Search

Name Magic

Nezumi do not use magic in any way recognized by humans. They have no shugenja, they do not importune the kami or read prayers from scrolls, and they do not revere the Fortunes or Kami (though the Transcendent are god-like in their estimation). Instead they use their own magical tradition known as Name Magic.
While in some ways it is more powerful than Rokugani magic, in other ways it is extremely limited. Players and GMs alike should try not to present Nezumi Shamans as just “ratling shugenja.” Name Magic has a unique flavor and style all its own. Shamans have such a powerful sense of identity, such a powerful Name, that they are able to consciously alter reality by focusing their will. While this means a Nezumi can use magic without relying on scrolls or kami, it also means a shaman must practice rigid mental discipline. If a Shaman’s Name weakens, his magic weakens – and since Name is dependent on Niche, a Shaman who behaves in ways that violate Nezumi ethics will soon fi nd his effective Name (and thus his magic) diminishing. Worse yet, some shamans fall into a prison of self-deception (“N-kich”), becoming twisted and evil.

Learning Name Magic Spells

Nezumi Shamans start play knowing three spells, and when they increase in School Rank they immediately learn two new spells of any Mastery Level which they can cast. Shamans can learn additional spells by training with other Nezumi shamans or by communing with Transcendent spirits in Yume-do – however, each time a Shaman learns an extra spell in this way, he must spend Experience Points equal to its Mastery Level. Shamans can never know more total spells than 4x their current School Rank. (Spells gained with the Namebound Advantage do not count against this limit.) If a Shaman has an opportunity to learn a new spell but has already reached the maximum number of spells he can know at his current School Rank, he may elect to permanently forget one of his previously known spells in order to learn the new one.

Casting Name Magic Spells

Name Magic spells operate with many of the same basic constraints as elemental magic. Casting a Name Magic spell requires a Spell Casting Roll of School Rank / Name (keeping Name) at a TN of 5 + (5x Mastery Level). Note that if the Shaman’s effective Name Rank has been reduced by a low Niche Rank, his Spell Casting Roll will use the lower effective Name Rank rather than his actual Name Rank. Unless otherwise noted, casting Name Magic spells requires a number of Complex Actions equal to the spell’s Mastery Level, and Shamans may take Raises to reduce this casting time by one Complex Action per Raise, to a minimum of one Complex Action. Shamans have a number of spell slots per day equal to their Name Rank x3. So long as a Shaman has spell slots available, he may cast any spell he knows. Nezumi do not have an Affinity or Deficiency. Casting Name Magic usually involves an elaborate array of gestures and words, occasionally accompanied by dance – thus, Shamans may not cast spells if they are restrained or silenced in any way. Nezumi do not use scrolls – in game terms, all of their spells are considered to be memorized.

* Backlash: Certain Nezumi spells are dangerous if cast improperly. If the Shaman fails the Spell Casting Roll (or his dance is interrupted, where applicable) he suffers the effects listed under “Backlash” in the spell description. If the Backlash effect is “Wounds” the Shaman suffers Wounds equal to the amount by which he failed the Spell Casting Roll. Conjuring spells, which attempt to trick reality into creating Names for things that did not previously exist, often risk Backlash.

  • Bleeding: Some Name Magic spells require the Shaman to injure himself while casting, by a number of Wounds equal to the “Bleed: X” notation in the specific spell. Although this is sometimes mistaken for maho by humans who witness it, it is not. Rather, the caster sheds his blood as a focus to extend his essence outward. The Wounds are inflicted automatically so long as the caster has a sharp implement available. TN penalties for damage incurred by Bleeding are not applied until after the spell is cast.
  • Dancing: Some spells can be enhanced by dances performed by the Shaman, and some require dancing in order to be cast at all. The Shaman must dance for a number of hours equal to the spell’s Mastery Level before casting it. If the dance is interrupted, the spell fails. If a bonus is listed in the spell’s description, the Nezumi gains that bonus on the Spell Casting Roll.
  • True Name: Some spells require the Shaman to know the target’s True Name (see sidebar). If the spell does not require this but the Shaman does know the target’s True Name, he gains +2k2 on the Spell Casting Roll against that person (unless the target is himself).

Mastery Level 1

Beast Speech

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: Hearing
  • Area of Effect: Self
  • Duration: Concentration
  • Raises: Duration (2 Raises, change duration to Concentration + 1 Hour)

Beast Speech allows the caster to understand and speak the language of normal animals. This spell does not guarantee the animals will wish to speak to the caster, it simply makes communication possible.

