TEXT: Author’s Note: In writing this game, I attempted to reflect the beliefs of the Tibetan people as accurately as 
  possible.  The beliefs of all kinds of people, from illiterate peasants to scholastically educated lamas were 
  taken in to account. When I encountered two mutually exclusive beliefs, I chose the belief that had greater 
  possibilities for drama and exciting game play.  I have tried not to play “favorites” by casting any people or 
  belief system in a good or bad light
  the Role Playing Game
  
  TIBET the Role Playing Game
  is published by Vajra Enterprises, Eureka California
  ISBN 0-9713095-1-5
  Written and Designed by Brian St.Claire-King
  Cover by Samuel Araya
  Art by Lorie Albrecht www.albrecht-illo.com (p.135),
  Laura Dubuk (p.69, p.190), Jason Juta (p.82, p.185),
  Britt Martin (p.182, p.197),  Martina Pilcerova (p.106).
  Playtested by Tiffany St.Claire-King, Gary Townsend, 
  Chris Musgrave, Matthew Thompson, Jeffrey W. F. Walker, 
  Candace “Macha” Walker, Eric Nakano, Katie Riley,  
  John LaViolette, Diamond Charlotte, Nick “Eeyore!” Page
  Game Design Assistance by Tiffany St.Claire-King
  Editorial Assistance by Tiffany St.Claire-King, Nick Page and 
  Diamond Charlotte
  Copyright © 2004 by Vajra Enterprises. 
  All rights reserved under the Universal Copyright Convention. 
  No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole without 
  permission from the publisher.
  VISIT WWW.TIBETRPG.COM
  
  003
  table of contents
  …The monk gripped her phurba, a tri-cornered ritual knife.  She began to chant a mantra she had 
  learned from ancient books in her monastery library.  The deep, powerful tones echoed against the 
  stone walls of the ruins.  She could not see the thing, but she knew it was here.  She could feel its terrible 
  hatred and pain.
  She had been on her way to Lhasa.  She was to have joined the crowds of refugees surrounding the Potala.  She 
  had heard disturbing rumors that the Chinese were preparing to arrest the Dalai Lama, and she would put her body 
  between him and the Chinese if that’s what it took.  Yet on her way she had come to a village where the spirit had 
  attacked.  Seeing the damage it had done, she decided that visiting Lhasa would have to wait.
  She had tracked the thing for weeks.  She had traveled over freezing mountain passes, she had forged raging rivers, she 
  had hidden from Chinese patrols.  She had followed the trail of destruction and misery.  When she lost the trail she had 
  consulted village oracles and astrologers.  She learned that this was once a simple spirit of the earth, before a Chinese 
  mining operation drove it insane.
  Suddenly she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.  The thing hurled a huge piece of the temple wall at her.  She 
  dodged, rolling and coming up in a crouch.  She did not dare to let the mantra waver.  Then she could feel the thing on 
  her, its touch like a draft against her body.  It looked for some weak spot where it could enter her and destroy her from 
  the inside.  The young monk continued the mantra and tried to concentrate on compassion.  She tried to concentrate 
  on the lifetimes of suffering the demon was earning.  She tried to think of how much suffering she could prevent by 
  ending this current incarnation.  She lashed out with the phurba.  She felt it lurch in her hand as it pieced the creature’s 
  heart…
  Introduction
      Warning ......................................001
      Table of Contents .......................003
      Tibet in Brief ..............................004
   
  Chapter One: Tibet .........................006
      History of Tibet ..........................006
          Origins....................................006
          Kingdoms and Empires ..........006
          Spread of Buddhism ...............006
          Dark Ages ...............................006
          Mongol Rule ..........................007
          Age of Imperialism ................007
          Chinese Threat .......................007
       Tibetan People ...........................009
          Ways of Life ...........................009
          Dress ......................................013
          Customs..................................014
          Housing ..................................017
          Transportation ........................017
          Martial Arts ............................018
      Magic and Religion ....................019
          Cosmology .............................019
          Metaphysical Beings ..............020
          Protection ...............................026
          Reincarnation .........................028
          Medicine ................................029
          Astrology ................................029
          Divination ..............................030
          Oracles ...................................030
          Bön .........................................032
          Buddhism ...............................033
          Tantra .....................................038
      Government & Law ...................041
      Geography ..................................044
          General ...................................044
          Lhasa ......................................044
          Central Tibet...........................048
          Chang Tang ............................051
          Eastern Tibet ..........................051
          Northeastern Tibet ..................052
          Western Tibet .........................052
          Ecology ..................................053
      Chinese Threat ...........................055
          Chinese Communism .............055
          Invasion ..................................055
          Chinese Presence ...................056
          Resistance ..............................057
          The Dalai Lama ......................059
          The Coming Storm .................059
  Chapter Two: Character Creation ..060
          Women in Tibet ......................060
          Character Concept ..................061
          Attributes ................................062
          Character Class ......................064
                  Aristocrat ........................065
                  Ascetic ............................066
                  Astrologer ......................067
                  Bön Priest .......................067
                  Craftsperson ...................068
                  Dobdob ...........................069
                  Doctor ............................070
                  Farmer ............................071
                  Foreigner ........................072
                  Gesar Bard .....................072
                  Kagyupa Monk ...............074
                  Merchant ........................074
                  Mirror Gazer ..................075
                  Nomad ............................076
                  Nyingmapa Monk ..........078
                  Oracle .............................078
                  Revenant ........................082
                  Sakyapa Monk ...............083
                  Savage ............................084
                  Sorcerer ..........................085
                  Treasure Finer ................086
                  Unclean ..........................088
                  Weathermaker ................090
                  White Robe ....................090
                  Yellow Hat Monk ...........091
             Skills ...................................093
                  Combat ...........................095
                  Crafts ..............................096
                  Divination ......................097
                  Exorcism ........................098
                  Folk Knowledge .............100
                  Medicine ........................101
                  Scholarship .....................101
                  Sorcery ...........................103
                  Tantra .............................105
                  Travel .............................108
                  Weathermaking ..............109
                  Western Knowledge .......109
             Money and Equipment ........110
                  Animals ..........................112
                  Armor .............................113
                  Books .............................114
                  Clothing..........................115
                  Craft Tools ......................116
                  Food ...............................116
                  Holy Objects ..................117
                  Magical Components .....119
                  Medicine ........................121
                  Miscellaneous ................123
                  Services ..........................124
                  Weapons .........................125
                  Western Goods ...............128
             Personality ...........................129
                  Physical Attachments .....129
                  Self Attachments ............130
                  Universe Attachments ....132
             Bonus Characteristics ..........133
                  Advantages .....................134
                  Disadvantages ................137
             Character Advancement ......140
  Chapter Three: Rules .....................144
          Basic Mechanics ....................144
          Using Attributes .....................145
                 Health Attributes .............150
                 Armor ..............................151
          Drugs, Disease and Poison .....152
          Skills ......................................155
                 Basic Skill Use ................155
                 Skills and Time ...............155
                 Working Together ............155
                 Books ..............................155
                 Combat Skills ..................156
                 Magic Skills ....................156
                 Non-Skills .......................156
          Fighting ..................................156
                 In Brief ............................156 
                 Initiative ..........................156
                 A Combat Round.............157
                 Range ..............................157
                 Resolving Combat ...........157
                 Noncombat Actions .........158
                 Modifiers .........................158
                 Combat Actions ...............159
                 Reactions .........................161
                 Projectile Weapons ..........162
                 Fighting Non-Humans ....162
                 Weapon Specific Difficulties 162
                 Improvised Weapons .......162
                 After Combat ...................163
                 Combat Example .............163
          Enlightenment ........................166
  Chapter Four: Adventures ..............168
          PC Parties ...............................168
          Military Missions ...................169
          Political Adventures ...............171
          Ceremonial Adventures ..........174
          Travel Dangers .......................176
          Mystical Adventures ..............182
          Magical Dangers ....................184
          Creating NPCs .......................198
          Introductory Adventures ........201
                  Struggle Session .............201
                  Silent Valley ...................205
  Glossary of Tibetan Terms .............212
  Glossary of Game Terms ................213
  Random Wilderness Encounter ......215
  Selected Bibliography ....................216
  Tibetan Vs. American Cultures ......217
  Quick Reference Sheet ...................218
  Character Sheet ..............................220
  Map ................................................222
  Index ..............................................223
  
  004
  introduction
  Game Tone- The game takes place in 1959, a time of 
  great crisis for Tibet.  All Tibetan magical and spiritual 
  beliefs are assumed to be true.  Player Characters (PCs) are 
  more-or-less normal Tibetans (and a few foreigners) living 
  in Tibet.  The dangers characters will encounter depend on 
  where in Tibet they are:
   
  In areas under Chinese Communist rule, a cruel army 
  allows no dissent and PCs are in danger of execution, 
  brainwashing and torture.
   
  In war zones, guerilla warfare between Tibetans and 
  Chinese soldiers is a way of life.  PCs may be conscripted 
  to fight or may be noncombatants caught in the dangers of 
  battle.
   
  In cities and villages still under Tibetan control, Tibetans 
  go on with their ancient way of life.  Most of the dangers to 
  PCs are from unscrupulous Tibetans using money, sorcery or 
  politics to get their way.
   
  In monasteries (many the size of cities), the quest for 
  enlightenment and the spiritual health of the country is 
  paramount, and monks will often undergo dangerous rituals 
  to meet those ends.  Even in monasteries there are dangers 
  from sorcerers, criminals and political schemers.
   
  In the mountains and on the frozen plains, traveling 
  itself can be a danger.  Strong weather, treacherous passes 
  and rivers, wild animals, bandits and feuding nomadic tribes 
  can threaten travelers.
   
  In graveyards, ruins, old battlefields and other haunted 
  places, the primary danger is from spirits, demons and other 
  supernatural beings.
   
  A major theme of the game is that nothing is as it seems. 
  Demons take human form.  Wise teachers reincarnate as 
  children.  Advanced practitioners can appear to be insane. 
  Living, breathing humans can be created from the thoughts 
  of a master. 
  Government- The Yellow Hat monastic sect of Tibetan 
  Buddhism is the official government of Tibet.  People all 
  over Tibet depend on monks for their magical, spiritual 
  and medical knowledge.    The government is dedicated 
  to Buddhist principles, yet half of government officials are 
  laymen (mostly aristocrats) and the government maintains 
  an army and prison.  The head of the Tibetan government 
  is the Dalai Lama, a tulku (reincarnated Buddhist master) 
  and emanation of the Buddha of compassion.  The capitol 
  of Tibet is at Lhasa, Tibet’s largest city.  Tibet is divided in 
  to 53 prefectures, each with one monastic and lay prefect.  
  Aristocrats and monastic abbots administrate local 
  affairs on lands they own.  Remote villages are ruled 
  by a hereditary chieftain or by the most powerful 
  person in the village.
  Geography- Tibet is a landlocked country in Asia, 
  about 1/3 the size of the US, bordering India, China and 
  Nepal.
   
  Eastern Tibet borders China and is home to the 
  nomadic tribes currently at war with the Chinese.  Eastern 
  Tibet has only a few large towns, built along trade routes 
  to China.
   
  Central Tibet is the most densely populated area, with 
  Tibet’s two largest cities and most of Tibet’s aristocracy. 
   
  Western Tibet is the most sparsely populated region, 
  with the ruins of ancient Tibetan civilizations.  Tibetans 
  here are the last to experience social changes. 
   
  The Chang Tang, which stretches through the whole 
  North of Tibet is made up mostly of mountains and barren 
  plains with little population.
  Climate/Ecology- Through most of the year, Tibet 
  is cold, dry and constantly windy.  Dust, snowstorms and 
  highly destructive hailstorms are common.  Flora is mostly 
  sedges and wild grasses.  Major herbivores are mountain 
  goats, marmots, rodents, gazelles and wild yaks.  Major 
  predators are vultures, snow leopards, wolves and bears.
  Religion- Tibetans do not simply follow one religion, 
  they use a variety of techniques for different situations.
   
  Tibetan Buddhism concerns itself with the fate of 
  the soul.  The goal for serious practitioners is to gain 
  enlightenment (freedom from all prejudices, errors and 
  suffering).  Lay people usually don’t seek enlightenment, 
  they seek to gain enough good karma to have a pleasant 
  rebirth.  10% of the population are male and female 
  Buddhist monks who have studied in a monastery from an 
  early age and taken lifelong vows.  
   
  The path of sutras uses meditation and a slow 
  detachment from worldly desires to achieve enlightenment 
  within about 10,000 lifetimes.
   
  The path of tantras (the specialty of Tibetan Buddhism) 
  uses dangerous secret rituals to achieve enlightenment in 
  a single lifetime.  Failure during a tantric ritual means 
  madness or death.  A lama (advanced teacher) transmits 
  knowledge of secret rituals when the student is ready. 
  Tantric rituals use powerful imagery, some even require 
  the use of real corpses, the summoning of dangerous 
  entities or sexual intercourse. 
   
  Tantric masters are known to gain supernatural powers 
  (such as invisibility, levitation, intangibility, etc.) which 
  may be used to measure their advancement towards 
  enlightenment.  People with large amounts of good 
  karma can also perform miracles.
  TIBET IN BRIEF
  
  005
  tibet in brief
   Tibetan folk religion is totally unorganized and 
  has no priests (although some people make a living 
  via special powers).  Folk religion believes in many 
  minor deities that contribute to every aspect of life.  There 
  are deities of every room of the home and spirits that live 
  in the body and provide life force.  These entities can be 
  benevolent or malevolent depending upon how they are 
  treated.
   
  Oracles are a part of both Bön, Buddhism and folk 
  religion.  There are simple village oracles who have the 
  power to open themselves up to possession by ghosts and 
  other entities.  Recognized oracles manifest important 
  Buddhist protectors, live in their own palaces, observe strict 
  codes of behavior and advise the Tibetan government.
   
  In the Tibetan universe, ours is one of many worlds. 
  Humans who die with bad karma are reborn as animals, as 
  hungry ghosts or as hell beings.  Hungry ghosts live in a 
  realm of perpetual deprivation and desire.  Hell beings live 
  in one of sixteen hot and cold hells.  Beings who escape from 
  these realms in to ours cause great harm.  Those who die 
  with good karma are reborn in heavenly realms.  Heavenly 
  beings are very powerful, wise and live for thousands of 
  years but are imperfect and will eventually die.  Those who 
  achieve enlightenment escape the cycle of rebirths and 
  ascend to the highest heavens, where the duality between 
  existence and non-existence is transcended. 
  Magic- When the supernatural is encountered in Tibet, 
  it is rarely visible.  Instead, the majority of supernatural 
  happenings are invisible and intangible.  They can only 
  be sensed by the clues they leave in human lives.  The 
  use of magical knowledge to determine exactly what is 
  happening in this invisible world is very important.  For 
  instance, a string of misfortunes could be from a curse, an 
  infestation by malevolent spirits, a minor deity who has 
  been inadvertently offended, bad karma from a previous 
  life resurfacing, etc.
   
  Tibetans believe in and use a variety of magic.  
  Astrology and many forms of divination, simple and 
  complex, are used to predict the future and gain clues about 
  the supernatural.  Holy charms (items which have absorbed 
  good karma) cause good luck and keep malevolent spirits 
  away.  Sorcery releases the bad karma in certain items 
  to cause illness, poor luck, bad weather and attacks by 
  malevolent spirits.  Sorcery is feared and practitioners are 
  often banished.  Magic to control weather is highly valued 
  and taught in many monasteries.  Exorcism and control of 
  malevolent spirits is very important to Tibetans.  Mantras 
  (spoken and written prayers), thread crosses (devices that 
  trap spirits) and gluds (dough facsimiles of humans) are 
  used by monks and other magical practitioners to ward off, 
  trap or dispel malevolent spirits.  Sorcerers use these same 
  devices to attract, capture and send malevolent spirits.  The 
  major Buddhist sects know complex, secret rituals that will 
  end a person’s life, yet try to use them only when it is a 
  compassionate act.
  Lifestyle- The majority of Tibetans live on land 
  owned by another.  Farmers raise crops (mostly 
  barley) and nomads keep herds of yaks, sheep and 
  goats.  Some very poor Tibetans live from begging, 
  serving others and by doing unpleasant labor.  A middle 
  class exists only in cities and is made up of merchants, 
  craftspeople and other professionals.  Aristocrats live in 
  large mansions with many servants and run their lands by 
  remote.  Their wealth comes from taxes levied from the 
  peasants living on their lands.  Aristocrats have a very 
  cosmopolitan lifestyle.
   
  More than 10% of Tibetans live in a men’s or women’s 
  monastery.  All monks undergo Buddhist training, yet only 
  a few make a lifelong study of it.  Other monks study 
  medicine, astrology, exorcism, weather magic, crafts or 
  martial arts.  These skilled monks are often hired out from 
  the monastery and have their own income and possessions. 
  Other monks become simple laborers within the monastery.
   
  Tibetans of all classes enjoy games (including archery 
  and horse trick-riding), epic poetry, travel, picnics and 
  dozens or festivals.  Most Tibetans can read, at least a little.  
  Tibetans in general are described as being humorous, hearty, 
  curious and practical.
  Political Situation- The new Communist republic 
  of China recently invaded Tibet.  Desperate to hold on 
  to their way of life and avoid all-out-war, the Tibetan 
  government and aristocracy have made a deal with the 
  Chinese.  In exchange, the Tibetan government and 
  aristocracy have been left in charge (at least nominally).  
  The Chinese have been allowed to enter Tibet and exert 
  their influence.  The Chinese are slowly converting Tibet in 
  to a modernized communist state.
   
  The Chinese do whatever they can get away with.  In 
  the East, they rule with an iron fist.  In Central Tibet they 
  threaten, manipulate and propagandize.  As the number of 
  Chinese troops in Tibet increases, they become more bold 
  and their demands increase.
   
  The aristocracy have made uneasy peace with the 
  Chinese, meanwhile making secret plans to escape with 
  their wealth when the Chinese become too intolerant to 
  allow an aristocracy to exist
   
  The nomadic tribes and rich merchants fight guerilla 
  warfare against the Chinese.  They have been surprisingly 
  successful, driving the Chinese out of large areas of Tibet.  
  Some rebels want to invade Lhasa (Tibet’s capitol) and take 
  control of the Tibetan government.
   
  The Tibetan government, headed by the young Dalai 
  Lama, is caught in the middle.  They are trying to maintain 
  a fragile peace with the Chinese.  They have the Chinese 
  watching their every move and there are indications that the 
  Chinese are looking for an opportunity to arrest the Dalai 
  Lama.  The Dalai Lama has refused to send Tibetan troops 
  to fight with or fight against the nomadic rebels.
   
  The Tibetan people worry that peace cannot last 
  long.  They fear for the fate of the Dalai Lama.  
  
  006
  tibet
  History of Tibet
  Origins
  Long ago, before there were humans, Tibet was ruled by 
  spirits and demons.  A monkey, who was an incarnation 
  of Chenrezig (male Buddha of compassion) came to Tibet 
  to meditate.  A rock-ogress (who was an incarnation of 
  Dolma, the female Buddha of compassion) saw him and 
  fell in love with him.  She tried to seduce him but he 
  refused to break his vow of celibacy.  She became so 
  angry she started smashing things.  Fearing she might 
  destroy the entire world, the monkey relented.  They had 
  six human children which were the first Tibetan people.
  Kingdoms and Empires
  Tibet had many ancient and powerful kingdoms that 
  rose and fell.  Included are: the enlightened kingdom 
  of Shambhala (see p.184); a kingdom in Northern Tibet 
  ruled by women (with fierce female warriors); and the 
  Zhang Zhung empire, which ruled most of Western 
  Tibet.  Zhang Zhung helped make Bön (see p.32) the 
  dominant religion of Tibet.
  Spread of Buddhism
  In 602 AD, the Tibetan tribes were unified in to a single 
  empire.  This unification was started by Namri Songsten, 
  the warrior king of Yarlung, and was finished by his son 
  Songsten Gampo.  Even the powerful Zhang Zhung 
  empire was eventually conquered.  Under Songsten’s 
  reign, Tibet was a formidable military power, controlling 
  important trade routes and terrorizing nearby countries 
  (including China).  Among his wives, Songsten Gampo 
  had one wife from Nepal and one wife from China. 
  Together, his wives converted Songsten from Bön to 
  Buddhism.  Songsten Gampo imported Buddhism from 
  India.  He make Sanskrit (the written language of India 
  and the Buddhist sutras) the official written language of 
  Tibet.  He invited several Buddhist masters (called Gurus 
  in India, Lamas in Tibet) to come to Tibet.
  Padmasambhava was the most important Indian 
  Buddhist teacher to come to Tibet. He was an Indian 
  Tantric master who came to Tibet around 775 AD.  He 
  wandered around Tibet founding Buddhist monasteries 
  and conquering spirits and demons.  Some Bön priests 
  felt threatened by this competitor and summoned spirits 
  to attack Padmasambhava.  He bound these spirits as 
  well.  Padmasambhava bound these spirits and demons 
  to an oath to protect Buddhism and its followers.
  Dark Ages
  A period of three Buddhist kings of Tibet followed until, 
  in 836 AD, one king was assassinated by his brother 
  Langdarma.  Landarma took power and persecuted 
  Buddhism in favor of Bön.  In 842 AD a Buddhist monk 
  decided that Langdarma was doing such damage to his 
  karma that it would be a compassionate act to stop him. 
  This monk shot and killed Langdarma with an arrow. 
  The monk is now deified as a hero-god.  Tibet dissolved 
  in to factions: different pockets controlled by monastic 
  and lay leaders.
  TIBET
  In Brief- Tibetans descend from monkey and rock-
  ogress.
  In Brief- 527BC to 602AD, many powerful kingdoms.
  Bön- Tibet’s pre-Buddhist organized religion; 
  shares much in common with both Buddhism and 
  shamanism.
  Chenrezig- The male buddha of compassion, called 
  Avalokitesvara in Sanskrit.
  Dolma- The female buddha of compassion and 
  consort to Chenrezig.  Called Tara in Sanskrit.
  Padmasambhava- The great Indian mystic who 
  traveled across Tibet, conquering the native demons 
  and gods, founding monasteries and hiding Terma.
  Two Views of Padmasambhava
  As often happens, Bön and Buddhist stories credit different 
  heroes and villains but the end result of the stories is the same. 
  According to the Bön, Padmasambhava was an unscrupulous 
  character who used sorcery (disease and death magic) to 
  achieve his goals.  The powerful demons he claims to have 
  conquered and bound to an oath to be good were actually 
  conquered and bound long before by Shenrab Mido, the great 
  Bön teacher.
  In Brief- 602AD to 838AD, king Songsten unifies Tibet, 
  imports Buddhism from India.
  In Brief- 838AD to 1297AD, the empire breaks up, iso-
  lated Tibetans develop unique Buddhist traditions.
  Sanskrit- The ancient written language of India, 
  the language of the Buddhist sutras, adopted as the 
  official written language of Tibet.
  Shambhala- A hard-to-find, utopian mountain 
  kingdom where all are long-lived and wise.  The basis 
  for James Hilton’s story of “Shangri-La.”
  Songsten Gampo- The first king of a unified Tibet.
  Sutra- A traditional book of Buddhist teachings.
  Zhang-Zhung- An ancient pre-Buddhist kingdom in 
  Western Tibet.
  
  the 13th Dalai Lama in 1921
  007
  history of tibet
  When India was invaded by Muslims, the steady 
  flow of Indian teachers and literature in to Tibet 
  stopped.  Tibetan Buddhists were forced to develop 
  their own Buddhist teachings.  They discovered Termas, 
  secret teachings that Padmasambhava had left for them.  
  In his enlightened foresight, Padmasambhava had 
  realized that Tibetans were not yet ready for some of his 
  teachings, so he hid them to be discovered when Tibet 
  was ready for them.  These texts made up a huge part 
  of Tibetan Buddhism, becoming essentially a second 
  path towards enlightenment (one which was faster but 
  more dangerous).  These teachings gave Tibet a form of 
  Buddhism completely different from any other practiced 
  on the Earth.
  Mongol Rule
  In the 13th to 16th centuries, the Mongols dominated Tibet.  
  The Mongols were eventually converted to Tibetan 
  Buddhism.  Mongol influence put first the Sakyapa sect, 
  then the Kagyupa, then the highly-reformed Yellow Hat 
  sect in charge of Tibet.  Atlan Khan created the position 
  of the Dalai Lama (meaning “ocean of wisdom”), the 
  spiritual leader of the Yellow Hat sect and the political 
  leader of Tibet.
  Age of Imperialism
  In the centuries that followed, the Tibetan capitol suffered 
  multiple invasions by foreign powers who wanted to 
  exert their influence over the Tibetan government.  The 
  Chinese Manchus, the Nepalese and even the British 
  invaded.  The British ended up helping the Tibetans by 
  modernizing their army.  The Chinese held sway over 
  Tibet for several different periods.  They influenced 
  Tibetan politics through an Amban (a permanent Chinese 
  representative) and Chinese troops in Lhasa, the Tibetan 
  capital.
  In 1912, the last Chinese troops were removed from 
  Lhasa.  Now independent for the first time in centuries, 
  Tibet immediately closed its borders to foreigners.  It 
  fought small battles with the Chinese to regain lost lands, 
  but the strength of its armies slowly declined.
  Chinese Threat
  In 1949 the Communist Government assumed power in 
  China.  In October, 1950, the Chinese invaded Tibet.  The 
  Dalai Lama was accommodating to the Chinese, hoping 
  to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.  The Seventeen 
  Point Agreement for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet was 
  soon signed by Tibetan representatives.  It established 
  Tibetan autonomy but with Chinese military presence 
  and modernizing influence.  This peace was not to last 
  as it became clearer and clearer that the Chinese had 
  no intentions of letting Tibetans live their lives as they 
  wished.  Fighting started among the Khampa nomads and 
  slowly spread, like a smoldering fire, across Tibet.  For 
  more, see p.55.
  In Brief- 1717-1950, many countries invade and 
  dominate, Tibet gains independence and closes its 
  borders.
  In Brief- 1950-1959, Communist Chinese invade.
  In Brief- 1207-1717, Mongols rule, are converted to 
  Tibetan Buddhism.
  Terma- A discovered holy text or article that had 
  once been hidden because people were not yet ready 
  to have it.
  Langdarma- The ancient Tibetan king who 
  persecuted Buddhism in favor of Bön.
  Dalai Lama- A tulku and reincarnation of Chenrezig 
  who is the head of the Yellow Hat Buddhist sect and 
  ruler of Tibet.
  Lhasa- The capital and largest city in Tibet.
  
  008
  tibet
  Era
  Tibetan Timeline
  Dominant 
  Religion
  Kingdoms 
  and 
  Empires
  1500BC- Tibet becomes colder and drier.
  Tibetan 
  Folk 
  Religion
  600BC- Beginnings of Zhang Zhung civilization.
  563BC- Gautama Buddha born.
  528BC- Buddha gains enlightenment.
  527BC- King of Shambhala travels to India, learns Kalachakra tantra from Buddha.
  500BC- Shernrab Miwo brings Bön to Tibet
  Bön
  Spread of 
  Buddhism
  602AD- Namri Songsten starts unifying Tibet. 
  641AD- Songsten Gampo converted to Buddhism.
  641AD- Construction of first Potala starts.
  774AD- Padmasambhava comes to Tibet.
  800AD- Zhang Zhung empire falls.
  779AD- Samye founded.
  Nyingmapa
  Dark 
  Ages
  838AD- Langdarma assassinates king, takes over Tibet, persecutes Buddhism.
  842AD- Langdarma assassinated by Buddhist monk.
  Bön
  1000- King Gesar unites Ling
  1017- New Bön teachings by Shenchen Lusa, Bön monasteries built throughout Tibet.
  1042- Atisha teaches, founds Kadampa order.
  1073- Sakyapa monastery and order founded.
  1027- Mongols dominate Tibet.
  1096- Machig Labrong reveals Chod (Death Tantra).
  Nyingmapa
  Mongol 
  Rule
  1253- Sakyapa made the rulers of Tibet by Mongols, teach Tibetan religion to Mongols.
  1330- 1st Christian friar in Tibet
  Sakyapa
  1358- Kagyupa order rules most of Tibet.
  1049- Tsongkhapa founds Gelugpa (yellow hat) order, Ganden is 1st yellow-hat monastery.
  1414- Drepung monastery founded
  1417- Sera monastery founded
  1445- Tashilhunpo monastery founded.
  Kagyupa
  1578- Altan Khan converted to Yellow-Hat Buddhism, creates Dalai Lama as leader of Tibet.
  1642- 1st Panchen Lama declared by 5th Dalai Lama.
  1643- Potala rebuilt.
  Yellow Hat
  Dealing 
  with 
  Empires
  1721- Chinese create the position of Amban.
  1800- Rimed becoming popular.
  1904- British troops invade Lhasa.
  1912- Chinese troops removed from Lhasa, Tibet enjoys independence.
  1913- Tibet closed to foreigners.
  1923- Panchen Lama flees to China.
  1933- 13th Dalai Lama dies, Reting Rimpoche named regent.
  1940- 14th Dalai Lama declared.
  1949- Communists take over in China.
  Chinese 
  Threat
  1950- 40,000 PLA soldiers enter Tibet.
  1950- Dalai Lama takes power in Tibet.
  1951- Chinese soldiers enter Lhasa.
  1951- Fourteen Point Agreement signed.
  1954- 222,000 PLA soldiers in Tibet.
  1954- Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama visit Beijing.
  1956- Kham and Amdo rebels fight Chinese.  Refugees from war zones come to Lhasa.
  1958- Four-Rivers-Six-Ranges founded.
  1958- CIA secretly arms and trains Khampa rebels.
  1959- Tibetans fear arrest of Dalai Lama imminent, amass near Potala.
  
  009
  ways of life
  Tibetan People
  The Tibetan people have been described as cheerful, 
  curious, self-reliant, hardy and humorous.  They are also 
  one of the most religious people on Earth, with religion 
  and magic intertwined deeply in to every single part of 
  their lives, even their government.
  Ways of Life
  Farm Life
  Farmers live in the river valleys that crisscross Tibet.  
  Their main crop is barley, specially bred for high 
  altitudes.  Other popular crops are peas, wheat, radishes, 
  turnips and mustard.  Mustard seeds and greens are 
  used as food and the oil is used as fuel.  A few potatoes, 
  buckwheat and lentils are grown in the lower elevations.  
  Farmers plow their fields with the help of oxen, yaks or 
  dzos (yak-oxen crossbreeds).  Ponies, goats, dogs and 
  sometimes pigs are also common farm animals.
  The majority of farmers work on land owned by 
  someone else.  Land is owned by aristocratic families, 
  monasteries and the government.  Farmers must pay 
  taxes to the landowner in order to work there.   The 
  owners of the land have the power to adjudicate all 
  crimes and legal disputes between farmers on their land. 
  They can met out any punishments they desire yet are 
  under standing orders by the government to treat the 
  farmers fairly and compassionately.
  The wealthiest farmers own their own land and owe 
  nobody.  The poorest farmers are migrant workers, 
  going wherever they are needed.  
  Farmers and Nomads will often travel long distances to 
  meet and trade.  Nomads bring salt, skins, milk products 
  and meat.  Farmers bring mostly grains.
  Nomadic Life
  The pastoralist nomads live on the plains, moving from 
  place to place to find the few areas where grazing is 
  possible.  Most Nomads graze their herds on lands owned 
  by aristocrats, monasteries or the government and owe 
  taxes to the owners of those lands.
  Nomads live in black-yak hair tents.  Each family has its 
  own tent.  Families are organized in to encampments led 
  by a group of elders or a hereditary chief.  Encampments 
  are organized together in to tribes.  Some tribes are 
  grouped in to powerful federations or associations.  Some 
  tribes have become very large by absorbing smaller tribes 
  and taking in refugees.  The chiefs of these large tribes 
  become local “kings.”
  Tribesmen are proficient warriors and are known to fight 
  each other in blood feuds.  They have little or none of the 
  belief in non-violence that is prevalent in Central Tibet.  
  Nomads have resisted military incursion by foreign 
  countries on several occasions.
  Nomads have sheep, goats, horses and yaks (of which 
  they have three kinds).  Yaks can be ridden, though with 
  some difficulty (most people prefer to ride a horse or to 
  walk).  Some yaks are so well adapted to high altitudes 
  that they can’t survive in low altitudes.  Yaks are used 
  as beasts of burden.  Their milk is used to make butter, 
  yogurt and cheese.  Their meat is eaten and their skin 
  is used to make tents and boats.  Although the nomads’ 
  Buddhist beliefs lead them to avoid killing animals 
  whenever possible, Muslims and members of unclean 
  families act as butchers.  Wind dried Yak meat is a staple 
  for travelers.
  In Brief- Farmers ruled by land owners, use yaks and 
  oxen and grow barley.
  Dzo- A yak/cattle halfbreed.
  In Brief- Nomads graze animals on the plains, live 
  in tents and organize in to encampments and tribes. 
  Tribes sometimes war.  Nomad women take care of the 
  camps, men travel and trade.
  
  Monastic Life
  Monasteries make up a huge part of the Tibetan way 
  of life.  Almost every family has at least one child 
  who was sent off at a young age to become a male or 
  female monk.  Nearly a quarter of the male population 
  of Tibet lives in a monastery as do a smaller percentage 
  of the female population.  Becoming a monk is one of 
  the easiest ways for a Tibetan to raise his or her social 
  class.
  Monasteries make money in a variety of ways.  Larger 
  monasteries own farmland and pastureland and collect 
  taxes from those who farm or graze there.  Monasteries 
  may also have lands that are farmed by monks.  They 
  may run shops and sell art and handicrafts.  They may 
  also own guest houses (inns).  Monks can be hired 
  out for astrology, exorcism, medicine or as a member 
  of many other professions.  In monasteries that teach 
  martial arts, monks may be hired out as bodyguards. 
  Some monks are hired to live in an aristocrat’s home 
  and pray for the well-being of the family.  Some monks 
  are sent out to beg for money, part of which goes to the 
  monastery.  Monastic administrators may engage in 
  trade and investment as a way of earning profits for the 
  monastery.
  Individual monks who are sent out of the monastery to 
  earn money can keep part of that money for themselves.  
  Some monks are so good at what they do that they 
  become wealthy.  Others may be from wealthy families 
  who send them money.  These monks have the option to 
  live in personal apartments in the monastery rather than 
  shared cells.
  010
  tibet
  nomads
  In Brief- Many men and women live in monasteries.  
  Monasteries own land, run businesses and send skilled 
  monks out to make money.  Skilled monks can become 
  wealthy.
  Dobdob- A monastic police officer.
  Geshe- The highest degree in monastic 
  scholastics, equivalent to a western PhD.
  Lama- A teacher of Buddhist or Bön doctrines.  
  Also, the person in charge of a monastery.
  Monks,
  as used in this book, 
  refer to both Male 
  and Female monks 
  unless otherwise 
  specified.
  In a nomadic household, women usually take care of 
  the camp and do the milking and animal husbandry. 
  Men traditionally travel and trade.  Men may stay months 
  in cities and towns on trading excursions, usually in 
  early winter.  If a family is deficient in members of 
  one of gender, men will do the work of women and 
  visa versa.  Men, women and children participate in the 
  actual herding of animals as they graze on the plains. 
  Their main job is to keep animals from wandering off 
  and to scare away any wolves, lynx and snow leopards 
  that might prey on livestock.
  Some poorer nomads split their time between 
  caring for their own animals and acting as servants 
  and laborers for wealthier nomads whose herds are too 
  large for them to care for by themselves.
  In ancient times, Nomads hunted wild sheep, yak, 
  gazelle and antelope.  Nowadays most consider hunting 
  a source of bad karma and look down on those who 
  continue the practice.
  
  011
  ways of life
  Monastic Rank & Studies
  Joining- At around 6 to 12 years old, a child’s family will decide he or she should become a monk.  Among boys, 
  the first-born sons are the most likely to be sent to a monastery.  A fee is usually required to join a monastery. 
  Potential monks are checked for severe physical defects or other problems before they are allowed to enter.
  Genyen- When children arrive they are classed as Genyen (a class made up of probationary young-monks and 
  pious non-monks who wish to study briefly at a monastery).  They are given a haircut and are dedicated to a teacher 
  who teaches reading, ethics and etiquette.  Corporal punishment is common at this stage.
  Getsul- The monk becomes a Getsul (novice) after passing a test in which the young monk must memorize 125 
  pages of text.  The monk must take an oath to observe 36 rules of behavior.  After 3 years as a Getsul, the monk will 
  get a private cell.  During the latter part of their studies, novices are tested almost yearly.  These tests take the form 
  of public debates.  If they fail they can be kicked out of the monastery.  Most failed monks re-enter their families’ 
  vocations, but a few use the knowledge they have learned to become false lamas (see p.173).
  Gelong- A monk must be 25 years old or older to advance to the next stage: Gelong.  This is a fully ordained monk. 
  Yellow Hat monks must observe 253 Vinaya rules, a code of rules created by Tsonkhapa.  There are criminal codes 
  (crimes that demand immediate banishment from the monastery, like sex, stealing, killing or falsely claiming 
  supernatural powers; crimes that demand confession, like damaging a plant; and crimes that demand immediate 
  apology, like rudeness).  There are also rules of dress and care for clothing.  The dimensions of ritual crafts and 
  monastic housing are enumerated.  The Vinaya tells monks how to conduct themselves in public. Monks should 
  maintain a low voice, never laugh loudly, never raise a hand in anger, never smack or slurp while eating, etc.  The 
  Vinaya also sets forth rules for settling disputes and lists the possible defenses to crimes (innocence, insanity, 
  invalid confession, etc.)
  Further Studies- After the monk has achieved Gelong (fully ordained) status, they have many possible paths they 
  can pursue.  Only a small number choose to continue studying Buddhist scholastics.  Others may be taught crafts, 
  exorcism, astrology or medicine.  Others may simply become laborers, cooks, minor secretaries or servants within 
  the monastery.  Some are sent out of the monasteries to act as tax collectors.  Some spend time living as ascetics in 
  caves owned by the monastery.  Others will be trained as dobdob (monastery police).
  Geshe- For those who decide to continue their studies, the paragon is a Geshe degree.  It takes 10-20 years to earn 
  a Geshe degree.  The Geshe degree is a degree in Buddhist philosophy, scholarship and dialectic debate.
  Lamas- Very accomplished monks may eventually become lamas (perfect teachers) and take on students in the more 
  esoteric schools of Buddhist practice.  Highly respected lamas may someday become the abbot of the monastery.
  Bön Monks- Priests studying in Bön monasteries undergo a similar set of training.  The Bön monasteries have 
  Nyene and Genyen ranks (which include monks and laypeople), then the Tsangsug rank (a novice rank which 
  includes 25 vows) and finally the Dransrong (full ordination) which entails 250 vows for male priests and 360 for 
  females.
  
  City Life
  Only a small minority of Tibetans live in cities.
  City life is surprisingly modern, especially for the 
  wealthy.  Secular schools, universally accepted paper 
  money and lay police, all of which are unknown in other 
  parts of Tibet, can be found in Tibet’s major cities.
  The city has a lay middle class which includes 
  craftspeople, merchants, traders, entertainers and 
  magical practitioners. These middle class city dwellers 
  have a steady job, buy food in the marketplace and rent 
  or own a house.
  Cities are also the home to the very poor.  Some live by 
  prostitution or criminal activities, but the majority live 
  by begging.  Beggars salute people with their tongues 
  out and both thumbs up, a traditional sign of respect. 
  The major cities of Tibet have four different types of 
  beggars:
   
  Lay pilgrims, traveling in holy places to gain good 
  karma.  By giving to them, others share in their good 
  karma.
   
  Ascetic traveling monks.  Part of the money they 
  collect usually goes to their monastery or an ascetic 
  hermit who is their teacher.
   
  Poor and homeless Tibetans who try to encourage 
  people to give by being as cheerful and friendly as 
  possible.  Some even put on white demon masks and 
  dance around as clowns.
   
  Members of unclean families, who beg forcefully 
  with the threat (implied or stated) of a curse.
  012
  tibet
  food shop in Lhasa
  In Brief- Cities have many modernizations, a middle 
  class and several classes of beggars.
  professional beggars
  
  013
  dress
  Aristocratic Life
  The majority of noble families live in Lhasa.  Another 
  large chunk live in Shigatse.  They live far from the lands 
  they own and hire stewards to live on their lands and 
  manage their estates.
  Aristocrats employ large numbers of servants, from horse-
  groomers to tea-servers to professional gamblers (who 
  join in and liven up nightly mah-jongg games).
  Aristocrats are very cosmopolitan.  They often travel to 
  other countries (especially India) and they have a large 
  variety of social contacts, from scholars to beggars.  There 
  are tennis courts and a few working automobiles for use 
  by Lhasa aristocrats.
  Dress
  Lay Garments- The main piece of 
  lay Tibetan dress is the Chuba, an open 
  sheepskin cloak with a high collar and 
  wool inner-lining.  The finest chuba 
  are woven wool, dyed plum-colored.  
  Chubas are bound around the waist 
  with a long belt or sash.  The belt turns 
  the entire upper half of the chuba in to 
  a huge pocket where personal items 
  are kept.  When the weather is warm, 
  Chubas are hiked up to the knees and 
  one arm is slipped out.  A modified 
  Chuba, called a Lokbar, is worn in very 
  cold weather.  The Lokbar is a belted 
  robe, like the Chuba, made from whole 
  sheepskin (the waterproof skin on the 
  outside and the fleece on the inside).  It 
  has very long sleeves in which hands 
  can be tucked in lieu of gloves.
  The appearance of aristocrats is 
  governed by their rank.  Gold and saffron 
  brocades worn across the chest are a sign of high 
  position.  Aristocrats are also known to wear fancy 
  Chinese clothing.
  Monastic Garments- Monks wear red woolen 
  robes.  Like chubas, one arm and shoulder may be 
  kept outside the robes in warm weather.  The color 
  can range from a light, pinkish, pastel-red to a dark 
  brownish-crimson.  Many monks wear a saffron colored 
  undershirt.  Monks may wear pants underneath their 
  robes if it is cold.
  Footwear- For almost all Tibetans, including monks, 
  boots are a must when traveling.  Boots are worn with 
  high (ankle length) leggings made from waterproof 
  skins.
  Hair- In central Tibet the most 
  popular hairstyle for men is braids 
  wrapped around the top of the head. 
  Women are also likely to braid their 
  hair (or tie it up in the back).  On 
  formal occasions, women wear their 
  hair in head-dresses (wooden frames 
  decorated with jewels).
  Nomad woman decorate the first 
  braid on either side of their face with 
  colorful beads.  Nomad men often cut 
  their hair in to short bangs, except 
  for two braids on either side of their 
  head.  In some nomad tribes the men 
  wear colored ribbons in their hair.
  Male nobles and government officials 
  often wrap braids up in to a topknot, 
  sometimes with a small charm box 
  inside it.
  Most male monks shave their heads. 
  Depending upon their sect, female 
  monks either shave their heads or 
  wear their hair long.
  Jewelry- Male and female Tibetans 
  wear large amounts of jewelry, 
  preferring turquoise and coral over 
  everything else.  People often have 
  the whole of their wealth worn on 
  their body as jewelry.
  In Brief- Aristocrats manage lands from remote, have 
  many servants, are cosmopolitan.
  Chuba- A belted toga-like garment, the standard 
  unisex clothing of lay Tibetans.
  Lokbar- A heavier version of the Chuba, worn in 
  extreme weather.
  Shigatse- The second largest city in Tibet; Lhasa’s 
  only major economic and political competitor.
  a common chuba
  In Brief- Lay people wear a chuba 
  (open sheepskin cloak, belted around 
  the waist).  Monks wear red robes. 
  Monks and lay people wear boots and 
  hats.  Braids common.  Monks shave 
  their heads.  Most Tibetans carry 
  charms, bowl, knife, fire-starter.   Men 
  and women wear turquoise and coral 
  jewelry.
  
  Makeup- Some Tibetan women wear rouge.  Nomadic 
  women wear black makeup made primarily from ash. 
  They darken the middle parts of their faces, from their 
  eyebrows to the bottoms of their cheeks, including their 
  noses.
  Hats- Due to the cold and wind, Tibetans are seldom 
  seen outside without a hat on.  Fur hats are common.
  Male monk’s hats are peaked to distinguish them from 
  lay hats.  They have flaps that cover the ears and the back 
  of the neck (can be folded up when it’s hot).  Among the 
  Yellow Hat sect of Buddhism, longer flaps generally 
  indicate a higher position in the church.  Female monks 
  typically wear skullcaps or shaggy, black wool hats.
  Personal Items- Tibetans carry a number of common 
  personal items in the upper half of a chuba or the folds 
  of a robe.  Almost everyone carries a charm box, a food 
  bowl, a knife (used as a multi-purpose tool), chopsticks 
  and a metal fire-starter.  Nomads carry swords. 
  Most monks have a ritual water 
  flask and a pen-case containing a 
  quill-pen and ink.  The pen case 
  is made of iron with a leather 
  thong and thus can double as a 
  weapon.
  Many travelers wear a portable 
  shrine in a box held by a strap 
  that goes over one shoulder 
  and under the other arm.  Small 
  charm boxes are almost universal 
  among Tibetan women.
  Customs
  Etiquette
  To salute and show respect to people of high station, 
  Tibetans thrust out their tongue as far as they can. 
  Travelers who meet in the road bow to each other. 
  In Lhasa, two forms of speech survive: normal and 
  honorific (though the honorific is becoming less well 
  known).  A Khata, a white ceremonial scarf, is a standard 
  gift given by a visitor or pilgrim to a host.  
  Food
  Tibetans eat meat filled dumplings, noodles, dried yak 
  cheese (it can last up to three years but is so dry that it 
  must be dipped in tea in order to eat), rice pudding with 
  currants, dried fruit and yak 
  jerky.
  Tibetans drink Chang (a milky 
  beer made from barley) and 
  salted, buttered tea.
  The most unique of Tibetan 
  foods is tsampa tea balls: tea 
  (imported from China in huge 
  bricks) is brewed, mixed with 
  yak butter, then popped-barley 
  flour is put in until the “tea” 
  can be rolled up in to a ball and 
  eaten.
  014
  tibet
  Khata- A white scarf used as a ceremonial 
  gift.
  Tsampa- Flour made from popped barley.  A 
  staple food in Tibet.
  female monks in wool hats
  In Brief- Stick your tongue out, bow, give white 
  scarves.
  In Brief- Meat dumplings, buttered tea, picnics.
   
  Tibetan greeting showing respect
  
  cham dancers
  015
  customs
  Festivals
  The Tibetans celebrate many festivals.
   
  During the Incense Festival, malevolent spirits look 
  for humans to possess but can’t possess anyone who’s 
  happy, so everyone celebrates and parties.
   
  In the Washing Festival, celebrated at the beginning 
  of the 7th month, everyone in Lhasa goes to the Lhasa 
  River to wash themselves and their clothes.  This is one 
  of the few times Tibetans bathe.  Bathing in the river at 
  this time can bring about miraculous cures.
   
  The Ongkor Festival is celebrated at the end of the 
  7th month to ensure a good harvest.  Opera, horseracing 
  and archery contests are some of the common events at 
  Ongkor celebrations.
   
  During the Tsongkhapa Festival, thousands of 
  butter lamps (the primary form of lighting for the 
  Tibetans) are put in windowsills and on rooftops.
   
  On the 29th day of the 12th month, during the festival 
  of Banishing Malevolent Spirits, spirits causing 
  trouble are exorcised in to a special soup which is then 
  left outside with some burning straw to dispel the evil.
   
  On New Years, at solstices and other dates important 
  to Buddhist history, monks perform sacred Cham 
  dances.  Dancers wear luxurious dress and masks (made 
  from wood, leather and metal).  While in their masks, 
  the dancers represent various saints, dharmapalas and 
  malevolent entities.  These dances are held in monastery 
  courtyards and many lay people attend to watch events 
  in Buddhist history being symbolically acted out before 
  them.  These dances are believed to emanate good 
  karma.
  Reading
  Tibetans are a very literate people.  Almost all Tibetans 
  can read at least a little.  Monks and aristocrats routinely 
  read for pleasure.  Their favorite books are histories, 
  biographies, plays, law books and books on morality. 
  Printed versions of Gesar (see box, next page) are 
  also popular. Another lay favorite is the book Hundred 
  Thousand Songs of Milarepa, from the famous magician-
  poet who fought for Buddhism against Bön priests.
   Books
  Most books are created via wood-block 
  printing on long strips of paper.  The books 
  are loose leaf.  When not being used, the 
  pages are sandwiched in between wooden 
  blocks.
  High quality books are written out by hand 
  and have intricately carved covers (some 
  even have jewels embedded in them).
  The highest quality books are made with 
  several sheets of paper pasted together and 
  covered with black varnish.  Gold and silver 
  flakes are pressed in to create the text.
  Cham- Masked religious dances reenacting 
  Buddhist history.
  Gesar- An ancient king, subject of a popular (and 
  magical) Tibetan epic.
  Milarepa- Tibetan sorcerer turned Buddhist 
  teacher and poet, a popular Tibetan folk hero.
  In Brief- Tibetans like to read.
  In Brief- Many festivals with games and dances.
  
  Music & Poetry
   
  Tibetans have folk music songs to accompany each type 
  of work that one does (e.g. house building, loading pack 
  animals, etc.).  Trumpets, drums and stringed instruments 
  of every kind are used.
  Music is also a large part of magical and religious 
  ceremonies.  Beautiful and harmonious music is used 
  to summon peaceful beings, cacophonous music to 
  summon wrathful beings, and deep booming music is 
  used to frighten away lesser beings.
  Tibetan opera is performed by troupes that act, dance, 
  sing and play instruments, all in one performance.  These 
  operas are usually historical dramas yet contain humorous 
  acts.  Some troupes have their own unique plays, which 
  are passed down from generation to generation.
  Travel
  Tibetans of every rank are fond of 
  traveling.  Not only do they enjoy it, they 
  believe that the occasional pilgrimage 
  is essential for their spiritual health.  In 
  feudal Europe, most peasants never left 
  their village, but in Tibet, most peasants 
  have been to far off and wonderful 
  places.  Tibetans love to tell stories of 
  the wonders and dangers encountered 
  during their travels.
  Marriage
  Most Tibetans find their own mates but marriage must 
  be approved by both parties’ parents (with the help of an 
  astrologer who determines if the couple is compatible).  
  Polyandry (multiple husbands) and polygamy (multiple 
  wives) is legal, though monogamy is the most common.  
  Polygamy is most often practiced by wealthy men. 
  Polyandry is most commonly practiced when multiple 
  brothers do not wish to split up an inheritance and thus 
  join in to a single family unit.
  Divorce is known in Tibet and among the upper class 
  it is common.  Adultery is common (especially among 
  the wealthy) and is not considered a very serious 
  crime.  Widows, widowers and divorcees are allowed to 
  remarry.
  Death
  When a person dies, a monk or magical 
  practitioner is needed to guide the soul 
  through the dangerous period of Bardo. 
  Bardo lasts 49 days, during which the soul 
  is in great danger.  An unlucky soul may 
  be reborn in an unfavorable form, or 
  it may get stuck in this world and 
  become a malevolent spirit..
  016
  tibet
  bridal party
  In Brief- Work songs, religious music, multi-talented 
  opera troupes.
  The Gesar Epic
  The Gesar epic is a favorite 
  story of Tibetans.  Tibetans 
  read the book and listen to 
  the opera performed traveling 
  bards.   These bards use songs 
  and paintings to tell the story.  It 
  is an epic about King Gesar of 
  Ling.  It is especially popular in 
  Kham and Amdo.  Reciting the 
  full Gesar takes several days. 
  For more on the story of the 
  Gesar and the magical bards 
  who tell it, see p.72.
  In Brief- Tibetans like to travel.
  In Brief- Marriage rules give many options.
  In Brief- Soul in danger for 49 days after 
  death, then body disposed of in a variety 
  of ways, inheritance to smartest son or to 
  religion.
  
  nomad tents
  typical house
  017
  customs
  Housing
  The standard Tibetan house has two stories.  It is built 
  very solidly, the walls made from whitewashed sun-dried 
  mud bricks or stone.  Waxed paper is used for windows, 
  with ornate wooden shutters.  The floors are usually 
  hard-beaten earth.  The bedrooms are usually upstairs. 
  Depending upon the region, animals may or may not be 
  quartered downstairs.  If they are, a wooden ladder usually 
  leads to the upper floor, this ladder can be easily removed 
  in the case of an attack.
  Noble houses are similar except much larger.  They 
  are surrounded by a gate.  Most are built around a 
  rectangular courtyard and have store-rooms and a 
  stable.  Rather than beaten earth, the floors are usually 
  wood or polished stone.
  Even the poorest peasants have a room in their house 
  devoted to religion.  Shrines and their most valued 
  possessions are kept here.  Wealthy people have more 
  than one religion room, they may even have one 
  devoted exclusively to wrathful dharmapalas with 
  wrathful masks on the walls and stuffed wild animals 
  with wrathful expressions hanging from the ceiling.
  Nomads live in big, black yak-hair tents with a smoke 
  hole in the top.  Inside, near the entrance, 
  is a stone kitchen range.  Some camps 
  are protected by short walls made from 
  whatever stones can be found in the area.
  Transportation
  Wheels are rarely used in Tibet because it 
  is believed that they will damage the Earth 
  and anger the spirits who live there.  There 
  are a few wheeled carts used on the plains. 
  The upper class in Lhasa keep a few cars 
  but use them mostly for entertainment.
  Bardo- The period of 49 days after a person’s 
  death where the soul wanders on this plane 
  before the next rebirth.
  Tulku- The reincarnation of a powerful lama 
  or bodhisattva who has retained memories and 
  powers from 
  After this period, an astrologer determines which 
  form of burial should be used.  A body can be:
   
  Returned to the air (left for vultures to eat, then the 
  bones ground up and mixed with grain so the vultures will 
  eat the rest).
   
  Returned to the earth (buried, this is rare).
   
  Returned to fire (burned, this is also rare).
   
  Returned to water (buried underwater, this is usually 
  done for small children and beggars).
   
  Returned to wood (placed in a tree trunk).
  Lamas are usually cremated and their 
  ashes placed in a chorten (sacred pagoda) in a 
  monastery.  High lamas may be embalmed.
  For lay people in Central Tibet, inheritance usually goes 
  to the smartest son (or daughter if there are no sons). 
  The property of monks is given away, by the monk’s 
  family, for religious purposes.  When recognized 
  tulkus own land, the land is passed to the tulku’s next 
  incarnation.
  In Brief- Most houses two-story, mud brick, have shrine 
  room.  Nomads have tents.
  In Brief- Few wheeled vehicles, instead 
  Tibetans ride animals, walk or prostrate.
  
  monks from Sera
  prostrating pilgrim
  Most Tibetans walk or ride 
  horses, donkeys or yaks.  Some 
  pilgrims do not even walk, they 
  perform 
  Kjangchag: 
  moving 
  by 
  prostration.  Such pilgrims throw 
  themselves to the ground, get up, 
  move to the end of where they last lay 
  and do it all again, thus traversing the 
  countryside by body-lengths.  The most 
  pious pilgrims cross the entire country 
  this way, making clockwise circuits 
  around famous temples, mountains, 
  monasteries and Lhasa.
  Martial Arts
  Ever since the development of what is now recognized 
  as martial arts, Tibetans have traded knowledge of 
  these arts back and forth with China.  Most martial arts 
  studied in Tibet are of Chinese origin: karate, kung fu, 
  tai chi, etc. yet there are a few of Tibetan origin or that 
  have developed a distinctly Tibetan flavor.  Martial 
  arts are not as important in Tibetan culture as they are 
  in China.  One reason is that all Tibetans, including 
  monks, are allowed to carry weapons; thus unarmed 
  self-defense is less important.  Another reason is that 
  people, including monks and beggars, use magic 
  or the threat of magic as self-defense.  Martial Arts 
  are usually taught only in a few monasteries which 
  specialize in these arts.
  The Yellow Hat monks are the most likely to learn 
  martial arts.  Yellow Hats need martial arts for two 
  reasons:  First, as the governing monastic order in 
  Tibet, they use martial arts for law enforcement.  
  Second, as a highly-reformed order they cannot use 
  sorcery (or even the threat of sorcery) for self-
  defense.  Sera, a Yellow Hat monastery, is the 
  most renowned martial arts monastery.
  Crane Kung Fu
  This is Tibet’s most significant contribution to Asian martial 
  arts and is the most widely taught martial art in Tibet. 
  An older monk created this style in the late 1400’s after 
  observing a fight between a gorilla and a crane.  Although 
  physically vulnerable, the crane was able, to keep out of the 
  path of the attacks and peck at the gorillas vulnerable spots 
  until the gorilla was forced to halt its attack.
  This style makes evasions and counter-attacks part of 
  the same movements.  For instance, a whirling dodge’s 
  momentum is transferred in to a rake attack with the 
  fingertips.  Attacks are meant to cause pain or debilitate, 
  not to do damage.  High kicks and the “crane beak” (a point 
  formed by holding the fingers together tightly) are used.
  Crane Style practitioners are known to be hard to hit, 
  always moving.  Their attacks and blocks are used 
  to confuse the opponent and put them off balance.  
  Footsweeps are used to knock down the opponent. 
  The final phase of attack, once the opponent has 
  become tired or injured, is to move in close to the 
  opponent and deliver strikes to their weak spots.
  Tibetan Tai Chi
  This art was developed in China.  Although it is 
  a martial art, meditating on Chi energy flowing 
  through the body is as important as learning any 
  physical moves.  Although Tibetans do not share 
  the same beliefs on internal energy as the Chinese 
  do (Tibetans believe in the Indian concept of energy flowing 
  between chakras) they recognized the power of this art and 
  have developed their own unique version of it.
  The Chinese use the slow version of this art as a physical 
  and spiritual exercise.  Tibetans use a full-speed version 
  which is useful for actual combat.  Tibetans learn to 
  visualize the energies of force, allowing them to stay 
  rooted and flow with attacks.
  018
  tibet
  In Brief- Tibet has some martial arts, but not as 
  important as in China.
  In Brief- Meditation on energy flow gives strength 
  and immovability.
  In Brief- Whirling kicks and strikes keep enemy off 
  balance.
  
  019
  magic & religion
  Most martial arts are unable to balance between 
  moving fluidly and staying still, yet the Tai Chi 
  practitioner sees no contradiction.  Tai Chi fighters are 
  able to move when they choose to yet almost impossible 
  to push or knock over.  Their meditation on the flow 
  of force allows them to use opponents’ force against 
  them.  For example: an opponent punches at a Tai Chi 
  practitioner.  The practitioner dodges to the side, grabbing 
  the fist and pulling it towards the practitioner and to the 
  side.  The practitioner puts the palm of his or her hand 
  out and the attacker is struck in the chest with a stunning 
  blow.
  Magic & Religion
  Cosmology
  According to the Tibetan Bön religion, the universe has 
  three layers: heaven, earth and the underworld.  Tibetan 
  Buddhists have expanded on this view, drawing on Indian 
  myth:
  This universe is one of limitless possible universes.  Our 
  universe is made up of a massive sea of air, on which 
  floats a huge ocean surrounded by an iron wall.  In the 
  middle of that ocean is Mount Meru, a mountain 4,000 
  miles (6,437 km.) high.
  Surrounding Mount Meru are 4 continents, of which 
  our world is one.  Each continent rests on the back of 
  a giant golden tortoise.  These continents are separated 
  from Mount Meru by 7 concentric rings of alternating 
  mountains and oceans.  The mountains are made of gold 
  and the oceans are made of such diverse elements as fresh 
  water, milk and blood.
  The Easternmost continent is Videha, an idyllic land 
  with peaceful inhabitants whose faces are the shape of 
  a crescent moon.  The Westernmost is Gohanya, with 
  inhabitants of great physical strength who eat cattle in 
  tremendous quantities and have round faces.  The 
  Northernmost is Uttarn-Kuru, inhabited by savage, 
  violent creatures with squarish, horse-like faces.  They 
  live their entire lives in trees and become tree spirits 
  when they die.
  The Southernmost continent, Jamudvip, is our own.  Like 
  the other three continents, our continent has two smaller 
  subcontinents on each side.  The Western satellite was 
  traveled to by the great hero Padmasambhava.  It is 
  inhabited by Rakshasas (see Beings of Other Worlds).
  In Brief- Our world, with heavens above and hells below, 
  is only one continent surrounding a great mountain, one 
  of endless worlds.
  Beings of Other Worlds
  Rakshasas- (aka Srinpo)  Very large and very strong 
  tiger-like humanoids with claws, fangs, flesh colored fur 
  and catlike red eyes.   They travel to our land occasionally 
  in the form of shapeshifters to feed on human flesh and 
  drink human blood, or as spirits to haunt cemeteries, 
  disrupt ceremonies and eat other spirits.  Each one has 
  an innate knowledge of powerful sorcery.  They are also 
  featured in some Middle-Eastern Muslim myths.
  Yakshas- These are deities associated with fertility and 
  wealth.  They are usually neutral to humans, but if they 
  find themselves in this realm they may become malevolent 
  spirits of incredible strength and speed who eat humans. 
  They usually appear as voluptuous human figures who 
  delight in sexual activity.  Female Yakshas may sometimes 
  come to this world to steal children.
  Garudas- Giant birds who eat the largest of the Lu spirits 
  (these Lu correspond to Chinese dragons).  These birds are 
  so massive that the beating of their wings produces enough 
  wind to expose the ocean floor where Lu live.  Garudas can 
  take the form of humans with feathers and wings.
  Asura- Beings who overcame every obstacle to 
  enlightenment except pride are reborn as Asura.  Asura 
  are powerful gods who live for thousands of years in great 
  pleasure.  Yet they are doomed to jealously try to capture 
  the bliss of enlightenment and die in hopeless battles against 
  the Deva gods.  Most Asura go to hell after they die.
  Devas- These are gods who live on Mt. Meru and have 
  transcended all desire (except the desire for physical being 
  and existence in the physical world).  They are bodhisattvas 
  who once were beings of the continents or sub-continents 
  below.  They have nothing but compassion for other 
  beings.  Sometimes, however, they may act as mirrors. 
  Someone who approaches them with anger may see that 
  anger reflected back as a wrathful emanation.  Those who 
  confront these emanations may even be killed by their own 
  violence being reflected back at them.
  Asura- A type of heaven-being that lives on 
  Mount Meru and battles against the Devas.
  Buddha- An enlightened being; either one 
  who became enlightened without the benefit 
  of teachings or is an emanation of perfect 
  enlightenment.
  Deva- A heavenly being living on Mount 
  Meru.
  Garuda- A giant heavenly bird that preys on 
  Lu.
  Lu- A family of malevolent spirits, ranging 
  from large dragon-like beings that live in the 
  heavens to snake-human creatures living at 
  the bottom of ponds.
  Meru- A heavenly mountain far beyond this 
  world, where heavenly being and enlightened 
  entities live.
  Rakshasa- A shape-shifting, human-eating 
  monster from another world.
  Yaksha- A type of heaven-being living on the 
  lower levels of Mount Meru.
  
  a yaksha
  Mount Meru represents the heaven of the old Bön 
  system.  It is divided in to sections and the beings living on 
  it are more spiritually advanced as they near the peak.  The 
  lowest level is inhabited by Yakshas holding begging bowls. 
  The next level is inhabited by Garudas, giant birds.  The next 
  level is inhabited by Asura, vain gods who battle against the 
  Deva gods who live above them.  The Deva gods live in a 
  realm where all beings have transcended every desire except 
  the desire to have physical existence.  Guarding this realm 
  are the bodhisattva guardians of the four directions.
  Above this is the realm of formlessness, where the beings 
  have transcended even the desire for physical matter or 
  being.  Thus, this part of the mountain, and the Buddhas who 
  live there, neither exists nor does not exist.
  The Buddhists believe, as the Bön do, that under our realm 
  are the hell realms.  The hell realms are hot or cold (with 
  a few that are neither).  Each is graded by intensity and 
  duration of stay of the tortured soul.  The Buddhists believe 
  that these hells are not created by some higher power as a 
  punishment for sins, but by the bad karma of the deceased 
  souls who are drawn there.
  Western educated Tibetans would not argue against the 
  Western belief that the world is round.  The other worlds 
  cannot be traveled to by land or sea.  To reach them, one 
  must leave one’s body or travel through a portal (created by 
  a powerful being).
  The Future
  The Buddhist universe happens in cycles.  Since these cycles 
  are known, the future can be predicted.  The Tibetans even 
  worship Buddhas who have not yet been born but whose 
  coming and enlightenment is inevitable.  By the 29th century, 
  all knowledge of Buddha’s teachings will be lost or will be 
  corrupted beyond recognition.  A human will rediscover 
  enlightenment on his own, reinventing Buddhism and will 
  become Champa, the buddha of the future.  Shambhala (see 
  p.184) will reappear in this world and the immortal king 
  will ride down from his mountain fortress to help the new 
  Buddhists defeat the enemies of Tibet.
  Metaphysical Beings
  Every being that exists, corporeal or non-corporeal, is just a 
  mindstream (soul) in one incarnation.  A soul will travel the 
  wheel of life thousands or millions or times, being born as 
  gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts and hell 
  beings.  Some beings are powerful, others quite weak.  Some 
  beings are malevolent towards humanity and some are 
  helpful.  Most are neutral.  If approached in the right way 
  they can be helpful, if offended they can be harmful.
  020
  tibet
  In Brief- Endless cycles, Buddhism will be lost and 
  rediscovered.
  
  021
  magic & religion
  Buddhas
  These are beings beyond the duality of existence and non-
  existence.  To say that they exist or that they do not exist 
  would be both equally wrong.  Some were never human, 
  they emanated from enlightenment itself, others were 
  human but achieved enlightenment (without the teachings 
  of another buddha to guide them).  They are all symbolic 
  of different aspects of enlightenment.
  Buddhas sometimes emanate: they put a spark of their 
  perfection in to a less perfect being who has some 
  important role to play in the destiny of sentient beings. 
  The emanation may or may not know it is an emanation, 
  but the emanations will have powers greater than most of 
  its peers.  Emanations might be bodhisattvas, demons, or 
  even people.  Powerful emanations may even have sub-
  emanations.
  A great hero or influential lama is often the human 
  emanation of a bodhisattva, who might in turn be an 
  emanation of a buddha.  The Dalai Lama, for instance, 
  is a human emanation of Chenrezig, bodhisattva of 
  compassion, who is an emanation of Öpame, buddha 
  of light.  Emanations do not need to be peaceful lamas: 
  the warrior king Gesar is considered by some to be a 
  reincarnation of the Buddhist teacher Padmasambhava, 
  who is an emanation of Öpame.
  Buddhas may occasionally take human form, often to 
  teach someone an important lesson.  Unlike emanations, 
  these beings are not born, they appear fully-formed when 
  they are needed and disappear immediately afterwards. 
  They are infinitely wise and know exactly what is 
  necessary to teach their point, even if it involves playing 
  nasty tricks on the student.  See Asanga and the Maggots 
  (next page) for an example.  Buddhas do not often appear 
  to humans.   There are beings which need much more 
  help than humans and buddhas spend most of their time 
  helping these beings.
  Popular Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
  Chenrezig: Known as Avalokitesvara in Sankrit, the 
  male buddha of infinite compassion.
  Champai Chang: The buddha of infinite wisdom. 
  Dolma: known as Tara in Sanskrit, the female buddha 
  of compassion.
  Öpame: Celestial buddha of light and ruler of a 
  kingdom of purity.
  Champa: The buddha of the future.
  Manjusri: a Bodhisattva of Wisdom
  Sangye Menla: the medicine buddha, who first taught 
  Tibetan medicine.
  Tantra- Any method of mystical training 
  outside of the standard written transmission 
  of Buddhist teachings.  Tantras offer a 
  quicker path to enlightenment but are much 
  more dangerous.
  In Brief- Aspects of infinite perfection, may emanate 
  lesser beings.
  Peaceful and Wrathful Manifestations
  Many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and even a few 
  Dharmapalas, have two different ways they can be seen. 
  These two ways correspond to the two means of achieving 
  enlightenment.  The peaceful form shows the positive 
  personality characteristics one cultivates on the path of 
  sutras: compassion, wisdom, calmness.  The wrathful 
  form shows the harmful emotions that are turned on each 
  other in the path of tantras: anger, fear and hatred.  The 
  wrathful buddhas are indistinguishable, to the untrained eye, 
  from demon lords.  Yet while a demon holds weapons for 
  torturing or and killing other beings, the wrathful emanations 
  hold weapons for capturing and destroying the harmful 
  attachments of humans.
  In other words: the peaceful manifestations represent what in 
  the practitioner should be kept, the wrathful represent what 
  in the practitioner should destroyed.  Seeing their own worst 
  emotions reflected back at them can be too much for some 
  beginning practitioners.  Some beginning practitioners can 
  panic and can even become mentally damaged.
  
  Bodhisattvas
  These are beings that are lesser than Buddhas but are still enlightened 
  beings.  Some were once beings on the wheel of life who achieved 
  enlightenment with the help of a Buddha.  Others are emanations of 
  Buddhas.
  Bodhisattvas have vowed not to enter nirvana until all other beings have 
  achieved enlightenment. Having surpassed the duality of reality/non-
  reality, these beings are not bound by the laws of physics: they can 
  appear in multiple places at once, create emanations from their own 
  being, let parts of themselves be reborn in to multiple tulkus and even 
  travel through time.  They are without any desire, their only motivation 
  being infinite compassion.  They intervene in human affairs rarely, but 
  more often than Buddhas.  The Bodhisattvas Dolma and Chenrezig 
  (male and female Buddhas of compassion) are prayed to by Tibetans 
  because of their propensity for directly aiding humans.
  Yidam
  A Yidam is a being which represents some aspect of enlightenment that 
  a student wishes to meditate on.  Yidams are most commonly buddhas, 
  yet any being that has achieved some piece of perfection can be a 
  Yidam, including powerful bodhisattvas, dharmapalas and gods.
  A tantric practitioner meditates on seeing and feeling the Yidam’s 
  presence.  Some practices involve seeing the teacher as the Yidam.  
  More advanced practices let the practitioner temporarily become an 
  embodiment of the Yidam.  The practitioners acts, temporarily, as an 
  enlightened being, and has some of the powers of that being. 
  022
  tibet
  Asanga and the Maggots
  One a Buddhist practitioner named Asanga went to meditate in seclusion.  After many years, without much progress, he 
  became frustrated.  However, when he walked outside he saw a rock on which many generations of birds had nested.  As the 
  birds took off from the rock, their wings brushed the rock, and Asanga saw that over the millennia their wings had created 
  indentations in the rock.  Imbued with hope that nothing was impossible, Asanga went back to meditate more.  Yet, after many 
  more years, he still had not seemed to progress.
  He left his cave again and saw a dog with a terrible maggot-infested wound.  He felt compassion for the animal and wanted to 
  clean its wound so it could survive and prosper.  However, he felt compassion for the maggots and did not want them to starve. 
  He decided he would cut open his flesh and place the maggots in his flesh, so the dog could live and the maggots would not 
  starve.  However, he was afraid he might accidentally hurt the maggots as he picked them from the wound.  So, he put his 
  mouth to the dog to gently suck the maggots out.
  The dog immediately disappeared, replaced by Champa, the Buddha of the future.  The dog had been a lesson, designed to 
  push Asanga over the edge to enlightenment.
  Bodhisattva- 
  A 
  being 
  who 
  became 
  enlightened via the teachings of a buddha but 
  stayed in this world to help sentient beings.
  Yidam- A type of buddha used in Tantric 
  meditation as a model of enlightenment. 
  Practitioners seek to experience what it is like 
  to be the Yidam being.
  Tantric- An adjective referring to practices, 
  teachings or rituals learned from a tantra.
  In Brief- Models of perfection to meditate on.
  In Brief- Enlightened beings in this world to help others reach 
  enlightenment.
  
   
  dharmapala
  023
  magic & religion
  Dharmapalas
  These are malevolent spirits who were bound (using 
  powerful mantras) to an oath to protect the teachings 
  and followers of Buddhism or Bön.
  The most powerful dharmapalas were great demon 
  kings and queens bound by Gautama Buddha or the 
  great Buddhist teachers.  The weakest were simple 
  malevolent spirits before being bound by monks and 
  exorcists.  Buddhist teacher Padmasambhava and 
  Bön teacher Shenrab Mido are credited with the most 
  bindings.
  Dharmapalas are usually looked upon as benevolent 
  beings, protectors from spiritual and physical enemies 
  and imparters of wisdom.  On the other hand, they 
  constantly need to be reminded of their oath lest 
  they go back to their old ways of causing damage 
  and suffering.  Whenever they can justify it (as part 
  of their vows), they like to hunt down and kill other 
  beings.  Dharmapalas are known to destroy human 
  enemies of Buddhism.  Some even hunt down monks 
  who have broken their vows.  They are generally seen 
  as monstrous beings with wrathful faces and multiple 
  arms brandishing weapons (swords, knives, lances, 
  tridents, bows and snares).  See p.189 for a description 
  of a powerful demon.
  The most powerful dharmapalas, who were worshiped 
  as deities before being bound, live in palaces in the 
  metaphysical world.  These palaces are filled with 
  innumerable horrors.  These dharmapalas have a 
  whole court of servants who are emanations that the 
  dharmapalas created from their own being.  Some, but 
  not all, also have a peaceful, benevolent aspect.  The 
  wrathful dharmapalas are given offerings of bone, 
  blood, bile and skulls.  Monks, who are opposed to 
  killing, make vegetable or mineral facsimiles of these 
  offerings.  Raucous, discordant notes are played on 
  thighbone trumpets to please the wrathful emanations.  
  The peaceful emanations are offered medicines, sweet 
  foods, incense and silk.
  Dharmapalas are not stagnant beings.  Many are 
  progressing towards enlightenment just as some 
  humans are.  Some acquire enough good karma to pass 
  out of the worldly realm.  Among the most powerful 
  Dharmapalas still in the plane of existence are Pehar 
  and Dorje Shugden (see p.81).
  Dakinis
  This race of female beings travel through space and 
  live in their own heavenly realm where men are not 
  allowed.  They appear to humans as beautiful naked blue 
  women, some have wings.  Dakinis delight in perpetual 
  dancing.  The Dakinis are keepers of their own secret 
  “twilight language” which many terma (p.7) are written 
  in.  Dakinis can teach people to read this language, and 
  thus interpret terma.  Many men seek out sexual tantras in 
  which the female embodies a Dakini so they can learn the 
  language.  Dakinis are also known to travel to this world 
  to help Buddhist practitioners overcome obstacles to the 
  achievement of enlightenment and to comfort those who 
  have suffered great losses (much like angels in the west).
  Gods
  The word God, in Tibet, can refer to any number of beings 
  that are benevolent or useful to humans.  These beings 
  range in power from petty minor-spirits to powerful 
  entities that live in the heavens.
   
  Heavenly Gods: These are beings who were 
  worshipped before Buddhism came to Tibet.  They live on 
  Mount Meru but take occasional interest in human affairs. 
  Dakini- A race of beautiful, blue female 
  heavenly beings, similar to angels in the 
  west.
  Dharmapala- A demon or native deity which 
  has been bound by an oath to do good and to 
  protect Buddhism and its practitioners.
  Pehar- One of the most powerful dharmapalas, 
  his oracle is the most powerful oracle in Tibet 
  and advises the Tibetan government.
  In Brief- Demons bound to an oath to be good.
  In Brief- Naked blue female angels.
  In Brief- Mostly benevolent, though can be dangerous.
  
  They are much wiser and more 
  powerful than humans, but are not 
  enlightened (and thus are vulnerable 
  to ignorance, suffering and, eventually, 
  death).  The worship of these gods has 
  waned in post-Buddhist times.
   
  Country Gods: Most of these beings 
  were originally malevolent spirits who 
  lived in the earth.  Offerings were made 
  to them to bribe them in to not doing 
  harm. With these offerings they have 
  grown in power and intelligence.  They 
  eventually became more than simply 
  malevolent beings.  They became neutral 
  or benevolent gods, protecting people 
  in exchange for worship and offerings. 
  Some ghosts (especially of heroes) may 
  become country gods.
   
  House Gods: There are also a number 
  of spirits protecting different facets of 
  everyday life, especially different parts 
  of the house.  There are spirits of the 
  hearth, the door, storehouse, etc.  They 
  are neutral beings: If appeased with small 
  shrines, they will protect the house and its 
  inhabitants.  If angered they can make life 
  very difficult.
   
  Personal Gods: A person is born 
  with five protector spirits associated with 
  different parts of their body, including 
  a male spirit in the right armpit and a female spirit in 
  the left armpit.  Shrines are also built in one’s home for 
  these spirits and incense is burned.  Driving away these 
  spirits (especially the two responsible for the person’s 
  life force) is a deadly form of sorcerous attack.
  Malevolent Spirits
  The Tibetans know of countless classes and families 
  of dangerous and neutral spirits.  For instance there are 
  fifteen types of spirits who try to injure children.  Most 
  of the time, spirits are invisible and intangible.  It is only 
  powerful spirits that can make themselves visible and 
  tangible, and they rarely find need to do so.
  The weakest spirits barely exist – they are wisps of 
  desire and bad karma that float blindly through the 
  world.    They can make bad things more likely and good 
  things less likely.  They are not very intelligent and can 
  not communicate with humans.
  Those spirits that survive long enough grow more 
  powerful and intelligent.  They learn to unleash the 
  power of nature or cause awful diseases.  Very powerful 
  malevolent spirits (demons) can overcome all the 
  limitations of being a spirit: they can become 
  visible, they can communicate with humans, they 
  can touch the physical world.  They build their 
  own realms and palaces in the 
  spaces beyond this reality and 
  they keep lesser spirits as servants. 
  They can even create lesser spirits as 
  emanations of themselves.
  See the section on Malevolent Spirits in 
  the Adventures chapter (p.184) for more 
  information.
  Hungry Ghosts
  Those who die clinging to a great deal 
  of unhealthy desires (anger, laziness, 
  vanity, etc.) will not be reincarnated on 
  the earthly realm.  Instead they will be 
  reborn in the lower realms (in the realm 
  of hungry ghosts or one of the hells). 
  If they are reborn as a hungry ghost 
  they are doomed to wander in a realm 
  of endless need.  A hungry ghost may 
  suffer from endless hunger, thirst, cold, 
  heat, fatigue or fear.
  As the hungry ghost wanders in their 
  realm they may see something in the 
  distance that appears to be a target for 
  their desire.  When they approach, though, their hopes 
  will be dashed.  The food will be inedible, the water will 
  be poison, or their throats will be blocked by a stone or 
  cyst.
  Sometimes hungry ghosts accidentally end up in this 
  realm.  In this realm they are typically invisible spirits. 
  They will tear through our world in a desperate and 
  mindless quest for the objects of their desire.  They will 
  consume food supplies, cause droughts, make milk spoil. 
  If they notice the existence of humans they will torment 
  the humans, trying to blackmail them in to giving food 
  offerings.
  024
  tibet
  Benevolence and 
  Malevolence
  Always Help Humans:
   
  Buddhas
   
  Bodhisattvas
   
  Yidams
  Usually Help Humans
   
  Dharmapalas
   
  Dakinis
   
  Heavenly Gods
   
  Devas
   
  Ancestor Spirits
  Neutral
   
  Country Gods
   
  Personal Gods
   
  Asura
   
  Garuda
  Often Hurt Humans
   
  Yakshas
   
  Hungry Ghosts
  Almost Always Hurt Humans
   
  Rakshasas
   
  Malevolent Spirits
   
  Demons
   
  Shinje
   
  Hell Beings
  In Brief- Multitude of invisible beings that cause harm, 
  ranging from weak and stupid to god-like.
  In Brief- Desperate beings from a realm 
  of constant desire.
  Good Demons?
  As malevolent spirits grow more powerful, they grow 
  more intelligent.  Although they are beings made from 
  bad karma, and their every instinct is to hurt sentient 
  beings, they may realize that they only make themselves 
  suffer with this behavior.  It is rare, but these beings can 
  decide, of their own accord, to stop doing harmful things 
  (or to do some good things to balance it out).  Many of 
  the country gods were once malevolent spirits who grew 
  to like the humans who gave them offerings.  There are 
  some Lu spirits who are purely malevolent and go around 
  hurting as many people as they can.  There are other Lu 
  spirits that have communities, families and even practice 
  Buddhism.
  
  025
  magic & religion
  For those who can see hungry 
  ghosts, they appear to be emaciated 
  and dirty.  They have huge heads and 
  bellies, but tiny limbs and necks. 
  Some have mouths the size of 
  pinholes.  Some are so dehydrated 
  that they resemble bark or jerky. 
  These dry ghosts can only move 
  painfully and slowly, their flesh 
  crackling with each movement.
  The queen of the hungry ghosts is 
  Hariti.  She was a very powerful 
  hungry ghost (the daughter of a 
  Yaksha).  She has 500 children and 
  used to kill humans to feed them. 
  She also used to send smallpox to 
  unsuspecting victims.  She was 
  bound to an oath to protect humanity 
  and Buddhism by Gautama Buddha 
  himself.
  Hell Beings
  The worst rebirth possible is as a 
  hell being in the hell realms.  The 
  hell realms are worlds of torture 
  and misery created by the negative 
  karma and emotions of the souls that 
  are drawn there.  Hell beings may 
  quickly lose all memory of humanity 
  or human values.  They become 
  animal-like killers, their form turned 
  grotesque and monstrous.  They 
  wreak havoc whenever they find 
  their way to this realm.
  The Shinje are a class of spirits who 
  are born in the hell realms, created 
  from the bad karma of those who live 
  there.  Their purpose for existing is to 
  cause pain, and instead of hands they 
  have pincers and other implements of 
  torture that glow red hot (or crackle 
  with cold).  They also hunt those who 
  try to escape from the hells.  Shinje 
  who find their way to this realm 
  become spirits of death.
  The Hells
  There are eight cold and eight hot hells.  Each hell is the destination of 
  someone who has accumulated a certain type of bad karma or has certain 
  unhealthy attachments.
  Hot Hells- The eight hot hells, in order from the mildest to the worst are:
   
  -A hell where the beings fight each other in a perpetual rage, anything 
  they pick up becomes a deadly weapon and as soon as they die they are 
  revived again.
   
  -A hell where black lines are drawn on prisoners and Shinje demons saw 
  them to pieces.
   
  -A hell where victims are continually smashed between two burning 
  mountains.
   
  -A hell where molten iron is poured down the throats of the victims.
   
  -A hell where victims are cooked in molten iron.
   
  -A hell that is like a giant oven.
   
  -A hell where inhabitants are impaled on burning spears.
   
  -In the eighth and worst hot hell, people burn perpetually in flames.
  Cold Hells- The eight cold hells:
   
  -A hell where victims live perpetually in ice filled water, their bodies 
  eventually develop chilblains (cold blisters).
   
  -A hell so cold that the chilblains continually form and burst.
   
  -A hell so cold that inhabitants can barely talk, their teeth are chattering 
  so much.
   
  -A hell where the victims’ tongues are frozen stiff and they can only 
  mumble.
   
  -A hell where so cold that the victims’ teeth are permanently clenched.
   
  -A hell where burst chilblains leave ragged holes so large they look like 
  blue flowers.
   
  -A hell where those sores are so deep that they run red with blood, giving 
  the appearance of red flowers.
   
  -In the eighth and worst of the cold hells, the victims are so cold that their 
  flesh eventually falls from their bones in the pattern of a large flower.  Their 
  flesh is forever being eaten by birds and insects.
  Escaping Hell- Each hell has two antechambers, each leads to two exits. 
  Those who can somehow make it to these exits stand a chance of escaping, 
  but first they must wander for thousands of years through terrible landscapes.  
  In these landscapes they must walk over razors, through forests of evil trees 
  who attack wanderers with bladed limbs, through swamps infested with 
  insects who burrow in to the skin of wanderers, and even wade through 
  hot coals for thousands of years before finding a way out.  Time passes 
  differently in the hell realms, and while it may take thousands of years from 
  the point of the view of the hell being, only a few years may have passed 
  among the living.
  Adjacent Hells- The are also 84,000 adjacent hells, many of them are 
  located on this plane of existence: in mountains, deserts and remote hot 
  springs.  These hells are the place where people go when they are unable to 
  resolve a paradoxical nature.  If someone has done good things which would 
  send them to heaven and bad things which would send them to hell and they 
  are unable to resolve their divergent parts, they will go to an adjacent hell on 
  earth.  They may be pampered as a king or queen during the day and tortured 
  during the night.  In other adjacent hells, humans are grotesquely twisted in 
  to the shapes of inanimate objects which represent the evil they did during 
  their lives.
  In Brief- Torturers and tortured in the 
  places where those with the worst 
  karma are reborn.
  Shinje- A torturer from the hell realms (or a death spirit in this realm).
  
  Protection
  With the large number of spirits and other entities who 
  can cause damage to humans, Tibetans find protection 
  vital.  They use any means necessary, Buddhist or non-
  Buddhist, to protect themselves against malevolent 
  beings.  Some beings are reasonable enough that they 
  can be placated with offerings.  If they are inadvertently 
  offended, people must figure out what they did to offend 
  the being and make appropriate restitution.  Others are 
  always malevolent and must be driven away.
  Karma
  Tibetans believe that good and evil deeds will come 
  back upon the perpetrator.  Thus there are two ways to 
  protect oneself from misfortune: avoid doing bad and do 
  good as much as possible.  
  Good karma can be gained by any act that eases suffering. 
  Good karma can also be gained by making pilgrimages 
  to holy places and going around them clockwise.  The 
  most pious of pilgrims move by prostration.
  Prayer Wheels
  Good karma can also be gained by spinning prayer 
  wheels.  These are wooden wheels with pieces of paper 
  in them or carved on them.  The papers have prayers 
  written on them.  By spinning the wheel, the prayer is 
  symbolically “read” (even if the spinner is illiterate).  
  Some prayer wheels are hand-held wheels on sticks 
  which one can spin while sitting or walking.  Other, 
  larger, wheels are built in to monastery walls.  Some 
  wheels are designed so that air, water or steam turns 
  them, thus providing good karma for an entire area. 
  Prayer flags or prayer beads (rosaries) also create good 
  karma.
  Charms
  A large number of items are believed to possess 
  protective abilities.  Charms are important to every 
  Tibetan and most carry a small charm box around their 
  neck or in a topknot.  Even animals are given protective 
  charms and amulets.
  Some charms are manmade (blessed by holy 
  people or inscribed with magical formulae), 
  others are ancient relics or occur naturally.  Some 
  charms are made from the ashes, hair, nail pairing or 
  other excreta of very holy people.  See Holy Objects in the 
  equipment section (p.117) for a list of common charms.
  Rinsils
  Rinsils are pearl-like bone concretions sometimes found 
  in the bodies of dead lamas who had made great progress 
  towards enlightenment.  They are usually kept as a charm 
  but may be swallowed if one is facing imminent death.  
  Swallowed, the pills can cure the gravest illness or give 
  the swallower the luck to survive situations of incredible 
  peril.  Some Rinsils multiply, especially when they are 
  prayed over by monks.  Some major Kagyupa monasteries 
  have a steady supply of these multiplying Rinsils which 
  they give or sell to the needy.  The opposite of Rinsils are 
  black Rinsils.  They are concretions found in the meat of 
  certain animals.  They are bad karma crystallized in to 
  solid form (animals being the lowest physical being on 
  the karmic chain).  Black rinsils are bad luck, poisonous 
  and are used in many sorcerous preparations.  A person 
  who consumes a black Rinsil will gain such bad karma 
  that he or she will almost certainly go to the hell realms 
  after dying.
  026
  tibet
  In Brief- Causing suffering will bring bad luck, easing 
  suffering brings good luck.
  Karma- The accumulated momentum of 
  the compassionate and cruel acts in which a 
  person has participated in this and previous 
  lives.
  Rinsil- A bone concretion found in the remains 
  of a dead lama.  They are powerful charms and 
  panaceas.
  In Brief- Spinning wheel with prayer on/in it brings 
  luck.
  In Brief- Many objects emanate good luck.
  In Brief- Concretions of good or bad karma found on 
  corpses; emanate good or bad luck or swallowed for 
  powerful effect.
  
  027
  magic & religion
  Omens
  One means of protection is to foresee periods of ill 
  fortune and thus avoid them.  Astrology is one means 
  used to determine what are the best days for each type 
  of undertaking.  Dreams can also provide omens that an 
  undertaking should be attempted or avoided in the near 
  future.
  Hundreds of other chance events are recognizable as 
  omens to a trained practitioner.  Some omens pertain 
  to individuals or families, others to the whole nation 
  (recent omens for Tibet, including many deformed farm 
  animals, are quite bad).  Every year of a person’s life 
  which ends in 9 is an unlucky year (9th, 19th, etc.).  A 
  special ceremony, called “Salvation from the Nine” can 
  alleviate the danger.
  Thread Crosses
  The Thread Cross is a special device designed to catch 
  evil spirits who wander into the area.  Its simplest form is 
  that of a wooden cross adorned with feathers, with a web 
  of string in which the spirits get caught.  The spirits can 
  then be dispelled by destroying the thread cross.  Much 
  more complicated thread crosses can be built to capture 
  specific entities or classes of entities.  These are multi-
  layered, incorporating the skull of a sheep, goat or dog, 
  supported by a willow-rod framework.
  People with magical knowledge can use these 
  complicated thread crosses to jail spirits, demons or even 
  gods.  Some thread crosses are constructed to symbolize 
  the heavenly palace of a benevolent god or goddess and 
  are used to bring that god or goddess down to this plane.
  Thread crosses are also used in sorcery.  Malevolent 
  spirits are called in to a sorcerer’s thread cross, then 
  the thread cross is broken in the direction of the enemy, 
  unleashing the malevolent spirits upon the enemy.
  Glud
  In its simplest form, a glud is a piece of noodle 
  dough shaped like a person.  Gluds contain different 
  substances which represent bones and organs.  The 
  dough-person is dressed in cloth that a person has worn 
  and has that person’s smell on it.  The glud is used to 
  draw curses and malevolent spirits away from the person 
  and in to the dough.  There are different kinds of glud 
  designed to draw out different forms of evil.
  Animals can also be used as gluds: buying a live animal 
  from a butcher and setting it free (with special ribbons 
  tied to it) can draw away harmful forces.
  Rich people sometimes even hire beggars to be human 
  glud (glud gong) to absorb their misfortune.  After 
  having the evil drawn away by this decoy, rich people 
  change their names and styles of dress so that the evil 
  can not find them again.
  Lhasa has its own official human glud.  Every New Year 
  the man who has chosen to take on this role goes around 
  the city in a conical hat, with half of his face painted 
  black, free do whatever he wants without fear of being 
  arrested.  All the while he is absorbing the bad karma of 
  the city.  He carries a yak tail and anyone who he shakes 
  it at will probably die.  After 24 days he is chased out of 
  the city.  He goes on to other important cities to do the 
  same thing.
  The glud gong absorbs so much bad karma that he can 
  not be allowed to live among people.  He will likely die 
  in the next year.  If he survives, however, the bad karma 
  is considered to have dissipated and he can live among 
  people again.
  Ceremonies
  Gluds and Thread Crosses can be used together in 
  complex ceremonies, along with mantras (magic chants) 
  and torma (offerings, usually decorated pyramids of 
  butter) to deal with more powerful entities.  Burying the 
  skulls of various animals can also protect against attacks 
  by various spirits, but the person must know which type 
  of spirit is attacking so they can determine what type 
  of skull to bury.  Blowing horns (especially long, deep 
  horns) is believed to frighten away lesser malevolent 
  spirits.  Burning juniper branches can chase spirits out 
  of buildings.
  Glud- Any being or object used as a “decoy” 
  to draw out curses or malevolent spirits, often 
  a human-shaped piece of dough.
  Torma- A building-shaped sculpture, made of 
  mostly butter, used for ritual purposes.
  In Brief- Dreams, astrology and other omens used to 
  avoid unlucky periods.
  In Brief- Crosses with string in which spirits get 
  trapped, also used for summoning and sorcery.
  In Brief- A decoy (made of dough, or a real person) 
  that draws evil away from its target.
  In Brief- Complex ceremonies use glud, thread crosses, 
  music, offerings.
  
  wheel of life
  (top: deva, upper right: human, lower right: hungry ghost, bottom: hell being, lower left: animal, upper left: asura)
  Reincarnation
  For the Tibetans, reincarnation is not simply a belief, it 
  is a fact which permeates their lives.  To Tibetans, every 
  animal was or will be their mother in some incarnation.  
  Thus, Tibetans avoid killing animals whenever possible. 
  Tibetans even avoid digging during construction 
  because it will kill worms.  However, Tibetans are 
  practical people and will kill if forced to by hunger or 
  in self-defense.
  Stray dogs are often the reincarnations of monks who 
  did not achieve a higher rebirth and are now returning to 
  places they knew in their previous lives.  Stray dogs are 
  tolerated in cities and monasteries.   The large numbers 
  of stray dogs can sometimes become dangerous and 
  attacks are common.
  Tibetans believe that human incarnations are very 
  rare.  This is important since the dharma (buddhist 
  teachings) are available only to humans and certain 
  higher beings, and the dharma is the only means 
  of escaping samsara (the cycle of rebirth) and 
  attaining nirvana.  Tibetans will thus do whatever they 
  can to achieve enlightenment within this lifetime and 
  achieve a favorable rebirth.
  Bardo
  For seven periods of seven days after people die, their 
  souls are in danger.  The souls have not yet gone on to 
  their next rebirths.  People’s “ghosts” wander this plane 
  in profound grief.  They will try to re-enter their bodies or 
  may try to take over other people’s bodies.  Apparitions 
  will appear to the people: dazzling flashes of light, terrible 
  roaring noises, frightening and alluring shapes.  Buddhas 
  may appear to people and try to reveal truths to them.  
  Demons will appear and attempt to frighten or enslave 
  the souls.  Most of the visions the ghosts see are really 
  manifestations of their own karma.  Six lights will appear 
  and try to suck the person in, these representing rebirth 
  as a heavenly being, a human, an animal, a malevolent 
  spirit, a hungry ghost or a hell being.  Monks or Bön 
  priests who read the bardo rites can help guide souls 
  safely through this period.
  028
  tibet
  Dharma- The teachings of Buddhism.
  In Brief- Belief in rebirth as humans, animals and 
  beings in other worlds permeates Tibetan life.
  In Brief- Dead person’s soul wanders 49 days before 
  being reincarnated, faces many dangers.
  
  029
  magic & religion 
  Medicine
  Tibetan medicine is a conglomeration of aboriginal 
  Tibetan folk medicine, medicine from China and 
  medicine from India (including Indian humoural 
  medicine, which comes from classical Greece). 
  Traditional healers do not use surgery.  Two diseases 
  which the Tibetans know of no effective traditional cure 
  for are influenza and smallpox.
  Humours
  Humans have three vital fluids: bile, wind and phlegm.  
  When these humours are not in balance they can cause 
  spiritual, psychological and physical illnesses.  Too 
  much bile is associated with greed, too much wind is 
  associated with wrath and too much phlegm is associated 
  with lethargy and apathy.  Diagnosis of a humoural 
  problem involves, first, finding out which flow has 
  been blocked or is excessive and, second, using hot or 
  cold compresses, changes of behavior, blood-letting, 
  cauterization or herbs to restore balance.
  Herbs
  Herbs imported from China and India, as well as native 
  Tibetan herbs, are used to treat symptoms and cure 
  illnesses.  These are usually accompanied by a mantra 
  the patient must chant to make herbs more effective.  
  The best herbs are those gathered at a mountain North 
  of Lhasa, near the Sera monastery.   There are also some 
  substances regarded as panaceas (cure-alls).  Included 
  are pills made from the excreta of the Dalai or Panchen 
  Lamas and a tonic made from a rare caterpillar (Aweto) 
  found in the Alpine regions of Tibet.
  Exorcism
  Sometimes, normal medicine is ineffective because 
  a spirit or curse has entered the patient’s body.  Most 
  medical practitioners know ceremonies and mantras to 
  exorcise such disease causing spirits or curses.  Bön and 
  Nyingmapa trained medical practitioners are known to 
  use ceremonial arrows to remove illnesses.  A mirror is 
  used to find the illness, then the arrow is placed at the 
  point of infestation and used as a straw to suck out 
  the illness, which manifests as blood or puss.  The 
  doctor must swallow this sickness in order to 
  destroy it.  Oracles who are possessed by a 
  dharmapala can also exorcise illnesses, sucking 
  them out or beating them out with an arrow or the 
  flat part of a sword.
  Life Force Spirits
  Damage to a person’s life force spirits (see Personal Gods, 
  p.24) can also cause sickness.  Families, nations and even 
  gods have life force spirits.  A human’s life force spirits 
  reside in the person’s body but are attached to something 
  external to the person.  This point of attachment may 
  be one or more rocks, bodies of water, large trees or 
  animal species.  Damage to the point of attachment in the 
  physical world will weaken the life force spirit and can 
  cause the person grave illness.  For instance, if a sorcerer 
  determines that a person’s life force spirit is attached to 
  a tree, then chops down that tree, it will probably kill the 
  person.
  Some people are lucky enough to have inherited a life 
  force spirit.  Its point of attachment in the physical world 
  is a closely guarded family secret.  Less lucky people 
  do not know the point or points of location of their life 
  force spirits until they consult an astrologer.  Sometimes 
  a person’s life force spirit can wander off and become 
  lost.  The life force spirit must be brought back with a 
  magical ceremony involving thread crosses (the lak’ug 
  ceremony), otherwise the person will die.
  Astrology
  Tibetan astrology is a mix of Chinese and Indian astrology 
  (Indian astrology has roots in classical Greece, as does 
  Western astrology).  Astrology is used to calculate many 
  things: the best and worst times to travel, when and where 
  to plant crops, medical diagnosis, finding a person’s life 
  force spirits, seeing if mates are compatible, etc.  Bad 
  karma from previous lives can suddenly resurface, and 
  only astrologers can predict these patterns and tell how to 
  protect against them.  Astrologers can also tell what is the 
  best way to dispose of a person’s remains.  Every village 
  and monastery has an astrologer.  Astrology is generally 
  divided in to two types: Elemental and Zodiac Astrology, 
  though these two types are often used in conjunction with 
  each other.
  Elemental Astrology
  This system is older, from Bön, and uses no mathematics.  
  It studies the influence on a person of the five elements 
  (metal, water, fire, earth and wood).  When the 
  influence of these elements are in balance, 
  things will go well for the person.  When 
  In Brief- Indian, Chinese and folk medicine.  
  Manipulate humours, give medicinal herbs, 
  exercise spirits and protect life force spirits.
  In Brief- Treatments restore balance of 3 vital fluids.
  In Brief- Imported and native herbs, with mantras, 
  gathered in special places.
  In Brief- Find and suck out spirits that cause illness.
  In Brief- Re-summon lost spirit responsible for health.
  In Brief- Astrologers help plan daily life, diagnose 
  illness, tell how to dispose of bodies.
  In Brief- Simpler indigenous system, predicts good and 
  bad luck.
  
  there is an imbalance of elements, there are 
  potential dangers.  An elemental astrologer, when 
  consulting with a patient, makes a table combining 
  the five elements, the person’s animal sign, birth trigram 
  and magic-square number.  Each possible combination 
  of forces a person may encounter is marked with a black 
  or white stone representing good or bad luck.  Charts can 
  be made concerning the four categories of life events: 
  life force, health, finances and success.
  Zodiac Astrology
  This is the more complicated, more scholarly type of 
  astrology, which requires some knowledge of math.  The 
  heavens are divided in to twelve houses, each of which 
  has its own significance.  The position of the planets 
  in these zones is used to determine events.  Planets 
  are divided in to those which are peaceful (the moon, 
  Jupiter, Mercury and Venus) and those which are violent 
  (Sun, Mars, Drachen and Saturn).
   
