#pluviam praesidium

[xadianglyphs]

Chelsea Li

[zuppizup]

What if Callum uses Pluviam Praesidium to make a wee dome to protect him and Rayla from the snow.

What then?

[a-very-sparkly-nerd]

Rayllum Month 2024! (10/13)

i try to rationalize, “people are people,” but it’s like you’re made of angel dust

July 19th - Magic

This was another earlyyyy work for Rayllum Month! Gotta be one of my faves, regarding both the result and how much I loved writing it, (mostly/ish) slice-of-life Rayllum with just a dash of life-or-death kisses. As we do in the TDP fandom.

Rayla hated water, and she had good reasons, given that every experience with it had nearly resulted in her kicking the bucket. Of course, some of those fears were eased a little now that Callum was an Ocean mage, that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her–and he’d proven it, time and time again–but that kind of trauma never truly went away.

Rain was part of that. Rain had been Callum going to get himself and Zym electrocuted, rain had been the snake’s rattle crushing in Callum's fingers, rain had been dooming her troupe, rain had been that night in the tavern with a big Drakerider, rain had been receiving the news her parents were deserters.

She wrapped her arms around herself, wishing she could control the weather and envious of Storm Dragons. She and Callum had been trekking through the woods for the better part of the day under cover of densely packed treetops, mostly shielded from the downpour. Now, though, the quickest way through this stretch of Xadia was straight through, instead of detouring through the forest and adding at least another day to the journey. Time they didn’t have, something she couldn’t ask Callum to do.

So Rayla rubbed her eyes and drew her hood up over her head, looking out at the open meadow with a wrinkled nose.

Callum set a hand on her shoulder, gazing at her worriedly with care coming from an endless well. “We can go around.”

She sighed. “No, we don’t have time to waste. I’ll be fine.”

He frowned a little, hooking his staff to his back and tracing a quick rune in the air. “Pluviam Praesidium.”

Rayla looked up to find a dome over their heads, shielding them from the whipping winds and likely the rain once they stepped out from under the cover of the trees.

She glanced up at him, at his bright, gorgeous emerald eyes reflecting the rain as he squinted out at the meadow, then back to her. The second they made eye contact, a soft smile stretched across his face, and he hooked their arms together. “Here we are.”

She swallowed. His arm would get tired, he’d get spent from the magic usage when he really should be saving as much energy as possible, but… she’d always been selfish. He’d always been selfless. He wanted to give, and she couldn’t seem to stop taking.

She looked down. “Thanks.”

He nodded, touching his forehead to hers. Almost as if he could read her mind, he assured her, “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. Sky mages draw power from storms, right? Pretty sure rain counts.”

Especially because he was an Ocean mage now, too, Rayla reasoned, and let herself accept it. Let herself accept something sweet from him. Let herself close her hand over his upper arm and definitely not blush at the lean muscle under her fingertips. “I think it does.”

And for the first time in two years, Rayla wasn’t cold, wet, and miserable after stepping out into the elements. And she wasn’t alone, either.

Read more on AO3!

[thatartiststudios]

Fic update

The courtyard was surrounded by walls adorned with statues bearing the Egyptian crook and flail crossed over their chests. Presumably, these statues depicted the king who built this particular section, as the temple had been expanded over many years by several Pharaohs.

   The group moved forward, appreciating the grandeur of the temple despite its deteriorated state. They passed the ruins of a small building, their eyes drawn to the row of statues on either side of the courtyard.   

   Suddenly, the eyes of the statues glowed with a ghostly pale blue-green light, mirroring the sphinxes they encountered earlier.

   The statues uncrossed their arms and descended from their pedestals, their movements defying the nature of stone. With a haunting grace, the statues uncrossed their arms and descended from their pedestals, stepping into the path of the heroes with determined purpose. The courtyard, a majestic ruin with fragments of its former glory, became a stage for this supernatural encounter.

  “Just what we needed,” Sadie muttered, her staff poised for action. 

