Shareyn’s Speech
Shareyn's Speech isn't really a language. It's a mask worn over one.
The system is a covert code designed to blend seamlessly into everyday conversation. A speaker of Shareyn's Speech can deliver sensitive intelligence in the middle of a crowded tavern, and the only person who knows what was just said is the one who was supposed to hear it. Common words are assigned new meanings. Common phrases carry operational intent. The listener either knows the lexicon or they don't.
The written form — sharp, angular, geometric — is where the language's structure becomes visible. The script is designed for precision, carved into surfaces or written in margins, never sprawling. Its origins are unknown, which is itself likely intentional. A language this useful to the underworld doesn't need a discoverable history.
When speaking aloud: Shareyn's Speech uses a distinct tonal pattern — a consistently higher or lower pitch than the speaker's natural voice, or a heavy stress on the first syllable of each coded word. Practitioners sometimes mark written Shareyn's with an acute accent over one letter to signal activation.
Lexicon
Each entry shows the cover word and its true operational meaning.
| True Meaning | Cover Word |
|---|---|
| Mission | Dream |
| Data / Intelligence | Rain |
| Target | Wind / Clover |
| Disguise | Shade |
| Secret | Echo |
| Spy / Operative | Watcher |
| Hidden / Concealed | Fable |
| Danger | Fog |
| Encrypted | Petal |
| Cipher | Lemon |
| Time / Deadline | Breeze |
| Informant | Bridge |
| Reconnaissance | Gossip |
| Assassin | Wind |
| Threat | Storm |
Coded Phrases
| True Meaning | What Is Said |
|---|---|
| The informant is reliable | The bridge is secure |
| Intelligence is incoming | Looks like rain today |
| The secret is compromised | The echo is clear |
| The operation begins soon | The sun is setting soon |
| I have new intelligence | I found a new book to read |
| We need to relocate | We should visit Radium's Edge |
| The target is vulnerable | The city's lights are dazzling |
| We are compromised | Remember the Kairos Wastes? |
| We are under surveillance | The city seems busier than normal |
| Abort — walk away | I heard the night market is closed |
| Are you Ghara? (identity check) | Your shadow matches mine |
| Situation is volatile; stay sharp | I can't get a connection |
| We are outnumbered | The wind is shifting |
| Alter the plan | The lighthouse is dimming |
Writing System
| Symbol | Sound |
|---|---|
| ⎋ | A / N |
| ⎀ | B |
| ⎃ | D |
| ⎌ | E / U |
| ⎆ | F |
| ⎁ | G |
| ⎉ | I |
| ⎊ | K |
| ⎂ | L |
| ⎄ | M |
| ⎎ | O |
| ⎅ | P |
| ⎈ | R |
| ⎏ | S |
| ⎍ | T |
| ⎇ | V |
| ⎉ | Z |
Canon Note — Phonetic Reduction
Activation Tells
A speaker of Shareyn's signals "the code is on" with small physical or vocal tells. These cues let two operatives confirm a coded conversation is happening without ever breaking cover. Missing the tells means missing the message.
| Tell | Cue | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Acute Accent | Mark over a written letter | This word is coded |
| Hat Brim Tap | Touch the brim mid-sentence | We're being watched |
| Doubled Word | Repeat a cover word twice | Urgent — act now |
| Flat Cadence | Drop your natural speaking rhythm | Stand down |
Detection Mechanics
A character can attempt to detect that Shareyn's Speech is being used. Each method has its own check, DC, and what success reveals.
| Check | DC | Result on Success |
|---|---|---|
| Insight | 18 | Catch the unnatural tonal shift mid-sentence |
| Investigation | 22 | Decode a coded phrase from context and lexicon |
| Perception | 16 | Spot the acute accent mark on written Shareyn's |
| Insight | 25 | Identify the speaker as a Ghara Shareyn operative |
Operational Notes
For players and GMs: Shareyn's Speech works mechanically as a cipher layer on top of Common. A character fluent in it can hold a full operational conversation in front of unsuspecting listeners. Detection requires either knowing the lexicon or succeeding on a very high Perception/Insight check to notice the unnatural tonal pattern.