Glyph Theory

***[THIS IS NO LONGER CANON TO TERRA AVIUM]***

Glyph Theory is a set of rules that must be followed in order to cast magic through glyphs. All glyphs follow the rules of glyph theory, and the study of glyphs and the nature sorrounding it is called glyphology. Those who draw glyphs are glyphists, and those who study in the field of glyphs are glyphologists.

Glyph theory includes the study of glyphs' nature (glyphography) - not to be mistaken with glyphology as glyphology is the overall subject of glyphs and sigils and theory, whileas glyphography is only the study of glyphs. Glyph theory also includes sigilgraphy - the study of glyph sigils, and a glyphic geometry and glpyhic mathematics.

## GLYPH ART

Glyph art is the art of glyphic mathematics and geometry. Glyph art includes the basics of a glyph's structure, the calculation on how to make it parallel and mirror one another, and a heavy study of geometry and shapes and training muscle memory.

### **GLYPHS**

A glyph is a circle of sigils drawn in a specific pattern so that the glyph can channel magic and direct it out in a way it was instructed. They are very versatile because they can be used for both Domainers and non-Domainers, and they can be used to cast a variety of of magic of different domains. A glyph contains three core elements: The rings, the sigils, and the circuit.

A glyph is split into two parts: the outer glyph and the inner glyph.

*See here for a full description of "Glyph"*

### **HOW IT WORKS**

A glyph is, in its purest and simplest form, lines of codes detailing how to cast spells. The sigils determine how the spell is casted, and the more clear the codes are, the better the spell is understood. Each sigil has its own uniqueness, and determines the result of the spell.

A glyph is "prepared" when magic is pushed in. The glyph will glow when this happens, and the stronger the glow, the closer it gets to the keystone's magic limit. The magic is channeled through its rings, then sigils by flowing through the ink. The glyph "reads" the details given to it by the glyphist, and it processes through the code: it reads the condition first (if there is one), then it reads the primary glyph's regnis ring, then hasaeti, servi, leitandi, truis, then it moves onto reading the bridges and its conditions, before reading the secondary glyphs and onwards.

In the end, if all conditions are met, the glyph would release the magic it was given through the sigils. The magic would be squeezed through the sigils, and shaped into that of a specific shape/result.

### **GLYPHIST KIT**

A glyphist must always have a kit beside them. The kit includes a lot of rulers, both custom and bought. The rulers are mainly used for making the sigils more straight and more parallel and better mirror each other. The rulers are designed to be dislodge and snap with one another like pieces of puzzles and used for mutliple purposes. The kit also includes a protractor and an angle ruler (which is also part semi-circle base ruler).

Most importantly, however, are the compasses. All kits have at least 1 compass to draw a circle. Most have two compasses: one bought and one custom. Custom compass designs vary, but the most popular ones are two pen holders being tied together by a rope. The kit also includes chalk, charcoal, ink, and a carving knife that fits into the two pen holders, and they come in pairs along with extra spare pairs.

Furthermore, it is advised to pack along a sketchbook to draft the spell, and a handbook to recheck glyph theory and its sigils and shapes

## DRAWING A GLYPH

### **KNOWING GLYPHS**

Before drawing a glyph, a glyphist must know the properties of a glyph, its rings and properties and how to draw them. They must know which belongs where, and to make an error is to have a possibility of creating something unstable. Because of this, it is advised to bring yourself a sketchbook to sketch out your glyphs before applying it to the real product, and to keep a handbook guide of each sigils and glyph theory.

*See here for a full description of "Glyph"*

### **CAUTION**

It is best to not get into combat using glyphs. Although glyphs are powerful and much more versatile in its selections than other methods of casting, the slow-creation nature of glyphs is the sole reason it is highly discourage to use glyphs in combat - though it's even better not to get in fights. Glyphs are a new form of art, and should be used with great caution.

Before casting or experimenting with a glyph, it is advised to have another glyphist be there with you to check your glyph. This is to prevent unnessecary magic loss, destruction, or waste of ink and materials. Though it is encouraged to be creative and explore glyphs, glyphists should do it in a safe place where they won't harm civilians. Furthermore, it is also encouraged to share your discoveries with the glyphology community for further developement.

