Maho

Maho was blood magic, fueled by the power of fresh blood and sacrifice, and drew from the sixth element: corruption. The use of maho Tainted the users forever linking them to Fu Leng and Jigoku. It called upon kansen, evil spirits of corruption. Legend of the Five Rings: Third Edition, p. 267
== History and Use ==
Maho was not originally a creation of Fu Leng, but of the Tribe of Isawa. Before the Dark Lord fell, the Isawa practiced blood magic that was clean, voluntary and pure. Blood Rite (Gold flavor)
When Isawa's followers realized maho would no longer be free of Jigoku's influence once they allied with the Kami Shiba, they foreswore its use. Fires of the Hidden City, Part Two, by Rich Wulf
It was centuries before the research of Kuni Nakanu elevated maho from a primitive arcane art to an evil, destructive force. Way of the Phoenix, p. 19
Maho-tsukai generally believed that they bent the forces of the Shadowlands to their will, but they were mistaken. The use of maho served Fu Leng, regardless of the user's intent. Tsukai were generally greedy and impatient shugenja, hoping to find a quick, easy way to immense power. Many believed that they could use maho only when necessary, completely unaware of its addictive nature. Way of the Phoenix, pp. 25-27
== Iuchiban ==
Centuries more passed after Nakanu's researches, when the sorcerer that would come to be known as Iuchiban unearthed the dark Kuni's notes. Iuchiban founded the Bloodspeakers, an organization of maho-tsukai and began making plans to raise an army of the undead to help him conquer Rokugan. Bloodspeakers, p. 4
His immediate plans were foiled, but Iuchiban had also learned the secrets of immortality from the heartless Khadi. He was imprisoned only because he could not be killed, but he escaped centuries later and tried again. Once again, his plans did not bear fruit and once again he was contained, presumably for all time. Bloodspeakers, p. 67 Recently, he managed to escape once more, and the Bloodspeakers marched to battle throughout Rokugan and the Shadowlands, fighting for control of both until the Heartless was destroyed. Enemy of My Enemy, Part 4, by Rich Wulf
== Casting Maho ==
To cast a maho spell the sorcerer would invoke a prayer to the Dark God Fu Leng and, in order to gain his favour they would also have to spill blood. It did not however always have to be their own but the more blood spilled the better. Any who would call upon this power would became corrupted immediately, with the severity of the taint dependent upon the complexity of the spell.Game Master's Pack; The Hare Clan, p. 12
== Maho Spells ==
The following is a list of known Maho Spells by mastery level.
=== Mastery Level 1 ===
* Ancient Wisdom Bloodspeakers, p. 35 Prayers and Treasures, p. 102
* Bleeding Legend of the Five Rings: Third Edition, p. 268 Legend of the Five Rings; Fourth Edition, p. 268
* Blood and Darkness Way of the Shadowlands, p. 133 Legend of the Five Rings; Fourth Edition, p. 269
* Blood Rite Legend of the Five Rings: Third Edition, p. 269 
* Choke the Soul Bloodspeakers, p. 38 Prayers and Treasures, p. 105
* Curse of the Water Spirits Game Master's Guide; 2nd Ed, p. 127 
* Disrupt the Limb 
* Eternal Darkness Bloodspeakers, p. 42 Prayers and Treasures, p. 107
* Heart of the Damned Enemies of the Empire, p. 27
* Inspire Fear 
* Legacy of the Dark One 
* Limb Disruption Game Master's Guide; 2nd Ed, p. 126 Prayers and Treasures, p. 108
* No Sustenance Prayers and Treasures, p. 109
* Pain 
* Purge the Weak (Fire) 
* Purge the Weak (Earth) 
* Reduce 
* Rise Again 
* Sinful Dreams Bearers of Jade, p. 146 Prayers and Treasures, p. 110 
* Suck the Marrow Prayers and Treasures, p. 111 Enemies of the Empire, p. 28
* Summon Undead Champion Clan War: Shadowlands Army Expansion, p. 17 
* Symbol of Blood 
* Ward of Divine Peace Bearers of Jade, p. 147 
* Written in Blood Bloodspeakers, p. 48 Prayers and Treasures, p. 112 Legend of the Five Rings; Fourth Edition, p. 270
=== Mastery Level 2 ===
* Avatar's Stranglehold Art of the Duel, p. 134
* Bind the Revered 
* Blood Command Prayers and Treasures, p. 103
* Caress of Fu Leng Way of the Shadowlands, p. 134 
* Choking Death 
* Control Undead 
* Curse of the Black Tongue Descent into Darkness, p. 13
* Curse of the Clan 
* Curse of the Kansen 
* Curse of the Unblinking Eye 
* Curse of Weakness Bloodspeakers, p. 40 Secrets of the Shadowlands, p. 72 
* Darkness Rising Legend of the Five Rings: Third Edition, p. 270 
* Dark Wings 
* Dim Mak Bloodspeakers, pp. 41-42 Prayers and Treasures, p. 106
* Drain the Soul 
