Having recently played a not-too ill-fated Atlantis for the first time, I'd like to reemphasize something others have said. Water 9 has a great blessing, sure.
But other than the blessing, there seems to be almost no reason to take water to high levels : great early low level spells, sure. A couple of good to great low to mid level forgings (in terms of Water magic needed).
Get up to the very powerful and artifact level though, and ... Water seems to have almost jack. I pushed a water-5 national mage up to water 8, finding ... nothing. (Orb of Atlantis is the highest, and it only requires W4 plus E1.)
Everything but blood researched to 8 or 9, it seems that water -should- have some good high level spells (as others do) and also at least a couple of decent powerful magic items and artifacts.
But it doesn't, but it seems like it should. The Chalice? Shouldn't that be water? A powerful artifact sword that protected its wielder and healed his wounds - originates from the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legends.
Maybe, given what water supposedly represents - an artifact that gives access to some non-water spells?
Hmmm. A Magic Pool artifact, requiring high water magic, that gives a choice of Akashic Record or Astral Window, no gems required? Or even if it only gave a choice from the other lower level scrying spells.
Cloak or Armor of Water - an artifact armor that gives mistform (being liquid makes it similarly difficult to land a solid blow) or etherealty, and gives 50% resistance to fire, cold, and lightning, since water buffers against all of those?
There was a cup given to kings, that protected from poison - some other bonus would seem reasonable as well. Maybe reduced cost for all water summonings, or a plus to water magic?
Just a tired wolf's attempt to raise the red lantern, er, consciousness about water's woes.
