Dracon Scelerograph, Talonscribes & Dracon Typer
DRAGON SCELEROGRAPH
Throughout Aetheus's history, the dragons were credited with composing the first written language, founding their own ancient empires and did many services to the mortal races. They were credited with also passing the knowledge, and thus the evolution, of magic and its teachings and power. Through this, magic has been passed down through generations, as has the evolution of language in its written form, derived originally from the words of power that the Dragons set in the stones of the mountains and lands in which they held dominion. This written form became the fundamental basis of written forms of language for many races, which has thus become its own unique language. Writing has enabled the existence of civilisation, to track the histories of the mortal races, to communicate over vast distances through letters, scrolls or even stone and clay tablets. But of all its achievements, it has allowed the transcription and creation of magical spells.
This is significant, as the symbols in which dragons used to create their written form of language was developed through the etchings of their claws. Beginning with simple horizontal, vertical or diagonal cuts and scratches, until it took better form and more refined versions that became geometric shapes with correct and precise strokes of their reptilian claws.
These symbols and markings, imbued with the ancient and primordial magic of the primaeval world became alive with magic - and evolved themselves as living manifestations of power and meaning. Specifically to these dragons of old, it became known as Asgorathai, but most commonly refer to it today as 'Dragonmarks'.
Each symbol, etching of stone and claw mark was collected, compiled and archived each of these marks of power in their raw state - and formed the first typefaces to inscribe and gift to their loyal compatriots, the Dragonborn, to endow them with their draconic magic and bloodlines. Giving them an innate talent to utilise these symbols, and intrinsically know their meaning and bond with the raw power they unleashed.
These marks were then given as tools to be utilised at a moments notice to endow power into those loyal to the dragons and to destroy whoever dared to cross them. Giving rise to the powerful artefacts and tools known as the Scelerograph.
The Dracon Scelerograph is a magical and mechanical machine for typing, etching and scrivening powerful and particular characters that form a range of minor to major words of power. Typically, in comparison to other typewriters that have been produced in other cultures in the present, they have an array of keys, each one causing a different single character to produce on paper or other materials by striking an inked ribbon selectively against the material with a type element. However...
ANCIENT SCELEROGRAPHS
But this is an ancient device that is shaped strangely, like a spherical orb. There are two flat surfaces on the top and bottom of the orb, housing a translucent prismatic crystal at the bottom that glows in the light, whilst the top of the orb holds a handle that opens and can retract a cylindrical and hollow tube which is inlaid with a strong durable and dark metal. The surface of the orb consists of 12 rotatable circular rings each with 36 miniature cubic buttons across each ring, each button carved with the image of a symbol (Dragonmark) with a pair of vertical lines connecting to the top to the bottom flat surface, dividing the rotatable rings into four sections. An additional singular rotatory 3-D axis is suspended out of the orb, which can be rotated diagonally and horizontally to position across any of the 432 buttons, and a powerful transparent square gem lens hovers above any one of these buttons and can be pressed to retract an imprint of the symbol on any single or multiple cubic button. The axis can then be rotated back to the top of the orb and pressed into the cylinder. The symbols then appear to glow and channel the power of any single or multiple combinations of these symbols, and wherever the bottom of the orb faces - the symbols project out in prismatic light and become burned, inscribed or etched into whatever surface or material it is facing, whether flat or multi-dimensional. The full nature of this device is mostly unknown to any except the Dragons, and its power is beyond complete understanding.
The Dracon Scelerograph has prominent significance and cultural identity with the True Dragons, metallic and chromatic alike - but also in the history and transcription of magic across all cultures within the world, and the evolution of magical learning.
The power that each individual key in the Dracon Scelerograph that is part of the device has significant magical power, and can be channelled in many different ways - to cause abjuration, transmutation, illusion, enchantment and conjuration effects - through the use of elemental power and dust. The orb can be fuelled and powered with the use of the multitude of 'Dragonshards' dust, that appear and grow as a renewable resource for as long as true dragons exist and reign supreme in their lairs and territories. This is inserted through the topside through the cylindrical chamber of the Dracon Scelerograph in powdered or liquid form or through smaller broken down Dragonshards. It is pertaining to a lost and ancient Draconic written language that does not act as a written word or language, but each symbol is a component of a word representing the concept of an idea of power, or living magic. They are referred to as Dragonmarks.