  The moon is associated with sleep, peace, wealth and 
  friendship.
   
  Jupiter is associated with intelligence, success and 
  efficiency.
   
  Mars is associated with diseases, fire, theft and 
  conflict.
   
  Saturn is associated with laziness, failure, separation 
  from home and loved ones.
   
  Drachen is an evil black planet which sometimes 
  passes in front of the sun and the moon causing an 
  eclipse.  Eclipses are very bad omens as they show 
  increased influence by this evil being.
  Divination
  Tibetans have a large number of means of divination.  
  Divination is used to diagnose the cause of misfortunes 
  as well as to see periods of future success or danger. 
  Astrology and omen reading have already been 
  mentioned.  There is also:
  Simple Divination
  Some divination can be done by almost anyone with 
  little equipment.  A random number, generated by 
  grasping beads on a rosary or rolling three six-sided die, 
  can indicate good or bad luck for upcoming ventures. 
  Nomads know that if they put a juniper branch and 
  a scapula in their pockets in the morning, the first 
  words they hear after leaving their tents will be 
  omens which will reflect on future events.
  Book Divination
  These forms of divination use painted cards, or black 
  and white pebbles randomly sorted in to a row.  A book 
  gives an entry for each card or each combination of 
  pebbles.  Each entry contains lengthy commentary on 
  that selection and all the symbolic opportunities and 
  problems it foretells.
  Drum Divination
  One type of divination that Bön priests learn uses a seed 
  placed on a drum-head.  The drumhead (and the seed on 
  it) is caused to vibrate in sympathy by beating another 
  drum.  The drum head has different boxes drawn on 
  it.  The section of the drum the seed moves to tells the 
  cause of a person’s illness and whether or not they can 
  be cured.
  Scapulimancy
  This is a very ancient form of Bön divination where a 
  sheep or a human scapula (rear shoulder bone) is thrown 
  in to a fire.  The pattern of cracks which appear in it can 
  be read and interpreted by someone trained in this type 
  of divination.
  Geomancy
  Tibetans also have a form of geomancy, akin to the 
  Chinese feng shui.  Practitioners determine which 
  arrangements of architecture, furniture, color, etc. are 
  good or bad luck.
  Oracles
  Some people will become possessed, around puberty, 
  by an entity and will go in to a fit.  The spirit is trapped 
  (a string tied around the infested body part) so it can be 
  studied.  Diviners determine the nature of the spirit.  If 
  the spirit is a dharmapala or other benevolent being, the 
  person possessed by it will be trained to be an oracle.  
  Oracles have the ability to let benevolent or malevolent 
  spirits speak and act through them.  Most oracles are male 
  and can only be possessed by male entities, a few are 
  female and can only be possessed by female entities.  
  Most oracles come from poor nomadic or farming 
  families.
  030
  tibet
  In Brief- Scholarly, mathematical system, predicts 
  influence of good or bad planets in different aspects of 
  life.
  In Brief- Random number means good or bad luck.
  In Brief- Cards or pebbles have an entry in a book.
  In Brief- Seed on a vibrating drum moves around.
  In Brief- Read cracks on a bone from a fire.
  In Brief- Arrange houses for good luck.
  In Brief- Young people who are possessed may have the 
  ability to summon helpful beings.
  
  031
  magic & religion
  Village Oracles
  These are the lowest ranking oracles.  They are not 
  trained or recognized by any major church.  Rather, 
  they are trained by other village oracles, or they may 
  train themselves.  The lowest class of these oracles are 
  possessed by neutral Lu and Zhidag spirits (see p.186) or 
  minor dharmapalas responsible for protecting the local 
  area.  To facilitate possession they may wear a special 
  headdress and carry around a chair designated as the 
  “throne” of the spirit they are calling.  Female oracles 
  pass this ability to their daughters.
  Another class of village oracles are the Pawo (male) 
  and Nyenjomo (female) who are oracles in the old Bön 
  tradition.  They are possessed by the ghosts of recently 
  deceased humans.  These ghosts have contact with their 
  own protective deities and thus act as go-betweens 
  between the oracle and the dharmapalas.  Pawo and 
  Nyenjomo can use their powers for evil (contacting 
  demons via their go-betweens) as well as good.  The 
  abbot of the Sakya monastery has the job of using magic 
  to keep these oracles in line. 
  The next highest class is the Palbo, who are possessed 
  by the gods of the heroes of local legends.  These wear 
  helmets and armor to facilitate possession.
  Recognized Oracles
  Powerful dharmapalas will choose certain oracles to 
  habitually possess.  These oracles are trained by a 
  monastery, live in or near a monastery and are given 
  salaries by a monastery, although they are not monks.
  Oracles usually have a special outfit for each class of 
  being they want to call down in to them.  The color of 
  the outfit corresponds to the color associated with that 
  class of entity.  This outfit should not be touched by 
  members of the opposite sex. 
  The outfit includes a heavy 
  helmet (adorned with precious 
  metals and stones), the deity’s 
  favorite weapons and a steel-
  tipped lance.  The oracle needs 
  a special ‘throne’ to sit on (a 
  decorated wooden chair kept 
  in a temple and carried by 
  servants).
  High Ranking Oracles
  The highest classes of oracles are those habitually 
  possessed by the most powerful earthly dharmapalas.  
  These oracles are trained by monks and their authenticity 
  is tested by the Lhasa government.  While lower ranking 
  oracles can marry, these high ranking oracles must 
  remain celibate, as only the “pure” will be chosen as 
  habitual vessels.
  The most powerful oracle in Tibet is the oracle of Pehar 
  at Nechung.  Pehar is the most powerful dharmapala, and 
  through his oracle he advises the Tibetan government.  
  Higher ranking oracles must pass a test before Pehar 
  himself before they can become recognized.  Minor 
  spirits posing as great dharmapalas will flee in fear in the 
  presence of Pehar.
  Actions of Oracles
  While possessed by a powerful being, oracles answer 
  questions about the future and about causes of misfortune.  
  When oracles speak, they do so in a strange voice that 
  often requires an interpreter.  Possessed oracles may cure 
  people of illnesses by beating them with a sword or using 
  an arrow for sucking exorcism (see p.99).  They may 
  attack any person in the audience who has an abundance 
  of bad karma.  They may consecrate items for healing or 
  protective purposes.  To show their incredible strength 
  they may bend swords in to corkscrew shapes or knots or 
  impale themselves with swords then remove the sword to 
  reveal that they are uninjured.
  Being possessed by the wrathful manifestation of an 
  entity (see p.21) is extremely draining.  Oracles wheeze, 
  growl dance and lurch around like wild demons.  Most 
  oracles go unconscious after the possessor leaves.  A 
  possessor may even do permanent damage to the oracle 
  if it stays for too long.
  Peaceful emanations use less 
  energy and can stay in the 
  oracle’s body longer.  Some 
  oracles 
  learn 
  the 
  yidam 
  mediation 
  of 
  the 
  buddha 
  Tagrin, 
  who 
  protects 
  the 
  oracle’s body from damage by 
  dangerous dharmapalas.
  In Brief- Peasants possessed by neutral spirits or 
  human ghosts.
  Oracle Testing
  High ranking oracles must be tested for two reasons:
  First, people occasionally masquerade as oracles 
  and convince others they are being possessed by a 
  powerful dharmapala.
  Second, minor spirits may possess an oracle and 
  pretend to be a powerful dharmapala, fooling even the 
  oracle.
  In Brief- Supported by monasteries, possessed by 
  Buddhist entities.
  In Brief- Tested, celibate, very powerful.
  In Brief- Answer questions, exorcise demons, perform 
  feats.  Wrathful manifestations drain oracles.
  
  Bön
  Origin
  The ancient kingdom of Zhang Zhung, in Western Tibet, 
  practiced Tibetan folk religion.  The great teacher Tonpa 
  Shenrab came, from the West, to Zhang Zhung and taught 
  them a new religion.  Zhang Zhung spread the religion to 
  all of Tibet.  Some think Bön originated somewhere in 
  Persia, others think that Tonpa Shenrab learned from 
  Gautama Buddha.
  Bön and Buddhism fought each other for quite a 
  while.   Each had a period where it persecuted the other. 
  Buddhism would end up on top, but would learn to live 
  in peace with the remaining Bön practitioners.  In the 
  11th century, Tibetan Buddhists started finding hidden 
  teachings unique to Tibetan Buddhism.  At the same 
  time, Bön practitioners started discovering their own 
  hidden teachings.  For every major development in 
  Tibetan Buddhism, Bön has been right alongside it with 
  a similar development.
  Practices
  Modern Bön recognizes nine great “vehicles” that are 
  taught to Bön practitioners:
   
  -the way of prediction
   
  -the way of exorcism
   
  -the way of sorcery
   
  -the way of guiding the recently deceased through 
  bardo
   
  -the way of non-celibate practitioners (white robes)
   
  -the way of celibate, monastic practitioners
   
  -the way of basic tantra
   
  -the way of the Yidam tantra
   
  -the way of sexual tantra
  The first four represent the Bön of antiquity, the last five 
  are newer developments.  In Bön, advancement towards 
  enlightenment must coexist with more practical concerns 
  (e.g. exorcism of troublesome spirits, destruction of 
  enemies by sorcery).  These nine ways are printed in 
  the most important Bön text, the Bön Kanjur.  Ancient 
  Bön texts were written in the ancient language of 
  Zhang Zhung, but in recent times they have been 
  translated to the Tibetan language.
  Codes of Behavior
  Bön monks are forbidden from killing “in anger”, 
  stealing “from greed”, acting without thinking and 
  telling lies “from envy”.  This code is less absolute than 
  many Buddhist codes (especially the Yellow Hat codes 
  of behavior) and allows Bön monks to do just about 
  anything given that their intentions are not bad.  They 
  must follow five simple daily rituals (prayers, offerings 
  and ablutions).
  Bön ascetics have a more restricted code of behavior. 
  They are not allowed to eat onions and most kinds of 
  meat, nor can they drink alcohol.  They can eat only at 
  certain times of day and can not wear any expensive 
  clothing.
  Buddhist Influences
  For centuries Bön has competed with Buddhism and has 
  come to resemble it greatly (and visa versa).  Bön has 
  monasteries, non-Buddhist versions of tantras, oracles 
  and most everything else the Buddhists have.  Many of 
  the dharmapalas which have been converted to Buddhist 
  protectors were originally Bön deities and Bön priests 
  still retain at least as much control over them as the 
  Buddhists do.
  The greatest similarities are between Bön and the 
  Nyingmapa Buddhist sect.  Both believe in enlightenment 
  via the Dzogchen tantras, they recognize the same 
  buddhas, bodhisattvas and dharmapalas (though with 
  different names) and they both have lay (white robe) and 
  monastic practitioners.  About the only difference is that 
  the Nyingmapa say their teachings can be traced back to 
  Gautama Buddha and the Bön say their teachings can be 
  traced back to Tonpa Shenrab.
  Bön Beliefs
  One way in which Bön differs from most Buddhist sects 
  is in its belief in a supreme being, Kuntu Sangpo or “All 
  Good.”
  The Bön also worship a god they call “Great Hero” who 
  was born in the heavens.  Great Hero has the head of a 
  lion, the body of a human and wings with razors for 
  feathers.  He created the gods who are the sworn 
  enemies of the major classes of malevolent 
  spirits.
  032
  tibet
  In Brief- Tonpa Shenrab taught Zhang Zhung kingdom. 
  Bön has kept up with Buddhist developments.
  In Brief- Practical magic (older) and ways to achieve 
  enlightenment (newer) in Bön text.
  In Brief- Don’t do things from bad motives.
  In Brief- Bön almost exactly like Buddhism, especially 
  Nyingmapa.
  In Brief- Supreme being, hero god, smoke carries prayers, 
  powerful weathermakers, swastika means immortality.
  
  vajra
  033
  magic & religion
  One tenant of the Bön religion is that smoke 
  carries prayers to heaven and thus sacred fires are 
  used in much of Bön practice.
  Although Buddhists are known to have some 
  weathermaking 
  abilities, 
  the 
  Bön 
  weathermaking specialists (especially those 
  from the Kham province) are the most highly 
  regarded.
  The swastika (the arms pointing the opposite 
  direction from the Nazi swastika) is a Bön 
  symbol.  It symbolizes the indestructibility 
  of the wisdom of Bön (and more generally, 
  immortality).  Bön Bodhisattvas are known 
  as “swastika beings.”
  Eclecticism
  Despite their insistence that they are not 
  Buddhist, Bön priests are the most eclectic 
  in Tibet, willing to study and learn from 
  just about anything.  A monk of the Yellow 
  Hat (reformed) sect of Buddhism would be 
  ashamed to be caught reading a Bön religious 
  text, while the Bön would have no such 
  prejudice.  In fact, many Bön practitioners 
  are sent to study with Buddhist masters and 
  in Buddhist monastic colleges.
  Buddhism
  Tibetan peasants can not be classed simply 
  as Buddhist or Bön.  They are a pragmatic 
  mix of Buddhism, Bön and folk religion: 
  whatever they think is appropriate for 
  what they want to do.  However, Buddhist 
  religious leaders hold most of the power over 
  the country.  Buddhism is the official religion 
  of the Tibetan state.
  Origin
  Siddhartha Gautama, an Indian prince born in 563 BC, 
  was kept isolated from the harsh realities of life.  When 
  he finally saw people suffering, he decided to find a way 
  to end suffering.  He studied under a variety of Indian 
  philosophers and mystics.  He found that none of their 
  teachings satisfied him.  Meditating under a 
  Bodhi tree, he achieved enlightenment.  Gautama 
  Buddha taught his students the means by which 
  they could achieve enlightenment.  He considered 
  his way a middle path between self-indulgence and self-
  mortification.
  Enlightenment
  Huge texts have been devoted to the nature 
  of enlightenment, but in simple terms, 
  enlightenment is three things:  First, a complete 
  extinction of the mind’s “grasping” on to 
  thoughts, habits, beliefs and emotions.  It is this 
  grasping which causes the suffering of living 
  beings.  Second, infinite compassion.  Third, 
  an innate (thoughtless) knowledge of sunyata. 
  Sunyata is the principle that all dualities are 
  illusion and are really emptiness, including the 
  dualities between reality and non-reality.  If a 
  person can stop wanting things, feel compassion 
  for all beings, and realize that nothing exists 
  (and nothing does not exist) that person will 
  become enlightened.  An enlightened person 
  can escape the cycle of karma which causes 
  souls to keep being reborn.
  The goal for all Buddhists is to eventually 
  reach enlightenment through training of the 
  mind.  Buddhist sects differ only in what is the 
  best way to achieve enlightenment.
  Many Buddhist symbols 
  represent 
  different 
  aspects of enlightenment.  
  For instance, the vajra 
  (originally the lightning 
  staff of the Indian god 
  Vishnu) 
  represents 
  the 
  male principle as well 
  as the method (active working 
  towards 
  enlightenment). 
   
  The 
  vajra bell represents the female 
  principle, the wisdom of the nature 
  of enlightenment.  The Buddhas 
  themselves 
  represent 
  different 
  aspects of enlightenment: Chenrezig 
  representing infinite compassion, 
  Champai 
  Chang 
  representing 
  wisdom, 
  Öpame 
  representing 
  unclouded vision, etc.
  In Brief- Bön not afraid to study with 
  Buddhists.
  Gautama Buddha- The Buddha of the 
  current age, an Indian prince that achieved 
  enlightenment.
  Vajra- A scepter or cross symbol representing 
  enlightenment.  Originally the thunderbolt 
  scepter of the Hindu sky god Indra.
  Sunyata- The doctrine that all dualities are 
  empty, that nothing exists, even non-existence 
  itself.
  In Brief- Siddhartha Gautama, Indian prince, achieved 
  enlightenment and taught others how to do the same.
  In Brief- Understanding that nothing is real 
  and giving up on all attachments to things and 
  ideas.
  
  034
  tibet
  Inside a Monastery
  Monasteries can range in size from huge city-sized complexes to a small compound in which a few monks live.  
  Monasteries are divided in to those in which female monks live and those in which male monks live.  The women’s 
  monasteries are smaller (because fewer girls are sent to become monks).  Some are hidden in valleys to protect the 
  female monks studying there.
  Defense- Some monasteries are walled.  Others are built on a mountain so that visitors can be seen coming.  All visitors 
  must gain the approval of monastic authorities.  Dobdobs (monastery police) double as militias to defend the monastery 
  and some even have rifles.
  Temples- Every monastery has a buddha or bodhisattva it is dedicated to.  The Lhakhang, usually the largest building 
  or room in the monastery, is dedicated to that entity and may have a large statue.  There is also a Dukhang, an 
  assembly hall for monks.  The Gongkhang is a chapel for the dharmapalas that protect the monastery and a “prison” 
  for malevolent spirits the monastery has trapped.  While it is fairly easy to visit the Lhakhang, visitors are usually not 
  allowed in the Gongkhang.  The Gongkhang is kept dimly lit.  Monks keep up a constant vigil of deep chanting.  This 
  chanting creates good karma for the area and it keeps the trapped malevolent spirits at bay.  Many Gongkhangs are 
  underground.
  Library- All monasteries have a library.  In this room or rooms, the walls are covered with wooden pigeon-hole shelves. 
  Each hole holds a single volume in it.  Each volume is wrapped in cloth and placed between two heavy wooden blocks 
  to protect it.  Monastic libraries all contain at least one copy of the Kanjur and the Tenjur (see p.114).  Each takes up 
  more than 100 volumes. Most monasteries keep a history of that monastery, including the actions of dharmapalas and 
  demons that the monastery has dealt with.  This history is usually not available to normal monks or visitors.
  Other Buildings- There are also kitchens, courtyards and storage rooms.  There are dormitories where monks live in 
  small cells.  Larger monasteries have private apartments for wealthier monks.
  Abbot- Each monastery is ruled by an abbot who is a lama (perfect teacher with secret ritual knowledge).  In important 
  monasteries the abbot is usually a tulku (reincarnated lama).
  Other Positions- Every monastery has a marshal who is in charge of the dobdobs (monastery police) and has two 
  deputies.  The marshal reports to the abbot.  Other important people who work directly under the abbot of the monastery 
  are the master professor, the steward, the leader of the choir and the bursar.  There is also an official entertainer of 
  guests.
  Bursar- Bursars are appointed for three-year periods.  They are given a large sum of money which they must use to 
  pay the upkeep and amenities of the monastery.  They can do anything they like with this money, including trading and 
  lending, but at the end of their term they must return it all.  Any profit is theirs to keep.
  Colleges- Large monasteries are divided in to separate colleges, each with their own officials.  Each college is divided 
  in to dormitories.  Monks from the same region are usually housed together
  
  035
  magic & religion
  Monasticism
  One of the major systems through which people work 
  towards enlightenment is the monastic system, which 
  is especially prevalent in Tibet.  There are more than 
  25,000 monasteries in Tibet for male and female monks. 
  Children are sent at an early age to a local monastery 
  where they are raised with the teachings of Buddhism. 
  Monasteries can range from tiny habitations of a dozen 
  monks to monastic cities of thousands of monks.  The 
  object of going to a monastery is so that one can live a 
  simple life, free from temptations.
  Sacrifice
  Monasticism in Tibet has become something more 
  complex than just trying to live a simple life.  Tibetan 
  monks have sacrificed some of their detachment from 
  the world in order to help lay people with their 
  problems.
  The first and most ancient responsibility of monasteries 
  is to increase the good karma of the area.  They do this 
  via prayers, keeping alters, maintaining prayer wheels 
  and other means.  This good karma has many practical 
  effects, including reducing the actions of malevolent 
  spirits in the area.
  Monasteries are centers of learning.  Monasteries 
  produce skilled artisans, doctors, astrologers, exorcists, 
  oracles and weathermakers.  Some of these people are 
  monks, some are lay people who paid to study in a 
  monastery.  Monks also know the rituals that help guide a 
  soul safely through bardo (the period after death).  
  Skilled monks serve the needs of the monastery’s 
  population.  The same monks are sent out to 
  perform services for the local lay community (and 
  to earn some money for the monastery).
  The greatest sacrifice of the monastic system is in 
  taking over the government of the country.  Each 
  of the four major Buddhist sects have, at one 
  time, ruled the country.  The Gelugpa (Yellow 
  Hat) sect has ruled the country for about 400 
  years.  The Yellow Hat sect has hired laypeople 
  to help run the government.  Lay people help keep 
  monks from having to do things like collecting 
  taxes, imprisoning criminals and going to war. 
  Yet monks of every sect can not always escape 
  from the responsibilities of government.  Monks 
  can be called on to act as militias (especially in 
  outlying areas that the Tibetan army can not get 
  to).  Monastic abbots must adjudicate crimes and 
  disputes on lands that the monastery owns.
  Monks know that these worldly matters impede 
  their progression towards enlightenment.  Most 
  monks aspire to someday spend time secluded in 
  a cave.  The monks involve themselves in worldly 
  matters for the greater good of humanity.
  Lamas
  Tibetan Buddhism is known by some Westerners as 
  lamaism because of the great importance Tibetan religion 
  places upon lamas (perfected teachers of Tantra).  Though 
  there are many paths to enlightenment, some of the most 
  favored in Tibet require a lama.
  Kanjur- A book of the teachings of Gautama 
  Buddha.
  Tenjur- A book made up of commentaries on 
  the teachings of Gautama Buddha.
  Gelugpa- The “Yellow Hat” Buddhist sect, 
  the newest of Tibet’s 4 major sects, currently 
  acting as the Tibetan government.
  In Brief- Very many monasteries, for men and 
  women, where monks go at a young age to learn and 
  live simply.
  In Brief- Monks have many duties to Tibetan people, 
  including creating good karma, magic and government.
  In Brief- Having and trusting an advanced teacher 
  is very important in Buddhist practice.
  
    Many of the most powerful rituals are also 
  the most dangerous, and only a lama can tell 
  when a student is advanced enough to try them.  In 
  one tantra, students receive direct transmissions from 
  the minds of their lamas about the unspeakable nature 
  of consciousness.  In other tantras, students meditate 
  to the point that they are able to recognize buddha 
  nature in their lama and can actually see their master 
  as a buddha.  Great importance is placed on obeying 
  directives of a lama.  Even orders that seem contrary to 
  the path of enlightenment may be part of some important 
  lesson.  There are dharmapalas charged with the duty of 
  punishing those who disobey their lamas.
  Nyingmapa
  This is the oldest Buddhist sect in Tibet.  It is also the 
  most firmly based in shamanistic folk religion.  About 
  30% of the monasteries in Tibet are Nyingmapa.  It 
  is one of the three sects known collectively as the red 
  hats (to distinguish them from the newer, reformed 
  Yellow Hats who do not allow their monks to drink or 
  marry).  Nyingmapa use the public teachings of Gautama 
  Buddha, but add to them the teachings that were hidden 
  around Tibet by Padmasambhava (the saint who first 
  brought Buddhist to Tibet).  The Nyingmapa sect is 
  known to know a bit of sorcery (harmful magic).  Like 
  all red hat sects they are allowed, after a certain level of 
  advancement, to marry and drink alcohol. However, they 
  are strictly forbidden to smoke tobacco.
  Nyingmapa is the second largest sect in Tibet.  It holds 
  the least political power because it has almost no unity. 
  The Nyingmapa sect is made up of many autonomous 
  sub-sects.
  Sakyapa
  This is the second oldest sect in Tibet.  About 10% of 
  the monasteries in Tibet are Sakyapa. They are semi-
  reformed, having discarded some of Nyingmapa’s more 
  shamanistic practices.  The Sakyapa pride themselves 
  on the importance they place on learning logic and 
  scholastics (unlike the Nyingmapa who give the tantras 
  higher priority and the Kagyupa who give body-yogas 
  higher priority).  The Sakyapa consider their main 
  protective deity to be a Buddhist form of the 
  Indian god Shiva.  Many human emanations of 
  Champai Chang (buddha of wisdom) have occurred 
  within the Sakyapa sect.
  The head of the Sakyapa (Sakya Trizin: Throne Holder) 
  is a hereditary position.  The Throne Holders were, at one 
  time, the original rulers of Tibet (installed by Genghis 
  Khan, who they converted) and would crush other sects 
  that would make trouble for them.  They had an unsavory 
  reputation for using magic and sorcery.  Then the Gelugpa 
  (Yellow Hat) sect appeared.  They denounced the 
  unsavory reputation of the Sakyapas.  The Yellow Hats 
  convinced the Mongols that they were more virtuous and 
  took over political control of Tibet.  High level Sakyapa 
  monks can marry and drink alcohol and the abbotship of 
  monasteries is usually passed from parent to child.
  Kagyupa
  This is the second newest Tibetan sect.  Approximately 
  20% of monasteries in Tibet are Kagyupa.  Its name 
  means, literally, ‘followers of successive orders,’ meaning 
  that they are a newer revision of Tibetan Buddhism.  This 
  Buddhist sect was founded by Marpa the great translator. 
  Milarepa (the famous sorcerer turned Buddhist holy man, 
  poet and folk hero) was a student and great proponent of 
  this sect. The Kagyupa sect is known for putting more 
  stress on the learning of body yoga meditations than 
  they do on scholastics and logic.  In these meditations, 
  practitioners learn to control their bodily energies. 
  Kagyupa monks start by learning breath control, then 
  they learn tummo, the body-heat tantra.  The Kagyupa 
  sect is also known for its proficiency in divination.
  The largest and most influential sub-sect of the Kagyupa 
  is the Karmapa sub-sect.  Its tulku (called the karmapa) 
  is the Kagyupa’s most holy and powerful tulku.  He is 
  called the “Black Hat Lama” because dakinis (p.23) 
  created a magic hat from their own hair for a previous 
  karmapa.  Although the original hat is gone, facsimiles 
  are used by the Karmapa in various rituals.  The Karmapa 
  rules from the Tsurphu monastery.  The Karmapa tulku is 
  Tibet’s oldest recognized lineage of Tulkus.  The second 
  oldest is the Sharmapa, the second holiest tulku in the 
  Karmapa sect, who is a manifestation of Öpame, the 
  buddha of light.
  036
  tibet
  The Sects in Brief
  Nyingmapa
  Sakyapa
  Kagyupa
  Gelugpa
  Strong Points
  Large sect.  Magical 
  means of self defense.
  Logic & philosophy.
  Body-control tantras. 
  Hermitage.
  Large, well organized.  
  Controls Tibet. Virtuous.
  Weak Points
  Unreformed.  Poorly 
  organized.
  Unsavory reputation.
  Don’t stress logic and 
  philosophy.
  No magical self defense.  
  Rejected many tantras.
  Nyingmapa- The oldest of Tibet’s 4 major 
  Buddhist sects; the one closest to pre-
  Buddhist Tibetan religions.
  Sakyapa- Second oldest of Tibet’s 4 major 
  sects, specializing in logic and philosophy.
  Kagyupa- The third oldest of Tibet’s 4 major 
  Buddhist sects, specializing in body-control 
  tantras.
  In Brief- Oldest sect, most shamanistic, unorganized.
  In Brief- Older sect, focuses on logic and scholastics, 
  once ruled Tibet but had bad reputation.
  In Brief- Sect focuses on body heat and other body 
  yogas.
  
  037
  The Karmapa sect is the newest 
  of 
  the 
  Kagyupa 
  sub-sects. 
  However, the Karmapa sect adopted 
  some tantra from the Nyingmapa sect. 
  The older subsects (including Dugpa, 
  Dikungpa 
  and 
  Talungpa) 
  stress 
  hermitage and may require periods of 
  hermitage from their students.
  Gelugpa
  The Gelugpa are the largest sect in 
  Tibet.  35% of monasteries in Tibet 
  are Gelugpa and 60% of lay Tibetans 
  would choose Gelugpa if forced 
  to choose between the sects.  The 
  Gelugpa are the most recent of sects. 
  Their name means, literally, “virtuous 
  style.”  They are called Yellow Hats 
  because they wear Yellow Hats with 
  a red trim to distinguish themselves 
  from the older sects (who wore red 
  hats).  The Yellow Hats are more 
  prominent in central Tibet, while 
  the red hat sects are more popular in 
  outlying regions (especially Kham).
  The Yellow Hats are an orthodox, 
  reformist sect.   They were founded 
  by Tsonkhapa in the 11th century in 
  an attempt to create a Buddhism that 
  had been purged of non-Buddhist 
  influences.  Yellow Hat monks can 
  never marry or drink any alcohol.  The 
  Yellow Hats are critical of the texts 
  and oral traditions used by other sects. 
  They do not accept texts unless their 
  descent from the original teachings 
  of Buddha can be established.  They 
  are the least grounded in shamanistic 
  folk religion of all the Buddhist sects. 
  They stress philosophy and purity 
  rather than magical rituals.  Since 
  they have few means of magical self-
  defense, many Yellow Hat monks 
  learn martial arts.
  The Yellow Hats spread quickly 
  because they had a more centralized 
  system of power than the other sects. 
  In 1578 they became the official 
  government of Tibet.  Despite their 
  orthodoxy, they are tolerant of 
  other sects and of Bön.
  Minor Sects
  Apart from the main four Buddhist sects there are many tiny sects that do not 
  fit in to any of the four main groups.  Some are purely Tibetan inventions, 
  others were imported directly from other countries, mainly India.  Most of 
  these sects do not own monasteries.  Some require complete renunciation 
  of all worldly goods and power.  Their monks become ascetic wanderers. 
  These groups criticize the whole monastic system and the worldly concerns 
  that come with owning property and running a country.
  Another notable group is Rimed, a synthesis of Bön and red hat teachings.  
  Its followers believe that Buddhists should not divide themselves in to sects. 
  Rimed peaked around the mid-19th century and has been declining ever 
  since.  There are still followers of Rimed in high positions in monasteries 
  of the four sects.
  Tulkus
  These are the reincarnations of very holy lamas who were able to choose 
  their next incarnations.  Many tulkus are reincarnations of human 
  emanations of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas.  Tulkus are often the heads of 
  monasteries. Tulkus are especially important to the Yellow Hat sect, where 
  abbots can not have heirs.
  When an old Tulku dies, the search for his or her reincarnation soon 
  begins.  The new tulku may be recognized because he or she has some of 
  the powers or memories of their last incarnation.  Some tulkus come from 
  virgin births.  The two most important Tulkus in Tibet are the Dalai Lama 
  (an incarnation of Chenrezig, the buddha of compassion) and the Panchen 
  Lama (the incarnation of Öpame, the buddha of light).  The search for 
  these reincarnations is very important as they will be important leaders.  
  Powerful tulkus own estates which are passed down from incarnation 
  to incarnation.  For more on finding tulkus, see p.183.
  In Brief- “Yellow Hats,” newest sect, 
  orthodox reformists, rule the country, 
  use little magic, good at martial arts.
  In Brief- Many smaller sects and a non-sectarian movement.
  In Brief- Reincarnated lamas, often rule monasteries.
  magic & religion
  
  Tantra
  Origin
  The official Buddhist cannon, passed down from India, is 
  the written record of Gautama Buddha’s public teachings.  
  These books are held sacred by all Buddhists.  The Kenjur 
  and Tenjur are the translations of Buddha’s oral teachings 
  and commentaries on those teachings, both of which take 
  up as many as 108 volumes. 
  Following the path of the sutras, the path described in 
  the Kenjur and Tenjur, the official Buddhist texts, it is 
  possible to achieve enlightenment.  It a slow process that 
  can take thousands of lifetimes, especially since 
  human rebirths are so rare.  An alternate path 
  exists: the path of the tantras.  The tantras are much 
  more intense and dangerous, but they make it possible 
  to achieve enlightenment in a single lifetime.  These 
  tantras are what differentiate Tibetan Buddhism (also 
  called Tantric Buddhism or Vajrayana Buddhism) from 
  the Buddhism predominant in other countries.
  Tantras are teachings which were not part of the official 
  Buddhist sutras.  These teachings were hidden from 
  most Buddhists because most beginning practitioners 
  are not ready for them.  Some are said to have been 
  handed down orally, in secret, from the time of 
  Gautama Buddha.  Others are from texts hidden around 
  the countryside by Padmasambhava or other Buddhist 
  saints.  Other tantras were hidden in realms beyond ours 
  so that only practitioners capable of leaving their bodies 
  and traveling to other worlds could find them.  Others 
  were hidden in the mindstreams of teachers so that their 
  reincarnations would discover them.
  038
  tibet
  The Problem With The Panchen Lama
  The Panchen Lama is a tulku, an emanation of Öpame, the buddha of light, and abbot of the Tashilhunpo monastery (in the 
  town of Shigatse, in the province of Tsang).  Tashilhunpo and Shigatse has long been a competitor to Lhasa as an economic and 
  political power.  It contains the second largest concentration of aristocratic families in Tibet.
  The fourth Panchen Lama fled to China after a tax dispute with the thirteenth Dalai Lama.  Several incarnations of the Panchen 
  Lama, up to the tenth (the current Panchen Lama) were born and died in China.  The Panchen Lama lived in a piece of country 
  that was ethnically Tibetan yet was controlled by China.  China was eager to host this Lama, since doing so gave it influence 
  over a major Tibetan ruler.  The Panchen Lama ruled his considerable estates by remote from China.
  The latest Panchen Lama came in to Tibet with the People’s Liberation Army in April 1952.   It was clear from the start that 
  the Panchen Lama would be pro-China.  The Panchen Lama was one of the signers of the 17 Point Agreement (see p.56).  He 
  told the nomads and farmers under his control not to resist the Chinese and to peacefully convert to Communism.  There was 
  a little rebel activity in Panchen Lama controlled lands, but for the most part the people there followed the commands of the 
  Panchen Lama.
  Under Chinese rule, the 
  area around Shigatse has 
  become a semi-autonomous 
  state.  These lands are the 
  largest pro-Chinese block 
  in all of Tibet.  The Tibetan 
  Dzongpon (district official) in 
  the area is required to submit 
  all decisions to the Panchen 
  Lama for approval.
  The 
  Chinese 
  have 
  been 
  conducting 
  a 
  propaganda 
  war to increase the religious 
  power of the Panchen Lama, 
  portraying him as a tulku 
  equal in spiritual status (or 
  greater than) the Dalai Lama.
  Many doubt that the person 
  currently being called the 
  Panchen Lama is the real Panchen Lama.  They fear that the real Panchen Lama is lost somewhere, perhaps undiscovered or 
  perhaps imprisoned by the Chinese.
  an abbot and aristocrat of Shigatse
  Panchen Lama- The second most important 
  Tulku in the yellow hat sect, he is the abbot 
  of the Tashilhunpo monastery at Shigatse. 
  The current Panchen Lama is pro-Chinese.
  In Brief- Secret rituals, dangerous, use powerful 
  emotions, but can allow people to achieve 
  enlightenment in a lifetime.
  In Brief- Tibetans discovered secret teachings, hidden 
  from those not ready for them.
  
  mandala
  039
  magic & religion
  There are about twenty-five tantras in 
  widespread use.    Some are passed down from 
  teacher to student orally.  Others are written down, 
  yet they are written using such abstract symbolism 
  that they only make sense when accompanied by an oral 
  explanation from a lama.  This is done to keep the tantras 
  from falling in to the hands of those who would use them 
  unwisely.
  The Dangers
  Rather than slowly eliminating the practitioner’s 
  attachments, the tantras use those attachments as a source 
  of change.  For example, anger may be used to eliminate, 
  among other things, anger itself.  Fear of violent death 
  may be used to overcome the fear that prevents people 
  from shedding the self.  Like using explosives to put out 
  a fire or using poison to cure a disease, tantric practices 
  must only be used at the right time, and even 
  then there is a danger of things going terribly 
  wrong.  When tantric practice goes wrong, the 
  practitioners can go insane or can even die.
  Body Control Tantras
  These are tantras that teach the student to control the flow 
  of forces inside his or her own body.  Physical powers are 
  a by-product and not a goal of these tantras.  Practitioners 
  have been known to levitate, produce extreme body heat 
  and run cross-country faster than horses can travel.  The 
  most popular of these tantras is Tummo (“Fire”) Yoga, 
  which comes from Indian Kundalini Yoga.  Advanced 
  Tummo practitioners are known by their thin off-white 
  cotton garments (which they wear year round).  Tummo 
  practitioners demonstrate their powers by going outside 
  in the winter, sitting in the snow and drying wet blankets 
  using only their body heat. 
  In Brief- Powerful emotions can drive people insane or 
  kill.
  In Brief- Some tantras teach control over one’s body.
  
  Harmful Tantras
  Some of the tantras contain secret formulas for doing 
  magic, even magic that harms other people.  When 
  tantras speak of murder by magic they call it an “enforced 
  release of the stream of consciousness from the body.” 
  There are stories of tantric rituals in which practitioners 
  prolong their lives by stealing the vitality away from 
  younger practitioners.
  Some very reformed sects say that any tantra that tells 
  how to kill can not be authentic.  No buddha would teach 
  people to kill, so these tantras must be primitive sorcery 
  disguised as a tantra.  Others explain these tantras are 
  meant only for advanced practitioners who have the 
  wisdom to only use them in the rare cases where it is 
  a compassionate act to end an incarnation.  The murder 
  of king Langdarma, who was persecuting Buddhism, is 
  generally considered a compassionate act.  Not only did 
  it help give countless Tibetans the opportunity to learn 
  Buddhism, it also stopped Langdarma from accruing 
  more bad karma (and damning himself to a longer stay 
  in the hells).
  Most of these harmful tantras work by calling 
  dharmapalas to attack an enemy.  Most dharmapalas 
  were once bloodthirsty killers.  Now they are happy 
  to kill if tantric practitioners tell them it will be an act 
  which protects Buddhism.  The dharmapalas may be so 
  eager that they will fail to check the validity of what the 
  conjurers tell them.  One discoverer of a harmful tantra 
  immediately killed all of his enemies.  If this tantra was 
  hidden by a Buddha or ancient master, it was probably 
  meant to be found by a person with more compassion 
  and self-control than the person who found it.
  Yidam Tantras
  These tantras focus on meditation on buddhas and 
  other powerful beings as emanations of the nature of 
  enlightenment.  This practice often uses mandalas.  
  Mandalas are circular sand paintings.  Yidam beings are 
  powerful enough that they can see the entire universe 
  at once, and the mandala is a symbolic representation 
  of how they see the universe.  In the first stage of this 
  practice, the student practices visualizing his or her lama 
  as a particular yidam.  Next they learn to visualize 
  themselves as that yidam.  They work for Dagnang, 
  “pure vision,” the ability to see the entire universe as 
  the yidam sees it.  In the end the practitioner actually 
  becomes the yidam.  While in this meditative state, the 
  student has the yidam’s wisdom and powers.  Though 
  some yidams are too distant from worldly concerns to 
  be of practical use, a few will perform useful functions. 
  Nyingmapa practitioners who embody White Dolma 
  consecrate pills and liquids which are used as cure-alls.
  Sexual Tantras
  These tantras are reserved for practitioners who have 
  great control over their internal energies.  Sexual tantras 
  are the only tantric means of achieving enlightenment 
  while on the physical plane.  Yellow Hats, who can not 
  perform sexual tantra because of a vow of celibacy, are 
  limited to achieving enlightenment directly after death.
  In the sexual tantras, the sexual partners represent a 
  buddha and that buddha’s consort.  When they achieve 
  union it represents sunyata (void, the extinction of 
  dualities).  By canceling out the incomplete nature of 
  the human body with its counterpart, and by temporarily 
  eliminating desire for sexual union by achieving sexual 
  union, it is possible to overcome the body’s attachment 
  to existence.  Though both sexual partners benefit 
  (progress on the path towards enlightenment), only one 
  practitioner, who is the focus of the ritual, can actually 
  achieve enlightenment.  Unfortunately, the rituals which 
  will allows females to become enlightened by these 
  means have not yet been found.
  When it comes to sexual tantra, the line between 
  celibate and non-celibate monks is less than clear. 
  Some otherwise celibate monks will receive visits from 
  Dakinis or other celestial entities in order to perform 
  sexual tantra.  Others create sexual partners by means 
  of meditation.  These beings (tulpas) have temporary 
  physical existence.  Many other monks take on human 
  sexual partners (usually monks of the opposite sex) but 
  to preserve their special position as celibate practitioners, 
  they may require their partners to take oaths of secrecy. 
  These secret consorts are sometimes bound to oaths so 
  powerful that high-ranking dharmapalas will attack those 
  that break them.
  040
  tibet
  Mandala- A magic painting, usually circular, 
  symbolizing how an enlightened being views 
  the universe.
  Tulpa- A being, resembling a human, 
  created solely from mental energy by means 
  of meditation and magical formulas.  These 
  beings may gain intelligence and self-
  consciousness.
  In Brief- Some tantras can be used to kill.  May not be 
  legitimate Buddhist teachings.
  In Brief- Meditate on an enlightened being, learn to 
  become that being.
  In Brief- Males can achieve enlightenment in the human 
  body.  Sometimes have secret, celestial or mind-made 
  partners.
  
  041
  government & law
  Sects & Tantras
  The tantras are designed to be used in a strict order, each 
  one preparing the student for the next.  Which tantras 
  should be included in this chain and in what order is a 
  difference of belief between sects and subsects.  Some 
  sects even have their own unique tantras that they keep 
  secret.
  The Nyingmapa sect and Bön make use of the largest 
  variety of tantras.  They accept nearly anything as 
  a legitimate tantra.  To them the dzogchen (“great 
  perfection”) tantra is the highest tantra.  In this tantra, 
  information on the nature of the mind is transmitted 
  directly to the mind of a student by his or her lama.
  The Sakyapa sect specializes in the Hevajra Yoga 
  Tantra, a tantra which includes body control and some 
  information on magic and sorcery.
  The Kagyupa sect uses mostly newer lineages of tantra.  
  Their tantric practice starts with breath control training 
  and moves on to tummo yoga tantra (the body-heat 
  control tantra).  The goal is eventual control over every 
  aspect of the practitioner’s physical form.
  The Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect is the most critical, 
  rejecting all but a few tantras.  They reject any tantra 
  for which they can not prove descent from Buddha’s 
  teachings.  The Yellow Hat tantras are mostly from 
  the newer tantric lineages introduced by Virupa and 
  Naropa.  Tantra is only practiced after much traditional 
  (sutra) Buddhist practice.  The kalachakra tantra is 
  considered the highest tantra by the Yellow Hats. 
  Kalachakra practitioners seek to understand everything 
  that one experiences as an emanation of one’s own 
  consciousness.
  Government & Law
  The Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect is the official government 
  of Tibet.  The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the 
  sect, becomes the ruler of the government when he 
  comes of age.  The Dalai Lama rules the country from 
  his palace, the Potala, in Lhasa.  Under the Dalai Lama 
  is a host of lay and monastic bureaucrats, governors, 
  representatives, scholars, accountants, diplomats, etc.  
  In theory, every monastic government official has a 
  lay counterpart and visa versa.  There are no females 
  in the central government of Tibet, though there are 
  some female regional leaders whose power is neither 
  endorsed nor denied by the Tibetan government.
  In Brief- Different Buddhist sects and Bön use 
  different Tantras.
  The Structure of the Tibetan Government
  The Dalai Lama- The Dalai Lama is at all times the religious 
  ruler of Tibet.  When he assumes power (traditionally at age 
  18) he is also the political leader of Tibet.  When the Dalai 
  Lama is still a minor, a regent is the political leader of Tibet.
  Prime Minister and Kashag- Under the Dalai Lama is 
  a Prime Minister.  He is a senior member of the Kashag, 
  a council of ministers, made up of 1 monk and 3 laymen 
  appointed by the Dalai Lama.  The Kashag is responsible for 
  appointing and dismissing officials.  In 1951, China convinced 
  the Dalai Lama to dismiss his Prime Minister, who was openly 
  anti-Chinese.  The post has since been vacant and without his 
  traditional “go-between” the Dalai Lama has taken to dealing 
  directly with the subordinate branches of government.
  Yiktsang- Equal in level to the Kashag is the Yiktsang, a 
  council of 4 monks in charge of the Gelugpa sect’s affairs and 
  records.
  Finance Office- Also at the same level is the finance office. 
  It is made up of 4 lay persons, from aristocratic families, 
  trained in accounting.  The finance office keeps records about 
  the nobility of Tibet and is also responsible for training most 
  major lay government officials.
  Tsong-du- Taking orders from the Kashag is the Tsong-du. 
  This is a national congress made up of nobility, monks and 
  craftspeople representing their trade.  They vote democratically 
  but have little direct power, they are mostly a consultative 
  body (asked for advice from other branches of government).
  Dzongpons- The Kashag and Tsong-Du write orders which 
  are distributed by a squad of mounted messengers.  Orders go 
  to the 53 dzongs (districts).  Each dzong is run by two main 
  officials (dzongpons): a lay-person and a monk.  The two often 
  consult each other, but typically divide the district in to two 
  halves which they control separately.
  The orders sent to the dzongpons are usually broad policy 
  statements from the Dalai Lama, marked with his all-important 
  red seal.  These statements relate, in a general way, to how the 
  dzongpons should conduct affairs within their dzongs.
  Chinese Changes- The Chinese have caused a lot of changes 
  to be made to the Tibetan government.  The Kashag has 
  established a 3 monk commission which is in charge of 
  relations between Tibet and the commander of the Peoples 
  Liberation Army in Tibet.
  The Chinese have also created a Preparatory Committee 
  for the Tibetan Autonomous Region.  This committee is in 
  charge of making policy changes to satisfy the demands of 
  the Chinese under the 17 Point Agreement.  It has the power 
  to draft laws and appoint officials.  The committee is stocked 
  with pro-Chinese Tibetans.  The Dalai Lama is the chairman 
  of this committee.  The Preparatory Committee has no 
  established place under the hierarchy of the traditional Tibetan 
  government, but it has taken over most of the functions of the 
  Kashag.
  Chinese Rule- The most fundamental decisions being made in 
  Tibet right now, though, are by the Committee of the Chinese 
  Communist Party in Tibet, a part of the normal hierarchy of 
  the Communist Party.  The Chinese have recently opened 
  a Supreme People’s Court in Tibet to try all cases that the 
  Chinese choose to try.
  Dzong- 1: One of 53 prefectures that Tibet is 
  divided in to.  2: A fort.
  Dzongpon- 
  Local 
  Tibetan 
  government 
  prefects, usually a monk and layman.
  Kashag- A council of 3 ministers, who are 
  directly beneath the Dalai Lama (or his regent) 
  in the hierarchy of the Tibetan government.
  
  Tibetan army
  government official and monk
  Influence
  The Tibetan government generally has a weak influence 
  over Tibetans, especially outside of Central Tibet.  The 
  government exerts its influence via dzongpons, local 
  prefects.  Each district has two dzongpons: a monk 
  and a Lhasa trained layman.  They collect taxes and 
  adjudicate cases brought before them.  They rule out of 
  administrative centers which are usually sturdily built 
  hilltop forts (dzongs).
  Progress
  Since their forced contact with the British military at 
  the beginning of the century, the Tibetan government 
  has been making some slow changes to increase the 
  centralized power of the government and introduce some 
  modernization.  The government sent a small number of 
  young men to be educated in British universities.  These 
  young men would act as advisors to the government 
  on matters involving more Westernized countries.  
  Unfortunately, on their return, their knowledge quickly 
  became outdated.  The government has been known to 
  consult with foreigners.
  Very few western technologies and conveniences 
  have been imported in to Tibet.  Most are simply the 
  playthings of a few Lhasean aristocrats: movie projectors, 
  automobiles, tennis courts, etc..  The vast majority of 
  Tibetans have never seen anything like this.
  Army
  Previously, the Tibetan army was part time and without 
  uniforms.  The army would be supported, in times of 
  need, by the private militias of major land owners 
  and by monks trained in fighting.  While the British 
  army occupied Lhasa, the government asked them 
  to train its army officers.  Later, conservative monks 
  lobbied to have several of these western-trained officers 
  removed.  At the time of the Chinese invasion, Tibet 
  had a standing army of 8,500 men, wearing a uniform 
  inspired by the turn-of-the-century British army 
  officer’s uniform.  They had relatively modern rifles 
  and rode on horseback.  The Tibetan army have never 
  had artillery or military vehicles.
  042
  tibet
  In Brief- Weak influence in rural Tibet through pair 
  of officials.
  In Brief- Rich people and the government have some 
  access to western tech and learning.
  In Brief- Small, partially modernized army with rifles and 
  horses.
  
  a Lhasa court
  convicted counterfeiter
  043
  government & law
  Law
  Law is administrated by whoever owns or is in charge 
  in the area.  Lamas are in charge in monasteries and the 
  lands owned by those monasteries.  Aristocrats 
  are in charge of matters on their estates.  In cities 
  the judges are appointed aristocrats (shepbang). 
  These judges can hear cases and assign fines 
  or physical punishment.  Bribes are common.  
  Disputes between landowners are adjudicated by 
  the local dzongpon.  Highly disputed cases go to 
  the Prime Minister of Tibet.  Ordinary people can also 
  take their cases to Lhasa for adjudication if they are not 
  satisfied with local justice.
  For nomads, disputes are settled by force or the threat 
  of force.  Blood feuds are not uncommon.  Mediators 
  are important to the resolution of any nomadic dispute. 
  Learned monks or nomads known for their oratory skills 
  will be hired as mediators.
  Punishments can include flogging, stocks and mutilation.  
  Flogging is the most common.  There is a prison below 
  the Potala in which prisoners are kept.  Some of the 
  Potala’s prisoners are allowed to wander around Lhasa in 
  the daytime with heavy leg irons and metal bars chained 
  to their wrists. The Dalai Lama has sent out word to 
  avoid “severe punishments” whenever possible.  Since 
  this edict, the harshest punishment one will find in Lhasa 
  (reserved for treason, mass murder and sorcery) is to be 
  blinded and imprisoned for life.
  Monasteries will try and punish their own monks.  The 
  biggest crimes for monks are sex, theft, murder and 
  false claims of magical powers.  Corporal punishment is 
  common and the biggest crimes lead to banishment from 
  the monastery.
  A lay police force exists only in Lhasa.  Some larger 
  estates have law enforcement employed by the estate 
  owner.  Large monasteries have their own form of 
  monastic police, known as Dobdobs.  These are usually 
  monks whose personalities make it unlikely that they will 
  benefit from the scholastic teachings of the monastery 
  (see p.69). 
  In Brief- Judges are land owners or appointed 
  aristocrats; nomads use mediators; no death penalty; 
  few police.
  A Last Resort for Legal Troubles
  To tell the Dalai Lama about one’s legal 
  troubles is a crime.  This law, and a throng of 
  bodyguards armed with whips, are to prevent 
  the Dalai Lama from being constantly 
  barraged with legal concerns.  If one was to 
  manage to make it past the bodyguards and 
  speak to the Dalai Lama, that person would 
  be seized and thrown in prison.  However, the 
  Dalai Lama is an incarnation of the buddha of 
  compassion.  After meditating on a person’s 
  plight (over the course of days or weeks), the 
  Dalai Lama will typically offer a full pardon, 
  not just for the crime of bothering to the 
  Dalai Lama but for all the previous crimes 
  as well.
  
  Geography
  General
  Tibet is the highest country in the world.  It is about a 
  quarter the size of the United States and is larger than 
  France, Italy, Spain, Germany and England combined.  
  Tibet is a large plateau between two mountain ranges (the 
  Himalayas to the South and the Kunluns to the North). 
  It is made up primarily of mountains with a few river-
  valleys and lakes criss-crossing the interior. Agriculture 
  is practiced in these river valleys and pastoralist nomads 
  live on the plains.  Because of the altitude and severe 
  weather, different areas of Tibet are isolated from each 
  other during the winter.  Tibet borders India to the West 
  and China to the East.  Across the Himalayas to the 
  South are the countries of Nepal and Bhutan.  Across the 
  Kunlun mountains to the North are culturally Mongolian 
  areas of China.  Tibet is made up of many regions with 
  their own dialects, but those dialects are mutually 
  intelligible (all Tibetans can understand each other).
  Lhasa
  Lhasa is the capitol city of Tibet, the seat of the 
  Yellow Hat sect of Buddhism that currently rules 
  the country.  In many ways it is the center of 
  modern Tibet: it is the biggest city, it is the 
  most important spot for spiritual pilgrims, it is a center 
  of monastic learning and a major center of trade.  Any 
  foreign power that wanted to exert influence over Tibet 
  had to invade Lhasa.  In theory, Lhasa is currently closed 
  to foreigners, but it is not hard for foreigners to get in.
  Lhasa is in Central Tibet.  It is built in a river valley on 
  the North banks of the Lhasa river.  Lhasa is bordered by 
  mountains and rivers and has only a few entrances. 
  Lhasa and the nearby monasteries have a population of 
  20,000 to 30,000 people (not including the recent influx 
  of Chinese soldiers).
  The whole city of Lhasa is considered holy.  Pilgrims 
  travel from all over Tibet to gain good Karma by 
  circumambulating Lhasa.  Some move by prostration, 
  moving only a body’s length at a time.  
  Variety
  Lhasa abounds in variety: rich aristocrats and homeless 
  beggars live in harmony.  Chinese Muslims have their 
  own section of the city with its own mosque.  Nomads 
  from Eastern Tibet and Mongolia camp on the outskirts 
  of the city while trading.  Adherents of the four major 
  Buddhist sects, and Bön, practice here. Lhasa is also 
  the center of monastic learning for Tibet.  Monks come 
  from all over Tibet to study medicine, astrology, 
  martial arts, scholarship and more.  Lhasa is dotted 
  with dozens of small monasteries and monastic 
  academies.
  044
  tibet
  In Brief- Large, high altitude, landlocked plateau 
  between two maintain ranges.
  In Brief- Most important city of Tibet.
  In Brief- Any kind of Tibetan can be found in Lhasa.
  
  jokhang
  045
  geography
  Jokhang
  In the middle of urban Lhasa is the Jokhang Temple, the 
  main religious center for pilgrims from all over Tibet.  
  It is used by practitioners of all four sects of Tibetan 
  Buddhism.  It is four stories high.  The ground floor 
  contains twenty chapels to assorted Buddhist 
  deities, Indian saints and Tibetan kings and 
  queens.  Attached to the Jokhang are offices of 
  the Kashag and Finance Office (see Structure of the 
  Tibetan Government, p.41).  This circle of streets is the 
  religious and mercantile center of Tibet.  Shops along the 
  streets and street vendors sell every conceivable item.  
  In addition to circumambulating Lhasa, pilgrims also 
  circumambulate the Jokhang.
  Jokhang- The biggest temple in urban Lhasa, the streets surrounding it are a center of 
  pilgrimage and trade.
  In Brief- Holy temple and government office, streets 
  lined with shops and pilgrims.
  
  lu king pool
  potala
  The Potala
  Rising above Lhasa on the nearby mountain of Marpori is 
  the Potala palace, the home of the Dalai Lama and capitol 
  building of the Tibetan government.  This thirteen-story 
  palace is made up of wood, earth, stone and copper.  It 
  was built without nails.  It has over 1000 rooms and 
  10,000 shrines inside.  There are many hidden hallways 
  known only to those familiar with the palace.  The palace 
  is made up of two parts: the red palace rising up in the 
  middle and the white palace enfolding it on either side. 
  The red palace contains the remains of the fifth and 
  seventh to thirteenth Dalai Lamas.  Each of their salt-
  dried, clay covered bodies are stored in a golden, jeweled 
  chorten (a pagoda-like mausoleum).  The Potala also 
  contains government offices, national assembly halls, 
  a huge religious library, treasure rooms and storage 
  rooms for armor and armaments.  Underneath the Potala 
  is a feared prison.  The Dalai Lama lives in a private 
  apartment on the roof.  Every day monks blow huge 
  horns on the roof to call all of Lhasa to prayer.
  Behind the Potala is a pool named the Lu King Pool.  It 
  was once inhabited by a powerful Lu spirit (see p.186) 
  who demanded a yearly sacrifice of a boy.  One boy 
  decided to try to fight the Lu.  He fought it for seven days 
  and seven nights and eventually killed it.  Now, the pool 
  is considered holy and is the source of prophetic visions 
  for the Tibetan government.
  Directly South of the Potala at the foot of the Marpori 
  is a complex of Tibetan government buildings.  Here 
  the Tibetan government compiles and keeps records on 
  everything happening throughout Tibet.  Hundreds of 
  years worth of minute details are stored here.
  On a hill across from the Potala is Chagpori, a college of 
  traditional medicine and astrology.
  046
  tibet
  In Brief- Dalai Lama’s impressive palace.
  
  The Streets of Lhasa
  In urban Lhasa, the only way to get around is to wander through a dense maze of dirt streets and narrow, crooked 
  alleyways.  Two and three story whitewashed brick homes and shops line the streets, interspersed with temples, market 
  squares, open sewers, ponds, gardens and tower-like mausoleums.  A glance upwards reveals hundreds of prayer flags of 
  every color flapping in the constant wind.  Brightly colored Sanskrit prayers for good fortune are carved or painted on walls 
  of nearly every building.  There are paintings of buddhas on walls everywhere, looking down on people with compassion 
  and wisdom in their eyes.  Recently, posters of Chairman Mao have been pasted over many of the buddhas.
   
  Along the sides of the street, traders have tiny stalls.  Laid out for customers to view is food, herbs, clothing, charms, 
  tools, books, livestock and imported goods from as far away as Britain.
   
  One hears the din of people joking and haggling.  Stray dogs bark.  Prostitutes sing lilting songs, referring euphemistically 
  to their trade.
   
  The Potala, the red and white 
  palace of the Dalai Lama, and the 
  tallest building in Tibet, can be 
  seen rising up over the rooftops, 
  peaking a large hill less than a 
  mile away.
   
  The streets are constantly 
  filled with people.  Holy pilgrims 
  prostrate 
  themselves 
  on 
  the 
  ground, moving a body’s length at 
  a time.  Homeless ascetic monks, 
  dressed in rags, carry staves with 
  jingling rings to drown out the 
  sounds of the mundane world. 
  Traders walk quickly to their next 
  appointment, stopping only for an 
  impromptu game of dice or mah-
  jongg played on a street corner. 
  Beggars cheerfully greet people 
  with a traditional show of respect: 
  their tongues out and both thumbs 
  up.  Young male and female 
  monks in reddish brown robes 
  walk the streets, conversing and 
  laughing.  Convicts, released for 
  the day from the prison beneath 
  the Potala, beg or spend time 
  with their family, heavy irons on 
  their legs and their hands chained 
  to a bar.  Tall nomads from the 
  East lead their yaks through the 
  streets, the wooden frames on 
  the yaks expertly packed with 
  hundreds of pounds of meat, furs 
  and milk products destined for 
  sale.  Traders from Mongolia, 
  India, Sikiim and China browse 
  the roadside stalls, haggling for 
  a better deal.  Occasionally an 
  aristocrat will walk down the 
  street, wearing fine plum-colored 
  garments with Chinese brocades 
  and turquoise jewelry.  They are 
  accompanied by servants and 
  perhaps a large monk bodyguard. 
  Muslim merchants and butchers in 
  turbans and red fez hats conduct 
  efficient business.  Groups of 
  children run, wrestle and play in the streets.  Large numbers of stray dogs roam the streets looking for scraps of food and 
  occasionally barking at and nipping passers-by.
   
  At night the streets are filled with deep shadows.  The only illumination comes from butter lamps burning in the 
  windows of homes.  People walk briskly through the dark streets, on their way home or to visit with friends.  The sounds 
  of people talking, laughing and playing music filter in to the streets from the waxed-paper windows of houses.  The wind 
  is constantly whistling, making prayer flags flap in the darkness above.  All through the night, one hears the deep tones 
  of chanting from nearby monasteries and stray dogs barking at each other.
  047
  geography
  
  Ganden
  Norbulinka
  To the West, nearby, is the summer palace of the Dalai 
  Lama.  It is smaller and newer than the Potala, yet 
  impressive nonetheless.
  Sky Burial Site
  North of Lhasa, near Sera, is Lhasa’s sky burial site. 
  When astrologers determine that a recently deceased 
  person should be returned to the air element, the 
  dismembered bodies are lain out here as food for 
  vultures. 
  Central Tibet
  Central Tibet contains the provinces of Ü and Tsang. 
  Central Tibet is the base of power of the Tibetan 
  government.  Although the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect 
  of Buddhism is the official government of Tibet, the 
  other Buddhist sects, as well as Bön, have men’s and 
  women’s monasteries in central Tibet.
  The economy of Central Tibet is based on a feudal 
  system of farming.  Peasant farmers work on the land 
  and pay tribute to land owners (aristocrats, monasteries 
  and the government).
  Ganden
  The Ganden monastery, 64 miles (103 km.) Southeast 
  of Lhasa, was the first Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) monastery. 
  Ganden was built by Tsonkhapa, the founder of the 
  Yellow Hat sect of Buddhism.  Today it is home to 4,000 
  monks and is one of the three great monastic universities 
  (Ganden, Drepung and Sera).
  Drepung
  The Drepung monastery to the West of Lhasa is an 
  important Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) monastery and monastic 
  university.  It has 10,000 monks, making it the most 
  populous monastery in the world.  Drepung is one of 
  Tibet’s three great monastic universities.  The Nechung 
  monastery, a half mile (0.8 km.) South of Drepung, is 
  home to the chief oracle of the dharmapala Pehar, the 
  official oracle and advisor to the Tibetan government (see 
  p.31).  Since Pehar is a wrathful dharmapala, Nechung is 
  decorated in a wrathful motif: door handles shaped like 
  demon heads, murals of flayed skins on the walls, etc.
  Sera
  The Sera Monastery (a Yellow Hat monastery), two miles 
  (3.2 km.)  North of Lhasa, is known for its fighting monks. 
  048
  tibet
  In Brief- Summer palace of Dalai Lama.
  In Brief- Where bodies are taken to be fed to birds.
  Phurba- A ritual dagger with a three or four cornered blade, usually with a vajra and deity 
  image as a handle.
  In Brief- Center of Tibetan culture.
  In Brief- Large monastery and monastic university.
  In Brief- Large monastery and home to Oracle of Pehar.
  In Brief- Large monastery renown for fighting monks.
  
  Tashilhunpo
  Gyantse
  049
  geography
  Monks at Sera are trained in Tibetan martial arts.  They are 
  often hired out as bodyguards.  It is also one of the three great 
  monastic universities.  Sera keeps a very powerful phurba (ritual 
  demon-slaying dagger) which flew to the monastery from India of its 
  own accord.
  Sera is criticized for the violent tendencies of its monks.  The monks of 
  Sera know they have the best martial arts skills of any monastery and 
  they have been known to bully around other monks.  The dharmapala 
  Shangs Pad, who protects Sera, is believed by some to arouse violence 
  in the monks.  
  Gyantse
  This is a market town and important military center under the control of 
  a Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) monastery.  It is the fourth most populous town 
  in Tibet.  Gyantse maintains a great fort used to guard the Lhasa-Gyantse 
  road, the most important road in pre-invasion Tibet.  Gyantse is also a 
  major Telegraph station.  Telegraphs coming from India to Lhasa go 
  through Gyantse.  Gyantse is plagued by dust and blinding dust storms.
  Shigatse
  Southwest of Lhasa.  This is a city built around the large monastery of 
  Tashilhunpo.  Shigatse is the second most populous town in Tibet and 
  the second biggest center of trade in Tibet.  It is also the only major 
  competitor with Lhasa for economic, political and religious power. The 
  whole area is ruled over by the Panchen Lama, the second most important 
  spiritual leader of Tibet (see p.38).  The Tashilhunpo monastery has 
  4,000 monks.  It has a great hall of chortens, containing the remains of 
  the former Panchen Lamas.  There is also a hall containing a 74-foot-
  high gold plated statue of the buddha Champa (the buddha of the future). 
  Shigatse also has a mighty and ancient fort called Samdup-tse Dzong.
  Yarlung Valley
  East of Lhasa.  This valley, through which the Yarlung river runs, was 
  the first part of Tibet to be settled.  On the North side of the river is 
  the monastery of Samye.  On the South side of the river from Samye 
  is Mindolin, one of the most important monasteries of the Nyingmapa 
  Buddhist sect.
  In Brief- Dusty market town between Lhasa and China.
  In Brief- Major competitor with Lhasa, home of Panchen Lama.
  In Brief- Valley with holy ancient settlements.
  
  Everest
  Zetang and Nedong are two ancient villages in 
  the Yarlung valley.  Zetang has the first field to 
  ever be cultivated in Tibet.  Farmers travel from all 
  over Tibet to take away a handful of earth from this 
  field, believing it will help their fields be fertile.  In 
  the mountains to the East is Monkey Cave, where the 
  monkey-incarnation of the buddha Chenrezig, ancestor 
  to all Tibetans, lived in meditation before being seduced 
  by a mountain-demoness.
  Southeast of Nedong is the monastery of Yongbulagong. 
  On a nearby mountaintop are the ruins of the first 
  building in Tibet, constructed for Tibet’s first king. 
  Southwest of Zedong is Qonggyai, the old capital of 
  Tibet where there is a ruined palace and the tombs of the 
  Tibetan kings.  Some of these tombs are in plain view, 
  others are hidden.
  Samye
  The Samye monastery contains a circular temple 
  which is a model of the cosmos.  It has a main temple 
  representing Mount Meru (the center of the universe), 
  surrounded by four colored chorten representing the 
  four worlds and smaller temples representing the 
  subcontinents between them.  Altogether, Samye 
  contains 108 temples (the same number of beads in a 
  Tibetan rosary).  One room in Samye contains many 
  masks of various deities, demons and heroes used in 
  sacred dances.  The most powerful of these masks is 
  known as “se’bag” (“leather mask”).  Se’bag is said 
  to be made from leather or coagulated blood and will 
  sometimes come alive when worn, allowing the dancers 
  to temporarily become the beings they represent.
  One of the many temples in Samye is the Temple of 
  the Vital Breath, a sealed room filled with weapons. 
  At night, dharmapalas drag in ghosts who are having 
  trouble letting go of this world and finding their next 
  reincarnation.  The dharmapalas chop up the ghosts to 
  force them to release their attachment to this world.
  Rongbuk
  Rongbuk is the highest monastery in the world.  It is 
  situated in a valley facing Mount Everest.  It has been the 
  staging grounds of several foreign expeditions to conquer 
  Mount Everest.  Hermits live in caves all around the 
  valley of Rongbuk.
  Sakya
  Southwest of Lhasa, past Gyantse, is the Sakya 
  monastery.  Meaning “Grey Earth,” this is the main 
  monastery of the Sakyapa sect of Buddhism.  Many male 
  monks live at Sakya and female monks live in smaller 
  monasteries nearby.  The fortress-like Sakya monastery 
  is the storehouse of many great treasures owned by 
  the Sakyapa sect, including a letter from Kublai Khan 
  authorizing the Sakyapa to rule Tibet.  Sakyapa itself is 
  located on a valley floor and is bisected by a river.  In the 
  hills to the North are the ruins of many old monasteries. 
  Yamdrok Lake
  This lake is in the middle of the triangle formed by Lhasa, 
  the Yarlung valley and Gyantse.  Yamdrok is a large lake 
  which contains the life-force spirit of the Tibetan nation.  
  If it dries up, every Tibetan will die.  At the North end 
  of the lake is Samding: “the Hill of Deep Meditation,” 
  a Kagyupa monastery built to contemplate the beauty of 
  Yamdrok Lake.  This monastery is significant because 
  it is ruled over by the only important female tulku in 
  Tibet, known to have great magical powers.  She is 
  called Dorje Phagmo (Thunderbolt Sow) because one 
  of her incarnations once transformed all of the female 
  monks studying under her in to pigs (and, later, back in 
  050
  tibet
  In Brief- Major monastery with temples, holy masks 
  and room for dharmapalas to chop up ghosts.
  In Brief- Highest monastery, staging for Everest 
  expeditions.
  In Brief- Center of Sakyapa sect, holds their treasures.
  In Brief- Holy lake, monastery with female abbot 
  nearby.
  
  northern nomad
  051
  geography
  to humans) to hide from Tartar invaders. She 
  is the human incarnation of Dolma, the female 
  buddha of compassion and ancestress of the Tibetan 
  people.  Gelugpa, Kagyupa and Nyingmapa male 
  monks live at Samding and study under Dorje Phagmo.
  Menri
  Menri is a small Bön monastery in the 
  Tsang province.  This monastery is built 
  near the flood-damaged ruins of the first 
  major Bön monastery.  The abbot of 
  Menri is generally considered the head 
  of the Bön religion.
  Chang Tang
  The Chang Tang makes up more than 
  two thirds of Tibet’s land mass but 
  only contains only a small portion of its 
  population.  It makes up much of Central 
  and Northeastern Tibet and extends 
  West all the way to India and East to the 
  Qinghai province of China.  
  The Chang Tang has been described 
  by foreigners as “the most terrifying 
  desert in the world” or Tibet’s “western 
  plateau” though neither are technically 
  accurate.  The Chang Tang is a huge 
  arctic grassland.  
  The Chang Tang is on the average 6,000 
  meters high, and huge mountains dwarf 
  travelers at every turn.  It contains 
  patches of grassland during the brief 
  summer growing season.  It is huge and 
  uncharted.  One of the largest lakes in 
  Asia lies somewhere in the Chang Tang, 
  its exact location known only to a few 
  natives.
  The harsh climate and landscape of Chang Tang provides 
  a barrier against China and is one of the reasons Tibet 
  hasn’t been totally overrun by Chinese soldiers yet.  For 
  most of the year, the Chang Tang is bitterly cold.  During 
  the Summer it can be as hot as 100°F during the day, but 
  even from these temperatures it can drop below freezing 
  at night).  The Chang Tang is dotted with many large salt 
  lakes and salt flats.  Nomads make money by gathering 
  salt and selling it.
  Eastern Tibet
  Eastern Tibet is made up mostly by the Kham province 
  as well as the smaller provinces of Dô and Gang.  The 
  population of Eastern Tibet is not very dense.  Eastern 
  Tibet’s cities have economies supported almost entirely 
  by trade.   This area is made up of small estates, each ruled 
  over by a hereditary lama or aristocrat.  
  Like Northeastern Tibet, China has 
  always tried to exert control over Eastern 
  Tibetan affairs and leadership.  Before 
  the Chinese invaded, most of the area 
  was controlled by warlords and rulers 
  with almost total autonomy.  Red Hat 
  Buddhist sects are more powerful than 
  Yellow Hats in Eastern Tibet.  The three 
  most powerful rulers of pre-invasion 
  Eastern Tibet were the Buddhist Abbot 
  of Litang, the nomad Chief of Batang 
  and the noble Prince of Dêgê.
  The landscape of Eastern Tibet is made 
  up mostly of mountains and deep 
  valleys formed by the actions of streams 
  over millions of years.
  Chamdo
  Chamdo is the third largest city in 
  Tibet and the only major administrative 
  center of the Tibetan government for the 
  Eastern region.  Chamdo is the official 
  capital of the Kham province.  Monks 
  make up one quarter of the population.  
  Chamdo has an ancient market and is a 
  famous center for wood block printing 
  of Buddhist literature.  Chamdo is an 
  unofficial military base for the Khampa 
  rebels (p.57).
  Dêgê
  This small town has a monastery famous for its printing 
  works, where wood-block printed books of Buddhist 
  texts are made.  Some of these books have as many as 
  225 volumes (weighing about 5 lbs. or 2.3 kg each).  The 
  monastery of Dêgê is a Nyingmapa monastery run by the 
  Kartokpa sub-sect.
  Qinghai- A Chinese province bordering East 
  Tibet.
  Kham- A large Eastern province of Tibet, 
  home of the Khampas.
  Khampa- A nomad from Kham, known as 
  fierce warriors and active rebels.
  In Brief- Central monastery of Bön religion.
  In Brief- Harsh arctic grassland covers 
  two thirds of Tibet.
  In Brief- Was mostly autonomous, mostly nomadic, 
  mostly red hat.  Now torn by war.
  In Brief- Third largest city, Khampa 
  military base.
  In Brief- Monastery town famous for printing.  Bandit 
  tribe nearby.
  
  Dêgê aristocratic family
  Pilgrims come to Dêgê to visit a special mop sticking out 
  of the side of the monastery where black ink drips down 
  to the ground.  This ink is considered holy and pilgrims 
  will rub it on themselves, put it in their hair and even 
  drink it for good luck.  The town of Dêgê is also known 
  for the quality of its metal-work.
  To the Northeast of Dêgê lives the Golok tribe, Nomads 
  who are known to support themselves almost entirely by 
  robbing travelers and neighboring tribes.
  Tangmai
   In the Southeast corner of Tibet the altitude dips to its 
  lowest point.  The town of Tangmai is the only major 
  town in this area.  The region around Tangmai has a 
  very different climate from the rest of Tibet.  Tangmai is 
  surrounded by ferns, rainforest and hordes of monkeys. 
  Because the rest of Tibet is so dry and cold, the region 
  around Tangmai is the only region where diseases such 
  as typhoid and cholera can thrive.  Tibetans travelling 
  here from other parts of Tibet, who have never developed 
  immunities to these diseases and whose bodies are used 
  to a dry climate, often have health problems.
  Northeastern Tibet
  Most of Northeastern Tibet is taken up by the province of 
  Amdo.  This area is made up mainly of nomadic Tibetan 
  and Tibetanized-Mongol tribes.  There are also some 
  isolated agricultural areas, many of these are inhabited 
  by Chinese Muslims.  Most of these agricultural areas 
  are fairly independent from the Tibetan government, 
  ruled over by “big man” leadership, where the 
  richest and most powerful person in the area assumes 
  leadership (usually, but not always, a male).  Since it 
  is on the Chinese border, this area has suffered Chinese 
  interference.  The tribes in the area have had to fight 
  encroachment by the Chinese several times.  In 1928 
  a large part of Amdo was taken by China.  Although 
  its culture remained Tibetan, it stayed under Chinese 
  control.  The Tibetans fought and won back parts of this 
  lost land.
  Guge
  The small kingdom of Guge was formed during the 
  ancient persecution of Buddhism (p.6).  Its purpose was 
  to preserve Buddhism against its Bön persecutors.  Guge 
  was torn apart by factional fighting hundreds of years 
  ago.  Today it is mostly ruins with a complex of sacred 
  caves.  There are a few temples still in use.
  Western Tibet
  Western Tibet was once home to powerful Tibetan 
  kingdoms.   Today its population is sparse and only ruins 
  show its former glory.  Western Tibet’s largest major 
  trading center is Shiquanhe, near the Indian border. 
  Western Tibet is home to many Muslims and people of 
  other ethnic groups who haven’t completely adopted 
  Tibetan culture.  Changes impacting Tibet effect Western 
  Tibet last.  There is some cultivated land near India but 
  the rest is barren mountains and desert with scattered 
  pastureland.  Western Tibet has always been important 
  as a gateway to India, previously because of trade with 
  India and now because of escape to India.
  052
  tibet
  Amdo- A province in Northeastern Tibet.
  In Brief- Low altitude corner of Tibet with rainforest.
  In Brief- Remote, often captured by China.
  In Brief- Ancient bastion of Buddhism.
  In Brief- Gateway to India.  Once had powerful 
  kingdoms, now sparsely populated and backwards.
  
  ruins of an ancient dzong
  053
  geography
  Zhang Zhung
  Western Tibet was once home to a great empire which 
  was the birthplace of the Bön religion.  Zhang Zhung 
  is the source of many magic objects.  Metalworkers of 
  Zhang Zhung knew how to make a red metal called gtso 
  which contained evil magic.  These objects are powerful 
  objects of sorcery.
  After disaster befell the king of Zhang Zhung, Tibet 
  conquered this kingdom.  Zhang Zhung’s unique 
  language and culture eventually died out, except where 
  it was kept alive by Bön priests.
  Mount Kailas
  Known as Tise Kang Rinpoche (Peak of the Jewel of 
  Snows) by the Tibetans, this mountain is one of the 
  holiest of Tibet’s many holy mountains.  It rises up 
  to 6714 meters.  For the Hindu pilgrims from India, 
  it is the home to the god Shiva and his consort Devi. 
  Tibetans say it is home to the god Demchog and his 
  consort.  Tibetans believe that the mountain was the 
  scene of a great magical battle between Milarepa (the 
  great Buddhist poet and magician) and Drenpa Namkha 
  (that era’s grand-master of Bön) to prove which religion 
  was better.   According to the Buddhists, Milarepa 
  won.  Many pilgrims, both Indian and Tibetan make 
  long and dangerous treks to visit this mountain.  Lake 
  Manasarovar, directly to the South, is also considered a 
  holy place.  The water of lake Mansarovar has healing 
  and protective properties.
  Ecology
  Chang Tang
  In the frozen desert of the Chang Tang, which makes 
  up most of the country, live wild antelope, sheep, asses, 
  gazelles and yak.  Wolves, lynx and snow leopards are 
  the major predators.
  Alpine
  In the alpine regions of Tibet, plant life is scarce but 
  hardy.  The few spots of green among the white are 
  snow algae, lichens and cushion plants (thick low to the 
  ground plants).  Ibex (short, agile, bearded mountain 
  goats with large horns) and Himalayan marmots 
  (Tibetan prairie dogs) are the major wild herbivores.
  In Brief- Ruins of ancient Bön kingdom.
  Tibetan Stereotypes
  Eastern Tibetans- Central Tibetans consider the nomadic 
  tribes of Eastern and Northeastern Tibet to be uncouth, 
  unintelligent and uncivilized.  They are considered prone 
  to violence and banditry.  Eastern Tibetans see themselves 
  as proud, independent and immune to domination by any 
  military or political power.
  Central Tibetans- The nomads call Central Tibetans 
  “beautiful mouths,” meaning they speak of great promises 
  and high principles, but when it comes time to act they are 
  either incapable or unwilling to take decisive action.  Central 
  Tibetans see themselves as the heart of Tibetan culture, 
  civilized and moderate.
  Chinese- The Chinese are seen mostly as overbearing and 
  devious.  One Dalai Lama described the “Chinese way” 
  as to “do something mild at first... and if it passed without 
  objection... to do or say something stronger.”
  Westerners- The standard epithet for Westerners is “White 
  Eyes” (Tibetans consider light colored eyes ugly).  Westerners 
  are respected for their knowledge and technology.  Tibet has 
  sent young aristocrats to be educated in Britain.  Tibetan 
  Buddhism forbids showing disrespect for other people’s 
  religions and non-Buddhist Westerners are never criticized 
  for their beliefs.
  Indians- Tibetans have always had a deep respect for 
  Indians and on many occasions have chosen to adopt Indian 
  learning, religion and culture rather than that of China. 
  Many Tibetans see India as something like an older brother 
  or uncle.
  In Brief- Holy mountain with holy lake nearby.
  In Brief- Tibet is a cold, dry place where only the 
  hardiest life can survive.
  
  Brown bears, vultures and snow leopards are the major 
  predators.  Snow leopards live in the mountains but will 
  come down in to grasslands to stalk grazing animals.  The 
  most common bird in these regions is the snow grouse. 
  The aweto, a brownish caterpillar, lives here.  The aweto 
  is highly valued because panacea tonics can be made 
  from them.
  Grassland
  Grassland zones are covered primarily with sedges and 
  wild grasses.  The major wild animals are wild asses, 
  gazelles, marmots, rodents and finches.
  Forest
  In the forest zones (found only in Southeastern Tibet) 
  fir trees, birches, chinese hemlock, ash, maple, tropical 
  oak, wild peach and rhododendrons grow.  Ginseng, an 
  important tonic herb, grow in these regions.  Bamboo, 
  an important construction material, grows in forest 
  clearings.  Musk deer, black bears, squirrels, rhesus 
  monkeys, macaques and languer monkeys live here.
  Migyu
  The Migyu, also known as Yeti, are rare and mysterious 
  creatures seen primarily in the woodland areas.  They 
  are large (around 7ft. or 2m. tall) and very strong.  Their 
  bodies are shaped like a cross between a human and a 
  monkey.  Their bodies are covered with brown or golden 
  colored fur and their egg-shaped heads are covered with 
  reddish fur.  They have the intelligence of a human 
  toddler but are not known to speak or understand any 
  language.  They can climb trees and swing from branch 
  to branch proficiently. 
  They are human-like enough that Migyu of both sexes 
  will sometimes attempt to mate with humans.  A living 
  offspring may result from a Migyu-human union.  Some 
  report that Migyu are shy and harmless herbivores, 
  preferring to eat salty moss.  According to others they 
  are predators who will eat humans, especially women. 
  They are reported to smell strongly of garlic.
  The Migyu are being hunted in to extinction by parties 
  of criminals (in Tibet, all hunting is illegal) who kill 
  them for their blood, which is a powerful component in 
  magical ceremonies.
  Weather
  In the simplest terms, Tibetan weather can be described 
  as dry and cold.  Because of the altitude and surrounding 
  mountains there is a near constant wind and little 
  moisture.  The strong clear sun can be quite warm 
  during the day but temperatures drop drastically at night. 
  Because it is so dry, heavy dust storms and sandstorms 
  are common in Northern and Western Tibet.
  In summer the snowline is at 5000 to 6000 meters.  A 
  large portion of the country is above that altitude and 
  is thus permanently covered in ice. On the Chang Tang 
  the wind can blow hard enough that the sand and ice 
  it carries will cut the unprotected flesh of travelers.  
  Hailstorms are a constant danger to farmers as they can 
  rip through crops like machinegun fire.
  Late Fall is the country’s brief, but intense, growing 
  season.  During Fall, washouts, mudslides and flooding 
  endanger travelers.  
  054
  geography
  Migyu- A large, semi-intelligent, furry humanoid native to Tibet.  Known as a Yeti outside 
  of Tibet.
  In Brief- Mysterious intelligent primate, possibly 
  dangerous, hunted for use in magic.
  In Brief- Cold and dry.
  
  chinese general
  055
  chinese threat
  Chinese Threat
    Chinese Communism
  For centuries, the Chinese have had a hostile, imperialistic 
  attitude towards Tibet.  Whether or not the Chinese know 
  it, the Tibetans know that the Chinese have always been 
  aided (especially in matters concerning Tibet) by an entity 
  known as “the Nine Headed Chinese Demon,” a powerful 
  being of the Zhidag class (see p.187).  The existence 
  of this demon helps to explain the success of China in 
  manipulating Tibetan affairs.
  In 1949, Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist army 
  took over China, making it the “People’s Republic of 
  China.”  Its stated goal was to liberate the common people 
  from all the forces that would suppress and exploit them: 
  imperialist nations (like England and Japan), capitalist 
  robber-barons, intellectual elites, organized religion and 
  China’s own hereditary nobility.  The Chinese people had 
  been exploited, starved and enslaved for centuries.  They 
  were desperate and hateful.  The Communists turned that 
  hatred in to a force for violent change.  No revolution in 
  history changed so much so quickly.
  The Chinese Communist state is based on military force 
  and propaganda.  Military forces take over and force the 
  people in an area to learn Maoist philosophy.  Maoist 
  philosophy dictates how people should act (and why), 
  in any given situation.  Maoist philosophy teaches that 
  it is the only philosophy worth learning or speaking of. 
  Any voices within the state who doubt this philosophy 
  are quickly eliminated, hopefully in a way which shows 
  to the rest of the community that they were wrong.  This 
  enforced Maoist worldview is essentially paranoid, 
  viewing the Communist state as the only defender of the 
  people against the oppressive and inherently evil forces of 
  religion, aristocracy, colonial empires, industrial barons 
  and intellectual elites.
  Only a few leaders within the Communist party have the 
  ability to criticize the party, and even then they must watch 
  their boundaries and cloak their words with euphemisms.  
  Every time they criticize the party, they risk being labeled 
  an enemy of the people and imprisoned or executed.
  Invasion
  On May 22nd, 1950, Peking Radio called on Tibet to 
  surrender to a peaceful Communist liberation.  The 
  Chinese further claimed that they wished to free Tibet 
  from American and British imperialists.
  Even from the first broadcast, the Chinese 
  were trying to rewrite history.  Rather than being 
  controlled by imperialists, there were exactly three 
  British citizens and no Americans in Tibet.
  The call to invade did not come as a surprise to the 
  Tibetan government.  For centuries the Chinese have 
  tried to control Tibetan affairs, and have access to trade 
  routes through Tibet.  Only four decades ago had Tibet 
  removed the Chinese troops from Lhasa.
  On October 24, China announced that it was moving 
  troops towards Tibet.  Four days later, Lhasa confirmed 
  that Chinese troops had entered through the Eastern 
  borders, coming from the Chinese provinces of Qinghai 
  and Sichuan.  Tibet had a tiny standing army without the 
  transportation abilities to head off the invasion.  Eastern 
  frontier posts and the city of Chamdo were taken.  The 
  Chinese were expected to advance forward, yet for 
  months they stayed in that position.  A Tibetan army 
  party sent to stop the Chinese was quickly massacred.  
  On hearing about this defeat, the Regent of Tibet (then 
  the current ruler of the country) ordered the Tibetan 
  army not to confront the Chinese.
  In Brief- Used violence and propaganda to conquer 
  their beleaguered nation.
  Zhidag- A class of spirits, often malevolent, 
  that protect the earth.
  Sichuan- A Chinese province bordering East 
  Tibet.
  In Brief- 1950, Chinese entered Tibet, forced them to sign 
  an agreement, stationed troops in Lhasa.
  
  Maoist propaganda mural
  Tibet Alone
  The Tibetans quickly lost any hope of intervention from 
  a foreign power.  British forces occupying India, once 
  a deterrent to Chinese invasion, were gone with India’s 
  independence.  The newly liberated India was too 
  frightened of the power of Communist China to say or 
  do anything that might anger Mao.  The anti-Communist 
  Western powers had a hands-off, somewhat racist, 
  approach to Communist China.  They never thought it 
  was worth the trouble to save a country few people had 
  even heard of.  The UN voted not to hear about the Tibet 
  problem.
  17 Point Agreement
  On May 23, 1951, a group of Tibetans were chosen by 
  the Chinese to represent the Tibetan people.  They signed 
  the 17 Point Agreement for the Peaceful Liberation of 
  Tibet.  This document established that Tibet would have 
  autonomy within (but as a part of) China, that it would 
  keep its government and religion and could advance 
  towards “liberation” at its own pace.  China would have a 
  military presence there and would build modern hospitals, 
  schools and other institutions.  By fall of 1951 there were 
  Chinese troops permanently stationed in Lhasa.
  Chinese Presence
  It was soon apparent that the Chinese had no intention of 
  respecting Tibetan autonomy.  When the teenage Dalai 
  Lama visited China in 1954, Mao Zedong remarked 
  “religion is poison.”  China was quick to chop off pieces 
  of East Tibet, giving them to Chinese provinces.  China 
  moved in thousands of Chinese immigrants, 
  planning to eventually make Tibetans a minority. 
  15,000 Tibetan children were sent off to China to be 
  trained to revolt against their religion and their parents. 
  Chinese run schools in Lhasa are forcing progressively 
  more Communist propaganda on the children.
  Reports from the East make Chinese machinations 
  in Central Tibet seem tame.  The Chinese are doing 
  everything they can to break down the monastic system 
  and the people’s dependence on it.  They are having 
  monks seduced.  They are publicly humiliating lamas.  
  In some places, lamas are being told to publicly repent 
  their evil ways, and when they don’t they are buried or 
  burned alive. 
  Refugees soon flooded in to Lhasa from Chinese 
  controlled areas.  These refugees were traumatized by 
  the terrors of Chinese occupation.  They instinctively 
  sought to be as close as possible to the Dalai Lama, 
  the incarnation of compassion on Earth.  Now Lhasa is 
  dangerously crowded with desperate refugees.
  Open Rebellion
  The Khampas had long sought more autonomy from 
  Central Tibet.  When the Chinese entered Tibet, they 
  thought they could recruit the Khampas as soldiers to 
  help them fight Central Tibet.  They gave arms to the 
  Khampas.  However, the Khampas were smarter than 
  the Chinese anticipated.  They saw through Chinese 
  propaganda and realized that they would have less 
  freedom, not more, under the Chinese.  The Chinese tried 
  to take the weapons back from the Khampas.  In August 
  1954 the Khampas rebelled.
  The Chinese called in troops from Russia (China and 
  Russia were having good relations at that point).  Even 
  with these reinforcements, the Khampas forced the 
  Chinese out of Kham within three months.
  056
  tibet
  In Brief- Other nations ignored Tibet’s pleas for 
  help.
  In Brief- Tibetans forced to sign agreement with China.
  In 
  Brief- 
  Chinese 
  propagandizing, 
  torturing, 
  modernizing.  Much of the country has rebelled and is 
  keeping outlying areas out of Chinese hands.
  In Brief- Khampas rebelled in 1954, many Tibetans 
  joined them.
  
  057
  chinese threat
  Fearing that the Khampa rebellion would spread 
  to Lhasa, the Chinese increased the number of 
  troops stationed in Lhasa.  The Dalai Lama remained 
  carefully neutral about the revolt.  He knew that if he 
  endorsed the revolt he would be arrested by the Chinese 
  and replaced.  On the other hand, he knew that the Tibetan 
  people would not tolerate Tibetan troops being sent to 
  fight Tibetans.
  The fighting quickly spread as North as the Kunlun 
  mountains and as far West as the border to India.  Many 
  Tibetans joined the Khampa rebels.  Most of the rebels 
  were peasant farmers and nomads, but in some cases 
  monks renounced their vows in order to join the rebellion.  
  A few monasteries rose up as a whole, under the direction 
  of the abbots, to fight the Chinese.  Muslim priests in 
  Tibet realized that they would have less religious freedom 
  than the Buddhists under Chinese rule, and they joined 
  the rebellion.  The Muslims turned their mosques in to 
  rebel strongholds.  The Chinese responded by mercilessly 
  bombing monasteries, mosques and rebel forts.
  Reports from the East are that monks have gone so far as 
  taking weapons out of the hands of statues of dharmapalas 
  to defend themselves against Chinese attacks.  Refugees 
  from the war-torn East have flooded in to Lhasa, each 
  bringing with them a story of Chinese atrocities.
  Chinese Changes
  The Chinese have been very quick to institute changes in 
  Tibet, and nowhere has it been felt more than in Lhasa. 
  As early as 1952 the Chinese were bringing unheard of 
  modernizations to Lhasa: a phone line between China 
  and Lhasa, a western medicine “People’s Hospital” in 
  Lhasa and even branches of the People’s Bank of China in 
  Lhasa, Shigatse and Gyantse.
  By the mid-50’s, the Chinese had opened 60 elementary 
  schools in Tibet to teach children modern knowledge 
  and Chinese propaganda.  Tibetans have also been given 
  interim medical training (in western style medicine) until 
  Western-style medical schools can be built.
  Airfields are being built on the outskirts of Lhasa and 
  Chamdo.  There is a steam power plant in Shigatse.  There 
  is a hydroelectric plant and a blast furnace in Lhasa.  A coal 
  mine has been opened near Lhasa to feed the furnace.
  Resistance
  Khampa Resistance
  The first and largest rebel group is the Khampa 
  nomads from the Kham province.  The majority 
  have aligned themselves under the Panda 
  Tsang brothers, centered in their fort at Po 
  (Po Dzong) which is virtually inaccessible 
  to the Chinese. Others have aligned themselves 
  under the refugee aristocratic prince of Dêgê and 
  his personal militia.  Other tribes are fighting the 
  Chinese independently.
  The Khampas are renowned warriors.  They spend much 
  of their time fighting in inter-tribal feuds.  Whenever a 
  foreign power invades them, though, the feuding stops 
  and they join together to repel the invader.  The Khampas 
  had repelled Chinese encroachment in the past and they 
  had no doubt that they could do it again.  The Khampas 
  have never been unable to repel an invader.
  The Khampas have four advantages that the Chinese had 
  not taken in to account:
   
  First, the Khampas are used to operating in high 
  altitudes with less oxygen.  When they ambush the 
  Chinese in mountain passes, they are much more 
  proficient. 
   
  Second, the Khampas are proficient in hand to hand 
  combat.  When they fight the Chinese in close quarters, 
  they can pull out their swords and slaughter them.
   
  Third, the Khampas have an intimate knowledge of 
  their homeland.  The Chinese only have sketchy maps 
  of Kham.  The Khampas can draw the Chinese in to 
  traps: narrow gorges where they can use hand-to-hand 
  weapons or high altitude passes where the Chinese can 
  barely breathe.
   
