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Difference between revisions of "Glyphs"

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{{culture
  
{{culture
 
|image=Kholin Crest.svg
  
|image=Kholin Crest.svg
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|image-artist=[[Isaac Stewart]]
 
|world=Roshar
  
|world=Roshar
 
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
  
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]

Revision as of 11:07, 5 May 2016

Glyphs
Kholin Crest.svg
by Isaac Stewart
World of Origin Roshar
This page or section needs to be updated with new information for Words of Radiance!
Be aware that in its current state, it may not include all additional content yet.
This page or section deals with theories or speculation.
Please read carefully and note that this is not necessarily canonical.

Glyphs were a form of writing used on Roshar during the Era of Solitude, that were said to have been given to the Rosharans by the Dawnsingers.[1]

Glyphs

While the lines of the glyph itself have meaning, it is often drawn as a pictograph, in the shape of its meaning, so those who cannot read glyphs, such as illiterate servants,[2] can still understand what they mean.[3] There are both major and minor glyphs, as well as more topical glyphs.[4] In keeping with Vorin belief, the glyphs have bilateral symmetry.[2] The sounds they represent are also pronounced symmetrically. There are ten fundamental glyphs.[5] Glyphs can easily be drawn in complicated ways that make it difficult to identify what they are, unless a person knows what they are looking for.[6]

Known Glyphs

idi
Meaning unknown[7]
khakh
Determination[8]
khokh
Meaning unknown, often drawn in the shape of a crown[9]
lerel
Meaning unknown[10]
linil
Meaning unknown, often drawn in the shape of a tower[9] or a sword[11]
merem
Honor[8]
morom
Meaning unknown[12]
nahn
Meaning unknown, likely tied the caste nahn[13]
parap
Meaning unknown[7]
sas
Meaning unknown[13]
shash
Dangerous[12]
shesh
Meaning unknown[10]
thath
Justice, had a very complex shape[14]
  • Glyphs

  • Khokh, stylized to look like a crown

  • Linil, stylized to look like a tower

  • Nahn

  • Sas

  • Shash

  • Freedom

  • Kholin

  • Tanat

  • Bridge Four

  • The Year 1173 (Stylized)

Uses

Despite the Vorin ban on men reading, it is permissible for them to read glyphs.[3] However, mostly they look at the pictographs and could not actually identify what a glyph meant if it was not drawn in the form of its meaning.[15] When a man is able to read glyphs not drawn in the shape of their meaning, it is still remarkable, especially if the man is a darkeyes.[16] Stormwardens' books are written in glyphs.[17]

Glyphs are inexplicably tied to the Heralds and Knights Radiant. They are inscribed upon all of the Honorblades.[18] In fact the hilts of the Honorblades are themselves the bases of the swordglyphs. The hilt of those glyphs are the symbols of the Knights Radiant. These are possibly the ten fundamental glyphs. They also appear on some Shardblades.[5] When Shardplate was worn by Radiants before the Recreance, it had glowing glyphs etched into the plate that trailed vapor corresponding to the Radiant's order.[19] These have since vanished for unknown reasons.[20] Some of these glyphs were known in the Era of Solitude, and others were not.

Glyphs are pervasive in decorations of all sorts. Glyphs are often put on clothing. They are often sewn into military uniforms, depending on the highprince the soldier serves.[21] Alethi women sometimes wore dresses patterned with glyphs.[22] The Parshendi have weapons, such as daggers, decorated with carved unfamiliar glyphs.[6][15]

Sometimes glyphs were believed to be able to be used to tell the future, by using extrapolations of the tenth glyphic paradigm. This was considered to be nothing but superstition.[1]

Glyphpairs

Glyphpairs are used for a variety of things. Most commonly they serve as the crest for various families of lighteyes.[11] These glyphpairs were used on maps of the Shattered Plains to show which highprince owned what plateaus.[23] Glyphpairs were also used to designate body parts in anatomical diagrams.[24]

