The Coppermind

Steel alphabet

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Steel alphabet
Related to Allomancy
Type Language
World of Origin Scadrial
Universe Cosmere

The Steel alphabet was the set of glyphs used on Scadrial. It has been shown that the glyphs evolved over time.[1]

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 Japanese numerals—double-number pairs are used to represent the order of magnitude and the number in that position respectively.[2]

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.[3]

During the technological advancement after the Final Ascension, the symbols used during the Final Empire were tweaked to become easier for printing.[4]

“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.[5]

Symbols and their MeaningsEdit

The mapping between the English and Steel alphabet was first achieved by Valkynphyre of the 17th Shard.[6]

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.[7][8][9][10] This practice of dot placement to distinguish vowels evolved within 100 years of The Alloy of Law.[8] The dot can also be moved around in non-vowels for various reasons.[9]

The letter Q is not present in the alphabet, the sound is depicted via a kw.[11]

The Steel glyphs corresponding to the eight basic metals are also used to express (inter)cardinal directions.[12]

A rotated Copper glyph (sans the dot) is used to depict Clips.[13][14].

Cadmium is used to represent degrees in temperature.[15]


  Iron   Steel   Tin   Pewter
1 2 3 4
B

West

P

Northwest

E/I[10]

North

O/U[10]

Northeast

  Zinc   Brass   Copper   Bronze
5 6 7 8
L

East

R

Southeast

D

South

T

Southwest

  Cadmium   Bendalloy   Gold   Electrum
9 10 11 12
G K M N
  Chromium   Nicrosil   Aluminum   Duralumin
13 14 15 16
W Y Z S
  Atium   Malatium   unknown   unknown
unknown unknown 256[2][13] 4096[2][13]
V F J C[16]/Ch?
  unknown   unknown   Lerasium   unknown
unknown unknown unknown 0
H X[16]/Sh A unknown

Evolution of the Steel AlphabetEdit

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 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.[17]

Metal Ancient Terris (pre 0 FE) Intermediary Late Final Empire (c. 1022 FE) c. 341 PC (print font)[17] Terris alphabet
Iron          
Steel          
Tin          
Pewter          
Zinc          
Brass          
Copper          
Bronze          
Cadmium          
Bendalloy          
Gold          
Electrum          
Chromium          
Nicrosil          
Aluminum          
Duralumin          
Atium          
Malatium          
unknown        
unknown        
unknown        
unknown        
Lerasium          
Ettmetal          
unknown        

TriviaEdit

  • The distinguishing of vowels by different placement of a dot is based upon the extinct, but partially revived, Baybayin Script.[7]
  • Isaac Stewart has previously confirmed that the Feruchemical symbols for chromium and nicrosil were mistakenly swapped on the Feruchemy Table.[18]

NotesEdit

  1. ↑ symbols used in WoA & HoA
  2. ↑ a b c Edition Number in Elendel Daily
    — 17th Shard forums - 14 November 2011#
  3. ↑ Feruchemical metal table
  4. ↑ the font, said by Peter, used in AoL
  5. ↑ Isaac's Mistborn artwork
    — wayback machine - 2012-05-10#
  6. ↑ Treatise Metallurgic translation
    — 17th Shard forums - 01 May 2012#
  7. ↑ a b General Twitter 2018
    — Arcanum - 2018-10-01#
  8. ↑ a b Miscellaneous 2012
    — Arcanum - 2012-05-07#
  9. ↑ a b Crafty Games Mistborn Dice Livestream with Isaac Stewart
    — Arcanum - 2019-11-21#
  10. ↑ a b c Badali jewelry - Steel Alphabet ring page
    — Badali Jewelry #
  11. ↑ JordanCon 2021
    — Arcanum - 2021-07-16#
  12. ↑ Map of Luthadel
  13. ↑ a b c Elendel Daily
  14. ↑ Isaac Stewart r/Stormlight_Archive AMA
    — Arcanum - 2019-10-01#
  15. ↑ The Two Seasons Broadsheet
  16. ↑ a b Mistborn Coins Kickstarter (Translations under images of coins)
    — Shire Post Mint Kickstarter - 28 September 2017#
  17. ↑ a b Correction to the steel alphabet
    — 17th Shard forums - 30 September 2018#
  18. ↑ Miscellaneous 2018
    — Arcanum - 2018-09-17#
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