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Solar Sail Charms by CrownedSun

Master Sailors Method

 Cost: 2 motes per success
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental
 Minimum Sail: 1
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: None

This charm renders the Solar constantly aware of his surroundings on ships, and provides him with perfect and infallible instincts for every rote activity of sailing. He never needs to worry about getting his hand caught in one of the ships lines, and can climb the rigging with the casual ease of an old hand. Moreover, if there is need, he can pull off even the most difficult and dangerous actions with a certainty of success! The character uses this charm whenever he makes any Dexterity, or Wits + Sail roll. After he has made the roll, the character may purchase additional successes for two motes per success. He cannot purchase more successes than (Essence + the number of successes rolled).

In general, the character can use this charm to routinely perform most sailing tasks without worrying about failure or botches. Yet as the Solar becomes more skilled and powerful, this charm lets him perform more impressive and dangerous feats, behaving as a sailor of legendary skill if necessary. In addition, the character can spend 2 motes on this charm as a reflexive action in order to avoid getting swept overboard, "find his sealegs", or stave off even the worst sea sickness.

Weather-Anticipating Intuition (Revised)

 Cost: 3 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Sail: 2
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: Master Sailors Method

The Solar with this charm becomes an old hand of the sea, expert at predicting the weather, tidal conditions, and other relevant information to an ocean voyage. The character knows when to expect high and low tide, wind speed and direction, the exact time of sunset and sunrise, and the rough condition of the weather at sea for the next Essence days. Only powerful weather-controlling magic can fool this charm, such as Godly charms or sorcery that brew up a storm in a very expedited fashion. Otherwise this charm can even see freak squalls or unexpected fogs. This charm will automatically activate at normal cost if a particularly bad storm such as a Hurricane is coming while the Solar is at sea. This charm also works at port, but fails further inland.

Perfect Reckoning Technique (Revised)

 Cost: 4 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Sail: 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Master Sailors Method

The character can use this charm to masterfully and intuitively perform the drudge work of navigation, instantly and perfectly locating the position of her ship. If the Solar has a chart or other map that he's familiar with, he can locate his position relative to the map. However, such aids are not necessary! The character using this charm can 'wing it', gaining a strong idea of where he is with regard to landmarks or ports with which he is familiar. The Solar also instantly knows his location with regard to the five elemental poles, and can always pilot a course toward one of these. This charm only allows the Solar to locate himself with regard to the poles, familiar landmarks or ports, or a chart. It does not provide him with any information about the surrounding waters or any land he is not already familiar with.

Depth-Plumbing Intuition (Revised)

 Cost: 2 motes
 Duration: One scene
 Type: Reflexive
 Minimum Sail: 4
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Perfect Reckoning Technique

The Solar feels out the essence flows of the world around him, allowing him to form a more complete view of unfamiliar waters. The Solar gains a rough overview of landmasses in a number miles equal to his (Essence x 10), though he cannot make out any detail beyond the rough shape of the shoreline. He also gains awareness of any reefs, shallows, or dangerous wreckage in that area. The character also gains quite precise knowledge of the depth and safe areas of passage through waters within (Essence x 100) yards, enabling him to navigate harbour channels or other obstacles. This charm reduces the difficulty to navigate through even the most dangerous waters to 1, while its active. The character can also use this charm to spot wreckage in shallow water (but not in the deep ocean).

Safe Harbour Technique

 Cost: 3 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Sail: 4
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Perfect Reckoning Technique

The Solar feels out the essence flows of the world around him, letting them guide him to the closest landmass. The Solar knows the direction and approximate distance of the nearest landmass, as well as its approximate size and rather or not it has a port. Whenever within sight of a landmass, the Solar can use this charm to get a better idea of his surroundings. When used within sight of land, this charm informs the Solar of any ports, deep water habours, bays or other places where he might be able to land. The Solar also gets a rough idea of any naval defenses that might be present in the area, though only their presence and approximate nature rather than how to get around them. This charm does not otherwise inform the Solar to any dangers present on the island.

Other Charms

• Wind-Defying Course Technique requires Master Sailors Method. See page 210.
• Ignore the Wind's Course Technique is a part of this tree. See Savage Seas, page 115.
• Storm-Weathering Essence Infusion is a part of this tree. See page 211.
• Hull-Preserving Technique is a part of this tree. See page 211.
• Mast's Unbreakable Will is a part of this tree. See Savage Seas, page 115.

the Glorious Solar Ship sub-branch

Glorious Golden Sails

 Cost: 6 motes
 Duration: One day
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Sail: 2
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: None

The Sails are one of the most important part of a vessel, as well as one of the most vulnerable. In a shower of golden essence, the character with this charm can strengthen and enhance his sails and rigging. The cloth itself develops a golden tint, shines lightly in the light of the day, and is far tougher than canvas. The ropes are toughened and develop the same golden sheen, while pulleys are made safer and more efficient. This charm cannot conjure these things from nowhere, however, so the character must have some kind of rough rigging in place in order to use this charm.

The enchanted sails created with this charm have a soak rating of 10B/5L, and can take 10 health levels to damage and 20 to destroy. They take only half damage from wind or waves, allow the ship to sail one point closer to the wind, and add a +1 bonus to all Sail rolls to keep control of the ship in a storm or when gaining/losing speed. If these sails are damaged or destroyed the character can end this charm and then reinvoke it. This usually requires some preparation time as the sailors repair their rigging to the minimum standard able to enhanced with this charm. A Solar can usually only reuse destroyed sails using this charm a number of times equal to his Essence.

One-handed Sailing Kata

 Cost: 8 motes, 1 willpower
 Duration: Indefinite
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Sail: 4
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Master Sailors Method

There is a certain pattern to sailing a ship which one can observe, the numerous essential tasks that are required for the vessel to move from one point to another in the proper fashion. A Solar who has mastered the One-handed Sailing Kata has achieved a mastery of this pattern that allows him to adjust it, altering the efforts of himself and the rest of his crew such that all essential tasks are fulfilled properly. Thus, when using this charm, the Solar can guide his vessel normally regardless of the size of his crew. While this charm allows a Solar to pilot an Imperial Dreadnaught by himself at the utter extreme, this requires a level of commitment that most captains find daunting after a few days. However, given even three crewmen, the Solar can sail any ship without difficulty for unlimited amounts of time without due hardship.

Other Charms

• Glorious Solar Ship is a part of this tree. It's Cost is reduced to 12 motes, 1 willpower and its Minimum Essence is reduced to 3. You can spend 6 motes every morning to extend the charm another day without reactivating it. See Castebook: Eclipse, page 77.