The Nature of Signetry

Signetry is the utilization of fire magic in the art of forging and alchemical disciplines. It is often considered a science in the Hearthlands, relying upon ingredients and predictive methods for creation. However, in less advanced societies and cultures, a skilled Signet, widely-used term for a practitioner of Signetry, can appear to possess utterly sorcerous abilitie. Artifacts created by Signetry are often called Signatures.

Elements of Signetry

The ingredients of a signature varies greatly depending on the desired result. Creating an ashway (described below) requires two steady flames, ash exposed to the air, and a firm grasp of the geography surrounding the two points. This is an entirely different series of ingredients compared to a signature such as a frozen-flame (described beneath 'Garthian Signatures'). However, there are some common aspects involved in Signetry.

Foundation

This is the element that is ultimately affected by the other ingredients, the ambient magic, and the will of the Signet. The foundation could be thought of as the container of the magic, as the end result. Examples include the icy shards which become frozen-flames, the fires linked by an ashway, or the dense magma that form dim shards.

Attributes

The ingredients that result in the foundation's altered nature. While the foundation is the container, it is the attributes that allow the magic to be bound and made manifest. Examples include the ash exposed to air or the red-hot stones of the bloodforges.

Source

The source of magic that empowers the signature. This is most commonly pulled from a burning flame, but there are ambient sources that exist, such as the bronze hills of Etloran or the Val'Dere Statues of the Hearthlands.

Intent

The element that pulls the magic from the source and binds it to the foundation, altering it via the use of attributes. This is the only element that comes entirely from the signet as they focus their mind and intent. Though the most incorporeal, it is no less important. Examples include calling upon memories and knowledge of locations to create an ashway.

Hearthland Signatures

The territories within the Hearthlands are unrivaled in the power of their signetry. This can be attributed to the rise of the Fyrians more than a millenia ago who pioneered such advancements. It is the power of signetry that allowed the Golden Dominion and the Hearthlands Empire to expand so far while still retaining much power. Examples of Hearthlands signetry are below:

Ashway

Ashways were crucial to the expansion of the Dominion and the Empire. They allowed the movement of men from one side of the continent to the other. The creation of ashways is often closely-guarded, but it is often believed to involve mixing the ashes of two separate fires, which will magically link them to one another.
Ashways drain the body heat of any who pass through it; this makes travel via ashways extremely dangerous while traveling to or from frigid regions as the drain can prove fatal. This was a large factor that made capturing Garth not worth the endeavor for the Golden Dominion.

Vainwood

One of the darker signatures, to some: vainwood was often used a foundation to build upon as it is capable of repairing any damage done to the structure or at least restore it to its original shape. It is believed that during the Golden Age of the Fyrians, vainwood was able to be imbued with sentience and act against invaders. It is commonly-held superstition that vainwood requires the use of human blood in its creation, but Signets have rejected this notion. Some Signets use animal blood in its creation as they might believe it strengthens it in some way, but this is not as of yet confirmed.
However, the true drawback to vainwood is the healing process. Vainwood will feed on the life-force of local flora to reshape itself. This drain on the surrounding environment can be sustained during peaceful times, but an extended siege might prove ill for all sides. In modern times, vainwood is commonly paired with another powerful material.

Val'Dere Statue

Val'dere Statues are powerful artifacts left over from the days of the Golden Dominion. Life is always abundant around the statues, even in the depths of the mountain caverns. None have been able to replicate their effects, unfortunately, but many cities in the Hearthlands and even some in the Aldishar Triune were believed to have been founded around these val'Dere statues.
Their output appears to be greater than the drain of vainwood, allowing flora to flourish even during vainwood's healing process.

Sunseeker

Sunseekers are primarily used by the navigators as a means of tracking the positions of the twin suns. It strongly resembles as spyglass or telescope. In truth, rather than possessing glass lenses, the user peers through two honed crystals. When facing one of the suns, the light emanating from it will appear to intensify through the scope, even becoming visible through heavy cloud coverage.

Illuminants, or Living Flames

Easily the darkest of the Fyrian creations and what ultimately led to the downfall of the Golden Dominion. Illuminants are sentient wisps of fire. Their size can differ, but is usually no larger than that of a torchlight, not that many have ever existed. It has been hypothesized that only two hundred have ever existed at once and little under twenty currently remain. Their unassuming appearance, visually indistinguishable from an ordinary, and their often amiable personalities does a poor job at representing their immense power or the grim origins that lead to their creation.
Though the exact details of the ritual is lost, it is known that the creation of an Illuminant requires the death of at least a hundred people in ritual fire. One of the leading theories regarding the fall of the Golden Dominion is the discovery of the Illuminants, driving many Fyrians into conflict in an attempt to create more powerful Illuminants.

