An In-World Language Guide for Travelers, Traders, and Spies
Marazhan speaks in layers—its people wear language like masks, shifting meaning to match elevation and status. Below are idioms and sayings grouped by the city's three vertical strata. Understanding these turns of phrase can mean the difference between profit and peril in the City of Three Faces.
The Shadows Below – Docks, Slums, Barge Rows, and Warehouse Wards
“Tide’s taken your coin.”
Said when someone is scammed, robbed, or loses a gamble. A fatalistic shrug to loss.
“Don’t look up too long—someone might drop a boot.”
A warning against aiming too high or poking into the business of the upper tiers. Used sarcastically or sincerely.
“Breathe canal air, speak gutter truth.”
An expression of pride in street-smarts and blunt honesty. Often used before saying something bold or accusatory.
“Born in the shade, sink in the stone.”
Used by the most fatalistic of dockfolk—implying that nothing ever changes for those at the bottom.
“Salt in the mortar.”
Refers to hidden flaws or deliberate sabotage in something that appears stable. Common in smuggler slang.
The Between – Mid-Tier Markets, Artisans’ Quarters, Informant Alleys, and Guild Halls
“Speak softly—walls here remember.”
A warning against speaking too openly. Suggests surveillance, magical or otherwise.
“Bridges crack from both ends.”
Said when caught in the middle of two powerful factions or doomed arrangements.
“The coin falls down, not up.”
Cynical observation that wealth trickles downward only in the form of orders, not reward.
“A sunlit friend with shadowed hands.”
Refers to someone who seems respectable but is secretly corrupt or criminal. Common in espionage circles.
“Whispers float better than stone.”
Used to express that rumors travel faster than facts—or that secrets are more powerful than truth.
The Heights – Terraced Estates, Council Chambers, Merchant Palaces, and Skywalks
“The light keeps rot at bay.”
Justifies the separation of the wealthy from the lower levels. Sometimes literal, often metaphorical.
“Better to cast a shadow than kneel in one.”
A declaration of ambition, used by nobles, oligarchs, and merchant princes alike.
“Laughter echoes up, but screams never reach.”
A bitter truth about privilege—used in hushed tones to mock those who ignore suffering below.
“Stone beneath, glass above.”
A discreet warning that those in high places are always more fragile than they seem.
“One must rise to shine.”
A mantra of social climbers, often engraved into estate walls or spoken during toasts at merchant galas.
Two common phrases echo through every district of Marazhan:
“Sunlight Above” – An exclamation of joy, good luck, or unexpected fortune. Considered auspicious and frequently shouted during celebrations, successful deals, or unexpected windfalls.
“Shadows Below” – A slur, curse, or lament. Used to refer to ill omens, poor outcomes, or undesired associations with criminal or cursed elements. In upper circles, it's often used as a veiled insult. In lower circles, it's used bitterly or defiantly.