I created this as part of a set of magic items for players to be able to traverse the planes in a campaign several years ago. Combined with an Astral Orrery, this was the start of building out spelljamming before the 5th edition Spelljammer – Adventures in Space set was released.
Ethereal Sail
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement by the ship’s pilot or navigator)
Woven from silk that shimmers with faint, translucent light, this sail catches winds that blow not through the Material Plane, but through the Ethereal Realm. Even on windless seas, an Ethereal Sail fills and pulls taut as though caught in a mighty breeze no one else can feel.
While installed on a ship and paired with an astral orrery or similar planar navigation focus, the Ethereal Sail allows the vessel to ride the turbulent flows of the Ethereal Winds.
- The ship gains a flying speed of 125 feet. It can accelerate or decelerate by 5 feet each round as long as the sail remains trimmed.
- The ship’s minimum flying speed is 60 feet, unless the sail is fully furled.
- Furling the sail takes 2 rounds with an active crew or equivalent magical rigging. Once fully furled, the ship begins to descend, losing 10 feet of flying speed per round until grounded or supported by other means.
Planar Winds. The Ethereal Sail does not function in areas where the Ethereal Plane is inaccessible or suppressed, such as within dead magic zones or planes without ethereal resonance.
Rarity and Use. These sails are prized among skyships, extraplanar traders, and spelljammers who navigate planar currents or sail through realms where traditional wind cannot be relied upon.
Yvan Boily 