Editing Steel alphabet

{{culture
|related=[[Allomancy]]
|type={{cat tag|Language}}
|world=Scadrial
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[Mistborn (series)]]
}}
The '''Steel alphabet''' was the set of glyphs used on [[Scadrial]]. It has been shown that the glyphs evolved over time.{{ref|name=symbols}}

Most of the symbols were also used to represent various metals and numbers. The steel alphabet used a base-16 numbering system with a positional structure similar to [[wikipedia:Japanese numerals|Japanese numerals]]&mdash;double-number pairs are used to represent the order of magnitude and the number in that position respectively.{{ref|name=17s-broad-numbers}}

At some point the alphabet diverged such that the symbols used to represent [[Feruchemical]] metals were distinct to those used by [[Allomancy]] and the general alphabet.{{ref|name=Feruchemy table}}

During the technological advancement after the [[Final Ascension]], the symbols used during the [[Final Empire]] were tweaked to become easier for printing.{{ref|name=font}}

{{quote
|The three sets of symbols show the progression of the Allomantic text through the ages. The earliest script is from Hero of Ages. It was changed and modified into the Terris script symbols we see in Well of Ascension. After more time, the Terris script morphed into what is now known as the Allomantic Alphabet or the Steel Alphabet, which are the symbols used in Mistborn: The Final Empire. We've extrapolated the Steel Alphabet into a script that's more-standardized and refined for the chapter headings in Alloy of Law, which takes place 300 years after Hero of Ages.
|[[Isaac Stewart]] on the history of the icons.{{ref|name=isaacs-site}}
}}

== Symbols and their Meanings ==
The mapping between the English and Steel alphabet was first achieved by Valkynphyre of the 17th Shard.{{17s ref|topic|1905|text=Treatise Metallurgic translation|poster=Valkynphyre|date=01 May 2012}} 

The tin & pewter symbols corresponding to E/I and O/U are distinct, and can be identified by the position of the dot; E places the dot below and to the left of the spike, similar to the O placement, and U places the dot next to the top of the outer curved spike.{{wob ref|11029}}{{wob ref|11240}}{{wob ref|13293}}{{url ref|name=rings|url=https://badalijewelry.com/collections/brandon-sanderson/products/custom-steel-alphabet-ring|text=Badali jewelry - Steel Alphabet ring page|site=Badali Jewelry}} This practice of dot placement to distinguish vowels evolved within 100 years of [[The Alloy of Law]].{{wob ref|11240}} The dot can also be moved around in non-vowels for various reasons.{{wob ref|13293}}

The letter Q is not present in the alphabet, the sound is depicted via a ''kw''.{{wob ref|14938}}

The Steel glyphs corresponding to the eight basic metals are also used to express (inter)cardinal directions.{{map ref|Luthadel}}

A rotated Copper glyph is used to depict Clips.{{ref|name=Elendel-daily}}{{wob ref|13020}}. 

<!-- Top of the compass actually points to the north{{book ref|mb1|13}} -->

{| class=infobox width=100%
|-
! rowspan=3 | [[File:Iron.svg|100x100px]]
| Iron

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Steel.svg|100x100px]]
| Steel

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Tin.svg|100x100px]]
| Tin

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Pewter.svg|100x100px]]
| Pewter

|-
| 1
| 2
| 3
| 4

|-
| B
West
| P
Northwest
| E/I{{ref|name=rings}}
North
| O/U{{ref|name=rings}}
Northeast

|-
! rowspan=3 | [[File:Zinc.svg|100x100px]]
| Zinc

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Brass.svg|100x100px]]
| Brass

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Copper.svg|100x100px]]
| Copper

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Bronze.svg|100x100px]]
| Bronze

|-
| 5
| 6
| 7
| 8

|-
| L
East
| R
Southeast
| D
South
| T
Southwest

|-
! rowspan=3 | [[File:Cadmium.svg|100x100px]]
| Cadmium

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Bendalloy.svg|100x100px]]
| Bendalloy

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Gold.svg|100x100px]]
| Gold

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Electrum.svg|100x100px]]
| Electrum

|-
| 9
| 10
| 11
| 12

|-
| G
| K
| M
| N

|-
! rowspan=3 | [[File:Chromium.svg|100x100px]]
| Chromium

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Nicrosil.svg|100x100px]]
| Nicrosil

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Aluminum.svg|100x100px]]
| Aluminum

