Thieves' Cant: Well now they can.
I was moving things around, and came across an old thieves' cant mock up I'd done for a previous character in an old 5e Eberron game; a Faction Agent, but it can be applied to all manner of Rogues.
Which drew inspiration from an old Dael Kingsmill video, on the subject of the secret coded language of the criminal underclass.
And here seems like as fine a place as any to dump it for posterity:
'Greetings' - These are to signify a messages urgency:
"I haven't seen you in..." (not urgent/optional)
"Wow, its been a..." (low urgency)
"Can you believe its been over..." (high urgency)
"Seems like forever... " is how top priority messages begin before,
"...to bad there's not time to catch-up." (extremely urgent)
"....but I've got a spare hour, how about a catchup." (utmost urgency/not optional)
'Relative' - These can be used to denote the messages sender, of corresponding gender:
Uncle/Aunt - Government Official.
Great Uncle/Aunt - Monarch or Sovereign.
Mother/Father - Direct superior in the Faction/Guild.
Grandmother/father - Faction Master/Guild Head.
Cousin - Peers in the Faction or Guild.
Mother/Father-in-law - A superior in an allied Faction/Guild.
Step-Mother/Father - A superior in a rival Faction/Guild.
Great Grandmother/father - A high ranking member of the Guild or Faction official.
Little Brother/Sister - Apprentices in the Guild or new initiates in the Faction.
Puppy/Kitten - A family member of the messages Recipient.
Step-Brothers/Sisters - Agents/Members of a rival Faction/Guild.
Sisters/Brothers-in-law - Agents/Members of an allied Faction/Guild
'Tone' - More important than the words you use is the tone in which you convey them, and their subtext:
"Grandmother heard about your loss and she extends her condolences" - Hostile tone.
[The Guild master is threatening to kill you if you fail again.]
"Uncle has some many Nieces and Nephews, I don't know how he remembers all their names." - Neutral tone.
[Government Official can hire someone else if you don't take the job.]
"Remember the time we ruined your Step-Mothers dress, that was fun, but we were awful children. She didn't deserve it." - Friendly tone.
[Rival faction pleads for help. Willing to bury the hatchet.]
'Chit-chat' - a sample glossary of words and what they mean:
"Birthday" - Assassination.
"Birthday Party" - Multiple Targets.
"X Number of candles" - X number of targets.
"A small, intimate gathering" - No collateral damage, make it look like an accident.
"Celebration" - Make a big splash.
"Party till dawn" - No survivors.
"Party planner" - Inside informant.
"Party invitation" - Intel already gathered.
"Black Tie/Formal event" - Follow the employers plan.
"Come as you are/Informal event" - Recipients discretion
"Family Reunion" - Guild war.
"Vacation" - Kidnapping.
"Family Vacation" - Multiple kidnappings or a hostage situation.
"Send us a postcard" - Ransom demands.
"Send us a souvenir" - Proof of victims identity.
"Ale/beer run" - Smuggling contraband.
"Deliver a package" - Smuggle an object.
"Special delivery" - Smuggle live cargo.
"Marriage proposal" - Blackmail, threaten, intimidate.
"Dowry" - Payoff money.
"Gossip" - Recon, Spying, Info-gathering.
"Join the club" - Covert infiltration.
"Farm" - General operation/heist.
"Vineyard" - High stakes operation/heist (wealthy target).
"Plantation" - Long term/multiple operations of the entire Faction/Guild.
"Ranch" - Large scale operation.
"Greenhouse" - Bank robbery.
"Grocery Market" - Rob a merchant.
"Window box" - Small scale heist.
"Problem with rodents/worms/insects" - A spy or informant within the operation.
"Problem with rabbits" - Someone in the operation is embezzling.
"Don't tell X, it's a surprise." - You may tell those you trust (companions/party members)
"Bring a date." - Get backup, but keep them in the dark about the nature of the operation.
"Invite your friends" - If you tell them, you will have to kill them.
"Give credit where credits due" - Frame someone else for the crime.
"Put it on X's tab" - Ask about how you'll be paid.
Though this last one only applies to written letters, but a Signature followed by one of the choices from the list of 'Relatives' is an easy way to show who sent the job in the first place.
And with that, no longer will your rogue be given the side eye in serious company, when they begin to demand the party 'squeak the chatts' because they've just 'cloyed the rum' of 'an equipt ace of spades'.
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