- Runes are magical items in Gothic and Gothic II that use Mana to cast a specific spell. They are a powerful tool for casters, because they do not disappear after use like a spell scroll. They can be differentiated between three categories:
- Mage runes, which require knowledge of Circles of Magic, hence only magicians can use them. They appear in Gothic and Gothic II.
- Paladin runes, reserved for paladin characters. They appear in Gothic II.
- Teleport runes, which allow instantaneous travel. These runes have no prerequisite, so they can be used by anyone. They appear in Gothic and Gothic II. Teleporter stones fulfill the same role in Gothic 3.