Runechild
Runechild is the first superhero story that Wildbow wrote, written in 2002. It takes place in Ottawa and contains elements of what would eventually develop into the Parahumans universe.<ref name="S:BW"> Runechild (2002) – The first superhero story I really wrote, back in 2002. After the bit I posted, it went onto a tangent with Faultline and never got back on track with a main story.
I personally find it interesting to note the elements that are present. Narwhal, contrary to what I remembered, was the first canon character who was introduced and who stayed with the setting. Runechild, the protagonist, was supposed to be a novice Doctor Strange, but wound up being a telekinetic with a few gimmicks. There was more at play with the ‘is it magic or something else?’ question. In the end, she was the only real character I wrote who didn’t really make it into Worm in one form or another. I would return to it once or twice (the second story featuring her helping Dragon vs. the Dragonslayers, to help circumvent the AI limitations) before deciding that magic didn’t work, and that Ottawa was a crappy place to set a superhero story. - Snippets: Before Worm</ref>
Wildbow also wrote a subsequent draft titled Runechild v2. While still set in Ottawa, the plot was entirely different, featuring Dragon, who requests Runechild's help with circumventing her AI limitations in order to fight the Dragonslayers.<ref name="WoG1">Author's note: My first attempts at writing in the superhero setting centered around Runechild (who doesn't make an appearance in this universe). In Runechild's second story, she receives a request from Dragon to help with a situation involving the Dragonslayers. This is the point where I hashed out Dragon's character, background and 'power'. This makes Dragon the oldest character in Worm, from a design standpoint. - Edit by Wildbow (Not in the list of retracted edits)</ref>
The first iteration of Runechild can be read here. The second iteration is unavailable to the public.
Synopsis
It is May, 2002. In the city of Ottawa, Runechild, a fledgling superhero, is caught by a detective and brought into the police station. Unhappy with her disrupting the peace, Detective Wickman gives Runechild two choices: going to jail or helping him track down a local serial killer. Runechild chooses the latter, and the two team up in order to apprehend the King Street Killer.
After the two meet on a street to begin their search, Wickman asks about Runechild's powers. Runechild explains her various "spells," admitting in the process that she is inexperienced both with her powers and with being a superhero. At Wickman's request, Runechild casts a finding spell to find the serial killer's Swiss Army knife. She finds the object, pointing to its general direction, and the two set off.
Meanwhile, a mysterious "visitor" has arrived on Earth, unseen to the populace. Its first order of business is analyzing humanity and determining how they operate. Then it takes note of parahumans, gathering information on the local parahumans and narrowing its focus down to Runechild, who is the easiest to find. As it analyzes Runechild, it determines that she is powerful but is not what it is looking for. It analyzes Detective Wickman next, observing his unwavering determination to catch the killer. Seeing this, it determines Wickman to be a better fit for its purposes, but decides to wait and see if Wickman truly deserves its assistance.
Back to the duo, Runechild and Wickman are walking through the abandoned Byward Market. Runechild indicates that they're close to the serial killer, to which Wickman tells her to use her finding spell again. Runechild reluctantly agrees, performing the spell before vomiting due to spell-induced nausea. Wickman ignores this and leaves Runechild, going into the building to find the killer. While Runechild is recuperating, she hears gunshots from the building. She summons a circle of sheet metal with a movement rune drawn on, using it to fly up to the floor the gunshots came from. Upon making her way to the killer's room, she sees the killer himself stepping out with a gun and knife, covered in the detective's blood. Here it is revealed that the entity shown previously has chosen the killer instead of Wickman, granting the killer superhuman abilities.
The killer immediately fires a shot at Runechild, which she blocks with her movement circle. The killer lets her run, influenced by his new passenger to hunt his prey. Runechild flies away on her circle with the killer in pursuit, the killer taunting her as he chases her across the rooftops. Soon, Runechild realizes the killer is just toying with her. She changes tactics, jumping off of her circle and using it as a distraction while she runs in the opposite direction. It buys time, and Runechild begins drawing movement runes on nearby cars.
