Oceanography (sage study)

Oceanography is a sage study in the field of Earth & Sky, encompassing the study and management of bodies of water, including lakes, inland seas, bays and vast oceans. It involves an understanding of ocean currents, tides, navigation and the various ways in which creatures — both sentient and otherwise — live upon or beneath the waves. However, it does not extend to the classification or behaviour of marine life, which falls under the separate study of Sea Life.

Oceanography applies to any region of the world dominated by water, yet its principles extend far beyond empirical observation. Unlike the structured methodologies of scientific study, oceanography as a sage discipline is rooted in druidical insight, drawing upon an innate connection with the natural world. This knowledge is not solely derived from the charting of coastlines or the mechanical measurement of tides but from an intimate familiarity with the patterns of water, the unseen forces that drive the sea and the rhythms of the planet's hydrosphere.

A scholar of oceanography understands the sea in ways that cannot be fully quantified, attuned to the breath of the tides, the whispers of shifting currents and the subtle warnings of an oncoming storm. Such a sage might predict weather not through instruments but through the scent of the air, the colour of the waves, or the behaviour of birds that linger upon the shore. The vast, rolling depths are not a mystery to those who dedicate themselves to this study, for they sense the silent pulse of the water itself, tracing its stories from the smallest ripple to the surge of a great maelstrom.

In the hands of an accomplished oceanographer, knowledge of the seas is more than a means of travel or survival; it is a dialogue with a living, shifting entity that has shaped the course of history and existence itself. Whether guiding a vessel safely through treacherous waters, divining the movements of the deep, or harnessing the influence of the tides, the wisdom of oceanography transforms a sage into an intermediary between the land and the endless, restless expanse beyond it.

Sage Abilities

The sage abilities below are those acquired by a character through the study, according to status.

Amateur Status

• Catch Fishing: describes the angling skill of catching fish with a line and bait. This ability includes an understanding of fish behaviour, seasonal migrations and the best times to fish based on water conditions. Those skilled in catch fishing can also craft and maintain their own fishing tools, ensuring greater success in varied environments.

• Net Fishing: skill at fishing with a net. A proficient net fisher understands how to set, cast and retrieve nets effectively, minimising damage and maximising yield. Knowledge of different net designs, from cast nets to trawls, allows for adaptation to different bodies of water and the species within them.

• Reading Tides: knowledge of tides, currents and eddies along sea and lake shores, largely by observation and the feel of the water. This skill allows for the safe navigation of shifting waters, predicting changes that might affect travel, fishing or settlement near coastal areas. A skilled tide-reader can also sense hidden dangers such as rip currents, undertows or approaching storms before they become visible.

• Sailing: the management of a vehicle on the surface of the water, driven by wind, with rigging, rudder and keel. Mastery of this ability includes knowledge of wind patterns, sail configurations and maneuvers to handle unexpected shifts in weather. A seasoned sailor can also recognise the signs of landfall, shoals or hidden reefs long before they become apparent to the untrained eye.

• Swimming: provides the character with the basic ability to swim. This skill includes the endurance and technique necessary to navigate different water conditions, from calm lakes to turbulent surf. A practiced swimmer can also conserve energy efficiently, enabling survival in prolonged situations such as shipwrecks or river crossings.

Authority Status

• Aquatic Cartography: furnishes a conceived map of the ocean world, though not it's inhabitants, providing the character with knowledge regarding which parts of the world are richly vegetated, where continents end and places where the dark depths defy all possibility of exploration. This last remains unknown to everyone on the surface, but the character at least has knowledge of its limits compared to other parts of the ocean.

• Free-diving: a form of underwater diving that enables the character to reach depths up to a hundred feet by controlling the body's need for breath. Skilled free-divers develop a heightened awareness of water pressure, body positioning and lung capacity, allowing them to remain submerged for extended periods without distress. This ability also includes techniques for equalising pressure and navigating underwater terrain with minimal exertion.

• Navigation: setting a course over land or sea, derived from the position of the sun or stars. A skilled navigator can determine their precise location even in unfamiliar territory, using celestial bodies, prevailing winds, and natural landmarks to adjust their route. This ability also includes an understanding of seasonal shifts in star positions, variations in ocean currents, and the subtle changes in atmospheric conditions that signal shifts in weather or terrain.

• Ride Current: improve the movement speed of seagoing vessels by 5% where major currents exist, by taking advantage of their vicissitudes and strengths. A seasoned navigator can identify shifting currents, adjusting sails and steering to maximise their benefits while avoiding counterflows. This skill also includes an intuitive understanding of water movement, enabling a ship to travel with greater efficiency over long distances.

Expert Status

• Endure Storm: proves sense to determine the safest passage through an ongoing storm, reducing the effective wind speed of that storm by a force of 1. This ability allows a mariner to read the signs of shifting winds, pressure drops and cloud formations to anticipate the storm's path. A skilled sailor using this knowledge can also identify temporary lulls or calmer waters to maneuver through the tempest with minimal damage to their vessel.

• Locate Wrecks: through accumulated readings and knowledge of ocean currents, the character is able to discern where there should be accumulations of submerged shipwrecks beneath the ocean's surface. Such an accumulation is likely to contain more historical artifacts than whole kingdoms combined. Expertise in this ability includes understanding how storms, tides and geological shifts expose or bury wreckage over time. A seasoned wreck-hunter can also identify the best times and methods for excavation, reducing the risk of damaging fragile relics or disturbing dangerous debris fields.

• Ocean Sight: enables the character to see under the water at distances equivalent to the illumination of full moonlight. This ability allows for easier navigation in dark or murky waters, providing an advantage in spotting submerged obstacles, hidden caves, or predatory creatures before they become a threat. Those with refined ocean sight can also track disturbances in the water's clarity, detecting movement below the surface that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Sage Status

• Breathe Underwater: enables the character to breathe underwater as a normal action. This ability allows full respiration beneath the surface without magical aid, making prolonged underwater exploration, combat, or survival possible. Those who master this skill develop an intuitive awareness of the water's temperature, pressure and oxygen content, allowing them to move through submerged environments with ease.

• Evade Storm: gives several days' warning of a storm emerging before a travelling ship, as sensed in the winds, the colour and nature of the sea and the signs of life both in and out of the water. Effort must be taken to avoid the storm, which of course will be moving as effort is made to avoid it. A skilled navigator can judge the speed and trajectory of the approaching storm, adjusting course to reduce risk while maintaining as much efficiency as possible. This ability also includes knowledge of safe harbours, natural windbreaks and alternative routes that can minimise the storm's impact without leading the vessel into greater danger.

See also,
Beachcomber (sage study)
Druid Sage Abilities