Whispered Words

The language of Whispered Words is a cipher used by the Whisper, the secretive protectors of performers in Kinilan. It is a variant of Thieves' Cant that incorporates a range of gestures to adjust meanings, or, in its written form, specific variations in letter forms, like a straight "t" as opposed to one with a curving tail to make those adjustments.

Vocabulary

The most complex part of the language is the introduction, as it serves to ensure the speaker is conversant in Whispered Words, and not speaking the more widely known Thieves' Cant. This is achieved by a series of questions that, to the casual observer, sounds like an extended inquiry into the health of the other person's family, as the Cant is structured around a series of euphemisms involving relatives and various mundane activities representing various roles relevant to thieves and their activities. To someone who understands the Cant, this comes across as a complex discussion of a guild's inner workings and contains numerous inherent inconsistencies - enough that any thief listening in will decide that the people involved lack the necessary discretion or assume they really are just talking about their extended family. The exact formula of the introduction is a specific set of statements, so only someone familiar with the code will be able to complete the exchange without saying something out of place.
Body language conveys important distinctions in the interpretation of verbs. For example, when someone using Whispered Words uses the word meet, they are arranging a meeting if they have their weapon hand visible and away from their weapon (gesticulating or having their hand on the table), but they are arranging an assassination if they have their hand hidden or near their weapon (at their side or on their lap under the table). In a written letter, this difference is conveyed by the shape of the t - a curved tail indicates assassination, while a straight tail indicates an interview.