Magic in Sengoku

 

While rare and mysterious, magic certainly exists in the world of Sengoku. Indeed, there are many different types of magic from the powers of the kami, the miracles of ascetic holy men, to the foul practices of evil sorcerors.

 

Design philosphy for magic in Sengoku.

The object of the magic system for Sengoku was to ensure that mages did not rival swordsmen in combat. To this end I wanted a system that severely penalised off-the-cuff magic. In addition, I wanted magic to have an aura of danger and difficulty, to further restrict its attractiveness. The method I came up with was to require certain limitations on powers defined as spells, which were based on my long-running "Gorgamelle" Fantasy Hero campaign. These are:

In addition, in the world of Sengoku, all spells require Ki; which is discussed in detail below. The short version is that Ki is equivalent to the BOD stat, so spellcasting can (and usually will) do actual damage to the caster. This severely restricts the number of spells a mage can cast in a short period of time and means that most spells are going to be cast only as a matter of necessity and generally in a careful, deliberate fashion (just like magic in fantasy novels!)

Finally, I wanted some powers to be used to allow characters to perform more flamboyant feats, and I wanted these to be available to all characters, not just spellcasters. I thus made a distinction between Ki powers and spells - and again, this is discussed below.

 

Types of magic

There are two basic types of magic - both of which are based on the manipulation of Ki, which can be crudely thought of as "life force" (although it is not necessarily limited to living beings). Inherent powers and Ki powers fall into the school of internal magic, based on the internalisation of Ki , while most other forms of magic are external, based on the outward turning of Ki or the manipulation of someone (or something) else's Ki. Practictioners of internal magic seek to increase the amount of Ki they can generate within their own body. This means that they do not become dependant on external sources of power, and this self-sufficiency and body knowledge is thought to be an important step on the road to true self-awareness. Those who utilise external magic on the other hand, rely on external sources of Ki. This is most easily obtained by taking Ki from another being - a practice abhorrent to devout Buddhists and Shintoists alike. Thus, this path is generally followed by wielders of the darker arts. There are more beneficent types of external magic, however. Geomancers use Feng Shui to locate places where the earth's Ki can be most easily tapped and arrange their environment to maximise the flow of Ki. While this is relatively benign, followers of the way of Feng Shui are limited in the areas where they can work magic. Those who practice Yogen (the art of concocting miraculous potions and powders - basically alchemists) seek to use Ki derived from both the earth and from living creatures, and attempt to avoid the limitations of Feng Shui by distilling Ki and trapping it in objects of power (potions, powders and artifacts) that are portable. This of course, renders them dependant on those objects - a limitation which schools of internal magic see as crippling, as though someone had learned to walk only with a crutch. There is a fourth source of Ki, which is easily tapped, but the most dangerous and limiting of all, and that is demonology (Maho). There are many malign spirits on the earth and in exchange for certain services, they are capable of supplying power to their servants. However, an evil spirit will make an evil master....

Practice of all the sorcerous arts is dangerous - if the flow of Ki required for an enchantment is insufficient, then it will be torn from the mage's body. This most often manifests as sudden, premature aging (perhaps accounting for the fact that your stereotypical mage is wizened and bent) or if the Ki loss is of sufficent magnitude, death. It takes strength of body as well as mind to master the way of the sorceror. For game purposes then, Ki points are treated exactly the same as BOD points. To cast any spell requires 1/10th of the active cost in BOD - which is lost when the spell is cast, and regained at the normal healing rate. Note this is *only* to cast the spell - not on succeeding phases for a spell which is continous or constant. This is a general rule for most spellcasting and is awarded a -1/4 limitation. It's clearly not as dangerous as a required Side Effect, which does 1 d6 of damage (on average 1 Bod *and* 3-4 stun) for every 10 points at the -1/2 level (and more for smaller spells, since the lower limit on Side Effect is 30 points or 6d6 EB with no defences). Obviously, to cast even minor magics would soon be crippling or lethal to a normal person, and to be a successful mage, a very high BOD score is required. Different schools of magic overcome this limitation in different ways, which are detailed below.

