|
- Curse of Autumn
- Alchemies: Lin Tan 2
Balance: Yin
Base: Decrease Elemental Attributes
Description: Although attacking a target's Attributes
is possible through any Elemental Alchemy, this
version bears special note. A common curse inflicted
by offended Hou-Chi, this I Chih condemns the target
to a terrible facial rash, a major break-out of acne,
or even ugly wrinkles or scars. In short, it is a
minor punishment inflicted upon mortals who forget to
pay the forests the proper respects -- an
all-too-common mistake humans make in the Fifth Age.
System: This simply reduces the target's Appearance
for a duration of time determined by Continuance. Use
the Attribute-tweaking rules mentioned here and in
the book to declare how low the target's Appearance is
to be taken. Of course, Strength can be targeted
instead of Appearance -- useful before engaging a foe
in combat.
- Entice the Flesh
- Alchemies: Lin Tan 2
Balance: Yang
Base: Nurture Elemental Soul
Description: A tactic often employed by Nyan seeking
an easy lure (or lay), this spell simply "turns on"
the target's sexual desires for the hsien in question.
System: Magnitude of Change is required up to level 3.
Continuance determines how long the subject stays
"enchanted" lustfully with the hsien. Circumstance 4
may be used to insure the subject cannot be swayed by
any other for the duration (such as the target's wife,
another shen using similar entrancing powers, et
cetera). Alternatively, Circumstance can be used to
cause the target to be enticed by another person. The
benefactor (maybe...) of this receives -1 difficulty
to all seduction rolls per Magnitude of Change level
taken (maximum of -3 difficulty) for the duration of
the I Chih.
- Breath of Life
- Alchemies: Lin Tan 2-5
Balance: Yang
Base: Nurture Elemental Soul or Elemental Form
Description: Calling upon the connection between Wood
Alchemy and growth, life, and healing, the hsien
learns how to heal her fragile human vessel, or that of
another without expending grotesque amounts of Yugen. Many
Shinma brew herbal concoctions or potions to drink when
casting this I Chih.
System: With the Lin Tan 2 version, the hsien can only
heal herself and only of bashing damage. With Lin Tan
3, the hsien can heal herself of lethal damage and
others of bashing damage. Lin Tan 4 is used to heal the
Hsien of Aggravated damage, or others of Lethal. And
Lin Tan 5 will heal another's Aggravated wounds. In all
cases, only one modifier can apply -- Harm. Use this modifier
not to determine damage dice but how many dice the hsien
has to roll to determine her healing factor. After
casting the I Chih successfully, roll the number of
dice determined by the Harm modifier. Each success
restores one Health Level lost to bashing or lethal
damage.
- Camera of the Mind
- Alchemies: Di Tan 2
Balance: Yang
Base: Increase Elemental Attributes
Description: Some hsien find it helpful to store
images in their memory for later perusal. This I Chih
permits a Shinma to take a "snap-shot" of something --
a person, a picture, a paper with text, -anything- --
and effectively commit it to a temporarily superior,
eidetic memory.
System: Instead of raising Intelligence directly, the
hsien instead concentrates on raising his memory only,
an element covered under the Intelligence Attribute.
Continuance is required to determine duration as
usual. Magnitude of Change 5 is needed to enhance the
mind appropriately.
- Soft Flesh
- Alchemies: Shui Tan 2
Balance: Yin
Base: Decrease Elemental Attributes
Description: Through this sinister spell, the Shinma
can weaken an enemy's already fragile body against
certain attacks. One version causes the bones to
become brittle; another makes the target a virtual
hemophiliac. This I Chih is most often delivered by
poisoning the target's drink (drinking at the same
time would also count as a Fortune, of course. Many
particularly cruel Suijen sharing a cup of tea cheer
their partner's health while actually poisoning them.
System: The hsien must determine if he's targeting the
foe (or foes, using Abundance) to weaken them against
blunt weapons (brittle bones) or edged weapons (making
him a "bleeder"). In either event, the system effect
is the same. For every Magnitude of Change success
declared on the roll, the target will lose one soak
die against this form of attack. Continuance
determines duration. It should be noted that reducing a
target's soak pool to 0 requires only an additional two
declared successes, rather than the usual +3.
- Eye of Yi
- Alchemies: Tieh Tan 2
Balance: Yang
Base: Nurture Elemental Soul
Description: This I Chih increases the hsien's own
ability to see himself to the truth -- the ability
to strike true. The magic seems to only work for
ranged weapons rather than martial arts or melee
combat. Traditionally, this I Chih was cast before taking aim with a bow or crossbow; some modernized Shinma have adapted it to firearms use. It is named, of course, after the great Archer, Yi, whose arrows
destroyed the reign of terror of the Wan Kuei over Zhongguo millennia ago.