Bend Name

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 1 target
  • Duration: 5 Rounds
  • Raises: Special (increase penalty by +5)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds), Bleeding (5)

This spell alters the target’s sense of Name slightly, causing him to become disoriented and confused. For the duration of the spell, the target has a +5 TN penalty to all Skill Rolls.

Bless Name

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: Name
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: 1 Hour

At any time during the spell’s duration, the target may re-roll one of his die rolls after seeing the result. He may keep the better of the two results.

Conjure Dream

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: 25’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: 1 Minute
  • Raises: Duration (+1 minute)

When this spell is cast, the Nezumi reaches into the target’s mind and conjures up an illusion of the person or item they desire most. Every detail of the illusion is as perfect as the target remembers. If the target attempts to interact with an illusionary person or item, he may roll Perception at a TN equal to the caster’s (School Rank + Name Rank) x5 to recognize it as an illusion. If the target fails, his mind causes the illusion to react appropriately and he believes the illusion is real for the spell’s duration. The caster has no control over the illusion; it is controlled by the target’s own subconscious mind. Only the caster and the target can perceive the illusion.

Conjure Earth’s Bounty

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: 10’
  • Area of Effect: Food for one Nezumi.
  • Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Special (enough food for another adult)
  • Special: Dance (optional, +2k2), Backlash (Wounds)

This spell causes fresh fruit and ripe grain to burst from the earth, enough nutritious food to satisfy one adult Nezumi for one day.

Conjure Smoke

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 20 foot Radius
  • Duration: 10 Minutes
  • Raises: Area (+5’ radius), Duration (+1 minute)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds), Bleeding (5)

This spell summons a cloud of billowing smoke in a color of the caster’s choice. Visibility within the cloud is reduced to no more than fi ve feet. The smoke will roil about in strong wind, but will not disperse until the duration is complete.

Dream Walk

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: Self
  • Area of Effect: Self
  • Duration: 1 Night
  • Raises: Special (3 Raises, take another willing creature into the dream)
  • Special: Dance (mandatory)

This spell is a ritual and dance must be performed in order to cast it. It allows the sleeping Shaman’s spirit to enter Yume-do, the Realm of Dreams. The Shaman may take along other willing persons, at 3 Raises per person. While wandering in Yume-do the Shaman and his companions may have glimpses of the future, encounter spirits, or even witness the dreams of others. Their bodies remain asleep and helpless while in the Dream Realm, and cannot awaken until the dream is done. Anyone who dies within the Dream Realm awakens immediately. In game terms, this spell is a plot device which the GM may use to give the Shaman further information about his current goals and activities, or even to have adventures within the Dream Realm itself.

Importune Transcendent

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: Self
  • Area of Affect: Self
  • Duration: 1 Hour
  • Raises: Special (+1 question)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds), Bleeding (10), Dance (mandatory),

This spell is a ritual and dance must be performed in order to cast it. After casting this spell, the Shaman falls into a deep sleep from which he cannot be awakened until the duration is complete. During this time, he faces the spirit of a Transcendent Nezumi and may ask it questions. The Transcendent will answer one question plus an additional question for each Raise. When all questions have been asked, the Shaman finds the spell has ended, he has awakened, and an hour has passed. While the Transcendent have access to a great deal of information, the answers they give are often phrased in the form of a riddle or another question. They also dislike being bothered – if this spell is cast more than once per week, the Transcendent will demand a service in return for its aid.

Mend Name

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: Touch
  • Area of Effect: 1 Target
  • Duration: Permanent

This spell can only be cast if the caster knows the target’s True Name. It returns a wounded Name to its rightful form, healing physical damage equal to the amount by which the Spell Casting Roll exceeded the casting TN. This spell can also be used to restore broken, burnt, or damaged inanimate objects weighing less than one pound.

Name Friend

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: 10’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Small Animal
  • Duration: Permanent

This spell allows the caster to share his Name with one small animal (usually a ferret or cat). Forever after, this animal and the Shaman are one. They can understand one another’s speech, instantly sense when the other is in danger, and can always sense each others’ general direction and distance. The animal also shares the Nezumi’s immunity to disease and the Shadowlands Taint. The animal will be favorably disposed toward the shaman and help him as much as it is able, but will also depend on him for food and protection. The caster does not control the animal, though he can train it normally. A Shaman may have only one Name Friend at a time – if this animal dies, the Shaman may not cast this spell again for a full year.

