Into the Wind

There are two primary means by which the ship is controlled: the rudder or steering oar, and the sails. While the rudder controls the direction in which the ship faces, allowing the crew to swing the ship to port or starboard, management of the sails provides the energy to propel the ship forward along its course.

A ship with the wind behind it is said to be running, but sails do not always need the wind behind them for the ship to follow its course. By close-hauling, ships can run diagonally upwind. To stay on course, a ship may tack or turn through the wind; a ship close-hauled on the port side may swing its bow to the opposite side of the wind and close-haul to the starboard side. These maneuvers allow the sails to catch enough wind for the ship to make progress, even against the direction of the wind.

The following effects either aid the crew in sailing The Hermes or, in some cases, take over altogether.

The Tillerman

ReHe 25

Pen: +0, Constant Effect

R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual

The Hermes is fitted with a large rudder controlled by a sturdy tiller under the rear castle. Ordinarily, the tiller is manned with the tillerman taking commands from the captain or mate forward of the mast. But this effect allows the ship to take control of the rudder.

By default, this effect keeps the tiller in the last position it was manually moved to. But this effect is unusual in that it is linked to and controlled by two other enchantments. The tiller is controlled according to the headings determined by both the Unerring Navigator and the Follow the Coast effects, shifting the rudder to keep The Hermes on course to its destination. While the tiller is being controlled by these effects the ship's crew gain +3 to navigation and/or sailing rolls to reach the specified location, and +1 to navigate in relation to it.

It has been enchanted as a constant effect but the additional control mechanisms have also been accounted for in the effect design.

This effect allows The Hermes to sail with a smaller crew than normal without penalty to the ship's handling.

This effect has been enchanted into The Hermes as the rudder is often vulnerable and prone to damage in difficult waters. This allows the rudder to be replaced without losing the magic.

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 size; +1 for 2/day, +3 triggered at sunrise/set, +3 triggered by the Unerring Navigator, +3 triggered by Follow the Coast)

Required Lab Total: 1 season (50), 2 seasons (38), 3 seasons (34), 4 seasons (32)

Bonuses of +10 (ships), +5 (sailing), and +1 (Rego) apply to this enchantment, as does a bonus of +2 for prior Rego and/ or Herbam effects.

Man the Sails

ReHe 26

Pen: +0, Unlimited Use

R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Group

When a crewman calls out his commands loudly and clearly, The Hermes obeys and draws the sails into the desired configuration. The target of the effect is whatever sails and rigging, treated as a Group, are rigged to the mast. Sails can be raised, lowered, or close-hauled, allowing the ship to tack through the wind. The crewman must make a Perception + Finesse Stress Roll against Ease Factor 6 to complete the action successfully.

Use of this effect allows The Hermes to sail with a smaller crew than would otherwise be needed, and makes manipulating the sails quicker than mundane vessels, which also helps to make her more maneuverable.

This effect is also controlled through the two navigational effects described earlier and the cost of the triggers for both of these are accommodated in the effect design.

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Group; +10 for unlimited use, +3 triggered by the Unerring Navigator, +3 triggered by Follow the Coast)

Required Lab Total: 1 season (52), 2 seasons (39), 3 seasons (35), 4 seasons (33)

Assuming this effect is enchanted within the Hermetic Shipyard, the magus receives the following bonuses to his Lab Total: +10 for ships, +5 for sailing, +1 for Rego, and +3 for prior Rego and/or Herbam effects.