Arcana

A new form of thought 

Hailing from the west and from parts unknown, a strange set of beliefs known as "Secrets of the Arcana" have been spreading throughout the empire. Books detailing the philosophies have become popular within a subculture of peasants, wherein they are often whispered or gossiped about. Most Samurai dismiss it as nonsense or folk belief, but a few have found the secrets to be compelling, and believe them to have powerful effects.

Those who take up the study of the Mysticism skill are known as Arcanists, and practice patterns of thought known as "Secrets". They believe that these Secrets have a subtle yet powerful effect on reality. Opposite them are Skeptics who believe only in traditional magic, and who find the Arcana to be a foolish fad. The often eccentric behavior of those found to be studying the Arcana only reinforces the idea that it attracts the weak minded and silly.

The official imperial position is that the so-called "Secrets of the Arcana" do nothing, and that they are a fanciful folk belief, unaccounted for in the Celestial Order, and suited only to the most wishful and gullible of peasants.

Most Samurai take a dim view of the Arcana, especially due to the eccentric behavior of some who study it. In Scorpion and Lion lands, the books have been linked to peasant uprisings, and their possession is punishable by death. Scorpion and Lion Samurai are forbidden to read the books, and have been ordered to burn them on sight. Both clans have agitated for the Emperor to harden the official stance, as they consider the Arcana to be dangerous or even a form of witchcraft but, in light of the official imperial position, those who practice it can always claim to have "done nothing".

Nonetheless, some Samurai have found the Arcana intriguing, and choose to study it in secret, speaking of it only to other Arcanists.



Effects of Arcana on a Samurai's status


As it is considered foolish and unbefitting of a Samurai, any Samurai who publicly admits to knowledge of or belief in Arcana stands to lose one pip of Glory or Status. A Samurai also loses one pip of either Glory or status (player's choice) whenever a new Arcana is learned or the Mysticism skill is increased.

Obviously, an Arcanist's Vices and or Taboos may have social consequences as well.


New Skills

The Mysticism and Skepticism skills are directly opposed to each other, and it is impossible to commit to both fully. Whenever a character gains a rank in one, that character loses a rank in the other, if any are present.

Mysticism
Mysticism is the study and practice of the Arcana, it teaches practitioners or "Arcanists" to shape their thoughts and to thereby shape reality. Arcanists believe that thought and mindset can have profound effects on the world, and that the universe itself has a consciousness that can be tapped into. They believe that specific ways of thinking known as "Arcana", or "Secrets" can change reality. 
One rolls Mysticism/ Ring to activate an Arcana. 
By having ranks in Mysticism, you can support a fellow Arcanist, subtracting 1 from their Mysticism target numbers.
Arcana are difficult to use under scrutiny; for example it's no problem to use Augury while thinking to yourself in a crowded inn and to pass it off as a guess or supposition, but having a crowd of people waiting for you to use your "mystic powers" to gain a vision imposes a +1 TN modifier for each non Arcanist observer.
Mastery Abilities
Ranks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10: Learn a new Arcana
Ranks 5, 9: gain an additional use of Arcana for each ring.
Emphasis: By Arcana

Skepticism
The belief that Arcana are nonsense. Add your ranks in skepticism to the TN to affect you with any Arcana. This applies to all Arcana regardless of source or intent.
Mastery abilities
Rank 5: Add half your ranks of skepticism to the TNs of any Arcanist to use Arcana while you are scrutinizing them.

The whims of fate
Arcana need not always come from an Arcanist, but sometimes are a manifestation of fate and fortune themselves. "Wild Arcana" as they are known to Arcanists, may help or hinder people from time to time. Skeptics claim that such random occurrences are just that, but Arcanists believe that such events happen more often if one opens oneself up to the possibility.
Each day, characters may choose to accept the "Whims of Fate"; characters that do get their first Void usage of the day for free, however, they become subject to Wild Arcana. The GM rolls a die secretly, and there is a 50/50 chance that an unsourced arcana effect will either help or hinder the character during the course of the day. Such effects roll void/ relevant ring, based on the character's own traits, to determine their effectiveness.
Wild Arcana may also be tied to story or plot events. 



