I Chih

Immutable Form
Alchemies: Hou Tan 3 or Shui Tan 3
Balance: Yang
Base: Elemental Form
Description: While Shinma competent at Earth, Metal, or Wood Alchemy can create a suit of elemental body armor for themselves, hsien skilled at Fire or Water Alchemy can turn themselves into a virtually unassailable body of gas or fluid. With Hou Tan, the hsien can become the terror of the undead -- a "human torch". Via Shui Tan, the hsien can become a highly fluid pool of water or a soft whisper in the air as a gust of wind or cloud of vapor. Any of these shapes have advantages and drawbacks, but have certain similarities in common, too. Hsien in "fire-form" can incite the fear of the Jade Emperor in vampires who see them and perhaps become terrible in battle against these demons (or any demons, really). However, they risk setting the world around them on fire! Skilled Water-users who become pools of liquid, usually water, are able to flow through cracks in the floor and wall but tend to be slow-moving. Becoming a cloud of gas or gust of wind enables them to move through cracks or fly through the air, but they risk being buffeted about by stronger winds.
System: Magnitude of Form 1 is needed to change one's entire body. Continuance defines the length of transformation. However, Magnitude of Change up to level 7 is required to really affect this magic. The benefits are obvious, however. Through Hou Tan, the hsien becomes capable of inflicting aggravated damage through his fiery touch or strikes and setting flammables on fire with ease. He becomes semi-solid -- the difficulty on all damage rolls made against the hsien is increased by 2. Vampires must roll Courage/Yang Chi to avoid an all-out fear frenzy just on sight of the heavenly fire-bringer, especially if the hsien is in Wani (suffice to say, taking the Mask of Shintai on top of it all will make most vampires hibernate for years afterwards). However, it is all too easy to start a forest fire or set a house on fire -- a careless hsien will do just that and will likely bring the Hou Fu (Ministry of Fire) down on his head. Shui Tan will let the hsien choose between a puddle of fluids or cloud of vapor. In the former case, the hsien's "walking speed" is halved (flowing down a hill or other decline will help counter this, of course). But the hsien becomes semi-solid in form, retaining the benefit of +2 difficulty to all incoming damage rolls. In the case of becoming a cloud of air, the hsien becomes fully intangible and cannot be physically attacked at all -- even seeing the transformed hsien becomes extraordinarily difficult. However, any wind of 20 mph+ will buffet the hsien by either driving him off-course or too fast and out-of-control. Getting sucked into a storm is an even worse danger. Who knows when the storm will release the hsien and if the I Chih will still be in effect when it does... In fire or water forms, the hsien may attack, using Harm to determine the damage. Hsien fully transformed to fire attack with their fiery selves only, they do not add their Harm modifier to martial arts attacks or the like (as with Elemental Fist). Aerie hsien may not use Harm, but can buffet others. The hsien must succeed in a resisted Strength roll (both made at difficulty 6) to knock a target down.

Vigilant Gaze of Heaven
Alchemies: Any but Nei Tan at Level 3
Balance: Yang
Base: Path of the Elements
Description: Sometimes, the hsien will want to only travel the elemental paths to spy on someone or scout out an area. Instead of entirely melding with the element and personally traveling the distance, this I Chih lets a hsien extend only his perceptions, muted as they may be, along that path of elements. The only drawback is that the hsien must be personally familiar with a specific area to be spied on. This area can be no larger than 10'x10' if outside, or a single room if inside, and "personally familiar" means that the hsien has not just walked through the area or room at least once. The hsien must have Communed with the Element in question prior to extending his perceptions to the same.
System: This form of elemental "scrying" is useful only for spying -- like Path of the Elements, no other I Chih can be cast during the perception extension. Continuance is used to define how long the hsien can keep his awareness extended. Domain controls not where the spying is done but how far the area is from where the hsien initiates the I Chih. Magnitude of Change must be employed to determine how many of the character's Perception dice pool may be used. If the character has Perception 3, Magnitude of Change 3 must be called upon in order to use all three dice. The small area to be scryed on must meet the requirement stated above. Remember, although this I Chih focuses on extending perceptions, Perception rolls are still made at +2 difficulty. The hsien actually sees from the element's point of view, which can limit awareness immensely -- it's difficult to see from the water of a toilet bowl if the seat is down (other sensory perceptions would not be so limited in this case, at least)!

