Salts and Shores

This is a custom known in the lands of Caervil and Greendale, both lands who have extensive navies and merchant fleets.

In both lands a child who is orphaned or otherwise has no means of support may be taken as a sea-hand in training aboard a vessel, and effectively work for their living performing light and menial duties appropriate for their age, increasing in rigour as they grow.   Both boys and girls are taken aboard as children, though only boys tend to remain aboard after they come of age.    An unkind and joking name for them is "Captain's bastards," but even this mocking nomenclature speaks of a ship-board truth - anyone mistreating one of the children is dealt with as harshly as if they'd harmed one of the captain's own offspring.

By tradition every child taken aboard in this way adopts the surname "Salt" in token of the ship and the sea now becoming their entire family.   Many sailors into adulthood and even retirement still proudly keep this name, and regard other salts as kindred.

If a Salt should marry and have children of their own, they do not pass the Salt name to their offspring, but by custom such children take the name "Shore"

A Custom of Greendale and Caervil