  Fourth is the legendary courage of the Khampas. 
  Some Khampas have been known to shoot their own 
  leaders rather than accept orders to retreat, even in the 
  face of overwhelming odds.
  Nomadic bandit tribes, including the Golok tribe from 
  Northeast of Dêgê, have recently joined the rebel forces. 
  They fight for freedom, but also gain wealth when they 
  plunder the Chinese.
  Relations between the Khampas and the government 
  in Lhasa have always been strained.  The Khampas 
  always thought Lhasa was more concerned with abstract 
  theories than with people’s real problems.  Now the strain 
  has become dangerous.  The government has refused to 
  support the Khampas.  The Pangda Tsang brothers have 
  threatened to take over Lhasa and take control of all of 
  Tibet.  If they could take over, they would mobilize the 
  entire population to fight.
  The Chinese have recently called for the arrest of any 
  Khampa found in Lhasa.  Chinese secret police officers 
  now roam the streets of Lhasa looking for Khampas. 
  Also, Chinese soldiers dressed as Khampas have been 
  sent out to loot and steal horses in order to give the 
  Khampas a bad name.
  Most of the time, the rebels live in spartan war camps 
  in the mountains and in secluded valleys.  They 
  travel to villages and nomadic encampments 
  to get food and supplies from the peasants. 
  In Brief- Chinese building technological infrastructure in 
  Lhasa.
  In Brief- Khampa nomads accepted weapons from 
  Chinese, then routed them.  Khampas are skilled warriors 
  with home-turf advantage and decentralized structure.
  
  wealthy eastern Tibetan merchant
  058
  tibet
  Everything they have can be packed on their horse 
  or horses.  Any Khampa rebel encampment can be 
  ready to move in minutes.  A rebel’s main weapon is a 
  rifle (supplied from Taiwan, or stolen from the Chinese, or 
  an heirloom from the WWI era).  Rebels also have swords 
  or large knives for close quarters combat. They have no 
  uniform but may wear leopard-pattern camouflage shirts or 
  yellow badges and armbands.
  The Khampa rebels do not have a strong military chain of 
  command.  Cross-country communication is unreliable and 
  so each rebel camp must be able to act autonomously.  When 
  rebels take orders it is from “rebel generals” operating out of 
  Po Dzong. The persuasive power of these generals is based 
  on their ability to give out weapons and supplies.  The extent 
  of their orders is to give the rebels lists of targets they would 
  like taken out.
  NVDA
  Another major rebel force in Eastern Tibet is the National 
  Volunteer Defense Army, also called Four Rivers, Six 
  Ranges.  It is made up of laypeople and monks (mostly 
  Khampas).  Three major Lhasean government officials have 
  given up their positions to help lead the NVDA.  NVDA 
  rebels have occupied most of Southeast Tibet.  NVDA 
  soldiers travel to villages for donations.  When donations 
  are not forthcoming they sometimes force villagers to give 
  them “taxes.”  They spend their days sabotaging roads and 
  ambushing Chinese convoys and road repair crews.
  Central Tibetan Resistance
  In Central Tibet the main force of active resistance against 
  the Chinese is the Mimang.  The Chinese originally 
  sponsored the creation of this people’s organization. 
  The organization turned in to a group of anti-communist 
  activists.  The Chinese convinced the Dalai Lama to ban the 
  Mimang.  It has now gone underground, meeting in secret 
  in small groups.  The Mimang have been demonstrating 
  against the Chinese and distributing anti-Chinese flyers and 
  posters.  The Mimang have not yet resorted to violence, yet 
  they are prepared should it reach that point.
  Chinese Nationalists
  Another force opposing the Chinese is the nationalist 
  Chinese, the recently defeated enemies of the communists. 
  When the communists took control of China, 6,000 Chinese 
  nationalist troops fled to hiding in Tibet’s Amdo province. 
  In 1956 the CIA secretly helped Taiwan (the other bastion of 
  Chinese Nationalists) smuggle soldiers in to Kham to help 
  the Khampas.  High ranking Khampa rebels have also 
  been flown to Taiwan for military training.
  Mimang- A people’s organization in Lhasa currently protesting the Chinese.
  The Glorious History of the Tsang 
  Brothers
  In 1933, long before the Chinese invasion, these wealthy 
  Khampa merchants tried to rally a revolt against both 
  the government at Lhasa and the imperialist Chinese 
  for independence for the Chamdo area of Kham.  The 
  attempt failed.
  Almost twenty years later, on the eve of the Chinese 
  invasion, the Tsang brothers were trying to create an 
  alliance with Amdo leaders.  They hoped to raise an army 
  to throw the Chinese out of ethnically Tibetan parts of 
  China (in Qinghai and Sichuan).  
  When the Chinese entered Tibet they tried to form an 
  alliance with the Tsangs.  They knew the Tsangs were 
  interested in autonomy for their region and they thought 
  the Tsangs would be willing to fight for the Chinese 
  in exchange for autonomy from Tibet.  They gave the 
  Tsangs weapons to equip an army.
  The Chinese soon realized that the Tsangs were not 
  so easy to manipulate.  Showing the famous Khampa 
  bravery, the Tsangs let it be known that they would make 
  war against the Chinese and Lhasa, simultaneously, if 
  that’s what it took to gain autonomy.  The Chinese tried 
  to retake the arms they had given the Tsangs and the 
  Tsangs turned on them.  Their money supplied Khampa 
  rebels and their fort acted as a center for rebel activity for 
  the whole area.
  In Brief- Eastern Tibetan rebels with ties to Lhasa.
  In Brief- Mimang demonstrates against Chinese.
  In Brief- Chinese anti-communists aiding Khampas.
  
  059
  chinese threat
  The Dalai Lama
  The young Dalai Lama, the incarnation of the buddha 
  of compassion, is now the official leader of Tibet.  Dalai 
  Lamas typically take power at the age of eighteen.  
  However, the Oracle of Pehar (at Nechung) advised 
  the Dalai Lama to take power early, at sixteen.  He has 
  been ruling the country from seclusion, afraid to leave 
  the Potala because of the Chinese and the dangerous 
  crowds of refugees. 
  The Dalai Lama is not infallible.  He has human portions 
  that can be corrupted.  The Dalai Lama had visited China 
  for quite a while and the Chinese tried their best to influence 
  him.  The Dalai Lama is committed to non-violence in 
  dealing with the Chinese.  Some say this is a natural 
  position for an incarnation of a Buddha of compassion. 
  Others say he has been brainwashed by the Chinese.
  Many rebels have grown weary of the Dalai Lama’s 
  pacifist stance.  They believe that it is only the Dalai 
  Lama’s refusal to support the rebels that is keeping the 
  entire country from rising up against the Chinese.  Some 
  rebels openly question whether a Buddhist monk is the 
  best person to lead the country.
  Meanwhile, the young Dalai Lama has single-handedly 
  redefined his own role as leader of the country.  Previous 
  incarnations had been kept somewhat distant from the 
  worldly affairs of the government.  The Prime Minister 
  acted as a go-between and a shield from the harsher 
  aspects of leadership.  With no Prime Minister, the 
  Dalai Lama has been working directly with subordinate 
  branches of government.  So far, the Dalai Lama has 
  been able to balance the demands of the Chinese with 
  the urgings of his Tibetan advisors.
  The Coming Storm
  As it stands today, in the year 1959 AD, Tibet seems on 
  the edge of chaos.
  Rebel Foothold
  The rebellion seems ready to engulf all of Tibet.  The 
  rebels hold much of Eastern Tibet and many areas in the 
  North, the West and even parts of central Tibet.  Rebels 
  now control most of the major routes in to Lhasa. 
  Fighters from East Kham have destroyed the highway 
  that connects Sichuan (in China) to Lhasa, temporarily 
  halting the influx of ground troops.  This has not stopped 
  Chinese air raids: rebel forts, monasteries and even 
  rebel controlled villages are being bombed daily. 
  The death count is around 300 a day.  Both sides 
  are running out of food and medical supplies, 
  the death toll is curving quickly upward. 
  Surprise Attack
  Because of the harshness of the Eastern Tibetan 
  climate and topography, and because of rebel 
  sabotage of roads, the Chinese found that it was easier 
  to go around Tibet than through it.  30,000 Chinese 
  soldiers have trespassed on Indian land to surprise attack 
  rebels from the West.  
  In Lhasa
  Chinese soldiers are ready for violence in the Tibetan 
  capital.  They now have a full military camp (Yutok) near 
  Lhasa.  The influx of Chinese soldiers in to Lhasa has 
  created a food shortage.  Food prices in Lhasean markets 
  are up to five times normal and poorer people are starving. 
  A chain reaction has disrupted nearly every facet of Lhasa’s 
  economy.
  Fear
  Increasingly terrible stories of Chinese cruelty to monks 
  and peasants have been filtering in from the West.  Each 
  new story incenses and frightens Tibetans even more. 
  Fewer and fewer Tibetans can convince themselves that 
  they will be spared from Chinese cruelty.  Most Tibetans 
  believe that peace with China can only last a few more 
  months or weeks.  They believe that some day the Chinese 
  will arrest the Dalai Lama, abolish the Tibetan government 
  and begin the full-scale conversion of Tibet in to a Chinese 
  colony.
  Readiness For War
  At the nearby Sera, Drepung and Ganden monasteries, 
  monks have created a “People’s Party” anti-Communist 
  movement.  Each of the 26,000 monks in the movement 
  has access to a rifle.  These rifles are hidden, buried on 
  monastery grounds.  Wealthy Tibetans are stockpiling 
  weapons as fast as they can.  Automatic weapons looted 
  from the Chinese are being circulated in Central Tibet by 
  rebel fighters.  The Mimang rebel group is making plans for 
  a full assault on the Chinese if (or when) Lhasa itself erupts 
  in to warfare.
  Protecting the Dalai Lama
  Refugees in Lhasa recently captured a communication 
  being sent to the Dalai Lama.  It was an invitation to a 
  play in the Chinese military compound.  The refugees have 
  seen rebel leaders being captured by similar ploys.  They 
  worry that the Dalai Lama is too polite and naive to see 
  an obvious trap.  In response to these rumors, throngs of 
  Tibetans from all over the country have swarmed around 
  the Potala, a wall of flesh to keep the Dalai Lama from 
  going to the Chinese camp.  This wall of flesh has become 
  a day-and-night vigil.  The Dalai Lama has yet to be heard 
  of and some are starting to believe that he has already been 
  captured or killed.
  The crowds around the Potala frighten both the Chinese 
  and the Tibetan governments.  The refugees are an unstable, 
  unorganized force.  They are a volatile wild card.  Any 
  moment they might storm the Potala to “rescue” 
  their Dalai Lama, or they might attack the Chinese 
  stronghold, or they might start rioting for food.
  In Brief- Has assumed power, trying to pacify 
  Chinese nonviolently, taken active roles in the 
  Tibetan government, questioned by rebels.
  In Brief- Rebels control much of Tibet, but the Chinese 
  control the capital and have found new routes in to 
  Tibet.  Lhasa is in chaos, flooded with refugees.  People 
  are preparing for an all-out war against the Chinese and 
  crowds stand ready to protect the Dalai Lama.
  
  060
  character creation
  character creation
  Character Creation in 
  Brief
  Step 1
  Character Concept
  Your idea of the character: name, 
  appearance, values, etc.
  Step 2
  Attributes
  Split 
  90 
  points 
  between 
  9 
  attributes (min 1, max 20). 
  Choose optional sub-attributes 
  (costs or gives 1 bonus point).
  Step 3
  Choose Character Class
  Choose the PC’s place in Tibetan 
  society.
  Step 4
  Choose Skills
  Spend 100 Skill Points, skill costs 
  set by character class.
  Step 5
  Buy Equipment
  Available money set by character 
  class.
  Step 6
  Personality
  Choose 5 Attachments, including 
  at least 1 universe attachment.
  Step 7
  Bonus Characteristics
  PC starts with neutral balance. 
  Advantages or extra points must 
  be balanced out by disadvantages 
  or fewer points
  Step 8
  Character Advancement
  Use XP to gain experience levels 
  and improve the PC.
  Women in Tibet
  As of 1959, women in Tibet enjoy 
  more freedom and status than in almost 
  any of Tibet’s neighboring countries. 
  Tibetan women had equality in some 
  arenas comparable to (or better than) 
  American women.
  In Daily Life- Women are at ease with 
  men, never afraid to speak their minds. 
  They drink just as much as men.  Young 
  girls play as actively and roughly as 
  boys.  Women porters are given the 
  same sized loads as men.  Both men 
  and women enjoy archery.
       Women usually take 
  care of the finances for 
  a 
  household. 
   They 
  can trade and own 
  property
       For nomads, men 
  travel, trade and 
  fight while women 
  take care of the 
  camp, children and 
  livestock.  Members 
  of either sex will fill in 
  if a camp is lacking.
       Men have an easier time gaining 
  notoriety in professional life.  This 
  does not mean women cannot gain 
  equal prestige, but they must work 
  harder than men..
  In Religion- There are very few 
  recognized female tulkus.  Parents are 
  much more likely to send a male child 
  to study at a monastery (partly because 
  girls are considered more useful around 
  the home).  One of the most important 
  tantras, the Chod tantra (death tantra) 
  was created by a woman.  There are 
  270 women’s monasteries in Tibet with 
  over 15,000 female monks.
       Many religious texts were written 
  with male monks as their intended 
  audience, 
  and 
  women 
  are 
  often 
  referred to as possible sources of desire 
  and attachment.  Women are not even 
  allowed to enter Yellow Hat men’s 
  monasteries.  White Robes treat women 
  better than celibate male practitioners: 
  women are called “wisdom holders” 
  and disparaging women is one of the 
  one of the fourteen “root downfalls” of 
  a practitioner.
      The sexual tantras were written from 
  the point of view of a male practitioner. 
  Nobody has yet found the ritual 
  that will allow women to achieve 
  enlightenment in the physical 
  plane via the sexual tantras.
       Some Tibetan teachings 
  state that women are 
  lower on the karmic 
  chain 
  than 
  men 
  and 
  thus 
  less 
  likely to achieve 
  enlightenment.  A 
  few lamas refuse 
  to teach female 
  students.  
  In Politics- Women 
  can not hold positions 
  in the central government 
  of Tibet.  In distant 
  villages, where leaders are 
  chosen autonomously, women can 
  become leaders.
  In the Rebellion- Female nomads 
  are trained in self-defense, but they 
  traditionally do not go to war.  In these 
  times of crisis, many women have 
  taken up arms against the Chinese. 
  One of the Khampa generals is a 
  wealthy Khampa woman.  She has 
  become known throughout Tibet as a 
  cunning and skilled general.  Tibetans 
  know that women can be great soldiers 
  and leaders: in ancient times there was 
  a kingdom in Tibet ruled by women 
  with feared female warriors.
  
  061
  character concept
  Character 
  Concept 
  The first step to creating a character is to determine what 
  you want your character to be.
  Who the PC wants to be and what the PC wants out of 
  life does not have to correspond with the PC’s character 
  class (their place in Tibetan society).  There are many 
  Tibetans who want to be something other than what they 
  are (a farmer may dream of being a wealthy trader, a monk 
  may want to break his vows of nonviolence and join the 
  nomadic rebels, a doctor may secretly study sorcerous 
  rituals).  There are also many Tibetans whose personality 
  and actions do not match the stereotype for that class 
  (there are Buddhist monks who are greedy and hateful and 
  there are sorcerers who do acts of great compassion).
  Some common questions to ask when creating a character 
  concept are:
  Gender
  Being male or female seldom limits what a character 
  can be or achieve.  See Women in Tibet, p.60 for the few 
  exceptions.
  Name
  Choose a name for the PC.  Most Tibetan names are 
  interchangeable: equally likely to be used as a first or last 
  name.  Most Tibetan names are gender neutral, though a 
  few are typically masculine or feminine.
   
  Auspicious Name: Poorer Tibetans are often named 
  after the day of the week when they were born.  As they 
  grow older, their parents note their auspicious qualities 
  and name them after those.  E.g. Jamyang (Gentle Voice), 
  Kalsang (Good Fortune), Lobsang  (Noble Minded), 
  Ngawang 
  (Powerful 
  Speech), 
  Palden 
  (Glorious), 
  Rabten (Steadfast), Thokmay (Unstoppable), Wangchuk 
  (Mighty).
   
  Buddhist Name: When people join monasteries 
  they are given new Buddhist names.  They are 
  names after desirable Buddhist qualities, e.g. Chodak 
  (Buddhist Teachings Spreader), Choden (Devout), Dorje 
  (Indestructible 
  Wisdom), 
  Kunchen 
  (All-Knowing), 
  Sangye (Buddha), Tenzin (Teaching Holder), Thubten 
  (Buddha’s Teachings).
   
  Surnames: Common Tibetans have two unique names. 
  It is only aristocrats who have family names.
   Honorifics: A “la” may be added to the end of 
  someone’s first name as an honorific.  A “mo” added 
  to the end of a person’s last name indicates that she 
  is female while a “po” indicates that he is male.
  Ethnicity
  Where was the PC born and in what kind of community?  
  See Tibetan Stereotypes (p.53) for more info on people 
  from different areas of Tibet.
  Chinese
  Decide what the PC’s attitude towards the Chinese is. 
  Does the PC welcome Chinese Communism?  Does 
  the PC think that peace can be made with the Chinese?  
  Does the PC think that the only options are to fight the 
  Chinese or flee Tibet?
  Violence
  Does the PC believe in complete non-violence?  Does 
  the PC recognize rare instances where violence can be a 
  “compassionate” act?  Does the PC believe that people 
  should not be afraid to fight for what it theirs?  Is the 
  PC’s stance on violence a purely personal decision, or 
  does the PC think others should act the same?
  Religion
  Does the PC align himself or herself with a certain 
  Buddhist sect (or Bön)?  Does the PC have any religious 
  goals (achieve enlightenment in this lifetime, gain 
  enough good karma to avoid being reborn in the hells, 
  keep local spirits and minor gods from causing trouble)?  
  How seriously does the PC take religion (in comparison 
  to the concerns of day-to-day life)?  Is the PC willing to 
  take on dangerous rituals to meet these goals?
   
  Vows
  Has the PC taken any special vows?  A vow not to 
  eat meat?  A vow of chastity?  A vow of non-
  violence?
  In Brief- Your idea of the character: name, appearance, values, 
  etc.
  Common Tibetan Names
  Gender Neutral
  Chetsang 
  Dawa 
   
  Dhondup
  Dorjee  
  Geshe 
   
  Gyalpo
  Gyaltsen Karma   
  Kelsang
  Lhamo  
  Lobsang Namgyal
  Ngari 
   
  Ngawang 
  Norbu
  Nyima  
  Palden  
  Pema
  Phurbu  
  Sonam  
  Tashi 
  Tenzin  
  Thondup 
  Thubten
  Tsering  
  Tseten   
  Tsewang
  Wangdu
  Typically Feminine
  Bhuti 
   
  Choedon 
  Dechen
  Deki 
   
  Dolma   
  Khando
  Lhakyi   
  Lhazom Namhla
  Norzom  Pelmo  
  Rinzin 
  Tsamchoe 
  Tsomo  
  Wangmo
  Yangchen 
  Yangkyi Youdon
  Typically Masculine
  Bhuchung 
  Chemo  
  Gyatso
  Jigme 
   
  Kalden  
  Lodoe 
  Rabgyal Sawang  
  Tenpa
  Tsetrung Tsong 
   
  Wangchuk
  Wangyal
  
  Attributes
  Characters have 10 points per attribute (90 points, total) to 
  distribute between the nine attributes listed below.
   
     1 represents as low as the attribute can get without the 
  person being actually disabled.
   
    10  represents the average for a healthy young person.
   
    20  represents the highest a normal human can achieve 
  without something very special happening to them.
  You must spend at least 1 point on each attribute and can 
  spend a maximum of 20 attribute points on each attribute.  
  Some advantages, disadvantages and character classes modify 
  attributes and increase them to more than 20.  Example: If a 
  character buys 20 Strength with attribute points and then takes 
  an advantage which gives her +5 Strength, she will have 25 
  Strength.  Modifications can also make an attribute negative.  
  GMs must define the effects of negative attributes (for instance, 
  -5 Strength may mean that the character can not move or even 
  breathe unaided).
  Sub-Attributes
  You can choose to have the PC be very good or very bad at one 
  specific aspect of an attribute.  Say, for instance, a PC is not 
  very strong (5 strength) but his profession causes him to use 
  his hands a lot.  The player wants the character to have strong 
  hands.  For one extra attribute point the PC will have +3 to any 
  Strength roll using hands alone.  For an opposed strength roll 
  to keep a hold of something, for instance, the PC would have 
  8 strength.  The PC might also want a bad back (-3 strength) 
  which would give one attribute point but the PC would have 
  only 2 strength for lifting and carrying objects.  Available sub-
  attributes are listed below each attribute.
  Sub-Attributes can not be used to raise an attribute to more 
  than 20 or reduce it to less than 1.  Sub-Attributes move with 
  the attributes, so if the character works out and increases his 
  Strength by 7 (to 12 STH) he would now have 15 STH with his 
  hands and 9 STH with his back.
  Agility (AGY)
  This represents limberness, coordination, balance and speed 
  of physical reactions.  Agility is used when characters need to 
  move silently, keep their balance, scale walls or get through a 
  small spaces.
   
  Good/Poor Balance: ±3 to any save vs. loss of balance.
   
  Good/Poor Precision: ±3 to any roll which involves 
  manipulation of small objects.
   
  Good/Poor Climbing: ±3 to any climbing roll.
   
  Good/Poor Prowling: ±3 to any prowling roll.
  Awareness (AWR)
  This represents the ability to notice things going on 
  around one as well as things going on in one’s own 
  mind.  This is not the acuity of one’s senses, but the 
  ability to be aware of important details.  Awareness 
  is used whenever characters need to notice a 
  clue, avoid an ambush or sense attempts at mental 
  manipulation.  AWR is also used for many skills that 
  involve passive awareness or letting go and allowing things 
  to happen (including much of Buddhist practice).
   
  Good/Poor Introspection: ±3 to any AWR roll to notice 
  anything going on in the character’s own head.
   
  Good/Poor People Sense: ±3 to any AWR roll to notice 
  what people are doing, not doing or saying (this does not 
  include sensing people prowling).
   
  Good/Poor Back Watching: ±3 to any AWR roll to 
  notice anything happening behind the character.
   
  Good/Poor Detail Sense: ±3 to any AWR roll to notice 
  small details on/in something the character is observing.
  Charm (CHM)
  This represents likeability, social presence, persuasiveness 
  and ability to read people.  Charm is used when a character 
  needs to put on an act, convince an audience or seduce 
  someone.  Just as Intelligence doesn’t represent cleverness, 
  charm doesn’t prevent a character from saying something that 
  gets the group in trouble or something that saves the day.
   
  Good/Poor Self-Confidence: ±3 to first impression rolls 
  to present himself or herself as self-confident.
   
  Friendly/Unfriendly: The character is ±3 to all first 
  impression rolls to present himself or herself as a friendly or 
  likeable person.
   
  Good/Poor Seduction: ±3 to any seduction roll.
   
  Good/Poor Actor: ±3 to any acting roll.
   
  Good/Poor With Children: ±3 to any CHM roll 
  involving children.
   
  Good/Poor With Animals: ±3 to any CHM roll involving 
  animals.
   
  Good/Poor With Authorities: ±3 to any CHM roll 
  involving people in positions of power.
   
  Good/Poor With Simple Folk: ±3 to any CHM roll 
  involving people who consider themselves simple or 
  average.
   
  Good/Poor With Outcasts: ±3 to any CHM roll 
  involving convincing people who consider themselves to be 
  at the bottom of the social ladder.
  Endurance (END)
  This represents stamina for intense physical exertion as 
  well as the body’s ability to fight disease and resist toxins. 
  Endurance is used when a character needs to hold his or her 
  breath, go on a long hike or survive a serious illness.
   
  Good/Poor With Heat: ±3 to any save vs. heat 
  exhaustion.
   
  Good/Poor With Cold: ±3 to any save vs. hypothermia.
   
  Good/Poor At Disease Contraction: ±3 to any save vs. 
  disease contraction.
   
  Good/Poor At Fighting Off Diseases: ±3 to any save 
  vs. disease progression.
   
  Good/Poor Lung Capacity: ±3 pooled END 
  when the character is holding his/her breath.
  062
  character creation
  In Brief: Split 90 points between 9 attributes (min 1, max 
  20).  Choose optional sub-attributes (costs or gives 1 bonus 
  point).
  
  063
  attributes
  Intelligence (INL)
  This represents the speed at which the mind reacts, 
  abilities with abstract thought, learning, creativity 
  and memory.  Intelligence is used when a character 
  wants to perform a knowledge based skill, understand 
  a complicated philosophical text or win at a strategy 
  game.  Intelligence is not cleverness or wisdom: any PC 
  can come up with a clever plan or completely miss the 
  obvious no matter what their intelligence.
   
  Quick/Slow Thinker: ±3 to any roll based on the 
  speed of mental reaction (not including combat).
   
  Good/Poor Memory: ±3 to any roll to remember or 
  memorize something.
   
  Good/Poor Skepticism: ±3 to any roll to figure out 
  deception, illusion, hallucination, etc.
  Karma (KMA)
  This is the sum total of all the things that the character 
  has done, in this life and in previous lives, on-purpose 
  or accidentally, which has caused or prevented the 
  suffering of sentient beings.  Karma is used, along with 
  WIL, to break an attachment.  Breaking attachments 
  gets PCs closer to enlightenment and increases their 
  maximum KMA.  Very high KMA can be used to 
  perform miracles.
  Changing
  Karma can be changed by one’s actions.  Most changes 
  to Karma are only temporary, and return to normal 
  (base) KMA at a rate of 1 per day.  Large changes to 
  KMA can change base KMA (see p.148).  PCs will not 
  immediately know whether their actions have earned 
  them good or bad karma.
  Emanation
  PCs with very good or very bad karma will emanate 
  karma that can effect other people around the PC.  Holy 
  or cursed objects will also emanate KMA.  To figure 
  out the PC’s emanation, divide current KMA by 10 and 
  add or subtract KMA from any holy or cursed object 
  the PC has on his or her person.  When a group of 
  PCs are working together closely, their separate KMA 
  emanations add together in to one total.
  If a PC’s emanation is negative, that PC will attract 
  malevolent spirits.  When given a choice, malevolent 
  spirits will attack the PC with the lowest KMA.  The 
  PC’s emanation is also a modifier to magical skill rolls 
  or rolls to resist invasion by malevolent spirits.  Good 
  KMA helps PCs do magic that has the immediate effect 
  of easing suffering while bad KMA helps PCs do magic 
  that has the immediate effect of causing suffering.
  Karma has no sub-attributes.
  Speed (SPD)
  This represents the ability to run and leap as 
  well as the damage a character can do with a 
  kick.  The character’s kick can do the following 
  blunt damage:
  SPD
  1-5
  6-15 16-19 20-30 31-40 41-50 51+
  DMG
  ½ blunt
  1 
  1½ 
  2 
  3 
  4
  5
   Good/Poor Jumping: ±3 to any jumping roll.
   
  Good/Poor Kicking: The character does kick damage 
  as if he or she had ±3 SPD.
   
  Good/Poor Long-Distance Running: ±3 to SPD 
  when the PC is running long distances.
   
  Good/Poor Sprinting: ±3 to SPD when the PC is 
  sprinting.
  Strength (STH)
  This represents upper body strength as well as the 
  character’s strength of grip and back muscles.  A character 
  would use strength to yank away someone’s weapon, 
  lift a heavy object or do damage with melee weapons. 
  Characters with high or low strength get plusses or 
  minuses with blunt weapons as follows:
  STH
  1-5
  6-10
  11-15
  16-25
  26-30
  31-40
  40+
  + to DMG
  -1
  0
  +1 
  +2
  +3
  +4
  +5
  The character’s punches do the following blunt damage:
  STH
  1-5
  6-10
  11-15
  16-20
  25-30
  31-40 40+
  DMG
  0
  ½
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
   Good/Poor Back: ±3 to any STH rolls to lift heavy 
  objects.
   
  Good/Poor Hands: ±3 to any STH rolls using only 
  the character’s grip.
   
  Good/Poor Bulk: ±3 to any STH roll using the whole 
  weight of the character’s body (e.g. a football tackle, 
  knocking down a door, etc.)
   
  Good/Poor Punching: The character does punch 
  damage as if he or she had ±3 STH.
  Willpower (WIL)
  This represents the ability to resist emotions or discomfort 
  and the strength of one’s sense of self.  Will would be 
  used to control emotions, resist pain, stay conscious or 
  battle against mind control.  Some magic and tantric 
  skills, especially those which require concentration or 
  force of mind, use WIL.
   
  Good/Poor Drug Resistance: ±3 to any WIL roll to 
  resist psychological addiction or drug cravings.
   
  Good/Poor With Drug Effects: ±3 to any WIL roll to 
  save vs. drug effects.
   
  Weak/Strong Stomach: ±3 to any save vs. nausea.
   
  Good/Poor With Distracting Pain: ±3 to save vs. 
  distracting pain (see p.150).
   
  Good/Poor With Shocking Pain: ±3 to any save vs. 
  shocking pain (See p.150).
   
  Good/Poor Temper: ±3 to any save vs. anger.
   
  Good/Poor Sense of Self: ±3 to any opposed 
  WIL vs. WIL roll.
  
  Health Attributes
  Characters also have 12 points to divide up 
  between three additional attributes: Body, Blood 
  and Incapacity (minimum 1, maximum 6).
  Body Points (BDY)
  Represent the amount of blunt damage characters 
  can take before they start losing Blood Points 
  (when all BDY is gone, blunt weapons do double 
  their normal damage to Blood).
  Blood Points (BLD)
  Represent the amount of damage characters can 
  take to their vital systems (heart, blood supply, 
  etc.) before they are mortally wounded.  When all 
  BLD is gone, damage is done to INCY.
  Incapacity (INCY)
  Represents the character’s ability to act even 
  after taking fatal injuries.  After a mortal injury, 
  damage is done to INCY (END is also lost). 
  When a character’s INCY reaches 0, he or she 
  becomes incapacitated, unable to fight or perform 
  any other useful action.  See the section on Using 
  Health Attributes  (p.150) for more information.
  Character Class
  Choose the character class your character 
  will begin the game as.  This will decide the 
  character’s standing in society, his or her money, 
  educational resources and access to special 
  training and abilities.  Character classes can 
  change in the course of the game (see Character 
  Advancement, p.140).
  Many character classes have special advantages 
  and disadvantages that are only available to 
  members of that character class. Some of 
  these special advantages and disadvantages are 
  mandatory.  Others are optional (PCs can spend 
  points or get points by taking them).
  A few character classes have special skills that 
  only members of that class can buy.  They are 
  bought with skill points, the same as regular 
  skills (see p.93).
  064
  character creation
  Character Classes in Brief
  Aristocrat: Wealthy land owner and noble, making dangerous 
  deals with the Chinese.
  Ascetic: Homeless monk, having given up all property and 
  status, traveling and begging for food.
  Astrologer: Learned scholar, making astrological predictions 
  about medicine, magic and the future.
  Bön Priest: A priest of the magic-heavy pre-Buddhist 
  religion, seeking enlightenment and power.
  Craftsperson: Respected creator and restorer of traditional 
  clothing, houses, holy and secular art.
  Dobdob: Monastic police officer, soldier and bodyguard, 
  molded from a violent and uncontrollable child.
  Doctor: A learned practitioner of traditional Tibetan herbal, 
  magical and humoural medicine.
  Farmer: A simple peasant working the land, the heart of 
  central Tibetan culture and economy.
  Foreigner: A person from outside Tibet who has become 
  caught up in Tibet’s struggle.
  Gesar Bard: Tellers of the saga of King Gesar, which has 
  magic powers when told.
  Kagyupa Monk: Male or female monk from a sect known 
  for skills in divination and use of the body-heat tantra.
  Merchant: Traveling businessperson, amassing wealth, 
  trading and selling goods of all kinds.
  Mirror Gazer: Born with the innate ability to stare in to a 
  mirror and see other places and times.
  Nomad: One of the fierce nomadic tribes, most of whom are 
  currently at war with the Chinese.
  Nyingmapa Monk: Male or female monk from the most 
  ancient and shamanistic Buddhist sect.
  Oracle: Able to call powerful gods & spirits down to speak 
  through him or her.
  Revenant: Sent back from hell with powers and the mission 
  to warn others of hell’s suffering.
  Sakyapa Monk: Male or female monk from a Buddhist sect 
  that stresses logic and the tantra.
  Savage: Primitive hunter and warrior from secluded rainforest 
  valleys at the foot of the Himalayas.
  Sorcerer: Using knowledge of malevolent magical rituals for 
  pay and for personal gain.
  Treasure Finder: Able to find holy objects and sacred texts 
  hidden throughout Tibet and beyond.
  Unclean: Families of butchers, blacksmiths and morticians 
  able to withstand dangerous bad karma.
  Weathermaker: Uses secret rituals to control the weather for 
  good or ill, often trained in monasteries.
  White Robe- Lay tantric practitioner, using secret family 
  rituals, skilled in sorcery & exorcism.
  Yellow Hat Monk: From the “reformed” conservative 
  Buddhist sect currently ruling the country.
  In Brief- Choose the PC’s place in Tibetan society.
  
  065
  character class
  Aristocrat
  This is a young man or woman from a wealthy land-
  owning family, one of Tibet’s minor nobility.  The 
  PC’s family owns a large estate of farm or pastureland.  
  Farmers or nomads live on the land and pay taxes to the 
  family.
  Nobility in Tibet comes from three basic sources:
   
  Those whose ancestors were gifted with noble 
  rank because of actions in the service of Tibet (largest 
  group).
   
  Those whose ancestors were the parents of one of 
  the Dalai Lamas.
   
  Those whose ancestors were monarchs in Tibet 
  before the Mongol rule (smallest group). 
  Aristocrats have a strong relationship with the Tibetan 
  government.  Aristocrats are expected to raise private 
  militias to assist the Tibetan army in military ventures. 
  Aristocrats are responsible for adjudicating criminal and 
  civil legal matters that happen on their lands.  Aristocrats 
  can punish tenants with a fine, with stocks, with flogging 
  or with short periods of imprisonment.
  Members of aristocratic families have several career 
  options.  Some go to the finance office in Lhasa (see 
  Structure of the Tibetan Government, p.41) to be trained 
  to be government officials.  Some aristocrats manage 
  family estates as stewards.  Other aristocrats make 
  money by trading and investing family money.  Some 
  aristocrats do nothing useful.  They spend their days 
  socializing, playing games, going on trips and having 
  picnics.
  The Tibetan aristocracy as a whole has formed a 
  dangerous pact with the Chinese.  In 
  order to prevent their participation in the 
  rebellion the Chinese have allowed the 
  aristocracy to keep their wealth and some 
  of their power.
  A few aristocrats continue to live life 
  as they always have.  These aristocrats 
  are oblivious to the fact that Chinese 
  Communism is incompatible with a 
  land-owning nobility.  They are unaware 
  that on their distant estates the Chinese 
  are brainwashing, arresting, starving 
  and displacing people.  They enjoy the 
  pleasures of Lhasa, unprepared for the 
  coming storm.
  Most Tibetans, even aristocrats, are 
  practical people.  Most aristocrats are 
  preparing for the worst.  They travel to 
  their estates to help deal with the chaos. 
  They arrange to have wealth shipped to 
  India.  Some stockpile weapons and forge 
  contacts with rebel leaders, preparing 
  to fight against the Chinese.
  Skills
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 9, Crafts 5, Divination 5, 
  Exorcism 8, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 6, 
  Scholarship 6, Sorcery 13, Tantra 15, Travel 5, 
  Weathermaking 11, Western Knowledge 9.
  Money- 3500 Srang + 100 per month.
  Special Bonus Characteristics- There are several ranks 
  that distinguish aristocrats.  They can be bought with 
  Bonus Points by aristocrat characters.
   
  Shebpang (Optional Advantage, Costs 6 BP): City judge, 
  this is a rank awarded to aristocrats who live in large towns. 
  It provides extra income (+50 Srang per month) and the 
  responsibility to decide important civil and criminal cases. 
  PCs get Tibetan Law (3 levels) free.
   
  Kung (Optional Advantage, Costs 3 BP): These are 
  descendents of the father of an incarnation of the Dalai Lama.  
  This noble rank is only carried by men and can only be passed 
  down to one son.  If a family has no sons, they may adopt a 
  boy or adult male to pass the rank down to.
   
  Dza-Sas (Optional Advantage, Costs 8 BP): This title is 
  awarded by the Tibetan government for special services to 
  Tibet.  It can be awarded either to a monk or a lay person. 
  This rank can be awarded to non-aristocrats for some great 
  heroic act and will instantly promote them to the ranks of 
  nobility.  Dza-Sas can choose to enter the Kashag (national 
  assembly).
  Suggested Skills- Archery, Etiquette, Gambling, Tibetan 
  Law, Literacy, Oratory, Trading.
  Suggested Equipment- Bow: Long, Dalai Lama Amulet, 
  Chuba (Fine), Hat (Fox-Skin), Horse, Khata.
  Suggested Reading- Aristocratic Life (p.13), Government 
  & Law (p.41).
  Srang- Tibetan currency, in coins or printed on paper notes. Srang coins are accepted 
  throughout Tibet.
  In Brief- Wealthy land owner and noble, making 
  dangerous deals with the Chinese.
  
  Ascetic
  Most Buddhist monasteries own retreat caves. 
  Advanced monks, who feel they would benefit from 
  such practice, go to these caves for ascetic retreats.  
  Here, they sit in complete isolation, meditating and 
  praying.  Younger monks are charged with bringing 
  food to the ascetics but are not allowed to speak 
  to them.  Monks also have the option of becoming 
  ascetic beggars.  Rather than cutting themselves off 
  from the trials and hardships of normal life they put 
  themselves in complete submission to those trials 
  and hardships.  The disadvantage is that an ascetic 
  beggar experiences many more distractions than a 
  cave-bound monk.  The advantage is that the ascetic 
  beggar can do good works.  Ascetic beggars also 
  help the community by emanating good karma.
  Tibetans know that they will gain good karma by 
  giving donations to, feeding or otherwise aiding an 
  ascetic.  Illiterate Tibetans in the countryside often 
  invite traveling ascetics to stay the night.  In the 
  evening the ascetics read the families’ holy books 
  to them.  The ascetics sleep in the families’ temple 
  rooms 
  Some smaller Buddhist sects require ascetic 
  practice from their students.  The most famous 
  of these sects is the Thul Shugs sect.  Thul Shugs 
  has a code of asceticism that is based on the sect’s 
  philosophy.  The heart of their practice is to realize 
  the impermanence of everything and cultivate 
  perfect indifference towards everything except the 
  suffering of other beings.  Another similar sect 
  called Zhidegpa mixes codes of asceticism with 
  use of the death tantra (p.105).  Practitioners use 
  human thighbone trumpets, skull drums and other 
  items made from corpses.  These items are produced 
  in tantric rituals which include eating small bits of 
  human flesh.  The morbid theme reminds people that 
  life is impermanent and to encourage the death of 
  self-identity and all the attachments that go with it.
  Ascetic beggars have given up all property, all 
  housing, all family relations, all status and political 
  power.  Each day they wake up with no idea what 
  they will eat or where they will sleep, yet they feel 
  no anxiety over this.  Their equipment is simple.  
  Most carry a begging bowl.  Some may carry a staff 
  with jingling rings (to drown out the sounds of the 
  mundane world).  Other items ascetics may carry are 
  a food bowl, a knife (as a multipurpose tool) and 
  small charms and ritual items.
  Special Equipment- PCs start with free Beggar’s Staff 
  (1½ blunt damage, range 3) and Begging Bowl.
  Skills
   
  Free Skills: Indifference (2)
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 11, Crafts 8, 
  Divination 7, Exorcism 7, Folk Knowledge 
  7, Medicine 7, Scholarship 11, Sorcery 
  12, Tantra 9, Travel 7, Weathermaking 11, 
  Western Knowledge 17.
  Money- 50 Srang + 2 per month.
  Starting Karma- PC starts with +20 to 
  current KMA.
  Suggested Skills- Breath Yoga, Fire Yoga, 
  Literacy, Omen Reading.
  Suggested Equipment- Fire Yoga Garment.
  Suggested Reading- City Life (p.12), Buddhism 
  (p.33), Tantra (p.38), Enlightenment (p.166), Mad 
  Saints (p.183).
  066
  character creation
  In Brief- Homeless monk, having given up all 
  property and status, traveling and begging for food.
  
  067
  character class
  Astrologer
  Almost every village and monastery has someone 
  with a detailed knowledge of astrology.  These experts 
  are paid to consult with clients on a great number of 
  matters.  People travel from miles around to consult with 
  astrologers, both lay and monastic.  Clients pay fees or 
  give gifts worth anywhere from 20 to 500 Srang.
  Astrologers give clients information on the best times 
  to begin a risky endeavor, the causes of misfortune, the 
  compatibility of a couple for marriage, the proper way 
  to dispose of a body (see p.17) and the physical location 
  of one’s life force spirit.  Astrologers can also discover 
  bubbles of bad karma from previous lifetimes that may 
  suddenly interfere with the client’s life.  Astrologers are 
  also paid to draw up a life chart for a client.  These charts 
  are a calendar of the client’s future, showing upcoming 
  periods of good luck and bad luck and telling what type 
  of luck it is (e.g. luck in business, luck in love, etc.).  By 
  studying their charts, Tibetans can decide the best time 
  to attempt an endeavor.
  Professional astrologers do not use just one form of 
  astrology.  Their predictions are a careful deduction 
  based on information provided by the newer system 
  of zodiac astrology (imported from India) and the 
  older indigenous elemental system of astrology.  Most 
  astrologers know non-astrological forms of divination 
  which they can also use to supplement their readings. 
  Through careful detective work, a good astrologer 
  can piece together these streams of information into 
  an incredibly accurate picture of the future, present or 
  past.
  Skills
   
  Free Skills: Elemental Astrology (3), Zodiac 
  Astrology (2)
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 12, Crafts 6, Divination 3, 
  Exorcism 7, Folk Knowledge 5, Medicine 7, Scholarship 
  10, Sorcery 15, Tantra 15, Travel 8, Weathermaking 12, 
  Western Knowledge 15.
  Money- 1250 Srang + 50 per month.
  Suggested Skills- Omen Reading, Protective Mantras, 
  Simple Divination.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Chuba (Common), 
  Divination Cards, Pen & Ink.
  Suggested Reading- Astrology (p.29), Divination 
  (p.30).
  Bön Priest
  This is an ordained practitioner of the Bön church.
  Bön priests have a lifestyle similar to Buddhist monks. 
  They spend much of their time studying Bön tantra 
  and scholarship in monasteries and in small Bön 
  communities.  They are celibate until they gain a certain 
  rank in the church, then they may choose to marry.  Even 
  more than Buddhist monks, Bön priests are respected by 
  villagers for their proficiency in the arts of exorcism, 
  funerary rites, weathermaking and sometimes sorcery. 
  Bön priests will spend much of their time traveling to 
  villages to perform these skills in exchange for money or 
  trade goods.
  Bön has two ways.  The first, older way, teaches how 
  to solve worldly problems through the use of magical 
  rituals.  The second, newer way, teaches how to achieve 
  enlightenment, though tantras that closely resemble (and 
  in some cases are exactly same as) those taught in the 
  Buddhist sects.
  Some practitioners are attracted to Bön for the magical 
  powers.  These priests are likely to be enamored with 
  tales of ancient Bön practitioners, who could fly around 
  on drums and could travel to the hells to protect their 
  charges.  Others are attracted to Bön for the quest for 
  enlightenment, and these are not afraid to study under 
  Bön or Buddhist teachers.
  Skills
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 13, Crafts 7, Divination 5, 
  Exorcism 5, Folk Knowledge 7, Medicine 6, Scholarship 
  10, Sorcery 8, Tantra 9, Travel 8, Weathermaking 7, 
  Western Knowledge 16.
  Money- 1500 Srang + 50 per month.
  Starting Karma- PC starts with +10 to current KMA.
  Suggested Skills- Breath Yoga, Fire Exorcism, Drum 
  Divination, 
  Meditation, 
  Simple 
  Curses, 
  Sucking 
  Exorcism, Weather Propitiation.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Ceremonial Arrow, Fire 
  Starter, Monk’s Robes, Two-Headed Drum.
  Suggested Reading- Dark Ages (p.6), Bön (p.32), 
  Tantra (p.38).
  In Brief- Learned scholar, making astrological 
  predictions about medicine, magic and the future.
  In Brief- A priest of the magic-heavy pre-Buddhist 
  religion, seeking enlightenment and power.
  
  Craftsperson
  This is a professional in some traditional craft.  This 
  person’s skill gives him or her a respected place in 
  society.  Craftspeople are part of the Tibetan equivalent of 
  a middle class.  They have no real social power but they 
  make enough money to live comfortably.
  Lay craftspeople who produce saleable goods live in 
  cities and trading towns.  They peddle their goods to 
  merchants or sell them directly from road-side stalls.  Lay 
  craftspeople who do painting, architecture and masonry 
  will make the rounds of monasteries and noble estates.  
  They are paid and given room and board.  The craftspeople 
  split their time between creating new crafts and restoring 
  old ones.  For example, a painter may stay a few weeks at 
  an aristocrat’s mansion, touching up the faded paintings 
  and adding a few new ones.
  Monastic craftspeople (must buy Monastic Rank, 
  p.136) are monks who have undergone basic Buddhist 
  training, but have chosen to be trained in a craft rather 
  than advanced Buddhist practice.  Monastic craftspeople 
  spend most of their time producing for the monastery they 
  live in.  They are given an allowance by the monastery. 
  If a nearby aristocratic estate or monastery has a major 
  project, a monastic craftsperson may be hired out. 
  Craftspeople in Tibet may achieve respect (especially if 
  they become teachers) but not fame.  All crafts (especially 
  those with religious importance) have exact proscribed 
  dimensions.  Painters of buddhas, for example, must learn 
  the exact ratios of every part of each buddha’s anatomy 
  and must learn to replicate them exactly in each painting.  
  Thus, professional craftspeople are respected for their 
  exactness, not their personal creativity.
  Craftspeople typically wear a single long earring.
  Skills
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 12, Crafts 3, Divination 8, 
  Exorcism 9, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 8, Scholarship 
  9, Sorcery 15, Tantra 15, Travel 8, Weathermaking 13, 
  Western Knowledge 15.
  Money- 1250 Srang + 60 per month.
  Suggested Skills
   
  For architects: Architecture, Blacksmithing, Carving
   
  For 
  bookmakers: 
  Carving, 
  Literacy, 
  Painting, 
  Printing, Trading.
    For painters: Painting, Printing, Textiles, Trading.
  For sculptors: Blacksmithing, Carving, Architecture, 
  Trading.
  For tailors: Tailoring, Textiles, Trading.
  Suggested Equipment
   
  For architects: Carving Tools.
   
  For bookmakers: Book Making Materials.
   
  For painters: Brushes & Paints.
   
  For sculptors: Carving Tools.
   
  For tailors: Cloth, Loom, Sewing Needle.
  Suggested Reading- Dress (p.13), Housing (p.17), City 
  Life (p.12).
  068
  character creation
  In Brief- Respected creator and restorer of traditional 
  clothing, houses, holy and secular art.
  
  069
  character class
  Dobdob
  This is a police officer for a monastery.  Most Dobdobs 
  live in huge monasteries that are the size of cities.  These 
  cities 
  have 
  a 
  complex 
  internal bureaucracy and 
  monks taking on all sorts 
  of roles, from doctors to 
  janitors.  
  Most dobdobs start their 
  lives as violent, hyperactive 
  or disobedient youths, sent 
  to the monastery because 
  their parents couldn’t control 
  them. 
   
  When 
  teachers 
  decided they were not able 
  to benefit from traditional 
  Buddhist 
  training, 
  they 
  were selected to become 
  Dobdobs.  A few Dobdobs 
  were selected because of 
  their physical size rather 
  than 
  their 
  temperament.  
  Most 
  Dobdobs 
  have 
  accepted the precepts of 
  Buddhism, including the 
  basic monks’ oaths, even 
  if they know very little of 
  Buddhist meditation and 
  philosophy.
  Dobdobs 
  are 
  sometimes 
  called black monks.  In 
  some 
  monasteries 
  the 
  Dobdobs dress just like 
  normal monks.  In other 
  monasteries they wear a 
  black stripe on their forehead 
  and around their right arm to 
  signify their status.  Some 
  Dobdobs model themselves 
  after the wrathful aspects of 
  dharmapalas, trying to look 
  as frightening as possible. 
  They 
  rip 
  their 
  robes, 
  wear their hair long and 
  disheveled, paint themselves 
  black with soot, and make 
  their monks’ robes stiff with 
  grease and ash.
  The first responsibility of 
  Dobdobs is to maintain 
  order 
  within 
  the 
  monastery. 
   
  They 
  watch other monks, 
  making sure that 
  they follow the rules.  When monks gather 
  in large numbers, Dobdobs are present to 
  act as crowd control.  When monks break rules 
  the dobdobs, at the direction of abbots, carry out 
  corporal punishment.  The wiser Dobdobs investigate 
  crimes committed within monasteries.
  Dobdobs are also the first line of military defense for any 
  monastery.  Every monastery 
  possesses at least a few 
  rifles, kept for defense from 
  bandits, and the Dobdobs are 
  trained to use them.
  Dobdobs are also bodyguards 
  for lamas when they travel 
  outside of the monastery. 
  They can also be hired out as 
  bodyguards for aristocrats.  
  Dobdobs are trained in non-
  lethal combat using whips 
  and bare hands.
  In Lhasa, dobdobs carrying 
  whips accompany the Dalai 
  Lama when he goes out in 
  public (25 armed soldiers 
  are his escort when he travels 
  long distances).  The dobdobs 
  protect the Dalai Lama from 
  over-eager crowds.  They use 
  their whips to keep people at 
  a distance.
  Skills
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 
  4, 
  Crafts 
  8, 
  Divination 
  12, 
  Exorcism 
  12, 
  Folk 
  Knowledge 
  7, 
  Medicine 
  14, Scholarship 15, Sorcery 
  15, Tantra 17, Travel 10, 
  Weathermaking 15, Western 
  Knowledge 15.
  Money- 1000 Srang + 30 per 
  month.
  Suggested Skills- Acrobatics, 
  Rifle, Tai Chi, Whip.
  Suggested 
  Equipment- 
  Boots, 
  Leather 
  Armor, 
  Monk’s Robes, Whip.
  Suggested Reading- Dark 
  Ages (p.6), Monastic Life 
  (p.10), 
  Dharmapalas 
  (p.23), 
  Government 
  and Law (p.41).
  In Brief- Monastic police officer, soldier and 
  bodyguard, molded from a violent and uncontrollable 
  child.
  
  Doctor
  This is a practitioner of traditional Tibetan medicine.  
  Tibetan medicine is a conglomeration of Tibetan folk 
  beliefs and scholarly learning brought in from China and 
  India.  Indian medicine borrowed heavily from Classical 
  Greek humoural medicine.  The doctor will have been 
  trained in a medical university (the most prominent being 
  Chagpori in Lhasa) for at least 7 years.  Most medical 
  colleges are affiliated with monasteries and there are both 
  lay and monastic doctors.  Lay doctors own small clinics 
  in a city, seeing patients and living as part of Tibet’s 
  middle class.  Aristocrats may have personal doctors who 
  can be lay or monastic.
  Doctors use a variety of methods to cure patients:
   
  -Divination to diagnose.
   
  -Herbs and humoural medicine to treat diseases.
   
  -Buddhist mantras to alleviate pain and speed healing.
   
  -Thread cross ceremonies to call back life force 
  spirits.
   
  -Exorcism if the problem is caused by a malevolent 
  spirit.
  Many doctors also make pilgrimages to the places where 
  the most powerful medicinal herbs grow.  They know 
  exactly when and how to harvest these herbs in order to 
  preserve their complete medicinal power.
  Skills 
   
  Free Skills: Herbalism (3), Humoural Medicine (2).
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 12, Crafts 6, Divination 5, 
  Exorcism 4, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 3, Scholarship 
  6, Sorcery 12, Tantra 12, Travel 8, Weathermaking 13, 
  Western Knowledge 13.
  Money- 2750 Srang + 60 per month.
  Starting Karma- PC starts with +5 to current KMA.
  Suggested Skills- Elemental Astrology, Exorcism, 
  Literacy, Mirror Gazing, Sucking Exorcism, Thread 
  Crosses, various Medicine skills.
  Suggested Equipment- Books (various medical skills), 
  Boots, Ceremonial Arrow, Chuba (Common), Dolma 
  Pill, Herbs (Various), Medical Charm.
  Suggested Reading- Protection (p.26), Medicine 
  (p.29), Divination (p.30).
  070
  character creation
  The Trouble With Dobdobs
  Dharmapalas were once powerful demons, beings of rage and violence.  Knowing that they could not be 
  destroyed or permanently restrained, the ancient Buddhist teachers bound them to oaths to only use their 
  violence to protect Buddhist and Bön teachings and the Tibetan people.  Dobdobs are based on the same 
  principle: when violence and rambunctiousness can not be trained out of a monk, that energy is redirected to 
  useful ends.  Like dharmapalas, though, the violence of dobdobs sometimes escapes from its boundaries.
  At their best, dobdobs are compassionate police officers who use intimidation to keep the peace but rarely 
  have to resort to violence.  At their worst, the dobdobs are a gang of bullies that terrorize the monks and the 
  local laypeople.  They take what they want.  They beat each other up in violent contests.  They refuse to follow 
  anyone’s orders and care little about the health and safety of anyone but themselves.  They care nothing for 
  Buddhist practice or monastic life.  They spend their days playing sports and wrestling with each other.
  Some monks believe that it does not technically break their vow of chastity if they achieve orgasm by putting 
  their penis between the clenched thighs of another person (avoiding any orifices).  Some monks participate in 
  this practice by mutual consent.  Some dobdobs, however, have been known to force people to engage in this 
  activity.  It is even known for dobdobs to kidnap young boys to engage in this practice with them.
  In Brief- A learned practitioner of traditional Tibetan 
  herbal, magical and humoural medicine.
  
  071
  character class
  Farmer
  The PC was born in to a simple farming family.  Most 
  likely, one or more of the PCs siblings was sent to a 
  monastery to become a monk.  The PC stayed behind and 
  learned agriculture.
  Farmers make a living growing barley, peas, wheat, 
  mustard, radishes and turnips.  They plow with oxen 
  and yaks.  Most live on estates owned by other people 
  (aristocrats, monasteries and the government).
  Of all the character classes, farmers are perhaps the most 
  pragmatic, adopting whatever works to take care of their 
  problems: folk beliefs, Bön, Buddhism and even sorcery 
  when it is convenient.
  Although those who want to devote themselves entirely to 
  the pursuit of enlightenment become monks or ascetics, 
  many other Tibetans of every class devote part of their 
  time to enlightenment.  Many of these hobbyists, knowing 
  that they must accomplish much with few resources, turn 
  to esoteric and dangerous tantras.  Farmers are famous 
  among these hobbyists.  They can progress considerably 
  because they have lots of free time and relatively 
  uncomplicated lives.
  Compared to farmers in other countries and in other 
  centuries, Tibetan farmers have it good.  The majority of 
  farmers are at least partially literate.  Most have traveled 
  to Tibet’s great cities and holy places.  They do live under 
  the control of estate owners, but those estate owners 
  are generally fair and compassionate.  Some estates are 
  owned by the abbots of monasteries, who are typically 
  very compassionate.  Those farmers who feel they have 
  been dealt with unjustly can take their case to Lhasa for 
  adjudication.
  Farmers spend their days taking care of their 
  fields, caring for farm animals, harvesting and 
  storing crops and taking crops to market to trade. 
  Farmers can also be called upon to provide corvee 
  labor (labor as a means of paying taxes) or occasionally 
  to act as a militia for their landlords.
  Skills 
   
  Free Skills: Farming (2).
   
  Skills Costs: Combat 13, Crafts 5, Divination 7, 
  Exorcism 6, Folk Knowledge 3, Medicine 7, Scholarship 
  13, Sorcery 12, Tantra 12, Travel 10, Weathermaking 9, 
  Western Knowledge 20.
  Money- 1000 Srang + 150 per month.
  Bonus Characteristics
   
  Land Owner (Optional Advantage, Costs 4 Bonus 
  Points)- The PC owns the land he or she works on.  The 
  PC does not need to pay rent or give corvee labor.  The 
  PC starts with +750 Srang and gains +50 Srang per 
  month.
   
  Itinerant Farmer (Optional Disadvantage, Gives 
  4 Bonus Points)- The PC and his or her family do not 
  have a farm of their own.  Instead, the PC travels from 
  place to place helping other farmers with their labors in 
  exchange for pay.  The PC starts with -750 Srang and 
  gains 100 Srang per month.
  Suggested Skills- Animal Packing, Animal Training, 
  Medical Mantras, Protective Mantras, Simple Curses, 
  Trading.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Chuba (Common), 
  Knife, Yak (Domestic).
  Suggested Reading- Farm Life (p.9).
  In Brief- A simple peasant working the land, the heart of 
  central Tibetan culture and economy.
  
  Foreigner
  In 1947, Tibet was officially closed to foreigners.  The 
  Dalai Lama banned all travel permits in to Tibet.  Of 
  course, there were many foreigners already in Tibet and 
  the Tibetan government has never had the resources to 
  close its borders to determined foreigners.
  There are many possible reasons a foreigner might be 
  in Tibet:
   
  -A mountain climber seeking to attack Mt. Everest.
   
  -A scholar studying Tibet and its people.
   
  -A reporter sent by foreign news agencies to get 
  reliable reports of the invasion.
   
  -A missionary wishing to convert the Tibetan 
  people.
   
  -A Western anti-Communist trying to help Tibetans 
  organize against the Chinese threat.
   
  -A European mystic studying Tibetan religion and 
  magic.
  Foreigners will have a hard time in Tibet since they 
  will start knowing little about the land or its customs. 
  Foreigners may be shunned or discriminated against in 
  Lhasa.  In the countryside they are likely to be greeted 
  with a friendly curiosity.
  If Chinese soldiers find a foreigner in Tibet they will 
  be immediately arrested and interrogated, then either 
  deported, imprisoned or executed depending upon what 
  the Chinese believe their intentions to be.  The Maoist 
  worldview is inherently paranoid and when the Chinese 
  capture a foreigner they assume that person is an anti-
  communist agent.
  The Tibetan government, in desperate need of up-to-
  date information on Western technology, politics and 
  military information, may take foreigners advisors if 
  they prove to be trustworthy.  To avoid the wrath of the 
  Chinese, these advisors must be kept secret.
  Another danger for foreigners is altitude sickness, which 
  can strike at any time when foreigners travel up out of 
  the river valleys.  Fortunately, the majority of Tibet’s 
  population lives in these river valleys.  See p.177 for 
  more information on altitude sickness.
  The character starts the game having been in Tibet 
  just long enough to have learned a bit of the language 
  and picked up a few Tibetan skills.  However, the 
  character has much to learn before he or she can 
  really fit in with Tibetans.
  Skills
   
  Free Skills: Foreign Language: Tibetan (1).
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 13, Crafts 10, Divination 
  12, Exorcism 11, Folk Knowledge 10, Medicine 13, 
  Scholarship 14, Sorcery 14, Tantra 17, Travel 12, 
  Weathermaking 14, Western Knowledge 5.
  Money- 3000 Srang + 0 per month.
  Bonus Characteristics
   
  Altitude 
  Sickness 
  Vulnerability 
  (Mandatory 
  Disadvantage)- The PC did not grow up on the highest 
  country on Earth and his or her body is not as used to low 
  oxygen.  The PC gets -7 to any save vs. altitude sickness 
  (see p.177).
   
  Tibet Experience (Optional Advantage, Costs 5 
  Bonus Points): This option allows a PC to have already 
  been in Tibet for a significant period of time.  The PC 
  starts with the following skill costs: Combat 10, Crafts 8, 
  Divination 9, Exorcism 9, Folk Knowledge 8, Medicine 
  11, Sorcery 12, Scholarship 9, Tantra 14, Travel 10, 
  Weathermaking 12, Western Knowledge 5.
   
  Nonbeliever (Optional Disadvantage, Gives 1 Bonus 
  Point)- The PC starts the game absolutely convinced 
  that there is no such thing as magic and that Buddhist 
  religious beliefs are wrong.
  Suggested Skills- Mountain Climbing, Pistol, Riding, 
  Swimming, various Western Knowledge skills.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Chuba (Common), Hat 
  (Fleece), Pistol (Automatic), various Western Goods.
  Suggested Reading- Altitude Sickness (p.177), Tibet 
  Alone (p.56).
  Gesar Bard
  Most Gesar Bards come from poor nomadic families.  
  Most are illiterate.  At some point in their lives, they fell 
  in to a trance and received a special vision.  Most Gesar 
  Bards receive the vision during or after recovering from 
  a life threatening illness (this is very similar to the first 
  vision of shamans in many cultures).  The “vision” was 
  of a unique version of the Gesar epic poem given to them 
  by the spirit of one of the epic’s characters.   Most Gesar 
  Bards are men but there are well-known female 
  Gesar Bards.  
  072
  character creation
  In Brief- A person from outside Tibet who has 
  become caught up in Tibet’s struggle.
  In Brief- Tellers of the saga of King Gesar, which has 
  magic powers when told.
  
  gesar
  073
  character class
  The Gesar epic is a story of Tibetan 
  history and the legacy of the conquering 
  king Gesar.  The Gesar Bard goes in to a 
  trance while telling the story.  In this trance, 
  the spirits of the heroes and villains of the epic 
  speak through the bard.  The spirits tell of their 
  lives, accomplishments and tragedies with great 
  passion.  The telling of the epic by a Gesar Bard 
  can frighten away malevolent spirits and increase 
  the good karma of the entire area.  The Bard’s 
  unique version of the Gesar epic also contains 
  prophecies of future events and detailed historical 
  geographical information about Tibet.
  The full epic takes 4-6 evenings to tell.
  Gesar Bards travel around the country telling the 
  epic every evening in exchange for room and 
  board.  During festivals, the Bards are paid money 
  (20-500 Srang) to tell the epic in public.
  The Gesar epic is very long.  In book form it is 
  more than 100 volumes (dozens of volumes if 
  it was a Western style book).  A Gesar Bard can 
  quote from the entire canonized version as well as 
  his or her own special verses.
  The Gesar epic is especially popular in the Kham 
  and Amdo provinces to the East (now an area of 
  guerilla fighting with the Chinese).  The Gesar 
  epic is part Buddhist and part Bön in nature. The 
  older Kagyupa and Nyingmapa sects consider it 
  a holy work.  The conservative Yellow Hat sect 
  generally disapproves of it.  
  Special Equipment- Small paintings illustrating 
  scenes from the Gesar.
  Skills 
   
  Free Skills: Gesar Trance (1), Storytelling 
  (2).
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 8, Crafts 6, Divination 
  7, Exorcism 7, Folk Knowledge 5, Medicine 8, 
  Scholarship 14, Sorcery 14, Tantra 15, Travel 7, 
  Weathermaking 13, Western Knowledge 20.
   
  Special Skills: Gesar Trance costs 10 skill 
  points per level.
  Money- 2000 Srang + 50 per month.
  Suggested Skills- Oratory, Painting, Riding.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Brushes & Paints, 
  Chuba (Common), Yak (Domestic).
  Suggested 
  Reading- 
  Timeline 
  (p.8), 
  Customs: Reading (p.15), Nomadic Life 
  (p.9).
  Gesar Trance (WIL)- Bards with this skill know secret 
  ceremonies which will put them in to a trance as they recite 
  verses of the Gesar.  In this state, the verses they speak 
  are supplied to them directly from the spirits of the story’s 
  characters.  Unlike an Oracle’s trance, Gesar Bards always 
  remember what transpires while they were in a trance.
  Interrupting a bard in the middle of reciting the epic gives 
  everyone involved -4 to current KMA and may incur the wrath 
  of the deities or spirits that are sending inspired verses to the 
  bard.
   
  Easy (10): Entertaining performance of the Gesar.
   
  Moderate (20): After a night of storytelling, roll for one 
  random effect.
   
  Hard (30): After 2 hours of storytelling, roll for one random 
  effect.
   
  Legendary (40): After 15 minutes of storytelling, roll for 
  one random effect.
  Random Effects
   
  Good Karma- Every listener (other than the teller) gains 
  +7 to current KMA.
   
  Frighten Spirits- Malevolent spirits in the area must make 
  a save vs. fear (WIL+1d20 v. 30) to avoid fleeing.
   
  Prophecy- A prophecy about the character’s or audience’s 
  current situation will be made in symbolic or obscure terms.
   
  Geographic Illustration- The epic will describe the 
  area the character is traveling in with great detail, including 
  historical and geographical information that the characters did 
  not know.
   The Gesar Story
  King Gesar is believed to be an 11th century emanation of 
  Padmasambhava.  He acted much like a “crazy saint” (see p. 183). 
  When Gesar was a child, the local ruler knew from divination 
  that Gesar would someday overthrow him.  The king tried to 
  have Gesar killed.  Gesar escaped and went through many trials, 
  fighting powerful magical and human enemies.  Eventually he 
  united his kingdom (Ling) into a great and peaceful kingdom. 
  He traveled to China and India and even as far as Syria.  In some 
  versions he even traveled to hell to save his wife. 
  
  Kagyupa Monk
  This is a male or female monk of the Kagyupa sect.  The 
  Kagyupa sect was founded by Marpa, a translator who 
  studied under 108 spiritual teachers.  One of his main 
  students was Milarepa, the famous sorcerer turned poet 
  and Buddhist holy man.  Although there are several 
  sub-schools of Kagyupa, each stresses meditation and 
  periods of ascetic hermitage.
  All Kagyupa monasteries practice the Tummo (Fire 
  Yoga) tantra and consider it an important step towards 
  the achievement of enlightenment in one lifetime.  Fire 
  Yoga students are tested by being asked to dry out wet 
  blankets in the snow.  Those highly accomplished in Fire 
  Yoga are very respected.  They distinguish themselves 
  by wearing a thin off-white cotton garment, even in the 
  coldest weather.
  The Kagyupa say that gaining powers should never 
  be the purpose behind Buddhist practice.  Yet they 
  do see control over one’s body as a good hallmark of 
  advancement towards enlightenment.  They often speak 
  of their most respected lamas in terms of their abilities 
  to levitate, change size, pass through solid objects, 
  spend days without breathing, etc.
  The hermitage and the body control tantras go hand 
  in hand.  It takes many hours of concentration to 
  develop the body tantras.   It is easiest to achieve this 
  concentration in the solitude of a cave.
  Young monks have many choices.  They can study a 
  wide variety of subjects, including advanced Buddhist 
  practice.  They can leave the monastery, traveling 
  around the country.  They can study at various colleges 
  and monasteries and with various lone teachers.  
  Whatever skills they have they can use to make money 
  for themselves and for their monasteries.
  Skills
   
  Free Skills: Fire Yoga (1)
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 13, Crafts 6, Divination 5, 
  Exorcism 6, Folk Knowledge 7, Medicine 6, Scholarship 
  7, Sorcery 15, Tantra 8, Travel 9, Weathermaking 10, 
  Western Knowledge 15.
  Money- 750 Srang + 50 per month.
  Starting Karma- PC starts with +10 to current 
  KMA.
  Suggested Skills- Breath Yoga, Lightness Yoga, 
  Subtle Self.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Fire Yoga Garment, 
  Prayer Beads.
  Suggested Reading- Monastic Life (p.10), Buddhism 
  (p.33), Buddhism: Kagyupa (p.36), Tantra (p.38), Tantra: 
  Body Control Tantras (p.39).
  Merchant
  This is a person who buys, sells and trades all kinds of 
  items.  He or she usually operates out of a city or a trading 
  town which is along a major trade route.  The merchant 
  rents or owns a building that acts as a shop, warehouse 
  and home.  Merchants spend much of their time 
  traveling: either around the city to conduct business 
  or between cities and towns looking for goods no 
  one else has.
  074
  character creation
  In Brief- Male or female monk from a sect known 
  for skills in divination and use of the body-heat 
  tantra.
  In Brief- Traveling businessperson, amassing wealth, 
  trading and selling goods of all kinds.
  
  075
  character class
  Spouses, children or servants will watch 
  merchants’ shops while they are traveling.  Some 
  merchants are homeless wanderers, taking their 
  entire cache of goods with them on the backs of yaks 
  and horses.
  Merchants who gain a lot of wealth can have the power 
  (if not the actual social standing) of an aristocrat: they 
  own land, can raise armies and effect local affairs. 
  They broker large transactions between monasteries, 
  aristocrats, nomadic tribes and foreign concerns.
  Unlike aristocrats, the rich and powerful merchants don’t 
  have a live-and-let-live relationship with the Chinese. 
  The Chinese will gladly capture and try any wealthy 
  merchant they find.  The wealthy merchants’ property 
  will be taken and they can face punishments as harsh 
  as death (depending upon the outcome of the trial).  For 
  this reason, wealthy merchants (especially those from the 
  Khampa ethnic group) are supporting the rebel armies.  
  Less wealthy merchants have less to fear from the 
  Chinese, especially if they live a peasant lifestyle.  Some 
  merchants experience harassment, others are able to trade 
  openly with Chinese soldiers.
  Merchants are known for their love of gambling.
  Special Equipment
   
  Trade Goods Cache: The PC starts with 2000 Srang 
  in commonly available trade goods.  The PC can borrow 
  goods for personal use, but they must have these items 
  on hand to maintain their living.  Any items destroyed 
  or used up will reduce the character’s earnings per week. 
  On the other hand, if the PC can make advantageous 
  deals, he or she can increase the cache.  A merchant can 
  significantly increase the value of the cache by gaining 
  rare goods (including rare foreign goods or goods with 
  magical properties).
  Skills
   
  Free Skills: Trading (3).
   
  Skills Costs: Combat 12, Crafts 5, Divination 8, 
  Exorcism 9, Folk Knowledge 5, Medicine 8, Scholarship 
  13, Sorcery 14, Tantra 15, Travel 4, Weathermaking 13, 
  Western Knowledge 13.
  Money- 1000 Srang + an income per month equal to 1 
  Srang per 100 Srang worth of goods in PC’s cache.  This 
  income can be re-invested to increase the size of the 
  cache.
  Suggested Skills- Animal Packing, Foreign Language 
  (Chinese), Foreign Language (Indian), Gambling, 
  Literacy, Mathematics, Riding, Tibetan Geography.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Chuba (Fine), Hat (Fox-
  Skin), Pack Frame, Pen & Ink, Rope, Yak (Domestic).
  Suggested Reading- City Life (p.12).
  Mirror Gazer
  This is a lay person who has been born with the ability 
  to see things by meditating upon a mirror.  Anyone can 
  learn to mirror gaze, with enough training, but some 
  people have a natural talent for it.  They can learn it 
  easier and do it better than anyone else.
  Most mirror gazers are the children of poor farmers.  As 
  small children, their parents noticed they had the ability 
  to find lost objects or see things before they happened.  
  The parents either sent the mirror gazers off to study (in a 
  monastery or with a lay mirror-gazer) or encouraged the 
  children to train themselves.
  Mirror gazers stare in to mirrors for a few seconds, 
  saying a quiet mantra, until they enter a light trance.  In 
  the trance, an accomplished mirror gazer can see the true 
  nature of things, the location of lost objects, the future, 
  the past, other places and even other realms within the 
  cosmos.
  Mirror gazers travel around the countryside being paid 
  to use their ability.  Clients will pay from 5 to 200 Srang 
  to the mirror gazer.  Clients are most often interested in 
  their own future, the location of lost objects, the invisible 
  causes of illnesses, or the machinations of their enemies.
  Skills
   
  Free Skills: Mirror Gazing (3).
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 14, Crafts 7, Divination 5, 
  Exorcism 7, Folk Knowledge 5, Medicine 7, Scholarship 
  14, Sorcery 15, Tantra 15, Travel 8, Weathermaking 13, 
  Western Knowledge 20.
  Money- 1000 Srang + 40 per month.
  Special Bonus Characteristics
   
  Mirror Gazing Prodigy (Mandatory Advantage)- 
  The PC gets +7 to all Mirror Gazing rolls.
  Suggested Skills- Geomancy, Omen Reading, Oratory, 
  Pantheons, Weather Propitiation.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Chuba (Common), 
  Mirror.
  Suggested Reading- Divination (p.30), Cosmology 
  (p.19).
  In Brief- Born with the innate ability to stare in to a 
  mirror and see other places and times.
  
  Nomad
  This is a member of one of the many the pastoralist 
  groups who graze animals (sheep, goats, horses and yaks) 
  on the scattered, grassy areas of the Tibetan plains.  They 
  are known to be independent and warlike, especially the 
  Khampas (see Text Box, next page).
  Nomads are loosely organized in to encampments, ruled 
  over by a head warrior or group of elders.  Encampments 
  are organized in to tribes.  Although some tribes have 
  formed in to associations or have been absorbed by a 
  larger tribe, most are politically independent.  All their 
  arrangements 
  with 
  other 
  tribes and with the Tibetan 
  government are contractual.  
  Mediators are important 
  to the tribes because they 
  help create oral contracts 
  and settle disputes that 
  might 
  otherwise 
  evolve 
  in to blood feuds.  Monks 
  and accomplished nomadic 
  orators 
  are 
  hired 
  as 
  mediators.  For nomads, 
  oratory is a sophisticated 
  and respected art.  A good 
  orator will be a respected 
  person.
  There is a strong relation-
  ship between nomads and 
  the 
  small 
  monasteries 
  scattered around nomadic 
  areas. 
   
  The 
  nomads 
  depend upon the monks 
  for their spiritual, medical 
  and magical needs and 
  the nomads support the 
  monasteries with offerings. 
  Red Hat monasteries are 
  popular in nomadic areas.
  Nomads gain wealth by 
  adding to their herd.  They 
  buy, breed, steal or capture 
  and tame animals.  Most 
  nomads have no wealth 
  other than their herd.  A 
  well fed female Yak can 
  produce up to 4 Srang 
  worth of income per 
  month 
  from 
  milk, 
  butter and cheese.
  In a typical nomadic family, the women and 
  children stay with the herds while the men travel to 
  trade or make war.  These roles are flexible: if a family 
  doesn’t have enough men, women will trade or fight.
  Nomads are renowned for their skills at horse riding, 
  sharpshooting, and use of slings (which they use to 
  herd animals).
  Many groups of nomads supplement their income by 
  banditry.   They rustle animals, rob pilgrims, even raid 
  villages and monasteries.  In some areas, the nomadic 
  tribes are paid by the Tibetan government not to attack 
  pilgrims in that area.  Banditry is especially prevalent 
  in Kham and Northern Tibet.
  076
  character creation
  In Brief- One of the fierce nomadic tribes, most of 
  whom are currently at war with the Chinese.
  
  077
  character class
  Some Nomadic tribes are relatively 
  peaceful, having adopted the Buddhist 
  belief in non-violence.  Most nomads, 
  however, are raised to believe it is 
  okay to kill someone to protect one’s 
  life or property or in revenge.
  Of any group, the Nomads have been 
  effected most by the Chinese invasion. 
  Only a few live in areas untouched by 
  the Chinese.  A few have peacefully 
  submitted to the Chinese (especially 
  in areas controlled by the Panchen 
  Lama).  In most areas, however, the 
  nomadic tribes are fighting fierce 
  guerilla warfare against the Chinese.
  Special Equipment- Horse, WWI 
  Rifle.
  Skills
   
  Special Skills: Riding (2), Rifle 
  (2), Sling (2).
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 4, Crafts 
  6, 
  Divination 
  8, 
  Exorcism 
  7, 
  Folk Knowledge 4, Medicine 8, 
  Scholarship 16, Sorcery 15, Tantra 16, 
  Travel 5, Weathermaking 14, Western 
  Knowledge 20.
  Money- 250 Srang + 30 per month.
  Suggested Skills- Animal Packing, 
  Simple Divination, Oratory, Sling, 
  Tibetan 
  Geography, 
  Tracking, 
  Trading, Trick Riding, Wilderness 
  Survival, Wrestling.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Charm 
  (Rebel), Hat (Fur), Horse Food, 
  Lokbar, Rifle Horns, Saddle, Saddle 
  Bags, Sword (Tibetan), Traditional 
  Armor, Wool Blanket.
  Suggested Reading- Nomadic Life 
  (p.9), Khampa Resistance (p.57).
  Khampas
  Khampas are the largest ethnic group among the Tibetan nomads.  They 
  are well known both inside and outside of Tibet, because of their current war 
  against the Chinese.  The word Khampa means “people of Kham” referring to 
  the Eastern state of Tibet.  Khampas are part of Tibetan culture, though they 
  have their own unique history and identity.
  The Khampas are the tallest ethnic group in Asia.  Khampa men are recognized 
  by the red yarn they wear in their braided hair.  There are two things which 
  the Khampas value above all else: independence and honor.  Their drive for 
  independence makes them wary of ceding authority over their lives to anyone. 
  Their drive for honor leads them in to wars of vengeance and never allows them 
  back down from a battle.  Khampas are raised to believe that revenge is a blood-
  right and sacred duty.  Khampa men are raised to be warriors.
  Historically, Khampas cease their blood feuds and unite for one purpose: to 
  repel foreign invaders.  The Khampas allow themselves to be ruled by the 
  Tibetan government, but only because they depend on Buddhist monasteries 
  for their spiritual and magical needs.  The Khampas are very proud of the fact 
  that they have never been unable to repel a foreign invader.
  
  Nyingmapa Monk
  This is a male and female monk from the Nyingmapa 
  sect.  The Nyingmapa sect is the oldest sect of Tibetan 
  Buddhism.  Nyingmapa has as much in common with Bön 
  and with ancient Tibetan shamanism as it has with non-
  Tibetan Buddhism.  Nyingmapa teachings are descended 
  from the teachings of Padmasambhava, including those 
  texts he hid around the country to be found when the people 
  were ready for them.  Nyingmapa uses more and a wider 
  variety of Tantras than the other sects.  It focuses more 
  on the development of pure vision, pure thought and the 
  pure yogic body than on scholarship and philosophy.  One 
  of the most highly regarded tantra is the Dzogchen tantra 
  (which the Nyingmapa share with Bön practitioners).  
  Dzogchen teaches students to understand that their true 
  nature is perfect awareness without thought.
  Nyingmapa monks are known to have magical powers, 
  including harmful sorcery.  Most only use those skills 
  for self defense, though some may secretly use them for 
  personal gain.  The Nyingmapa are the most liberal of all 
  sects about allowing monks of high status to marry and 
  drink alcohol.  Most abbotships are hereditary.
  Young monks have many choices.  They can study a wide 
  variety of subjects, including advanced Buddhist practice.  
  They can leave the monastery, traveling around the country. 
  They can study at various colleges and monasteries and 
  with various lone teachers.  Whatever skills they have 
  they can use to make money for themselves and for their 
  monasteries.
  Skills
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 12, Crafts 6, Divination 6, 
  Exorcism 5, Folk Knowledge 7, Medicine 6, 
  Scholarship 9, Sorcery 9, Tantra 8, Travel 9, 
  Weathermaking 8, Western Knowledge 17.
  Money- 875 Srang + 40 per month.
  Starting Karma- PC starts with +10 to current KMA.
  Suggested Skills- Breath Tantra, Dagger Exorcism, 
  Death Tantra, Fire Yoga, Literacy, Pantheons, Pure 
  Vision, Sorcery Tantra, Yidam Tantra.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Monk’s Robes, Pen & 
  Ink, Phurba.
  Suggested Reading- Monastic Life (p.10), Buddhism 
  (p.33), Buddhism: Nyingmapa (p.36), Tantra (p.38).
  Oracle
  Oracles are men or women born with a special propensity 
  to be possessed by non-physical beings.  Sometime 
  around puberty, most of those who are destined to be 
  oracles will go in to a fit.  If divination shows that it 
  is the first attempt at possession by some benevolent 
  entity, the young person will be sent to train as an oracle.  
  Those who are possessed by dharmapalas or Bön deities 
  will be sent to a monastery for training.  Those who are 
  possessed by lesser entities will be trained by village 
  oracles.  The young oracles learn to enter a trance that 
  opens them up to possession.  The oracles then works to 
  try to establish special relationships with each of their 
  possessing entities so that they can rely on them to come 
  when called.  Loyal possessors will also help protect the 
  oracle from possession by malevolent entities.
  The primary function of oracles is to let humans have 
  direct interaction with supernatural beings.  Thus, 
  Oracles act as gateways that let ordinary people 
  communicate with the supernatural world.  If someone’s 
  action has inadvertently offended a local deity, the 
  entity possessing an oracle can tell what was done, 
  who was offended and how retributions can be made.  
  The entities who posses oracles can diagnose illness 
  and misfortune.  Some dharmapalas will go as far as 
  to exorcise malevolent spirits, chasing them off with 
  their wrath, sucking them out with a ceremonial arrow 
  or beating them out of a person with the flat part of a 
  sword.  Some of the entities can perform miraculous 
  healing or can consecrate medicines or charms 
  through the oracle.  Many of the entities which 
  078
  character creation
  In Brief- Male or female monk from the most ancient 
  and shamanistic Buddhist sect.
  In Brief- Able to call powerful gods & spirits down to 
  speak through him or her.
  
  079
  character class
  posses oracles predict the future, although they 
  may use symbolic language or obscure terms.
  Oracles can be possessed by a large variety of beings, 
  from nearly-enlightened dharmapalas to ethically neutral 
  earth spirits.  Generally, the more powerful the spirit 
  is, the harder it is to call and the more picky it is about 
  ritual regalia used and the purity of the Oracle. Also, the 
  more powerful the entity, the less control the Oracle has 
  while being possessed.  With a powerful spirit, the Oracle 
  does not stay conscious and does not remember anything 
  afterwards.  With a weaker spirit, the medium can retain 
  consciousness, communicate with the spirit and even 
  engage in battles of will against the possessors.
  The Problem With Dorje Shugden
  Dorje Shugden was a learned Yellow Hat abbot who had a 
  political struggle with the fifth Dalai Lama in the 17th century. 
  Dorje Shugden criticized the Dalai Lama for making deals 
  with the older non-reformed sects.  Stories differ as to what 
  happened to him: some say he committed suicide so he could 
  become a vengeful spirit, others say that he was murdered, his 
  throat stuffed with Khatas.  Either way, he became a rampaging 
  Gyelpo demon that caused much damage.  In order to stop the 
  reign of terror the Yellow Hats were forced to make amends 
  with Dorje Shugden.  They bound him to an oath, made him a 
  dharmapala and named him an official protector of the Yellow 
  Hat church.  Dorje Shugden took on the responsibility of 
  protecting the Yellow Hat sect from being corrupted from the 
  un-reformed sects.  Dorje Shugden took on this job zealously. 
  Some of his followers created conflicts between the Yellow Hat 
  sect and the other sects.
  Today he is still considered an official protector of the church. 
  Yet there are disturbing rumors about him.  He seems to help 
  worshippers in personal matters that have nothing to do with 
  Buddhist practice, and he has been rumored to hurt and kill 
  those who offend him.  If you believe these rumors, then 
  Dorje Shudgen is acting more like a demon who wants to be 
  worshipped than like a true dharmapala.  The great dharmapalas 
  Pehar, Palden Lhamo and Dharmaraja, through their Oracles, 
  have hinted that they have fought wars against Dorje Shugden. 
  Behind closed doors, some lamas wonder if he is truly bound or 
  whether he is masquerading as a protector.
  Oracles and Gender
  Oracles can only be possessed by entities that are the same 
  gender as the Oracle.  Fortunately, most entities have a 
  masculine and feminine aspect.  The entity will have an 
  aspect which it is typically known by, but it will have an 
  aspect of the other gender with the same powers, knowledge 
  and duties.  There are only a few entities which only male 
  Oracles can access or only female Oracles can access. 
  Dakinis are perhaps the most important of gender segregated 
  spirits.
  Sharing Minds
  When an Oracle is able to stay conscious during 
  possession, there are now two wills coexisting within 
  the body at the same time.  Either the Oracle or the 
  possessing entity can make an opposed WIL roll to:
   
  -Make the body do something, or stop the body from 
  doing something.
   
  -Force the opponent to answer some question 
  truthfully.
  In addition, the spiritual entity can make an opposed WIL 
  roll to do the following:
   
  -Force the Oracle to go unconscious.
   
  -Do 1 BLD damage to the Oracle’s body.
  The Oracle can make an opposed WIL roll to do the 
  following to the spirit:
   
  -Force the spirit to leave the Oracle’s body.
   
  -Prevent the spirit from leaving the Oracle’s body.
   
  -Do 1 Magical STH damage to the spirit.
  False Oracles
  Like almost every other magical profession, there are 
  people who make a living claiming to be oracles when 
  they really aren’t.  These fakes usually ingest a mixture of 
  hashish and guinea pepper to fake the physiological signs 
  of oracular possession.  They then act strange and make 
  cryptic remarks which they will later interpret creatively 
  in order to prove that they were right.  There are multiple 
  ways to discover such a fake.  The simplest is to put a 90 
  lb. (40kg.) iron helmet on the “oracle.”   A truly-possessed 
  oracle will have the strength to hold up the helmet without 
  hurting his or her neck.  Also, real Oracles will expose 
  fake Oracles while possessed.
  Dorje Shudgen- A powerful dharmapala of questionable loyalties.
  
  080
  character creation
  Recognized Oracles have habitual possessors 
  who are dharmapalas recognized by the Buddhist 
  sects.  These Oracles will be tested to become named 
  an official Oracle of that dharmapala.  Recognized 
  oracles live in (or attached to) a monastery that 
  will support them.  Very high ranking oracles will 
  have their own temples with servants.  Recognized 
  oracles must keep themselves pure, otherwise the 
  dharmapala would refuse to enter them.  Although 
  they do not take monks’ vows they must stay celibate 
  and avoid any form of karmic pollution.
  Lesser oracles are not recognized by the sects because 
  they are possessed by entities that the sects can not 
  be sure are entirely benevolent.  These oracles live 
  in villages, encampments or cities, just like other 
  lay people.  They can marry and drink.  They own 
  their own oracular equipment which they carry with 
  them when they are called to consult.  The Buddhist 
  sects fear and distrust unrecognized Oracles for 
  three reasons.  First, the Oracles may be possessed 
  by malevolent spirits pretending to be dharmapalas 
  (see p.190).  Second, unrecognized oracles may be 
  fakes who are not possessed by any entity.  Third, 
  these Oracles can often retain consciousness 
  (because the force of will of the entities that possess 
  them is weaker). Since they are conscious, they can 
  communicate with the entities that possess them, and 
  since most of these entities are ethically neutral, the 
  oracles can talk them in to doing harmful things.  In 
  other words, these Oracles are feared because they 
  may be able to perform a type of sorcery.
  Skills
   
  Free Skills: Oracular Ability (1).
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 13, Crafts 7, Divination 
  6, Exorcism 6, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 8, 
  Scholarship 12, Sorcery 15, Tantra 14, Travel 8, 
  Weathermaking 12, Western Knowledge 20.
   
  Special Skills: Oracular Ability costs 15 skill 
  points per level.  Habitual Possessors can also be 
  bought with skill points (see next page for costs).
  Money- 1250 Srang + 50 per month.
  Suggested Skills- Lance, Oath Binding, Iconography, 
  Pantheons, Tailoring.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Chuba (Common), 
  Oracular Chair, Oracular Hat, Lance.
  Suggested Reading- Metaphysical Beings (p.20), 
  Oracles (p.30).
  Oracular Ability (AWR)- The PC can put himself 
  or herself in a trance where spirits can easily enter and 
  possess the PC.  If the PC has no habitual possessors, any 
  nearby entity, good or bad, can enter the PC.  If the PC has 
  habitual possessors, the PC will speak a ritual invocation 
  for one of those beings.  The possessors will try to fight 
  off any malevolent entities that might try to enter the PC. 
  The habitual possessor will enter the PC to speak and act 
  through the PC.
  With a moderate (20) difficulty roll, the PC can open 
  himself or herself up to possession by any spirit.  To call a 
  habitual possessor, use the difficulty for that possessor (see 
  sidebar).
  The PC can make it easier to summon a being with the 
  following actions:
   
  +1/day: Fasting (see Hunger, p.152).
   
  +2: Wearing an Oracular Outfit, sitting in an Oracular 
  Chair and holding a lance.
   
  +4: Wearing an Oracular Outfit created specifically 
  for the being who will be summoned, using that being’s 
  favorite motifs.
   
  +4: Holding the favorite weapons of the particular entity 
  being summoned.
   
  +4: Celibacy (for the last year).
  Being possessed by a wrathful emanation (including most 
  dharmapalas) uses 2 END per minute.  Being possessed by 
  a peaceful emanation uses 1 END per minute.  When all 
  END is gone, damage is done to BLD.  If the PC’s END 
  is at 0 when the entity leaves, the PC will immediately go 
  unconscious.  See p.21 for more on peaceful and wrathful 
  emanations.
  When the entity possessing the Oracle is in control of the 
  Oracle’s body, the body’s STH and SPD are equal to half of 
  the entity’s Magical STH (or, in the case of very powerful 
  beings that are multiple places at once, the amount of MSTH 
  the being has split off to be present in this space and time).  
  This is how possessed Oracles can dance around wearing 90 
  lb. iron helmets or bend swords in to corkscrew shapes.
  The PCs state of consciousness on being possessed is based 
  on the success of the Oracular Ability roll: 
   
  1-4: PC is not conscious and will not remember anything 
  that happens during the possession.
   
  5-9: PC is dimly aware of what is happening and will 
  remember what happened.  The PC can make opposed WIL 
  rolls against the possessor, but at -10.
   
  10+: The PC is fully conscious while possessed, can 
  communicate mentally with the entity, and can make 
  opposed WIL rolls to regain control of their bodies or 
  dominate the entity’s mind.
  
  081
  character class
  Habitual Possessors
  Legendary Difficulty (40) to Summon
  Pehar (Costs 30 Skill Points): The State Oracle of Tibet 
  at Nechung is the most famous Oracle of Pehar.  One of 
  Tibet’s two main protectors, recruited by Padmasambhava, 
  he is charged with protecting the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan 
  government.  Pehar is the chief of all the Gyelpo spirits (see 
  p.186).  Pehar was once the guardian of a king that the epic 
  hero Gesar killed.  Now it is forbidden to read the epic around 
  him for fear of angering him.  Pehar was also once a protector 
  of a Nyingmapa monastery, but after a fight with the abbot 
  there he was trapped in a box and thrown in a river.  He was 
  rescued by a Yellow Hat priest at Drepung and became the 
  protector of that monastery before moving up the ranks to 
  become a protector of all of Tibet.  It is said that Pehar is very 
  advanced along the path to enlightenment and he will soon 
  surpass this world and go to the heavens (and no longer be 
  able to possess people).
  Dharmaraja (Costs 25 Skill Points): Known as “the pledge 
  holder,” is charged with enforcing pledges and punishing those 
  who willingly break them (including other dharmapalas). 
  Dharmaraja is known as a protector of the Yellow Hat and 
  Nyingmapa sects.  Dharmaraja is also known as a great 
  blacksmith and his weapon is a blacksmith’s hammer.  He 
  also protects terma (hidden treasures) and treasure finders.
  Mahakala (Costs 25 Skill Points): “Great Black One” or 
  “Lord with Six Hands.”  This is the wrathful emanation of 
  Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion.  His weapons are a 
  curved knife, trident or snare.  Mahakala is known for his 
  ability to see the future, past and present simultaneously. 
  Mahakala also represents the energetic, active aspect of 
  compassion: his charge is to motivate people to act in 
  compassionate ways.  Also, he is a teacher of the arts of 
  meditation.  He was first worshipped by the Sakyapa sect, but 
  is now worshiped by the Yellow Hat sect as well.
  Ksetrapala (Costs 25 Skill Points): Minister of Mahakala 
  (see above).  Ksetrapala is the protector of cemeteries, lamas 
  and magicians.  He is a dark blue Yaksha who rides a bear.  He 
  is also a killer of those who disobey their lamas.  He lives in 
  a terrifying cemetery near India which is actually an adjacent 
  hell (See p.25). He is the sworn enemy of the Nine Headed 
  Chinese Demon (a demon which aids the Chinese in matters 
  concerning Tibet).  Also known as the guardian of doorways.
  Hard (30) Difficulty to Summon:
  Dorje Legspa (Costs 20 Skill Points): This demon tried 
  to stop the Buddhist missionary Padmasambhava but was 
  instead bound by him to an oath to protect Buddhism.  He 
  was the guardian of many of the teachings Padmasambhava 
  hid in Tibet and he is a protector of the Nyingmapa sect.  The 
  Nyingmapa think this dharmapala is even more powerful than 
  Pehar.
  Dorje Shugden (Costs 20 Skill Points): “Lightningbolt 
  Thrower.”  This dharmapala is a protector of the Yellow 
  Hat sect, charged with protecting that sect from corrupting 
  influence from the older sects (especially Nyingmapa).  He 
  is also charged with broadcasting dharma and increasing 
  wisdom, happiness, peace and the might of Buddhism in 
  Tibet.  He has his own hell in which he punishes obstacle 
  creating demons and oath breakers.  Dorje Shugden protects 
  worshipers against the machinations of their enemies and is 
  known for being very quick to respond to requests for help. 
  See the text box (p.79) for more on Dorje Shugden.
  Me Lha (Costs 20 Skill Points): This is a pre-Buddhist 
  god of fire, worshipped primarily by Bön priests.  He 
  is invoked for the fire exorcism (See p.98).  When 
  he is seen he sometimes appears as an ascetic beggar 
  monk.  He is accompanied by 10 emanations of fire. 
  Nodbyin Shingya (Costs 20 Skill Points): This servant of 
  Pehar is one of the major entities responsible for the weather. 
  Invoked by weathermakers in many ceremonies.
  Nyanchen Thangla (Costs 20 Skill Points): This is the god of 
  Marpori (the hill that the Potala palace is built on).  He is the 
  guardian of the treasures of the Potala and the executioner of 
  spirits who refuse to become dharmapalas.
  Shangs Pad (Costs 20 Skill Points): This dharmapala is the 
  official protector of the Sera monastery.  He is shown as a 
  black god holding a thunderbolt.  He is a very belligerent 
  being and is, in part, responsible for the aggressive tendencies 
  sometimes exhibited by the monks of Sera.  He was once a tea 
  server in a Buddhist monastery in India who led a sinful life.  
  After he died he became a malevolent spirit and was bound 
  to an oath to be good.  He was found too prone to cruelty, 
  though, and had to be re-bound by stronger oaths.
  Moderate (20) Difficulty to Summon:
  Hero God (Costs 15 Skill Points): This is the spirit of a local 
  hero.  Part of the person’s soul was reincarnated, but part of 
  it stayed in this world, feeding on the retelling of its stories. 
  They act primarily as advisors.  Magical STH 20.
  Ancestor Spirit (Costs 10 Skill Points): Every family has two 
  spirits made up of what remains in this world of the family’s 
  male or female ancestors.  The spirits have absorbed wisdom 
  and personality from each of the ancestors.  More recently 
  deceased ancestors can still act as individual personalities, yet 
  they are part of the ancestor spirit as a whole.  The spirits’ only 
  motivations are to look after the well being of people within 
  their lineage.  Magical STH 20. 
  Dakini (Costs 10 Skill Points): “Sky Dancer”  This is a female 
  spirit from a sky realm.  Dakinis sometimes come to this realm 
  to transmit information to tantric students, to comfort humans 
  undergoing tragedies or to help humans in great need.  Only 
  female Oracles can manifest Dakinis.  See p.23 for more. 
  Magical STH  20.
  Local Dharmapala (Costs 10 Skill Points): This was a 
  dangerous malevolent spirit who was bound by local monks 
  or magicians.  The spirit must obey an oath to protect the 
  people of Tibet and the dharma.  The dharmapala is not far 
  removed from its basic instincts as a cruel, violent malevolent 
  spirit.  Only a constant reminder of its oath will keep it in line.  
  Even though forced to help, it will help in the most cruel and 
  difficult way possible. Magical STH 15.
  Zhidag Spirit (Costs 5 Skill Points): This is a spirit of the 
  Zhidag class.  It is not bound by any oaths and acts only in its 
  own self-interest.  It is bound to the soil and will do what it 
  can to protect the soil.  It will also do things in exchange for 
  offerings or simply for amusement.  See p.187 for more on the 
  Zhidag.  Magical STH 20.
  Lu Spirit (Costs 5 Skill Points): This is a spirit of the Lu class 
  (see p.186).  These are water spirits that live at the bottom of 
  lakes and rivers.  Like the Zhidag spirits, the Lu are more-
  or-less neutral towards humanity and will only help people 
  if they think they will get something in return.  Magical STH 
  20. 
  Ghost (Costs 5 Skill Points): These are the spirits of dead 
  humans who were unable to find rebirth.  Some were trapped 
  here by sorcery, some resisted rebirth, some simply got lost. 
  In themselves they can do very little (they are weak and 
  unskilled).  Their value is that they can see and talk to other 
  invisible beings.  They act as go-betweens between the 
  Oracle and other spirits.  Magical STH 10.
  
  Revenant
  The PC was an ordinary person, who did bad things 
  and had self-destructive attachments, then died and was 
  reborn in the hell realms.  After having experienced the 
  tortures of hell, the PC was chosen by a benevolent force 
  (perhaps Yama, the dharmapala king of the hell realms).  
  This being guided the soul on a tour of the hells, showing 
  all the various tortures.  Time passes more quickly in the 
  hells, and the soul may have toured the hells for weeks 
  or months while only a few days passed in the physical 
  realm.
  The being then sent the soul back to his or her earthly 
  incarnation.  The revenant was been given a mission: to 
  describe to people the suffering of the hells.  The hope is 
  that such information will convince people to avoid bad 
  karma so they will not end up in the hells.  The revenant’s 
  cold corpse, dead for some time, suddenly came back 
  to life.  The injury or ailment that killed the revenant 
  eventually healed.
  Some revenants were given special powers by the entities 
  that sent them back.  Some can go in to a trance and see 
  the hell realms.  A few can even communicate with the 
  beings there.  People who have lost a loved one may pay a 
  revenant to search the hell realms, to make sure the person 
  did not end up in hell.  If so, the revenant will be paid to 
  give advice and comforting words to the tortured soul. 
  Other revenants have been given the power to discern 
  people currently bound for hell, or to make the hell realms 
  visible through their orations.
  Revenants earn most of their money by begging.  Since 
  warning people about hell is a holy (suffering-easing) 
  cause, helping a revenant, even with a few coins, is 
  considered an act of good karma. 
  Revenants have a reputation for being 
  either stupid, crazy, or both.  Some were 
  psychologically damaged by the suffering they 
  endured in the hell realms.  Others may have had 
  their brains damaged by the injury or illness that killed 
  them.  Others are known to have been weird long before 
  whatever caused their deaths (something about their 
  oddness is what caused them to be chosen to return).
  Skills
   
  Free Skills: Storytelling (3), Hell Realms (4)
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 10, Crafts 7, Divination 6, 
  Exorcism 7, Folk Knowledge 5, Medicine 8, Scholarship 
  13, Sorcery 12, Tantra 14, Travel 8, Weathermaking 12, 
  Western Knowledge 20.
   
