Elemental Passagers

Those who wield elemental magic for transport or travel.

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Aeronaut

One who uses wind magic to guide hot air balloons or personed-kites. The original aeronauts flew on the backs of flying whales, but those are rare in the colonized lands.

An aeronaut knows how to temporarily capture the wind in order to use it to help them steer a kite or hot-air balloon. To capture the wind, they need a special satchel made of magical materials, usually hippogriff leather, the skin of a flying whale, or the feathers of a rukh. These are deeply rare and usually involve a quest to acquire them.

To grab the wind in the satchel, they must hold open the satchel toward a natural wind, then trick it into staying within long enough to seal it. To trick the wind, they must know what kind of wind they are capturing (a breeze, a gust, a gale, a whirlwind, etc.), and they must know from which direction it blows (north, south, east, west, southwest, northwest, southeast, northeast, north-northeast, south-southeast, east-northeast, east-southeast, etc.). This will tell them what kind of lie to tell the wind - the north wind is the least easily tricked, the fickle west-southwest wind the most. Knowing the right lies to tell is something their mentors will share, but they can't use the same lie twice in the same year.

Every satchel has its own magical strength, and some winds are too powerful for certain satchels.

Once captured, a wind can be released to wield its power. The aeronaut must keep the wind sealed long enough to forget it was tricked (ranges from a day to a year and a day), and then they must convince the wind once released to help them. This usually requires asking it a riddle, giving it an offering, or simply asking it nicely, depending on the wind:

Wind	Price	Gust strength
North	Soul offering	22
South	Heart offering	22
East	Mind offering	18
West	Body offering	18
Northeast	Riddle	15
Southeast	Riddle	15
Northwest	Riddle	15
Southwest	Riddle	15
NNW	Simple ask	11
NNE	Deception	11
WNW	Honesty	11
ENE	Simple ask	11
SSW	Simple ask	11
SSE	Honesty	11
ESE	Simple ask	11
WSW	Deception	11

Powers the winds may grant include the following:

• Lifting wind: the wind carries the kite or balloon in the direction the aeronaut decides on.

• Speed of the wind: +6 speed to the kite or hot-air balloon for 100'

• Long-distance shout: send a message a long distance

• Carry voice: hear information from afar

• High altitude barrier: the air around them thickens in high altitudes to allow easier breathing

• Pressure control: the pressure inside the balloon can be controlled.

• Coasting wind: a long-distance wind for longer journeys

• Buffeting wind: a wind attack to repel enemies

Other powers may be possible. Consult the GM.

Aeronauts often work in groups to allow for multiple uses of the wind at once.

PRO +1 ATH +2 STR -1 AWA +2 WIL +1 PRS +1 STH /

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Equestrian

Riders who use their command of the grasslands to become the greatest riders of horses in the world. They carry horsebows and whips and ride the finest horses. Equestrians bond with their mounts to a profound depth, becoming as one in thought with them. It is said the horses choose the equestrian, not the other way around.

Different horses have different difficulties to bond with:

• Aloga: elemental horses are the primary horses ridden by equestrians. They have +3 to bonding with them, +6 with true herd.
• Chevaux: imperial horses are nearly impossible for equestrians to bond with or ride; they have -6 to ride then.
• Eohippus: these ancient ancestors of horses are as easy to bond with as elemental hjorses, giving +3 to bond with them.
• Equos: Stayflian horses are very different in their energies and roles; pax equus are easy to bond with (+3) and bigequus are extremely difficult (-6).
• Fairy horses: the horses of the fey are moderately easy to bond with (+2).
• Giant horses: these powerful, independent horses are difficult to ride and bond with for average-sized equestrians (-2).
• Horned horses: horned horses vary greatly by different species; karkadanns, nillekmas, and abadas are easier (+1), taltos steeds and arases are harder (-1), and the shadhavars are impossible to bond with.
• Meirch: these imperial horses are extremely difficult to bond with (-5).
• Susim: the extremely powerful susim are nearly impossible to bond with (-7).
• Tarpans and other eastern horses: these greatly vary, but their common ancestors the tarpans make it slightly easier (+1) from their expected base.
• Water horses: water horses have neither bonus nor penalty to bonding or riding.
• White horses: celestial horses are all +3 to bond with.
• Winged horses: flying horses vary, but tend to be +1.

The first time an equestrian rides the mount who has chosen them, the bond begins. They are not fated - it is entirely possible for them to refuse the bond - but few do not become an equestrian. A horse will approach them while they are on or near open grasslands and allow them to ride without bridle, bit, or saddle. If they accept the ride, they will form a bond as they move over the plains.

Mounts seek riders who care about horses, who respect the environment and want to see the grasslands flourish, and who are willing to fight to protect them. The first ride always takes place over a six mile stretch, even if that means going over the same ground. When the ride is finished, the rider and the mount can sense one another's thoughts, feelings, and instincts.

When equestrians ride, they pull elemental magic with them, drawing the winds of the grasslands along with them. The longer, faster they ride, the longer and faster they are able to ride, up until they are overcome by the energies around them. Most equestrians learn where the barrier between life and death is and ride very close to it. As they gather elemental magic to them during their rides, they may draw upon some of it for various powers, stat boosts, or attacks,

The general equation is 1 point of elemental magic to use per every 5 miles per hour pace per hour run. So an equestrian riding at 30 mph for six hours would gather 36 points. Most of those points would be spent to give the horse the ability to keep running after the first few miles; most of the time, equestrians do not push that hard. More likely is a rider going 10 mph for two hours, gathering 4 points and distributing them as they please.