 

 

Inherent magical powers

Inherent magical powers are those possessed by supernatural creatures such as ghosts and kami. They are aspects of their being, and as such, totally natural to them. Such powers are thus are not subject to the rules on BOD loss given above for Ki use, which can make these beings very powerful (and thus deserving of the respect historically accorded to them). Normally however, such creatures are restricted in other ways - ghosts draw on the power of darkness and cannot survive the light, kami are normally restricted to certain sacred areas or items and so on. Inherently magical creatures are therefore not suitable for player characters.

 

 

Ki powers

Ki powers are a manifestation of internal magic. To the medieval asian mind, most advanced martial arts partook of the mystical. Many schools of martial arts teach some basic internal magic, although it is often hidden in ritual to such an extent that the students don't even realise they are learning magic. Possessing great Ki allows the user to survive injuries that would fell a lesser man, or move with speed that defeats the eye, as well as many other powers. Like inherent magical powers listed above, Ki powers do not require any BOD loss for their activation, because the user's body has become acclimated to manipulating their own Ki. Also Ki powers are among the least powerful forms of magic, so that a highly trained body can absorb the stress they require. In game terms, this means that Ki powers should rarely exceed 30 active points and should be generally restricted to 20 active points. Ki powers are the ability of martial artists to perform amazing feats - jump further, run faster, strike harder. However, they are subject to certain limitations. Generally, Ki powers do not allow the user to perform at greater than twice the level he could normally. Thus if a warrior wished to buy dice of hand attack or extra STR and define this as "Ki powers" he could not buy more dice of additional damage than than he could normally do with his own STR. Likewise, increased superleap could not be more than twice the distance a character could jump with his unassisted STR. Martial arts multipowers are subject to these same limits, since they reflect the use of Ki powers. Ki powers can allow some amazing feats - movement bought as Flight "requires contact with surface (-1/4)" allows some martial artists to run along fences, or tightropes and even run up vertical walls (for a short distance, anyway). However, any power that is defined as a "Ki power" must be within the realms of possibility (however loosely). Flight used to simulate incredible balance is acceptable. Flight which lets you take off into the sky is not. That doesn't mean you can't buy such a power - simply that it must be bought as a spell. The GM should carefully arbitrate what is acceptable as a Ki power, but the basic rule is that if you have difficulty justifying it, or describing how it operates, then it's probably not appropriate.

Internal magic also encompasses spells and like any spell, these require expenditure of Ki - and therefore BOD loss. To compensate for this, many mages who train in internal magic buy extra points of BOD with the -1 limitation "Only for spellcasting". Such increased BOD is subject to the limitations of Normal Characteristic Maxima, of course. Mages may also buy the advantage "Trigger" on their spells so that they can cast them in safety, and rest to regain their strength - those spells can then be called forth later on when needed. Of course, this has the disadvantage that once triggered, those spells are gone until the mage has the time to meditate and restore his Ki, and the casting of the spells can be very debilitating.

There is one final point to consider about internal magic. Since it is by definition based on controlling the flow of Ki within the caster's body, internal magic can never take limitations like Focus or "Only usable under condition X". Only limitations based on the caster's own physical condition are permissable (such as Concentration, Extra Time, Increased END and so on).

Master Han is an example of a practitioner of the internal arts, with significant Ki powers.

 

 

Priestly miracles (Shugendo for Shintoists, Mikkyo for Buddhists)

Priests, by and large practice internal magic, although some of the more flamboyant sects (such as the Tendai) may also employ external sorcery. Priests generally fortify their Ki by prolonged meditation, which is simulated in game terms by a BOD Aid. Generally, this is bought with a reduced rate of return so that the benefits of meditation are not quickly lost, although some priests accept the loss of Ki and meditate to regain their strength afterwards. However, as with other types of magic, meditation is regarded as a spell and so requires Ki loss. Priests also practice the other Ki-fortifying practices of internal magic noted above.