### **INK & POWDER**

To draw glyphs is to need a special type of ink or powder. These ink/powder are unique to each domain, and to cast a spell of different domain is to use a different ink/powder. If normal ink or powder is used to draw glyphs then the glyphs will not work. The powder can be colored and compressed into chalk and charcoal in order for use. And when a glyph is carved, the glyphist must do an ink overlay into the glyph's depressions.

### **BLUEPRINTS & SKETCHES**

Before even getting into the real drawing, you should sketch out your glyph drawings. The sketch of a glyph is called a blueprint, and it uses a different language compared to glyphs so it wouldn't be activated via magic. The sketch would determine the glyph's properties and abilities and the overall spell the glyphist wants to make.

### **DRAWING**

#### **RINGS**

The first step to drawing a glyph is to draw the borders and its rings. The inner glyph contains 4-6 rings, with the servi and nemendur rings being optional. The 6 rings are what determines the classes of which the marks are sorted into.

The rings (aside from the circumference of the glyph) is entirely optional, and a glyph can and will function with or without the rings. The rings are an added addition because it helps beginner glyphists image the location of the sigils more easily. Most glyphists (even masters) decide to draw all the rings because it's much more easier and prevents less error - though it's much slower compared to those who don't draw rings.

#### **REGNIS**

This is the center ring of the glyph and the most important ring out of all five rings. This ring determines the Domain of the glyph, and what type of Domain magic that glyph is going to use. The bigger the keystone, the more magic the glyph requires. The only sigil allowed to be drawn on this ring are keystones, and there must only be one keystone per regnis ring. This ring is also often called the Kingdom.

All primary glyphs must have a regnis ring. The regnis ring is the most important of all the rings because it is what holds the magic. A glyphist can take away the marks and conditions and the spell can still work - but taking away the keystone or removing the regnis ring entirely will cause the glyph to fail entirely. The regnis ring is the ring that the glyph reads first, and is the ring that stores magic and pass it down onto the lower rings.

##### **KEYSTONE**

The most important sigils are the keystones, which are sigils that are drawn in the middle of glyphs that determine the domain of the glyphs. Keystones are seen as the "core" of the glyph itself. A glyphist can remove a mark and it wouldn't damage the spell that much; but if a glyphist remove the keystone only, the spell would fail to work entirely.

There are 5 keystones: Forest, Sky, Ocean, Mountain, Desert. All five of them reflects of the properties and uniqueness of the five domains and terrains of Terra Avium. The keystone is drawn in the regnis ring; the larger the keystone, the more magic it needs to fuel the entire glyph.

The keystones can only be drawn on the regnis ring, and only the regnis ring. There is only one keystone per regnis ring, and if the glyphist wish to add more then they'd have to resort to a secondary glyph. Each keystone has its own uniqueness and a symbolic background/origin.

*A description of each keystone can be found at "Glyph Keystones"*

#### **MARKS**

Marks are sigils that belong in the hasaeti ring up to the truis ring. Marks are the components of the spell, and the specific codes and details on how the spell will work.

#### **HASAETI**

This ring is the ring that follows the hasaeti ring. This ring determines the action of the glyph's spell. The only sigils allowed to be drawn on this ring are hasaeti marks. The larger the hasaeti marks, the stronger the glyph's action. This ring is also called the Throne.

##### **HASAETI MARKS**

Hasaeti marks are marks drawn on the hasaeti ring of a glyph. They determine the glyph's actions. There can be more than one type of hasaeti mark on the hasaeti ring, and there can even be hasaeti crests.

The size of each hasaeti mark determines how strong that action is compared to the keystone. If the keystone is large and the hasaeti marks are large, then the result has a high intensity. However, if the keystone is small and the hasaeti marks are small, the result then would have a low intensity - but the size of the hasaeti mark compared to the keystone is large.

The width of each hasaeti mark determines the duration of that action. The thinner the mark, the faster the action will be executed. The wider the mark, the slower the action will be executed.

The location of each hasaeti marks directly impacts the starting time of that hasaeti mark's action. Example: If a movement hasaeti mark is placed below a conjure hasaeti mark, the movement will be executed first then the conjure will happen next. The previous taken must be finished in order for the next action to be taken.

