Signifiers

A list of known signifiers (sources and meanings, where known, indicated). Abbreviations:

• NG = Ninefox Gambit
• RS = Raven Stratagem
• RG = Revenant Gun

Andan

• Bed of Roses: pejoratively known as the groupie signifier
• Kniferose Burning Sweetly (also known as Rose Burning Sweetly): someone who cares greatly about aesthetics and organization and whose bark is worse than their bite (referenced in NG, meaning provided by smokedetective)
  • Vestar Ashrari’s principal signifier
• Kniferose Pierced (NG)
• Kniferose Thorns Wild (NG)
• Kniferose Unblooming: insecurity and getting lost in details to the point of stagnation (created by smokedetective)
  • one Vestar Ashari’s alternate signifiers
• Kniferose Unsheathed: someone sharp, who follows through, is always ready to strike, and is just slightly unstable (created by smokedetective)
  • one of Vestar Ashari’s alternate signifiers
• Rose Chalice: amiableness/docility with a side of “I’m a bit of a doormat” (referenced in RS, meaning provided by Yoon)

Kel

• Ashhawk Brightly Burning: the most common Kel signifier (NG)
• Ashhawk Contemplative: indicates asceticism and an intellectual bent; rare in Kel.
  • The Kel lieutenant in charge of Station Moongray's security has this.
• Ashhawk Feeding Young: indicates a nurturing or protective temperament (created by Zuhrovet)
• Ashhawk in Glory (RG)
• Ashhawk Sheathed Wings (NG)
• Ashhawk Skyward Falling: indicates bravery (NG)
• Ashhawk Sundered: unconventional but impulsive (RS; meaning provided by YHL in-game)
• Ashhawk Unhatched: considered very unlucky (NG)
• Ashhawk Vigilant (RS)
  • Rebellion handler Crow’s signifier
• Ashhawk Wheeling: while not unlucky, is not favored. It signals someone who may be creative with their interpretations of rules or prone to quick changes in behavior. (created by Kese Seyli)
  • Kese Seyli's signifier

Liozh

• Tangled Web: strong but not very coherent principles, favouring agility and complexity over certainty and clarity (created by Vass)
  • Dah Iawa’s signifier in the Heptarchate era
• Web Balloon: immaturity or adventurousness or traveling long distances (created by Vass)
• Web of Worlds (NG)

Nirai

• Broken-Winged Moth: indicates lack of social or intellectual community (created by Zuhrovet)
  • Zuhrovet Sikandaret's signifier for much of her twenties
  • Pre-mothdrive equivalent: Ringworld Shattered
• Clockwork Moth: someone who is interested in protocol and routines (provided by Yoon)
  • Nirai Pavn's signifier
  • Pre-mothdrive equivalent: Ringworld Day Breaking
• Knife-Winged Moth: someone who is either brilliant or who thinks they're brilliant. Relatively rare. (provided by Yoon)
  • Nirai Remi's signifier
  • Pre-mothdrive equivalent: Ringworld Moon Rising
• Voidmoth Bending Light: someone ambitious and multifaceted. (created by Zuhrovet)
  • Pre-mothdrive equivalent: Ringworld Haloed
• Voidmoth of Many Constellations: a good administrator. Practically a Nirai administrator signifier cliché. (provided by Yoon)
  • Nirai Paerani Shan's signifier
  • Pre-mothdrive equivalent: Ringworld Poles Shining
• Voidmoth on Patrol: someone dedicated to protecting people, places, or ideas. Common among Nirai seconded to the Kel. (created by Zuhrovet)
  • Zuhrovet Sikandaret's current signifier
  • Pre-mothdrive equivalent: Ringworld Orbiting
• Voidmoth Scattered Stars: someone with broad interests. (created by Zuhrovet)
  • Pre-mothdrive equivalent: Ringworld Gathering
  • Ione's signifier

