Sea-Wives
The so-called Sea-Wives are sailors and fisherwomen who operate along Verrin's eastern shore. They are famous for both their incredible efficiency at catching, gutting and preserving fish as well as their seasonal voyage up and down the coast which follows the migration of the fish.
Career
Other Benefits
When the Sea-Wives arrive in a town or city, a great celebration is held. The day they arrive is heralded as Faega's day, and dedicated to the goddess of the sea. Feasts are held across the city with the Sea-Wives as honoured guests. A central theme of Faega's Day is giving thanks for the sustenance that the sea provides, while also beseeching the goddess to to keep the seas calm for the coming year.
Perception
Social Status
Although male fishermen are held in fairly low regard as a profession, the Sea-Wives are celebrated because of their history. They are often considered to be blessed by the sea-goddess Faega, and this coupled with the great celebrations that are held whenever they enter a town, means that the general population holds them in very high esteem.
History
The Sea-Wives have their origins in centuries past, when the farms and fisheries were emptied of men because of ongoing wars. Almost every able-bodied man was called to fight, leaving the women to assume their roles. Despite the prejudices of the menfolk, many women took to new professions such as fishing and farming with great enthusiasm.
One such group of women who operated a fishing fleet out of Bardenhelm noticed that they would only catch a substantial amount of fish during certain seasons. The men usually blamed this on the fickle nature of the sea or perhaps simple dumb luck. Not willing to accept this situation when the city was almost starving, the burgeoning Sea-Wives corresponded with fishers in other cities, and drew up charts and maps of where the most fish could be caught at what time of year. Through this, they learned that the fish were migratory, and began to follow them along the coast. This quadrupled their haul of fish overnight and greatly relieved conditions across the realms of Men. Such was their prowess at fishing, the Sea-Wives kept their fleet even when the men returned from war. In the centuries since, the Sea-Wives have been considered a good omen and are widely celebrated wherever they roam. Despite being drawn primarily from among peasant girls or old widows, Sea-Wives are often surprisingly rich and influential due both to the great profits of selling their catches and the donations and gifts from the populace of the cities they visit.
Operations
Tools
The Sea-Wives who sail make use of a fleet of fishing longboats, made from wood and with huge square-rigged sails. Their nets are made from hundreds of lengths of rope in order to contain their considerable catches. Each Sea-Wife carries a small knife or shortsword which is used to defend against pirates or sometimes dangerous sea creatures that may make their way into the ship.
The rest of the Sea-Wives, who remain on land, make use of incredibly sharp gutting knives to prepare the fish for preservation. The salted fish are placed in wooden barrels, which are sometimes stacked a dozen high after a long day's work. Some docks have a system of pulleys that allows the crates of fish from the boats to be easily transferred to dry land.
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