*A description of each mark can be found at "Hasaeti Marks"*

#### **SERVI**

This ring is the ring that follows the hasaeti ring. This ring details more specifically the action of the glyph - such as conjuring what? Detect what? Move what? This ring is also optional and glyphists can choose to skip this ring if their glyph spell doesn't require this ring. However, this ring is a must for intermediate to advanced glyphs. This ring can only be drawn on by servi marks. This ring is also called the Servant.

##### **SERVI MARKS**

Servi marks are sigils drawn in the servi ring. They are what determine the hasaeti ring's specifics. Servi marks can also be put together to form crests. A servi mark must be paired with a hasaeti mark (multiple servi marks can be paired with the same hasaeti mark), and must be drawn above the hasaeti mark it is paired with to determine what the hasaeti mark controls and where the servi mark comes from.

A hasaeti's amount of servi mark's size must be equal to the hasaeti mark. If the hasaeti mark produces several servi marks then the servi marks' size must add up to equal the amount of the hasaeti mark.

*A description of each mark can be found at "Servi Marks"*

#### **LEITANDI**

This ring is the second outward-most ring. This ring determines which face of the glyph that the spell is going to be casted: either front/outwards or back/inwards. Depending on the surface the glyph is drawn on and/or the surface where which the glyph is aimed at, the leitandi marks change. This ring can only be drawn on with the leitandi marks. This ring is often called the People.

##### **LEITANDI MARKS**

There are only two leitandi marks: inward and outward. The two leitandi marks are symbolic of postivie/negative, male/female, etc. These two symbols are quite popular in fields other than glyphology, and is not only limited to glyph sigils.

The leitandi marks should be positioned above the servi marks and in the same line angle as the hasaeti marks. If the leitandi mark points inward into the keystone, then it is inward and the spell is casted on the opposite side of the glyph. If the leitandi mark points outward away from the keystone, then the spell is casted on the same side as the glyph.

*A description of each mark can be found at "Leitandi Marks"*

#### **TRUIS**

This ring is the outmost ring of the glyph. This ring determines the direction of the spell, as well as its sharpness of impact, broadness, and range. This ring is also called the Faith.

##### **TRUIS MARKS**

Truis marks are marks that are drawn on the truis ring. They determine the spell's area, length, impact, and rotation.

The broader the truis marks' body (when the lines are drawn with bold strokes), the the spell will be wider. However, this is only limited to the area of the glyph's circle. The wider the glyph circle, the more magic it requires and the larger area it can cover.

The sharper the point of the truis mark's head, the sharper the focus or the sharper the impact is going to be. The rotation of the marks also affects the direction of the spell. A full 90 degree turn can cause the spell to be casted with an area as thin as the paper's width (this can result in wind walls if drawn correctly).

*A description of each mark can be found at "Truis Marks"*

#### **VARIABLES**

Variables are sigils that can be used multiple times to perform the same function over and over again. Variables can be placed anywhere in a circuit (as long as the circuit can read it). Variables are usually determines and given a value in a high-ranking glyph, and is used multiple times again in lower-ranking glyphs.

*A description of each mark can be found at "Glyph Variables"*

#### **SETTING THE CONDITIONS**

Similarly to marks, conditions are also sigils except that they are drawn in the outer glyph or the bridge. They're entirely optional and they're used to determine the conditions of the spell such as time, detection, repetition, etc.

Without conditions on a glyph, the default condition would be activation through tapping by Avians and Avians only. If the glyphist want activation through a different method, though, they will need to set a condition that tells the glyph to activate in a different way.

Conditions are read first in an activated glyph. Conditions are split into two types of conditions: ring conditions, and bridge conditions. Conditions can both be used for bridge and ring conditions.

*A description of each mark can be found at "Glyph Conditions"*

##### **RING CONDITIONS**

Ring conditions are conditions that are drawn on the circumference of glyphs in order to set a condition for that specific glyph.

##### **BRIDGE CONDITIONS**

Bridge conditions are conditions that are drawn on the bridge between glyphs. They determine if that condition is true in order to execute the next step of spell casting and pushing magic.

##### **VIRKIS**

Virkis are sigils being used as sub-conditions, basically to be more specific about the condition. For example: they're there to specify what does the glyph detect or contact in order to activate. Virkis consists of all glyph marks and some of their own unique ones. Virkis that are on bridges have their orders executed in the same order as how the rings are executed: from hasaeti to servi.

