[LORE] Thieving chant
Just descriptions of hand-gestures. Wanna hang out with the cool kids? With the /thieves/!? this is ur guide. I'll be updating this while writing my second draft (maybe someday) and use more.. gestures but for now! enjoy.
- small warning - there is a small description of people getting hanged as a form of punishment/execution. It's blacked out.
Notes:
Heart finger is the KvD name for the ring finger. It has a straight connection to an artery. It's the one that gets removed after being caught stealing (breaking the bond with your heart and thieving-fingers. Symbolically bleeding your hand dry)
the Heart finger is almost considered holy, losing it is a public-shame. (And thus deserves a capital letter! other fingers ofc not.)
Thief chant (hand gestures ironically cause you don't talk) and thief script (markings and pictograms) are universally used between Gespannen.
Both hands can be used for the signs.
The gestures are supposed to be small and /mostly/ hand only, making them less noticeable. It's a communication tool in crowds or on stealth missions. Ignoring your leidsman's gestures can be punishable.
Safe:
Three fingers don't matter which, doesn't matter if the hand is angled or pointing up. It's the most important thief-code and thus easily executable.
Roswell prefers pointing up his thumb, index, and middle finger. (He's ashamed of his missing Heart finger.)
Salvador doesn't feel that shame and uses his index, middle, and Heart finger.
Other more suitable/subtle methods can be used though. For example: tugging the lobe of your ears three times. Tipping your lower lip with your Heart finger three times.
Side note but it's my doc so I can do what I want: It's common thief-practice to test out a rope by pulling it firmly… you guessed it: three times.
Three is a lucky/ generally means 'save' number for thieves because:
1 doesn't see as much as many.
2: the executionists in Drakenburg commonly hang people in pairs, so 2/4/6/8 people at a time. Making 2 an unlucky number in good ol' Drakenburg.
3: just right.
Meetup/come back:
Hand faces the collocutor. Pink and thumb are pointing, Heart finger, middle finger, and index finger are slightly clenched. Half turns at the wrists.
Flee!/abort!/disperse!:
Hand pointing upwards. Thumb and index finger point upwards, other fingers tightly clenched. Flick-pointing gestures. Move!
Stay put:
Palm facing the person you're ordering to stay put. Spread all your fingers and slowly move them towards your palm, fingertips touch the thumb muscle. Only your thumb stands up.
Move out:
Simple thumbs-up that you move fluently to the right.