Named Weapon

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: Touch
  • Area of Effect: 1 Weapon
  • Duration: 1 Year
  • Special: Dance (+2k2)

By casting this spell, the shaman places a bit of his Name in a weapon, increasing the weapon’s strength and durability. The Shaman may add a bonus of +Xk0 to the weapon’s Damage Rating, where X is the Shaman’s effective Name Ring. In addition, the Shaman always knows the weapon’s location in relation to himself. Other wielders of the weapon do not gain this advantage but can benefi t from the increased damage normally. If the weapon is destroyed, the Nezumi instantly loses a full rank of Name. A Shaman may only have one Named weapon at a time, typically a spear, bow, or dagger. These weapons are always decorated with feathers, beads, and other symbols of their owner’s power.

Smite the Nameless

  • Mastery: Name 1
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Raises: Damage (+1k0), Range (+10’), Targets (+1 target, maximum of 5 total targets)
  • Special: Bleeding (5)

This spell summons the purity of the Shaman’s spirit and sends it forth as a beam of crystalline energy. The beam inflicts 3k3 Wounds to all creatures corrupted by the Shadowlands Taint or the Nothing. If it is used on a target not corrupted by either of these forces, the beam rebounds on the caster and damages him instead.

Mastery Level 2

Burn Name

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Target
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Raises: Target (+1 target per 2 Raises)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds)

The Shaman summons the strength of his Name to overwhelm the target. Bright energies crackle between the caster and target. The spell has a DR equal to the Shaman’s Fire Ring. If the spell is used against a flammable inanimate object, it will set it on fi re. The fl ame burns normally thereafter.

Conjure Animal

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: Special
  • Area of Effect: 1 Animal
  • Duration: 1 Hour
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds), Bleeding (4)

This spell can be used to transport one animal to the caster’s location, literally summoning it through space. The animal must be native to the area and it cannot be a specific individual animal – the spell can summon a horse, but not Shinjo Koto’s horse. The animal appears at any location within 100’ of the caster and thereafter behaves normally. Such randomly conjured animals are confused by the sudden change in location and often will either flee or attack the nearest target, depending on their nature. At the end of the spell’s duration, the creature vanishes to whence it came. The summoned animal may not weigh more than two hundred pounds per School Rank of the Shaman.

Conjure Named Weapon

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: Unlimited
  • Area of Effect: Named Weapon
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Special: Casting this spell is a Free Action

To cast this spell, the shaman needs a Named Weapon. The spell conjures the shaman’s weapon to his hand. If the weapon has been destroyed, this spell restores it to being (and also restores any Name Rank lost when the weapon was destroyed).

Conjure Perfect Self

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: Self
  • Area of Effect: Self
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Special: Dance (mandatory), Backlash (Wounds)

By throwing himself into this ritual dance, the Shaman restores the most perfect version of his own Name. At the end of the spell, all of the Shaman’s current Wounds are healed, all poisons or illnesses are cured, any lost body parts are restored, and all hostile spell effects are removed.

Hide Name

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: Touch
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Raises: Special (3 Raises, causes additional attempt to fail)

This is a subtle protective magic used to ward tribe members against enemy Shamans. Its effect is simple – it subtly wraps the True Name of the target in a false identity. The first attempt to learn the target’s True Name (whether via magic or observation) always fails. Only one casting of this spell can be in effect on a person or object at a time.

Name Talent

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: Self
  • Area of Effect: Self
  • Duration: 1 Hour
  • Raises: Duration (+1 Hour)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds)

By conjuring the power of this magic the shaman alters his Name, adding experiences cultivated from the dreams of others. For the duration of this spell, the caster may use any one Skill as if he had a Rank in that skill equal to his effective Name. Ranks in Skills already possessed do not stack with Ranks gained from this spell.

Purify Name

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: Touch
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Special: Dance (optional, +2k2)

This spell can only be cast on a subject if the caster knows that subject’s True Name. It is essentially an improved version of Mend Name; the Shaman directs his own strength of Name into the target creature, returning the target to a truer version of itself. The spell removes all poisons, disease, and magical effects from the target, though it does not cure any Wounds or other physical damage. The GM may raise the TN of this spell as he sees fit to mend effects which are particularly potent. It is possible that certain powerful poisons and diseases cannot be cured by this spell.

