Magic [Magical Groups] [Spirits] [Spells] [Foci] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magical Groups Death's Hand Death's Hand (or simply the Hand) is a magical group based on the ancient and often mystified art of ninjitsu. Members are trained assassins and spies who require extravagant pay for their services. Only non-initiates are brought in, usually right after awakening. This recruits are trained for years before being initiated. The Hand never sends these trainees on jobs, but will use them for reconnaissance and support duties. If a trainee intentionally engages in a mission he is killed, usually by the initiate who the trainee is assigned to. One story told often by the masters is of a young trainee who saved his superior’s life during a particularly hairy assassination. The initiate slew the trainee, and then she committed suicide for slaying her savior! Some members spy on other magical and non-magical sects for the Hand. Naturally, spying upon a magical group that requires exclusive membership is extremely difficult. At these times the Hand member will pose as a trusted friend or household servant of a member mage. Such covers take years to develop and are not compromised lightly. As such, the spy will rarely perform any type of assassination. The Hand has a near-extremist aversion to cybernetics, finding them not only distasteful but offensive. This stems from the groups origins from re-established ninja which starting leaning heavily towards cybernetics. Most of the magical (and conservative) members of the ninja splintered off to form the Hand. Name: Death's Hand Type: Conspiratorial. Members: Unknown. Believed around 40 initiates and 60 non-initiates. Limitations: Non-cybered mages/shamans/adepts. Material Link (in the form of a genetic sample) and Oath required. Strictures: Fraternity, Obedience, Secrecy Resources/Dues: Luxury level. In addition, the Hand maintains several safe houses across the globe. These safe houses have a resource level ranging from middle to high, depending on the locale. The main facility, a secret labyrinth among abandoned subway tunnels beneath Osaka, Japan, maintains hermetic libraries in Conjuring, Enchantment, Magical Theory and Sorcery at rating 10. Also, several lodges are maintained with ratings ranging from 5-10 (1d6+4). In addition, a massive exercise arena is maintained for the physical adepts, who are the most numerous members within the Hand. Dues are exactly 40% of all fees taken from jobs, or nothing for those members working directly for the Hand (usually as spies). Customs: Traditional methods of assassination are preferred over modern methods (e.g. - swords, bows and poisons over sniper rifles and the like). Senior Hand members burn the kanji symbol for death (shi) into their left hands and the symbol for hand (te) into the right. When a non-member performs an extraordinary service (such as saving the life of a Hand member), that person is awarded an orichalcum coin with these same kanji symbols (one on each side) which can be redeemed for any service from a single Hand member at a later date. Many save these coins in case the Hand is hired to kill them. (“Here’s the coin! Don’t kill me!”) Spirits Both the CyberNinja and Death's Hand rarely deal with the spiritual realm, instead finding the profits of the physical world more to their liking. As such the mages and conjurers of both groups do not maintain bonds with powerful spirits. One exception to this is Azumamaro. A free Ally spirit, Azumamaro claims to have been originally conjured during the founding of the Japanese Empire. Claiming to have "vacationed" in the metaplanes during the fall of magic, Azumamaro says he has now returned to "this wondrously hybrid world of magic and machine." Although few Hand members would agree with it, none challenge the spirit's motives towards the group. Azumamaro appears in the form of 2.3 meter tall samurai in full o-yori and bearing a katana, wakazashi, and naganata. The large pole arm is the spirit's weapon of choice. Some have commented that a samurai is out of place among ninja. To this Azumamaro simply laughs and replies, "You do not know much about the samurai, little one." Motivations: Animus. Extreme loyalty to Death's Hand for unknown reason. Attributes Skills Body: 14 Quickness: 12 Armed Combat 6 Strength: 13 Etiquette (Magical): 3 Charisma: 12 Sorcery: 5 Intelligence: 12 Unarmed Combat: 6 Willpower: 12 Force: 8 Spells Spirit Energy: 4 Reaction: 12 All at GMs discretion Initiative:* 12 + 1d6 Professional Rating: 4 Threat Rating (Combat): 7 Threat Rating (Magic): 4 Powers Weaknesses Astral Gateway None Aura Masking Dispelling Sorcery *REMEMBER to add 10 to this when Azumamaro is manifest, and 20 when it is on the astral. Spells Silence Used by both CyberNinja and Hand mages, silence was originally designed as a mana illusion spell used to fool the sense of hearing. With the invention of ultra-sound, however, a physical version was created. Type: Mana Range: Touch Target: 4 Duration: Sustained Drain: ( F / 2 ) M Type: Physical Range: Limited Target: 4 Duration: Sustained Drain: [( F / 2 ) + 1] S Foci Debt Coins The coins Death's Hand passes are referred to as Debt Coins. In addition to their mundane benefits (see above), the coins also serve as rating 8 fetish foci. Of course, once its used the coin is destroyed. Velvet Armor The velvet armor is more of an enchantment than a foci. Used by both the CyberNinja and the Hand, the velvet armor is an armored ninja suit (see Gear) that has Anti-Bullet Barrier quickened upon it. Typically, the spell has a Force of 6, with four successes (4 levels of additional barrier protection). This, combined with the suit's armor, gives the bearer an effective ballistic armor of 9. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Click here to return to the index.