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Sealing sigil

While magic comes in many forms, magical sigils are one of the most common to come across. Sealing sigils are sigils specifically designed to 'seal' the contents within, setting them to a static, unchanging state... at least, as long as the sigil lasts.

Utility

Sealing sigils specifically often stem from a desire to preserve something, being more broadly applicable than purely technological means of preserving things (like cooling units, or controlled-atmosphere vaults). Since they keep everything within them in an unchanging state, they can be used to store various items with different--and possibly clashing--requirements without problem.   Most, but not all, sealing sigils contain a clause that stops them from affecting living beings that enter their area of effect. Sigils like these are used for all sorts of safekeeping, like in archival vaults, or to transport things like bodies or non-preserved food over longer distances.   Sealing sigils which do affect living beings are far more rare, and much easier to misuse. They are typically meant to be used for medical emergencies, keeping someone alive until they can receive actual medical attention, but they may also be used as a way to catch or imprison people. These sigils essentially pause time for anyone held within them, which has troubling implications for anyone caught within one for an extended period of time... But this is rare, as living bodies naturally contain so much change that they quickly drain sigils of their stored energy, making the effect wear off.

Manufacturing

Sealing sigils are fairly easy to use, as long as one is Vita-Touched. It requires a design, which is by itself a complicated matter, but which can be reused, so a Vita-Touched with little knowledge of seals can be given the design by someone better trained, or copy one already existing.   Placing the sigil is simply a matter of channeling magic into the design as one is drawing or painting it. Depending on the design of the sigil, it may require one large sigil, with the area of effect being the area covered by the sigil, or multiple smaller sigils, with the area of effect being the area within those sigils. Sigils can be made with any material, though most will use something like (wear-resistant) paint, which will hold up at least as well as the sigil itself. If placed correctly, the sigil should glow faintly, or give off a faint energy, which even non-magical people can feel if touching the sigil. This is also used to tell when the sigil needs to be refueled by a Vita-Touched: the glow and/or energy current will grow faint.
Parent Technologies
Access & Availability
Somewhat common during Second Age, very rare during Third Age, becoming increasingly common during Fourth Age.
Complexity
Complex to design, fairly easy to maintain, but requires upkeep by a Vita-Touched.
Discovery
Like most types of magic, sealing sigils were invented and re-invented countless times over, by many different people among many different cultures.


Cover image: by DarkNymfa

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