Rahal

• Scrywolf Ambushed (NG)
• Scrywolf Circling: the most common Rahal signifier (created by Lleu)
  • Eshegen Virmad’s former signifier, in the process of changing
• Scrywolf Hunting Alone: apparently explains why a Rahal would be part of the Kel command structure (NG)
• Scrywolf Trapped in Glass: an obsessive and rigid personality (NG, meaning provided by venndaai)
  • Aricura Sulen’s signifier
• Scrywolf Uncircled (NG)
  • Eshegen Virmad’s new signifier
• Wolf Howling at the Moon: indicates an artistic and — for a Rahal — eccentric temperament. (created by Lleu)
• Wolf Wandering: indicates an independent temperament. Disfavored among Rahal. (provided by Yoon)
  • Rahal Gerae's signifier.

Shuos

• Immolation Fox (NG)
• Ninefox Crowned with Eyes: a visionary (NG)
• Ninefox Guardian: someone vigilant, pragmatic, concerned with duty (provided by Yoon)
  • “Andan” Bokali’s signifier
  • Shuos Zehun’s signifier
• Ninefox Half-Lidded (NG)
• Ninefox Hoarding Pearls: a double-edged image: on one hand, the fox gathers a bounty of knowledge. On the other, it tends to keep it...all of it. (created by redsixwing)
  • Shuos Reshad's signifier
• Ninefox Juggling Eyes: improvised tactical problem-solving (created by Zuhrovet and Eller)
  • Zagfehan Mafyyil's signifier
• Ninefox Smiling (RS)
  • Vauhan Mikodez’s primary signifier
• Ninefox Tails-Over-Eyes: even the Shuos need a good loser sometimes (created by Zuhrovet)
• Ninefox Vigilant: someone unusually lawful-minded for a Shuos (created by Yehan)
  • Cherrewin Yehan’s signifier

Vidona

• Stingray in Coral: a medical signifier (created by Vass)

Signifier equivalences

This chart is based on Lleu's speculation (not confirmed in any way by Yoon) that different factions' signifiers may have rough equivalents in signifiers from other factions: each row in the chart represents a (speculative) set of equivalences, drawn from the "known" signifiers that appear on this page divided by faction, from signifiers discussed on the Discord server, and from Lleu's own speculation; each signifier's source is marked as per the legend (below the chart). This chart is not exhaustive, and the equivalences it draws are only rough; nonetheless, they may illuminate something about different factions' attitudes (for instance, the equivalence between Ashhawk Brightly Burning, the most common Kel signifier, and Rose Chalice, indicating docility, tells us something about what Kel value relative to Andan).