Seek Name

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Special: Bleeding (5)

This spell allows the shaman to look into the spirit world and discover the True Name of the target. The spell’s TN is increased by an amount equal the target’s highest Ring times its Insight Rank (if it has no Insight Rank, the TN is simply increased by its highest Ring).

Share Cunning

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: Name
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: 1 Minute
  • Raises: Target (+1 additional creature per two Raises),
  • Special (+1 Skill per Raise)

The Shaman selects one Skill possessed by himself. For the duration of the spell, the targets of this spell may use the Skill at the caster’s current Skill Rank or at a Rank equal to the Shaman’s effective Name (whichever is lower).

Share Name

  • Mastery: Name 2
  • Range: Touch
  • Area of Effect: 1 Willing Creature
  • Duration: 1 Year
  • Special: Dance (mandatory)

By casting this spell and engaging in the required dance, the Shaman shares the target’s Name. For the duration of the spell, the caster knows the target’s True Name as well as he knows his own, and can change it as he can change his own. All spells that affect one affect the other, for good or ill. (This happens whether the spells are Name Magic or other forms of magic.) The caster and the target always know the other’s location and direction in regard to themselves. A shaman’s Name may only be shared with one creature at a time. If either the Shaman or the target die while this spell is in effect, their counterpart suffers Wounds equal to the Shaman’s effective Name in rolled and kept dice, and falls unconscious for 24 hours.

Mastery Level 3

Bonds of Blood

  • Mastery: Name 3
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Raises: Target (+1 per two Raises), Damage (+1k0 per Raise)
  • Special: Bleeding (6 plus special, see below)

This rather ghastly spell has played a large part in Rokugani prejudices against Name Magic, as it is very similar in appearance to maho. The shaman slices open his hand and releases a boiling torrent of bloody red energy at the target. This energy inflcts damage with a DR equal to the caster’s effective Name. If the caster Raises for additional damage dice, the Bleeding damage for the spell increases by 2 per Raise.

Conjure Thoughts

  • Mastery: Name 3
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: Instantaneous c Raises: Special (see below)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x2 – double the amount by which spell TN is missed)

This spell allows the caster to reach into the mind of one creature within range and borrow their thoughts for a moment. If the spell is successful, the caster immediately knows what the target was thinking during the last Round. If used properly, this spell can be used to detect falsehoods or discern motives, among other things. If the caster makes two Raises on this spell, the target loses his train of thought, inflicting a +5 TN penalty on his actions for his next Turn.

Conjure Trickster

  • Mastery: Name 3
  • Range: 10’
  • Area of Effect: 1 mujina
  • Duration: 1 Month
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x3 – triple the amount by which the spell TN is missed), Dance (mandatory)

This ritual dance and spell allows the caster to summon a mujina from Sakkaku, the Realm of Mischief (see the description of mujina in the Spirits chapter elsewhere in this book). The mujina will demand a gift, usually a small amount of gold, jewels, or an intricately crafted toy. If the mujina approves of the gift, it will serve the Shaman dutifully for one month. If the mujina is not satisfi ed, it returns to Sakkaku in a puff of smoke and cannot be summoned again for another month. If the mujina is treated well and given another gift at least once a month, it will remain in the Shaman’s service, but a Shaman cannot have more than one mujina servant at a time. Each time the Shaman casts this spell it summons the same mujina, unless it has died – thus many Shamans over time come to befriend their strange servant. Even a loyal mujina will not enter combat unless it has no other choice, unless it feels the combat offers no danger. It is far more likely that these trickster spirits will try to distract or confound opponents so their Shaman can escape. A Shaman who causes the death of his mujina cannot summon another for at least one year.

Curse Of No-Lips

  • Mastery: Name 3
  • Range: 1 Mile
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: 1 Minute
  • Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x2 – double the amount by which spell TN is missed), Bleeding (5)

This powerful curse is often used to disable enemy Shamans and other spell casters. The spell requires the Shaman to know the target’s True Name. The Shaman steals a bit of the target’s Name, causing the mouth of the target to become sealed by fl esh for the spell’s duration. This typically makes both spell casting and any meaningful verbal communication impossible. A target of this spell can choose to cut his own mouth open with a knife or other sharp implement (inflicting normal weapon damage to himself). This ends the spell’s effect but leaves permanent disfiguring scars (at the GM’s option, this can infl ict the Disturbing Countenance Disadvantage).

