Code of Claw (Gregor)

The Code of Claw is a fictional cipher system used by the rodents in Suzanne Collins' Gregor universe. It is a substitution cipher in which the letters G, O, R and E remain unchanged, while all other letters are shifted forward by one position in the alphabet. The Code of Claw is used to conceal the content of messages. Messages can then be transmitted using the Transmission Tree, a separate system based on clicks, scratches and taps.

To encode a message, replace each letter according to the Code of Claw substitution. The letters G, O, R and E remain unchanged. All other letters move forward by one position in the alphabet.

Thus, A becomes B, B becomes C, C becomes D and D becomes F, because E is preserved. Likewise, N becomes P since O remains fixed. The letter Z becomes A to wrap around the alphabet.

Then use the Transmission Tree, where each letter is represented by a unique pattern of lines: vertical (|), forward slash (/) or backslash (\):

To decode a message, reverse the encoding process by first converting the claw symbols back into their corresponding letters, then reversing the alphabetic substitution.

Rodents generally transmit their messages using the Transmission Tree. This system relies on sequences of clicks, scratches or taps that represent letters of the alphabet. The message can then be encrypted using the Code of Claw to conceal its content. The Transmission Tree is therefore used to transmit letters, while the Code of Claw is used to encrypt them.

The Code of Claw itself does not have specific symbols: it is an alphabetic cipher. The visible symbols come from the Transmission Tree, which represents each letter using a combination of vertical pipes |, forward slashes / and backslashes \.

In the Gregor universe, the Code of Claw is used by the rodents to protect their communications. It appears mainly during the events of Gregor and the Code of Claw, where it plays an important role in the conflict between the various factions of the Underland. Some humans allied with the rodents also learn how to decipher it in order to understand intercepted messages.

The name Code of Claw refers to the rodents who created and used it. In the original version, it is called Code of Claw. The term evokes the identity of the rodents and their central role in the creation of this cipher system. The novel does not provide a detailed explanation of the exact origin of the name.

The Transmission Tree is a letter-encoding system used in the Underland to transmit messages over a distance. Its operation is similar to Morse code, but it uses three types of signals instead of two. The letters are organised as a decision tree, which is where the system gets its name. Messages can be transmitted through clicks, scratches or taps, particularly through the stone walls of the tunnels.