Symbols and Magic

### Overview

There are symbols in the world, which when inscribed, engraved, tattooed or gestured, can give the user the ability to access various levels of magic. When used in conjunction with spells, the symbols may alter the effects of the spell, whether it is to magnify, augment, suppress or change altogether. The level and focus of the character serves to indicate the contribution a particular symbol might have. Any character of any class can use a symbol to assist them if it makes sense, although the standard spellcasting classes clearly will benefit. There are and can be alternate or prestige classes that can directly draw from symbols' power.

For example, there is a class called **"Beasts of the March"** for barbarian/ranger types who have spent time in the marches of Bavarin and nearby environs. The Beasts use tattoos to augment particular abilities that are pertinent to the type of class that they are. **Styree, the Passage** could be a tattoo on a *Beast of the March* to give them *Web Walking* or an alternative to their normal movement while in an environment in which they are strongest.  A tattoo of Mindat would grant something more akin to *Haste* or *Expeditious Retreat*.

### The Standard Symbols

These are the standard symbols which people know about. There are some animist symbols as well, but these are the general symbols which can be found all over Eirethune.

   The following sub-sections introduce each of the standard symbols.

#### Hrundoon, the Subversion

Hrundoon focuses on undermining or secretly changing or destroying.  Hrundoon is often used to facilitate the alteration or destruction of a target, but not in direct confrontation.  It is not used to augment direct assault, rather to assist in creating a context where conflict could be victorious. In similar ways, Hrundoon has also been used to alter or change insight and deception, or stealth and perception.  It is not uncommon for a devious negotiator to have Hrundoon working for them in some way.

#### Tarbin, the Changeling

Tarbin is the transformer, the mixer, the alternate – more planned entropy than chaos.  Tarbin focuses on alternatives, surrogates, replacements, delegates, and doubles.  Tarbin can be used with illusion or deception, but it is not as confrontational as Hrundoon.  Tarbin is more defensive and constructive than Hrundoon.  In an illusory manner, Tarbin can offer multiple representations, even to the point of confusion.  The effects of using Tarbin are not always illusory or ephemeral, rather Tarbin can be used in physical construction, possibly bulwarking structures.

#### Idenabar, the Descent

Idenabar is descent, compression, drawing-in, and decline.  Idenabar has helped people while physically descending.  Idenabar has helped individuals shrink in perception or in reality.  Idenabar has been used to close focus on introspection, whether for good or ill.  Idenabar is an abstraction of all things going down, away and into.

#### Hahmgill, Support of Man

Hahmgill is healing, protection, shielding, and binding.  Probably one of the least abstract of the symbols, Hahmgill assisting the user or target as needed.  Hahmgill alone is nothing, rather it serves to bolster and support what is present.  It is commonly used to augment defensive measures, either personal or structural.

#### Urstin, Expansion and Growth

Urstin seeks multiplication, proliferation, broadening and diffusion.  Urstin isn’t strengthening or direct amplification, rather it is used to increase ranges, areas of effect, potential targets and more.

#### Idkar, the Stoic

Idkar is patient, calm and sober.  Idkar is unconcerned and impassionate.  Idkar is often used when survival is on the line, when confusion is everywhere, or when one is too drunk to function.  Idkar doesn’t need to consume, but rather moves on without regard to their surroundings or difficulties.

#### Ahl’Safaj, the Seer

Ahl’Safaj is medium and channeler, oracle and diviner.  Ahl’Safaj is a bridge between understandings, facilitating communication or perception.  Ahl’Safaj is also a forecaster and prophet, sometimes seeing what is likely to happen.

#### Orz, the Eruption

Orz is energy, surprise, overkill, outflow, burst, exuberance, and true entropy.  Orz is commonly used to augment uses of force, especially in sporadic moments.  Many worshippers of Thadaok have Orz engraved on their arcane foci, releasing even more power when Thadaok deems it worthy.  Orz does not affect anything over time, but rather focusing on instantaneous moments.

#### Florgahn, the Emancipator

Florgahn is release and liberty.  Regardless of what is being bound, Florgahn will attempt to unbind it; be it bias or prison or curse or control.  Florgahn, like several other symbols, can be related to entropy.  However, Florgahn is not a destroyer, but a deliverer.

#### Hwyveen, the Dreamer

Hwyveen is vision, belief, guess, and wonder.  Hwyveen seeks the hypothetical and the alternate.  Like Ahl’Safaj, Hwyveen can be a bridge, although Hwyveen is more focused on creation of alternatives and perspectives of a single source, the user.  Hwyveen is a standard symbol used in dream or vision magic, not just divination, but also bringing dreams to life.  Conjurers have often used Hwyveen to alter what they are summoning, Abjurers to alter their enchantments; all changes based on something envisioned, dreamed or believed.

#### Ood’Ben, Connector Healer

Ood’Ben provides both adaptation and mending.  Ood’Ben is commonly used by shamanistic healers and empaths to augment their abilities.  Ood’Ben is also commonly used by arbiters in negotiations; not providing the ability to clarify or directly negotiate, but to facilitate empathy.  Sometimes Ood’Ben is a bit of Idkar (Stoic), Ahl’Safaj (Seer), but not the main actor, but the conduit for transfer.

#### Ivanar, the Paragon

Ivanar is the archetype, the model, the ideal, the god, the paradigm. Ivanar is singular in perspective and focus.  Whenever used, Ivanar must have one purpose, but it will augment the performance of that purpose with all of the work that the user has obtained related to that purpose.   Focus and consistent pattern is Ivanar.  For those who aim at honing one skill or ability, Ivanar will be employed.