Find Name

  • Mastery: Name 3
  • Range: Name
  • Area of Effect: 1 Target
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Raise: Duration (2 Raises to extend Duration to 1 minute, +1 minute for each Raise thereafter)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds), Bleeding (3)

By casting this spell, the Shaman gains a momentary mental image of one creature or item of which he already knows the True Name. He also receives a vague impression of the target’s general direction and distance from himself.

Named Warren

  • Mastery: Name 3
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Warren
  • Duration: 1 Year
  • Special: Dance (mandatory)

By using this spell, the caster extends a bit of his Name into his home. For the purposes of this spell, a “warren” is any actual structure which the Shaman considers home and whose total area falls within the spell’s range. While the Shaman is within the Named area, all magic cast by allies (even non Name magic) gains a +1k1 bonus to the Spell Casting Roll. All magic cast with a harmful intent toward the caster, his allies, or his home suffers a +10 TN penalty. A caster may only have one Named Warren at a time, and a given location may only have one of these spells in place at a time.

Shield Name

  • Mastery: Name 3
  • Range: 1 mile
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: 1 minute
  • Raises: Range (+1 mile per 2 Raises), Special (2 Raises to further increase Armor TN of target by amount equal to Shaman’s Name Rank)
  • Special: Bleeding (5)

This simple spell allows the shaman to extend the protection of his Name into the target. While this spell is in effect, the caster’s Armor TN is reduced by his effective Name Rank, but the target’s Armor TN increased by double this amount. This may be further increased with Raises. However, this spell may not grant the target a total bonus greater than the Shaman’s Armor TN.

Temper Named Weapon

  • Mastery: Name 3
  • Range: Touch
  • Area of Effect: 1 Named Weapon
  • Duration: 1 Day
  • Raises: Duration (+1 day)
  • Special: Dance (mandatory)

To cast this spell, the caster must have a Named Weapon. This dance and magic allows the caster to temporarily invest a larger amount of energy into his Named Weapon. This energy is offered up in the form of spell slots. For every two spell slots invested (including the one used to cast this spell) the Named Weapon gains a bonus +1k1 while the shaman wields it. Each 1k1 bonus must be allotted to either attack rolls or damage rolls when the spell is cast, and cannot be changed until the spell expires and is re-cast.

Trade Name

  • Mastery: Name 3
  • Range: 100’ Area of Effect:
  • Creatures
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Raises: Special (target is not disoriented, 2 Raises per target)

This spell can only be cast if the caster knows the True Names of both targets. This magic allows the caster to twist reality, causing two living creatures (one of whom may be the Shaman himself) within range to instantly switch places. Both targets are disoriented on their next Turn and can take only Free Actions on that Turn.

Mastery Level 4

Bind Name

  • Mastery: Touch
  • Range: Name
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: 1 Hour
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x3 – three times the amount by which the spell TN is missed)

This spell requires the Shaman to know the True Name of the target. The Shaman binds his Name to the target, temporarily subverting the target’s will. The Shaman’s soul transfers into the target’s body and the target’s consciousness is suppressed. The Shaman gains complete control of the target’s body, though he cannot use the target’s skills, techniques, or magic. While possessing the target, the Shaman’s mental Traits remain the same, but he gains the physical Traits of the target. (The target’s Wounds are unaffected by this change regardless of any resulting temporary change to his Earth ring.) The Shaman may use his own Skills and Name Magic normally. The target can see and hear everything the Shaman does during the spell’s duration, but is helpless to interfere. If the target dies while the caster is in his body, the Shaman dies as well. The Shaman can cancel the spell early and return to his own body with a Free Action, but otherwise his body remains in a trance for the spell’s duration. If his body is violently disturbed or killed, the spell ends.

Close The Door

  • Mastery: Name 4
  • Range: 10’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Spirit
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x2 – double the amount by which the TN is missed), Bleeding (20)

This spell cannot be cast unless the caster knows the target’s True Name, and can only target a spirit that is not native to Ningen-Do. Examples would include kappa, mujina, oni, ghosts (yorei), ancestors (shiryo), hengeyokai, and gaki. The spell severs the spirit’s connection to the mortal world, sending it back to its own Spirit Realm. The creature cannot return under its own power for a year and a day, though it can try to access the mortal realm through other means (such as the Festering Pit or the assistance of a mortal summoner).

