Monday, June 13, 2022

Quarter Hour of Writing Challenge: Tattoos

A branch, fallen
The soaring bird.
From dirt, plucked
The mighty bear.
On pyre, burnt
The roaring lion.
Its soot, gathered
The charging bull.
With water, mixed
The wise owl.
Our blade, sharpened
The hunting shark.
Blessed ink, stirred
The leaping hare.
Over skin, drawn
The canny fox.
New scars, made
The howling wolf.
Old tales, remembered.

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“The Zarati practice what I regard as a most curious form of glyph-based magic—rather than seeking to inscribe script into objects, or even working it in the air as on Pharron, they choose to carve it into their very flesh, with the use of blades and ink. In contrast to the more outwardly-focused languages of Teragia or Aeregard, Zarati glyphs instead endow effects directly upon their bearer; the granting of new abilities and the enhancement of existing attributes most frequently. Their forms are flowing and spiralling, often working to cover much of the body in the case of those most accomplished. They insist on using only the plane's native ash-leaf to craft their ink, a tree regarded with great reverence in their faith. I have found it a challenge to obtain what little information I have on their Art; the nature of the forms and the associated rituals are matters of much secrecy among their communities.”

An excerpt from Medarin the Magnificent's Compendium of the Planes, regarding the aetheric Art of the Zarati people of Keora'ana 

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As described by Library of Attnam.

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