Can be used to Flux-shape an ocean much more quickly and effectiely than usual. By interacting with the figurehead whilst Flux-shaping, an ocean one mile wide may be maintained at all times whilst in Flux.
Upon leaving the Flux, Hugh Branch may place up to 4 points of his barrier into the figurehead to hold a bubble of Flux around it which can be used to maintain the ocean in the Consensus. These points are then not available to his barrier until he returns to the Flux. The maintained ocean may be initially one quarter mile wide for each point put into this bubble, and as the Flux dissipates shrinks away, lasting a maximum of half an hour per point (for a maximum 2 hours total).
At top speed the Crimson Mother may cross 10 miles in these two hours, meaning that it is possibile to clear the entire patch of Consensus around Acryn (which is one of the larger known patches of Consensus), provided you hit it at ramming speed and can do something about the Peak of the World in the middle.
Unsurprisingly, dragging a mile-wide patch of ocean with you has all of the consequences one would expect from dragging a mile-wide patch of ocean with you, such as drowning entire villages if you don't watch where you're going.
In the Flux, this ocean may sit below the boat, taking the place of the existing landscape. In Consensus, it must simply sit on top of what may happen to already be there, submerging it.
Other Wayfinders may attempt to oppose the Flux Shaping that creates the ocean. In environments in which water is expected, this will be difficult to achieve, but in places where water is not usually found such as the desert, the artifact may even the odds substantially and push things in the ocean's favour, but it may still be possible for others, especially if acting in a group, to countershape the ocean away. Possibly resolved with a psychic combat, at GM discretion.
Due to various influences upon the artifact, all of those who interact with an ocean shaped using it are subject to the following roleplaying effects:
Delight in Possibility: You want to try breaking the mould and doing new and exciting things.
Surety: Any doubt in your identity is cast aside. You know exactly what makes you who you are and what is important to you.
The extent to which people are subject to these effects and their duration depends on the extent to which they are exposed to the ocean. Whilst shaping an ocean using the artifact, a Wayfinder is constantly under these effects to a substantial extent, as is Hugh Branch so long as he has points of his barrier assigned to it. Those travelling on the boat whilst the artifact is being used will be caught by some of the spray, and as such may feel these effects to a minor extent whilst aboard. Those caught up in the ocean as it passes over land will likely subsequently experience these effects to a significant extent for a few hours after the boat has passed.
The ocean produced whilst using this artifact is in some ways… odd. The angles at which waves on it move just don't seem right, and staring at it for too long or thinking about it too hard can be headache-inducing. Oceans shaped using this artifact always count as warped with Impossible Geometries as per the “Understanding of Impossible Geometries” Epic Tree, allowing use of the abilities from that tree.
Furthermore, these oceans seem to be in some way linked to Carleon, and count as a very minor draconic incursion into the world as Carleon's touch gently falls on all that the waters touch. This has no immediate mechanical impact and just comes across to all but the most familiar with that particular dragon as something slightly odd about the artifact, but may at GM discretion have additional effects where appropriate.