Ward

A ward is the result of putting one's Will into an object. This is done by utilizing words to pull from the cultural importance of a section of the suzal in order to leave will in a space where the individual no longer is, a lingering will. This can be done by anyone with enough knowledge and will, but the profession for both creating new wards and writing complex ones is Runesmithing.

The Process

The process for creating a ward is rather simple at its base. One writes down what they want to happen, then impart their will for that to happen within the words they write. Then, the thing happens. While the essence is simple, it can quickly become very complex. A simple "create water" may need something to go with it such as "when in the presence of" which then needs a "fire". Then you can go further such as where to create the water, if it's to be sprayed, what way to move it, how much fire must there be, and so on. Then one can create wards within wards. The sprinkler ward made before is then in the ward of a ward that does different actions based on the type of fire. For example, if fire is on grease, the create water "sprinkler" ward is not used but another one to create dust is. One can only imagine how complex wards have gotten with the millions of iterations of thousands of years.

Technically, all writing is a ward as one has to will a writing to be created. What makes a ward a ward is the purposeful effect one intends to leave behind with their writing. So while one may write a warning on a sign to stay out of the water and would carry with it their will and other understanding it would keep out of a water, a ward for people to keep out of the water would make it so they are not physically capable of entering the water, even if their will is to disregard the sign.

The point of a ward is to perform an action without the creator present. One can, if they were there for the fire, just get or even create the water themselves. Wards are a useful tool for anything to be done with automation or without the presence of someone who can do a certain thing. For example, say one wants their fortune protected while they are not present, a barrier would be perfect. Or, if someone wants to leave a reminder for someone to take out the trash and that person tends to not read any notes left behind, use a ward. Better yet, use a ward to take out the trash so you yourself don't have to remember. Wards are lingering will, doing things without the presence or even sometimes knowledge of those who wrote them.

Wards can be placed on anything with the words written in any size, language, and style. They also do not need to be "activated" in writing. They can be prepped by writing words beforehand, but this type of ward will not have as potent an effect. This has two main purposes, the production of wards for enchantment & the selling of more complex wards for people who are not runesmiths or do not have the knowledge to be able to use the ward.

Language

Language is a key part of a ward. Nel who are unable to write do not have the capability of creating a ward. They may have crude wards in the form of pee in a spot to mark territory, but the effect is nowhere near as potent as a ward created by a rela or even an oql. The more one knows of a language used for the warding the stronger it will be. It is the words and their meanings that direct the imparted will to do the specific thing.

The words used and how they're used is both a kind of artistry and technology. There is a common methodology for having a ward act in a certain way, but one must also be creative in how they implement it to achieve a desire. One aspect of the common methodology is to use specific words, grammar, and entire languages already established to create wards. Some words, grammar, and languages have a tighter ability to ward. Typically, older or culturally significant languages hold stronger than smaller or newer. This stems from the Suzal conglomerating where people of a culture unite, creating higher densities thus change on the world. This also applies to how long a language is used, how much time it has to gather cultural relevance. IE: the suzal is more impactful on the world where there are more people for longer with more intertwined and complex ideas.

The older cultures that have been around longer, due to having more presence within a culture thus more power for their words, tend to be used for warding. In fact, people who learn how to ward typically learn the ancient language of the area before they can even start to use the more relevant words. It is also that some words have higher cultural relevance and usage means some words do things more strongly than others. This also means smaller relevance words are typically omitted from the script, creating a very matter of fact statement for what the word is claiming should be willed into existence. So, one may use Humoh instead of the locally used Thoos ignoring grammar rules to use the most potent words like: if fire exists, above, create water. This is opposed to a full thought: when a fire starts, create water and douse it so it doesn't spread.

Encoding

The process of using select wards in a specific way is encoding. Encoding does not need the presence of will, but does need the common methodologies for writing a ward. When one writes a ward, it is intented for will to be put to it at least at one point, creating a kind of psudo-ward. In fact, the act of warding creates a cyclical effect, where it influences itself. Some words having more cultural significance leads to them being used in wards, creating further significance for said words. Then, the words creating an effect that people understand creates further cultural significance, cementing them as words to use in wards. And become some words lend to this cycle more than others, it creates a kind of typescript for how wards should be written to achieve a desired effect. The more this occurs, the stronger an, easier, and more accurate a ward will be. So, there are wards that are simple to learn and effective to use. A barrier ward is one of these, a simple "create barrier four-six" is enough for anyone to write in any language to create the barrier. The word create, barrier, and the numbers hold much greater hold than something like "please", so they are used in the way they are.

Compiling

To apply will to code is to compile it. One can have a script given to them by someone else without it doing anything. Then, they apply their will to it, compiling it to do the effect. That creating a sprinkler was made by some factory and mass-produced code handed out to contract workers. Then, when someone is setting up their office, they hire someone to compile the code for them in key locations that are likely to have fire or are important for fires to not last long. While anyone can compile, having a firm understanding of a given ward and the desired effect will lead to more potent outcomes. IE: people with knowledge in a field would be better chosen to compile than the average passerby.