Their metaphorical second ride is the next horse they bond with. An equestrian can bond with up to 10 horses at once, releasing them as needed (they cannot release their original mount unless it dies). They can only ride and draw power from one at a time, but the extra mounts often form a herd.

Their powers include the following:

• Power of the plains: an equestrian can boost their stats or that of their horse, but only ATH, endurance, riding, jumping, speed, STR, PRO, archery, hearing, smell, vision, AWA, STH, or PRS while on a grassland.
• Lightened load: an equestrian can make themselves and/or their horse physically lighter at the cost of 1 point per 5 pounds for an hour. An extra point is added per 5 pound or per hour.
• Susurrate: an equestrian can send a whispered message only to other equestrians at the cost of 1 point per mile for a 10 second message. An extra point is added per mile or for every extra 10 seconds of the message.
• Entangling blades: an equestrian can spend 5 points to create strands of grass that form living ropes or vines to grab targets, strength of 13. Every point of strength costs another 3 points past that, and every extra target costs another 5 points.
• Blades of grass: an equestrian can turn the grass around them into literal blades for a single round of movement for 5 points per 10' diameter.
• Battering wind: an equestrian can pummel pursuing foes with winds of strength 13 to slow their approach for 5 points per round per target. An extra three 3 points must be used per extra strength point.

Other powers may be possible, especially on different kinds of grasslands.

PRO +1 ATH +3 STR +1 AWA +2 WIL / PRS +1 STH +1

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Musher

One who uses snow magic to drive a dog sled.

In order to wield snow magic, mushers must have some source of it from nature, freshly fallen snow being best. They hold this in their mouths as they drive the sled, at least at first, in order to command the cold with their voices.

Mushers eventually learn how to lower their own body temperatures in order to be able to always wield the cold with their voices. They do this by a series of meditations and ice baths, followed by singing sessions and wearing heavy blankets and furs. They do this over and over again for six winters, and they will, if they are skilled and dedicated enough, have mastered their own body temperatures, allowing them to live at several degrees below normal body temperature for their species.

Because their body temperature is vital to their craft, they become weak if their temperature rises due to fever. A fever can render their powers unusable, sometimes permanently. As such, they guard against disease rigorously via diet, exercise, and preventative medicines.

The musher's music is heavy on words and requires no instrumentation. The special words used are chanted rhythmically, in combination with their lower body temperatures, in order to draw forth the cold and send it where their voices land. Every time they use their music, they lose some of their body cold and must restore it later. The better a singer they are, the more efficient they are with their magic. Their magic gives their dogs and sleds special powers:

• Canine cold immunity: the dogs are completely immune to cold.
• Sleek sled: the sled becomes sleek and moves at an increased speed.
• Snowwalking dog: the dogs are able to walk on snow as if it were solid earth, ignoring the slowing effects of it.
• Reflective ice coating: the sled is coated in reflective ice, becoming invisible temporarily.
• Blizzard rush: they can create a tunnel of blizzard winds to travel through, multiplying their speed and ATH by 5 temporarily.

Other powers are possible. Consult the GM.

PRO +1 ATH +2 STR +1 AWA +1 WIL / PRS -2 STH +1

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Naufragium

One who uses water magic to guide a ship. Naufragia gain the power to control elemental water by communing with it. They submerge themselves in rivers or the seas, tying an iron jug to their bodies to weigh them down, letting the waters fill their lungs, and release themselves to it. Members of their sailing crews are there to help them if they fail, but if they succeed, engaging in a deep trance while drowning, they become one with the waters. They are trained for years to learn how to do this, and many are severely injured in the process. Only the most devoted choose this path.

The naufragia have a long history of sailing, and though their magic is illegal in imperial lands, many ignore this in order to have someone so attuned to the sea working their crews. Others have entirely elemental crews and sail illegally, not for any company or country. They use their powers to enhance their ability to move their ships and boats. Because so much of their magic requires touching the waters, many of them are practiced in hanging off the side of the vessel while others do the sailing. They carry iron jugs of water called “anchor jugs” to pour out and use, which they need even if they are using their touch to alter bodies of water. They must always have the jug on them to use their magic. If they are wielding their powers with the anchor jug, they cannot mix water types within it, so if they wish to use their magic on freshwater, they need an anchor jug with freshwater, and if they wish to use it on saltwater, they need an anchor jug with saltwater.

• Shift current: their touch makes the current beneath their vessel turn, slow down, speed up, or reverse.

• Resounding splash: a flat palm strike to the water creates a splash that calls aquatic animals within a mile to the ship, though does not allow influence or control of them.

• Turbulent wake: churning the waters in the wake of the vessel with their hands creates a disruptive, dangerous wake that others must take precaution to sail through.

• Rising swell: striking the water with a fist will create a large wave that heads off in the direction of the strike.

• Quiet tide: sprinkling water from the jug into the waters ahead of the vessel while approaching the shore will mask the sound of their approach.

• Slick deck: if the deck is too slick to walk on, they can add some elemental water to make it walkable even while slick… or if they are being raided, they can make it slicker.

• Diluvian wall: pouring a gallon of water out around them creates a flood going in all directions, waters rising 6" per round, leaving only a circle of 10' of dry ground around the naufragium.

Other powers may be possible. Consult the GM.

PRO / ATH +2 STR +1 AWA +1 WIL +1 PRS -1 STH -1