Drifters' Sign

Drifters' Sign, also called drifters' cant or drifters' marks, refers to a mostly conventionalized notation system used by drifters, travelling salespersons and others prone to roam. Their primary function is to supply other drifters with information that might be useful about the people who live in a particular place, be it a house, a farmstead or even a small village. 
The specific symbols used for such a system varies from place to place, as does the exact details of what they are used to express. They may be carved into fences, tree trunks, sign posts or even into inconspicuous parts of the houses themselves. In general, these systems are not widely known outside of the communities which use them.
Meldanian Drifters' Sign
In Meldan, drifters' sign is much more widely known than in most other places. This is probably connected to the strong cultural importance placed on hospitality and travel, which in turn is connected to the worship of The Lady of the Roads as a primary deity in the region. Consequently, there is no general stigma around a transient lifestyle in Meldan, unlike in many other places. This is particularly true in rural areas, where it is not uncommon for people to put up their own signs outside their homes or at an intersection near their village, indicating what food, goods and work can be found with them. Some will even detail what deities are worshiped in their home, so that a drifter in need of a particular deity's altar knows where to look.
Travelers of all kinds generally pay close attention to these signs, as it allows them not only to have their needs met more easily but also to do so without risking asking someone for a good or service the person is not able to provide. That is, without risking putting someone in the socially embarrassing position of having to be inhospitable.