The progeny of Cain multiplied to the four corners of the Earth, in the process becoming even more inhuman and unrecognizable as generations of magic and myth changed them. The Childer of Clan Nosferatu who evolved in the Far East, cut off from their brethren in the west, have their own society and are barely recognizable as Nosferatu. Far from hiding in the dark to avoid their enemies the Shinryu hide to keep their enemies in sight. The Shinryu do not wait for gossip to fall in their laps, they actively infiltrate all camps and spy on all manner of creatures.
Most of the resources of the Shinryu are dedicated to infiltrating the various organizations of supernaturals running around the world. They also dedicate nearly as much time to infiltrating mortal organizations and governments. Banks and armies are favorite targets for Shinryu to take over. With their double hold on the military and finance the Shinryu are able to support operations of great scope and power. One of the Shinryu's ongoing interests are the Zaibatsu of Japan and their support of Strike Force Zero. To keep Strike Force Zero a viable tool the Shinryu assassinate any Shen who find out too much about the Demon Hunters.
The Shinryu take an active interest in world affairs and the balance of power. Since their genesis they have always sought to turn any situation, be it war or natural disaster, to their own advantage. The Shinryu are very manipulative and militaristic. They have no qualms about sending hundreds of their own clan to their death for the sake of acquiring more power. But their preferred methods of dealing with an enemy are assassination and abduction. If all else fails then they go to war. And when they go to war the battlefield is the entire world.
In times of trouble the Shinryu bolster their ranks by abducting children, usually orphans and children from the slums. Children that won't be missed, or who no one will bother to look for. These children are trained as Shinobi like the rest of the clan but usually never rise above the rank of Genin. They may be as loyal and competent as any other Shinryu but they are not considered family. However if they are permitted to marry into the family their mortal children are considered the equal of any Shinryu and can rise in the ranks.
The Shinryu also make extensive use of animal ghouls and animal spirits. The Shinryu respect the animals they use and have formed deep and abiding alliances with the Totems of those animals. They are almost on good terms with the Hengeyokai of China and Southeast Asia but the Hakken of Japan bear them nothing but animosity... Until they need their services.
All Shinryu are trained practically since birth to be the perfect spies and assassins. As soon as possible the prospective candidate is groomed for his eventual embrace. Shinryu training does not end with the embrace, a new Shinobi is expected to work ten times as hard as a mortal and endure ten times as much pain. All Shinryu start as Genin and rise in the ranks to Chunin and Jonin based on the three virtues of merit, age and power. The ranks of Genin and Chunin are not reserved solely for the dead and many mortal Genin carry out missions and assassinations and even a few Chunin live out their lives as mortals but the ranks of Jonin are exclusively reserved for the undead.
The Shinryu lair in country estates where they train their mortal families in the arts of Ninjutsu and the occult. Whether mortal or Vampire all who survive this training are referred to as Shinobi and start at the rank of Genin. Elders of each clan also maintain mountain retreats that are fortresses of stone for their personal safety and to train the Genin who have been embraced. Many mortal Shinobi who have achieved the rank of Chunin are embraced later in life and are eventually groomed for a position as a Jonin. The Jonin act as clan leaders and carry out the wishes of the clan Elder. All clan Elders were once Jonin so many of the clan Elders were embraced in their later years. Only Chunin and senior Genin, both Vampire and mortal, are involved in the training of new Shinobi.
Unlike other Vampires the Shinryu do not ghoul their mortal families. The Elders of the clan believe that the Blood Bond interferes with the rational loyalty instilled in all Shinobi through their training. And all Shinryu certainly prefer a sober, loyal and intelligent operative to a mindless, obedient slave. Mortal Shinobi only receive Vitae in times of great danger and even then the standard practice is to give each warrior the mixed blood of several Shinryu. Afterwards, fasting and meditation are required to purge the blood.
Ghoul animals on the other hand are regularly used to patrol the forests around the Shinryu's retreats and guard sensitive locations within the compounds. A favorite use of animal ghouls is to modify them through magic and rituals so that they appear as beasts from ancient mythology. The most common are a type of Oni bred from orangutans. These mythical beasts generally have Discipline ratings from three to five and higher than average animal intelligence. Some can even talk to transmit basic ideas and relay information. A very special few are also endowed with mystical powers that have no Vampiric precedent and make them uniquely dangerous. Imagine a War Vozhd with mystic powers and a cunning intelligence. Dogs that can pass into the Umbra are highly prized by Shinryu who must fight Hengeyokai or the minions of the Yama Kings.