   Piper, her dagger at the ready, added a dry remark, “This day just keeps getting better, doesn’t it?”

   Rayla tightened her grip on her Butterfly Blades, a hint of determination in her violet eyes, “We can handle this. Stay close.”

   The statues, now animated, moved with an unnatural fluidity. Jason unsheathed his gladius, casting a wary glance at the encroaching statues, “Anyone got a plan for these guys?”

   Carter, his khopesh in hand, responded, “Well, they seem like shabti—statues or figurines that can be activated to serve who activated them or protect something.” he clarified before anyone could raise a question.

   As the statues closed in, the heroes prepared to face this new challenge, their weapons at the ready. The courtyard echoed with an eerie silence, broken only by the rhythmic steps of the stone guardians.

   They continued to draw nearer, closing in. Gradually, they loomed over the heroes, their towering presence casting a formidable shadow.

  Carter narrowed his eyes, focusing on a particular statue in front of him. Uttering the Divine Words, “Ha-wi!” a massive invisible force struck the statue, sending it crashing into another behind it.

   And it was then, that the fight began.

   Sadie targeted her own statue, and with a “Ha-di!” it exploded into rubble.

   Callum, drawing a rune, cast “Pluviam Praesidium!” creating a protective shield that guarded him and Rayla from the aftermath of the blast, relinquishing it moments later.

  Another statue swung its crook at Piper, but Jason intercepted the attack, straining against the giant’s strength, his shoes slipping in the sand.

   “Jason!” Callum called out, “Watch out!”

   Heeding the warning, Jason backed up, just in time for Callum to cast his spell, “Fulminis!” a bolt of lightning arced out from his hand and lashed at the statue, breaking off almost the entirety of its right side.

   Carter, once again invoking the Divine Words, “Ha-wi!”, finished off the damaged statue. The team turned their attention to the remaining statues, which continued their relentless approach.

   Callum, drawing another rune, cast “Aspiro Frigis!”, swinging his staff to create a low, curved wall of ice that temporarily trapped the statues closest to them. It was a brief respite, but the battle was far from over. 

   He was only buying them time.

   “How many of them are there?” asked Piper.

   Carter racked his brain, and winced, “Probably close to 35.”

   As if on cue, they were interrupted by cracking noises, as the statues burst from their icy bounds, once more ready to attack.

    “What now?” Jason asked.

   Callum exchanged a determined glance with Rayla, hefting his staff before him, “We fight.”

   And with that, they fought, together.

   Carter and Rayla, along with Piper and Jason combined their combat skills, with Rayla and Piper drawing the attacks from the statues and Jason flying in the air to further distract them so Carter could attack with his combat magic.

   Callum and Sadie covered the team with their magic, alternately attacking and blocking to provide support when needed.

   Their assailants kept coming, but they kept fighting back.

   Callum looked over just as a statue was about to slam down his crook on Rayla, no one near to protect her, the others occupied with their own targets. In an instant, he traced a rune, “Ferrum Venti!” An iron wind sliced through the air, severing the arm of the statue, and it crumbled to the sand, leaving Rayla unscathed.

   As the battle raged on, Carter’s form shifted. He assumed his Horus avatar, a translucent blue manifestation that encased him in the likeness of the hawk warrior.

   Callum, astonished, couldn’t help but gawk at the transformation. 

   “You didn’t think to do that earlier?” his voice rising in pitch ever so slightly with shock.

   Carter, his avatar mimicking his movements, offered an apologetic shrug, “Sorry Callum, just got a little lost in the heat of battle you know?” Before Callum could respond, Carter turned to block a strike from one of the statues, now a little taller than his opponent.

   Despite the escalating intensity of the battle, Carter managed to maintain his focus, skillfully wielding the powers of his Horus avatar. The translucent form of the hawk warrior moved with an otherworldly grace, countering the attacks of the statues.

   Meanwhile, Callum and Sadie continued to weave their magic, creating defensive barriers and launching potent spells to hinder the advancing statues. Rayla, with her Moonshadow agility, darted between opponents, delivering precise strikes with her Butterfly Blades.