New Advantages and Disadvantages

Balanced Mind: 5 Points per rank
Choose one ring per rank, you do not have to take a Vice or taboo to know Arcana related to that ring.

Arcanist: 3,6, or 9 points
You learn one extra Arcana for each rank you have in this trait.

Favor of Fate 4 points
When you choose to accept the Whims of Fate, you may use your first Arcana Use of the day for free as well as your first Void use.

Cursed Fortune: -3, -6, or -9 points
You are always subject to the Whims of Fate. At one rank of this disadvantage, you always gain a negative result. Higher ranks mean that the Arcana will turn against you once more each day for each rank. 


The Arcana

Unlike true magic, Arcana are always subtle to the point of deniability. The effects of Arcana always occur as seeming coincidences or luck, and the sensation of gaining knowledge through Arcana is only barely different from imagining, guessing, or finding patterns in noise or shadows at the edge of the senses. The subtle and illusive nature of the Arcana are a large part of why the imperial commission found there to be nothing to them at all.

Using Arcana

To use a Secret, the Arcanist rolls Mysticism/Ring. An Arcanist may use secrets related to a given ring a total number of times per day equal to that ring's rank. For one void point, an Arcanist may gain an additional use of Arcana related to a specific ring. Any use of Arcana is a complex action, although many Secrets allow the Arcanist to set up initial conditions which may then be triggered as non actions.

Fire - secrets of passion and imagination

• Seek thoughts

You gain insight into what your target thinks and feels. Your imagination bridges the gap between minds, and you are able to make a leap of understanding.

• TN = target’s willpower*5 to read surface thoughts for (fire) minutes

• 2 raises to view a specific memory or gain the answer to a specific question. 1 additional raise per question.

• Influence

If you believe in something passionately enough, others will come to believe it too. Hold on to an idea or attitude in your mind, focus on it fiercely, and it can leap from you to another.

• TN = Target’s willpower*5 to influence toward a specific action or attitude. Targets cannot be made to go against their natures, or do things highly harmful to themselves. Idea lasts (fire) hours or until completed.

• 1 raise each to affect additional targets

• 1 raise to delay influence until a specific trigger during duration.

• 1 raise to increase duration to (fire) days

• 4 Raises to make the influence permanent, or repeating during duration.

• Fire sight

By opening your mind to the greater truth of reality, you are able to imagine things as they truly are. Just as thought can influence reality, reality too can influence thought. Through this secret, the Arcanist taps into what the universe knows.

• TN 15 to view a specific area within (fire*5) meters.

• 1 raise each to increase the range by 10 times (50 meters, 500 meters, etc)

• 2 raises to view a person or object the Arcanist has seen before, if the target is within range, rather than to view a specified area.

• 4 raises to view a pictured or described person or object within range.

Water - secrets of bodily health and of mind

• Manipulate health

By focusing on the connection between mind and body, or between thought and reality, the Arcanist is able to alter the energy of their own body, or even that of another.

• TN 15 to manipulate small aspects of health

• TN 15 to increase wound healing rate by (water*2) wounds per day for (water) days.

• 1 additional raise each to heal target by 1k1 each day

• Heal a poison or disease miraculously within a day = heal TN; ongoing effects stop progressing immediately

• 2 raises to affect an unwilling target

• Impose a -5 penalty on a physical skill = TN (5* trait+skill rank) for (water) days;  target rolls earth vs TN 15 each day to recover

• 1 raise to increase recovery check TN by 5

• TN (Earth+Trait)*5 to impose a penalty on a trait for (water) days; target rolls earth vs TN 15 each day to recover

• 1 raise to increase recovery check TN by 5

• Alter memory

Treating memories as a current that flows through all consciousness, the Arcanist is able to alter or redirect the flow.

• TN (Intelligence *5) to muddy details of up to (water) minutes of memory

• 1 raise to change details

• 2 raises to affect (water) hours of memory

• 1 raise to erase memories instead.

• All effects are constrained by contextual plausibility.

• Targets given reason to doubt their memories, or shown proof of their falseness may roll intelligence vs TN 15 to remember.