The Shinryu are fanatical warriors and relentless assassins. A Shinryu is expected to destroy himself before allowing himself to be captured. Magnesium flares are the preferred method as this usually does not leave any remains for Necromancers to use against them. If all else fails and a Shinryu is known to have been captured or killed the elders know rituals designed to kill any hostages and destroy the remains. The Shinryu also make use of explosive cranial implants on occasion when there is a high risk of the agent being discovered. However it is much easier to conduct rituals that mask the thoughts of the Shinobi and shield his mind from intrusion. In this fashion the Shinryu can pass themselves off as any of a host of different Shen and Vampires with perfect execution despite magical and mundane safety measures. And no one realizes the deception until it is too late. Nickname: Ninja, the Faceless, Shinobi Appearance: Members of this bloodline use masks most of the time when not pretending to be mortals through the use of illusion. Dark, concealing clothes hide athletic frames, and more weapons than a NRA convention. Haven: The Shinryu live most of their time in mansions far in the countryside. These mansions are full of beautiful works of art and are most often as opulent as the villa of any Toreador. The Shinryu are able to appreciate beauty and do not scorn those who are beautiful or those who value beauty.
They use ghoul animals and mortals as guardians. Trespassers are often killed by mortal apprentices with ghoul animals before ever setting foot on Shinryu lands. The Shinryu also use modern weapons and alarm systems in their defenses to augment the wards and guardians they have always relied upon. Centuries of tradition mingle with modern technology to form nearly unapproachable fortresses that the Shinryu can retreat to for healing and information. Background: Shinryu train their mortal servitors in the ways of stealth and combat since birth. Shinryu only embrace from their mortal families and of these only a few are chosen to serve as Shinryu. The rest form a network of support and source of blood for the Shinryu. For every Vampire Shinobi there are as many as ten mortal Shinobi and more than twenty servitors who never attain the rank of Genin, but nevertheless perform important tasks in the service of the Shinryu. There are roughly a quarter as many female Shinryu, or Kunoichi, as there are male Shinobi. Women are embraced only for special missions or to suite a particular purpose whereas men are embraced for a variety of reasons including filling out the ranks of Genin. Character Creation: Any category of Attributes can be primary as Shinryu must fill various roles. From courtesan, warrior or illusionist to simple peasant. There is a great variety among Shinryu and each tends to specialize in a certain area of information gathering and assassination. Skills and Knowledges are important, but only as they help the Shinryu carry out his function. All starting Shinryu must have at least three dots in Alertness, Athletics, Melee and Stealth from their training as a mortal. In addition they must also buy at least two dots of Martial Arts. Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Potence and Obfuscate. Weakness: Like the members of clan Nosferatu the Shinryu suffer the terrible curse that destroys their appearance making them horrible to look upon. Even centuries of mystic experimentation has not led them to find a way to lift this curse and truck with practitioners of Viccissitude is forbidden by tight-lipped elders. But the Shinryu have found ways to sidestep the curse and direct its manifestation. Shinryu who undergo the embrace retain most of the same appearance as when they were mortal, except for their faces. Their faces, from the bridge of the nose down to the jawline twist into masks of horror and pain. First their eyes turn completely dead white. For some their teeth extend and their fangs become prominent. Hair along the mouth becomes oily and wiry drooping down to the chest. Other Shinryu lose their entire lower faces as if the flesh had rotted away. Some acquire a rictus smile accompanied by enlarged teeth and a foot long tongue. This twisting of features has been called the Demon Mask by those Shen who have actually witnessed the true face of a Shinryu. It causes revulsion and fear even in the dead hearts of other Vampires, though not enough to incapacitate. However all Social rolls made by the Shinryu when his face is exposed are at a penalty of +2 and all rolls involving Appearance automatically fail. Whatever the manifestation of the Demon Mask all Shinryu have an Appearance of 0. Organization: The Shinryu divide themselves into family clans. Much like the Giovanni these clans are based on mortal families that have served the Shinryu generation after generation for centuries. Unlike the Giovanni these mortals can ascend to high rank within the clan acheiving status and power over their Vampiric relatives. Each clan has its own estate far out in the countryside which is also where they train new members. They keep the goodwill of the local Hengeyokai through gifts of Jade and by protecting the land from development. Gaining Bloodline Prestige: The Shinryu gain prestige by successfully completing missions of espionage, sabotage or assassination. Gaining enough of a reputation to be asked for specifically by prospective clients separates the initiates from the apprentices.
