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Time, seasons, and holidays » Blessing of the Sea
Nesirie is the goddess of the Sea, and all who live by its bounty revere her. One of the most important ceremonies for sailors is the Blessing of the Sea, whereby each new ship is blessed by one of Nesirie’s clergy before it is launched. Many sailors refuse to set sail in an unblessed ship. In the north it is said that Kriesha will claim the vessel and crew of any unblessed ship, or that Cuiraecen will drown the sailors in a storm for such impertinence. In Anuire it is normally Kriesha alone who is feared by sailor. Along the Sun Coast, Kriesha’s cold is far away but Cuiraecen’s storms are common and greatly feared by sailors.
It is normal for the ship-builder and/or the first captain to make a great show of this event, particularly when launching a larger ship. If the ship is a warship, the local realm regent will invariably be asked to take part in the ceremonies, for Nesirie is not fond of battle and will not grant her blessing to a warship unless the regent personally asks for her aid and declares the ship necessary for the defense of her faithful along the coast.
