Sweet black plantains are a common sight across
Anvil and its Enchanted Isles; that’s what makes them the perfect method of secret communication between trading folk that can be hidden in plain sight at markets. Used in combination with
slang from
The Nurbotu Scarfolk, traders can hold entire conversations about completely different topics to what a passerby might hear.
Next time you’re visiting the bustling streets of Anvil's culture-packed cities, take a look around for a
black plantain skin by the trader’s coin scales. Knowing these secret signs might land you a better deal.
| Plantain Skin Position |
Meaning |
| Plantain skin displayed upwards, splayed out like a starfish |
This is an easy sign to spot as you’ll likely smell the plantain before you see it. It’s an indicator that the merchant’s stock is about to spoil in the next few days, so be sure to ask for a discounted price and consume your goods quickly rather than store them. |
| Plantain skin rolled into a neat coil on its side |
This is a message that says that the merchant is willing to sell bundles to you in bulk for a better price. Ask for extra goods thrown in or ask them what they’d like to sell today. |
| Plantain skin weaved into a plait or braid |
This symbol is telling you that the merchant is well connected, and can supply you with other wares that are not visible on the table (some more valuable, some maybe not so legal). Ask them where they buy their favourite plantains and point to the skin for more information. |
| Plantain skin separated into strips and laid down in horizontal lines |
The horizontal lines (sometimes three, sometimes four, depending on how the plantain is peeled) indicate that the goods here came through from Nurbotu Scarfolk traders. Some people want to avoid deals with the Scarfolk due to how others negatively regard them, whereas others want to actively support them without being called out in public. |
| Plantain skin stabbed through with a blade |
This is a rare sight among traders, but if you see it then it means that the merchant has some dirty work that they need help with. This could be anything from smuggling, to taking revenge on bandits, to even more personal vendettas. |
Very interesting! This is just the sort of worldbuilding element that's fun to shove into DnD campaigns and the like; Simple, yet useful to know. If a character grew up with this sort of knowledge, you'd just be able to give the player a small reference sheet, and they automatically know so much more than the other players just from your description of plantain peels.