Those who ply the oceans from the ports of Wupan have a number of superstitions and tales that are repeated so often that they are often simply referred to instead of retold in their entirety, creating an infuriating sensation of exclusion among new sailors from other cantons.
The Glow of Mercy
Wupan sailors believe that cuttlefish are intelligent and can be reasoned with. If treated well, these sailors believe, they will guide lost ships home, warn them of reefs or storms, and return overboard sailors to the decks of their ships. Whatever the truth, there is an observed phenomenon of cuttlefish swarming around certain ships, flashing a blue-green glow. Cuttlefish killed in nets or found on shore have their cuttlebones removed, decorated with carvings, and are kept as talismans of luck.
Red Dawn
Sailors believe that a red dawn in the morning is a warning of storms, while a red sunset is a good omen.
The Followers
A sailors' superstition holds that the corpses of overboard sailors will swim after the ship until it puts in at a home port. Polite shipmates on a voyage where such losses have been taken will slow down to aid the followers in keeping up, and tradition holds that their share of loot be thrown overboard that they might enjoy it. Failure to do any of these is supposedly a good way to get haunted.
The Seaborn
Children born at sea are known as seaborn or shipborn, and are considered to be auspicious births. If the birth is unexpected, they are instead considered at-risk for being 'sea goblins,' a mythical changeling bogeyman supposedly engineered by the Cephalopes.
Father's Smile
A necklace made out of the teeth knocked out by a person's father. A lot of teeth denotes good luck as well as strength in the bloodline. Additionally, women with a lot of teeth on her father's smile are known to have particularly tough fathers, a warning to potential suitors to mind their manners.
Cuttlebone Talismans
A trinket common in Wupan thought to bring good luck when done properly. To collect the cuttlebone, one must find a cuttlefish or accidentally catch one in a fishermans' net. The cuttlebone is removed and decorated, either by carving or by lacquer or both. It is believed that killing a cuttlefish on purpose curses the bone talisman, and cuttleboners have been keelhauled for the practice if found out.
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