Glyphpairs are also used to mark slaves.[12] The glyphpair of the district they were enslaved in is branded onto their forehead to signify their new caste. The addition of a shash glyph, marking a dangerous slave, can make it difficult to get a good price for the slave.[11]

Known Glyphpairs

  • khokh linil - House Kholin's glyphpair, in the shape of a tower and crown for most of House Kholin,[9] but in the shape of a sword and crown for King Elhokar.[9][11]
  • merem khakh - Amaram's glyphpair drawn in the shape of a whitespine[8]
  • sas morom - Slave brand, glyphpair of a highlord's district[12]
  • sas nahn - Slave brand, possible glyphpair for Amaram's district[13]
  • sebes laial - Highprince Sebarial's glyphpair, in the shape of a deep gold skyeel on a black field.[25]
  • shesh lerel - Sheler's glyphpair[26]

Other Glyphpairs

In addition to the named glyphpairs, one other is known:

Glyphwards

Glyphwards
Related to Vorinism
World of Origin Roshar

Glyphwards are prayers, written in the form of glyphs, that are used in Vorinism. Glyphwards can be a short in length as a single glyph,[14] or as long as several glyphs strung together.[28] They do take some skill to draw well and neatly, so a person who can draw glyphwards calligraphically well is considered to have an impressive ability.[4] After a glyphward is created, whether through drawing or sewing it into cloth,[28] it is burned to send the soul of the prayer to the Almighty. If the prayer fails to be answered, it is simply treated as his will. In addition to sending prayers to the Almighty, glyphwards often appeal to one of the Heralds, such as Jezerezeh'Elin, the Stormfather.[28] Glyphs were also drawn on surfaces with burn ink, and then set on fire to burn a glyph onto something.[14]

The prayers sent by glyphwards vary quite a bit. Some are burned before a an action, for a blessing such as luck or success.[29] Others are burned in a prayer of thanksgiving for some perceived blessing.[2] Some glyphwards are commissioned to absolve sins, such as visiting the Nightwatcher.[30] When a person dies or is in danger, his or her wife or daughters will create glyphwards to pray for that person.[14] Glyphwards are also believed to be able to turn away evil.[31]

On some occasions, glyphwards are not burned right away, or at all. A bride's prayer is a glyphward made up of a glyphpair.[32] A woman who is to be married has it sewn onto her sleeve. After the engagement is formally announced, the prayer is removed and burned. Other times, a glyphward is simply sewn onto a person's sleeve in the event that they ever need it, in which case it would be burned.[32] Some are simply worn for protection or good fortune, without ever needing to be burned.[28] On occasion, Rosharans will even get tattoos of glyphwards.[33]

Women are the only ones to typically make glyphwards,[9] although both men and women make use of them. In addition to being homemade, glyphwards are often purchased from luckmerches or apothecaries,[31] the latter of which will often decorate their shops will glyphwards.[34] Ardents will also burn prayers to the Almighty, to help the people they serve.[35]

More scientifically minded or more logical Rosharans deplore glyphwards as mere nonsense and superstition.[4][34] Some wonder why, if the Almighty is omniscient, he needs to have a prayer burned to him before he can aid someone.[22]

Notes

  1. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 33#
  2. ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 8#
  3. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 3#
  4. ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 5#
  5. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 13#
  6. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 27#
  7. ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 52#
  8. ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 47#
  9. ↑ a b c d e The Way of Kings chapter 28#
  10. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 67#
  11. ↑ a b c d The Way of Kings chapter 4#
  12. ↑ a b c d The Way of Kings chapter 2#
  13. ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 51#
  14. ↑ a b c d The Way of Kings chapter 69#
  15. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 59#
  16. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 1#
  17. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 60#
  18. ↑ Prelude to the Stormlight Archive#
  19. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 19#
  20. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 26#
  21. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 18#
  22. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 43#
  23. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 24#
  24. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 31#
  25. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 40#
  26. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 77#
  27. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 6#
  28. ↑ a b c d The Way of Kings chapter 62#
  29. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 49#
  30. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 61#
  31. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 25#
  32. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 44#
  33. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 55#
  34. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 17#
  35. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 37#
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