Light Speech

The Grand Prince can intercept as many of my letters as he wants, but until he deigns to learn the second most spoken language in the country, he shan't learn much.

— Raiser from Ibza Xüfonz

Light Speech is a name given to a type of secret language used in select parts of Thurásin. It exists solely in a written form, and is a combination of the human language of Vaitsärriishal and the elven language of Sheu Zarnag.

Form

Light Speech relies on two facts - that Vaitsärrishal is written vertically and right to left, while Sheu Zarnag is written horizontally left to right. This allows for words from one language to be hidden in the other, in a way which is counterintuitive for native speakers.
In its most common form, Light Speech involves reading the first letters of a line, turning those into the other language's equivalent symbol, and reading the result in that second language. Some writers will get more complex, asking for the second letter of a line, or the last. What is most important is that the recipient knows your system

Examples

boga isma varrz aiyü

Vatisärrishal into Sheu Zarnag
aiyü varrz isma boga = Cold Light City Righteousness
biva = city

gze
logra
ishlu
nezhün

Sheu Zarnag into Vatisärrishal
gze logra ishlu nezhün = land hope serpent leader
glin = great

Source Languages

Vaitsärriishal, Sheu Zarnag

Spoken by

• Raiser

Purpose

For some, Light Speech is simply a fun game to play with bilingual speakers, as it can be very challenging to get the correct words to show without distorting the 'base' language. For others, it is a legitimate method of conveying information without attracting attention from the authorities.
It is most frequently used in the latter context in Ibza Xüfonz, a country with a significant population of Raisers who are not treated well by their monarch. Due to the lack of Sheu Zarnag knowledge among the authorities, sneaking in short messages is entirely possible.
Light Speech is most often used by the Xüfonzayo Raisers to organise for materials to be brought in by smugglers, as well as to get information from their kin abroad.

Old Open Book by congerdesign