After a while, the killer catches up. Runechild is forced to fight with the killer, using the cars she had set up as projectiles to attack the killer with. The killer is able to shrug off the attacks, but is enraged when Runechild manages to land a few blows. As the killer lunges toward Runechild, she positions a car below him and sends it flying upward as far as she possibly can. Gravity does its work, and the killer and the car plummet to the ground, the car exploding on impact. After confirming that the killer is defeated, Runechild sits down on the street, waiting for the police to arrive.
Later, the police arrives along with Narwhal, a superhero from the Guild. Narwhal approaches Runechild, informing her that the killer is still alive but no longer has any powers. Being in shock, Runechild offers only limited reciprocation. After trying to comfort Runechild, Narwhal tells her that they always need help against threats such as the Endbringers. She offers Runechild a phone number, telling her to call it if she needs support. She leaves, leaving Runechild at the scene.
Introduced Concepts
- Parahumans
- The concept of passengers that grant powers to humans.
- Narwhal and the Guild
- The Endbringers
Characters
Runechild
- Wears a matching cape and pointed hood. Also wears a mask and face protector.
- Inexperienced with being a superhero, having only dealt with small-time crime such as graffitists and drug dealers.
- Hasn't fully worked out her powers. Draws runes on objects in order to cast "spells," which include opening and closing locks, finding things, moving things, and teleporting things. Her spells only work on inanimate objects.
- Her spells require her to draw a rune before invoking them. She does this with chalk.
- The finding spell requires the object to be unique. She also needs a description of the object in question.
- If she casts her finding spell too much, she begins to feel ill.
- Has a circle of sheet metal with a movement spell and strap that she uses to fly. It also has a teleportation rune that Runechild uses to summon the circle at any time.
Detective Wickman
- Balding on the front of his head. Wears narrow rectangular glasses and a tieless dress shirt.
- Rough demeanor. Holds Runechild in disdain, considering her a necessary annoyance and threatening her with jail time if she doesn't cooperate.
- Is after the King Street Killer. Is obsessed with this goal, thinking about it nonstop for weeks on end.
- Killed by the King Street Killer when confronting him in his apartment room.
The Entity
- Calls itself "Hunter." Originates from somewhere in space.
- Analyzes humans in order to find a suitable host to grant powers to.
- Seems to have a mindset of "predator and prey," fixating on humans that have a predatory mindset.
- When it finds a host to empower, it sinks in and merges with them. Exhibits this ability when merging with the King Street Killer.
- Seems to have abandoned the killer after his defeat, as he no longer has powers afterwards.
- Holds many similarities to a shard. Unlike a shard, however, it directly communicates with its host.
The King Street Killer
- Has killed nine people so far.
- Sadistic; enjoys toying with his prey.
- Wields a modified Swiss Army knife and a gun. The knife has a long blade as well as a hook and scissors.
- Is granted superpowers by the entity.
- Most likely superstrength.
- Causes his voice to become an eerie echo.
- Turns his eyes completely amber. Pupils are no longer visible.
- Loses his powers when he is defeated by Runechild.
Narwhal
- Is the de-facto leader of the Guild, the Canadian League of Superheroes.
- Seven feet tall, nude, and covered head to toe in silvery flesh. Has a five foot horn protruding between the eyebrows.
- Considered by Runechild to be the second most powerful woman in Canada.
Mentioned Characters
- Cantabile
- Heartbreaker
- Aurora
- Ursa Major
- Ursa Minor
- Soldat
- Ménage à trois
- Saint
- Sinner
Trivia
- One of Runechild's powers was eventually incorporated into Rune's powerset in Worm.
- Runechild was inspired by the character Doctor Strange.
- Runechild was the only real character Wildbow wrote that would never make it into Worm in any form.
References
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