Master Tse, is a Yamahoshi and master of Shugendo. A practictioner of internal magic, he has raised his own Ki to such a degree that he can control the weather and seasons about his mountain eyrie.

 

 

Sorcery (Onmyodo)

Sorcery is the catchall term applied to external magic. When you are seeing someone performing external magic, you can generally tell something unnatural is occurring. This is the realm of summoning the dead, casting curses on your foes, riding the winds and the stuff of legend. However, legendary magic carries the risk that it could permanently harm the character - a single powerful spell could even drain the caster's body of life. To generate the Ki needed for external sorcery, these mages draw power from other sources. In game terms this is simulated as a BOD Transfer. However, this process is most inefficient since it requires a spell and thus requires Ki loss (and therefore BOD loss). Moreover, most beings are unwilling to yield up their own Ki and taking it by force is certainly an evil act. Thus, most sorcerors are regarded with suspicion if not dread, since they are assumed to get their power by sacrifice. Evil sorcerors also tend to accumulate a lot of bad karma, which bodes ill for their next life.

In addition, it is inconvenient to have to make a sacrifice every time you want to cast a spell, so most practitioners of external magic trap Ki for later use (in game terms, build the spell with the advntage Trigger) or put it into forms where it can be later recovered (ie: buy BOD with focus or recoverable charges limitations). This allows them to build up reserves for spellcasting when it is needed.

 

As an example, Akira Ono - a Onmyodoka, has constructed an amulet which draws and holds Ki, which can be tapped by the holder. This is simply bought as +5 BOD (only for spellcasting -1, OAF, -1) for 2 points. When drained of Ki, the amulet will slowly refill with Ki drawn from the wearer (in other words it uses the wearer's REC statistic).

Other sorcerors commonly make potions or powders which can restore or augment Ki when drunk or inhaled. These often use ingredients such as the penis bone of a tiger, or dragon's scales - sources from animals rich in Ki. These items can be constructed thus:

 

 

Ki-enhancing powder

This powder is a mixture of scarce herbs and regenerative body parts; mixed with green tea; then served to the patient. This powerful tea can restore a wasted body, repair almost any injury, or fill a sorceror with such power that he can cast amazing magics.

Power: 8d6 Aid to BOD

Specific Modifiers : Usable by self or one other (+1/4), Trigger (by drinking, +1/4), One Charge (-2), Gestures (Served as a tea, -1/4), OAF, Expendable, Very difficult to recover (-1 1/2).

Active Cost: 60; real cost 11

 

Mei Ling is a follower of the ways of Feng Shui and Wing Chun.

Kimura Fusaaki is a practitioner of Onmyodo.

 

 

Demonology/Necomancy (Maho)

The final path of sorcery is the most dangerous - the summoning of greater powers in the hope of controlling or at least benefiting from them. Demonology is not an entirely accurate name, since unlike western magic many of the powers called are not essentially evil. Kami are a good example. Nonetheless, most non-human powers have little sympathy for those who would disturb them, and it always seems easier to reach a malevolent power than a benign one, since the malevolent powers crave access to the human world. Sorcerors who practice Maho gain power in two ways. They can summon beings to work their will - in which case they must bear the Ki loss for the sorcery. They can also hope to gain a familiar who is able to provide Ki for them.

The character sheet for Ake, a Maho-tsukai, and his familiar are examples of this

 

 

Spells

There are no "classical" spells in Sengoku - which is to say, common powers known and used by all or most sorcerors. Each spellcaster must find his own way to arcane wisdom, and although certain spells will of course be passed from master to pupil, these become changed over time as each adapts the magic to own their use. These spells are guarded with the utmost care - even though in many cases, the magic would be useless (except as interesting source material) to another mage since it is often tied to very personal sources. However to give an idea of how spells are defined, Several examples are included here.

 

 

Power Frameworks

Power frameworks are used by most spell casters in Sengoku - the most usual being the multipower, but Elemental controls and Power pools are acceptable as well. Check out the character sheets above as examples of how these are managed.

 

 

Back to the Sengoku page