Règles des Sorts

Shugenja

Shugenja are the teachers of the Celestial Order. They live to explain and uphold the Celestial Order to those within it. Theirs is the knowledge of the gods. Only one person in five thousand is born with the talents to become a Shugenja. Those born to the Noble Caste have their talents recognized early by elders and teachers taught to look for the signs of talent. Those not born to the Noble Caste often go their entire life without knowledge of their talents.

Much as Bushi learn Bushido, Shugenja are taught the rituals of magic and the ways of the gods. In their temples they learn the histories and mysteries of Rokugan. Stressed in their learning is the nature of the Seven Fortunes, the path of the Celestial Order and mankind's place within it, manipulation of the Five Elements, and the Tao of Shinsei, which brings it all together.

Shugenja born to Noble Caste receive years of mental training that enable them to use their potential talents. These Shugenja are recognized Holy Men of Rokugan. The general populace respect their mystic powers and learned ways.

Shugenja born to another Caste rarely discover their full potential. Without the training received by the Noble Caste, these Shugenja are termed Mystics and often are born with the ability to innately cast one spell, which manifests as a natural talent or uncanny ability. Such talents include; fortune telling, palm reading, clairvoyance, an uncanny ability to read peoples motives, ability to talk to spirits, etc... Many others go their entire lives never realizing the inborn talents.

SYSTEM

Learning Magic

Shugenja are taught the secrets of the Fortunes and an understanding of the universe that allows them to petition and manipulate these forces through their Chi. Shugenja are taught these secrets by the Masters of their schools who provide them with ciphered scrolls to assist them in remembering the complex rituals. A Shugenja may only know a number of spells equal to the sum of his/her rings plus school rank (1/2 his/her Chi). Shugenja normally petition their schools for knowledge of new spells when their school rank increases.

Spell Skills

All Shugenja have skills in each of spells they have. The starting skill for each spell is one and is raised as with any other skill. Spell skills decrease the Chi casting cost of spells by their skill level and increase the dice rolled when attempting spells. Skill dice for spells can reroll 10s.

Chi Level

Shugenja have an innate reservoir of Chi they can tap to cast spells. This Chi level is equal to twice the sum of his/her rings and school rank.

Regaining Chi:
Chi is regained at a rate of 1pt / Rank per hour. Meditating returns 5 points plus 5 points per Raise.

Using Magic

Spells

Spells are petitions to a fortune or spirit by a shugenja for a desired effect. By channeling some amount of his/her own Chi into the spell the Shugenja can influence the fortune.

Spell Scrolls

Spells are written upon scrolls and coded in a cipher known only to shugenja of that school. When a Shugenja first learns a spell his/her teachers provides a scroll of the spell. Casting a spell does not require a scroll, but makes it easier to recall all the intricacies of the petition. A spell cast without a scroll requires two raises.

Casting

To cast a spell successfully the Shugenja must meet or exceed the TN of the spell using a number of dice equal to his/her skill + appropriate trait, keeping only the number of dice equal to his trait + School Rank.

Manipulating Spells

Shugenja can manipulate spells by exchanging an increased target number for a desired effect. For every Raise the Shugenja may; Shorten the Time by one round, or Reduce by one the level of concentration required to maintain the spell. Additionally some spells can further be manipulated to increase the number of targets or increase the damage. Such additional manipulations are noted in the spell's description.

Rituals

Some spells are described as rituals. Rituals are spells that any number of Shugenja can participate in. Some rituals are lengthy and complex, requiring careful planning and preparation. Each Shugenja participating adds their Rank and Elemental Skill to the number of dice rolled to perform the spell. A single Shugenja can, if necessary, perform a ritual, but standard spells cannot be performed as rituals.

Scrolls of Single use spells

Some spells harness such vast energies that the very words upon the scroll in which they are written contain Chi. When such spells are read from scrolls, the Chi contained in the words is released and destroys the scroll. These spells can never be cast without the scroll

Copying Spells

To copy a spell scroll, a Shugenja is required to test his/her calligraphy skill + dice from School Rank and his/her spell skill versus the spell’s Chi Cost times five. The GM rolls the skill test and keeps the results secret. If unsuccessful, the spell has greater possibility of backfiring when cast from the poor copy. Each point of failure when copying increases the backfire number of the spell by one when cast.

One-use scrolls require meticulous preparation and extensive ritual to copy. Besides having high Chi costs, the GM should require the characters provide something expensive or unusual to pen and ink them into or with; Eye of Newt, Bladder of Clinton, etc...

