Thieves Cant

Overview

In the Crescent City, the Thieves Cant spoken is based on the International Thieves Cant Sign Language - and specifically known as the Argot. The Argot is a secret language and slang peculiar to thieves, and some beggar guilds. It allows Thieves around the World to identify themselves to other Guild members.

Other Names

Thieves' Latin known to the rogues themselves as Germanesco, or Gerigonza.

Common Cant

(Disambiguation: Common is the Commonly spoken language - this is the Commonly Used Thieves Signs)

Overview

This is the use of the International Thieves Cant. This is a subset of basic signs - using hand signals said to have been 'borrowed' from iglishmêk, the Dwarven hand-sign language. This simple set of signals is used to convey simple ideas. Being non-verbal this allows Thieves in low-light situations to communicate.

The Oath

“I will not teach anyone to Cant, nor will I disclose ought of our mysteries to them, although they flaug me...”

Common Cant Scope

• Identification of Thief (Class Status) and Level
  
  Identification of Mission Type and it's Priority.
  
• Identification of Directions and Distances of Travel.
  
• Identification of which skill is needed over the distances conveyed.
  
• Identification of obstacles to mission success (Guards, Traps, Doors, and Conditions)
  
  

Local Cant

Thieves' Guilds use common legal items as the base for their local forms of Thieves Cant. Throughout the Realms these items tend to be one of three types - either items linked to gambling and gaming or specialised professions unrelated to the Thieves Guild.

Falconry Cant (Tweets)

The Falconry Cant version of the Thieves Cant uses the terminology of Falconry - naming different levels of Thieves and Marks according to different raptors used in hunting. The birds themselves are often trained by Thieves of such guilds to act as messengers and carriers of illicit items among their network. Falconry Cant based guilds also tend to focus on second -floor work - and climbing - partly due to the need to climb to get your bird back if it gets annoyed with you and refuses to come back all the way to your gauntlet.

Card Cant (Card Carriers)

The common deck of cards allows the Thief to carry a silent dictionary of cards to quickly communicate with other Card Carriers (Thieves). This allows for the spelling out of words using the 54 cards (inc. 2 Jokers) as letters - but additionally single cards and suits carry specialised meanings in and of themselves. Often the number cards are used as quick warnings and directions by lookouts and over-watching rogues. The Cards can be used anywhere to play an 'innocent' game - except in reality it can be a conversation done in silence, done in gest, or as a sign to other rogues of missions being undertaken in the area - including requests for help or instructions to stay the hell out of certain locations. Keep an eye on your cards - and on the DISCARDS - they can mean the difference between life and death. 


On another note - It is also common among such Guilds to have different cards enchanted - allowing advanced thieves to carry an arsenal of magical protections and enhancements that is difficult for anyone not using dispel magicks to overcome.

The added benefit of Card Cant is that if they choose to no one can see the communications between the communicators as the cards can be 'played close to the chest'.

SAMPLES OF COMMUNICATIONS
Spades - death/Lethal Type Target/Intelligent and Dangerous Mark

Diamonds - Money/ Tough
Hearts - Agreement/Peace/Peaceful
Clubs - Fighting/ Brute Force Type Target

2 - Deuce - Truce or Meeting involving the suit used. (eg Deuce of Diamonds for a truce to be negotiated with money.)
3 - Tres - Three - French for Very - implying very dangerous - used to warn of areas to be avoided - depending on which way the card is turned.
4 - four - Score - mission success, wrap up.

5 - Five - Jive - the mission is false, it's a bust
6 - Six - Deep Six it - throw the merchandise it's a set up/ Run for it.

7 - Seven - Heaven - the Good guys are coming - Watch or City Guard are coming.
8 - Eight - Wait/Freeze in place
9 - Fine - Go ahead/continue

J - Jack is an unknown character type as the target
Q - Queen is a female target
K - King is the main target and of higher than normal importance
A - Ace is a mark that is a Warrior or Mage Type

Night time - Card Cant

All issued decks, when damp, will glow- this allows the deck to be used at night or in the dark where no light is present. Infravision can also detect the different denominations of the cards.

Long distance use of the cards

As used by look-outs include using the cards to whistle, and to flutter them so as to mimic bird flight - similar to doves and pigeons in flght. The variations allow the users to replicate each card denomination to any Rogue within air shot who knows the local form of Thieves Cant.

Dice Cant (Dicers)

Dice Cant is based on the numbers generated by 5 dice of 6-sided dice. The actual permutations are more than that however, as fewer dice can be used to generate other number combinations. Examples can include 2 dice showing 1 to indicate 'snake eyes' - death.
2 - death
7 - the loot or money target
11 - the mark (walking individual) target

Night Time and Long Distance Dice Cant

The use of glowing dice pips when the dice are wet is standard, and the use of them (or rather the use of stones and tapping) to create a form of Morse-Code (Tap Code) with the dice against a hard surface allows the users to signal over a distance within ear shot.

Root Languages

• Iglishmêk Dwarven Sign