Fatho'deep: The Faith of the Sea

Fatho'deep is the word in the Sailors Argot for the Faith of the Ocean-farer. While many sailors can and do worship in the religions of their homelands, many more give up their faiths for the peculiar beliefs held by all sailors, regardless of origin.

These sailors will place their hope in "Shuro," that is, Oshuron, titan of the Oceans. They sacrifice gulls before departing in the hope that he will provide them favorable winds, profitable journeys, and ultimately protect them from watery death. They also have the assurance, that should they die and be rolled into the sea, that Shuro will take their bodies and resuscitate them in Dryhook.

There are few practices of Fatho'deep. 

1. The sacrifice of gulls before any voyage. 
2. The recitation of the Oath of the Deep before any voyage. 
3. The practice of offering gifts to the deep in the midst of voyages to expiate their failings -- these gifts are either iron filings, bits of silver or flagons of wine -- all things believed to be unavailable to Oshuron as he lives on the high seas. 
4. The offering of salt water to dry ground when landfall is made -- this offering is said to remind the land he is on that the sailor is only a guest from the sea. Since only freshwater falls on land, it is believed that saltwater is highly prized away from the shore.

Fatho'deep teaches that mercies of Shuro are countered by the cruelties of Old Rita -- that is, Valritra the Kraken. She is an unthinking personification of rage and destruction.