• 1 raise each to increase memory TN by 5

• Physical accident

The Arcanist alters the tides of fortune. Accidents aren’t really accidents, but reality responding to the collective subconscious. The Arcanist knows this, and can influence when accidents occur through belief.

• TN (reflexes*5) for target’s next movement or physical action to result in 1k1 wounds and a lost turn. Target may roll Reflexes vs TN 15 to keep their action and continue with their turn despite the injury.

• Raises may be applied to damage

• 1 raise each to increase TN to keep action by 5

• 1 raise to delay until specific trigger within (Water) minutes

• 1 Raise for every full  5 points of a the secondary target’s TN to be hit to instead apply wounds to a secondary target within (Water) meters.

Air - secrets of wind and perception

• Control wind

The winds themselves will bring favor and fortune to the Arcanist who believes strongly enough.

• TN 15 to add or subtract 1k1 to or from a physical action of a creature within line of sight within (air) minutes

• 1 Raise per additional use during the duration; different targets or actions may be chosen each time.

• TN (Earth+Air*5) to continually subtract 1k0 from a target’s physical actions and perception for (air) rounds.

• Whispering Wind

Those who listen closely can hear sounds under the wind. The Arcanist can tease out sounds from miles away, or make their voice heard as a whisper underneath the noise of the air.

• TN 15 to send 10 words to a location up to (air) miles away

• 1 raise per extra 10 words

• 1 Raise to send to a known creature within range

• 1 raise to hear sounds from a designated location in range for (air) minutes

• 2 Raises to hear from a known creature in range

• Mirage

Perception happens in the mind as much as in the eye. By focusing, you can let yourself go unnoticed or be misperceived.

• TN 10 to add +5 to stealth rolls

• 1 raise each to add an additional +5

• 1 raise to hide in plain sight while at least 3 meters away from observers.

• 1 raise to affect another person or object

• TN 10 to add +5 to Disguise rolls

• 1 raise each to add an additional +5

• 1 raise to affect another person or object

• 2 raises each to affect disguise rank

Earth - secrets of protection and the physical world

• Manipulate Object

The performance or subtle qualities of an item may seem to change as a result of the Arcanist’s belief.

• TN 15 to increase or decrease the quality of a normal item by one step for earth minutes

• 1 raise to increase duration to hours

• 2 raises per level to affect an object of higher or lower quality

• 2 raises to affect daisho or firearms

• 2 an affect object possessed by an unwilling subject

• Object reading

By closely inspecting an object while open to its energies, the Arcanist can learn about its past.

• TN 15 to ask a simple question about a past possessor of an object, get one-word answer

• 1 raise to get more complex answer

• 1 raise per extra question

• 2 raises to read a location instead of an object

• Physical protection

Wounds and hazards often aren’t as dangerous as people believe. Through positive thinking, the Arcanist can protect their body or that of another.

• TN 15 to reduce the next damage received by the target within (earth) hours by 5 points

• 1 raise each to reduce damage by a further +5

• 1 raise each for each additional instance of protection on a target

• 1 raise each for each additional target, protection must still be allotted individually

• TN 15 to add 1k1 to target’s rolls to resist poison/disease/taint for (earth) hours

• 2 raises each to add 1k1 to the target’s rolls

• 1 raise for each additional target to be affected, all receive identical protection.

Void - Secrets of fortune itself

• Augury

The Arcanist is open to universal knowledge, and receives guidance about how to move forward.

• TN 15 to gain useful advice about a specific goal or course of action that you may pursue during the day, with 60% success rate

• 1 raise each for each 5% increase to success rate, 90% max

• Fortune

The control of luck is the essence of the Arcana, and the Arcanist who knows this secret understands that fortune comes to those who believe.

• TN 15 to allow yourself or another the chance to reroll one roll made during the course of the day

• 2 raises to add +1k0 to the reroll

• Augment Arcana
  
  This secret allows the Arcanist to further bend fortune to their will.
  
  

  • TN 15 to gain an additional use of Arcana associated with one of your rings

  • 2 raises to affect another
  • 4 raises to replenish a ring's allotment entirely. Each of a character's  rings may be replenished this way only once per day.