Quote: "If you want him dead, rest assured he will die. But before he meets his fate we must still come to an agreement on how you will pay me for this favor. I don't need your money and I don't want your blood, no. I want something more personal..." Stereotypes
• The Camarilla- We know their every movement and can name every Vampire of power in their ranks. It is so easy to keep track of Secret Societies that think you are one of them simply by your appearance. There was a Nosferatu from china-town in Chicago that displayed some very interesting powers recently. I wonder if he learned those rituals from Chinese mages?
-Thevro Calpan, Tremere Magus.
• The Sabbat- They are harder to infiltrate but just as easy to manipulate once they accept you. However they demand more of a show of force than the Camarilla. Keep your daggers close and your enemies closer. I've never seen a sewer rat do that before! Did you see the way he dodged all those bullets and then opened the guy's throat with that large knife?
-Benson Port, Ravnos Antitribbu.
• The Inconnu- In five thousand years we have only managed to infiltrate this group with one of our number. I suggest caution when dealing with them. I must confess I am amazed. I have never been able to enter one of their havens and I doubt that it is because of any lack of ability on my part.
-Jargos, Brujah Monitor of the Philippines and Oceania.
Special Powers
The Shinryu have a mystic past that stretches back over six thousand years. During this time they have developed some unique powers and many variations of common powers. Below are only a few of the mystic powers they hold in their arsenal.
Animalism •• Soul Call
The Shinryu share this power with the Bushi. It allows them to use The Beckoning without making a sound. Even the animals responding to the call will do their utmost best to remain silent while making their way towards the Shinryu. This is an alternate second level power for Animalism and can be learned independently of a teacher with the expenditure of 4 experience points.
Obfuscate ••• Paper Mask
The Shinryu can alter their faces to appear as an exact duplicate of another person. Anyone looking at the Shinryu will think he is looking at the person the Shinryu is imitating. They will even hear the voice of the person being imitated no matter the gender or voice of the Shinryu. Use of this power lowers the difficulty all disguise rolls by -4. This power is automatic and requires no roll but the Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower each time he uses it. While the Paper Mask can imitate any person flawlessly it cannot create wholly new identities, the Shinryu must imitate a person he has observed and remembers well. This alternate power must be learned with a teacher and costs 6 experience points.
Obfuscate ••••• • Theatre Mask
The Shinryu can change his entire appearance including race, gender and apparent size. Even the Crinos forms of Shapeshifters can be imitated or entirely new creatures can be dreamed up. The body and shape of the Shinryu do not change with the illusion so if the projected illusion is larger or smaller than the Shinryu physical contact can dispel the illusion. System: The Shinryu does not need to roll any dice to create the illusion of something he has dreamed up but to imitate a person or creature he must roll his Disguise Skill. This power reduces the difficulties for Disguise rolls by -4.
Path of Kuji-kiri (The Nine Cuts Path)
Modern analyst maintain that the finger exercises of the ninja were simply meditation exercises designed to help the ninja attain the proper state of mind. In reality the mystic symbols are derived from Hexagrams and give the ninja great power over the natural forces of the world. Since even mortals can learn these powers most Shinobi start with Kuji-kiri learned from their time as mortal apprentices. While mortals are usually limited to five in any attribute, exceptional mortals can master the higher levels of this Path but the experience cost is doubled. This does not apply to Vampires who are limited to the maximum trait allowed by their generation.
All the powers of this Path take an action to invoke and can be invoked as many times per turn as the Shinobi has actions. This is an exception to the general rule that allows only one use of a mental Discipline or Path in a turn.
• Rin: (Strength)
At the most basic level of Kuji-kiri the ninja can focus his will on his own body. This technique allows him to easily succeed at Feats of Strength. System: The Shinryu spends a point of Willpower and rolls Dexterity + Rituals, difficulty 7. For each success the Shinryu can cancel one 'one' on a Strength roll. The effects of this power last for one scene, but multiple uses of the power are not cumulative and the Vampire is limited to using the roll with the greater amount of successes, counting the amount of successes already used. (Example: The first roll yields four successes and the Shinobi uses two of these to cancel two ones on a damage roll. The second roll yields three successes, the Shinobi would use these three successes for any future rolls instead of the two successes left over from the previous roll. If the Shinobi had rolled one success on the second roll he would instead use the two successes left from the first roll.)
•• Kyo: (Direction of Energy)
The Shinobi is able to direct the flows of Chi in his own body to achieve great feats of athletics and physical prowess. This technique allows him to easily succeed at tasks involving dexterity. System: The Shinryu spends a point of Willpower and rolls Dexterity + Rituals, difficulty 7. For each success the Shinryu can cancel one 'one' on a Dexterity roll. The effects of this power last for one scene, but multiple uses of the power are not cumulative and the Vampire is limited to using the roll with the greater amount of successes, counting the amount of successes already used. (Example: The first roll yields four successes and the Shinobi uses two of these to cancel two ones on an attack roll. The second roll yields three successes, the Shinobi would use these three successes for any future rolls instead of the two successes left over from the previous roll. If the Shinobi had rolled one success on the second roll he would instead use the two successes left from the first roll.)
