Eldleges

Eldleges are a class of ceremonial inscribed records used to certify laws, treaties, genealogies, and sacred decrees in many fantasy and speculative fiction settings. The term is often explained as a compound of elder or ancient and leges, the Latin for laws, though the exact etymology varies by culture, and some traditions coin the word independently.

Form and materials: Eldleges are typically carved on stone, metal, bone, or baked clay; some are written on parchment or pages bound into tablets with metal clasps. In-world scripts include runic alphabets, ritual sigils, pictographic schemes, and other symbolic systems. Some examples feature multiple layers of inscription that must be read in a particular sequence or ritual context.

Function and use: The primary purpose is to provide enduring authority, authenticating laws, finalizing treaties, or archiving noble genealogies. In many cultures, eldleges also function as ritual objects, believed to carry power that binds agreements or sanctifies lineages. Destruction or tampering with an eldlege is often regarded as a grave offense with social, legal, or spiritual consequences.

History and study: Eldleges are described as originating in ancient administrative centers and later spreading through trade and conquest. In-world scholars classify them by material, script, sealing methods, and binding rites. Dating relies on stylistic analysis, material provenance, and cross-referencing related artifacts. They are commonly kept in temples, civic archives, noble observatories, and coastal reliquaries.

Variants and examples: Broad categories include civil eldleges (laws and contracts), sacred eldleges (charters of ritual authority), and lineage eldleges (genealogies and succession documents). In fiction, notable examples may serve as plot devices or world-building anchors, illustrating legitimacy, conflict, or continuity within a realm.

See also: Inscriptions, legal codices, and magical artifacts.