  Special Skills: The Revenant special skills cost 7 
  skill points each.
  Money- 750 Srang + 30 per month.
  Special Bonus Characteristics
   
  Experienced Sufferer (Mandatory Advantage)- 
  Having experienced the tortures of hell (having been 
  sawed in to pieces, or boiled in molten iron, or frozen 
  until his or her flesh fell off) the physical discomforts 
  of this world seem tame to the PC.  The PC gets +10 to 
  save vs. pain, fear and nausea. 
   
  Traumatized (Mandatory Disadvantage)- The PC 
  is psychologically damaged.  At least one of the PC’s 
  attachments must be a dark attachment (see p.129) and 
  the PC will gain no Bonus Points for it.
  Starting Karma- PC starts with -10 to current KMA.
  Suggested 
  Skills- 
  Farming, 
  Foreign 
  Language: 
  Chinese, Funerary Rites, Oratory.
  082
  character creation
  Yama- The demon lord of death, a powerful dharmapala.
  In Brief- Sent back from hell with powers and the mission 
  to warn others of hell’s suffering.
  
  Revenant Special Skills
  See Hell (AWR)- The PC can go in to a light trance 
  where he or she can view any part of the hell realms.
   
  Easy (10): See some specified part of the hell 
  realms.
   
  Moderate (20): Instantly find a person within the 
  hell realms.
   
  Hard 
  (30): 
  Communicate 
  with a person in the hell realms.
   
  Legendary 
  (40): 
  Com-
  municate 
  with 
  hell 
  beings 
  or hungry ghosts who have 
  accidentally come to our world.
  Sense Hellbound (AWR)- 
  The PC can sense people who, on 
  their current path, will be reborn 
  in the hell realms or the hungry 
  ghost realm.  This could be 
  people who cause the suffering 
  of others, directly or indirectly, 
  or someone who causes suffering 
  to 
  themselves 
  via 
  negative 
  emotions or obsessions.
   
  Easy (10): Discern whether a 
  particular parson is on the path to 
  hell.
   
  Moderate (20): Pick the 
  hellbound out of a crowd.
   
  Hard (30): Determine which 
  hell a person is bound for, and 
  thus what sin predominates in 
  the person’s bad karma (e.g. 
  people who steal from or exploit 
  others are reborn in ‘black lines’, 
  those who rape younger relatives 
  are reborn in the seventh hot hell, etc.)
  Vivid Description (CHM)- The PC has been given 
  the power to describe hell in such a way that forces 
  those viewing to actually see hell.
   
  Easy (10): Everyone who can hear and understand 
  the PC will see a transparent image of the hell realms.
   
  Moderate (20): Everyone who can hear and 
  understand the PC will see only the hell realms (like a 
  20 strength Obfuscating Hallucination, see p.153).
   
  Hard (30): Everyone in speaking range will see the 
  hells, even if they are deaf or do not understand the 
  PC’s language.
  083
  character class
  Suggested Equipment- Begging Bowl, 
  Boots, Chuba (Common), Hand Prayer Wheel.
  Suggested Reading- Metaphysical Beings: Hell 
  Beings (p.25), Cosmology (p.19), The Hells (p.25), 
  Reincarnation (p.28), Most Likely Rebirth (p.148).
  Sakyapa Monk
  This is a male or female monk from the Sakyapa sect.  The 
  Sakyapa sect’s teachings can be traced back to a lineage 
  which was originally derived from celestial beings.  The 
  Sakyapa were the leading sect in Tibet at the time of the 
  Mongol invasion and Kublai Khan named them the official 
  rulers of Tibet.  They were known for ruling the country a 
  little too strictly, using sorcery to enforce their will.  Their 
  reputation became so bad that the reformed Yellow Hat sect 
  overthrew them, convincing the Mongols and the people of 
  Tibet that they should be in charge.
  The Sakyapa emphasize logic 
  and scholastics more than the 
  other Red Hat sects.  They use 
  Tantras, but only after a long 
  period of study in logic.
  Young monks have many 
  choices.  They can study 
  a wide variety of subjects, 
  including advanced Buddhist 
  practice.  They can leave the 
  monastery, traveling around 
  the country.  They can study 
  at 
  various 
  colleges 
  and 
  monasteries and with various 
  lone teachers.  Whatever skills 
  they have they can use to 
  make money for themselves 
  and for their monasteries.
  Skills
   Free Skills: Literacy (1), 
  Logic (1).
   Skill 
  Costs: 
  Combat 
  13, Crafts 6, Divination 7, 
  Exorcism 6, Folk Knowledge 
  7, Medicine 6, Scholarship 4, 
  Sorcery 10, Tantra 9, Travel 9, 
  Weathermaking 11, Western 
  Knowledge 13.
  Money- 750 Srang + 50 per month.
  Starting Karma- PC starts with +10 to current KMA.
  Suggested Skills- Abidharma, Indifference, Literacy, Logic, 
  Mathematics, Philosophy, Teaching, Tibetan History.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Monk’s Robes, Pen & Ink, 
  Iron Pencase.
  Suggested Reading- Monastic Life (p.10), Buddhism 
  (p.33), Buddhism: Sakyapa (p.36), Tantra (p.38).
  In Brief- Male or female monk from a Buddhist sect that 
  stresses logic and the tantra.
  
  Savage
  Growing on steep mountain 
  sides in deep Himalayan ravines 
  are lush rainforests.  Living in 
  these rainforests are several 
  small groups of people.  Tibetans 
  consider these people “savages” 
  because they are not part of 
  Tibetan culture.  Tibetans have 
  little contact with them and 
  when they do it is with Tibetan-
  speaking representatives of the 
  tribes.  Chinese and Western 
  anthropologists have never been 
  able to study these peoples.
  The PC is a representative of one 
  of these tribes.  The PC has been 
  taught Tibetan and sent to trade 
  with Tibetans.  The PC’s goal is 
  to obtain things that their people 
  do not have the technology to 
  make, like metal tools.  Since 
  they have little to trade with, 
  some savages hire themselves 
  out as mercenaries.
  The savages’ religion is a simple 
  form of shamanism, similar to 
  old Bön.  It may even have some 
  deities and rituals in common 
  with old Bön.  They worship the 
  migyu (p.54) as powerful spirits 
  of nature.  They have no belief in 
  enlightenment.  They have few 
  sexual taboos.  They wear very 
  little clothing for most of the 
  year: loincloths for men, grass 
  skirts for women.  Both sexes 
  wear their hair long.  Men bind 
  their hair above their forehead 
  with a piece of bamboo or a 
  wild boar tusk.  Both sexes wear 
  heavy iron earrings.
  Savages live by simple hunting 
  and gathering.  Men are the 
  primary hunters.  They use 
  bows and poisoned arrows to 
  bring down monkeys and other 
  animals.  Women spend most 
  of their time gathering plants, 
  making crafts and taking 
  care of encampments.
  They have no currency and only value precious 
  metals as a means to trade with Tibetans.  They 
  barter amongst themselves.  They have no written 
  language but cut circles and crosses in bamboo as 
  reminders of deals they have 
  made.
  These groups live in a simple 
  tribal structure, with roving 
  groups headed by a dominant 
  leader (usually a male).  Any 
  person from one of these groups 
  who can prove himself or herself 
  a superior leader can become the 
  head of a tribe.
  Special Equipment- Free Long 
  Bow with 20 arrows, Arrow 
  Poison, Bamboo Wrist Guards.
  Skills
   Free 
  Skills: 
  Archery 
  (1), 
  Wilderness Survival (1), Foreign 
  Language: Tibetan (1).
   Skill Costs: Combat 5, Crafts 
  9, Divination 8, Exorcism 9, 
  Folk Knowledge 7, Medicine 9, 
  Scholarship 20, Sorcery 17, Tantra 
  20, Travel 9, Weathermaking 12, 
  Western Knowledge 25.
  Money- 500 Srang + 10 per 
  month.
  Suggested 
  Skills- 
  Climbing, 
  Prowling, 
  Knife, 
  Mountain 
  Climbing, Swimming, Tracking.
  Suggested Equipment- Leather 
  Armor, Knife.
  Suggested Reading- Ecology 
  (p.53), Travel Dangers: Hunters 
  (p.180), Travel Dangers: Wild 
  Animals (p.180).
  084
  character creation
  In Brief- Primitive hunter and warrior from secluded 
  rainforest valleys at the foot of the Himalayas.
  
  085
  character class
  Sorcerer
  In ancient times, skilled sorcerers could brag about their 
  powers publicly.  Sorcerers would rule their communities 
  by fear.  Anyone who displeased them would have an 
  illness or demon sent to attack them.  They could extort 
  money, goods and services from anyone except other 
  sorcerers.  In addition, powerful people would pay them 
  to attack their enemies.  Rich and powerful people would 
  have a staff of sorcerers that constantly did battle with the 
  sorcerers of competitors.
  Nowadays, with a reformed Buddhist sect ruling the 
  country, such open sorcery is rare.  Sorcerers must 
  seek teachers, study and ply their trade in secret.  If the 
  community discovers someone is a sorcerer, they may 
  be banished or shunned.  Local lamas may even bind a 
  sorcerer to an oath not to use his or her powers.  In the 
  remote countryside, known sorcerers may be subject to 
  mob violence.
  Sorcerers typically learn their trade by paying another 
  sorcerer large sums for training.  There are also some rare 
  books that describe the secret rituals of sorcery.
  Bad karma is a sorcerer’s medium and so the sorcerer 
  must travel all over Tibet in search of items with bad 
  karma in them.  Rituals require things like the bones of 
  murder victims or dirt from a haunted cemetery. 
  Most sorcerers have some cover occupation: farmer, 
  nomad, merchant, doctor, etc.  Some even join 
  monasteries, though they must carefully avoid contact 
  with lamas powerful enough to discern their true natures. 
  They are seldom skilled in their legitimate occupation, 
  but use sorcery to ensure that they are successful.
  There are three kinds of sorcerers: “petty” sorcerers, 
  extortionists and sorcerers for hire.
   
  “Petty” sorcerers destroy personal enemies and 
  competitors and use love magic to gain the sexual 
  partners they desire.  Most sorcerers start as this type, 
  and many never go past it.
   
  Extortionists single out victims, give the victims a 
  display of their powers, and threaten to kill the victim if 
  the victim does not quietly pay extortion money.
   
  Sorcerers for hire travel around the country, secretly 
  contacting and offering their services to people.  If 
  sorcerers put in a word, through discrete contacts, 
  potential clients will be able to seek the sorcerers out. 
  Clients pay sorcerers to destroy enemies, help with 
  seduction or fight off other sorcerers the clients believe 
  are after them.
  Skills 
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 12, Crafts 8, Divination 8, 
  Exorcism 6, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 7, 
  Scholarship 13, Sorcery 5, Tantra 18, Travel 8, 
  Weathermaking 9, Western Knowledge 20.
  Money- 1500 Srang + 60 per week.
  Special Equipment- PC starts with items from the 
  Sorcerous Components Table on p.103 (choose 7).
  Starting Karma- PC starts with -10 to current KMA.
  Suggested Skills- Bird Control, Butchery, Disease 
  Sorcery, Love Magic, Poisons, Prowling, Simple Curses, 
  Thread Crosses, Weather Sorcery.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Chuba (Fine), Hat (Fox-
  Skin), Knife, Sorcerer’s Hat, Sorcerer’s Robes.
  Suggested Reading- Metaphysical Beings: Personal 
  Gods (p.24), Metaphysical Beings: Malevolent Spirits 
  (p.24), Protection (p.26), Medicine (p.29), Sorcery 
  Skills (p.103).
  In Brief- Using knowledge of malevolent magical 
  rituals for pay and for personal gain.
  Milarepa, Good Sorcerers and Evil PCs
  In Buddhism there is no “good” or “evil.”  There are only 
  obsessions, addictions, habits and attachments which cause 
  people to cause suffering.  Some cause suffering primarily 
  to others, some cause suffering primarily to themselves.  The 
  nature of karma is such that suffering will spread: those who 
  try to hurt themselves will end up hurting others, and those 
  who try to hurt others will end up hurting themselves.  The 
  logical thing to do, then, is to avoid causing any suffering. 
  People who do cause suffering are either ignorant of the fact 
  that they are hurting themselves, or they are ruled by emotions 
  which drive them to actions they know are unwise.
  The great Buddhist saint Milarepa was once a sorcerer.  As 
  a child, his father died and his property was entrusted to 
  his uncle.  His uncle was cruel and abused Milarepa and 
  his mother.  His mother sent Milarepa to become a sorcerer. 
  When Milarepa returned he destroyed his uncle’s life and 
  killed several members of the uncle’s family.  However, 
  Milarepa did not find contentment in revenge, instead he felt 
  sorrow.  Milarepa wandered on, looking for answers.  He ran 
  in to the great teacher Marpa, founder of the Kagyupa sect and 
  became Marpa’s most famous student.
  Sorcerers are people who, at some point, set out to learn to 
  hurt people by magic.  Every sorcerer has spent some time 
  making a living by hurting people or threatening to hurt 
  people.  However, a sorcerer can be a likeable character.  Here 
  are some possibilities:
   
  -A sorcerer who comes from a family of sorcerers.  The PC 
  is only now starting to consider that he or she might have other 
  possible paths in life.
   
  -Like Milarepa, the PC has been driven in to sorcery by 
  hatred and a lust for revenge.  The PC knows he or she is 
  gaining bad karma but is too full of hatred to care.
   
  -The PC is addicted to opium or in deep debt and the only 
  way he or she can make enough money is through sorcery.
   
  -The PC is the servant of a rich and powerful aristocrat, 
  one of a staff of sorcerers.  The PC’s employer will not allow 
  the PC to stop practicing sorcery.
  A sorcerer PC can make the decision to stop using sorcery in 
  the first minute of gameplay and never use sorcery again.  The 
  only consequence would be a sudden loss of income.
  
  Treasure Finder
  As a child, the PC would have visions or dreams 
  showing the location of valuable things.  The PC was 
  sent to a monastery, though he or she probably did 
  not take monastic vows.  The monks taught the PC 
  meditation, scholastics and tantra.  As and adult, the 
  monastery employed the PC to find “treasures” for 
  them.
  Treasure Finders have a home in or near the monastery, 
  but spend most of their time traveling the countryside 
  looking for “treasures.  The treasures found by Treasure 
  Finders can be:
   
  Holy Objects: Paintings, charms and ritual devices 
  which are imbued with good karma.  They are good 
  luck and can help increase the success of Buddhist or 
  benevolent magic rituals.
   
  Sacred Texts: Secrets teachings that were hidden by 
  ancient teachers because the people of Tibet were not 
  yet ready for them.
   
  Hidden Valleys: Hidden within inhospitable 
  mountains are idyllic valleys that can be used for 
  solitary meditation or for places to hide.
  All the Buddhist sects, as well as Bön, employ Treasure 
  Finders.  The Dalai Lama has a personal Treasure 
  Finder.  The Nyingmapa, however, are the most famous 
  for training Treasure Finders.  The Nyingmapa use 
  a variety of teachings that were hidden around the 
  countryside, mostly by the teacher Padmasambhava. 
  Many of the holy texts Treasure Finders discover are 
  written in the secret language of the Dakinis.  This 
  language is very dense: a page of bizarre symbols 
  may translate in to hundreds of pages of Tibetan text.  
  The Dakini language cannot be taught by one human 
  to another.  To learn the Dakini language the Treasure 
  Finder must either embody a Dakini using the Yidam 
  Tantra (if a female) or achieve spiritual union with 
  a practitioner embodying a dakini using the Sexual 
  Tantra (if male).
  Not all treasures are found in the physical world.  Very 
  advanced Treasure Finders can find texts that were 
  hidden in the heavens or in the realms of consciousness. 
  Some Treasure Finders are reincarnations of ancient 
  teachers who hid teachings within their own mind-
  stream (soul) to be found via deep introspection.
  Treasure finders are known to be eccentric and 
  unconventional, sometimes even crude.  Their 
  eccentricities are accepted because they are so valuable 
  to the spiritual life of Tibet.  Some non-Buddhists 
  and conservative Yellow Hats claim that Treasure 
  Finders forge their “treasures.”  Treasure finders 
  know the truth is not so simple (see Text Box, 
  next page).
  Skills
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 13, Crafts 5, Divination 
  6, Exorcism 8, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 8, 
  Scholarship 10, Sorcery 15, Tantra 10, Travel 7, 
  Weathermaking 12, Western Knowledge 18.
   
  Special Skills: The Treasure Finder special skills cost 
  7 points per level.
  Money- 1000 Srang + 60 per week.
  Special Equipment- 500 Srang worth of holy objects.
  Suggested Skills- Dagger Exorcism, Dakini Language, 
  Forgery, Iconography, Literacy, Mountain Climbing, 
  Painting, Tibetan Geography.
  086
  character creation
  In Brief- Able to find holy objects and sacred texts 
  hidden throughout Tibet and beyond.
  Treasure Finder Special Skills
  Treasure Location (AWR)- This is the primary ability of 
  a Treasure Finder to gain magical clues to the location of a 
  treasure.
   
  Easy (10): See a treasure (and its immediate surroundings) 
  in a dream.  Upon waking the PC must attempt to figure out the 
  location of the place he or she saw.
   
  Moderate (20): Enter a waking trance.  The PC loses 
  consciousness and control over his or her body and will walk to 
  a hidden treasure, oblivious to any dangers.
   
  Hard (30): See a treasure in a vision while conscious and 
  lucid.
  The success of a Treasure Location skill roll will dictate what 
  kind of treasure is found:
   
  1-9: A Charm, Prehistoric Bead, Thangaka or Statuette.
   
  10-19: An Oracle Ring, Knotted Thunderbolt or T’sa T’sa.
   
  20-29: A Dalai Lama Amulet, Dalai Lama Pill or Rilzin
   
  30-39: A Mirror, Human Skull, Phurba (Brass), Ceremonial 
  Arrow, Thigh Bone Trumpet or Glud Mold that gives an 
  additional +10 to any magical skills utilizing the object.
   
  40-49: A previously undiscovered tantra.  Acts as both an 
  Introductory and Reference text (see p.155) to one of the Tantra 
  skills.
   
  50+: A great treasure (see text box).
   
  Treasure Verification (AWR)- By holding a treasure, the PC 
  can verify whether it is authentic.
   
  Easy (10): Tell if the treasure is a forgery.
   
  Moderate (20): Tell if the treasure is a blessed, cursed or 
  neutral object.
   
  Hard (30): Tell the magical powers of an object.
  Treasure Meditation (AWR)- Prerequisite: Meditation 
  (3) or Subtle Self (1).  By meditating, the PC can leave his 
  or her body and find treasures in the heavens or in the realms 
  of consciousness.  Unlike the Subtle Self skill, the PC’s 
  disembodied spirit cannot observe or effect happenings in this 
  world.
   
  Easy (10): Travel to the hidden realms of one’s own 
  consciousness.
   
  Moderate (20): Travel to the lower heavens (home to Asuras, 
  Dakinis, Heavenly Gods).
   
  Hard (30): Travel to the higher heavens (home to Devas, 
  Bodhisattvas).
  
  thangka
  087
  character class
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Chuba (Common), 
  Pen & Ink, Phurba (Brass).
  Suggested Reading- Dark Ages (p.6), Metaphysical 
  Beings (p.20), Protection: Charms (p.26), Tantra (p.38), 
  Money & Equipment: Holy Objects (p.117).
  Thangka- A holy painting on cloth which can be rolled up for transport.
  Do Treasure Finders Counterfeit Their Treasures?
  It would be quite easy for someone to pretend to be a Treasure 
  Finder, wander off in to the mountains, scribble some nonsense 
  on a page, bring it black claiming it is a hidden teaching, then 
  translate it as realistic-sounding (but ultimately useless) tantric 
  teachings and rituals.  Do Treasure Finders ever do this?
  Some Treasure Finders are complete fakes who make a living by 
  conning people.  Some Treasure Finders are completely honest and 
  authentic, they only bring back real objects and texts found using 
  their powers.  Many more Treasure Finders occupy a grey area in 
  between.
  Some Treasure Finders do have real powers and do bring back 
  actual holy treasures.  They cannot always find treasures, and in 
  order to make a living they sometimes resort to forgery.  Other 
  Treasure Finders encounter texts in the havens of the realms of 
  consciousness, then they transcribe those texts on paper and claim 
  they found the pages.  If they were high-status Treasure Finders, 
  their transcriptions would be accepted as legitimate without the 
  need for deceit, but since they do not yet have the credibility they 
  are forced to use forgery.
  Great Treasures
  Gtso Weapons- Metal-workers in the ancient kingdom 
  of Zhang Zhung knew how to make a red metal called 
  gtso.  The very essence of this metal is sorcerous and 
  weapons made from it are both functional weapons and 
  deadly instruments of sorcery.  Though they emanate 
  bad karma (perhaps even enough to gain malevolent 
  self-awareness) they would be powerful weapons 
  against the Chinese.
  Sword of Dorje Legspa- This dharmapala, a protector 
  of blacksmiths, once possessed a human blacksmith 
  and created a mighty sword whose holder becomes 
  invincible.  This sword is said to be hidden in a 
  monastery somewhere in Southeastern Tibet.
  Holy Corpses- Many very advanced holy people have 
  died in seclusion in Tibet.  Their bodies still contain 
  much good karma.   Ritual instruments (skull cups, 
  thighbone trumpets, etc.) made from their bodies will 
  greatly increase the power of any ritual performed with 
  them.  Alternately, the remains of someone with very 
  bad karma can be used to make ritual instruments that 
  facilitate sorcerous rituals.
  Self-Made Thangkas- These paintings, showing 
  Buddhas and great Dharmapalas, have spontaneously 
  created themselves.  They are emanations of those 
  entities (see p.21) emanated in to a inanimate physical 
  form.  They are powerful charms and possible means of 
  communication with those entities.
  Harmful Tantras- As discussed on p.40, there are 
  some tantras that can be used to hurt people.  They 
  were hidden in the hopes that only those who could 
  use them compassionately would find them.  They are 
  often guarded by powerful dharmapalas (which a true 
  Buddhist master should be able to overcome).
  Female Tantra- The sexual tantra rituals which allow 
  females to achieve enlightenment while still on this 
  physical plane have been lost.  They may be hidden in 
  the realm of the Dakinis, a land where few males have 
  ever been able to venture unharmed.  It would be of 
  great value to all sentient beings (and female Tantric 
  practitioners in particular) if a female Treasure Finder 
  can retrieve these texts.
  Prophecies- In addition to Buddhist teachings and 
  tantric rituals, ancient holy people also hid important 
  prophecies.  The prophecies often speak in strange, 
  symbolic terms.  Some events are inevitable (e.g. the 
  eventual loss of Buddhist teachings and its rediscovery 
  in the 2900s), others can be changed.
  Wheel of Eight Swords- The Yellow Hat sect once had 
  a book detailing how to make a devastating magical 
  weapon.  It had such devastating power that the church 
  ordered all copies of this book destroyed.  There may 
  still be copies hidden in Tibet, though.  See p.175 for 
  more.
  Shambhala- The legendary mountain city, an utopia 
  filled with spiritually advanced immortals, is considered 
  by some to be the ultimate hidden treasure.  It is hidden, 
  physically and mentally from those who would seek it. 
  See p.184 for more
  
  butcher’s house
  corpse carriers
  Unclean
  There are several professions in Tibet that are quite 
  necessary but are believed to accumulate so much bad 
  karma that the people in them are considered unclean.  
  This karmic pollution is so invasive that the peoples’ 
  spouses and children also become unclean.  Because 
  they have a hard time getting other jobs, the children of 
  Unclean usually follow the profession of their parents.
  For normal people, bad karma brings misfortune, illness 
  and attacks by malevolent spirits.  Over the generations, 
  however, people in these families have built up a strong 
  resistance to the effects of ill karma.  This resistance lets 
  them do things which would be life threatening to any 
  other Tibetan.
  The most popular profession for an Unclean, 
  especially in nomadic areas, is that of a butcher. 
  They specialize in the painless and efficient killing 
  of animals, usually with a long needle or sharp sword. 
  They also perform castration and ear cutting (the 
  Tibetan equivalent of branding) on animals.  Unclean 
  butchers live in houses with the walls lined with the 
  horns of the animals they have killed.
  Unclean also make a living ferrying people on yak skin 
  coracles.  The creation of a yak skin coracle requires 
  that several healthy yaks be butchered, and thus creates 
  bad karma.
  In farming areas, the Unclean hunt down and kill moles 
  which would otherwise damage crops.
  Weapon smiths are also considered Unclean, because 
  they create weapons which are used for killing people.
  Another job taken by the Unclean is as carriers of 
  corpses.  In Lhasa there are two groups of corpse 
  carriers: one, the Ragyapas, carries corpses within the 
  city (and takes animal carcasses outside of the city).  
  These corpse carriers are also occasionally charged by 
  the Tibetan government with the job of finding fugitive 
  criminals who have fled to the nearby countryside.  
  The Ragyapas wear a hat which is normally reserved 
  for high class Tibetans.  The other (more prestigious) 
  group, Tomden, carries bodies to the sky burial site to 
  the north.  Since corpse carriers see so much death and 
  the many stages of decay, they are sometimes called 
  upon to give their opinion on the cause of someone’s 
  death.
  Many Unclean, especially the Ragyapas, supplement 
  their income with begging.  People often give to an 
  Unclean fearing that they may be cursed if they do not.
  088
  character creation
  In Brief- Families of butchers, blacksmiths and 
  morticians able to withstand dangerous bad karma.
  
  blacksmiths
  089
  character class
  The average member of an Unclean family will take 
  on many of these different jobs in his or her lifetime.  
  Butchery is the most common work an Unclean will find.
  The Unclean may also hire themselves out as human 
  gluds (supernatural scapegoats).  Through a ceremony, 
  malevolent spirits and curses are tricked in to attacking 
  the glud instead of their chosen victim.  Some of a 
  person’s bad karma can even be transferred to the glud. 
  The Unclean uses his or her natural immunities to survive 
  the spirits, curses and bad karma.
  The Unclean are typically poor, and Unclean who gain 
  wealth usually switch to a career that does not cause bad 
  karma.  Yet there is always work for the Unclean, and 
  Tibetans are grateful to have someone willing to do this 
  work.  Most Tibetans respect the Unclean, yet are careful 
  not to get too close to them.  A person can be “infected” 
  with bad karma from an Unclean by living with the 
  Unclean or sharing eating utensils with the Unclean.  The 
  Unclean are the only people in Tibet that can not become 
  monks (unless they hide their heritage).
  Some Unclean are Buddhists and have resigned 
  themselves to lives of accruing bad karma.  They do good 
  deeds whenever they can to try to balance out the bad 
  karma and avoid a bad rebirth.  Other Unclean are non-
  Buddhists who do not believe in karma and do not believe 
  that they are really Unclean.  Many of these Unclean are 
  Muslims.
  Skills
   
  Free Skills: Butchering (1).
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 9, Crafts 8, Divination 
  10, Exorcism 9, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 12, 
  Scholarship 17, Sorcery 7, Tantra 20, Travel 8, 
  Weathermaking 12, Western Knowledge 20.  The 
  Medicine skill Death costs 5 points per level.
  Money- 500 Srang + 10 per month.
  Starting Karma- PC starts with -15 to current KMA.
  Special Bonus Characteristics
   
  Bad Karma Resistance (Mandatory Advantage)- 
  Through generations of generating bad karma, the 
  PC’s family has gained a partial immunity to its effects. 
  The PC gets +10 to save vs. any effects of bad karma, 
  sorcery or attack by malevolent spirits.
  Suggested Skills- Blacksmithing, Death, Simple 
  Curses, Torture, Tracking.
  Suggested Equipment- Begging Bowl, Boots, Chuba 
  (Common), Coracle, Kukuri, Rope, Sewing Needle.
  Suggested Reading- City Life (p.12), Customs: Death 
  (p.16), Protection: Glud (p.27), Using Attributes: KMA 
  (p.147).
  Ragyapa- A caste of unclean corpse carriers.
  
  Weathermaker
  The PC has trained in a monastery for several years 
  (although has probably not taken monastic vows) to learn 
  weather magic.  All Buddhist sects train and employ 
  weathermakers, but Bön trained weathermakers are 
  renowned throughout Tibet for their skill and power.  The 
  state of Kham in Eastern Tibet is also known to produce 
  very powerful weathermakers.  After they are done with 
  their training, they may be employed by the monastery, 
  but they typically spend most of their time traveling the 
  countryside and charging for their services.
  Farmers will hire weathermakers to keep bad weather 
  from damaging their crops.  Tibet is prone to violent 
  hailstorms which can decimate crops in minutes.  Some 
  people secretly pay weather-makers to cause bad weather 
  for an enemy.
  Some weathermakers become official employees of the 
  Tibetan government.  Every dzong (province) has an 
  official weathermaker whose job it is to attempt to keep 
  hail from falling on that dzong.  Holy sites will also 
  have official weathermakers.  The Potala palace in Lhasa 
  employs some of the country’s best weathermakers and 
  has people working 24 hours a day to prevent bad weather 
  from hitting the Potala.
  Bad weather is a bad omen, and bad weather hitting a 
  holy site is a particularly bad omen.  By preventing bad 
  weather, the weathermaker prevents bad luck.  The most 
  important weathermakers are those who keep hail from 
  hitting the Potala, because this would be a bad omen for 
  all of Tibet.
  Weathermaker magic works primarily by identifying the 
  malevolent spirits which cause bad weather.  These spirits 
  are then either exorcised, propitiated with offerings or 
  (in the case of sorcerous weathermaking) summoned. 
  Weathermakers use ceremonies similar to those used 
  by exorcists and sorcerers, but the weathermaking 
  ceremonies are designed specifically for the entities that 
  effect weather.
  Skills
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 13, Crafts 7, Divination 6, Exorcism 
  6, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 8, Scholarship  10, 
  Sorcery 10, Tantra 13, Travel 8, Weathermaking 5, 
  Western Knowledge 15.
  Special Bonus Characteristics
   
  Bön Weathermaker (Optional Advantage, 
  Costs 5 Bonus Points)- The PC was trained in a 
  Bön monastery.  The Bön are well known for the skill 
  of their weathermakers and the PC will gain additional 
  prestige among common folk, but may be shunned 
  by Buddhist practitioners in favor of Buddhist trained 
  weathermakers.  The PC starts with 3 free skill levels in 
  Weathermaking skills.
  Money- 1500 Srang + 50 per month.
  Suggested Skills- Weather Mantras, Weather Prediction, 
  Weather Propitiation, Weather Sorcery.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Chuba: Fine, Glud 
  Mold, Thigh Bone Trumpet, Two Headed Drum.
  Suggested Reading- Metaphysical Beings (p.20), 
  Protection (p.26), Weather (p.54).
  White Robe
  Among the Bön and Nyingmapa traditions there is a 
  special class of practitioners that are neither monks 
  nor normal lay practitioners.  These are called White 
  Robes, because they wear white robes rather than 
  crimson monastic robes.  They are also called the Nagpa 
  (“keepers of mantras”).
  All White Robes can marry, drink alcohol and have 
  children. They wear their hair long (some lineages even 
  forbid them to cut it).  Like monks, they take oaths upon 
  codes of ethical behavior.  They are initiated in to tantric 
  study by White Robe lamas (just as monks who wish 
  to study tantra must be initiated by monastic lamas).  
  Some white robes live among the normal population.  
  Others join together in communes that resemble small 
  monasteries.
  Teachings can be passed down from a White Robe teacher 
  to an apprentice, or they can be passed down from parent 
  to child in a White Robe family.  Family lineages often 
  have a tantric yidam (p.22) that the whole lineage shares 
  in common.  Some lineages consider themselves the 
  original practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism and see the 
  monastic system as a later corruption.
  In villages, white robes make their living as jack-of-
  all-trade magical practitioners.  They do a little bit of 
  everything: exorcism, sermons, divination, weather 
  magic, wedding and funeral ceremonies and sometimes 
  even sorcery.  Monks are often the first choice for 
  wedding, birth and funeral rituals, but when a monk is 
  not available or is too expensive, a White Robe will 
  be hired.
  090
  character creation
  In Brief- Uses secret rituals to control the weather 
  for good or ill, often trained in monasteries.
  In Brief- Lay tantric practitioner, using secret family 
  rituals, skilled in sorcery & exorcism.
  
  white robe
  091
  character class
  White Robes do not have the heightened social 
  status that monks do.  They are respected for 
  their learning, but their social power is more like 
  that of a peasant farmer or nomad.  White Robes are 
  treated with respect that stems from fear as much as it 
  does from their religious accomplishments.  Although 
  Tibetans generally fear that any magical practitioner 
  (monks included) might have sorcerous skills at their 
  disposal, White Robes are 
  feared more than most (see 
  Sorcery Fear Scale, p.104).  
  White Robe teachings are 
  very similar to those of 
  monastic practitioners.  One 
  thing that differs is how the 
  opposite sex is referred 
  to.  In monastic texts, the 
  opposite sex is referred to 
  as a temptation that should 
  be avoided.  In White 
  Robe texts, practitioners 
  are taught to respect and 
  get along with the opposite 
  sex.  For male White Robes, 
  for example, disparaging 
  women is considered one of 
  the “root downfalls.”
  Skills
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 12, 
  Crafts 8, Divination 6, 
  Exorcism 
  5, 
  Folk 
  Knowledge 6, Medicine 8, 
  Scholarship 8, Sorcery 8, 
  Tantra 
  8, 
  Travel 
  9, 
  Weathermaking 9, Western 
  Knowledge 17.
  Money- 750 Srang + 30 per 
  month.
  Starting Karma- PC starts 
  with +5 to current KMA.
  Suggested Skills- Breath Yoga, Fire Yoga, Indifference, 
  Literacy, Scapulimancy, Thread Crosses, Wind Voices, 
  Yidam Tantra.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Scapula (Sheep), White 
  Robes.
  Suggested Reading- Buddhism (p.33), Tantra 
  (p.38).
  Yellow Hat Monk
  This is a male or female monk of the Gelugpa order. 
  This order is often known as the Yellow Hats because 
  they wear yellow hats with a red trim to distinguish 
  themselves 
  from 
  the 
  older sects of Buddhism 
  (the Red Hats).  The 
  Yellow Hat sect started 
  as an orthodox, reformist 
  movement.  They believed 
  the 
  other 
  sects 
  were 
  corrupted by false tantras 
  (Bön and primitive sha-
  manism 
  disguised 
  as 
  Buddhist teachings) and 
  lax morality (sex, alcohol 
  and sorcery).  This sect 
  enjoyed 
  a 
  centralized 
  power structure and a 
  good reputation.   Back 
  when 
  the 
  Mongols 
  controlled 
  Tibet, 
  the 
  Yellow Hats were able to 
  convince the Khan that 
  they were the most worthy 
  and were given control of 
  the entire country.
  The Yellow Hat sect is 
  very strict about following 
  codes of celibacy, absti-
  nence from drugs and 
  avoiding any appearance 
  of impropriety.  They have 
  not been afraid, however, 
  to take on governmental 
  duties, including raising 
  armies 
  and 
  running 
  prisons.
  Since Yellow Hat abbots 
  cannot 
  have 
  heirs, 
  abbotship is passed down to a tulku (reincarnation) of the 
  abbot.  Every major Yellow Hat monastery has a tulku 
  who was raised, from an early age, to run the monastery. 
  Since abbots have quite a bit of power, finding a tulku can 
  be important for political as well as spiritual reasons.
  The Yellow Hat sect is very critical of terma (discovered 
  texts).  Before the sect will teach a set of teachings it 
  makes absolutely certain that those teachings are 
  descended from a buddha or bodhisattva.
  In Brief- From the “reformed” conservative 
  Buddhist sect currently ruling the country.
  
  092
  character creation
  The Yellow Hats practice only a select few tantras, and only after 
  strict training in the more traditional forms of Buddhist meditation 
  and scholarship.  Yellow Hats believe, as the other sects do, that 
  sexual tantra is the only known way to achieve 
  enlightenment while still in this physical body. 
  Unlike the other sects, instead of breaking 
  their vow of celibacy, the Yellow Hats choose 
  to achieve enlightenment directly after death 
  during the bardo period when their physical 
  bodies are no longer an impediment.  The 
  Yellow Hats believe the highest tantra is the 
  kalachakra tantra.  Its rituals help practitioners 
  realize that all phenomenon are products 
  of their own minds.  The kalachakra tantra 
  resembles the public teachings of Buddha (the 
  path of sutras) more than the extreme tantric 
  rituals of other sects.
  By strongly discouraging teaching of harmful 
  magic or tantras, the Yellow Hats lost the ability 
  to defend themselves using magic (or the threat 
  of magic).  Instead, the Yellow Hats have put 
  increased stress on the study of martial arts. 
  The Gelugpa monastery of Sera is famous for 
  its martial arts training and its monks are hired 
  out as bodyguards by Tibet’s nobility.
  Young monks have many choices.  They can 
  study a wide variety of subjects, including 
  advanced Buddhist practice.  They can leave the 
  monastery, traveling around the country.  They 
  can study at various colleges and monasteries 
  and with various lone teachers.  Whatever 
  skills they have they can use to make money 
  for themselves and for their monasteries.
  Skills
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 6, Crafts 7, Divination 7, 
  Exorcism 7, Folk Knowledge 8, Medicine 5, 
  Scholarship 5 Sorcery 18, Tantra 10, Travel 9, 
  Weathermaking 11, Western Knowledge 8.
  Money- 1000 Srang + 55 per month.
  Starting Karma- PC starts with +15 to current 
  KMA.
  Suggested Skills- Abidharma, Indifference, 
  Literacy, Philosophy, Tai Chi.
  Suggested Equipment- Boots, Iron Pencase, 
  Monk’s Hat, Monk’s Robes, Pen & Ink.
  Suggested Reading- Monastic Life (p.10), Buddhism (p.33), 
  Buddhism: Gelugpa (p.37), Tantra (p.38), Government & Law 
  (p.41).
  
  093
  skills
  Skills
  Every character begins with 100 skill points to buy 
  skills with.  Each character class has a list of skill costs. 
  Each category of skills has a cost for members of that 
  class.  These costs are based on how easily characters of 
  that class have access to teachers of those skills or can 
  teach themselves.  Skills are bought in levels from 1 to 
  6 with 1 representing a hobby level and 6 representing 
  mastership of the skill.  PCs can not buy level 6 without 
  special permission from the GM.  Each level above the 
  first gives +4 to skill rolls using that skill.
  Some skills have prerequisites: one or more 
  levels of another skill must be taken before any 
  levels of this skill can be taken.  These skills are 
  marked with a * on the following skill list.
  Example: A Weathermaker character, who can buy 
  Weathermaker skills for 5 points each, buys 3 levels of 
  Weather Prediction.  This costs 15 skill points and gives 
  him a skill level of 3 (meaning he will have +8 on all skill 
  rolls). 
  See the section on using skills (p.155) for more 
  information.
  Available skills are as follows:
  In Brief: Spend 100 Skill Points, skill costs set by 
  character class.  Can buy 1 to 5 levels of any skill.
  Combat
   
  Archery (N/A)
   
  Brawling (N/A)
   
  Crane Kung Fu (N/A)
   
  Key Throwing (N/A)
   
  Knife (N/A)
   
  Lance (N/A)
   
  Pistol (N/A)
   
  Rifle (N/A)
   
  Sling (N/A)
   
  Snake Boxing (N/A)
   
  Snare (N/A)
   
  Specific Training (N/A)
   
  Staff (N/A)
   
  Sword (N/A)
   
  Tai Chi (N/A)
   
  Whip (N/A)
   
  Wrestling (N/A)
  Crafts
   
  Architecture (INL)
   
  Blacksmithing (INL)
   
  Carving (INL)
   
  Cooking (AWR)
   
  Dancing (AGY)
   
  Forgery (INL)
   
  Music (INL)
   
  Painting (INL)
   
  Printing (INL)
   
  Storytelling (CHM)
   
  Tailoring (INL)
   
  Textiles (INL)
  Divination
   
  Drum Divination (INL)
   
  Elemental Astrology (INL)
   
  Geomancy (INL)
   
  Mirror Gazing (AWR)*
   
  Omen Reading (AWR)
   
  Scapulimancy (INL)
   
  Simple Divination (INL)
   
  Zodiac Astrology (INL)*
  Exorcism
   
  Dagger Exorcism (WIL)*
   
  Demon Shield (INL)
   
  Fire Exorcism (INL)
   
  Glud Ceremony (INL)
   
  Harrying Exorcism (INL)
   
  Funerary Rites (INL)*
   
  Oath Binding (WIL)*
   
  Protective Mantras (INL)
   
  Sound Exorcism (INL)
   
  Sucking Exorcism (WIL)
   
  Thread Crosses (INL)
  Folk Knowledge
   
  Acrobatics (AGY)
   
  Animal Training (CHM)
   
  Butchery (INL)
   
  Farming (INL)
   
  Gambling (INL)
   
  Gun Repair (INL)
   
  Meditation (AWR)
   
  Oratory (CHM)
   
  Prowling (AGY)
   
  Seduction (CHM)
   
  Sleight of Hand (AGY)
   
  Tracking (AWR)
   
  Trading (INL)
   
  Trick Riding (AGY)*
  Medicine
   
  Death (INL)
   
  Emergency Medicine (INL)
   
  Herbalism (INL)
   
  Humoural Medicine (INL)
   
  Medical Diagnosis (INL)
   
  Medical Mantras (INL)
   
  Wildcrafting (INL)
  Scholarship
   
  Abidharma (INL)*
   
  Cryptography (INL)*
   
  Etiquette (CHM)
   
  Hell Realms (INL)
   
  Iconography (INL)
   
  Indifference (INL)
   
  Literacy (INL)
   
  Logic (INL)*
   
  Mathematics (INL)*
   
  Pantheons (INL)
   
  Philosophy (INL)*
   
  Teaching (CHM)
   
  Tibetan History (INL)
   
  Tibetan Law (INL)*
   
  Torture (INL)
  Sorcery
   
  Animation (WIL)*
   
  Bird Control (WIL)*
   
  Demon Sorcery (INL)*
   
  Disease Sorcery (INL)
   
  Gantad Horn (INL)
   
  Life Force Sorcery (WIL)
   
  Love Magic (INL)
   
  Poisons (INL)
   
  Simple Curses (WIL)
   
  Zor (WIL)
  Tantra
   
  Breath Yoga (AWR)
   
  Dakini Language (INL)*
   
  Death Tantra (WIL)*
   
  Fire Yoga (WIL)*
   
  Invisibility (WIL)*
   
  Lightness Yoga (AWR)*
   
  Pure Vision (AWR)*
   
  Sexual Tantra (WIL)*
   
  Sorcery Tantra (INL)*
   
  Subtle Self (INL)*
   
  Tulpa Creation (WIL)*
   
  Wind Voices (AWR)*
   
  Yidam Tantra (WIL)*
  Travel
   
  Animal Packing (INL)
   
  Foreign Language (INL)
   
  Mountain Climbing (INL)
   
  Riding (AGY)
   
  Swimming (SPD)
   
  Tibetan Geography (INL)
   
  Wilderness Survival (INL)
  Weathermaking
   
  Weather Mantras (WIL)
   
  Weather Prediction (AWR)
   
  Weather Propitiation (INL)
   
  Weather Sorcery (INL)
   
  Western Knowledge
   
  Agriculture (INL)
   
  Criminology (INL)
   
  Electronics (INL)
   
  Mechanics (INL)
   
  Military Science (INL)
   
  Political Science (INL)
   
  Science (INL)
   
  Western Medicine (INL)
   
  World History (INL)
  
  Alphabetical Index of Skills
  Abidharma (INL)*
  Scholarship
  Acrobatics (AGY)
  Folk Knowledge
  Agriculture (INL)
  Western Knowledge
  Animal Packing (INL)
  Travel
  Animal Training (CHM)
  Folk Knowledge
  Animation (WIL)*
  Sorcery
  Archery (N/A)
  Combat
  Architecture (INL)
  Crafts
  Bird Control (WIL)*
  Sorcery
  Blacksmithing (INL)
  Crafts
  Brawling (N/A)
  Combat
  Breath Yoga (AWR)
  Tantra
  Butchery (INL)
  Folk Knowledge
  Carving (INL)
  Crafts
  Cooking (INL)
  Crafts
  Crane Kung Fu (N/A)
  Combat
  Criminology (INL)
  Western Knowledge
  Cryptography (INL)*
  Scholarship
  Dagger Exorcism (WIL)*
  Exorcism
  Dakini Language (INL)*
  Tantra
  Dancing (AGY)
  Crafts
  Death (INL)
  Medicine
  Death Tantra (WIL)*
  Tantra
  Demon Shield (INL)
  Exorcism
  Demon Sorcery (INL)*
  Sorcery
  Disease Sorcery (INL)
  Sorcery
  Drum Divination (INL)
  Divination
  Electronics (INL)
  Western Knowledge
  Elemental Astrology (INL)
  Divination
  Emergency Medicine (INL) Medicine
  Etiquette (CHM)
  Scholarship
  Farming (INL)
  Folk Knowledge
  Fire Exorcism (INL)
  Exorcism
  Fire Yoga (WIL)*
  Tantra
  Foreign Language (INL)
  Travel
  Forgery (INL)
  Crafts
  Funerary Rites (INL)*
  Exorcism
  Gambling (INL)
  Folk Knowledge
  Gantad Horn (INL)
  Sorcery
  Geomancy (INL)
  Divination
  Glud Ceremony (INL)
  Exorcism
  Gun Repair (INL)
  Folk Knowledge
  Harrying Exorcism (INL)
  Exorcism
  Hell Realms (INL)
  Scholarship
  Herbalism (INL)
  Medicine
  Humoural Medicine (INL)
  Medicine
  Iconography (INL)
  Scholarship
  Indifference (INL)
  Scholarship
  Invisibility (WIL)*
  Tantra
  Key Throwing (N/A)
  Combat
  Knife (N/A)
  Combat
  Lance (N/A)
  Combat
  Life Force Sorcery (WIL)
  Sorcery
  Lightness Yoga (AWR)*
  Tantra
  Literacy (INL)
  Scholarship
  Logic (INL)*
  Scholarship
  Love Magic (INL)
  Sorcery
  Mathematics (INL)*
  Scholarship
  Mechanics (INL)
  Western Knowledge
  Medical Diagnosis (INL)
  Medicine
  Medical Mantras (INL)
  Medicine
  Meditation (AWR)
  Folk Knowledge
  Military Science (INL)
  Western Knowledge
  Mirror Gazing (AWR)*
  Divination
  Mountain Climbing (INL)
  Travel
  Music (INL)
  Crafts
  Oath Binding (WIL)*
  Exorcism
  Omen Reading (AWR)
  Divination
  Oratory (CHM)
  Folk Knowledge
  Painting (INL)
  Crafts
  Pantheons (INL)
  Scholarship
  Philosophy (INL)*
  Scholarship
  Pistol (N/A)
  Combat
  Poisons (INL)
  Sorcery
  Political Science (INL)
  Western Knowledge
  Printing (INL)
  Crafts
  Protective Mantras (INL)
  Exorcism
  Prowling (AGY)
  Folk Knowledge
  Pure Vision (AWR)*
  Tantra
  Riding (AGY)
  Travel
  Rifle (N/A)
  Combat
  Scapulimancy (INL)
  Divination
  Science (INL)
  Western Knowledge
  Seduction (CHM)
  Folk Knowledge
  Sexual Tantra (WIL)*
  Tantra
  Simple Curses (WIL)
  Sorcery
  Simple Divination (INL)
  Divination
  Sleight of Hand (AGY)
  Folk Knowledge
  Sling (N/A)
  Combat
  Snake Boxing (N/A)
  Combat
  Snare (N/A)
  Combat
  Sorcery Tantra (INL)*
  Tantra
  Sound Exorcism (INL)
  Exorcism
  Specific Training (N/A)
  Combat
  Staff (N/A)
  Combat
  Storytelling (CHM)
  Crafts
  Subtle Self (INL)*
  Tantra
  Sucking Exorcism (WIL)
  Exorcism
  Swimming (SPD)
  Travel
  Sword (N/A)
  Combat
  Tai Chi (N/A)
  Combat
  Tailoring (INL)
  Crafts
  Teaching (CHM)
  Scholarship
  Textiles (INL)
  Crafts
  Thread Crosses (INL)
  Exorcism
  Tibetan Geography (INL)
  Travel
  Tibetan History (INL)
  Scholarship
  Tibetan Law (INL)*
  Scholarship
  Torture (INL)
  Scholarship
  Tracking (AWR)
  Folk Knowledge
  Trading (INL)
  Folk Knowledge
  Trick Riding (AGY)*
  Folk Knowledge
  Tulpa Creation (WIL)*
  Tantra
  Weather Mantras (WIL)
  Weathermaking
  Weather Prediction (AWR)
  Weathermaking
  Weather Propitiation (INL)
  Weathermaking
  Weather Sorcery (INL)
  Weathermaking
  Western Medicine (INL)
  Western Knowledge
  Whip (N/A)
  Combat
  Wildcrafting (INL)
  Medicine
  Wilderness Survival (INL)
  Travel
  Wind Voices (AWR)*
  Tantra
  World History (INL)
  Western Knowledge
  Wrestling (N/A)
  Combat
  Yidam Tantra (WIL)*
  Tantra
  Zodiac Astrology (INL)*
  Divination
  Zor (WIL)
  Sorcery
  094
  character creation
  Special Skills
  Some character classes have 
  access to special skills that 
  nobody else has.  These skills and 
  their costs are described in the 
  section for that character class.
  Gesar Bards:
   
  Gesar Trance (WIL)
  Oracles: 
   
  Oracular Ability (AWR)
  Revenants:
   
  See Hell (AWR)
   
  Vivid Description (CHM)
   
  Sense Hellbound (AWR)
  Treasure Finders: 
   
  Treasure Location (AWR)
   
  Treasure Meditation (AWR)*
   
  Treasure Verification (AWR)
  
  095
  skills
  Combat
  Archery- Gives the following with bows only:
   
  +4 to Split Action: Draw and Strike
   
  +0 to Strike
   
  +4 to Vital Strike
   
  No penalty for Targeted actions
   
  Double Aim (takes 2 actions, +10 to next action)
  Brawling- This is the art of unarmed fighting as learned 
  by the common Tibetan.  There is no special discipline 
  or philosophy to it.  It is merely the art of doing damage 
  quickly to an opponent.
   
  +2 to Tackle
   
  +4 to Pain/Stun
   
  +4 to Knockdown
   
  +0 to Grab (Wrestling)
   
  +2 to Strike (with fists)
  Crane Kung Fu- This form of Kung Fu originated 
  in Tibet.  It is designed to let a quick (yet physically 
  vulnerable) opponent defeat a slower, yet stronger, 
  opponent.  It combines evasions and “pecking” attacks 
  on vital areas in to a continuous motion.
   
  +8 to Split Action: Jump and Pain/Stun
   
  +0 to Knockdown (with feet)
   
  +0 to Crippling Attack (with hands)
   
  +0 to Special Reaction: Whirling Dodge (AGY 
  +AWR vs. 30, PC dodges with a whirling motion.  
  If successful the PC takes no damage and has the 
  momentum to do another action quickly.  Gives +7 to 
  the next action if that action is a wing, strike or pain/stun 
  attack.)
  Lance- Gives the following with lances (a traditional 
  weapon of the nomads because lances can be used from 
  horseback).
   
  +0 to Parry
   
  +0 to Strike
   
  +8 to Vital Strike
   
  +4 to Simultaneous Action: Strike
   
  No penalty to actions while riding an animal.
  Key Throwing- This weapon was once popular among 
  the dobdobs, but has lately been replaced with less lethal 
  weapons.  It is a large key-shaped piece of metal with 
  sharp edges, attached to a thick cord.  The weapon is 
  thrown at an enemy, then pulled back so it can be thrown 
  again.  Gives the following with throwing keys:
   
  +2 to Strike
   +4 to Pain/Stun
   
  +2 per level to initiative with throwing keys
   As one action the PC can retrieve a thrown key 
  and get it ready to be thrown again.
  Knife- Gives the following with large knives 
  (including Kukuri).
   +8 to Vital Strike (Bladed)
   
  +4 to Jump
   
  +4 to Split Action: Jump and Strike
   
  +0 to Dodge
  Pistol- Gives the following with pistols only.
   
  +2 to Strike
   
  +4 to Vital Strike (Bladed)
   
  +8 to Split Reaction Dodge and Simultaneous Strike
   
  +2 per skill level to initiative with handguns
  Rifle- Gives the following with rifles only.
   
  +4 to Vital Strike (Bladed)
   
  +6 to Simultaneous Strike
   
  +2 to Strike
   
  No penalty for Targeted actions
   
  Double Aim (2 actions, +8 to next action)
  Sling- The character has trained in the use of slings, 
  usually used by nomads to guide animals by remote.  
  Gives the following with slings only:
   
  +4 to Pain/Stun
   
  +0 Blinding Strike
   
  No penalty for Targeted actions
   
  Double Aim (2 actions, +8 to next action)
  Snare- The character has trained in the use of a snare: a 
  rope with a noose on the end used to capture animals.
   
  +4 to Grab
   
  +2 to Grab: Strangulation
   
  +4 to Knockdown
  Specific Training- The character trains in the use of 
  one weapon which is not included in any of the other 
  available skills (Blow Gun, Horned Shield, Tiger Claws 
  Trident or War Axe).  The character gets the following 
  with that weapon:
   +4 to Strike
   
  +4 to Vital Strike -or- +4 to Pain/Stun Attack (choose 
  one)
   
  +4 to Parry -or- +2 per level to initiative (choose 
  one)
  Snake Boxing- Originally created by a lama after 
  witnessing a fight between a monkey (who rolled to 
  evade) and a snake (who made quick jabbing attacks).  
  This art teaches students to drop and roll on the ground to 
  evade attacks, then make vicious jabs from a kneeling or 
  crouching position.  Gives the following:
   
  +4 to Crippling Strike (with hands)
   
  +4 to Pain/Stun (with hands)
   
  +4 to special reaction Drop and Roll (AWR + AGY 
  vs. 25.  Like the Drop, the PC evades an attack by 
  falling, but instead of ending up flat on the ground 
  the PC rolls and ends up in a kneeling position).
  Combat Skills In Brief: Each combat skill gives the 
  following plusses to the listed actions and reactions, and 
  an extra +4 for each skill level above the first.  See p.156 
  for more details.
  
  house construction
  Staff- This is a skill often taught in martial arts 
  academies.  Gives the following with staves only:
  +4 to Parry
   
  +2 to Strike
   
  +8 to Split Action Jump and Strike
  Sword- Training in the use of Asian style swords (which 
  would be considered short swords by westerners).  Gives 
  the following with swords only:
   
  +2 to Strike
   
  +4 to Vital Strike
   
  +4 to Parry
   
  +0 to Wing
  Tai Chi- Although the slow exercise 
  and meditation version of this art 
  is popular in China, Tibetans use 
  the original full-speed version as 
  a defensive art.  Tibetan Tai Chi 
  focuses on using vital energies to stay 
  rooted and flow through attacks.
   
  +8 to Split Reaction Parry and 
  Simultaneous Crippling Attack
   
  +4 to Knockaway Strike (with the 
  palm of the hand)
   
  +4 to Grab (Pain)
   
  +0 to Special Reaction: Parry 
  Pull (INL+AGY vs. 30, if successful 
  attack is parried and the opponent is 
  pulled off balance: is at -5 to his or 
  her next action or reaction).
   
  +0 to Special Reaction: Stay Rooted 
  (STH+WIL vs. 20, this reaction is used 
  to oppose any knockdown, knockaway, 
  tackle or knockout).
  Whip- The whip is valued in Tibet as 
  a non-lethal means of crowd control.  
  The PC gets the following with whips 
  only:
   
  +2 to Pain/Stun
   
  +4 to Entangle
   
  +2 to Wing
   
  +0 to Slash
  Wrestling- Common Tibetans (and 
  their neighbors, the Mongolians) 
  love wrestling as a sport.  Gives the 
  following to unarmed combat:
   
  +0 to Grab
   +4 to Grab (Wrestling)
  +4 to Knockdown
  +6 to Tackle
  +0 to Flip
  Crafts
  Architecture- Uses INL.  PC can design and build 
  Tibetan style buildings.  A failed roll means that the 
  project must be scrapped
   
  Easy (10): Construct a yak hair tent.
   
  Moderate (20): Construct a 2 story Tibetan house.
   
  Hard (30): Construct a full-sized temple.
  Blacksmithing- Uses INL.  PC can 
  make weapons, tools and art.  In 
  combination with the Carving skill, 
  the PC can cast metal figurines and 
  machine parts.
   Easy (10): Create a simple metal 
  tool.
   Moderate (20): Create a precise 
  tool or weapon.
   Hard (30): Create a machinery 
  part.
  Carving- Uses INL.  PC can carve in 
  wood, stone or bone.
   Easy (10): Carve a short prayer in 
  to a stone.
   Moderate (20): Carve a likeness of 
  someone.
   Hard (30): Carve a phurba out of 
  brittle wood.
  Cooking- Uses AWR.  PC can create 
  enjoyable dishes.
   Easy (10): Cook a tasty meal of 
  momos (yak meat dumplings).
   Moderate (20): Cook an Indian-
  style meal using imported spices.
  Dancing- Uses AGY.  The PC knows 
  the exact formulas for traditional 
  Tibetan dances.
   Moderate (20): Flawless perfor-
  mance of a folk dance.
   Hard (30): Flawless performance 
  of a religious dance.
  Forgery- Uses INL.  PCs can forge 
  documents (or money) or make crafts 
  look like they are antique.  Note that 
  paper money is of limited value in 
  Tibet.
   
  Moderate (20): Recognize forgeries (opposed roll) or 
  forge ancient crafts (requires the appropriate craft skill).
   
  Difficult (30): Forge paper currency notes or 
  official government documents.
  096
  character creation
  
  097
  skills
  Music- Uses INL.  PC must choose one instrument 
  (including human voice) to be proficient in.
   
  Easy (10): Play a pleasant traditional song.
   
  Moderate (20): Play a song with the exactness 
  requires for magical rituals.
  Painting- Uses INL.
   
  Easy (10): Paint a symbol of good luck on a rock.
   
  Moderate (20): Paint someone’s likeness.
   
  Hard (30): Paint a thankga (traditional religious 
  painting on cloth).
  Printing- Uses INL.  The PC can make paper, prepare 
  ink, create wooden blocks and print Tibetan style books.
   
  Easy (10): Make paper.
   
  Moderate (20): Make an average quality book.
   
  Hard (30): Make an ornamental (black paper) book.
  Storytelling- Uses CHM.  The character can tell 
  entertaining or absorbing stories.  The story’s 
  interestingness does not help persuade listeners that it 
  is true.
   
  Easy (10): Entertain children.
   
  Moderate (20): Entertain peasants.
   
  Hard (30): Entertain lamas or battle-weary soldiers.
  Tailoring- Uses INL.
   
  Easy (10): Make a chuba or monk’s robes.
   
  Moderate (20): Make a fancy chuba.
   
  Hard (30): Make Western style clothing.
  Textiles- Uses INL.  The PC has all the skills necessary 
  to take a herd of sheep and create a roll of dyed woolen 
  cloth suitable for sale.
   Easy (10): Make rough, undyed wool cloth.
  Moderate (20): Make smooth, colored wool cloth.
  Hard (30): Make fine, dyed silk cloth.
  Divination
  Drum Divination- Uses INL.  The PC uses two drums: 
  one is beat, the other vibrates in sympathy, causing a 
  mustard seed to move around on the drum head.  Squares 
  painted on the drum head represent different dangerous 
  influences the subject of the divination may encounter.
   
  Easy (10): Tell a subject’s prospects for recovery.
   
  Moderate (20): Tell the class of misfortune effecting 
  the subject.
   
  Hard (30): Tell the remedy (if any) for the subject’s 
  misfortune.
  Elemental Astrology- Uses INL.  From the subject’s 
  date of birth, the PC can create a complex luck chart.  
  On the chart, white or black stones represent good or bad 
  luck within each of the five elements: metal (cutting), 
  water (wetness), fire (heat), earth (solidity) and wood 
  (movement).
   
  Easy (10): Determine that ten days from now will be 
  unlucky for the subject.
   
  Moderate (20): Determine that the subject would 
  benefit from acting in a more earth-like way in her 
  business dealings.
   
  Hard (30): Determine that a person will soon become 
  ill from lack of the wood element.
  Geomancy- Uses INL.  The PC knows how to arrange 
  anything, from fields to furniture, to maximize (or 
  sometimes minimize) luck for that area.
   
  Easy (10): Recognize and correct an obviously 
  unlucky design.
   
  Moderate (20): Arrange an area to increase good 
  luck.
   
  Hard (30): Arrange an area to increase bad luck. 
  
  Mirror Gazing- Uses AWR.  Prerequisite: 
  Meditation (1), p.100.  The PC can stare in to a 
  mirror until he or she goes in to a light trance and sees 
  visions.  The amount of time the trance takes to succeed 
  depends on the success: 1 success would mean hours, 10 
  success would mean minutes, 20 success would mean 
  seconds, etc.  Mirror divination can be used without a 
  mirror at +20 difficulty.
   
  Easy (10): Get brief, random flashes that are related (in 
  an unknown way) to the question at hand.
   
  Moderate (20): See through an illusion. -or- Find a lost 
  object.
   
  Hard (30): See an invisible spirit. -or- See a brief 
  glimpse of the future.
   
  Legendary (40): See any place and time that the PC 
  chooses.
  Omen Reading- Uses AWR.  By interviewing a person 
  about what the person has dreamt about what (seemingly 
  random) events have occurred in the person’s life, the 
  PC can foretell the approach of harmful or beneficial 
  influences.
   
  Easy (10): Recognize a dream that means something 
  bad is coming.
   
  Moderate (20): Recognize a nightmare that is being 
  caused by a nearby Gyelpo spirit.
   
  Hard (30): Recognize that a dropped bowl and the 
  sighting of a strange bird means the imminent arrival of a 
  tyrant.
  Scapulimancy- Uses INL.  The PC can read the cracks on 
  a sheep or human scapula (back shoulder bone) which has 
  been thrown in a fire.
   
  Easy (10): See good or bad influences approaching.
   
  Moderate (20): Recognize the nature of unseen 
  influences effecting the situation.
   
  Hard (30): Receive clairvoyant visions about forces 
  affecting the situation.
  Simple Divination- Uses INL.  This skill covers the many 
  simple folk methods for foretelling the future.  These 
  methods are quick and cheap, but give little specific 
  information.  See p.30 for more.
   
  Easy (10): Using dice or a rosary, tell whether any 
  given undertaking is more likely to be successful or 
  unsuccessful.
   
  Moderate (20): Using Divination Cards, give general 
  information about the problems a person faces and what 
  approaches he or she should take to succeed.
  Zodiac Astrology- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Literacy 
  (1), p.102.  From the subject’s date of birth, the PC can 
  calculate, for each date in the person’s life, the influence 
  of the peaceful and violent planets in each of the person’s 
  twelve houses (representing birth/body, wealth, relatives, 
  friends/colleagues, children, enemies, spouse/home-life, 
  life/death, fortune/religious study, work/profession and 
  gain/loss).
   Easy (10): Determine that ten days from 
  now will be unlucky for the subject.
   
  Moderate (20): Discover that, in the next 
  month, the evil planet Drachen will have an 
  effect on the house of fortune and religious study 
  while the moon will have a peaceful and prosperous 
  effect on the house of children.
   
  Hard (30): Find someone’s life force spirit.  -or- 
  Discover a “bubble” of bad karma from a previous life 
  that is about to resurface.
  Exorcism
  Dagger Exorcism- Uses WIL.  Prerequisite: Meditation 
  (1), p.100.  The PC knows the meditation and mantras 
  that will empower a phurba (magic dagger) to damage 
  and destroy intangible spiritual beings.  The PC must 
  make a strike, as with a normal weapon.  A successful 
  strike does 5 damage to the entity’s Magical STH.
   
  Easy (10): Phurba will do damage, but only while 
  the holder chants and maintains complete concentration.  
  PC must make a WIL roll after any distraction to 
  maintain concentration.
   
  Moderate (20): Phurba will do damage within the 
  next hour, whether the PC is concentrating or not.
   
  Hard (30): Phurba will do damage within the next 24 
  hours, even if the PC is not the one holding the phurba.
  Demon Shield- Uses INL.  First, the PC must identify 
  a malevolent entity’s specific class (typically with 
  Divination skills).  Next, the PC buries a skull, inside it 
  is a piece of paper with a prayer written on it.  The skull 
  and prayer will create a magical barrier that entities of 
  that class can not pass or attack through.  The demon 
  must make a legendary difficulty opposed WIL roll to 
  pierce the wall.
   
  Moderate (20): Create a demon shield.
  Fire Exorcism- Uses INL.  With mantras and offerings, 
  the PC can make a ritually pure fire inhabited by 
  benevolent fire spirits.   Offerings burnt in this fire send 
  messages directly to the heavens.  If an object that has a 
  spirit trapped inside it (a glud or thread cross) is thrown 
  in the fire, the spirit will be destroyed.  Cursed objects 
  can also be burned without fear of releasing dangerous 
  amounts of bad karma.
   
  Moderate (20): Create a fire capable of destroying 
  spirits or curses.
  Glud Ceremony- Uses INL.  A glud is literally a 
  scapegoat.  It  appears, to the senses of a spirit, to be the 
  spirit’s intended victim.  The spirit goes in to the glud, 
  giving the actual victim a chance to escape.  Most glud 
  are made from barley flour dough and are clothed in 
  scraps of the patient’s clothes.
   
  Easy (10): Create a simple noodle-dough glud (can 
  fool Minor Spirits).
   
  Moderate (20): Create a sophisticated dough glud 
  with different foods inside representing bones and 
  organs (can fool Dangerous Spirits).
   
  Hard (30): Use an animal (bought from a 
  butcher and set free) or a willing human as a 
  glud (can fool Demons).
  098
  character creation
  
  099
  skills
  Harrying Exorcism- Uses INL.  The PC knows 
  a ritual which can bless small objects which are 
  stored in a horn carved with magical symbols (p.119). 
  These objects can be thrown at an intangible spirit to 
  cause damage to it.  They can be thrown one at a time or a 
  whole handful can be used to cover an area (see the Area 
  Attack action, p.159).  A horn holds around 50 seeds or 
  stones.
   
  Easy (10): Bless white pebbles to act as a Pain/Stun 
  attack against spirits.
   
  Moderate (20): Bless white mustard seeds to do ½ 
  damage each to a spirit’s Magical STH.
   
  Hard (30): Bless black mustard seeds to do 1 
  damage each to Magical STH.
   
  Legendary (40): Bless a piece of rhubarb so that it 
  explodes when it hits, doing 1d4 burn and 1d4 blunt 
  damage (and 1d6 MSTH damage to spirits) within 3 ft. 
  or 1 m.
  Funerary Rites- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Meditation 
  (1), p.100.  The PC knows how to pray for and speak 
  to the ghost of a recently deceased person in order to 
  help guide the ghost through the bardo period.  The PC 
  must stay with the body until the ghost finds a rebirth 
  (up to 49 days).  The rites can be performed remotely, 
  but at +10 difficulty.
   
  Easy (10): Prevent malevolent forces from 
  possessing the body
   
  Moderate (20): Keep a person’s soul from becoming 
  a malevolent ghost trapped in this plane.
   
  Hard (30): Guide the soul to a more favorable rebirth 
  than it would have achieved otherwise.
  Oath Binding- Uses WIL.  Prerequisite: Mediation (1), 
  p.100.  The PC knows the secret mantras which will bind 
  a spirit to an oath it can not willingly break.  Note that 
  many spirits are too stupid to notice that they are doing 
  something that breaks an oath, and must be reminded.  
  Humans can also be bound by oaths.  Humans retain free 
  will but will be attacked by dharmapalas if they disobey 
  an oath.  Bön priests in ancient times would bind whole 
  armies to an oath of loyalty.
   
  Moderate (20): Bind a spirit to any oath it will take 
  willingly.
   
  Hard (30): Bind a human to any oath he or she will 
  take willingly.
   
  Legendary (40): Bind a spirit to an oath even if the 
  spirit does not agree to it (spirit can make an opposed 
  moderate WIL roll to resist).
  Protective Mantras- Uses INL.  The PC knows mantras 
  and symbols which keep malevolent spirits away.  The 
  same symbols, painted on a box, will keep a spirit 
  trapped.
   Moderate (20): Spirit must make an opposed moderate 
  WIL roll to come in to an area where protective 
  symbols are painted or where people are chanting 
  protective mantras.
  Sound Exorcism- Uses INL.  The PC knows 
  what sounds will frighten away evil spirits. 
  Spirits hearing these sounds must make an 
  opposed moderate save vs. fear to avoid fleeing.  The 
  difficulty is based on what resources the character has 
  to make noises with:
   
  Easy (10): 15 horn and gong players or 30 chanters.
   
  Moderate (20): 5 horn and gong players or 10 chanters.
   
  Hard (30): 1 horn or gong player or 2 chanters.
   
  Legendary (40): One chanter.
  Sucking Exorcism- Uses WIL.  First, the PC must 
  use divination to discover where a curse or malevolent 
  spirit is hiding in a person’s body.  Next, the PC uses 
  a Ceremonial Arrow (p.119) to suck out the evil 
  (moderate difficulty).  The evil manifests physically as 
  blood or puss.  Unless disposed of, the blood or puss 
  will turn incorporeal, in a few hours, and try to find 
  the victim again.  The PC can swallow the blood and 
  puss and make a second skill roll to “digest” the poison 
  without injury to himself or herself.
   
  Moderate (20): Suck out a spirit or curse.  -or-  Digest 
  a poison or curse which has been made physical.
  Thread Crosses- Uses INL.  The PC can make small 
  wooden frames, with interwoven string, adorned with 
  straw and feathers.  These frames will capture spirits. 
  Spirits which are captured are typically burned (see Fire 
  Exorcism) but they can also be set loose on an enemy 
  (see Demon Sorcery).  Very sophisticated thread crosses 
  can be used as “luxury hotels” to entice a god to come 
  down from the heavens.
   
  Easy (10): Make a simple thread cross which will 
  capture any minor spirits which come around.
   
  Moderate (20): Make a larger multi-level thread 
  cross to attract and capture a specific demons or lost life 
  force spirits.
   
  Hard (30): Create ornate thread crosses, built to 
  resemble the heavenly palaces of powerful beings, 
  that will summon those beings.
  
  Folk Knowledge
  Acrobatics- Uses AGY.  The PC has been trained 
  in doing physical tricks (involving swinging, jumping, 
  rolling and balancing) primarily for the purposes of 
  amusing others.  Additional STH based rolls may be 
  necessary for some stunts.  Acrobatics adds +2 to jumping 
  rolls and +2 to save vs. loss of balance per level.
   
  Easy (10): Do cartwheels.
   
  Moderate (20): Swing from an archway, do a 
  somersault in midair, and land on one’s feet.
   
  Hard (30): Backflip off a cliff and land on a rope.
  Animal Training- Uses CHM.  The PC can turn animals 
  in to useful servants.
   
  Easy (10): Train an animal to not be scared of a single 
  person.
   
  Moderate (20): Train an animal to understand one 
  spoken command.
   
  Hard (30): Change an animal’s basic temperament.
  Butchery- Uses INL.  The PC can kill and cut up animals 
  such that the animal feels little pain, the butcher is not in 
  any danger and no usable parts of the animal are wasted.
   
  Easy (10): Kill an animal with a sword (some blood 
  will be spilled, which could otherwise be used to make 
  sausages).
   
  Moderate (20): Kill an animal by piercing its spine 
  with a needle (no blood is spilled).
  Farming- Uses INL.  With seeds, tools and decent land, 
  the PC can make things grow.
   
  Easy (10): Grow a small garden on good soil.
   
  Moderate (20): Grow enough food to feed oneself.
   
  Hard (30): Irrigate and grow a commercial crop.
  Gambling- Uses INL.  PC can play mah jongg, dice and 
  sho (a dice and shell game).
   
  Easy (10): Know the rules of a game of chance.
   
  Moderate (20): Win a game of chance (opposed roll).
   
  Hard (30): Size up an opponent’s skill and strategy.
  Gun Repair- Uses INL.  The PC can take care of modern 
  or antique firearms and can create ammunition.
   
  Easy (10): Clean a weapon.
   
  Moderate (20): Repair a gun.  -or-  Make bullets.
   
  Hard (30): Modify a weapon.
  Meditation- Uses AWR.  The PC knows the most basic 
  and common forms of meditation.  The PC can sit, without 
  thinking, in a state of perfect relaxation.  Two hours of 
  meditation is equivalent to a full day’s rest.  PCs are +10 
  to AWR rolls while meditating.
   Easy (10): Enter in to a meditative state after two 
  hours in a temple.
   
  Moderate (20): Enter in to a meditative 
  state after 10 minutes in a quiet guest house.
   
  Hard (30): Enter a meditative state immediately 
  in a crowded marketplace.
  Oratory- Uses CHM.  The PC is trained in speaking 
  and arguing persuasively.  The PC also knows how to 
  speak in the particular styles of argument expected in 
  nomadic mediation or in monastic debate.
   
  Easy (10): Write a speech designed to work on a 
  particular audience (+4 to persuasion rolls).
   
  Moderate (20): Notice when a strategy isn’t working 
  and change gears (PC can re-roll a bad persuasion 
  roll).
   
  Hard (30): Predict the arguments an opponent will 
  make and pre-argue against them (-7 to the opponent’s 
  persuasion roll).
  Prowling- Uses AGY.  The PC has practiced sneaking 
  up on people, moving silently, quickly finding hiding 
  places, crawling through shadows and blending in with 
  the environment.  Gives +4 per level to prowling rolls 
  (p.145).
  Seduction- Uses CHM.  The PC is very practiced at 
  seducing people.  Every level of the skill gives +4 to 
  seduction rolls (p.146).  The PC can also use this skill 
  to notice body language cues that tell how easy it would 
  be to seduce someone and how well the PC is doing at a 
  given seduction (moderate difficulty).
  Sleight of Hand- Uses AGY.  The PC can manipulate 
  objects so quickly that people fail to notice it.  The 
  target gets an opposed AWR roll.  Fooling multiple 
  targets has a higher difficulty.
   
  Easy (10): Hide a pebble in one’s own hand.
   
  Moderate (20): Secretly exchange a coin.
   
  Hard (30): Hide a slip of paper in someone’s chuba.
  Tracking- Uses AWR.  The PC can identify, follow 
  and examine tracks in the wilderness. The difficulty 
  generally goes up by approximately 1 per hour after the 
  tracks were made (depending on the weather).
   
  Easy (10): Follow tracks through snow.
   
  Moderate (20): Follow tracks made in dirt and 
  identify species.
   
  Hard (30): Identify speed and health by examining 
  tracks.
  Trading- Uses INL.  The PCs knows what different 
  items are worth to different people and in different 
  areas.
   
  Easy (10): Recognize the worth of a common item.
   
  Moderate (20): Recognize the worth of an esoteric 
  item.
   
  Hard (30): Figure out when an item will be 
  worth more in one area than another.
  100
  character creation
  
  101
  skills
  Trick Riding- Uses AGY.  Prerequisite: Riding 
  (1), p.108.  The PC can do acrobatic tricks while 
  riding horses.  This skill is often performed in contests 
  at Tibetan festivals.
   
  Easy (10): Stand up on the back of a moving horse.
   
  Moderate (20): With a running start, mount a horse as 
  it gallops by at full speed.
   
  Hard (30): Lean over, from a galloping horse, and grab 
  a rifle from the ground.
  Medicine
  Death- Uses INL.  The PC has studied the physiological 
  effects of death.
   
  Easy (10): Tell when decomposition has started (the 
  only way to tell if a soul has permanently left the body).
   
  Moderate (20): Perform one of the types of burial 
  listed on p.17.
   
  Hard (30): By watching a body decompose, tell how 
  the person died.
  Emergency Medicine- Uses INL.  The PC can deal with 
  immediate dangers to physical health.
   
  Easy (10): Bind wounds (prevent post-combat 
  bleeding).
   
  Moderate (20): Cauterize a wound (prevent post-
  combat infection).
   
  Hard (30): Remove a bullet.
  Herbalism- Uses INL.  The PC knows the medical effects 
  (including the effects on humours) of native and imported 
  herbs.  Note that successful herbal treatment requires a 
  correct diagnosis (see Medical Diagnosis).
   
  Easy (10): Temporarily alleviate the symptoms of an 
  illness.
   
  Moderate (20): Identify the possible side effects of an 
  herb.
   
  Hard (30): Cure an illness.
  Humoural Medicine- Uses INL.  First, the PC must 
  successfully diagnose a problem (see Medical Diagnosis). 
  If it a problem caused by blocked or excessive flow of 
  humours (vital bodily fluids), the PC can prescribe a 
  treatment that will correct the problem.  When used in 
  combination with the Herbalism skill, PCs can give herbal 
  treatments for humoural problems.
   
  Easy (10): Recognize which humoural flow is causing 
  a physiological problem.
   
  Moderate (20): Recognize which humoural flow is 
  causing a psychological problem.
   
  Hard (30): Prescribe compresses, blood-letting, 
  cauterization or behavioral therapy to correct the humoural 
  flow.
  Medical Diagnosis- Uses INL.  The PC can identify 
  the nature of a medical problem.  Diseases can be 
  caused by unbalanced humours, physical injury 
  or infection, psychological trauma, bad karma, 
  sorcery or malevolent spirits.
   
  Easy (10): Diagnose a common illness 
  via complete physical examination and patient 
  interview.
   
  Moderate (20): Diagnose an illness via examination 
  of tongue, heartbeat and urine.
   
  Hard (30): Diagnose a rare illness just by looking at 
  a patient.
  Medical Mantras- Uses INL.  Given an accurate 
  diagnosis, the PC knows beneficial mantras that the 
  patient or the PC can chant.
   
  Easy (10): Mantra that alleviates pain (+7 to save vs. 
  pain).
   
  Moderate (20): Mantra that doubles the rate of 
  healing.  -or-  Mantras that help other medical treatments 
  take effect (+5 to medical skill rolls).
   
  Hard (30): Mantras that help fight disease (+10 to 
  save vs. disease progression).
  Wildcrafting- Uses INL.  The art of gathering 
  medicinal plants.
   
  Easy (10): Recognize and gather wild medicinal 
  plants.
   
  Moderate (20): Find rare medicinal or poisonous 
  herbs.
   
  Hard (30): Recognize the times and places to pick 
  herbs to give them maximum healing power.
  Scholarship
  Abidharma- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Literacy (1).  This 
  is the Buddhist study of the nature of consciousness and 
  the mind.
   
  Easy (10): Identify the mental abilities of a class of 
  beings.
   
  Moderate (20): Recognize and describe the nature 
  of another’s attachment and how that attachment causes 
  that person suffering.
   
  Hard (30): Describe the levels of consciousness 
  achieved during different types of meditation.
  Cryptography- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Mathematics 
  (1).  The PC can create written codes for the secure 
  transfer of information.
   
  Easy (10): Devise a simple cipher.
   
  Hard (30): Break a simple cipher.
  Etiquette- Uses CHM.  The PC knows the proper 
  signifiers and means of addressing people from every 
  social class.
   
  Easy (10): Recognize someone’s rank by dress and 
  jewelry.
   
  Moderate (20): Address a person in a fashion proper 
  for that person’s specific position in society.
   
  Hard (30): Use honorific speech (a rare, formal 
  form of speech).
  
  Hell Realms- Uses INL.  The character has 
  studied the nature, geography and inhabitants of 
  the different hell realms and hungry ghost realms.
   Easy (10): Describe the horrors of the hells.
   
  Moderate (20): Describe the beings that live in each 
  realm and the sins they committed to end up there.
   
  Hard (30): Draw a map of a hell realm.
  Iconography- Uses INL.  Tibetan Buddhist art and 
  rituals are filled with hundreds of tiny details that each 
  have symbolic meaning: a hand gesture on one hand 
  of a multi-armed Buddha may mean that this Buddha 
  can grant longevity; a small figure in a mandala may 
  represent the land of the Dakinis.
   
  Easy (10): Recognize a buddha, bodhisattva, 
  heavenly being or dharmapala by its painting (or by 
  actually seeing it).
   
  Moderate (20): List the details which should be put 
  in to a proper painting of a being.
   
  Hard (30): List the properties of an unknown being 
  by recognizing the symbols it uses.
  Indifference- Uses INL.  The PC has trained himself or 
  herself to believe, both viscerally and intellectually, the 
  non-existence of all phenomena.  Since nothing exists, 
  feeling emotion (pain, fear, anger, lust, etc.) in reaction 
  to anything that happens is illogical.  A successful skill 
  roll means that the PC has avoided feeling emotions 
  (except compassion) in a given situation.  This gives the 
  character +20 to any WIL based savings roll (save vs. 
  pain, save vs. fear, save vs. nausea, etc.) stemming from 
  that event.
   
  Easy (10): Feel indifference to something happening 
  to a stranger.
   
  Moderate (20): Feel indifference to something 
  happening to a friend.
   
  Hard (30): Feel indifference to something happening 
  to oneself.
  Literacy- Uses INL.  The PC can read or write 
  the written language of Tibet.
   
  Easy (10): Read and write simple messages.
   
  Moderate (20): Read and write complicated texts.
   
  Hard (30): Write beautiful calligraphy.
  Logic- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Literacy (1).  The PC has 
  learned the complex systems of formal symbolic logic 
  taught in Buddhist monasteries.  Most of it is inherited 
  from Indian systems of logic.
   
  Easy (10): Construct a logical argument.
   
  Moderate (20): Argue logic (opposed roll).
   
  Hard (30): Prove that all dualities are false.
  Mathematics- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Literacy (1).
   
  Easy (10): Perform arithmetic.
   
  Moderate (20): Perform simple algebra.
   
  Hard (30): Perform complex algebra.
  Pantheons- Uses INL.  The PC knows about each of 
  the hundreds of buddhas, bodhisattvas, emanations, 
  dharmapalas, earthly spirits, malevolent spirits and other 
  spiritual entities.
   
  Easy (10): Describe a class of entities and their 
  characteristics.
   
  Moderate (20): Tell the traditional names, titles, 
  duties, retinue and preferred offerings of a powerful 
  dharmapala.
   
  Hard (30): Describe, in detail, the home realm of an 
  entity.
  Philosophy- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Logic (1).  The 
  PC understands the concepts of Buddhist and Bön 
  philosophy.
   
  Easy (10): Identify a philosophical system.
   
  Moderate (20): Prove the non-existence of all things.
   
  Hard (30): Recognize the purpose and meaning behind 
  esoteric practices.
  102
  character creation
  
  103
  skills
  Teaching- Uses CHM.  PCs can impart skills that 
  they have to willing pupils.  PCs can not teach skills 
  they do not have to teach skills at a level equal to or 
  greater than their own.
   
  Easy (10): PC with 5 levels in a skill teaches someone 
  1 level in that skill within 6 months.
   
  Moderate (20): PC with 4 levels in a skill teaches 
  someone 2 levels in a skill within 1 month.
   
  Hard (30): PC with 1 level in a skill teaches someone 1 
  level in the skill within 1 week.
  Tibetan History- Uses INL.  The 
  study of written Tibetan history, 
  from the ancient historical texts in 
  the language of Zhang Zhung to 
  modern day events. 
   
  Easy (10): Name the 12th Dalai 
  Lama.
   
  Moderate (20): Name the 10th 
  century kingdom in a given valley.
   
  Hard (30): Give the date that an 
  obscure monastery was built.
  Tibetan 
  Law- 
  Uses 
  INL. 
  Prerequisite: Literacy (1).  The 
  PC has studied the ancient codes 
  that guide Tibetan legal decisions. 
  These 
  codes 
  list 
  crimes 
  and 
  punishments and give advice for 
  solving disputes.  There are different 
  codes for lay people and for monks. 
  There are few legal professionals in 
  Tibet and the people with the most 
  need for this skill are people who 
  act as judges.
   
  Easy (10): List the suggested 
  punishments for theft.
   
  Moderate (20): List all the 
  defenses against crimes in the 
  monastic Vinaya code.
   
  Hard (30): Quote an abbot’s 
  advice on solving disputes from a 
  five hundred year old book.
  Torture- Uses INL.  The PC has 
  learned how to cause pain without 
  doing permanent damage or causing 
  the person to pass out.  The victim 
  gets an opposed WIL roll.
   
  Easy (10): Force someone to do 
  or say something when he or she 
  has no real reason not to.
   
  Moderate (20): Force someone 
  to betray his or her country or 
  friends.
   
  Hard (30): Force someone 
  to do or say something that 
  will cause his or her own 
  death.
  Sorcery
  Animation- Uses WIL.  Prerequisite: Meditation 
  (1), p.100.  By meditating and focusing his or her will, 
  the PC can imbue an object with the power to move. 
  This makes possible the tongue-dagger ritual (see box). 
  Takes about 10 hours of meditation on the object (less 
  with very high success on the skill roll).
   
  Easy (10): Cause an object to rattle or lurch.
   
  Moderate (20): Cause a knife to hit a target up to 20 
  miles (32 km.) away (knife hits as a vital strike with 
  1d10 success).
   Hard (30): Set an item to act 
  upon a condition (e.g. set a 
  knife to hit anyone who enters 
  a hallway) or upon a timetable 
  (e.g. set a box to sit at the bottom 
  of a lake for 100 years and then 
  float to the surface).
  Bird 
  Control- 
  Uses 
  WIL. 
  Prerequisite: 
  Meditation 
  (1), 
  p.100.  The PC knows the secret 
  mantra which can call birds 
  of prey (ravens and vultures) 
  to act as his or her servants. 
  Summoned birds will follow 
  commands from the PC for 24 
  hours.  The birds can understand 
  any instruction, but may not be 
  able to remember complex plans. 
  The birds can not communicate 
  back to the PC.
   Easy (10): Call one bird of 
  prey the PC can see.
   Moderate (20): Call up to 10 
  birds of prey from within 1 mile 
  (1.6 km.).
   Hard (30): Call every bird of 
  prey within 2 miles (3.2 km.).
   Legendary (40): Call every 
  bird of any kind within 
  five miles (8.5 km.).
  Sorcerous Components Table
  01-06: Human Blood
  07-11: Human Flesh
  12-16: Human Bone
  17-21: Human Skull
  22-25: Sandalwood Phurba
  26-29: Juniper Wood Phurba
  30-33: Turmeric Wood Phurba
  34-38: Poison Paper
  39-43: Khram Sing (notched hexagonal stick)
  44-48: Goat Blood
  49-53: Dog Blood
  54-58: Corpse Hair
  59-63: Human skin
  64-67: Live Poisonous Spiders
  68-71: Menstrual Blood of a Prostitute
  72-75: Death Blood Wiped From a Sword 
  76-78: Thighbone of an Indian Brahmin
  79-81: Blood From a Leprous Corpse
  82-84: Brain Blood of an Insane Person
  85-86: Rhino Meat
  87-88: Black Stones From a Haunted Place
  89-90: Right Horn of a Black Yak
  91-92: Blood of a Child Born From Incest
  93-94: Object Used to Commit Suicide
  95-96: Flesh of woman who died in childbirth
  97-98: White Mustard
  99-00: Charcoal from a Funeral Pyre
  Tongue Dagger Ritual
  Using the Animation skill at moderate 
  difficulty, a PC can animate a corpse. 
  The corpse will stand up and lurch 
  violently.  The PC must grab a hold 
  of the corpse and not let go (takes 
  a STH feat of 30 difficulty or an 
  AGY feat of 35 difficulty).  If the 
  PC breaks contact with the corpse 
  for even a second he or she will die. 
  If the PC can bite off the corpse’s 
  tongue, the PC will have a powerful 
  magical weapon.  The weapon kills 
  whoever it is pointed at.  (Does 2d6 
  BLD damage, functional range 5 ft. 
  (1.5 m.) max range 200 ft. (60 m.), 
  works 10 times).
  Typical Bird Flock
  Composition- 30 ravens and vultures.
  Attributes- AGY 15, AWR 15, END 10, KMA 
  -5, SPD 40 (flying), STH 1, WIL 3, BLD 1, 
  BDY 0, INCY 2.
  Appearance- A jumbled horde of large birds: 
  black ravens with intense yellow eyes and 
  vultures with long bony necks.  The sky is filled 
  with flapping wings and screeching.
  Special Powers- 1 bladed damage talons and 
  beaks.
  Typical Attack- The flock attacks en-masse 
  (see Swarms, p.162), doing slash, blinding, 
  pain/stun and vital strike attacks.
  
  Demon Sorcery- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Thread 
  Crosses (1), p.99.  Demon Sorcery is the most 
  immediately deadly form of sorcery, but it is also the 
  most dangerous to the practitioner.  The PC builds special 
  thread crosses, then takes the crosses to places frequented 
  by malevolent spirits (graveyard or crossroads).  Then the 
  PC uses spoken invocations to summon and trap a demon. 
  The PC tells the demon that it will be let freed if it will 
  attack a target victim.  The thread cross is then broken in 
  the direction of the enemy.  The demon hunts down and 
  tries to destroy the enemy.  The PC must roll twice, once 
  to summon the demon and again to trap it.  Roll once on 
  the Sorcerous Components Table to use this skill. 
   
  Easy (10): Summon or trap a Dangerous Spirit (see 
  p.187).
   
  Moderate (20): Summon or trap a Demon (see p.187).
   
  Hard (30): Summon a Demon Lord (see p.188).
  Disease Sorcery- Uses INL.  The PC knows the complex 
  ceremonies used to send different debilitating diseases 
  to humans or livestock.  These diseases can be deadly 
  if the victim fails enough disease progression rolls (see 
  p.154).  Each ceremony takes at least an hour to complete 
  and takes exotic components (roll twice on the sorcerous 
  components table).
   
  Easy (10): Send fever and weakness (-5 STH, -5 
  END).
   
  Moderate (20): Send fainting spells or lameness.
   
  Hard (30): Send insanity or idiocy.
  Gantad Horn- Uses INL.  The PC can make a terrible 
  horn, which is buried near where a person lives, which 
  will cause bad luck and death.  Creating the horn requires 
  a moderate difficulty skill roll.  If the PC’s bare skin 
  touches the ingredients of the horn during its creation the 
  PC will take 1d6 BLD damage.  The horn must be buried 
  near the person’s home at dawn or dusk.  The residents 
  of the house will face increasingly bad luck and within 3 
  months a horde of Srung Ma demons will destroy them.  
  Anyone who had any contact with the victims will pick 
  up some of that bad luck (the PC is not immune).  The 
  victims’ bad luck makes it very unlikely that they 
  will ever find the horn or get help.  If a victim does 
  somehow find the horn, he or she can throw 
  it in to the river and dispel the bad effects. 
  Otherwise, the only thing that can save the 
  victim is a 40 difficulty miracle (see p.149).  Roll 
  5 times on the sorcerous components table to create 
  a horn.
   
  Moderate (20): Create a Gantad Horn.
  Life Force Sorcery- Uses WIL.  If the PC can find the 
  physical location of someone’s life force spirit (requires 
  Divination skill rolls), he or she can use secret words 
  to drive the spirit away.  Without a life force spirit, the 
  victim withers away and dies (-1 END per day, after 
  END is gone then -1 BLD per day).  The skill can be 
  used on superhuman beings (who live on the earthly 
  plane) or even on countries, but at a much higher 
  difficulty.  A thread cross ceremony can bring the life 
  force spirit back.
   
  Easy (10): Drive away a Yak’s life force.
   
  Moderate (20): Drive away a human’s life force.
   
  Hard (30): Drive away a dharmapala’s life force.
   
  104
  character creation
  Sorcery Fear Scale
  For many in Tibet, the ability to threaten sorcery is a valuable 
  resource.  When the highly reformed Yellow Hat sect 
  disavowed any type of sorcery, they found they had to learn 
  martial arts to keep from being bullied.  The following is how 
  much the average Tibetan fears members of various groups for 
  their possible access to sorcery:
   
  Run Away: Professional Sorcerers.
   
  Don’t Piss Them Off: Bön Priests, Oracles (Unrecognized), 
  Sakyapa Monks, Weathermakers, White Robes, Unclean.
   
  Keep an Eye on Them: Doctors, Kagyupa Monks, 
  Nyingmapa Monks, Savages.
   
  Not a Danger: Aristocrats, Ascetics, Astrologers, 
  Craftspeople, Dobdobs, Farmers, Foreigners, Gesar Bards, 
  Merchants, Mirror Gazers, Nomads, Oracles (Recognized), 
  Revenants, Treasure Finders, Yellow Hats.
  Defending Against Sorcery
  The following is how people under attack can 
  defend themselves against or alleviate the damage 
  of sorcery.
  Animation
  physical defenses
  Bird Control
  physical defenses
  Demon Sorcery
  Demon Sorcery or various 
  exorcism
  Disease Sorcery
  Humoural Medicine, Medical 
  Mantras or Herbalism
  Gantad Horn
  none
  Life Force Sorcery
  Thread Crosses
  Love Magic
  none
  Poisons
  none
  Simple Curses
  Glud Ceremony or Sucking 
  Exorcism
  Zor
  Glud Ceremony
  Sorcerous Battles
  Sometimes two sorcerers fight each other, either in personal 
  battles or on the behalf of feuding clients.  These battles 
  use demon sorcery.  When one sorcerer learns another has 
  dispatched a demon, that sorcerer also dispatches a demon.  The 
  two demons fight (opposed skill rolls).  Most of the time, the 
  demons fight to a stalemate, then come back to the sorcerers, 
  ready to attack those who sent them.  To defend themselves, 
  the sorcerers must recapture and resend the demons.  They 
  must do this again and again until one of two things happens: 
  Sometimes one demon enslaves or destroys the other, then 
  goes on to destroy its intended target.  Sometimes a sorcerer 
  fails to recapture a returning demon and is destroyed by it.
  
  105
  skills
  Love Magic- Uses INL.  The PC knows spells 
  to cause one person to fall in love and/or in lust 
  with another person.
   Easy (10): Capture the lust of a man using the ashes 
  of menstrual blood smeared on the man’s forehead or put 
  in his food.
   
  Moderate (20): Prepare water, with the use of a Black 
  Rilzin (p.119).  The water is sprinkled in the eyes or put in 
  the food or drink of a victim.  The victim will fall in love 
  with the person who administered the water.  The love is 
  instant if sprinkled in eyes, eventual if consumed.
   
  Hard (30): Perform a ceremony on a person’s 
  footprint which will make him or her fall madly in love 
  with someone else.  If the victim is prevented from being 
  with the target of his or her infatuation, the victim will go 
  insane (unless another ceremony is done by the sorcerer 
  to release the victim).
  Poisons- Uses INL.  The PC can prepare deadly poisons 
  from common natural substances.
   
  Easy (10): Create a poison that works via digestion.
   
  Moderate (20): Create a poison to coat a blade with.
   
  Hard (30): Create a poison that works via skin 
  contact.
   
  Legendary (40): Poison food by meditating and 
  saying mantras over it.
  Simple Curses- Uses WIL.  The PC knows simple folk 
  curses.  These curses only increase the probability of 
  misfortune, but they can be done quickly without the 
  need for rare substances.
   
  Easy (10): Women can recite a formula, shake 
  their apron and throw dirt over their shoulder.  Men 
  can write the name and age of a victim on a piece of 
  paper, along with secret mantras, and wear it inside 
  their boot.  Does 2d6 damage to current KMA.
   
  Moderate (20): Hide specially prepared footprint 
  dirt or nail clippings of the victim under the pedestal 
  of a wrathful dharmapala in a monastery.  Does 3d6 
  KMA damage.
   
  Hard (30): A small simulacrum is made of 
  someone using scraps of their clothing, nail clippings 
  or hair.  Anything done to this figure is likely to 
  happen to the victim.
  Zor- Uses WIL.  The PC can create Zor: pieces 
  of dough filled with objects that have bad karma. 
  Throwing Zor away while reciting a short mantra 
  will release the destructive powers on the victim (1d6 
  damage to current Karma).  Actually hitting someone 
  with a Zor will cause its destructive effects to happen 
  immediately (2d20 Karma damage).  Zor can also 
  be made from eggs, containers of water, spindles 
  and other objects.  Roll once on the Sorcerous 
  Components Table to create a Zor.
   
  Moderate (20): Create Zor.
  Tantra
  Breath Yoga- Uses AWR.  The PC has learned 
  meditation upon breath and subtle control of breathing.  
  While staying still, the PC can stop breathing and lower 
  his or her own pulse so low that it can not normally be 
  perceived.  Breath Yoga is also used to help control 
  pain.
   
  Easy (10): Stop breathing for 10 minutes (+5 to save 
  vs. pain).
   
  Moderate (20): Stop breathing for 1 hour (+10 to save 
  vs. pain).
   
  Hard (30): Stop breathing for six hours (+15 to save 
  vs. pain).
   
  Legendary (40): Stop breathing for 24 hours (+20 to 
  save vs. pain).
  Dakini Language- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Yidam 
  Tantra (1 level) for females or Sexual Tantra (1 level) 
  for males.  The PC has been initiated by a dakini and 
  taught the secret mystical language of the dakinis.  This 
  language is what many terma (hidden tantric texts) are 
  written in.  The language cannot be taught from one 
  human to another.
   
  Easy (10): Figure out, basically, what a text is about.
   