••• Toh: (Harmony)
The Shinobi has achieved inner harmony and can better resist the effects of Rötschreck and Frenzy. System: The Shinryu spends a point of Willpower and rolls Dexterity + Rituals, difficulty 8. For each success the Shinobi adds one success to any Self-Control rolls to resist Rötschreck and Frenzy.
•••• Sha: (Healing)
The Shinobi can direct flows of Chi to heal himself or others. System: The Shinobi rolls Dexterity + Rituals, difficulty 8 and spends a point of Willpower. For every success he can heal one level of normal damage and for every two successes he can heal one level of Aggravated damage.
••••• Kai: (Premonition)
This power is like a Danger Sense and gives the Shinobi warning of imminent danger from traps or enemies. System: The Shinobi rolls Dexterity + Rituals, difficulty 7 and spends a point of Willpower. For each success the ninja obtains an automatic success on his next Initiative roll or Perception + Alertness rolls against surprise attacks, ambushes, traps or alarms.
Level Six Jin: (Knowing the Thoughts of Others) The Shinobi can read the surface thoughts of others as long as he concentrates. System: The Shinobi spends a point of Willpower and rolls Dexterity + Rituals, difficulty of the victims Willpower. For each success the Shinobi can read the surface thoughts and from these divine the intentions of the subject for one turn per success.
Level Seven
Retsu: (Mastery of Time and Space) The name of this power implies fundamental power over the forces of time and space but is in reality a simple ability used by Shinobi to circumvent physical obstacles. The Shinryu concentrates and is able to instantly change his position by a few feet without crossing the intervening distance. System: The Shinobi spends a point of Willpower and rolls Dexterity + Rituals, difficulty 4. For each success the Shinobi can travel one foot without crossing the intervening space. This allows the Shinobi to 'walk through walls' and avoid most traps and alarms.
Level Eight
Zai: (Control) A biofeedback technique that allows the Shinobi to ignore pain and resist mental intrusion. System: The Shinobi spends a point of Willpower and rolls Dexterity + Rituals, difficulty 8. Each success reduces wound penalties by one and increases the difficulties of Dominate, Presence and other mind influence magic and abilities by one up to a maximum of nine. If this would raise the difficulty over nine then the remaining number of successes increase the number of successes needed to control the Shinobi on a one for one basis. (Example: A Shinobi is the target of Presence. The enemy is using the power of Awe and has a difficulty of 7. The Shinobi rolls Zai and achieves four successes. To be affected by Awe the enemy would have to roll three successes against a difficulty of nine.)
Level Nine
Zen: (Enlightenment) The master of Kuji-kiri can empty his mind of all conscious thought and become one with his own self. System: The Shinobi no longer needs to spend a point of Willpower to activate any of the powers of Kuji-kiri. This bonus also applies to other powers and Disciplines that require Willpower in their activation. All powers and abilities that require a point of Willpower to activate can be activated without any expenditure. If the power requires more than a single point of Willpower to activate then the Shinobi spends one point less to activate it.
Shinryu Rituals
The Shinryu have developed many unique rituals over the millennia and have adapted some of those shared by other Shen for their own use.
Aspecting the Corpse
(Level One Ritual)
With this Ritual the Shinryu can become either Yang or Yin aspected with the same effects as a Kuei-Jin. Aspecting the Corpse does not sustain the Shinobi but can make him appear to be either more alive or more dead depending on which aspect he chooses. This is most often used to help the Shinryu pass as a human or conversely by a mortal Shinobi to appear as a Vampire. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Blood and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 6. One success allows the Shinobi to assume the desired aspect for a single scene. With three or more success he can appear to be of the desired aspect for an entire night. A mortal Shinobi cannot use this Ritual unless he also knows the Tai Chi Kata Ritual first.
Trace the Dragon's Blood
(Level One Ritual)
The Shinobi use this ritual to find Dragon Lines and identify the Chi associated with them. All external Chi flows along lines of force to gather at Dragon Nests. And while Dragon Nests are easy to identify by their large stores of Chi, Dragon Lines are not so easily discerned. These conduits are useful to the Shinobi as a means of locating Dragon Nests, conducting Rituals and transport. The Wall is usually one or two points lower along a Dragon Line and Dragon Lines unlike Dragon Nests can be found anywhere, even in the most unexpected places. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 8. One success allows the Shinobi to sense the location nearest to him touched by a Dragon Line. With three or more success he can also determine in what direction it runs. Dragon Lines have no beginning or end. They all run together at Dragon Nests which are in turn connected to other Dragon Nests by more Dragon Lines.