Triunic Signatures

The Alshidar Triune is a powerful territory northwest of the Hearthlands. They boast the second-most advanced civilization on Valkosh. Unlike the Garthians, the Triunic people saw their fair share of Fyrians, some of whom even stayed and assimilated into the culture. This resulted in a few Triunic Fyrians who were able to advance the Arts in the Triune. Though still not as advanced as the Hearthlands, few would scoff at their creations.

Garthian Signatures

Garth is the territory south of the Hearthlands, beyond the Great Range. Fire holds different meaning in Garth than it does in the Hearthlands. This means, even discounting the Hearthlands advantage of Fyrian advancment, signetry has developed very differently.
For example, due to the difficulty of even creating fires in the cold winds of Garth, many magics are the result of blood magic and are fueled by an individual's own body heat, which, as stated earlier, is very dangerous in Garth. This has prompted the Garthians to refer to signetry as bloodwork.

Frozen-flame

Frozen-flames are gems capable of storing heat. The creation is a closely-guarded secret kept by the hearth-keepers, who serve as Garth's signets with the added role of advisor.
One releases heat from a frozen-flame by dropping a small amount of human blood on it. The heat radiates a fair distance, almost creating a sort of heat 'bubble.' Although no official measurements have been taken, it has been suggested that a frozen-flame can last for hours, if not an entire day.

Bloodforge

Bloodforges are forges fueled by blood. They do not have fires like traditional forges, but rather burning hot rocks carved into various molds. Items forged with these come out burning hot. Weapons will be plunged into icy mounds, exposing them to extreme temperature changes; if the weapon does not break from the strain, they are named embraced metal.
Embraced metal is incredibly tough, capable of denting imperial steel and, in the hands of a strong individual, breaking through a sword of lesser metal. Soldiers that have fought against this sort of weaponry also claim the metal was radiating a great heat. This has been unverified as all collected embraced metal appear to lose the enchantment upon its wielder's death. This also implies some sort of bonding process might be involved as well.

Baptized

The Garthians hold that blood is the strongest fire. This is a belief that gives them fear, but also some amount of hope. A select few Garthians can undergo an alchemically-induced, physiological change that names them Baptized. Their body will put off great heat with some allegedly even putting off the heat of a strong hearth. Likewise, there are tales of Baptized whose blood is said to boil when spilled, hot enough to burn through bronze armor.
It is unknown how these men would fare in the more temperate climates such as the Hearthlands, but they seem well-suited to the frigid climate of Garth.

Tiev Signatures

The natives of Tievahal have had little in the way of Fyrian aid or interaction, being found on an entirely continent than those of the Hearthlands. However, the Tievs have proven an ingenious people when it comes to signetry, which they call fire-make.
The alien nature of Tiev has allowed for signet enchantments and effects that cannot be found elsewhere, even in the Hearthlands.

Hearth-trees

The hearth-trees seem like a phenomenon of natural progression, not unlike the fyr-hounds of the Hearthlands who also seem to possess some sort of fiery power. However, the hearth-trees are grown and tended to by the many Tiev tribes. The main function of the hearth-trees is to unite the many people of Tievahal by allowing quick travel via the pyres within the hearth-trees that seem to be ever-burning.
Unlike even the ashways, the hearth-trees are all linked, requiring no extra traveling. However, there are still some drawbacks. The first is that someone must allow you to appear within the desired hearth-tree. Most hearth-tree have tenders that are able to examine the emotions and intent of the one(s) wishing to appear in their hearth-tree. Second is that hearth-trees take a very long time to create. They take at least 100 years to reach adulthood, which is when they become capable of warping, and then they will pass away naturally within 40 or 50 years. It is estimated that there are roughly 100 hearth-trees on the entire continent. Ordinarily their lifespan wouldn't be an issue, but even creating one seed is very intensive and it is very easy to make a mistake during the procedure, which would ruin the seed entirely.

