Spells

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.

This spell embraces a weapon with fire, causing it to be larger and more effective. When the spell is cast, a tendril of fire 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.

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.

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 inflicts 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.

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. The spell dismisses the active Fire kami in the area. All non-magical fire in the area of effect is immediately snuffed out, and any damage dealt by fire (magical or not) reduces its DR by 1k1 until the start of the next round.

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.

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 flames. 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 fire, dealing Wounds as normal.

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.

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 bea very effective deterrent to thieves, assassins, and spies.

You summon a blade of pure fire, 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 fire 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.

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 first.

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 Osano Wo’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.

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.

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 and nicks. This spell cannot repair an item which has actually been broken or destroyed, however, it can only affect items that are of ordinary quality.

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.

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 find 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.

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 flames. 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.

Fire is the element of thought, and thought is swift indeed. You draw upon the speed of 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 benefit of Hurried Steps elapses.

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 fire. Anyone who carries that item has their Intelligence Trait increased by 3 for the duration of the spell.

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.

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 penalty apples 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.

This spell invokes several Fire kami to form a whip-like tendril that extends from the caster's hand. The tendril of flame 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.

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 flame 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 spectacularly visually. The spell has a DR equal to your Fire Ring.

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 specific location which it protects against the forces of evil. Casting the spell requires inscribing elaborate kanji on a flat 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 influence 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.

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.

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.

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 flames 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 fire 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 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 bonfires 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 flammable materials within the area of effect immediately catch fire and burn until nothing but ash is left. The fire 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 fire will not spread out to the adjoining structures, as your prayers keep the Fire kami under tight control. Living beings and materials that are not flammable are not affected; in fact, while clothes worn by people caught within the area of effect will burn, their flesh will not so much as singe.

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 filled 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 every 10 minutes.

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 fire 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.

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.

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 Fire kami, making it a very effective weapon against a rival Fire shugenja. You summon forth a bolt of flames that streaks toward the target with wild abandon. The flames deal 5k3 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.)

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.

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.

A more powerful prayer to the Fortune of Thunder, this spell invokes his anger to devastate a targeted area. Massive lightning strikes and vaguely fist-shaped bolts of flame streak from the skies, smiting the area of effect. Weak structures and those easily set on fire (such as most Rokguani homes) are destroyed by the spell's fury, or catch fire and are consumed. The spell has a DR equal to your Fire Ring, inflicting 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 fires are terribly dangerous to Rokugani cities.

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.

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.

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 1. 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, unmodified Fire Ring) to end the spell's effect.

A more potent form of spells like Shining Light, this prayer summons forth an aura of magical flames from a suit of armor, surrounding and protecting the armor's wearer. These flames 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 flames also impede sight to the target, increasing his Armor TN by 20.

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.

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.

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 fir 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.

* Ring/Mastery 4 (Craft)

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 the pieces are gathered in front of the caster. (If someone 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 worker 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.

You invoke the Fire kami to spring up and form a wall of flames, barring passage to all. The wall is 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 specifications, but all the mass of the flames must be used somehow. The wall may be created in an area where people or creatures are standing, forcing them to make a Reflexes Trait Roll against a TN of 20 to avoid taking Wounds from the fire.

You may Raise to increase on of the specifications (height, width, or length) by its base increment (10', 1', or 25' respectively).

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 non-magical fire 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

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.

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.

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 flames. Every target within the area of effect, whether friendly or hostile, takes 7k7 Wounds, for the raging flames makes no distinction between ally and enemy. You alone do not take damage from the spell.

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 infliction of pain. A few shugenja have even noted certain disturbing similarities between this spell's effects and those of certain maho curses.

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 fire toward it that snakes along the ground (on later Rounds, designating a target in this manner is a Simple Action). the stream of fire moves at a rate of 75' each Round and moves around impassable (or inflammable) barriers in order to reach its target. Once the fire reaches its destination, the target bursts into flames, suffering 6k5 Wounds. The subject catches fire and takes half that many Wounds (rounded down) every subsequent Round until the fire is doused normally or the spell's duration expires.

This prayer invokes the power of the Sun, worshiped 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.

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).

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 casters the power of flight. 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 fly 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.

This is perhaps the deadliest single spell available to shugenja, and one of the most fearsome spells ever developed in the Empire. The prayer invokes a tremendous blast of fire 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 fires within range will burn hotter and more violently for many minutes after this spell is cast.

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.

This mighty prayer calls on all the Fire kami in the area to remain quiet and calm, soothing the agitation which so often afflicts 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 fire, and all Fire spells cast within the area have the TN of their spell Casting Rolls increased by 15. Normal fires will still ignite and burn, but they do so sluggishly, and do not spread easily.

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.

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.

This spell imbues incredibly powerful Fire kami into a weapon, granting it the full fury of a raging firestorm. 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.