Iyavkre: Tap-Line Card

The alphabet that is specified for Traveler's Tongue has a great many curves, and lines that are so different to each other that a someone writing it must have an extremely versatile writing tool. The pen is the ideal candidate for permanent writing: its feature is a singular point, which can be dragged around as the writer sees fit to create the desired letter.

Wokaiya, on the other and, uses predominantly straight lines in its phonetic-syllabic writing system, all of which are one of a few key lengths. It's faster and more precise, therefore, to use a line-based tool than a point-based tool. To this end, some scholars and scribes that write strictly in Wokaiya, for business or governmental purposes, use iyavkrei, or tap-cards, to write their documents.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

Traditionally, the iyavkre is held between the thumb and the middle finger. The index finger rotates the iyavkre clockwise or counterclockwise as necessary to the correct length, and the user taps down with the thumb and middle finger to make an impression. This action occurs in a matter of milliseconds. When copying large sentences, it's common practice to tap out all sides of the same kind four times, rather than to tap out each syllable individually.

Item type

Tool

Related ethnicities

• Keyrit-Welokyi

Rarity

Because the iyavkre is only capable of processing Wokaiya, the pen is significantly more popular for ink-based writing, even for people who barely know Traveler's Tongue. Even still, there is one in every Keyrityi governmental building.

Dimensions

0.05 international cubits

Raw materials & Components

The iyavkre is a small thumb-segment sized quadrilateral, with each side having a different length than the other three, to represent the different lengths required to write out Wokaiya syllables. Until Wokaiya lengths were standardized, length sets would vary from iyavkre to iyavkre. Manufacturers would make their own unique length sets, and these would pass for the equivalent of fonts.

Cheap iyavkrei would be made out of paper, while good iyavkrei would be constructed out of varnished wood. The ideal iyavkre would be made with a metal tube in the inner portions. While some are, the vast majority aren't special enough to warrant this construction.