Ways to Remove the Taint
Is there any other Taint removing stuff in Rokugan ?
One kiho, Doji's Tear, the Jade Hand...
Anything else?
Now the Unbroken is another deal - easy to find, no drawback.
Then someone is doing you a disfavor. If the samurai does not remove his/her taint within one year of the Unbroken's ritual, the samurai will die. If the samurai does not transfer his/her wounds to the target then the samurai dies. It can be a tricky technique to use. Thus, if someone is affected by small amounts of taints, the technique has relatively low amounts of drawbacks. However, if you have large amounts of taint, you run the risk of dying in the one year allotted. Fighting the Shadowlands is not meant to be easy. If it is, then I think someone is doing a disservice to the theme of the Shadowlands.
EDIT: I forgot the Purification Spell, the Khadi, Taint Resistance and Reduce Spell. You have my thanks for the Reduce spell, Cooper!
- Ways to remove the Taint:
<*>Rest, My Brother (3rd Edition) This kiho allows the user to damage a target so as to remove one point of taint per week. The kiho can cause major damage to a target. Before 3rd Edition, this kiho was an attack kiho against the Shadowlands.
<*>Cleansing the Spirit (1st/2nd Edition) This kiho uses the user’s immense chi to expunge control from the target (including Shadow Taint). It takes a week (or four weeks for the Shadow Taint) of meditation where the user must make roll a TN of 40 with their earth ring. Success means one point of Taint is removed (or one rank of Shadow Taint). The TN is daunting for any edition and only the most enlightened minds have a chance to remove bodily harm from themselves. Note that Kokujin used this kiho to fight off the taint, so he could make a fool of Fu Leng.
<*>Doji's Tear (1st-3rd Edition) These rare tears, perhaps blessed jade, can remove a target's Shadowlands taint. Where the jewels came is largely disputed. In 1st Edition, the jewels could remove anyone’s taint rank equal to their honor rank. In 2nd Edition, the jewels remove all Shadowlands taint from the target, but the jewels cannot target innate servants of Jigoku. In 3rd Edition, the jewels remove all taint, but they kill the target.
<*>Jade Hand (2nd Edition) This rare nemurunai is known to remove the taint via the result of attaching the weapon to your hand. Hida Yakamo is currently believed to have this artifact.
<*>An Iskiken who develops both Shadow and Shadowlands Taint. (1st-3rd Edition) Nameless Ones are created when the Lying Darkness (or its successor, the Shadow Dragon) gains influence over an unsuspecting Ishiken by aiding his struggle against the Taint. All control is removed, but the Iskiken is left as a Nameless One (a husk of what they once were).
<*>Last Rites (1st-2nd Edition) This spell removes the target’s taint at the cost of the target’s life.
<*> Peace of the Kami (3rd Edition) This high-level spell now removes one rank of Shadowlands Taint from the individual. The target may not reduce the target’s taint below one rank. Perceived to be the way that Sezaru’s magic removed the taint from Miya Gensaiken, the Pekkle no Oni. Unfortunately, how it was all removed is a mystery.
<*>Name Friend (2nd Edition) This spell allowed a Nezumi shaman to extend taint immunity to a small animal.
<*>Yumeji Rank Three (2nd Edition) Any creature affected by the control of Yumi-do or dreams can develop this control. It helps the creatures fight off control from other realms. Unfortunately, at this rank, the creature can hardly function in the real world.
<*>Skein of Sleep (2nd Edition) This water spell sends people to Yumi-do. It also can grant ranks 1-3 of Yumeji to a willing target depending on the rank of spell. Unfortunately, this spell is what put the Naga to sleep and gave them taint immunity. Buyer beware!
<*>Cult of the Red Moon (1st-3rd Edition) The Red Moon Cult is a Bloodspeaker cell with advanced maho techniques. They can remove the taint from casting bloodmagic.
<*>Doom of Fu Leng (2nd Edition) The 11th Black Scroll can remove control from a target, if they have it. Otherwise, the target’s void ring is reduced by two. If lowered below 1, the individual turns into an invalid. Before this scroll of Isawa was corrupted, it was widely believed to be able to remove the taint. Now that this scroll is pure again, what it can do is unknown.
<*>Light of Tengoku (2nd Edition) If a user stays in Tengoku, their taint is reduced.
<*>Meido (2nd Edition) Meido removes all control from a dead person when they pass through its gates. This process can take awhile, so the soul may have to wait.
<*>The Unbroken (2nd-3rd Edition) Their Naga technique can remove the Shadowlands taint. However, the member must stay with the Unbroken and survive the ordeal. The user must sacrifice their wounds to kill a target. Only then can he/she remove two points of taint. Furthermore, if the member cannot remove their Shadowlands’s Taint within a year, the member dies.
<*>Purification (1st Edition) This complicated ritual destroys Shadowlands taint at the cost of tainting the shugenja in the ritual.
<*>Reduce (3rd Edition) This Air Maho spell can remove a small amount of taint once a week by sacrificing a sentient creature.
- Ways to fight off the taint:
<*>Strength of the Crow (1st/2nd Edition) This spell before 3rd Edition did not have a caveat that it could not hold the taint at bay for a tainted individual.
<*>Jade Petal Tea (1st-3rd Edition) This substance has been long known to hold the taint back. However, the tea must be taken daily, the tea is expensive, and the only monks who can brew the leaves give out your name to the Kuni Witchhunters.
<*>Fighting Back against the Darkness (2nd Edition) This kata that was developed by Yoritomo Kumiko to fight off the taint. However, if the practitioner is interrupted during the process, the samurai suffers ill affects against the taint.
<*>Yumeji Rank One-Two (2nd Edition) Any creature affected by the control of Yumi-do or dreams can develop this control. It helps the creatures fight off control from other realms or make them immune to control. It does not remove existing taint. Unfortunately, the target is very tired and sluggish. Most TN’s are now increased.
<*> Skein of Sleep (2nd Edition) This water spell sends people to Yumi-do. It also can grant ranks 1-3 of Yumeji to a willing target. Unfortunately, this spell is what put the Naga to sleep and gave them taint immunity.
<*>Name Friend (2nd Edition) This spell allowed a Nezumi shaman to extend taint immunity to a small animal.
<*>Crow’s Tattoo (1st Edition) This tattoo allows one to be immune the Shadowland’s taint. Unfortunately, all Shadowland creatures will be aware of you in the general area.
<*>Tsuno Spells (2nd–3rd Edition) The Tsuno have cast magic upon themselves to remove the control from controlling agents in the Spirit Realms. They still have control ranks, but the control cannot affect them.
<*>Nezumi Blood (2nd-3rd Edition) Nezumi are impervious to taint from a racial gift from the Transcendent.
<*>Shadow Magic (2nd–3rd Edition) The Lying Darkness/Shadow Dragon can extend his power to keep the Shadowland’s taint from harming his servants.
<*>Khadi (3rd Edition) The Khadi are immune to the affects of the Taint. Unfortunately, the process renders you mad and sadistic.
<*>Taint Resistance (2nd Edition) This advantage helps fight off the Taint. The advantage gives the user re-rolls and bonuses to resisting the Shadowlands taint.