Kinflame

The kinflame is something granted to all humans born on Tievahal. It seems to be an incorporeal blessing; however, its effects are quite real. On its own, the kinflame is largely useless. However, you can grant it to another person, creature, or even plant. If the being accepts, the two lives are linked. They share life, but also their power.
A Tiev bonded to a tiger will grow heightened senses and strength while the tiger will grow more intelligent, capable of understanding human speech, and will even be able to travel through hearth-trees. A Tiev bonded to a tree will age far slower and will require less food, assuming they get enough sunlight, while the tree will be granted minor autonomy, awareness, and can even see through the eyes of the bonded Tiev.

Rushuyan Signatures

Signetry in Rushuya, known there as ash-craft, is more primitive than its usage in the Hearthlands, likely due to the lack of Fyrian intervention. However, the signatures they have created are more suited to war, no doubt to combat the rival Storm-Children races that also inhabit Rushuya.

Bursting Powder

A volatile mixture, bursting powder is an explosive powder, though its destructive capibilities are minimal. When the powder touches water, it will burn. It does not produce a particularly strong heat, more similar to a large ember than a true flame. Nevertheless it is used to great effect; Rushuyans will often coat their large, stone walls with the powder and when Scutarii giants will try to smash down the walls, they knock much of the powder loose which will float into the giant's eyes or mouth and be triggered by the moisture.

Drinking Sand

Drinking Sand is an absorbent. It is poured over a bleeding wound where it will proceed to 'drink' the spilled blood and congeal over the wound, preventing further blood loss. It is not harmful to the body, though can cause a painful pinching sensation.
Created by compressing wet sand under heavy weights and heating it. If extracted and treated at the right time, it will become drinking sand.

Galefyr's Whisper

A powder also known simply as whisper or even just wisp. When burned in large quantities, the smoke it produces can repel wind and storm clouds. This even removes the source of Storm-Child magic in the immediate vicinity, reducing their power greatly. Though it is expensive to create, it is often considered the greatest equalizer in any skirmishes with the Scutarii.

Valgeerian Signatures

Valgeer has had little contact with the world beyond. Very few foreigners have journeyed to the Shadowlands and even less have returned.
The unique quality of Valgeerian signetry, called shadow opus or shadow painting, comes the continent's many volcanic activities and the people's reverence for the play of shadows, which manifest as one of their major gods, Sha'Dim the Shadow Painter.

Dim Shard

Dim shards resemble obsidian with a black, glassy surface. Despite their small size, their shadows are abnormally large, approximately four times larger than they should be. They are crafted from magma that was frozen quickly, which can be a difficult process. However, when the magma is frozen, all it takes is chipping away until one reaches the core, which is often fist-sized. Dim shards come from these cores.
The magical ability of the dim shard is to immediately solidify magma it is tossed into. Dim shards are a necessity when traversing certain parts of Valgeer.

Shadow Mirrors

Shadow Mirrors are geysers that spew forth huge quantities of thick, black smoke. This smoke has a special property, however; while looking at it with special lenses, one can actually see beyond the smoke, allowing it to act as cover while you observe in safety. The lenses are condensed cores that would normally create dim shards. The denser the core, the greater their effect to see through a shadow mirror. Sha'Domi can also see through shadow mirrors.

Sha'Dimic Obelisks

Sha'Dimic Obelisks are not unlike the Val'Dere Statues of Hadrim; however, they are even fewer in number. In truth, they see little everyday use, but they are revered greatly and are tended to by the Dar-Vaneer, an order of priests. However, they are not mere shrines.
When a person dies, if they are respected enough, their remains can be placed before an Obelisk. A presentation must be approved by the Dar-Vaneer, however. After approval, the Sha'Dimic apparently judges the deceased. A negative judging will reduce the corpse to smoke, which is then absorbed by the Obelisk. If judged well, however, smoke leaks from the Obelisk and enters the body. The deceased will rise again as a Shadow Bearer, or Sha'Domi. A resurrection is rare, but hardly unheard of.

Shadow Bearer/Sha'Domi

Resurrected by the Sha'Dimic Obelisks, the Sha'Domi are powerful, magical beings. They still appear relatively human, but their skin looks almost charred black and their eyes smolder like magma. Older Sha'Domi have cracks in their stony skin and these cracks glow with a similar light as their eyes.
Sha'Domi are very difficult to kill. For one, their skin is incredibly tough; it often takes repeated sword strikes to the same area to pierce through it. Secondly, they can still function and fight when they should be incapacitated from grievous wounds. They are immune to fire and magma and do not require breath. Water, in large quantities, is extremely harmful to them; both because of the water clashing with the magma within them and because they cannot swim (due to their density).