Behold the Dragon's Gate
(Level Two Ritual)
This Ritual allows a Shinryu to see areas where a portal to the Mirror Lands can be opened such as a Dragon Nest or a Caern. The Ritual does not allow the Shinryu to know where the portal opens to and opening an unknown portal is a sure way to reach the Yomi Lands. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty equal to the local Wall. With one success the Shinobi knows that there is a portal nearby. With three successes he can determine its location and dimensions.
Poppy Blossom Mask
(Level Two Ritual)
The Shinobi can use this ritual to hide his surface thoughts. A simple scan of his foremost thoughts will not reveal his true identity. The mind reader will pick up the thoughts of a cover identity that the Shinobi has created. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 8. With one success the effects of the ritual last for one day. With three successes the ritual hides the surface thoughts of the Shinobi until he adopts a new identity. Each time a mystic attempts to read his thoughts the Shinobi rolls Charisma + Acting against the Perception + Sense Deception pool of the mind reader. The difficulty of both rolls is 6. Ties go in favor of the Shinobi.
Poppy Seed Mask
(Level Three Ritual)
The Shinobi can use this ritual to hide his innermost thoughts even under torture. A deep scan of his mind whether through the use of Disciplines or Hypnosis will not reveal his true identity. The mind reader will pick up the thoughts and memories of a cover identity that the Shinobi has created. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 8. With one success the effects of the ritual last for one day. With three successes or more the ritual hides the thoughts of the Shinobi until he adopts a new identity. Each time a mystic attempts to read his thoughts the Shinobi rolls Charisma + Acting against the Perception + Sense Deception pool of the mind reader. The difficulty of both rolls is 6. Ties go in favor of the Shinobi. All powers and magic that read the mind or probe for memories are fooled by the power of this ritual. Even high level Sphere Magicks must overcome the resistance of the Shinobi to pierce through to his innermost thoughts. This ritual does not hide or change the aura of the Shinobi, so if he is impersonating a mortal or some other Shen that does not have a pale aura the viewer may become suspicious.
Tai Chi Kata
(Level Three Ritual)
This Ritual is most often used by mortal Shinobi to fuel their mystic powers with their personal store of Chi. Vampires can use this Ritual but must expend Blood to do so. System: Instead of spending a point of Willpower to cast a Ritual or use a power of Kuji-kiri the Shinobi can access his Chi just like the Shi described in Demon Hunter X. The Shinobi casts this Ritual by rolling Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 7 and if he gains at least one success he can use his Chi instead of Willpower to cast a Ritual or use a Power on his next action. If he achieves three successes he can use his Chi for one scene. The Shinobi has one point of Yin Chi for every dot in Self-Control and one point of Yang Chi for every dot in Courage. The Shinobi can spend three points of Chi in total of either type without any danger. Each point beyond that inflicts one Health Level of non-soakable damage that heals at the rate of one level per day. Or it can be regained the same as Willpower is regained through meditation. Vampire Shinobi can also use this ritual but instead it converts Blood Points into Chi which can then be used to evoke mystic powers. This Ritual is a quick fix though and it should be noted that the Ritual that benefits from Tai Chi Kata must be cast immediately following the use of this Ritual.
White Lotus Poison
(Level Three Ritual)
With the proper ingredients the Shinobi can create a poison that specifically targets the undead System of Vampires, Kuei-Jin, Risen and other unliving creatures. The poison is harmless to humans and other Shen. Mummies and Wraiths are likewise unaffected even though they straddle the definitions of life and death. A favorite form of delivering this poison is to feed it to a mortal and then allow the victim to drink his blood. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 7. This difficulty can be lowered with a successful Intelligence + Herbalism roll. Each success creates one dose of the poison, multiple doses do not have a cumulative effect on the victim. To give the victim multiple doses each dose must be introduced into his body separately. The poison does three health levels of normal non-aggravated damage. Fortitude cannot be used to soak the damage nor can any other power, only Stamina can be used to resist this damage. However this damage cannot be healed with Blood, Chi or Pathos. The wounds heal at the same rate as a mortal would.
