Glyphica Arcana

The Glyphica Arcana is a completely ideographic writing system based around the MidSea Tarot. Being fully ideographic it exists independent of any spoken language and is effectively a language in its own right. The Glyphica is not intended as a generally practical system of recording information. It was developed as an artistic and mystical means of displaying mythic and arcane ideas. While normal written communication is possible, the complexities of this system make it difficult.

Individual glyphs in this system are formed from component symbols. 81 "base" symbols serve as a foundation to which are added 81 "reversed" symbols and a variety of marker symbols. Each base symbol is associated with concepts and connotations based upon the MidSea Tarot which relate to the final glyph. Reversed symbols are so called because they are inversions or rotations of the base symbol. Marker symbols define reference and connection instead of concept and supply the "grammer" of the Glyphica Arcana. (See the Symbol Reference for more information, but do not read too much into the meanings of the listed symbols. Though associated with concepts in an onomatopoeic manner, symbols are not morphemes and glyphs are not compound words.)

Most glyphs serve the purpose of words, but there are many glyphs which act as whole phrases or simple clauses. As a whole a block of glyphs can be considered to encode a conceptual structure -- a grouping of related ideas which serves the same purpose as a sentence in normal speech.

Composing Glyphs

There are two systems for laying out symbols to form glyphs the common and the arcane. The glyphs of the common system glyphs are more well known and more general in nature. Arcane glyphs are more specific and less well known.

Common System
Breadth	Vertical	Superior
Horizontal	Focus	Oblique
Depth	Transcendent	Inferior

Arcane System
	Vertical
Leading	Trailing
Focus
Supporting	Concluding
Transcendent

The two systems may be combined. A horizontal symbol might replace the leading and supporting symbols for example. The systems may be extended, with new positions always being added on the right. For example the superior-oblique is above and to the right of the oblique.

For most purposes a glyph has a minimum of five symbols: the focus, horizontal, vertical, oblique, and transcendent. While highly complicated constructions are possible, glyphs almost never exceed ten symbols (not counting markers). Within a glyph no base or reversed symbol may be used more than once, nor may a base symbol be combined with its reverse in a single glyph. Marker symbols are allowed to overlay each other, but may not overlay base or reversed symbols, and all base glyphs must be designed to allow this. All symbols must attach to at least one other symbol. No symbol hangs without support. Neutral modifier symbols may be used to attach markers which would otherwise hang unsupported.

Glyphs with larger number of symbols are used for more specific, arcane, and complicated concepts. Glyphs with fewer symbols tend to cover much broader and more general concepts.

Most glyphs begin with the focus. While a focus is not required in the arcane system, even the decision that a glyph does not have one begins with that decision. Symbols to the left of the focus can be thought of as leading into or preceeding the focus. The symbols above can be thought of as supporting or sharing in the focus. Symbols to the right are what the focus leads into, while symbols below indicate an overarching theme.

Names

Names in the Glyphica Arcana are designated by name modifiers (see Grammar). In order to accept the name modifiers they must begin with a horizontal and end with an oblique; otherwise, they are normal symbols.

Numbers

Numbers are fully positional and base 12; however, the order of placement is different from english. The ones digit is placed in breadth position with dozens following in the vertical and grosses in the superior. Further digits wrap around the focus. However, if a number is written with more than 7 digits the number continues to be written in a u-shape, with great-grosses placed in the superior-oblique, and so forth. Any ephemera symbol may represent numbers. Seeds represent zeros and other symbols take their number.

Numbers are always written with at least three symbols with negative numbers being written using reversed symbols. If a number could be written with less than three symbols, zeros are placed in dozens and grosses positions as appropriate. Different types of ephemera symbols are typically used to represent different parts of the number. The example is typical for quantities of time with the base number being in ships while the exponential quantity is in cups.

Numbers may be written as decimals, exponents, and fractions as well as whole numbers. Decimals place a seed in the horizontal, exponents a seed in the focus, and fractions a seed in the oblique. Numbers are placed below the seed, with decimals being written with the largest fractions on the left. To create fractional or exponential decimals a seed is placed in the horizontal following the whole number glyph, then a new glyph is begun for the decimal portions of the value. Both the whole and decimal portions of the number use the fraction or exponent seed.

Numeric notation is only used for actual quantities. Figurative quantities in the sense of "One People" or "Two Different People" have their own glyphs. The example shows the current year (one great gross, eleven gross, one dozen and one in duodecimal) in full exponential form. Commonly the two symbols used for the exponent in this glyph would be dropped.

Grammar

It is possible for all glyphs in the Glyphica Arcana to serve as any part of speech. The base glyphs for "sharp" and "sharpen" are the same, but one is marked as an adjective and the other as a noun. That said, it's still unusual for subordination glyphs, the glyphs used to indicate the presence of subordinate phrases and clauses, to be used as anything other than subordinators. The normal glyphs which serve as nouns, verbs, and adjectives are commonly known as description glyphs.