Conjure Name

  • Mastery: Name 4
  • Range: 3 miles
  • Area of Effect: Special (see below)
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x3 – three times amount by which TN is missed)

The Shaman reaches out to creatures and objects bound to his Name, drawing them to him. This spell can be used to instantly summon a creature who has been targeted by the spells Share Name, Conjure Trickster, or Name Friend. It can also summon a Named item (such as a Named Weapon or a Set Blood Aside crystal). Alternately, the caster may choose to use the spell to send himself to such an item or creature’s location, or to conjure himself into his Named Warren.

Paint The Name

  • Mastery: Name 4
  • Range: Touch
  • Area of Effect: 1 pot of paint and 1 living creature
  • Duration: 1 Day
  • Raises: Special (increase Advantage cost, 1 point per Raise)
  • Special: Dance (mandatory)

This spell summons the power of raw Name Magic from the Realm of Dreams and infuses it into a pot of war paint. This paint must be specially prepared before the spell is cast. (Nezumi paint is usually a crude infusion of mud, fruits, plants, etc.) The shaman who created the paint must personally apply it to the target as part of the spell’s dance ritual, covering clothing and armor as well as the body. He must paint the target with wild representations of its Name, so the spell also requires the Shaman to know the target’s True Name. Once the spell is complete, the paint cannot be washed off for one full day. The target gains a single Physical or Mental Advantage of his choice. This advantage may not have an Experience Point cost higher than twice the Shaman’s effective Name Rank. Alternately, the target may choose to negate one of his existing Physical Disadvantages (with the same Experience Point limitation) for the same duration. No more than one application of this war paint may affect a target at a time.

Set Blood Aside

  • Mastery: Name 4
  • Range: Special
  • Area of Effect: Self
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Raises: Special (create second crystal with equal effect, 3 Raises)
  • Special: Bleeding (Special), Dance (mandatory)

The caster sets some of his blood aside for future use. Bleeding for this spell can be any amount up to three quarters of the caster’s total Wounds. The blood takes the form a small crystal. At any later time, as a Free Action, the caster may break this crystal and put the blood into himself or another creature by touch. This instantly heals a number of Wounds equal to the amount bled to cast this spell. A caster may only have one Set Blood Aside crystal at a time.

Steal Cunning

  • Mastery: Name 4
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: 1 Hour
  • Raises: Duration (+1 hour)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x3 – three times amount by which TN is missed), Bleeding (4)

The caster temporarily borrows a bit of the target’s Name. Select one Skill known by the target. For the duration of the spell, the caster gains that skill at the target’s Skill Rank, and the target is considered unskilled. If the target is unwilling, the TN of this spell is increased by +10.

Twist Name

  • Mastery: Name 4
  • Range: 250’ (1 mile if the caster knows the target’s True Name)
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: 1 Day c Raises: Duration (+1 Day)
  • Special: Bleeding (20), Dance (mandatory)

This potent curse allows the shaman to greatly alter the target’s identity. It is among the most feared of all Name Magics. For the duration of the spell, the target gains a Social or Spiritual Disadvantage of the Shaman’s choice. Anyone who meets the spell’s target will react as if the target has always had the Disadvantage. When the spell ends, all effects of the Disadvantage vanish and those who were affected are left wondering what happened. No Disadvantage bestowed may have a point cost greater than twice the caster’s effective Name Rank. Dependant is a Disadvantage worthy of special note. In the case of this Disadvantage, a trickster spirit actually takes the form of a Dependant. For the duration, the target even has memories of this Dependant’s existence, though inconsistencies are possible. (How did I win the Battle of Beiden Pass while carrying my aging grandfather everywhere?) If the truth is exposed, or the spell ends, the spirit immediately vanishes amid cackling laughter, but the memories remain. Shadowlands Taint cannot be inflicted by this spell.

