Swimming (sage ability)
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Swimming is an unskilled and amateur-status sage ability that can be performed with a minimum of 1 knowledge point. It's ordinary and common when characters cannot swim, but it takes a minimum of proper training to help someone learn. Distance traversed by swimming depends on the amount of knowledge the character has, compared to the action point (AP) cost to travel from one [[Combat Hex|combat hex] to another, each hex being 5 feet in diameter. This calculation works much like the character's stride, except that the character is swimming.
| Knowledge | Cost in AP per hex | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddling | Stroking | Racing | |
| 1-3 | 5 | unable | |
| 4-9 | 3 | ||
| 10-15 | 2½ | 1¾ | 1 |
| 16-30 | 2¼ | 1¼ | ¾ |
| 34-60 | 2 | 1 | ⅝ |
| 61+ | 1¾ | ¾ | ½ |
Three paces of surface swimming are possible for those who have attained an amateur ability: paddling, stroking and racing. As the table shows, the AP cost for each improves as the swimmer gains knowledge; an improved AP cost means more distance covered by the swimmer in the same amount of time, 1 combat round.
- For example, a amateur swimmer with 5 AP and 61 or more knowledge points can race at a speed of 10 hexes per round (½ AP per hex) when swimming; that same swimmer could maintain a stroking pace (¾ AP per hex) of 6⅔ hexes.
Sustained Swimming
Each sort of pace is limited in how long the character can sustain the activity. Paddling is a slow but simple swimming form; a swimmer can maintain this pace for 4 rounds per point of knowledge. Stroking is an firm, flexible movement that is easier to sustain, allowing a full 10 rounds, or 2 minutes, per pt. Racing is fast and exhausting, limiting it's duration to only 2 rounds per pt. When calculating the endurance for a character using different paces, count each round of paddling as 2½ rounds of stroking, and a round of racing as 5 rounds of stroking.
Resting & Exhaustion
Once reaching the end of their endurance, swimmers must rest. If they are able to support themselves on something solid, or a floating object, they may restore themselves by resting 5 minutes (25 rounds). During this time, they cannot let go and continue swimming until the entire resting period has been fulfilled. Having rested, swimmers are able to count their endurance restored, so they may continue on — however, their knowledge points are considered halved in calculating this next swimming "leg." After a second rest, the swimmer's knowledge is quartered.
- For example, Toby has 24 knowledge points as a swimmer when he begins the first leg of his swimming effort. He swims at a speed of 4 hexes per round for 240 rounds, covering 960 hexes, whereupon he happens to reach a boat he can hold onto. He rests and then continues on, with his 24 knowledge counting as 12; again he swims at 4 hexes/round for 120 rounds, whereupon he catches hold of another boat, 480 hexes on. He rests again, then determinedly sets off, now with his knowledge counting as 6. With his third leg, he covers only 240 hexes; with a fourth leg, he could do no better than 120. And so it goes until Toby is completely exhausted.
Once complete exhaustion has occurred, the character must emerge completely from the water and wait one full hour — whereupon he or she can begin the process again, starting from half-knowledge points. Characters with amateur swimming must stop swimming for the day when they are completely exhausted for the second time. Only six hours of sleep can restore them again.
