What would the inside of a spell book look like?

[Elegost]

Hello there,

Just curious about something, I am hoping to make several spell books/scrolls for my Elder scrolls themed room. But I really don't know what the inside would be like, Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you,

-Chris

[cowleyj]

That's a good question. I'd guess, based on no lore whatsoever, that it would have advice on how to, for example, channel your magicka to form a fireball.

An example being: "close your eyes. Focus on the Heat of the fire, the shape and movement of the flame until you can see it perfectly in your mind's eye, then open your eyes and you should see the fireball in your hand. Then make a pushing motion with that hand towards the target, and the fireball should move that way."

Perhaps it would also contain information about how to use the spell most effectively and how the spell actually works.

[philfredobob]

Well, the Oghma Infinium seems to function in a similar fashion, and we do get to see the inside of it. So perhaps spell tomes would have a similar appearance. Not exactly, but similar.

[Aarah]

Yeh maybe some kind of magical symbols like the Oghma like you say. Its interesting that spell tomes dont say 'read' like the regular books do but say 'use'. Also the book is destroyed once you use it so perhaps there is nothing in the book except some kind of magical essence that you absorb, destroying the book in doing so. I suppose a blank book would be a bit boring though!

Where is this Elder Scrolls themed room you're creating? Is it just for your enjoyment or for others. Im intrigued! Sounds cool!

[Elegost]

Thank you for the comments everyone, I have to say the Oghma symbols sound and look exactly like what I want, And as cowleyj says, I think a description of the spell, and how to use it would be nice,

Aarah - Thanks for your interest in my room, its my bedroom actually, and you can see more of it here; http://forums.uesp.net/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=35773

Thanks again for your help guys, I shall show you what I come up with,

[OblivionDuruza]

I would recommend checking out the Spell Scrolls from Morrowind, which are all written in Daedric characters. I would suggest that it's a safe bet to say that a spellbook would likely be written in the same language.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

I'm actually going to strongly disagree with the likelihood of that.

Morrowind's Daedric script made sense because culturally much of the Dunmer culture is built on Daedric principles, even during the Tribunal years. With the rest of Tamriel, it's more likely that Magic Script or some other language is used.

[OblivionDuruza]

While that may very well be true, although I feel you overstate the part the Daedra play in the Dunmer culture (at least that which we see in-game Morrowind, which is heavily Temple-orientated - the Orders of War and Inquisition holding significant power to prosecute the Temple's agenda against heretical Daedra worship), the fact still stands that Deadric spell scrolls and/or books are entirely appropriate as TES-themed paraphernalia.

For Chris' purposes, because there isn't a great alternative, I think this is the best fit, although the script in the Oghma Infinium could certainly be something that is replicated, even if we can't translate it and even if it is written in Daedric in Oblivion.

[Jeelius-Tei]

I TFC'd into an alteration spellbook and took this image. Can't read the words though, too low quality.

Hidden:

[OblivionDuruza]

It looks like English script to me. I take it that it's from Skyrim? Also that it's a Spell Tome?

[Jeelius-Tei]

Yep, its from Skyrim, and I flew into a spell tome. Not sure if all books have the same inside though.

[OblivionDuruza]

This is just speculation, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was just Lorem ipsum in a cursive font, considering nobody's supposed to see it.

[Jeelius-Tei]

Not quite sure about that though. On the fourth line, there is a word that looks like "Oath". And on the eleventh line, there are two words, that appear to say "The alley".

[The SheoDovah]

I think it would be written in Cyrodillic and would describe the spell and how to cast it. I think the ones we have in Skyrim are just tomes.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

While that may very well be true, although I feel you overstate the part the Daedra play in the Dunmer culture

Daedra worship, yes, but the script is prolific. It's everywhere in TES III. Every sign on every building has it, and the map that shipped with the game is chock full of it. That's one practice ALMSIVI never really bothered to phase out. It was too deeply engrained and useful.

[Aarah]

Aarah - Thanks for your interest in my room, its my bedroom actually, and you can see more of it here; http://forums.uesp.net/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=35773

I had a look. Everything looks great and very authentic too which can be hard when youre doing it yourself!

[OblivionDuruza]

Daedra worship, yes, but the script is prolific. It's everywhere in TES III. Every sign on every building has it, and the map that shipped with the game is chock full of it. That's one practice ALMSIVI never really bothered to phase out. It was too deeply engrained and useful.