## CONNECTING GLYPHS

#### **CIRCUIT**

A circuit is one or more glyph that works together to create a spell or spells. A spell can be casted with several circuits or only one joining together and creating a conjoined result. A group of circuits is called a series. A circuit must always contain at least one glyph, and it is optional to contain a bridge and conditions.

##### **BRIDGE**

A bridge is a/several line(s) that connect glyphs to one another. Whether that be between a secondary glyph or primary glyph, or between a secondary glyph and onwards. There are 5 types of bridge: single, double, triple, quadruple, and quintuple. The type of bridges effect which ring is the aiding ring is going to aid in. Furthermore, bridge conditions and mark conditions can be drawn parallel to a bridge.

##### **PRIMARY GLYPH**

In a circuit, there is a primary glyph. A primary glyph is the center piece glyph of a circuit, and is also often referred to a center piece (glyphists only refer to it as this way when a circuit contains two or more glyphs). There is only one primary glyph in a circuit. Furthermore, the primary glyph is the most important glyph in the circuit, and is the surface in which the spell is casted and also the one connecting all other glyphs.

Primary glyphs are recognised by the fact that all glyphs branches off it, or the circle condition ring is placed on it.

##### **SECONDARY+ GLYPHS**

In a circuit containing two or more than two glyphs, then there will be secondary glyphs (Note: there are also tertiary, quartermary, etc. glyphs but they're less common). Secondary glyph is sometimes referred to the branch because they branch off the primary glyph. They are all connected to the primary glyph by bridges, and their primary goal is to aid in the casting of primary glyphs. They can be activated by conditions or instantaneously.

They are usually drawn when there's no more spaces on primary glyphs, the glyphists want to add another domain, or they want to make a complicated glyph will if's and else's. The lower ranks all aid to the higher ranks through bridges. Secondary+ glyphs don't need a regnis ring, and can even skip rings as the primary ring has already filled in that spot.

if a secondary+ glyph is a different domain than the primary ring, the glyphist must push in the appropriate domain magic into that secondary glyph. Moreover, having secondary rings will require more magic except when runnning an image glyph.

###### **IMAGE GLYPH**

Image glyphs are a special type of secondary glyph. This glyph aid in only conjuration, manipulation, and/or illusion. This glyph is connected to the primary glyph with a quintuple bridge. The image glyph only requires one ring. Inside the image glyph, the glyphist is free to draw anything with or without color. The image drawn in the glyph will be shaped out into the spell with the contents it is given.

The image glyph is only activated when the bridge has the "image" condition paired with either a conjuration, manipulation, or/and illusion condition mark.

###### **BREAK GLYPH**

Break glyphs are also similar to image glyphs except that it stops the spell when the code inside it is executed. This glyph is connected to the primary glyph with a single bridge and only has one ring. It must have a condition aside from image and repetition. After the condition is met, this glyph is shut down the whole spell and release magic back into the air (but not using the magic so it doesn't turn back to pure energy).

There is only one sigil that is used for this glyph, and it is the break crest. The break mark is also used as a symbol or sigil for various other things other than glyph art. This crest is a combination of the inward sigil and the outward sigil - female and male - to create a neutral state. The break crest "neutralises" the spell, and breaking it.

#### **LAWS OF CONNECTION**

To connect a primary and secondary glyph, you draw lines between the two, and those lines are, as previously mentioned, bridges. The number of lines signify the ring of the primary ring that the secondary's gonna aid for. For example: if the primary glyph has 4 rings and the secondary ring wishes to aid in ring 3 and 4, then the bridge will be a triple bridge - signifying that the secondary ring will start aiding on the 3rd ring and onwards.

If a glyphist wants only to aid in two rings that aren't in continous ascending order, they will do the same method as drawing bridges that will aid in a continous asending order, except that the glyphist can skip a ring in the secondary ring.

## ACTIVATING THE GLYPH

### **STEPS**

There are steps to activating a glyph: Setting the condition, powering it up, and performing the condition.

#### **SETTING THE CONDITIONS**

By default if there are no condition sigils at all, the default is going to be only Avians can activate it by tapping the glyph. If a condition is set and it tells that the glyph is activated not through tapping by avians but through detection or brushing or contact with other elements, for example, there is the activation condition. This condition sets a different condition in order to activate the glyph.

