Kylttien

Kylttien is a fictional category of luminescent inscriptions described in certain speculative fiction and role-playing game settings. The term is used to denote both the artifacts themselves and the knowledge system they encode.

Etymology: The coinage appears to derive from a constructed language used in those settings; its roots combine a stem kyl- meaning light with a plural suffix -ttien. In-universe lore, kylt- forms occur across several dynasties and cultures.

Discovery and distribution: In narratives, kylttien were found in karst cave networks on the southern continents, with the earliest examples dating to a period called the Age of Dusk, roughly three to five thousand years ago in the fictional chronology.

Physical characteristics: Kylttien tablets are typically rectangular, about 30–60 cm across, carved with glyphs that glow pale blue or green when exposed to starlight or heat. The inscriptions are stylized scripts that often appear in multiple languages layered together.

Function and interpretation: The inscriptions are said to encode astronomical tables, navigational routes, calendars, or ritual instructions. A decoding device or specialized apprenticeship is usually required to render the glyphs into readable text. Some tablets are described as responding to specific light sequences during exploration quests.

Cultural significance: In-world, kylttien fuse empirical observation with ritual meaning; they are central to scholars and priests and serve as plot devices for exploration, discovery, and the transmission of ancient knowledge.

Real-world note: There is no verifiable evidence that kylttien exist outside fiction and gaming materials.