Scrivening

Having long been a staple in the repertoire of wizards across the ages, Scrivening has been viewed by most arcane scholars as absolutely essential to the practice of any magical craft. Whether it is the Disciplines of Personal Magic or the Schools of World Magic, Scrivening is often referred to as the single most universal practice of them all.

Origins

It is not exactly clear where Scrivening came from. Among the Hytori, it is said that this was the very first language ever written. Parts of their culture allude to it being the language of the gods themselves. Other sources speak to dragons first showing mortals how to use pictographs through the art of scrivening. Regardless, the stories of its origins are many with no common theme being found in any of them.

Tools

The tools required to perform Scrivening are among the most common and easily acquired when it comes to the Schools of World Magic. While some of the more advanced tools are more expensive, very few of the materials needed to practice Scrivening are particularly dangerous or arduous to retrieve.

Dragonshard Foci

Common among the schools of world magic, is the dragonshard foci. Their shapes are many with some being as simple as a ring, an amulet, a wand or even a staff. It does not matter the shape of the tool in question. These tools are often inscribed with pictographs themselves in order to more accurately control and direct the energies inside them. While this is not required, it often becomes standard practice for most world mages to use more specialized tools in their work. The primary purpose of these tools is to be used as the method by which a world mage’s pictographs are awoken to the presence of aether.

Spellwright’s Ink

Created by Runeforgers, the Spellwright’s Ink is highly coveted by practically every Scrivener in existence. Freeing Scrivener’s of the requirement to awaken their pictographs to the presence of aether themselves, the Spellwright’s Ink is already magically infused and can be used quickly to draw pictographs of varying degrees of power and efficacy. The higher the quality of ink, the more advanced the runes that can be written or drawn with it.

Sorcerer’s Sand

Created by Runeforgers, the Sorcerer’s Sand is used in much the same fashion as Spellwright’s Ink is. The difference being where the ink is often applied specifically to parchment or smaller surfaces for more finely detailed rune writing, Sorcerer’s Sand is spread across a broader surface area and used to either draw symbols in at large or to craft the shape of the symbols directly. It is most commonly used to serve as the canvas upon which ritual circles are drawn. As with the ink, the higher the quality of Sorcerer’s Sand, the more advanced the spellwork one can achieve with it.

Miscellaneous

Regardless of whether magical or mundane, the only thing a Scrivener needs to practice their art is the ability to draw a pictograph and to awaken it to the presence of aether. The drawing or writing of the pictograph can be done with a mundane ink and quill, hammer and chisel, blood or just symbols drawn in the dirt or sand. So long as the symbols are awoken to the presence of aether, they can be used toward magical work from there.

The Art of Pictography

Scrivening is the School of World Magic that is devoted solely to the application and study of the Art of Pictography at large. Some of the most learned magical scholars in history have been masters of Scrivening as the school lends itself to a deeper understanding of World and Personal Magic. At its fundamental level, the art of pictography is nothing more than the study of and application of lines, patterns and symbols in order to redirect the energies of either magic directed at them or the aether inherent in the objects they’re drawn upon. While a broad subject, its implementation is built upon rather straightforward concepts.

In general, pictographs are always temporary. Once the purpose for which the pictograph has been created has been met, the energies in the pictograph dissipate unless in its writing or drawing the symbols have been made permanent through clever means.

All Scrivener’s from the humblest beginner to the most practiced master can perform the techniques described below. It is merely the efficacy to which they apply them and the skill and speed at which they can string more complex pictographs together that changes.

Mirror

The Mirror is a symbol whose sole purpose is to absorb, copy and reflect the aether directed at it. A cornerstone of most magical crafting practices, the mirror has seen many powerful uses both to the detriment and growth of mages worldwide. A mirror will immediately release the aether that comes into contact with it without delay unless augmented with other techniques described below.