  Moderate (20): Read and translate a script.
   
  Hard (30): Write a script in dakini language.
  Death Tantra- Uses WIL.  Prerequisite: Mediation (1), 
  p.100.    The PC learns a meditation where he or she 
  envisions dying.  The PC uses a thighbone trumpet to 
  summon malevolent spirits to come kill and consume 
  the PC.  The PC envisions being destroyed and 
  consumed.  This vision is so powerful and realistic 
  that the PC and the spirits believe it.  The PC 
  
  does not actually die, but his or her ego (sense of 
  self) does.  Spirits infesting PCs will think the PC 
  has died and will go elsewhere.  A successful skill roll 
  gives +15 to removing attachments of the Self type (see 
  p.166).
   
  Moderate (20): Experience the sensations of death and 
  serve one’s ego to malevolent spirits.
  Fire Yoga- Uses WIL.  Prerequisite: Breath Yoga (1). 
  The PC can meditate on the fire snake goddess Tummo 
  (Kundalini in India) coming up the spine as all of the 
  body’s energies come together in to a single channel.  A 
  side effect of this meditation is the creation of extreme 
  amounts of body heat.  PCs also learn to chant the syllable 
  for fire, the mantra for this meditation, with enough power 
  to alter reality.
   
  Easy (10): Keep warm in the coldest weather.
   
  Moderate (20): Dry a wet blanket in minutes with body 
  heat.
   
  Hard (30): Set flammable inanimate objects on fire by 
  pronouncing the syllable for fire.
   
  Legendary (40): Cause a person to burst in to flames (2 
  burn damage every round) by pronouncing the syllable for 
  fire.
  Invisibility- Uses WIL.  Prerequisite: Breath Yoga (1). 
  By silencing the “self” that projects itself on to other 
  people’s consciousness, the PC can become hard to 
  notice.  A person specifically looking for the PC can make 
  an opposed AWR roll.
   
  Easy (10): Become less noticeable (-7 to AWR rolls).
   
  Moderate (20): Become unnoticeable while keeping 
  still.
   
  Hard (30): Become unnoticeable while moving.
   
  Legendary (40): Become unnoticeable while manip-
  ulating the environment.
  Lightness Yoga- Uses AWR.  Prerequisite: 
  Fire Yoga (1).  The PC can make his or her 
  body extraordinarily light.  The PC can jump great 
  distances, levitate, or run across country with little 
  effort.  When running, the PC moves at 15 SPD with no 
  END loss.  They weigh so little that they can not “run,” 
  instead they seem to bounce.  They do not need to sleep 
  or rest and so they can travel cross-country faster a team 
  of horses.
   
  Easy (10): Go in to a running trace, in the evening, 
  in a featureless landscape.  -or-  Jump 7 ft. (2 m.) up.
   
  Moderate (20): Go in to a running trance in any 
  landscape.  -or-  Jump 15 ft. (4.5 m.) up.
   
  Hard (30): Walk on water.  -or-  Jump 30 ft. (9 m.) up.
   
  Legendary (40): Levitate up to 10 ft. (3 m.)  -or- 
  Jump 50 ft. (15 m.) straight up.
  Pure Vision- Uses AWR.  Prerequisite: Yidam Tantra 
  (1).  The PC learns to see the universe as the Yidam 
  does.  A Yidam being can see anything and everything.  
  The Yidam’s view of the universe is represented by a 
  mandala (circular sand painting).  This tantra requires 
  the creation of a simple mandala (takes about 1 hour). 
  PCs can use the skill without the mandala, but at +20 
  difficulty.
   
  Easy (10): See through illusions
   
  Moderate (20): See through walls or obstructions.
   
  Hard (30): See invisible things or metaphysical 
  qualities.  -or-  See events happening miles away.
   
  Legendary (40): See things happening in the hells, 
  heavens or other worlds.
  Sexual Tantra- Uses WIL.  Prerequisite: Yidam Tantra 
  (1).  This is the ultimate tantric practice, and one that 
  Tantric Buddhists believe is necessary to achieve 
  enlightenment while in the physical body.  During ritual 
  106
  character creation
  
  107
  skills
  meditation, the PC becomes a Yidam and 
  a partner of the opposite sex becomes the 
  Yidam’s consort.  A Yidam’s consort is that 
  Yidam’s counterpart, together they represent complete 
  perfection.  By satisfying the body’s every need, the PC 
  can temporarily transcend the need for a body altogether. 
  A successful sexual tantra ritual gives +30 to removing 
  attachments (see p.166).
   
  Moderate (20): Conduct a successful sexual tantra 
  ritual.
  Sorcery Tantra- Uses INL.  Prerequisite: Pantheons 
  (1), p.102.  These are the secret 
  tantric 
  rituals 
  which 
  allow 
  practitioners to call wrathful 
  dharmapalas (demon lord class) 
  to attack enemies of Buddhism.  If 
  a dharmapala finds that it has been 
  sent to attack someone who is not 
  an enemy of Buddhism, it is likely 
  to attack the sender.
   
  Easy (10): Invoke the presence 
  of a dharmapala.
   
  Moderate (20): Invoke and 
  send the dharmapala to attack a 
  genuine enemy of Buddhism.
   
  Hard 
  (30): 
  Invoke 
  a 
  dharmapala and trick it in to 
  attacking a person who is not an 
  enemy of Buddhism.
  Subtle 
  Self- 
  Uses 
  INL. 
  Prerequisites: Breath Yoga (1), 
  Death Tantra (1).  By learning 
  to control the subtle self (the 
  metaphysical counterpart to the 
  physical body), the PC can change 
  the nature of his or her physical 
  body.  The PC can also cause the 
  subtle self to leave the physical 
  body and travel around as a 
  spirit.  Like a malevolent spirit, 
  the PC’s subtle body is intangible 
  and invisible.  The subtle self 
  can go inside and take control 
  of other bodies.  The subtle self 
  can be effected by all the same 
  things that effect spirits.  While 
  the subtle body is gone, the PC’s physical body appears 
  unconscious.  Calling the PC’s name or hurting the PC’s 
  body will call the PC back.
   
  Easy (10): Shrink enough to fit through a one foot 
  opening.
   
  Moderate (20): Leave the physical body and travel 
  around as a powerless spirit.
   Hard (30): Travel, physically, through solid objects.
   
  Legendary (40): Leave the physical body and 
  inhabit and animate a corpse or a living human 
  (humans get opposed will rolls).
  Tulpa Creation- Uses WIL.  Prerequisite: 
  Meditation (2).  With hours of meditation the PC 
  can create things from pure mental energy.  Inanimate 
  objects are easiest, but advanced practitioners can 
  create animals or even humans.  A tulpa is a human 
  created using these meditations.  Tulpas may be created 
  by sorcerers as servants or by tantric practitioners who 
  cannot find a normal consort for sexual tantra.
   
  Easy (10): Create a small object made from base 
  materials (2 hours meditation).
   
  Moderate (20): Create a human who will perform 
  simple actions (STH 1) and disappear within 1d6 minutes 
  (4 hours meditation).
   
  Hard 
  (30): 
  Create 
  a 
  human who will last 24 hours 
  and perform complex actions, 
  including 
  talking 
  (6 
  hours 
  meditation).
   
  Legendary 
  (40): 
  Create 
  a permanent real human.  The 
  tulpa has no self-consciousness 
  and can only follow orders. 
  For each year that the Tulpa is 
  around, there is some chance it 
  may gain true consciousness. (8 
  hours meditation).
  Wind 
  Voices- 
  Uses 
  AWR. 
  Prerequisite: Meditation (2).  By 
  recognizing that the differences 
  between 
  human 
  minds 
  are 
  illusory, the PC can send and 
  receive words or images to or 
  from other minds.  Direct mental 
  communication gives +10 to 
  teaching rolls.
   
  Easy (10): Communicate 
  with the lama who taught the PC 
  this skill.
   
  Moderate 
  (20): 
  Com-
  municate with someone who has 
  this skill.
   
  Hard (30): Communicate 
  with ordinary people
  Yidam Tantra- Uses WIL. 
  Prerequisites: Fire Yoga (1), Death 
  Tantra (1).  The PC meditates upon Yidam: buddhas, 
  bodhisattvas and great dharmapalas who represent 
  aspects of enlightenment the PC wishes to attain.
   
  Easy (10): Perceive the character’s lama as a Yidam.  
  Yidam may give advice.  Gives +5 to rolls to remove 
  attachments.
   
  Moderate (20): Perceive oneself to be a Yidam.  Gives 
  +10 to rolls to remove attachments.
   
  Hard (30): Completely become the Yidam in all but 
  physical form (GM controls character’s actions). 
  Gives +20 to rolls to remove attachments.
  
  Travel
  Animal Packing- Uses INL.  The PC can pack the 
  maximum amount an animal can carry.
   
  Easy (10): Pack a horse.
   
  Moderate (20): Pack a yak without danger to the PC 
  (yaks tend to flick their horns).
   
  Hard (30): Pack a yak so that it can not buck its load.
  Foreign Language- Uses INL.  The PC can speak any one 
  language (choose one).  If the PC has the Literacy skill, 
  the PC can also read and write the language. The skill can 
  be taken multiple times for multiple languages.
   
  Easy (10): Broken speech.
   
  Moderate (20): Fluent speech.
   
  Hard (30): Speak without an accent.
  Mountain Climbing- Uses INL.  The PC had learned 
  Western or native techniques to apply knowledge, strategy 
  and technology to climbing a mountain.  This is not the 
  same as AGY based climbing rolls.  A successful skill roll 
  means that the PC can:
   
  -Estimate the time and resources needed to climb a 
  mountain.
   
  -Pace himself or herself for maximum efficiency and 
  acclimatization.
   
  -Find the easiest way to ascend a mountain.
   
  -Make the climb easier with the use of pitons 
  (Westerners) or wooden boards (Tibetans).
   
  -Find the safest way to secure climbers so that a fall 
  (failed AGY roll) does not mean the climber falls to his or 
  her death.
   
  Easy (10): Steep hill face.
   
  Moderate (20): Very steep, snow-covered mountain.
   
  Hard (30): Completely vertical rock face.
  Riding- Uses AGY.  The PC can ride a horse or yak.  The 
  PC can ride bareback (without a saddle) at +10 difficulty.
  Easy (10): Ride a horse at an easy pace.
  Moderate (20): Ride a horse at a fast pace.  -or-  Ride a 
  yak at an easy pace.
  Hard (30): Jump a horse.  -or-  Ride a yak on rough 
  terrain.
  Swimming- Uses SPD.  The PC is skilled at swimming 
  for speed, distance and agility.
    
  Easy (10): Swim at ¼ SPD -or- swim a long distance at 
  75% of normal END loss.
   
  Moderate (20): Swim at ⅓ SPD -or- swim a long 
  distance at 50% of normal END loss.
   
  Hard (30): Swim at ½ SPD -or- swim a long 
  distance at 25% of normal END loss.
  Tibetan Geography- Uses INL.  The PC 
  knows Tibetan geography by landmarks.
   
  Easy (10): Recognize common travel routes.
   
  Moderate (20): Recognize one’s location by 
  landmarks.
   
  Hard (30): Name obscure mountain passes.
  Wilderness Survival- Uses INL.  With a successful skill 
  roll, the PC can survive for one day in the wilderness 
  without use of any equipment.  A successful skill roll 
  represents finding food, water and shelter.  Each day the 
  character must re-roll.
   
  Easy (10): Survive in a rainforest
  Moderate (20): Survive in pastureland.
   
  Hard (30): Survive in the Chang Tang.
  108
  character creation
  
  109
  skills
  Weathermaking
  Weather Mantras- Uses WIL.  By going to the 
  top of a mountain or to a spring, the PC can perform 
  mantras (chants) and mudras (hand gestures) which will 
  summon good weather.  This skill can not be used to end 
  bad weather caused by angry spirits.
   
  Moderate (20): Cause good weather.
  Weather Propitiation- Uses INL.  Often, bad weather is 
  caused by a spirit or dharmapala that has been inadvertently 
  offended.  If the PC can discover what the problem is (using 
  Weather Prediction or other forms of divination) the PC 
  can prescribe a ritual to make restitution.  Different spirits 
  will require different sacrifices.  Some malevolent spirits 
  want animal sacrifices, but may be fooled by vegetable 
  simulacrums (like gluds, see p.27).
   
  Moderate (20): Prescribe the proper ritual to end bad 
  weather.
  Weather Prediction- Uses AWR.  By beating on a drum 
  and listening to its sound, the character can predict what 
  the weather will be like in the near future.  By looking at 
  the reflection of clouds in a vessel of water, the PC can 
  see “inside” the clouds.  The PC can tell if the clouds are 
  about to release rain, hail or snow.  The PC can also see 
  if magic or an invisible spirit is controlling the action of 
  the clouds.
   
  Moderate (20): Predict weather for next few days with 
  a drum.
   
  Hard (30): Look into clouds with a vessel of water.
  Weather Sorcery- Uses INL.  Using mantras, mandalas, 
  meditation, burnt mustard seed offerings and a human 
  thighbone trumpet, the PC can summon spirits which 
  cause bad weather.
   
  Easy (10): Cause drought.
   
  Moderate (20): Cause a blizzard.
   
  Hard (30): Cause driven hail (capable of destroying 
  crops).
  Western Knowledge
  Agriculture- Uses INL.  The study of 1950s Western 
  agricultural techniques.
   
  Easy (10): Name common western crops.
   
  Moderate (20): Use a pesticide.
   
  Hard (30): Use modern farm machinery.
  Criminology- Uses INL.  The study of criminal and 
  forensic investigation as practiced in the West.
   
  Easy (10): Take and compare fingerprints.
   
  Moderate (20): Match a bullet to the gun that shot it 
  using ballistics.
   Hard (30): Perform an autopsy for clues to basic causes 
  of death.
  Electronics- Uses INL.  The PC has studied 
  the use, maintenance and engineering of simple 
  electronic devices such as radios, telegraphs, 
  movie projectors, etc.
   
  Easy (10): Use a simple electronic device.
   
  Moderate (20): Repair an electronic device.
   
  Hard (30): Create a simple electronic device.
  Mechanics- Uses INL.  The PC has studied the use, 
  maintenance and engineering of mechanical devices 
  such as cars, clocks, water-powered mills and steam 
  engines.
   
  Easy (10): Maintain a mechanical device.
   
  Moderate (20): Repair a mechanical device.
   
  Hard (30): Create a mechanical device.
  Military Science- Uses INL.  The PC has studied 
  modern military strategies, technology and techniques.
   
  Easy (10): Recognize a piece of artillery.
   
  Moderate (20): Map out a battle plan.
   
  Hard (30): Assemble a machine-gun.
  Political Philosophy- Uses INL.  The PC has studied 
  the history and precepts of the major political systems.
   
  Easy (10): Identify the political system used by a 
  major world power.
   
  Moderate (20): List the arguments in favor of a 
  political system.
   
  Hard (30): Debate Maoism with communist party 
  leaders.
  Science- Uses INL.  The study of Western scientific 
  theory as well as the basic precepts behind 1950s 
  biology, geology, psychology, chemistry, astronomy, 
  physics and paleontology.
   
  Easy (10): Explain the concept of evolution.
   
  Moderate (20): Identify the history of a type of 
  rock.
   
  Hard (30): Perform chemical analysis on a 
  substance.
  Western Medicine- Uses INL.  The PC has knowledge 
  of concepts and procedures of Western medicine such 
  as surgery, vaccinations, antibiotics, disinfectants and 
  disease pathology.
   
  Easy (10): Prescribe a basic antibiotic.
   
  Moderate (20): Clean and stitch up a wound.
   
  Hard (30): Identify a rare western disease.
   
  Legendary (40): Perform invasive surgery.
  World History- Uses INL.  The PC can answer basic 
  questions about the history of the world outside of 
  Tibet.
   
  Easy (10): Name ancient empires.
   
  Moderate (20): Identify a foreign antique.
   
  Hard (30): Name the fifth US President.
  Mudra- Magical hand gestures with mystical or magical effects.
  
  Money & 
  Equipment
  Next, determine the amount of Srang (Tibetan money) the 
  character starts with, based on his or her character class. 
  The character can buy equipment with this money.  The 
  PC must get permission from the GM before buying any 
  equipment which is listed as “Limited Availability.”  If 
  the PC has any money left, determine how and where 
  it is stored.  City dwellers often have paper 
  currency notes and Srang coins on their persons 
  and in the religion rooms of their houses.  County 
  folk typically have a combination of jewelry and 
  Srang coins.  Nomads typically have all their wealth 
  worn as jewelry.
  The PC starts with a dwelling appropriate to that 
  character class.  The PC has the items necessary for life 
  at home (furniture, butter lamps, shrines, etc.).   Purchase 
  110
  character creation
  Animals
    Dzo
  200
    Goat
  35
    Hunting Dog
  90
    Horse
  750
    Mastiff
  75
    Pony
  650
    Sheep
  20
    Yak (Domestic)
  150
    Yak (Wild)
  135
  Armor
    Flak Jacket
  3,000
    Helmet
  500
    Leather Armor
  300
    Plate Armor
  700
    Shield
  200
    Traditional Armor
  400
  Books
    100,000 Songs of Milarepa 16
    Gantad Horn Book
  120
    Gesar Epic
  30
    Kanjur
  200
    Pebble Divination
  5
    Tenjur
  200
    Other Texts
  various
  Clothing
    Boots
  25
    Chinese Military Clothing 40
    Chuba (Common)
  35
    Chuba (Fine)
  60
    Fire Yoga Garment
  20
    Hat (Fleece)
  17
    Hat (Fox Skin)
  30
    Hat (Monk’s)
  10
    Lokbar
  45
    Monk’s Robes
  20
    Sorcerer’s Outfit
  25
    White Robes
  25
  Craft Tools
    Book Making Materials 100
    Brushes & Paints
  20
    Carving Tools
  30
    Cloth
  150
    Forge
  120
    Loom
  100
    Pen & Ink
  10
    Sewing Needle
  5
  Food
    Barley Beer
  10
    Barley Flower
  1
    Butter
  10
    Dried Apricots
  3
    Dried Molasses
  4
    Horse Food
  7
    Jar of Yogurt
  1
    Rice
  2
    Tea Brick
  15
    Wind Dried Meat
  3
  Starting Money for Character Classes
  Aristocrat: 3500 Srang
  Ascetic: 50 Srang
  Astrologer: 1250 Srang
  Bön Priest: 1500 Srang
  Craftsperson: 1250 Srang
  Dobdob: 1000 Srang
  Doctor: 2750 Srang
  Farmer: 1000 Srang
  Foreigner: 3000 Srang
  Gesar Bard: 2000 Srang
  Kagyupa Monk: 750 Srang
  Merchant: 1000 Srang
  Mirror Gazer: 1000 Srang
  Nomad: 250 Srang
  Nyingmapa Monk: 875 Srang
  Oracle: 1250 Srang
  Revenant: 750 Srang
  Sakyapa Monk: 750 Srang
  Savage: 500 Srang
  Sorcerer: 1500 Srang
  Treasure Finder: 1000 Srang
  Unclean: 500 Srang
  Weathermaker: 1500 Srang
  White Robe- 750 Srang
  Yellow Hat Monk: 1000 Srang
    Yak Cheese
  15
    Yak Meat
  1
  Holy Objects
    Charm: Bird of Prey
  30
    Charm: Cattle
  15
    Charm: Clawing Animal 30
    Charm: Demon
  35
    Charm: Dogbite
  30
    Charm: Plague
  30
    Charm: Rebel
  50
    Dalai Lama Picture
  250
    Dalai Lama Amulet
  500
    Dêgê Ink
  20
    Hand Prayer Wheel
  85
    Ivory Ring
  10
    Knotted Thunderbolt
  500
    Lake Manasarovar Water 25
    Oracle Ring
  200
    Pins
  1
    Poison Sensing Bowl
  200
    Portable Shrine
  12
    Prayer Beads
  4
    Payer Flag
  10
    Prehistoric Beads
  120
    Rilzin
  150
    Thankga
  25
    Statuette
  40
    Turquoise Ring
  30
    T’sa T’sa
  250
    Written Prayer
  3
  Magical Components
    Black Rilzin
  200
    Ceremonial Arrow
  40
    Cham Mask
  100
    Conch Shell Trumpet
  200
    Dice
  3
    Divination Cards
  35
    Glud Mold
  35
    Harrying Horn
  40
    Human Blood
  25
    Human Blood (Special) 150
    Human Flesh
  90
    Human Skull
  50
    Long Trumpet
  75
    Oracular Chair
  40
    Oracular Outfit
  750
    Phurba (Bone)
  50
    Phurba (Brass)
  40
    Phurba (Wood)
  20
    Poison Paper
  10
    Mirror
  20
    Mirror (Silver)
  250
    Scapula (Human)
  65
    Scapula (Sheep)
  3
    Simple Thread Cross
  20
    Skull Beads
  100
    Skull Cup
  30
    Skull Drum
  300
    Thigh Bone Trumpet
  250
    Two Headed Drum
  35
  Medicine
    Anti-Nausea Herbs
  6
    Blood Cleansing Herbs 8
    Dalai Lama Pills
  100
    Dolma Pill
  60
    Distilled Alcohol
  25
    Emetic Herbs
  4
    Ether
  60
    Field Surgery Kit
  80
    Glasses
  150
    Hashish
  25
    Hearing Aide
  250
    Medical Charm
  25
    Opium
  15
    Penicillin
  7
    Stretcher
  200
    Tonic Herbs
  15
  Miscellaneous
    Bamboo Wristguards
  2
    Beggar’s Staff
  30
    Begging Bowl 
  2
    Bellows
  25
    Butter Lamp
  10
    Canteen
  6
    Chopsticks
  1
    Coracle
  200
    Dried Rhubarb
  1
    Fire Starter
  12
    Iron Pencase
  20
    Khata
  10
    Pack
  10
    Pack Frame
  30
    Prostration Gloves
  2
    Rope
  1/2 Sr./ft.
    Saddle
  150
    Saddle Bags
  15
    Sheep Dung
  1
    Tent
  100
    Tsampa Bowl
  2
    Wool Blanket
  20
  Services
    Ferrying
  5
    Guide
  15/dy.
    Prostitute
  7-40 Sr.
    Quartering
  7/night
    Lodgings
  10/night
    Mail
  4
    Opera Troupe
  30-200
    Porter
  10-50/dy.
    Rented House
  50/wk.
    Servant
  60/wk.
    Mercenary (Monk)
  10/dy.
    Mercenary (Tribesman) 40/dy.
    Sorcery
  30-150
    Telegraph
  1/wd.
    Tibetan Medical Care
  40-100
    Western Medical Care
  30
  Weapons
    Arrow Poison
  7
    Blow Gun
  25
    Bow (Long)
  150
    Bow (Short)
  120
    Dynamite
  300
    Elephant Gun
  3,000
    Grenade
  400
    Horned Shield
  75
    Iron Spear
  80
    Knife
  35
    Kukuri
  170
    Lance
  250
    Machine Gun
  10,000
    Pistol (Automatic)
  1000
    Pistol (Revolver)
  800
    Rifle (Matchlock)
  300
    Rifle (WWI)
  400
    Rifle (WWII)
  800
    Rifle (Sniper)
  1,500
    Rifle Horns
  20
    Sling
  9
    Staff
  30
    Sub-Machine Gun
  4,000
    Sword (Chinese)
  600
    Sword (Tibetan)
  200
    Throwing Key
  150
    Tiger Claws
  80
    Trident
  100
    War Axe
  200
    Whip
  35
  Western Goods
    Backpack
  25
    Binoculars
  85
    Camera
  80
    Cigarettes
  15
    Climbing Equipment
  1500
    Climbing Rope
  4/ft.
    Climbing Tent
  700
    Duct Tape
  25
    Flare
  50
    Flare Gun
  110
    Flashlight
  85
    Gas Mask
  150
    Gasoline Lamp
  60
    Lighter
  75
    Mechanical Tools
    Oxygen Tank
  600
  500
    Padlock
  200
    Parka
  1,000
    Radio
  150
    Sunglasses
  40
    Swiss Army Knife 
  150
    Tape Recorder
  750
    Watch
  200
    Western Clothing
  700
  
  Alphabetical Index of Equipment
  111
  money & equipment
  100,000 Songs of Milarepa 16
  Books
  Anti-Nausea Herbs
  6
  Medicine
  Arrow Poison
  7
  Weapons
  Backpack
  25
  Western Goods
  Bamboo Wristguards
  2
  Miscellaneous
  Barley Beer
  10
  Food
  Barley Flower
  1
  Food
  Beggar’s Staff
  30
  Miscellaneous
  Begging Bowl 
  2
  Miscellaneous
  Bellows
  25
  Miscellaneous
  Binoculars
  85
  Western Goods
  Black Rilzin
  200
  Magical Components
  Blood Cleansing Herbs
  8
  Medicine
  Blow Gun
  25
  Weapons
  Book Making Materials
  100
  Craft Tools
  Boots
  25
  Clothing
  Bow (Long)
  150
  Weapons
  Bow (Short)
  120
  Weapons
  Brushes & Paints
  20
  Craft Tools
  Butter
  10
  Food
  Butter Lamp
  10
  Miscellaneous
  Camera
  80
  Western Goods
  Canteen
  6
  Miscellaneous
  Carving Tools
  30
  Craft Tools
  Ceremonial Arrow
  40
  Magical Components
  Cham Mask
  100
  Magical Components
  Charm: Bird of Prey
  30
  Holy Objects
  Charm: Cattle
  15
  Holy Objects
  Charm: Clawing Animal
  30
  Holy Objects
  Charm: Demon
  35
  Holy Objects
  Charm: Dogbite
  30
  Holy Objects
  Charm: Plague
  30
  Holy Objects
  Charm: Rebel
  50
  Holy Objects
  Chinese Military Clothing 40
  Clothing
  Chopsticks
  1
  Miscellaneous
  Chuba (Common)
  35
  Clothing
  Chuba (Fine)
  60
  Clothing
  Cigarettes
  15
  Western Goods
  Climbing Equipment
  1500
  Western Goods
  Climbing Rope
  4/ft.
  Western Goods
  Climbing Tent
  700
  Western Goods
  Cloth
  150
  Craft Tools
  Conch Shell Trumpet
  200
  Magical Components
  Coracle
  200
  Miscellaneous
  Dalai Lama Amulet
  500
  Holy Objects
  Dalai Lama Picture
  250
  Holy Objects
  Dalai Lama Pills
  100
  Medicine
  Dêgê Ink
  20
  Holy Objects
  Dice
  3
  Magical Components
  Distilled Alcohol
  25
  Medicine
  Divination Cards
  35
  Magical Components
  Dolma Pill
  60
  Medicine
  Dried Apricots
  3
  Food
  Dried Molasses
  4
  Food
  Dried Rhubarb
  1
  Miscellaneous
  Duct Tape
  25
  Western Goods
  Dynamite
  300
  Weapons
  Dzo
  200
   Animals
  Elephant Gun
  3,000
  Weapons
  Emetic Herbs
  4
  Medicine
  Ether
  60
  Medicine
  Ferrying
  5
  Services
  Field Surgery Kit
  80
  Medicine
  Fire Starter
  12
  Miscellaneous
  Fire Yoga Garment
  20
  Clothing
  Flak Jacket
  3,000
  Armor
  Flare
  50
  Western Goods
  Flare Gun
  110
  Western Goods
  Flashlight
  85
  Western Goods
  Forge
  120
  Craft Tools
  Gantad Horn Book
  120
  Books
  Gas Mask
  150
  Western Goods
  Gasoline Lamp
  60
  Western Goods
  Gesar Epic
  30
  Books
  Glasses
  150
  Medicine
  Glud Mold
  35
  Magical Components
  Goat
  35
   Animals
  Grenade
  400
  Weapons
  Guide
  15/dy.
  Services
  Hand Prayer Wheel
  85
  Holy Objects
  Harrying Horn
  40
  Magical Components
  Hashish
  25
  Medicine
  Hat (Fleece)
  17
  Clothing
  Hat (Fox Skin)
  30
  Clothing
  Hat (Monk’s)
  10
  Clothing
  Hearing Aide
  250
  Medicine
  Helmet
  500
  Armor
  Horned Shield
  75
  Weapons
  Horse
  750
   Animals
  Horse Food
  7
  Food
  Human Blood
  25
  Magical Components
  Human Blood (Special)
  150
  Magical Components
  Human Flesh
  90
  Magical Components
  Human Skull
  50
  Magical Components
  Hunting Dog
  90
   Animals
  Iron Pencase
  20
  Miscellaneous
  Iron Spear
  80
  Weapons
  Ivory Ring
  10
  Holy Objects
  Jar of Yogurt
  1
  Food
  Kanjur
  200
  Books
  Khata
  10
  Miscellaneous
  Knife
  35
  Weapons
  Knotted Thunderbolt
  500
  Holy Objects
  Kukuri
  170
  Weapons
  Lake Manasarovar Water 25
  Holy Objects
  Lance
  250
  Weapons
  Leather Armor
  300
  Armor
  Lighter
  75
  Western Goods
  Lodgings
  10/night Services
  Lokbar
  45
  Clothing
  Long Trumpet
  75
  Magical Components
  Loom
  100
  Craft Tools
  Machine Gun
  10,000
  Weapons
  Mail
  4
  Services
  Mastiff
  75
   Animals
  Mechanical Tools
  600
  Western Goods
  Medical Charm
  25
  Medicine
  Mercenary (Monk)
  10/dy.
  Services
  Mercenary (Tribesman)
  40/dy.
  Services
  Mirror
  20
  Magical Components
  Mirror (Silver)
  250
  Magical Components
  Monk’s Robes
  20
  Clothing
  Opera Troupe
  30-200
  Services
  Opium
  15
  Medicine
  Oracle Ring
  200
  Holy Objects
  Oracular Chair
  40
  Magical Components
  Oracular Outfit
  750
  Magical Components
  Other Texts
  various
  Books
  Oxygen Tank
  500
  Western Goods
  Pack
  10
  Miscellaneous
  Pack Frame
  30
  Miscellaneous
  Padlock
  200
  Western Goods
  Parka
  1,000
  Western Goods
  Payer Flag
  10
  Holy Objects
  Pebble Divination
  5
  Books
  Pen & Ink
  10
  Craft Tools
  Penicillin
  7
  Medicine
  Phurba (Bone)
  50
  Magical Components
  Phurba (Brass)
  40
  Magical Components
  Phurba (Wood)
  20
  Magical Components
  Pins
  1
  Holy Objects
  Pistol (Automatic)
  1000
  Weapons
  Pistol (Revolver)
  800
  Weapons
  Plate Armor
  700
  Armor
  Poison Paper
  10
  Magical Components
  Poison Sensing Bowl
  200
  Holy Objects
  Pony
  650
   Animals
  Portable Shrine
  12
  Holy Objects
  Porter
  10-50/dy. Services
  Prayer Beads
  4
  Holy Objects
  Prehistoric Beads
  120
  Holy Objects
  Prostitute
  7-40 Sr. Services
  Prostration Gloves
  2
  Miscellaneous
  Quartering
  7/night
  Services
  Radio
  150
  Western Goods
  Rented House
  50/wk.
  Services
  Rice
  2
  Food
  Rifle (Matchlock)
  300
  Weapons
  Rifle (Sniper)
  1,500
  Weapons
  Rifle (WWI)
  400
  Weapons
  Rifle (WWII)
  800
  Weapons
  Rifle Horns
  20
  Weapons
  Rilzin
  150
  Holy Objects
  Rope
  1/2 Sr./ft. Miscellaneous
  Saddle
  150
  Miscellaneous
  Saddle Bags
  15
  Miscellaneous
  Scapula (Human)
  65
  Magical Components
  Scapula (Sheep)
  3
  Magical Components
  Servant
  60/wk.
  Services
  Sewing Needle
  5
  Craft Tools
  Sheep
  20
   Animals
  Sheep Dung
  1
  Miscellaneous
  Shield
  200
  Armor
  Simple Thread Cross
  20
  Magical Components
  Skull Beads
  100
  Magical Components
  Skull Cup
  30
  Magical Components
  Skull Drum
  300
  Magical Components
  Sling
  9
  Weapons
  Sorcerer’s Outfit
  25
  Clothing
  Sorcery
  30-150
  Services
  Staff
  30
  Weapons
  Statuette
  40
  Holy Objects
  Stretcher
  200
  Medicine
  Sub-Machine Gun
  4,000
  Weapons
  Sunglasses
  40
  Western Goods
  Swiss Army Knife 
  150
  Western Goods
  Sword (Chinese)
  600
  Weapons
  Sword (Tibetan)
  200
  Weapons
  Tape Recorder
  750
  Western Goods
  Tea Brick
  15
  Food
  Telegraph
  1/wd.
  Services
  Tenjur
  200
  Books
  Tent
  100
  Miscellaneous
  Thankga
  25
  Holy Objects
  Thigh Bone Trumpet
  250
  Magical Components
  Throwing Key
  150
  Weapons
  Tibetan Medical Care
  40-100
  Services
  Tiger Claws
  80
  Weapons
  Tonic Herbs
  15
  Medicine
  Traditional Armor
  400
  Armor
  Trident
  100
  Weapons
  T’sa T’sa
  250
  Holy Objects
  Tsampa Bowl
  2
  Miscellaneous
  Turquoise Ring
  30
  Holy Objects
  Two Headed Drum
  35
  Magical Components
  War Axe
  200
  Weapons
  Watch
  200
  Western Goods
  Western Clothing
  700
  Western Goods
  Western Medical Care
  30
  Services
  Whip
  35
  Weapons
  White Robes
  25
  Clothing
  Wind Dried Meat
  3
  Food
  Wool Blanket
  20
  Miscellaneous
  Written Prayer
  3
  Holy Objects
  Yak (Domestic)
  150
   Animals
  Yak (Wild)
  135
   Animals
  Yak Cheese
  15
  Food
  Yak Meat
  1
  Food
  Skills and Equipment
  skills
  equipment
  Animal 
  Packing
  Pack Frame
  Archery
  Bow: Long, Bow: 
  Short
  Architecture
  Carving Tools
  Blacksmithing Forge
  Butchery
  Knife, Rope, Sewing 
  Needle
  Carving
  Carving Tools
  Dagger 
  Exorcism
  Phurba: Brass
  Death Tantra
  Thigh Bone Trumpet
  Demon 
  Sorcery
  Sorcerous Components 
  Table (p.103)
  Disease 
  Sorcery
  Sorcerous Components 
  Table (p.103)
  Drum 
  Divination
  Skull Drum, Two 
  Headed Drum
  Gantad Horn
  Sorcerous Components 
  Table (p.103)
  Glud 
  Ceremony
  Glud Mold
  Harrying 
  Exorcism
  Harrying Horn
  Knife
  Knife, Kukuri
  Lance
  Lance
  Mirror Gazing Mirror, Mirror: Silver
  Mountain 
  Climbing 
  Climbing Equipment, 
  Climbing Rope, 
  Climbing Tent
  Music
  Long Trumpet, Skull 
  Drum, Thigh Bone 
  Trumpet, Two Headed 
  Drum
  Painting
  Brushes & Paints
  Pistol
  Pistol (All)
  Printing
  Book Making 
  Materials
  Scapulimancy Scapula: Human, 
  Scapula: Sheep
  Sling
  Sling
  Snare
  Rope, Climbing Rope
  Sound 
  Exorcism
  Long Tumpet, Thigh 
  Bone Trumpet
  Staff
  Staff
  Sucking 
  Exorcism
  Ceremonial Arrow
  Sword
  Sword (All)
  Tailoring
  Sewing Needle
  Textiles 
  Loom
  Weather 
  Prediction
  Two Headed Drum
  Weather 
  Sorcery
  Thigh Bone Trumpet
  Whip 
  Whip
  Zor
  Sorcerous Components 
  Table (p.103)
  
  mastiff
  Animals
  Dzo- A crossbreed between a Yak and a cow. 
   
  Females produce 4 Srang/month of milk year round.
   
  Carries up to 200 lbs. or 90 kg. (with animal packing skill)
   
  3 bladed damage horns (males only)
   
  70 Srang worth of meat
   
  40 Srang worth of hide
   
  AGY 5, SPD 12, BLD 4, BDY 5
   
  Costs 200 Srang (female), 150 Srang (male)
  Goat- A wiry grazer with short but thick fur.  It has a split hoof 
  which allows it to climb steep hillsides.  Nomads usually keep a few 
  goats.  Although they are less productive than a sheep or yak, they 
  are very hardy (+7 to all health based rolls) and are kept as insurance 
  against plagues, droughts and famines.
   
  Females produce 2 Srang/month of milk in Summer
   
  Carries up to 100 lbs. or 45 kg. (with animal packing skill)
   
  2 blunt damage horns (males only)
   
  2 bladed damage bite
   
  10 Srang worth of meat
   
  10 Srang worth of hide
   
  AGY 16, SPD 15, BLD 3, BDY 4
   
  Costs 35 Srang (female), 30 Srang (male)
  Hunting Dog- This is a long, wiry dog which looks much like a 
  greyhound.  These dogs are used by those few Tibetans who hunt. 
  They are bred to be fast.  They are trained to frighten and confuse 
  animals, prevent them from fleeing while the hunter takes aim.
   
  2 bladed damage bite
   
  Split Action Jump and Wing at 1d20 vs. 6
   
  AGY 17, END 7, SPD 20, BLD 1, BDY 3, INCY 3
   
  Costs 90 Srang
  Horse- A horse suitable for a human rider.  Horses are used solely 
  for riding.  In Tibet, horses are considered luxury items.  They are 
  not milked or eaten.  Tibetan horses are generally smaller than 
  Western horses.
   
  Can carry 200 lbs. or 90 kg. (with animal packing skill)
   
  Approximately 25 SPD (depending on weight of rider)
   
  AGY 10, END 20, BLD 5, BDY 7
   
  4 blunt damage trample attack
   
  Costs 750 Srang
  Mastiff- This Tibetan breed of dog has been bred to be both a herder 
  and a guard dog.  Mastiffs are large, black and long haired.  When 
  used as guard dogs, they are chained to the ground and attack any 
  stranger who comes too close. Mastiffs are often able to perceive 
  when invisible malevolent spirits come near and alert their masters. 
  They are easy to train (+10 to Animal Training rolls).
   
  AGY 15, STH 8, SPD 15, BLD 4, BDY 3
   AWR 5 sight, 20 smell, 15 hearing, 5 spiritual.
  3 damage bladed bite
  Split Action Jump/Vital Strike at 1d20 vs. 7
  Costs 75 Srang
  112
  character class
  Common Tibetan Equipment
  Almost 
  every 
  Tibetan 
  carries 
  the 
  following:
  Clothing:
  monastic robes or tummo garment 
  (monks)
  chuba or lokbar (lay people)
  boots
  hat
  Personal Items:
  knife (a good multipurpose tool)
  food bowl and chopsticks (guests are 
  expected to bring their own dinnerware)
  fire starter
  a few small charms (to prevent ill luck)
  jewelry (for personal ornamentation and 
  to trade with)
  khatas (white scarves given as traditional 
  gifts)
  pen and ink set (if literate)
  
  domestic yak
  113
  money & equipment
  Pony- A smaller breed of horse.  Because it eats 
  less it is often taken places where larger horses 
  could not find enough food to survive.
   Can carry 150 lbs. or 68 kg. (with animal packing skill)
   
  Approximately 20 SPD (depending on weight of 
  rider)
   
  AGY 12, END 18, BLD 4, BDY 5
   
  4 blunt damage trample attack at 1d20 vs. 10
   
  Costs 650 Srang
  Sheep- To nomads, sheep are the most valuable animal 
  because they serve so many purposes: they provide wool, 
  dung, hide and meat and they carry loads.  They also 
  reproduce more quickly than nomads’ other animals.
   
  Can carry 30 lbs. or 13 kg. (with animal packing 
  skill)
   
  Females produce 1 Srang/month of milk in Summer
   
  Produce 1 Srang/month worth of wool
   
  Produce 1 Srang/month worth of dung
   
  6 Srang worth of meat
   
  4 Srang worth of hide
   
  2 blunt damage curved horns
   
  Split Strike/Knockdown Attack at 1d20 vs. 8
   
  Costs 20 Srang (female), 15 Srang (male)
  Yak (Domestic)- A thick, heavily furred animal.  It is 
  so well adapted to mountain life that it can die if taken 
  below 2,000 meters.    Males weigh 440-550 lbs. (200-
  250kg.) females 300-400 lbs. (136-180kg.).
   
  Carries up to 200lbs. or 90kg. (with animal packing skill)
   
  Females produce 2 Srang/week of milk year round
   
  60 Srang worth of meat
   
  40 Srang worth of hide
   
  AGY 6, SPD 15, BLD 3, BDY 5
   
  Costs 150 Srang (female), 125 Srang (male)
  Yak (Wild)- The Wild Yak is much larger than a 
  domestic Yak (can weight up to twice as much).  The 
  males can be up to 6 ft. (1.8 m.) tall and have 3 ft. (.9 
  m.) long black horns.  It is harder to train (+10 difficulty 
  to Animal Training rolls).  It gets sick if brought below 
  4,000 meters.
   
  Can carry 500lbs. or 225kg. (with animal packing 
  skill)
   
  Females produce 4 Srang 
  /week of milk year round
   
  70 Srang worth of meat
   
  50 Srang worth of hide
   
  AGY 12, SPD 16, BLD 5, 
  BDY 7
   
  5 bladed damage strike 
  with horns at 1d20 vs. 8
   
  5 blunt damage trample 
  attack at 1d20 vs. 12
   Costs 135 Srang (female), 
  125 Srang (male)
  Armor
  Flak Jacket- A military flak jacket, designed to protect 
  one from bullets and shrapnel.  Most have been captured 
  from the Chinese.  It is very heavy.
   
  Armor Rating: 4
   
  Protection Rating: 7 bladed 3 blunt
   
  AGY penalty: 5, SPD penalty: 4
   
  Costs 3000 Srang
  Helmet- A modern military helmet, as worn by foot 
  soldiers.
   
  Armor Rating: 2
   
  Protection Rating: 8 bladed 5 blunt
   
  Costs 500 Srang
  Leather Armor- A suit of traditional armor made from 
  thick, tough leather.
   
  Armor Rating: 7
   
  Protection Rating: 2 bladed 2 blunt
   
  Costs 300 Srang
  Plate Armor- A form of 
  traditional oriental armor, 
  imported from China or 
  Nepal.  There is a solid 
  breastplate and overlapping 
  metal plates protecting the 
  arms and sides.
   
  Armor Rating: 5
   
  Protection Rating: 5 
  bladed 4 blunt
   
  AGY penalty: 2
   
  Costs 700 Srang
  Armor In Brief
  Penalties: Heavy armor gives penalty to attributes like AGY 
  and SPD.
  AR: Armor Rating, this is the amount of the body that the 
  armor covers and the amount of success that an enemy must 
  make on a strike to hit some hole in the armor.  See p.151 
  for more.
  AR 20: Full body protection with no weak spots.
  AR 15: Full body protection with some weak 
  spots.
  AR 12: Face completely exposed.
  AR 10: Head completely exposed.
  AR 7: Head, neck, hands, feet completely 
  exposed.
  AR 5: Only body, thighs, upper arms covered.
  AR 4: Only torso and hips covered.
  AR 3: Only torso covered.
  PR: Protection Rating, how much of each type of damage 
  the armor protects from.  If an armor protects from 6 bladed 
  damage, then a strike that does 10 bladed damage that hits 
  the armor would only do 4 bladed damage to the wearer.
  
  traditional armor and shield
  Shield- This is a large round shield made from 
  lacquered layers of yak hide.
  Very easy (+8) parry
   
  Costs 200 Srang
  Traditional Armor- A suit of traditional Tibetan armor from 
  the days when Tibet was a warlike empire.  It is a long apron 
  covered with small iron pieces and metal shoulder plates.
   
  Armor Rating: 7
   
  Protection Rating: 4 bladed 3 blunt
   
  Costs 400 Srang
  Books
  100,000 Songs of Milarepa- A popular book of 
  poetry which contains the life-story and teachings 
  of the great Buddhist saint Milarepa.  See p.85 
  for the story of Milarepa.  Reading it to a group 
  generates +1 KMA.  180 volumes.  16 Srang
  Gantad Horn Book- An elicit book giving 
  instructions on the creation of the terrible gantad 
  horn.  The book is painted on black paper.  Acts 
  as an Intro/Ref book for the Gantad Horn skill. 
  Limited availability.  120 Srang.
  Gesar Epic- The written version of the Tibetan 
  epic story of king Gesar of Ling and his travels 
  through Tibet and beyond.  See p.73 for the story. 
  110 volumes.  30 Srang
  Kanjur- This is the words of Gautama Buddha, 
  as transcribed by his followers.  It contains many 
  famous sutras, including the heart sutra, which has 
  a powerful mantra.  Its presence emanates +1 KMA 
  and reading it aloud gives +2 KMA to the current 
  karma of the reader and listeners.   It is usually 
  printed in 108 volumes.  200 Srang
  Pebble Divination Book- This book tells the 
  meaning of the 32 possible combinations made 
  from randomly sorting 5 black or white pebbles in 
  a row.  This acts as an introductory/reference book 
  for pebble divination (see Simple Divination skill). 
  1 volume.  5 Srang
  Tenjur- This book is made up of commentaries of 
  the teachings of Gautama Buddha.  Its presence 
  emanates +1 KMA and reading it aloud gives 
  +2 KMA to the current karma of the reader and 
  listeners.  It is usually printed in 225 volumes. 
  200 Srang
  114
  character creation
  Books in Brief- Many books can be used on 
  one of three ways: 
   
  Ref books supplement a pre-existing skill.
   
  Intro books substitute for having a skill.
   
  Intro/Ref  do both.
  See the section on Using Skills (p.155) for 
  more info.  Tibetan books come in multiple 
  volumes, each of which weighs about 1 lb. (.45 
  kg.) without a covering, 5 lbs. (2.25 kg.) with a 
  wooden cover.
  
  bookseller
  115
  money & equipment
  Other Texts- Tibetan texts exist for other skills:
  Skill
  Type
  Cost
  Vols.
  Card Divination
  Intro/Ref
  30 Srang
  1
  Disease Sorcery
  Introductory
  90 Srang
  3
  Elemental Astrology
  Intro/Ref
  25 Srang
  2
  Funerary Rites
  Intro/Ref
  20 Srang
  3
  Geomancy
  Reference
  30 Srang
  2
  Glud Ceremony
  Intro/Ref
  30 Srang
  3
  Hell Realms
  Introductory
  15 Srang
  3
  Herbalism
  Reference
  20 Srang
  7
  Humoural Medicine
  Reference
  25 Srang
  6
  Medical Diagnosis
  Reference
  30 Srang
  5
  Medical Mantras
  Introductory
  15 Srang
  2
  Omen Reading
  Introductory
  20 Srang
  3
  Pantheons
  Introductory
  25 Srang
  6
  Protective Mantras
  Introductory
  20 Srang
  1
  Scapulimancy
  Reference
  45 Srang
  3
  Thread Crosses
  Intro/Ref
  30 Srang
  4
  Tibetan Geography
  Introductory
  40 Srang
  6
  Weather Mantras
  Introductory
  15 Srang
  2
  Zodiac Astrology
  Reference
  35 Srang
  4
  Zor
  Intro/Ref
  45 Srang
  2
  Clothing
  Boots- Tibetans who travel, including monks, wear heavy 
  knee-length boots.  25 Srang
  Chinese Military Clothes- Surplus military clothing that 
  Chinese traded or gave away as gifts and that ended up 
  on the open market.  The package includes miscellaneous 
  jackets, boots, belts, etc.  It is not a complete military 
  uniform and a person wearing them may be mistaken 
  as a Chinese soldier only from a distance.  40 
  Srang
  Chuba (Common)- The standard garment 
  of lay Tibetans.  It is a high-collared sheepskin 
  cloak with a wool lining inside.  It is tied around 
  the waist with a sash or belt so that the bottom flares 
  and the wide top can be used to store things in. 
  When it is hot, Tibetans hike them up and expose 
  one shoulder.  35 Srang
  Chuba (Fine)- Worn by wealthy Tibetans, 
  especially aristocrats.  It takes the form of a chuba, 
  but is made of woven wool, dyed a deep plum color. 
  60 Srang
  Fire 
  Yoga 
  Garment- 
  Worn 
  by 
  advanced 
  practitioners of Fire Yoga.  It is a thin, off-white, 
  cotton robe. 20 Srang
  Hat (Fleece)- Tibetans are rarely caught without 
  hats.  A simple lamb skin and fleece hat is common 
  headwear for both men and women.  17 Srang
  Hat (Fox Skin)- Worn by wealthy males.  30 
  Srang
  Hat (Monk’s)- A peaked cloth hat.  It is either 
  red with yellow lining or yellow with red lining, 
  depending upon the sect.  There are ear-flaps which 
  can be folded up in hot weather.  10 Srang
  Lokbar- Worn by nomads in the coldest parts of 
  Tibet.  This is like a Chuba but made with a heavy 
  sheepskin.  It is waterproof and very warm.  It has 
  long sleeves to protect hands (in lieu of gloves). 
  Gives +7 to save vs. hypothermia.  Women’s 
  Lokbar are decorated with colored stripes, men’s 
  with black stripes.  45 Srang
  Monk’s Robes- Worn by male and female monks. 
  A long piece of crimson or maroon cloth is wrapped 
  around the body and tied with ties.  Like a chuba, 
  one shoulder can be bared when it is hot.  Includes 
  a set of underclothing.  20 Srang
  Sorcerer’s Outfit- A long sleeved black cloak and 
  a broad-brimmed black hat decorated with feathers 
  and a human skull.  This outfit is worn by sorcerers 
  during some secret black magic rituals.  Sorcerers 
  do not wear these outfits in public, unless they have 
  no fear of arrest or mob violence.  Gives +4 to 
  Sorcery skill rolls.  35 Srang
  White Robes- Like monk’s robes, but colored 
  white.  This is the typical garment of White Robe 
  practitioners.  25 Srang.
  
  Lhasa fruit shop
  loom
  Craft Tools
  Book Making Materials- Blank wooden plates, paper, 
  ink and wooden covers for use with the Printing skill. 
  Enough to make 100 copies of 5 volumes.  100 Srang
  Brushes & Paints- A set of traditional brushes and 
  paints for use with the Painting skill.  20 Srang
  Carving Tools- A set of metal tools for carving stone or 
  rock.  Has tools which can be used as 2 bladed or 1 blunt 
  damage weapons.  30 Srang
  Cloth- A roll of cloth, enough to make 10 chubas or 
  monk’s robes.  150 Srang  
  Forge- A billows, coal and an anvil stone for use with 
  the Blacksmithing skill.  An earth-brick oven must also 
  be made whenever the character wishes to use the forge. 
  120 Srang
  Loom- A wooden framed 
  loom, used for making 
  cloth.  100 Srang
  Pen 
  & 
  Ink- 
  A 
  calligraphic 
  pen 
  and 
  powdered 
  ink 
  (with 
  wooden mixing tray) to 
  write calligraphy.  10 
  Srang
  Sewing Needle- 3 to 5 
  inch thick metal needle.  
  In addition to tailors, 
  butchers 
  kill 
  animals 
  painlessly by inserting 
  needles 
  in 
  their 
  spines.  Although seldom used as a weapon it 
  could be used as a ½ damage improvised poking 
  weapon (see p.162).  5 Srang
  Food
  Barley Beer- A clay jug full of beer made from fermented 
  barley.  It contains eight doses of alcohol.  See p.121 for 
  the drug profile for alcohol.  10 Srang
  Barley Flour- A cloth bag of ground barley-meal.  
  Enough for five full meals.  It is usually mixed with water 
  or milk to make dough, the dough is then cooked in to 
  noodles or dumplings.  1 Srang
  Butter- A sewn up sheep’s stomach full of butter.  Is still 
  edible after 1 year unrefrigerated.  Enough for 20 full 
  meals or to run a butter lamp for 10 days straight.  10 
  Srang
  Dried Apricots- One meal’s worth of dried apricots, 
  imported from the Tibetan lowlands.  3 Srang
  Dried Molasses- This 
  is 
  powdered, 
  dried 
  molasses.  It is added as 
  a flavoring and sweetener 
  to rice, broth and other 
  foods.  Enough for 1 full 
  meal.  4 Srang
  Horse Food- A ten lb. 
  (4.5 kg.) bag of hay, 
  boiled grain, lentils and 
  used tea leaves.  Tibetans 
  purchase such a bag to 
  feed animals when they 
  are not able to graze. 
  This will feed a yak or 
  horse for two days or a 
  sheep for four.  7 Srang
  Jar of Yogurt- A clay jar of yogurt.  One full meal.  
  Can be purchased at any market.  1 Srang
  116
  character class
  
  demon charm
  117
  money & equipment
  Rice- A cloth bag full of rice.  Enough for five full 
  meals.  2 Srang
  Tea Brick- A pressed brick of black tea imported from 
  China.  It is enough for 20 cups of tea.  A strong cup of 
  tea gives +4 to save vs. unconsciousness for 3 hours.  15 
  Srang
  Wind Dried Meat- One meal’s worth of yak meat jerky. 
  3 Srang
  Yak Cheese- A piece of hard yak-milk cheese, enough 
  for 10 full meals.  It is so hard it must be dipped in 
  hot tea before it can be eaten.  It can last up to 3 years 
  without going bad.  15 Srang
  Yak Milk- A clay pitcher full of Yak milk.  Provides one 
  meal’s worth of nourishment.  1 Srang
  Holy Objects
  Charm (Bird of Prey)- A special prayer written on 
  a piece of paper which is folded up and sealed in to a 
  small container.  The wearer is +5 to any roll to avoid 
  attack by a bird of prey (e.g. the character makes an 
  AGY roll to sneak past sleeping birds).  30 Srang
  Charm (Cattle)- This is a small piece of paper with 
  a prayer on it designed specifically to protect animals.  
  The charm is usually tied to the horn of a yak to keep 
  it safe from accidents, predators and malevolent spirits. 
  15 Srang
  Charm (Clawing Animal)- A folded piece of paper, 
  with a prayer on it, sealed in to an amulet.  Gives +5 
  to any roll to avoid attack by animals who attack with 
  claws (bears, cats, etc.).  30 Srang
  Charm (Demon)- An amulet containing a prayer that 
  gives +5 to any roll to avoid attack by malevolent spirits 
  of the demon class.  35 Srang
  Charm (Dogbite)- An amulet containing a prayer 
  that gives +5 to any roll to avoid attack by dogs. 
  30 Srang
  Charm (Plague)- An amulet containing a prayer that 
  gives +5 to save vs. contraction of communicable 
  diseases.  30 Srang
  Charm (Rebel)- A magical charm made by red hat 
  monks in Kham, created specifically to help protect 
  rebels from Chinese bullets.  The wearer is +7 difficulty 
  to hit when the shooter is Chinese.  50 Srang
  Dalai Lama Picture- A small, faded, black and white 
  picture of the Dalai Lama, printed in India.  It emanates 
  +3 KMA.  Limited Availability.  250 Srang
  Dalai Lama Amulet- An amulet made with the hair or 
  nail clippings from an incarnation of the Dalai Lama.  
  Emanates +5 KMA.  Limited Availability.  500 Srang
  Dêgê Ink- A small bottle of sacred ink from the 
  monastery and famous printing works at Dêgê (see 
  p.51).  To swallow or rub the ink on one’s body gives 
  +2 to current KMA.  To use the ink for any magical skill 
  which involves writing gives +5 to the skill roll.  20 
  Srang
  Holy Objects in Brief- See p.149 for the rules on 
  emanation of karma.  Having more than one holy 
  object of the same type has no extra effects (e.g. two 
  Dalai Lama pictures does not emanate twice the good 
  karma).
  
  prayer beads
  Hand Prayer Wheel- A 
  wooden or bone handle 
  supports a cylinder.  A 
  small weight on a chain allows 
  the cylinder to be easily spun. 
  Wrapped up inside the cylinder is 
  a prayer written on a long piece of 
  paper.  Spending the majority of a 
  day spinning the wheel will give 
  +1 to current KMA.  85 Srang
  Ivory Ring- A simple ivory 
  band.  It is used as defense against 
  Söndrema spirits who sometimes 
  attack males wandering alone at 
  night (see p.187).  10 Srang
  Knotted 
  Thunderbolt- 
  A 
  sword which been twisted in to 
  a corkscrew shape by an oracle 
  being possessed by a dharmapala.  
  Emanates +2 KMA.  The blade is 
  still sharp and can be used as an 
  improvised slashing weapon (see 
  p.162).  500 Srang
  Lake Manasarovar Water- A 
  vial of water from the sacred lake 
  near Mt. Kailas.  Drinking it gives 
  +2 to current KMA and +5 to 
  save vs. disease contraction and 
  progression.  25 Srang
  Oracle Ring- A thick, hollow 
  metal ring with rattling bits of 
  metal inside which has been worn 
  by a powerful oracle when he or she was possessed by 
  dharmapalas.  It emanates +2 Karma and gives +3 to 
  Oracular Ability skill rolls.  200 Srang
  Pins- Leaving a pin in a temple under the statue of a 
  buddha will temporarily increase one’s mental sharpness 
  (+1 INL, not cumulative, max 11 INL) for 1d6 weeks.  1 
  Srang
  Poison Sensing Bowl- A wooden bowl with carved 
  prayers on it that rattles violently when poisoned food 
  is placed in it.  Can detect physical or magical poisons. 
  Limited Availability.  200 Srang
  Portable Shrine- A small box which is carried against 
  the chest via a shoulder strap.  Holy objects are put in it 
  to make it a tiny portable temple.  Commonly used by 
  Tibetans on pilgrimages to holy sites.  12 Srang
  Prayer Beads- A rosary of 108 wooden beads.  The 
  beads are used for counting off mantras (such as 
  Om Mani Padme Hum).  Spending the majority 
  of a day praying will give +1 to current KMA.  
  4 Srang
  Prayer Flag- A string 
  of simple cloth flags with 
  Buddhist 
  prayers 
  printed 
  on them.  Monks print the 
  flags with a wood block during a 
  small ceremony.  When the flags 
  flap in the wind, the prayers are 
  symbolically “read” and good 
  Karma is created.  Emanates +1 
  KMA when the wind is blowing. 
  10 Srang
  Prehistoric Beads- A string of 
  ancient stone beads which are 
  lucky.  Some say they are fossilized 
  worms and can sometimes come to 
  life and escape from their owners. 
  Emanates +3 KMA.  120 Srang
  Rilzin- A small pearl-like object 
  found in the ashes of holy men and 
  women who have been cremated.  
  They are powerful magic charms: 
  they emanate +3 KMA.  They can 
  also be swallowed in an emergency 
  (gives +5 to current KMA, gives 
  +7 to save vs. disease progression 
  and heals 1 lost BLD).  150 Srang
  Thangka- A rolled up cloth 
  painting with a picture of a buddha, 
  bodhisattva or dharmapala on it. 
  Emanates +1 KMA while unrolled.  
  25 Srang
  Statuette- A small statue of a famous 
  buddha, bodhisattva, dharmapala or 
  holy person.  Making offerings to 
  the statuette (lighting incense and a 
  butter lamp) will give the person +1 to 
  current KMA.  Often used in Portable 
  Shrines.  40 Srang
  Turquoise Ring- Lucky for travelers 
  (gives +2 to any roll to avoid common 
  non-human travel dangers).  30 Srang
  T’sa T’sa- Clay tablets with holy 
  images and prayers on them.  Inside 
  the tablet is a pinch of the ashes of a 
  cremated holy person.  Emanates +3 
  KMA.  250 Srang
  Written Prayer- A prayer for good 
  luck, written on a piece of paper, 
  folded up and kept in a locket. 
  Emanates +1 KMA.  3 Srang
  118
  character class
  prayer wheel
  
  cham mask
  119
  money & equipment
  Magical 
  Components
  Black Rilzin- A black concretion found occasionally in 
  pig, fish and foul meat.  Swallowing one reduces base 
  KMA by 20 (virtually guaranteeing rebirth in the hell 
  realms).  200 Srang
  Ceremonial Arrow- A specially prepared arrow, adorned 
  with feathers, charms and colored ribbons.  It is stored 
  point down in a small container of grain.  The arrow is 
  used for Sucking Exorcism ceremonies.  40 Srang
  Cham Mask- A mask made of wood, leather or metal 
  which represents a famous figure (human or spirit) 
  important to Tibetan Buddhist history.  It is used in the 
  masked dances performed at Buddhist monasteries.  100 
  Srang
  Conch Shell Trumpet- This type of trumpet is used to 
  drive away lesser malevolent spirits.  For use with the 
  Sound Exorcism skill.  200 Srang.
  Dice- A set of three, six-sided, carved wooden dice 
  used for use with the Simple Divination skill.  
  3 Srang
  Divination Cards- A selection of thick paper 
  cards with magical words and images painted on 
  them.  Used for divination.  Their meanings must be 
  interpreted using the Card Divination book (p.115) or 
  the Simple Divination skill.  35 Srang
  Glud Mold- A magic mold for making Gluds with. 
  Gives +5 to Glud Ceremony skill rolls.  35 Srang
  Harrying Horn- A yak horn carved with scorpions and 
  other magical symbols, used for storing blessed seeds or 
  pebbles with the Harrying Exorcism skill.  40 Srang
  Human Blood- Small clay jar of human blood.  Must 
  be purchased from merchants who secretly deal in 
  sorcerous components.  Limited Availability.  25 Srang
  Human Blood (Special)- Like normal human blood, 
  but it comes from a special source and is much rarer. 
  E.g. menstrual blood of a prostitute, blood from a 
  leprous corpse, brain blood of an insane person. 
  Limited Availability.  150 Srang
  Human Flesh- The flesh of a dead human, used in 
  certain sorcerous ceremonies.  Like Human Blood, it is 
  not sold openly.  Limited Availability.  90 Srang
  Human Skull- Human skulls are used in many types of 
  ceremonies, both benevolent and malevolent.  Buddhists 
  use them to remind them of the impermanence of life, 
  Sorcerers because they can release the bad Karma 
  trapped in them.  Every 1 in 20 skulls has either very 
  good or very bad karma.  A skull with extreme karma 
  gives plus or minus 10 to benevolent or malevolent 
  ceremonies.  There is no way of “testing” a skull’s 
  karma without using it.  50 Srang
  Long Trumpet- 7 ft. (2 m.) long metal trumpet weighing 
  100 lbs. (45 kg.) for use with the Sound Exorcism 
  skill.   Its deep resonating sound will drive away lesser 
  malevolent spirits.  Even someone without the Sound 
  Exorcism skill can sometimes drive away spirits with 
  it (spirits must save vs. fear, difficulty 10).  It requires 
  so much lung capacity to blow that the person blowing 
  must make a moderate difficulty END roll.  75 Srang
  Oracular Chair- A decorated wooden chair designed 
  for use by Oracles.  40 Srang
  Oracular Outfit- An ornate, colorful costume with a 
  long apron and a mirror in the chest.  There is a very 
  heavy, broad-brimmed, conical hat.  Oracles wear 
  these outfits while attempting to call an entity to 
  possess them.  75 Srang
  
  brass phurba                       wood phurba  .
  Phurba (Bone)- A 
  magical dagger with 
  a three or four cornered 
  blade, carved from human 
  bone.  A vajra is carved in 
  the middle and the image 
  of a deity at the end.  Bone 
  phurbas are used in some 
  magical rites.  Against 
  physical opponents, the 
  phurba does 1½ bladed 
  damage and for each 
  strike that connects the 
  phurba has a 1 in 2 chance 
  of breaking.  50 Srang
  Phurba (Brass)- Brass 
  phurbas are the most 
  commonly 
  used 
  type, 
  typically used in exorcism.  
  It does 2 bladed damage 
  and has a 1 in 2 chance 
  of being ruined (bent out 
  of shape) with each strike. 
  40 Srang
  Phurba 
  (Wood)- 
  A 
  phurba 
  carved 
  from 
  juniper, 
  tumeric 
  or 
  sandalwood. 
   
  Wooden 
  phurbas are commonly 
  used 
  for 
  sorcerous 
  ceremonies. 
   
  Does 
  1 
  bladed damage and has a 
  1 in 2 chance of shattering 
  upon a successful physical 
  attack.  20 Srang
  Poison Paper- One piece 
  of paper made from the 
  fibers of poisonous plants 
  and doctored with other 
  poisons.  Does 1d6 BLD 
  damage if ingested.  Its 
  primary use is in sorcerous 
  ceremonies.  10 Srang
  Mirror- A small hand 
  mirror, for use with the 
  Mirror Gazing skill. 20 
  Srang
  Mirror (Silver)- A 
  small hand mirror 
  made of silver.  Gives 
  +5 to Mirror Gazing 
  rolls.  200 Srang
  Scapula (Human)- The 
  scapula (rear shoulder 
  bone) of a human being. 
  It has a large spoon 
  shaped surface which 
  will crack if thrown 
  in to a fire.  Using a 
  human scapula gives +5 
  to Scapulimancy skill 
  rolls.  65 Srang
  Scapula 
  (Sheep)- 
  The 
  scapula 
  of 
  a 
  sheep for use with the 
  Scapulimancy skill.  3 
  Srang
  Simple Thread Cross- 
  A 
  pre-constructed 
  thread 
  cross 
  made 
  by someone with the 
  Thread Cross skill.  It 
  will 
  capture 
  minor 
  malevolent spirits that 
  wander in to the yarn 
  threads.  Thread crosses 
  are then burned to dispel 
  the spirits.  20 Srang
  Skull Beads- This is 
  a set of 108 prayer 
  beads made from 108 
  different human skulls. 
  Gives +2 to Sorcery and 
  Oracular Ability rolls. 
  100 Srang
  Skull Cup- This is a 
  cup made from the very 
  top of a human skull.  It 
  is used to drink from 
  in some Tantric rituals.  
  Gives +2 to Death 
  Tantra skill rolls.  30 
  Srang
  120
  character creation
  
  skull drum
  thighbone trumpet.
  121
  money & equipment
  Skull Drum- Like the Two Headed Drum, and 
  used for the same purposes, except this is made from 
  the tops of two skulls.  Gives +4 to Drum Divination, 
  Weather Prediction and Sound Exorcism.  300 Srang
  Thigh Bone Trumpet- This trumpet is made from a 
  human thighbone (usually that of a monk) and is blown 
  to subdue angry gods or demons.  Gives +4 to Sound 
  Exorcism or Death Tantra skill rolls.  250 Srang
  Two Headed Drum- A drum with a handle, two heads 
  and balls on leather thongs. 
  The drum is spun back and 
  forth and the balls strike the 
  drum heads.  Ancient Bön 
  magicians were able to fly 
  on these drums, though today 
  this art is lost.  Can be used 
  with the Drum Divination, 
  Weather 
  Prediction 
  and 
  Sound Exorcism skills.  35 
  Srang
  Medicine
  Anti-Nausea Herbs- A small bag of powdered herbs. 
  When made in to a tea they reduce sensations of nausea 
  (+7 to save vs. nausea) for 4 hours.  6 Srang
  Blood Cleansing Herbs- A tiny packet of herbs which, 
  when made in to tea, encourages the body to clear itself 
  of toxins.  Protects from 2 damage from diseases and 
  poisons.  Drugs exit the system at twice the rate.  8 Srang
  Dalai Lama Pills- Medical pills containing the 
  hair, fingernail parings and other excreta of a Dalai 
  Lama.  When ingested, gives +10 to save vs. disease 
  contraction and progression and +4 to current KMA. 
  Limited Availability.  100 Srang
  Dolma Pill- A pill blessed by a tantric practitioner 
  manifesting the buddha Dolma.  Ingesting the pill 
  gives +7 to save vs. disease progression and +3 to 
  current KMA.  60 Srang
  Distilled Alcohol- A small glass flask with 4 doses. 
  Although not a traditional Tibetan medicine, its use as 
  a disinfectant and general anesthetic has been adopted 
  in recent times.  It can be thrown in someone’s eyes as 
  a pain/stun attack.  25 Srang
  Alcohol Drug Profile
   
  Effects: +4 to save vs. fear, +2 to save vs. pain, 
  clumsiness (-2 AGY), slower reactions (-2 to INL rolls 
  based on speed of thought), pleasant buzz for 4 hours.
   
  Withdrawal Effects: The next day, sensitivity to 
  stimuli (-10 to save vs. pain/dose), nausea (10 difficulty/
  dose), headache (10 difficulty/dose) for 6 hours.
   
  Tolerance: +1% for every dose (max. +500%).
   
  Addiction: Physiological Addiction Difficulty 15, 
  Psychological Addiction Difficulty 15, Craving Difficulty 
  15 (cravings triggered by anxiety).
   
  Long Term Effects: For every two years of daily use: 
  brain damage (-1 INL, -1 AWR), permanent Retrograde 
  Amnesia and Anterograde Amnesia (at 2 cumulative 
  difficulty), liver damage (-1 to save vs. drug/poison 
  effects).
   
  Long Term Withdrawal: After 1 month or more 
  of daily use the user experiences delirium tremens: 
  Hallucinations (30), Delusions (30), Panic (20), confusion 
  (-10 INL), Insomnia (30), fever, sweating, Seizures (10), 
  dizziness (-10 to save vs. loss of balance), Cardiac Arrest 
  (10).
   
  Overdose (2x): Vomiting (20), +10 to save vs. fear, +6 
  to save vs. pain, clumsiness (-10 AGY), confusion (-10 
  INL) and loss of inhibitions for 5 hours.
   
  Overdose (4x): Vomiting (30), Coma (20), 
  Seizures (20) for 6 hours.
  
  Emetic Herbs- A packet of powdered herbs which, when 
  swallowed, causes immediate vomiting at 30 difficulty to 
  be saved against.  4 Srang.
  Ether- A small bottle (10 doses) of a highly flammable liquid 
  which puts off anesthetic and deliriant fumes.  A cloth, wet with 
  ether and held over a patients face, has the following effects: 
  anesthesia (+10 to save vs. pain and shock), Stupor (30), weakness 
  (-10 STH).  60 Srang
  Field Surgery Kit- A Western-style kit with sterilized bandages, 
  sutures and surgical tools.  Contains tools which can be used as 
  improvised slashing and poking weapons (see p.162).  Note that 
  surgery is not a normal part of traditional Tibetan medicine.  80 
  Srang
  Glasses- A pair of prescription glasses, usually ordered from abroad. 
  150 Srang
  Hashish- The dried resin of marijuana plants.  It is ingested (or 
  occasionally smoked) as a pain reliever and appetite stimulant.  
  Gives -5 INL, -5 AGY, -15 AWR, -10 to all memory rolls, +10 
  to save vs. pain/fear/anger and increased appetite for 6 hours.  25 
  Srang
  Hearing Aide- A large, ugly, pink plastic device which is held in the 
  outer ear.  It can be easily disrupted by background noises or high 
  volume.  A battery lasts for 20 hours of continual use.  250 Srang + 
  25/battery
  Medical Charm- This is a prayer written on a small piece of paper. 
  This paper is then eaten by the patient to give a temporary +4 to save 
  vs. disease progression.  25 Srang
  Opium- A resin obtained from the seed-pods of the poppy plant.  
  Although Chinese medical practitioners held this in high esteem as 
  a pain reliever, it wasn’t until the British opium wars that it became 
  a commonly abused drug throughout Asia.  15 Srang/dose
  Penicillin- A popular antibiotic which gives +10 to save vs. disease 
  progression from bacterial illnesses.  7 Srang/dose
  Stretcher- A 20 lb. (9 kg.) military, canvas and metal, folding 
  stretcher.  200 Srang
  Tonic Herbs- A packet of herbs.  When made in to a tea it strengthens 
  the body, making it more capable of fighting off disease and 
  staying healthy under stress.  Gives +1 END and +3 to save vs. 
  disease contraction progression for 1 day.  15 Srang/dose
  122
  character creation
  Drugs In Brief
  See p.152 for more details.
  Effects: The effects of one dose of the drug and how 
  long they last.  Some common symptoms include: 
   
  Anterograde Amnesia: Failure to save (on INL) 
  means the PC cannot remember anything about his 
  or her past.
   
  Cardiac Arrest: Failure to save (on END) 
  means the PC takes 1 BLD damage per round.
   
  Coma: Failure to save (on END) means the PC 
  is unconscious and unable to waken.  Failure of 10+ 
  means Cardiac Arrest.
   
  Delusions: Failure to save (on WIL) means 
  the PC believes without reservation some bizarre 
  thought or idea.
   
  Euphoria: Failure to save (on WIL) means the 
  PC is overwhelmed by pleasure and unable to initiate 
  any activity.
   
  Hallucinations: Failure to save (on WIL) means 
  the PC senses things he or she is unable to distinguish 
  from real sensations.
   
  Headache: Failure to save (on WIL) means the 
  PC is at a -1 penalty to all rolls per point of failure.
   
  Insomnia: Failure to save (on WIL) means the 
  PC takes sleep deprivation damage (see p.152) as 1 
  night without sleep.
   
  Panic: Failure to save (on WIL) means the PC 
  will do anything to escape danger.  Failure of 10+ 
  means the PC makes random counterproductive 
  actions.
   
  Retrograde Amnesia: Failure to save (on INL) 
  means the PC will not later remember anything that 
  happened.
   
  Seizures: Failure to save (on WIL) means the PC 
  loses consciousness for 1d6 minutes, loses all pooled 
  END.  With a failure of 5+ there is physical injury. 
  With failure of 10+ there is brain damage (-1 INL, 
  AWR or AGY).
   
  Stupor: Failure to save (on WIL) means the PC 
  is unable to think, remember or make decisions (INL 
  = 0, WIL = 0).
   
  Unconsciousness: Failure to save (on END/
  WIL) means the PC is unconscious for 1 round per 
  point of failure.
   
  Vomiting: Failure to save (on WIL) means the 
  PC is vomiting and is at -20 to all other actions.
  Withdrawal 
  Effects: The 
  effects 
  the 
  user 
  experiences when all the Effects have ceased.
  Tolerance: How much more of the drug an 
  experienced user has to take.
  Addiction: When PCs take a potentially addictive 
  drug, they must roll to save vs. psychological and/
  or physiological addiction.  The difficulty is +1 
  difficulty for each consecutive dose taken.  If PCs 
  become addicted, they must make craving rolls (at 
  the listed Craving Difficulty) to avoid using the drug. 
  See p.153 for the complete rules of addiction.
  Long Term Effects: These are the additional effects 
  of using a lot of the drug over a long period of time.
  Long Term Withdrawal Effects: The effects of 
  suddenly stopping using the drug after using it for 
  a long time.
  Overdose: “Overdose (2x)” would be the effects of 
  taking two doses at once, “Overdose (4x)” would be 
  the effects of 4 doses, etc.
  Opium Drug Profile
   
  Effects: +7 to save vs. pain/fear, -3 INL, -3 AGY, Euphoria (10) for 6 
  hours.
   
  Withdrawal Effects: Difficulty sleeping, -4 to save vs. pain/fear.
   
  Tolerance: +10% per week of daily use (max +200%).
   
  Long Term Withdrawal Effects: After daily use for a month: cramps 
  (roll vs. distracting pain), Insomnia (20), flu-like symptoms, diarrhea for 
  5 days.
   
  Addiction: Physiological Addiction Difficulty 1, Psychological 
  Addiction Difficulty 1, Craving Difficulty 20.
   
  Overdose (2x): +12 to save vs. pain, +5 to save vs. fear, -5 INL, 
  -5 AGY, Euphoria (20), Unconsciousness (20) for 6 hours.
   
  Overdose (4x): Cardiac Arrest (10), fluid in lungs (-10 END).
  
  yak with pack frame
  coracle
  123
  money & equipment
  Miscellaneous
  Bamboo Wristguards- Pieces of bamboo to protect 
  the wrists during archery.  Costs 2 Srang.
  Beggar’s Staff- This is a staff used by begging monks.  It 
  has jingling metal rings on it to drown out the sounds of 
  the every-day world.  Can be used as a 2 blunt damage 
  weapon (range 2).  30 Srang
  Begging Bowl- This is a distinctive metal bowl with a 
  wide rim, traditionally used by beggars.  2 Srang
  Bellows- A small sheepskin device used to pump air in to 
  a fire to keep it burning brightly.  25 Srang
  Butter Lamp- A small metal dish with a wick in it.  Butter 
  is put in the dish and then the wick lighted.  This provides 
  a long burning flame, like a candle but with more soot.  10 
  Srang
  Canteen- A yak-skin container capable of holding four 
  days worth of water (10 lbs. or 4.5 kg. when full) or other 
  liquids.  6 Srang
  Chopsticks- Standard Tibetan utensils.  1 Srang/pair
  Coracle- Yak-skin boat, can carry up to 9 people when 
  piloted by a skilled pilot.  Since Yaks had to be butchered 
  to create it, it emanates -1 KMA.  150 lbs. or 68 lbs. (200 
  lbs. or 90 kg. when wet).  200 Srang
  Dried Rhubarb- Smoked in central Tibet as a 
  substitute for tobacco.  1 Srang/pouch
  Fire Starter- A small metal device.  It is 
  grated against stone to create sparks and set 
  kindling afire.  12 Srang
  Iron Pencase- A heavy case with a leather strap used 
  to hold pens and ink (see Craft Tools).  Primarily used 
  by monks.  Can be used as a 1½ blunt damage weapon 
  (range 2).  20 Srang
  Khata- A white scarf ceremonially presented by guests 
  to their hosts to show respect and thanks.  10 Srang
  Pack- A leather pack with a shoulder strap for carrying 
  items while traveling.  10 Srang
  Pack Frame- A wooden pack frame that straps on to a 
  yak.  When used with the Animal Packing skill, it can be 
  used to put very large loads on a yak.  30 Srang
  Prostration Gloves- Large padded gloves for use by 
  pilgrims who are moving across the country by body-
  lengths.  2 Srang
  Rope- Heavy, coarse Tibetan tope.  Can hold up to 200 lbs. 
  (90 kg.).  Weighs 1 lb. per ft. (or 1.5kg./m.)  ½ Srang/ft. 
  (1½/m.)
  Saddle- A leather saddle for riding a horse.  150 
  Srang
  
  letter
  Sheep Dung- Dried sheep dung is the most 
  valued fuel in Tibet because it weighs less and 
  burns hotter than any other type of dung.  However, a 
  bellows must be used to keep it burning or else it will go 
  out.  1 Srang/night’s worth
  Tent- A large, black, yak hair tent.  It is roomy enough for 
  five people to sit around a fire inside.  There is a smoke 
  hole in the top.  Has long wooden rods for support.  A 
  skilled animal packer can pack a tent onto one Yak.  150 
  lbs. or 68 kg.  100 Srang
  Tsampa Bowl- A small wooden bowl Tibetans carry 
  with them everywhere (guests are required to bring their 
  own bowl to eat from).   Can also used as a teacup.  It is 
  traditionally licked clean after every use.  2 Srang
  Wool Blanket- Colorful wool blanket, used to keep 
  horses warm in the winter.  20 Srang
  Services
  Ferrying- Ferrying for up to nine people across a calm 
  river.  5 Srang
  Guide- This is the cost to hire a common person from a 
  village to guide the PCs through the area.  A guide will 
  flee from any sort of danger and will not carry heavy 
  burdens.  15 Srang/day
  Prostitute- The services of a prostitute.  7-40 Srang
  Quartering- This is the cost to keep and feed an animal 
  overnight.  In cities, it will be done by professionals, in 
  villages there is always a farmer willing to do it.  7 Srang/
  night
  Lodgings- A nice place to sleep for the night.  Cities have 
  hotels and inns, villages have a person with a guest room, 
  large monasteries have a guest house.  Note: PCs can 
  often gain free lodgings from farmers and nomads (see 
  p.196).  10 Srang/night
  Mail- Tibet has a small postal system.  A letter can be 
  delivered in 1d20 weeks to any city or moderately large 
  town.  It is given to the central authorities of the town 
  (usually a monastery) who will attempt to contact 
  the recipient.  There is no mail service in areas 
  with fighting between rebels and the Chinese.  4 
  Srang
  Opera Troupe- A private performance from 
  a traveling troupe of Tibetan opera performers. 
  These masked performers play instruments, sing, 
  dance and act out dramas and comedies all in one 
  performance.  30-200 Srang
  Porter- This is the cost to hire a peasant or beggar 
  to carry a load for travelers.  They are often hired to 
  help carry supplies on mountain climbing expeditions.  
  They only travel part of the way, turning back when the 
  supplies they carry are expended.  PCs must pay more 
  if they are going on a dangerous expedition.  10-50 
  Srang/day
  Rented House- A small, two-story house in a Tibetan 
  city.  50 Srang/month
  Servant- The cost to retain a personal servant who 
  will follow the PC around to assist him or her and run 
  errands.  Servants will flee dangerous situations.  40 
  Srang/month
  Mercenary (Monk)- A monk of the Yellow Hat sect, 
  hired out as a bodyguard.  The monk will not protect 
  enemies of Tibet or Buddhism.  The monk will only 
  fight in self-defense (or the defense of another person). 
  The average monk has STH 14, END 16, SPD 12, AGY 
  13 and either Crane Kung Fu (3) or Tai Chi (3).  The 
  monk has a staff, club or whip.  10 Srang/day
  Mercenary (Tribesman)- A nomadic warrior hired 
  to wage war.  He will not kill non-combatants.  Has a 
  horse, a WWI rifle and a sword and the skills Riding (3), 
  Rifle (3) and Sword (3).  40 Srang/day
  Sorcery- This is the cost to hire a sorcerer to harm an 
  enemy.  PCs may have to spend a lot of time chasing 
  rumors and talking to disreputable people to find a 
  sorcerer.   If the sorcery fails there is no refund (and 
  in many cases the sorcerer is already gone).  Minor 
  Misfortune: 30 Srang, Serious Illness: 80 Srang, 
  Murder: 150 Srang
  Telegraph- Available in Lhasa and Gyantse.  Telegraphs 
  can be sent to people living in either of those two cities 
  or to people in other counties.  Telegrams are subject to 
  Chinese censorship.  1 Srang/word
  Tibetan Medical Care- Medical care from a level 
  2 Tibetan doctor with several levels in Medicine, 
  Divination and Exorcism skills.  40-100 Srang
  Western Medical Care- Available in major cities 
  where the Chinese have built modern hospitals. 
  These hospitals are so poorly staffed that a bribe is 
  necessary to get any real care.  The practitioner will 
  have Western Medicine (1) and access to vaccines, 
  basic pharmaceuticals, optometric and surgical 
  equipment.  Standard Bribe: 30 Srang
  124
  character creation
  
  125
  money & equipment
  Weapons
  Arrow Poison- A gummy substance that can be put 
  on arrowheads, knife blades or anything else that will 
  pierce skin.  Does 2 damage to BLD per round for 3 
  rounds.  7 Srang/dose
  Blow Gun- A short hollow pipe that can fire darts with 
  sharp puffs of air.  Takes one action to load.  Comes 
  with 6 darts.
   
  Damage: 0 (Pierces as 2 bladed)
   Functional Range: 2ft. (.5m.) / Maximum Range: 30 
  ft. (9 m.)
   Costs 25 Srang
  Bow (Long)- A large bow, most often used 
  during archery competitions and by soldiers.  Takes 
  one action to draw an arrow.  10 difficulty STH feat 
  to use.
   
  Damage: 3 bladed (pierces armor as 5)
   
  Functional Range: 6 ft. (2m.) / Max. Range: 125ft. (38m.)
   
  Costs 150 Srang (+3 Srang/arrow)
  Bow (Short)- A smaller bow, often used for hunting. 
  Takes one action to draw an arrow.
   
  Damage: 2 bladed
   
  Functional Range: 5 ft. (1.5m.) / Max. Range: 100 ft. (30m.)
   
  Costs 120 Srang (+3 Srang/arrow)
  Club- A heavy wooden club.
   
  Damage: 3 blunt
   
  Range: 1-2
   
  Costs 15 Srang
  Dynamite- A stick of dynamite.  It comes with a fuse 
  which can be cut to last anywhere from 1 to 20 seconds. 
  Any shock stands a 1 in 4 chance of causing the dynamite 
  to explode.
   
  4 burn damage at 0-3 ft. (1m.)
   
  2 burn damage at 4-6 ft. (2m.)
   
  1 burn damage at 7-9 ft. (3m.)
   
  Costs 300 Srang
  Elephant Gun- A heavy gun with very heavy rounds. 
  Designed to take down elephants by doing massive 
  amounts of damage.  All the Elephant Guns in Tibet were 
  brought to India by British hunters and traded across the 
  border.  Easy (10 difficulty) STH feat to lift and aim. 
  Limited Availability.
   
  Damage: 8 bladed
   
  Functional Range: 3 ft. (1m.) / Max. Range: 100ft. (30m.)
   
  Holds 2 bullets
   
  Costs 3000 Srang (+10 Srang/bullet)
  Grenade- A small green fragmentation grenade of the 
  type used in WWII.
   
  Explodes 3 rounds after pin is pulled
   
  2d4 bladed damage within 10 ft. (3m.) pierces as 8
   
  1d4 bladed damage within 20 ft. (6m.) pierces as 8
   
  Costs 400 Srang
  Horned Shield- A traditional weapon from India.  It is 
  a leather shield with two sharpened bull horns on the 
  front.
   
  2 Bladed damage
   
  Range 1
   
  Very Easy Parry (+8), Hard Strike (-4)
   
  Protection Rating 5 bladed 4 blunt
   
  Costs 75 Srang
  Weapons in Brief
  For more, see p.156.
  Range: Every weapon has a range within which it will 
  work.  If a weapon has range 1-2, it can be used normally 
  if the opponents are 1 or 2 range levels apart.  However, if 
  the opponents are three range levels apart the weapon is 
  too short to hit and if the opponents are 0 range levels apart 
  the opponent is too close to do full damage.  Ranges are as 
  follows:
   
  Range 0: Touching (biting, headbutts, knives).
   
  Range 1: Arm’s Length (punches, kicks, knives)
   
  Range 2: 4 ft. or 1.2 m. (swords, clubs)
   
  Range 3: 6 ft. or 1.8 m. (whips, chains, lances)
  Some weapons might do different things at different ranges. 
  A lance, for instance, might do bladed damage if used at one 
  range (where the blade can hit the enemy) and blunt damage 
  if used at another range (where the enemy can only be hit by 
  the pole).
  Damage: The amount of damage done by the weapon on a 
  normal strike.
  Special Actions/Reactions: The design of some weapons 
  makes it easier or harder to do certain actions and reactions.  
  Example: If a sword gives “easy strike” then the holder gets 
  +4 whenever making a strike with it.  These actions and 
  reactions are listed with the following nomenclature:
   
  Very Easy: +8 on rolls.
   
  Easy: +4 on rolls.
   
  Hard: -4 on rolls.
   
  Very Hard: -8 on rolls.
  Pierces As: When a weapon is good at piercing armor, this 
  is the amount of damage to use when calculating how much 
  damage surpasses armor.  Note that the max. damage that can 
  hit the human inside the armor is the normal damage listed.
  Projectile Weapons: These weapons have the following 
  special features: 
   
  ROF: Rate of Fire.  This is how many projectiles can be 
  fired as a single action (as a burst, with a -4 penalty, or as an 
  Area Attack, see p.159).
   
  FR: Functional Range.  For every functional range unit 
  away the target is, the shooter suffers a -1 penalty.  So, if a 
  weapon has an FR of 10 ft. and a victim is 70 ft. away the 
  shooter is at -7 to hit the victim.
   
  MR: Maximum Range.  Weapons can not do damage 
  beyond this range.
   
  Clip Holds: How many times the weapon can fire without 
  being reloaded.
  
  rifle horns
  spear
  Iron Spear- A heavy iron shaft with a 
  spear point.  Very versatile: it can be used 
  as a thrown weapon, a stabbing weapon or as a 
  staff weapon.  This type of spear is often carried 
  by travelers in the Amdo area for defense against 
  bandits.
   
  3 bladed damage as a thrown weapon
   
  Functional Range 2ft. (⅔m.) / Maximum Range 
  30ft. (9m.)
   
  2 blunt 1 bladed damage as a staff weapon 
  (range 0-1)
   
  4 bladed damage as a stabbing weapon (range 1-2)
   
  Costs 80 Srang
  Knife- A simple Tibetan knife.
   
  2 bladed damage
   
  Range 0-1
   
  Costs 25 Srang
  Kukuri- A large, heavy knife used by the Gurka peoples 
  of the Himalayas.  A heavy, forward curved blade 
  concentrates the force of a swing to a single point.
   
  Damage: 3 bladed (pierces as 5)
   
  Range: 1
   
  Hard Strike (-4)
   
  Costs 170 Srang
  Lance- A long metal pole with a steel tip, used for 
  spearing enemies from horseback.
   
  Damage: 3 bladed (pierces armor as 5)
   
  Range: 3
   
  Costs 250 Srang
  Machine Gun- Non-portable (300 lbs. or 136 kg.).  It 
  stands a 1 in 20 chance of jamming unless someone 
  hand-feeds the bullets when it is firing.  It is designed 
  to mow down advancing enemy troops from a stationary 
  position.  All Machine Guns available in Tibet have 
  been stolen from the Chinese and each 
  one has a Chinese officer assigned to 
  retrieving it.  Limited Availability.
   
  Damage: 5 bladed
   
  Rate of Fire: 10
   
  Functional Range: 8ft. (2.5m.) / 
  Maximum Range: 750ft. (228m.)
   
  Costs 10,000 Srang (+2 Srang/
  bullet)
  Pistol (Automatic)- A modern pistol 
  that fires from a clip (takes 1 action to 
  reload a new clip).  Pistols are not very 
  common in Tibet, except when used by 
  the Chinese (Tibetans are more likely 
  to have rifles).
   
  Damage: 4 bladed
   
  Rate of Fire: 3
   
  Functional Range: 7ft. (2m.) / 
  Maximum Range: 300ft. (91 m.)
  Clip Holds 8 Bullets
  Costs 1000 Srang (+5 Srang/bullet) 
  Pistol (Revolver)- A pistol that loads 
  bullets in to a rotating wheel (takes 3 actions 
  to reload).
   
  Damage: 4 bladed
   
  Rate of Fire: 2
   
  Functional Range: 5ft. (1.5 m.) / Maximum 
  Range: 200ft. (61m.)
   
  Holds 6 bullets
   
  Costs 800 Srang (+5 Srang/bullet)
  Rifle (Matchlock)- A very old rifle from the previous 
  century.  A ball must be put in the barrel (takes 1 
  action) and gunpowder added (takes 1 action) and 
  a lit wick put against the gunpowder to fire.  This is 
  the kind most likely to be kept for defense against 
  bandits in remote villages and monasteries. 
   
  Damage: 4 bladed
   
  Functional Range: 6ft. (2m.)  / Max. Range: 300ft. (91m.)
   
  Holds 1 bullet
   
  Costs 300 Srang (+4 Srang/bullet)
  Rifle (WWI)- The most common type of rifle 
  found in the hands of Tibetans.  Some are German 
  Mausers and some are British and Russian types dating 
  back to 1914.
   
  Damage: 5 bladed
   
  Rate of Fire: 2
   
  Functional Range: 8ft. (2.5m.) / Max. Range: 500ft. (152m.)
   
  Holds 15 bullets
   
  Costs 400 Srang (+3 Srang/bullet)
  Rifle (WWII)- A standard rifle from the WWII era. 
  Tibetan Army soldiers carry rifles of this type.
   
  Damage: 6 bladed
   
  Rate of Fire: 3
   
  Functional Range: 10ft. (3m.) / Max. Range: 700ft. (213m.)
   
  Holds 25 bullets.
   
  Costs 800 Srang (+4 Srang/bullet)
  126
  character creation
  Kukuri- A heavy curved knife, used for chopping.
  
  127
  money & equipment
  Rifle (Sniper)- A very modern rifle with a bipod 
  (extendable legs) and telescopic sight.
   
  Damage: 6 bladed (pierces armor as 8)
   Rate of Fire: 4
   
  Functional Range: 10 ft. (3m.) or 25 ft. (7m.) with 
  bipod and scope.
   
  Maximum Range: 1500 ft.
   
  Holds 20 bullets
   
  Costs 1500 Srang (+5 Srang/bullet)
  Rifle Horns- This is a Tibetan invention.  It is a bipod 
  rifle stand made from wild antelope horns.  When folded 
  down, it braces the rifle for sharp-shooting (+4 to aimed 
  actions), when folded up the horns act as bayonets (2 
  bladed damage, range 2).  20 Srang
  Sling- A leather thong with a cup.  Often used by 
  nomads.
   
  Damage: 2 blunt
   
  Functional Range: 4ft. (1m.) / Max. Range: 75ft. (23m.)
   
  Costs 9 Srang
  Staff- A long, straight wooden pole, used primarily as a 
  parrying weapon.  The staff will be broken if it is hit with 
  5 bladed or blunt damage.
   
  Damage: 3 blunt
   
  Easy Parry (+4)
   
  Range: 1-2
   
  Costs 30 Srang
  Sub-Machine Gun- A semi-portable weapon, probably of 
  Chinese origin.  It is 25 lbs (11 kg.) and takes a tripod or a 
  moderate (20) STH feat to use.  After 5 combat rounds of 
  continuous fire it gets so hot that it stands a 1 in 10 chance 
  of jamming.  Limited Availability.
   
  Damage: 5 bladed
   
  Rate of Fire: 7
   
  Functional Range: 5 ft (1.5m.) / Max. Range: 400 ft. (122m.)
   
  Costs 4000 Srang (+2 Srang/bullet)
  Sword (Chinese)- An imported, traditionally 
  crafted sword.  It is sharper and fancier than the 
  standard Tibetan sword.
   
  Damage: 5 bladed (pierces armor as 7 bladed)
   
  Range: 1-2
   
  Easy Strike (+4)
   
  Costs 600 Srang
  Sword (Tibetan)- A traditional Tibetan sword. It is 
  designed for utility as a weapon, not to be aesthetically 
  pleasing.  It consists of a simple handle and straight, 
  plain iron blade with a slightly rounded end.
   
  Damage: 4 bladed
   
  Range: 1-2
   
  Costs 200 Srang
  Throwing Key- Once a popular 
  weapon among dobdobs, although 
  lately dobdobs have taken to using less 
  lethal weapons.  This is a large key-
  shaped piece of metal with sharp edges, 
  attached to a long cord.  The wielder 
  throws the weapon at an opponent and 
  uses the cord to pull the weapon back 
  so it can be thrown again.
   
  Damage: 2 bladed
   
  Functional Range: 2 ft. (.5 m.) / 
  Maxi-mum Range 10 ft. (3 m.)
   
  Costs 150 Srang
  
  Tiger Claws- A small metal weapon from India. 
  It is held in the fist so that claw-like blades extend 
  from between the fingers.  A longer, second blade also 
  extends laterally from the weapon.
   
  Damage: 2 bladed
   
  Range: 0-1
   
  Easy Pain/Stun (+4)
   
  Costs 80 Srang
  Trident- This weapon is seldom used in battle anymore, 
  yet blacksmiths continue to make it because it is a favorite 
  weapon of many dharmapalas.
   
  Damage: 2 bladed (pierces armor as 4 bladed)
   
  Range: 2
   
  Easy Entangle (+4)
   
  Costs 100 Srang
  War Axe- An axe with a long handle, 
  mostly used to fight from horseback.
   
  Damage: 3 bladed (pierces armor 
  as 5 bladed)
   
  Range: 3
   
  Hard Strike (-4), Easy Vital Strike 
  (+4)
   
  Costs 200 Srang
  Whip- A long leather whip designed to be a non-lethal 
  weapon.
   