Dragon's Displeasure
(Level Four Ritual)
When the monsoon rains arrive and typhoon winds blow, mortals know that the Celestial Dragons are showing their displeasure with the foolish mortals below. The Shinobi and other creatures of the night have long known that storms on dark nights frighten mortals and keep them locked up in their houses. The Shinobi use this to cloak their nocturnal activities from mortal eyes. Only mortals are affected and many Hsien, in tune with nature, will see the display of wind and fury for what it is. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 8. One success creates a small storm that will keep most mortals indoors. Three successes will create a large typhoon that will keep all but the most determined mortals indoors and oblivious to what is going on outside. To go outside a mortal must roll Willpower vs. difficulty 8, and achieve more successes than the Shinobi. The storm does not hinder supernatural beings in any way except for Changelings who are affected as mortals.
Transcendent Meditation
(Level Four Ritual)
The Shinobi spends much of his time in mystic pursuits that require a vast personal store of Will. To access his inner power the Shinobi spends long hours in meditation, building his reserves and restoring his balance. System: This Ritual replaces the System of regaining Willpower underlined in the Meditation Skill in the Vampire Player's Guide. The Shinryu must roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 6. With each success the difficulty of the roll to regain Willpower with a Meditation + Stamina roll drops by one. The base difficulty to regain Willpower through meditation is 9. If the Shinobi gains enough successes to lower the difficulty to one then the Shinobi automatically regains all Willpower and does not have to roll for meditation.
Open the Dragon's Gate
(Level Four Ritual)
This Ritual opens a portal to the Mirror Lands from the physical location of the Shinobi. The Shinobi must first know that there is a portal at the location he is casting the Ritual before he can attempt to cross into the Mirror Lands. Which world the portal leads to is determined by the aspect of the Dragon Nest, Caern or Node it was cast at. Most Dragon Nests lead to the Penumbra or the Yang worlds but a Nephandi Node would certainly lead to Yomi. Once in the Mirror Lands the Shinobi can travel at incredible speeds along the Dragon Lines between Dragon Nests. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty equal to the local Wall. The Shinobi must achieve three or more successes to open the portal. The portal leads to either the Yin or Yang worlds or else it leads straight to Yomi. This Ritual does not provide the Shinryu with any protective means of surviving in the Mirror Lands so it is wise to keep any visits short and to travel only between known portals if travel of any kind is required. The portal lasts for one turn per success and anyone can cross through, though Hsien that dare use this portal are doomed and die immediately.
Opium Haze Mask
(Level Five Ritual)
This ritual is the most powerful of the mental defense Rituals, with it the Shinobi can change his aura to match the cover identity he has created. No one will be able to glean the true identity of the Shinobi by mind scan or Aura sight. Since the aura of the Vampire can be changed to look like that of a mortal or other Shen the Shinobi is no longer limited to impersonating other Vampires and Kuei-Jin. Shinryu who use this power will find that their Horoscopes are different with each new identity. Some Shinobi who go mad while playing out a false identity may never remember who they are. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 8. With one success the effects of the ritual last for one day. With three successes the ritual hides the aura and thoughts of the Shinobi until he adopts a new identity. Each time a mystic attempts to read the thoughts or aura of the Shinobi he rolls his Charisma + Acting against the Perception + Sense Deception pool of the mind reader. The difficulty of both rolls is 6. Ties go in favor of the Shinobi. Powers such as Aura Sight, Sense Wyrm, Lifesight and Ghostsight are all fooled by this power. Even divinations are led astray by the Opium Haze Mask. Reading the past and future of the subject will reveal the past and future of the false identity.
Jade Blossom
(Level Six Ritual)
With this Ritual the Shinobi can attune a jade artifact to himself. The jade will work in all respects like a normal jade artifact giving the Shinobi blood for Chi on a one for one basis and even crossing over into the mirror lands with him. The Shinobi can also use it to gain indirect sustenance from a Dragon Nest. By allowing the jade to absorb Chi at a Dragon Nest the Shinobi can use it as if it were blood. The type of Chi absorbed by the jade will have a strange effect on the Shinobi. With Yang Chi the Shinobi can sustain himself for one night and is considered to be on the 'scarlet cycle' just like a Kuei-Jin. With Yin Chi the Shinobi can sustain himself for ten nights and is considered to be on the 'black cycle'. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 7. The Shinobi must achieve three or more successes to attune the jade. Thereafter it is always attuned no matter how much time or distance passes.