Whether subordinate or descriptive, all glyphs have markers placed on them to indicate specific meanings and grammatical forms. In general, word order follows a verb -- direct object -- indirect object -- subject pattern. However, since these functions are also represented by markers, word order can be rearranged or omitted as needed. Modifiers follows the primary term ("cat black" instead of "black cat"), with subordinator glyphs leading modifier phrases and clauses. Because they are not specifically marked, the order of modifiers may not vary. Markers may overlap to indicate shades of meaning. For example, an "inclusive or" is indicated by overlapping the (normally exclusive) "or" marker and the "and" marker.

Glyphs may be laid out in any direction or pattern and may loop or curl as the composer desires. Branches are typically used for clauses, but there are reasons not to branch a clause or to branch in other cases. In order to avoid confusion glyphs may be offset, with the first glyph of the branch being connected to rest of the statement through its conjunction or function markers.

The Glyphica Arcana has many markers that are not found in English, and English's articles and conjunctions are indicated by markers instead of full glyphs. Markers also indicate whether a particular glyph is intended to represent a verb, noun, or adjective/adverb. Marker symbols can appear in any of four positions surrounding the base glyph. Except for the special cases of name and neutral markers a particular class of marker will only appear in one of those four positions. The quick reference not only indicates the form of a marker, but also which of the four positions it appears in.

Neutral markers serve as connectors. They carry no specific meaning, serving to join items which would otherwise be left unconnected. Their most common use is to attach markers which would otherwise float independently of a statement. They may also connect a part of a statement applying to different branches.

Function markers indicate whether a glyph is part of statement's or clause's verb, indirect object, direct object, or origin. All glyphs will carry a function marker indicating their position in a statement. Subordination glyphs at the beginning of a clause will carry the function markers for the clause's status in the overall statement. The glyphs within a clause carry function markers for their positions within the clause. Function markers may be modified for tense (past, present, and future), and to indicate whether a glyph stands alone or modifies a preceeding glyph (adjective and adverb).

Particularly important in the Glyphica Arcana (and the reason why verbs typically begin a statement) are the markers for Mood. Mood establishes the tone of a statement similar to the way pitch and emphasis do in spoken languages. The indicative mood is used for general statements of approximate fact or understanding. Contrary mood is used for sarcasm and humor. Imperative mood is used for directives. Interrogative mood is for questions. The possible mood is used for things that might not be, but could exist. Conditional mood is used for things which will occur if certain things happen.

Organization show a noun's number and type. In addition to singular and multiple (plural), the system has markers for fractional (part of) and myriad (uncountable). The type markers of individual, member, and group serve the same purpose as English articles the, a, and all.

The Glyphica has four conjunctions which may be combined for shades of meaning: additive (and), alternative (but), exclusive (or), and negative (nor).

Modification markers may be used to indicate possession. [Other forms for adjectives and adverbs will likely need to be developed.]

There are a number of things that this system does not indicate through markers including deference, gender, and locale.

Translations

Babel Text

2) And it came to pass, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

(And, as they journeyed east, they discovered a fertile expanse in the Shinar region to dwell.)

3) And they said one to another, "Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and bitumen had they for mortar.

(And said they amongst themselves, "Now shall we make thoroughly baked clay and have brick for stone and bitumen for sealant.")

4) And they said, "Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top [may reach] unto heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad on the face of the whole earth."

(And they said, "Now we must create a city and a structure to top the spiritland and make a name so as not be scattered across the face of the whole world.")

5) And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men had builded.

(And the Lord God descended to examine the city and structure, which those descendents of mortals had been building.)

6) And the Lord said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they began to do; and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do.

(And the Lord God reasoned, "Behold, they are one people with one speech; and as they have begun so nothing that they determine will be withheld.)

7) Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."

("Now we shall descend and there confound their language, so that all may not understand the other's speech.")

8) So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of the earth; and they left off to build the city.

(So the Lord God most broadly scattered them from thence across the earth's face; and they left off to build the city.)

9) Whereof was the name of it called Babel, because the Lord did there confound [= `balal' in Hebrew] the language of all the earth; and from thence did the Lord scatter them upon the face of the earth.

"Happy Holidays"

The One Ring

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.

(This translation was written as a magical formula and adds decorative blocks in each corner. The fourfold symmetry of the poem is matched by a fourfold symmetry in the glyphs. Notice how "them" is completely cut off by the surrounding glyphs while the verbs are free to attach elsewhere. Also note the two different meanings for "ring.")

The Sword of Spirits

The glyphs on this sword show a completely different form of magical inscription. Instead of being intended to state an idea or perform a particular action this magical inscription acts a foundation upon which a mage or the like can construct certain magical effects. The glyphs are shown from the point of the sword at the top to the hilt of the sword at the bottom. (The bottom glyphs are on opposite sides of the hilt, with the remaining glyphs being on the blade itself.)

While a translation isn't possible without grammatical markings, the inscription can be interpreted in a variety of ways, including:

To this blade was brought great power
With equal heart will blessing shower

Bless the Bearer and the Blade
From which Heart and Soul be Made

Holy Heart be given she
Who bears this blade in unity

Unite in Spirit Bearer and Blade
Master in Matter Heart and Shade

Marriage true of skill and blessing,
Joining physical and shade.
Soul and body now professing,
Emotion's balance with the blade.

construction	grammar	translations
Markers
Vocabulary
Symbol Reference
Interpreting Unknown Glyphs
Download Symbol Archive

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