The Silent Land
Alchemies: Any but Nei Tan at Level 4
Balance: Yin
Base: Sunder Element
Description: This I Chih was developed to counter magical spies -- such as hsien traveling the Path of Elements or chi'n ta using Correspondence magick. It calls upon the elements themselves to mute the area in an elemental shroud of "spirit-silence". This effect is noticeable especially in the Mirror Lands, and spirits may investigate out of curiosity if nothing else. It can also be noticed in the Middle Kingdom, especially by the shen. It does not affect the Wall or its rating, however; such magic is restricted to masters of Wu Tan. However, whomever is affected by this magic finds their extended perceptions entirely blocked in the area affected. Granted, this is liable to only increase their curiosity in the area so warded...
System: The hsien can create a "shield" against distant perceptions via this I Chih. However, it primarily affects other hsien and their elements. A use of this I Chih cast with Di Tan, for example, will only foil those who try to use Di Tan to travel the Path of the Elements. Note again that it only affects perceptions. A Komuko passing through a warded alley can still travel through the stony ground to get downtown -- however, so long as they remain in the cement, they have absolutely no way to know what's transpiring in the area. No sensory perceptions function. Another hsien cannot overcome this I Chih except by Destructive Cycle unweaving. Note that this I Chih only disrupts magical perceptions and elemental communication in the affected area. The Komuko above could step out of the asphalt street while in that alley and hear, see, and (probably all too well) smell what's transpiring normally. Continuance regulates how long the ward remains standing. Domain may not be used except to define the distance from where the hsien is casting her I Chih. The area actually affected is limited as noted above. Magnitude of Form 3 is required for this defined area. Magnitude of Change, however, defines the strength of the ward. For every level of this modifier, the ward has a rating of 1. Each rating level counts as one die rolled to reduce the number of successes other shen's scrying. For example, a chi'n ta seeking to spy on an area warded with Magnitude of Change 5 would have to overcome 5 dice (rolled at difficulty 6) of effective countermagic against his Correspondence scrying.

Touch of Life
Alchemies: Lin Tan 4
Balance: Yang
Base: Shape Element
Description: A more advanced version of the Breath of Life I Chih, this magic allows the hsien to heal more grievous injuries or even extend her magical gift to others. Again, herbal concoctions or potions are often utilized in conjunction to this life-saving (and Yugen-saving) magic.
System: Use the system as detailed above for the Breath of Life effect. However, the Shinma can also heal aggravated wounds on her own body. She may also heal lethal damage on another person. Abundance cannot be used with this spell. The Shinma may not heal aggravated damage on another person, unfortunately -- a Level 5 version of this I Chih exists for that purpose.

Hear the Ancestors
Alchemies: Nei Tan 1
Balance: Yin
Description: Use of this I Chih grants the hsien a brief awareness of the Yin World and its denizens. The Shinma cannot see the Shadowlands or its inhabitants. However, he has transformed his own awareness of death to a degree that he can begin to communicate with the Restless spirits beyond the Wall, however fleetingly. Granted, most wraiths have little to say unless the hsien bears some importance to the ghosts. It is most often likewise. Some hsien use this magic to converse with angry ghosts, especially those who have come to reclaim the bodies the hsien's spirit inhabited during the Kun Shou.
System: Continuance is all that's really needed, though Domain may be used to hear ghosts at a distance. Use of this I Chih allows wraiths to converse with the hsien without resorting to the Embody Arcanos.