Kalehm

Tools of the Baseikans

Eons before the Danatelian Conquest, long before the time of our stories, there lived a strong and powerful empire of giants. Little is left of them, safe for the skeleton of their once great cities, and the strange forgotten writtings they left behind. This tool before you, ladies and gentlemen, is what they used to write...

— Danatelian merchant to wandering tourists

Studies on the Baseikan culture are a work of labor, and they are rarely fruitful. Despite the vast quantities of objects and ruins attributed to them, the lack of textual knowledge on them has made it hard to learn anything from them. Among the biggest mysteries is the Bassek language, which has remained so far undecipherable.

Despite these setbacks and difficulties, a few dedacted researchers persist in their quest for knowledge. Ahmed Bilin is one of the leading erudites in the domain, and in the year 278 I.A he first identified the tool used by Baseikans to write.

Magical Tools

Kalehm's were used by Emelian's, known today as the Baseikans, to trap the essence of powerful magical beings into objects where they could then be used to fuel Emelian society. Creatures trapped in such items would be forced to follow the will of their masters, and use their powers to do their biddings.

To trap such beings in an age before magic, Emelians made use of the Bassek language, who was magical in its very nature. Most often the script would be engraved on stone or crystal vessels with the use of Kalehms, iron and cooper chisels with a diamond tip. Kalehms drew their magic and abilities from the beliefs and superstition surrounding them, in accordance to the Power of Belief.