Diras
The Shuttered Lantern, Rune of Secrets
Diras is the Shuttered Lantern, the mirror and antithesis of Ophis, Rune of Revelation. The light inside is concealed, as the truth is concealed within a secret. It is sometimes called the Thief’s Lantern, because it governs things that are actively concealed or hidden, as well as obfuscation, illusion and active deception.
Diras especially applies to the idea of hidden knowledge; the more someone attempts to conceal a fact, the more it becomes governed by Diras. What the Shuttered Lantern conceals, it can also be used to uncover; some magicians use Diras exclusively in their divinations, claiming that this approach is more intuitive and challenging than the brute force approach represented by using Ophis or Sular .
The Rune of Secrets differs from Wyr, the Rune of Mystery in that a secret is invariably something that is actively concealed, wheras a mystery is something that is by its nature difficult to understand. In some ways the relationship between Diras and Wyr mirrors the relationship between Ophis and Sular the rune of discovery.
Using Diras in magic
Diras is evoked with magic that conceals or hides things, but it can also be used with magic intended to uncover such things. It is a powerful rune to use with magic that deceives through illusion, or through diverting or preventing divination. It is often sewn into the fabric of a container intended to be the target of the Night Pouch incantation.
Crafting with Diras
Because it has a connection to obfuscation and concealment, Diras is used as part of the fastening of a cloak worn by a scout, thief or assassin. It is also a common rune painted on masks or sewn into veils - any piece of clothing whose purpose is to obfuscate or confuse identity; given the nature of the rune, however, it is common for craftsmen to use all their artifice to try and conceal the rune itself, a practice especially prevalent among Kallavesi, Freeborn and League crafters.