#### Ipanahtch, Enslaved

Ipanahtch is captivation, subjugation, and bondage.  Ipanahtch is the trapper and binder, typically against the target’s will.  Enslavers and beast handlers commonly use Ipanahtch, and although slavery and servitude are common foci of Ipanahtch, there are others who use Ipanahtch to ensure commitment, or to tie one’s destiny to another.  There is the sailor who binds themselves to their vessel, ensuring the destiny of both to one another.

#### Gilai, All Attuned

Gilai is balance.  Through climatization, integration, adaptation or regulation, different moments in a domain can come together.  As they approach each other, Gilai is strongest.  It is not enthalpy, but the movement towards stability and harmony.   Gilai is not just law, but rather the full common ground of oppositions.  Gilai is used in many varied instances where stability is desired.  The perspective of the user determines the focus to be balanced and tuned.

#### Nurspahk, the Community

Nurspahk is friends, locale, nations, groves, societies.  Whenever multiple entities, concepts, components come together to make something larger than themselves, Nurspahk is strong.  Whereas Urstin is more growth, Nurspahk is identification of multiple avenues of contribution.  Nurspahk is used in any context where the user sees a common cause or contribution of numerous entities.  If a farmer wishes their orchard to survive, if a captain wants his ship to work effectively, if a king wants stability in his capital city, Nurspahk might foster the goals.

#### Hebryn, Light of Truth

Hebryn is augur and harbinger.  Ahl’Safaj shares some focus with Hebryn with respect to divination, but Hebryn is different because it allows its users to seek a specific goal as well.  Hebryn works with Ivanar often because both can be aimed at completely discrete goals.  Idkar might seem to be opposed to Hebryn, but not if Idkar is directed at everything other than the goal.  It is common for paladins and anti-paladins or anyone with supreme focus and belief in themselves to employ Hebryn.

#### Ibn’Rex, Suspension

Ibn’Rex is a break in the day, a brief stop in a journey, a means to end termination and conclusion.  Ibn’Rex is a pause in a passage of time.  Ibn’Rex does not conclude, but it is used to interrupt the process or paradigm.  Ibn’Rex can pause a storm, but the storm will still come no matter what – just not yet.

#### Styree, the Passage

Styree is movement, travel, positioning.   Styree is another commonly understood and used symbol.  When someone needs a way to travel, Styree provides choices.  Styree can also be a portal to distant locations.  It is not uncommon to see Styree as a facilitator in gate passage or extra-planar travel.  When needs to augment or deter efficient travel, Styree will be used to assist.   Styree is similar to Mindat, but different.  Styree is used for passages, portals and gates, while Mindat can protect one’s travel as needed.

#### Haloo, the Aesthete

That which is perceived as beauty or elegance or perfection in a domain can rely on Haloo to assist or magnify.  Although Haloo is used in direct association with charismatic qualities, Haloo is also used in problematic, complex situations where it is possible to procure a simple, elegant solution.  Haloo is the Occam’s Razor of noise and confusion.  Still, many bardic personalities augment their own prowess with Haloo, seeking both superior performance and acknowledgement.

#### Ir’Thrat, the Subreptor

Ir’Thrat is truly deception, stealth, illusion.   Ir’Thrat is used in cases of physical concealment, especially by those attempting to hide an object, person, or structure.  Ir’Thrat is also used in cases of negotiations, where deception is required.  It is said that binding documents have been made with quills where Ir’Thrat was engraved, giving a party a bit more of what they sought but did not ask for.

#### Al’Hatan, High and Low

Al’Hatan recognizes the changing of processes in the world, but is strongest at apex and nadir.  Sometimes Al’Hatan works with rituals of Thadaok, or symbols of Orz, but there is a strong difference.  Al’Hatan enjoys extreme failure as much as extreme success.   Al’Hatan pushes probabilities to the extremes when engaged as a medium.

#### Deegon, the Crafter

Deegon does indeed help those willing to construct or craft physical objects or structures, but the crafting extends well beyond the mundane.  When one is researching to create or conceive of something new, Deegon can be employed.  Any work towards construction of the new can be facilitated by Deegon.

#### Haab’Hat, the Yell

Haab’Hat beckons to all around, to contribute, to act, or to acknowledge.  Haab’Hat is often used with alarms or calls to arms.  Haab’Hat is also used to bring and bind possible contributors, especially in conjunction with Ood’Ben (Connector Healer).  Haab’Hat facilitates the sharing of power between those who answer the call.

#### Mindat, the Flight

Mindat is movement and flight when needed.  When one needs to move away as efficiently as possible, Mindat will assist.  This movement could be physical in nature, but sometimes Mindat will help with perspective and fear as well.  It is possible that anxiety or confusion can cloud a person’s mind, but if a person can find a way out, Mindat can hastily achieve it (especially working with Idkar in this case).  In some ways, Mindat is similar to Styree, but whereas Styree is can govern gates and passages, Mindat is focused on need, abilities, and protection. Mindat is the expediter, while Styree offers options.

#### Idi, Twins of One

Idi is dichotomy and paradox.  Where there needs to be both good and evil, light and dark, or anything opposite but symbiotic, Idi will be there.  Idi is used in negotiations as a final binding.  Idi is also used when magical researchers wish to bring two (or more) contradictory elements together.  Druids have used Idi when burning out a dying forest to bring greater success in allowing the seeds from the burnt seed cones to prosper (e.g.; pines, eucalyptus, banksia).  Idi is yin and yang, chaos and order, as long as they are together in one.