Entirely true, but I feel it's entirely conceivable that the reason Daedric is so prolific and engrained is due to pragmatic reasons, such as it's relation to magic, which would explain why all the scrolls are in Daedric. Of course, that's only speculation, but I believe it's fair to say that if the Tribunal didn't remove the Daedra from Morrowind, the Alessians and post-Alessians probably would have failed to do so in the rest of the Empire as well, considering the Daedric we see similarly in Oblivion's real-world literature and art.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

Well, to be fair the runes in Skyrim seem to use Daedric letters unless my memory fails me. I've been on a huge Batman kick lately and haven't played much TES. I seem to recall Jurgen Windcaller had Daedric letters on his tomb as well. He certainly was no Daedra worshiper. It's plausible these letters are used in a secular way for their inherent magical properties. Perhaps they're actually lesser Daedra bound to ink or stone. On the other hand, cultures like the Ayleids who definitely did worship Daedra sometimes used different languages and runes in their magic.

[Elegost]

Thanks for the image Jeelius-Tei, I think all books have a standard writing in them,

I have never been fond of daedric script due to its relation with evil.

I think I will have to agree with Thelastdovah, although I also think Pilaf has an interesting point about lesser Daedra bound in ink, and that it may be used for their magical properties.

Thank you Aarah, I appreciate your comments!

Thanks for everyone's input, I shall have to start drawing up plans! I shall maybe use a bit of a combination of daedric, English, and maybe other runes

-Chris

[Dark Spark]

First things first, one may call a spellbook a 'grimoire' instead of spellbook.

I've thought about drawing one up myself. Note the word 'draw'. Anatomical renderings (not neccessarily human), depictions of magic wards one is supposed to inscribe on chalk on the ground, images of seeds and flowers with useful alchemical properties, and the workings for a spell where you blast the skin off your victims subjects.

[OblivionDuruza]

Well, to be fair the runes in Skyrim seem to use Daedric letters unless my memory fails me. I've been on a huge Batman kick lately and haven't played much TES. I seem to recall Jurgen Windcaller had Daedric letters on his tomb as well. He certainly was no Daedra worshiper. It's plausible these letters are used in a secular way for their inherent magical properties. Perhaps they're actually lesser Daedra bound to ink or stone. On the other hand, cultures like the Ayleids who definitely did worship Daedra sometimes used different languages and runes in their magic.

It does indeed, somewhat inexplicably. And may I say, if there were ever anything to be on a huge kick on you could go far further astray than Batman.

I have never been fond of daedric script due to its relation with evil.

I wouldn't go so far as to say evil, I think that's something the Imperial Cult and post-Alessians would want you to believe, but I don't know that it's necessarily true in all cases, Azura for example. Further, I think it plays back to the origin of magic, when the et'Ada left Mundus (granted the Daedra were not those, but they're still et'Ada) and also introduces the concept of magic as more complex than a 'gift', more like a bargain with forces that are not necessarily benevolent.

Anyhow, an alternative could be to use the Elder alphabet, although it is really only used upon Elder Scrolls. I guess the Dwemer alphabet might also apply, especially considering it is thought to mirror that of the Ayleids are thought to have used a very similar, if not identical, alphabet.

[Elegost]

Dark Spark - Thanks for the idea about drawing things to help decorate the spell book. It has got me thinking!

I am currently sitting down now to draw some rough plans (pages) up, I shall hope to make an actual book, sort of like this:

http://imgur.com/a/VuG1S

I am a little unsure on the thickness, I would plan on only a few pages, there is only so much one can write/draw about a spell. any ideas? Or shall I just accept the thickness, the only thing is it may look rather thin. not like your typical ES spell book.

OblivionDuruza- Your right really, I think its something I have been a bit brainwashed about, I am grateful for you reminding me, I think I prefer the daedric script to the Elder alphabet, I just like the shaping.

[Jeelius-Tei]

I am currently sitting down now to draw some rough plans (pages) up, I shall hope to make an actual book, sort of like this:

Just a question, is this for your awesome room?

[Elegost]

The Link? No that is someone else's fantastic work,

[Jeelius-Tei]

No, I mean the book you are making! Will it be for decorating your room?