Ethereal Runes

Ethereal Runes are the alphabet of a writing system conceived and used by the Shapers, primarily used as the main (and the sole direct) tool used for controlling and manipulating Ethereal Energy. The exact meaning of the set of runes in unknown, though it’s widely theorized they describe connections, motions and amounts for different EE forms, mapping an extensive range of possibilities.

This alphabet consists of 60 commonly used and 55 rather rarely used “special” Ethereal Runes.

Structure

Every letter is representable in a graph of 25 nodes, arranged in 5 rows and 5 columns; each node represent a type of Ethereal Energy. The runes themselves consist of the connections drawn between the dots.

In raster graphics, 9x9 = 81 pixels are necessary to depict each rune. While the most widespread representation of the alphabet (including said digital display) consists of 90-degree angles only, handwritings containing curvature can still hold their functionality.

Usage

Ethereal Runes are usually either carved into durable materials, or painted then covered in durable coating. Among humans, tattoos are also frequently used. Runes written into fragile matters (paper, sand, cloth, glass, etc.) can also provide functionality, but with smaller efficiency rate.

Runes carved into a surface are inert on its own; the comprehension and vocalization of said rune by a sentient entity is required in order to apply its effects on any material. This technique is called cast and for non-human races, this is the only way of Ethereal Energy channeling, aside of limited access to metafocus - a technique, which has the potential to apply a force on material other then the bearer of the inscription.

Naming planets of the Cosmic Disk

read more at the corresponding article!

As mentioned above, the Shaper race, at least in the final millennia, used Ethereal Runes as their definitive writing system; scientists suspect this might have been the source of their immense abilities beyond a point of their technological advancement.

Likely as a consequence, every Planet Monument bears an insignia plate at the base of its tower, presumably as a code name used in navigation between portals. Whether the Shapers ever used the Planet Monuments effectively is not known; however, since each of them is proven to have a unique insignia, and since every planet and natural satellite (aside of gas giants) has a Planet Monument, this phenomena became a practical form of planet naming system for many cultures.

Since it’s not known, whether any of the names has any significance, certain races, including humans, started to give unique names for their land, using the Planet Monument naming only as a technical parameter in navigation.

List of Ethereal Runes

Common Runes

Ab, Ai, An, Ao, Ar, Au Be, Bi, Bo Ca, Co, Cu Da, De, Di Ei, El, Ep, Er, Ev Ia, Ib, Is, Iv Ga, Go Ha, He Ka, Ke, Ki La, Lu Ma, Me, Mi Na, Ne, Ni Ob, On, Op Pi, Po Ra, Re, Ri, Ro, Ru Sa, Se, Ta, Te Uv, Ua Va, Vi, Vo, Vu Za, Ze, Zi

Special Runes

Bon (from “Bo”), Boq (from “Bo”), Bor (from “Bo”) Cai (from “Ai”), Cao (from “Ao”), Cko, Clu, Cyar Dan, Dar (from “Ar”), Dis, Dorg, Dok, Dox Eje, Eni Gao (from “Ao”) Hak, Han (from “Ha”), Hel (from “El”), Hua, Hva Khe, Kre Lar Mak (from “Ma”), Mal (from “Ma”), Mö Nab (from “Na”), Neo (from “Ne”), Nex (from “Ne”), Nos, Nyk Och, Ota Pel Rea (from “Re”), Rob, Roi, Rio (from “Ri”), Ris, Ros Sen, Ses, Shi, Spi Tem, Tov, Tzui Vek, Vel, Voz (from “Vo”) Ya Xio, Xy