Skip to content
The Well of Daliath
Menu
Menu

Notes on Tradetalk I

Posted on July 27, 2022

Tradetalk is the Issaries cult language. It is spoken throughout Glorantha and is the closest thing to a common tongue Glorantha has. It may be learned almost anywhere, including nonhuman areas, and is the widest known second language.

Tradetalk spread early – it was used by the First and Second Councils to facilitate communication between different species (humans, trolls, elves, dwarves, etc), tribes, and with outsiders. It was embraced by the Jrusteli who used it as the lingua franca of the Middle Sea Empire, and was also used by the Empire of the Wyrms Friends.

It is hard to find places where Tradetalk is unknown. Perhaps in Kothar and Tarien, and in Vormain.

It is a spoken language, but I can’t help but think it has a hand component like Plains Indian Sign Language, which has been documented across speakers of at least 37 spoken languages in twelve families.

Tradetalk is definitely not Esperanto.

This map shows the areas where Plains Indian Sign Language was used in the US and Canada.
Source, Wikipedia

See also:

Notes on Tradetalk II

Jeff Richard

Next
Previous
Issaries, Tradetalk (language)

Sections

  • Search Tips
  • Current RuneQuest Glorantha Publications
  • RuneQuest Glorantha Corrections and Q&A
  • Catalogue
  • References for Glorantha
    • Gloranthan Canon
  • Gloranthan Documents
  • RPG Systems & Versions
  • Gallery
  • About This Site
  • Get involved!

Latest Posts

  • Thog the Giant

    In 870, Thog the giant appeared with an army of …
  • The Nine Good Giant Mountains

    The Nine Good Giant Mountains are about 60 km or …
  • Why Most Sartarites Hate the Lunar Empire

    From time to time it is worth reminding people why …
  • Suntown and the Eiskolli

    Suntown has always been in the hands of the Sun …
  • A Few Notes on the Grantlands

    To the south of Sun County are the former Grantlands, …
  • Sartar Cities

    Sartar can be thought of a confederation of small cities …
  • Catalogue of the Gods revisited

    This piece from the Mythology book is among my absolute …
  • Thunderbolts in Art

    One of the things that really got me down the …
  • RuneQuest Art

    So let’s talk RQ art for a moment. For the …

Links

  • Chaosium
  • Chaosium’s RuneQuest RPG Wiki
  • Glorantha on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest on Discord
  • Prince of Sartar Webcomic
  • Glorantha G+ Archives on Tapatalk
  • Search mailing list archive

Latest from BRP Central

  • Whatever happened to William Church ?
  • hunter character and spellss
  • rune spell access list
  • Jonstown Compendium release: Cradle maps
  • Bright Glory
  • MORE RHINOS! [Come on, you love this stuff too...]
  • More Heroforge
  • Copy of the Guide to Glorantha for sale on eBay
  • Gender in Glorantha
  • Unnamed Kitori town?

Popular Tags

1625 ST Boldhome (large city) Chaosium Colymar (Sartar tribe) Contents Cult demographics Cults of Runequest (preview) Ernalda Esrolia (homeland) FRA Furthest (large city) G+ post Gods Wall Greg Stafford Guide to Glorantha (preview) Humakt Jar-eel Lunar Empire Lunar Pantheon Magazine Malkioni pantheon Map Michael O’Brien Mongoose MRQ1 New Pavis (small city) Old Glorantha Q&A Orlanth Orlanthi pantheon Photo reference Population demographics Prax (homeland) RQ3 RQG Sandy Petersen Sartar (homeland) Spirit Cult Star Subcult Tarsh (homeland & Lunar province) Troll Pantheon Yelm Yelmalio Yelm Pantheon Youtube

Recently added or updated

  • Umbroli

  • Umath

  • Storm Bull

  • Ragnaglar

  • Orlanth

  • Odayla

  • Kolat

  • Mother of Space

  • Molanni

  • Mikyh

  • Kero Fin

  • Iphara

  • Inora

  • Humakt

  • Himile

  • Gata

  • Gagarth the Wild Hunter

  • Fralar

  • Ernalda

  • Daga

©2025 The Well of Daliath | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme