Calling the Wind's Kiss
Cost: 10m + 2m per additional hour (max. 30m expended) Target: Template:One sailing vessel
The sorcerer completes this spell with the Azure Sign, a glyph thatepitomizes the Element of Air. He fills a target ship's sails with a powerful wind sufficient to drive it forward at its maximum speed without sacrificing handling or safety, and also ignoring currents or small storms. He may target any sail-powered vessel (including Haslanti air boats) he can see, up to (Essence x 3) miles away. The sorcerer can always cancel this spell as a reflexive action.
Calling the Wind's Kiss remains in effect for a number of hours equal to the caster's Essence, plus one additional hour for every two additional motes spent. Here, the sorcerer has a choice. He may expend the Essence at the casting and let the spell run by itself. To Essence sight and other magical senses, the additional motes manifest as the Azure Sign glowing on the mainsail. Alternatively, the sorcerer can actively maintain the spell. The character must remain on deck for the spell's duration. Every hour, he traces the Azure Sign again and channels two more motes into the spell. He can perform no other actions, not even meditate. A sorcerer cannot start by investing Essence, then change his mind and add further motes to the spell.
If cast to a ship's benefit, Calling the Wind's Kiss appears as a funnel of blue Essence behind the sails, though on a sunny day it blends with the sky. When using the Complex Travel rules, treat difficult terrain (such as seasonal squalls or shifting crosswinds) as open, and the make haste bonus applies for the spell's duration. Heavy storms, unusually strong (or supernatural) currents and obstacles still make sailing difficult, but the spell grants a +3 bonus to all Sail checks to cope with the hazards.
If the spell is cast to oppose a ship, a gray-tinged funnel of Essence swirls in front of the sails, though it blends in with stormy skies. The spell reduces the ship's speed. When using the Complex Travel rules, the terrain type is worsened by one category (i.e., from open terrain to difficult, or from difficult terrain to extreme), and the ship is considered substandard for the duration of the spell. The spell inflicts a -3 internal penalty to all Sail checks to retain control of the ship. Countermagic or casting an opposing Calling the Wind's Kiss destroys the spell. Additionally, an air elemental or other air spirit whose Essence exceeds the sorcerer's can usurp control of the spell through a successful Willpower roll (difficulty equal to the sorcerer's Essence). If the spirit succeeds, it can let the spell operate as it was, negate its effects or even reverse them. The spirit cannot spend Essence to extend the spell's duration.