* Eternal Unrest Great Clans, p. 282
* Feeding on Flesh Bloodspeakers, p. 43 
* Fear 
* Gift of the Maker Way of the Shadowlands, p. 135 Legend of the Five Rings: Third Edition, p. 271 Enemies of the Empire, p. 29
* Pain Legend of the Five Rings; Fourth Edition, p. 271
* Puppet Master 
* Red Knife Bloodspeakers, p. 45 
* Smite the Blood 
* Spreading the Darkness 
=== Mastery Level 3 ===
* Animate the Dead Bearers of Jade, p. 130
* Armor of Obsidian 
* Blood Fury Clan War: Shadowlands Army Expansion, p. 16
* Blood of Midnight Game Master's Pack; The Hare Clan, p. 13 Bloodspeakers, p. 36
* Bloodstained Forest Prayers and Treasures, p. 104
* Corruption of the Elements 
* Curse of Blood 
* Dancing with Demons Bloodspeakers, p. 41 
* Dark Divination Game Master's Pack; The Hare Clan, p. 14 
* Death Beyond Life 
* Essence of Undeath Legend of the Five Rings; Fourth Edition, p. 272
* Fire and Blood Way of the Shugenja, p. 92
* Form of Vermin Bloodspeakers, p. 47 
* Hate's Heart 
* Heaven Has No Justice Bearers of Jade, p. 148 
* Mists of Fear 
* Obsidian Armor 
* Pekkle's Visage 
* Stealing Breath 
* Summon Oni Game Master's Pack; The Hare Clan, pp. 14-15 Book of the Shadowlands, p. 96 
* Symbol of the Bloodspeaker 
* Taint Strike 
* Ward of the Ninth Kami 
=== Mastery Level 4 ===
* Animate the Dead 
* Blood of the Ages Prayers and Treasures, p. 43
* Blood Warding Bloodspeakers, p. 37 
* Bloodstrike 
* Burning Blood Enemies of the Empire, p. 30
* Chains of Jigoku Legend of the Five Rings; Fourth Edition, p. 273
* Curse Game Master's Pack; The Hare Clan, pp. 13-14 
* Dark Favors 
* Death's Caress 
* Death's Curse 
* Gift of the Kansen 
* Greater Curse of Weakness 
* No Pure Breaths Bearers of Jade, p. 145 
* Sharing the Darkness 
* Shinobi Corruption 
* Sinful Dreams 
* Stealing the Soul Game Master's Pack; The Hare Clan, p. 15 Bloodspeakers, p. 46 
* Summon Greater Kansen 
* The Touch of Jigoku 
* Tomb of Earth Bearers of Jade, p. 144 
* Truth is a Scourge 
=== Mastery Level 5 ===
* Blood Armor 
* Create Elemental Vortex Time of the Void, p. 60
* Dark Charisma Bearers of Jade, pp. 146-147 
* Dominion of Fu Leng Game Master's Guide; 2nd Ed, p. 129
* Draining the Life 
* Fierce Blood of the Earth 
* Flock of Blood Secrets of the Shadowlands, p. 35 
* Fu Leng's Champion 
* Harvest of Death Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 372 Secrets of the Shadowlands, p. 71
* Possession Legend of the Five Rings; Fourth Edition, p. 274
* Stifling Wind 
* Strength of Darknes 
* Touch of Death 
=== Mastery Level 6 ===
* Rise, Taint 
* Summon Revenant 
* Summon Swamp Spirits 
* Take the Body 
=== Mastery Level 7 ===
* Corruption of the Earth 
* Grip of Iuchiban The Four Winds, p. 136
=== Mastery Level 8 ===
* Summon Garegosu no Bakemono 
=== Black Scrolls ===
All Black Scrolls were effectively Mastery 5 maho spells, though any shugenja might cast them. They radiated a quiet aura of menace, but those who touched them (opened or unopened) immediately became aware of the powers the scroll could grant, and were tempted to open them on the spot. They granted taint to those who carried them, and only encasing the scroll itself in jade or crystal would prevent the effect. Time of the Void, pp. 121-122
* The Wasting Disease 
* The Iron Citadel
* Black Wind From the Soul
* The Walking Horror of Fu Leng
* Dark Divination
* Shapeshifting
* Touch of Despair
* Touch of Fu Leng
* Return of the Fallen Lord
* A Terrible Oath
* Doom of Fu Leng
* The Twelfth Black Scroll
=== Other Maho Spells ===
* 1000 Years of Terrible Slumber Lesser of Two Evils, p. 37
* Banish Oni Book of the Shadowlands, p. 97
* Bleeding the Elements Wway of the Shadowlands, p. 41 Secrets of the Shadowlands, p. 69
* Blood Sacrifice 
* Cannibalize 
* Clan Curse Bloodspeakers, p. 39
* Damnation 
* Dark Phoenix Fire 
* Entrap Ancestor 
* Expose Taint 
* Hide Taint 
* I Give You My Name Bloodspeakers, p. 44
* Isawa's Blood Isawa's Blood
* Iuchiban's Theft 
* Life's Blood of a Hero Bells of the Dead, p. 35
* Eat The Flesh 
* Quench the Ashes 
* Sacrifice of Masks 
* Taint the Blood 
* Taint Food and Drink 
* Voice of Lies 
* Ward of the Eight Kami Bearers of Jade, p. 146
* Yajinden's Soul Switch Bloodspeakers, p. 49
=== Mastery Levels ===
The mastery levels above are as listed in Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition and Prayers and Treasures. The mastery levels in Game Master's Pack; The Hare Clan appear to be approximately one level higher (as seen on Curse and Summon Oni).
== See also ==
* Maho/Meta
* Maho/CW Meta
 
Category:Rokugani Language