Sail Charms

Crew-Inspiring Charisma Cost: —; Mins: Sail 3, Essence 2; Type: Permanent; Keywords: Emotion, Mirror; Duration: Permanent; Prerequisite Charms: Deck-Striding Phantom

Once an Solar masters this Charm, ships he command function at full efficiency and with no penalties, even with crew complements as low as a skeleton crew. In addition, each scene the Lawgiver spends commanding his crew counts as a scene of building an Intimacy of faithful adoration in them unless they have an Essence rating equal to or greater than his own. Those who develop such Intimacies cannot take any actions that would knowingly result in harm to their captain or remove him from his position while aboard a ship he owns, unless they spend two Willpower points per day to overcome the unnatural mental influence of this Charm.

Oceanic Omniscience Intuition

Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Sail 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple; Keywords: Mirror; Duration: Until disembarking; Prerequisite Charms: Ability Excellency – Sail Mastery, Salty Dog Method

The sea holds many dangers, especially for champions of Creation. Prudent captains keep a close eye on the waves and horizon, watching for any trace of an enemy’s approach. A Solar can activate this Charm only aboard a ship he owns; it ends when he leaves the ship for any reason. While active, the Exalt ignores all visibility limitations or other penalties that would inhibit his ability to navigate. He also becomes preternaturally aware of his environment out to a distance of (Sail x 10) miles.

Through this Charm’s awareness, the Exalt perfectly understands all weather conditions and mentally maps all terrain that is not magically obscured from scrying. He can spot reefs and other hazards long before they threaten his ship, not to mention noticing distant coasts before his lookouts do. His awareness lets him pinpoint other ships of seaworthy size. He also senses comparably large animals such as whales and siaka unless they are magically hidden in some way, though the Charm alone only reveals the size, speed and bearing of these objects. Used aboard an aerial vessel, this Charm maps terrain and tracks other aerial vehicles or animals of suitable size.

Immortal Captain's Advantages

Cost: —; Mins: Sail 3, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: Mirror, Native Duration: Permanent Prerequisites: Perfect Reckoning Technique

A man of the sea is a legendary thing to behold. A character who purchases this Charm gains the following benefits: Sail Charms no longer count as Charm activations, and Sail Charms may be activated to enhance a ship the Solar is not presently aboard, so long as he can perceive that vessel or it is within one mile. In addition to these advantages, the Lawgiver gains an auxiliary peripheral mote pool of ([Essence + Sail + 5] x 2) motes. The Solar may only use this pool to pay for Charms of the Sail ability. When this pool is depleted, the character may use his personal and peripheral mote pools to pay for Sail Charm activations. This mote pool refills by normal means, including stunts. A repurchase of Immortal Captain's Advantages at Essence 4+ doubles this mote pool; a repurchase at Essence 5+ doubles it again.

This Charm only applies under the following conditions: • The character must own the ship (see Exalted, p. 238). • Characters who are admiral to a fleet of ships may apply this effect to various ships under their command, even ones they do not own. • The character may apply Perfect Reckoning Technique to every ship he commands with a single activation.

Flag of All Nations Method

Cost: 7m; Mins: Sail 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK, Illusion, Mirror, Obvious Duration: Indefinite Prerequisite Charms: Ship-Claiming Stance

The authority of the Lawgivers transcends boundaries. All nations are their nations; all people are their people. Standing at the center of a vessel she owns, the Solar releases her Essence into the ship, veiling it from hostile eyes and hostile intent. All observers who witness the ship see it as a friendly vessel, if possible—its sails display friendly colors, and its sailors seem to be of the proper origin and nationality. Pirates and other nautical predators instead see a ship that is too poor to bother assaulting, or too formidable to consider boarding. This unnatural mental influence costs four points of Willpower to see through. The disguise has one major flaw—the ship’s reflection upon the waves shows its true nature. Solars are thus advised not to sail too close to other vessels when relying upon this Charm.

Mariner's Parable Defense

Cost: 6m; Mins: Sail 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion, Illusion Duration: Indefinite Prerequisite Charms: Ship-Claiming Stance

The Solar’s vessel shouts his legend into the world. This Charm may only be used aboard a ship the Solar owns. The identity of the vessel’s owner becomes Obvious to all characters who perceive it. Should they be unaware of the Solar by reputation or personal association, Mariner’s Parable Defense makes it clear—the Exalt is a legendary man of the sea: a hero who sinks pirates, rescues damsels in distress, puts storm gods in their place, braves hurricanes and defies the Yozis; or a peerless pirate who ransacks port towns, evades capture with a laugh, and steals comely lads or lasses with as much ease and abandon as casks of jade. Should the Solar’s ship put into port while this Charm is in effect, this aura follows the character wherever he should go, up to (Essence) miles from the ship.

