Nodens the Tempest

Nodens claims all water as his domain. His worshipers insist that it is by his doing that all life came to be, and that Danu is his rightful bride. Nodens controls the seas and weather, and is often depicted as an ancient tentacle-bearded king wearing an eyepatch. He carries a spear or trident and rides upon a fearsome and foul-tempered giant seahorse. Two great gulls perch on his shoulders, one whispering the knowledge of the deep, the other the fate of every sailor.

Worship

Sailors still utter prayers to Nodens lest he send storms to take their ships during their voyages. Sea captains, pirates, sailors, and fishermen often wear a shark’s tooth around their neck whenever they set out to sea. They believe the tooth disguises them as a sea-dwelling creature and helps them avoid Nodens’ wrath. More devout worshipers believe it must be the tooth of a shark you yourself have caught and slain, otherwise Nodens will see through your disguise and sink your ship into the sea. These seafaring folk commonly tattoo krakens or tentacles upon their body in honor of Nodens. Their homes often have seashells or dried starfish as decorations.

Ritual

The night before a sailor sets out to the sea, they bathe naked in the waters they plan to sail, allowing the ocean to gain their scent and know them. The sailor will adorn their bedchamber with seashells and other aquatic treasures. Dinner is a small cup of water from the sea and fresh fish, often raw. When they arrive safely after a voyage, the sailor must soak their clothes in vinegar for a day to rid it of the sea, and not take any of Nodens’ domain with them onto land.