Talisman of the Great Horse Spirit

(This ritual will create a Talisman suitable to be empowered by a Great Horse Spirit.)

The ritual leaves a space for Creation, includes all the elements, and references all the Cycle spirits, thus leaving a ``space for Horse. All rolls listed below require twelve successes.

Invoke the Tao

Prepare the space in which the amulet will be created - a forge is a suitable place, but at minimum a fire and an anvil are required. Place a burning oil lamp, shaped with feathered wings, on a metal stand before beginning.

Procure a swift horse of perfectly white coat, and a solid and strong horse of perfectly black coat. Ride around the work space on the white horse, circling the space twelve times, each time riding faster. Lead the black horse around the work space, circling the space twelve times, each time loading another sack of grain onto the horse, yet it must walk no slower.

1. Dexterity roll with Riding
2. Yang roll with Magic Ritual
3. Charisma roll with Animal Handling
4. Yin roll with Magic Ritual

Once the twelve circuits have been made, the burden can be removed from the black horse, but the two horses should continue to circle the area, walking slowly.

Invoke the Elements and the Actions

While the horses continue to circle, go out to find in Gold District those things which shall comprise the talisman - a piece of obsidian at least a hoofspan across, a piece of pure white marble at least a hoofspan across, a heavy gold chain of at least six links, and a silver torc. (Seeking of Earth and Metal).

When the components have been found, take the oil lamp and place in on the ground by the anvil. Build up a wood pile of black serpentwood and white birch wood with the leaves still on - cut the leaves to be shaped like butterfly's wings - and carefully alternate white and black, around the lamp, until the winged lamp lights its own pyre. (Int with Cooking) (Control of Fire and Wood).

Using a tiger's claw, carefully scratch the sigil of the Bear into the hammer's haft, and the sigil of the Magpie into the chain and torc. Hammer the chain and the torc into fine silver wire (Dex or Str with Jewelsmith). (Transform Metal)

Carve the white and black stone into two flat stone discs, sealing them together with neap glue, painted with a foxtail brush. Incise the insignia of the Cycle spirits, incise a horse - you know the drill on what a Talisman looks like - and carve the symbols for Requingnu: Zeal of the World. (Dex or Str with Stonecutting) (Transform Earth)

Cut and embed the gold and silver wire in the incisions, and seal them in with neap glue and a foxtail brush. Dust the whole thing with Wrap the whole thing in wet monkeypuzzle leaves, and place them in the fire. Continue to burn all the wood away, pouring water carefully from a tortoiseshell dipper onto the wet leaves to keep them damp but not dripping, until the wood is all ash and the water has all evaporated, but the leaves have not burnt. (Control Fire, Destroy Water and Wood). (Int with Cooking).

Invoke the Epic Charge

Taking the leaf-wrapped talisman and not unwrapping it, mount one of the horses. Ride to each of the capitals of the Empire, and let the horse drink from a grand fountain or other appropriate source of water in the capital, telling the horse each time "Drink deep, o devoted companion". (Seeking of Water).

If all twelve countries are done within twelve nights and days, that will be sufficient. If all twelve countries are done within a single night and a day, the Talisman will be extra-puissant. Then return to the place of forging and unwrap the Talisman, and soak what befalls you. The Talisman will no longer be onyx and marble, but heartstone.