Common folk marvel at the Solar’s heroism or cringe before his rapacity—he raises his Appearance and MDVs by three with regard to all characters struck by this aura. Additionally, fear of the Solar’s prowess imposes a -1 external penalty to all attacks directed at his person or his ship. This unnatural mental influence costs two Willpower to resist for a scene.

Additionally, the Solar gains one temporary dot of Influence while this Charm is active.

Omnipresent Admiral of Light

Cost: 3m; Mins: Sail 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK, Mirror Duration: Indefinite Prerequisite Charms: Ship-Claiming Stance

While active, the Solar intuitively knows the location of all ships he’s personally claimed with Ship-Claiming Stance within (Essence rating) miles and can issue reflexive telepathic orders to any or all of them, though this communication is still language dependent. All on-board the vessel hear the words in their mind as if the Solar were speaking from just behind them, allowing the ship to carry out orders from afar without distracting the captain from other tasks. Additionally, no relays are needed to prevent communication failure for units composed of crew members listening to these orders, leaving room for additional special characters.

Omnipotent Admiral Authority

Cost: 10m; Mins: Sails 5, Essence 4 Type: Simple Keyword: Mirror, Combo-OK, Obvious Duration: Indefinite Prerequisite Charms: Storm-Weathering Essence Infusion

The Solar’s anima erupts into an aureate corona which washes over a ship she owns or commands. The magic quickly sinks into the boards of the vessel, visible only by the lanyards which untie themselves, the sails which raise and lower in accordance to the Lawgiver’s will, and the other processes by which the ship obediently tends to its own upkeep and operation. So long as this Charm remains in effect, the ship requires a crew of zero sailors. So long as the Solar remains within (Sail x 100) yards of the ship, she may direct its course as though she were onboard.

 Invincible Solar Vessel 

Cost: 8m; Mins: Sail 5, Essence 5 Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK, Mirror, Obvious Duration: Indefinite Prerequisite Charms: Hull-Preserving Technique

The path of a Solar must not be impeded, nor the glory of his vessel diminished. While this Charm is in effect, any craft the Solar is aboard becomes immune to Shaping effects, and it and all passengers are immunized against the warping powers of the Wyld. Additionally, the ship will not burn, cannot be capsized by waves or impacts, and is immune to sorcery of the Terrestrial Circle and Sorcerous Charms of Essence 3 or below. The Solar may also declare one particular environmental hazard that the ship is immune to upon activating this Charm (for example, the acidic waters of Kimbery, or the razor-edged waves of a Wyld-tainted sea).

Finally, this Charm’s prerequisite is also permanently improved, changing its duration to one action.

Ship and Soul Union

Cost: —; Mins: Sail 5, Essence 5; Type: Permanent Keywords: Native, Obvious Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Immortal Captain’s Advantages

The power of the Solar Exalted extends to all things which enable their legends. This truth is demonstrated clearly by this Charm, through which any ship the Solar commands becomes an extension of his anima. Upon first purchasing this Charm, the Solar’s the effect corresponding to his caste. Additional powers may be purchased for two experience points each. The Solar’s vessel may only benefit from one effect at a time.

• Dawn: For three motes, the Solar’s ship becomes an extension of his terrifying might for the rest of the scene—the minds of his opponents are clouded with fear at the thought of the reprisals that would be invited by assaulting such a vessel. Opponents must pay two points of Willpower to ignore this unnatural Compulsion if they wish to target the ship with their attacks. This power in no way prevents the ship’s crew from being targeted.

• Zenith: For three motes, the Solar’s ship becomes Holy ground for the rest of the scene. Any creature of darkness boarding the vessel enters an environmental hazard with (Damage 2A/action), Trauma (Sail).

• Twilight: The ship becomes aware of all threats approaching within (Essence x 30) yards, from above, below, or beside the ship; this warning is communicated to the Solar in the form of eerie sea-sounds which appraise him of the position and bearing of the threat (for example, something below the ship and approaching fast). This benefit costs one mote, and lasts for one day.

• Night: For three motes, a mist rises up around the ship’s shrouding it from view. This grants a +3 bonus to all Stealth attempts, and reduces the cost of Sea Ambush Technique by one point of Willpower.

• Eclipse: The Solar may pay five motes to cause his anima to surmount the ship as a flag bearing complex sigils which may be understood by all observers. This flag may offer the terms of a truce, alliance, or financial arrangement. It is clear that this offer is genuine, and magically binding; should the captain of another vessel verbally agree to the terms offered by this flag, that fact becomes Obvious to the Solar and he may pay one Willpower to sanctify the oath as though with the Eclipse anima power. Additionally, if the character is a member of the Eclipse caste, he may sanctify any oath spoken aboard his ship that he is aware of for a cost of only one point of Willpower.

At Sail 6+, Essence 6+ this Charm gains the Stackable Keyword, and the Solar may simultaneously apply up to (Essence - 4) different effects at a time.