   Piper and Jason coordinated their efforts, with Piper using her dagger to parry and counter, and Jason utilizing his gladius with finesse. The clash of weapons and the echoes of magical incantations filled the air as the heroes fought in unison.

   The number of statues dwindled under the combined assault, but the battle remained fierce. The remaining animated guardians pressed harder, their ghostly eyes glowing with an eerie determination.

   In the midst of the chaos, Sadie conjured a swirling vortex of sand around a group of statues, disorienting them and rendering them temporarily immobile. Seizing the opportunity, Callum unleashed a barrage of lightning, shattering the statues into fragments.

   As the last remnants of the supernatural foes crumbled to the ground, the heroes stood amidst the courtyard, catching their breath. The once-silent space now echoed with the sounds of victory.

   Carter’s Horus avatar dissipated, leaving him standing once again in his human form. He grinned at Callum, “Better late than never, right?”

   Callum chuckled, a mix of relief and exhaustion evident in his expression, “Yeah, I suppose so. Remind me to never underestimate the power of the hawk.”

   “Well, a few people have, including your friend, Percy.”

   Carter laughed in return, “Well, I appreciate not being called chicken man for once, so I‘ll take it.”

  Jason raised an eyebrow, inquiring, “Who calls you that?”

   Jason chuckled at that, “Yep, that sounds like him.”

   Piper, still catching her breath, added, “Well, that was certainly a warm welcome.”

   Rayla nodded, her violet eyes scanning the courtyard, “Let’s hope the rest of the temple is a bit more welcoming.”

   With the immediate threat quelled, the heroes regrouped, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead within the ancient Karnak Temple.

   The heroes stepped into the grand Hypostyle Hall, a marvel of ancient architecture. Towering columns, adorned with intricate hieroglyphics, surrounded them like giants frozen in time. The air within felt still, a stark contrast to the recent chaos outside. Piper couldn’t help but voice the eeriness of the sudden silence.

   “It’s too quiet in here,” she remarked, her voice echoing in the vast hall.

   Jason nodded in agreement, “After all the trouble outside, this feels almost... unsettling.”

   Carter, who was leading the way with Sadie, turned back to reassure them, “Don’t let it fool you. The quiet might be more ominous than the chaos. Keep your guard up.”

   With that caution, they pressed forward, following the Kanes through the hall, tracing the stories and secrets etched into the colossal stone pillars. Each step echoed through the vast space, creating a sense of anticipation as they delved deeper into the heart of the temple. The air hummed with ancient energy, as if the very walls whispered forgotten tales to those who dared to listen.

Next Part

[numptypylon]

Pluviam praesidium fluff ✨

I need to practice people looking UP, that’s the devil’s facial angle 😅 Eh, I tried.

[blutopaz15]

so, pluviam praesidium to keep Rayla out of the rain, when???

[ac0531]

Decided to do a photo edit of Callum using Pluviam Praesidium but for Rayla!

[thosefiveadoraburrs]

season 4 moments that buttered my bagel

Pluviam praesidium.

[alex-and-a-camera]

Pluviam Praesidium

[slugma-grindset]

this is because primal magic is based off of latin words. Praesidium translates to protection. When preceded by pluviam(rain), it makes a magical umbrella. When preceded by tenebris(darkness) it makes a funky purple shield. All of the spells we have seen have come from latin (e.g. aspiro comes from respiro, meaning to breathe or blow back)

I knew Callum’s rain spell sounded familiar but then I remembered it’s similar to the shield spell Claudia used in 3x09!

Ooh that's a great catch and you're totally right!!

[xadianglyphs]

[xadianglyphs]

[xadianglyphs]

This is a repository of references for as many runes, symbols, and other writing as can be collected from The Dragon Prince and its supplemental materials. The intent is not to update very often unless new material is released, but please submit your own examples or requests!