Corruption - Maho

Some spells are noted as being Corruptive. These spells are not available to players at the start of the game. Spells included are; Animate the Dead, Blood of Midnight, Morass of Earth, Summon Undead Champion, Touch of Death, Summon Nightstalker, Summon Garegosu no Bakemono, and Summon Swamp Spirits. The Rules covering Maho are found in the GM Pack.

Spell Descriptions

Every spell has the following attributes;

• Element: Which of the five elements the spell is associated with.
• TN, The difficulty of casting the spell before Raising.
• Casting Time, How many actions are required to cast the spell. Shugenja can Raise to shorten the Time by one round.
• Concentration Required: This is the concentration required by the spell caster to maintain the effects of the spell during its duration and notes any penalties for not meeting the concentration required. Concentration Required can be modified through Raises to increase or decrease the TN of the spell. Each Raise towards less concentration is a Raise, while manipulation to require more concentration actually lowers the TN by 5.
• Duration, How many actions the spells effects linger. A Shugenja can sometimes increase the time of duration by Raising. A Shugenja may end his/her own spells duration at any time unless the spell backfired.
• Chi Cost: The Chi cost of casting the spell. Each Raise adds one to this cost. A Shugenja’s skill in the spell is subtracted from the cost. A spell always has a minimum cost of one Chi point.
• Concentration Levels: During a spells duration, the Shugenja is required to maintain a level of concentration (noted in the spell's description) or the spell ends. Each level of concentration has an associated TN number used when rolling to maintain concentration (through willpower) if the Shugenja is wounded or otherwise distracted. A Shugenja may Raise to reduce the concentration level of a spell by one level per Raise.
  
  • Total: (20) - The Shugenja is only dimly aware of his/her surroundings and cannot take any other actions. The Shugenja is at a -3 penalty for awareness checks.
  • Full: (15) - The Shugenja can walk slowly and is aware of his/her surrounding but can take no other action. Picture carrying a bucket of hydrochloric acid atop your head. The Shugenja is at a -1 penalty for awareness checks.
  • Focused: (10) - The Shugenja can interact people, walk and talk: Like watching a great movie.
  • Casual: (5) - The Shugenja can't fight or cast another spell, but is otherwise unhampered: Like listening to a radio.
  • None: (0) - The Shugenja can take any actions and will not risk losing the spell even if injured.

Spell Backfire (optional)

We included backfires of spells to provide Shugenja with an incentive not to cast powerful spells - to quote a movie "you're writing checks your body can't cash." Backfire rules provide for enjoyable role-playing situations for the Shugenja - and potentially harmful situations if the Shugenja is trying something really difficult.

Spells have a risk associated with them when harnessing the Chi required to cast them. The backfire number of a spell is 1/3 its TN (round down) when cast. If the skill roll doesn't exceed the backfire number, the spell backfires.

This table can be used in a number of ways. The GM can randomly roll upon the table, he/she can take the backfire number and subtract the skill roll, then add one for each Raise performed and reference the table, or the GM can simply pick something appropriate or fun.

Backfire Table

1. Shugenja is stunned and can only stand dazed and looking like a dork in the next action phase as an oni gnaws on his/her leg.
2. Something is rotten in Denmark! The Shugenja stinks to high heaven and must bathe in tomato juice to remove the smell. Good luck finding that much tomato juice in Rokugan.
3. Shugenja forfeits casting any further spells in this element.
4. Shugenja's hair falls out in seconds, or his/her skin turns purple with poka-dots, or his/her nose grows to eight inches long, or his/her feet balloon into size twenty-four shoes. Be creative, but not cruel
5. Shugenja falls unconscious for 1d10 actions
6. The spell creates a high-pitch keening that closely resembles the mating call of a Bandersnatch (or other appropriate creature).
7. From this time forward the Shugenja picks up a habit/quirk/physical manifestation when casting spells. i.e. hallow forms over head, gets nasty headaches, eyes glow red, hair stands on end. Have fun!
8. Spell is cast upon a random person in the spells range. GMs should choose whoever they think best. A venerable monk, a samurai having a bad day, etc...
9. Spell, or its reverse, is cast on Shugenja's companion. Shugenja must choose whom.
10. It not nice to mess with Mother Nature. It strikes the Shugenja with the Fury of Osano Wo for a DR 2+2
11. Spells energies open crack in nether region which allows a random Shadowlands creature to emerge whom is intent on killing the Shugenja.
12. The Shugenja's efforts attract the attention of a Nightstalker who visits the Shugenja for the next two nights.
13. Shugenja goes up in pretty blue flame that illuminates a fifty foot radius for two to five seconds. The flame will often move around in circles and emit a high pitch wailing sound similar to a human screaming in pain before crumpling to the ground, where if someone listens intently they may hear the bubbling of flesh. Have a nice day!