The New Winds

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 12:46 pm**

Core Book
NO ELEMENT
Mastery 1
SENSE c Ring/Mastery: All 1 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 50’ radius from the caster c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+10’)
This spell can be cast in any of the four standard elements. It allows the caster to sense the presence, quantity, and rough location of elemental spirits (not the evil spirits known as kansen) of that element within the range of the spell. This is most frequently applied when looking for spirits with which to Commune (see below), but can also be useful as a crude, basic location device. For example, a caster lost in the wilderness could cast Sense (Water) in hopes of locating a source of drinking water.

SUMMON c Ring/Mastery: All 1 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: 1 cubic foot of summoned material c Duration: Permanent c Raises: Range (+10’), quantity (+1 cubic foot), composition of material (1-4 Raises, as outlined below)
This spell can be cast in any of the four standard elements. It allows the caster to summon a modest quantity (one cubic foot) of the chosen element. The summoned matter appears (usually in a rough ball shape) in any open space within the spell’s range. This cannot place the summoned material inside another physical object or living creature. The summoned element will behave in a normal and mundane matter – earth falls to the ground, water soaks anything it lands on, air blows away, and ﬁ re winks out unless there is something present for it to burn. In general it is impossible to use this spell effectively in combat, although clever shugenja may ﬁ nd a few modest combat uses, such as using Summon (Fire) to ignite a foe soaked in cooking oil. More commonly, the spell’s value is in simpler functions, such as summoning Water while in a desert, or summoning Fire to light a campﬁ re without ﬂ int and tinder. Raises may be used with this spell to summon a more speciﬁ c type of the appropriate element, such as wood or iron with Earth, or tea with Water. The GM should choose how many Raises (generally anywhere from 1 to 4) this requires. However, these Raises cannot be used to create rare/precious materials (such as gold) or spiritually powerful substances (such as jade or crystal).

COMMUNE c Ring/Mastery: All 1 c Range: 20’ c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: Concentration c Raises: See below
This spell can be cast in any element save Void. It allows the caster to speak with one of the local elemental kami, asking it a few questions, which it will answer honestly to the best of its ability. Typically this spell will invoke the most active and energetic spirit of the chosen element in the area of effect; if all of the local spirits are quiescent, the GM may require the caster to call 1 or 2 Raises to “wake up” a local spirit enough to answer questions. A spirit reached with Commune will answer two questions. The caster may Raise to get more questions (one per Raise). The caster may also Raise for clarity, to get a more accurate and informative answer to the questions. (Kami are notorious for their inability to fully comprehend human behavior, and asking questions without Raises for clarity can often result in confusing, enigmatic, or incomplete answers.) Spirits do not forget anything, so theoretically a shugenja can ask a spirit about something that happened decades ago; however, they also do not experience time in the same way as mortals, so trying to ask about something from long ago will usually require Raises in order to make the caster’s wishes clear to the spirit. The nature of the information which spirits can impart varies by element:
c Air spirits tend to be playful and easily distracted, conveying information as emotions or as riddles and jokes. Since they are more interested in feelings than in facts, and enjoy playing games with those who speak with them, communing with an Air spirit can sometimes be very frustrating. c Earth spirits are straightforward and matter-of-fact, often blunt, but are also often rather uninterested in the behavior of mortals, have a poor understanding of human emotion, and tend to be overly focused on obscure details such as the color of a piece of clothing or the weight of a horse. c Fire spirits are irritable and temperamental, and are often angry at being summoned unless they are propitiated with an offering of something to burn. On the other hand, if a shugenja can please them they tend to offer the clearest and most accurate information. c Water spirits communicate their knowledge through soundless visual images. This can be very helpful to a shugenja trying to investigate a past incident, but since the spirits cannot convey scent, sound, or emotion, the information they provide can often be incomplete or misleading.

AIR SPELLS: MASTERY LEVEL 1
BLESSED WIND c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 (Defense) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 10’ radius around the caster c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Special (you may target another with this spell with 3 Raises)
You summon a swirling aura of winds to protect you from ranged attacks. The buffeting winds deﬂ ect arrows and other projectiles. While you maintain your concentration, this spell adds +15 to your Armor TN versus all non-magical ranged attacks.

BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 20’ radius around the caster c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Area (+5’ radius), Duration (+1 minute)
You call upon the kami to reveal that which has been hidden. All concealed objects within the area of effect appear as slightly luminous outlines to you. Any non-magical concealment is revealed, including secret compartments, trap doors, concealed weapons, etc. Only you can see the presence of these objects.

CLOAK OF NIGHT c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 (Illusion) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One object c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+1 hour)
You can call upon the kami to wrap an object in their embrace, hiding it from the sight of mortal beings. You may target any one non-living object smaller than you. This object becomes invisible to the naked eye. Attempts to perceive it magically will automatically succeed if the Mastery Level of the spell used is higher than that of this spell. Spells of equal Mastery Level require a Contested Air Roll to detect the hidden object. The object is still physically present and can be touched, smelled, or sensed with any normal sense other than vision.

LEGACY OF KAZE-NO-KAMI c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 (Craft) c Range: School Rank x 10 miles c Area of Effect: One known individual within range c Duration: Special c Raises: Area (+1 individual), Range (+10 miles)
You are able to call upon the spirits of the wind to take form as a bird and carry a message for you. The bird that is created by this spell appears perfectly normal in all regards, but if it takes any damage it dissipates into wind immediately, ending the spell. Upon creating the bird, you may speak to it, giving it a spoken message of up to one minute in length. The bird will then ﬂ y away to deliver the message to the person (or persons) speciﬁ ed when the spell is cast. The bird will ﬂ y to their location, deliver the message via a whisper (it can be overheard by others, but not easily), and then disappear. If the bird is unable to reach the individual, but they are within range (if they are within a building with no windows, for instance) it will remain outside waiting for up to one week before disappearing. If the person speciﬁ ed by the spell is not within range, the bird will ﬂ y away in a random direction and disappear when it is out of your line of sight.

NATURE’S TOUCH c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 c Range: 10’ c Area of Effect: One creature c Duration: Special c Raises: Range (+10’)
You are able to use the spirits of the wind to speak to an animal and ensure that it understands what you are saying. This spell works only on natural animals, and will not work with Shadowlands creatures or creatures from other realms. It does not guarantee that the animal will regard you positively or that it will fulﬁ ll requests made of it, but the creature will understand anything you tell it (within its ability to do so, naturally – political relationships will have no meaning to a horse, no matter how many times you explain them). This spell lasts as long as you maintain your full and undivided attention on the animal and continue speaking to it.

TEMPEST OF AIR c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 (Thunder) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: A cone 75’ long and 15’ wide at its end c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Area (+5’ to the width of the cone), Damage (+1k0), Range (+5’ to the length of the cone), Special (+5 to Air TN against Knockdown per Raise)
You summon a powerful gust of air emanating from your position that crashes into all in its path, knocking them to the ground. All targets within the area of effect suffer 1k1 Wounds and must make a Contested Roll using their Earth against your Air. Every target that fails suffers Knockdown.

TOKEN OF MEMORY c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 (Craft, Illusion) c Range: 10’ c Area of Effect: One small (1 cubic foot or smaller) illusory object c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Area (+1 cubic foot in size of illusory object), Duration (+1 hour)
You can create a ﬂ awless illusion of one object. The item appears real in every way up until the spell expires, at which point it disappears. If you are attempting to create a speciﬁ c, familiar object, such as another samurai’s katana, you must declare one Raise, and that individual may make a Contested Roll using his Perception against the total of your Spell Casting Roll to detect the forgery. Images created by this spell are completely stationary, and if placed in a situation where they must move (such as ﬂ oating in water), disappear instantly. An image of a katana could be created sitting on a rack, for example, but not in a samurai’s obi because it would not be able to move with the samurai. Objects created with this spell have no true physical substance and cannot bear weight or inﬂ ict damage.

TO SEEK THE TRUTH c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 c Range: Personal / Touch c Area of Effect: One individual touched (may be the caster) c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
You call upon the wind to purge the mind of your target, granting him clarity. This spell may negate temporary mental or social penalties suffered as a result of a mechanical effect, including Techniques, Wound Ranks, or other spells. The TN of the Spell Casting Roll made to cast this spell is increased by an amount equal to the Technique Rank, Wound Rank, or spell Mastery Level used to create the penalty in the ﬁ rst place. Disadvantages permanently possessed by an individual may not be countered using this spell.

WAY OF DECEPTION c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 (Illusion) c Range: 20’ c Area of Effect: One illusory duplicate of the caster c Duration: Concentration plus 5 minutes c Raises: Area (+1 duplicate per 2 Raises), Range (+5 feet), Special (see below)
You can entreat the capricious spirits of the wind to create a perfect duplicate image of you a short distance away. The illusion exactly reﬂ ects your appearance at the time the spell is cast, including your clothing and any equipment. The illusion may appear anywhere within the spell’s range, and will perform whatever actions you perform while it is in effect. (If you sit down, for instance, your duplicate will sit down as well, even if there is nothing to sit on.) Once you leave the normal range of the spell, the duplicate disappears. If you make two Raises on the Spell Casting Roll, you may leave the area of effect and the illusion will remain in whatever position it was in when you left for as long as you continue concentrating on maintaining the spell.

YARI OF AIR c Ring/Mastery: Air 1 (Craft, Thunder) c Range: Personal or 20’ (see below) c Area of Effect: One created weapon c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Damage (+1k0), Duration (+5 minutes), Range (+5 feet)
You summon a swirling weapon of pure air, only visible as a foggy outline. The weapon’s default form is a yari, but one Raise can change its form to any other spear of your choosing. The weapon has DR 1k1. If you do not possess the Spears Skill, you may instead use your School Rank in its place. If you do possess the Spears Skill, using this weapon grants you one Free Raise that can only be used on the Feint or Increased Damage Maneuvers. This weapon disappears if is lost from your hand. Instead of summoning the yari for yourself, you may cause it to appear in the hands of an ally within 20 feet. He is treated as the caster for all purposes of the spell, but he does not gain the Free Raise bonus.

AIR SPELLS: MASTERY LEVEL 2
BENTEN’S TOUCH c Ring/Mastery: Air 2 c Range: Personal / Touch c Area of Effect: Target individual (may be the caster) c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Range (may increase range to 5’ with a single Raise)
By calling upon the air kami to whisper suggestions to others, you may cause them to perceive the target of this spell more positively than they otherwise might. The target of this spell gains a bonus of +1k1, plus your Air Ring, to the total of all Social Skill rolls made for the duration of the spell.

CALL UPON THE WIND c Ring/Mastery: Air 2 (Travel) c Range: Personal or 20’ c Area of Effect: Target individual (may be the caster) c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Duration (+1 minute), Range (+5’)
The winds can lift and buoy, carrying even the heaviest burden into the skies for short periods. The target of this spell gains a limited form of ﬂ ight, allowing him to move through the air unimpeded. The target of the spell may make Free Move Actions, but not Simple Move Actions, and may never move more than 10’ per round. Heavy winds can interfere with this movement or prevent it altogether. At the end of the spell’s duration, the target drifts harmlessly to the ground, no matter how high he might be.

HIDDEN VISAGE c Ring/Mastery: Air 2 (Illusion) c Range: Personal c Area: Self c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Area of Effect (another person in line of sight can be targeted by this spell by making three Raises), Duration (+5 minutes)
Air kami are mischievous and capricious, and enjoy anything they perceive as a joke. You may call upon them to create a subtle illusion, altering your facial features just enough that you appear to be a different person. This spell does not allow you to impersonate speciﬁ c individuals, or even people radically different from you. You appear as a person of the same age, build, race, and gender. The differences are subtleenough so that you could be mistaken for your own brother or cousin.

THE KAMI’S WHISPER c Ring/Mastery: Air 2 (Illusion) c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: 10’ radius c Duration: 1 round c Raises: Area (+5’ radius), Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’)
The kami of the wind can carry whispers for great distances, and can even create them if properly entreated. You can petition the kami to create a false sound, either a voice or a natural sound such as an animal’s growl or running water, for example. The sound can be no louder than a normal speaking voice, and cannot impersonate a speciﬁ c person’s voice. If used to create the sound of a voice, the spell is limited to twenty words.

MISTS OF ILLUSION c Ring/Mastery: Air 2 (Craft, Illusion) c Range: 20’ c Area of Effect: 10’ radius c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Area (+5’), Duration (+1 minute), Range (+5’)
With greater ﬂ uency with the kami comes the ability to craft increasingly convincing images from the stuff of the wind itself. You may create illusions of any object, individual, or image that you can imagine. These images are stationary, and they must ﬁ t within the spell’s area of effect, but they can be as simple or complex as desired. These illusions are visual only, with no auditory component, no odors, etc.

SECRETS ON THE WIND c Ring/Mastery: Air 2 c Range: 10 miles c Area of Effect: 20’ radius c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Area (+5’ radius), Range (+5 miles)
The kami can carry whispers across an Empire, if properly entreated to do so. This spell requires you to perform a preparation ritual in order to cast it effectively. The ritual requires ten minutes of uninterrupted meditation in the area designated as the spell’s area of effect. Any time within the 48 hours immediately following this ritual, you may cast this spell, and overhear anything being said in the prepared area. If your concentration is disrupted, the effect ends and may not be renewed without an additional preparation ritual. Only one area may be prepared via this ritual at one time.

WHISPERING WIND c Ring/Mastery: Air 2 (Divination) c Range: 20’ c Area of Effect: Target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’)
The air kami see very little difference between speech and thought, and can perceive both with relative ease. By comparing the two, the kami can determine if what has been spoken is true, or a lie. Unfortunately, they have notoriously short attention spans, and thus can only assess extremely recent conversations. By invoking this spell, you may determine if the last thing said by the target was true or false. The kami have no concept of personal opinion, however, and if the target truly believes what he said was true, the kami will believe it as well.

WOLF’S PROPOSAL c Ring/Mastery: Air 2 (Illusion) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: Area (may target another with 2 Raises), Duration (+5 minutes), Special (+1 Honor Rank per two Raises)
This spell, crafted to facilitate initial relations between groups, is easily twisted to nefarious purposes. It calls the kami to create a subtle aura of suggestion around the caster, one that does not disguise the caster but rather causes others to perceive him as slightly more benevolent than perhaps he truly is. For the duration of this spell, your Honor Rank is considered three ranks higher for the purposes of any Lore: Bushido rolls made to determine your Honor Rank.

AIR SPELLS: MASTERY LEVEL 3
ESSENCE OF AIR c Ring/Mastery: Air 3 (Defense) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round)
Air can be merged with the essence of a mortal, and doing so can impart tremendous abilities, albeit at great risk to the caster. You mix with the wind itself and become insubstantial. You may not interact with any physical objects while insubstantial, although you do remain on the ground, and you may pass through solid objects at a rate of one foot per round. Your Water Ring is considered halved (rounded down) while you remain insubstantial, and you may not cast any other spells until you return to solidity.

THE EYE SHALL NOT SEE c Ring/Mastery: Air 3 (Defense) c Range: Personal or Touch c Area of Effect: Self or target individual c Duration: Concentration c Raises: None
You call upon the kami to create an area of distraction surrounding you, drawing all attention away from you and your actions. The kami whisper in the ears of those within 20’ of you (or of the target if you cast the spell on someone else), causing them to be conveniently distracted from your presence. You are not invisible, but those within 20’ of you will not see you as long as you do not make any loud noises or otherwise draw attention to yourself. Those outside that distance are not distracted, however, and will see you perfectly well regardless of your action or inaction.

MASK OF WIND c Ring/Mastery: Air 3 (Illusion) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Area (may target another with two Raises), Duration (+10 minutes)
A skilled shugenja can petition the kami to create incredibly elaborate illusions to obscure one’s identity and appearance. You may use this spell to adopt the appearance of any humanoid creature of approximately the same size, up to one foot taller or shorter than you. You could use this spell to assume the guise of a kenku, for example, because they are roughly the same size as humans. A goblin or an ogre would be impossible, however, because they are too short and too large, respectively.

STRIKING THE STORM c Ring/Mastery: Air 3 (Defense) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 3 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round)
The most powerful winds can turn aside not only arrows, but steel as well. You may summon a buffet of winds that surrounds you in an unrelenting cocoon of swirling air. Your Armor TN is increased by +20 against both melee and ranged attacks. The force of the winds surrounding you prevents you from hearing others if they speak to you, however.

SUMMONING THE GALE c Ring/Mastery: Air 3 (Defense) c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: Target individual (may be the caster) c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Range (+5’)
Swirling winds can be commanded to circle a designated target, preventing ranged attacks being made in either direction. This spell affects an area thirty feet around the target in all directions. Everyone within the affected area gains a +15 bonus to their Armor TN against ranged attacks. However, everyone within the area also suffers a penalty of -3k3 to all ranged attack rolls.

SUMMON FOG c Ring/Mastery: Air 3 c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: 50’ radius c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Area (+5’ radius), Duration (+1 minute), Range (+10’)
The kami can be petitioned to coalesce in an area as they do on the coast, creating a thick, obscuring fog. Within the area affected by your spell, the visibility is decreased to a meager ﬁ ve feet. Fabrics and other absorbent materials within the spell’s area of effect will become damp or even wet if they remain within it long enough. Small sources of open ﬂ ame, such as candles, might be extinguished as well, at the GM’s discretion. The moistness of fog is extremely damaging to rice paper.

YOUR HEART’S ENEMY c Ring/Mastery: Air 3 (Illusion) c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’)
The kami can see into the hearts of mortals, and can use that information at a shugenja’s request. You manifest the kami as an illusion of the thing your target fears most in the world. It may be an individual (the man who killed his father), or an item (a cursed blade that brought ruin to his family), or even a vista of some sort (an image of an enemy slaying his family). This effectively generates Fear 4 that the target must overcome (see the Book of Earth for rules regarding Fear). Only the target can see the speciﬁ cs of the illusion; others see only a hazy outline that appears to be a small fog cloud.

AIR SPELLS: MASTERY LEVEL 4
CALL THE SPIRIT c Ring/Mastery: Air 4 c Range: Special c Area of Effect: Target spirit c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
Essentially an extremely powerful, speciﬁ c form of the basic spell Summon, Call the Spirit allows a shugenja to summon any particular spirit, regardless of its realm, to have a discussion. You may use this spell to summon any spirit from any of the spirit realms, although realm denizens that are not spirits (such as Fortunes) are immune. If you know something speciﬁ c about the spirit, either having seen it before or having intimate knowledge of its actions (for example, “the spirit that killed my father”), you may summon that spirit in particular. The nature of the spell prevents the spirit from attacking you unless you attack ﬁ rst, but it will not necessarily be friendly. The spirit disappears as soon as the spell’s duration expires. This spell can potentially summon extremely dangerous creatures, such as oni, and should be used with caution.

FALSE REALM c Ring/Mastery: Air 4 (Battle, Illusion) c Range: 250’ c Area of Effect: 100’ radius c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Area (+10’ radius), Duration (+10 minutes)
The greatest masters of the wind can create illusions of such beauty and clarity that those affected by them might truly believe they were somewhere else. You can completely alter the appearance of the terrain within the area of effect of this spell. You can make a miserable swamp look, sound, and smell like a beautiful garden, or vice versa. Although these illusions can be extraordinarily intricate and completely convincing to all other senses, they still have no substance and cannot be touched.

GIFT OF WIND c Ring/Mastery: Air 4 (Illusion) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
The ultimate gift of the wind spirits is to become like the wind itself: unseen. The wind kami surround you and render you completely invisible. No non-magical vision can detect your presence. You can still be touched, heard, and smelled, but unless you attack someone else, you remain invisible for the duration of the spell. The kami consider attacking someone to be ruining the joke, and immediately end the spell’s effect if you do so.

KNOW THE MIND c Ring/Mastery: Air 4 c Range: 10’ c Area of Effect: Target individual c Duration: 3 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’)
Although the ultimate secrets of the human mind are hidden even to the winds, air kami can pluck the most immediate thoughts from the minds of others and whisper them to those who carry their favor. For the duration of this spell, you essentially hear the surface thoughts of the spell’s target. You only learn things they are actively thinking about. For example, if you asked the name of the target’s daughter, that name would appear in their mind instantly even if they had no intention of speaking it aloud. A Contested Roll using your Perception against the target’s Awareness will also allow you to assess their true emotional state, regardless of how they appear physically.

NETSUKE OF WIND c Ring/Mastery: Air 4 (Craft, Illusion) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One hand-held object c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+10 minutes)
Although it requires great favor, the air kami are willing to coalesce into a solid form for a short period of time if they are fond enough of the priest asking them. You may create a small object out of the air itself, something that can be held in one or both hands and that does not weigh more than twenty pounds at the most. This creation is an illusion, but it can be used functionally, including inﬂ icting damage if it is a weapon. The object disappears completely at the end of the spell’s duration.

SYMBOL OF AIR c Ring/Mastery: Air 4 (Ward) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: Special c Duration: Permanent c Raises: None
Priests of the kami are capable of inscribing powerful wards that invoke the power of the elements against all who attempt to pass them. A Symbol of Air must be inscribed on a solid object, most often a door, window, gate, or other passageway. Anyone attempting to pass through this passageway or otherwise pass by the area protected by the Symbol is affected by the protective ward. Such persons must succeed at a Contested Roll using their Earth against the caster’s Air. Those who fail are affected by a powerful drowsiness, and must succeed at a Willpower Roll against the total of the Spell Casting Roll used to create the ward or fall into a deep sleep for one hour. Those affected by the spell cannot be woken by normal means, but will awaken instantly if subjected to any attack or form of harm, as the kami will not be party to such humorless tricks. You may only have one Symbol of Air in existence at any time, and Symbol spells of different elements may never affect the same area. This spell may be dispelled by another casting of Symbol of Air from any shugenja, or by destroying the surface where the Symbol was etched.

AIR SPELLS: MASTERY LEVEL 5
CLOUD THE MIND c Ring/Mastery: Air 5 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Permanent c Raises: Special (+1 day of effect)
This extremely invasive spell is considered blasphemous by most honorable shugenja, and many respectable shugenja orders would ﬁ nd its use reason for excommunication if not outright execution. This spell calls upon the air kami to befuddle and dismay a target, invading their mind and inﬂ uencing their ability to recall exactly what happened to them over a certain length of time. When this spell is successfully cast against a target, you must succeed at a Contested Roll using your Air versus the target’s Earth. If successful, the target’s memories are disrupted, and they forget what has happened to them over the course of the past week (ﬁ ve days). This information is completely lost to the target. What’s more, the spell renders them extremely susceptible to suggestion, and you can tell them what happened to them over the course of the missing time. This allows unscrupulous shugenja to exploit others and essentially give them false memories, although certain individuals are highly resistant to this manner of manipulation. It is possible to determine that an individual was the target of this spell through use of the Commune spell, but it requires that the kami be speciﬁ cally asked if they can detect any such manipulation.

DRAW BACK THE SHADOW c Ring/Mastery: Air 5 c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: 30’ radius c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Area (+5’ radius), Range (+10’)
Just as the kami craft illusions, they can cast them aside. Within the area affected by this spell, any illusions created by spells of Mastery Level 4 or lower are automatically dispelled Spells of Mastery Level 5 or 6 require a Contested Air Roll between you and the shugenja who created those spells; if you are successful, those illusions are dispelled as well. Ongoing magical effects that are not illusions may also be dispelled by this spell, but require a Contested Ring Roll between you and their creator, using your Air versus his appropriate Ring.

ECHOES ON THE BREEZE c Ring/Mastery: Air 5 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Concentration c Raises: None
No destination is beyond the reach of the wind. With a simple prayer to the kami, you can send your words across the span of the Empire, whispering into the ear of anyone you need to send a message. The person must be someone you know, and the spell will establish a link between the two of you only as long as you concentrate. You may communicate with one another, although you only hear each other’s voices as whispers. Both participants are instantly aware when the connection is forged, and either can end it at any point.

LEGION OF THE MOON c Ring/Mastery: Air 5 (Illusion) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 10’ radius from the caster c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Area (+5’), Duration (+1 minute)
The Moon can reveal what is hidden, but also conceal those who receive its blessings. You may summon the greater blessing of the Moon and envelop a large group of people within it, completely obscuring them from sight. Every individual you choose within the area of effect of this spell is rendered invisible to all normal senses for the duration of the spell. Those within the area that you choose to exclude are not affected. Anyone affected by the spell who performs any action that physically interacts with an unaffected individual is immediately excluded from the spell effect.

SLAYER’S KNIVES c Ring/Mastery: Air 5 (Thunder) c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: Corridor of air 10’ wide c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Area (+3’ wide), Damage (+1k0 per three Raises)
The wind can be deadly to those unprepared for its fury. You summon a powerful wind that tears through anything in its path. At your behest, the kami create a corridor of air ﬁ lled with a cutting wind that inﬂ icts damage with a DR equal to your Air Ring +2k0 to everything in its path. (For example, a shugenja with Air 4 would inﬂ ict 6k4 damage with this spell). Paper and light cloth are destroyed instantly, although heavier cloth may only be damaged. Anyone damaged by these winds must succeed at an Earth Ring Roll (TN 20) or be Knocked Down.

AIR SPELLS: MASTERY LEVEL 6
RISE, AIR c Ring/Mastery: Air 6 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One summoned spirit c Duration: Concentration c Raises: None
The wind itself will take form to defend you. The ultimate actualization of the Summon spell, this spell summons a massive kami of pure air to serve you. It takes the form of a vaguely humanoid shape, roughly ten feet in height, with an indistinct outline visible only because of small debris caught up in its body. The kami may move up to 10’ x your Air per round, and generates powerful winds in a twenty foot radius around it that hinder movement, preventing anyone from making Simple Move Actions within its area of effect. The manifest kami is treated as if it has all Physical Traits equal to your Air Ring, and attacks with a Jiujitsu Skill Rank equal to half your Air Ring. Damage from these attacks has a DR equal to your Air Ring (for example, a spirit summoned by a shugenja with Air 6 would inﬂ ict 6k6 damage with its attacks). For purposes of taking damage, the spirit is considered to have Wounds as though it were a human with Earth equal to your Air Ring, but suffers no Wound penalties. It is Invulnerable (see the creature rules in the Book of Void for details of this ability). If it is successfully reduced to zero Wounds, it is dispelled.