System: Continuance is not needed for this effect and
indeed cannot be used -- the attack aided by this I
Chih must be done within 5 turns of its casting. The hsien may add Accuracy dice to his Firearms or Archery (or even Throwing/Athletics, at the Storyteller's option) roll with this I Chih. For every additional
Accuracy die the hsien wishes to use, he must declare
one MagChange success for the roll. The Shinma will then have
deadly accuracy on the next attack with that weapon,
though it must be cast again for each shot. Harm
cannot be used, nor may Abundance -- one shot only!
- Armor of the Celestial Servant
- Alchemies: Di Tan 3, Lin Tan 3, or Tieh Tan 3
Balance: Yin
Base: Elemental Form
Description: This useful I Chih creates a physical
layer of elemental shielding over the Shinma's body.
He may choose to cover himself entirely in a steely,
stony, or wooden carapace or just choice parts of his
body. Either way, the effect is the same and will be
quite obvious. However, the Metal and Earth armor has
greater strength than Wood; many Chu-ih-yu use this I
Chih to become all but impervious to harm in battle.
Artistic Shinma often create attractive or enigmatic
designs on their body armor as well, personalizing
their war-like appearance.
System: Magnitude of Form 1 is required to cover the
hsien's entire body. Continuance controls how long
the hsien can keep the armor up in either Hotei or
Wani. Changing from Hotei to Wani does not ruin this
effect; the armor changes with the hsien. For every
die of armor (like the standard Armor as listed in the
corebook) declared, two MoC successes must be achieved.
Dexterity penalties will apply depending on how much
Armor dice the hsien takes. Regardless of Alchemy
used, the effect is the same, and the armor is just as
hardy. However, chemically the hsien may be more or
less vulnerable to certain attacks (note that in the
case of Lin Tan, the armor is supple but sturdy
-living- wood, and thus not particularly flammable
like dead wood is). The real benefit comes in that the
Hsien may roll their Armor rating to Soak attacks. Wood
Armor can Soak Lethal and Bashing damage; Metal and
Stone armors can Soak Aggravated damage as well.
- Body of the Sun
- Alchemies: Hou Tan 3
Balance: Yang
Base: Elemental Form
Description: Using a technique similar to the Armor of the
Celestial Servant, the student of Hou Tan can sheathe their
entire body in flames; the Chu Jung have long held that the
best defense is a devastating offense. One note: while the
Hsien's body is immune to the damage of these flames, their
clothes and other possessions are not! Only silk garments
will survive the conflagration.
System: Magnitude of Form 1 is required to coat the entire
body with flames. MagChange determines the heat of the
flame; as with Elemental Fist, each MoC success causes the
flames to inflict +1 damage; even at MoC 0, the flames make
the Hsien's barehanded blows do Aggravated Damage. This
damage is also inflicted upon anyone who successfully strikes
the Hsien with their hands/claws/tail, etc, or anyone whom
the Hsien can grapple with (some Hsien leave it as a hanging
effect to be triggered when they are grappled against their
will [Circumstance 4]). Note that the flame also produces
the usual effects in vampires.
- Body of Heaven
- Alchemies: Shui Tan 3
Balance: Yang
Base: Elemental Form
Description: Let the Chu Jung burst into flames, and the
others become slow and impervious; the Suijen prefer to render
the point moot by transforming themselves into clouds of vapor
and simply ignoring their foes' attacks. The name is a pun;
the Japanese for both cloud and heaven is "Ten".
System: The application of Continuance is obvious here.
MagChange must be equal to the sum of the Shinma's Physical
Attributes over 1 (thus, a Suijen with Str 1, Dex 3 and Sta 5
would need a MagChange of 6 to assume a fully vaporous form).
The Hsien's Strength is an issue, here, as strong winds can
carry the Cloudbody along with them. Fighting against a wind
requires a Str roll, contested by the strength of the wind itself;
- STR 0: 0-10 mph
- STR 1: 11-15 mph
- STR 2: 16-20 mph
- STR 3: 21-25 mph
- STR 4: 26-35 mph
- STR 5: 36-45 mph
- STR 6: 46-55 mph
- STR 7: 56-65 mph
In general, you should only bother with rolls for short-scale
movement; in the long run, just assume the higher Strength wins
(though if it's close, you may consider that the character is
either slowed to a crawl, or pushed along at one).
-
-
-
-
-
Look back up and procede with your walk along Ten Do.
Go back to the Entrance Plaza.
Decide that today is inauspicious for a visit to Ten Do and return to Little Asia
|
|
Get your own Free Home Page