Shellkeepers

There are three main requirements for this position.

1. Initation into the Church of Thalor aka The Deep Canticle.

• To be eligible for the mantle of Shellkeeper, an aspirant must first be initiated into the Church of Thalor, dedicating themselves to the mysteries of the sea and the divine song of tides.
• This initiation is formalized through the Ceremony of the Deeping, where initiates are submerged beneath woven kelp veils while the Choir sings the Sundering Hymn, a sacred chant believed to part the aspirant’s former self from the new life pledged to Thalor.

2. Clerical Pledge.

• Following this rite, they must take Thalor’s Clerical Pledge, a solemn vow binding them to safeguard the lore of the waters, honor the sanctity of longing, and tend to the stories carried by currents and stars.

3. Apprenticeship at an Archive.

• Beyond spiritual devotion, every prospective Shellkeeper must complete a rigorous apprenticeship with an archive. This may be:
• Within the Deep Canticle’s own coral or driftwood scriptoriums, learning to preserve and interpret sea-lore, illuminated hymnals, and tide charts, or
• In secular or distant archives, gaining broader historical and linguistic training by studying merchant logs, coastal treaties, and shipwreck records.

Preferences not requirements:

• To be a native of Virellia, and have spent one full season on the coast.
• Having an affinity for dream interpretation.
• To be a race of the sea.

Apprentice Shellkeepers

These are novices, having completed their initiation and pledged themselves to Thalor, but still early in their scholarly and spiritual training.

• They typically spend years under the supervision of a senior Shellkeeper or an archive master.
• Duties include copying scrolls, repairing shell reliquaries, gathering oral histories from sailors, and accompanying Driftwatchers to record coastal omens.
• Apprentices also learn the delicate art of shell listening, holding chambered shells to discern faint echoes of prophecy or fragments of lost songs.

Shellkeepers

Once an apprentice has demonstrated proficiency in lorecraft, hymn interpretation, and ritual leadership, they are anointed as full Shellkeepers.

• They are entrusted with maintaining parts of the Abyssal Hymnals and may compose or formally approve new verses or laments.
• Often assigned to a Choir within the Deep Canticle, they assist Tidecallers during major rites, interpret dreams brought by coastal folk, and safeguard the local reliquaries.
• They are also permitted to carry their own personal Shellkeeper’s Reliquary, a chambered shell uniquely etched with their chosen aspect of Thalor’s mythos.

Lore-Wardens

Also called High Shellkeepers in some regions, these are the Shellkeepers who have attained the rank of Lore-Warden—recognized not only for their knowledge but for their wisdom in guiding the spiritual memory of entire congregations.

• Lore-Wardens oversee lesser Shellkeepers, arbitrate disputes over conflicting interpretations of omens or songs, and serve as keepers of the rarest relics.
• They are often consulted directly by Tidecallers and even the High Cantor for matters involving prophecy, disputed doctrine, or crafting of major sea rituals.
• Many Lore-Wardens are invited to dwell in the most sacred archives—often aboard vast floating sanctuaries or within living coral temples—where they continue to record, interpret, and dream on behalf of the faith.

Apprentice Shellkeepers

• Room and Board: Provided entirely by the Church of Thalor. Apprentices live in dormitories attached to coral archives, aboard temple-ships, or in communal cliffside sanctuaries.
• Living Expenses: Covered by the local Choir. This includes food, basic clothing, simple ritual garb, and necessary learning materials like quills, inks, or minor scrolls.

Shellkeepers

• Wages: Receive a modest hourly stipend, sufficient for personal needs, minor luxuries, and contributions to family if desired.
• This pay reflects both their recognized skill and the fact that they may be called upon at any hour to perform rites, interpret dreams, or travel with Driftwatchers.
• Their income is often supplemented by tokens of gratitude from local communities (such as baskets of rare shellfish, small coins, or handwoven goods), though these are offerings, not obligations.

Lore-Wardens

• Higher Wages: Earn a significantly increased hourly rate, recognizing their position as senior custodians of sacred lore and advisors even to Tidecallers and the High Cantor.
• Many Lore-Wardens direct archives or scriptoria, meaning they also control small budgets for maintaining relics, commissioning scribes, or funding sea pilgrimages.
• They are often granted private quarters or a personal sanctum, furnished to support long vigils, dream-interpretation, and the delicate work of preserving Thalor’s mysteries.

Shellkeepers serve as the lore-wardens, memory-keepers, and interpreters of the divine will of Thalor, the god of the sea, stars, and desire.
They fulfill essential societal roles by:

• Preserving sacred songs, myths, and histories that tie communities to the tides.
• Guiding the faithful through dream interpretation and reading omens from the sea.
• Maintaining rituals of blessing and remembrance that soothe grief after drownings or shipwrecks.
• Acting as mediators between coastal communities and the powerful priesthood of the Deep Canticle.

Without Shellkeepers, the living cultural and spiritual memory of many coastal societies would falter, leaving traditions vulnerable to forgetting or corruption.

Shellkeepers are highly respected, often second only to Tidecallers and the High Cantor.

• Seen as both scholars and mystics, their interpretations can influence when fleets sail, where settlements expand, or whether omens forbid certain ventures.
• They are typically met with a mixture of reverence and cautious distance, as their deep attunement to Thalor’s mysteries—and their ability to uncover hidden truths—can be unsettling.
• In most coastal towns and aboard merchant convoys, their presence is considered a blessing and a safeguard against the sea’s wrath.

Shellkeepers are relatively rare.

• Approximately 1 in every 2,000 people within regions under the sway of the Deep Canticle is a Shellkeeper or apprentice.
• Many small fishing villages may have only a visiting Shellkeeper once every few months, whereas major port cities often house several attached to different Choirs or archives.

• Shellkeeper’s Reliquary: A large chambered shell etched with personal and mythic sigils, used to carry sacred water, fragments of songs, and minor relics.
• Mother-of-pearl styluses and coral tablets: For inscribing omens, visions, or records.
• Kelp-strung hymnals: Collections of tide songs and rites.
• Dream-lanterns: Small lamps whose flames are colored by enchanted oils, used in dream interpretation ceremonies.

• Ink made from cuttlefish and crushed sea glass, which shimmers when dried.
• Strips of dried seaweed parchment for more mundane notes.
• Offerings of salt, shells, and small driftwood charms are also consumed regularly in rituals.

• Often found in coral sanctuaries, low tide caves repurposed into scriptoria, or aboard great barque-temples that roam the coasts.
• The air is usually heavy with salt, the smell of damp parchment, and faint herbal resins burned to purify the archives.
• Waves can often be heard directly, with many workspaces intentionally open to the sea breeze or overlooking tide pools.

• Interpretation of dreams and omens seen by townsfolk or sailors.
• Leading or assisting with rites of blessing, launching, and mourning.
• Keeping and reciting tide histories and genealogies of coastal families.
• Teaching apprentices or guiding local laypeople in the basics of hymn recitation.

• Extended exposure to prophetic trances and intense dream-lantern rituals can leave Shellkeepers fatigued, confused, or haunted by visions.
• Handling certain enchanted inks or relics without caution risks mild hallucinations or deeper compulsions.
• Traveling between scattered coastal communities exposes them to storms, piracy, and shipwreck.
• In rare political conflicts, Shellkeepers may be targeted due to the weight their words carry in swaying community decisions.