THE FALSE LEGION c Ring/Mastery: Air 6 (Battle, Illusion) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Within 100’ of the caster c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Area (+10’), Special (+5 illusory ﬁ gures per Raise)
The greatest illusory gift of the wind is legion. Within the area of effect of this spell, you can create a number of illusory ﬁ gures up to your Air Ring x 10. These ﬁ gures may be as detailed or as vague as you prefer (such as “Crane bushi” versus “heavy infantry of the fourth Daidoji legion”), although you must be familiar with their appearance in order for this spell to take effect (you could not, for example, replicate a family mon you have never seen). The ﬁ gures are fully mobile and will take whatever actions you desire as long as they do not leave the spell’s area of effect. They can be seen, heard, or even smelled, but as with most illusions, they cannot physically interact with objects or individuals in any way.

WRATH OF KAZE-NO-KAMI (HURRICANE) c Ring/Mastery: Air 6 (Thunder) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 1 mile radius, centered on the caster c Duration: Concentration (special) c Raises: None
The wrath of the air kami, and of the Fortune of the Wind, is truly dreadful to behold. In casting this spell, you unleash the full force of a hurricane upon your enemies. When the spell takes effect, you are standing in the eye of the storm, a zone radiating twenty feet in every direction from you, and in which no ill effects of the spell are suffered. Outside the eye, however, the brutal effects of the storm tear at everything in its path. Objects weighing less than ﬁ ve hundred pounds are lifted by the wind and tossed into the storm. Individuals in this area must hold on to something immobile or be cast into the winds to their certain death. Everyone within the affected region who does not have sturdy shelter suffers 1k1 Wounds per minute from the winds and minor debris. There is a one in ten chance each minute that an exposed individual will instead suffer 5k5 Wounds due to being struck by a wind-borne object. This spell lasts for a maximum of one hour, although it can last far shorter times if you are disrupted while maintaining the spell. This spell may not be cast in a given area more than once per month, as it completely exhausts the favors of the air kami to perform it.

EARTH, MASTERY LEVEL 1
ARMOR OF EARTH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 (Battle, Defense) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 10 rounds c Raises: Duration (+2 rounds)
This spell infuses the caster’s body with the strength of Earth, weakening the force of any physical or magical attack which strikes him. For the duration of the spell, you gain Reduction in an amount equal to your Earth Ring + School Rank. However, this infusion of Earth slows your movements – your Water is considered 1 Rank lower for purposes of movement while you are under the effects of this spell.

COURAGE OF THE SEVEN THUNDERS c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 (Battle) c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: Targets up to caster’s Shugenja School Rank c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute), Targets (+1)
This spell infuses the targets (who may include the caster) with ﬁ rm and unyielding courage, bolstered by the eternal power of the Earth. For the duration of the spell, all the targets gain +5k0 to resist any kind of Fear effect, whether magical or natural. However, this spell is associated with the memory of the legendary Seven Thunders, and those whose connection to the Thunders is tenuous do not receive the same degree of blessing from the Earth kami. Samurai who are not of the original Seven Great Clans receive only +3k0 to their rolls to resist Fear. Anyone who has at least a full Rank of Shadowlands Taint cannot beneﬁ t from this spell, although this will not actually reveal that they are TaintedThis spell may be cast as a combined ritual by two or more shugenja who know the spell, in which case they may add their highest single Earth Rank to their combined total School Ranks to determine how many targets the spell can affect.

EARTH’S STAGNATION c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 6 rounds c Raises: Duration (+2 rounds), Range (+10’), Targets (+1, to a maximum of 4 total targets)
This spell calls on the Earth in the target’s body to weigh him down, impeding his movements. The target suffers a –2k0 penalty to all rolls using the Agility trait, and his Water Ring is considered 1 Rank lower for the purpose of how far he can move.

EARTH’S TOUCH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 (Defense) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour), Targets (+1 per 2 raises, maximum of 3 total targets)
With this spell, the shugenja calls forth the Earth of the target (which may be himself), invoking the kami to strengthen his health and mental fortitude. For the duration of the spell, one of the target’s Earth Traits (chosen by the caster) is increased by 1. This does not increase the Ring itself, but it can enhance the target’s ability to withstand temptation, resist poisons, or dominate others.

ELEMENTAL WARD c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 (Wards) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour), Targets (+1 per two Raises)
This spell uses the power of Earth to enhance resistance to hostile magic. The spirits of Earth armor the target’s body and soul, rejecting other kami when they try to affect the target. When the shugenja casts this spell, he chooses one Element (which cannot be Void or Maho). Spells of that element suffer a TN penalty equal to the caster’s School Rank x 5 when they are cast on anyone under the protection of this spell. (Unfortunately, this includes “friendly” magic such as healing.)

JADE STRIKE c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 (Jade, Thunder) c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Damage (+1k0), Range (+10’), Targets (+1 target, maximum of 5 total targets)This spell summons forth the purest of Earth kami, those of jade, in the form of a blast of iridescent green energy. The jade power ﬂ ies out and unerringly strikes the chosen target – it cannot be intercepted or deﬂ ected, although Magic Resistance or other forms of magical defense can thwart it. If the target has at least one Rank of Taint, the Jade Strike will inﬂ ict damage with a DR of 3k3, burning and blackening the Tainted ﬂ esh. However, a target who does not have at least a full Rank of Taint will not suffer any damage from the spell. Casting Jade Strike on a non-Tainted target is generally regarded as a grave insult – except perhaps among the more paranoid ranks of the Kuni family, where it is seen as merely a sensible precaution.

JUROJIN’S BALM c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour), Targets (+1 per 2 Raises, maximum of 5 total targets)
This spell ﬁ lls the target’s body with the purity and vigor of Earth, driving out poisons and impurities. If the target suffers the effects of any poison or toxin within the duration of the spell, or is already under the effects of a poison when the spell targets him, he may re-roll any failed Stamina roll to resist the poison, with a bonus of +2k0 to the second roll. (However, if the second roll is also failed, the poison has full effect.) An interesting side-effect of this spell is that it also cures drunkenness and other such effects, and it is impossible for the target to become intoxicated during the spell’s duration.

MINOR BINDING c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 (Craft) c Range: 60’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 2 hours c Raises: Duration (+1 hour), Range (+20’)
This spell was pioneered by the Kuni family but has come into use among other shugenja who battle the forces of the Shadowlands, such as the Scorpion and the Phoenix. It is used to safely imprison minor Shadowlands creatures, typically for purposes of interrogation. Any Shadowlands creature with an Earth of 3 or less can be targeted with this spell. It cannot affect the Lost, Oni Lords or their spawn, or creatures with an Earth of 4 or higher, nor can it affect creatures who are not Tainted. If the spell is cast successfully, it calls forth manacles of iron, formed from pure Earth spirits, which trap and bind the target creature, rendering it physically helpless for the duration of the spell. When the spell expires, the manacles instantly crumble away into dust.

SOUL OF STONE c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 (Defense) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour)
This spell ﬁ lls the target’s soul with the ﬁ rm and unyielding strength of stone. For the duration of the spell, the target’s feelings are immovable, and any attempt to divert or distract him will be resisted with supernatural determination. He gains a +3k0 bonus to any rolls made to resist emotional manipulation or the distractions of desire, including Courtier (Manipulation) rolls, Temptation rolls, Compulsions, and any similar effects which the GM judges to be appropriate. However, this stony self-control also makes it difﬁ cult for the target to read and affect the emotions of others, and for the duration of the spell he suffers a –1k0 penalty to all Awareness Trait rolls and Awareness-related Skill Rolls made for the purpose of inﬂ uencing others.

TETSUBO OF EARTH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 (Craft, Jade) c Range: Personal or 20’ c Area of Effect: One created weapon c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Damage (+1k0), Duration (+5 minutes), Range (+5 feet)
You summon a tetsubo of pure earth, studded with all manner of stones. The weapon’s default form is a tetsubo, but one Raise can change its form to any other heavy weapon of your choosing. The tetsubo has a DR of 2k2. When wielding this weapon, you may use your School Rank in place of your Heavy Weapons Skill if you wish. If you do have the Heavy Weapon skill, the tetsubo grants you a Free Raise for the Knockdown maneuver (this bonus does not apply if you grant the Tetsubo to another person instead of wielding it yourself). The tetsubo disappears if it is lost from your hand. Instead of summoning the tetsubo for yourself, you may cause it to appear in the hands of an ally within 20 feet. He is treated as the caster for all purposes of the spell, but does not gain the Free Raise bonus.

EARTH, MASTERY LEVEL 2
BE THE MOUNTAIN c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2 (Defense) c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 4 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 Round) A variant of the spell Armor of Earth, designed to protect allies, this prayer causes the Earth kami to envelop the target with their embrace, covering his skin with a stony barrier that repels physical blows. The target gains Reduction of a value equal to 5x the caster’s School Rank, to a maximum of 20, but cannot take Simple Move Actions for the duration of the spell (Free Move Actions are still allowed). Only a willing ally can be targeted with this spell.

EARTH BECOMES SKY c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2 (Jade, Thunder) c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Damage (+1k0), Targets (+1 target), Special (make boulders Jade with 2 Raises)
This spell summons up several huge boulders from the earth, and hurls them through the air to unerringly strike one (or more) target creatures. The target struck by these boulders suffers damage with a DR equal to the caster’s Earth rank. If the caster strikes multiple targets, the DR is reduced by 1k1 for each additional target, to a minimum of 1k1 damage per target. These boulders are made of normal, mundane stone, and thus cannot normally bypass Reduction or Invulnerability, but a powerful caster can infuse the boulders with the power of Jade.

EMBRACE OF KENRO-JI-JIN c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2 (Travel) c Range: Personal or Touch c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour)
This spell allows the target (who can be the caster or one other person) to literally dive into the ground, which becomes as clear and easy to traverse as water for him. He can see for a distance of 100 yards through the earth, and can move through it in any direction as easily as though he were in normal air. The target can see through the edge of the earth into the normal world, but he cannot attack, cast spells, speak, hear, or otherwise interact with those outside the earth unless he emerges from the ground (at which point the spell immediately ends). If the spell ends while the target is still underground, the Earth spirits are offended by the target’s continued presence, and immediately expel him into the nearest open air, wherever that might be.

FORCE OF WILL c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2 (Battle) c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 2 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round, maximum 4 Rounds duration)
This spell infuses the target with an intense resistance to pain and death, as the Earth kami bolster his will to live to superhuman levels. He is able to shrug off the pain and shock of his wounds, even continuing in the face of lethal injuries for a short time. For the duration of this spell, the target is immune to all Wound Rank penalties and effects – including the effect of being dead if the Out rank is completely ﬁ lled. When the spell expires, however, the full effects of any Wounds apply immediately – thus, this spell typically affords either a brief chance to be healed before it is too late, or the chance to wage a ﬁ nal battle in the face of certain death.

GRASP OF EARTH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 Round), Range (5’), Targets (+1 Target per 2 Raises)
This spell causes the Earth kami to reach up and seize hold of the target, often taking the form of a massive hand or claw which grips the unfortunate creature in stony digits. The target is rendered near-immobile, able to move only 3’ per round as a Simple Move Action, and unable to move at all with a Free Move Action. The target may break free by spending a Complex Action and rolling Raw Strength at a TN equal to 5x the caster’s Earth.

HANDS OF CLAY c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2 (Travel) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: Duration (+5 minutes)
This spell infuses Earth spirits into the hands and feet of the caster, allowing them to merge with the Earth found in wood, earth, and stone. This allows the caster to walk and climb along sheer surfaces, including walls and cliffs, at half his normal movement speed (rounded up). He can even hang from ceilings and move along them, although in that case he can only move 3’ with a Simple Action. When the spell ends, the effect concludes without warning, possibly leading to a painful fall.

THE MOUNTAIN’S FEET c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2 (Defense) c Range: Personal or 20’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour), Targets (+1 per two Raises)
This spell fortiﬁ es the target by rooting his feet to the stone and soil beneath, allowing him to shrug off anything that might separate him from the touch of Earth. The target gains +3k0 to resist all Knockdown maneuvers, and any spell which seeks to knock down the target, lift him into the air, or otherwise break his connection to the Earth must win a Contested roll of the spell’s Element against the caster’s Earth.

WHOLENESS OF THE WORLD c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2 (Defense) c Range: Personal or 20’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute), Range (+5’), Targets (+1 per two Raises)
This spell infuses the target with the strength of Earth to such a degree that his Rings and Traits become wholly resistant to any effort to change them. Any physical or magical effect which would raise or lower his Traits or Rings is completely ineffective for the duration of this spell, as the Earth kami ﬁ rmly rebuff any such efforts to alter the target’s Elemental balance.

EARTH, MASTERY LEVEL 3
BONDS OF NINGEN-DO c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 (Wards) c Range: 500’ c Area of Effect: One target spirit creature c Duration: 30 days c Raises: Duration (+1 day), Range (+10’), Targets (+1 per 2 Raises)
This spell, a more powerful and specialized form of Minor Binding, is a ritual designed to bind or dispel troublesome creatures from the various spirit realms. Any creature from the realms of Sakkaku, Chikushudo, Gaki-Do, Toshigoku, or Yume-Do can be affected by this spell. Casting it requires 10 minutes, although if additional shugenja who know the spell assist in the ritual, the time is reduced by 1 minute per additional shugenja, to a minimum of 1 minute. If the targeted creature is within range of the caster(s) when the spell is successfully completed, the creature can be either bound or dispelled. If it is bound, it must obey the caster’s commands for the duration of the spell, although suicidal commands will break the spell – this is how the Kuni have forced mujina spirits to labor for them in their iron mines. (It should be noted that this use of the spell is considered controversial and even blasphemous by many in Rokugan.) If the creature is dispelled, it immediately leaves Ningen-Do for its native spirit realm, and cannot return until the spell’s duration ends. Either way, the spirit creature will regard the caster as an enemy thereafter, and is likely to seek vengeance if it can.

EARTH KAMI’S BLESSING c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 (Battle) c Range: Personal or 20’ c Area of Effect: Caster or one target creature c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
This spell infuses the target (which may be the caster or one of his allies) with the strength and resilience of the Earth, making him tougher and more ﬁ rm-minded. For the duration of the spell, the target gains +2 Wounds per Wound Rank, and gains +1k1 on all rolls involving the Earth Ring and its associated Traits. When the spell expires, any Wounds the target has suffered still remain, and this may drive him into a lower Wound Rank or even kill him.

EARTH’S PROTECTION c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 (Defense, Wards) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 10’ radius from caster c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Area (+5’ radius per 2 Raises, to maximum of 30’ radius), Special (damage reduced by an additional +1k1 for 2 Raises)
This spell calls on the spirits of Earth to protect the area around the caster from the effects of the other three Elements (Air, Fire, and Water) for a short time. While the caster concentrates on maintaining the favor of the Earth spirits, the effects of spells which call on those other three elements are mitigated. Any hostile Air, Fire, or Water spell cast within the area of Earth’s Protection, or extending its effects into that area, will suffer a +10 TN penalty to the Spell Casting roll. In addition, any damage which those spells inﬂ ict on creatures within Earth’s Protection will be reduced by 1k1 (to a minimum of 1k1).PURGE THE TAINT c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 (Jade) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 50’ radius around caster c Duration: Permanent c Raises: Area (+10’ radius)
This spell was originally created by the Kuni family and is still primarily practiced by them, although knowledge of its prayers has spread to other Clans. It is an elaborate ritual spell, requiring an hour to cast, that calls on the powers of Earth to purge the land of the Shadowlands Taint, driving out all the evil kansen in the area. The spell will remove all the Taint from the land, plant life, and inanimate objects within the area of effect. It will not remove Taint from living creatures, nor will it affect powerful Tainted artifacts or objects made of obsidian. The removal of the Taint, however, is not without price. The elemental kami in the area of effect are also weakened and purged by the spell, especially the Earth spirits whose efforts are called upon to power it. In the aftermath of casting this spell, the local spirits will be scattered and weakened, inﬂ icting a +15 TN penalty on all Spell Casting rolls within the area. This negative effect will sometimes fade with time, especially if it was cast in a single location surrounded by normal lands. But if the spell is cast over a wide area, such as the Kuni Wastes, the elemental kami will usually permanently leave the area, reducing it to a gray, lifeless wasteland.

SHARING THE STRENGTH OF MANY c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One to six target persons within range c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’)
This spell infuses its targets, up to six people (who can include the caster), with the power of Earth, allowing them each to call upon the Earth of their comrades to bolster their efforts. For the duration of the spell, the lowest Earth Ring Rank among all the targets is added to the total of all Ring, Trait, and Skill rolls (but not Spell Casting rolls) they make.

STRENGTH OF THE CROW c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 (Jade) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: Hours equal to caster’s Shugenja School Rank c Raises: Duration (+1 hour), Targets (+1)
This spell infuses the target (who can be the caster) with a powerful resistance to the Shadowlands Taint, repelling the dark kansen of the Taint with the pure power of Earth. For the duration of the spell, the target(s) gain a +5k5 bonus to all rolls made to resist gaining the Shadowlands Taint, and any Maho spells suffer a +10 TN penalty to affect them. This bonus does not apply to any rolls made to resist an increase in Taint the target already possesses – it only applies to new Taint gained from outside sources. Likewise it cannot protect the target from gaining Taint by casting Maho.

THE WOLF’S MERCY c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 10 rounds c Raises: Range (+10’), Targets (+1)
This spell has existed in Rokugan for centuries, but is best known for its extensive use by Toturi Sezaru, “the Wolf,” who employed it during his hunts for Bloodspeakers. It calls on the power of the Earth to afﬂ ict the target, weighing down his body and impeding his muscles, leaving him weak and vulnerable. The target’s Earth Ring is lowered by 1 Rank, and his Wound Ranks are reduced correspondingly for the duration of the spell. (This can potentially kill him immediately if he has already suffered Wounds.) In addition, his Strength Rank is also lowered by 1 for the same duration. If the target has at least one full Rank of Shadowlands Taint, the Earth spirits will be ﬁ lled with wrath, and punish him more severely, lowering his Earth Ring by 2 Ranks (to a minimum of 1).

EARTH, MASTERY LEVEL 4
ARMOR OF THE EMPEROR c Ring/Mastery: Earth 4 (Defense) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 5 Rounds c Raises: Duration (+2 Rounds)
This spell covers the caster in a thick layer of tough, resilient Earth spirits who repel all damage, whether physical blows or magical effects. Any time the caster suffers damage from an enemy physical or magical attack, each individual damage die has its total Reduced by the caster’s Shugenja School Rank. This cannot reduce a die’s total below 0.

ESSENCE OF EARTH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 4 (Battle) c Range: Personal or 20’ c Area of Effect: One target creature (self or another) c Duration: 10 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’), Targets (+1 per 2 Raises), Special (+1 Rank of Earth per 2 Raises, maximum increase 3 Ranks of Earth)
This spell infuses the target with the true strength of Earth, allowing him to shrug off blows which might otherwise take his life. For the duration of the spell, the target’s Earth Ring is considered to be 1 Rank higher, and his Wounds are increased correspondingly. However, when the spell ends, the Earth spirits immediately depart and the target’s Wounds return to normal – possibly resulting in death, if he has suffered sufﬁ cient injury.

SYMBOL OF EARTH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 4 (Wards) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: Special c Duration: Permanent c Raises: Damage (+1k0)
Priests of the kami are capable of inscribing powerful wards that invoke the power of the elements against all who attempt to pass them. A symbol of Earth can be inscribed on a solid object, most often a door, window, gate, or any other passageway. Anyone attempting to pass through this passageway or otherwise pass by the ward is affected by its power, and must succeed at a Contested Roll using their Air against the caster’s Earth. Those who fail are struck with a powerful shockwave, and must succeed at a Strength roll against the total of the Spell Casting Roll used to create the ward or be knocked Prone and Stunned. If they have at least one Rank of Taint, they also suffer 2k2 Wounds. You may only have one Symbol of Earth in existence at any time, and Symbol spells of different elements may never affect the same area. This spell may be dispelled by another casting of Symbol of Earth from any shugenja, or by destroying the surface where the Symbol was etched.

TOMB OF JADE c Ring/Mastery: Earth 4 (Jade) c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Range (+10’), Special (Contested Roll, +1k1 to caster for each Raise)
Considered by many shugenja to be the ultimate spell for opposing the creatures of the Shadowlands, this spell calls on the purest of Earth spirits, those of jade, to consume the very Taint within the target. The spell can only affect a target who has at least one full Rank of Shadowlands Taint, but if the spell fails, the caster will not automatically know that the target is Taint-free – there is always the possibility that the target was able to resist the spell. When Tomb of Jade is cast, the target is momentarily immobilized as the Earth spirits enter his body. Each round, starting with the ﬁ rst round, the caster must make a Contested Earth roll against the target. If the target wins, the spell ends. If the caster wins, the target takes 2k2 Wounds as the spirits begin to transform his body into jade. This continues each round until the target successfully resists, the caster stops concentrating, or the target dies. Those killed by this spell are transformed into statues of pure jade, which crumbles away into mundane dust in 24 hours.

WALL OF EARTH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 4 (Defense) c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: Wall measuring a maximum of 10’ high and 100’ wide c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: Area (increase height by 1’ or width by 10’ per Raise), Duration (+1 minute), Range (+10’)
This spell coaxes the spirits of Earth into rising up and forming a thick, powerful barrier to protect the caster. The wall of rock-hard earth which this spell creates can be shaped as the caster desires, and can be curved, placed on the side of a hill, or even formed in a circle. It is extremely tough, requiring a Strength roll against a TN of the caster’s (Earth + School Rank) x 5 in order to break through. It is strong enough to hold back a raging ﬂ ood, a lava ﬂ ow, or hurricane winds, at least as long as the spell lasts. When the spell expires, however, the earthen barrier crumbles away in moments.

EARTH, MASTERY LEVEL 5
EARTHQUAKE c Ring/Mastery: Earth 5 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 1 mile radius c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Area (+500 yards), Duration (+1 minute per 2 Raises)
This spell unleashes a terrible, ground-wracking earthquake, centered on the caster, who alone is unaffected. The earthquake utterly destroys all wooden buildings within the radius of effect, and inﬂ icts severe damage on stone structures. All persons within the area of the earthquake are thrown to the ground, and remain Prone and Stunned for the duration of the spell, as well as suffering 2k1 Wounds. Individuals who are inside buildings (including the caster) will suffer 6k6 damage from falling debris, collapsing roofs, etc. Casting this spell within range of a major inhabited area is generally considered an act of war.

MAJOR BINDING c Ring/Mastery: Earth 5 (Jade, Wards) c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: One target Shadowlands creature c Duration: 12 hours c Raises: Duration (+1 hour), Range (+50’)
The more powerful counterpart to the Kuni family’s Minor Binding spell, this spell has also been employed by other clan shugenja, especially those of the Phoenix Clan. It is used to imprison more powerful Shadowlands creatures and members of the Lost, typically for purposes of interrogation. Any Lost and any Shadowlands creature can be targeted with this spell. It can also target other spirit creatures who are Tainted. It cannot affect any other creatures. The spell is a ritual, and requires ten minutes to cast (making it quite hazardous when dealing with a rampaging oni), but if additional shugenja join in casting the spell the casting time is reduced by 1 minute per shugenja, to a minimum of 1 minute. If it is cast successfully, the casters make a Contested Roll of their combined Earth Rings against the Earth of the target. If the casters win, the spell calls forth manacles of pure elemental jade, which imprison the creature and render it helpless with the pain of its searing bonds for the duration of the spell. When the spell expires, however, the manacles instantly crumble into dust, and the creature is liable to seek immediate and bloody vengeance on its captors.

STRIKE AT THE ROOTS c Ring/Mastery: Earth 5 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 3 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 Round), Range (+10’), Targets (+1 target per 2 Raises), Special (Contested Roll, +1k1 to the caster for each Raise)
A more powerful and devastating form of The Wolf’s Mercy, this spell brings the true wrath of the Earth onto the target, draining all favor of the Earth from his body and leaving him a weak, trembling, helpless victim. After casting this spell, the caster must succeed in a Contested Earth roll against the targets of the spell (rolling separately if he is targeting multiple people). If the target loses the roll, his Earth Ring is immediately reduced to 1 for the duration of the spell. This also reduces his Wound Ranks and may result in his immediate death if he has already suffered injuries.

THE KAMI’S STRENGTH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 5 (Battle) c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+10’)
This spell allows the caster to fortify one person with the power of Earth, greatly enhancing their physical capabilities and their resistance to damage. The target of this spell gains Reduction of 20 and increases his Strength and one other physical Trait by an amount equal to the caster’s Earth Ring. In return, however, the target is weighed down by the burden of Earth and cannot take Simple Move Actions (he can still take a Free Move Action).

THE KAMI’S WILL c Ring/Mastery: Earth 5 (Defense) c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 10 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+10’)
The counterpoint to The Kami’s Strength, this spell infuses one person with the stubbornness and determination of Earth, greatly enhancing their willpower and making them all but immune to the effects of elemental magic. The target of this spell increases his Willpower by an amount equal to the caster’s Earth Ring, and any spells (friendly or hostile, but not including Maho spells) which target him suffer a penalty of –XkX to their Spell Casting roll, where X is the caster’s Earth Ring. In return, however, the target is made so stubborn and willful that he cannot function properly in a social environment, and suffers a penalty to all Social Skill rolls of –Xk0, where X is the Earth Ring of the caster.

