<< The non-humans are mostly illiterate, having little use for written language (Aldryami) or senses ill-suited for it (Uz). The Mostali might have a written language, but then again, they may just orally transmit the extremely limited data each individual needs to do their job. Heaven alone knows what the Dragonewts do. >>
I disagree with some of these points. I think the Mostali do have a written language, even if it is only used for blueprints, technical drawings and assembly instructions. I would not describe them as having limited data - I'd say the anal retentive in every dwarf would make them hoard huge banks of entirely useless data. Recording the measurements of every clack they possess and other such timewasting. Call it extremely limited information out of extremely unlimited data and it is more mostali (IMO). Dragonewts do not write at all, although they make themselves different colours and decorate themselves with stuff - does that count.
A more general point is that I feel that Glorantha *should* be less literate than it sometimes appears but that is partly because our perception of it is often through 'discovered' or 'translated' documents. Scrolls were also a regular feature of treasure in RQ2, and the whole of Pavis sometimes seems obsessed with 'charts' frex.
Keith N
End of The Glorantha Digest V8 #66
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