Just as rune mages use the Old God runes to cast magic, so do the dwarves of the Continent use their ancestral runic language to weave spells and rituals. Something about what Helikhar did to their ancestors to create the runes marking their faces left a lasting imprint on dwarven mages, and those who delve into the secrets of the ancient Clans have learned to use the power of their heritage in their magics, whether arcane or divine. By inscribing the runes into pendants and talismans and either laying them out in a ritual or invoking one in a spell, dwarven mages can call upon a clan’s ancestor spirits to grant them power. The traditional material for such talismans is stone or clay, which led to the name of the practice, but modern mages make use of whatever material they prefer to work with, whether bone, metal, wood, or cloth.
Stone Calling is as much applied ancestor worship as it is the use of magical runes, and dwarves view it as both a gift of their heritage and a way to celebrate the freedom their people won during the Godswar. Invoking a clan’s rune allows a mage to conjure the power of the bone-deep purpose that was originally infused into them by their former Old God master, turning what was once a curse of oppression into a tool for mortal empowerment.
If you’re interested in playing a dwarven mage who practices Stone Calling, fashion some runic talismans bearing the first letter of the names of the clans you want to call upon. Invoke them when you cast a spell or ritual, calling upon the clan and asking for their guidance and power.