Water

The 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.

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 fluid 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 is already Difficulty).

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.

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 infuences of the Spirit Realms (GM’s discretion).

This spell is especially popular among the more pacifstic 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, flling 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.

This prayer is a favorite among the Yoritomo, who are credited with frst creating it. It can only be cast near or on

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 fill 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.

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.

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 foods. 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.

The exchange of energy via Water is a simple matter that can ultimately lead to the exchange of flesh 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 fit, 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.