracelets. In addition, we use a custom server mod created by Dr. Nash that removes overt fantasy creatures such as rocknoses, skeleton NPCs, etc while providing other unique lore-friendly features.
Our first monthly Nomad Market was a resounding success!
Players were afforded the opportunity to mingle ICly with characters they may not normally encounter during their travels as well as to purchase a number of rare weapons and furnishings on offer from our Admin vendors.
In addition, individuals and clans alike walked away with their purses considerably heavier after a day’s trading with their fellow citizens!
The Nomad Market will return next month with more exciting and exclusive rewards! So if you’d like to participate in a RP server with a unique and thriving economy system, join us today!
We continue to grow! We’re excited to announce our upcoming Arena function–an opportunity for players to contend with formidable foes in a bid to earn lucrative awards including exclusive weapons and armor!
We’re excited to announce our Runes and Ruin: 2024 Calendar Competition!
- COMPETITION OVERVIEW `
We’re kicking off 2023 by looking forward to 2024! Beginning with February, we’re hosting a monthly screenshot competition in which players may submit screenshots of their characters engaged in activities or settings relevant to the theme of the month.
A winner will be chosen from the submitted screenshots and will be featured in our final 2024 Calendar for that month. In addition, each month’s winner will receive:
A reward of 5 gold Lunas A special request item of choice (^)
(^) Excludes certain prohibited items.
- COMPETITION RULES -
Props & Setting
Monthly themes are not specified by Staff, but by the interpretation of players! Holidays such as Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, etc. may be used for inspiration as may any relevant theme depending on player preference, culture or location.
Screenshots are allowed to be taken ‘OOC’ (e.g. a player’s character engaging in a Christmas theme) or IC. It’s up to you! Be original! Screenshots must be taken on the Runes and Ruin server and must feature a character you are actively playing on the server . We will not accept screenshots of characters taken on other servers, in single-player mode or screenshots of characters that have been shelved at the time of submission.
Admin Photoshoot Room
Each month, the Staff team will decorate a ‘photoshoot room’ which may be accessed and used by players at any time for the purpose of taking screenshots! This room will include a general ‘theme’ setting and a free props chest with various seasonal gear that may be used in the screenshot.
We’d love to see your screenshots!
We offer plenty of other fun competitions throughout the year, so if this sounds like something you’d enjoy, come be a part of our community! Join us today!
We’re gearing up for this month’s Nomad Market! We’ll be offering exclusive weapons, gear and decorations as well as immersive RP opportunities by allowing players to sell their wares to other players in a thriving and living marketplace environment!
Tired of living in exile? Come to the free nations of Hyboria in the Blue East and experience the people and landscape of Runes and Ruin!
Runes and Ruin just completed our February Nomad Market and have begun the month of March to the beating of the drums of war!
A sneak peek at the next stage of the campaign…
War Preparation Camp Departure This week will see the departure of the War Preparation Camp which is currently located outside the Khorbhul Market Gate. This means that this is the last week during which you will be able to benefit from the quests and the material selling opportunities offered there. But, with the departure of one opportunity, there is the arrival another…
The War Camp The Old Tribes will be taking the war to the enemy, and this means establishing a war camp from where scouting, spying, and raids on the enemy can be orchestrated. The war camp will have its own series of quests, ranging from spying/scouting, to fighting, to supplying and crafting, and even seeing to wounded/dying. There will also be DMed events which will allow characters of all roles (combatants and non-combatants) to participate.
Tabnak Wants YOU! You can now formally sign up with Tabnak of Sultanapur who can be found in the Free Company of Theronus . Tabnak will require that you select a primary war function which can be one of the following:
Warrior Spy/Scout Healer or Priest Camp Follower, e.g. cook, blacksmith, horse wrangler, prostitute, fletcher, bowyer, armourer, etc.
If participating in a sprawling tale of war and blood sounds like a story you’d like to write with us, then join us today!
Our first few months have been packed with exciting stories, plot twists and plenty of fun both in-character and out! We now have a thriving and friendly community and we’re still looking for more players to join us! Here are just a few screenshots from some of our recent RP and events…
After a month of playing on Runes & Ruin I bring a little update. It’s a rush! A fantastic environment with fair and friendly players.
Yes, this is a growing server, but is growing strong. Every week there are multiple events. We have players from NA and EU.
This is a RP server, staying true to the R.E. Howard lore. On this server you are not in the Exiled Lands, but a free person.
They have their own server moder who adapted the map to a more Conan look and feel. Al those rocknoses, giant scorpions and spiders are gone and replaced by more plausible creatures. Also a great part of the undead are replaced. So yes, this gives the world another vibe and I love it.
Next, and maybe the strongest point of this server: the admin team… fair and reachable, consisting for a great part of Fateweavers, those who brings stories to the server and the players. They really make this server a thrilling and living experience. So be prepared on different events per week.
But also, the players over here are a succulent addition to it all. I had some very intense and eye opening rp. Some amazing moments, but also some ‘soooo’ funny times. A good mix! I think all can look forward to a thriving experience and look out for the kind of RP they like. Some of my friends already joined and even are making their new home over here.
To be clear, there is few conflicts between players. It is more the story that gives the opportunity to fight mobs and other stuff, launched by those energized fateweavers!
I have quite recently started playing on this server, about a month and a half ago and I absolutely love the server. Having recently come from console, this was the first server that really caught my attention and I applied to it. Got approved very fast, less than a day and while at the start it was a bit much to take in, the discord and the rules, as well as the new player guide and the wonderful people there helped me get settled. Having played on it, I love the setting, backstory and the RP. Having it so the setting is not in the Exiled Lands gives your choices much more meaning and gravity now that you can just not respawn and be immortal. You have to weigh your choices and their consequences, which makes you think more. The people are very nice and good roleplayers, the admin team are excellent. They are very knowledgeable and willing to help in any way they can and the Fate Weavers make interesting and fun events. One of the things I would say is that there is not much conflict, even though the rules allow for both dice and mechanical PVP and as someone who very much likes conflict RP, it is a bit of a bummer, but who knows dear reader. Perhaps in this time of turmoil and war and with the story going on as it is, an ambitious robber baron or sneaky thief could take advantage of the war and gain great wealth, but in any case I would very much recommend checking the server out.
We welcome players to a brand-new adventure with our first wipe and the advent of Runes and Ruin Season 2.0!
Our Staff team has been hard at work overhauling a number of major systems and introducing entirely new ones for this season, all designed with the purpose of creating a more immersive ‘living world’ experience for our players.
A living world with dozens of meaningful MMO-like quests, memorable NPCs and IC experiences.
A reward of 5 gold Lunas
A special request item of choice 
Monthly themes are not specified by Staff, but by the interpretation of players! Holidays such as Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, etc. may be used for inspiration as may any relevant theme depending on player preference, culture or location.