Each symbol (Dragonmark), is made up of different and layered units of meaning, morphemes imbued with magical power, representing meaning without being a word. With prefixes, roots and suffixes. The Dragonmarks always come in threes.
The rawest and most powerful of the key symbols are 'roots', which forms the basic part of the word and its fundamental meaning and power; represented in a geometric pattern and shape which can and will evolve in shape based on experience.
The prefixes and suffixes belong to morphemes known as 'affixes', which are elements that are added to the base or stem of each root symbol to modify its meaning, and thus the power and influence of a magical keyword. These affixes serve as the means and direction of magical energy, and its intended purpose - these come in different colours, sizes and shapes that on flat rectangular surfaces can be etched left-to-right, right-to-left (to indicate an active or continuous state of magic), up-to-down or down-to-up patterns (indicate the level of power and intention of magic). But these words can also be written or inscribed on round and spherical objects, which offer a radical dispersal of energy and power, that can affect beyond the first and second dimensions, and hold its power in third dimensions and beyond.
Prefixes begin at the beginning of the word, and suffixes are added at the end of the word. A further division between suffixes are the derivational suffix (that which changes the underlying meaning of the word), and inflectional suffix (changing the tense of a verb or number - relating it into past, present or future to enact an effect in a passage of time, or the number of times, or creates an object or person that performs the action of the word, in which this power is enacted and directed towards).
MODERN SCELEROGRAPHS
Modern versions of scelerograph design and tools have been made more simplistic and practical. There are two types that have emerged - the Talonscribe and the Dracon Typer. Talonscribe: These devices are the most simplistic, functioning as both writing quills or Dragonmark scriveners. They are essentially hollowed out dragons fangs that become filled with the magical Dragonshard Dust - and is plugged with a single Dragonmark key that allows the scrivening of magical tattoos, channelling magical power. Although simplistic, the Dragonmark key is the most expensive and rarest component of this tool. Furthermore, the secrets to activate these Dragonmarks have been majorly lost and only preserved by the small collections held by Dragons in the past and inherited by thieves, dragonslayers or servants of the Dragons. Dracon Typer: Reduced from all of its magical complexity, it is a mechanical machine that replaces the complex Dragonmarks with the letters and numerics of differing languages to type inked units onto paper materials.
MECHANICS & FUNCTION
Ancient Dracon Scelerographs are used for writing and inscribing inscriptions and symbols of magic upon scrolls, and the etching of living Dragonmarks or magical spells. Modern Dracon Scelerographs have been utilised and remade as multi-lingual tools to imprint and for easier use of writing. These modern Scelerographs are more mundane and are used to print symbols and words into sentences on parchment or paper.MANUFACTURING PROCESS
The means to create Ancient and magical Dracon Scelerographs have been lost. But patterns and designs have been reconstructed and reverse-engineered through ancient images of the devices, and utilised to create a simplistic typewriter. Talonscribers are produced by collecting dragons teeth and through the collection of the Dragonmark and Dragonshard powder or dust to power this ritual - its purpose is to pass down the Dragonmarks heralded from the past draconic empire of old and continue the living line of magic that has grown and evolved over time as written body art. Each Dragon households at least one or two Talonscribers that are guarded and preserved by their guards and clan. Dracon Typer - These are laborious to build, requiring complex engineering from many fields and many fine materials, from high-quality wood to precise alloys to long-lasting typefaces. Each one of these printing presses and type machines is a custom made piece of manufactured tools, often crafted by experts specifically brought in for the purpose of transcribing large portions of paper into written materials, or for mass-producing magical spell scrolls. Each Dragon households a printing press, and many of the towns or territories within Ozon'Siiari hold one also.IMPORTANCE
It is through the language and evolved interpretations of Dragonmarks, translated through Draconic and further transcribed into differing languages that the physical representations of magic in written form became known in the world. These words of power, the Dragonmarks, were the origin and first form of magic known to the world - and were found from symbols believed to be carved from both Dragons and Titans many millennia ago when the world was founded.Item Type: Tool/ Writing Instrument
Associated Ethnic Groups: Ozon'Siarri, Ozon'Cerull
Rarity:
While there are many imitations, forgeries and replicas that are freely available for sale on various markets on the different continents, genuine originals exist only within the dragon-ruled sultanate of Ozon'Siiari as precious artefacts from the Arcane Era. Most others have been lost in the great war, lost in the desert, have been in family ownership for generations or utterly destroyed.
Weight: 1kg,
Item type
Tool
