Pearl divers were hired individuals who worked abroad pearling boats and descended to scour the seafloor for valuable pearl oysters.[1]
Organization[]
In Zakhara, a typical pearling boat was a sambuq. Each held around fifty individuals, usually all males. Typically, one half of them were actual pearl divers, while the other half consisted mostly of attendants, usually male youths, whose work was crucial for the divers' safety. Each of the pearl divers was tethered by a rope to their waist so, in times of dagger, attendants could promptly drag the divers out of the water.[1]
Practices[]
The pearling season began in the spring and lasted for a total of five months. Pearling attracted hundreds of boats that sailed daily into the waters between the cities of Gana and Jumlat. The summer months were difficult for pearl divers and people manning the boats as the season brought heatwaves to the sizzling lands of Zakhara while the winds and gales significantly calmed down.[1] The end of the pearling season in Gana was marked by a three-day festival called the Festival of the Pearl.[4]
The summer heat was not the only challenge of the pearling work. Divers started their days at the docks at dawn, counting oysters pulled the previous day out and shucking them for pearls. This was done under the boat captain's eagle eye, who claimed most of the catch, sharing a small percentage of their catch with each individual pearl diver. Large, perfectly shaped, luminous, and light pink pearls were the most valuable among all, second only to the exceedingly rare black pearls. After the previous day's catch was counted and pearl diver got their liquid breakfast of coffee, boats sailed out for another day of diving, usually several dozens of depends per day for each of the diver, broken only for a short break and a light midday meal of dates. At dusk, boats returned back to their harbors; after that, divers had time only to dine and pray before retiring for the night.[1]
On average, pearl diving was done in the depths of 30 feet (9.1 meters) with the maximum depth being up to 90 feet (27 meters). To expedite descent to the waters deeper than 20 feet (6.1 meters), divers held on to heave dive stones that were thrown into the water and later pulled out via attached ropes. Deep submersions often gave the pearl divers nosebleeds. Experienced pearl divers could hold their breath for almost three minutes, and with a single tug of the rope, they could be quickly pulled to the surface.[1]
Because of the trade's seasonal nature, many of the pearl divers were forced to seek temporary employment during off seasons or go into debt with their boat captains in order to feed their families.[1]
Locations[]
Pearl divers of Jumlat.
As of the late 14th century DR, circa the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR,[note 1] the city of Gana had several progressive captains who ran more humane pearling operations. Some went as far as paying mages to cast the airy water spells to allow divers to stay underwater for longer and suffer fewer side effects caused by the work.[4]
On occasion, pearl diving became a dangerous job when conflicts arose from rivalry between the cities of Gana and Jumlat. Jumlat employed a dozen privateer ships to protect its pearl diving boats and sink boats Gana's vessels that traveled into Jumlat's waters.[5]
Pearl divers were very common in the coastal areas of Dambrath in the Shining South,[2] and the city of Ankhapur had a prosperous pearling industry on the shores of the Lake of Steam.[3]
In Kara-Tur, pearl divers were found on the Senshi Islands of Kozakura, with many of the divers being sea spirit folk.[6]
Possessions[]
Pearl divers carried little into the water depths. They used wooden nose clips, wore finger-guards, and carried a satchel or a basket to gather oysters in. Male divers wore nothing but simple loincloths, and females wrapped their waists in strips of wool, forming makeshift short skirts. When diving in dangerous waters filled with stinging jellyfish or similar dangers, pearl divers were given full-body black woolen bathing suits that only left their eyes exposed.[1]
Notable Pearl Divers[]
- Jamil, a teenage pearl diver from Jumlat who became involved in rescuing a duo of marids circa 1367 DR.[7]
- Radea, an aquatic half-elf and a talented pearler who worked in Embrol Sludge's Eatery and Shell Shoppe of Ravens Bluff in the late 14th century DR.[8]
- Tulmon, a wealthy pearl diver and uncle of Jafar el Uabar, the Nirdey of Volothamp for the Rundeen circa 1370 DR.[9]
- Ubar, Jamil's slightly older friend and pearl diver from Jumlat, active circa 1367 DR.[7]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Canon material does not provide dating for the Al-Qadim campaign setting. For the purposes of this wiki only, the current date for Al-Qadim products is assumed to be 1367 DR.
Appearances[]
- Gamebooks
- Secret of the Djinn
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Jeff Grubb (August 1992). Land of Fate (Adventurer's Guide to Zakhara). (TSR, Inc), p. 89. ISBN 978-1560763291.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Roger E. Moore (January 1999). Demihumans of the Realms. (TSR, Inc.), p. 80. ISBN 0-7869-1316-9.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jeff Grubb (August 1992). Land of Fate (Adventurer's Guide to Zakhara). (TSR, Inc), p. 88. ISBN 978-1560763291.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (August 1992). Land of Fate (Adventurer's Guide to Zakhara). (TSR, Inc), p. 90. ISBN 978-1560763291.
- ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume I). (TSR, Inc), p. 131. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jean Rabe (May 1994). Secret of the Djinn. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 1–8. ISBN 1-56076-864-9.
- ↑ Randall Lemon (March 1989). “The Living City: Embrol Sludge's Eatery and Shell Shoppe”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #46 (TSR, Inc.), p. 19.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 131. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.