Chart of equivalences

Andan	Kel	Liozh	Nirai (post-mothdrive)	Nirai (pre-mothdrive)	Rahal	Shuos	Vidona
‡Kniferose Blooming Sunwards‡	Ashhawk Skyward Falling	°Mirrorweb Aligned°	†Voidmoth on Patrol†	†Ringworld Orbiting†	‡Scrywolf Focusing‡	Ninefox Guardian	‡Stingray Hunting‡
‡Kniferose Dripping‡	Ashhawk Vigilant	°Mirrorweb Illuminated°	°Voidmoth Feeding°	°Ringworld Rings Sharp°	Scrywolf Hunting Alone	°Ninefox Teeth Bared°	°Stingray Striking°
‡Kniferose in Frost‡	Ashhawk Unhatched	‡Web Unraveling‡	‡Voidmoth Adrift‡	‡Ringworld Eclipsed‡	Scrywolf Trapped in Glass	‡Ninefox Tailless‡	‡Stringray Washed Up‡
‡Kniferose Moonlit‡	Ashhawk Contemplative	°Mirrorweb Reflecting Sky°	†Voidmoth Scattered†	†Ringworld Gathering†	†Wolf Howling at the Moon†	†Ninefox Hoarding Pearls†	†Stingray in Coral†
‡Kniferose Overgrown‡	°Ashhawk in Molt°	‡Mirrorweb Glass Clouded‡	†Broken-Winged Moth†	†Ringworld Shattered†	‡Scrywolf Unfocused‡	°Ninefox Blinking°
‡Kniferose Serrated Petals‡			°Voidmoth Cannons Armed°	°Ringworld Under Guard°	‡Scrywolf Shattered‡	Ninefox Half-Lidded
‡Kniferose Spiral Vine‡	Ashhawk in Glory
‡Kniferose Verdant‡	‡Ashhawk Feeding Young‡	°New-Spun Web°	°Voidmoth Hatching°	°Ringworld Clearing°	‡Scrywolf Returning to the Den‡	°Ninefox Bearing Kits°	‡Stingray Hovering‡
Bed of Roses	°Nest of Hawks°	‡Mirrorweb Shimmering‡	°Fleet of Moths°	°Ringworld Aligned°	†Scrywolf Circling†	°Nine Foxes°
Kniferose Burning Sweetly	°Ashhawk on Patrol°	†Tangled Web†	Clockwork Moth	†Ringworld Day Breaking†	Wolf Wandering	‡Ninefox Flailing‡
Kniferose Pierced	Ashhawk Sundered	‡Shadowed Web‡	‡Voidmoth Exposed‡	‡Ringworld Poles Shifting‡	Scrywolf Ambushed	‡Ninefox Patched with White‡	°Stingless Ray°
Kniferose Thorns Wild	†Ashhawk Wheeling†	Web of Worlds	°Voidmoth Wings Outstretched°	°Ringworld Spinning°	Scrywolf Uncircled	°Ninefox Pouncing°	‡Stingray Lashing‡
†Kniferose Unblooming†	Ashhawk Sheathed Wings	°Mirrorweb Glass Dark°	°Voidmoth at Rest°	°Ringworld at Night°	‡Scrywolf Silenced‡	‡Ninefox Tails Tangled‡	‡Stingray Beneath Sand‡
†Kniferose Unsheathed†	°Ashhawk Rampant°	°Knife-Edged Web°	†Voidmoth Bending Light†	†Ringworld Haloed†	‡Scrywolf Waiting in Ambush‡	Ninefox Smiling	‡Stingray Lying in Wait‡
Rose Chalice	Ashhawk Brightly Burning				‡Scrywolf Sleeping‡	‡Ninefox Napping‡
	‡Ashhawk Shrieking‡	‡Mirrorweb Singing‡	°Voidmoth Interstellar°	°Ringworld Geosynchronous°	‡Wolf Wailing‡	‡Ninefox Crying‡	‡Stingray Sailing‡
°Kniferose Thornless°	°Ashhawk Consumed°	‡Mirrorweb Glass Clear‡	°Voidmoth Unbound°	°Ringworld Rings Scattering°	‡Wolf Reflected‡	Immolation Fox
	°Ashhawk Illuminated°	‡Mirrorweb Unlatticed‡	†Knife-Winged Moth†	†Ringworld Moon Rising†	°Scrywolf Unforeseen°	Ninefox Crowned with Eyes
			Voidmoth of Many Constellations	†Ringworld Poles Shining†	°Wolf Watching°	†Ninefox Vigilant†
	°Ashhawk Rewarded°		‡Venerable Voidmoth‡	‡Ringworld Through the Eons‡	°Scrywolf Sitting in Judgment°
°Kniferose Climbing°	°Ashhawk Errant°	†Web Balloon†	°Voidmoth Underway°	°Ringworld Skies Clear°	‡Scrywolf Dancing‡	†Ninefox Juggling Eyes†	°Stingray Sailing°
						†Ninefox Tails-Over-Eyes†

Legend

• Ashhawk Skyward Falling: name and meaning (if known) from Machineries of Empire proper
• Rose Chalice: name from Machineries of Empire proper, meaning provided by Yoon in the RP
• Voidmoth of Many Constellations: name and meaning provided by Yoon in the RP
• Scrywolf Trapped in Glass: name from Machineries of Empire proper, meaning provided by a player in the RP
• †Tangled Web†: created by a player in the RP
• ‡Web Unraveling‡: name from the Discord
• °Mirrorweb Aligned°: Lleu’s speculation