Kiss of Dharma
(Level Six Ritual)
The Shinryu who learns this ritual can steal Chi from other Shen and mortals through their breath. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 7. For each success the Shinobi steals one point of Chi, Gnosis, Blood, Quintessence, Glamour or Yugen. The Shinobi must be close enough to feel a breath even if the victim doesn't breath. Usually this means about 4 inches of space between the Shinobi and his victim. The Chi or other mystic power is transferred to the Shinryu as Blood. Sometimes mortal Shinobi use this Ritual to replenish Chi spent on other powers but they cannot use it to increase their Chi beyond its normal levels.
Burning Tears of Fire
(Level Seven Ritual)
With this Ritual a Shinobi Elder can destroy a Shinobi who has been captured to protect the secrets of the Bloodline. The Elder can use this ritual only on a willing subject and cannot target an enemy with this ritual. Shinobi are trained to accept this fate when captured and even under the most trying circumstances the Shinobi will open himself to the Ritual Death at the hands of his Elders. However since the Ritual can only be used when the Shinobi permits it this avoids certain mistakes, when the Elder might think that the Shinobi is caught but in reality there is still a chance for escape. System: The Shinryu must spend three points of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 9. The Shinobi must achieve three or more successes to destroy the body of the Shinobi. With one success the Shinobi receives five Health Levels of Aggravated Damage. If the Shinobi is somehow impeded from giving his permission to die, whether by Mind magics or Dominate, he can always spend a point of Willpower to choose to die by this Ritual.
Black Chalice of Blood
(Level Eight Ritual)
This Ritual allows several Shinryu Elders to concentrate the power of their blood to create a mystic potion that endows a mortal with many of the powers and abilities of the undead. Only mortals can drink this potion and receive the special benefits of its magic. If a Vampire or other Shen drinks it will have the same effect as drinking normal Vitae. This ritual is most often used to prepare a great number of mortal Shinoi for war with invading Shen. Since the Shinobi do not have the luxury of being able to develop Vampiric Disciplines at a steady pace in anticipation of a suprise attack this Ritual was developed to give them the power of a Vampire immediately. Several Elders working in concert could provide enough potions to make a veritable army of mortals who display powers far in advance of even most Vampires. System: Each Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and one Blood Point then roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty of 8. For each success the potion can bestow one level of any Discipline that the Shinryu share up to a rating equal to the number of Shinryu participating in the ritual. Each Shinryu involved in the Ritual must possess the Disciplines invested in the potion and the Shinryu with the lowest level in the Discipline determines the maximum level in that Discipline that can be invested into the potion. The potion maintains its potency for 28 days or until drunk. When drunk the potion endows the mortal with its power for one night. Multiple draughts from different potions will have a detrimental effect and after the second potion the mortal will heave the contents of his stomach and lose all benefits from the first potion. Drinking from these potions too often can lead to addiction and if strict abstinence is not maintained for 28 days after a single dose the mortal must roll Wilpower vs. a difficulty of 8 or become addicted to the potion.
Example of use: Three Elders cast this Ritual to empower a Shinobi with mystic powers. The first Elder has Animalism 7, Obfuscate 8 and Potence 5. The second Elder has Animalism 6, Obfuscate 7 and Potence 6. Finally the third Elder has Animalism 8, Obfuscate 6 and Potence 7. They each roll Dexterity + Rituals and in total they achieve 9 successes. Since none of the elders has less than three in any of the Disciplines to be invested in the potion the potion could be invested with three levels in all three Disciplines. If the Elders had decided to inlclude more Disciplines in the potion they would have to divide the successes from the Ritual among them. However no single Discipline could be higher than three and the total rating of all the Disciplines could not exceed 9.
Twisted Gate
(Level Nine Ritual)
This Ritual opens a portal to the Mirror Lands. The Yin, Yang and Yomi worlds are the most accessible worlds reached through this Ritual but even the Yellow Springs and the Celestial Courts can be reached by a Shinryu who has knowledge of their location. System: The Shinryu must spend a point of Willpower and roll Dexterity + Rituals vs. a difficulty equal to the local Wall. The Shinobi must achieve three or more successes to open a man sized portal. Larger portals are unattainable with this Ritual and with only one success a hand sized portal is opened. The portal lasts for one turn per success and anyone can cross through, though Hsien that dare use this portal are doomed and die immediately.
Shinryu Merits and Flaws
The Merits and Flaws of a Shinryu are defined by his years of training and rigorous upbringing. All Shinryu are trained to be loyal to their clan first and feuds between clans can often be more devastating than assaults from Bakemono or rampaging Hengeyokai. Unless otherwise noted all of the following Merits and Flaws can be taken by mortal Shinobi as well as Shinryu.
Suggested merits for Shinryu characters include: Dual Nature, Eidetic Memory, Occult Library, any from Mortal Society and Double Jointed.
