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The Natrof use a pictorial method of writing, simpler yet similar to the Hieroglyphics of Ancient Egypt on Earth. Writing is slightly more complex than normal Natrof language, largely down to the fact that writing is rarely used by anyone other than the Intellects. Writing is thought to have developed on Manwon around 1400 earth years ago, the same time that Intellects began emerging in significant number (although never significant enough to affect the Natrofs warrior ways). While with other races writing developed in different areas in different times and each area developed differently, writing developed at the same time all over Manwon. To make this even more unusual, it was one global writing system that was developed, with only evidence of minor regional differences. There have been several proposed theories to explain this occurance but most are dismissed at an early stage. There are three popular theories among xenobiologists, each of which are as commonly argued against.
One theory is that writing developed in a single area and through trade and travel it spread to the other tribes and their Intellects. This argument would explain the consistency of writing across the planet and it's emergence world wide at a single time, however all the evidence of this era suggests that the clans had very little interaction with one another other than wars and what little interaction there was would not have been anywhere near sufficient to allow for the spread of writing in such a short time scale.
Another popular theory is that another race were visiting the Natrof at this time either to study them or to assist their development. This race would have been responsible for the introduction of writing and (it's also suggested) the sudden increase in the number of Intellects. This theory is flawed in that the Natrof do not worship gods, in fact, they are totally unaware of the concept of gods or any other supernatural entities. Neither does Natrof folklore and legends include anything that could be described as a visitation. For this reason the theory of outside influence can be almost definitely ruled out as all known races that were visited by another race while in an primitive state of technological evolution (usually pre-nuclear) have some kind of belief in gods, demons and other mythical figures, for example the dragons of Japan on Earth or the Divine Light of the Korhonen.
The final, and most popular theory relates to the legend of Kinarc the Traveller. The legend is probably the oldest of all Natrof legends suspected to date back over 8000 years. Kinarc is said to have been the strongest of all as well as the greatest of thinkers, who endlessly travelled Manwon searching for the answers. He is thought to have been one of the first Intellects, before they were even recognised as such, but as there were so few who could understand his thoughts, the legends are largely about his strength and fighting ability. What ties this legend with the development of writing is the discovery of cave writings in eight locations across Manwon in the last 150 years. The writings have been dated to between 8000 and 9000 years old (the same estimated time of Kinarc) and are, with a few minor differences, the same writings that the Natrof use today. What many believe to happened is that Kinarc travelled so as to find other Intellects to share his knowledge with and in doing so also taught then to read and write. Then through the years the Intellects passed the knowledge down the generations, until 1400 years ago when the number of Intellects became sufficient for writing to become wide spread. What nobody seems to be able to explain is why no evidence of writing before that time has been found.
While the Kinarc theory is undoubtedly the most popular, it seems that we may never all agree on an explanation of the Natrof's unusual development of writing ability.
The Natrof Writing Development Debate