EARTH, MASTERY LEVEL 6
ESSENCE OF JADE c Ring/Mastery: Earth 6 (Defense, Jade) c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 10 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’), Targets (+1 target for 2 Raises, maximum of 3 total targets)
This spell calls on the purity of jade to protect its targets against the power of Jigoku, whether manifested as Taint or as the dreaded magic known as maho. The target radiates the sacred green light of jade, and while the spell lasts, he cannot gain the Shadowlands Taint and is completely immune to the effects of all maho spells. This spell cannot be cast on anyone who possesses at least one full Rank of Taint, for the pure jade spirits will recoil from such a corrupt individual, immediately alerting the caster to this individual’s Tainted nature.

POWER OF THE EARTH DRAGON c Ring/Mastery: Earth 6 (Defense) c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute), Range (+10’), Targets (+1), Special (Damage absorption +10 Wounds per Raise)
This spell is the most powerful of the physically protective Earth spells, calling on the favor of the Dragon of Earth to enshroud the targets with protection against all forms of harm. The Earth spirits absorb all damage which the targets suffer while the spell lasts. However, there are limits to even Earth’s endurance. Nemuranai can bypass the protection. Further, if the Earth spirits protecting a speciﬁ c target absorb a total of 100 Wounds of damage, they will be exhausted and the spell’s effects on that target come to an end.

PRISON OF EARTH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 6 (Wards) c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: Permanent c Raises: Range (+5’), Special (Contested Roll, +1k1 to the caster for each Raise)
The most powerful of the binding spells which Earth shugenja use to deal with dangerous creatures, this spell can literally imprison the essence of such a creature for as long as the caster desires. Casting this spell requires that the caster possess a gem or pearl in which to imprison the creature (the GM may, discretionally, allow other rare or precious items to be used, such as a beautifully inlaid puzzle-box or a crystal pendant). The spell can target any creature native to the realms of Jigoku, Gaki-Do, or Toshigoku, and any other non-human creature with at least 1 full Rank of Taint. After casting the spell, the caster must make a Contested Willpower roll against the target. If the caster wins, the creature’s physical body vanishes and its essence is imprisoned
within the item. It will remain there indeﬁ nitely unless the item is physically destroyed. If that happens, the released creature immediately resumes its physical form, and will most likely seek vengeance against the caster or his descendants.

RISE, EARTH c Ring/Mastery: Earth 6 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One summoned spirit c Duration: Concentration c Raises: None
The Earth itself arises and takes form to defend you. The ultimate realization of the Summon spell, this prayer summons a massive kami of pure Earth to serve you. It takes the form of a vaguely humanoid shape, roughly ten feet in height, with a broad body and thick limbs all formed from earth and stone. This mighty Earth kami may move up to 5 x your Earth per round, and its footsteps shake the earth in a twenty foot radius around it, preventing anyone from making Simple Move Actions within its area of effect. This Earth spirit is treated as if it has all Physical Traits equal to your Earth Ring, and attacks with a Jiujitsu Skill Rank equal to half your Earth Rank. The DR from these attacks is equal to your Earth Ring. The kami can carry up to 1,000 pounds of weight if so commanded, and its blows are strong enough to destroy any wooden structure and to shatter stone walls of one-foot thickness. For purposes of taking damage, the spirit is considered to have Wounds as though it were a human with Earth equal to your Earth Ring, but suffers no Wound penalties. It is Invulnerable (see the creature rules in the Book of Void for details of this ability). If it is successfully reduced to zero Wounds, it is dispelled.

FIRE, MASTERY LEVEL 1
BITING STEEL c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 (Craft) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: 1 bladed weapon c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
Fire spirits can infuse metal with their own fury, turning a sharp edge into a supremely perfect one. This spell enhances the damage of steel bladed weapons, such as swords, knives, naginata, etc. Biting Steel cannot affect weapons which are not metal blades, which are nemuranai, or which have already been enhanced by magical effects. The weapon’s DR is increased by 1k1 for the duration of the spell.

BURNING KISS OF STEEL c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 (Battle) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One melee weapon in caster’s hand c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Duration (+2 minutes)
This spell embraces a weapon with ﬁ re, causing it to be larger and more effective. When the spell is cast, a tendril of ﬁ re extends from your hands to engulf your weapon. (If you drop or lose the weapon, the spell effect ends.) This weapon gains a +1k1 bonus to melee attack rolls. The bonus is +2k2 when making attacks against mounted opponents or opponents of larger than human size.

ENVIOUS FLAMES c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: None
Fire’s most basic power is destruction, and summoned Fire spirits can easily be unleashed on one’s enemies. This spell invokes a single Fire kami, which lances toward the target, hitting unerringly so long as the target is within range. The spell deals 2k2 Wounds. The burns this spell inﬂ icts are quite painful, and if the spell targets a shugenja who is casting a spell, his Willpower roll has a TN of 20 plus the damage dealt, instead of the normal 10 plus damage dealt.

EXTINGUISH c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 100’ radius c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Area (+20 feet)
Fire spirits can be driven away by the proper invocation, a very useful ability in Rokugani towns and cities where the construction is all wood and paper. This spell dismisses the active Fire kami in the area. All non-magical ﬁ re in the area of effect is immediately snuffed out, and any damage dealt by ﬁ re (magical or not) reduces its DR by 1k1 until the start of the next Round.

FIRES OF PURITY c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 (Defense) c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Damage (+1k0 per two Raises)
This spell, one of the few directly protective prayers involving the Fire kami, asks the kami to protect one person, enveloping the target in a shroud of bright ﬂ ames. Neither the target nor anything he carries takes damage from the spell, but anyone who comes into contact with him or strikes him with a melee attack takes 2k2 Wounds. Anyone the target strikes in melee with an unarmed attack or a weapon he carried when the spell was cast also takes an extra 2k2 Wounds. Anything the target puts down, however, cannot be picked back up without subjecting it to the damage from the spell. Ranged weapons such as arrows bypass this barrier of ﬁ re, dealing Wounds as normal.

THE FIRES THAT CLEANSE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 c Range: Self c Area: 30’ radius c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Area of Effect (+5 feet per two Raises)
Destruction is one of the basic impulses of Fire, and this spell calls on that urge to spread destruction in the caster’s surroundings. The spell whips the kami into a frenetic chaos, destroying everything around you. Everyone in the area of effect, including you, suffers damage with DR equal to your Fire Ring. This result is rolled once and applied to everyone within the area – however, you take only half damage (rounded up), since the kami do make some effort to avoid you.

FURY OF OSANO-WO c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 (Thunder) c Range: 300’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Damage (+1k0 per two Raises)
This spell is actually a prayer to the Fortune of Fire and Thunder, inviting his wrath upon your enemy. It can only be cast outdoors, and summons a bolt of lightning from the sky, striking the target for 5k2 Wounds. Everyone within 10’ of the target must make a Stamina roll versus a TN of 15 to avoid being deafened for 2 Rounds. If this spell is cast during a thunderstorm, the damage is increased to 6k2 for a moderate storm and 6k3 for a disastrous storm or hurricane.

KATANA OF FIRE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 (Battle, Craft) c Range: Personal or 20’ (see below) c Area of Effect: One created weapon c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Damage (+1k0), Duration (+5 minutes), Range (+5 feet)You summon a blade of pure ﬁ re, blazing like the soul of an honorable warrior. The weapon’s default form is a katana, but one Raise can change its form to any other sword of your choosing. The katana has a DR of 2k2. When wielding this weapon, you may use your School Rank in place of your Kenjutsu Skill if you wish. If you do possess the Kenjutsu Skill, you add your Honor Rank to all damage rolls made with this weapon. The katana of ﬁ re disappears if it is lost from your hand. Instead of summoning the katana for yourself, you may cause it to appear in the hands of an ally within 20 feet. He is treated as the caster for all purposes of the spell, but does not gain the Honor boost to damage.

NEVER ALONE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 5 Rounds (see below) c Raises: Targets (+1)
This spell invokes Fire’s element of knowledge and understanding, strengthening the spirit of one of your allies by opening his eyes to the courage of his ancestors. The target of the spell receives a bonus to all attack rolls, Skill rolls, and Trait Rolls equal to your Fire Ring. This effect lasts until either the spell expires, or until the target fails an attack roll or Skill Roll, or until the target suffers Wounds from any source, whichever comes ﬁ rst.

THE RAGING FORGE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 (Craft) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One weapon or armor c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: None
Fire is the element of creation as well as destruction, and a skilled shugenja can use this to great effect. This spell invokes the powers of the forge, mighty and merciless, to remake a material item, such as a weapon or suit of armor, into its perfect form. The target item loses all blemishes, including cracks or nicks. This spell cannot repair an item which has actually been broken or destroyed, however, and it can only affect items that are of ordinary quality.

FIRE, MASTERY LEVEL 2
DISRUPT THE AURA c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: Target person or creature c Duration: 24 hours c Raises: Duration (+12 hours per Raise)
Anyone whose elements are out of balance will feel the effects, and this spell creates this condition deliberately by aggravating the Fire present in the target’s body. While the spell is in effect, the target cannot be healed by magical means. Magical spells, items, or Techniques that attempt to restore Wounds to the target automatically fail. (Mundane wound
treatment with the Medicine skill will still be effective.) The target may realize something is physically wrong with him but cannot ﬁ nd out what is happening without the help of a shugenja – casting Sense (Fire) will show the presence of many excited Fire spirits within the target.

ENTICING DANCE OF THE FLAME c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: 20’ radius c Duration: 2 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round)
A more potent version of The Fires That Cleanse, this spell keeps the Fire kami under tighter control and persuades them to remain present for longer. If the spell is cast successfully, Fire kami erupt into a violent, ferocious dance at a location of your choice, igniting that area into ﬂ ames. Every target in the area takes 3k2 Wounds on the Round the spell takes effect. At the beginning of each subsequent Round, if the spell is still active, every target still in the affected area takes an additional 2k1 Wounds.

THE FIRES FROM WITHIN c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Target (+1 target per two Raises)
Probably the most widely known and recognized offensive spell in the element of Fire, this prayer has been in use by Rokugani shugenja since the very earliest days of the Empire. You summon Fire kami to form an orb of ﬂ ame that hovers in your palm for a moment before streaking toward the target. The sphere gains momentum and size until it hits its target, making it quite spectacular visually. The spell has a DR equal to your Fire Ring.

HURRIED STEPS c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 2 rounds (see below) c Raises: None
Fire is the element of thought, and thought is swift indeed. You draw upon the speed of the Fire kami to aid you in the next spell you cast. The casting time of the next Fire spell you cast is reduced by 4 Rounds. If the next spell is Mastery Level 3 or lower, it casts instantaneously as a Simple Action. If you do not begin casting the new spell within the next 2 Rounds, however, the beneﬁ t of Hurried Steps elapses.

MENTAL QUICKNESS c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One item c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: None
Fire kami can be imbued into physical objects, allowing them to remain present for longer periods of time. Shugenja have devised many ways to use this technique to aid themselves and others. This spell, one of the most basic of this kind, imbues a material item with the cleverness and wit of ﬁ re. Anyone who carries that item has their Intelligence Trait increased by 3 for the duration of the spell.

RELENTLESS HEAT c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 (Defense) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One armor c Duration: 10 Rounds c Raises: Duration (+2 Rounds)
This spell is designed to protect bushi by infusing a Fire kami into their armor. The spell targets one suit of armor, which glows with the strength of the merciless desert sun. Any opponent who attempts to strike the person wearing the armor, whether or not the attack hits, is immediately considered to be Fatigued until the beginning of their next Turn. The penalties apply to the attack roll that triggered the spell, and any attackers in the Full Attack Posture immediately assume the Attack Posture instead. This spell has no effect on ranged attacks or spells that target the wearer of the armor.

TAIL OF THE FIRE DRAGON c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 4 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round)
This spell invokes several Fire kami to form a whip-like tendril that extends from the caster’s hand. The tendril of ﬂ ame will not burn you, since the kami are grateful for the opportunity to burn others at your command. You may use this tendril to strike enemies as far as 30’ away, extending it out and back with blinding speed. Your attack roll with the tendril is equal to your Agility + (twice your School Rank), keeping your Agility. The tendril has a DR equal to your Fire Ring.

WARD OF PURITY c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 (Ward) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: 15’ radius from the object touched c Duration: 1 day c Raises: None
Although Earth is the traditional method of opposing evil forces like the Shadowlands Taint, the spirits of Fire can also be invoked to purge and destroy such spiritual abominations. This spell binds a Fire kami into a speciﬁ c location which it protects against the forces of evil. Casting the spell requires inscribing elaborate kanji on a ﬂ at surface in chalk or ink, and takes one minute of concentrated effort, after which the Spell Casting Roll must be made. Once the Ward of Purity is activated and the power of the kami is fully engaged, however, the kami within the inscription protects the area against the inﬂ uence of the Shadowlands or the Lying Darkness.
Persons or creatures with at least 1 Shadowlands Taint Rank, or who are under the control of the Lying Darkness, must make a successful Contested Willpower Roll against you in order to enter the Ward’s area of effect; you gain a +5 bonus to this roll. In addition, those creatures who successfully enter the area suffer extreme pain, as the power of the ward burns their very essence. Their bodies ignite and they suffer Wounds equal to the total of your Fire Ring + Insight Rank each Round they remain within the area of effect. Spells and missiles are unaffected by Ward of Purity. The object upon which the ward is inscribed must remain immobile and the inscription must remain clearly visible at all times, or else the Ward is dispelled. If overlapping Wards of Purity are present, their effects do not stack.

FIRE, MASTERY LEVEL 3
BREATH OF THE FIRE DRAGON c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 15’ long, 5’ wide blast c Duration: 4 rounds c Raises: None
This spell is a prayer to the Dragon of Fire, one of the mightiest of celestial beings, entreating him for a bit of his power. If the spell is successful, you gain the ability to breathe a bolt of ﬂ ames from your open mouth once per Round as a Simple Action. The bolt has a DR equal to your Fire Ring and strikes every target in front of you within the area of effect. You may choose to take actions other than breathing ﬁ re while under the effects of this spell, but you cannot speak or cast spells. The spell expires after four Rounds, but you may choose to end this spell during the Reactions Stage of any earlier Round.

FIERY WRATH c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: One free-standing structure, or 50’ x 50’ area c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: None
Fiery Wrath was originally created to clear brush for farming and to demolish wooden structures with a minimum of work and no hazard; it is also used to start bonﬁ res for rituals and celebrations. The spell allows you to destroy a building or other structure by appealing to the excitable Fire kami within the target’s materials. All ﬂ ammable materials within the area of effect immediately catch ﬁ re and burn until nothing but ash is left. The ﬁ re cannot be extinguished except by magical means; mundane water, sand, and other retardants will have no effect. Only one structure may be targeted by the spell, and the ﬁ re will not spread out to adjoining structures, as your prayers keep the Fire kami under tight control. Living beings and materials that are not ﬂ ammable are not affected; in fact, while clothes worn by people caught within the area of effect will burn, their ﬂ esh will not so much as singe.

THE FIST OF OSANO-WO c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 (Thunder) c Range: 50’ c Area: 20’ radius c Duration: 1 round c Raises: Area of Effect (+10’ radius)
A more powerful prayer to the Fortune of Thunder, this spell invokes his anger to devastate a targeted area. Massive lightning strikes and vaguely ﬁ st-shaped bolts of ﬂ ame streak from the skies, smiting the area of effect. Weak structures and those easily set on ﬁ re (such as most Rokugani homes) are destroyed by the spell’s fury, or catch ﬁ re and are consumed. The spell has a DR equal to your Fire Ring, inﬂ icting this damage on anyone caught within the area of effect. Using this spell in populated areas is generally considered a criminal act, unless the shugenja can cite extreme circumstances, since ﬁ res are terribly dangerous to Rokugani cities.

HAZE OF BATTLE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 (Battle) c Range: 10’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 5 Rounds, or 1 hour out of combat c Raises: Duration (+1 Round)
Fire spirits are known for their erratic and temperamental nature, and shugenja can badly disrupt their foes in battle by imbuing them with this aspect of the element. The target of this spell is ﬁ lled with the unfocused fury of Fire, enraging him and forcing him to lose perspective. The target immediately assumes the Full Attack Stance and cannot switch from that Stance for the duration of the spell. If the spell is cast out of battle, the target gains the Brash and Contrary Disadvantages for the duration of the spell. This spell’s effects can be overcome by those of strong will. The target can attempt to resist with an opposed Willpower roll, but you add your Fire to the total of your roll. If the spell is cast in battle, this roll occurs during the Reactions Stage (and may be attempted each Round). If the spell is cast out of battle, the roll occurs once every 10 minutes.

HUNGRY BLADE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 (Craft) c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One weapon c Duration: 5 Rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 Round)
This spell is a more potent version of Biting Steel, designed to enhance any weapon rather than merely a sword. The spell strengthens the Fire spirits in a single target weapon, causing them to come forth and form a faint sheath of ﬁ re around it. The weapon’s wielder adds +1k0 to all attack rolls, and all of his damage dice explode on a result of 8 or better. Each die can explode on an 8 or 9 only once per roll, however, even if the wielder has other effects that allow the die to explode on 9s.

RAVENOUS SWARMS c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target person c Duration: 5 Rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 Round)
A more powerful and sophisticated form of the prayer which invokes the Fires From Within, this spell not only damages the target but also disrupts his own attempts to invoke the Fire kami, making it a very effective weapon against a rival Fire shugenja. You summon forth a bolt of ﬂ ames that streaks toward the target with wild abandon. The ﬂ ames deal 4k3 Wounds on impact and then encircle the opponent for the duration of the spell, waiting for him to make a mistake. If the target casts any Fire spell during that time, the Fire kami instantly strike, dealing 3k3 extra Wounds and causing the Spell Casting Roll to automatically fail. (The target loses the appropriate spell slot as usual.)

SHINING LIGHT c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 (Defense) c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target armor c Duration: 10 rounds c Raises: Damage (+1k0 per two Raises), Duration (+2 Rounds)
Another example of spells which can imbue Fire kami into items, this spell temporarily binds a Fire kami into a piece of armor (such as a helmet or chest plate). The armor emits a bright light that becomes blinding whenever the wearer is attacked. Any time the armor’s wearer is attacked in melee, immediately afterward the opponent takes 2k2 Wounds and is Blinded until the Reactions Stage of the same Round. The spell has no effect on ranged attacks.

FIRE, MASTERY LEVEL 4

DEATH OF FLAME c Ring/Mastery: Fire 4 c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 5 Rounds c Raises: None
This spell brings the anger of Fire on the target, suppressing his elemental Fire and lowering both his Agility and his Intelligence Ranks by an amount equal to your Fire Ring, to a minimum of one. If you maintain Concentration for the duration of the spell’s effect, the target cannot escape its effects. If you do not maintain Concentration, each Round at the start of his Turn the target may make a contested Fire roll against you (using his original, unmodiﬁ ed Fire Ring) to end the spell’s effect.

DEFENSE OF THE FIRESTORM c Ring/Mastery: Fire 4 (Defense) c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: One target armor c Duration: 5 Rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 Round)
A more potent form of spells like Shining Light, this prayer summons forth an aura of magical ﬂ ames from a suit of armor, surrounding and protecting the armor’s wearer. These ﬂ ames do not harm the armor’s bearer and do not harm living things. However, all wooden weapons (including arrows and many polearms) burn instantly before they reach the target, doing no damage. The ﬂ ames also impede sight to the target, increasing his Armor TN by 20.

THE MENDING FORGE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 4 (Craft) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target item c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: None
This simple and powerful spell has only one function: to call on the creative power of Fire to bring back what has been destroyed. Any damaged or destroyed material item can be restored with this spell, provided all of its pieces are gathered in front of the caster. (If some pieces are missing, the spell will automatically fail.) The spell takes 1 minute to cast, and you must concentrate during that minute. If successful, the spell restores the item to a whole and undamaged state. It should be noted that the Fire kami must work harder to repair items of unusual quality – if you use this spell to repair a nemuranai or an item of Fine quality or better, you must offer the Fire kami a gift (another item for them to burn and destroy) appropriate to the worth of the item.

SYMBOL OF FIRE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 4 (Ward) c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: 10’ radius c Duration: Permanent c Raises: None
Priests of the kami are capable of inscribing powerful wards that invoke the power of the elements against all who attempt to pass them. A symbol of Fire can be inscribed on a solid object, most often a door, window, gate, or any other passageway. Anyone attempting to pass through this passageway or otherwise pass by the ward is affected by its power, and must succeed at a Contested Roll using their Water against the caster’s Fire. Those who fail are Dazed, Blinded for one Round, and take 3k3 Wounds. This spell may be dispelled by another casting of Symbol of Fire from any shugenja, or by destroying the surface where the Symbol was etched. You may only have one Symbol of Fire in existence at any time, and Symbol spells of different elements may never affect the same area.

WALL OF FIRE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 4 c Range: 100’ c Area: Special c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Area of Effect (+1 increment, see below)
You invoke the Fire kami to spring up and form a wall of ﬂ ames, barring passage to all. The wall is a 10’ tall, 1’ wide, and 25’ long, and causes 6k6 Wounds to anyone who touches it. This wall may be made shorter or thinner as desired, within the total speciﬁ cations, but all of the mass of ﬂ ames must be used somehow. The wall may be created in an area where people or creatures are standing, forcing them to make a Reﬂ exes Trait Roll against a TN of 20 to avoid taking Wounds from the ﬁ re. You may Raise to increase one of the speciﬁ cations (height, width, or length) by its base increment (10’, 1’, or 25’ respectively).

WARD OF THUNDER c Ring/Mastery: Fire 4 (Defense, Ward, Thunder) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: 15’ radius from the armor c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: None
Osano-Wo’s protection can be temporarily invoked for a suit of armor by casting this spell and inscribing the kanji for thunder on the armor. Those within 15’ of the armor are under Osano-Wo’s care, and are completely protected from nonmagical ﬁ re and thunder for the duration of the spell. Additionally, any Fire spell cast by a shugenja other than yourself which targets something within the area of effect has its Spell Casting TN increased by 20.

FIRE, MASTERY LEVEL 5
DESTRUCTIVE WAVE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 5 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 25’ radius c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Damage (+1k1 per two Raises)
A highly potent offensive spell, originally devised by the Isawa Elemental Masters, this prayer summons up a great mass of Fire kami, which roll outward from the caster in a wave of searing ﬂ ames. Every target within the area of effect, whether friendly or hostile, takes 7k7 Wounds, for the raging ﬂ ames make no distinction between ally and enemy. You alone do not take damage from the spell.

EVERBURNING RAGE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 5 c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: One target c Duration: 1 Round c Raises: Duration (+1 Round), Targets (+1)
A powerful curse that infuses the target’s body with angry Fire spirits, wracking him with pain as the kami sear his nerves and ligaments. For the duration of the spell, the victim is considered to be at the Down Wound Level and suffers all associated penalties and conditions, although he takes no actual Wounds from the spell. When the spell expires, the pain instantly ceases and the target may stand up as if nothing had happened. This spell is somewhat controversial with some shugenja schools, particularly the more peaceful ones, since it amounts to little more than the deliberate inﬂ iction of pain. A few shugenja have even noted certain disturbing similarities between this spell’s effects and those of certain maho curses.

FOLLOW THE FLAME c Ring/Mastery: Fire 5 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: See below c Duration: 5 Rounds c Raises: Damage (+1k0 per Raise)
This spell grants you exceptional control of the nearby Fire kami, allowing you to coax them into a very unusual and terrifying attack. On the Round this spell is cast and every Round thereafter, you may declare a line of sight target within 300’ and send a stream of ﬁ re toward it that snakes along the ground. (On later Rounds, designating a target in this manner is a Simple Action.) The stream of ﬁ re moves at a rate of 75’ each Round and moves around impassable (or inﬂ ammable) barriers in order to reach its target. Once the ﬁ re reaches its destination, the target bursts into ﬂ ames, suffering 6k5 Wounds. The subject catches ﬁ re and takes half that many Wounds (rounded down) every subsequent Round until the ﬁ re is doused normally or the spell’s duration expires.

LIGHT OF THE SUN c Ring/Mastery: Fire 5 (Jade) c Range: 100’ c Area of Effect: 30’ radius c Duration: 10 rounds c Raises: None
This prayer invokes the power of the Sun, worshipped and venerated throughout Rokugan, and is an especial favorite among the Moshi family, although shugenja all across the Empire have learned it. The spell calls down a concentrated beam of pure sunlight to punish the unworthy. Everyone caught in the area of effect takes 2k2 Wounds per Round from the intense heat. Human targets (only) take an additional 2k1 Wounds for every Honor Rank they are below 4, and an additional 2k2 Wounds if they possess at least 1 Rank of the Shadowlands Taint or are controlled by the Lying Darkness. Human targets who have an Honor Rank of 0 are Blinded for a number of Rounds equal to your Fire Ring.

WINGS OF THE PHOENIX c Ring/Mastery: Fire 5 (Travel) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 10 Rounds c Raises: None
The Phoenix is one of the most powerful symbols of Fire known to the Rokugani, and this spell calls on the essence of that being to grant its caster the power of ﬂ ight. When this spell is cast, you summon clouds of Fire kami who take the form of giant wings sprouting from your back. You gain the ability to ﬂ y for the duration of the spell, moving at a speed of Water x 10 for a Free Action or Water x 20 for a Simple Action. If you are airborne when the spell expires, the Fire kami will bear you down to earth before departing.