Path

A path is exactly that, it is a path affording the corresponding energies produced by the inherent object, a direction they will most likely travel. It is typically carved into the surface of the object using a hammer and chisel. Conversely it is drawn upon smoother surfaces. The path is nothing more than a line travelling vertically, horizontally or diagonally across the surface of whatever it is drawn upon. The more powerful the aether coming into contact with the path, the more difficult the energies are to redirect and the more powerful the tools needed to redirect them.

Convergence

A convergence occurs when two paths cross. This is done to achieve a variety of outcomes. Firstly, it creates a focal point that serves as a junction through which the energies flowing through them can meet and then be dispersed in a more controlled fashion. Secondly, a convergence can serve as a point of redirection when implementing a more complex pattern across any surface.

Continuum

A continuum is a more advanced form of a convergence. The difference is that while a convergence is intended to redirect and disperse the energy that flows through it immediately, the continuum is meant to capture that energy. The continuum then feeds that energy into itself in order to build the highest momentum of focus possible for the energy flowing through it. Additionally, it can be enabled to capture energy added to whatever it is drawn upon. Users should be warned however, that every object has a threshold of what can be contained within it. Caution should be used before applying continuums to such a degree as to breach that threshold.

Vortex

The vortex is employed in more complex patterns. It is a stabilizing tool used to accomodate for errant energy that might escape the various paths, convergences and continuum’s. The purpose of the vortex is to draw those energies into their focal points and then redistribute them back into the pictograph in order to mitigate the chances of things going awry.

Glyph

The glyph is the most complex form of pictography in a Scrivener’s arsenal. Consisting of many paths, convergences, continuum’s and vortexes, the glyph is often very artful is appearance. Rarely are any two glyphs alike. The energies handled by each and every pictograph, while similar, are all unique and thus require different patterns to accomodate. Glyphs are used when the energies being used are only to be released in very precise and controlled manners with as minimal chance for deviation from that purpose as possible.

Tier Progression

Novice (1-24)

Taking the first steps into understanding the art of pictography, the novice Scrivener is spending the majority of their time grasping the basic concepts of each facet of the world magic. They are focused on determining their own symbols, their uses, and how to effectively awaken their symbols to the presence of aether. Even the simplest pictographs made by a novice usually take several minutes to create with the most complex forms taking several hours if not days to make with any hope of it being effective. None of their pictographs are permanent or even very long-lasting.

Apprentice (25-49)

With a solid understanding of the basics of Scrivening firmly in hand, the apprentice can more reliably step out on their own. At this stage the apprentice typically has a grimoire of symbols and shapes representing basic concepts at their disposal. While most of their pictographs are still simple and straightforward in design, they are now able to reliably fashion pictographs capable of binding most weak forms of magic. Attempting to work with more powerful aether or magic is ill-advised as the finesse required to work with such energies still escapes them. Forming pictographs still takes several minutes with the more complex forms still taking upwards of several hours. Their pictographs are still relatively short-lived and still cannot be made permanent.

Journeyman (50-74)

With a competent understanding of pictographs and how they work, the Journeyman Scrivener can more comfortably and creatively apply their craft. The ability to loosely tie in multiple pictographs into a much larger pattern becomes viable though still tedious and time consuming. The speed and efficacy at which they can form and handle the basic functions of pictographs means their creations are more long-lasting with their most complex works, if cleverly made, can even find permanency.

Expert (75-99)

The idea of more advanced and complex spellwork becomes a reality for the Expert Scrivener. Complex rituals and permanency to their pictographs are attainable if they so desire. The speed at which an expert can create their pictographs is such that only the most complex forms of them are time consuming. Working with more powerful forms of aether and magic can be done reliably.

Master (100)

The Master Scrivener is a thing of legend, with some arcane scholars believing it was through the work of such masters that the likes of Negation or Summoning was discovered. Truly limitless in their ability to creatively apply pictographs. Even the most complex of glyphs can be created by a master in but a single day if they are left undisturbed. The Master Scrivener is limited only by their own understanding of how to redirect and manipulate aether with their pictographs.