Sextant

A sextant is a device used to measure the relative angle between two visible objects. It is of use as a navigational aid on Earth, Britannia and Serpent Isle, and may be used to calculate longitude and latitude. Sextants appear in Ultima IV, Ultima V, Ultima VI, Ultima VII, Ultima VII Part Two and Ultima IX, as well as in Martian Dreams.

Description

The sextant is a tool commonly used in celestial navigation, as it allows its user to take an accurate measurement of a heavenly body relative to the horizon. Once a navigator ascertains this angle, he may use it to reliably determine his geographic position. Such information is invaluable at sea and in uncharted wilderness, as magical means of divining one's position (such as peer gems), are often ineffective in regions void of notable landmarks.

History

Sextants first came into use in Britannia during the Age of Enlightenment, and were originally one of the many specialized goods available only through the Guild of Thieves. During the quest toward Avatarhood, the Stranger would need to learn a special password, "D," to obtain one from the guild's shops, as these clandestine merchants did not advertise sextants' availability to buyers. Later, during the days of the Oppression, the hero could obtain one from David of Greyhaven, who claimed to have invented the device.

By the time of the Gargoyle War, sextants had made their way into Britannia's greater markets, and could be bought from lens workers such as Ephemerides. The instruments became increasingly common pieces of equipment as the world entered the Age of Armageddon, and were eventually available to wayfarers through most reputable shipwrights.

Lore

“	The sextant is a vital instrument for navigation in the open seas. However, many important places on land as well are referred to in maps and guides by latitude and longitude coordinates, making a sextant a standard item of equipment for any serious traveler. – from Ultima V Clue Book (Ultima V)

“	A sextant is a boon to any traveler. It will allow you to determine your latitude and longitude. With a good map of Britannia, you should be able to pinpoint your location very accurately. – from The Book of Prophecy (Ultima VI)

Trivia

• In reality, a navigator using a sextant to determine latitude and longitude would also need to have access to an almanac giving the locations of the celestial bodies being measured. Depending on the method being used to calculate their position, other devices, such as a marine chronometer and a a set of sight reduction tables to assist in calculations. Otherwise a sextant can only report latitudes, the simplest of which is the noon observation of the sun.
• Sextants appear in Martian Dreams, where they may be found amongst the supplies brought by Terran explorers to Mars aboard their space cannon.
• A commemorative golden sextant serves as an emblem of office at Britannia's Observatory.
• A sextant is in the starting equipment of a ranger in Ultima IX.

Gallery

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  Using a sextant together with a map in Ultima VII

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  Using a sextant together with a map in Ultima VII Part Two

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  Sextants

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  A scene from the Exodus manga, where a sextant is used

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  A sextant in The Ultima 6 Project