CoLA -- Hsien

House Rules

I Chih

Fortunes

Fortunes are fairly self-explanatory. However, some considerations should be taken.

For the Fortune of Skills, the new Secondary Skill (based on Crafts) of Chi-Shaping may be employed to gain Fortunes in the same manner as the other Abilities listed in the book. The Secondary Knowledge of Herbalism may be substituted in place of Medicine; in this case, a character needs only a score of **** to create the "elemental potions" described in the book.

For the Fortune of Poetry, players must write their own poems and have their character recite them for this Fortune to count! Naturally, a player needn't have any real talent. The point is trying, not just saying "my character mutters a poem". A different poem applies for each level of Alchemies a character knows. The lower the level, the shorter the poem, to the point of two-liners for Level One I Chih being acceptable.

For the Fortune of Dzi Dzat, characters (particularly Japanese) may substitute origami representations instead.

For the Seasons Fortune, the earth element has no analog. However, Di Tan may gain a Fortune based on this category on the day and night of the two equinoxes and two solstices. Four days out of the year are better than none.

Finally, two new Fortunes may be applied.

Year

The Chinese calendar along with all of its astrology, is tied to the five elements. A twelve year cycle is observed for a continuum of a grand 60 year cycle. Within that sixty year cycle, the five elements are recognized on a bi-annual, repeating basis. This Fortune is useful but the parameter unfortunately changes much more slowly than any other. Below is listed the most recent set of the bi-annual five elements.

Currently, Wood is the elemental affinity, and thus only Lin Tan I Chih may use this Fortune.

Animal

Each of the five elements also corresponds to the five traditional Chinese animals. Only the most practical versions apply (since waiting around for a genuine dragon may take quite awhile). There are a number of "variations" of animals, but they do not all apply. For this Fortune to benefit, the hsien must have the appropiate animal within ten yards of casting. The animal cannot be encaged or chained, it must be free. It must be alive and cannot leave the area during the casting for its benefit as a Fortune to count. The following animals apply as per element:

The hsien cannot use himself as a Fortune, but another hsien or even another shen who has assumed the form of one of these animals can work as a Fortune.