Sigil Quill
Sigil quills are a type of writing instrument designed for use in magical fields. Similar to sigil chalks, they allow the user to create magic sigils for use in spells and rituals.
Development
Sigil quills are a fairly new discovery, dating back only to around AV 1400. They were developed by a team of researchers at the Academy for Gifted Wizards in Rosewick, to address a need among scholars to create sigils on a much smaller scale. Because sigils need to be written using specific ingredients in order to function correctly, it is difficult to create functional writing tools with which to write them. Sigil chalk, the most commonly used tool for sigil writing, can only be made to a certain size. Any smaller, and the chalk simply breaks. However, some scholars wished to create smaller sigils on paper with finer lines for smaller spells, especially those which might be useful when transported. As such, the researchers began to experiment with different writing tools and different ingredients.
Eventually, the researchers came upon the idea to use an ink pen, which could be used to create very fine lines. However, it was a challenge to find the perfect combinations of ingredients to achieve the desired effects. Some ingredients were too weak, resulting in weak spells: a puff of air where one wanted a strong breeze. Others were too strong and made the spells too powerful. After much trial and error, the researchers came upon the perfect ink recipe and the perfect tool with which to write sigils.
The quills did not catch on at first, as many magic users who deal in sigils value tradition greatly and were not interested in using a new tool for their craft. the Academy, however, found them extremely useful for teaching magic users about sigils, significantly reducing the space needed in sigil classes. Now, students could be given a stack of paper and a sigil quill, where before they would need a large area of ground on which to write the sigils. This also made it easier for instructors to give students feedback on their sigil work, and the finer lines of the quill allowed for more control over markings and thus increased the success rate of sigil spells.
Components
Sigil quills have two components, quill and ink, both of which are required for the sigils to function correctly.
Quill
The quills are made from the tail feathers of Balihran quail, a common ground-nesting bird native to Balihr heath. These feathers are neatly trimmed and the shafts prepared for the pen nib to be attached. The vanes can be dyed into a wide array of colors, but many prefer to leave the quills with their natural color and patterning. Some believe that dying the vanes will muddle the magic slightly, although no studies have been conducted to test this.
The pen nib is most often fashioned from silver, although both copper and bronze have been successfully used. All three metals have magical properties at about the same magnitude, but many more traditional scholars view silver as the superior metal in spellmaking. The most important part of the quill, however, is its preparation after the parts are attached. It must be thoroughly treated with rose oil until the feather is glossy and smooth and the nib is spotless, after which it can be sold and used.
Ink
The ink of the sigil quill is important, as it is the ink which binds the runes together to create the spell. This ink is made mostly from the ink sacs of the mourning squid, which makes a vertical migration each night to the surface of the Gulf of Mourning. It fluoresces in the moonlight and must be caught under a full moon to reach full potency. This ink is mixed with a paste of bilberries and red vinegar, and left to sit for eight or nine days. It is dried into a powder over a fire, then finely ground and mixed into a binding agent of rose oil and quail egg. This mixture is thoroughly strained to produce a smooth, thick ink that easily flows from the reservoirs of the quills.
Modern Usage
Sigil quills have grown in popularity, especially in the academic setting, and are now more widespread across Galactus. Because their components are sourced from native Balihran fauna, production is limited to a handful of quillmakers in Rosewick. They are not very expensive, but their limited production makes it difficult to acquire these writing tools. Schools of magic across the world will make orders for several hundred quills at one time to reduce the expenses associated with shipping them overseas.
Outside of the academic setting, sigil quills are used by independent magic users across Galactus. They are useful for creating portal sigil spells which otherwise might be impossible to move. Some sigil workers have even begun to use sigil quills on materials other than paper. Particularly paranoid individuals, or those with things to hide, often make these small sigils in doorways or along passages to create traps or alarm systems that are unnoticeable to the unaware intruder.
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