  Damage: 1 bladed
   
  Range: 3
   
  Easy Pain/Stun Attack (+4)
   
  Costs 35 Srang
  Western Goods
  All Western Goods have a limited availability (except to 
  Foreigners).  They can usually only be purchased from 
  traders in large cities and along major trade routes.
  Backpack- A sturdy canvas backpack.  25 Srang
  Binoculars- A pair of cheap binoculars, capable of seeing 
  objects 500 ft. (150 m.) away.  85 Srang
  Camera- Can take 30 pictures.  Film must be developed 
  in a darkroom (such a service is available in Lhasa for 20 
  Srang).  80 Srang
  Cigarettes- One pack of 12 cigarettes, usually a British 
  brand imported through India.  A burning cigarette can be 
  used as a hard pain/stun or blinding attack.  Cigarettes 
  have a psychological addiction difficulty of 0 and 
  craving difficulty of 15.  15 Srang
  Climbing 
  Equipment- A 
  full 
  set 
  of 
  professional climbing equipment.  Gives +10 to 
  climbing rolls.  Includes harnesses, a belay device, 
  a hammer (2 blunt damage), a pick axe (4 bladed 
  damage, pierces armor as 6), 6 pitons (1 bladed damage 
  improvised poking weapon) and snow spikes which 
  attach to boots (+2 bladed damage to kicks, -5 SPD). 
  Does not include rope.  1500 Srang
  Climbing Rope- High strength Western rope, as used 
  by professional climbers.  It is stronger and lighter than 
  Tibetan-made rope.  Can hold up to 750lbs. (340kg.). 
  Weighs 1 lb. per 7 ft. (.2kg/m)  4 Srang/ft. or 12 Srang/m.
  Climbing Tent- The kind of tent a professional climber 
  might use.  It can fit two people.  Folded up, it can be 
  carried in a small bag.  Weighs 20lbs. (9kg.)  700 Srang
  Duct Tape- 50 ft. (15m.) roll.  This tape was developed 
  for use on ammunition boxes in WWII, and a few rolls 
  have filtered in to Tibet, mostly from China.  25 Srang.
  Flare- Burns with a bright red light for 15 minutes, 
  illuminating up to 20 ft. (6m.).  Can be held in the hand. 
  Does 2 burn damage when used as a weapon.  50 Srang
  Flare Gun- A small metal tube which can be used 
  to shoot off distress flares.  Flares can be seen from 
  a distance of 5 miles (8km.) in the daytime and 15 
  miles  (24km.) at night. Functional Range 2 ft., (.5m.) 
  Maximum Range 100 ft.   (30m.) .  Does 2 burn damage.  
  110 Srang
  Flashlight- A metal, battery powered flashlight.  Can 
  be used as a 2 blunt damage weapon (though this will 
  likely break the bulb).  A battery lasts for 5 hours.  85 
  Srang +20 Srang/Battery
  Gas Mask- A large mask with two round cartridges.  
  Covers most of the face and protects the wearer from 
  most chemical weapons.  150 Srang
  Gasoline Lamp- When used for warmth it gives +3 to 
  save vs. hypothermia.  60 Srang
  Lighter- A metal lighter which can be refilled with 
  liquid lighter fluid.  It operates by means of a wick and 
  can not be used in high wind or rain.  If it stays burning 
  for long periods it will become too hot to touch and may 
  even explode.  75 Srang
  Mechanical Tools- A small pouch containing tools for 
  repairing mechanical devices, including automobiles.  
  Contains tools which can be used as 1 bladed or 2 
  blunt damage improvised weapons.  600 Srang
  128
  character creation
  
  129
  personality
  Oxygen Tank- Gives +15 to save vs. altitude 
  sickness (see p.177) for up to 4 days.  Weighs 50 
  lbs. (23 kg.).  500 Srang
  Padlock- A heavy steel combination padlock.  Will break 
  if it takes 6 damage.  200 Srang
  Parka- A waterproof, fur lined parka, as a professional 
  mountain climber might wear.  Gives +10 to save vs. 
  hypothermia.  1000 Srang
  Radio- A battery powered AM radio.  A battery lasts 8 
  hours.  150 Srang +10/Battery
  Sunglasses- Useful for preventing snow-blindness 
  (natives use a slit in a piece of leather).  40 Srang
  Swiss Army Knife- Contains several utensils: saw, can 
  opener, corkscrew, screwdriver and knife blade (1 bladed 
  damage).  150 Srang
  Tape Recorder- Battery powered, can record or play 
  back, uses magnetic tape reels.  Has a shoulder-strap and 
  a hand-held microphone.  Batteries last 5 hours, tapes last 
  1 hour.  750 Srang +20/Battery, +30/Tape
  Watch- A wind-up watch in a case.  Breaks if it takes 3 
  damage.  200 Srang
  Western Clothing- A suit of typical formal or casual 
  clothing, including shoes.  700 Srang
  Personality
  Two monks are traveling and see a beautiful woman 
  stranded on one side of the river.  Although they are 
  forbidden to touch women, one monk picks her up and 
  carries her across.  The other monk is horrified and spends 
  the next several hours ruminating on what happened. 
  Finally he decides to speak.  He asks “why did you 
  carry her across, even though we are forbidden to touch 
  women?”  The other monk replies “I put her down at the 
  other side.  Why are you still carrying her?”
  Buddha taught that suffering and bad karma are caused 
  when people “grasp” on to beliefs, emotions and desires. 
  Enlightened beings do not grasp on to anything, they do 
  not want, feel or believe in anything any longer than is 
  necessary.  It is the grasping on to existence that keeps 
  people in the cycle of rebirths.
  Attachments measure both what separates a PC 
  from enlightenment and what gives them unique 
  personalities.  There are three types of attachments: 
  those worldly pleasures we grasp (or worldly 
  pains that we avoid), those ideas of self 
  that we grasp and those ideas of the way the 
  universe works that we grasp.  Attachments can 
  be changed easily, but are difficult to actually destroy 
  (see p.166).  The process of becoming enlightened is 
  the process of shedding attachments.
  Using Attachments- Unenlightened beings can 
  sometimes find attachments useful.  When PCs are 
  making a WIL based roll, and when a defeat would 
  mean a major blow to an attachment, the PC gets +5 
  to the roll.   The GM can deny this bonus if the PC 
  has not roleplayed the attachment in this game session. 
  Examples: A PC with the Prized Possession attachment 
  is  trying to resist a Pain/Stun attack by a bandit trying 
  to take away the PCs prized golden Buddha statuette.  A 
  PC with the Brave advantage is making a save vs. fear 
  to avoid running away from a powerful sorcerer.
  Dark Attachments- Some attachments are listed as 
  “dark.”  In the pursuit of enlightenment, all attachments 
  are bad.  When it comes to being a member of society, 
  however, some attachments are worse than others.  Dark 
  attachments are those that have a significant likelihood 
  of causing problems for the PC.  Each attachment of this 
  type that the PC has gives 1 Bonus Point (see Bonus 
  Characteristics, p.133).
  Dark attachments can develop naturally, in the same 
  way as other attachments.  They can also be created by 
  traumatic events, sorcerous attacks or botched tantric 
  rituals.  A roll is necessary to change a dark attachment 
  to a normal one (see p.166).
  Physical 
  Attachments
  These are attachments to worldly possessions, pleasures 
  or abilities.  The PC does not necessarily ever achieve 
  the subject of the attachment, but he or she does think 
  about it often.  Example: a poor farmer may have an 
  attachment to Money, and may think night-and-day 
  about ways to gain wealth, but never actually achieve it. 
  Or, a monk may believe that money is a bad thing and 
  may feel irrational hatred towards it.
  Alcohol- An alcohol attachment could denote addiction, 
  prejudiced abstention or simply a strong enjoyment of 
  alcohol’s effects.
  Authority- The PC enjoys having power over other 
  people.  Power could come, for example, from threats 
  of sorcery, from being a ranking government official, or 
  from being a respected teacher.
  Danger- The PC is attached to the feelings that 
  come from being in dangerous situations.
  In Brief- Choose five attachments for the character, with 
  at least one universe attachment.
  
  convicts who have had limbs amputated
  Death (Dark)- The PC is attached to the possibility of 
  death.  The PC is driven to attempt to eliminate all possible 
  dangers; to seek magical means of immortality; or to 
  remove doubt by exposing oneself to constant threats.
  Detail (Dark)- The PC must either ignore every detail, 
  no matter how important, or obsess over every detail, no 
  matter how insignificant.  Example: If given a request, one 
  PC with this attachment will do it all wrong.  Another will 
  refuse to do it at all because of a minor grammatical error 
  in the request.
  Disease (Dark)- The character is attached to the idea of 
  sickness and infirmity, so much so that even death is not 
  as frightening.  The PC takes every minor fluctuation as a 
  sign or serious illness; or the PC might act like he or she 
  is invulnerable to disease and will ignore his or her own 
  health.
  Fame- An attachment to being known and respected by 
  other people.
  Gambling- An attachment to any sort of betting.
  Emotional- An attachment to recognizing and acting 
  upon emotions.
  Independence- An attachment to depending upon other 
  people for survival.
  Intoxication (Dark)- The PC is always seeking a state of 
  heavy intoxication.
  Prized Possession- The PC is attached to a object or 
  collection of objects that the PC possess and thinks has 
  great value.  A child could be a prized possession if 
  that is how the parent thinks of the child.
  Magic Power- An attachment the idea of having magic 
  powers.
  Manic (Dark)- The PC is attached to the feeling that 
  comes with acting without pause or introspection.
  Money- An attachment to the idea of having money.
  Past (Dark)- The PC is attached to an event in his or 
  her past and what could have happened differently.  The 
  PC is driven to collect details about what happened 
  and how.  The PC is often attached more to what has 
  happened than to what is currently happening.
  Safety- An attachment to the idea of safety from 
  obvious physical dangers.
  Sex- An attachment to sexual intercourse as either a 
  source of pleasure or as a temptation.
  Sexual Dominance (Dark)- The PC is attached to 
  controlling sexual impulses, sexual behaviors and the 
  targets of sexual desire.  The attachment is so strong 
  that PCs will either avoid any form of temptation or will 
  act on sexual impulses in unhealthy ways.
  Self Attachments
  People with these attachments are committed to an 
  idea about themselves.  The idea is not merely trivia 
  to the attached: they believe they are different and they 
  believe it is an important difference.
  Ascetic- The PC is attached to the idea that he or 
  she is able to live without worldly pleasures and 
  comforts.
  130
  character creation
  
  aristocratic women in formal dress
  131
  personality
  Brave- The idea that the PC is unaffected by 
  fear.
  Clown- The idea that the PC can keep a sense of humor 
  no matter how grim the situation.
  Beautiful- The idea that the PC is physically attractive.
  Empathetic- The idea that the PC understands other 
  people’s feelings better than most.
  Forgiving- The idea that the PC is never petty or 
  vengeful.
  Helpless (Dark)- The PC obsesses over the idea of not 
  being in control of his or her own life.
  Humble- The PC takes pride in his or her own humility. 
  The PC never brags or shows enjoyment in having 
  advantages and may look down on those who do.  For 
  those seeking enlightenment, this is the most dangerous 
  attachment to have.  People with this attachment 
  often believe that it is evidence of advancement, 
  not an attachment.
  Logical- The idea that the PC is rational and has 
  no irrational beliefs.
  Loyal- The idea that the PC is unbendingly loyal 
  and trustworthy.
  Moral- The idea that the PC adheres strictly to 
  some moral code.
  Philosophical- The idea that the PC constantly 
  seeks a more supreme level of truth and 
  understanding.
  Respectable- The idea of being someone 
  worthy of respect.
  Ruthless- The idea that the PC will go farther 
  than others are willing to in order to achieve his 
  or her desires.
  Sadistic (Dark)- The PC is attached to the idea 
  that he or she can and will cause other people 
  suffering and misfortune.
  Self-Control (Dark)- The PC is attached to the 
  idea that he or she has a superhumanly strong 
  will that does not bend, neither from internal 
  desires nor from the machinations of others.
  Sexual- The idea that the PC is sexually desired 
  by others.
  Skeptical- The idea that the PC can not be easily 
  tricked and seldom adopts a belief based on 
  bad facts.
  Strong- The PC is attached to the idea 
  that he or she has strengths (physical, 
  mental or magical) that can be used to enforce 
  his or her will over others.
  Tricky- The idea that the PC can make other people 
  believe whatever he or she wants.
  Trusting- The idea that the PC always chooses to give 
  people the benefit of the doubt.
  Truthful- The idea that the PC can be depended upon, 
  without exception, to tell the truth.
  Weak-Willed (Dark)- The PC is attached to the idea 
  that he or she will give in to impulses and the will of 
  others more easily than other people.
  Willful- The idea that other people and beings can not 
  dominate the PC’s will.
  Worthless (Dark)- The idea that the PC’s life and well-
  being has less value than that of other people.
  
  Lhasa family
  Universe 
  Attachments
  This is an attachment to an idea about how the universe 
  works.  Universe attachments are often the most difficult 
  to remove because it is nearly impossible to prove or 
  disprove their validity and worth.  Also, unenlightened 
  people need to feel that the universe makes enough sense 
  that they can predict what is about to happen. 
  Aesthetics- The idea that everything in the universe, 
  from people to places to ideas, has worth depending 
  upon an inherent beauty.
  Brutality- The idea that the 
  universe is such that all beings 
  must hurt others if they wish 
  to survive and prosper.
  Duty- The idea that all beings 
  are born with duties and if 
  they do not fulfill them they 
  are bad.
  Egocentric (Dark)- The PC 
  is attached to the idea that the 
  only things that matter in this 
  universe have something to 
  do with the PC.
  Fate- The idea that the events 
  of our lives are predestined 
  and unchangeable.  See p.20 
  for Tibetan ideas about the 
  future.
  Humor- 
  The 
  idea 
  that 
  everything that happens, if 
  looked at dispassionately, is 
  pretty funny.
  Irrational (Dark)- The idea 
  that the universe doesn’t 
  make any sense, that nothing 
  can be predicted from what 
  happened before, that there is 
  no inherent logic or aesthetic 
  to the universe.
  Justice- The idea that bad deeds should be punished and 
  that good deeds should be rewarded.  Some are content to 
  let Karma serve this function, others think justice should 
  be enforced by humans.
  Paranoid (Dark)- The PC is attached to the idea that 
  anything that happens is connected, in some way, to 
  some dangerous plot against the PC.
  Pessimistic (Dark)- The PC is attached to the 
  idea that bad events are always occurring and the 
  worst possible outcome is the most likely.
  Rational- The idea that the universe works by simple 
  rules of logic and all knowledge can be obtained by 
  intellectual investigation.
  Social- The idea that the only things in the universe that 
  are important are important because of the importance 
  that human society attaches to them.
  Tired (Dark)- The PC is attached to the idea that 
  whenever any entity in the universe tries to do anything 
  it will always be an uphill struggle.  Beings get out of life 
  less than what they put in to it.
  Truth- The PC is attached to the idea that certain beliefs 
  and statements are true and others are not and that the 
  truth can ultimately be known.
  Utilitarian- The PC is attached to the idea that some 
  truths and ideas are more useful than others.
  Unknowable- The PC is attached to the idea that no 
  one can ever be completely certain of anything.
  132
  character creation
  
  133
  bonus characteristics
  Bonus 
  Characteristics
  In addition to the advantages and disadvantages that follow, 
  you can adjust the PC (by gaining and spending Bonus 
  Points) in the following ways:
  Extra or Fewer Attribute Points
  1 Bonus Point = 1 Attribute Point
  Extra of Fewer Health Attribute Points
  3 Bonus Points = 1 Health Attribute Point
  Extra or Fewer Skill Points
  1 Bonus Point = 3 Skill Points
  Extra or Fewer Money
  1 Bonus Point = 250 Srang
  Example: Tashi, the Mirror Gazer, starts with only 70 Skill 
  Points (-30 Skill Points = +10 Bonus Points), 750 less Srang 
  than normal (-750 Srang = +3 BP) but starts with 7 Health 
  Attribute Points (+1 Health Attribute Point = -3 BP) and 
  100 Attribute Points (+10 Attribute Points = -10 BP). 
  It all evens out and Tashi doesn’t have to take any 
  disadvantages.
  Advantages
  Brawler
  -8 BP
  Chinese Trained (Military)
  -5 BP
  Chinese Trained (Scholastics)
  -6 BP
  Creative Genius
  -4 BP
  Düd Tormented
  -5 BP
  Good Reputation
  -4 BP
  Lama
  -5 BP
  Land Owner
  -4 BP
  Lu Crossbreed
  -7 BP
  Mamo Crossbreed
  -10 BP
  Migyu Crossbreed
  -6 BP
  Monastic Rank
  -4 BP
  Monastic Training
  -5 BP
  Philosophical Prodigy
  -5 BP
  Physically Attractive (Minor)
  -2 BP
  Physically Attractive (Major)
  -6 BP
  Special Charm
  -4 BP
  Special Weapon
  -4 BP
  Spouse
  -5 BP
  Tibetan Amy Training
  -8 BP
  Tulku: Adult
  -10 BP
  Tulku: Child
  -10 BP
  Western Educated
  -4 BP
  Disadvantages
  Alcoholism
  +10 BP
  Bad Previous Life
  +8 BP
  Bad Reputation
  +4 BP
  Blind
  +15 BP
  Clumsy
  +2 BP
  Deaf
  +10 BP
  Deeply Attached
  +5 BP
  Dependent Child
  +10 BP
  Known Enemy of Chinese
  +4 BP
  Magical Fake
  +10 BP
  Missing Arm
  +5ea. BP
  Missing Leg
  +5ea. BP
  Mute
  +7 BP
  Opium Addiction
  +12 BP
  Physically Unattractive (Minor)
  +2 BP
  Physically Unattractive (Major)
  +4 BP
  Poison Bearer
  +6 BP
  Poor Hearing
  +6 BP
  Poor Vision
  +5 BP
  Sickly
  +5 BP
  Tra’menma
  +5 BP
  Trauma
  +5 BP
  Tulpa
  +3 BP
  Gaining or Losing Bonus 
  Characteristics in Game Play
  The simple rule to remember here: character creation is 
  meant to be fair, game play is not.
  Advantages and disadvantages can be rewarded or taken 
  away during game-play as part of the adventure with no 
  points being exchanged at all.  Examples:
   
  A player may buy the PC the Lama advantage, only to 
  have that Lama killed during the first five minutes of game 
  play.  That advantage is permanently lost and the points 
  spent are wasted.
   
  In the first five minutes of gameplay the PC may save 
  the life of an Aristocrat and be gifted with land, gaining the 
  in-game equivalent of the Land Owner advantage.
   
  A PC might start with Opium Addiction, and declare 
  in the first minutes of game play that he or she is quitting.  
  Assuming the PC can resist the cravings rolls, he or she will 
  be rid of that disadvantage.
  To reiterate: Anything that the PC does or anything that 
  happens to the PC in-game can remove advantages and 
  disadvantages, or can give the equivalent of advantages 
  and disadvantages to the PC, regardless of the points spent 
  during character creation.
  In Brief: PC starts with neutral balance.  Advantages or 
  extra points must be balanced out by disadvantages or 
  fewer points.
  
  Advantages
  Brawler- The PC has been getting in fights since he or 
  she was a little kid and fighting comes naturally to the PC. 
  The PC gets +2 to strike, parry and dodge, +5 to initiative, 
  and a +3, a +2, and a +1 to any actions or reactions of the 
  character’s choice (the pluses can not be put on the same 
  action and reaction).  Costs 8 BP.
  Chinese Trained (Military)- The PC has been trained 
  by the Chinese to be a soldier.  Many Tibetans were 
  given Chinese training in hopes that they would support 
  the Chinese invasion, yet most of these soldiers turned 
  against the Chinese (they discovered that the promises of 
  Communism were not forthcoming).  This skill confers no 
  rank in the Chinese military.  The PC gets the following 
  skills: Foreign Language: Chinese (1), Political Philosophy 
  (1), Rifle (2) and Pistol (1).  Gives –2 to combat skill costs 
  (min. 8) and –2 to Western Knowledge skill costs (min. 
  10) during character creation only.  Costs 5 BP.
  Chinese Trained (Scholastic)- The PC has been trained 
  in a Chinese school.  The PC may even be one of the 
  children who were taken to China for education and 
  indoctrination in the first days of the invasion.  Many 
  Tibetans have been trained to be Communist party 
  leaders, to work in Western-style hospitals and to lead 
  engineering projects.  Gives Foreign Language: Chinese 
  (2), Political Philosophy (2), Literacy (2), Mathematics 
  (1).  Gives –4 to Western Knowledge skill costs (min. 6) 
  and the Emergency Medicine is available at 6 skill points 
  per level during character creation only.  Costs 6 BP.
  Creative Genius- This advantage gives no plusses to 
  creative skill costs and give no plusses to skill rolls. 
  However, when the PC does succeed at a creative skill, 
  the effect is beautiful or evocative in 
  a way that no one else in the world 
  could produce.  For example: A PC 
  has the Cooking skill and decides 
  to create a new recipe for Momos 
  (dumplings).  That recipe will be as 
  good as the success of the roll, but 
  there will not be any Momo recipe in 
  the world like it.  Costs 4 BP.
  Düd Tormented- Occasionally, a 
  malevolent spirit of the Düd class 
  will enter a person who is about to 
  die and prevent that person from 
  dying.  The spirit gains strength by 
  prolonging the person’s suffering. 
  Düd especially love doing this to 
  people who would otherwise have 
  achieved a favorable rebirth.  While 
  lingering in pain, the person 
  typically accrues enough bad 
  karma to cause a poor rebirth.
  Most of the düd tormented linger in disability 
  and semi-consciousness, but some recover their 
  faculties.  The PC is one of those people.  The PC is 
  still mortally wounded, and would die without the düd’s 
  continuing influence.  The PC still suffers constantly 
  from the injuries.  If the person ever stops suffering, 
  the düd will leave and the person will die.  The only 
  hope for the PC is a miraculous healing that happens 
  so quickly that the düd can not leave fast enough to kill 
  the PC.
  The PC will die if the düd is killed, exorcised or decides 
  to stop keeping the character alive.  If the düd is being 
  exorcised, the PC can add his or her own WIL to the 
  düd’s roll to resist the exorcism.
  The düd has a Magical STH of 10.  It costs 1 Magical 
  STH per round to keep the PC alive, but the düd gains 
  1 Magical STH per round from the PC’s suffering (see 
  p.185).
  The PC starts with:
   
  +8 INCY
   
  PC does not lose END after being at 0 BLD (can 
  only be incapacitated if he or she loses all INCY, see 
  p.150).
   
  -10 to current KMA
   
  -5 to END, SPD, STH or INL (choose one), due to 
  the injury, and a reduced max. cap on that attribute.
   
  Must make a daily save vs. distracting pain (20 
  difficulty).
   
  Costs 5 BP.
  Good Reputation- Sometime in the past the PC has 
  done something (or been credited with doing something) 
  which has made the PC acclaimed in his or her circles.  
  Example: A weathermaker is 
  believed to have preformed a 
  feat that had made him known 
  as brave and skillful by other 
  weathermakers.  Costs 4 BP.
  Lama- The PC has a lama, 
  an advanced teacher of tantric 
  practice, who has agreed to train 
  the PC.  The PC is obligated to 
  follow the teacher’s guidance 
  and do errands for the teacher. 
  During 
  character 
  creation, 
  the PC can buy Tantra skills 
  at 5 points per level.  After 
  character creation, the PC 
  can take the Tantric Student 
  discipline (p.143) at any time.  
  Costs 5 BP.
  134
  character creation
  Düd- A type of malevolent spirit especially associated with lingering illness.
  
  lu crosbreed
  135
  bonus characteristics
  Land Owner- Limitations: cannot be 
  bought by Aristocrats (who already own 
  land) or monks (who are not allowed to own 
  land).  The PC owns a parcel of land that he or 
  she lives, farms or grazes on.  In addition to not 
  having to pay rent, the PC also does not fall under 
  the authority of a land owner.  Gives +10 Srang to 
  monthly income.  Costs 4 BP.
  Lu Crossbreed- One of the PC’s parents was 
  a Lu spirit taking physical form.  See p.186 for 
  more on the Lu.  The PC can usually pass for a 
  normal human (although the PC is unusually tall, 
  thin, pale and cold).  The Lu are water spirits with 
  innate skills of sorcery and control of the weather. 
  The weathermaker of Drepung, one of the greatest 
  in Tibet, is known to be a Lu Crossbreed.  Full-
  blooded Lu spirits may recognize the PC as one 
  of them and may give the PC more respect than a 
  normal human.  The PC gets:
   
  +1 INL, +1 WIL, +1 BLD, -5 KMA.
   
  Swimming (3)
   
  -4 to Sorcery skill costs, min. 6
   
  -3 to Weathermaking skill costs, min. 6
   
  Costs 7 BP.
  Mamo Crossbreed- The character’s mother was a 
  black mamo spirit who took physical form in order 
  to seduce a human male.  The PC can usually pass for 
  a normal human (although the PC is unusually large 
  and has unusually dark skin).  Mamo Crossbreeds 
  are known for having a terrible temper and having 
  an aptitude for combat, seduction and sorcery. 
  Some of the fiercest warriors in Tibet’s history are 
  believed to have been Mamo Crossbreeds.  The PC 
  gets the following:
   
  -10 to save vs. fear
   
  -10 KMA, +2 STH, +2 BDY
   
  +5 to Seduction rolls
   
  -3 to Combat skill costs, min. 6
   
  -3 to Sorcery skill costs, min. 5
   
  Costs 10 BP.
  Migyu Crossbreed- The PC is the product of 
  mating (usually rape) between a human and a 
  Migyu (a large, intelligent primate, see p.54).  Some 
  crossbreeds are not intelligent or human-looking 
  enough to fit in to human society, but the PC is one 
  of the lucky ones who can “pass.”  The PC is 5’6” 
  to 6’6” tall and weighs 200-300 lbs. (90-  136 kg.). 
  The hair on the PC’s head is reddish and the PC has 
  unusually thick body hair which is golden colored.  
  The PC has sharp teeth and strong jaw muscles.
  Mamo- A class of malevolent spirits, female with jet-black skin, known for sorcery and disease.
  
  Most Migyu crossbreeds were abandoned by 
  parents and raised in monasteries.  The PC must keep 
  his or her heritage a secret or face discrimination.
   The PC gets:
   
  Max. cap on attributes: 15 INL, 24 STH
   
  +6 STH, +4 AGY, +2 SPD, +2 END, +3 BDY,  
  +2 BLD
   
  +10 to climbing and leaping rolls
   
  -7 to save vs. fear/anger
   
  2 bladed damage bite with a hard strike (-4)
   
  Costs 6 BP.
  Monastic Rank- Limitations: Unclean cannot take 
  this advantage.  The PC has recently paid for monastic 
  ordination.  The PC dresses as a monk, must observe a vow 
  of celibacy (at least in public), and has a new Buddhist 
  name.  However, the PC still has the same occupation and 
  lifestyle of other people in the PC’s class.  The PC does not 
  need to make Buddhist practice a full-time study, and may 
  not even live in a monastery.  Those with monastic rank 
  enjoy higher social standing in Tibetan society.  PCs may 
  work for the monastery (e.g. a Craftsperson who creates 
  crafts for the monastery and is hired out by the monastery) 
  or can live and work independently.  Costs 4 BP.
  Monastic Training- The PC has paid to study in a 
  monastery, but has not taken monastic vows and does 
  not have monastic rank.  The PC lives in the monastery, 
  typically for less than a year, and was given the opportunity 
  to study scholastics, philosophy, meditation and tantra.  
  The PC gets –4 to scholarship skill costs (min. 8), -2 to 
  medicine skill costs (min. 8) and -3 to tantra skill costs 
  (min. 10) during character creation only.  Costs 5 BP.
  Philosophical Prodigy- The PC was born with a special 
  facility for understanding abstract philosophical concepts.  
  The PC gets:
   
  -1 to skill costs for Medicine (min. 7)
   
  -3 to Scholarship (min. 4)
   
  -2 to Tantra (min. 9)
   
  -3 to Western Knowledge (min. 8)
   
  The skills Philosophy and Political Philosophy can be 
  purchased for 4 skill points per level.
   
  Costs 5 BP.
  Physically Attractive (Minor)- The PC has features 
  which makes him or her more attractive to Tibetans who 
  are interested in members of the PC’s gender.  Gives +4 to 
  seduction rolls.  Costs 2 BP.
  Physically Attractive (Major)- The PC has features 
  which make him or her very attractive to Tibetans who 
  are interested in members of the PC’s gender.  Gives 
  +8 to seduction rolls.  Costs 6 BP.
  Special Charm- The PC has, at some point 
  in the past, acquired a powerful holy charm. 
  This is something that was blessed by a powerful 
  historical Tibetan (e.g. Padmasambhava, King Gesar, 
  Songsten Gampo).  The charm emanates +5 Karma 
  and may have magic powers that the PC is unaware of. 
  Costs 4 BP.
  Special Weapon- At some point the PC was lucky 
  enough to gain possession of a very special weapon. 
  This weapon is much better than anything the PC would 
  normally have been able to acquire.    Because the PC 
  has trained almost exclusively with this weapon, he 
  or she gets +4 to any roll using the weapon.  Choose 
  from:
   
  Long Bow: As per p.125 but does 4 bladed damage 
  (pierces armor as 6) and has a Functional Range of 5 ft. 
  (1.5m.)
   
  Kukuri: As per p.126 but due to an exceptionally 
  sharp blade and well-weighted design it does 4 bladed 
  damage (pierces armor as 6) and does not have a Hard 
  Strike.
   
  Lance: As per p.126 but does 4 bladed damage 
  (pierces armor as 6) and has an Easy Strike (+4). 
   
  Samurai Sword: As per the Chinese Sword (p.127) 
  but pierces armor as 8 bladed and has an Easy Vital 
  Strike (+4).
   
  War Axe: As per p.128 but does 4 bladed damage 
  (pierces armor as 6) and does not have a Hard Strike.
   
  Costs 4 BP.
  Spouse- The PC has a spouse who is willing to stay at 
  home while the PC travels and conducts business.  This 
  advantage is especially useful for farmer or nomad PCs 
  who want to be able to travel without having to worry 
  about crops or herds.  The spouse will be of the same 
  social class as the PC and will have similar skills.  Costs 
  5 BP.
  Tibetan Army Training- The PC was trained to be a 
  soldier in the Tibetan army.  The character gets:
   
  Rifle (2), Riding (2), Archery (1)
   
  -3 to Combat skill costs (min. 8) during character 
  creation.
   
  -2 to Scholarship skill costs (min. 8) during character 
  creation.
   
  -2 to Western Knowledge skill costs (min. 10) during 
  character creation.
   
  Costs 8 BP.
  Tulku (Adult)- In the previous life, the PC was a very 
  advanced Buddhist or Bön practitioner.  The PC was 
  able to choose to be reborn as a human in Tibet (or a 
  human who would one day come to Tibet).  The PC has 
  not been officially recognized as a tulku (owns no 
  special property, has no special social position). 
   
  Most of the PC’s memories from the 
  136
  character class
  
  young tulku
  137
  bonus characteristics
  Most of the PC’s memories from the previous 
  life have faded away.  The PC may occasionally 
  feel deja-vu or get a dim flash of memory.  Each 
  adventure there is a tiny chance (1 in 20) the PC may 
  have a flash of memory that is useful in the current 
  situation (e.g. the PC remembers going through a secret 
  trap door in the monastery the PC is exploring).
  The PC gets:
   
  Only 4 attachments (rather than 5).
   
  +15 KMA.
   
  -3 to skill costs for Scholarship and Tantra skills 
  (min. 5).
   
  Costs 10 BP.
  Tulku (Child)- The PC is a 
  9 to 11 year old reincarnation 
  of an advanced Buddhist or 
  Bön practitioner.  The PC is 
  not officially recognized (has 
  no special property or status). 
  As the PC ages he or she will 
  lose memories from the past 
  life and will become more like 
  a normal Tibetan (see Tulku: 
  Adult).  Memories will fade, 
  new attachments will appear 
  and KMA will reduce.
  PC starts with:
   
  Only 2 attachments (rather 
  than 5).
   
  +30 KMA.
   
  Max. caps for attributes: 
  END 10, SPD 10, STH 8, 
  BLD 4, BDY 3.
   
  Only 60 attribute points 
  and only 50 skill points.
   
  -5 
  to 
  skill 
  costs 
  for 
  Scholarship and Tantra skills 
  (min. 3).
  For every level advancement until the PC reached level 
  5, the PC will gain 4 attribute points, will lose 3 KMA, 
  and will have a 1 in 2 chance of gaining an attachment 
  (max. 4 attachments).  By the time the PC reaches level 
  5 he or she will be an adult.
   
  Costs 10 BP.
  Western Educated- At some point the PC was sent to 
  Britain to receive a western education.  PC gets Foreign 
  Language: English (2) free.  Western Knowledge 
  skill costs are at -7 (min. 6).  Scholarship and 
  Travel costs are at -2 (min. 4).  Costs 4 BP.
  Disadvantages
  Alcoholism- 
  The 
  PC 
  is 
  physiologically 
  and 
  psychologically addicted to alcohol (which has a craving 
  difficulty of 15).  See p.153 for addiction rules and p.121 
  for the drug profile of alcohol.  The PC has been using 
  alcohol daily for 1 year so far and so does not yet suffer 
  from any appreciable long term effects.  Note that it costs 
  an alcoholic approximately 20 Srang per month to buy 
  enough alcohol to avoid withdrawal, although alcoholics 
  may buy and consume much more.  Gives 10 BP.
  Bad Previous Life- The character was a very bad person 
  in one of his or her previous 
  lives.  The PC has a lot of bad 
  karma.  The PC gets –10 KMA. 
  About once a per experience 
  level, when certain astrological 
  events happen, karmic patterns 
  from the past will suddenly 
  come to fruition and have a 
  powerful effect on the PC’s 
  life.  They could manifest as a 
  sudden illness, a period of very 
  bad luck, or the appearance of a 
  dark attachment.  If an astrologer 
  predicts these events, they can 
  be prevented with a ritual.  Gives 
  8 BP.
  Bad Reputation- At some point 
  the PC did or was blamed for 
  something bad.  People within the 
  PC’s character class are likely to 
  have heard of the PC and to have 
  a negative impression of the PC.  
  Gives 4 BP.
  Blind- The PC is completely 
  unable to see.  The PC is -15 to all 
  combat actions and reactions (see p.).  PCs who perform 
  Buddhist miracles (p.149) or have high levels in the 
  Tantric skills Pure Vision or Subtle Self or the Divination 
  skill Mirror Gazing may be able to overcome some of the 
  limitations of this disadvantage.  Gives 15 BP.
  Clumsy- When the PC is not paying attention to what he 
  or she is doing the PC drops things, knocks things over, 
  bumps in to things, etc.  At least once in a game session, 
  while the PC is not trying to be careful, he or she will 
  make some clumsy movement (a hard AGY roll can help 
  the PC recover from or lessen the damage done).  Gives 
  2 BP.
  
  Deaf- The PC is completely unable to hear.  He 
  or she can speak.  The PC can spend 10 skill points 
  per level to be able to Read Lips (an AWR based 
  skill).  PCs who perform Buddhist miracles (p.149) or 
  have high levels in the Tantric skills Pure Vision or Subtle 
  Self or the Divination skill Mirror Gazing may be able 
  to overcome some of the limitations of this disadvantage.  
  Gives 10 BP.
  Deeply Attached- In western terms, the PC is neurotic, 
  obsessive or eccentric.  The PC starts with 7 attachments, 
  at least 2 of those must be dark.  The PC gains no additional 
  BP for these 2 dark attachments.  Gives 5 BP.
  Dependent Child- The PC is the only caregiver of a very 
  small child.  The child starts at 3 to 5 years old.  Create 
  a mini character sheet for the child.  The PC may be able 
  to get others to watch the child, but this will either cost 
  money, mean asking for a favor or will put the child in a 
  moderately dangerous situation.  As the PC grows older 
  and wiser, so will the child.  For every experience level 
  the PC gains, the child will age 1 year, will gain 4 attribute 
  points and 50 skill points.  By the time the PC reaches 
  level 10, the child should be old enough to take care of 
  himself or herself and even old enough to be a PC.  The 
  PC’s monthly income is reduced by 5 Srang per month 
  because of extra costs from the child.  Gives 10 BP.
  Known Enemy of Chinese- The PC is wanted 
  by the Chinese.  The Chinese most likely think 
  that the PC is organizing anti-Chinese forces. 
  Chinese secret police in major cities and the generals 
  operating in the countryside will have a full dossier on 
  the PC.  The Chinese will offer rewards (often desirable 
  government positions) for the capture of the PC.  If 
  captured, the PC will be interrogated, tortured and 
  executed.  Gives 4 BP.
  Magical Fake- Limitations: Only available to 
  Astrologer, Mirror Gazer, Oracle, Revenant, Sorcerer, 
  Treasure Finder or Weathermaker characters.  The 
  PC makes a living in a magical profession yet has no 
  real magical skills or powers.  The PC is a complete 
  charlatan.  The PC makes a living pretending to do 
  magic and then leaving town before anyone figures it 
  out.  If someone catches the PC in a failed ritual, the 
  PC will typically find a way to blame the failure on 
  someone else.  The PC starts the game with no magical 
  skills (including Divination, Exorcism, Sorcery, Tantra 
  and Weathermaking skills or special skills specific to 
  the character class).  The PC can learn magical skills 
  after character creation at normal costs.  Gives 10 BP.
  Missing Arm- The PC is missing an arm or has an arm 
  that is not functional.  There are no prosthetics available 
  in Tibet.  See the section on crippling on p.159 for the 
  game effects of a missing limb.  Gives 5 BP each.
  Missing Leg- If taken once, the PC can walk only using 
  wooden crutches (there are no prosthetics available in 
  Tibet) and can move at his or her SPD divided by 4 
  (rounded up).  If taken twice, the PC has no legs and 
  can move at his or her SPD divided by 8 (rounded up). 
  Gives 5 BP each.
  Mute- The PC can not speak at all.  The PC can make 
  hissing or choking or clucking noises.  PCs who 
  perform Buddhist miracles (p.149) or have high levels 
  in the Tantric skill Wind Voices can “speak” to others 
  telepathically.  Gives 7 BP.
  Opium Addiction- The PC is physiologically and 
  psychologically addicted to opium (which has a craving 
  difficulty of 20).  See p.153 for addiction rules and 
  p.122 for the drug profile of opium.  The PC has been 
  using opium daily for 1 year.  Note that it costs an 
  opium addict approximately 40 Srang per month to buy 
  enough opium to avoid withdrawal, although addicts 
  may buy and consume much more.  Gives 12 BP.
  Physically Unattractive (Minor)- The PC has features 
  which tend to make him or her less attractive to Tibetans 
  interested in the PC’s gender.  Among Tibetans, many 
  Caucasians are considered unattractive because they 
  have blue eyes.  Gives -4 to seduction rolls.  Gives 
  2 BP.
  138
  character creation
  Child NPC Creation
  Step 1 – Name, Age, Gender, Description
  Step 2 – Create attributes by splitting up 35 attributes with the 
  following maximums: AGY: 10, AWR: 7, END: 7, INL: 6, STH: 
  5, WIL: 7.  The NPC also has 1 BLD, 1 BDY and 3 INCY.
  Step 3 – Use 100 skill points to buy skills as follows: 40 skill 
  points for one level of any skill the parent has, 10 skill points 
  for one level in a “child feat” (this is a CHM, INL, AWR or WIL 
  feat that most adults can do but most children that age can’t). 
  Example: a child might have start with Beg For Food (1), Find 
  Home (2), Herd Animals (3), Skill: Scapulimancy (1).
  Step 4 – Equip child (use money from PC’s starting pool).
  
  prison under the Potala
  139
  bonus characteristics
  Physically Unattractive (Major)- The PC has 
  features which have a very strong tendency to 
  make him or her unattractive to Tibetans interested 
  in members of the PC’s gender.  Gives -8 to seduction 
  rolls.  Gives 4 BP.
  Poison Bearer- The PC has inherited a curse.  It was 
  either passed down from the parent of the same sex, 
  or it was magically bequeathed to the PC by a dying 
  poison bearer.  The curse causes the PC to create poison, 
  whether the PC wants to or not.  The only way to prevent 
  the PC from creating poisons is to either keep the PC in a 
  field of +7 KMA emanation or for the PC to gain 1 point 
  of current KMA per day.
  Otherwise, the PC must poison someone.  The PC can 
  choose to poison a stranger.  If he or she refuses to poison 
  someone on purpose, the PC will spontaneously poison 
  a friend or family member.  If the PC avoids contact with 
  others, the PC will poison himself or herself.
  When the power is activated, food that the PC has 
  handled, even if the PC has only held a bowl, will 
  become poisoned.  This poison is tasteless, odorless 
  and invisible and does 3d6 BLD damage and 2d20 
  KMA damage within 24 hours after being consumed. 
  The need to poison is only relieved if a human actually 
  consumes the poison.
  The PC must poison people at least once per experience 
  level and must poison people once for every 5 points of 
  negative KMA the PC gains.
  If the PC dies without heirs he or she must bequeath this 
  curse to another person.  The bequeathing is done as a 
  thought and the victim does not know he or she has the 
  curse until it activates.
  See p.196 for more on Poison Bearers.
  Gives 6 BP.
  Poor Hearing- The PC can understand speech 
  as long as the other person is talking clearly and 
  loudly and there is not much background noise. 
  The PC is at -15 to hearing based AWR rolls.  If the 
  PC can get a Western Hearing Aide (p.122), and keep 
  it in batteries, it will make his or her hearing almost 
  normal.  Gives 6 BP.
  Poor Vision- Without glasses, the PC is either 
  nearsighted (can only examine things held right next to 
  the PC’s face) or farsighted (can see far-off details but 
  anything close is blurry).  The PC can typically travel 
  on a marked path without injury.  Without glasses the 
  PC is -7 to all actions and reactions during combat and 
  is -15 to vision based AWR rolls.  If the PC can be seen 
  by an optometrist (there are not many in Tibet) and 
  can afford to have glasses made, the PCs vision can be 
  corrected.  Gives 5 BP.
  Sickly- The PC was born with a susceptibility to many 
  types of diseases.  The PC has had more serious illnesses 
  by his or her teens than most people do in 80 years.  The 
  PC starts with -7 to save vs. disease contraction and 
  progression and -10 to save vs. shock.  The PC regains 
  lost END and heals from injuries half as fast.  Gives 5 
  points.
  Tra’menma- Limitation: Females only, cannot be 
  taken with the Poison Bearer disadvantage.  The PC 
  was born with a physiological peculiarity such that she 
  emanates bad karma much more than normal people do. 
  The PC emanates KMA as if she had 50 less KMA.  If 
  discovered, the PC is likely to be shunned or banished. 
  The PC has learned how to do things which cause bad 
  karma (like thinking jealous or hateful thoughts).  By 
  doing these things the PC can increase (temporarily 
  double) the emanation and do damage to people around 
  the PC.  For more about Tra’menma, see p.196.  Gives 
  5 BP.
  
  Trauma- The PC recently experienced a very 
  bad emotional trauma.  The PC has not yet shown 
  psychological damage, but whenever the PC is under 
  stress he or she must make a save vs. WIL (difficulty 
  30) to avoid one of his or her normal Attachments turning 
  in to a Dark Attachment.  After five such experiences the 
  effects of the trauma will end (though the PC may be 
  completely insane by then).  The PC starts with –10 to 
  current KMA.  Gives 5 BP.
  Tulpa- The PC was not born a true human being.  He 
  or she was created by the meditations of a sorcerer or 
  tantric practitioner with the Tulpa Creation skill.  The PC 
  starts the game with no home, no family and no friends. 
  Although the PC was created as a servant, he or she has 
  long-ago gained free will and left his or he creator.  The 
  PC has a normal human biology, permanent physical 
  existence and normal Tibetan knowledge and skills. 
  The PC may sometimes have trouble empathizing with 
  people since he or she has not experienced many of the 
  experiences common to normal people.  Gives 3 BP.
  Wanted Criminal- The PC is wanted by the Tibetan 
  government for a serious crime.  There is no way 
  for the PC to prove that he or she is innocent.  Local 
  dzongpons will have a written description of the PC and 
  the PC’s habits.  There is a reward of 1000 Srang for the 
  capture of the PC.  If captured, the PC will be put in the 
  dungeon under the Potala in Lhasa.  The PC will either 
  be imprisoned for life, or will be blinded and freed (see 
  p.43).  Gives 4 BP
  Character 
  Advancement
  Level One, Adventure One- At the first adventure using 
  a new character the PC is at Level One, Adventure One. 
  What that means is that the PC has just gained Level 1 
  status in his or her character class.  The PC is no longer a 
  trainee and is (just barely) a full fledged member of that 
  character class.  This does not mean that the PC has had 
  no life experiences, just that this is the first time the PC 
  has been able to stand on his or her own two feet as his 
  or her current profession.  There are many Tibetans who 
  never reach level 1.  They depend on others for their well-
  being throughout their lives.
  The average age for a character at level one, adventure 
  one is 19. 
  Gaining XP- Experience allows the PC to grow as a person 
  and improve himself or herself.  Experience is measured 
  by Experience Points (XP).  XP is awarded at the end of 
  an adventure, based on the PC’s performance in the 
  adventure.  Some things player characters can do 
  during a game to gain experience points:
  Completing 
  Adventure 
  Goals- 
  Whatever the goals of the given adventure are, 
  the PCs should be awarded points to the degree that 
  they completed the goals successfully. (5 to 25 XP)
  Staying Alive- In some adventures, the PCs are 
  thrown in to dangerous situations and the PCs get XP 
  by surviving. (1 to 5 XP)  The PC may also get points if 
  every PC involved in the adventure survives. (2 XP)
  Making Friends- When any two PCs become 
  good friends they both gain XP.  If several PCs make 
  friends with each other, there will be a large reward. (5 
  XP each)
  Discovering Secrets- Tibet has a number of 
  secrets waiting to be discovered.  Whenever a PC finds 
  out a major secret about the game world, he or she will 
  earn XP.  (5 XP)
  Personal Growth- This is awarded when 
  something happens that makes the PC wiser or more 
  mature or when the PC realizes something important about 
  his or her life.  Usually this means that the character has 
  overcome (or has decided to overcome) some personal 
  flaw.  It could also mean a wider outlook.  XP should 
  only be awarded if this is a permanent change, not just 
  a temporary deviation.  This is used to award depth and 
  change in PCs.  (5 XP)
  Good Roleplaying- GMs can award experience 
  points to players who show empathy for, or commitment 
  to, the psychology and worldview of their PCs.  XP is 
  awarded when the PC does something that fits in very 
  well with the PC’s unique personality.  This is a good way 
  for GMs to compensate players that hurt their characters 
  for the sake of realism (e.g. not using knowledge that 
  the player has but the character wouldn’t). It can also be 
  used to reward players who use a PC’s attachments to the 
  PC’s advantage.  (2 XP)
  Making The World A Better Place- The PC 
  will earn XP any time he or she significantly helps some 
  sentient being.  This could mean saving a life, providing 
  food to hungry people, teaching someone to read, etc. 
  This can also mean helping people by less direct means. 
  If a PC eliminates a serial killer, that will save all of the 
  killer’s potential future victims.  Making the world a 
  better place doesn’t always correspond with what causes 
  good KMA, but the two will often be correlated.  (1 to 
  10 XP)
  Benefiting Group/Cause- The PC will earn XP 
  whenever he or she does something that benefits the PC’s 
  group or cause (e.g. PC finds a valuable artifact for her 
  monastery, or a member of the rebel movement finds a 
  Tibetan aristocrat willing to join them).  (1 to 10 XP)
  Clever Plan- Whenever a PC comes up with 
  an idea which is both clever and ends up making good 
  things happen, the GM will award XP.  (1 to 5 XP)
  Worked Well as Group- The GM will award 
  XP whenever the PCs show that they can work together 
  well and do things they would be unable to do alone. 
  (2 XP)
  140
  character creation
  In Brief- Use XP to gain experience levels and improve 
  the PC.
  
  141
  character advancement
  Losing XP- Just as various types of successes 
  will add to the XP earned in an adventure, some 
  failures can cause the PCs to get less XP than they 
  would have otherwise.  XP for an adventure can not 
  drop below zero (PCs will not end an adventure with less 
  XP than when they started).
   
  Failing at Adventure Goals- The GM may deduct XP 
  if the PC fails at the goals of the adventure (especially if 
  the goals were very easy or very important).  (1 to 5 XP)
   
  Splitting Up Group- If the PC chose to split up the 
  party and it did not benefit the party to do so, the PC will 
  lose XP. (5 XP)
   
  Making the World a Worse Place- Anything that 
  hurts sentient beings or otherwise makes the world worse 
  will cost XP. (1 to 5 XP)
   
  Player Character Death- If one of the PCs in the 
  party dies, each surviving PC will lose XP.  (10 XP)
  Spending XP- Generally, XP can be spent as soon as it is 
  received.  There is one exception: when so little time has 
  passed in the game universe between one game session 
  and another that it is ridiculous to think that the PC might 
  have achieved that particular improvement.  Example: The 
  PCs are traveling through the brutal Chang Tang, with a 
  party of Chinese trying to catch them.  When a game 
  session ends, the GM awards 16 XP.  One player decides 
  that her character will gain one level in the skill Western 
  Medicine.  Since the PC doesn’t have study materials or 
  access to a person trained in Western Medicine, the GM 
  rules that the player must at least wait until the PCs get to 
  a town before she can increase the skill.   
  Level Advancement- In addition to spending XP, keep 
  track of how much the PC has earned in total so far.  When 
  the PC has earned 100 XP, whether those points have been 
  spent or not, the PC advances an Experience Level.
  Experience Levels are simply an easy way of keeping 
  track of how much experience the PC has.  The following 
  is what people tend to think about character of various 
  experience levels:
   
  Level Zero: Immature, untrained, skill-less, a 
  dependent.  About 30% of people in Tibet at this level.
   
  Level One: Inexperienced, Green.  30% of people at 
  this level.
   
  Level Two and Three: Moderately experienced, 
  average.  23% of people at this level.
   
  Level Four to Six: Veteran, Experienced, Teacher. 
  10% of people at this level.
   
  Level Seven to Ten: Very experienced, advanced 
  teacher.  4% of people at this level.
   Level Ten to Thirteen: Wise and powerful, leader, 
  abbot, master.  2% of people at this level.
   Level Fourteen or more: Legend, important 
  historical figure. Less than 1% of people at this 
  level.
  Level Advancement can also be used as 
  a rough estimate of time.  On average, an 
  experience level will equal a year, more or less, 
  depending upon how intense the action has been. 
  Certain things are “timed” based on Experience Levels.  
  The growth of a child (see Dependent Child, p.138) or 
  young tulku (see Tulku: Child, p.137) occurs with the 
  PC’s experience levels.
  Disciplines- A PC’s character class is what the PC 
  does every day.  For some, a character class is solely a 
  means of making a living (e.g. Merchant, Craftsperson, 
  Astrologer, Sorcerer, Unclean).  For others, the 
  character class is a cause or path that just happens to 
  include a means of making a living (Ascetic, Revenant, 
  the Monks, White Robe).
  With each character class comes a discipline.  While 
  the PC is spending his or her days being the character 
  class, the PC is also gaining experience as a member of 
  that character class.  For example: Dolma is a first-level 
  sorcerer.  She spends her days traveling throughout 
  Tibet, making a living by hiring herself out.  While 
  she travels, she also seeks out books and teachers that 
  would help her improve her skills.  Because she is a 
  sorcerer, she has contacts in the world of sorcery and 
  has an easier time finding books and teachers.  She 
  can gain new sorcery skills with less work than a non-
  sorcerer could.   Being a sorcerer is her character class 
  (what she does for a living) and her discipline (what she 
  is getting better at).  When she gains 100 XP she will 
  become a level 2 sorcerer.
  However, a PC can choose to have a different discipline 
  from his or her character class.  In order to do this, the 
  PC must work out certain problems during game-play:
   
  Finding a teacher or study materials.
   
  Finding any equipment which is necessary for the 
  discipline.  E.g. one needs sorcerous components if one 
  is studying to be a sorcerer.
   
  Dealing with the social consequences of having 
  another discipline.   E.g. if the PC is an aristocrat but 
  is studying to be a sorcerer, the PC must keep this fact 
  hidden or may face being disowned by the family.
  As soon as the GM rules that the PC has adopted another 
  discipline, the PC can spend XP on skills with the skill 
  costs specific to that discipline.  When the PC gains 100 
  XP, the PC will gain a level as that discipline.
  Once a PC has gained one level in a discipline, the PC 
  has all the knowledge and skills to switch to that as 
  his or her character class.  Again, the PC may have to 
  deal with a number of social problems.  Once the PC 
  has adopted a new character class he or she gets the 
  income, lifestyle and duties associated with that 
  character class.
  
  If a PC loses his or her ability to be one discipline 
  before gaining 1 level in another discipline, the PC 
  will have to deal with being jobless.  The PC will have 
  to deal, in game, with finding food and shelter.
  Discipline Requirements- There are some character 
  classes (and by extension, some disciplines) that require 
  the PC have been born with a special ability (Oracle, 
  Gesar Bard, Mirror Gazer, Unclean, Treasure Finder). 
  PCs can not just choose to study to become one of those. 
  The Revenant character class requires that the PC dies 
  and happens to be one out of thousands of Tibetans that 
  are chosen to come back to life. The Aristocrat character 
  class requires the PC to be given noble rank (see p.65 for 
  some ways this can happen).  Other character classes have 
  easier discipline requirements: all PCs have to do is pay 
  for the necessary equipment and find a skilled member of 
  that character class willing to train them.
  Special Disciplines- There are also a few special 
  disciplines that do not have a character class associated 
  with them.  Think of these as an optional specialty.  They 
  are something a person may do as a hobby or to gain a little 
  extra money, but cannot make a living from.  For example: 
  some monks and nomads are part time nomadic orators. 
  They are sometimes hired to help warring nomadic tribes 
  make peace.  A skilled and well-known orator can make 
  some extra money, but not enough that the orator can stop 
  herding animals or working for the monastery.
  Some disciplines available to PCs are:
  Bandit- Some nomadic tribes add to their income by 
  robbing travelers and neighboring tribes.  This type of 
  activity is most common in areas that are far from any 
  city (and far from Tibetan government law enforcement).  
  Many bandits also engage in hunting wild game, which is 
  illegal in Tibet.  See p.179 for more on bandits.
   
  Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a master 
  (level 3 or better) bandit to train the PC or must live with 
  a bandit tribe.  The PC must own a horse and a rifle or 
  sword.
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 5, Crafts 8, Divination 10, 
  Exorcism 10, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 10, Sorcery 
  17, Scholarship 20, Tantra 20, Travel 6, Weathermaking 
  17, Western Knowledge 22.  The skills Gun Repair, Rifle, 
  Sword, Tibetan Geography, Tracking and Trick Riding 
  cost 3 skill points per level.
   
  Level Requirements: For level 1, the PC must have at 
  least one experience level as a nomad and have Riding (1), 
  Rifle (1).  For level 2, the PC must have Riding (2) and 
  Rifle (2).
   Special Opportunities: At level one, the PC can make 
  +40 Srang per month engaging in occasional banditry. 
  At level two, the PC can make +60 Srang.
  Exorcist- The PC has made a special study 
  of scaring away or eliminating malevolent 
  spirits and curses.  The PC makes extra money 
  performing exorcisms.  Character classes most likely 
  to study exorcism are monks, Bön priests, white robes, 
  doctors and astrologers.
   
  Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a 
  master (level 3 or better) exorcist to train the PC or the 
  PC must purchase 100 Srang worth of study materials.
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 12, Crafts 10, Divination 5, 
  Exorcism 4, Folk Knowledge 8, Medicine 8, Sorcery 12, 
  Scholarship 12, Tantra 12, Travel 12, Weathermaking 12, 
  Western Knowledge 20.  The skill Weather Propitiation 
  costs 5 skill points per level.
   
  Level Requirements: For level 1, the PC must have 
  at least 5 skill levels in Exorcism skills.  For level 2, the 
  PC must have at least 8 skill levels in Exorcism skills 
  and must own either a brass phurba or a harrying horn 
  or a ceremonial arrow.
   
  Special Opportunities: At any level, the PC can get 
  a free cursed exorcism implement (either a brass phurba, 
  harrying horn or ceremonial arrow).  These implements 
  have been used so often that they have picked up bad 
  karma from the spirits they have exorcised and now 
  emanate -1 KMA.  At level one, the PC can make +30 
  Srang per month doing occasional exorcisms.  At level 
  two, the PC can make +50.  At level 3, the PC cam make 
  +60.
  Nomadic Orator- This is a person trained to help 
  nomadic people form oral contracts and settle disputes. 
  Often, mediation is the only way to stop a blood feud 
  between nomadic tribes.  Nomadic orators are typically 
  either Nomads who are gifted at speaking, or monks 
  from red hat monasteries who are trained in settling 
  disputes.
   
  Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a 
  master (level 4 or better) orator to train with.
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 8, Crafts 8, Divination 10, 
  Exorcism 10, Folk Knowledge 6, Medicine 11, Sorcery 18, 
  Scholarship 16, Tantra 20, Travel 8, Weathermaking 18, 
  Western Knowledge 24.  The skills Etiquette, Logic, 
  Oath Binding, Oratory, Philosophy, Storytelling, 
  Teaching, Tibetan Law, and Trading cost 4 points per 
  level.
   
  Level Requirements: For level 1, the PC must have 
  12 CHM and Oratory (2).  For level 2, the PC must have 
  15 CHM and Oratory (4).
   
  Special Opportunities: At level 1, the PC can gain 
  +10 Srang per month doing jobs as a nomadic orator. 
  At level 2, the PC can gain +20 Srang per month.
  Tantric Student- Most people join 
  142
  character creation
  
  143
  character advancement
  lamas attired for death 
  tantra
  Tantric Student- Most 
  people join monasteries or white 
  hat communities if they want to 
  study tantra.  Some people, however, 
  go to lone practitioners for training.  
  These students are not allowed to join a 
  monastery (e.g. an Unclean or a wanted 
  criminal) or who don’t think they 
  could benefit from orthodox teaching 
  methods.
   
  Discipline Requirements: The PC 
  must find a master (level 6 or better) 
  tantric practitioner.  The PC must take 
  an oath (bound with the Oath Binding 
  skill, see p.99) to obey the master at all 
  times.  There is always a chance that 
  the PC will encounter a false lama, who 
  pretends at being a tantric teacher but 
  really knows nothing.  If this happens 
  then the PC does not get the benefits 
  of this discipline and may be in danger 
  when following the rituals prescribed by 
  the lama (see p.173).
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 18, Crafts 14, 
  Divination 10, Exorcism 9, Folk Knowledge 10, Medicine 
  10, Sorcery 15, Scholarship 12, Tantra 5, Travel 12, 
  Weathermaking 13, Western Knowledge 24.
   
  Level Requirements: For level 1, the PC must have 5 
  levels in Tantra skills.  For level 2, the PC must have 10 
  levels in Tantra skills.  For level 6, the PC must have 30 
  levels in Tantra skills. 
   
  Special Opportunities: At level 6, the PC can take on 
  students of his or her own and make up to +30 Srang per 
  month.
  Tibetan Government Spy- The PC is someone who 
  has been entrusted by the Tibetan government with sending 
  secret messages and gathering intelligence covertly.  The 
  Tibetan government does not have a spy agency or training 
  program.  Spies are normal people, known personally by 
  government officials, who are sometimes hired by the 
  government for special missions.
   
  Discipline Requirements: The PC must come to the 
  attention of a powerful Tibetan government official.  The 
  PC must have done something which proves that he or she 
  is brave, resourceful and loyal to the Tibetan government. 
  The PC must then either find a master (level 3 or better) 
  spy to train the PC or must spend 100 Srang on study 
  materials.
   
  Skill Costs: Combat 10, Crafts 8, Divination 14, 
  Exorcism 12, Folk Knowledge 10, Medicine 12, Sorcery 
  18, Scholarship 7, Tantra 20, Travel 5, Weathermaking 15, 
  Western Knowledge 8.  The skills Cryptography, Foreign 
  Language, Forgery, Gambling, Literacy, Mathematics, 
  Pistol, Poisons, Prowling, Seduction, Sleight of Hand and 
  Torture cost 4 skill points per level.
   
  Level Requirements: For level 1, the PC must have 
  Literacy (2) and three levels in Foreign Language.  
  For level 2, the PC must have Cryptography (1), 
  Pistol (1) and six levels in Foreign Language.
    Special Opportunities: 
  At level 1, the PC can earn 
  an extra 50 Srang per month by 
  doing occasional jobs for the Tibetan 
  government.  At level 2, the PC can 
  earn an extra 100 Srang. 
  A Complex Advancement Example- 
  Ngawang starts the game as a level 1 
  Aristocrat.  Her character class and 
  discipline are both Aristocrat.  She 
  participates in many adventures and 
  gains a lot of XP.  She spends the XP to 
  raise attributes and get more skills.  Her 
  skill costs are based on the costs listed 
  for Aristocrats.  When she has earned 
  100 XP, she goes up a level and is now 
  a level 2 Aristocrat.  However, Ngawang 
  has a thirst for power and starts buying 
  illicit books on sorcery and practicing 
  the rituals within.  Her character class is 
  now Aristocrat, but her Discipline is that 
  of Sorcerer.  When she gains XP, she can 
  buy skills at the costs listed for Sorcerers, 
  thus Sorcery skills are very cheap. 
  However, in the course of an adventure she is forced 
  to use one of her new sorcery skills for self defense on 
  the streets of Lhasa.  Word gets back to her aristocratic 
  family and they disown her.  Ngawang can no longer be 
  an Aristocrat, since she does not have aristocratic rank, 
  and she can not yet be a Sorcerer because she does not 
  have enough skills.  Her discipline is still Sorcerer, but 
  she has no character class.  She makes no income, except 
  what she gains during game-play.  Ngawang gets by, 
  mostly by selling personal property and depending on the 
  charity of her friends.  When she has earned another 100 
  XP, though, she goes up a level as a Sorcerer.  Now she 
  is a level 2 Aristocrat, level 1 Sorcerer.   Her character 
  class and discipline are now both Sorcerer: she gets a 
  Sorcerer’s income and gets the skill costs of a Sorcerer. 
  Ngawang runs in to a master Exorcist, who offers to 
  teach her to save lives instead of taking them.  Ngawang 
  has, by this time, realized that sorcerous power is not 
  as great as she had imagined, so she agrees.  The other 
  Sorcerers she associates with don’t know she is studying 
  exorcism and don’t care, so there are no social hurdles 
  to deal with here.  At Ngawang’s next level advancement, 
  she becomes a level 2 Aristocrat, level 1 Sorcerer, level 
  1 Exorcist.  She still must work as a Sorcerer to make 
  a living, but occasionally she helps rid people of curses 
  and malevolent spirits and makes a little extra money.
  Bonus Point/Experience Point Conversion
  3 skill pts.
  = 1 BP
  =10 XP
  1 attribute pt.
  = 1 BP
  =10 XP
  1 BLD/BDY/INCY pt.
  = 3 BP
  =30 XP
  250 Srang
  = 1 BP
  N/A
  
  Basic 
  Mechanics
  Rolls are made during game play for one specific reason: 
  to see if a character can do something he or she is trying 
  to do.  Rolls should only be made if a doubt exists as to 
  whether the character can do it.  When a roll does need to 
  be made, the basic form is this:
  Applicable attribute + 1d20 (one 
  twenty sided die)
  Vs. Action Difficulty
  For instance: Norbu wishes to climb 
  the side of a building to get to the 
  roof.  AGY is the attribute and the GM 
  decides that the difficulty will be 20. 
  Norbu has an AGY of 9 and so needs 
  to roll 11 or higher on his d20 in order 
  to succeed.  Say, however, that Norbu 
  has special gloves that gives him +4 to 
  climbing – now he would roll AGY (9) 
  +4 (gloves) + 1d20 vs. 20 (now Norbu 
  only needs to roll a 7 or better).
  Dual Attribute Rolls- Some rolls 
  use two attributes.  For instance, to 
  save vs. unconsciousness a PC uses 
  Endurance (for physical energy) and 
  WIL (for mental energy).  When using 
  two attributes, add the attributes together and divide 
  by half (rounding up).  So, if a PC with 3 END and 12 
  WIL wants to save vs. unconsciousness with moderate 
  difficulty, END+WIL/2 is 7.5, rounded up it’s 8, so the PC 
  would roll 8 + 1d20 vs. 20.
  Opposed Rolls- When characters are competing, two 
  rolls are made and whoever has the best success (total 
  minus difficulty) wins.  This represents that people 
  competing may have different levels of ability but may 
  also be trying things of different difficulty.  A character 
  trying to do a complicated martial arts maneuver must get 
  a much higher roll to get the same amount of success as 
  someone trying to do a simple punch.  Opposed rolls take 
  the following form:
  Character 1’s Attribute + 1d20 vs. Difficulty 1
  opposing
  Character 2’s Attribute + 1d20 vs. Difficulty 2
  Deliberate vs. Chance- GM’s decide whether a roll 
  is a “deliberate” or “chance” roll.  This depends upon 
  how quickly the PC must get the action done and how 
  much chance influences the outcome of the event (as 
  opposed to skill and talent).  On a chance roll, a roll of 1 
  on the 1d20 means automatic failure, a roll of 20 means 
  automatic success.  If a roll could not have succeeded 
  except for rolling a 20, the roll should be considered to 
  have succeeded by 1.  In almost all cases, fighting rolls 
  are chance.
   
  Chance Actions: An action a PC needs to get done 
  immediately, or when an action must either succeed 
  or fail the first time the PC does it. 
  Example: a climbing roll where the PC 
  leaps from one building and grabs on to 
  the windowsill of another.  No matter 
  the AGY and climbing skills of the PC, 
  the PC might succeed or might fail on a 
  1 or 20.
   Deliberate Actions:  The PC is trying 
  to do something, but can stop if he or 
  she is about to fail.  These are typically 
  slower actions.  Example: PC is at the 
  bottom of a wall and makes a climbing 
  roll to see if he can climb up it.  A failure 
  here does not necessarily mean that the 
  PC falls, it might just mean that the PC 
  couldn’t find a safe way to get up the 
  wall.  There are no automatic successes 
  or failures here.
  Savings Rolls- Save vs. X rolls are 
  difficulty rolls to keep something from 
  happening that will happen unless the roll succeeds.  If 
  a PC is making a save vs. unconsciousness then the PC 
  will become unconscious unless he or she can meet the 
  difficulty.  A basic table of savings throws follows.  See 
  the section on using attributes for more information.
  Save vs.
  Rolled on
  Disease Contraction
  END
  Disease Progression
  END
  Drug Effects
  WIL (or WIL+INL)
  Fall/Skid Damage
  AGY
  Fear
  WIL
  Heat Exhaustion
  END
  Hypothermia
  END
  Loss of Balance
  AGY
  Nausea
  WIL
  Pain
  WIL
  Paralysis
  END
  Physiological Addiction
  END
  Psychological Addiction
  WIL
  Shock
  END
  Spirit Invasion
  WIL
  Unconsciousness
  WIL+END
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  Sample Difficulties
  0- Automatic Success
  5- Walk down stairs briskly. 
  (AGY)
  10- (Easy) Notice a mosquito on 
  PC’s skin. (AWR)
  15- (Easy-Moderate) Paint ceiling 
  from flimsy ladder. (AGY)
  20- (Moderate) Win a game of 
  mah-jongg. (INL)
  25- (Moderate-Hard) Catch paper 
  flying in the wind. (AGY)
  30- (Hard) Get burned and not 
  flinch. (WIL)
  40- (Legendary) Lift a pony over 
  one’s head. (STH)
  
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  using attributes
  Opposed Savings Rolls- Occasionally, a 
  PC will be required to make opposed savings 
  rolls.  This means that even if the PC does meet the 
  difficulty, the PC will fail if he or she does not beat the 
  difficulty by an amount equal to or better than the amount 
  the opponent succeeded by.  Example: Pema hits Wangdu 
  with a knockout strike.  Pema beat her difficulty by 5. 
  Now Wangdu not only has to beat the normal difficulty for 
  a save vs. unconsciousness, he has to beat it by 5 or more 
  to avoid going unconscious.
  Using
  Attributes
  Agility (AGY)
  Use AGY for athletic type rolls: catching things, throwing 
  things, blocking things (other than strikes), skipping rope, 
  etc.
  Balance- Use AGY for rolls to keep one’s balance: 
  walking a tightrope, moving on ice-covered streets, racing 
  down stairs, etc.
  Climbing- Use AGY for climbing.  See table for sample 
  difficulties.
  Landing- Characters can use AGY to save vs. falling or 
  skidding damage (see Other Types of Damage, p.152).  The 
  first point of damage can be saved against at 10 difficulty, 
  the second point at 20 difficulty, the third at 30, etc.
  Prowling- AGY is also used when the PC is attempting 
  to move through an area while not being 
  noticed.  The difficulty is based on several 
  factors: the number of people and their proximity, 
  how distracted or attentive they are, the amount 
  of cover and whether there is darkness or a weather 
  condition obscuring the PC.  The person being prowled 
  against should get an opposed awareness roll.
  Awareness (AWR)
  Noticing- Use AWR when characters need to notice a 
  detail too small to be included in the GM’s description 
  of the surroundings (e.g. the man standing next to you 
  has a small buzzard feather in his hair).  AWR should 
  not be used as a substitute for directed attention.  If a 
  player says “I’m looking carefully at the man next to 
  me,” he or she should be given every detail about that 
  person, with no AWR roll needed.  AWR is also used to 
  save vs. prowling (see above).
  Manipulation- An AWR roll is also made when 
  something is trying to manipulate the PC’s mind 
  (typically this will be a malevolent spirit).  The normal 
  difficulty is 20.  If the PC’s success is better than the 
  manipulator’s success, the PC realizes that he or she 
  is being manipulated, and now can try to resist the 
  manipulation (usually with a WILL roll).
  Charm (CHM)
  Acting- Use CHM whenever a PC needs to put on 
  some sort of act to fool other people.
  First Impressions- CHM rolls can also be made 
  to “modify” an NPC’s reaction to the PC.  The most 
  common usage is to try to make people like the PC. 
  A PC meeting a stranger who beats 20 on a CHM roll 
  comes off as slightly more confident, friendly, intelligent 
  and likeable than he or she would have otherwise.  Note 
  that this is “first impressions” only.  After the PC has 
  had more interaction with an NPC, the PC’s actions and 
  words become what the PC is judged by.  Instead of 
  trying to come off as likeable, PCs can also try to modify 
  their first impressions in other ways, e.g. to come off as 
  tough/mean/scary or as lowly/loser/wimp/nothing-
  to-be-worried-about.
  Climbing Difficulties (with no equipment)
  10 (Easy) Tree with low branches.
  20 (Moderate) Rocky cliff face.
  30 (Hard) Sheer cliff face.
  40 (Legendary) Glacial ice.
  Prowling difficulties
  10 (Easy) Crawling through a field of tall grass with 
  a wind to cover noises and an unsuspecting person 
  nearby.
  20 (Moderate) Sneaking up behind someone who 
  isn’t expecting anything.
  30 (Difficult) Crawling in a gutter at night with 
  several people searching for you.
  40 (Legendary) Avoiding someone who is searching 
  for you by staying directly behind them (may also 
  require SPD based rolls).
  Acting difficulties
  10 (Easy) Making people think the PC is bored.
  20 (Moderate) Making people think the PC is in pain.
  30 (Difficult) Making people think the PC is not scared.
  40 (Legendary) Making people think the PC is a genius.
  
  Persuasion- CHM is used to persuade NPCs to 
  agree with an argument.  First, PCs must roleplay 
  arguing his or her case.  Next, the GM decides the 
  difficulty of the persuasion based on the logical strength 
  of the argument.  A very reasonable argument, which 
  makes a lot of sense, might have a difficulty of 10.  A 
  very improbable argument, that asks the listener to make 
  a lot of assumptions, might have a difficulty of 30.  Note: 
  Don’t even bother rolling if an argument is so strong or so 
  weak that it is ridiculous to believe that someone would or 
  wouldn’t agree with it.
  Seduction- Use CHM for seduction rolls.  A successful 
  roll means that the target wants to have sex with the PC 
  but it does not mean that the target will have sex with 
  the PC.  How the target deals with these desires, and 
  whether or not he or she acts on them, is up to the GM. 
  The normal difficulty for a sexually healthy adult who has 
  a preference for the PC’s gender is 20 (moderate).  GMs 
  can also force players to make “passive seduction” rolls 
  to see if a person is attracted to the PC even without the 
  PC trying to seduce the person.   Passive seduction rolls 
  typically have +10 difficulty.
  Endurance (END)
  Pooled Endurance- Endurance is also used as a 
  measurement of the amount of energy a PC has to expend. 
  The PC starts with a “pool” of points equal to his or her 
  END.  Any of the following removes 1 point from this 
  pool:
   
  Exertion: Any round in which the PC is 
  doing some strenuous physical action, including 
  combat or anything that uses at least half the PC’s 
  STH or SPD.
   
  Oxygen Deprivation: Any round in which 
  the PC can’t or won’t take in oxygen.
   
  Mortal Injuries: Any round in which the PC 
  is mortally wounded (is at 0 BLD, see p.151).
  Other miscellaneous things (e.g. toxins) can also 
  remove pooled END.
  When Pooled END reaches 0, the PC is incapacitated.  
  The PC can not stand, can not make fighting actions or 
  reactions and can not initiate any kind of communication.  
  The PC will fail at any roll involving AGY, END, SPD or 
  STH.
  Example: Tsong has 12 END.  He was just shot (bringing 
  his BLD to 0) and he is in a room filled with mustard 
  gas.  He is holding his breath and running as fast as 
  he can (he hopes to jump out of the window).  Each 
  round he loses 3 pooled END, which means he 
  has 4 actions before he becomes incapacitated.  
  After two rounds he gets hit in the head with a 
  rock and must make a save vs. unconsciousness. 
  He rolls 1d20 plus an average of his WIL and END 
  (his END is currently 6).
  Fatigue- END can also be used more slowly by 
  activities which do not use half the PC’s STH or SPD 
  but are tiring nonetheless (e.g. jogging, manual labor, 
  even standing for long period of time).  Example: 
  Lhamo has a SPD of 10.  If he runs at 5 or higher he 
  will lose 1 END per round, so he decides to run at SPD 
  4 (an easy jog, for him).  The GM decides that he will 
  lose 1 pooled END for every 5 minutes running at this 
  speed.
  Rest- When Pooled END is lost to strenuous activity, 
  it returns at 1 point per round when the PC is resting. 
  Pooled END lost to oxygen deprivation returns at 1 
  point per round when the PC begins receiving oxygen 
  again.  Pooled END lost to fatigue returns at the same 
  rate it was lost (e.g. if Lhamo loses 4 END by jogging 
  for 20 minutes, he will regain it with 20 minutes of rest). 
  If a PC ever reaches 0 END (is incapacitated) that PC is 
  -1 END for the next 24 hours.  If a PC reaches 0 END 
  several times, the PC will be very tired (have multiple 
  penalties) until the next day.
  Health- END is used to represent the body’s general 
  health.  It is used to save vs. things like hypothermia, 
  heat exhaustion, cardiac arrest (heart attack), shock and 
  (along with WIL) unconsciousness.  See Other Types 
  of Damage (p.152) and Symptoms/Effects (p.152) for 
  more.
  Disease- END is also used to save vs. disease 
  contraction and progression.  See Diseases (p.xx) for 
  more.
  Intelligence (INL)
  Speed of Thought- Among other things, INL 
  represents how quickly a PC thinks (as opposed to 
  AWR, which can measure how quickly a PC notices 
  things, or AGY which represents how fast the PC’s 
  body reacts).  A GM might sometimes ask PCs and 
  NPCs to make opposed INL rolls to find out who figures 
  out something first.  INL (along with AWR) is used to 
  determine initiative in combat (see p.XX).
  Skills- Intelligence is used to perform intellectual or 
  creative skills.  See Skills (p.XX) for more.  In Brief: 
  roll INL +1d20 +4/skill level above the 1st vs. the 
  difficulty for whatever the PC is trying to do.
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  147
  using attributes
  Karma (KMA)
  Current vs. Base Karma
  The PC’s base KMA represents the sum total of all 
  the events, from this life or the last, that have not yet 
  been punished or rewarded.  Current Karma represents 
  temporary fluctuations based on the PC’s recent actions.  
  The relationship between the two is like the relationship 
  between pooled END and base END: the current KMA is 
  what the PC has right now; the base is what the PC will 
  eventually return to.
  When current Karma is more or less than base karma, it 
  will return to normal at a rate of one per day.  
  Changing Current KMA
  Characters can increase their KMA by doing 
  compassionate acts and decrease it by doing acts 
  which cause suffering in the world.
  Karma is effect, not intention.  It doesn’t 
  matter what the PC was trying to do, all that 
  matters is that beings were prevented from 
  suffering or were caused to suffer.
  Example: A PC tries to stab someone and ends up lancing 
  an infection that would have killed the person.  The PC 
  gains good +5 KMA.
  Karma is the same whether you do it to yourself, or do 
  it to someone else.  If you make yourself suffer, you’ll 
  gain just as much bad karma as if you make someone 
  else suffer.
  Example: In a fit of guilt, a PC cuts off his own left hand. 
  The PC has caused a person to be mutilated and gains 
  -3 KMA.
  Sufferings is in the mind.  PCs gain good or bad karma 
  by easing or causing suffering even if that suffering is 
  purely mental.  A PC can gain bad karma just by having 
  a painful emotion (hatred, strong desire, sadness, fear). 
  Similarly, physical actions only effect karma so much as 
  they effect mental suffering.
  Example: A PC pokes out the eyes of a wise Bön 
  priest.  The priest is advanced enough on the path of 
  enlightenment that he doesn’t let the pain and disability 
  make him suffer.  The PC does not lose KMA.
  Future karma is equal to the likelihood times the 
  amount of KMA of the outcome.  If a 4 KMA event has 
  a 1 in 2 chance of happening in the future, then the PC 
  gains 2 points. 
  Example: A PC buries a land mine and leaves.  The 
  GM figures there is a 1 in 5 chance it will kill someone 
  someday (-5 KMA / 5 = -1 KMA) and a 1 in 2 chance it 
  will mutilate someone (-2 /2 = -1 KMA).  The PC gains 
  -2 KMA.
  If an event both causes and eases suffering, add up the 
  good and bad karma to calculate whether the act gave 
  good, bad or neutral karma in total.
  Example: The PC’s murder a serial killer.  They receive 
  -5 KMA for taking a human life, but they also gain +10 
  KMA for the potential future lives they saved.  The PCs 
  gain +5 KMA in total.
  Less culpability means less karma.  A PC who 
  immediately caused the thing takes full karma damage, 
  but people who merely contributed take less karma 
  damage.
  Example: One PC slaughters a yak, another PC provided 
  the knife and a third pays for some of the meat.  The PC 
  who did the killing would take the full karma damage, the 
  one who provided the knife and paid for the meat take 
  less damage (in this case, negligible damage).
  What is Karma?
  When people’s thoughts or actions cause suffering to 
  happen, things will tend to happen to those people that 
  will cause them to suffer.  Similarly, if people reduce  
  suffering, they will tend to have good things happen to 
  them.
  Karma is like a magnetic field: it is an invisible tendency 
  that draws bad or good things to a person.  Karma doesn’t 
  always effect the person who created the karma.  The good 
  and bad things can happen to someone near the person, 
  someone who just happened to be in the way.  The effect 
  is like a field of karma that emanates from a person.  Luck 
  gets worse, or greater, the closer you get to a person.
  Karma does not just exist in sentient beings.  It can build 
  up in inanimate objects that were used to create or ease 
  suffering.  Some karma can remain in corpses or it can 
  even build up as pearl-like concretions (rinsils, see p.26). 
  Karma can spontaneously form in to a sentient being.  In 
  this realm, these beings are malevolent spirits (see “The 
  Origin of Spirits”, see p.184).
  In the game, karma is recorded as a single number for 
  each individual and object.  If the karma is mostly good, it 
  will be a positive number.  If the karma is primarily bad, if 
  will be negative.  Doing good things adds to karma, while 
  doing bad things reduces it.
  In Brief- Current KMA returns to base, 1 per day.
  In Brief- Doing good or bad things changes current 
  KMA.  Effects, not intentions matter.  Possible future 
  effects give less KMA.  Helping Buddhism gives a lot 
  of KMA.  Taking an oath can give KMA.
  
  Anything that helps of hinders Buddhist 
  practice or teaching will have a strong effect on 
  karma.  The reason is because Buddhist practice is 
  the only way a being can be permanently freed from 
  suffering.  Destroying a holy book can cause as much 
  suffering as gouging out someone’s eye, although 
  destroying the book has its effect over many lifetimes.
  Example: A PC kills a lama.  In addition to the -5 KMA 
  caused by killing a human, the PC suffers another -8 
  KMA because of all the Buddhist teachings she has 
  deprived people of.
  Killing any being causes bad karma, because it causes 
  the being to suffer (both while they are dying and 
  in the bardo period after death) and also if it causes 
  grief or fear to other beings.  Killing a human is even 
  worse because it robs a person of one of the rare few 
  incarnations where it is possible to study Buddhist 
  teachings.
  Example: A PC kills a rampaging migyu to save the 
  life of a human.  The PC suffers -4 KMA for killing an 
  animal but gains +5 KMA for saving a human.
  Future karma is awarded at the end of the adventure. 
  Karma for things a PC has actually done (e.g. killing 
  someone, spinning a prayer wheel) can be given as 
  they happen.  Karma for future effects of PC’s actions 
  should be awarded when the PCs have concluded their 
  affairs for this adventure.  This gives PCs a chance to 
  obviate their previous actions, and it doesn’t give away 
  information to PCs about the effects of their actions that 
  they shouldn’t realistically have.
  Example: At the end of the adventure, the GM 
  thinks about the PCs’ actions, their varying levels of 
  culpability and the likely future effects of their actions. 
  In the end the GM decides to award each PC +5 KMA.
  Changing Base Karma
  At the end of an adventure, after the final KMA awards/
  penalties have been given, if any PCs’ current KMA is 
  different from their base KMA, the PCs should roll to see 
  if the base KMA is changed.
  The PC rolls 1d20 plus the difference between base and 
  current KMA (always a positive number).  If the result 
  is more than 20, the PCs base KMA changes by one, 
  moving one point towards current KMA.  Such a 
  roll can only be made once per adventure.
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  Current KMA and Most Likely 
  Rebirth
  What rebirth one will achieve is not solely based 
  on amount of good or bad karma.  Strength of will, 
  performance of the bardo rites, random chance and 
  the particular types of things a person has done 
  can effect rebirths.  However, the most common 
  rebirths, according to current KMA upon death, 
  are:
  -15 or worse 
  Hell Being
  -5 to -15 Hungry Ghost
  5 to -5  
  Animal
  5 to 20  
  Human
  20 or better 
  God
  Some Karma Causing Actions
  +1 KMA or -1 KMA
  Cause lust, anger or envy or help someone overcome 
  lust, anger or envy.
  Help support a holy person (ascetic, revenant, holy 
  pilgrim, monk) or hinder a holy person.
  Give someone a gift they enjoy or take away a person’s 
  prized possession.
  Insult someone or tell a lie to someone.
  +2 KMA or -2 KMA
  Create or destroy a beautiful piece of artwork.
  Feed the hungry or cause people to go hungry.
  Give a large contribution to a monastery.
  +3 KMA or -3 KMA
  Make a pilgrimage to a holy place.
  Help a killer reform or turn someone in to a killer.
  Mutilate someone or save someone from being 
  mutilated.
  Print or destroy a common holy book.
  +4 KMA or -4 KMA
  Cause or cure a debilitating or possibly fatal illness.
  Save the life of an animal or kill an animal.
  Torture a being or save a being from torture.
  +5 KMA or -5 KMA
  Bind a dharmapala to an oath to be good or free a 
  dharmapala from an oath to be good.
  Cause a person to abandon a vow or cause a person 
  to take a vow (vows include nonviolence, celibacy, 
  poverty and vegetarianism).
  Convert someone to Buddhism or cause someone to 
  stray from Buddhism.
  Save a human life or kill a human.
  Save or destroy the only copy of a holy book.
  In Brief- 1d20 plus difference between base and current 
  karma vs. 20, if successful then base KMA changes by 1.
  
  149
  using attributes
  Karma can also be raised using experience points 
  in the same way as any other attribute.
  Example: Norbu starts an adventure with a base KMA 
  of 5 and a current KMA of 2.  The adventure takes 2 days, 
  each day his one of his lost current KMA returns.  At the 
  end of the adventure, the GM awards the Norbu +7 KMA. 
  Norbu now has 11 current KMA, 6 more than his base. 
  Norbu rolls 1d20 + 6.  He rolls a 15, so his total is 21. 
  Norbu’s base KMA is increased to 6.  His current KMA 
  remains 11.
  Maximum Karma
  A PC’s base KMA can not be raised higher than the max. 
  cap for that person.  The max. cap is equal to 100 divided 
  by the number of attachments.
  Karma Effects
  Emanation- When people or objects have a lot of good 
  or bad karma, they emanate a field that effects the karma of 
  people around them.  This effect only occurs when people 
  are in the area, and goes away instantly when they leave.
  People and objects emanate plus or minus 1 KMA for 
  each 10 positive or negative karma points the person or 
  object has, rounded down.  So, if a Sorcerer has -23 KMA, 
  everyone around the Sorcerer is at a -2 KMA penalty.  The 
  radius of an emanation field is equal to a quarter mile (.4 
  km.) per point of emanation.  So, the sorcerer’s bad karma 
  could hurt people half a mile away.
  Magic- When a PC does magic that is clearly malevolent 
  (e.g. trying to kill innocent people) or clearly benevolent 
  (trying to remove an illness for an innocent person) that 
  person gets a bonus or minus equal to that person’s KMA 
  emanation.  If a magical ceremony is more neutral (e.g. 
  helping people by hurting someone, or saving the life 
  of someone who would go on to cause suffering) it 
  does not get a bonus or penalty.
  Malevolent Spirits- Spirits are attracted to 
  people with bad karma.  Any spirit within 
  the person’s KMA emanation range will 
  find themselves attracted to the person.  When 
  malevolent spirits try to attack or invade a person, 
  they get a bonus or minus equal to that person’s KMA 
  emanation.  
  Miracles
  Very high KMA can allow a character to perform 
  miracles.  The character is so close to enlightenment, so 
  close to complete freedom from the illusion of reality, 
  that the PC can bypass the laws of physics.  No skill is 
  necessary.  Miracles can only be done for completely 
  compassionate purposes (GMs should be able to trust 
  their players to reveal a PC’s true intentions).  Miracles 
  are rolled for on KMA + 1d20.  Miracles can not change 
  people’s bodies or minds against their will, yet they can 
  indirectly effect people.  For example, a PC could not 
  turn an enemy in to a pig, but could cause an earthquake 
  that causes a building to fall on an enemy.  Miracles 
  cannot free people from KMA or attachments (if this 
  were possible than buddhas could just go around making 
  everyone enlightened).  The difficulty of a miracle is 
  based on how extreme the violation of natural laws is. 
  Some common miracles are:
  Karma in Objects
  Human Remains- When a human dies, half the 
  person’s karma stays with the corpse.  So, if a lama 
  with 40 KMA dies, that lama’s remains will have 20 
  KMA and will emanate 2 KMA.
  Destroying Objects- If an object with a lot of KMA 
  is destroyed, the karma is released and attaches itself 
  to everyone in the area.  The damage is twice that of 
  emanation: 2 per 10 KMA (with a range of one quarter 
  mile, or .4 km., per point of damage).  This is not 
  emanation, it is an actual change to current KMA that 
  remains even after the people leave the area.
  In Brief- People/things emanate a modifier of one-tenth KMA. 
  This modifier effects the current KMA of others, helps with 
  malevolent or benevolent magic, and if negative it attracts 
  malevolent spirits.
  In Brief- People with very high karma can break the 
  laws of physics.
  In Brief- Max. base KMA is 100 divided by num. of 
  attachments.
  Number of Attachments
  Max. Cap. for KMA
  0
  None
  1
  100
  2
  50
  3
  33
  4
  25
  5
  20
  6
  17
  7
  14
  Miracle
  Difficulty
  See in the dark or while blinded
  40
  Feel someone’s true emotions
  45
  See invisible beings
  50
  Reincarnate as a tulku
  55
  Read another’s mind
  60
  Talk with animals
  60
  Heal someone of an injury or disease
  60
  Glow with light
  65
  Teleport
  70
  Live without food
  70
  Longevity
  70
  Transmute objects
  75
  Burst in to flames but not get hurt
  75
  Shrink or grow to giant sizes
  80
  Invisibility
  80
  Look like another person
  80
  Cause earthquakes
  80
  
  Speed (SPD)
  Leaping- SPD is used for leaping rolls.  The difficulty 
  for making a leap is the distance, in feet, times two (or 
  meters times 7).  A ten foot leap would have 20 difficulty. 
  Height differences, inclines, etc. can increase the 
  difficulty.
  Running- SPD also sets the maximum speed the character 
  can run.  For convenience’s sake, we use SPD as its own 
  measurement of speed and we rate everything in the game 
  (e.g. cars, people, tidal waves) in terms of SPD.  If you 
  need to determine miles per hour, it is approximately half 
  of SPD.
  Strength (STH)
  STH is used in opposed strength rolls, for instance, if two 
  people are grabbing for an object.
  Strength Feats- Strength is used for lifting heavy 
  objects or any other “feat” of strength.  Assuming a 
  character can get a good grip on an object, the difficulty 
  to lift the object should be the weight in lbs. divided by 10 
  (or kg./4), so a 200 lb. object would be 20 difficulty to lift.  
  Some example STH feats:
  Encumbrance- STH also determines the amount that 
  the PC can carry on his or her person without suffering 
  a detriment to attributes.  A PC’s “Base Encumbrance” is 
  equal to his or her STH times 5 lbs. (2.25 kg.).  If the PC is 
  carrying his or her base encumbrance, well distributed over 
  the body, the PC is at -1 AGY, -1 SPD and loses 1 Pooled 
  END per hour.  For every 10 lbs. over Base Encumbrance, 
  the PC is at an additional -1 AGY, -1 SPD and loses 1 
  additional Pooled END per hour.  Example: Norbu has 
  a STH of 7.  His base encumbrance is 35 lbs (7 x 5lbs). 
  If Norbu is carrying 25 lbs., so long as it is packed well, 
  he suffers from no minuses.  At 35 lbs. he is at -1 to AGY 
  and SPD and loses 1 Pooled END every hour.  If Norbu is 
  carrying 85 lbs. (35 lbs. plus 50 lbs, or 5x10 lbs. over his 
  Base Encumbrance) he is at -6 to SPD and AGY and loses 
  6 Pooled END per hour.
  Willpower (WIL)
  Mind Control- Will is used for opposed rolls 
  involving attempts at mental manipulation (1d20 + 
  WIL vs. 20 opposing the attack roll of the being) 
  or brainwashing (1d20 + WIL vs. 20 opposing 
  the skill roll of the brainwasher).  In order to 
  resist mental manipulation, the PC must first realize 
  that some person or thing is trying to manipulate him 
  or her (see AWR, p.145).
  Resistance- Will is used to resist anything that would 
  cause the PC to act (or not act) against his or her will. 
  PCs can make WIL bases saves to resist, among other 
  things: pain, nausea, fear, amnesia, hallucinations, 
  delusions and euphoria.  See p.152 for a list of drug/
  disease/poison symptoms and the consequences for 
  failing saves against them.
  Pain- One of the most common things PCs will have to 
  resist is pain.  Pain comes in two types:
   
  Shocking Pain: This is pain that comes on suddenly 
  (sometimes unexpectedly).  It only lasts a second but it is 
  so strong that it can cause the PC to be unable to act.  A 
  PC who fails to save by 1-9 loses his or her next action. 
  A PC who fails by 10 or more loses his or her next action 
  and reaction.  Losing an action and reaction means that 
  the PC cannot act and cannot defend himself or herself 
  for a round (see Actions and Reactions, p.159).
   
  Distracting Pain: This is pain that comes on more 
  slowly and stays around longer, causing the PC to be 
  distracted from anything he or she tries to do.  When a 
  PC fails a save vs. distracting pain, the PC suffers from 
  a penalty equal to the amount he or she failed by.  This 
  penalty applies to any roll the PC has conscious control 
  over (e.g. it would apply to an attempt to catch a ball, 
  but would not apply to a save vs. disease contraction).  
  Example: Wangyal fails a save vs. distracting pain by 
  3.  Wangyal now suffers from -3 to skill rolls, actions, 
  reactions and anything else he has conscious control 
  over.
  Drug Cravings- WIL is also used to by PCs who are 
  addicted to drugs save vs. drug cravings (the difficulty 
  based on the drug).  See Drugs (p.153) for more.
  Health Attributes
  The three health attributes, BLD, BDY and INCY are 
  used whenever a character takes any kind of damage 
  which moves the PC progressively closer to death.  
  Anything that cripples, disfigures or causes pain but 
  does not move the PC significantly closer to death is 
  not considered “damage” as the term is used when 
  dealing with health attributes.  The two main 
  types of damage are blunt and bladed.
  150
  rules
  STH Feat Difficulties
  10 (Easy) Prying open a nut.
  20 (Moderate) Breaking a wooden door
  30 (Difficult) Pushing a horse around.
  40 (Legendary) Pulling apart a cheap padlock
  In Brief- Blades remove BLD.  Crushing removes 
  BDY (then double BLD).  0 BLD = mortally wounded, 
  but PC can keep going until INCY or Pooled END = 
  0.
  
  151
  armor
  Blunt Damage- Blunt damage comes from 
  anything that does crushing damage to the PC’s 
  tissues, like a club or a punch.  Things like falling, 
  being crushed or being rammed by a vehicle do blunt 
  damage.  Blunt damage is subtracted from BDY.  Once all 
  BDY is gone, blunt damage is removed from BLD but the 
  effect is doubled.  Example: A person with 2 BDY is hit 
  with something that does 5 blunt damage, all 2 BDY are 
  taken away and the character suffers 6 damage to BLD 
  (the remaining 3, times 2).
  Bladed Damage- Bladed damage comes from anything 
  which cuts, pierces or spills blood, including knives, guns, 
  barbed wire, skidding, etc.  Bladed damage goes straight 
  to BLD.  Any other type of damage which causes the PC 
  to lose blood, be unable to take in oxygen, or does damage 
  to the heart and lungs also do damage to BLD.
  0 BLD- When a PC reaches 0 BLD it means he or she has 
  been mortally wounded and without medical intervention 
  he or she will eventually die.  Even at 0 BLD or below, a 
  PC can still do things, even fight, for a limited period of 
  time.  END effects how long the PC can continue to act, 
  and INCY (Incapacity) effects how much more damage a 
  PC can take before being immediately incapacitated.
  Incapacity- If a PC has Incapacity and END left, the PC 
  can still act normally, even if the PC has been mortally 
  wounded.
    
  When damage reduces a PC’s BLD to 0, any further 
  damage is done to INCY.  INCY represents the character’s 
  last reserves of energy to act even after being mortally 
  wounded.  All further blunt damage does double damage 
  to INCY.  When a PC reaches 0 INCY it means he or 
  she is incapacitated.  An incapacitated person can not 
  stand, make fighting actions or reactions, or initiate 
  any kind of communication.  An incapacitated 
  PC may make moderate (20 difficulty) WIL 
  rolls to be able to do very simple things (e.g. 
  answer a question, crawl away from a fire) but 
  cannot do anything that would require a roll (e.g. 
  perform a skill).
  As soon as a PC reaches 0 BLD, he or she loses 1 point 
  of pooled END every round (in addition to END lost 
  from other activities/circumstances).  When pooled 
  END reaches 0, the PC is incapacitated.
  After being incapacitated, the PC has his or her INCY 
  + END number of rounds before brain death occurs and 
  no known means can revive the PC.
  Armor
  A piece of armor has two factors: 
   
  Armor Rating (AR) represents how much of the 
  body the armor covers (or how difficult it is to hit an 
  unprotected spot on the PC).
   
  Protection Rating (PR) represents how much 
  damage each type the armor can absorb.
  Example: Yangkyi has a leather vest with an AR of 7 and 
  a PR of 2 bladed.  A strike (a combat action, see p.159) 
  with a success of 7 or below will hit the armor and 2 
  bladed damage will be subtracted from the damage 
  the strike would normally do.  If the strike was with 
  a weapon that does 4 bladed and 2 blunt damage, it 
  would only do 2 bladed and 2 blunt damage.  A strike 
  with a success of 8 and above would hit an unprotected 
  spot and do full damage.
  AR of 20 represents total coverage and no amount of 
  success can bypass the armor.
  Multiple Layers- When a PC is wearing multiple 
  layers of armor, each layer acts upon the damage 
  independently.  One strike may hit one piece of armor 
  and lose some of its damage, hit another piece of armor 
  and lose more, then bypass a third piece of armor and 
  not lose any more.  In order for damage to reach a PC, it 
  must either bypass or cut through every piece of armor 
  the PC is wearing.
  Armor Piercing- Some weapons and types of damage 
  cut through armor better than they cut through other 
  things (like people).  An armor piercing bullet may 
  be listed as doing: “5 bladed damage (pierces as 10)”. 
  When subtracting damage absorbed by the armor, treat 
  the damage as if it is 10.  When the damage gets to the 
  PC, however, it can’t do any more than 5.  Note that 
  poisons on a bladed object do full damage if any 
  bladed damage gets through to the victim.
  Damage and Medical Effects
  These are some sample medical effects one might observe 
  in a PC who has taken bladed or blunt damage during 
  combat:
  1 blunt
  1 bladed
  A few ribs broken, a few 
  internal organs bruised.
  A large or deep cut which did 
  not pierce internal organs but 
  caused significant blood loss.
  3 blunt
  3 bladed
  Several bones broken, internal 
  organs badly damaged and 
  bleeding heavily.
  Internal organs lacerated, 
  heavy blood loss.
  6 blunt
  6 bladed
  Crushed skull or broken 
  spine, massive internal 
  bleeding.
  Major arteries severed, 
  internal organs pierced, 
  massive blood loss.
  9 blunt
  9 bladed
  Most bones broken, most 
  internal organs destroyed, 
  tissues pierced by jagged 
  bone fragments.
  Vital organs cut in half, 
  blood spurting.
  In Brief- AR is how much success a strike needs to 
  bypass armor, PR is subtracted from any strike that 
  hits the armor.
  