FIRE, MASTERY LEVEL 6
BEAM OF THE INFERNO c Ring/Mastery: Fire 6 c Range: 200’ c Area of Effect: One Target c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: None
This is perhaps the deadliest single spell available to a shugenja, and one of the most fearsome spells ever developed in the Empire. The prayer invokes a tremendous blast of ﬁ re against the chosen target, who takes 10k10 Wounds. The spell puts all the Fire kami in the area into a state of agitation, and normal ﬁ res within range will burn hotter and more violently for many minutes after this spell is cast.

GLOBE OF THE EVERLASTING SUN c Ring/Mastery: Fire 6 (Defense) c Range: 500’ c Area of Effect: 1 mile c Duration: 1 day c Raises: None
This mighty prayer calls on all the Fire kami in the area to remain quiet and calm, soothing the agitation which so often afﬂ icts them. It is often invoked during major festivals, such as the crowning of a new Emperor. For the duration of the spell, all buildings within the area of effect are immune to the effects of magical ﬁ re, and all Fire spells cast within that area have the TN of their Spell Casting Rolls increased by 15. Normal ﬁ res will still ignite and burn, but they do so sluggishly, and do not spread easily.

THE SOUL’S BLADE c Ring/Mastery: Fire 6 (Craft) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target weapon c Duration: 5 Rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 Round per 3 Raises)
This spell imbues incredibly powerful Fire kami into a weapon, granting it the full fury of a raging ﬁ restorm. A bushi armed with this weapon is a terrible opponent, for the Fire spirits shock and daze his enemies with every blow. For the duration of the spell, the weapon will overcome Invulnerability, and every target hit with it is automatically Stunned

WATER SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 1
BO OF WATER c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 (Craft) c Range: Personal or 20’ (see below) c Area of Effect: One created weapon c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Damage (+1k0), Duration (+5 minutes), Range (+5 feet)
You summon a staff of pure water, as rigid as the real thing despite its ﬂ uid nature. The weapon’s default form is a bo, but one Raise can change its form to any other staff of your choosing. The weapon has DR 1k2. If you do not possess the Staves Skill, you may instead use your School Rank in its place. If you do possess the Staves Skill, using this weapon grants you one Free Raise that can only be used on the Knockdown Maneuver. This weapon disappears if it is lost from your hand. Instead of summoning the bo for yourself, you may cause it to appear in the hands of an ally within 20 feet. He is treated as the caster for all purposes of the spell, but he does not gain the Free Raise bonus.

CLARITY OF PURPOSE c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 (Battle) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 10’ radius around caster c Duration: 2 rounds c Raises: Area (+5’), Duration (+1 round per two Raises)
One of the many strengths of water is in its speed. All allies within the area of effect of this spell gain a bonus of +5 to their Initiative Scores for the duration of the spell.

EBBING STRENGTH c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 (Defense) c Range: 20’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: 3 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’)
Energy ﬂ ows through the universe just as water ﬂ ows through the mortal shell. You may send your energy to another, weakening yourself and strengthening them in the process. You may reduce any one of your Physical Traits by an amount up to your School Rank. The target of this spell increases the same Physical Trait by the same amount. If your Trait is reduced to 0 as a result of this spell, you immediately fall unconscious and the spell’s duration is reduced to 1 round. No Trait may be enhanced above double its normal rank by this spell.

PATH TO INNER PEACE c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: None
The water kami can inﬂ uence the ﬂ ow of water through the body, dramatically hastening the natural healing process. You can use this spell to heal Wounds that another individual has suffered. This spell restores a number of Wounds to the target equal to the amount by which the Spell Casting Roll exceeded the spell’s TN to cast.

REFLECTIONS OF PAN KU c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 (Divination) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One object c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: None
Divining the abilities of an object is among the simplest lessons a student of water learns in the temple. If this spell is successfully cast on an object, you automatically learn all powers and abilities that object possesses. This is most frequently used to identify any supernatural qualities an item possesses, such as a nemuranai or a cursed weapon, but it can also identify the spell contained within a shugenja’s prayer scroll. This spell will not allow a shugenja to read a scroll if it is written in a cipher he does not understand, but he can at least identify the spell in question. This spell will also grant the caster knowledge of the item’s origin in very broad strokes, such as where it was forged, the Clan of the individual who has carried it the longest, or something similar at the GM’s discretion.

REVERSAL OF FORTUNES c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 c Range: 10’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 3 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’)
Versatility is the domain of water, and those who carry its blessing reap the rewards. For the duration of this spell, the target may immediately re-roll any one roll per round. This must be done immediately after the ﬁ rst roll is completed, and the target may keep either result.

THE RUSHING WAVE c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 (Travel) c Range: 10’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 1 round c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’)
You can temporarily increase the speed of your target. This spell allows the target to make a Free Move Action of up his Water Ring x 10’ (instead of the normal x 5’). Without Raises for Duration, this beneﬁ t must be used on the target’s next Turn or it is lost.

SPEED OF THE WATERFALL c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 (Travel) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual or creature c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+10 minutes), Range (may increase to 10’ for two Raises)
Those ﬁ lled with the essence of water ﬁ nd their movement far faster than ever before. The target of this spell may move a total distance per round equal to their Water x 20’ plus an amount equal to twice your Water Ring. This spell does not grant the target additional movement, it simply increases the maximum possible amount they can move during a Round for the duration of the spell.

SPIRIT OF THE WATER c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 (Battle) c Range: 20’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’), Special (Increase additional action to Complex for 5 Raises)
The spirit of water is both ﬂ uid and rapid. The target gains one additional Simple Action during the Reactions Stage of the Round in which this spell is completed. This Action cannot be used to make an attack.

SYMPATHETIC ENERGIES c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: One target individual
c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’), Special (see below)
Energy ﬂ ows between all living things as water ﬂ ows through the earth. You may transfer any one existing spell effect from you to the willing target of this spell. With three Raises, you may transfer one spell effect from one willing target to another willing target. You cannot transfer spells between unwilling targets.

WATER SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 2
CLOAK OF THE MIYA c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 (Defense) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round)
You wrap yourself in the protective embrace of the wave. Your Armor TN is increased by an amount equal to your Water Ring plus your School Rank for the duration of this spell.

INARI’S BLESSING c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 (Craft) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Created sustenance c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Special (Enough food for one additional person per Raise)
Inari is the Fortune of Rice, and one of the most beloved of all divine entities throughout the Empire. This spell invokes Inari’s blessing, and creates nourishing food and drink at your command. This spell generates enough food and drink to sustain a number of individuals equal to your School Rank +1 for one day. Without Raises, this food is bland but sustaining, such as unﬂ avored rice and water, but with Raises, you can increase the quality of the food to seafood or tea at the GM’s discretion. The TN to cast this spell is doubled when in the Shadowlands.

REFLECTIVE POOL c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 (Divination) c Range: 10 miles c Area of Effect: Body of water / target location c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute), Range (+10 miles)
The inscrutable knowledge of water is a great boon to those who know the means by which it can be invoked. You may stare into a body of water, which may be as small as a puddle, and through it view a familiar location as if you were present, although you can only see what is taking place, not hear it. In order for a location to be familiar to you, you must either have spent a great deal of time there (your home, the dojo, a preferred temple, etc.), or have spent a minimum of ten minutes in meditation at the location. Any body of water can be used for this spell, but since the visions imparted are visual, images depicted will be clearer with larger bodies.

REJUVENATING VAPORS c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Targets (one additional person per 2 Raises)
Water washes away all that is impure, refreshing and reinvigorating all it touches. The target of this spell is instantly refreshed as if he had just arisen from a full night’s sleep. This does not restore spent Void Points, but can eliminate fatigue and exhaustion. When used on a shugenja, this spell does restore the spell slots associated with the Void Ring (which can be used for any elements), but not the spell slots associated with other Rings. Abilities that characters may use a limited number of times per day are not refreshed by this spell. No individual can beneﬁ t from Rejuvenating Vapors more than once within a 24-hour period.

STAND AGAINST THE WAVES c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 (Battle) c Range: 10’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (10’ per 3 Raises)
A samurai who possesses the speed and strength of the mighty river is a dangerous foe indeed. The target of this spell gains a Simple Action during the Reaction Stage of the current Combat Round. This action may only be used to make an attack. If the target is incapable of making an attack as a Simple Action, this spell grants him a Complex Action instead. This spell cannot award a shugenja the ability to cast a second spell in the same Round.

THE TIES THAT BIND c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 (Divination) c Range: 10 miles c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+2 miles)
Even the lightest touch forges a connection, and through the spirits of water that connection may be explored. This spell allows you to seek out the spirits of Water within a single, speciﬁ c object. You must be familiar with the object in question, either having spent a great deal of time around it or handled it personally. If the object is within the range of this spell, you will know the direction and relative distance it is from your current position.

WAVE-BORNE SPEED c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 (Travel) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 2 Rounds c Raises: None
The speed of the river can be imparted by knowledgeable shugenja. Your Water Ring is increased by 2 for the purposes of determining how far you may move as part of any Move Actions made during the present Round or the following Round.

WISDOM & CLARITY c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+30 minutes), Targets (may target another with 2 Raises)
By entreating the insight of the Water kami, a shugenja may dramatically increase his ability to perceive the world around him. For the duration of this spell, your reading speed doubles, and you will have perfect recall of everything read while under the inﬂ uence of this spell. This spell does not enhance comprehension, however, so any language or cipher you are not familiar with is still completely indecipherable.

WATER SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 3
NEAR TO ICE c Ring/Mastery: Water 3 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (increased to 10’ with 2 Raises)
As water grows durable and resistant with the coming winter, so too can the water within the human form become sterner and more durable. The target of this spell has all current Wound Penalties negated for the duration of the spell. Any additional penalties incurred take full effect, using the difference between the negated penalty and the new penalty as the effective penalty incurred. Wounds are not healed by this effect, they simply cease to inhibit those suffering from them.

REGROW THE WOUND c Ring/Mastery: Water 3 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Special (your Water is increased by 1 for the purposes of healing, per Raise)
Water ﬂ ows into all things, and ﬂ ows out. In ﬂ owing out, it can carry away that which is undesirable. The pain and suffering inﬂ icted by injuries can be channeled away from an individual, and cast into the inﬁ nite ocean where they are lost forever. The target of this spell recovers a number of Wounds equal to your Water Ring plus your School Rank each round the spell is in effect. You must touch the target when the spell is cast, but after that it may be maintained without physical contact.

SILENT WATERS c Ring/Mastery: Water 3 (Defense) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: Variable c Raises: None
The memory of the ocean is inﬁ nite, and its vast power can lay in wait for a very long time indeed. Upon completion of a successful casting of this spell, you may immediately cast a second spell of any element. This second spell must be a spell you can normally cast, and it must be of Mastery Level 3 or lower. If the second Spell Casting Roll is successful, the second spell is stored within you, and will not activate until a speciﬁ c physical effect takes place, which you specify at the time of the casting. The spell’s trigger could be that you speak a certain word, draw a blade, or fall in battle, for example. Whatever the trigger, when it occurs, the second spell immediately takes effect as if you had just ﬁ nished casting the spell. A character may never beneﬁ t from multiple uses of Silent Waters at one time. If a second use of the spell is cast on the same individual, the current “stored” spell is immediately dispelled and replaced with the new one.

STRIKE OF THE TSUNAMI c Ring/Mastery: Water 3 (Battle) c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: A cone originating from the caster, ten feet wide at the end c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Damage (+1k0), Range (+5’), Special (+5 to the Earth Roll TN per Raise)
Water is everywhere, and obeys the commands of its favored shugenja. You summon a crushing wave of water that overruns everything in its path. The wave inﬂ icts 3k3 Wounds on everything within the affected area, and all opponents within the area of effect must make an Earth Roll (TN 15) or suffer Knockdown. Obviously, everything within the area of effect is saturated with water.

VISIONS OF THE FUTURE c Ring/Mastery: Water 3 (Divination) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: None
Although not as reliable as the natural (if extremely rare) gift of foresight or the (equally rare) Void spells that enable divination, this spell still allows powerful visions of the future. It was ﬁ rst developed by the Tonbo family of the Dragonﬂ y Clan, and is found infrequently outside their ranks. The spell requires use of a large pool of still water into which you must gaze. Upon completion of the spell, you enter a brief trance, and see images of things that have not yet come to pass. These images are rarely direct, and
tend to be symbolic (violence is depicted as a scene of battle, for instance), but the events foreseen are completely accurate, and will come to pass unless prevented by your direct intervention. Only the shugenja casting this spell may see the events depicted in the vision. Many shugenja believe that use of this spell is a means of thwarting the natural order, and regard both it and those who make use of it negatively.

WALKING UPON THE WAVES c Ring/Mastery: Water 3 (Travel) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual (may be the caster) c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute), Targets (+1 individual per Raise)
The Water kami buoy those who carry their favor and grant them passage. The target of this spell may move across the surface of water as if it were solid ground (Basic Terrain). If the surface of the water is disturbed, as by a storm, rolling waves, or any other similar event, it counts as Difﬁ cult Terrain.

WATER KAMI’S BLESSING c Ring/Mastery: Water 3 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual (may be the caster) c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Special (your Water Ring is considered one rank higher per two Raises)
By calling upon the clarity of water, you can receive tremendous insight into the world around you. The target of this spell receives a bonus to all his Perception based rolls, whether Trait Rolls, Skill Rolls, or anything else, consisting of additional rolled dice equal to your Water Ring.

WATER SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 4
DOMINION OF SUITENGU c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 (Divination) c Range: 100 miles c Area of Effect: Two bodies of water c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Range (+10 miles)
The Fortune of the Sea is a wrathful entity, but one who nevertheless blesses those who entreat him properly. This spell, created by the Mantis clan, allows you to peer into a body of water, which must be at least one foot across and one inch deep, and see out of any other body of water anywhere in the Empire, so long as it is within range of the spell. This can be at any point along the seacoast, a lake, river, stream, or even a puddle, but you must know the location of the body of water you are targeting. You can see everything around that body of water as if you were submerged within it. You cannot hear what is taking place, only see it.

EBB & FLOW OF BATTLE c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 (Battle) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: All selected allies within 50’ radius of the caster c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round per two Raises)
Mobility is one of the greatest strengths of Water. In a skirmish or a battle, mobility is key to survival. This spell increases the movement speed of all allies within range. You may choose to exclude speciﬁ c allies from its effects if you choose. All those affected by the spell may move a distance equal to their Water Ring x 10 in feet as a Free Action (this is normally a Simple Action).

HEART OF THE WATER DRAGON c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: Target individuals equal to caster’s School Rank (may include the caster) c Duration: 1 round per School Rank c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Special (+1k0 healed per two Raises)
The Water Dragon is a benevolent entity, and his blessings are powerful. Any time that a target of this spell suffers damage during the duration, he instantly regains 1k1 Wounds.

THE PATH NOT TAKEN c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 1 day c Raises: Special (gain one bonus spell slot per ﬁ ve Raises)
No element can match the sheer versatility and adaptability of Water. Prior to casting this spell, you must select one Ring in which you will be temporarily weakened, and one in which you will be temporarily strengthened. Upon the successful conclusion of this spell, you may transfer a number of unused daily spell slots from the weakened Ring to the strengthened Ring. This spell lasts exactly one day, and then the effects are lost.

STRIKE OF THE FLOWING WATERS c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 c Range: 10’ c Area of Effect: One target individual (may be the caster) c Duration: 1 round c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’)
Water ﬂ ows over and through obstacles, and so too can those infused with its energy. The target of this spell may ignore bonuses to his opponents’ Armor TN conferred by worn armor, spell effects of Mastery Level 3 and below, and other nonTechnique mechanical effects. Against non-human creatures who do not wear armor, this allows the target to treat their
Armor TN as 5 lower. This spell does not negate the Reduction awarded by armor, nor does it ignore the increase to Armor TN conferred as a result of an individual adopting the Defense or Full Defense Stances.

SYMBOL OF WATER c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 (Ward) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: Special c Duration: Permanent c Raises: None
Priests of the kami are capable of inscribing powerful wards that invoke the power of the elements against all who attempt to pass them. A symbol of water can be inscribed on a solid object, most often a door, window, gate, or any other passageway. Anyone attempting to pass through this passageway or otherwise pass through the area is affected by the protective ward, and must succeed at a Contested Roll using their Fire against the caster’s Water. Those who fail are affected by a crippling terror, and must immediately roll against a Fear 7 effect. You may only have one Symbol of Water in existence at any time, and Symbol spells of different elements may never affect the same area. This spell may be dispelled by another casting of Symbol of Water from any shugenja, or by destroying the surface where the Symbol was etched.

WATER SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 5
EVER-CHANGING WAVES c Ring/Mastery: Water 5 (Illusion) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+1 hour)
Ultimate command over Water can allow ﬂ esh to ﬂ ow like liquid. This spell allows you to physically alter your mortal body, changing your shape to match that of another natural creature (see the Book of the Void for a list of the more common natural creatures found in Rokugan). While in this form, you keep your Mental Traits. For Physical Traits, you keep whichever is higher, yours or those of the animal into which you have transformed. Other natural abilities are gained as well, including natural weapons or sensory abilities. Some traditionalist shugenja sects look down upon this spell as unclean.

THE FINAL BOND c Ring/Mastery: Water 5 (Divination) c Range: Special c Area of Effect: One target object or individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: None
The greatest bonds can never be broken. This spell allows you to detect the location of one object or individual well known to you, regardless of their location. The object must be one you have spent a tremendous amount of time around, or have handled frequently in the past. If the target of the spell is an individual, it must be someone well known to you, such as a member of your immediate family or a close friend. You instantly know their approximate location anywhere in the Empire. This is not an exact location, but sufﬁ cient to tremendously narrow any search (for example, “the city of Ryoko Owari Toshi,” or “the northern reaches of the Shinomen Mori”). If the target is outside the Empire of Rokugan, the spell automatically fails.

HANDS OF THE TIDES c Ring/Mastery: Water 5 (Battle, Travel) c Range: 100’ radius centered on the caster c Area of Effect: Targets up to caster’s Water Ring c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Area (+10’), Targets (+1 per 2 Raises)
The exchange of energy via Water is a simple matter that can ultimately lead to the exchange of ﬂ esh as well. Within the area of effect of this spell, you may choose a number of willing targets up to your Water Ring. You may switch the positions among those targets as you see ﬁ t, exchanging one for another. At the end of the spell, there must be a person in every position that was occupied when the spell began, but who is located where can vary depending upon the number of people affected.

POWER OF THE OCEAN c Ring/Mastery: Water 5 (Defense) c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: A number of days equal to your School Rank c Raises: Duration (+1 day per three Raises)
Perhaps the greatest gift Water can bestow requires a powerful shugenja to impart it to others. This spell is a complex ritual that requires an hour to cast, and can only be cast upon a willing target. For the duration of the spell, the target requires no food, drink, or sleep. A number of times during the duration equal to your School Rank, the target may replenish his Void Points as a Simple Action; this is the equivalent of recovering Void Points via a full night of rest. The target also recovers a number of Wounds per hour equal to twice your Water Ring. If the target of this spell is a shugenja, he regains all expended spell slots at sunrise, regardless of whether he has had any rest. After the spell expires, the target lapses into a state of complete exhaustion. This lasts for exactly half the duration of the spell effect. During this time, the target cannot take any signiﬁ cant physical action, and can only move about sluggishly. Travel is completely impossible.

SUITENGU’S EMBRACE c Ring/Mastery: Water 5 (Thunder) c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’)
The Fortune of the Sea is wrathful, and requires little prompting by his loyal adherents to smite another. By invoking the Water kami, you can ﬁ ll a target’s lungs with seawater, crippling and potentially killing them. If the spell is cast successfully, the target can take no actions other than to attempt
to resist the spell. For all intents and purposes, the target is reduced to the Down Wound Level in terms of his ability to take actions. Each round he must make a Stamina Roll (TN 15) to resist. If the target makes three total successes, he spends one additional round vomiting up seawater, and then is fully recovered. However, if the target suffers two consecutive failures, he has fallen unconscious and will die within 1 minute unless some form of magical or medical intervention is made. Although means of combating drowning are not well known in Rokugan, it is possible to save an individual incapacitated by this spell by making a successful Medicine / Intelligence roll at TN 50.

WATER SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 6
PEACE OF THE KAMI c Ring/Mastery: Water 6 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: None
The ultimate benevolence of the Water Dragon is without measure. The target is instantly cured of all diseases, his system purged of any and all poisons, and all Wounds are completely healed.

RISE, WATER c Ring/Mastery: Water 6 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One summoned spirit c Duration: Concentration c Raises: None
The sea itself will take form to defend you. The ultimate actualization of the Summon spell, this spell summons a massive kami of pure water to serve you. It takes the form of a vaguely humanoid shape, roughly ten feet in height, with an outline that constantly shifts and changes due to its ﬂ uid construction. The kami may move up to 15’ x your Water per round, and saturates the ground in a 20’ radius around it, ensuring that all terrain in that area is at least Moderate Terrain (unless it was already Difﬁ cult). The manifest kami is treated as if it has all Physical Traits equal to your Water Ring, and attacks with a Jiujutsu Skill Rank equal to half your Water Rank. Damage from these attacks has a DR equal to your Water Ring. For purposes of taking damage, the spirit is considered to have Wounds as though it were a human with Earth equal to your Water Ring, but suffers no Wound penalties. It is Invulnerable (see the creature rules in the Book of Void for details of this ability). If it is successfully reduced to zero Wounds, it is dispelled.

WATER’S SWEET CLARITY c Ring/Mastery: Water 6 (Divination) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Target body of water c Duration: 3 rounds c Raises: NoneThe greatest form of augury is one that speaks directly and allows others to witness it. By focusing your energy on a still body of water, you can invoke powerful visions of the future based upon your questions. You may ask one question, and the waters will reveal the answer. The answer takes the form of three separate images, which may be connected in any number of ways, including events occurring over time, or perhaps three facets of a single event. Unlike other forms of augury, others may witness these visions as well.

VOID SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 1
BOUNDLESS SIGHT c Ring/Mastery: Void 1 c Range: 50 miles c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 4 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5 miles)
The most essential lesson of the ishiken is that all is linked through the Void, and through the Void all can be perceived. By focusing your energy, you can look through the veil and see another location as if you were standing there. This location must be familiar to you, and you must have been there at least once before. For the duration of the spell, you can see and hear all that transpires in the other location, but you may not be detected and you may not interact with things or individuals there in any way. During this spell, your body is in a trance-like state that leaves you highly vulnerable to attack (your Armor TN is reduced to 5).

DRAWING THE VOID c Ring/Mastery: Void 1 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Special (+1 Void Point gained per three Raises)
The ability to reach into the Void itself and gain strength from it is a vital lesson in the training of all ishiken. Upon completion of this spell, you gain a number of additional Void Points equal to your School Rank plus one. If these Void Points take you above the number you may normally possess, then you lose one of the extra Void Points every Round that you do not spend one.

FLOW THROUGH THE VOID c Ring/Mastery: Void 1 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: Up to one cubic foot of pure elemental matter c Duration: Permanent c Raises: Area (+1 cubic foot)
In the Void, all things are equal, all one and none. By tapping into this connection, you may transform a small amount of pure elemental matter – water, ﬁ re, air, or earth in the form of dirt or soil – into any one other element.

SEE THROUGH LIES c Ring/Mastery: Void 1 c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: Target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’), Special (one additional Advantage/Disadvantage per Raise)
The patterns that comprise all things in the Void exist in individuals as well, and with training, ishiken can recognize them. You learn the highest point Advantage or highest point Disadvantage (your choice) possessed by the target of this spell.

SENSE VOID c Ring/Mastery: Void 1 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: 25’ radius around the caster c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Area (+5’ radius)
Life is evident in the Void like the stars in the night sky. This spell causes you to enter a trance during which you become aware of the existence and location of all living creatures within the radius of the spell. Although you are aware of their location, you cannot see them or any details. You would know if there were three humans waiting outside the castle wall, for instance, but you would not recognize them other than to know that they were present. This also gives you information regarding non-sentient, natural living creatures. Spirits and Shadowlands creatures are recognizable as a gap in your awareness, although this spell cannot recognize Tainted humans as anything other than humans.

TOUCH THE EMPTINESS c Ring/Mastery: Void 1 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’)
The sensation of experiencing the Void ﬁ rsthand can be extremely disturbing for those unaccustomed to it. The target of this spell suffers 1k1 damage and is Dazed.

THE VOID’S CARESS c Ring/Mastery: Void 1 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
Although beginning students of ishiken-do cannot affect the pattern of the Void, they can make very short-term alterations to it. You may negate any one Mental or Spiritual Disadvantage the target of this spell possesses, up to a maximum of 5 points in value. The Shadowlands Taint may not be removed via this spell, although the mental disorders that can be caused by it can be temporarily alleviated.

WITNESS THE UNTOLD c Ring/Mastery: Void 1 (Divination) c Range: 15’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 3 rounds c Raises: Range (+5’)
It is possible to gain ﬂ eeting glimpses of things that have not yet happened by peering through the Void. If you are delaying your action, you may interrupt the target of this spell after he has declared his action but before he has taken his action when his Turn comes up. This may be done during each Round for the duration of the spell. (Normally someone delaying their Action cannot interrupt the Action of another participant.)

VOID SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 2
ALTERING THE COURSE c Ring/Mastery: Void 2 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
Ishiken have a much greater capacity to draw upon the Void than others, and may do it consciously rather than unconsciously. You may spend multiple Void Points on any roll made within the duration of this spell. It still must be a roll on which the expenditure of Void Points is allowable (no damage rolls may be augmented via this spell, for example).