Mastery Level 5

Conjure Chitatchikkan’s Fury

  • Mastery: Name 5 c Range: 50’
  • Area of Effect: Willing Creature
  • Duration: 1 Hour
  • Raises: Target (+1 per 2 Raises)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x3 – three times amount by which spell TN is missed), Bleeding (20)

For the duration of this spell the target is enhanced by the berserk fury of the Chitatchikkan. The target rolls and keeps extra dice equal to the caster’s effective Name on all attack rolls. All Wound Penalties (including Down and Out) are negated for the duration of the spell. The target is aware of his Wounds but can continue fighting at full power until dead. This spell cannot be cast on a Nezumi who is already a Chitatchikkan berserker

Conjure Nightmare

  • Mastery: Name 5
  • Range: 100’
  • Area of Effect: 1 Nightmare
  • Duration: 1 Minute
  • Raises: Duration (+1 minute)
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x4 – four times amount by which spell TN is missed)

The Shaman reaches into the Realm of Dreams and pulls out a nightmare beast that proceeds to attack everything in sight. Mechanically, treat this creature as an ogre that has no Shadowlands Taint but has a Fear rating of 5 – its physical appearance, however, will be bizarre and different every time the spell is cast. The nightmare beast can not determine who is a friend and who is a foe, though it will know who summoned it. It will only attack its summoner if he is the only target available. The creature returns to the Realm of Dreams when the spell’s duration ends or it is killed.

Conjure Storm

  • Mastery: Name 5
  • Range: Centered on caster
  • Area of Effect: 1 Mile Radius
  • Duration: Concentration
  • Special: Backlash (Wounds x4 – four times amount by which spell TN is missed), Bleeding (10), Dance (mandatory)

The shaman dances and claps his hands, chanting wildly, and summons a terrible thunderstorm from the sky. The storm forms when the dance is complete and is centered on the caster. It does not harm those who remain within twenty feet of the center point (though they will still feel the rain and wind). Outside this area, visibility drops to five feet, ferocious winds and rain fi ll the air, and the ground turns into thick mud. Flight will be impossible and those on the ground move as though they have Water of 1. Lightning will strike a random point within the storm’s area once per Round, inflicting 7k7 damage if it hits a living creature. If the caster stays at the center of the storm and does not move, he can direct these lightning bolts at specifi c targets as a Complex Action.

Conjure Tribe

  • Mastery: Name 5
  • Range: Miles equal to caster’s effective Name Rank
  • Area of Effect: Up to 10 Living Creatures
  • Duration: Instantaneous

This spell allows the Shaman to send a mental summons (up to twenty words long) to up to ten other creatures. The caster must know the True Name of each creature he wishes to summon. Any creature who agrees to answer the summons is immediately transported to a place of the caster’s choosing within one hundred feet of his current location.

Take Name

  • Mastery: Name 5
  • Range: 1 mile
  • Area of Effect: 1 Creature
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Special: Backlash (death), Bleeding (30), Dance (mandatory)

This is the most feared of all Nezumi spells. The target’s Name is taken away forever. The target still physically exists and retains his memory, but no one else remembers him except for the Shaman. The target’s family is now someone else’s family. The deeds he accomplished are remembered – but as if someone else had done them. The Shaman has no direct control over exactly how this new reality forms itself. The effect, however, is not entirely perfect. Those who were extremely close to the target may potentially notice discrepancies. (“You say you saved my life at the Battle of Beiden Pass? No you didn’t. Matsu Gohei did… But I didn’t meet Matsu Gohei until three months after that battle. What’s going on?”) Characters bound to the target with Kharmic Tie, Blissful Betrothal, or True Love (or Allies with 4 points of Devotion) will still feel compelled to help and care for the target, even though they no longer remember why. Likewise, Sworn Enemies will hate the target on sight without knowing why. Fortunes, Celestial Dragons, and other such powerful spirits will remember both versions of reality, and these entities may become interested in the target, wondering how such a peculiar thing could come to pass. Each time this spell is cast, the Shaman’s Name Rank is reduced by one. Shamans do not make use of this spell lightly due to its unpredictable affects on reality. Those who use it are likely to be visited by other Shamans (who know the signs of its use) who wish to know why such extreme magic was used. The only known way for this spell to be undone is for the Shaman to willingly return the target’s Name. To do so is considered the same as failing to cast the spell – that is, the Shaman will immediately die.

Mastery Level 6

Dream Forever

  • Mastery: Name 6
  • Range: Self
  • Area of Effect: Self
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Special: Dance (mandatory)

The caster becomes one of the Transcendent, casting off his mortal coil and forever entering the Realm of Dreams. This spell can only be learned from the Transcendents, and is revealed only to those Shamans they judge worthy of joining their ranks.