  Non-Damaging Attacks- There are 
  attacks which do not do damage, but do 
  things like cause pain, cripple joints, knock 
  people out, etc.  Armor can protect from these 
  attacks too.  To determine whether armor protects 
  from such an attack, figure out how much damage 
  the attack would have done if it were a normal 
  strike, then figure out if any of that damage 
  would have gotten through.  If none would have 
  gotten through, then the non-damaging attack has 
  no effect.  Also, some attacks have a minimum 
  damage (e.g. a knockout strike requires an attack 
  that would do at least 2 blunt damage if it was a 
  normal strike) and if armor reduces the “would 
  be” damage to less than this then the knockout 
  strike doesn’t work.
  Example: Karma is trying to shoot Dorjee in the 
  testicles (a pain/stun strike) with a long bow. 
  Dorjee is wearing leather armor that has AR 
  7, PR 2 bladed 2 blunt.  Karma’s difficulty for 
  the strike is 25, and he gets a 30, meaning he 
  succeeds by 5.  This success is less than the AR of 
  the armor, so the armor’s PR is subtracted.  Had 
  this been a normal strike, the bow would have 
  done 3 bladed damage (pierces armor as 5).  So, 
  3 bladed PR is subtracted from 5 bladed (the 
  pierces as) damage.  3 bladed damage would 
  have gotten through had this been a normal 
  strike.  This is more than enough for the pain/
  stun attack to effect Dorjee.
  Drugs, Disease and 
  Poisons
  Symptoms/Effects
  A few drugs, diseases and poisons only do 
  damage to BLD, just like a knife.  The majority, 
  however, have symptoms that vary with the 
  amount taken (or how bad the victim has the 
  disease).
   
  Some symptoms are simply annoying and 
  can not be saved against (e.g. red puffy skin).
   
  Some symptoms reduce attributes and 
  can not be saved (e.g. a disease might cause 
  “exhaustion” and reduce STH and SPD by 5).
   
  Some symptoms can be saved against (e.g. 
  a poison might cause Vomiting, which can be 
  saved against at 10 difficulty).   A failure might 
  be annoying, incapacitating, or deadly.
  The 
  following 
  lists 
  some 
  common 
  152
  rules
  Other Types of Damage
  Burn: When a person is burned, 4 effects happen:
   -BLD damage (1 point per point of burn damage).
   -Distracting Pain (save vs. with WIL+1d20 vs. 10/pt. of damage).
   -Shock (save vs. with END+1d20 vs. 5/point of damage).
   -Increased chance of infection (-5 to save vs. disease contraction/
  point of damage).
  Cold: Make saves vs. hypothermia hourly.  1st failure halves all 
  attributes, each additional failure does 1 BLD damage.
  Crippling Damage: ½ damage will make a hand unusable or 
  badly damage a foot.  1 damage will make an arm or leg unusable. 
  See Crippling Attack (p.159) for more.
  Dropped Objects: Do blunt damage equal to the weight (divided 
  by 10 lbs. or 4 kg.) times number of stories.  Example: a 20 lb. 
  object dropped 5 stories does 10 blunt damage (20 / 10 x 5 = 10).
  Electricity: When harmful levels of electricity run through a 
  person, four effects happen:
   -Paralysis (WIL+END+1d20 vs. 20/point of damage), paralysis 
  only lasts while the electricity is running.
   -Unconsciousness (WIL+END+1d20 vs. 10 per point of 
  damage) 
   -Cardiac Arrest (END+1d20 vs. 5/point of damage), see 
  Symptoms/Effects (this page).
   -Burn Damage: 1 point of burn damage for every 4 points of 
  electrical damage.
  Explosion: Explosions can do one, two or all three of the 
  following:
   -Incendiary Damage (same as Burn damage)
   -Concussion Damage (same as Blunt damage)
   -Shrapnel (same as Bladed damage, the amount is usually 
  expressed as a dice roll and typically pierces armor)
  END Damage: Some toxins do END damage.  Every point of 
  damage takes away 1 pooled END.  When pooled END is at 0, 
  damage is done to BLD.
  Falling: 2 blunt damage for each story fallen (a story is ~10 ft.). 
  Armor cannot protect from this damage.  See also Landing, p.145.
  Heat: Make saves vs. heat exhaustion hourly.  1st failure halves all 
  attributes, each additional failure does 1 BLD damage.
  Hunger: For every two days without food: -½ BLD, -4 END.
  Radiation: For every point of damage: 1 BLD damage, Vomiting 
  (10), Headache (10), fatigue (-2 END), confusion (-1 INL, -1 
  AWR).  Effects develop over 24 hours.  BLD damage is permanent 
  (bone marrow is destroyed).  Strong likelihood (25% per point of 
  damage) of developing cancer and cataracts within the next year.
  Ragged: Like bladed damage, but with an increased chance of 
  infection after the battle (see p.163).  For each point of ragged 
  damage taken, PC gets -5 to save vs. disease contraction.
  Skidding: For each 20 SPD the PC is moving at: 1 bladed and 1 
  blunt damage.  Less if the ground is very soft, more if it is rocky.
  Sleep Deprivation: For every 24 hours without sleep: -3 to AWR, 
  CHM, INL and END.  Must save vs. hallucinations and delusions 
  (3 difficulty per 24 hours).  Must make saves vs. unconsciousness 
  (15 difficulty per 24 hours) when not doing anything.
  Strangulation/Loss of Oxygen: PC loses 1 pooled END per round 
  (in addition to pooled END being lost for other reasons).  The PC 
  can not regain pooled END by resting.  When END reaches 0, PC 
  loses 1 BLD per round.  When the PC can breathe normally again, 
  lost END and BLD returns 1 per round.
  Thirst: ½ BLD damage per day.
  
  153
  drugs, disease & poisons
  The following lists some common symptoms and 
  effects, what attribute is used to save against them, 
  and what happens to a PC who fails such a save:
   
  Anterograde Amnesia (INL): Cannot remember 
  anything about his or her past.
   
  Cardiac Arrest (END): 1 BLD damage per round.
   
  Coma (END): Unconscious and unable to waken. 
  With a failure of 10+ the user suffers cardiac arrest.
   
  Delusions (WIL): Believes, without reservation, some 
  thought or idea (e.g. I am impervious to bullets).
   
  Dysphoria (WIL): Overwhelmed by unhappiness/
  depression and unable to initiate any activity.
   
  Euphoria (WIL): Overwhelmed by pleasure and 
  unable to initiate any activity.
   
  Hallucinations (WIL): Senses things which he or she 
  is unable to distinguish from real sensations.
   
  Headache (WIL): -1 to all rolls per point of failure.
   
  Insomnia (WIL): Sleep deprivation damage (see 
  p.152) as 1 night without sleep.
   
  Obfuscating Hallucinations (WIL): Unable to see, 
  hear or feel real stimuli because of hallucinations.
   
  Panic (WIL): Does anything to escape danger.  With 
  failure of 10+ the user makes random counterproductive 
  actions.
   
  Paralysis (WIL): Unable to move.  With a failure of 
  10+ user is unable to breathe.
   
  Pulmonary Arrest (END): 1 END damage per round, 
  then 1 BLD damage per round.
   
  Retrograde Amnesia (INL): Will not later remember 
  anything that happened during intoxication.
   
  Seizures (WIL): Loses consciousness for 1d6 minutes, 
  loses all pooled END.  With a failure of 5+ there is possible 
  physical injury.  With failure of 10+ there is brain damage 
  (-1 INL, AWR or AGY).
   
  Shock (END): END = 0, all other attributes halved.  1 
  BLD damage per minute.
   
  Stupor (WIL): Unable to think, remember, concentrate 
  or make decisions (INL = 0, WIL = 0).
   
  Sudden Amnesia (WIL): Forgets where he or she is 
  and what’s going on, takes 1d6 rounds to remember.
   
  Unconsciousness 
  (END/WIL): 
  The 
  person 
  is 
  unconscious for 1 round per point of failure unless 
  specified otherwise.
   
  Vomiting (WIL): -20 to all other actions while 
  vomiting.
  Drugs
  A drug can have different effects based upon when 
  and how it is used.  A drug can have:
   
  Normal Dosage Effects: a normal person taking 
  one dose of the drug.
   
  Overdose Effects: the effects of taking 2 times, 4 
  times and/or 8 times the normal dose.
   
  Withdrawal Effects: the effects when the drug 
  exits the user’s system.
   
  Long-Term Effects: the general effects of the 
  drug for a habitual user.
   
  Long-Term Withdrawal Effects: the effects of 
  withdrawal after habitual use.
   
  Tolerance: how much more a long term user must 
  use to get the same effect.
  Addiction- Drugs can be addictive in one or both of 
  the following ways:
   
  Physiologically Addictive: Using the drug enough 
  times changes the chemical balance of the brain 
  and body such that the drug is needed for normal 
  functioning.  Without the drug, the brain does not work 
  right and addicts are driven to take more of the drug in 
  order to “fix” things.
   
  Psychologically Addictive: The addict’s personality 
  adjusts to the effects of the drug such that he or she can 
  no longer handle reality (day to day life) without the 
  drug.
  Saving vs. Addiction- Each addictive drug lists 
  the addiction difficulty for physiological and/or 
  psychological addiction.  To this difficulty is added 
  the number of doses the person has taken without a 
  significant break (of at least 24 hours).  Saves are thus 
  made as follows:
   
  WIL + 1d20 vs. Psychological Addiction Difficulty 
  + number of doses taken
   
  END + 1d20 vs. Physiological Addiction Difficulty 
  + number of doses taken
  Cravings- Cravings first appear within 24 hours after 
  an addicted character tries to stop using.  PCs who 
  are both psychologically and physiologically addicted 
  must deal with 2 separate cravings.  Cravings are saved 
  against on WIL+1d20 vs. the Craving Difficulty of the 
  drug.  On the first successful save, the PC will not have 
  another craving for 1 day.  For each subsequent success, 
  the time between cravings doubles.  Some drugs do 
  have special “triggers” which can cause a craving at 
  any time, no matter how long it’s been since the 
  last craving.
  
  Physiological cravings go away after a number of 
  days equal to the Craving Difficulty.  Psychological 
  cravings never go away, they just get farther and farther 
  apart.
  If a PC fails a craving, he or she must do anything within 
  his or her power to seek out the drug.  If the PC gets a 
  hold of the drug, he or she will use it immediately and will 
  be back to a one day period between cravings.  If a PC is 
  searching for his or her drug of choice but cannot find it, 
  the PC can make a new save vs. cravings every hour to 
  give up searching.
  Example: Kalden is trying to ingratiate himself to 
  Chinese officers in order to steal secret plans from them. 
  They insist that he smoke opium with them.  Kalden 
  smokes eight doses of opium over the course of three 
  days.  When he stops smoking (because he has fled the 
  Chinese encampment) the GM requires that he roll a save 
  vs. psychological and a save vs. physiological addiction.  
  Both the saves are at 9 (1 physiological and psychological 
  difficulty +8 consecutive doses).  Kalden makes 2 WIL 
  +1d20 rolls.  Kalden fails the psychological roll.  Within 
  24 hours, Kalden experiences a craving for opium.  He 
  decides to resist, and makes a roll of 1d20 + WIL vs.20 
  (the craving difficulty of opium).  He succeeds and will 
  not experience another craving for 2 days.  If he succeeds 
  again, he will not have another craving for four days, then 
  eight days, then sixteen days, etc.
  Disease
  Contraction- When a PC is exposed to a disease, the 
  PC must make a save vs. Disease Contraction (END + 
  1d20 vs. the Disease Contraction Rating of the disease). 
  Diseases will have different contraction ratings depending 
  upon how the PC is exposed.  Breathing the same air as 
  an infected person may have a Contraction Rating of 
  10 while sharing body fluids with a person may have a 
  Contraction Rating of 40.  If the PC makes the save, he or 
  she does not catch the disease.  If the PC fails then the PC 
  has the disease at 1x symptoms.
  Progression- Once a PC has a disease, the PC must fight 
  to keep the disease from getting worse.  Each disease has a 
  Disease Progression Speed, which represents how quickly 
  the disease will get worse.  If the disease progression 
  speed is 8 hours, then every 8 hours the PC must save vs. 
  Disease Progression.  Each disease has its own Disease 
  Progression Rating (the difficulty to save vs. disease 
  progression).  For every consecutive failure to save vs. 
  disease progression, the symptoms increase by 1 level (1x 
  to 2x, 2x to 3x, etc.).  For each increase in level, the 
  severity of the symptoms increases.
  Example: If a diseases causes Vomiting at 10 
  difficulty, the a person with the disease at 3x will 
  suffer from Vomiting at 30 difficulty (10 times 3).
  If the PC succeeds at a save vs. progression, the disease 
  is “halted”: it can no longer progress.  From this point 
  onward, a failed save vs. progression has no effect, but 
  a successful save means the symptoms level is reduced 
  (3x to 2x, 2x to 1x).  When the symptoms level reaches 
  0, the PC is cured.
  Treatments- Treatments can do two things.  Some 
  treatments help the PC fight the disease (give the 
  PC plusses to save vs. disease progression).  Other 
  treatments only help reduce the severity of symptoms.
  Immunity- Once a PC has defeated a disease, the PC 
  has immunity to it, and gets +10 to save vs. disease 
  contraction and progression from the same disease. 
  The PC also gets +6 to save vs. disease contraction and 
  progression from closely related diseases.
  Example: Deki was stabbed in a battle and the wound 
  was exposed to an infection.  The disease is as follows:
   
  Disease Contraction Rating: 20
   
  Disease Progression Rating: 20
   
  Disease Progression Speed: 12 hours
   
  Can be treated by antibiotics.
   
  1x Symptoms: Fever (-10 to save vs. heat exhaustion), 
  Vomiting (10), weakness (-5 STH, -5 SPD).
   
  1 BLD damage per progression.
  12 hours after being stabbed, Deki makes a save vs. 
  disease contraction at END (7) + 1d20 vs. 20.  She fails. 
  She now has 1x symptoms.  She is -10 to save vs. heat 
  exhaustion, has -5 STH, -5 SPD, takes 1 BLD damage 
  and must save vs. vomiting at 10 difficulty.  12 hours 
  later she must make a save vs. disease progression (at 
  END (7) + 1d20 vs. 20).  She fails, and now she has 
  2x symptoms: -20 to save vs. heat exhaustion, -10 STH, 
  -10 SPD, an additional 1 BLD damage and she must 
  save vs. vomiting at 20 difficulty.  Since Deki started 
  with 8 SPD, she is now at -2 and cannot even stand. 
  Deki’s friends trade for some penicillin and give it to 
  her.  The penicillin gives her +10 to save vs. disease 
  progression.  After another 12 hours she saves again at 
  END (7) +10 (antibiotics) +1d20 vs. 20.  She succeeds: 
  the disease is halted (does not progress), but she is still 
  at 2x symptoms.  12 hours later she rolls again and 
  fails.  Since the disease is halted, the failure means that 
  nothing happens, she remains at 2x symptoms.  12 hours 
  later she rolls again and succeeds.  Now her symptoms 
  are reduced to 1x.  12 hours later she rolls again and 
  succeeds again, now the disease is gone.
  154
  rules
  
  monastery library
  155
  skills
  Skills
  Basic Skill Use
  There are certain activities that anyone can try to do 
  without being trained: prowling, climbing, jumping, 
  seducing, etc.  Most skills are things that someone can 
  not even try to do without some sort of special training.  
  A person doesn’t have to be a trained long-jumper to try 
  jumping over a hole (though it helps), but someone really 
  does have to have some physics training to try to calculate 
  the speed and acceleration of an object sliding down a 
  smooth incline.
  The majority of skills are “intellectual” and are rolled 
  using INL.  Other skills use the other attributes.  Skills are 
  purchased in levels, and are purchased with skill points at 
  a cost per level set by the character class (see p.93).  For 
  every level above the first, the PC gets +4 to any skill roll. 
  Each skill has six possible levels which can be achieved:
   
  (1) Interest: Characters have studied only the basic 
  levels of the skill.  They know enough to try anything, 
  can succeed at most easy tasks, but their chances of 
  succeeding at difficult tasks are very low.
   
  (2) Hobby: Characters keep up on the skill but are far 
  from masters in it.  (+4 to skill rolls)
   
  (3) Pursuit: Characters have spent a large portion 
  of their time practicing the skill or keeping up with the 
  subject.  They have a respectable knowledge of the skill. 
  (+8 to skill rolls)
   
  (4) Study: Characters have spent a significant portion 
  of their lives studying the skill.  They know almost 
  everything an average person studying the skill could be 
  expected to learn.  Characters have a professional level of 
  knowledge about the skill.  (+12 to skill rolls)
   
  (5) Expertise: Characters know subtleties about the 
  skill that few people know 
  exist.  Characters could write 
  books or teach classes about 
  the skill.  (+16 to skill rolls)
   
  (6) Mastery: This is 
  everything a person could 
  possibly know about the 
  skill.  A person with Mastery 
  in a skill will rarely, if ever, 
  meet a person as skilled or 
  knowledgeable 
  as 
  them.  
  Starting PCs may not have 
  level 6 in any skill without 
  special permission from the 
  GM.  (+20 to skill rolls)
  Example: Tim has Western 
  Medicine (3).  Tim wants to 
  remove someone’s appendix. 
  The GM says that this will be 
  a hard (30) difficulty use of 
  the skill.  Tim rolls INL +8 
  (because he has level 3) 
  + 1d20 vs. 30.
  Skills & Time
  When a PC uses a skill, it is assumed that a PC 
  is taking as long as he or she needs to.  This might 
  mean one round (e.g. using Trading to realize that a 
  small statuette is worth about 20 Srang) or weeks (e.g. 
  using Architecture to design and build a house).  PCs 
  gain no plusses from taking extra time to complete a 
  skill, but they do take a penalty if they are trying to 
  rush.
  Working Together
  Two PCs with equal levels in a skill can often work 
  together, giving +4 to the skill roll (one PC makes the 
  roll).  PCs with unequal levels in the skill cannot work 
  together (one knows so much more than the other that 
  the other can’t do anything to help).
  Books
  Books are manuals for using a certain skill.  Using a 
  skill with a book generally takes four times as long as 
  using the skill unaided.  There are three types of books:
   
  Introductory Texts: Useless to PCs who already 
  have the skill, but can temporarily give the equivalent 
  of level one (hobby) in the skill to people who do not 
  have the skill.
   
  Reference Texts Unusable by people who do not 
  have the skill, but for those who do have the skill they 
  increase the skill level by one (max. 6).
   
  Introductory/Reference Texts: Can be used 
  either way.
  Not every skill has a book available.  For many skills a 
  book would be useless.
  
  Combat Skills
  Each combat skill lists fighting actions and/or 
  reactions which are learned as part of the skill.  In 
  addition to any plusses listed in the skill, the PC gets +4 
  for every skill level above the first to each of these actions 
  and reactions.  Most combat skills only allow the plusses 
  to work on certain weapons.
  Some skills start with a negative on one of the actions/
  reactions.  This does not mean that a PC with one level in 
  the skill has a penalty.  It only means that this is something 
  that the PC doesn’t benefit from until he or she gets 
  multiple levels of the skill.  For instance, if a skill gives -4 
  to Blinding Strike, then at level 1 the PC gets no benefit, 
  at level 2 (-4 +4) the PC still gets no benefit.  At level 3, 
  however, (-4 +8) the PC does get +4 to blinding strikes.
  Example: Wangyal has Knife (4).  The skill lists the 
  following plusses when using knives:
   
  +8 to Vital Strike (Bladed)
   
  +4 to Jump
   
  +4 to Split Action: Jump and Strike
   
  +0 to Dodge
  Because Wangyal has 4 levels in the skill, he gets +12 to 
  all of these, so Wangyal’s actual plusses are:
   
  +20 (+8 +12) to Vital Strike (Bladed)
   
  +16 (+4 +12) to Jump
   
  +16 (+4 +12) to Split Action: Jump and Strike
   
  +12 (+0 +12) to Dodge
  If a PC has different skills that give plusses on the same 
  action with the same weapon then the PC takes only 
  the highest bonus for each action (the plusses do not 
  combine).
  Magic Skills
  For the most part, magical skills are treated just like any 
  other skill: it is the knowledge of how to manipulate the 
  proper materials to get the desired effect.  Just as one 
  cannot use the painting skill in the dark or without paint, 
  one cannot use magic skills without the proper ingredients 
  or in appropriate circumstances.  The procedures may 
  involve meditation, chanting, mudras (hand gestures), 
  offerings, creation of mandalas and the manipulation of 
  ritual objects.  Most magic skills can be preformed with 
  one of the components missing (e.g. a character wishes to 
  use the Pure Vision without making a mandala) at much 
  higher difficulty (usually +20).
  Non-Skills
  A PC can try anything without using a skill.  The PC 
  simply narrates what he or she does.  Example: Norbu 
  has no demolitions or electronics skills of any kind and 
  he’s trying to disarm a bomb.  The GM doesn’t make 
  him roll a skill roll, doesn’t even make him roll 
  INL.  The GM simply describes the bomb and 
  asks Norbu what he does.  Norbu decides the 
  best thing to do is grab a handful of wires and 
  yank them out all at once.  The GM narrates the 
  result…
  Unless they have some special disadvantage, all PCs are 
  expected to be able to do a certain number of normal 
  things, including: eat, dress, keep clean, use a bow and 
  arrow, read a map, cook a meal, tie a knot, tell a lie, 
  recognize symptoms of serious illness, etc.
  Fighting
  In Brief
  Combat begins by determining initiative (who acts first), 
  then proceeds though a number of rounds until combat 
  is finished.  Each round, each participant gets one action 
  (used in order of initiative) to use against an opponent 
  and one reaction to react defensively to something done 
  to them.  There are many types of combat actions and 
  reactions, each with a different intended result, different 
  difficulty and using different attributes.  There are also 
  many factors that can modify the difficulty for an action 
  or reaction, including skills, properties of the weapon, 
  and environmental variables.
  Initiative
  At the beginning of combat, each participant makes an 
  AWR + INL + 1d20 roll.  The fighter with the highest 
  roll will get the first action in the round, the second 
  highest will go next, etc.  The next round, initiative is 
  the same.  Initiative must be re-rolled every time there 
  is a break in the action (e.g. fighters stop to taunt each 
  other).
  Surprise- The fighter who initiates combat should get 
  a bonus to initiative, from +5 to +15, depending upon 
  how much of a surprise the combat was to the other 
  fighters.  Also, characters who are completely unaware 
  that they are the victims of an action (e.g. are hit 
  unaware by a sniper) do not get a reaction.
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  rules
  Attributes in Combat
  The following gives a basic idea of how attributes figure in to 
  various combat maneuvers:
  AGY- Adds to the speed and accuracy of an action/reaction.
  AWR- Adds to actions that require noticing and reacting to 
  an attack or a flaw in the enemy’s defenses.
  INL- Adds to actions that require the use of knowledge (e.g. 
  knowing where to strike to hit a vital organ).
  SPD- Adds to actions that involve quick and powerful 
  footwork.
  STH- Adds to the damage and pure force of an attack.
  
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  fighting
  A Combat Round
  A combat round is a period of time during which 
  each participant gets one action and one reaction. 
  The character’s reaction is made in response to any 
  attack against them at any time during the round.
  Converting Actions & Reactions- Characters do not 
  have to use their actions and reactions at the designated 
  time; they can do any of the following:
   
  Wait and use their one action at the end of the 
  round.
   
  Give up their action for that round in order to gain 
  an extra reaction (no penalty).
   
  Turn a reaction in to an action (at extra difficulty, 
  see Simultaneous Action, below).
  Range
  Each weapon has a range.  This is how close to or how 
  far away from an opponent a character must be to use 
  that weapon against that opponent.  A sword might have 
  a range of 1-2, this means that at range 0 you are too 
  close to use it and at range 3 you are too far away.  Jumps 
  (see Noncombat Actions and Reactions) can be used to 
  get in to the proper range.
  Range 0: Short knives, biting and clawing, 
  minimum range for small pistols.
  Range 1: Punches, kicks, knives, short swords, 
  disarm and crippling strikes.
  Range 2: Long swords, chain weapons, minimum 
  range for shotguns & rifles.
  Range 3: Pole arms, broadswords, whips.
  Range 4: Projectile weapons.
  Why keep track of range?  First, because range 
  gives a benefit to opponents with longer weapons. 
  Second, range gives a benefit to opponents who 
  are defending (since the opponent must use an 
  action to step forward).
  Resolving Combat
  A combat action is an attempt to do something to 
  someone else during combat.  Like other attempts 
  that require a dice roll, the character’s action fails 
  if the player cannot match the difficulty.  If the player 
  matches or exceeds the difficulty, the action will succeed 
  unless it is opposed.  Like any opposed rolls, the defender 
  must make an opposing reaction and succeed (beat the 
  difficulty) by more than the attacker succeeded.  In other 
  words, whoever does a better job, the attacker or defender, 
  wins.
  Action/Reaction Example
  Attacker’s Action:
  Strike (Handheld)
  Defender’s Reaction:
  Dodge
  The attacker declares the action first: an attack with 
  some handheld weapon.  The defender then chooses to 
  use his or her reaction to dodge the blow.
  Attacker’s attributes:
  STH+AGY = 23
  Defender’s Attributes:
  AWR+AGY = 30
  Each action or reaction uses specific attributes, a 
  handheld strike uses STH and AGY, a dodge uses AWR 
  and AGY.  The combatants add those attributes.
  Attacker’s 1d20 roll:
  14
  Defender’s 1d20 roll:
  5
  Attackers add their attributes to the result of their roll 
  on a 20 sided die.  If attackers had applicable skills or 
  situational modifiers, those would be added in as well.
  Attacker’s Roll vs. 
  Difficulty:
  Total of 37 vs. difficulty 
  25
  Defender’s Roll vs. 
  Difficulty:
  Total 35 vs. difficulty 25
  Each combatant’s combined attributes plus 1d20 rolls 
  are compared to the difficulty of the given action.  Both 
  the attack and dodge have a difficulty of 25.  Here, 
  both combatants beat the difficulty for their respective 
  actions.
  Attacker’s Success:
  37 – 25 = 12
  Defender’s Success:
  35 – 25 = 10
  Success is the amount by which a player beats the 
  difficulty for the action.  Since the strike and dodge 
  are opposed, the person with the most success wins. 
  Here, the attacker’s success is more than the defenders 
  (by 2 points, making it an opposed success of 2).  The 
  attacker wins and inflicts damage upon the defender 
  (the goal of that particular action).
  
  Noncombat Actions
  These are actions which are useful during combat but they do not directly effect opponents and so the opponents 
  can not react to them.  The GM usually won’t require a player to make difficulty rolls for these actions.
  Draw- Ready a weapon for attack (may take more than one round if the weapon is not readily available).
  Aim- Aim a projectile weapon at an enemy and follow any movement the enemy makes.  If the character later makes 
  an attack against the enemy with that weapon (without his or her aim having been interrupted) the character gets +4 
  to the roll.
  Rise- Rise to standing from a prone state.
  Jump- Move a specified number of units closer to or farther away from the opponent.  See Range (p.157).
  Modifiers
  Any factor can realistically modify the difficulties for actions and reactions in a combat.  GMs will determine 
  bonuses and penalties for each situation.  Some common modifiers are:
  Aim
  +4 to action
  The attacker has just aimed at the target (see Noncombat Actions)
  Blinded (Full)
  -15 to actions/reactions
  This is the penalty when a fighter’s vision is completely obscured.
  Blinded (Partial)
  -7 to actions/reactions
  This is the penalty when a fighter’s vision is partially obscured or 
  blurred.
  Burst
  -4 to actions
  The character is firing more than one shot at once (up to the max. 
  Rate Of Fire listed for that weapon).  If the action is successful, 
  each shot does damage.
  Extended Action
  +5 to action
  -10 to next action or reaction
  The character puts his or her whole body in to an action (+5) but in 
  doing so sacrifices his or her balance (-10 to next action or reaction).  
  Not possible with projectile weapons.
  Improvised 
  Weapon
  -8 to most actions/reactions
  See Improvised Weapons (p.162) for more.
  Leaning
  -10 to actions/reactions
  While leaning over to attack something below the character’s knees, 
  a character is at -10 to his or her roll for any action or reaction.
  Mounted
  -4 to actions/reactions
  Penalty only applies when the animal is moving.  Note that in 
  order to hit opponents with hand-held weapons, mounted PCs must 
  typically lean (see above).  When the PC is moving he or she is at 
  +4 difficulty to hit. 
  Paired
  -4 to actions
  The character is attacking with two weapons simultaneously.  If the 
  action succeeds, both weapons do damage.
  Prone
  -8 to actions/reactions
  Penalty does not apply to kicks or projectile weapons.  Because of 
  their reduced profile, prone characters are –8 to hit with a projectile.  
  See also Stomp (p.160).
  Simultaneous 
  Action
  -20 +WIL
  to action
  The character makes an action as a reaction: he or she reacts to 
  an action directed towards him or her with another action.  Both 
  actions happen simultaneously and neither are opposed.  –20 to the 
  roll, but WIL is added in as a third attribute.
  Split
  -10 to actions/reactions
  The character splits one action in to two actions or one reaction in 
  to two reactions but gets -10 to each.  Actions created in this way 
  must be used at the same time; reactions can be saved for later in 
  the round.
  Targeted
  -4 to action
  The damage done by a successful attack is done to a specific part of 
  the enemy predefined by the attacker (depending upon the part, the 
  attack might do less damage than normal, but never more).
  Underwater
  -8 to actions/reactions
  Because water reduces momentum, all attacks do half damage 
  underwater.  Characters without any swimming skills can only 
  move at 1 SPD underwater.
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  159
  fighting
  Combat Actions
  These are actions that every person can attempt, 
  even people with no combat training whatsoever. 
  Actions that only people with special training can do can 
  be found in the combat skills section (p.156).
     Area Attack
  Goal- Hit everything in a given area with bullets or other 
  projectiles.
  Roll- INL + Number of shots fired + 1d20 vs. 25 + size of 
  area in feet (or +3 per meter).
  Weapon- Any that can shoot more than once per action
  -Each victim can react separately to the attack.
  -This is the only action which doesn’t suffer from blindness 
  penalties: the character can fire at an area without seeing 
  it.  Distance penalties for projectile weapons do apply.
  -When declaring, define an area to spray.  Roll a separate 
  success roll for each person in the area.
  -Each victim hit takes damage from one projectile.
     Blinding Strike
  Goal- Damage victim’s eyes to blind him or her.
  Roll- INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Weapon- Anything that damages eyes or flesh around 
  the eye or any substance that can obscure vision or makes 
  eyes shut involuntarily.
  -Most weapons only partially blind (a nail can only poke 
  out one eye at a time, sand will only partially damage 
  vision).
  -Some weapons fully blind on a successful strike (e.g. 
  a caustic chemical spray).  See Improvised Weapons: 
  Blinding Substances (p.163) for more.
     Crippling Attack
  Goal- Damage a limb so as to make it unusable.
  Roll- STH+INL+1d20 vs. 30
  Weapon- Anything that can cut tendons, break bones or 
  dislocate joints (must be able to do at least ½ point of 
  damage had this been a normal strike).
  -A successful crippling attack cripples one limb.
  -A person can continue to stand on one leg but is at SPD 1, 
  -7 to all actions and reactions, and is -20 to save vs. loss 
  of balance.
     Disarm
  Goal- Knock the opponent’s weapon from his or her 
  hand.
  Roll- STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Weapon- Fists, kicks or anything which can cause a wrist 
  to lose tension.  
  -Usually a strike to the wrist, though it may be a strike to 
  the weapon itself.
  -The victim can resist with an opposed STH feat 
  (STH+1d20 vs. 20) as a reaction.
     Grab
  Goal- Immobilize one limb or one weapon.
  Roll- STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Weapon- Hands, or anything which can grab (e.g. a 
  snare).
  -Once a limb or weapon is successfully grabbed, the 
  grab remains until it is broken.  The grabber can choose 
  to let go, or the victim can use an action to make an 
  opposed STH roll against the grabber.  Any successful 
  pain/stun attack against the grabber will also cause the 
  hold to be broken.
     Grab (Pain)
  Goal- Immobilize a limb so that the victim can not 
  move without pain.
  Roll- STH+INL+1d20 vs. 35
  Weapon- Hands
  -The victim’s arm is simultaneously grabbed and 
  twisted so that the victim must make a save vs. pain 
  (WIL+1d20 vs. 20) to move in any way.
  -The victim’s free limb is still usable but usually on the 
  opposite side of the body from the grabber.
     Grab (Strangle)
  Goal- Cut off blood and air flow through the neck.
  Roll- STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Weapon- Hands, anything that can be wrapped around 
  the victim’s neck, or anything hard that can pin the neck 
  against a stable surface.
  -Grab can be broken by opposed STH roll or pain/stun 
  attack.
  -During the hold, the victim takes 1 BLD damage per 
  round.  If the hold is broken before the victim dies, the 
  lost BLD returns one per round.
  -Both the victim’s hands are free during the grab.
     Grab (Wrestling)
  Goal- Use multiple limbs to immobilize the victim’s 
  limbs.
  Roll- STH+INL+1d20 vs. 30
  Weapon- Hands
  -Goal is to get the victim in a hold that is easier to 
  maintain than it is to break free from.  To break a hold 
  the victim must make hard (30) STH feat while holder 
  makes an easy (10) feat. 
  -Takes one limb to immobilize a limb (e.g. to immobilize 
  both the victim’s arms, attacker must use both of his or 
  her arms).
  
     Knockaway
  Goal- Do damage and knock the victim 
  backwards.
  Roll- STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Weapon- Anything capable of inflicting two or more 
  points of blunt damage over a wide area.
  -Victim takes 1 point of blunt damage and is knocked 
  back one range unit per point of opposed success.
  -Even if the damage is absorbed by armor, the victim is 
  still pushed backwards. 
  -Victim must make a moderate save vs. loss of balance 
  (AGY+1d20 vs. 20) to avoid falling down.
     Knockdown
  Goal- Knock the opponent to the floor.
  Roll- STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Weapon- Anything capable of hooking legs or pushing 
  the victim over through sheer force.
  -If successful, the victim is knocked down with no save. 
  See p.158 for more on prone fighters.
     Knockout
  Goal- Knock the victim unconscious
  Roll- STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Weapon- Anything capable of doing significant blunt 
  damage.
  -If successful, the victim can make an opposed save 
  vs. unconsciousness (WIL+END+1d20 vs. 20).  If they 
  can not successfully oppose the knockout, the victim 
  is knocked unconscious for one round per point of the 
  attacker’s opposed success.
  -For every successful knockout, there is a chance of 
  serious damage to the victim, whether the attacker desires 
  it or not.  Generally, if the attacker’s opposed success is 
  more than 10, the attack also does 1d6 damage to BLD.
     Pain/Stun
  Goal- Stun the victim by causing him or her pain.
  Roll- INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Weapon- Nearly anything capable of blunt, bladed or 
  burn damage or otherwise capable of causing pain.
  -If the attack is successful the victim must make an 
  opposed save vs. shocking pain (difficulty 20).  If the 
  victim fails by a difference of less than 10, the victim 
  loses his or her next action.  If the victim fails by 10 or 
  more, the victim loses his or her next action and reaction.
     Slash
  Goal- Cause damage, distracting pain and disfigurement 
  by an attack on the face or any other sensitive area.
  Roll- INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Weapon- Anything capable of cutting or tearing long 
  gashes in flesh.
  -Does ½ point BLD damage and the victim must 
  make an opposed moderate (20 difficulty) save vs. 
  distracting pain.  Victim suffers a -1 penalty for 
  each point of opposed failure on the save.
     Stomp
  Goal- Do 2x damage to victims lower than the 
  attacker.
  Roll- SPD+STH+1d20 vs. 25
  Weapon- Feet.
  -The victim must be below the knees of the attacker.
  -Because this attack uses the full weight of the attacker 
  against the victim, it does double the damage of a 
  normal kick.
     Strike (Handheld)
  Goal- Do damage to the victim.
  Roll- STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Weapon- Any handheld weapon capable of doing 
  damage.  
  -If successful, it does the normal damage listed for the 
  weapon.
     Strike (Projectile)
  Goal- Damage to the target.
  Roll- INL+AGY+1d20 -1 per functional range unit vs. 
  25
  Weapon- Any projectile weapon.
  -For every one Function Range (FR) unit away the 
  victim is, the character takes a -1 penalty to the roll (see 
  Projectile Weapons, p.162).
     Tackle
  Goal- Knock both the attacker and the atackee to the 
  ground.
  Roll- SPD+STH+1d20 vs. 20
  Weapon- Body.
  -If the tackle is successfully dodged, the attacker must 
  make a save vs. loss of balance to avoid ending up on 
  the ground.
  -A tackle does no damage.
     Vital Strike (Bladed)
  Goal- Use a bladed weapon to damage vital areas.
  Roll- INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 35
  Weapon- Any weapon that does bladed damage.
  -Bladed damage that penetrates armor is doubled.
  -Blunt damage is not doubled.
  -This is an attack on an area where bladed damage is 
  especially harmful (e.g. neck, heart).
     Vital Strike (Blunt)
  Goal- Use a blunt weapon to damage vital areas.
  Roll- INL+STH+1d20 vs. 40
  Weapon- Any weapon that does blunt damage.
  -Blunt damage that penetrates armor is doubled.
  -Bladed damage is not doubled.
  -This is an attack on an area where blunt damage is 
  especially harmful (e.g. neck, temples).
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  161
  fighting
     Wing
  Goal- Damage easy to hit, but non-vital parts.
  Roll- INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 20
  Weapon- Any weapon capable of doing damage.
  -Aimed at exposed yet non-vital body parts (e.g. arms, 
  thighs and ribs).
  -Any damage which gets through the armor is cut in 
  half.
  Reactions
     Dodge
  Goal- Sidestep the path of the weapon.
  Roll- AWR+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  -After a successful dodge, the defender is still in roughly 
  the same place as he or she was before.
     Entangle
  Goal- Stop and trap the weapon.
  Roll- INL+STH+1d20 vs. 30
  -Requires something that can stop and trap the weapon 
  (e.g. chain, meat hook, trident, jacket, folding chair).
  -If successful, the action is blocked and the attacker 
  must use another action to unentangle the weapon.
     Flip
  Goal- Dodge attack and knock over attacker.
  Roll- AGY+STH+1d20 vs. 35
  -This requires that the attacker make a lunge (punch or 
  attack with a handheld weapon) and that the defender 
  must be close enough to use the momentum to flip 
  the attacker over a pivot point (usually the defender’s 
  shoulder).
  -If successful, the attacker is knocked down with no 
  save.
     Drop
  Goal- Drop below the path of the weapon.
  Roll- AWR+AGY+1d20 vs. 20
  -Whether successful or unsuccessful, the defender ends 
  up on the floor at the end of the reaction.
     Jump
  Goal- Jump out of weapon’s range.
  Roll- SPD+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  -Unlike the Noncombat Action: Jump, this is in reaction 
  to a specific attack.
  -Determine how many range levels the character needs to 
  move to be out of the range of the weapon.
  -+10 difficulty for every range level beyond the first.
  -If the defender beats the difficulty but doesn’t beat 
  the opposed action, the PC gets hit but ends up out of 
  weapon’s range at the end of the reaction.
     Mental Block
  Goal- Resist attempted mind control (especially by 
  magical means).
  Roll- WIL+1d20 vs. 20
  -This is only useful against attacks that go directly to the 
  character’s mind.
     Parry
  Goal- Block the attacker’s weapon.
  Roll- STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  -Be sure to declare what you are blocking and with 
  what.  If you block a knife blade with your bare hands, 
  for instance, you will take some damage (though not as 
  much damage as if the strike was unopposed).
  Actions vs. Reactions
  Actions
  -Each character gets only one per round.
  -Characters get to use their actions in an order 
  determined by initiative.
  -Actions can be traded for reactions at no extra 
  difficulty.
  -Characters can wait until the end of the round 
  to use an action.
  Reactions
  -Each character gets only one per round.
  -A character can only use a reaction when he or 
  she is the target of an action.
  -A character can use a reaction as an action at 
  extra difficulty (+20 -WIL).
  -If the character is not acted upon in a round, he 
  or she gets no reaction.
  
  Projectile Weapons
  Range- When making any action with a projectile 
  weapon, add to the normal difficulty the number of 
  range units away the target is.  For example, if a weapon 
  has a FR (Functional Range) of 5 ft. then for every 5 ft. 
  away the opponent is (rounded down) there is an extra 
  point of difficulty.  A target 60 ft. away would be at +12 
  difficulty to hit with that weapon.  Weapons also have a 
  Maximum Range (MR) beyond which the weapon can not 
  do damage.
  Cover- A character who lies flat, facing the enemy 
  (reducing his or her profile) is very hard to hit with 
  projectile weapons (-8 to hit).  Any type of cover can give 
  the enemy a minus to hit, depending upon how much of 
  the character’s body is protected.  Treat this as armor: 
  standing partially behind a tree might have an AR of 5 and 
  a PR of 15 bladed/blunt (from that one direction only).
  Fighting Non-Humans
  Machines- Mechanical devices do not have BDY, BLD 
  or INCY.  Instead, each device has an amount of blunt 
  or bladed damage that, if it takes, will cause it to cease 
  functioning.  A military jeep, for example, may be able 
  to take 30 blunt or 15 bladed damage before it stops 
  working.
  Size- Animals and machines which are bigger or smaller 
  than humans are easier or harder to hit (see table).  Also, 
  very small opponents can only take limited blunt damage 
  because, instead of absorbing the damage, the opponent 
  goes flying (unless the opponent is crushed against 
  something).
  Size
  To hit
  Bee
  -20
  Rat
  -10
  Cat
  -5
  human
  0
  horse
  +5
  elephant
  +10
  house
  +20
  Special Attacks- Sense should be used in fighting non-
  humans.  For instance: a blinding strike would be silly 
  against an animal that does not depend upon its eyes; a 
  rhinoceros would not be very susceptible to a knockdown 
  attack by a human; without some knowledge of mechanics, 
  a vital strike against a machine would be impossible.
  Swarms- A swarm is a group of small animals attacking 
  the character that are so numerous we treat them as 
  one entity.  A swarm can not be parried or dodged, 
  only run from.
  Armor can help the character: any portion of 
  the character’s body which is covered by armor 
  can not be attacked.  The amount of the character’s 
  body which is protected is the ratio of the AR to 20. 
  So, a character with AR 10 could only have half his or 
  her body attacked at once.
  Most swarms do not dodge and instead make 
  simultaneous strikes at no minuses (for convenience’s 
  sake, assume that all swarm animals which can attack 
  make a successful strike).  Characters, on the other 
  hand, usually can’t kill more than a few swarm animals 
  with each strike, except with certain weapons like 
  poison sprays or flame throwers.
  Weapon Specific Difficulties
  The difficulties listed for the various actions and 
  reactions represent the difficulty with the “typical” 
  weapon someone might use to do that action or reaction 
  with.  A handheld strike is listed as 25 difficulty, because 
  that would be the difficulty to hit someone with a club 
  or a knife or a sword.  This might not be the difficulty to 
  hit someone with a hand-saw or with a folding chair.  
  Some weapons have a structure such that some actions 
  or reactions are easier, while others are much harder. 
  For instance, a sledgehammer is so heavy and awkward 
  that it is hard to make a strike with it.  On the other 
  hand, a whip is designed for pain/stun attacks and so 
  such an attack would be easier.  In weapon profiles, 
  special actions and reactions are listed as:
  Very Easy (+8 to roll)
  Easy (+4 to roll)
  Hard (-4 to roll)
  Very Hard (-8 to roll)
  Improvised Weapons
  Normal objects can be used as weapons but since they 
  are not designed as weapons they have higher difficulties 
  to use.  Many will also break after the first attack.
   
  Slashing Weapons: Any object with a cutting 
  edge strong enough to cut flesh does 1 bladed damage.  
  The PC is at -8 to any actions with this weapon except 
  pain/stun, blinding and slash.
   
  Poking Weapons: Objects with a point on them 
  strong enough to be driven into flesh do only ½ a point 
  of bladed damage.  The PC is at -8 to any actions with 
  this weapon except blinding strike, pain/stun and vital 
  strike.
   
  Blunt Weapons: Blunt objects with a good handle 
  can do between 1 and 3 blunt damage.  The PC is at 
  -8 to any actions with these weapons except strike 
  and pain/stun.
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  163
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  Thrown Objects: Any heavy object 
  without a handle can be thrown at an enemy.  If a 
  character attacks someone with a huge rock at point 
  blank range, we can simply say that it was a throw at 0 ft. 
  They have normal difficulties but the following ranges:
  Weight
  Functional Range Dmg
  1-2 lbs. (½-1kg)
  3 ft. (1 m.)
  ½
  3-5 lbs. (1-2½kg)
  3 ft. (1 m.)
  1
  6-10 lbs. (2½-4½kg.) 2 ft. (½ m.) 
  2
  11-20 lbs. (4½-9kg.)
  1 ft. (⅓ m.)
  3
  20-99 lbs. (9-45kg.)
  ½ ft. (⅛ m.)
  4
  100+ lbs. (45kg.+)
  ½ ft. (⅛ m.)
  1 per 20lbs.
   
  Blinding Substances: Any substance which can be 
  thrown in the eyes.  PCs can make a blinding attack with 
  these substances at no minuses.  They can be thrown only 
  within a range of 5 ft. (1.5m.).  Most of these substances 
  can be avoided by closing one’s eyes (a very easy dodge). 
  A successful attack, though, will fully blind the opponent  
  (-15 to all actions/reactions) for a length of time depending 
  upon the causticity of the substance.  Extremely caustic 
  substances (like bleach) will not only blind but act as a 
  pain/stun strike on a successful blinding attack.
  After Combat
  After combat is finished, PCs who have taken injuries 
  should seek out medical attention.  The best case scenario 
  is that someone with the Emergency Medicine skill 
  and proper medical equipment can immediately treat 
  wounded PCs.  This will eliminate the following effects. 
  If the medical care PCs are given is late in coming, or the 
  medic doesn’t have the proper equipment, or the medic 
  doesn’t have the proper skills, the following effects are 
  only reduced.
  Bleeding- For each point of bladed damage a PC has 
  taken, that PC will lose another ½ point of BLD over the 
  next 15 minutes unless the wound is cared for (cauterized, 
  stitched up, bandaged).
  Pain- When the endorphins the body produces in an 
  emergency wear off, the PC will feel every bit of damage 
  done.  The PC must save vs. distracting pain with a 
  difficulty of 5 for each point of damage done.
  Infection- Unless a wound is disinfected, the victim risks 
  a serious infection.  For every point of bladed damage a 
  PC has taken, the PC must make a save vs. disease 
  contraction with a difficulty of 10 per point of damage 
  (max. 30).  Note that burns and ragged damage (see Other 
  Types of Damage, p.152) increase the chances of infection 
  and are very difficult to treat medically.  If the PC fails 
  the save vs. contraction, he or she suffers from a disease 
  with the following profile (see p.154 for more on fighting 
  diseases): 
   
  Disease Progression Rating: 20.
   
  Disease Progression Speed: 12 hours.
   Treatments: Antibiotics.
   
  1x Symptoms: For each 1x the victim suffers from 
  an aggregate fever (-10 to save vs. heat exhaustion), 
  Vomiting (10), weakness (-5 STH, -5 SPD).  For 
  each progression the PC takes 1 BLD damage.
  Combat Example
  The two opponents are:
  Norbu
  Applicable Attributes- AGY 10, AWR 14, END 
  14, INL 7, SPD 6, STH 12, WIL 8, BLD 1, BDY 4,  
  INCY 1 
  Applicable Skills- Staff (2) (gives +8 to parry, +6 to 
  strike, +12 to split action jump and strike) 
  Armor- None
  Weapon- Staff (3 blunt damage, easy parry (+4), range 
  1-2)
  STH Bonus To Blunt Damage- +1
  Tashi
  Applicable Attributes- AGY 12, AWR 12, END 6, INL 
  14, SPD 12, STH 6, WIL 7, BLD 2, BDY 3, INCY 2
  Applicable Skills- None
  Weapon- Knife with Arrow Poison (range 0-1, damage: 
  2 bladed +2 damage/round for 3 rounds).
  Armor- Leather Armor (AR 7, PR 2 bladed 2 blunt)
  GM- Roll initiative.
  Norbu- Okay, I rolled 2, plus 7 INL, plus 14 AWR, 
  that’s 23.
  Tashi- I got 29.
  GM- Right now you are in range 3, just outside of 
  striking range of Norbu’s staff.  Tashi, you get the first 
  action.
  Tashi- I’m going to draw my knife and jump in to range 
  1 so I can hit him.
  GM- You know you’ll be in his weapon’s range too.
  Tashi- Yeah, but I don’t want him to move to range 2 
  because he’ll be able to hit me with his staff but I can’t 
  hit him with my knife.
  GM- Yeah.
  Norbu- Can I react to him moving forward?
  GM- You can’t react because nothing was done to you. 
  You see Tashi step forward and draw a normal knife, but 
  something grayish-green is on the edges of the blade.  
  He used his action, though, so now it’s your turn to use 
  your action.
  Norbu- Uh oh, that’s probably poison, I’d better rethink 
  my strategy.
  GM- Make it quick.
  Norbu- If I were him, I’d go for a simultaneous strike 
  – since he can probably kill me with one strike and I 
  can’t kill him in one strike.  So, I’m going to split my 
  action in to two.  One will be a strike, the other will 
  be a parry in case he tries to take the blow and 
  stab me.
  
  GM- Okay, but remember that you’re at -10 to 
  each.  Tashi, your reaction?
  Tashi- Minus 10, eh?  Does he look like he knows how 
  to use that staff?
  GM- He does not look awkward with it, that’s all you can 
  tell.
  Tashi- I’ll go for it then, I’m doing a simultaneous strike: 
  I’ll let him hit me with the staff and I’ll try to stab him with 
  the knife…  No, wait, I’ll do a wing, because even though 
  it does half damage it will still do full poison damage.
  GM- Okay, roll.  Norbu, roll your staff strike.
  Norbu- Okay, STH + AGY, that’s 22, plus 1d20 is... 
  30.  Oh, and +6 because I have a skill, so 36.  Versus a 
  difficulty of 25... eleven success.   Minus ten from the split 
  action is one.  Wow, I just barely made it.
  Tashi- My armor has a seven armor rating, your success 
  was 1, so you hit the armor.  How much damage do you 
  do?
  Norbu- The staff does three, plus one because I have a 
  high strength.
  Tashi- Okay, my PR is 2 blunt, so I take two points of 
  blunt damage.  I’m at one BDY now.  And at the same 
  time, I’m swinging at you with my knife.
  GM- Tashi, roll your wing.
  Tashi- INL + AGY is 26, plus 1d20 is 36.  Now I add my 
  WIL in because it’s simultaneous, right?  That makes it 
  43.  The normal difficulty is 20, but this is a simultaneous 
  strike so it would be 40.  So, I beat my difficulty by 
  three.
  GM- Norbu, roll your parry roll.  Don’t forget you’re at 
  -10 because you split your action.
  Norbu- Okay, STH plus AGY is 22, plus 8 from my 
  skill, plus 4 because a staff has an easy parry.  That’s 
  32.  I rolled ten, so that’s 43.  Minus 10 is 33.  I beat my 
  difficulty by eight.  That’s more than he beat his difficulty 
  by, so I parry the blow.
  Tashi- So all this happens at the same time, right?  He’s 
  hitting me with one end of the staff and with the other end 
  he’s parrying my knife attack?
  GM- Yep.
  Tashi- Damn, he’s good with that thing, I’d better change 
  strategies.
  GM- Okay, end of round.  Both of you should lose END 
  because you were involved in combat, but… Well, let’s 
  only worry about it if the combat goes on a long time.  
  Tashi, you’re first again, what’s your action?
  Tashi- Well, I only need to hit him once, but he can 
  probably parry any strike I make against him.  He’s 
  got range on me, and since my END is lower than 
  average, he will probably outlast me in a long 
  fight.
  GM- So what’s your action?
  Tashi- I’m going to do an extended wing.
  GM- Okay.  Norbu, what’s your action?
  Norbu- I feel like I should play it conservatively and 
  just concentrate on parrying.  I’ll parry.
  GM- Okay, Tashi make your wing roll.
  Tashi- Okay, my INL + AGY is 26, plus 5 because it’s 
  extended, plus 1d20 is... hey, I rolled a 20, that’s an 
  automatic success, right?
  GM- A 20 would only help you if you wouldn’t have 
  succeeded on the merits of your roll.  If you got a 20 
  but still didn’t meet your difficulty, I would have said 
  you succeeded by one.  As it is, you definitely met your 
  difficulty, so just add it up.
  Tashi- Okay, that’s 51 total.  So I beat my difficulty by 
  31.
  Norbu- Ouch.  I’ll roll my parry…  My STH plus AGY 
  plus skill plus the easy parry from the weapon is 32, 
  plus 1d20... I rolled a fifteen, that makes it 47.  47 versus 
  25 is 22 success.  Less than his 31 success.
  GM- Well, his knife slices in to your arm.
  Tashi- Take 1 bladed damage.
  Norbu- Uh, oh, I’m at zero.
  GM- You can still keep going until your END or INCY 
  hits zero. But now, you’re going to lose an additional 
  point of END every round in addition to those you lose 
  for making combat actions.  Let’s see, you should mark 
  off that one END you used last round, and at the end of 
  this round you’ll lose two – one from combat and one 
  because your BLD is at 0. 
  Norbu- And the poison?
  GM- That takes effect next round.  Next round you’ll 
  take 2 damage.
  Norbu- When in the round?
  GM- I don’t know, end of the round I guess.  But this 
  round is not even over yet, you get an action now.
  Norbu- I’m doing an extended strike with the staff. 
  Hopefully... well, we will see what happens.
  Tashi- And I’m minus 10 to my reaction, right?
  GM- If you choose to make a reaction.
  Tashi- Hell yeah.  Dropping has the lowest difficulty, 
  so I’ll do that.
  GM- Norbu, roll your strike.
  Norbu- My attributes plus skill is 28, and I rolled 11, 
  so that’s 36, plus 5 because it’s extended is 41.  My 
  difficulty is 25, so I succeeded by 16.
  GM- Tashi, make your Drop roll.
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  red hat monks
  165
  fighting
  Tashi- AWR plus AGY is 24.  Plus 1d20 is... 26.  I 
  beat the difficulty to drop by six.
  Norbu- And my 16 success minus your 6 success is ten, I 
  beat you by ten. 
  Tashi- Well, my armor only has a PR of 7, so you bypassed 
  the armor.  So I take four blunt damage, right?
  Norbu- Do I get anything extra because I got ten success?
  GM- I would consider it, except I don’t think it will be 
  necessary.  Tashi, what does 4 blunt damage do to you?
  Tashi- Well, one point of that blunt damage removes my last 
  body point.  That leaves three, and that does double damage 
  to my BLD.  That’s six points of damage to my BLD, but I 
  only have two BLD points, so four damage is done to my 
  INCY.  I only have two INCY, so that reduces my INCY to 
  below zero.  So I just die, right?
  GM- You are knocked unconscious, if someone comes along 
  and performs extraordinary first aid on you, you might live.  
  Okay, Norbu, since this is the end of the round, you lose 2 
  END.  What are you at now?
  Norbu- Three.
  GM- Once you run out, you’ll go unconscious, just like 
  Tashi.  And you’ve also been poisoned, so at the end of this 
  round you’ll start taking damage to your INCY.  When your 
  INCY is reduced to 0, you’ll go unconscious.  And if you 
  should somehow survive the poison, you’ve got to deal with 
  the possibility of bleeding, disease and pain after combat.  
  So, what are you going to do?
  Tips for GMs: Keeping Combat Quick
  1. Never let the PCs get in to a fair fight.  Either 
  the PCs should be ambushed, or the PCs should 
  be doing the ambushing, or the PCs should be 
  vastly superior to the people they are fighting, 
  or the PCs should be vastly inferior to their 
  opponents.
  2. Enemies run away, surrender or play dead 
  when they realize they are getting their asses 
  kicked.
  3. Figure out the NPC fighter’s typical reaction 
  and typical reaction ahead of time and calculate 
  it (e.g. this opponent strikes at 1d20 vs. 3).
  4. NPC fighters only make simple actions (e.g. 
  strike and dodge, no extended simultaneous 
  split actions).
  5. Don’t bother keeping track of END if the 
  battle is only going to last a few rounds.
  6. Give opponents weapons with the same 
  range as that of the PCs – this makes for a lot 
  less jumping around during battle.
  7. Start PCs and opponents in weapons’ range 
  of each other.
  8. Give each player only a limited amount of 
  time to declare an action or reaction.
  
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  Enlightenment
  Impediments to Enlightenment
  Two things prevent people from achieving enlightenment.  
  One is karma, the inevitableness of our actions coming 
  back upon us.  The other is the attachments, inflexible 
  ideas or feelings about the universe.
  Attachments keep our minds stiff, unable to flow freely 
  in to the perfect form for the moment.  Attachments 
  keep us attached to our bad karma.  Karma, on the other 
  hand, clouds our minds and corrupts clarity of purpose. 
  Attachments drag us down when we try to achieve good 
  Karma and Karma drags us down when we try to let go 
  of our attachments.
  Removing Attachments
  A PC is enlightened when he or she gives up all 
  attachments.  This is an increasingly difficult 
  achievement.  Characters can attempt to remove an 
  attachment once per adventure.  At least one hour of 
  uninterrupted meditation is necessary.    
  There are two steps to removing an attachment:
  Discovering the Attachment- The PC must realize 
  that he or she has an attachment.  This requires an INL or 
  AWR roll (whichever is higher).  The difficulty is:
   
  10 for physical attachments
   
  20 for self attachments
   
  30 for universe attachments.  
  Eliminating the Attachment- Tantric skills are not 
  necessary to eliminate an attachment, but can give large 
  bonuses.   An attachment can be removed with a roll of 
  KMA + WIL + 1d20.  The difficulty increases by 10 for 
  each attachment, as follows:
  Attachment Difficulty
  Last
  100
  2nd
  90
  3rd
  80
  4th
  70
  5th
  60
  6th
  50
  7th
  40
  8th
  30
  PC’s can exchange one attachment for another quite 
  easily.  However, if a PC wants to change a dark 
  attachment (see p.129) to a normal attachment, he 
  or she must make a roll of KMA+WIL+1d20 vs. 
  40.
  Dangers
  While the path of sutras emphasizes a slow, steady 
  detachment from the world of desires, the tantra use 
  those desires against themselves.  The PC uses powerful 
  symbols and excites dangerous emotions. A failure can 
  mean a person gains another attachment or goes insane.
  If the PC makes a roll to eliminate an attachment and 
  fails, the following effects happen. 
  Failure
  If Tantra Used*
  Tantra Not Used
  0 to -5
  PC gains 1 normal 
  attachment (PC’s 
  choice).
  No effect.
  -6 to -10
  PC gains 1 normal 
  attachment (GM’s 
  choice).
  No effect.
  -11 to -15
  PC gains 1 normal at-
  tachment and 1 dark 
  attachment (GM’s 
  choice).
  Attachment is replaced 
  with another attach-
  ment (PC’s choice).
  -16 to -20
  All of PC’s attach-
  ments are replaced 
  with dark attachments 
  (PC’s choice).
  Attachment is replaced 
  with another attach-
  ment (GM’s choice).
  -21 or 
  less
  PC dies.
  Attachment is replaced 
  with a dark attachment 
  (GM’s choice).
  *The effect happens if a tantric skill was attempted before 
  trying to eliminate the attachment, regardless of whether 
  the tantric skill roll succeeded or failed.
  
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  enlightenment
  PCs and Enlightenment
  As a character nears enlightenment, what happens to the unique personality of the character?  The 
  path of sutras emphasizes a slow distancing of oneself from worldly concerns and attachments, and 
  thus a character on this path will slowly lose his or her individual personality.  The path of tantras, 
  though, takes a more radical approach.  It uses one’s attachments to emotions and worldly things as 
  tools to destroy the grip of those attachments.  Practitioners change quickly and at times they may 
  seem emotional or even crazy.
  A being with no attachments has no unique personality.  Its actions are dictated by the situation, not 
  by beliefs, emotions, opinions and habits.  A nearly enlightened being still has a unique personality, 
  but it is only a few very weak tendencies.  One nearly-enlightened master may act crazy and 
  impetuous, while another may act calm and emotionless, yet each could act completely differently 
  if the situation dictated.  
  In other words, characters who advance themselves towards enlightenment (especially on the quicker 
  path of tantra) do not lose their personality, but that personality has less control over them.
  Once a character actually becomes enlightened, it is time to retire the character.  An enlightened 
  being is freed from all prejudice, including the prejudice of friendship or loyalty to specific people. 
  The enlightened being will be just as concerned about the well-being of a flea as it is about the 
  residents of Tibet.
  A Tale of Enlightenment
  There are many paths towards enlightenment and the changes a person undergoes varies greatly between paths and 
  between individuals.  The following is one example of a Buddhist practitioner and the changes that he undergoes as he 
  approaches, and finally achieves, enlightenment.
  5 attachments- Norbu studies at a monastery.  He learns Buddhist philosophy and meditation.  He is around highly 
  advanced teachers and is in awe of their wisdom and seeming infallibility.
  4 attachments- Norbu learns to examine his own thoughts and emotions closely.  He has seen that emotions like anger 
  and lust only make him suffer.  Those emotions are only useful in combating other emotions (for instance, anger to 
  counteract laziness).  He tries to take a logical approach to his actions, making decisions based on what would best 
  benefit sentient beings.  He tries to act calm and compassionate at all times.  During meditation he is able to feel 
  compassion for even the most vile beings.  Norbu still makes many mistakes and still feels anger, pride, jealousy, desire 
  and other emotions.
  3 attachments- Norbu studies tantric meditation and rituals.  Norbu realizes that his motives for seeking enlightenment 
  were petty and egocentric.  He now wishes to become enlightened so that he can help ease the suffering of other beings. 
  Norbu has eliminated much anger and lust from his mind.  The primary emotion he feels is despair at the suffering of 
  other beings, but he tries to eliminate this despair, reminding himself that if he suffers it will increase the bad karma in 
  this world.
  2 attachments- The philosophical concepts that Norbu struggled to learn as a student now seem plain and simple.  
  Norbu realizes that distinctions such as existence and non-existence are essentially meaningless.  Through meditation, 
  he can briefly become his Yidam Buddha and experience what it is like to live outside of the world of distinctions.  
  Norbu enjoys many hours of meditation where he stills all thoughts and feels complete contentment towards everything.  
  Norbu’s compassion is obvious to all beings and his very presence increases luck and eases suffering.  Norbu is always 
  calm and full of energy. His mind is quick and his awareness is intense.
  1 attachment- Norbu no longer feels emotions like anger, lust, desire or sadness.  He laughs and smiles often, finding 
  the universe to be a beautiful and funny place.  He has compassion for all who suffer, but does not suffer with them.  
  Norbu no longer feels attached to the world of cause and effect.  He is constantly aware that every thing and every law 
  of the universe is an illusion.  Karma, good or bad, has little effect on him.  Norbu can read minds, create illusions, walk 
  through walls, and other miracles, simply because he doesn’t believe that these things are impossible.  Norbu’s physical 
  body and subtle self (soul) begin to change, to become more perfect.  Rilzin (concretions of good karma) begin to grow 
  in his bones.  Norbu lives completely in the moment, he rarely thinks about the future or the past.
  Enlightenment- Norbu sheds his last attachment.  Norbu is no longer alive or dead, he can exist on any plane of 
  existence, in physical or spiritual form.  He no longer has any personality.  He acts exactly as every other bodhisattva 
  does.  His form and mind change instantly to meet the needs of the current situation.  His only desire, the only thing 
  keeping his incarnation existing from one moment to the next, is a desire to help end the suffering of other beings.
  
  PC Parties
  The most powerful PC groups are those with a wide variety 
  of characters.  However, it can sometimes be hard for people 
  with different backgrounds, philosophies and goals to trust 
  each other and work together.  In most cases, it is an enjoyable 
  and challenging part of roleplaying to have PCs meet and gain 
  each other’s trust.  Some ways to get PCs working together 
  are:
  Travelers Meeting- The easiest way to form the party 
  is to have PCs traveling and meet each other on the road. 
  Explain to the players that travelers in Tibet who meet on 
  the road often travel together to give mutual protection from 
  bandits and other travel dangers.  This gives PCs a chance to 
  get to know each other and possibly make friends.  GMs can 
  “help along” this process by throwing in a few minor travel 
  dangers that PCs can work together to defeat.
  Altruism- One suggestion is for the GM to require all 
  players to have a desire to help people and make the world 
  a better place.  This does 
  not mean that PCs cannot be 
  selfish, rude, violent, cynical, 
  vengeful, ignorant, mentally 
  ill, or whatever other character 
  flaw players enjoy – it only 
  means that given a choice 
  between helping people out or 
  sitting around doing nothing, 
  the PCs will choose helping 
  people out.  If all characters 
  conform to this requirement, 
  the GMs job will be much 
  easier.  GMs can simply have 
  the PCs all happen to be in the 
  same place at the same time 
  when the opportunity to help 
  someone comes about.
  Hired or Assigned- Most 
  PCs have someone who has 
  influence over them, whether it 
  is a monastic abbot, a wealthy 
  merchant willing to pay for 
  services, or a dharmapala 
  possessing an oracle.   If PCs are 
  reluctant to work together on 
  some problem, have people 
  ask, pay or order the PCs 
  to work together.
  Example: A small 
  town is being ravaged by a hungry ghost.  The aristocratic 
  family that owns these lands sends a young aristocrat to go 
  oversee the exorcism.  The family hires a White Robe with 
  exorcism skills to come with him.  A local monastery sends a 
  young monk with medical skills to help.  A young astrologer 
  is reading her fortune and sees that it is imperative that she 
  travel to this town and help subdue the hungry ghost. 
  Shared Danger- The PCs are suddenly thrown (against 
  their will) in to some situation and they have to work together 
  to escape with their lives.  Example: The PCs are all arrested 
  by Chinese soldiers and thrown in to a makeshift jail cell in an 
  old ruined fort.  The PCs overhear the guards saying that the 
  prisoners will be interrogated and executed.
  Shortcut- If PCs don’t want to deal with any of this, the 
  simplest thing you can do is have every player agree that 
  the game starts with the PCs all being friends and traveling 
  companions who trust each other and work together.
  168
  adventures
  adventures
  
  169
  military missions
  Military 
  Missions
  The most immediate crisis facing Tibet is the Chinese 
  invasion.  This is a crisis in progress and every action the 
  PCs make can make a difference.
  The actions and attitude of the Chinese are directly related 
  to the military force they have ready to exert on Tibet.  For 
  every armed soldier the Chinese have in Tibet, the more 
  likely they are to use brute force instead of diplomacy.
  Right now, the Chinese government is allowing the 
  Tibetan government to rule Tibet.  Many believe that this 
  cannot last much longer.  War against Tibet itself may be 
  inevitable, but it can be delayed.  Each day it is delayed 
  can make a major difference.  Every day that goes by, 
  more lamas escape to India, more Tibetan people join 
  forces with the rebellion and villagers and monasteries are 
  given more time to prepare for the coming storm.
  Sabotage
  Rural Sabotage
  One activity which the rebels have excelled at is sabotage.  
  Sabotage works well with the Khampas’ most successful 
  strategy: ride out of the mountains, strike hard and fast 
  and then disappear in to the mountains again.  In the 
  mountains, the Khampas have the home-turf advantage 
  and are nearly immune to reprisal attacks.  The nomads 
  ambush Chinese supply caravans, kill the drivers and steal 
  the supplies (which will be distributed to rebel forces). 
  Explosives can be stolen from the Chinese or smuggled 
  in by the Taiwanese.  Rebels with explosives can blow 
  up bridges, passes and major roads.  With these means of 
  conveyances destroyed, the Chinese cannot move troops 
  and supplies in to Tibet.  Road repair crews are another 
  common target of rebel attack.
  Urban Sabotage
  This type of sabotage depends upon stealth and wits, not 
  on military skill and might.
  In many rural areas, the nomadic rebels rule.  However, 
  the Chinese rule in most urban areas.  In these areas, the 
  Chinese are creating an urban infrastructure to support 
  their continued presence.  They create air fields, radio 
  towers, hospitals, coal mines, power plants 
  and factories.  Most Tibetans have no idea how 
  dangerous this is.  Right now, Chinese in Tibet 
  only have access to Tibetan technology or technology 
  they import from thousands of miles away.  If the 
  Chinese are allowed to create a modern infrastructure 
  in Tibetan cities, they can fight the war from Tibet and 
  not from China.  The nomad’s most successful strategy, 
  cutting off Chinese supply lines, would be useless.
  A good deal of Tibetan labor (including Tibetan 
  prisoners) is being used for construction.  With military 
  explosives and a good knowledge of engineering, one 
  laborer involved in the resistance can undo years worth 
  of construction on the part of the Chinese.  Unfortunately, 
  rebels cannot easily get explosives.  Often, urban 
  saboteurs must get creative: arson, assassination of head 
  engineers, destruction of construction equipment, etc.
  Aside from human labor, the one thing the Chinese need 
  to conduct modern warfare and industry is gasoline.  
  The only source of gasoline that the Chinese have is 
  China, so gasoline is a precious commodity for the 
  Chinese.  Any destruction of gasoline stores by rebels is 
  a major setback for the Chinese.
  Escape to India
  Some Tibetans hope that Tibet would win in an all-out 
  war with China.  Others believe China would win and 
  the only sensible thing to do is to leave Tibet.  Those 
  who would suffer the worst under Chinese rule would be 
  aristocrats and religious leaders.  Many lama and nobles 
  are fleeing Tibet, as well as many common people.
  The Chinese do not want important Tibetans to leave 
  Tibet.  If they find out that an important Tibetan is trying 
  to flee, they will try to hunt down the person and put 
  him or her under house arrest.  They typically claim that 
  the arrest is to protect the person from some threat (the 
  Khampas are a favorite imaginary threat).
  Lamas and nobles will travel in disguise.  They will be 
  accompanied by servants, family, disciples and rebels. 
  The route to India is long and dangerous.  It can take a 
  party several weeks to reach the border.  The party must 
  face mountain passes and forge raging rivers along the 
  way (see Travel Dangers, p.176).
  On the other side of the border is the Indian town of 
  Dharmsala which the Indian government has allowed 
  to become a refugee camp for Tibetans.  Already, 
  Dharmsala is swelling with thousands of Tibetans.  This 
  booming population has caused inflated food prices and 
  disease outbreaks.
  Dharmsala- A town in India hosting Tibetan refugees.
  In Brief- Anything PCs can do to weaken the Chinese or 
  delay all-out war will save lives.
  In Brief- Cut supply lines and stop troop movements.
  In Brief- Prevent Chinese from building a technological 
  infrastructure in Tibet.
  In Brief- Help people reach India without being caught 
  by Chinese.
  
  Chinese Troops
  Many adventures will revolve around dealing with Chinese 
  troops.   There are many ways of dealing with Chinese and 
  obviating the harm they do, some are violent and some are 
  not.  The makeup and actions of Chinese parties depends 
  on what parts of Tibet they are found in.
  Regiment
  In the areas where war is actively being fought against 
  the rebels, Chinese soldiers are likely to be encountered 
  in regiments.  A regiment works out of a base camp which 
  can be easily moved.  A regiment usually has from 200 to 
  1000 soldiers.  Most are foot soldiers armed with rifles, 
  but they have jeeps and heavy artillery as well.  The 
  regiments spend their days hunting for rebel strongholds 
  and attacking them.
  The Chinese regiments are unable to depend upon supplies 
  from China and must be somewhat self sufficient.  They 
  demand food and labor from local villagers.  They also 
  hunt for food and fish using rifles and dynamite.
  When members of a regiment encounter someone who 
  does not look like an underfed peasant, they will interrogate 
  them.  If they suspect a person is aiding the rebels in any 
  way, they will torture the person for information.  After 
  they think they have all the information they can get, they 
  will execute the person.
  Propaganda Teams
  In major cities, the Chinese will try to effect changes 
  through diplomacy.  The officers are chosen for their skills 
  in diplomacy and propaganda, not their military skills. 
  They are accompanied by translators.
  Chinese propaganda teams will form people’s organizations, 
  plaster pictures of Mao Zedong over pictures of buddhas, 
  will give public speeches about Communism and educate 
  schoolchildren in Chinese propaganda.  The Chinese know 
  that Tibetans are more likely listen to Chinese propaganda 
  coming out of the mouths of Tibetans.  Everywhere they 
  go they seek out persuasive Tibetans who are willing to 
  learn and preach Chinese propaganda.  Those Tibetans 
  will gain instant prestige, political power and favors 
  from the Chinese.  The Chinese don’t really care if the 
  person really believes the Maoist philosophy or is 
  just looking out for his or her self-interests.
  Their apparent friendliness does not make these 
  Chinese any less dangerous.  They have the 
  power to arrest anyone they suspect of being 
  involved in the rebel movement.  People who 
  speak out against the Chinese in an effective way are 
  in danger of being accused of consorting with rebels. 
  In some areas, people who are arrested are never seen 
  again.  In other areas, where the Chinese think they have 
  the support of the people, dissidents may be subjected 
  to a “struggle session.”  A struggle session is a public 
  interrogation and torture session.  In the session, a person 
  is publicly accused of crimes against the people.  Locals 
  (preferably the prisoner’s neighbors) are encouraged to 
  come up and accuse, insult and beat the prisoner.  The 
  struggle session only ends when the victim publicly 
  admits to their sins against the people and agrees with 
  the Communist propaganda.
  One of the major duties of Chinese propaganda teams 
  is to break down the monastic system and the people’s 
  dependence on it.  To the Chinese, people who go to 
  monks for spiritual and magical help are suffering 
  from primitive superstitions and the monks are con-
  artists taking advantage of that superstition.  In areas 
  closest to China, where the Chinese have total control, 
  the Chinese have declared all-out war on the monastic 
  system.  They try to make peasants believe that the 
  lamas are not supernatural by forcing the lamas to do 
  degrading things in public.  They try to convince monks 
  to break their vows by paying prostitutes to seduce 
  them.  These attempts to break the monastic system will 
  arouse the interest of Tibetan demons (see p.188) who 
  are enemies of Buddhism.
  170
  adventures
  In Brief- Much of gameplay is dealing with 
  Chinese.
  In Brief- Hire Tibetan spokespeople, arrest and publicly 
  humiliate anti-communists, break down the monastic 
  system.
  In Brief- Fighting rebels, large number, mobile, torture 
  and execute rebel collaborators.
  
  171
  political adventures
  Exploratory Parties
  In uninhabited areas, small parties of Chinese roam 
  around exploring and mapping.  There are 3 to 6 armed 
  scouts.  They make maps and look for rebel strongholds, 
  possible caravan routes, and natural resources that can 
  be exploited.  A deposit of plutonium or coal would be 
  extremely valuable to the Chinese.
  Since the parties are small, they do not try to capture or 
  negotiate with potentially hostile forces.  When they see 
  suspicious looking Tibetans they either flee (if they are 
  outnumbered) or they shoot on sight.
  Intelligence
  The one thing that the Tibetan government and that 
  the Tibetan rebel forces lack is a decent intelligence 
  force.  Information about what the Chinese are 
  doing can take weeks to get across Tibet.  If 
  something happens to the messenger, the 
  intelligence can never get there.  The Tibetan 
  government and the rebels would both benefit 
  from any accurate information about what the 
  Chinese are doing and where.
  Modern espionage is something new to the Tibetans, 
  but they are learning quickly.  Characters working for 
  the rebel forces may be encouraged to do anything they 
  can, from burglary to seduction, to get information on 
  exactly what the Chinese are planning.
  Political 
  Adventures
  Some adventures do not involve direct use of violence, 
  but rather involve attempts to win over the allegiance of 
  a person or people.  In some cases, this can mean a battle 
  over the fate of someone’s soul.  This is a good type of 
  adventure for parties with non-violent members.
  Good Chinese
  Understanding the Chinese
  The Chinese people are not evil and it misses the entire 
  point of the game to portray them as such.  When people 
  do bad things it is either because they are ignorant that 
  they are hurting themselves, or because their minds are 
  too clouded by emotion to care.  The same could be said 
  of a country.  China was enslaved by industrial powers, 
  suffered through terrible wars, famine and poverty.  They 
  were desperate, they were full of hate, and they blindly 
  accepted communism.  Communism has great goals, 
  but the means it chooses to achieve them (war, torture, 
  propaganda, intolerance) only make things worse.
  From a Buddhist point of view the Chinese people are 
  just as much a victim of the Communist government as 
  the Tibetans.  The Tibetans are suffering now, but karma 
  will ensure that the Chinese will suffer later, either in 
  this life or the next.
  The Chinese are both the victims and perpetrators of 
  brainwashing.  In revolutionary China, educated people 
  were slaughtered so that no one had the authority to 
  question Communist dogma.  Chinese peasants were 
  indoctrinated in to a system of thought that never 
  provided two sides to an argument.  The Chinese learn 
  not to question state propaganda, not even in their 
  own thoughts.
  In Brief- 5-6 Chinese scouting the wilderness, 
  will shoot on sight.
  Typical Chinese Soldier
  Attributes- AGY 10, END 5, INL 7, KMA –15, SPD 10,  
  STH 12, WIL 8, BLD 3, BDY 4, INCY 3.
  Appearance- Young Chinese man in his late teens, wearing 
  gray and khaki military uniform.  Close inspection will show 
  the signs of malnutrition during youth.  Smokes cigarettes.  
  Breathes rapidly (because he is not used to such a high 
  altitude).
  Motivations- The soldier grew up as an underfed, overworked, 
  terrorized peasant.  In comparison to that, life as a soldier seems 
  great.  The soldier sincerely believes that Communism will 
  offer the common people equality and prosperity.  The soldier 
  believes that all priests, nobles, academics and businesspeople 
  are consciously exploiting the common people for their own 
  good.  The soldier feels he is doing a great service to Tibet.  He 
  feels like he is making a sacrifice by putting up with foreign 
  people and a bad climate.  He feels like he deserves any 
  comforts he can get (including alcohol, plundered goods and 
  sex with Tibetan women).
  Methods- Chinese soldiers follow orders and shoot anyone 
  who they believe is an enemy.  They leave the difficult 
  decisions to their superior officers.
  Special Skills- Rifle (2)
  Special Equipment- WWII Rifle (damage 6 bladed, ROF 3, 
  FR 10ft., MR 700ft., holds 25 bullets), Helmet (AR 2, PR 8 
  bladed 5 blunt).
  Typical Attack- On the first action, an aim, then on the second 
  action a strike at AGY (10) +INL (7) +1d20 +4 (aim) +6 (skill) 
  -1 per 10ft. (3m.) vs. 25 (or 1d20  vs. 2).
  In Brief- Government and rebels need to know what the 
  Chinese are doing.
  In Brief- Chinese are victims of misfortune, exploitation 
  and brainwashing.
  
  Saving the Chinese
  Characters may kill Chinese soldiers at some point, but 
  it is also possible to save some of them.  Most Chinese 
  want to do the right thing and want to help people, but 
  they have no resources to discover the truth.  If a character 
  can help a Chinese soldier overcome brainwashing and 
  hatred and see the truth, then that soldier can cease his 
  accumulation of bad karma.  Such an action would earn 
  PCs several points of good KMA.
  The Chinese are trained to react violently to any 
  arguments against Chinese communism.  They have a 
  trained litany of arguments they can rattle off in response 
  to any criticism.  They could be severely punished for 
  even listening to such criticisms without reporting them 
  to their superiors.  It would provoke fear in any Chinese 
  soldier to hear blatant criticisms, even if that was exactly 
  what they secretly desired to hear.
  Some Chinese soldiers and officers have seen the 
  incredible peace, compassion and willpower of learned 
  lamas.  Many have come to secretly envy and respect 
  these lamas.  A few have left the army and gone to study 
  with Buddhist or Bön teachers.
  Non-Military Chinese
  There are also many Chinese in Tibet who are not 
  associated with the army.  They are simple traders and 
  farmers who were starving in China and went to Tibet 
  to find a way to keep their families fed.  Some 
  are recent immigrants, encouraged by the Chinese 
  to come to Tibet, others have been living in Tibet 
  for some time and have gained respect for the Tibetan 
  people.  Many ethnically Chinese people are Muslims. 
  The Muslims have come to Tibet to find religious 
  tolerance they couldn’t find in China.
  Some non-military Chinese support the Communists 
  unconditionally.  Others think Communism in China was 
  a good idea, but don’t think Chinese actions in Tibet are 
  necessarily good.  Many are devoted to the religions that 
  the communists have been trying to wipe out: Chinese 
  Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and shamanistic 
  ancestor worship.
  Evil Tibetans
  Just as there are good Chinese, or Chinese who can 
  become good, PCs may also run in to Tibetans of all kinds 
  who are malevolent and dangerous.
  Tibet is not a perfect place.  The Chinese have many 
  criticisms of Tibet, and most of them are not completely 
  false.  Some Tibetans with power do not use that 
  power for purely compassionate purposes.  There 
  are government officials who are corrupt.  There are 
  aristocrats who are cruel to the farmers that live on their 
  lands.  There are dobdobs who bully people around and 
  ignore the commands of their lamas (see p.70).  There are 
  also people with power in the Buddhist church who use 
  their power selfishly.
  172
  adventures
  In Brief- Some Chinese are just common people, trying 
  to get by, have much in common with Tibetans.
  In Brief- Helping educate Chinese would be 
  good.
  In Brief- Tibetans can be just as dangerous as the 
  Chinese.
  
  173
  political adventures
  Flawed Lamas
  Some lamas think that their motives are purely 
  compassionate.  They don’t understand that greed, pride 
  and a hunger for power influences their actions.  These 
  lamas have learned to act like wise and compassionate 
  teachers, and have fooled themselves and their 
  students.  When someone challenges their authority or 
  power, these lamas see attachments and bad karma at 
  work in their enemies.  They use this as an excuse to 
  punish, denigrate or banish their enemies, in the guise 
  of teaching them a valuable lesson or protecting their 
  other students.  To someone who is not the target of the 
  lamas, the decisions may seem reasonable.  Yet if the 
  PCs are seen as a challenge the lama’s power, it will be 
  quite obvious to the PCs that the lamas are vengeful and 
  self-serving.
  Just because a lama is flawed, does not mean that he or 
  she hasn’t made real advancements.  Even a flawed lama 
  can have powerful tantric skills, can have important 
  things to teach students (and even PCs), and can do more 
  good than harm to the communities.  The lamas may be 
  much more advanced than the PCs, but they have one 
  attachment that, combined with their power and popular 
  belief in their infallibility, can be very dangerous.
  In Brief- Everyone thinks they are wise and 
  infallible, but they are actually petty and 
  dangerous.
  Typical Flawed Lama
  Attributes- AGY 7, AWR 16, CHM 13, END 10, INL 17, KMA 25, SPD 
  4, STH 6, WIL 18, BLD 3, BDY 2, INCY 3.
  Appearance- An old male in monk’s robes, with a white beard and an 
  ornate hat with very long flaps.
  Motivations- He has proceeded far on the path to enlightenment but has 
  very dangerous attachments which he has not been able to notice.  He is 
  power-hungry and vengeful but he believes that he is  beyond such petty 
  motivations.  He believes that everything he does, no matter how selfish, 
  is a compassionate act.
  Methods- The lama demands strict obedience from his followers, telling 
  them that any deviation from his orders could result in disaster for their 
  souls.  The lama believes that he has a miraculous ability to read minds, 
  but what the lama “reads” is whatever he wants to believe.  If the lama 
  doesn’t like someone, he may “read” that they are trying to kill him 
  (and have them banished).  Any mistake the lama’s enemies make is 
  emphasized as proof of their unenlightenedness and any mistake the lama 
  makes is quickly explained away as a compassionate act in disguise.  The 
  lama may inflict all manner of cruel punishments on people he doesn’t 
  like in the guise of “lessons.”
  Special Skills- Breath Yoga (3), Fire Yoga (1), Invisibility (2), Pure 
  Vision (2), Sorcery Tantra (3), Subtle Self (3), Wind Voices (2), Yidam 
  Tantra (1), Philosophy (4), Logic (3), Oration (3).
  Typical Attack- Summoning a wrathful dharmapala and sending it to 
  attack the enemy (at INL(18)+8+1d20 vs. 30 or 1d20 vs. 4).
  In Brief- Con-artists pretend to be learned 
  teachers.
  False Lamas
  There are also a few lamas that knowingly 
  and 
  deliberately 
  fake 
  wisdom 
  and 
  advancement.  They use base magic and 
  sorcery to simulate the magic powers 
  that are the sign of an advanced lama.  
  Their teachings are the most simplistic of 
  Buddhist truths that any Tibetan knows. 
  Their tantric rituals are random mumbling 
  and pointless visualizations with no real 
  effect.  These lamas fool their students in 
  to thinking that they have achieved some 
  portion of enlightenment when the students 
  have really achieved nothing.  If the fake 
  lama knows some genuine tantric rituals 
  they are even more dangerous.  When they 
  let their students practice tantric rituals 
  before they are ready for them, the students 
  are likely to go insane.  Of course, a lama 
  can always pass off an insane student as a 
  “mad saint” (see p.183).
  
  a government official
  P o l i t i c a l 
  Infighting
  The lamas and aristocrats that 
  rule Tibet are not immune to 
  the problem of power struggles. 
  The most famous is the struggle 
  between Lhasa and Shigatse. 
  The Panchen Lama, the tulku 
  of the Shigatse area, was in 
  a struggle for power with the 
  Dalai Lama and was forced 
  to flee the country and rule 
  by remote from China.  Now, 
  his current incarnation has 
  sided with the Chinese and the 
  territory owned by the Panchen 
  Lama is the largest pro-
  Communist block in Tibet (see 
  p.38 for more).  Other power 
  struggles have gone on between 
  noble families, between sects 
  and between monasteries.  In 
  the recent past, the monks of 
  the Sera monastery near Lhasa, 
  who are renowned for their 
  proficiency in martial arts, have 
  been known to bully nearby 
  monasteries to get what they 
  want.
  The most dangerous result of 
  political infighting would be 
  the defection of a major lama, 
  aristocrat or government official 
  to the side of the Chinese.  Both 
  the Tibetan government and the 
  rebel forces have an interest in 
  making peace between feuding 
  parties before it comes to this 
  point.  Monasteries may send monks in as arbitrators in 
  these situations.
  Rebel Recruitment
  The Dalai Lama has refused to endorse, in any way, 
  violent rebellion against the Chinese forces.  Some 
  major government officials (mostly rich aristocrats) have 
  recently deserted in order to join up with the rebel forces. 
  In Eastern Tibet, many lamas have ordered their monks 
  to take up arms against the Chinese.  The various rebel 
  movements are now actively recruiting those who are 
  willing to join them.  Rebels with good social skills 
  are sent as ambassadors, to secretly communicate 
  with lamas and government officials and try to 
  win them over to their side.
  Ceremonial 
  Adventures
  Tibet has many ceremonies which are important to 
  the health and safety of the Tibetan people.  If these 
  ceremonies are disrupted by the Chinese invasion, the 
  results could be disastrous.  There are other ceremonies 
  which have been hidden or banned.  They were created 
  not for the day-to-day problems of Tibetans, but for 
  times of extraordinary crisis. 
  Marsoma Lake
  There is a lake in the barren, deserted regions of 
  Takpo province, at the foot of the Himalayas.  
  174
  adventures
  In Brief- Struggles between people and groups 
  can hurt Tibet.
  In Brief- Rebels trying to recruit powerful people.
  In Brief- PCs can help with important ceremonies.
  In Brief- Dalai Lama must travel 
  to this lake to see his future.
  In Brief- Summon dharmapala to fight demon that aids 
  China.
  
  175
  CEREMONIAL ADVENTURES
  The demon’s mortal enemy is the dharmapala 
  Ksetrapala.  Given the opportunity, Ksetrapala 
  will do battle with the Nine Headed Demon.  The 
  Nine Headed Demon is too powerful to be destroyed, 
  but Ksetrapala can weaken it and keep it busy.  
  Ksetrapala can only be dispatched to the border with the 
  ceremony of the Torma of Ksetrapala.  This ceremony is 
  known to only a few Yellow Hat monks.  It is practiced 
  in two small Yellow Hat monasteries near Lhasa.
  .
  The Torma- This is a ten foot tall pyramid 
  constructed of barley flour dough on top of a huge iron 
  pan.  It is adorned with a skull, a painting of Ksetrapala 
  and ornamental designs of butter and silk ribbons.  It 
  is surrounded by two smaller pyramids, skull cups 
  with offerings, inflated animal bowels, a fence made 
  from a special type of wood and several types of Zor. 
  The Torma will become the earthly counterpart to 
  Ksetrapala’s heavenly palace, but only after days of 
  strict ceremony and invocations.  Rare and ancient 
  books hold the details of the ceremony, and are guarded 
  zealously.  At the end of the ceremony, the Terma is 
  burned and Ksetrapala and his servants race from it to 
  the Chinese border.
  Character Involvement- It takes four days to 
  complete the ceremony.  If anything interrupts the 
  ceremony, almost everyone involved in the ceremony 
  will die.  PCs may be enlisted to protect the monastery 
  from interruptions.  PCs might also be enlisted to find 
  the ingredients needed to complete the ceremony. 
  Some ingredients may only be found in distant corners 
  of Tibet or in haunted charnel grounds.
  Tsen Thread Cross
  There is another ceremony which can be used to damage 
  Chinese troops, called the “Tsen Thread-Crosses of 
  the Four Continents.”  This ceremony can only be 
  performed at the monastery of Samye.  Samye is like a 
  giant mandala, with hundred of temples which represent 
  the many worlds of the cosmos.  In the ceremony, 
  monks built four 18 ft. (5.5m.) tall thread crosses 
  that represent each of the four continents.  The thread 
  crosses are burned, unleashing an army of Tsen demons 
  on an enemy.  Unlike the ceremony of Ksetrapala, 
  which is only useful for combating the Chinese (and 
  their supernatural helpers), this ceremony can target any 
  enemy.  This makes it much more dangerous.
  Many rare components are needed to perform the 
  ceremony, including dirt from 108 cemeteries, water 
  from 108 springs, cloth and silks from a king’s 
  treasury and the flesh and bones of many types 
  of people.  Advanced lamas must meditate for 7 
  days to make the ceremony work.
  In 1950 the monks at Samye tried to perform this 
  ceremony against the Chinese.  It had no effect on the 
  Chinese troops.  No one has yet determined why it failed 
  and some are afraid to try it again until they can solve the 
  mystery.
  Mill of Shinrye
  This mill is located in the Kardo monastery near Lhasa. 
  It is an old-style grain mill with powerful mantras carved 
  in to the millstones.  Anyone who uses the mill will die 
  unless they are very close to enlightenment.  To use the 
  mill, a lama transfers the life force spirits of enemy leaders 
  in to mustard seeds.  The mustard seeds are ground up 
  by the mill while the lama chants secret mantras.  The 
  victims’ life force spirits are destroyed and the victims 
  will quickly become ill and die.
  Wheel of Eight 
  Swords
  Long ago, the Yellow Hat sect knew a ceremony for 
  making a devastating magical weapon.  Eight swords 
  were stuck through a wooden wheel, with the blades 
  pointing outwards.  At a command, the wheel would 
  fly towards the enemy, spinning at incredible speeds 
  and cutting down whole armies.  The devastation from 
  this magical weapon was so terrible that the Yellow Hat 
  sect outlawed its use and burned all known copies of the 
  books which told how to construct it.
  The Yellow Hats were probably not able to destroy every 
  copy of this book.  Tibetan saints had a habit of hiding 
  powerful books around Tibet, hoping they would be 
  found by the right people at the right time.  Texts which 
  can be easily misused, like the ceremony of the wheel, 
  are guarded.  They are hidden on inaccessible peaks, in 
  haunted mountains, guarded by merciless dharmapalas.  
  Even if found, the ceremony is likely to require many 
  rare components and be very dangerous to whoever 
  practices it.
  Most Yellow Hats will attempt to stop anyone trying to 
  resurrect this lost ritual.  Even if it is constructed, it may 
  be able to decimate foot soldiers, but may be ineffective 
  against tanks and heavy artillery.
  In Brief- Samye monastery creates huge thread crosses 
  to unleash tsen demons on an enemy.
  In Brief- Advanced lamas can destroy people’s life force 
  sprits by remote.
  In Brief- Illegal, secret ceremony creates spinning, 
  flying, wheel of blades.
  Tsen- A class of malevolent spirits, often associated with illness, misfortune and hatred.
  
  coracle
  Travel 
  Dangers
  So many dangers can confront travelers in Tibet that a 
  whole adventure can revolve around getting from one 
  place to another.  Place names in Tibet usually describe 
  that place, and there are many places in Tibet with names 
  like “black pass,” “bandit gorge” or “wrathful stream.”
  Mountain Passes
  Mountains criss-cross Tibet, and so the only way to move 
  across Tibet is to go over mountains.  Unless they have 
  sophisticated climbing gear (and money for supplies), 
  travelers must go over mountain passes.  Most mountain 
  passes are well known and used often.  On the road to the 
  pass, people leave piles of stones as offerings and carve 
  prayers and buddha images in to stones.  They do this for 
  luck, because mountain passes are dangerous.
  At its best, taking a mountain pass is a long and exhausting 
  journey.  At the worst, travelers can get hit by bad weather, 
  can freeze, can get lost, can fall off cliffs, can get buried in 
  avalanches or crushed by falling rocks.  If travelers are 
  delayed by bad weather, they may have to try to hunt 
  for food or risk starving to death.
  Gorges
  Many mountain passes run through deep gorges, cut in 
  to the mountains by streams.  Some gorges are hundreds 
  of feet deep and barely wide enough for a horse to 
  move through.  Feelings of claustrophobia are probably 
  justified: Falling rocks from above can kill without 
  warning.  Rain can flash-flood through a gorge or snow 
  can quickly bury it.  Bandits and predatory animals 
  often wait at the end of a gorge to attack prey as they 
  emerge.
  Climbing
  When there are no passable passes, travelers must often 
  resort to climbing.  Sometimes a normal pass or bridge 
  is not available.  Sometimes the thing the travelers seek 
  is located at the top of a mountain or in a valley hidden 
  within the peaks.
  Climbing a mountain requires considerable planning 
  and strategy.  Imagine that a mountain range is a maze, 
  where the paths are climbable faces.  Climbers who 
  don’t know exactly what they’re doing can become 
  lost, can waste time on dead ends and can end up in a 
  completely different place than they intended.
  176
  ADVENTURES
  In Brief- Many dangers encountered while traveling.
  In Brief- To travel cross-country, must take dangerous 
  mountain passes.
  In Brief- Danger of floods, animals, rocks, bandits.
  In Brief- Climbing often necessary, requires a lot of 
  preparation, is dangerous.
  
  porter
  177
  travel dangers
  Strategies
  The number one problem of mountain climbing: how can 
  you carry enough supplies to keep you alive until you reach 
  your goal?  The typical answer to this problem is to hire 
  many experienced bearers.  The bearers carry equipment 
  and supplies.  As supplies and equipment run out, the 
  bearers head back down the mountain.  The bearers are 
  usually all gone before climbers take on the most difficult 
  mountain faces.  
  Traditional Tibetan mountain climbers drive 
  wooden planks in to the sides of cliff faces to 
  create a sort of ladder.  Western climbers hammer 
  pitons in to rock faces and then string ropes through 
  the pitons to create a support system.
  Characters can attempt to climb mountains by use of 
  AGY rolls alone, but if they wish to strategize and 
  use complex equipment they need to make Mountain 
  Climbing skill rolls.  See Mountain Climbing (p.108) 
  for more details.
  Before trying to climb a mountain it is imperative to 
  gauge what the weather will be.  Attempting a climb 
  when the weather is bad is suicide.  Wise characters 
  will obtain the services of someone with the Weather 
  Prediction skill.
  Dangers
  A mountain can kill even the most skilled, well prepared 
  and well equipped mountain climbers.  Animal attacks, 
  avalanches, rock slides and snow storms can kill without 
  warning.  Even if climbers survive these dangers they 
  may be lost, they may be pinned down for long periods 
  of time, or they may lose supplies and equipment.  If any 
  of these happen, climbers are in danger of running out 
  of food or fuel before they can make their way down the 
  mountain.  Some climbers may be able to supplement 
  their supplies by hunting the sparse mountain life (see 
  Ecology: Alpine, p.53).
  If climbers become delayed in the death zone (see next 
  page), the danger increases tenfold.
  Altitude Sickness
  Altitude sickness is an illness which occurs when the 
  body doesn’t get as much oxygen as it is used to.  For 
  Tibetans, altitude sickness is a danger only at the highest 
  peaks.  For foreigners, who grew up in lower altitudes, 
  most of Tibet is dangerous.
  Any time a PC travels up 1000 meters, he or she must 
  make a save vs. altitude sickness.  The roll is END + 
  1d20 vs. 20.  When PCs have Altitude Sickness they 
  can make saves each day to try to get rid of it.  If a 
  PC already has altitude sickness, and goes up another 
  1000 m. and fails another roll, he or she gets twice the 
  symptoms (e.g. -14 END instead of -7).  Another 
  failure means three times the symptoms, etc.
  In Brief- Hire many bearers, use equipment, have 
  skills, check the weather.
  In Brief- Random events can kill climbers or leave them 
  without enough supplies.
  In Brief- PCs can get sick after ascending 1000 m.
  
