Swordspeech

> Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 21:57:14 -0000
> From: "Jane Williams" <janewilliams20_at_...>
>Subject: RE: Re: Saying thank you!
>
> > Swordspeech exists in RQ2 and appears to have been dropped from the
> > Glorantha Book and Gods of Glorantha in RQ3.
>
>"Not mentioned in", I'll believe. But I take it there's no statement saying
>"there is no such thing as Swordspeech"?
>
> > Again, I don't mind performing some mental gymnastics to keep a half-
> > baked idea from RQ2 around - I just think that Swordspeech was (and
> > is) a half-baked idea. I'd prefer to drop with it along with
> > Firespeech.
>
>Firespeech has been dropped? Or just not mentioned in recent publications
>(hardly surprising since it's not relevant to any of them)?
>And if it's dropped, what language is it that Perimides the Chaste now
>speaks?
>
>You'll be telling me Stormspeech has been dropped next!
>
>Come on, if we're dropping all "half-baked" ideas, Apple Lane goes far
>sooner than any of those!

I see Swordspeech as more than a combat language (although a language usable in the noise and violence of combat would be an advantage) allowing Humakti to show honour to each other, and being an important part of their duelling etiquette. Swordspeech could be a very scary language, intimidating, the language of death and finality. Although the story about Eskimos have many words for snow has been overstated, perhaps there are many Swordspeech words for death and truth. And finally I think they do have their own words for thank you.

David