Editing Celestial Chariot

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{{Spoilerhd|18 September 2024|''[[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple]]''}}
{{Quote|Feast your eyes upon the fulfillment of humanity's most ancient dream... the gift of flight! Behold! I present to you the ''Celestial Chariot''!|Yun Pyeong-Gyu, 1725.|Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple|Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple Episode 60}}
[[File:ACFT - Celestial Chariot.png|thumb|180px|The Celestial Chariot]]
The '''Celestial Chariot''' was a prototype {{Wiki|hot air balloon}} built by the engineer [[Yun Pyeong-Gyu]] of the [[Zhang Wei Union]] in 1725, with the assistance of [[Xialun Qing]].<ref name="FT 60">''[[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple Episode 60|Episode 60]]</ref> It predated the [[Montgolfière]], the first recorded hot air balloon, by several decades.<ref name="ACU">''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref>

==History==
Built using the same concept as a {{Wiki|sky lantern}}, the Celestial Chariot differed from later iterations of hot air balloons in that it was fueled by [[Greek fire]], a near-inextinguishable substance which allowed it to remain in the air for longer periods of time. However, this also came with an increased risk, as if the Greek fire were to somehow spill, it could not be put out with water or other regular means, endangering the life of the pilot.<ref name="FT 60" />

The Celestial Chariot's first – and only – flight occurred in 1725, when the members of the Zhang Wei Union became trapped on [[Monkey Island]] while en route to [[Cebu]], after being attacked by a faction of native resistance fighters led by [[Rajah]]. With Rajah's men using mortars against their ship, the ''[[Fenghuang]]'', the Union members were unable to pinpoint the locations of the enemy encampments without exposing their own location, leaving them at an impasse.<ref name="FT 59">''[[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple Episode 59|Episode 59]]</ref>

[[File:ACFT - Qing surveying the island.png|thumb|180px|left|Qing inside the balloon]]
It was at that moment that Xialun Qing realized the Celestial Chariot could be used to survey the island from above and showed the invention to her fellow Union members. After Yun Pyeong-Gyu explained that the pilot would need to be an extremely light person so the balloon could support their weight, Qing volunteered herself and took flight in the Celestial Chariot. She then marked the locations of all enemy encampments and sent the map back to the ''Fenghuang'', allowing its crew to fire on the rebel strongholds using their own mortars.<ref name="FT 60" />

However, while the Celestial Chariot was in the sky, a sudden gust of wind caused the Greek fire inside the balloon to spill. As the aircraft became engulfed in flames,<ref name="FT 60" /> Qing [[parachute]]d out of the balloon and landed safely on Monkey Island. Her fellow Union members, having witnessed the Celestial Chariot's destruction, initially assumed the worst, but [[Shimazu Saito]] was able to confirm that Qing had survived and landed on the island, prompting the crew to go looking for her.<ref name="FT 61">''[[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple Episode 61|Episode 61]]</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" widths="180">
ACFT - Yun unveiling the Celestial Chariot.png|Yun unveiling the balloon
ACFT - Celestial Chariot destruction.png|The Celestial Chariot's destruction
</gallery>

==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple]]''

==References==
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