TDP does not use a fantasy conlang alphabet, nor is linguistics (beyond ASL translation) a factor in designing the filler writing and decorative symbols used throughout the setting. However, because I am personally insane, I wanted a way to check if the various styles of glyphs could be grouped in any meaningful way. Which meant collecting and organizing every possible instance of writing in the entire show. So here we are.

By Appearance:

book one: moon, book two: sky, book three: sun, book four: earth, book five: ocean, book six: stars, book seven: dark, credits sketch

tales of xadia, through the moon, bloodmoon huntress, puzzle house, dreamer's nightmare, tdp: xadia

concept art

By Identified Family:

primal rune, sunforge runes, handwriting

By Culture:

human kingdoms, xadia, moonshadow elves, skywing elves, sunfire elves, earthblood elves, tidebound elves, startouch elves, order of the blood moon, celestial elves, draconic

moon nexus, sky nexus, sun nexus, earth nexus, ocean nexus, star nexus

By Primal Source:

primal sources, moon primal, sky primal, sun primal, earth primal, ocean primal, star primal

corrupted primal, dark magic, deep magic

By Surface Type/Location:

architecture, attire, books, handwriting, objects, weapons

book of aaravos, claudia's spellbook, cursed coin, scale of shiruakh, magic mirror, starscraper

Spells:

primal rune, unnamed spell

amor stella vitae, aquis spirare faucibus, arma virtutis, aspiro, aspiro frigis, eritque arcus ignis, fulgur mortifer, fulminis, historia viventem, infantis sanguine, lapis caeli, levare ventum, missilem ignem, mons aqueous, noctu igne, pluviam praesidium, sepultura caelo, stratum caligo, tenebris praesidium, terminus ad glacium, umbra chorum, ventum angulus, ventum circulo, ventus spiralis, ventus validus, venus frigoris

Meta:

meta

analysis, compilation, scene comparison

[blutopaz15]

pluviam praesidium

read on ao3

Honestly, Rayla had expected the distance.

She’d dreamt, of course, of things being just the same between them—that she’d come home and he’d be so relieved that it wouldn’t matter what she’d done—but Callum had made it clear from the get-go that they most certainly weren’t.

So, it’d been awkward—to say the least—and then it’d been tense, and she gets it—she really does—so she’d been patient, but then…

Then the distance had started to close.

It’d been just a smile at first, then just a hand, a compliment here, a laugh there, then two hands, and then…

Then Callum had finally, finally pulled her close, told her he was glad she’d come back…

…and she’d thought that everything was—finally—fine.

The distance is back, though—and it has been since they landed in New Lux Aurea to see Amaya and Janai yesterday—but…it feels different now. Purposeful, almost, like he has to work for this tension, unlike the cold shoulder that’d come so easily those first few days.

She can feel him gravitating towards her as they move through the marketplace—how he trails behind just far enough that he could deny following her, how he’s suddenly so interested in some random display everytime she catches him looking, how his footsteps quicken when she gets a little too far ahead—but he’s never close enough to touch, hardly even close enough to talk to…and her patience is failing.

He perks up and makes his way to the exit as soon as it’s clear she’s done at this storefront, and Rayla shakes her head.

If he wants to be close, and she wants to be close, then they should just be close, she thinks, frustrated and frowning as she steps out of the stall…

…to find that—of course—it’s raining.

“Ugh,” she grumbles to Stella, shoulders slouching under the overhang, gearing up to dash across the market square. “Great.”

At least her hesitation has given Callum no choice but to close some of that distance, though, she thinks, pleased to find him moving into her space, about to actually talk to her about her griping and groaning instead of just avoiding her.

“Pluviam Praesidium,” is what he says, and he’s smiling—grinning, actually—as he traces the spell in the air. It’s less of a rune and more of a picture, Rayla thinks, watching the glowing blue light dissolve, tracking the arc his arm makes as he conjures up an invisible umbrella to match the symbol he’d drawn. Callum’s eyes twinkle a little as he gestures to the circle of cover he’s created with an adorable little bow that would’ve been way more over the top two summers ago, she’s sure. “After you.”