Suggested Flaws: Dark Secret, Dark Fate, and Clan Enmity.
Shinryu cannot take the following Merits and Flaws: Weak Willed, Absent Minded, Twisted Upbringing and Paraplegic.
Academic Training (5 point Merit)
The Shinobi with Academic Training has been raised as a scribe and administrator for the clan and in addition to his normal skills has been trained in the arts of Seneschal, Finance and many Lores that help him keep his minions informed. Academicians rise to the rank of Chunin very quickly. The Shinobi has 21 dots to distribute in his Primary abilities, 12 in his Secondary and 7 in his Tertiary. If he also has Extensive training then he receives ten extra dots to distribute among abilities any way he sees fit as long as no ability is raised above three except with freebies. The scribe must know at least five Lores and Knowledges are always Primary. On the downside being raised far from any human contact by Vampire instructors who have forgotten the limits of the human body and frailty of the human mind can be very detrimental to the fledgling Genin. Reduce starting Humanity/Path by one dot and all Conscience rolls are made at +1 difficulty. These penalties are cumulative with any from Mystic Training and Extensive Training.
Extensive Training (5 point Merit)
The Shinobi with Extensive Training has been raised as a warrior and spy for the clan and in addition to his normal skills has been trained in the arts of Demolitions, Disguise and other special skills that help him on his missions. The Shinobi has 21 dots to distribute in his Primary abilities, 12 in his Secondary and 7 in his Tertiary. If he also has Academic training then he receives ten extra dots to distribute among abilities any way he sees fit as long as no ability is raised above three except with freebies. For warriors Talents or Skills are usually Primary, for spies and sleeper agents Skills or Knowledges are sometimes Primary. On the other hand being raised far from any human contact by Vampire instructors who have forgotten the limits of the human body and frailty of the human mind can be very detrimental to the fledgling Genin. Reduce starting Humanity/Path by one dot and all Conscience rolls are made at +1 difficulty. These penalties are cumulative with any from Mystic Training and Academic Training.
Fosterling (2 point Flaw)
The Shinobi was abducted as a child and raised by the Shinryu. There is no difference between the character and other Shinobi but he is not family and cannot rise high in the ranks of the clan.
Mystic Training (7 point Merit)
The Shinobi with Mystic Training has been trained in the art of Kuji-kiri, a series of hand signals that give the ninja control over the elemental forces. At character creation the Shinobi starts with four dots in Disciplines, two dots in Paths (of which one must be spent on Kuji-kiri), and 6 levels total of Thaumaturgical Rituals. This can be six first level rituals or four first level rituals and one second level ritual or any combination that adds up to six. The Shinobi does not need to know Thaumaturgy to cast rituals, but for each ritual he rolls Dexterity + Rituals against the normal difficulty of the Ritual instead of the normal roll for that ritual. All other modifiers and effects of the ritual are applied normally. On the downside being raised far from any human contact by Vampire instructors who have forgotten the limits of the human body and frailty of the human mind can be very detrimental to the fledgling Genin. Reduce starting Humanity/Path by one dot and all Conscience rolls are made at +1 difficulty. These penalties are cumulative with any from Extensive Training and Academic Training.
Physical Training (7 point Merit)
The Shinobi has undergone rigorous regimen of physical training that is designed to weed out the weak and produce a superior warrior. The character starts with one extra dot in Strength, Dexterity and Stamina as long as the Trait maximums are not exceeded. However the training is extremely traumatizing and will certainly leave emotional scars. Shinobi who survive the training are unusually aggressive and short tempered. Reduce Starting Humanity/Path by one dot and all Self-Control rolls are made at +1 difficulty.
Weapon Master (5 point Merit)
Choose one melee weapon appropriate to your character and his area. All combat rolls involving that weapon are at -1 difficulty including hit and damage rolls. Furthermore you cannot botch while using that weapon. If the result would be a botch then treat the roll as if the Shinobi had rolled no successes. To have this merit the character must first raise his melee skill to five with freebie points during character creation. His specialty is considered to be with that weapon and only with that weapon.
Most of the resources of the Shinryu are dedicated to infiltrating the various organizations of supernaturals running around the world. They also dedicate nearly as much time to infiltrating mortal organizations and governments. Banks and armies are favorite targets for Shinryu to take over. With their double hold on the military and finance the Shinryu are able to support operations of great scope and power. One of the Shinryu's ongoing interests are the Zaibatsu of Japan and their support of Strike Force Zero. To keep Strike Force Zero a viable tool the Shinryu assassinate any Shen who find out too much about the Demon Hunters.