DRINK OF YOUR ESSENCE c Ring/Mastery: Void 2 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’)
As an ishiken grows more powerful, he can gain more information from examining an individual’s pattern within the Void. You learn a great deal of information about the target of this spell, including his individual Rings (but not Traits), his current Wound penalties, and a one word summation of his present mood (“hostile,” “sorrowful,” “confused,” etc.).

THE EMPTY VOICE c Ring/Mastery: Void 2 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 5 minutes c Raises: None
Drawing on the essence of everything allows an ishiken to invoke the kami with far greater ease than normal. For the duration of this spell, you may cast spells of other elements without speaking your prayers aloud. This applies only to spells of equal or lower Mastery Level (any spell of Mastery Level 1 or 2).

FALSE WHISPERS c Ring/Mastery: Void 2 c Range: 30’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: None
Mingling the Void of two beings, even for just a moment, can lead to one of the two being manipulated if he is not prepared for it. The target of this spell will repeat the next sentence you say, verbatim, without any foreknowledge of what he is doing. They speak the words in their own normal voice, regardless of how you speak it. This effect will not allow others to cast spells, even if you have them recite a portion of a spell. This spell only allows the effect once, the ﬁ rst time you speak a single sentence during the duration of the spell.

REACH THROUGH THE VOID c Ring/Mastery: Void 2 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: Target object, up to ﬁ ve pounds in weight c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Area (+1 pound per two Raises), Range (+5’)
All things, both living and unliving, exist within the Void, and can be touched through it. You can manipulate items through the Void, moving them without touching them. These items are small, usually only up to only ﬁ ve pounds, although a powerful shugenja can Raise enough to move somewhat heavier items.

SEVERED FROM THE STREAM c Ring/Mastery: Void 2 c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 5 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round), Range (+5’)
Talented ishiken can rob others of their ability to tap into the Void, if only temporarily. If this spell is successful, the target must succeed at a Contested Void Roll against you before they are able to spend any Void Points. This roll does not count as an action for the target, and they must succeed at only one Contested Roll per turn, even if they are spending multiple Void Points per turn as a result of a Technique or other ability.

VOID SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 3
ECHOES IN THE VOID c Ring/Mastery: Void 3 c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Concentration c Raises: Range (+5’)
Thoughts are as whispers in the Void, if one knows how to listen. As long as this spell is in effect and you maintain concentration on one target within the area of effect, you can hear what that person is thinking. How this manifests may
vary depending upon the individual. Stalwart warriors may have short, curt statements summarizing their thoughts, while artisans may think in terms of poetry.

KHARMIC INTENT c Ring/Mastery: Void 3 c Range: 20’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 10 minutes c Raises: Duration (+1 minute), Range (+5’)
Links forged of the Void allow the passage of enormous energy, the substance of the universe itself, between those who share it. You may target any one willing individual with this spell. All remaining Void Points either of you possess are placed in a single pool, which either of you may draw upon as normal. Essentially, this spell allows two individuals to share Void Points back and forth as they see ﬁ t. This also allows ishiken to share the additional Void Points they gain from other Void spells. At the end of the spell’s Duration, all remaining Void Points are divided between the participants, up to their normal maximum number.

MOMENT OF CLARITY c Ring/Mastery: Void 3 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 2 rounds c Raises: Duration (+1 round)
The entirety of human achievement is reﬂ ected in the Void. You may select any one Skill. You gain temporary ranks in this Skill equal to your Void Ring. If you already posses ranks in this Skill, the new level of Skill replaces your old one; the two are not cumulative.

READ THE ESSENCE c Ring/Mastery: Void 3 (Divination) c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: One target object c Duration: Instantaneous (but see below) c Raises: None
Even objects have resonance, and retain some memory of those who hold them, and events that take place involving them. By meditating upon an object, you can gain a vision of the individual who held it last, or of a major event that might have involved it in some manner. Using this spell on a calligraphy brush, for example, might show the last person who used it to write a letter. Using it on a weapon might instead show the last death it was used to inﬂ ict. The GM has ultimate authority over what vision the spell imparts. Extremely important objects, such as ancestral weapons or standards, may have powerful visions that grip the caster for longer periods of time, rather than imparting simple instantaneous visions.

VOID RELEASE c Ring/Mastery: Void 3 c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’)
Most are ignorant of the Void coursing within them, and do not realize that it can be stolen away. You must make a Contested Void Roll against the target of this spell. If successful, the target loses one Void Point, and you gain one Void Point. An additional point is exchanged for every increment of 5 by which you exceed the target’s roll. These temporary Void Points may take you above the maximum number of Void Points you may have, but they expire within one hour if not used. This spell cannot be used on a creature who does not have Void Points, or which has some other mechanical effect that substitutes for Void (such as Naga Akasha or Ratling Name).

VOID SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 4
BALANCE OF ELEMENTS c Ring/Mastery: Void 4 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual (may be the caster) c Duration: 5 rounds / 5 minutes (see below) c Raises: Duration (+1 round / +1 minute, see below), Special (+1k1 Wounds per two Raises)
Flaws in the great pattern of the Void can be overcome, no matter how severe. You may negate all Disadvantages of the target for the duration of the spell. Negative effects inﬂ icted from spells (such as TN penalties, Armor TN reduction, or Trait/Ring reduction) are negated as well, as long as the Mastery Level of the spell causing the penalty is 3 or less. If used during the taxing environment of combat, the duration of this spell is extremely limited (5 rounds). In non-combat situations, however, the effects of the spell can last signiﬁ cantly longer (5 minutes). This temporary replenishing of the target’s pattern also heals 3k3 Wounds.

DRAW CLOSED THE VEIL c Ring/Mastery: Void 4 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target spirit c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’), Targets (+1 spirit per Raise)
The emptiness that is the Void is part and parcel of what separates the various spirit realms from one another, and it is possible to strengthen it in certain areas. You may target any one spirit not native to the mortal realm of Ningen-do. That spirit is banished to its home realm for a minimum amount of time equal to your Void Ring in months. Spirits that possess a physical body in the mortal realm, such as oni or certain shapeshifter spirits, require a Contested Willpower Roll for this spell to affect them. Spirits that are signiﬁ cantly more powerful than you are (GM’s discretion) may prove immune to the effects of this spell.

FILL WITH EMPTINESS c Ring/Mastery: Void 4 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (may be increased to 10’ with three Raises)
Strengthening an individual’s connection to the Void can replenish their reserves of inner energy. The target of this spell regains all lost Void Points, up to their normal maximum number.

VOID STRIKE c Ring/Mastery: Void 4 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+5’), Special (+1k0 damage per two Raises)
The mortal shell can endure only so much direct contact with the Void; too much, and the ﬂ esh can be destroyed by the exposure. This spell inﬂ icts damage with a DR equal to your Void Ring.

VOID SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 5
DIVIDE THE SOUL c Ring/Mastery: Void 5 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: 1 minute c Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
The true mysteries of the Void are beyond the comprehension of non-ishiken. Using this spell, you may divide your soul across the Void, and exist in two places in the mortal realm simultaneously. The second “you” appears anywhere you might wish within your sight when you cast the spell. You have full knowledge of all that happens in both locations, and may take any normal actions in either place (both manifestations may take actions simultaneously as if they were two separate individuals). Only one manifestation may make a Spell Casting Roll per round. Any Wounds suffered by either manifestation are combined when the spell ends, and if either of your selves dies, both die.

REFORGE c Ring/Mastery: Void 5 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One object c Duration: Permanent c Raises: None
All is one and one is all. You may take any single object and transform it into any other object of comparable size. This will only work on an object that is uniform in its construction, rather than assembled from multiple pieces. This spell will not affect living material. Although the effect of this spell is permanent, it can be reversed by a second casting on the same object, even by a different ishiken.

UNBOUND ESSENCE c Ring/Mastery: Void 5 c Range: 25’ c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: 1 hour c Raises: Duration (+1 hour), Range (+5’)
Tampering with the pattern of another being’s Void can result in catastrophic changes to their abilities. The target’s Rings are reordered at random, along with their Traits. For instance, a target might exchange his Air Ring for his Fire Ring, and his Water Ring for his Earth Ring for the duration of this spell. Mental and Physical Traits exchange their values if those values are greater than the Ring. In the above example, if your target has Air 3 and Reﬂ exes 4, he would instead have Fire 3 and Agility 4, with his values for those Traits reassigned to his Air and Reﬂ exes.

VOID SPELLS, MASTERY LEVEL 6
RING OF THE VOID c Ring/Mastery: Void 6 c Range: Personal c Area of Effect: Self c Duration: Concentration (requires one hour to cast) c Raises: Duration (-5 minutes to casting time)
Rare and extraordinarily powerful, even by shugenja standards, this prayer calls on the unique favor of the dragon whose domain the ishiken tread: the Void Dragon. Unlike most spells, this is not something that is taught by others, but rather is simply learned through insight by those capable
of casting it (and as such it has no scroll associated with it). This spell, more of a meditation ritual, actually allows you to commune with the Void Dragon itself, a feat few mortals have ever managed to perform successfully. During your brief moments of contact with this divine entity, you may ask it questions as you see ﬁ t. The Void Dragon knows all that can be known, although it is under no particular compulsion to answer you directly, or even at all. Respect must be maintained at all times, for those who have attempted this feat in the past and failed to pay homage to their patron have ceased to exist altogether.

RISE FROM THE ASHES c Ring/Mastery: Void 6 c Range: Touch c Area of Effect: One target individual c Duration: Instantaneous (requires one hour to cast) c Raises: Special (+1 hour of regression per Raise)
Everything that exists has a pattern in the Void, a thread woven in the tapestry that is existence. By recalling the memory of that pattern, you can reverse recent effects that have happened to a living creature. When you cast this spell on an individual, you are essentially restoring their existence within the Void in accordance with their previous self. Upon completion of the spell, the person is immediately restored to the state they were in eight hours prior to when the spell was begun. Any injuries suffered during this time, the effects of diseases or poisons, even the acquisition of supernatural conditions such as the Shadowlands Taint or corruption by the Lying Darkness, can be undone in this manner. Upon the completion of this spell, you lose all Void Points, and you may not regain Void Points for a period of three days, after which they will begin to recover at one Void Point per day until you have your maximum normal amount again. This spell cannot be used to restore someone who has died.

UNMAKE THE WORLD c Ring/Mastery: Void 6 c Range: 50’ c Area of Effect: One target creature, individual, or object c Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Range (+10’)
The most powerful and terrifying ability of those who command the Void is the ability to destroy the bonds that exist between the ﬁ ve elements. By eradicating the bonds between existing elements, you can effectively cause one object or creature to cease to exist. When you cast this spell on a living creature, you must succeed at a Contested Roll using your Void against the target’s Earth. If you are successful, they are instantly killed, and their remains disappear into the Void. Success is automatic against a non-magical object, but attempting to destroy an awakened object, such as a nemuranai, may have dire ramiﬁ cations at the GM’s discretion (the kami contained within an awakened object frequently respond very poorly to this manner of attack, for instance).

Enemies of the Empire
Air
Mastery 3
MASTER CLOUD’S EYES
c Ring/Mastery: Air 3
c Range: 50'
c Area of Effect: One target creature
c Duration: 2 minutes
c Raises: Duration (+1 minute)

The kami can share the vision of others. You may view the world through the eyes of another living creature within your line of sight. You only see, you do not experience any of the target’s other senses, and you have no control over what the target looks at. For the duration of this spell, any Perception based rolls you make for your own body suffer a –2k2 penalty, due to the distraction created by the spell.

Mastery 6
THE WORLD IS TRUTH
c Ring/Mastery: Air 6
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: One target person
c Duration: 1 month c Raises: Duration (1 additional month per 3 Raises)

This secret spell is an important element in the Kolat’s methods for creating sleeper agents, but even when used by itself it is a potent weapon in the conspiracy’s arsenal. The Kolat typically use this spell when it is vitally necessary to conceal their operations without actually killing someone – typically because the person in question is too important to be easily disposed of. Casting this spell requires the caster to hold the target by the head and focus on him for 8 hours uninterrupted; typically, the target will be bound to prevent interruptions. If contact with the target is broken for more than 3 minutes the spell will fail. At the end of 8 hours the shugenja makes a Contested Insight/ Air roll against the target. If the shugenja wins the roll, the target’s thoughts and memories are rewritten and rearranged in whatever way the caster prefers. Mental Advantages and Disadvantages cannot be changed, but the target may be made to think he is someone else, to forget something that happened, to remember events or persons differently, and so forth. (This does not grant any Skill ranks, Techniques, or other actual capabilities. The target may believe he is the Elemental Master of Fire but this will not make him capable of casting spells.)

Water
Mastery 4
THE MIRROR’S SMILE
c Ring/Mastery: Water 4
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: Caster
c Duration: 1 Day
c Raises: Special (cast after only seeing the target’s face once, 4 Raises)

You call on the Water kami to make your face become that of another person. This is not an illusion but an actual change to the ﬂ esh and bone, re-molding your face to match that of the other person. This is a painful experience and it takes several minutes for the kami to complete the re-shaping. Normally, casting this spell requires you to be familiar with the face of the target (you must have studied it for at least 8 hours), although with enough Raises you can take on a face you have seen only once. Your face looks exactly like the target’s face, to the point where even close friends and family members will believe you are the target. However, this spell only affects the face, not the rest of the body or the hair. Scars, birthmarks, and other identifying features elsewhere on the body must be replicated or hidden if the deception is to succeed. Also, this spell does not change your voice.

Imperial Histories 2
No Element
Mastery 1
COMMAND
c Ring/Mastery: All 1
c Range: 30’
c Area of Effect: 1 cubic foot of affected material
c Duration: Permanent
c Raises: Area (+1 cubic foot), Range (+10’), Special

A controversial spell devised by Iuchi during the Ki-Rin Clan’s exile, this spell eschews the traditional method of entreating and praying to the elemental spirits in favor of commanding the Elements directly. Outside of Rokugan, where the kami were quiet or altogether silent, this spell was used to great effect, but inside the Empire, it brings the wrath of the spirits down upon the unwary. This spell can be cast in any of the four standard elements. Once this spell is cast, the caster may create a quantity of the element in question (per the Summon spell) or affect the shape of an existing quantity of that element. A stone table, for example, could be commanded to break, or change its shape so that it is round instead of square. The GM may require Raises for more complex uses of this spell (such as attempting to create a complex shape out of fire). Using this spell within Rokugan (or anywhere that the elemental kami exist) can be dangerous, as it forces the will of the caster over the spirits rather than beseeching their aid. Every use of this spell increases all of the caster’s Spellcasting rolls in the commanded element for the next 24 hours to be at +5TN. This spell may also be used in place of Commune roll when Importuning. If this is done, the Spellcraft roll is automatically successful, but the penalty for casting spells of that Element is +10 to the TN rather than +5 (including the spell being Importuned) if in Rokugan.

Air
Mastery 2
BLESSED WIND OF LADY SUN
c Ring/Mastery: Air 2 (Ward)
c Range: Self c Area of Effect: 10 square feet around caster
c Duration: Concentration
c Raises: Area (5 square feet).

While the Crane would go without an organized shugenja family or order until the Asahina would be founded centuries after the clan’s founding, a few of Doji’s followers had a talent for speaking with the kami. They focused on the arts of peace and meditation, and this spell was one of their first attempts to bring the harmony of the Elements to a samurai. While this spell is active, all rolls based on Void and Awareness gain a +1k0 bonus when made within the area of effect, and all hostile actions suffer a -1k0 penalty. Hostile actions based on Awareness (such as threatening someone with Intimidation) suffer a -2k0 penalty instead of the previous, self-negating, effects. The caster of this spell may use the Meditation Skill without breaking the concentration required to maintain it.

HEART BETRAYS EYES
c Ring/Mastery: Air 2
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: One individual
c Duration: Three rounds
c Raises: Duration (One round), Range (10’)
An early attempt to use the magic of Air to gain advantage against the unwary, the Soshi family devised this spell to delay those who had stumbled upon their Clan’s machinations, or to cover their tracks. Once this spell is cast, the next thing the victim sees that seems unusual or out of the ordinary instead appears completely normal to them. This does not change the victim’s reaction, it simply clouds their perceptions such that they believe they are seeing something they expect to see, or at least something not unusual at all. A guard under the influence of this spell, for example, might walk through his regular patrol and see an undisturbed room rather than the ransacked mess a thief had left behind. This spell only affects vision, so the victim is allowed an Investigation roll against a TN of the caster’s Air x 5 if there are subtle clues betraying the illusion (such as stepping on a bit of spilled sake). Any major clues (such as screaming coming from the changed scene or tripping over an object covered by the illusion) ends the effect immediately.

Earth
Mastery 3
EARTHEN WAVE
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3
c Range: Self
c Area of Effect: One 10` x 50` area
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Area (5 feet to either dimension per Raise)

Developed by the Kuni as a way to deal with the swarming masses of Shadowlands beasts they would frequently encounter, this spell sends a rolling shockwave through the ground, knocking the unsteady from their feet. The shugenja chooses a direction, and this force shakes the ground immediately in that direction in an area of effect based on the spell and any Raises. All creatures caught in the area of effect must make a Contested roll with their Strength against the Caster’s Earth Ring or be knocked prone as if they had been hit with a Knockdown maneuver. Creatures with more than two legs gain two Free Raises on this roll.

Fire
Mastery 1
ELEMENTAL CRUCIBLE
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1
c Range: Touch
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Area (1 cubic foot)

A precursor to the secret elemental transformation spell that Agasha would devise later, this spell stripped a touched object of unwanted Elements, leaving a single Element behind. When the spell is cast, the caster declares a single Element (except Void) that he wishes to reveal. The rest of the elements are destroyed in a fashion appropriate to their type (water boils out, earth crumbles, fire dissipates, air creates a vacuum), leaving behind the desired element. The loss of certain elements may have different effects, based on the item. A lack of water means an item might lose any pliability or movement, a lacking earth means the object becomes brittle, and so on. The form of this remaining element is left to the GM, and the GM may rule that certain objects (such as a katana) have too many closely intertwined elements to be affected by this spell. This spell may only affect a single object of 1 cubic foot in total size, plus an additional cubic foot per Raise.

Void
Mastery 2
BALANCE IN ALL
c Ring/Mastery: Void 2
c Range: Self
c Area of Effect: Self
c Duration: One Round
c Raises: Duration (One Round)
One of the most powerful lessons the Isawa took from the Tao of Shinsei was a deeper understanding of the connection between the various Elements. With this insight, their gifted Void shugenja were able to manipulate these connections to further their spellcasting potential before exhausting themselves. Once this spell is cast, you may cast spells of any given Element as if they were a different Element - affecting the Ring that is used to roll it, the number of spells of that Element you may cast per day, and any relevant Affinity, Deficiency, or other mechanics. The GM should feel free to interpret how using different Elements for a spell might affect the spell in various ways - a Katana of Fire cast as an Air spell, for example, might create a blade of nearly invisible, burning wind.

Water
Mastery 2
JUDGEMENT OF YOMI
c Ring/Mastery: Water 2
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: One individual
c Duration: Concentration (Special)
c Raises: Range (10’), Targets (+1)

While the Lion are known for practically refusing to bring shugenja to battle in most circumstances, the first human Kitsu devised several spells to protect them in combat during the tumultuous time of the early Empire. This spell is one such way in which the Kitsu believed that the spirits of those who came before would be ready to judge and punish the unworthy. When this spell is cast, the target immediately feels the gaze of the Realm of Blessed Ancestors upon them - indeed, the Kitsu was able to bring the attention of the restful dead upon their enemies practically at will. Those who are judged unworthy find their strength sapped and themselves forced away from the caster. If the target is human, for every Social or Spiritual Disadvantage the victim possesses, he suffers a -1k0 on all physical Skill checks. In addition, he must make an Honor check at a TN of 20 or find he cannot move any closer to the caster than the maximum range of this spell (but is not pushed back if he is already closer). There are no other penalties for failing this Honor check. The penalties of this spell last for a full Round, or for as long as the caster maintains concentration on its effects.

Secrets of the Empire
Void
Mastery 4
DART OF VOID
c Ring/Mastery: Void 4
c Range: 100’
c Area of Effect: One target creature
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Range (+100’ per Raise), Targets (+1 target per two Raises, maximum targets equal to your Void Ring)

The Dart of Void spell was created by the shugenja Ekuro in his famous battle. The spell has been preserved as a secret of the Order of Five Weapons, but it is believed the Phoenix may also have the spell in their libraries, and it is possible other shugenja families have copies as well. Casting this spell requires spending a Void Point; the spell summons forth a missile of pure Void which flies out and unerringly strikes any one target within range. The Dart inflicts damage with a DR equal to your Void. This damage ignores Invulnerability and Reduction from all sources.

The Book of Air
Air
Mastery 1
ARROW'S FLIGHT
o Ring/Mastery: Air 1 [Battle]
o Range: Touch
o Area of Effect: One arrow
o Duration: 3 Rounds
o Raises: Duration (+1 Round per Raise), Special (one additional arrow per Raise)

A prayer used by shugenja to aid bushi when an arrow absolutely must hit its target. The shugenja entreats the Air kami to play a game by guiding a single arrow to its target. The prayer imbues these kami into an arrow, and if the arrow is fired within the duration of the spell, it will unerringly strike its target. (It must still be fired by someone with a minimal understanding of archery—at least one Rank of Kyujutsu.) However, because it is the kami who ultimately ensure the arrow will hit, the shot cannot benefit from the effects of Raises or Techniques.

GATHERING SWIRL
o Ring/Mastery: Air 1
o Range: Centered on caster
o Area of Effect: 20’ radius from caster
o Duration: 1 Round o Raises: Area of Effect (+5’ radius per two Raises)

This spell, most often found in the scroll-satchels of magistrates and their assistants, seems to be a simpler version of the same prayer used for Freedom of the Air. It causes the Air kami to blow furiously through the area of effect, and while initially this seems to produce nothing but chaos, within a few moments the winds gather several unattended items and deposit them in a neat stack (though not an organized one) at whatever location within the area the caster might desire, including in someone’s hands if that is preferable. The caster must name the items to be collected when the spell is cast, and only those items will be collected—a convenient way to gather scattered papers, find a note buried under a pile, or otherwise retrieve something important with a minimum of effort. It can also be used, more cleverly, to retrieve a concealed or hidden item, a use which magistrates find quite valuable. However, it cannot be used to snatch items from someone else’s grasp or person—the Air spirits consider that to spoil the fun.

VOICE OF THE WIND
o Ring/Mastery: Air 1
o Range: Touch
o Area of Effect: One target person (may be the caster)
o Duration: 10 minutes
o Raises: Range (change to 20’ for 2 Raises), Duration (+2 minutes per Raise)

The kami of Air are fond of sounds, which are carried through their Element, and can lend their power to strengthen the beauty, passion, and conviction of the human voice. The recipient of this spell finds his or her voice gains timbre, depth, and resonance, becoming in every way more impressive. For the duration of the spell, the target benefits from the Voice Advantage (if he already has Voice, the benefits stack) and also gains a +1k0 bonus to any Social Skill Rolls that involve speech.

Mastery 2
ELEMENTAL CIPHER
o Ring/Mastery: Air 2 [Illusion]
o Range: Touch
o Area of Effect: One written page
o Duration: One month
o Raises: Duration (1 additional week per Raise), Area of Effect (1 additional page per Raise)

Understanding the ways of the Air reveals the indistinct line that exists between language and cipher. A shugenja can cause a piece of writing to be placed under an elemental cipher, enticing the kami to play a small game with those who read the text. The block of text becomes completely unintelligible unless read by the original author or the intended recipient, whose name is whispered as the spell is cast. Normally, an Elemental Cipher is not breakable by traditional decrypting and the kami will only reveal the true text to the intended recipient. However, other shugenja can decipher the kami’s game and read the text by making a Spellcraft / Intelligence roll with a TN equal to the total of the original spell-casting roll. This spell is known only to the Imperial families, and is a favored spell of the Seppun shugenja (whose School Technique benefits from it).

FLIGHT OF DOVES
o Ring/Mastery: Air 2 [Illusion]
o Range: 25’
o Area of Effect: Story told by one target person
o Duration: 10 minutes o Raises: Range (+5 feet per Raise), Duration (5 minutes per Raise)

This spell was originally devised by the Shiba Illusionists, and is one of their few significant contributions to the ways of magic in Rokugan. In keeping with the traditions of the Shiba Illusionists, this spell is intended primarily for entertainment, but it can sometimes have more practical applications (such as helping a courier describe his experiences to his lord). The spell invokes the Air kami to “illustrate” a story being recounted by another individual (designated by the caster). The spirits will supply a visual and auditory illusion to accompany the story, drawing the sounds and images from the mind of the storyteller. The resulting blend of story, sound, and imagery can be quite compelling, and Kakita storytellers have been known to seek out masters of this spell to assist their art.

FREEDOM OF THE AIR
o Ring/Mastery: Air 2 [Wards]
o Range: 50’
o Area of Effect: One house or other residential building
o Duration: Hours equal to caster’s Air
o Raises: Area of Effect (3 Raises to affect a building as large as an inn, 6 Raises to affect a castle)

A cleansing ritual used by shugenja when preparing a house or other building for an important even such as a wedding or a festival. The spell entreats the Air kami to raise a soft but carefully controlled wind which sweeps all the dirt, insects, and other filth out of the building. The spell also has a spiritually purifying effect, making evil or malignant spirits reluctant to remain within the dwelling— any kansen, ghosts, or other hostile disembodied spirits within the building will leave for a number of hours equal to the caster’s Air. (Evil spirits which are exceptionally strong or which have an extremely strong attachment to the building cannot be banished by this basic spell, however—it is the GM’s discretion whether a spirit is strong enough to resist Freedom of the Air.) This spell was originally devised by the Seppun shugenja, but due to its great usefulness it later spread across the Empire. The Seppun Shugenja School technique may be applied to this spell.