“Cute spell, mage,” she ventures, ready for him to shut down or snark back like he’s done so often since she’s been back…but he doesn’t. She steps beneath the spell, and Stella chitters appreciatively too, and he just…keeps smiling.

She watches as they start walking and the spell catches its first few raindrops overhead, and almost misses the brief flush in his cheeks.

“I thought you’d like it,” he shrugs.

“What’s not to like?” she says, feeling her own face flood with a little warmth, so very tempted to touch him. He’d done the spell with his left hand, though—the one between the two of them—and she can’t help but wonder if that’d been on purpose…so that she wouldn’t take his hand. “Keeps me dry, keeps you close…makes you smile.”

Instead of brightening that smile fades, though, just a little, but…it’s enough that the giddy, flirty feeling in her chest fades too.

She clasps her hands in front of her, ready to push him a little, ready to ask him to talk again like she’s wanted for the past week…but—for a change—she doesn’t need to.

“You know, it’s not that I want to stay away, Rayla,” he shares unbidden, looking at her sadly, thoughtfully. “It’s that…I want to be close, but—”

“Then be close,” she answers, sure he doesn’t need the invitation after this last week of her desperate bids for connection.

She thinks nudging against him—throwing her hip gently against his—will help, and he does let out a short little laugh…but it ends in a grimace she can only describe as pained.

“I’m—I don’t know if I’m ready for that. I’m still…” His eyes are emerald and dark beneath the shine before he looks away, and his voice wavers. “I’m hurt, Rayla.”

“I know,” she admits, her own eyes falling to their synced steps. “I know, Callum.”

She’d known that he would be; she’d just hoped he’d understand.

It’s not an excuse, but it is an explanation—one that he already knows.

“I just wanted to keep you safe,” she says, hardly more than whispering.

Stella yelps before Rayla feels the raindrops herself. She’s confused, at first, at the broken barrier between them and the rain…but then she looks at Callum.

“And who’s supposed to keep you safe, Rayla?” he demands, his fists clenched tight at his sides, his tone biting and his voice loud, his face so twisted up into a scowl that she can’t bear to look at anything but the raindrops plopping into the mud below them.

He’s right to be angry—she can’t argue that—and so…she doesn’t answer.

There is no answer, aside from the one she hadn’t been able to accept, the same one that he already knows.

Callum’s first to speak, muttering the same spell again, restoring the safety overhead.

He sighs after a few footfalls in silence.

“I…shouldn’t yell. I’ve been kind of a jerkface, huh?” he says, already watching her when she picks up her head.

That does not matter, Rayla thinks. He could be as short with her as he liked: it was the closest they’d gotten to actually talking, after all.

“Maybe a little,” she scoffs to hide the hurt she’s earned.

Him yelling was better than him saying nothing, and honestly…

“I deserve it, anyway.”

“You don’t, Rayla,” he says, almost sternly, matching Stella’s little whine in her ear.

His answer comes so quickly, like after all this time his first instinct is still defending her, even to herself, even from himself.

She lifts an eyebrow, though: she does. “Really? Not even a little?”

“Well…maybe a little,” Callum concedes, with a single stifled chuckle, letting his arm fall again.

They’re under a veranda now, sheltered from the storm, and before she can even thank him, he’s closing the distance between them…and the hand that’d held the spell is clasped around her palm.

“Listen, Rayla. I’m not ready yet—”

He squeezes her hand—

“—but…I will be.”

—and lets go.

[jelzorz]

Hello! I took Latin in high school and no one cares BUT Tenebris means darkness while Pluvia (accusative: pluviam) means rain and praesidium means protection which tracks for both!

Tenebris Praesidium: darkness shield

Pluviam Praesidium: rain shield

Interestingly, Luna Tenebris, the dragon, is literally named Dark Moon and that's so emo, I'm here for it

I knew Callum’s rain spell sounded familiar but then I remembered it’s similar to the shield spell Claudia used in 3x09!

Ooh that's a great catch and you're totally right!!