Gransys Alphabet

The Gransys alphabet is a writing system found in use in Gransys, mainly in Gran Soren.

Overview

The Gransys alphabet appears to map directly from English letters to the script used in Gransys. The letters are used on signs above shops in Gran Soren, and also appear to be used on the red 'warning' sticker on the side of Explosive Barrels. An ancient or 'magic' form also exists, found on magic items and ancient inscriptions.

The alphabet is written left to right. Each of the two forms, both standard and ancient, can be written in inscribed ('lettering' or bold) and cursive ('writing' or light) forms.

This alphabet is also used in Lestania and on the continent of Phindym in Dragon's Dogma Online.

The four known forms (sample text)
Standard (lettering)
Standard (writing)
Ancient (lettering)
Ancient (writing)
Notes
The letters or glyphs in red bottom right of each sampler are in alphabetical order. The 'ancient' forms are referred to alternatively as 'magic' in the original japanese text 'Lettering' letters correspond to inscribed writing, such as with a chisel 'Writing' letters correspond to letters written with a pen or brush The text is a sample of text from the official art of Dragon's Dogma Online. Source The sample text is mostly nonsensical with some english words

Inscribed form

This form of the alphabet is found where letter might have been carved or incribed such as into wood in signage, or sometimes into stone (such as on the Monument of Remembrance); however it is also seen in use in some written texts.

Gransys glyph to English letter
A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K †	L	M	N	O	P	R	S	T	U	V †	W	Y †	Z †

† Additional letters from Lestanian texts.

Gran Soren Signage
Arsmith's Alehouse reads "pub"	Devyn's Barber Shop reads "barber s"
Camellia's Apothecary reads "general"	Caxton's Armory reads "weapon armor"
The Black Cat reads "counterfeit shop"	The Union Inn reads "guild"
Quest noticeboards read "notice board"

Cursive script

There is also cursive like script in contemporary use in Gransys - it is found on Explosive Barrels and other places where handwriting can assumed to have been used. It differs from "printed" (inscribed or carved) scripts used on signs and inscriptions - known examples show that it is a variant of the standard signage script.

Examples are given in the Dragon's Dogma: Official Design Works (p.305) giving text used with Explosive Barrels and similar.

Cursive runes
Part of the writing on the side of an Explosive Barrel reads "FLAMMA[ble]"	Graffiti found near a body in the Midnight Helix (Possibly says "keep fire")
Handwriting at the bottom of the document used on the "change vocation" screen

Ancient or 'spell' runes

Runes are found in association with magick spells, such as the targeting sigils used with Magick Bows - these spell runes are also found in Lestania (in Dragon's Dogma Online), and have been deciphered - they also correspond to an alphabet.

Runes are also found on some ancient artifacts, including the glowing fabric of the Hero's Surcoat, and on the Ancient Robe. Similar runes appear on Riftstones - these ancient runes seem similar to those used in spells, though there are two forms.

Spell and Ancient runes
Magick Bow rune sigil - the runes around the ring simply read abcdefghijklmnop (repeated)	Glowing runes on the Ancient Robe (enhanced image)
Runes on a Riftstone	Glowing runes on the Hero's Surcoat

Other forms

A very similar font in the Dragon's Dogma: Official Design Works (p.309) is described as being for 'effects' which seems to correspond to spells etc.

• The alphabet most closely resembles the ancient or 'magic' forms of the alphabet shown above.
  • In comparison some letters are unchanged whilst others have been altered completely - for example D seems to have been changed to a glyph more resembling a 'runic' B.

Font from the Design Works ['narrow' and 'bold' forms] (edited into alphabetical order)

See also

• Dragon's Dogma World and Lore

Notes

• The text is almost always written in the english language. An exception is the easter egg text in The Black Cat which uses romanized japanese; additionally the haircut style shown on posters in Devyn's Barber Shop seem to use romanized kanji for numbers.
• No examples of differing case are known.

Examples

• There are a number of haircut styles in Devyn's Barber Shop (qv) with Gransys writing on.
• There is text on the rim of the Arisen's Bond (qv).
• There appear to be compass directions on the guard of the Dowsing Spikes dagger (qv)
• 24 of the 26 English alphabetical characters are known in the Gransysian alphabet from inscriptions found in Gransys. There may be a 25th glyph (for "x") on the Monument of Remembrance (Line 9, 1st Word, 2nd character, proposed translation "exists".)
• Easter Egg There is a large sign within The Black Cat (qv) which contains a longish text in the alphabet.
• Easter Egg There is a long inscription on the Monument of Remembrance - see Monument of Remembrance § Notes.
• Easter Egg The illuminated story book shown during the end credits on completing the game contains director's notes (and so some story summary) in one of the ancient scripts. The player's name appears in the credits alongside key developers.
• The text on Riftstones is probably a mostly nonsensical Easter Egg between developers - rather than being relevant to the world or lore it thanks "PEODLE INTHEB DESIGN COMMUNITY" [sic] (etc etc) for their comtributions..