The Titran Fishing Village

Ocean smell saturates the air. Salty and fresh, a light breeze well suited for sailing on a fair weather day at sea. Fish is being salted at the factory. The women share lively conversations as they routinely cover the fish with salt using large scoops. Today, the weather is perfect for spreading the cleaned fish out across the sheepback rocks. No rain, a fair amount of wind, and not too warm. Will it last? The fish trader knows exactly how the fish should be presented in order to get the best possible price. And perhaps weather plays along, making the fish “just right”? Maybe the fishermen can manage to get a little extra something for the family? When prices are good, and the catch is decent, it is easier to ask for a little extra.

Trader Gaustad at the general store has never been too strict about selling on credit. However, it always feels good when you can go to Gaustad and close your tab. The air never smells sweeter, and the breeze never feels as fresh, as when you reap the rewards of a job well done. A fresh piece of chewing tobacco, after hours spent in heavy seas, feels like money well spent. There is still some coin left, though, even after getting some tobacco for dad and a small bag of candy for the wife and kids. You carry yourself with a hint of pride after a trip closing your tab to Gaustad, even though nice weather and good catch are all at the Lord’s mercy.

The coastal folk know how to make the most of things. Society is based on unity. The fisher/farmer and his wife need to work together as a team, and the kids help out from an early age. It has always been like that on the coast.