QUIESCENCE OF AIR
o Ring/Mastery: Air 2 [Wards] Ninube shugenja may cast Quiescence of Air as a Nothing spell.
o Range: Caster
o Area of Effect: 30 foot diameter sphere
o Duration: 10 Rounds
o Raises: Range (change to 50’ for 2 Raises), Duration (+3 Rounds per Raise)

Security in communication is of paramount importance in many situations, and shugenja often find themselves in situations where a conversation is intended to be completely private, or when they cannot allow themselves to be interrupted by extraneous sounds. By placating the spirits of the Air, a shugenja can convince them to create a barrier against sounds, a bubble of silence through which sound will not pass. The spherical sound-barrier is normally centered around the caster, although with greater effort it can also be centered on a physical object up to fifty feet away. Once this spell is cast, the kami will not allow any sound to enter or leave this bubble, creating absolute privacy for anyone inside of the space. Once created, the bubble of silence will not move, even if the caster (or the target object) relocates. Characters on one side of a Quiescence of Air spell’s barrier gain two Free Raises on Stealth rolls made against characters on the other side.

REQUEST TO HATO-NO-KAMI
o Ring/Mastery: Air 2 [Travel]
o Range: 150’
o Area of Effect: One bird
o Duration: 1 hour
o Raises: Range (+50’ per Raise), Duration (+1 hour per Raise)

A specialized variation of Nature’s Touch, this spell is a prayer to the Fortunes that is carried by air kami to the ears of a random bird within the spell’s range. (If no bird is available, the spell has no effect.) The bird flies down and lands on the caster’s hand, and the caster may instruct it to perform a simple task (such as carrying a message or distracting an enemy) for the duration of the spell. With a successful Animal Handling/Awareness roll at TN 20, the caster may persuade the bird to perform a more complex task, such as searching the area for potential enemies and reporting back. This sort of task is subject to the GM’s judgment, since if the task is too complex the bird will not be able to comprehend it. In either case, the bird will not take suicidal actions (such as flying into a fire) and will immediately break off and flee if it is injured.

WIND-BORN SLUMBERS
o Ring/Mastery: Air 2
o Range: 50’
o Area of Effect: One target person
o Duration: 5 minutes o Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Area of Effect (+1 person per 2 Raises), Duration (+1 minute per Raise)

This spell causes the Air kami to subtly insinuate themselves into the target’s body, urging him toward weariness and sleep. A target who is physically and mentally inactive (such as a guard standing post at night, or a samurai meditating in his dojo) will automatically fall asleep when targeted with this spell. (The target will awaken normally if he is touched or hears a loud noise, but otherwise sleeps until the spell’s duration expires.) If the target is physically or mentally active, the spell will not put him to sleep, but he will suffer the effects of being Fatigued for the duration of the spell. (If the target is already Fatigued, his Fatigue penalties increase as though he had gone another day without rest.)

Mastery 3
AIR KAMI'S BLESSING
o Ring/Mastery: Air 3
o Range: Personal
o Area of Effect: Caster
o Duration: 8 hours
o Raises: Special (double the bonus for four Raises)

A unique prayer that is as much a meditation as anything else, this spell is only taught in shugenja Schools which have Air as an Affinity. It causes the Air kami within the soul of the caster to become more properly aligned, giving the caster a far greater grasp on the hearts and souls of other men, along with a certain quickness of reaction. While the blessing lasts, the shugenja may add his Air Ring to the total of all Awareness-based rolls, as well as to his Armor TN. Typically, those who know this spell perform the Blessing each morning during their daily meditations. The effects of this spell cannot be stacked.

GARBLED TONGUE
o Ring/Mastery: Air 3 [Illusion]
o Range: 30’
o Area of Effect: Two conversing persons (one may be the caster)
o Duration: 5 minutes o Raises: Area of Effect (+1 person per two Raises), Duration (+1 minute per Raise)

Originally developed by Asahina shugenja, this spell found its way into the hands of the Soshi and a few other orders after several minor incidents in court. It is sometimes considered to be a dishonorable spell, but in fact its uses need not be for subterfuge. Rather, much like the Crane courtiers’ technique of Cadence, the spell allows discretion in communication in situations where this would not normally be possible. It relies on the playfulness of the Air kami and the subtleties of language. The spell causes the kami to obscure a conversation between two (or more) persons. The Air spirits create a second layer of speech, one heard by everyone except those actually participating in the conversation (who may include the caster). Though the speakers are aware of this false layer of speech, they will clearly hear the actual conversation taking place. The illusion cannot normally be penetrated except by reading lips (since they will not match the false conversation), although a shugenja can pierce the deception by winning a Contested School Rank/ Air roll against the caster.

SOUL OF KAZE-NO-KAMI
o Ring/Mastery: Air 3
o Range: 20’
o Area of Effect: One target person (may be the caster)
o Duration: 10 minutes
o Raises: Duration (+2 minutes per Raise)

This spell calls on the Fortune of Wind to infuse the target’s soul with the cooling serenity of an icy northern breeze, rendering him or her resistant to the pressures of emotion and stress. The target seems impervious to any sort of emotional manipulation or psychological pressure; in reality, he does feel normal emotions, but the presence of the Air kami mute their impact, so the target can perceive his own emotions as something distant and abstract. The target of this spell gains a bonus of +2k2 to resist the effects of any Social Skill Roll or Fear effect. However, the same icy serenity which makes him resistant to others’ manipulation also makes it difficult for him to perceive the emotions of others; he suffers a -2k0 penalty to any Awareness-based Social rolls.

TOUCH OF AIR'S GRACE
o Ring/Mastery: Air 3 [Illusion]
o Range: Touch
o Area of Effect: One target person (may be the caster)
o Duration: 1 hour
o Raises: Duration (+10 minutes per Raise)

This illusion was originally devised by the Soshi family, but similar prayers have since been developed among other clans who spend time in the halls and gardens of Rokugan’s courtly palaces. The spell entices the Air kami to subtly enhance the target’s physical attractiveness, emphasizing his or her best features and smoothing away any imperfections. The Air kami find this a delightful game and will often be quite creative in the tiny tricks they play to improve the target’s appeal. Mechanically, the spell negates the effects of the Disturbing Countenance and Benten’s Curse Disadvantages for its duration. If the target does not possess one or both of those Disadvantages, he or she instead gains the benefits of the corresponding Advantages (Dangerous Beauty and Benten’s Blessing). If the target already possesses both of those Advantages, the spell does not award any additional benefit (the Air kami find it boring to try to improve someone who is already so attractive).

Mastery 4
CASTLE OF AIR
o Ring/Mastery: Air 4 [Defense, Illusion]
o Range: Self
o Area of Effect: 20’ radius around the caster
o Duration: 10 rounds o Raises: Duration (+2 Rounds per Raise), Special

The prayer commonly known as Castle of Water protects the caster by creating a physical barrier of water kami to obstruct attackers. The Castle of Air, by contrast, protects the caster by creating a cunning illusion that confuses and bewilders attackers. The Air kami create a circular barrier of false sounds and images, making it incredibly difficult for attackers to actually perceive the correct location of anyone within the bounds of the Castle of Air. An attacker may believe he is striking at the caster when he is actually swinging at empty space. The circular barrier of illusions is centered on the caster. Once cast, it remains in place regardless of whether or where the caster moves. The illusions can only be fully perceived by those who were outside of the Castle of Air when it was cast; those within the Castle when it appears can easily perceive the shadowy, insubstantial nature of the illusions. If foes from outside the Castle attempt to attack those within it, the illusions will try to misdirect or fool them. Mechanically, such attackers must make a Contested Roll of their Perception against the caster’s Air each time they try to attack someone within the Castle. A success means they manage to briefly see through the illusion and may attack normally for that Round (only). A failure means the illusion tricks them and they suffer a -5k0 penalty to their attack rolls that Round. The illusions cannot affect enemy spells, since the Air kami cannot fool other kami.

FUNERAL RITES
o Ring/Mastery: Air 4
o Range: N/A
o Area of Effect: N/A
o Duration: 5 minutes
This ritual was originally devised by the Kitsu sodansenzo, but due to its widespread applicability it quickly spread to other shugenja families and schools. The Kitsu wished all Rokugani to properly venerate the ancestors, and thus had no difficulty sharing their discovery with the Isawa and the other clans as well. For those who do not have Kitsu blood, this spell is one of the very few ways in which shugenja can actually communicate with the ancestors while in Ningen-Do. The spell is actually an hour-long ritual prayer which can only be performed in the company of a recently deceased individual’s relative within twenty four hours of the funeral (which both the shugenja and relative must have participated in properly). Other shugenja may assist in the ritual if they also know the spell; they do not need to make Spellcasting rolls, but are still considered to use up a spell slot. Once the prayer is properly completed (a successful Spellcasting Roll by the lead shugenja), the caster and the relative may both converse for a few minutes with the spirit of the recently departed. (If extra shugenja assist in the ritual, each assisting shugenja adds +1 minutes to the duration of the spell.) Typically, this ritual is only used in situations where the living relatives want to make quite sure they are properly remembering and honoring their newly-departed ancestor. The exact results of communing with a departed relative are at the discretion of the GM, but could include learning important information, receiving advice and guidance, or taking up a task which the dead samurai left incomplete.

HOWL OF ISORA
o Ring/Mastery: Air 4 [Thunder]
o Range: 100’
o Area of Effect: 40’ diameter
o Duration: Instantaneous
o Raises: Range (+20’ per Raise), Area of Effect (add 5’ to diameter for 2 Raises), Special (+1k0 damage per Raise)

This spell calls on the power of Isora, the Fortune of the Seashore, to unleash a blast of storm-wracked air and lightning than smites an area within range. The sudden roaring onslaught of wind, rain, and lightning inflicts 3k2 damage on everyone within the area of effect, and they must roll their Earth at TN 30 or be Fatigued by Isora’s howl. The spell also damages weak or vulnerable physical objects—paper walls will be blown out, scrolls soaked with water, etc. Those who are fortunate enough to be blessed with the Blood of Osano-Wo are immune to the effects of this spell.

LOOK INTO THE SOUL
o Ring/Mastery: Air 4 [Divination]
o Range: 50’
o Area of Effect: One target person or creature
o Duration: 1 Round o Raises: Area of Effect (one additional target per two Raises), Special (learn additional Ring per Raise)

When a priest invokes this incantation, the Air kami gather together and form a mystical lens through which the shugenja may see the world as the spirits themselves perceive it. The lens lasts only a few moments and the caster can normally only use it to observe one person or creature. That brief moment of observation, however, allows the caster to learn the target’s two lowest Rings and the values of their constituent Traits, in effect showing part of the person’s Elemental composition. Additional Rings may be learned with Raises. (If the character’s Rings are all equally balanced, the spell reveals them randomly.) However, the spell cannot and will not reveal the target’s Void, for that level of understanding and perception is only possible through mastery of Ishiken-do.

SEEKING THE WAY
o Ring/Mastery: Air 4 [Illusion]
o Range: Touch
o Area of Effect: Caster’s trail for one-half mile
o Duration: 3 hours o Raises: Duration (+1 hour per Raise), Area of Effect (one additional person’s trail per Raise), Special (additional one-quarter mile of trail per Raise)

This spell is a subtle illusion used to conceal a shugenja’s trail from pursuers. The spell convinces mischievous Air kami to hide the tracks of the shugenja (and his mount, if any), along with any other evidence of his passage (such as broken branches). In their place it create a false trail of similar evidence leading in a completely different direction for the same distance. The illusionary trail will follow a reasonable route (e.g. it will not go straight up cliffs or directly into a lake, for example) and will normally be flawless to others’ perception; however, someone tracking by scent will be able to sense the original trail, and skilled trackers can potentially see through the illusion by rolling Hunting / Perception against the caster’s Spellcraft / Air. Powerful shugenja can persuade the kami to conceal the trails of their companions (and mounts) as well as themselves, as well as lengthening the amount of trail which is concealed and replaced.

TENJIN'S EAR
o Ring/Mastery: Air 4 [Travel]
o Range: Caster
o Area of Effect: 30’ radius around caster
o Duration: 5 minutes
o Raises: Range (change to Touch for 3 Raises), Area of Effect (+5’ radius per Raise), Duration (+1 minute per Raise)

Named after the Fortune of Scribes, this powerful invocation was originally created by the Unicorn and derived from their secret Meishodo magic. So far as anyone knows, the spell has never been taught to anyone outside of the Unicorn Clan. The spell persuades the Air kami to carry the true meaning of words to the caster’s ear, allowing him to perceive the tongue of foreigners. For the duration of the spell, all audible human speech within the area of effect is made intelligible to the caster, regardless of what language is used. The spell does not grant any enhanced hearing (so whispers still cannot be heard), nor does it bestow any capacity to speak in return.

WHISPERS OF THE FORGOTTEN
o Ring/Mastery: Air 4
o Range: 50’
o Area of Effect: One target person (may be the caster)
o Duration: 5 minutes o Raises: Range (+25’ per Raise), Duration (+1 minute per Raise)

Men’s memories are shaky, distant things, lodged deep within their minds, and nearly all mortals possess some past sin, some shame they would rather have forgotten. This spell, a favorite of the Scorpion, causes Air kami to evoke the memories of those sins, plaguing the target with bitter memories and visions of past crimes. The constant painful memories distract and distress the victim of the spell, making it difficult for him to accomplish anything. For the duration of the spell, he must call one Raise for no effect on any Skill rolls or Spellcasting rolls which he makes. If he has 3 or more points in Mental or Social Disadvantages, he must call two Raises instead. It may be noted that there are a handful of stalwart souls in Rokugan who truly do not have any sins haunting their past. Such rare persons are immune to the effects of this spell; it is left to the GM’s discretion whether a particular target is truly noble enough to shrug off the Whispers of the Forgotten. Some priests of a more ascetic nature have also been known to cast this spell on themselves in order to remind themselves of their past failings and the need for humility in the face of their human frailties.

WISDOM OF THE KAMI
o Ring/Mastery: Air 4
o Range: Touch
o Area of Effect: Caster
o Duration: 1 minute
o Raises: Duration (+1 minute per Raise), Special (+1 additional Skill Rank, once, for 3 Raises)

This prayer invites the kami of the Air into the mind of the shugenja himself, enhancing the shugenja’s mind and thoughts, causing him to be able to make better use of his skills and knowledge. For the duration of the spell, the caster gains 1 Rank in all Skills he normally possesses, and may benefit from any Mastery Abilities that this would award. This can only grant ranks in Skills the shugenja already possesses—the Air kami cannot evoke knowledge the caster does not possess. When the duration of the spell expires all benefits are lost and any memories of knowledge or insight which the shugenja gained during the spell’s duration are at best fuzzy; no precise or detailed account can ever be given, and severe headaches are known to plague those who try too hard. The benefits for this spell only apply to Skills which the caster actually knows—it cannot increase the Rank of Skills which the caster has temporarily acquired through magic, nor can it combine with Advantages such as Crafty.

Mastery 5
DEFENDER FROM BEYOND
o Ring/Mastery: Air 5 [Battle]
o Range: 30’
o Area of Effect: One summoned spirit
o Duration: 5 minutes
o Raises: Duration (+1 minute per Raise)

Among the innermost circles of the Kitsu family are the , the ancestral shugenja who carry the bloodlines of the first kitsu spirits. These secretive shugenja have discovered rituals which can persuade the Air kami to carry a message to Yomi itself, calling for the aid of an ancestral shiryo. Only Kitsu Shugenja may learn this spell, which is a secret of the sodan-senzo order. When the spell is cast, the shugenja beseeches the ancestral spirits of Yomi to send aid. If the Spell Casting Roll succeeds, a shiryo—a spirit from Yomi—will arrive on the
scene in five Rounds. Once it arrives, the spirit reclaims its mortal form, but its spiritual nature is easily sensed from the celestial glow which surrounds it. It will offer whatever aid it can to the caster, whether that be advice, knowledge, or combat, but it will not do anything dishonorable. Mechanically, a typical shiryo will have the creature trait of Spirit, and will possess a Rank of 3 in all of its Rings and Traits and a Rank of 4 in any useful Skills. Once the spell’s duration expires, the shiryo immediately returns to Yomi. It also leaves for Yomi if its physical body is destroyed (e.g. it is reduced to zero Wounds). Although this spell normally calls a “generic” shiryo, the GM may opt to allow the shugenja to summon a specific named ancestral spirit with additional Raises. The GM may also choose to have a more powerful or famous shiryo answer the spell if the specific circumstances seem to warrant it. More powerful shiryo will possess a School as appropriate for their ancestral clan, typically with a School Rank between 3 and 5.

FACING YOUR DEVILS
o Ring/Mastery: Air 5
o Range: 30’
o Area of Effect: One target person or creature
o Duration: 10 Rounds
o Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Duration (+2 Rounds per Raise)

This is a dangerous and powerful spell which had appeared among ronin shugenja from time to time for almost a thousand years of Rokugani history. The spell is often regarded as wicked by clan shugenja, so those ronin who learn it guard its secrets carefully and only pass it on to their most trusted students. Typically no more than one or two shugenja in a generation will learn it. In the time of the Clan Wars, the spell’s most famous user was the ronin Heichi Chokei, who claimed to be a descendent of the long-lost Boar Clan. When he was asked about the purpose of the spell, Chokei replied with a smile: “It is for whoever is brave enough to use it.” In later years it also gained fame as a favored spell of Naka Kuro, the so-called Grandmaster of the Elements, and his student and successor Naka Tokei. Facing Your Devils appears to call on the Air kami to test the kharmic and elemental balance of a soul by deliberately misaligning the target’s Elements. The spell switches the highest and lowest Traits of the target for the duration. This may well result in changes to the target’s Ring Ranks, with potentially severe consequences (e.g. a dropping Earth Ring reducing available Wounds, for example). The caster may choose the affected Traits in case of a tie. Those who use Facing Your Devils see it as a means to teach others the importance of balance in all things, but much more nefarious and cruel uses are certainly possible
and have been employed more than once, lending the spell a sinister repute. The Air spirits seem to find the spell amusing, since they do not always recognize the harm it can cause.

Mastery 6
PIERCING THE HEAVENS
o Ring/Mastery: Air 6
o Range: N/A
o Area of Effect: N/A
o Duration: 5 Rounds
o Raises: Duration (+1 Round per 3 Raises)

Known only to true masters of magic, this spell is a secret of the Phoenix and has never been intentionally shared with any other shugenja school, not even the Imperial one. It is considered a sacred trust among the most high-ranking of Phoenix priests, and not even all of the Elemental Masters have been considered worthy of its power… for to abuse this prayer is to call down the very wrath of Heaven. This prayer calls for the direct attention of a Fortune named by the shugenja. It may only be performed within a temple or shrine specifically devoted to that Fortune, and may never be cast more than once a month lest it anger the entirety of Tengoku. If the spell is successfully cast, a mote of the Fortune’s essence will manifest within the shrine’s sacred icon and the shugenja will be permitted to briefly commune with the divine being. The Fortune is neither compelled to answer questions asked nor to fulfill boons requested, and the utmost reverence must be maintained lest its immediate and terrible wrath be unleashed. However, if true reverence is offered and the cause is worthy, the Fortune may offer help available nowhere else.

WIND OF THE MOON
o Ring/Mastery: Air 6
o Range: 50’
o Area of Effect: One target person o Duration: 1 minute
o Raises: Duration (+1 minute per 2 Raises), Special (+1k1 on the Contested Air roll for 3 Raises)

Air acolytes of some potency realize it is possible to read the minds of others, but a few shugenja have looked at this as only the beginning of what can be done with Air. Through extremely advanced and powerful invocations of the Air kami, it is possible for a shugenja to not only read the surface thoughts of another but to transmit his own thoughts into the mind of that person. This is considered a highly questionable act, and the Phoenix Clan considers this spell to border on blasphemy. However, the immense advantages that can be gained from such total manipulation of another means the spell continues to circulate covertly through the Empire. In order for this prayer to succeed, the caster must know the name of the target and must be able to see him or her clearly. Without the visual connection, the thoughts of the target will be too garbled to be decipherable, resulting only in a painful headache to both caster and target. If the name which the caster knows is false (e.g. the target is using an alias) the Spellcasting Roll suffers a +10 TN penalty as the false name confuses the spirits. Furthermore, in order to successfully impose his thoughts on the target’s mind, the caster must succeed in a Contested Air Roll against the target; failure means contact is broken and both sides suffer a severe headache as above. However, if the Air roll is successful, the target will be unaware of the mental contact and for the duration of the spell will believe the thoughts springing into his mind are entirely his own. The caster must maintain partial concentration for the duration of the spell—if this is disrupted, the spell ends immediately.

A peculiar side effect of this spell is that for an hour after it ends, the caster and target will find it difficult to lie convincingly to each other, inflicting a +10 TN penalty to any Sincerity (Deceit) rolls they make against each other.

The Book of Earth
Earth
Mastery 1
STONE'S ENDURANCE
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 1 (Travel)
c Range: Self or Touch
c Area of Effect: One target creature (may be the caster)
c Duration: 6 hours
c Raises: Duration (+1 hour per Raise)

This spell calls on the strength of stone to enhance the target creature’s physical endurance and toughness. This spell was originally devised by the Unicorn to allow their horses to ride for long periods of time without tiring, but after the Unicorn returned to the Empire other clans also saw value in the spell – particularly the Crab, who found it quite useful for situations where their soldiers had to remain on duty for long periods of time. For the duration of the spell, the target is immune to being Fatigued due to a lack of rest, and is considered to have a Stamina that is one Rank higher for the purpose of any rolls or effects which specifically key on Stamina (such as resisting poisons, determining how long one can avoid drowning, etc).

The spell may be cast multiple times on the same target, but the Earth spirits cannot sustain the effort beyond a total of 24 consecutive hours. Once the spell expires, the target is automatically considered Fatigued until he rests for at least half as long as he was under the spell’s effects.

Mastery 2
JUROJIN'S CURSE
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2
c Range: 30’
c Area of Effect: One target creature
c Duration: 1 day
c Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Area of Effect (+1 creature per two Raises), Duration (+1 day per two Raises)

This spell calls on the Earth kami to remove all protection of Jurojin, the Fortune of Health and Longevity, from the target. For the duration of the spell, the target’s Earth is considered to be 3 Ranks lower (to a minimum of 1) for the purpose of healing injuries and resisting disease or poison.

RITES OF PRESERVATION
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2 (Imperial)
c Range: 10’
c Area of Effect: One human corpse
c Duration: 1 day
c Raises: Duration (+1 day per three Raises)

This spell is used to preserve the bodies of the dead until they can be properly disposed of (typically by cremation). It was originally developed to allow Imperial and other high-ranking nobles’ bodies to be preserved in dignity until their funerals, since the funeral rites of such major lords are not only lengthy but also tend to draw guests from great distances. The Crab have also found it useful for protecting their dead against the Taint, although the spell is difficult to use on the battlefield.

Rites of Preservation is a ritual spell that requires one hour to cast. When a corpse is blessed with this prayer, the Earth kami are entreated to protect the body against putrefaction and other unclean influences, allowing it to remain pristine and untouched until cremation. This blessing is one of the more important religious duties of shugenja, and despite its association with dead flesh is considered an honorable task. A body which is blessed by the Rites of Preservation will not putrefy for the duration of the spell. Moreover, because the blessing repels the attentions of the kansen, the corpse is immune to being animated by maho or the Taint until the spell expires.

TAMING THE BEAST
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: One target natural creature
c Duration: 1 hour
c Raises: Area of Effect (one additional creature per 2 Raises), Duration (1/2 hour per Raise)

This spell is a secret of the Kitsune family and thus far has never been taught outside of their ranks. It calls on the power of Earth to soothe a wild animal’s temperamental spirit, causing it to become temporarily tame. After completing the prayer, the shugenja makes a Contested Earth roll against the target creature (as a Free Action); with a success, the creature ceases all hostile activity for the duration of the spell, and the caster may persuade the creature to obey simple commands by means of the Animal Handling skill (TNs determined by the GM based on the complexity of the command). When the spell’s duration expires, the animal returns to its normal behavior – however, in some cases, repeated castings of this spell on the same animal have resulted in its being effectively permanently tamed (GM’s discretion). This spell only works on natural creatures (such as snakes or bears) – it has no effect on spirits, supernatural creatures, or Tainted creatures.

WHISPERS OF THE LAND
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 2
c Range: Centered on Caster
c Area of Effect: 50’ radius
c Duration: 10 minutes
c Raises: Area of Effect (+50’ radius per Raise), Duration (+5 minutes per Raise), Special (+1 day of tracks per two Raises)

This spell was originally developed by the Kitsune family of the Fox Clan, who used it to help track intruders in the lands of their modest clan. It has since spread to other families who find its properties useful, such as the Yogo and the Kuni. The spell causes the Earth spirits to reveal the tracks of any person who has walked upon them within the last three days. The surface – whether it be stone, earth, or wood – literally pushes up in the shape of the tracks, creating a clear and easily-followed path. (Note that, unlike revelatory Air spells such as By the Light of the Moon, this spell does not merely reveal actively concealed tracks but also normal unconcealed tracks that are too faint or old to normally be seen. For example, By the Light of the Moon would not reveal the barefoot tracks of a servant who walked across the floor of a dojo, but Whispers of the Land will do so.)

