J.R.R. Tolkien created the fictional script Tengwar for writing languages including Quenya and Sindarin. The name Tengwar means “letters” in Quenya, one of Tolkien’s Elvish languages.
Tengwar is an abugida-like writing system in which consonant symbols are primary and vowel marks, called tehtar, may be placed around them. Tolkien adapted its use for different languages, so the same signs could represent different sounds depending on the mode.
Tengwar is not the only writing system in Tolkien’s legendarium. Sarati was an earlier script associated with Rúmil, while the Cirth were angular characters used especially by Dwarves and later adapted by other peoples. Modern fans often use Tengwar for decorative inscriptions, but Tolkien’s original examples show that its spelling depends on the language and mode being written.