Culture, History, and other bits.

Chnurz’ Catalogue of Curious Coastal Customs

Entry 01: The Catapult of Mawport

In the small coastal town Mawport, a strange and unique capital punishment is executed by the local people. On the far side of the harbour, where the terrain gets rocky and almost impassable, a small path leads to a tongue of land stretching out to the deep water like a natural landing stage. The path ends at an odd construction resembling a catapult. Fish, mermaids and other creatures of the sea are engraved in the woodworks. The seating at the business end of the throwing arm features carvings that make it appear like an open maw. The construction is big enough to fling a full-grown human being.
Once, religious events took place on this site. Superstitious fishermen and pearl divers handed over sacrifices adorned with flowers, fruits and special ointments in a festivous ceremony to soothe the destructive forces of the sea. However, the lengthy rituals have come to an abrupt end, when a curious Chlaena surprised and devoured the performing priest and a number of the attendees of the last ceremony.
Since then, the procedure has considerably changed. The cult has dissolved and the town council has ordered the erection of the catapult. Now, the executioner instead of a priest is responsible for the maintenance of the site. Dangerous criminals get punished by being catapulted into the sea. The event is every time well-attended by a cautious audience that gathers on the rocky raise at the beginning of the land tongue. Citizens usually applaud the execution of the spectacle, especially if the criminal is caught by a predator before touching the water surface.
Attendance is for the audience free of entry, children under the age of twelve are to be accompanied by elders.

Chnurz’ Catalogue of Curious Coastal Customs

Entry 02: The Anchored Buildings of Mudville

Many of the buildings of the coastal village Mudville feature a curious yet picturesque architecture that can’t be seen anywhere else on the continent. Especially on houses close to the shoreline, no windows appear beyond the first floor and the entrance can only be reached over ramps or stairs. If one is allowed to visit the inside of one of these buildings, one can see that there is no cellar and the wooden walls converge in the middle of the floor to a bow-like bulge. The house of the mayor even shows the equivalent of a figurehead on the ocean pointed side of the house. For reasons unknown to the author, the unusual decoration looks like a rooster with a fat belly. The uncommon design is in any case completed by strong ropes that tie the building to the precipitous terrain that is so characteristic for this part of the east coast.
The original story behind that tells about a farmer, who was a building a shelter for his sheep, when coincidentally a Naga came about looking for a lunch. Panicked, he lunged into the shelter that promptly flipped over and sledded with its constructor down the slippery slope towards the sea. The speed was enough to carry the farmer in the miraculously only slightly leaking construction into the deep water. Thus, the farmer escaped the Naga, only to be devoured by a Mermaid that happened to pass by.
The idea, however, was recognized to be a great way to evacuate the village in case of emergency, enabling the citizens to not only save their lives but also their riches. Since then, a few of the houses, built in the new style, have already taken to the sea, be it by accident or by the malicious intent of neighbours or pranksters. Most of them have capsized after the water landing and sunk with the precious possessions of their proprietors. Yet the remaining owners of anchored houses are confident that the system will work for them “when time is right” and that the failings of the others have only been unfortunate accidents.
To wander around in the village with saws or axes is considered as felony by the local law.