Mastery 3
GROVES OF STONE
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 (Craft, Defense)
c Range: Centered on caster
c Area of Effect: Circular barrier 15’ in radius
c Duration: 10 Rounds
c Raises: Area of Effect (+5’ radius per two Raises), Duration (+2 Rounds per Raise), Special (+5 TN to climb rocks per Raise)

This spell is a specialized variation of the more common prayer known as Wall of Earth. It entreats the Earth spirits to draw an array of huge stones up from the ground, erupting in an instant through most intervening physical obstacles (such as the floor of a house) to create a circular barrier around the caster. The stones are too strong to break through with anything short of a siege engine (against a siege engine they are considered to have 500 Wounds and Reduction 15), but can be clambered over with a Complex Action and a roll of Athletics / Strength against the caster’s Earth x5. When the spell expires, the stones crumble away to loose earth and dust.

MURMUR OF EARTH
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: 100 foot radius around caster
c Duration: 1 round
c Raises: Area of Effect (+50’ radius per Raise), Special (+5 to TN per two Raises)

This spell excites and angers the Earth spirits in the ground around the caster, causing them to briefly shake the ground in the manner of an earthquake; however, the spirits refrain from shaking the ground immediately beneath the caster himself. Although this spell does not produce a true earthquake, the brief tremor can still cause damage and alarm. Any persons within the area of effect must roll Agility at TN 20 or be knocked Prone, suffering 1k1 damage and being Dazed for one Round. Furnishing and other such items will be knocked over by the tremor, which may have a variety of effects as the GM chooses (e.g. a table with a lantern falling over might start a fire). When using the Siege rules from the L5R 4th edition supplement The Great Clans, Murmur of Earth will cause 4k2 damage to all structures within its area of effect, ignoring their Reduction.

SHELTER OF THE EARTH
Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 (Craft, Illusion)
Range: Touch
Area of Effect: One target creature (may be the caster)
Duration: 30 minutes
Raises: Duration (+10 minutes per Raise)

This spell entreats the Earth kami to hide and conceal the targeted creature. Earth flows up to cover the target with a realistic-looking facsimile of some natural object, such as a tree or a boulder; this shell collapses back into loose earth when the spell expires. The target can hear and breathe normally, but has no other interaction with the world outside of the concealing shell of Earth; if he speaks, moves, or is actually hit by an attack, the spell immediately ends and the concealing shell collapses as above. From outside, however, the false object will seem perfectly normal and will resist physical blows with the same strength it would have if it were real. When creating the false shell, the Earth kami will try to choose an object that is appropriate for the area (such as a boulder on a mountainside), but they do lack imagination and in any case cannot create the false form of a manmade object – thus, the utility of this spell within a town or a castle is somewhat limited.

STRIKE AS STONE
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 (Battle)
c Range: Self or Touch
c Area of Effect: One target person (may be the caster)
c Duration: 5 minutes
c Raises: Duration (+1 minute per Raise)

This spell calls on the spirits of Earth to strengthen the target’s hands and forearms, making them as hard as stone. The target’s hands cannot be physically harmed for the duration of the spell (allowing him to perform a variety of feats, such as prying open a lock with his fingers), and his unarmed Damage Rating is increased by +2k0.

TIME'S DEADLY HAND
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: One physical object
c Duration: Permanent
c Raises: Range (change from Touch to 50’ with three Raises)

This spell causes the Earth kami within a physical object to abandon that object, weakening its physical strength. Wood warps and flakes, stone and metal turn weak and brittle, cloth becomes thin and fragile, and so forth. The spell’s effects are permanent. Mechanically, any weapon which is affected by this spell will lose 2k1 from its DR, and any armor will lose 5 from its Armor TN bonus and 3 from its Reduction. A variety of other non-mechanical effects can also take place, subject to the GM’s adjudication – for example, a kimono affected by this spell will rip if it is subject to the slightest tension or stress, and a scroll will tear and crumble the moment it is unrolled. Weakened stones or beams could be used to sabotage a bridge, to facilitate breaking into a besieged castle, and so forth. In general, this spell will not affect awakened items (e.g. nemuranai), since their empowered spirits resist the shugenja’s entreaty.

WOODEN PRISON
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 3 (Defense)
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: One target creature
c Duration: 5 Rounds
c Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Duration (+1 Round per Raise), Special (+1k0 to the plants’ Strength per Raise)

This spell entreats the Earth kami inhabiting living plants and trees, causing them to make the plants rapidly grow and twine themselves around a designated target. Within seconds the target finds himself ensnared in a dense tangle of vines, creepers, and branches. The target is automatically Entangled at the moment the spell is cast; on his subsequent Turns, the target may attempt to escape as a Simple Action by making a Contested Strength roll against the plants’ Strength of 4. (Alternatively, the target can be cut free by allies – it takes two Turns’ worth of effort to slash away enough of the plants to free the target.) If the target escapes, or the spell expires, the plants drop away and shrivel up as the Earth kami cease to stimulate them. This spell can only function in an area where living plants are present, e.g. it will not function inside a building, in a desert, on a barren mountainside, or other such environments. It cannot target a flying creature.

Mastery 4
EARTH DRAGON'S WARD
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 4 (Wards, Jade)
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: 20’ radius
c Duration: 10 minutes
c Raises: Duration (+5 minutes per Raise), Special (+1k1 to the caster’s Willpower roll per two Raises)

This spell calls on the power of the Dragon of Earth to protect an area against dangerous spirits. It was originally pioneered by the Isawa but was soon embraced by other shugenja families, especially the Yogo and the Kuni. The spell requires a warding symbol be inscribed on a solid surface (the ground, a wall, etc) prior to casting; this takes five minutes. Once successfully cast, the spell wards the area against possessing spirits and effects, making it extremely difficult for any individual within the area of effect to be possessed (whether by a ghost, a gaki, an oni, a spell, or in any other manner). Any spirit or being attempting a possession within the area of effect must first succeed in a Contested Willpower roll against the caster. (The caster will be aware that something tried to penetrate the Ward, and will know whether or not it was successful, but will not know the nature or identity of the possessing force.) This spell cannot drive out a spirit which is already possessing someone; it only protects against new possessions.

MAW OF THE EARTH
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 4 (Battle)
c Range: 40’
c Area of Effect: Approximately 10’ in radius
c Duration: Permanent
c Raises: Range (+20’ per Raise), Special/Damage (extra ten feet of depth and 1k1 of damage per two Raises)

This prayer causes the Earth spirits in the ground to wrench open a large pit roughly 20 feet deep, swallowing up anyone in the vicinity. Anyone at or within 10’ of the pit must roll their Reflexes against the caster’s Earth or fall into the pit, suffering 3k2 damage. They are also trapped in the pit until they are rescued or can climb out. (Climbing out of the pit is a Complex Action and requires an Athletics / Strength roll at a TN equal to the pit’s depth in feet.)

SAPPHIRE STRIKE
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 4 (Jade, Crystal, Thunder)
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: One target creature
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Range (+20’ per Raise), Targets (+1 target per Raise), Damage (+1k1 per Raise)

During the War Against the Darkness, the Kuni family of the Crab came to realize that the forces of the Lying Darkness were uniquely vulnerable to the power of crystal. The Kuni threw themselves into researching the ways of crystal and learning how to call on its power through the medium of the Earth kami. This prayer was the result. A Sapphire Strike appears much like the far more wellknown Jade Strike, but the blast of elemental energy which is unleashed shows a distinctive blue-green tinge, quite different from the bright green color of a Jade Strike, as the Earth kami call on the essence of Lady Sun’s tears. The Sapphire Strike has a DR of 4k4, but only against targets who are specifically vulnerable to Jade or Crystal. It is considered to be both Jade and Crystal for the purpose of game effects such as whether it penetrates Invulnerability or Reduction.

THE EARTH FLOWS
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 4 (Battle)
c Range: Centered on Caster
c Area of Effect: 1 square mile
c Duration: 1 hour (or two Mass Battle Rounds)
c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour or one Mass Battle Round per two Raises)

This spell was originally developed by the Kitsu family of the Lion, but quickly spread to other families due to its value to any army on the field of battle. It calls on the Earth kami to re-arrange the landscape of a battlefield in a manner favorable to his side of the battle. For example, a hillside might shift to allow the caster’s side to charge downhill, or a cliff that shields the enemy flank might change into a gentle slope. The spell awards a +3k2 bonus to any roll made by the commander of the caster’s side to determine who is winning a Mass Battle, and a +1k1 bonus to any Mass Battle Table rolls made by individual samurai on the caster’s side. Because this spell invokes the Earth kami on such a large scale, casting it on both sides of the same battle can lead to a violent spiritual backlash – typically triggering a massive earthquake (equivalent to the Rank 5 spell Earthquake).

Mastery 5
DRAWING ON THE MOUNTAIN
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 5 (Battle, Defense)
c Range: 300’
c Area of Effect: One target structure (up to a small castle)
c Duration: 1 day
c Raises: Range (+150’ per Raise), Area of Effect (one additional structure for 3 Raises), Duration (+1 day per 3 Raises)

This spell invokes the strength of Earth to strengthen a physical structure against harm. The wood and stone of the target structure – which may be as large as a castle – are infused with the strength of the mountains themselves, allowing it to withstand floods, earthquakes, and the assaults of siege engines. When using the Siege rules from the L5R 4th edition supplement The Great Clans, for the duration of this spell the Wounds and Reduction of the target structure are doubled. When the spell expires, the extra Wounds are lost – if this reduces the structure to zero Wounds, it immediately collapses into ruin.

GROUNDING ENERGY
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 5 (Defense, Wards)
c Range: Centered on Caster
c Area of Effect: Caster and all allies within a 20’ radius
c Duration: 3 Rounds
c Raises: Duration (+1 Round per two Raises)

This spell, originally devised by the Yogo, calls on the spirits of Earth to fortify the caster and his companions, allowing them to resist the power of accursed maho spells. Any maho spell that targets the caster or any of the caster’s allies within the area of effect has its Spell Casting TN increased by an amount equal to 10x the target’s Earth.

Mastery 6
SOLDIERS OF CLAY
c Ring/Mastery: Earth 6 (Craft, Battle, Jade)
c Range: 100’
c Area of Effect: N/a
c Duration: 1 hour
c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour per Raise), Special (+2 soldiers per Raise)

Most famously used by Isawa Tadaka and Isawa Sezaru in the early twelfth century, this powerful variation of Rise, Earth is found solely in the Phoenix libraries. Thus far the Phoenix have not shared it with any other clan, although they seriously considered doing so during the Kali-Ma Invasion. Depending on specific campaign settings, the GM could also have this spell introduced to the wider Empire in an earlier era. The spell creates ten human-sized warriors, forming them from earth and stone and animating them with the power of the Earth kami which infuse them. The warriors will move, fight, and otherwise act as the caster commands, obediently and fearlessly. They have Traits and Rings equal to the caster’s Earth, attack (with swords made of stone) as though they have Kenjutsu of 4, and have Reduction equal to twice the caster’s Earth. Their swords are considered to have the Jade property. When destroyed (or when the spell’s duration ends) they collapse into piles of loose earth.

The Book of Fire
Fire
Mastery 1
FIRE KAMI'S BLESSING
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: One target creature (may be caster)
c Duration: 1 hour
c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour per Raise)

This prayer calls on the Fire kami to stimulate the mind and memory, allowing the recipient to recall the most obscure information, details he may have encountered only once or briefly. For the duration of this spell, the target gains a +Xk0 bonus (where X is the caster’s Fire Ring) to any High or Merchant Skill rolls using the Intelligence Trait.

GIFT OF AMATERASU
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 (Defense)
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: 50’ radius sphere
c Duration: 10 minutes
c Raises: Range (+25’ per Raise), Duration (+5 minutes per Raise)

This spell is a prayer to Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, asking her to bestow her favor on the caster in the form of radiant Fire kami. (In the twelfth century, when Amaterasu is superceded first by Yakamo and then by the Jade Sun, the name and forms of this spell changes, but the effects remain the same.) Once the prayer is completed, warm sunlight blazes down on the chosen area, bathing it in full daylight even if it is at night, indoors, or underground. This spell is particularly popular among shugenja who are assigned to assist in the protection of castles and other vital locations, since a sudden blaze of daylight can be a very effective deterrent to thieves, assassins, and spies.

OSANO-WO'S BLESSING
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1
c Range: 100’
c Area of Effect: 40’ radius
c Duration: 30 minutes
c Raises: Range (+25’ per Raise), Area of Effect (+10’ radius per Raise), Duration (+10 minutes per Raise)

This prayer acts in the exact opposite way of the commonly-used spell Extinguish; instead of urging the Fire kami to depart and thus put out flames, it urges them to greater energy and vigor, making flames harder to extinguish. For the duration of this spell, all fires within the area of effect become impossible to extinguish by normal means, and any magical effort to put them out (such as the aforementioned Extinguish spell) must succeed in a Contested Fire roll with the caster of OsanoWo’s Blessing. This spell is controversial, since it can result in otherwise controllable fires in cities and villages raging out of control. Pacifistic shugenja such as the Asahina and Isawa generally eschew its usage.

WARNING FLAME
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 1 (Battle)
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: One target person (may be caster)
c Duration: 10 Rounds
c Raises: Duration (+2 Rounds per Raise), Area of Effect (+1 person per 2 Raises)

Fire is the Element of wit and intellect as well as the Element of destruction. This spell excites the Fire kami within the mind, allowing the target to notice threats and react to them far more quickly than normally. For the duration of the spell, the target is immune to being surprised, adds +1k0 to any Initiative rolls he makes, and may add +3 to his Initiative total during the Reactions stage of each Round.

Mastery 2
PURITY OF SHINSEI
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 (Defense)
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: One target person/effect
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Area of Effect (+1 target per 2 Raises)

This spell was originally devised by the Isawa to deal with the threat of Yobanjin magic, and later spread to the rest of the Empire when other gaijin threats became more frequent. The spell calls on Shinsei’s principles of Elemental unity and harmony to oppose unnatural foreign magic, using the energy of Fire as a focus. Purity of Shinsei ends the effects of a gaijin spell or spell-like effect. Typically this means targeting an individual who is being afflicted by an ongoing gaijin spell effect (such as a samurai laboring under a foreign curse), though it can also target an effect which is not afflicting a specific individual (such as a foreign curse on a castle, a village, or a physical item). The GM has final discretion on whether a particular gaijin magic effect can be countered with Purity of Shinsei. If the optional Counterspelling rules as in use, the GM may opt to let a shugenja who knows this spell attempt to Counterspell meishodo spells and gaijin magic.

WINGS OF FIRE
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 2 (Travel)
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: Self
c Duration: 10 minutes
c Raises: Duration (+5 minutes per Raise), Special (move at +1 Water Rank for 3 Raises)

This prayer is a simpler and less potent form of the spell Wings of the Phoenix, although it is also slightly more flexible in that it does not require a suit of armor to act as an “anchor” for the Fire kami. When this spell is cast, a cloud of Fire kami gather and take the form of large feathery wings sprouting from the caster’s arms and back. The caster may use these wings to fly slowly (normally moving at a speed equal to Water 1, regardless of his actual Water Ring). If the caster is able to glide (e.g. he is already at a significant height above the ground), he can move more quickly, as though he is Water 4. While the spell is in effect, the caster cannot use his arms for anything but flapping and moving his fiery wings, severely limiting his potential actions; also, he will set fire to any easily flammable objects (such as paper or spell scrolls) he touches, although the Fire kami will avoid harming his clothes. When the spell ends, the Fire kami immediately disperse, regardless of whether the caster is on the ground or in the air – unlike the friendly Air kami, the mercurial and aggressive Fire kami do not particularly care about the caster’s fate once they depart.

Mastery 3
AGASHA'S SHIELD (TAMORI'S CURSE)
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 (Defense, Wards)
c Range: Touch/Self
c Area of Effect: 30’ radius around caster
c Duration: 6 Rounds
c Raises: Area of Effect (+5’ radius per Raise), Duration (+1 Round per Raise)

Originally devised by Agasha shugenja who were working with hanabi (fireworks), in modern times this spell has been renamed Tamori’s Curse by the Tamori family. The spell creates a zone of protection in which Fire kami friendly to the caster reject any intrusion by other Fire kami. Any hostile Fire spell cast within the Area of Effect suffers a –4k0 penalty to the Spell Casting Roll. Any hostile Fire spell cast from an outside location that attempts to project Fire effects into the Area of Effect (such as spells like Fires From Within) will suffer a –3k0 penalty to its DR as Agasha’s Shield disperses and weakens the kami.

OATH OF THE HEAVENS
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: Two target persons (see description)
c Duration: 5 Rounds
c Raises: Duration (+1 Round per Raise), Special (+1k0 to the bonus per 2 Raises)

This spell was originally a secret spell of the Agasha family, and has sometimes been credited as being invented by Agasha herself during her rescue from goblins by Mirumoto Hojatsu. In modern times, both the Phoenix Clan Agasha and the Dragon Clan Tamori know the spell, although the Tamori use it far more often. The spell calls on the Fire kami to form a link between the ferocity of a bushi and the intellect of a shugenja, allowing both to work in concert to greater effect. The caster traditionally targets himself and one friendly bushi (usually, though not always, a yojimbo), although it is also possible for the caster to bestow the spell’s benefits on a different shugenja rather than himself. For the duration of the spell, both recipients receive a +2k0 bonus to all rolls involving the Fire Ring and Fire Traits (e.g. all rolls involving Agility and Intelligence). However, the links also makes each recipient vulnerable to effects on the other – if either recipient becomes Fatigued, Dazed, or Stunned, the other immediately shares the same Condition. Moreover, if either recipient is reduced to Down, Out, or Dead, the spell’s effects immediately end.

THE BREATH OF BATTLE
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 (Battle, Imperial)
c Range: 30’
c Area of Effect: One target person
c Duration: 5 Rounds
c Raises: Area of Effect (+1 target per 2 Raises), Duration (+1 Round per Raise), Range (+10’ per Raise)

This prayer, variously credited to the Isawa, the Kitsu, or the Seppun, is the positive counterpoint to the notorious Haze of Battle prayer. Where Haze of Battle drives its target into a maddened frenzy of combat by exciting the Fire kami within him, The Breath of Battle invokes a positive and honorable ferocity by using Fire to call on the divine favor of the Sun. The target of this spell gains a +1k1 bonus to all Agility-based Skill Rolls and a +1k0 bonus to all Damage rolls so long as he remains under the direct light of the Sun. The spell cannot function underground, at night, or when the Sun is obscured by clouds (although the spell Gift of Amaterasu can circumvent this restraint), but it ignores minor obstructions to sunlight such as foliage or shoji screens.

WHISPERING FLAMES
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 3 (Illusion)
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: All persons within 10’ radius
c Duration: 3 Rounds
c Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Area of Effect (+5’ radius per 2 Raises), Duration (+1 Rounds per Raise)

The creation of this spell is credited to Asahina himself, who sought ways to use Fire magic peacefully after he joined the Crane Clan, but in modern times it is found in the ranks of many different families. The spell causes the Fire kami to gather and dance in a pleasing visual shape and with a soothing rhythmic light. Those who gaze upon the Fire kami see an entrancing and appealing vision that distracts them from taking violent actions. All persons within the Area of Effect find themselves entranced and are considered Dazed for the duration of the spell. However, the targets may attempt to shake off the spell’s effects during the Reactions Stage of each Round with a Willpower roll against a TN of the caster’s Fire x10. This spell’s effects are most potent against Rokugani, since the Fire kami find it more difficult to create entrancing images for those they do not understand. The GM may award gaijin and nonhuman targets a bonus to their Willpower roll to resist the spell’s effects. Animals, bestial creatures, and mindless creatures such as undead are completely immune to the spell.

Mastery 4
BLESSING OF THE SUN
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 4
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: One willing target person (may be caster)
c Duration: 3 Rounds
c Raises: Range (may change to 10’ with 2 Raises), Duration (+1 Round per Raise)

This spell infuses the target’s limbs with a rush of aggressive Fire kami, allowing him to move and think more quickly and to ignore pain and weariness. However, there is a price to be paid for such Elemental vigor, since once the kami depart the body becomes even more weary than before. The recipient of this blessing feels a rush of burning energy and a quickening of thought. He instantly recovers from the Dazed Condition if it is in effect. Moreover, for the duration of the spell, the target’s Fire-related rolls (e.g. any roll using Agility or Intelligence and any Spell Casting Roll using the Fire Ring) may ignore both the effects of being Fatigued and the TN effects of Wound Penalties. However, once the spell expires, the target becomes Fatigued (this stacks with any pre-existing Fatigue effects) and cannot recover from this Fatigue in any way (rest, magic, or Techniques) for 24 hours.

ESSENCE OF FIRE
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 4 (Wards, Imperial)
c Range: 10’
c Area of Effect: Two target duelists
c Duration: One iaijutsu duel
c Raises: Special (see text)

This spell was originally developed by the Asahina to prevent magical tampering with iaijutsu duels. In the Crane view, iaijutsu is a test of the duelist’s own inherent skills and talents, and using the kami to aid in a duel violates its proper nature as the sacred judge of right and wrong. (The Crane also suspected certain other clans, such as the Scorpion and Dragon, of “cheating” with magic during duels.) This spell ensures that no magical effects will dilute the duel’s test of skill. In Crane lands it is traditional for shugenja to invoke this spell as a blessing on an iaijutsu duel, and the custom sometimes appears in other clans and families as well – particularly the Seppun. When this spell is cast, a flow of Fire kami race through the chosen targets and drive out any other active kami on them, immediately ending any ongoing spell effects they may have on their persons. The Fire kami remain until the end of the duel, protecting against further interference – any spell which targets either duelist before the duel concludes will suffer a –3k0 penalty to its Spell Casting Roll. In modern times, a few shugenja have developed a more controversial variant of this spell which also uses the Fire kami to interfere with the targets’ memories and suppress their knowledge of bushi Techniques. This tactic is especially popular with shugenja from clans which do not focus on dueling, since it makes a duel purely a test of raw skill with no advantage to those descended from Kakita or Mirumoto. Casting the spell with this additional effect requires 4 Raises.

EYES OF THE PHOENIX
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 4 (Illusion)
c Range: 25’
c Area of Effect: One target creature
c Duration: 1 hour
c Raises: Range (+5’ per Raise), Area of Effect (+1 creature per 2 Raises)

This spell’s name is somewhat ironic, and has sometimes been credited to a Scorpion shugenja with a low opinion of the Isawa. Regardless of its origin, the spell’s effect is to persuade a small cloud of strong Fire kami to float directly in front of the target’s eyes. This makes it appear to others as though the target’s eyes have caught on fire, an unsettling effect to say the least. When the spell is cast, any allies of the target suffer a Fear 3 effect (if they are vulnerable to Fear – undead are immune, and the GM may rule that other creatures are resistant or immune if it seems appropriate). More importantly, for the duration of the spell, the target is considered to be Blinded.

Mastery 5
CASTLE OF FIRE
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 5 (Battle, Defense)
c Range: Centered on caster
c Area of Effect: Circle with a radius of 30’ from caster
c Duration: 10 Rounds
c Raises: Area of Effect (+5’ to radius for 2 Raises), Duration (+2 Rounds per Raise)

Like the other Castle spells, Castle of Fire is a defensive prayer, in this case a more sophisticated version of Wall of Fire. It calls on the kami of Fire to erect a barrier surrounding the caster. The fiery barrier is 1’ thick and 10’ high; anyone who is standing on its location when it appears must roll Reflexes at TN 20 to leap away (either inside or outside the Castle) and avoid being burned. The Castle’s barrier instantly incinerates any arrows or other missiles which try to pass through it. Creatures which pass through the Castle’s barrier (or are caught by it when it appears) suffer 6k6 damage and are set afire.

CONSUMED BY FIVE FIRES
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 5
c Range: 100’
c Area of Effect: One target creature (and caster)
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Range (+50’ per Raise)

One of the most potent and deadly of Fire spells, but also one used only by those facing the most desperate need. The spell invokes an array of powerful Fire kami to strike down the target with incredibly powerful heat and flame – but in order to persuade so many kami to strike with such immense power, the shugenja must bestow them with a gift of his own life-force. The target of this spell is instantly killed, reduced to Dead and then burned down to ashes in a matter of seconds. However, the caster immediately suffers the same number of Wounds as were inflicted on the target – an effect which is often, though not always, lethal. This damage cannot be reduced or mitigated in any way, and if it is lethal the caster cannot avert death. This spell will automatically fail if it targets a creature which is resistant to Fire, and it cannot kill divine entities such as Fortunes.

THE DRAGON'S TALON (KURO'S FIRE)
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 5 (Battle)
c Range: 100’
c Area of Effect: Up to 10 target creatures within range
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Range (+25’ per Raise), Area of Effect (+2 targets per Raise)

A potent battle spell favored by the Elemental Master of Fire and also used by high-ranking battle shugenja from several clans; in the twelfth century Naka Kuro, the Grand Master of the Elements, also used this spell and it came to be called Kuro’s Fire in his honor. Regardless of its name, this spell calls on the unmatched power of the Dragon of Fire to strike down large numbers of lesser foes. When the prayer is completed, bolts of fire resembling the snarling heads of dragons streak out from the shugenja’s hands, striking down the chosen targets. Each target suffers 8k6 damage. However, the nature of this spell is such that the Fire kami will only attack targets who they consider weak and unworthy; in game terms, the spell can only target foes of Insight Rank 1 or 2, or nonhumans of comparable power (GM’s judgment). Curse of the burning hanD c Ring/Mastery: Fire 6 c Range: 10’ c Area of Effect: One target creature c Duration: Infinite c Raises: Range (+5’ per Raise) A truly powerful curse which has only been employed a few times in the Empire’s history, the Curse of the Burning Hand binds a hostile Fire kami to the soul of the target, making it all but impossible to remove. The spell is difficult and requires a full minute to cast; also, the caster must succeed in a Contested Fire Roll against the target in order to inflict the Curse. Once it is in place, the target finds himself constantly wreathed in flames; these fires do not harm him, but harm any friends, allies, or innocents who touch him. The fire inflicts 3k3 damage on anyone who touches the cursed individual, and set alight any physical objects he touches which are flammable (e.g. wood, paper, clothing, etc). However, because the Fire kami is hostile, it will not help its victim against his enemies – the flame will suddenly recede any time he tries to use it as a weapon. Barring any outside interference, the spell’s effects will last indefinitely. However, other spells which remove magical effects can potentially end the Curse of the Burning Hand if the GM judges them to be appropriate; likewise, other effects which drive out kami (such as Banishment) can remove the Curse.