#### **POWERING IT UP**

To activate/power up the glyph, you must simply push magic into the glyph. You must remember that glyphs do not produce magic, they are (like any other methods) a pathway for magic to flow through and create a certain result. The magic must go in the only entrance - the keystone. The glyphist must push the magic through the keystone. If the magic isn't enough, the glyphist can always add more. When the glyphist is done adding, they must the entrance by tying a magical knot on the keystone - it feels like forming a rock from your fingertips. Tying this knot will keep the magic in. If the glyphist doesn't do this, the magic will flow out the moment they lift up the source of magic from the glyph - therefore wasting their magic (but not their ink or chalk).

To know how much magic is needed to activate it, the glyphist must analyze the keystone. The size of the keystone signifies the amount of domain magic that must be used for the glyph, and the type of domain magic it requires. If the glyphist uses a different domain magic, then the magic won't be pushed in. It is very similar to a key and a lock - where the right key (aka the magic) can unlock the entrance of the keystone and into the glyph.

To push magic into a glyph, a glyphist can do it through two main ways: raw and eilds. The glyphist, if a domainer or have a domainer aquaintence, can press their finger onto the keystone and push the magic in. Moreover, they can carry eilds and press the eilds against the keystone and pushing the magic in. Depending on the shape and quality of the eild, this process takes a longer time than a domainer pushing the magic in.

The glyphist usually know when it enough based on the fact that the brighter the glyph, the closer it is to the limit of the glyph. This is because glyph ink/chalk is extremely sensitive to magic, and glows when they react with magic. However, pushing too much magic in will burn the ink, therefore burning away their magical properties and rendering the glyph useless before the glyphist can even cast - and the magic is dispelled back into nature as magic.

#### **PERFORMING THE CONDITION**

If there are no condition sigils, an Avian must simply tap it. If the condition says otherwise or has a wider range of casting methods, then the glyph must meet those prequesites in order to cast the spell.

### **NOTES**

A glyph magic can only and *only* be casted when it meets the four most basic and most important element of the glyph: Material, accuracy, conditions, and magic. If at least one of them is missing, the glyph can not activate. Materials are the ink or chalk required to draw the glyph, and the surface on which the glyph is drawn. Accuracy is how well-drawn the glyph is - the more accurate, the better the magic can be chanelled. Magic is the thing that flows through the ink/chalk and must be there to have a result. And conditions are how/when/where/etc. the spell is casted.

## LIMITATIONS

Glyphs, like the other methods of casting magic, have obvious limitations to it.

### **PRECISION**

The quality of the glyph hugely depends on the accuracy of each sigil, the circles, the keystone, and how it mirrors one another. If the accuracy of each image is incorrect, the spell becomes unstable and magic can be wasted and spent before the spell can be casted correctly. Moreover, precision of the magic put into the glyph is also an extremely huge deal. Too little magic and the spell fails to work and the magic is spent. Too much magic then the glyph self-destructs and the ink is burnt.

### **INK & POWDER**

To draw glyphs is to need a special type of ink or powder. So a glyphist can not draw with normal ink/chalk and must use special ink or powder. Furthermore, the production of these ink and powder are watched very carefully by the government, and they're restricted to how many they can produce per week and how much ink/powder makers are there.

Glyphists must be licensed in order to buy these, and they can only buy a certain amount per week. The glyphists buying them must be licensed, and the producer they're buying from must also be licensed. With either party aren't licensed, both can get in trouble with the court of lawful magic.

### **KNOWLEDGE**

Glyphs are a very very modern method of casting magic - therefore the knowledge about it is limited. Studying the field of glyphology is a very scholarly pursuit, and so there are very little official books documenting glyphs with precise and accurate information. Glyphists (both students and masters) msut rely on their own and each other's notes to learn and must depend on self learning and discovering new breakthroughs.

### **APPRENTICESHIPS**

Glyphs are one of the hardest to master art of casting out there, and masters rarely ever take apprenticeships. So glyphist numbers are small. Additionally, the government controls the amount of glyphists there are and keeps track of them in case things get out of hand and society springs into chaos and illegal trades happen. Glyphology apprenticeships take in the most talented geometrists, mathmaticians, logicians and magic theorist they can get their hands on.