Thieves Cant counts as a language and a secret one at that. I would really love to see a minimum number of Rogue/Assassin levels required before you had access to 'Thieves Cant' (like 10 at least).

Thieves Cant is not something you could 'pick up' and be 'a little rusty at'. If a seasoned Rogue saw someone 'watching the signs' (reacting to certain words, phrases and movements that had the 'Cant' double meaning) then they'd either shut up or address the person directly. There is no Speak Language roll to be failed here so a smattering of Thieves Cant really isn't going to cut the mustard. To be blunt a tumble dump or evasion creep in a build isn't enough to get the language.

I normally don't get too flustered about this kind of thing but I'm pretty sure this falls into the same boat as drow hand sign, druidic animal nattering and the like. I've falllen to useing tells for thieves cant because, as I understand it, it can be that specific in it's targeting... just not in it's content

_________________
Jess Incognito: F.L.A.G. Inc.
Gharl Killith: Hobgoblin Headhunter
Olaf Grudgebringer: Bad tempered Dwarvern Weaponsmith
"But thats mainly because I'm an Aussie and what you guys call flaming and rudeness I call a normal conversation."

If you're referring to my character recognising it, she is the drow matron of an entire house of thieves and assassins, has been for over a century in character (and five years ooc), and has at various points had several rogue's levels herself. She does not lower herself to speaking the base tongue, but if I were you, I would not be too certain how her "boys" would react if they saw her watching them!

_________________

I got thinking about it after the Shadovar language thread. If someone has learned it IC, as they would any other 'secret' language, then they've learned it IC.

That said Thieves Cant is supposed to be very adaptable and stylized... different Guild, diffferent code of translation kind of thing.

_________________
Jess Incognito: F.L.A.G. Inc.
Gharl Killith: Hobgoblin Headhunter
Olaf Grudgebringer: Bad tempered Dwarvern Weaponsmith
"But thats mainly because I'm an Aussie and what you guys call flaming and rudeness I call a normal conversation."

Just like it is with every other language that isn't common... use at your own risk. Use your own judgment as to whether or not you're with mature enough RP'ers to be able to use the language without them suddenly knowing everything you're talking about. However, do realize that the different dialects of Thieves Cant are a double-edged sword. If you're character is from Calimshan, for instance, how is it a thief from the Moonshaes can understand you (OOCly you sent him a tell) while the one from Cordor can't?

_________________


"I once took the high road and it took me straight to hell and I stood there all by myself." -Hank III

I reckon that comes down to common sense... conducting an entire conversation in Thieves Cant is a little disingenious as that's not really what I understand it to be.

_________________
Jess Incognito: F.L.A.G. Inc.
Gharl Killith: Hobgoblin Headhunter
Olaf Grudgebringer: Bad tempered Dwarvern Weaponsmith
"But thats mainly because I'm an Aussie and what you guys call flaming and rudeness I call a normal conversation."

Depends soley upon the source of lore you are using.

As I understand it, it is regional. You can Cant an entire conversation in some regions and have sounded like you were talking about the weather. There are only a limited few "universal" 'terms' in it. In all honesty, it simply makes sense that each variation of Cant differs by region. For instance, one toon of mine knows TC: Luiren, while the other knows TC: Amian. Afterall, my term for a mark may be better suited to a commonly used word in one region than it would be in another. As for the emotion oriented portion of the language, that's typically where most thieves would get caught or risk tipping off others that something is amiss. Using TC:Any infront of people used to your usual mannerisms would likely inform them that you are trying to convey something hidden to others, so my suggestion would be to not do so if you are afraid of someone figuring when your top secret boy band practice is taking place, etc.

_________________
Eli Hodgewall <{/,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X
Sven <=={o===========>
Qeelak \ | / ,

Thieves' Cant is merely the use of Common with heavy slang. It's not so much a language as it is a dialect.

Secondly, having it only open to like lv 10 Rogues would be stupid. It doesn't take a profession in thieving to understand the jargon, especially when it's in the Common language. You don't have to be a professional mobster to understand "Yo Tony, my uncle bob says we should go down to Jerry's house and fix it up. Think he's a wise guy and he's been dancing the tango without no music. Gonna give him a nice new pair of slippers and buy his wife a necktie."

On that note, even when my character uses Cant, the few times he has, I never go "[Thieves' Cant]: Blah Blah Blah". Why? Because it's fuggen Common. It's slang. It's code. You can pick it up. How easily or how hard, who is say?

Recently discussed:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=51965

Immolation's take is most accurate as far as I'm aware, with the addition that meanings can differ between gangs/regions/etc.