The term symbol originates from the Greek word symbolon meaning token or sign.
Symbols play an integral role in Andumon. In a time where a tyrant rules, symbols are used to communicate discreetly. Whether between rebel bands hellbent on destroying the emperor, or by those loyal to Lord Valde Vulnero, coming across a certain symbol can mean the difference between life and death.
...he noticed something peculiar. On a side of one of the only standing walls, a strange symbol was painted. It was simple, and yet Gilaon couldn’t help but feel that it stood for something important. There was a long diagonal line tipped with a triangle. It made the symbol look like a flag or a nobleman’s banner. Three diagonal slashes intersected the first line in the opposite direction... [Gilaon and Kenair] stood silent for some time, committing the symbol to memory, like a brand seared into their minds. -The Dark Pilgrim, p70
When Chelsea and I were trying to create the perfect symbol for The Fordrin, we research a few possibilities before deciding to mesh our favorites together in order to create our own. When researching aboriginal symbols, Celtic symbols, Native American symbols, and others, we found ourselves drawn to symbols of truth, protection, and storms. These three words are oddly fitting when you consider what the Fordrin stands for (don’t worry, no spoilers for those who haven’t read yet).
So we decided to doodle with our newfound knowledge and we came up with the image above. This is what Gilaon sees painted in blood. This is the image burned into his memory... And this symbol, this one image sets in motion a life Gilaon never before imagined for himself. A life he wouldn't have chosen. And yet it is a life he cannot escape.