High Kens is "a highly formal and archaic version" of Kens, the Kencyr language. It does not appear to be known by all Kencyr; the only people who appear to understand and speak it are all Highborn. Ishtier uses it to test Jame's origins in God Stalk, and she uses it again to curse him when she discovers what he did with Bane's soul. Jame also cursed back at the ribald jokes by the Merikit men, hoping they wouldn't understand her. Adiraina uses High Kens when she tries to tell Torisen that he cannot enter the Women's Halls in Gothregor. The Jaran war cry was a shouted phrase in High Kens: "The shadows are burning!" The only other person who uses High Kens so far is Randiroc; he says the single word "Soft" when he starts stroking Jame's hair in Mother Ragga's house in To Ride a Rathorn.