Elemental Magic (Bloodless Casting)

[Togashi Nadare]

We can have both, with "simple" blood magic for emergency situation (a.k.a normal play mechanics), and complex bloodless magic for planned, ritualized ceremonies like blessing a marriage (a.k.a fluff and events).

I like that a lot

[Jiyo Sora]

I've never liked blood magic, but I could see a variation on it where instead of carving yourself open with a knife, you just directly offer up some of your vitality- a water spell takes some of your body's moisture, air leaves you short of breath, fire actually causes you to suffer burns, that kind of thing. Mechanically the same, but without all this "I slice my arm open" stuff, which has always felt like a retroactive attempt to make the creepy Tsukai stuff a thing everyone used to do.

Or it could involve the sacrifice of something else (for every Lakota Sun Dance, I can think of a pile of other real-world religious rites where the sacrifices made were deliberately symbolic rather than intensely mortifying)

[Hanzou]

I'm not trying to replace blood magic entirely, unless it's been corrupted. That would be up to the GMs. My goal is simply to create an alternative. In character, it's a bit odd to Hanzou. He was trained to use blood magic, but his teacher didn't use it. The Nezumi don't use it. The kami don't seem to crave blood, except for the weird whispers near the pit. But, they do enjoy being interacted with.

He thinks there's another way and he'll spend the next 10 years or so (with help from others), figuring that out.

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

I was also not trying to replace it, but to offer an additional option. For quick casting, I definitely see blood magic as faster, with it's raises easier to make, and especially higher level spells easier to cast in combat. But, for things without time constraints, a Pre-prepare method seems interesting.

[Hanzou]

My intention was also to involve Agasha, if allowed. So pre-preparing would seem appropriate.

[Jin]

Mechanically, as opposed to fluff, it seems what would likely fit that idea best is a kind of charge system.

Build up charges doing XYZ then expend them for spell levels, raises, etc.

It does lead to the weakness of someone gaming the system 'I sit in my tent for an hour moving water from cup A to cup B to cup C' but as long as the GMs quash that kind of thing it could work.

[Shoji Haka]

Maybe make Elemental Magic unable to call Raises for speed casting?

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

One thought I had while working was that if we have to prepare ahead of time, then have us show actual timeslots, say with the first creating the spell, then each additional one working for the raises or if it's more than level one. However, as you do the chosen activity (Dancing, drums, moving a large stone, whatever) you have to make a steadily increasing Activity/Stamina roll for each timeslot. And if you fail, you have bored the kami, and you wasted all the time.

Suddenly, Stamina becomes actually important outside of battle and wounds, and makes shugenja have to create their characters more carefully. Which skill are you rolling to entertain the kami, or entreat them? How well does that work with your stamina? Plan out carefully...

[Togashi Nadare]

Maybe make Elemental Magic unable to call Raises for speed casting?

I like that idea. Good trade off.

[Hanzou]

FYI, this was approved with equal contribution from Kyosei, Chisei and myself.