Runesmith

It's when it comes to using smaller languages, newer languages, establishing new trends, and creating an effect not already well established that runesmithery comes into play. People spend their whole profession understanding the art of warding to create a new kind of ward, a new language for a ward, a new effect produced by a ward. Maybe someone just hasn't thought to put the words in this way, maybe the symphony written would create a completely different desired emotion if played in G minor. It is the runesmiths that progress warding to create new ideas and more complex wards. They are able to take multiple simple wards or scripts and combine them into a story of a new ward. Combine three barriers in a triangle and an explosion in the center to create the ward that is used for mining in a controlled environment.

Lingering

Destruction of a ward

Wards will eventually run out of will, degrading over time. This is the surefire way of removing the effects of a ward, leaving behind inert words. When that isn't feasible or a ward needs to be destroyed and with it, the lingering will is dissipated. With weaker wards, this can easily be done by desecrating what is written either by braking, smudging, drawing over, or other. For more advanced and resilient wards, especially curses, this will only slightly diminish the effect. For these wards, one needs to wrench the lingering will from the physical world and ensure it's dissipated enough that it can't reattach itself. There are many methods for this: using one's own will to drive it away, using a device meant for this, leaving it alone so it can't accomplish its task, overloading it, etc.; none are easy.

Application

Normal Writing

Most wards are created using local writing systems and tools. From paint to burn writing to carving, whatever is most easily or commonly accessible for a given person is often the tool used for wards. This goes for runesmiths & enchanters as well, creating their masterpieces on parchment and stone.

Tattoo

Many have wards written by a tattoo artist runesmith to allow them to call upon things for ease of use and for things the individual may want but not have the aptitude or time to detoxify for. For example, Yaro whose affinity is for nep but who has the aptitude for fire can create whips of fire and knows how to, but causes more strain than just having a ward on her palms.

Graffiti

Graffiti, the vandalization of a surface with illegal writings, tends to be identifiers and information transfer. Just like normal writing, there is will behind these. But, because there is extra will put in place to defy a law or make someone's existence known, there is an unintended effect of many graffiti to be wards and increase the effectiveness of their intent. Whether to share a message through art, label a place as a good drop-off zone, or perpetuate one's own or associated existence, all have a stronger hold on the world than if one were to write it were allowed.

Recordings

Weather vocal recordings or recordings both sign & aural, an inventive method for creating wards with a timed activation is to create the ward with something that is not written. A recording of a voice or the capturing of an aural representation of meaning can hold the will & words needed for the ward while it does not take effect until that recording is played back.

Blood

One effective tool, maybe too effective, is to write a ward in blood. While blood-writing makes the word far more effective and stronger, it comes with the added risk of allowing those who find the ward to tie it back to the warder. This can pose problems for them as the finder may use the blood for their own purpose that may or may not be to their liking. Many blood-wards are often either hidden, protected with further wards, or just not used for the dangers it poses.

Common types

Wards having classifications in itself propels those classifications to be a part of the warding process. This is due to the ideas behind the classification of types becoming culturally relevant; the creation of these wards impart that meaning into them. This means that you have a much easier time creating a curse if you encode it to be a curse. This said, the types of wards can still be considered by their original meanings. These are some of the more common used:

Enchantment

Definition: The use of a ward to specify actions of an alchemical, typically through the use of an enchantment compiler.

An enchantment ward does nothing by itself. If you were to imbue will into an enchantment ward without the accompanying alchemical materials or enchantment compiler, it will do nothing.

Protection

Definition: The use of a ward as a means to protect an area, idea, person, or other specified thing both physical and non-physical.

Wards are the most common form of defense for structures. Some can be activated automatically, others need to be manually activated. Wards are just structural enchantments.

Memory

Definition: The use of a ward to recall a previous instance in time to an object.

This is a broader type that is easily confused with the definition of a ward in general. The difference is that a memory ward is a ward that brings back something from the pasty, typically in the form of the memory of the person creating the ward to those who are applicable. For example, a painting of a wedding between two having a ward so whenever someone touches it, they gain the visuals/smells/experience the memory of that wedding. A memory ward can be used for more creative purposes. For example, a ward in Thaul that is used as a pass for ships to enter the city without being ripped to shreds. The ward itself does not cause the phasing for the ships, but rather is a memory of how to access the phasing Murn that the city provides and is constantly on; this interacts with another part of the ward that accesses it and applies it to the ship. This allows for the regulation of the phasing to those who would pay and negates those paying from accessing it.

Curse

Definition: The use of ward to leave negative effects on an object or person. This is most often a type of ward that leaves little means of exorcising.

Curses are a dubious form of ward that are generally not used but by nefarious people, people with highly negative intentions, or as an extreme means of protecting something. They are wards that leave negative effects on an individual when activated. An example would be the Blood Queen's curse where those afflicted will have a maddening drive to consume the blood of those around them.

When protecting something, the first wards set up are protection wards. But these are possible to circumvent, with enough knowledge or power. So a last-resort for many is to imbue either the enclosing object of a thing or the thing itself with a curse for whoever tries to take it without a memory ward key (or another type of key).

Curses also tend to include effects that allow for the effects to carry on with the destruction of the ward or the person who had placed it.