Fharyne Sailor's Funeral

It's been mercifully long since I last had to direct funeral rites, but today ended that streak. Three recruits, all barely old enough to enlist, shot dead in a chance encounter. It'll be a shame to lose them, but I'm sure a lot of the boys will lament the loss of gold even moreso.

An entry in the journal of Tara Paula, surgeon onboard the Fharyne Navy vessel Silver Wind

History

Sailors' funerals are performed in a similar manner as any other part of their lives: simply, expensively, and with gusto. Retrieving bodies is a high priority after battles or wrecks, as the funeral rites are considered necessary to appease the deceased's soul. The body will then be prepared: scrubbed head to toe with seawater, dressed in their very finest clothes with the pockets full of all the money they owned and were owed. Any other crewmembers who wish to pay respects are then permitted to tuck a gold coin into the hand of the deceased. Finally, the body is tied to some heavy ballast and cast into the sea. Then comes the best part of a nautical funeral: the drinking. It is tradition among Fharyne sailors to get roaring drunk as soon as the funeral is over, and the festivities can sometimes last for several days. This tradition, though ancient, is still extremely popular due to the lack of land available for burials. Indeed, even some non-sailors have taken to burial at sea as an affordable alternative to land burial.

Participants

The entire ship's crew tends to be involved in the funeral precedings, as sailors usually form close bonds with one another. The ship's surgeon is tasked with preparing the body, and the quartermaster ensures that the deceased is provided with all the money they were due. If there is a lack of funds, it is not infrequent for other members of the crew to put their own money towards this "death dowry".