Dethek is the Runic Alphabet in which languages such as Dwarvish, Giantish, Ghukliak, Primordial, Daraktan. It consists of numerals and symbols for common words or phrases.
The term is also sometimes used to refer to the Dwarvish language as a whole by Dwarfs. The Dethek runic alphabet consisted of 24 characters. The sounds "w", "x", and "z" were represented by the same character.
Numerals
The Dethek method of counting used a collection of straight lines, joined together to create a number. This means that each number appeared as a single character. The characters for 1 and 5 were combined in various logical ways to create the numbers 1 to 9.
The characters for 1, 5, and 10 were combined to created numbers up to 20.
Numbers from 20 to 99 could be created using logical combinations of the 1, 5, and 10 symbols.
To make 100, simply invert a 10 on top of itself (10×10=100). The rest of the hundreds could be created using combinations of previous symbols.
To make 1000, flip a 10 symbol on its side in front of 100 (10×10×10=1000). Additional thousands were added with a notch in the flipped thousand symbol.
Symbols
Clans and tribes and some of the most common words, races, or phrases had their own symbols. These were useful for sign-posting or creating runestones.
Each of the main races in Gaimera had a collective symbol assigned to it. The symbol applied to both singular and plural, leaving the reader to work it out from context.
Other symbols were used for tracking and signposting. These were hieroglyphics based on commonly understood concepts: a foot to mark a safe trail, an inverted helm or drinking horn to indicate fresh water, and so on.
Punctuation
Dethek was extremely lacking in punctuation. The first letters of nouns and words that began sentences could be capitalized. This was achieved with a simple horizontal accent over the letter.
Words were generally separated by spaces. To end sentences, the most common method was a large line or slash across the line. To emphasize or show contrast against the writing surface, the runes could be painted. Names of people, races, and locations were highlighted in red, while the rest of the text was painted black or left unadorned.
Any numbers enclosed in boxes were dates, written as day followed by year.
Application
Dwarf-written Dethek runes were preferably carved into durable stone, and less often into metal, and rarely written on paper or cloth due to the short life and fragile nature of such materials. Dwarven runes were usually carved or scraped into the stone walls of a building or cave; on a cairn, pillar, or standing stone, or inscribed or stamped on metal surfaces such as a weapon. Particular forms of dwarven writing were books of bound metal sheets or on stone tablets called runestones.
The simplicity of Dethek runes and their straight lines made carving them into metal and stone simple. Despite this, runes inscribed on runestones were typically written in a spiral-form, from outside in.