Drow Birth Glyphs

Seasons

Total no. of seasonal glyphs: 4

Represent: Temperament/Overall disposition

Seasonal glyphs are said to indicate a person’s overall disposition and temperament and are thus designed to act as a bounding box for the other three symbols. Weather, month and time symbols are therefore always located within the three cut ovals of the seasonal glyph. Rising turn and tempest (spring and summer) glyphs always point upwards with the differentiating staff symbol placed on the shoulder whilst falling turn and twilight (autumn and winter) glyphs always point downwards with the differentiating staff symbol placed on the upper forearm.

This is partly because rising and falling turn are viewed as mirror seasons; they thus have the same staff symbol and infer similar attributes in reverse.  It should be noted that the two turn glyphs do have different midpoint marks in the dips of their bounding ovals.

The reasoning for these extra embellishments is unclear. However since drow sibling glyphs use circles to indicate sisters and spikes to represent brothers, it has been speculated that these midpoint marks mean spring is thought of as a feminine season and summer as masculine, whilst autumn and winter are seen as balanced or gender neutral.

Weather

Total no of weather glyphs: 6

Represent: General demeanour/Automatic behavioural responses

Weather glyphs are said to determine a person’s general demeanour, their likely reactions and frequent behavioural patterns. These symbols are depictions of the most common climactic and atmospheric conditions found on the Nyte Isles.

Weather glyphs aren’t meant to be exacting; the symbols themselves do not denote the exact level of precipitation or lack thereof at the time of birth much in the same way their meanings aren’t meant to dictate the exact behavioural patterns a person will exhibit. 

Months

Total no of month glyphs: 12

Represent: Outlook/External persona

Month glyphs denote a person’s outlook on life and the external persona they are likely to showcase. These glyphs are based around animals that possess traits associated with the months they represent and the outward characteristics they exhibit.

Time

Total no of time glyphs: 24

Represent: Introspect/Internal persona

Time glyphs denote a person’s inner workings, the internal persona they possess and may or may not openly display. Time glyphs also imply hidden and obscure attributes that an individual may have buried within themselves or not yet come to realise.

The most varied of all glyphs; there is no clear basis to this grouping of symbols. Perhaps created with respect to the variety of attributes they describe and with regard to the nature of time itself. Time glyphs vary between the tangible and intangible, ranging from literal depictions to indistinct interpretations of objects, ideas and the natural world.