Thursday, April 13, 2017

Orthography - 1

This will just be an overview post; Later, I'll make more in-depth posts about the individual writing systems.

Elessic has four native writing systems, but (unlike Japanese), it uses only one at a time, and two of them are rarely used at all.

kyarɪþ

Kyarith ("Earth Script") is a rune-like alphabet favored by the Wood Elves for the ease with which it can be carved into hard materials. High Elves dislike for aesthetic reasons. I have this one planned out, but I don't ever do anything with it.

gwɪlɪþ

Gwilith ("Cloud Script") is an abugida favored by the High Elves for its beauty and efficiency. It is the main writing system that I focus on, and I've spent quite a bit of time refining it, including adding ligatures. Each glyph is composed of individual pieces which indicate the Place, Manner, and Voice of the sound its represents. I'll definitely do a tutorial on how to write in it... some day.

pazɪþ

Pazith ("Fire Script") is an abugida visibly similar to Gwilith, but more streamlined and with less variety of shape. It's used as short-hand, and in practicing magic. I planned this out on a napkin once, but didn't care enough to hang on to it. Mechanically, it's identical to Gwlitith, just with the "pieces" replaced with more efficient (if less immediately legible).

delɪþ

Delith ("Water Script") is still almost entirely unplanned as of yet. All I know is it will be inefficient, written vertically (as opposed to LTR like the rest of the systems), and used primarily in art for its beauty.

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