Ink Magic

Summary

There is some semantic arguments if ink magic is a form of @water or veltron magic, or even a mixture of their two respective theories. Indeed, it is often seen as a useful but finite tool, which has come to limit its broader potential applications quite harshly.
Using magic to write is in itself a fairly universal concept. It allows for some complex calligraphy, the kind that any attempt to imitate by hand would make one weep blood at doing. However, this often took the form of manipulating the tools of writing–brushes, pens, quills, etc–rather than the writing medium itself. The latter idea became known more through the usage of tattooes and body markings, especially from the petrakin. They most uniquely, regardless of cultures, enscribe their histories upon their own bodies. Because there is only so much space, the petrakin needed a method to write, erase, and maintain said history on their flesh. The exact 'why' remains a mystery, but to them it can be said to be a physical compulsion almost.
Hence, most scholars attribute ink magic proper as being a petrakin art. It is wholly capable of writing on many mediums, inscribing meaning or artistic design, and then changing or removing it as needed. In this way many petrakin cultures took on highly ritualized meanings to their tattoo work, a vehicle of culture as much as personal expression. Their most venerable sage, Line, is believed to be the original mind behind ink magic. How much is truth or fable is hard to discern, but Line's sporadic appearances throughout history lend it some credibility.
Were ink magic limited to so specific uses, it may not be remarkable as a proper art. It would be further experimentation, particularly in Aerthen, Nerzin, Temu, and Immensio that saw breakthroughs. Because of its reliance on a physical medium, ink magic and enchantment principles overlapped very nicely. The specifics vary exactly, but ink magic allowed for the implementation of complex magical art into a storeable physical design. That is, enchantment focuses on modifying an existing item, such as a spear or a blanket. Ink magic creates unto itself a medium that is woven with magical design throughout its being.
For many, this concept takes shape in the form of paintings, words, icons, and anything related to 'writing' or 'drawing'. Ink magic serves as a vessel for other magical designs to act in, making its true potential limited only by the capacity of its practitioners. As an example, some great artists have created 'nearly' living works, complete with moving scenes, the scents and sounds, and the tactile sensation of being there. Others have created powerful iconographic wards, such as talismans, that can do very limited instances of magic in anyone's hands. Scholars protect their most precious works with booby-trapped pages that can render one insane, or self-immolate.
A severe limitation to these creations is their own source of power, unfortunately. While initially charged by their creator, the ink magic may deplete through usage (either instantly or over time) unless it is attached to a living being (e.g, a tattoo). Recharging it is a problem, as that is a complex process ink magic is ill-suited for and often destroys the magic. Much more expensive materials, like crushed crysium, or the mana-sensitive silverdyne, can allow for recharging, among other things. It becomes easy to see that the quality of materials used in the proverbial ink is vital to the capabilities of the magical art as well.
The importance of ink magic took different paths throughout Veltrona. Immensio and Temu saw it as a deeply meaningful art for the body, becoming immortalized in ritualistic tattooes. Indeed, more powerful tattooes could imbue people with fantastic strength, becoming a kind of body enhancement magic. Aerthen and Nerzin saw the capability of ink for effective magical wards, creating entire calligraphic lineages of different talismans. These wonders eventually spread throughout the world, particularly during the age of the Imperium. It is not hard finding various versions as a result; cheap-to-use talismans are fairly popular, and simplistic tattooes brute-force their own benefits. True mistressy of ink magic, however, is a rarer sight and one not easily found.
It is said such mages can inscribe upon reality itself, creating powerful words or pictures that directly manifest. How it might be done is poorly understood, and often surrounded by myths and tall-tales. These mistresses are greatly feared, for their arsenal is vast and unknowable–an immense advantage in magic combat. On the other hand, their artistic works are deserving of legendary status. They might impart such a soul-moving experience as to be an epiphany unto itself, not unlike those of phantasmal magic. Of all magical arts, theirs is the most mysterious because of how deeply personalized it normally is. Each mistress is, without embellishment, truly unique.