Campaign started on Flamerule 7th 1374 DR The Year of Lightning Storms / Current Date Eleint 9th 1374 DR
Calendar
Thieves' Cant, or Can They?
Some of the interesting slang used by thieves across Faerun. Most terms are derived from the common trade tongue, though each region and country has its own "lexicon of larceny" born of their own regional language. Some of the front-runners are; Alzhedo (Amn, Calimshan), Chondothan (much of Faerun, including the Western Heartlands and the Sword Coast), Tethyrian (the Moonsea, Sembia), Kozakuran (Thesk, Kara-Tur), Damarran (Telflamm, Aglarond), and Undercommon (the Underdark)
The following are a few of the Common terms used daily amongst thieves. Those familiar with cockney rhyming slang should catch-on quick:
"Mangle and Maim" = Name
"Bitter End" = Friend
"Brown Bread" = Dead ("Yer'll be brown bread, buttered.", buttered is a crude assimilation of 'nuttered'. "We're buttered-brown!" is another way to put it.)
"Wheel Hub" = Pub (also commonly expressed as: "the good wheel")
"Bees and Honey" = Money
"Lovers' Loin" = Coin
"Bigby's Hold" = Gold (expressed as: "wodjer look a' all them Bigby's!")
{Subsequently, silver are called "Fingers" and coppers "Knuckles". Platinum are called "Bahamuts".}
"Halfway" = 500 gp
"A Set" = 1000 gp
"After and Halfway" = 1500 gp
"Again" = 2000 gp
"Again and Halfway" = 2500 gp (discussing fees for services rendered or to-be-rendered is often called "Sussing the A's" due to the coincidental alliteration)
"Draftmans' Yard" = City/Town/Royal Guard (commonly expressed as: "if the draftmans' catches yer, its the witches for yer")
"Masons' Rubble" = Trouble ("we're in deep masons!")
"Wounded Foal" = Gaol (expressed as: "shut-up in tha' wounded")
"Barmaids' Frock" = Lock (also commonly expressed as: "prod tha' barmaid")
"Warlocks' Curse" = Purse (used like: "a warlock full o' Bigby's")
"Chains and Shackles" = Block and Tackle
"Featherfall" = Scale the/that Wall ("grab yer chains an' featherfall")
"Witches' Cackle" = Shackles (often expressed as: "ees got 'imself shut-up in tha' wounded, wearin' witches")
"Goblin Dicks" = Lock-picks (used often as: "grab yer goblins an' prod tha' barmaid)
"Moonlit Night" = Fight ("caught-up inna moonlit at tha' good wheel over a couple lovers")
"Dragon's Tail" = Ale (expressed as: "spendin' all 'is Bigby's an' deep innis dragon's")
"Apple Stems" = Gems ("this warlock was bustin' wiff apples!")
"Stab and Kill" = Thieves' Guild ("join't 'imself a stab", or "the stabs are inna moonlit over their sages")
"Sages Story" = Territory
"Deep and Dark" = Mark (i.e. the target of an assassination or theft)
"Odd or Even" = Steven (i.e. the target of a particularly elaborate con)
"Squeakle and Hobb" = Job (a "Knuckle Squeak" would be a cheap job or a job done for just coppers)
"Treasure Maps" = Traps ("finding treasures" is often used in place of "disabling traps". a "treasure seeker" is an especially skilled disabler.)
"Maidens' Breast" = Chest (a "treasured maiden" would be a trapped chest)
"Parchment Sheet" = Feet ("lost 'is parchments to a nasty treasure")
"Iron Bands" = Hands ("and then, lads, i had me irons on tha' biggest whitest apple ye've ever set yer blackbirds on…")
"Potion Case" = Face
"Shinning South" = Mouth ("shut yer shiner or i'll bust yer potion")
"Blackbird Pies" = Eyes
"Clockwork Gears" = Ears ("keeps yer shiner shut an' yer clocks wound")
"Girly Shows" = Nose ("Beezer" is also commonly used)
"Cully" = Man, not of the roguish persuasion. A silly or naive man. (actual thieves cant)
"Cove" = Man. A peer or fellow rogue. (actual thieves cant)
"Mort" = Woman. Most often used to describe a married woman or a naive woman. (actual thieves cant)
"Doxy" = Woman. A peer or fellow rogue. (actual thieves cant)
"Hrast" = Fuck (while not thieves cant, per se, it is frequently used by their lot. This is in the Chondathan tongue)
"Stlarn" = Damn (another Chondathan swear)
"Sabruin" = Go Fuck Yourself (again, a Chondathan curse-word)
"Dark and Empty" = Shit! (used frequently by the Maskarran clergy)
For some classic real thief slang used throughout the ages> [www.example.com http://www.fromoldbooks.org/NathanBailey-CantingDictionary/A/]
Summary
The initial members of the group; Helios, Percival, and Marley met on their way to Two Stars; an extremely remote trading city in Thesk.
Helios was sent from Velprintilar, specifically, to Two Stars to investigate the new Red Wizard Enclave.
Percival was sent east from Selgaunt, Sembia, to find new foreign methods of fighting undead.
Marley had wandered north from the Yuirwood on a quest to delve into the Forest of Lethyr. (eventually leaves the group)
As more members joined their plots were found to be tied to the initial group.
Aenin joined the group as they passed through Phsant. Urged by his uncle to leave the city and see the world.
Silas was thrown into a life of adventuring by the Velprin authorities, as sort of a community service for crimes commited.
Garron briefly aided the group in rooting out the false temple of Mystra in Wheloon. (left)
Jerik joined-up with the party after they'd cleared the false temple. He followed them as far as the unknown shrine on the trek to the Vast Swamp. Jerik decided it best to keep an eye on Wheloon, so turned back. (left)
Xanfire also helped to expose and defeat the Sharrans in Wheloon, but met an untimely fate. (died)
Shank was conscripted by the Cormyrean government to aid the group. So far its been quite lucrative, but his stubborn penchant for the company of the less than savory prevailed, and Shank snuck away from the group in the Vast Swamp. (left)
They were hired by a Red Wizard, Maercus of the Masks whom occasionally pops-up with more "odd-jobs". The same Red Wizard's apprentice, Nimmik, has accompanied the group on several of their missions, serving as a font of knowledge (and insurance policy for his master's investment). They carry a potent magic item; a fragment of the Karse Stone. The full extent of its power is unknown, but the Sharrans are hells-bent on obtaining it.
The party is currently hunting-down the Sharrans and Cyricists that propagated the false temple of Mystra in Wheloon. In doing so they are also following a vision had by Helios and, apparently, a cleric of Selune previously unknown to them. They face many challenges as they search for answers in the Vast Swamp.