Anchor of Staying (Magic Anchor)

This item appears as a standard anchor, except for the faint magical aura radiating from the anchor and its chain. When pitched over the side of a ship moving at tactical speed, the anchor comes to rest on the gravity plane, stopping the ship (reduces SR to 0). The ship becomes stationary with respect to the closest Class A or greater celestial body. When the anchor is pulled up, the ship can move once again.
The anchor can be dropped while moving at spelljamming speed, but with dire consequences. The ship instantly stops, while everything in the ship tries to continue forward. All crew members suffer 3d10 points of damage (save vs. spell for half damage). Unsecured items must roll a save vs. falling or be broken. Typical anchor variations include:
Lesser anchor of staying: This item gives off a faint auburn aura when cast over the side. It can stop a ship powered by a minor helm, but its dweomer is not sufficient to halt a ship with a major helm. A ship with a major helm or equivalent is only slowed by 3 SR (to a minimum of SR 1).
Greater anchor of staying: This item gives off a faint bluish aura when cast over the side. It can be used on any spelljamming ship. Its dweomer is sufficient to stop a ship powered by the equivalent of a major helm.
Cursed anchor: While all tests and divinations show this item to be a greater anchor of staying, when activated it moves the ship toward the nearest body greater than 10 tons at an SR of one. The motion is at first so subtle it is virtually undetectable; except for the fact that a planet or ship can be seen eventually) moving toward the ship. The ship gradually accelerates to spelljamming speed. If the anchor has been in place for 24 continuous hours, it cannot be pulled in. Only by the use of a remove curse on the item itself, can the cursed anchor be brought back into the ship, and the motion stopped. After 24 hours under the effects of the cursed anchor, a spelljamming helm ceases to function.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Anchor