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Duralumin.svg|100x100px]]
| Duralumin

|-
| 13
| 14
| 15
| 16

|-
| W
| Y
| Z
| S

|-
! rowspan=3 | [[File:Atium.svg|100x100px]]
| Atium

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Malatium.svg|100x100px]]
| Malatium

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Allomancy 19 (Final Empire).svg|100x100px]]
| ''unknown''

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Allomancy 20 (Final Empire).svg|100x100px]]
| ''unknown''

|-
| ''unknown''
| ''unknown''
| 256{{ref|name=17s-broad-numbers}}{{ref|name=Elendel-daily}}
| 4096{{ref|name=17s-broad-numbers}}{{ref|name=Elendel-daily}}

|-
| V
| F
| J
| C{{ref|name=coinsKickstarter}}/Ch?

|-
! rowspan=3 | [[File:Allomancy 21 (Final Empire).svg|100x100px]]
| ''unknown''

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Allomancy 22 (Final Empire).svg|100x100px]]
| ''unknown''

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Lerasium.svg|100x100px]]
| Lerasium

! rowspan=3 | [[File:Allomancy 0 (Final Empire).svg|100x100px]]
| ''unknown''

|-
| ''unknown''
| ''unknown''
| ''unknown''
| 0

|-
| H
| X{{ref|name=coinsKickstarter}}/Sh
| A
| ''unknown''

|}

== Evolution of the Steel Alphabet ==
The following table shows both the evolution of the symbols used in the steel alphabet, which have come to be associated with [[Allomancy]], as well as the separate set of symbols that developed to represent the [[Feruchemy|Feruchemical]] use of metals.

The form of letters shown in 341 PC are not a true evolution of the script, but are instead simply a different font for the same letters.{{17s ref|topic|78422|text=Correction to the steel alphabet|poster=argent|date=30 September 2018}}

{| class=infobox width=100%
|- class=title
! width=10% | Metal
! width=18% | Ancient Terris (pre 0 FE)
! width=18% | Intermediary
! width=18% | Late Final Empire (c. {{date|1022|FE}})
! width=18% | c. {{date|341|PC}} (print font){{17s ref|topic|78422|text=Correction to the steel alphabet|poster=argent|date=30 September 2018}}
! width=18% | Terris alphabet
|-
{{/row|Iron}}
{{/row|Steel}}
{{/row|Tin}}
{{/row|Pewter}}
{{/row|Zinc}}
{{/row|Brass}}
{{/row|Copper}}
{{/row|Bronze}}
{{/row|Cadmium}}
{{/row|Bendalloy}}
{{/row|Gold}}
{{/row|Electrum}}
{{/row|Chromium}}
{{/row|Nicrosil}}
{{/row|Aluminum}}
{{/row|Duralumin}}
{{/row|Atium}}
{{/row|Malatium}}
{{/num-row|19}}
{{/num-row|20}}
{{/num-row|21}}
{{/num-row|22}}
{{/row|Lerasium}}
{{/row|Ettmetal|mb3=&nbsp;|mb2=&nbsp;}}
{{/num-row|0|mb2=&nbsp;}}
|}

== Trivia ==
* The distinguishing of vowels by different placement of a dot is based upon the extinct, but partially revived, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baybayin Baybayin Script].{{wob ref|11029}}

== Notes ==
<references>

{{ref|name=symbols|text=symbols used in WoA & HoA}}
{{ref|name=Feruchemy table|text=Feruchemical metal table}}
{{ref|name=font|text=the font, said by Peter, used in AoL}}

{{17s ref|name=17s-broad-numbers|topic|1157|text=Edition Number in Eleden Daily|poster=discipleofhoid|date=14 November 2011}}

{{file ref|name=Elendel-daily|Elendel Daily broadsheet.png|Elendel Daily}}

{{url ref
|name=isaacs-site
|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20120510041032/http://www.isaacstewart.com/mistborn-series-artwork/
|text=Isaac's Mistborn artwork
|site=wayback machine
|date=2012-05-10
}}

{{url ref
|name=coinsKickstarter
|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shirepostmint/mistborn-coins
|text=Mistborn Coins Kickstarter (Translations under images of coins)
|site=Shire Post Mint Kickstarter
|date=28 September 2017
}}

</references>
{{partial}}
{{Mistborn}}
[[category: Metallic Arts|~]]