Mastery 6
RISE, FIRE
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 6
c Range: 30’
c Area of Effect: One summoned spirit
c Duration: Concentration
c Raises: None

Fire itself arises and takes physical form to defend you. The ultimate realization of the Summon spell, this prayer summons a massive kami of pure Fire to serve you. It takes the form of a fiery humanoid shape, roughly ten feet in height, its outlines constantly shifting and changing in a perpetual dance of fiery energy. The huge Fire spirit can move up to 10 x your Fire per Round, and it ignites all easily flammable objects within ten feet of itself – paper, leaves, grass, silk, and so forth. The manifest kami is treated as if it has all physical Traits equal to your Fire Ring, and attacks with a Jiujutsu Skill equal to half your Fire Rank; the DR from these attacks is equal to your Fire Rank. Anyone struck by the Fire kami will catch on fire, suffering an additional 1k1 damage per Round until the flames are extinguished. (This effect does not stack.) For purposes of taking damage, the kami is considered to have Wounds as though its Earth is equal to your Fire Ring, but suffers no Wound penalties; it is Invulnerable. If it is successfully reduced to zero Wounds, it is dispelled.

THE ELEMENTS' FURY
c Ring/Mastery: Fire 6
c Range: Self
c Area of Effect: Caster
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Special (+1 additional spell per 3 Raises

A supremely advanced form of the lesser spell known as Hurried Steps, this spell has been used by only a few highly advanced masters of magic; its creation is credited to Naka Kaeteru, the first Grand Master of the Elements. When this prayer is completed, the caster’s mind and body are infused with energetic Fire kami to such an extent that his thoughts, movements, and speech become all but superhuman. He may immediately cast a number of spells of Mastery Level 4 or less equal to his Fire Ring, casting each spell as a Free Action regardless of its normal casting time. Spell Casting Rolls must be made and spell slots are used as normal, but there is no need to Raise for a shorter casting time.

The Book of Void
Void
Mastery 2

COMMUNE WITH THE VOID
Ring/Mastery: Void 2
Range: N/A
Area of Effect: Self
Duration: 1 Round per question (must maintain concentration)
Raises: Special (+1 question per three Raises)

Commune with the Void allows the caster to enter into a direct communion with the ineffable Void and thereby gain information in a manner which is superficially similar to the basic Commune spell in the other four Elements. Much like the other Commune spells, this spell allows the caster to seek information. However, the answers tend to be far more enigmatic and unpredictable than those offered by the Elemental kami. The Void, after all, is not an array of individual spirits but a single all-encompassing whole. Thus, while in game terms the caster is still allowed to ask two questions (and can Raise to gain the ability to ask more), in practice the shugenja is not actually “asking” anything, but is using the Void to follow the connections between things and seek insight into their nature and history. In essence, the GM may answer these questions as completely or as confusingly as he might wish, and can provide information not only from the past but also from the future. (Of course, a wise GM should be wary about being too specific about things that have not happened yet.) The GM can even go beyond the specific question if he wishes, giving the player information not actually sought. On the other hand, the Void is difficult to comprehend – the GM should also feel free to deliver confusing or misleading information, but nothing outright false.

STRENGTHEN THE VOID
Ring/Mastery: Void 2
Range: N/A
Area of Effect: 20’ radius from caster
Duration: 5 Rounds
Raises: Area of Effect (+5’ radius per two Raises), Duration (+1 Round per Raise)

This spell allows the caster to thin the veil separating the Void from reality, enhancing the power of the Void within the local area. This is often used when training young ishi, allowing them to touch the Void more readily, but it has a practical value in that anyone within its effect can better harmonize with the Void and thus better reach their own physical and spiritual potential. While this spell is in effect, anyone within the Area of Effect gains a Free Raise to casting Void spells; however, the intensity of the Void in the area makes it harder to focus enough on individual Elements cast other spells, inflicting a +5 TN penalty on all non-Void spells. Also, anyone who spends a Void Point within the area of effect gains a +2k1 bonus instead of the normal +1k1. Any creature of the Lying Darkness (and any mortal with at least 1 Shadow Rank) who enters the area of effect will feel a deep sense of discomfort. Such creatures and individuals must roll Willpower at TN 20 or suffer a +10 TN penalty to all their Skill rolls and attack rolls made while they are within the area of effect. If they fail the Willpower roll by more than 10, they must try to leave the area of effect and cannot voluntarily re-enter it.

Mastery 3
BANISH THE VOID
Ring/Mastery: Void 3
Range: N/A
Area of Effect: 20’ radius from caster
Duration: 5 Rounds
Raises: Area of Effect (+5’ radius per two Raises), Duration (+1 Round per Raise)

This spell is the exact counterpoint to Strengthen the Void; it thickens the veil between the Void and reality, making it more difficult to perceive the Void or to call on the inner harmony which the Void represents. This spell is normally used by ishiken to control the activities of their more powerful and dangerous apprentices, but is sometimes employed in more practical venues as well. Within this spell’s area of effect, casting other Void spells suffers a +10 TN penalty. Also, anyone wishing to spend Void Points within this area must spend two Void Points to gain the effects of one. If the character only has one Void Point, he cannot spend it within the area of effect. GM’s Note: It is left to the GM’s decision whether the effects of Strengthen the Void and Banish the Void also apply to “Void-like” effects such as Naga Akasha or the ratling Name.

Mastery 4
ESSENCE OF VOID
Ring/Mastery: Void 4
Range: 50’
Area of effect: One target creature
Duration: Concentration
Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Special (+1k0 to Contested Roll per Raise)

This spell allows the ishiken to suffuse another living creature with the pure essence of the Void, overwhelming the creature’s bodily functions and rendering that creature inert and unmoving so long as the spell remains in effect. The caster must be able to see the target, and the spell requires a successful Contested Void Roll (creatures without a Void Ring may resist with Name, Akasha, or Willpower at the GM’s discretion). If the target fails the Contested Roll, it is held immobile, unable to move, speak, or otherwise act of its own volition so long as the caster maintains concentration. On the second and subsequent Rounds of the spell, the target may make another Contested Roll during the Reactions Stage to throw off the spell’s effects.

The Book of Water
Water
Mastery 1
PURIFICATION OF THE KAMI
c Ring/Mastery: Water 1
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: Body of water up to 500 feet in radius
c Duration: Permanent
c Raises: Area of Effect (+500 feet radius per Raise)

This prayer invokes the purity and cleansing strength of the Water kami to purge filth and contamination from a body of water such as a pond, a moat, or some of a stream or river. The caster touches the water as part of the casting ritual, and the purification ripples out from that point in waves of glowing light. This spell renders all the water within the area of effect wholly pure and safe to drink, removing all dirt, disease, and toxins. (However, it cannot purge the Taint.) The purification is a one-off event and cannot prevent dirt or poison from returning to the water later. This spell can also be cast on water inside a single container (such as a bucket, barrel, or bottle). If the spell is cast on an alcoholic beverage (such as sake, shochu, or plum wine) it will purge the drink’s flavor and alcohol content, leaving it as pure water.

THE SWELL OF THE STORM
c Ring/Mastery: Water 1 (Defense)
c Range: 25’
c Area of Effect: One target creature
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Area of Effect (+1 target per two Raises), Special (+1k0 on the Contested Roll per Raise)

This spell evokes a sudden blast of water that strikes with the heavy, irresistible power of the tide. The water is summoned into existence, flying out from the caster in a heavy mass and striking the target with gentle but nighirresistible power. The target must make a Contested Roll of his Strength against the caster’s Water – failure means Knockdown (the target is knocked Prone). The spell will also extinguish any open flames the targets are carrying (torches, lanterns, candles, etc). This spell can affect Huge creatures, although the GM may wish to award them a bonus on their Contested Roll to reflect the greater difficulty of knocking down such large targets.

SUITENGU’S CURSE
c Ring/Mastery: Water 1
c Range: 20’
c Area of Effect: One target creature
c Duration: 10 Rounds
c Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Duration (+3 Rounds per Raise)

This prayer invokes Suitengu, the Fortune of the Sea, to drag down the target with the weight of his sullen wrath. The target feels a great weight on all his limbs, as though he is trying to swim in heavy seas. Mechanically, Suitengu’s hostility lower’s the target’s Reflexes Rank by 1 and causes him to move as though his Water is 1 Rank lower for the duration of the spell.

Mastery 2
STRENGTH OF THE TSUNAMI
c Ring/Mastery: Water 2
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: Caster
c Duration: 3 Rounds
c Raises: Area of Effect (cast on someone else for two Raises), Duration (+1 Round per Raise)

This spell calls on Water’s affinity to physical strength. The surge of Water kami through the body briefly enhances the muscles, allowing the targeted person to perform prodigious feats. For the duration of the spell, the target’s Strength Rank is increased by an amount equal to half the caster’s Water Ring (rounded down). This cannot raise the Strength Rank higher than 9.

SURGING SOUL
c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 (Battle)
c Range: 10’
c Area of Effect: One target person
c Duration: 3 Rounds
c Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Duration (+1 Round per two Raises)

In contrast to the more peaceful and healing aspects of Water, this prayer evokes the power of Water on the attack, unleashing a surge of chi through the target’s limbs to empower his strikes. However, the massive surge of Water kami through the body also makes it difficult for the target to remain still. The recipient of this prayer enjoys a +1k1 bonus to all Attack rolls, but cannot enter or benefit from the Center Stance and must take at least one Move Action every Round for the duration of the spell. Surging Soul is greatly favored among war-shugenja such as the martial wing of the Kitsu, the Tamori, the Kuni, and the Iuchi, but finds less acceptance in families like the Asahina and the Isawa.

YUKI’S TOUCH
c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 (Travel)
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: Body of water 100’ radius from caster
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Area of Effect (+50’ radius per Raise)

This spell, named after the legendary spirit known as the Yuki no Onna, persuades the Water spirits in a stream, river, or lake to expel all Fire from their presence, causing the water to instantly freeze. A single natural body of water freezes solid out to a distance of 100’ from the caster. Although this has uses in combat, the most frequent employment of the spell is to allow travelers or soldiers to cross water barriers. Any persons or creatures within the water will be trapped, and if they are under the surface they will suffocate (treat as Drowning). Breaking free of the ice will require a Contested Roll of Strength against the caster’s Water. The ice will melt normally.

HEAVEN’S TEARS
c Ring/Mastery: Water 2 (Crystal)
c Range: Centered on caster
c Area of Effect: 30’ radius around caster
c Duration: 2 Rounds
c Raises: Area of Effect (+5’ radius per Raise), Duration (+1 Round for two Raises, may only be done once)

This prayer evokes the sorrow of the Heavens, unleashing a brief deluge of rain which is endowed with the spiritual purity of the Sun. The spell summons divine rain from the sky, and thus can only be used effectively outdoors – it cannot cause rain to fall indoors or underground. Those of pure soul (no Taint or Shadow corruption, Honor Rank 4.0 or better) who are bathed in Heaven’s Tears are healed each Round by a number of Wounds equal to the caster’s Water. Conversely, those with Taint or Shadow corruption suffer 1k1 Wounds for each Round they are exposed to the Tears.

Mastery 3
ENDLESS DELUGE
c Ring/Mastery: Water 3
c Range: Centered on caster
c Area of Effect: 1 mile diameter
c Duration: 12 hours
c Raises: Area of Effect (+1 mile per two Raises), Duration (+6 hours per Raise)

This spell calls on the Water spirits in the sky to congregate and descend to the earth, unleashing a massive rainstorm. Casting this spell is a ritual requiring at least ten minutes; at the GM’s option, casting this spell in an especially dry region, or during a drought, may require more casting time or require Raises to succeed. Rainclouds gather while the spell is being cast, and once it is completed the clouds open up and rain begins pouring down, continuing without cease for many hours. The chief value of this spell is to extinguish fires (even large conflagrations such as forest fires will be doused within a half hour or so) and to abate the effects of drought. However, the relentless pouring rain also obscures visibility and slickens objects, imposing a -1k0 penalty on all physical actions and a -2k0 penalty on ranged attacks. The rain also imposes a -1k1 penalty on Spell Casting Rolls for Fire spells within it, since the relentless water makes the Fire spirits reluctant to act. Finally, due to the large volume of rain over a short period of time, the spell can potentially cause flash-flooding (GM’s option).

SANCTUARY OF THE WAVES
c Ring/Mastery: Water 3 (Defense)
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: One target person
c Duration: 10 Rounds
c Raises: Duration (+3 Rounds per Raise), Area of Effect (+1 person per Raise)

“The sea is a thing of great destructive power, but also great mercy and salvation.” - Asako Chukage This spell calls on the power of Water to protect and hide the chosen targets (who must be willing, and can include the caster). The spell can only be cast within range of a large quantity of water in a natural environment – e.g. a pond, stream, or something larger. When the spell is cast, the water lunges out, scoops up the targets, and draws them into the water, concealing them beneath its surface. The targets have enough air to breathe for the duration of the spell, but no longer. The surrounding barrier of water completely protects the targets, but also completely blocks them from any sort of attack against those outside – indeed, they will not even be able to see what is happening above the water unless they can roll Perception at TN 20 to make out the blurry images. Once the spell’s duration expires, the water releases the targets where they are – they must swim to the surface on their own.

THE INNER OCEAN
c Ring/Mastery: Water 3
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: One willing person
c Duration: 5 minutes
c Raises: Range (+20’ per Raise), Duration (+1 Minute per Raise)

This spell evokes the target’s inner Water to the ultimate degree, strengthening it to the point where it completely overwhelms the target’s other Elements. The target – who may be the caster – is physically transformed into pure clear water, along with anything he might be wearing or carrying at the moment the spell is cast. This state persists until the spell expires, and while the target is water he cannot speak, attack, cast spells, or directly manipulate physical objects. However, he can move more quickly (performing Move Actions as though he has +1 Rank in his Water Ring), can indirectly manipulate objects by pushing against them, and can flow his liquid body through narrow openings. (The target’s physical mass does not change, so he cannot squeeze himself into a small box or otherwise evade the constraints of his size.) The target is effectively immune to most physical harm, but Fire spells can damage him, as can truly intense heat such as a burning castle or a lava flow. At the GM’s option, certain types of physical events – such as being scattered or partially soaked up with towels – might also harm the transformed person. Once the spell’s duration ends, the target’s Elements rebalance and he returns to normal.

TYPHOON’S SURGE
c Ring/Mastery: Water 3
c Range: 50’
c Area of Effect: One or more target allies
c Duration: Instantaneous
c Raises: Range (+10’ per Raise), Area of Effect (+1 Target beyond caster’s Water per two Raises)

This spell, sometimes called by the more mundane name “Renewed Energy,” is a variation on the more commonlyused prayer Rejuvenating Vapors. The spell targets a number of allies within range up to the caster’s Water Rank (additional targets beyond the caster’s Water may be taken with Raises). All of the targets experience a sudden and powerful surge of energy as the spell floods them with invigorating chi. They are freed from the effects of the Fatigued and Dazed conditions, and each target heals a number of Wounds equal to the caster’s Water Rank.

Mastery 4
STEED OF THE EBBING TIDES
c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 (Travel)
c Range: 25’
c Area of Effect: One summoned steed
c Duration: 4 hours
c Raises: Duration (+2 hours per Raise)

This prayer was originally developed by the Iuchi, although the Isawa have since devised a similar spell on their own. It summons forth a number of powerful Water kami, who take the physical form of a watery, translucent horse. The Steed will bear the caster (or one other person designated by the caster at the time the Steed is first summoned) in the same manner of a normal horse, can be controlled with Horsemanship in the normal way, and will fight selflessly in its rider’s defense; for game purposes, the Steed is considered to have the same mechanical statistics as an Utaku Warhorse, but also has Reduction 15. It is untiring for as long as it remains in existence. Once the spell expires, the Steed collapses into normal water – which can be an unpleasant surprise if someone is still mounted on it.

MASTER OF THE ROLLING RIVER
c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 (Battle)
c Range: 100’
c Area of Effect: Up to 25 allies in one group
c Duration: 5 minutes
c Raises: Range (+50’ per Raise), Duration (+1 minute per Raise), Special (affect non-samurai, see description)

This spell was originally devised by battle shugenja of the Kitsu and Iuchi families, and remains a favorite among them. It infuses a military unit with the flowing speed and relentless strength of Water, allowing the soldiers to move more quickly and strike more powerfully on the battlefield. The caster chooses one group of allies (up to roughly a squadron) to receive this blessing; all troops in that unit may move as though their Water is 1 Rank higher and are considered to have a Strength 1 Rank higher for the duration of the spell. This spell normally only benefits samurai, but a skilled caster can extend to the blessing to cover other allies. Two Raises will allow the spell to affect non-samurai humans (e.g. ashigaru), while four Raises will allow it to affect non-human allies such as Naga or Ratlings. This spell may also be used to affect Mass Battle scenarios. Each casting of the spell during a Mass Battle awards a bonus equal to the caster’s Water Ring to the total of the commanding general’s next Battle Skill roll to determine winning or losing.

SEED OF QANAN
c Ring/Mastery: Water 4
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: Any two people
c Duration: 5 Rounds
c Raises: Duration (+2 Rounds per Raise)

A Unicorn secret spell based on gaijin magic, this spell uses the Water kami’s control over internal energy to briefly create a temporary connection between two people, merging their chi and allowing them to call on each others’ knowledge and skill. The targets must be touched simultaneously by the caster to establish the initial link of Water kami, and must remain within 50’ of each other for the link to continue functioning – if this distance is exceeded, the spell immediately ends. In game terms, the linked people are able to use each others’ Skills, employing whichever Skill Rank is higher for a given task. However, they do not gain the benefits of Mastery Abilities.

THE EMPEROR’S ROAD
c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 (Travel, Imperial)
c Range: Touch
c Area of Effect: One Imperial road up to ten miles in length
c Duration: 8 hours c Raises: Area of Effect (+1 mile per Raise)

This spell was originally devised by the Seppun for the purpose of easing and supporting the Emperor’s journeys to and from the annual Imperial Winter Court. Since then the spell has been applied more widely, but is still quite rare outside of the Seppun family. The spell creates a powerful aura of friendly Water spirits along a specific Imperial road, easing travel along its length. The road is cleared of all minor obstacles and irregularities (a major physical obstacle such as a fallen tree or a rockslide will not be affected), and the Water spirits cause honorable travelers who are loyal to the Emperor to move as though their Water is 2 Ranks higher so long as they remain on the road. Moreover, the blessing infuses these travelers and their mounts with the energy of Water, causing them not to become Fatigued due to travel so long as they remain on the road.

WITHIN THE WAVES
c Ring/Mastery: Water 4 (Travel)
c Range: Self
c Area of Effect: 10’ diameter sphere
c Duration: One hour
c Raises: Duration (+1/2 hour per Raise), Special (add an additional person within the bubble for three Raises)

This spell was originally devised by Isawa shugenja trying to locate the legendary undersea kingdom which was supposedly the home of Shiba’s wife. Although they never succeeded in that goal, the spell they created has seen considerable use in the centuries since. Within the Waves persuades the Water kami to hold themselves away from the caster in a spherical formation, thereby forming an air bubble around him. The caster can move the bubble by concentrating, allowing him to explore freely beneath the surface of a river, lake, or even the ocean. (Such movement is at the normal speed based on the caster’s Water.) Other persons can enter and leave the bubble by swimming, and a skilled caster can carry a few passengers along within the bubble’s center. When the spell’s duration expires, the Water kami push the bubble to the surface.

Mastery 5
CHI REVERSAL
c Ring/Mastery: Water 5
c Range: 20’
c Area of Effect: One target person/creature
c Duration: 1 hour
c Raises: Range (+20’ per Raise), Duration (+1/2 hour per Raise), Special (one additional pair of Traits per two Raises)

This prayer invokes Water’s connection to the flow of Chi through the body, taking control of that flow in order to alter the target’s balance of energy. One “pair” of the target’s mental and physical Traits from the same Element (chosen by the caster) have their Ranks flipped for the duration of the spell. Thus, if the caster chose to flip a target’s Fire Traits, an Intelligence of 2 and Agility of 4 would become an Intelligence of 4 and an Agility of 2 for the duration of the spell. The caster may Raise to affect additional pairs of Traits.

OPEN THE WAVES
c Ring/Mastery: Water 5 (Battle)
c Range: 300’
c Area of Effect: Trench up to 30’ wide and deep and up to 300’ long
c Duration: 15 minutes
c Raises: Area of Effect (increase width or depth of trench by 5’ per Raise), Duration (+5 minutes per Raise)

This spell calls on the Water kami to hold themselves apart, creating a “trench” through a body of water to allow the passage of men, animals, or even wagons and war machines. The spell is employed primarily by martial shugenja who need to help their clan’s armies to cross river obstacles, but has also been used for more benign purposes, such as helping peasants to escape floods. The spell’s chief limitation is that it cannot always clear the water all the way to the bottom – there is only so much that can be asked of the kami.

WHIRLPOOL
c Ring/Mastery: Water 5 (Thunder)
c Range: 1 mile
c Area of Effect: Whirlpool 200’ in radius
c Duration: 10 minutes
c Raises: Area of Effect (+25’ radius per Raise), Duration (+2 minutes per Raise)

This prayer is a favorite among the Yoritomo, who are credited with first creating it. It can only be cast near or on a large body of open water – a lake or sea. The spell excites the Water kami into a tremendous rage, causing them to create a huge and powerful whirlpool that will suck down any ships or swimmers in the vicinity. Any swimmer caught within the area of effect will be in danger of being sucked under, requiring a roll of Athletics (Swimming) / Strength at TN 30 each Round to avoid this. A ship within the area of effect will likewise be in danger, and the ship’s captain must roll Navigation / Intelligence at TN 30 every minute to keep the vessel from being sucked under. Once under water, all victims will be subject to Drowning, and can only reach the surface again by rolling Athletics (Swimming) / Strength at TN 40.

Mastery 6
OPENING THE VEIL
c Ring/Mastery: Water 6 (Travel)
c Range: 10’
c Area of Effect: One spirit portal
c Duration: 1 hour
c Raises: Duration (+10 minutes per Raise), Special (reach Sakkaku or Yume-do for one Raise, Gaki-do or Toshigoku for two Raises, Yomi for four Raises)

This prayer, a spell known only to the Kitsu and Isawa, invokes the Travel aspect of Water to open a temporary portal into the Spirit Realms. The spell can normally only access the realms of Meido or Chikushudo, but extremely powerful casters can sometimes access Yomi, Sakkaku, Toshigoku, Yume-do, or Gaki-do. The portal lasts only a short time, so passage through it is fraught with risk. Also, this spell cannot work in any area which has been warded against the influences of the Spirit Realms (GM’s discretion).

BREATH OF MIST
c Ring/Mastery: Water 6 (Defense)
c Range: ½ mile
c Area of Effect: A circular area 200’ in radius
c Duration: 30 minutes
c Raises: Area of Effect (+25’ radius per Raise), Duration (+10 minutes per Raise)

This spell is especially popular among the more pacifistic types of shugenja, since it provides a way to avert a battle without actual violence. The spell evokes the full power of hundreds of Water kami to reduce the ground to a half-liquid mire while, at the same time, filling the air with water vapor to obscure vision. Entire armies have been rendered effectively helpless by this spell, unable to move or to strike out at their foes. In game terms, the spell turns all the ground within the area of effect into Difficult terrain. The fog reduces normal visibility to 10’. Between 10’ and 30’, characters can discern vague outlines – this imposes a +15 TN penalty on any ranged attacks. Beyond 30’ all characters are effectively Blind.

The Great Clans
No Element
Mastery 2
The Transmute Spell
The Transmute spell is the product of Agasha’s deep and intense study of the Elements and their interconnected nature. It is taught secretly among the highest ranks of the Agasha and Tamori schools (only shugenja of Rank 5 or higher may learn it normally). However, Agasha herself has been known to bestow the spell’s secrets on her favored descendants.

Ring/Mastery: Any non-Void 2
Range: 10’
Area of Effect: One material object (up to 10 cubic feet)
Duration: Instantaneous
Raises: Range (+10’), Area of Effect (5 cubic feet), Special (one additional Element per 2 Raises)

This spell allows a shugenja to transform the Elements in a single physical object into other Elements. For example, a wooden table (Earth) could be turned into Air, Water, or even Fire. (The spell cannot affect Void in any way.) The spell is most easily used to turn a single Element into another Element, such as in the example of the table; for an object made of multiple Elements, the caster must Raise twice for each additional Element, both those in the original object and those which he wishes to transmute them into. For example, a lit candle (Earth and Fire) would require 2 Raises to turn into a single Element. A wooden table (Earth) transformed into Fire and Air (quite the spectacle!) would likewise require 2 Raises. Only individual inanimate objects can be affected by the spell—it has no power over living creatures. It cannot target a complex structure or device (e.g. something made from many separate objects), although it could target a specific object within such a device (such as the axle of a wagon). The spell cannot affect an object whose mass is greater than the spell’s area of effect. The GM is the final arbiter of how many Elements are found within a physical object. As a general guideline, the more complex and sophisticated the object, the more Elements it will contain. The swords of the daisho set (the katana and wakizashi) are believed to contain all five Elements (including Void) and are thus immune to this spell.

The New Winds

Reference: Spells

Reference: Spells