  Don’t forget that foreigners get the Altitude 
  Sickness Vulnerability disadvantage which gives 
  them -7 to save vs. altitude sickness.
  PCs with altitude sickness will have:
   
  Headaches (20)
   
  Loss of coordination (-7 AGY)
   
  Loss of appetite
   
  Tiredness (-7 END)
   
  Confusion (-7 INL)
   
  Increased need for water (needs twice as much or 
  will suffer thirst damage, see p.152)
  Acclimatization
  The more time a person spends at an altitude before 
  going higher, the less likely that person is to get altitude 
  sickness.  Mountain climbers create base camps where 
  they stay until they can acclimatize to an altitude before 
  ascending more.  PCs get +1 to save vs. Altitude Sickness 
  for each day spent in a ‘base camp’ between altitudes.
  Death Zone
  Above 7,600 meters there is not enough oxygen for 
  the human body to survive.  There is no possibility 
  of acclimatization, for foreigners or Tibetans.  At this 
  altitude, the body slowly begins to disintegrate.  Human 
  tissues dissolve and it is only a matter to time before the 
  climber dies.  At this altitude, all PCs suffer from:
   
  Hoarseness (PCs can barely talk).
   
  Coughing (PCs cough up a thick, frothy fluid).
   
  -1 BLD, -1 BLD and -2 END per day.
   
  Loss of coordination (-7 AGY).
   
  Dementia (-10 INL, delusions at 20 to save).
  Rivers
  Forging
  Forging rivers is as dangerous as crossing mountains.  
  Rivers are unpredictable, reacting to weather conditions 
  far upstream.  A peaceful, easily crossed stream can 
  quickly become a roaring, muddy river.
  Tibetan’s often form human chains to forge rivers.  By 
  adding their strength they stand a better chance of 
  crossing.  Characters trying to forge a river alone must 
  make STH rolls (to resist the pull of the water) and AGY 
  rolls (to keep their balance).  A failure means that the PC 
  is sucked in.  A PC being carried away by a river must 
  make a hard-to-legendary STH roll to fight the current 
  and get to the edge of the river or a hard-to-legendary 
  AGY roll to grab on to something (like a rock, or a rope 
  thrown by a friend).  Otherwise, they will either be sucked 
  in to an undertow and drowned or bashed in to rocks until 
  unconscious.  If someone is under complete control of a 
  raging river there is only about a 1 in 1000 chance they 
  will end up on a river bank alive.
  178
  adventures
  In Brief- Ascending slowly can help.
  In Brief- At >7600m. the body starts to dissolve.
  In Brief- Dangerous, travelers often form human chains, 
  losing one’s footing probably means death.
  Some Altitudes
  0 m.
  Sea level (no part of Tibet exists at this 
  altitude).
  3000 m. 
  Only the Southeast corner of Tibet dips below 
  this altitude.
  3860 m.
  Lhasa
  4000 m.
  The average altitude of Tibet.
  4588 m.
  Lake Mansarovar, the highest fresh water lake 
  in the world.
  5000 m.
  Rongbuk, the highest monastery in Tibet.
  5600 m.
  Mt. Kailash pilgrimage route
  5-6000 m.
  Summer snowline (above this it is cold enough 
  to snow year-round).
  7600 m. 
  Death zone.
  8848 m.
  Peak at Everest.
  
  179
  travel dangers
  Bridges
  Some rivers have bridges, but the bridges can be hundreds 
  of years old and are barely held together.  Parts can 
  break off as characters are walking on them.  Some 
  “bridges” are nothing more than a single rope attached to 
  large boulders at either end of a river.  Crossing one of 
  these bridges is extremely difficult for someone who is 
  burdened or wounded.  Bandits often wait at the end of 
  bridges, knowing that they can threaten to cut the bridge 
  if travelers do not pay them.
  Bandits
  Most bandits are from nomadic tribes.  They supplement 
  their incomes by robbing travelers and neighbors.  They 
  consider banditry an honorable profession.  There are some 
  nomadic tribes in Northeast Tibet who survive almost 
  entirely by banditry.  When they aren’t robbing people 
  they interact and peacefully with other Tibetans.  Some 
  of the tribes living in the Himalayas, who the Tibetans 
  consider savages, engage in banditry.
  Small groups of bandits rob travelers.  They will rob any 
  traveler, but hope to find a traveling merchant.  These 
  bandits are plentiful around the trade routes on the border 
  between Kham and China.  They do not take everything 
  a traveler has – they don’t want to put the merchants 
  out of business.  Some are quite polite, asking for 
  “donations” and never using force unless all else 
  fails.
  In Brief- Can be old and unstable, bandits can wait at the 
  end.
  In Brief- Common in nomadic and outlying areas, rob 
  travelers, some are polite, some form large raiding parties, 
  some have protection rackets.
  Typical Small Bandit Group
  Composition- Six nomadic men, one is the leader and 
  spokesman.
  Attributes- AGY 10, AWR 8, END 12, INL 7, KMA -5, 
  SPD 13, STH 15, WIL 10, BLD 3, BDY 4, INCY 3.
  Appearance- Strong looking nomads with a few battle 
  scars, wearing fur caps over braided hair, carrying rifles. 
  Their horses are decorated with fine wool blankets and 
  colored ribbons.
  Motivations- They think of banditry as their right and 
  as an honorable sport.  They don’t want to hurt anyone, 
  but they realize they may have to hurt people who 
  resist.  They are willing to rob monks, laypeople, even 
  aristocrats.  The only people they fear are those they 
  think are capable of sorcery.
  Methods- The group rides around pilgrimage routes, 
  easily overtaking travelers who are on foot.  They 
  ignore travelers who look very poor.  They know the 
  area and will try to rob travelers in a place where they 
  have a tactical advantage.  They often wait for travelers 
  at the end of a gorge or bridge.  They demand money or 
  valuables but do not always take everything a traveler 
  has.  They will get violent if a victim resists.
  Special Skills- Rifle (3), Horse Riding (3), Sword (3).
  Special Equipment- WWI Rifle, Horse, Tibetan 
  Sword.
  Typical Attack- From horseback, they stop the horse and 
  aim (first action) and then strike at INL(7) +AGY(10) 
  +1d20 +10 (skill) -1 per 8ft. (2.5m.) vs. 25 (or 1d20 
  -1/8ft. + 2 vs. 0).  As a reaction they make simultaneous 
  strikes at INL (7) +AGY (10) +WIL (10) +1d20 +14 
  (skill) -1 per 8ft. vs. 25 +20 (simultaneous) or (1d20 
  -1/8ft. vs. 4).  A successful strike does 5 bladed 
  damage.
  
  hunting dog
  In outlying areas, bandit tribes will form together in to 
  armies to raid villages and monasteries.  Bandit armies 
  strike mercilessly, robbing people of everything and 
  killing them if they offer any resistance.
  Nomadic chieftains often run protection rackets.  They 
  charge residents and travelers for protection from 
  bandits.  In other areas, the Tibetan government pays 
  bandit tribes not to rob religious pilgrims.
  Hunters
  The Tibetan term 
  for hunters means, literally, “dog-goat-men.”  Hunting 
  is a crime in Tibet.  Groups of hunters stalk the lonely 
  mountains and plains hunting wild sheep, goats and 
  gazelles.  Encountering a hunter can be dangerous 
  because they are being caught engaging in a criminal 
  act.  Hunters may decide that as long as they have been 
  caught committing a crime they might as well rob the 
  PCs.  Or, they may decide to kill the PCs so there will 
  be no witnesses to the crime.  Hunting dogs who are far 
  from their masters’ control can also attack PCs or their 
  animals.
  Wild Animals
  Wolves
  Wolves are a major problem in the grasslands of Tibet.  
  They most often attack livestock. Nomads often send 
  hunting parties out to try to kill or scare away wolf packs 
  that have been preying on their herds. Wolves will kill 
  180
  adventures
  In Brief- Hunting illegal, hunters and their dogs can be 
  dangerous when caught in the act.
  Typical Hunting Party
  Composition- Two level 2 nomads, with four trained hunting dogs.
  Attributes- Humans have AGY 12, AWR 15, END 12, INL 9, KMA -15, SPD 14, STH 12, WIL 10, BLD 3, BDY 3.  Dogs 
  have AGY 17, END 7, KMA -15, SPD 20, BLD 1, BDY 3, INCY 3.
  Appearance- Middle aged men, carrying old rifles, wearing thick fur lined Chubas, followed by wiry brown dogs.
  Motivations- Despite the fact that hunting is illegal, hunters can make good money selling meat, skin, horns and other parts 
  of wild animals in marketplaces.  The hunters have been hunting for generations and do not believe it is wrong, but will do 
  whatever they can to avoid being caught.
  Methods- When they encounter a prey animal, they let loose their dogs.  The dogs surround and harass the prey, keep the 
  prey in one place while the hunters aim and fire.  Whenever possible, hunters like to fire down from the top of a hill.
  Special Skills- Rifle (3), Prowling (2), Tracking (3).
  Special Equipment- Each has a Matchlock Rifle (takes 2 actions to load a bullet) with Rifle Horns.
  Typical Attack- The dogs have a 2 bladed damage bite and do a split action jump and wing at 1d20 vs. 6.   As a reaction they 
  jump at 1d20 vs. 8.  The humans attack with rifles.  They brace themselves on the ground, take 2 rounds to load a bullet, two 
  rounds to do a double aim, and then make a vital strike at INL(9) + AGY(12) + 1d20 + 8 (dbl. Aim) +12 (skill) +4 (rifle 
  horns) -1 per 6 ft. (2 m.) vs. 35 or 1d20 -1/6ft. +10 vs. 0.
  In Brief- Attack herd animals, can attack vulnerable 
  people.
  
  181
  travel dangers
  Wolves are very smart.  They know that it is dangerous 
  to attack healthy humans.  However, wolves will 
  sometimes attack lost travelers who are alone and tired.  
  Wolves will always prefer to attack prey who is sick or 
  wounded.  When wolves are starving or are rabid they 
  may attack healthy humans.
  Bears
  Bears have also been known to attack travelers.  Bears 
  can attack if a human unwittingly comes too close to a 
  bear’s cubs. Bears can also attack if humans surprise 
  them.  Bears can track a wounded person by smell or can 
  smell food in a PC’s pack from miles away.
  Migyu
  In Brief- Intelligent ape-like creature, may eat humans, 
  hunted for magical blood.
  In Brief- Have good sense of smell, can attack humans 
  if surprised or defending young.
  Typical Wolf Pack
  Composition- 5-10 wolves led by an alpha male who is slightly larger than the rest.
  Attributes- AGY 15, AWR 10, END 10, KMA -7, SPD 17, WIL 15, BLD 2, BDY 4, INCY 3
  Appearance- When wolves attack, they do so quickly: a blur of gray fur with dark eyes and bared fangs.
  Motivations- The pack wants to kill a human or animal for food.
  Methods- Wolves wait patiently until they find prey that is sick, wounded or tired.  They encircle the prey, lunging 
  from all sides to confuse the prey.  They will snap at the prey, trying not to get hurt.  They’re not trying to kill the 
  prey, but to make it weak.  When a wolf sees an opening in the prey’s defenses, it will lunge for the neck, trying 
  to tear it out and kill the prey.
  Special Abilities- +5 to AWR rolls based on hearing, smell or seeing at night.
  Typical Attack- Most wolves will make split action jumps and wings at 1d20 vs. 15.  Successful wings do 1 
  bladed damage.  As a reaction they jump, at 1d20 vs. 5.  When the prey has used up all its actions and reactions 
  for the round, one wolf will make an extended vital strike with its teeth at 1d20 vs. 10.  If successful, the attack 
  does 4 bladed damage.
  Typical Bear
  Attributes- AGY 7, AWR 10, END 14, KMA -5, SPD 13, STH 25, BLD 4, BDY 6, INCY 4
  Appearance- A large, thick creature with broad shoulders and thick, stubby limbs.  It can walk on its hind legs but runs 
  on all fours.  It has thick, shaggy brown hair.
  Motivations- Bears typically kill humans because they think the humans are a danger.
  Methods- Bears will often try to frighten off enemies: standing up on all fours, roaring and rushing at them.  If this 
  doesn’t work they rush at the opponent, knock it down, pin it, and crush it with their teeth.
  Special Abilities- +20 to smell based AWR
  Typical Attack- First a knockdown/pin attack (if successful, victim is knocked down and pinned) at 1d20 vs. 0.  Then, 
  a strike with teeth at 1d20 vs. 7.  The strike does 3 bladed damage (pierces as 5).  As a reaction the bear does a 
  simultaneous swipe with its claws at 1d20 vs. 10.  If successful the swipe does 2 bladed and 1 blunt damage.
  Typical Migyu
  Attributes- AGY 10, AWR 14, END 12, KMA -5, SPD 9, 
  STH 30, BLD 5, BDY 7, INCY 3
  Appearance- 6 ft. (1.8m.) tall, humanoid, thick golden 
  brown fur, long arms, long fingers, a reddish, egg-shaped 
  head, sharp teeth, smells of garlic.
  Motivations- Migyu may attack because they are 
  predators, or they may attack because they are being 
  hunted by humans. 
  Methods- Migyu like to grab large rocks and hurl them at 
  enemies.  If there are no rocks they pick up humans and 
  bite them.
  Special Abilities- Migyu can brachiate (swing through a 
  forest on tree limbs) at 20 SPD.
  Typical Attack- A Migyu can hurl a 20 lb. rock at 1d20 
  -1/ft. vs. 10.  The rock will do 6 blunt damage on impact.  
  As a reaction they will attempt to parry strikes with their 
  hands at 1d20 vs. 5.  If there is nothing to throw they can 
  grab a human, pinning the human’s hands to his or her 
  side, at 1d20 vs. 7.  While the human is pinned they bite, 
  doing 3 bladed damage.   
  
  Tibetans disagree on the true nature of the 
  Migyu.  Some claim that they are dangerous 
  predators who will kill and eat humans, others 
  claim that they are peaceful and only attack out 
  of fear.
  Migyu are most often found in wooded or jungle 
  areas.  They are much smarter than most other 
  animals.  They are also very strong, and could 
  probably rip a human apart.  Their blood is a 
  powerful component in sorcerous ceremonies.  
  Hunters kill Migyu to sell their blood, and the 
  species is near extinction.  
  Migyu can be brought in to an adventure in a 
  number of different ways.  A Migyu can be the 
  enemy, e.g. if a predatory Migyu is hunting the PCs 
  or if the PCs must pass through a Migyu’s home to 
  get to their destination.  PCs may find themselves 
  needing Migyu blood for a ceremony and may have 
  to hunt one down.  Or, PCs may find themselves 
  protecting a Migyu from hunters or sorcerers.
  Mystical 
  Adventures
  For Tibetans, everything is part of a bigger picture.  
  As they go about their day-to-day lives they are 
  aware that their actions will determine their next 
  incarnation.  They know that each human incarnation 
  gives them a chance to escape the cycle of rebirths 
  and become a Bodhisattva.
  Tibetan Buddhists who seek enlightenment do so 
  with a sense of urgency uncommon in Buddhists 
  from other countries.  Tibetan Buddhists are 
  urgent because they know that the tantra makes 
  enlightenment within a single lifetime possible, but 
  that an incarnation where one can practice tantra is 
  incredibly rare.  To be born in a place where tantra is 
  known, at a time after it has been created but before 
  it has been corrupted beyond recognition, in a body 
  capable of learning tantra is a one-in-a-million 
  chance.  This is why some Tibetans continue to 
  seek enlightenment even as war rages around them 
  and their country is in danger of being destroyed. 
  Many adventures will revolve around PCs or 
  NPCs seeking enlightenment despite the many 
  distractions and dangers.
  182
  adventures
  In Brief- Adventures can revolve around PC’s 
  religious activities or helping others with religious 
  activities.
  
  183
  mystical adventures
  Mad Saints
  Although they do not act like it, mad saints have achieved 
  near-enlightenment.  Most have used obscure tantric 
  rituals.  Mad saints are known for rejecting normal 
  codes of behavior, wearing bizarre clothing, being rude 
  and obscene and showing total disdain for scholastic 
  wisdom.  When they teach, it is hard to tell they are 
  teaching at all.  Their teaching techniques include poems, 
  songs and even miming.  They can perform miracles, 
  including reading minds.
  Mad saints do not have to act crude or crazy.  It is a habit 
  they are comfortable with, but they are close enough to 
  enlightenment that they could change in an instant.  
  They act crazy because they know some people will 
  benefit from this manner of teaching.
  A mad saint can be a great advantage to PCs trying to 
  achieve enlightenment.  The first challenge for PCs, 
  however, is to realize that the person is not actually an 
  imbecile or crazy person.  The second challenge may 
  be a bizarre, dangerous or impossible test given to a 
  potential student by a mad saint.  Mad saints use such 
  tests to weed out students who are not serious.  For 
  instance, a PC may be asked to go to a nearby monastery 
  and urinate on a statue of a Buddha, or lift a several-ton 
  boulder.  If a PC refuses the test, he or she will probably 
  be told to go find a traditional Buddhist teacher.
  Mad saints do not tell, they demonstrate.  By doing so 
  they avoid a notorious trap of Buddhist practice: reaching 
  intellectual understanding of an ideal but not actually 
  living by that ideal.  Mad saints often give students tasks 
  that cannot be completed until the student changes his or 
  her personality or understanding of the universe.  Mad 
  saints keep their true purpose and strategy secret: if a 
  student knew what the teacher was trying to do it would 
  be too easy for the student to pretend to have learned the 
  lesson without making actual improvement.
  Buddhist teachings take many forms because there are 
  many different barriers to enlightenment that people 
  must overcome.  Many people benefit from the scholastic 
  training one receives in a monastery.  Some people 
  cannot benefit from such training.  Perhaps they have 
  learned all the scholastic concepts but have not learned 
  to live them.  Perhaps they have minds such that they 
  can not easily learn from books and lectures.  Perhaps 
  they have a prejudice against the scholastic system that 
  would prevent them from benefiting from that path.
  Finding Tulkus
  Tulkus are a major part of the Tibetan Buddhist system. 
  In Yellow Hat monasteries (where abbots cannot have 
  heirs) finding tulkus is necessary to keep monasteries 
  running smoothly.  Many monasteries keep cursed 
  objects or malevolent spirits imprisoned.  The good 
  karma emanating from a tulku helps keep these dangers 
  subdued.  When a tulku dies and the reincarnation is not 
  found quickly, these entities can escape.  The monastery 
  also helps protect the young tulku from corrupting 
  influences that might undo lifetimes of progression 
  towards enlightenment.  Young tulkus are fallible.  A 
  tulku that falls in to the hands of Chinese brainwashers 
  could become an enemy of Buddhism.  A demon king 
  who is an enemy of Buddhism couldn’t hope for a better 
  way to hurt Buddhism than to corrupt a young tulku.
  With the chaos in Tibet, finding the reincarnations of 
  recently deceased tulkus can be very hard.  PCs 
  may be recruited to help find a tulku.  Such a 
  In Brief- Some advanced teachers act crude or 
  crazy, may give students dangerous or pointless 
  tests.
  In Brief- Reincarnations must be found to head 
  monasteries, keep captured spirits at bay, keep the 
  reincarnations from being corrupted.  Many ways to 
  find and test tulkus.  Some tulkus reincarnate in multiple 
  bodies.
  
  Tulkus are found in a variety of ways:
   A dying lama may give clues about where 
  and when he or she will be reincarnated.
   Someone may report a child with strange 
  powers or unusual knowledge.
   Strange phenomenon or omens may occur 
  near a birth.
   Oracles may give instructions on finding 
  the tulku.
  When PCs find what they suspect is a tulku, the tulku is 
  tested.  Tulku finders often present a child with items that 
  belonged to a previous incarnation (along with several that 
  did not).  The true tulku recognizes his or her old items.  
  Oracles can also help confirm a tulku.
  Powerful Tulkus usually reincarnate as children in 
  aristocratic families.  Some very powerful lamas may 
  choose to reincarnate parts of themselves in different 
  incarnations.  For instance one piece may be born in to 
  a family of aristocrats, another in to a family of Unclean 
  butchers.  Each incarnation makes it possible for the tulku 
  to help sentient beings in a different way.
  Shambhala
  The Tibetans have a legend that there is a city hidden 
  in impenetrable mountain peaks to the Northwest.  The 
  leaders and residents of this city have incredible wisdom 
  and Buddhist knowledge.  In this city there is no crime, 
  poverty or suffering and people live to be 100 years old. 
  In the far future, when all of the world’s Buddhists are 
  thought to be destroyed, the King of Shambhala will ride 
  down and conquer the barbarians.
  Tibetans disagree about the true nature of Shambhala.  
  Some believe that it is a real physical place, others that 
  it is a mental state one can achieve.  Some say that it is 
  both: it is a place hidden both in space and in the realms 
  of consciousness.  To find it would require both skill and 
  luck as a mountaineer and high levels of tantric skills (e.g. 
  Pure Vision, Subtle Self or Yidam Tantra).
  Shambhala may even be an adjacent heaven.  Like the 
  adjacent hells (see p.25) this is a “bubble” of another 
  realm that exists in our plane of existence.
  Many Tibetans seek Shambhala.  Shambhala’s teachers 
  and libraries would be of incredible use to a person 
  seeking enlightenment.  Shambhala’s doctors, and 
  the good karma of the place, could cure any illness. 
  Shambhala’s leaders may even give visitors powerful 
  magic weapons to fight the Chinese with.
  Magical 
  Dangers
  Malevolent Spirits
  Spirits are concretions of karma which have gained 
  some level of intelligence and will.  All spirits are 
  invisible and intangible to normal humans unless they 
  become visible or tangible via an act of will.  Just as 
  humans have different skills, spirits have different 
  abilities, from causing diseases to tripping people. 
  As spirits grow older and more powerful they learn 
  more abilities. 
  In Tibet, malevolent spirits have always plagued 
  humanity.  Some spirits are the equivalent of gnats: 
  minor annoyances that can be removed via a simple 
  prayer.  Other spirits become powerful demon kings 
  and queens who can bend the fabric of the universe to 
  their will.
  Some spirits wander randomly through the world. 
  Others have a home area.  Some (like Lu) stay in 
  their home area as a matter of preference, but can go 
  wandering if they desire.  Others (like Zhidag) are 
  bound to a particular place and cannot go far from it. 
  184
  adventures
  In Brief- Hidden mountain city full of powerful, wise 
  people.  May be hidden from unenlightened minds.  Many 
  seek it for the great rewards within.
  In Brief- Many classes of beings, normally invisible or 
  intangible.  Range in power from wisps to demon kings. 
  Instinctively cause suffering.
  The Origin of Spirits
  Some spirits were once the ghosts of dead humans 
  (p.193).  Other spirits may be souls that were 
  reincarnated in this realm as malevolent spirits 
  because of the particulars of their karma.  When 
  spirits reproduce, this is where the souls of the 
  babies come from.  The majority of spirits, however, 
  are created spontaneously from bad karma.
  Karma can randomly form in to desire to exist. 
  Desire is what created everything in the universe, 
  from karma to the laws of physics, so as soon as 
  a spark of desire exists it creates a being that is 
  chained to the world of desires until it can give up 
  desire (reach enlightenment).  It is likely that all the 
  souls in this universe started out as such beings.
  The new spirit is a mindless wisp, but over time it 
  will grow more and more powerful.  It may be eaten 
  or destroyed, and go on to another incarnation, or it 
  may become a powerful spirit or even a demon.
  Since the karma the being is made of is mostly bad 
  karma, the spirit is born with an instinctual desire 
  to cause suffering.
  
  185
  magical dangers
  Special Rules for Spirits
  Magical Strength- Spirits have an attribute called Magical Strength (MSTH).  Every action they take, whether 
  physical, mental or magical, uses MSTH.  MSTH is also the power that keeps them in this current existence.  If 
  MSTH reaches 0, the spirit disperses.  A spirit can not use any attribute at a level higher than its current magical 
  STH.  So, if a spirit’s MSTH is reduced to 3, so is it’s INL, AWR, CHM and even WIL.
  Using MSTH- A spirit uses up 1 point of MSTH any time it makes an opposed WIL roll.  A spirit uses 1 or more 
  MSTH any time it tries to effect the universe in any way.  See p.189 for a list of possible spirit powers and the 
  MSTH used by each.  Anything that “damages” a spirit reduces its MSTH.  A spirit will not willingly use its last 
  point of MSTH.  When resting, lost MSTH returns at a rate of 1 MSTH per round.  Spirits also gain MSTH any 
  time they cause suffering in another being or any time they are worshipped or spoken of.
  Entering Humans- Some spirits are capable of entering a human body and causing the person misfortunes from 
  within.  The spirit rolls WIL + 1d20 (remembering that WIL cannot be higher than the current MSTH).  The victim 
  can save with an opposed WIL + 1d20.  The spirit gets a bonus or penalty that is the opposite of the victim’s KMA 
  Emanation (see p.149).  If the spirit succeeds, the victim is not aware that he or she has been entered by en evil 
  spirit.  Once inside, the spirit is very difficult to dislodge and can easily cause all kinds of problems to happen to 
  the victim (see p.189), also with the same KMA bonus or penalty.  The spirit can even make an opposed WIL roll 
  to try to gain control of the PC’s physical movements.  See Sharing Minds, p.79, for more.
  Example- A Tsen (with 20 MSTH, 10 AGY, 7 AWR, 5 INL, 17 STH, 10 WIL) tries to invade the body of Dawa, 
  a young White Robe.  It rolls WIL + 1d20 vs. 20 to try to invade Dawa’s body.  Dawa’s KMA is high, but she is 
  carrying a cursed phurba and is in a haunted graveyard, making her total KMA Emanation -3.  This means the 
  Tsen gets +3 to its roll.  Dawa rolls WIL + 1d20 vs. 20.  Dawa succeeds by more: the spirit is rebuffed and Dawa 
  is aware that something tried to enter her.  The attempt used 1 MSTH.
  Dawa says “your actions have taught me much about the nature of ignorance - I owe you thanks for this great 
  gift you have given me.”  This enrages the spirit and it begins picking up 20 lb. rocks and hurling them at Dawa. 
  Just like a human would, the Tsen rolls INL + AGY rolls to hit Dawa.  Dawa dodges the rocks.  Each time the 
  spirit throws a rock it uses 2 MSTH.  After throwing three rocks, the spirit’s MSTH is down to 13, meaning its 
  STH is effectively 13.  It fails the STH feat necessary to pick up a large rock.  Dawa taunts it again, calling it 
  weak.  In a rage, it desperately tries to lift the rock, using more MSTH each time.  After four more tries the spirit’s 
  MSTH is down to 4. Its low MSTH is now effecting its INL and AWR, making it stupider and less aware of its 
  surroundings.
  It does not notice Dawa reach in to a harrying horn and grab a handful of seeds which have been blessed to harm 
  spirits.  She hurls the seeds at the spirit, surprising it and doing 3 damage to MSTH.  The spirit now has 1 MSTH 
  and its attributes are effectively 1.  It could try to dodge Dawa’s attack, but would almost certainly be too clumsy 
  and slow to succeed.  Dawa throws another handful of seeds and the spirit’s current incarnation ends.
  tsen
  
  Unpopulated wilderness areas, where nobody has 
  bothered to exorcise the native spirits (or turn them 
  to dharmapalas) are rife with spirits.  If these spirits 
  find travelers, some will follow them, hoping to be led to a 
  population of victims.  Travelers coming from distant places 
  are often avoided because they may have a train of curious 
  spirits following them.
  All spirits are instinctively drawn to bad karma and 
  instinctively want to cause suffering to other beings.  Only 
  a minority of spirits are able to overcome these instincts and 
  act neutrally or benevolently towards humans.
  Chinese Problems
  Wherever the Chinese have been there is a rash of attacks by 
  malevolent spirits.  The spirit attacks are caused by:
   
  Bad karma created by Chinese actions, which attracts or 
  can even create malevolent spirits.
   
  Zhidag spirits driven insane or in to a rage by Chinese 
  mining, road building or bombing.
   
  The peasants may be too distracted by war to perform 
  the folk-magic ceremonies which keep the normally-neutral 
  local spirits appeased.
   
  Many monasteries have trapped malevolent spirits which 
  they are unable to destroy.  If a monastery is abandoned, 
  there are no longer monks to perform the ceremonies that 
  keep these spirits at bay.
   
  Even dharmapalas can be driven mad by the Chinese. 
  They are driven to such rage that they may attack innocent 
  people without realizing it.
  Minor Spirits
  1 to 5 MSTH (see p.185).  When seen (by those who have 
  the power to see such things) these spirits appear as nothing 
  more than small transparent wisps.  They float around 
  aimlessly, like gnats, congregating in places where there is 
  bad karma.  These spirits are blind, except for the ability to 
  sense bad karma.  Peasants purchase thread crosses and put 
  them around their dwellings.  The spirits get caught in the 
  threads and are trapped there.
  They have little or no intelligence and only have the ability to 
  cause minor misfortunes.  They may cause food to spoil, or 
  frighten animals, or cause small accidents.  If they enter 
  a body, they may cause fevers, headaches, tiredness, 
  irritability, nervousness or minor bad luck.
  186
  adventures
  Classes of Malevolent Spirits
  Crossbreeds- Spirits are capable of reproducing 
  with each other.  Crossbreeds are rare, but have their 
  own unique names, characteristics and rituals.  E.g. 
  the  Lumân are the white offspring of Lu spirits and 
  Mân goddesses.
  Düd- These spirits are black colored, openly 
  malevolent and opposed to Buddhism.  They eat 
  human flesh and send illnesses.  Persecutors of 
  Buddhism may become düd when they die.  There are 
  360 düd.  They live in the earth, in fires, in the water 
  and in the sky.  Some will enter a sick or mortally 
  wounded person’s body and torment that person by 
  not letting him or her die (see p.134).  Their primary 
  goal is to cause ignorance.
  Gyelpo- Folk heroes, evil lamas and kings who 
  persecuted Buddhism became Gyelpo after death.  
  The dharmapala Pehar is in charge of these spirits. 
  They are white and appear in full armor.  A Gyelpo 
  may be worshipped by local people.
  Lu (Heavenly)- These resemble Chinese dragons. 
  Some live in the heavens, where they guard the 
  houses of gods.  Others live in the hidden realms of 
  consciousness, where they guarding tantric teachings 
  hidden there by Buddhist saints.  Others live in the 
  sky and cause great storms.  They are giant, reptilian 
  quadrupeds with long snake-like bodies.  Their 
  feet have clawed, prehensile toes.  They have long 
  alligator-like snouts.  The Lu guard great riches. 
  Sorcerers and Bön priests often worship Lu, hoping 
  to gain small portions of their wealth.  The Lu are 
  preyed-upon by garudas (see p.19).
  Lu (Water)- This type of Lu resembles the Indian 
  naga.  They have the bodies of snakes, the torsos and 
  heads of humans but with a cobra-like hood.  The 
  Lu live in bodies of water and often cause floods 
  and droughts.  The Lu have communities much like 
  humans, with Lu that are good and evil, noble and 
  common, Buddhist and non-Buddhist.  Heavenly and 
  Water Lu occasionally take human form to explore 
  the world from a human viewpoint, and may create 
  offspring.  The Lu are associated with the color blue.
  Mamo- Worshipped as mother goddesses in ancient 
  times, these goddesses control disease.  They 
  sometimes appear as beautiful young women with 
  dark skin and black hair.  Other times they appear 
  as hideous, half-naked monsters with drooping 
  breasts, jet black skin and matted hair.  Mamo carry 
  sacks full of diseases and magic weapons.  They can 
  occasionally help those who please them, but have 
  awful tempers and can go quickly from helpful to 
  deadly.
  Minor Classes- Apart from crossbreeds, there are 
  hundreds of minor classes of spirits. They are “minor” 
  because they are rare, not because they are any less 
  In Brief- Chinese presence causes many disruptions which 
  can cause spirits to attack.
  In Brief- Tiny wisps, blind and stupid, cause minor 
  misfortunes.
  
  187
  magical dangers
  Dangerous Spirits
  6 to 10 MSTH.  These spirits do have some intelligence and 
  self-awareness, yet are not as smart as the average human. 
  They can remember humans and carry grudges.  They can 
  recognize places and objects.  They are sometimes smart 
  enough to avoid, or to escape from, thread crosses.  Their 
  primary sense is an ability to smell the unique karma of a 
  being.  They can be fooled to going in to a glud (see p.27) if 
  some of the human’s karmic “scent” has been transferred in 
  to the glud.  They will believe they are inside their chosen 
  victim, attacking him or her, when they are actually inside 
  a piece of dough.
  Some dangerous spirits cause poor weather, others cause 
  objects to become lost, others start or put out fires.  Inside 
  the body, dangerous spirits can cause vomiting, weight 
  loss, nightmares, clumsiness, confusion or bad luck.
  Demons
  11 to 15 MSTH.  These have the range of intelligence of 
  a normal human.  They have some of the same senses as 
  humans (e.g. sight, hearing or touch) as well as the ability 
  to sense and track karma.  Although malevolent, they have 
  the intelligence, willpower and self-awareness to control 
  their murderous impulses when it benefits them to do so. 
  A demon, for instance, would probably avoid chasing a 
  victim in to a monastery.  Demons are more patient and 
  more selective about who they prey on.  They often wait 
  until someone makes the mistake of provoking them 
  somehow.  Some demons have grown to enjoy offerings 
  and obeisance and will not attack humans who propitiate 
  them.  Although intelligent, demons are full of hatred and 
  can be easily provoked in to doing something stupid.
  Some demons have realized that attacking Buddhism, even 
  though it does not cause much immediate suffering, creates 
  much more suffering in the long-term.  These demons 
  became enemies of Buddhism.  A few demons have actually 
  realized that their lives are horrible and have tried to turn to 
  Buddhist practice to escape from suffering.  
  Demons have a whole range of abilities which they can 
  use, and they are capable of teaching themselves new 
  abilities.  Demons can cause destructive weather (droughts, 
  hailstorms, blizzards, flooding), can ruin crops, can control 
  or kill animals and can make people see illusions.  If they 
  can enter a human, they can take control of the human’s 
  body or they can cause epilepsy, internal bleeding, extreme 
  bad luck or madness.  Thread crosses rarely work on 
  demons.  They might be trapped by a thread cross if forced 
  in to one by a skilled magical practitioner or if they 
  become stupid after expending a lot of MSTH.
  dangerous.  Included are the Balmo (flesh eating 
  goddesses), the Mu (appearing as bloated, dark purple 
  monsters) the Gegs (demons who create obstacles to 
  get in the way of those seeking enlightenment), Zah 
  (deities associated with planets who cause disease 
  and epilepsy) and the Citipati (graveyard demons, 
  appearing as dancing skeletons).
  Nyen- These spirits live in the sky, on plains, in trees, 
  in rocks or in springs.  They appear as yellow or green 
  colored bovines.  They cause diseases which cripple 
  limbs.
  Söndrema- These spirits make themselves visible 
  to peasant men they find walking in lonely places at 
  night.  When they first appear they look like beautiful 
  women, but as they approach they turn in to old 
  women with tusks.  A Söndrema will destroy the 
  victim with sorcery unless the victim can touch the 
  Söndrema on the forehead with an ivory ring without 
  feeling any fear (make a hard save vs. fear).
  Sri- Appear as giant monsters with human bodies 
  and animal heads.  Many live underground, feeding 
  on corpses.  Some come above-ground to feed on 
  the life-force of humans or other animals.  There 
  are many subtypes of Sri with different preferred 
  victims and different methods of extracting life force, 
  e.g. “weapon Sri” cause physical wounds to appear 
  on victims, “suicide Sri” put thoughts of suicide in 
  people’s minds, “water Sri” lurk in rivers and grab 
  and drown waders. 
  The’u Rang- These beings are born from the fat of 
  the turtle that this world is sitting on the back of (see 
  p.19).  They cause quarreling, make children sick and 
  send hailstorms and lightning.
  Trickster Spirits- These spirits enjoy playing 
  humorous tricks on humans.  Trickster spirits do not 
  necessarily gain power from causing misery, but from 
  having stories of their tricks told and retold.  They 
  usually take physical form as small birds or rodents.
  Tsen- The Tsen appear as red warriors with full 
  armor and monstrous faces.  They ride terrible horses 
  through the sky, shooting people with disease-causing 
  arrows.   Sometimes when Tsen make themselves 
  visible to humans their backs are transparent, showing 
  their entrails.  A human who sees the entrails of a Tsen 
  will become deathly ill.  Many monks who reject their 
  vows become Tsen after death.  They often haunt the 
  monasteries they lived in during life.  Some live in 
  rocks, others live in the sky.  In pre-Buddhist Tibet the 
  king was the human representative of the Tsen.
  Zhidag- These are spirits of the Earth.  They control 
  the fertility of the soil and are provoked to attack 
  whenever anything damages the soil (e.g. mining 
  or heavy traffic).  The Zhidag can even help repair 
  portals to hell that appear in the earth (see p.195). 
  They are associated with the color green.
  In Brief- Human intelligence, range of deadly powers, 
  have learned patience and self-interest.
  In Brief- Smarter and more dangerous, but can still 
  be fooled.
  
  Demon Lords
  16 to 20 MSTH.  Can be as smart (or as stupid) as any 
  human.  They have every sense that a human has and they 
  can sense karma and read minds.  Demon lords enslave 
  other spirits (as well as ghosts, cursed objects and other 
  magical beings), making them in to personal servants.  In 
  pre-Buddhist times, the Demon Lords were worshiped. 
  In remote villages, some still are worshipped as gods.
  Demons Lords have a complex agenda.  They could 
  easily run around killing 
  humans, but they have 
  evolved 
  beyond 
  the 
  need to cause immediate 
  suffering.  Instead, they 
  have 
  complex 
  plans 
  for how to cause long-
  term, 
  global 
  suffering. 
  In addition to the need 
  to cause suffering, they 
  have many of the same 
  motivations humans do: 
  curiosity, pride, boredom, 
  greed.  A demon lord may 
  have a liking for music 
  or riddles.  Some demon 
  lords even take human 
  form to engage in sexual 
  intercourse (occasionally 
  leading 
  to 
  half-human 
  offspring).
  Demon lords grant favors 
  to worshippers because 
  worship 
  gives 
  them 
  power.  They may toy 
  with humans for their 
  own personal amusement.  
  Whenever possible, they 
  trick humans in to doing 
  harmful acts.  A human 
  who does bad things gains bad karma and will suffer in 
  many future reincarnations, not just in the current one.
  Demon Lords can do any and all of the following: cause 
  earthquakes and landslides, physically attack humans, 
  cause instant and irrevocable madness and manipulate 
  people’s thoughts or memories.  Gluds do not work on 
  Demon Lords and thread crosses may hold them only if 
  the thread cross was specially prepared for that particular 
  lord.
  Demon Kings and Queens
  20+ MSTH.  The kings and queens are all of above-
  average intelligence.  They can read minds and see things 
  happening in any of the worlds.  Some can see the future 
  and past.  They each have their own “kingdoms.”  A few 
  have kingdoms on Earth or in one of the hells, but most 
  have created their own levels of reality.
  Demon kings and queens can create lesser malevolent 
  spirits who are splinters of their own essence.  These 
  entities act as independent 
  intelligences, 
  though 
  can be reabsorbed later. 
  A demon king or queen 
  has a complex retinue 
  of servants, soldiers and 
  ministers, made up of 
  entities they created and 
  entities they enslaved.  
  These hierarchies have 
  politics and bureaucracy, 
  just like any government 
  or military.  Each major 
  demon king and queen 
  is also recognized as the 
  lord of some class of 
  malevolent spirit.  They 
  can command entities of 
  that class and very few 
  entities would have the 
  courage or willpower to 
  resist.
  Most of the demon kings 
  and queens have been 
  turned in to dharmapalas 
  (bound to oaths to protect 
  humanity).  They try to 
  encourage 
  the 
  spirits 
  under their control to do 
  as little harm as possible 
  and they fight against the non-dharmapala demon kings 
  and queens.  Yama (the lord of the hells) is one of the 
  most powerful demon kings turned dharmapalas.  There 
  are still demon kings and queens who have not submitted 
  to be bound and are at war with the Dharmapala demon 
  kings and queens.  Many of these dharmapala demon 
  kings and queens are smart enough to realize that being 
  bound to do good is a good thing.  They are on their own 
  path towards enlightenment, utilizing the same Buddhist 
  teachings meant for gods and heavenly spirits.  Some 
  have almost achieved enlightenment and passed out of 
  this world.  The dharmapala Pehar is so advanced 
  that he will soon be reborn in a higher heaven, 
  above the realms of desire.
  188
  adventures
  anti-demon charm
  In Brief- Have slaves, very powerful, have a wide 
  range of interests and plans.
  In Brief- Godlike and subtle, in charge of whole 
  armies, most are dharmapalas.
  
  189
  magical dangers
  Just like Buddhas, demon kings and queens rarely 
  intervene directly in human affairs.  A single human 
  life is typically too petty for them to deal with.  Demon 
  Kings and queens concern themselves with pivotal points in 
  history.  When Padmasambhava brought Buddhism to Tibet 
  or when Namri Songsten tried to unite the warring empires of 
  Tibet, the demon kings and queens tried to interfere directly. 
  Otherwise, they allow their servants and ministers to meddle 
  in human affairs.
  Even when demon kings and queens do choose to 
  intervene in human affairs, their actions are often 
  confusing.  This is probably because they have 
  knowledge that humans do not.  If demon kings and 
  queens seem reluctant to help the Chinese smash 
  Buddhism in Tibet, perhaps it is because they know 
  that Chinese invasion of Tibet may have beneficial 
  effects decades or even centuries from now.
  Demon kings and queens can open physical gateways 
  between the realms of the universe.  They can 
  transform animate or inanimate objects in to other 
  things.  If they can enter a human they can control the 
  human’s mind and mutate the human’s body.  Only a 
  very special thread cross, built by a master exorcist 
  and with rare and dangerous components, can 
  hold a demon king or queen.
  Seeing Demons
  Demon kings and queens do not have physical bodies 
  (although they can temporarily create physical bodies if 
  they desire).  When people “see” them, they are seeing 
  the minds and personalities of these creatures (as well as 
  a bit of the viewer’s mind reflected back on him or her). 
  Similarly, the realms that the demon kings and queens 
  live in are reflections of the minds of the demons.
  In his or her own realm, a demon king or queen stands 
  in the middle of an endless sea of blood.  The demon 
  is a giant, dwarfing everything else.  The sky is black 
  and starless, the only light comes from fires that leap up 
  spontaneously from the bloody sea.  The demon itself 
  may also be on fire.  Floating in the sea are pieces of fat 
  and parts of bodies.
  The demon has many arms, each holding a large, blood-
  encrusted weapon.  It has thick, muscular limbs, claw-
  like fingernails, a bloated belly and a beast-like face.  It 
  wears clothing made from flayed skins and ornaments 
  made from human bones.  It has a third eye in the 
  middle of its forehead, flared nostrils, a huge fang-filled 
  mouth and hair matted with blood or grease.
  The demon king or queen is a blur of ceaseless motion.  
  Live victims (appearing as humans and other creatures) 
  are constantly appearing in the sea of blood in front of 
  it.  With some hands it hacks the victims to pieces with 
  its weapons.  With other hands it grabs corpses and eats 
  them whole.  With other hands it thrashes the water, 
  creating huge tidal waves.  The demon lets out a scream 
  of rage that never stops.
  The demon may be riding on a giant animal (e.g. bear, 
  frog, tiger) or may be standing on a pile of corpses and 
  dying victims.  Surrounding the demon are hundreds of 
  lesser servants, smaller but equally monstrous, waiting 
  for any command from their master.
  Possible Spirit Abilities
  Outside People
  MSTH
  used
  Any WIL Roll
  1
  Cause Food to Spoil
  3
  Appear Visually
  3/round
  Communicate Telepathically
  3/round
  Create an Illusion
  4/round
  Manipulate Coincidence (±10 to any one 
  chance based roll)
  5
  Start Fires
  5
  Trip People
  5
  Cause Crop Blight
  5
  Control Animals
  5/round
  Animate a Corpse
  6 +1/round
  Cause Draught
  7
  Cause a 1 Bladed Damage Cut
  8
  Send Disease
  10
  Lift/Throw an Object
  10/round
  Cause Hail
  10
  Create a Lesser Spirit Emanation
  10 +desired 
  MSTH
  Cause Blizzard
  15
  Take Physical Form
  20
  Cause Floods
  20
  Create a Physical Gateway Between Realms
  20
  Create Physical Objects
  25
  Cause Earthquakes/Landslides
  25
  Transmute Inanimate Objects
  30
  Inside People
  MSTH
  used
  Enter a Human
  1
  Cause Nightmares
  (½ sleep deprivation damage)
  2
  Cause Headaches (20 difficulty to save)
  3
  Cause Anger (20 difficulty to save)
  3
  Cause Clumsiness (-7 to AGY rolls)
  3
  Cause Weight Loss (-2 END, -½ BDY)
  3
  Cause Bad Luck (-4 on all rolls)
  4
  Cause Temporary Insanity
  (+3 dark attachments)
  5/day
  Cause Vomiting (30 difficulty to save)
  5
  Cause Confusion (-10 INL, -10 AWR)
  5
  Cause Seizures (20 difficulty to save)
  7
  Cause Extreme bad luck (-10 on all rolls)
  7
  Cause Internal Bleeding (3 BLD damage)
  10
  Cause Permanent Insanity
  (+3 dark attachments)
  15
  Manipulate Thoughts & Memories
  20
  Mutate Host Body
  25
  
  hungry ghost
  False Dharmapalas
  One way in which spirits can gain MSTH is to have 
  worshippers.  Prayers, offerings, even the telling of stories 
  about a spirit can add to its power.  Some malevolent 
  spirits pretend to be good dharmapalas in order to gain 
  worshippers.  These spirits lead a double life: in one guise 
  they do good deeds, yet in their true form they continue to 
  wreak havoc.
  Many false dharmapalas start by possessing an Oracle.  
  They give useful advice or solve problems of petitioners.  
  As they grow more powerful, they become able to 
  manifest themselves visually to worshipers.
  A false dharmapala may reveal its true nature if it loses 
  its temper.  For example, if a worshiper forgets to give a 
  daily offering, the false dharmapala may fly in to a rage 
  and attack this worshipper.  False dharmapalas will try 
  to kill (or drive insane) anyone who discovers their true 
  natures.
  False dharmapalas can range in MSTH from 6 to 
  20.
  Unearthly Beings
  Malevolent spirits are native to this plane of existence.  
  This plane of existence is one of the few that has both 
  physical and spiritual beings living in it.  There are 
  many other beings living in other worlds and planes of 
  existence.  Some of these beings are weak, some are 
  incredibly powerful, some are benevolent and some 
  are malevolent.  Even the benevolent beings have their 
  flaws and may be dangerous to PCs if PCs get on their 
  bad sides.  Many of these beings have the power to 
  travel to this world, or may end up here due to a cosmic 
  accident.
  Hungry Ghosts
  Between our realm and the hell realms is the realm of 
  the hungry ghosts.  It is a realm where people are reborn 
  when they have caused themselves great suffering with 
  a self-destructive obsession.  The hungry ghost realm is 
  a realm of constant and unending hunger.  The hungry 
  ghosts’ bodies prevent them from ever getting enough 
  food or water.
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  Typical Mamo Demon
  Attributes- MSTH 12, AGY 5, AWR 12, INL 10, KMA -20,  
  SPD 5, STH 10, WIL 10.
  Appearance- Normally invisible.  If seen it looks like 
  an ugly old woman with jet black skin, drooping breasts, 
  matted hair and fangs.
  Abilities
   
  Cause Food to Spoil (uses 3 MSTH)
   
  Appear Visually (uses 3 MSTH/round)
   
  Create an Illusion (uses 4 MSTH/round)
   
  Cause Crop Blight (uses 5 MSTH)
   
  Animate a Corpse (uses 6 MSTH +1/round)
   
  Send Diseases (uses 10 MSTH)
  Motivations- The Mamo is willing to leave people alone 
  (or even help them occasionally) if treated with respect and 
  given offerings.  However, this doesn’t stop the Mamo from 
  preying on strangers who wander in to her home territory or 
  killing worshipers who displease her.
  Special Plusses/Minuses- The mamo is at -15 to any save 
  vs. anger.
  Typical Attack- The mamo throws a disease at the victim, 
  this uses 10 MSTH and requires a strike roll (INL + AGY 
  + 1d20 vs. 25, or 1d20 vs. 10).  If the disease hits the 
  victim, the victim must make a save vs. disease contraction 
  (difficulty 30) or come down with a deadly illness (disease 
  progression rating: 20, disease progression speed: 1 day, 
  symptoms: -5 END, -5 STH, -5 SPD, vomiting (10), 1 BLD 
  damage).
  In Brief- Malevolent spirits pretend to be dharmapalas to 
  gain worshipers.
  In Brief- Many beings in other worlds, with many 
  different powers.
  In Brief- Beings from a world of constant desire, can 
  be placated with food offerings, can attack out of 
  desperation, cause food to spoil.
  
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  If a hungry ghost finds itself in this realm, it will 
  be intangible and invisible like a malevolent spirit. 
  The ghost will be too hungry and thirsty to care where 
  it is.  It will go around trying to find food and drink.  If 
  it finds no food or drink, it will start attacking humans out 
  of desperation.  A small offering of food and drink will not 
  satiate the spirit but will typically keep it from attacking 
  people.  If the hungry ghost gets in to a store of food or 
  drink it will cause the food to spoil and liquids to turn to 
  poison.  Many of the hungry ghosts were once beings of 
  this realm.  They have memories of this life, although they 
  are typically too distracted to use them.  If captured, there 
  is some chance that a hungry ghost can be reasoned with.
  The Hells
  There are two types of creatures living in the hells:
  Hell Beings- These are beings from other realms who 
  have been reincarnated in the hells with some of their 
  memories still intact.  Their form is determined by their 
  karma and is particular to the hell they end up in.  For 
  example: In the first hot hell (where inhabitants are forced 
  to continually fight and kill each other) the hell beings 
  look like wrathful demons.  In the eighth hot hell 
  (where inhabitants are perpetually on fire) the hell 
  beings look like mountains made up of charred 
  and flaming flesh.
  Hell beings arrive in the hells with memories 
  of their last incarnation, but the suffering of 
  the hells quickly drives them insane.  It is very 
  rare for a hell being to give any thought to who it 
  is or what its future goals are.  They act like animals, 
  fleeing or fighting out of fear, pain and rage.
  Hell Beings may accidentally flee in to our world 
  through a portal to hell (see p.195).  In this world 
  they will typically be invisible and intangible, like 
  malevolent spirits.  They may still think they are in hell 
  and may attack humans out of fear.
  Shinje- The Shinje are the torturers of hell.  They are 
  created by the bad karma of the hells’ residents.  They 
  are created with minds and bodies perfectly suited 
  to torturing hell beings.  They are the ones who saw 
  hell beings in to pieces, pour molten metal down their 
  throats or impale them on burning skewers.  They also 
  guard the hells to prevent escapes and hunt down hell 
  beings who do manage to escape.
  If a Shinje finds itself in this realm, it will become a 
  spirit of death.  It will find and kill humans with karma 
  bad enough to cause reincarnation in the hells.  It will 
  also hunt down ghosts who have avoided reincarnation 
  and torture them until they give up this incarnation.
  Typical Hungry Ghost
  Attributes- MSTH 8, AGY 3, AWR 3, INL 5, KMA -20, SPD 
  2, STH 2, WIL 1.
  Appearance- Although typically invisible, those who can see 
  a hungry ghost will see an emaciated human with thin limbs 
  and a huge head and belly.  Its mouth is a tiny pinhole and it 
  can only squeak.  Its skin is so dry and leathery that it cracks 
  and oozes fluid when the being moves.  It is dressed in rags or 
  is naked and its eyes are wide with desperation.
  Motivations- The being is tortured, without stop, by terrible 
  hunger and thirst.  It is desperate to the point of madness and 
  will do anything to get even a drop of liquid or a crumb of 
  food.
  Methods- The hungry ghost will wander the land looking for 
  food or drink.  If it finds humans it will be unable to communicate 
  with them and may attack them out of desperation.  If it finds 
  a large supply of food or drink that food or drink will turn to 
  poison.  If the hungry ghost is very lucky it will figure out how 
  to go inside a person.  Once inside someone, the hungry ghost 
  sucks up any food or drink the person eats.  Without help, the 
  victim will die of thirst or starvation.
  Typical Attack- The hungry ghost will make an extended 
  strike at STH + AGY +5 vs. 1d20 (or 1d20 vs. 15).  Each 
  attack uses 5 MSTH (the ghost will have to wait 5 rounds 
  before attacking again).  Each successful attack causes 1 blunt 
  damage and 1 day’s worth of starvation damage (see p.152).
  Typical Hell Being
  Attributes- MSTH 10, AGY 10, AWR 10, INL 1, KMA -30, 
  SPD 10, STH 10, WIL 1.
  Appearance- Invisible and intangible, but to those who can 
  see it, the hell being appears as a 10 ft. (3m.) tall, naked, badly 
  deformed human, covered with sores and injuries.  It carries 
  weapons and its eyes bulge with fear and hatred.
  Motivations- The hell being is completely insane, and is 
  acting out of instinct.  It thinks it is in hell and it thinks 
  anything it sees is a threat.  It will attack any being that comes 
  near it.  It is difficult to frighten away because it perceives 
  danger in every direction.
  Methods- The hell being does not understand that it is a 
  spiritual being in a physical world.  Though it will attack 
  anything and anyone it comes across, it is a matter of chance 
  whether an attack will actually do anything to the target.  The 
  hell being also emanates bad karma (-3 KMA emanation) 
  which will cause problems all around it.
  Typical Attack- The hell being will attempt an extended 
  strike with one of its weapons at STH + AGY + 5 (extended) 
  +1d20 (or 1d20 vs. 0).  The strike uses 5 MSTH, which means 
  the being must rest for 5 rounds before it can strike again. 
  Each strike only has a 50% chance of doing any real damage.  
  If it does damage, if causes 1d6 bladed damage.
  In Brief- The tortured (insane monsters) and the torturers 
  (cruel beasts with torture implements instead of hands) 
  may end up in this realm as invisible spirits.
  
  Shinje look like huge muscular humanoids with 
  the heads of animals.  They either hold torture 
  implements or have torture implements instead of 
  hands.  They may have pincers, claws, spikes, or saws 
  on their limbs.  These torture implements will either glow 
  red with heat or will be so cold they will crackle.
  Rakshasas
  Our world is one of four “continent” worlds that surround 
  Mount Meru (see p.19).  Each of these worlds has intelligent 
  inhabitants.  Each of these worlds also has two satellite 
  worlds to either side of it.  Rakshasas are beings from the 
  satellite to the left of this world.  They are the only beings 
  close enough and powerful enough to regularly visit our 
  realm.  Humans have also been known to visit their realm, 
  accidentally or on purpose.
  Rakshasas are cruel and bloodthirsty.  They 
  enjoy tormenting humans, killing them, drinking 
  their blood and eating their flesh.  Rakshasas are 
  also accomplished sorcerers.  Rakshasas may appear 
  in this realm as invisible spirits or as physical beings. 
  When they are physical beings they have the power 
  to change shape.  They take on benign physical forms 
  (e.g. sheep, dogs, children).  When they get close to 
  their prey, though, they enjoy frightening the prey by 
  reverting to their original forms.  In their true form they 
  are giant cat-like humanoids.
  In the past, Rakshasas have put together small armies 
  to attack our realms.  In each instance, some powerful 
  saint, hero or god drove them back.
  Heavenly Beings
  Some beings have such good karma that they are 
  reincarnated in the heavens.  These beings are generally 
  superior to humans: smarter, stronger, wiser, longer-
  lived.  When humans encounter them they are typically 
  benevolent.  However, they are not perfect.  They 
  have flaws which can cause them to be dangerous to 
  humans.
   
  Yakshas: Still revel in the pleasures of human form: 
  sex, athletics and eating.  Some enjoy eating so much 
  that they develop a taste for human flesh.
   
  Garudas: Incredibly powerful bird-like creatures.  
  They have not surpassed the predatory instinct.  Their 
  chosen prey is the largest of the Lu spirits.
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  Typical Shinje
  Attributes- MSTH 18, AGY 12, AWR 7, INL 4, KMA -30, 
  SPD 12, STH 18, WIL 5.
  Appearance- A 20 ft. (6m.) tall humanoid with the head of a 
  donkey.  Instead of hands it has red hot pincers on one hand and 
  a red-hot saw on the other.
  Motivations- This being was born with an instinct to torture the 
  denizens of the hells.  If it comes to this realm it will continue 
  to seek out and torture those with bad karma.  As it spends more 
  time in this world it may adjust to the rules of this place and 
  become another malevolent spirit.
  Typical Attack- The Shinje attacks with its pincer or saw at 
  1d20 vs. 0.  If successful, the victim takes 1 burn damage and 
  must save vs. distracting pain (difficulty 40).  The attack uses 
  5 MSTH.
  Typical Rakshasa
  Attributes- In their true form: AGY 15, AWR 13, END 16, INL 10, KMA -10, SPD 15, STH 25, WIL 14, BLD 4,  
  BDY 6, INCY 5.
  Appearance- A large (10 ft. or 3 m. tall) humanoid with fangs, claws and skin that has the appearance of raw flesh.  The 
  eyes, nose and mouth are feline.
  Motivations- The Rakshasa is a predator.  It sees humans as prey to be toyed with, then killed and devoured.
  Methods- The Rakshasa can change shapes.  It will change in to a small child and come up to a lone human, asking for 
  help.  It may converse with the human, just for the thrill of interacting with unknowing prey.  When it is close enough it 
  will revert to its true form.  It will grab the human, bite open the human’s veins, drink the blood and then bite the flesh 
  from the bones.
  Special Abilities
   
  Good sense of smell (+7 to smell based AWR rolls)
   
  Shape-shifting (requires a moderate WIL roll, the Rakshasa can not increase its physical abilities).
   
  Enhanced healing (heals 1 BLD or BDY point per hour).
  Special Skills- Animation (2), Bird Control (2), Disease Sorcery (4), Poisons (2), Simple Curses (2), Zor (2).
  Typical Attack- At range 3 it can grab a human (at 1d20 vs. 7) and then pick up and bite the human (doing 5 bladed 
  damage).  The Rakshasa is +5 to hit because of its size.
  In Brief- Giant, shape-shifting, predators from a nearby 
  world; come here to eat humans.
  In Brief- Advanced, but imperfect, may involve humans 
  in their wars.
  
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  Devas: Heavenly beings that live in a realm 
  very close to enlightenment.  The Devas only flaw 
  is pride, but this flaw prevents them from entering the 
  higher heavens.  They think they are being barred from 
  these heavens.  They do not realize that they are keeping 
  themselves from these realms.  Out of frustration, they 
  wage war against the beings of the higher heavens.  These 
  wars are futile and will ultimately end in painful death. 
  The Devas may live thousands of years in paradise, but in 
  the end they will die painful deaths and be reborn in the 
  hell realms.
  They may occasionally recruit humans to help them in the 
  war.  They hope that humans might be able to go places and 
  do things that the Devas can’t.
  The Undead
  Ghosts
  Usually, when a human dies, that human’s soul goes on to 
  another rebirth.  Sometimes the soul remains in this realm. 
  There are many possible reasons:
   
  -The soul did not have someone doing the bardo 
  ceremony to guide it and it got lost.
   
  -A sorcerer sabotaged the soul’s path towards rebirth.
   
  -A demon lord captured and enslaved the soul before it 
  could be reborn.
   
  -The person had some unfulfilled need in this realm and 
  resisted rebirth by pure force of will.
  A ghost who spends enough time as an invisible spirit 
  in this realm will become one of the many classes of 
  malevolent spirits (see p.186).  Persecutors of Buddhism 
  and (other great villains) will become Düd spirits.  Monks 
  who have rejected their vows will become Tsen.  Evil 
  lamas will become Gyelpo spirits.
  Until they become malevolent spirits, however, ghosts are 
  unique beings.  They have the memories and personalities 
  of humans, but the potential to do anything a malevolent 
  spirit can do.  As they learn abilities that let them effect the 
  physical world, they may attempt to help or hurt humans. 
  Most of the people who become ghosts were not peaceful 
  or content people.  They may have pre-existing grudges, 
  or they may resent the living for not respecting their 
  memories.  They may even get mad at the living because 
  they resent the fact that they are still alive.
  It is often useful to try to placate a ghost with apologies, 
  prayers and offerings.  If that doesn’t work, the same 
  means of exorcism that work on malevolent spirits 
  will work on ghosts.
  Walking Corpses
  Sometimes a ghost will attempt to re-enter his or her 
  body.  Most times the ghost fails, but every once in 
  a while the ghost succeeds.  The decomposing body 
  gets up and starts walking around.  The person is still 
  doomed, and being in a rotting body drives him or her 
  insane.  They have poor control over their bodies (are 
  clumsy).  They also must expend MSTH to make their 
  bodies move, and if they lose too much MSTH they 
  will fall out of the corpse.
  An even more dangerous occurrence is when a 
  malevolent spirit enters and animates a human 
  body.  This is most likely to happen when someone 
  dies during a thunderstorm.  At some random point, 
  the body will suddenly sit up, then stand and start 
  walking.  The minor spirit that has inhabited the body 
  is too stupid to do anything but make the body walk. 
  The corpse cannot communicate, cannot see, and it 
  can only walk in a straight line.  By some bizarre side 
  effect of the possession, though, anyone who touches 
  or is touched by the corpse will die instantly (only a 
  legendary difficulty save on KMA can save the person). 
  The walking corpse can be defeated by normal means 
  of exorcism.  For some unknown reason, hitting the 
  corpse very hard with a boot (a successful blunt vital 
  strike) will knock the spirit out of the corpse.
  Most malevolent spirits possessing a corpse will 
  become exhausted or bored.  They will leave the body 
  in a few hours or days.  The longer the spirit stays, 
  however, the more chance the spirit will learn to use 
  the body more efficiently.  If this happens, the spirit 
  may learn to see and to turn.  This makes the walking 
  corpse doubly dangerous because it can now search 
  for and go after prey.
  Haunted Places
  Beings and objects can have karma, good or bad. 
  Places can also have karma.  When a place has bad 
  karma, it attracts all kinds of malevolent beings. 
  Humans in these places are in extreme danger of being 
  attacked by malevolent beings.
  In Brief- The souls of the deceased and animated corpses 
  can cause danger for the living.
  In Belief- People who avoid rebirth have the powers of, 
  and will eventually become, malevolent spirits.
  In Brief- Ghosts or malevolent spirits can animate a 
  corpse.  A corpse animated by a malevolent spirit is 
  slow and blind, but anyone who touches it will die.
  In Brief- Have bad KMA and attract malevolent 
  beings.
  
  sky burial site
  Crossroads
  KMA Emanation: -1 to -2.  Malevolent spirits get lost 
  easily.  Many lost spirits wait around at crossroads, hoping 
  for a traveler come by and lead them back to civilization 
  (where the victims are).  When Tibetans reach a crossroads, 
  they try to cross them as quickly as possible before the 
  malevolent spirits there notice their presence.
  Demons can find crossroads easily.  For this reason, 
  sorcerers often perform their ceremonies at crossroads. 
  Sorcerers get +4 to skill rolls to summon demons.
  Graveyards and Charnel 
  Grounds
  KMA Emanation: -1 to -5.  In ancient Tibet, people used to 
  bury their dead, or place them in chortens (small pagoda-
  shaped stone structures).  In modern times, most bodies are 
  disposed of by “sky burial” (see p.17) in charnel grounds. 
  These grounds are typically grassy fields or plateaus, 
  surrounded by a low rock wall, with large flat rocks for 
  laying out bodies.  People often string up prayer-flags 
  around these sites to try to obviate the bad karma.
  Both graveyards and charnel grounds are places 
  where malevolent beings congregate.  Graveyards 
  are the worst, since there are more intact corpses 
  there.
  A portion of a person’s karma remains in the body after 
  death, and when many remains are present the bad 
  karma typically outweighs the good.  Sometimes the 
  bad karma is enough that objects (typically skeletons) 
  become animated (see Cursed Objects, p.195).  Other 
  common evils found in graveyards are Shinje (p.191), 
  Ghosts (p.193) and Walking Corpses (p.193).
  Haunted Mountains
  KMA Emanation: -4 to -6.  Almost every mountain in 
  Tibet has some entity ruling over it.  Many are benevolent 
  beings who are worshiped by Tibetans.  Others are ruled 
  over by malevolent spirits of the demon or demon lord 
  class.
  These demons cannot leave their mountains.  If they want 
  victims they must wait for unwary travelers to come to 
  them.  The bad karma of the mountain causes other 
  malevolent beings to congregate there as well.
   
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  adventures
  In Brief- Spirits get lost easily, hang around 
  crossroads.  Sorcerers summon demons at 
  crossroads.
  In Brief- Corpses emanate bad KMA, attract ghosts and 
  spirits.
  In Brief- Some mountains ruled by demons.
  
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  magical dangers
  Door to the Earth
  KMA Emanation: -5.  Occasionally, an invisible and 
  intangible “hole” will open up in the borders between this 
  realm and the hungry ghost and hell realms.  Hungry ghosts 
  or hell beings will crawl out of the hole and terrorize the 
  nearby countryside.  The only way to close the hole is 
  with a special thread cross ceremony.   In the ceremony, 
  Zhidag spirits are summoned to repair the hole.  It takes a 
  moderate difficulty Thread Cross skill roll to perform this 
  ceremony.  The ceremony must be performed at the hole, 
  which puts the practitioner in extreme danger.
  Abandoned Monasteries
  KMA Emanation: -1 to -3.  Sometimes, monastic exorcists 
  cannot destroy or bind a malevolent being and must trap 
  it.  A constant vigil of prayers (and the good karma of 
  the monks) keeps the trapped spirits dormant.  However, 
  if a monastery is suddenly abandoned, the malevolent 
  beings may escape.  The most common beings prowling 
  abandoned monasteries are cursed objects and malevolent 
  spirits of the Demon level.
  Cursed Objects
  Just as karma floating around in the universe can 
  spontaneously form in to a malevolent spirit (see p.184) 
  the karma trapped in an object can sometimes become 
  an intelligent being.  The object becomes aware.  If the 
  karma was bad (as is usually the case), the being will be 
  malevolent.  The being is permanently trapped within the 
  object, but can learn to do many of the things malevolent 
  spirits can do.  Cursed objects cannot go inside humans 
  like a spirit can, but can effect humans and the environment 
  from without (see Possible Spirit Abilities: Outside People). 
  Any object that has been used to cause much suffering 
  can become self-aware.  Weapons, ritual implements or 
  sorcery or exorcism and the bones of killers or tyrants are 
  the most common things to become self-aware.
  The problem with malevolent objects is that the only way 
  to deal with them is to destroy the object.  The spirits can 
  resist destruction and destroying the object will unleash a 
  dangerous wave of bad karma (see p.149).  Most monks 
  do not try to destroy the objects, but instead keep 
  malevolent objects trapped in temples, kept dormant 
  with prayers.
  Phurbas
  The most common cursed object is a phurba 
  (ritual dagger).  Phurbas are used for destroying 
  malevolent spirits.  Each time the phurba destroys a 
  spirit, it picks up a bit of that spirit’s bad karma.  Over 
  the centuries a phurba will pick up enough bad karma 
  that it will almost certainly become self-aware.
  The most powerful cursed phurbas are kept by powerful 
  lamas.  The lamas emanate enough good karma to 
  weaken the phurbas and keep them dormant.  If the lama 
  dies, however, the remaining monks have few options. 
  If they can destroy the phurba, it will injure everyone 
  around.  Monks often choose to take the phurba out in 
  to the wilderness, lock it up and hide it.  Unfortunately, 
  a powerful cursed phurba can manipulate chance, 
  influence people’s minds or create emotion even from 
  a distance.  Most cursed phurbas will eventually cause 
  someone to find them and release them from their 
  prison.
  Typical Cursed Phurba
  Attributes- MSTH 25, AGY 15, AWR 10, INL 10, 
  KMA -50, SPD 25, STH 5, WIL 5.
  Appearance- A normal looking brass phurba with a tri-
  cornered blade, a vajra on the handle and a representation 
  of a wrathful emanation of Chenrezig on the end of the 
  handle.  Found in a small locked box with charms carved 
  in to it.
  Motivations- The phurba’s mind is made up of bits 
  and pieces of every malevolent entity that was ever 
  executed with it.  It is a being of pure malevolence with 
  no personal needs except to cause suffering.
  Methods- If the phurba is trapped, it will use its abilities 
  to cause someone to come release it.  It can move on 
  its own accord, but finds it easier to trick a human in 
  to carrying it to civilization.  Once in civilization it 
  will stay hidden and will cause serious diseases and 
  misfortunes.
  Abilities- The phurba can levitate and fly around (25 
  SPD) at a cost of 2 MSTH per round.  The phurba can do 
  the following in a range of 20 ft. (6 m.):
   
  Cause Food to Spoil (uses 3 MSTH)
   
  Create an Illusion (uses 4 MSTH/round)
   
  Manipulate Coincidence (gives ±10 to any one 
  chance based roll, uses 5 MSTH)
   
  Send Disease (uses 10 MSTH)
  Typical Attack- If facing a serious threat, the phurba 
  will fly straight at the enemy, trying to pierce internal 
  organs.  The phurba makes a vital strike at 1d20 vs. 0. 
  If it strikes successfully, it does 4 bladed damage.  The 
  phurba can also dodge at 1d20 vs. 0.  It uses up 2 
  MSTH per round while attacking or dodging.
  In Brief- Portal to hell or hungry ghost realm, can 
  only be closed with thread cross ceremony.
  In Brief- Trapped spirits escape when monks stop saying 
  prayers.
  In Brief- Objects that have absorbed much bad KMA can 
  become self-aware and have spirit-like powers.
  In Brief- Daggers used for exorcism often become 
  self aware, are often trapped in the wilderness by 
  monks.
  
  Human Dangers
  Sorcerers
  A sorcerer is a person who has learned magical skills 
  designed to hurt or manipulate other people.  Some 
  sorcerers try to use their skills for good, or have complex 
  motivations for learning these skills.  The majority of 
  sorcerers, though, are cruel people who 
  enjoy hurting and having power over others. 
  Some sorcerers are professionals (who work 
  for hire or extort victims).  Others sorcerers 
  use sorcery only to settle personal grudges.
  Teaching and performing sorcery is illegal.  
  Sorcerers can be banished (or worse) 
  when discovered.  So, sorcerers tend to 
  stay underground and keep their identities 
  hidden.  Sorcerers come from all social 
  classes.  Often a person finds out he or she is 
  being attacked by a sorcerer but has no idea 
  who the sorcerer is.  Even when someone 
  discovers the identity of a sorcerer, they find 
  they need to get proof.  If they attack the 
  sorcerer without getting proof of sorcery, it 
  will appear they are attacking an innocent 
  person.  Another way to deal with sorcery is 
  to hire another sorcerer.  The two sorcerers 
  engage in a dangerous sorcerous battle 
  (p.104).
  Tra’Menma
  Every once in a while a plague of death and misery will 
  be tracked back to one seemingly-pious woman.  A remote 
  village with no astrologer or mirror gazer may be plagued 
  by misfortune for years before the source is discovered.  
  The woman, known as a Tra’menma, is usually unaware 
  that she is at fault.  She was born with a particular defect 
  such that her bad karma and malevolent thoughts cause 
  harm to others.  The tra’menma emanates around -5 
  KMA and can double this emanation by thinking angry or 
  jealous thoughts.  This bad karma emanation will manifest 
  as disease, malevolent spirit attacks and bad luck for 
  everyone in the area.
  If a tra’menma is discovered, she may be able to 
  stay relatively harmless.  If she can keep her 
  karma very good and avoid harmful thoughts, 
  she is safe to be around.  If not, she will be 
  banished and become a wandering beggar. 
  Banished tra’menma are very dangerous: they 
  resent the hardships they have suffered and grow 
  to hate everyone.  The more hateful and insane they 
  become, the more damage they do to anyone they come 
  near.  They might even learn to control their powers.  By 
  purposefully filling their minds with evil thoughts they 
  can cause terrible misfortunes.
  Poison Bearers
  Tibetans are very hospitable to travelers.  
  Poor farmers and nomads are especially 
  hospitable to traveling monks or religious 
  pilgrims.  This is their way of contributing 
  to the religion (and thereby gaining good 
  karma).  Travelers often look for a house 
  or tent where they can ask for food and 
  a place to stay for the night.  However, 
  travelers eating with strangers are in danger 
  of becoming victims to poison bearers.
  Poison Bearers are people who have 
  inherited a particular curse.  Like the 
  tra’menma, this curse effects the way they 
  emanate bad karma.  Unlike the tra’menma, 
  however, the poison bearers emanate bad 
  karma in the form of a real poison. 
  A poison bearer who can not maintain 
  unusually good karma has two choices: 
  poison others, or poison themselves.  Most 
  choose to poison others.  After they poison 
  everyone they know they are forced to live 
  in the wilderness and trick travelers in to 
  dining with them.  The poison bearer can 
  poison food just by touching the bowl.  The poison 
  doesn’t take effect right away, the victims usually die 
  the next day while on the road.  After killing, the poison 
  bearers usually experience a brief period of good luck 
  and prosperity.
  There are few defenses against poison bearers.  A 
  poison sensing bowl (p.118) can protect a traveler, but 
  these magical bowls are rare and expensive.
  Wild Tulpas
  Buddhist practitioners and sorcerers learn a skill which 
  allows them to create physical objects from mental 
  energy.  It is a long and difficult process, requiring 
  many hours of meditation.
  196
  adventures
  In Brief- Humans can harm others through magic, 
  either on purpose or unknowingly.
  In Brief- People with harmful magical skills, either 
  professionals or people with a grudge.  The challenge is to 
  figure out who the sorcerer is and gain proof.
  In Brief- Some women born such that they emanate much 
  more bad karma than normal.  Some learn to control this, 
  others become dangerous wanderers.
  In Brief- Some people issue magical poison, they live 
  in the wilderness and poison travelers who stay the 
  night with them.
  In Brief- Some people can create humans from mental 
  energy.
  
  197
  magical dangers
  The highest accomplishment of this art is the 
  creation of intelligent, living beings.  These beings 
  are called Tulpas.  A tulpa looks and feels just like 
  a normal human.  However, a tulpa is not created with 
  sentience or self-awareness.  It is a mindless automaton that 
  can only follow orders.  Buddhist practitioners often create 
  tulpas so they can have partners for sexual tantra.  Sorcerers 
  often create tulpas as assassins.
  Self-Awareness
  Although they are not born with self-awareness, every day 
  that a tulpa is alive there is a small chance it may become 
  self-aware.  If a tulpa is separated from its master, that 
  chance increases.  If a Tulpa gains self-awareness it will 
  wander off on its own, no longer caring about its master’s 
  wishes.  If it can survive it can become an intelligent person 
  who looks and acts perfectly normal.
  Madness
  If the creation of a tulpa is interrupted before the tulpa 
  is fully formed, what results is a wild tulpa.  Instead of 
  following orders, the tulpa acts randomly.  It may attempt 
  to carry out its original purpose, but do so in the wrong way 
  (e.g. a tulpa created to assassinate a particular victim may 
  go around killing people at random).  If it becomes self-
  aware, it will be panicked, confused and in pain.  It will 
  want to become a whole being but will not know how.
  Phenomena
  The wild tulpa exists in a state somewhere between being a 
  physical being and being a being made of mental energies. 
  The effects will be random and bizarre: a tulpa may have 
  parts which are invisible or are intangible.  A tulpa may 
  be visible if viewed from one angle, invisible 
  if viewed from another.  A tulpa may fade in 
  and out of existence, or may spontaneously move 
  from one place to another.  Wild tulpas may have 
  other errors in the way they interact with the physical 
  world: they may make no noise, or have no reflection, 
  or may float an inch off the ground, or may be able to 
  pass through one type of solid matter but not any other. 
  These bizarre effects make a tulpa unpredictable, and 
  therefore hard to capture or kill.  However, every wild 
  tulpa will have tangible physical portions (at least some 
  of the time) and if PCs can cause enough injuries to these 
  then the tulpa will die.
  In Brief- Some tulpas become self-aware, can become 
  normal people.
  In Brief- If tulpa creation is interrupted, a crazy, 
  uncontrollable tulpa can result.
  In Brief- Partially made tulpas can interact with physical 
  matter in strange and unpredictable ways.
  Typical Wild Tulpa
  Attributes- AGY 10, AWR 5, END 20, INL 5, KMA 0, SPD 
  15, STH 15, WIL 15, BLD 2, BDY 3, INCY 6.
  Appearance- Looks like a well-groomed young Tibetan male.  
  Has clean, symmetrical features.  Is wearing monk’s robes. 
  Parts of its body is invisible.  There are holes in its arms head 
  and neck that PCs can see right through.
  Motivations- The tulpa was created by a tantric master to be 
  a servant, but the master died and the creation was unfinished. 
  The tulpa doesn’t understand what it is or how it came to be. 
  It only knows that it is supposed to be a human but that this 
  was never quite accomplished.  It thinks that other humans can 
  help.  If it finds humans it will try to beg for help, but if help is 
  not forthcoming it may try to force humans to help by grabbing 
  them and strangling them.
  Methods- The Tulpa will talk, but only short, meaningless 
  burst of sounds will come out.  After the first few failures 
  in communication, the tulpa will do anything it can to gain 
  attention: rushing at the characters, waving its arms, breaking 
  things, etc.  If PCs try to run away it will chase them and will 
  strangle them to prevent them from leaving.
  Special Abilities
   
  Any successful strike has a 1 in 2 chance of passing right 
  through the tulpa’s body and not doing any damage.
   
  Every round, the tulpa has a 1 in 6 chance of phasing out of 
  reality.  It will return in 2d6 minutes 1d20 feet (or 1d6 m.) away.
   
  Every time the tulpa phases in and out of reality, any 
  injuries it had are completely healed.
  Typical Attack- The tulpa attacks with an extended Grab: 
  Strangulation at STH (15) + AGY (10) + 5 + 1d20 vs. 25 
  (or 1d20 +5 vs. 0).  If successful it will try to keep hold of 
  the victim until it gets what it wants or until the victim goes 
  unconscious.
  
  Creating 
  NPCs
  Index of “Typical” Baddies
   
  Typical Bear (p.181)
   
  Typical Bird Flock (p.103)
   
  Typical Chinese Soldier (p.171)
   
  Typical Cursed Phurba (p.195)
   
  Typical Flawed Lama (p.173)
   
  Typical Hell Being (p.191)
   
  Typical Hungry Ghost (p.191)
   
  Typical Hunting Party (p.180)
   
  Typical Mamo Demon (p.190)
   
  Typical Migyu (p.181)
   
  Typical Rakshasa (p.192)
   
  Typical Shinje (p.192)
   
  Typical Small Bandit Group (p.172)
   
  Typical Stray Dog (p.204)
   
  Typical Wild Tulpa (p.197)
   
  Typical Wolf Pack (p.181)
  Levels Reconsidered
  A good way to look at levels is as a rough measurement of 
  how well characters have proven that they can survive by 
  doing whatever it is they do.
  At level 0, the person doesn’t have the skills necessary to 
  survive for any length of time by themselves.  They are either 
  in the care of older and wiser characters, or they survive by 
  pure luck alone.  Most children are level 0.
  Level 1 characters have some thing they do to survive and 
  make a living.  If they can stay out of the way of major 
  dangers, they have a good chance of surviving.  They don’t 
  need to be under the special care of any other person.
  Subsequent levels simply represent more mastery of 
  whatever it that person’s class does, and they are increasingly 
  rare.  Most people become “content” around level 3 or 4 and 
  do not seek to improve their skills further.  A level 10 Farmer, 
  for instance, would be someone who has spent decades 
  trying to become a better farmer.  He or she would probably 
  one of the wisest, wealthiest, most influential and most well-
  traveled farmers in Tibet.  He or she may have written books 
  on farming and may have more money than some aristocrats.  
  There are probably less than 5 level 10 farmers in all of 
  Tibet.  A level 10 Farmer would likely be literate, have some 
  weathermaking skills, know a little divination.  He or she 
  would probably have several magic objects (including soil 
  from Zetong, see p.50) and would have enough weapons to 
  fight off a bandit raiding party.
  The point here is that a level 10 farmer is still a farmer.  If 
  the farmer could not farm, he or she would have a hard time 
  finding some other way of making a living.  The farmer 
  would need some very intensive training (e.g. taking on 
  a discipline) to be able to make a living doing anything 
  else.  When it comes to farming, though, there isn’t 
  much the farmer can’t do.
  Bonus Point NPC Creation
  Using this method, you create NPCs from a pool 
  of bonus points, based on the level you want the PC. 
  First, figure out what level you want, then look on the 
  following table to find the number of bonus points, then 
  spend those bonus points on attributes, skills and money. 
  For example, to build a level 3 NPC you would start 
  with 180 Bonus Points.  You might spend 100 points to 
  get 100 attribute points, 50 to get 150 skill points and 21 
  to get 7 health attribute points and 9 to get 2250 Srang.
  Level
  Bonus Points
  0
  130
  1
  150
  2
  165
  3
  180
  4
  195
  5
  210
  7
  240
  10
  285
  15
  360
  20
  435
  Core NPC Creation
  When you create NPCs using this method you:
   
  First, figure out what the three most important 
  attributes and handful of most important skills are for 
  that NPC’s character class.
   
  Second, use the following table to figure out the 
  NPC’s attributes and core skills.  Use the random skills 
  table to get some more skills.  Then spend the money on 
  appropriate equipment.
  Level
  Attributes
  Skills
  Core 
  Equip.
  Core
  Other
  Core
  Other
  0
  10
  7
  2 at level 1
  None
  125 Sr.
  1
  11
  8
  all at level 1
  None
  250 Sr.
  2
  11
  9
  all at level 1 2 at level 1
  375 Sr.
  3
  12
  9
  all at level 2 2 at level 1
  500 Sr.
  4
  12
  10
  all at level 2 3 at level 1
  625 Sr.
  5
  13
  10
  all at level 3 3 at level 1
  750 Sr.
  7
  14
  11
  all at level 3 5 at level 2 1000 Sr.
  10
  15
  12
  all at level 4 7 at level 3 2000 Sr.
  15
  17
  13
  all at level 5 10 at level 3 3500 Sr.
  20
  18
  14
  all at level 6 15 at level 4 5000 Sr.
  Chinese Soldier
   
  Core Attributes: STH, END, WIL
   
  Core Skills: Military Science, Political Science, 
  Rifle, Gun Repair, Foreign Language: Tibetan.
   
  Core Equipment: Chinese Military Clothes (40 
  Srang), Boots (25 Srang), Knife (25 Srang), Rifle: WWII 
  (800 Srang), Binoculars (85 Srang), Gasoline Lamp (60 
  Srang), Helmet (500 Srang), Horse (750 Srang), Saddle 
  (150 Srang), Grenade (400 Srang), Flak Jacket (3000 
  Srang), Pistol: Automatic (1000 Srang).
  Criminal
   
  Core Attributes: AWR, INL, CHM
  198
  adventures
  
  199
  npc creation
  Criminal
   Core Attributes: AWR, INL, CHM
   
  Core Skills: Prowling, Sleight of Hand, Knife, 
  Poisons.
   
  Core Equipment: Chuba: Common (35 Srang), Boots 
  (25 Srang), Hat: Fleece (17 Srang), Knife (25 Srang), Charm: 
  Dogbite (30 Srang), Pack (10 Srang), Kukuri (170 Srang), 
  Butter Lamp (10 Srang), Rope: 30ft./9m. (15 Srang), Rifle: 
  WWI (400 Srang), Leather Armor (300 Srang).
  Monk
   
  Core Attributes: INL, WIL, AWR
   
  Core Skills: Literacy, Logic, Indifference, Breath 
  Tantra, Protective Mantras, Medical Mantras, Simple 
  Divination.
   
  Core Equipment: Monk’s Robes (20 Srang), Hat: 
  Monk’s (10 Srang), Boots (25 Srang), Prayer Beads (4 
  Srang), Pen & Ink (10 Srang), Thangaka (25 Srang), 
  Medical Charm (25 Srang), Iron Pencase (20 Srang), 
  Kanjur (200 Srang), Knife (25 Srang), Tenjur (200 
  Srang).
  Example: The GM wants to make a level 7 Chinese 
  Soldier.  Looking on the table, we see that a level 7 NPC 
  has core attributes at 14 and all others at 11.  Since the 
  Core Attributes for a Chinese Soldier are STH, END and 
  WIL, all these are 14 and the rest are 11.  Referring again 
  to the table, we see that all of the core skills are at level 
  3.  The soldier also gets 5 additional skills at level 2, so 
  the GM rolls 5 times on the random skill table.  Finally, 
  the soldier gets 1000 Srang worth of equipment.  If we 
  start at the beginning of the list and add it up we get 
  Chinese Military Clothes, Boots, Knife, Rifle: WWII and 
  Binoculars.  We stop before Gasoline Lamp because that 
  would go over 1000 Srang.  So now we have attributes, 
  skills and equipment for our soldier.
  Random Skill Table
  Roll 1d1000
  Laity
  Magical 
  Profes-
  sional
  Religious 
  Profes-
  sional
  Archery (N/A)
  1-7
  1-6
  1-6
  Brawling (N/A)
  8-15
  7-12
  7-13
  Crane Kung Fu (N/A)
  16-22
  13-18
  14-19
  Lance (N/A)
  23-30
  19-24
  20-26
  Knife (N/A)
  31-37
  25-31
  27-32
  Rifle (N/A)
  38-44
  32-37
  33-39
  Sling (N/A)
  45-52
  38-43
  40-45
  Snare (N/A)
  53-59
  44-49
  46-51
  Specific Training (N/A)
  60-67
  50-55
  52-58
  Staff (N/A)
  68-74
  56-61
  59-64
  Sword (N/A)
  75-82
  62-67
  65-71
  Tai Chi (N/A)
  83-89
  68-73
  72-77
  Whip (N/A)
  90-96
  74-80
  78-84
  Wrestling (N/A)
  97-104
  81-86
  85-90
  Architecture (INL)
  105-116
  87-96
  91-100
  Blacksmithing (INL)
  117-128
  97-107
  101-110
  Carving (INL)
  129-141
  108-117
  111-120
  Cooking (INL)
  142-153
  118-128
  121-130
  Dancing (AGY)
  154-166
  129-138
  131-141
  Forgery (INL)
  167-178
  139-149
  142-151
  Music (INL)
  179-190
  150-159
  152-161
  Painting (INL)
  191-203
  160-170
  162-171
  Printing (INL)
  204-215
  171-180
  172-181
  Storytelling (CHM)
  216-227
  181-191
  182-191
  Tailoring (INL)
  228-240
  192-201
  192-201
  Textiles (INL)
  241-252
  202-211
  202-211
  Drum Divination (INL)
  253-261
  212-224
  212-221
  Elemental Astrology (INL)
  262-271
  225-236
  222-231
  Geomancy (INL)
  272-280
  237-248
  232-242
  Mirror Gazing (AWR)
  281-289
  249-260
  243-252
  Omen Reading (AWR)
  290-298
  261-273
  253-262
  Scapulimancy (INL)
  299-308
  274-285
  263-272
  Simple Divination (INL)
  309-317
  286-297
  273-282
  Zodiac Astrology (INL)
  318-326
  298-309
  283-292
  Dagger Exorcism (WIL)
  327-335
  310-320
  293-302
  Demon Shield (INL)
  336-345
  321-330
  303-312
  Fire Exorcism (INL)
  346-354
  331-341
  313-322
  Glud Ceremony (INL)
  355-363
  342-351
  323-332
  Harrying Exorcism (INL)
  364-373
  352-362
  333-343
  Funerary Rites (INL)
  374-382
  363-372
  344-353
  Oath Binding (WIL)
  383-391
  373-383
  354-363
  Protective Mantras (INL)
  392-400
  384-393
  364-373
  Sound Exorcism (INL)
  401-410
  394-404
  374-383
  Sucking Exorcism (WIL)
  411-419
  405-414
  384-393
  Thread Crosses (INL)
  420-428
  415-425
  394-403
  Acrobatics (AGY)
  429-440
  426-437
  404-413
  Animal Training (CHM)
  441-453
  438-449
  414-423
  Butchery (INL)
  454-465
  450-461
  424-434
  Farming (INL)
  466-478
  462-474
  435-444
  Gambling (INL)
  479-490
  475-486
  445-454
  Gun Repair (INL)
  491-502
  487-498
  455-464
  Meditation (AWR)
  503-515
  499-510
  465-474
  Oratory (CHM)
  516-527
  511-523
  475-484
  Prowling (AGY)
  528-539
  524-535
  485-494
  Seduction (CHM)
  540-552
  536-547
  495-504
  Sleight of Hand (AGY)
  553-564
  548-559
  505-514
  Tracking (AWR)
  565-576
  560-572
  515-524
  Trading (INL)
  577-589
  573-584
  525-535
  Trick Riding (AGY)
  590-601
  585-596
  536-545
  Death (INL)
  602-610
  597-605
  546-555
  Emergency Medicine (INL)
  611-620
  606-614
  556-565
  Herbalism (INL)
  621-629
  615-624
  566-575
  Humoural Medicine (INL)
  630-638
  625-633
  576-585
  Medical Diagnosis (INL)
  639-647
  634-642
  586-595
  Medical Mantras (INL)
  648-657
  643-651
  596-605
  Wildcrafting (INL)
  658-666
  652-660
  606-615
  Abidharma (INL)
  667-672
  661-666
  616-621
  Cryptography (INL)
  673-677
  667-672
  622-627
  Etiquette (CHM)
  678-683
  673-677
  628-633
  Hell Realms (INL)
  684-689
  678-683
  634-639
  
  Iconography (INL)
  690-694
  684-688
  640-645
  Indifference (INL)
  695-700
  689-694
  646-651
  Literacy (INL)
  701-706
  695-700
  652-657
  Logic (INL)
  707-712
  701-705
  658-663
  Mathematics (INL)
  713-717
  706-711
  664-668
  Pantheons (INL)
  718-723
  712-717
  669-674
  Philosophy (INL)
  724-729
  718-722
  675-680
  Teaching (CHM)
  730-734
  723-728
  681-686
  Tibetan History (INL)
  735-740
  729-734
  687-692
  Tibetan Law (INL)
  741-746
  735-739
  693-698
  Torture (INL)
  747-751
  740-745
  699-704
  Animation (WIL)
  752-757
  746-751
  705-712
  Bird Control (WIL)
  758-763
  752-757
  713-719
  Demon Sorcery (INL)
  764-769
  758-763
  720-727
  Disease Sorcery (INL)
  770-774
  764-769
  728-735
  Gantad Horn (INL)
  775-780
  770-776
  736-743
  Life Force Sorcery (WIL)
  781-786
  777-782
  744-751
  Love Magic (INL)
  787-791
  783-788
  752-759
  Poisons (INL)
  792-797
  789-794
  760-767
  Simple Curses (WIL)
  798-803
  795-800
  768-774
  Zor (WIL)
  804-808
  801-806
  775-782
  Breath Yoga (AWR)
  809-813
  807-811
  783-789
  Dakini Language (INL)
  814-818
  812-817
  790-796
  Death Tantra (WIL)
  819-822
  818-822
  797-804
  Fire Yoga (WIL)
  823-827
  823-827
  805-811
  Invisibility (WIL)
  828-832
  828-832
  812-818
  Lightness Yoga (AWR)
  833-836
  833-838
  819-825
  Pure Vision (AWR)
  837-841
  839-843
  826-832
  Sexual Tantra (WIL)
  842-846
  844-848
  833-839
  Sorcery Tantra (INL)
  847-850
  849-853
  840-846
  Subtle Self (INL)
  851-855
  854-859
  847-853
  Tulpa Creation (WIL)
  856-859
  860-864
  854-860
  Wind Voices (AWR)
  860-864
  865-869
  861-867
  Yidam Tantra (WIL)
  865-869
  870-874
  868-874
  Animal Packing (INL)
  870-878
  875-883
  875-882
  Foreign Language (INL)
  879-887
  884-893
  883-890
  Mountain Climbing (INL)
  888-897
  894-902
  891-898
  Riding (AGY)
  898-906
  903-911
  899-906
  Swimming (SPD)
  907-915
  912-920
  907-914
  Tibetan Geography (INL)
  916-924
  921-929
  915-921
  Wilderness Survival (INL)
  925-934
  930-939
  922-929
  Weather Mantras (WIL)
  935-940
  940-945
  930-936
  Weather Prediction (AWR)
  941-946
  946-952
  937-943
  Weather Propitiation (INL)
  947-952
  953-959
  944-950
  Weather Sorcery (INL)
  953-958
  960-965
  951-958
  Agriculture (INL)
  959-963
  966-969
  959-962
  Criminology (INL)
  964-968
  970-973
  963-967
  Electronics (INL)
  969-972
  974-977
  968-972
  Mechanics (INL)
  973-977
  978-981
  973-976
  Military Science (INL)
  978-981
  982-985
  977-981
  Political Science (INL)
  982-986
  986-988
  982-986
  Science (INL)
  987-991
  989-992
  987-991
  Western Medicine (INL)
  992-995
  993-996
  992-995
  World History (INL)
  996-1000
  997-1000
  996-1000
  Random NPC Concept
  Laity
  Magical 
  Profes-
  sional
  Religious 
  Profes-
  sional
  Gender
  01-40
  01-60
  01-75
  Male
  41-00
  61-00
  76-00
  Female
  Ethnicity
  01-21
  01-30
  01-26
  Eastern Tibetan
  22-47
  31-65
  27-59
  Central Tibetan
  48-65
  66-90
  60-82
  Western Tibetan
  66-75
  91-93
  83-87
  Chinese
  76-85
  94-96
  88-92
  Mongol
  86-95
  97-98
  94-96
  Indian
  96-00
  99-00
  97-00
  Other
  Attitude Towards Chinese Communism
  01-04
  01-03
  01-02
  Welcomes the Chinese
  05-33
  04-32
  03-38
  Hopes For Compromise
  34-62
  33-61
  39-79
  Hopes to Peacefully Resist
  63-91
  62-90
  80-91
  Hopes to Violently Resist
  92-00
  91-00
  92-00
  Hopes to Flee Tibet
  Violence
  01-05
  01-04
  01-30
  Completely Non-Violent
  05-50
  05-44
  31-74
  Violence is Occasionally Compassionate
  51-95
  46-93
  75-98
  Fight For What’s Yours
  96-00
  94-00
  99-00
  Hurt People For Fun
  Religion
  01-02
  01-07
  01-05
  Trying to Achieve Enlightenment (Bön)
  03-07
  08-14
  06-16
  Trying to Achieve Enlightenment 
  (Red Hat)
  08-13
  15-17
  17-27
  Trying to Achieve Enlightenment 
  (Yellow Hat)
  13-16
  18-21
  28-36
  Trying to Achieve Enlightenment 
  (Whatever Works)
  17-21
  22-34
  37-42
  Trying to Achieve Favorable Rebirth 
  (Bön)
  22-34
  35-49
  43-56
  Trying to Achieve Favorable Rebirth 
  (Red Hat)
  35-49
  50-58
  57-72
  Trying to Achieve Favorable Rebirth 
  (Yellow Hat)
  50-60
  59-69
  73-85
  Trying to Achieve Favorable Rebirth 
  (Whatever Works)
  61-63
  70-75
  86-87
  Nominally Religious (Bön)
  64-70
  76-81
  88-90
  Nominally Religious (Red Hat)
  71-78
  82-85
  91-94
  Nominally Religious (Yellow Hat)
  79-84
  86-92
  95-97
  Nominally Religious (Whatever Works)
  85-90
  93-97
  98-98
  Non-Religious
  91-96
  98-98
  99-99
  Muslim
  96-00
  99-00
  00-00
  Other Religion
  Vows
  01-78
  01-65
  01-05
  No Vows
  79-91
  66-78
  06-17
  Vow of Vegetarianism
  92-94
  79-88
  18-29
  Vow of Chastity
  95-97
  89-94
  30-42
  Vow of Poverty
  98-99
  95-97
  43-67
  Vegetarianism and Chastity
  00-00
  98-00
  68-00
  Vegetarianism and Chastity and Poverty
  200
  adventures
  
  201
  introductory adventures
  Introductory 
  Adventures
  Struggle Session
  Player Information
  A common practice of the Communist Chinese is the 
  so-called Thamzing (“Struggle Session”).  In Thamzing 
  a person who strays from Mao’s dictates is subjected to 
  public torture until they repent.  Not all struggle sessions 
  are the same, but most are as follows:
  The victim is tied up in a public place.  Neighbors, friends 
  and even family are encouraged to come up to the person 
  and try to persuade the person to repent.  They scream 
  at, insult and even beat the person.  The victim is only 
  released when he or she has publicly admitted to the 
  crimes, explained how they were wrong and how Mao was 
  right, and promised never to do it again.  If the victim is 
  literate, he or she is forced to make a written confession.
  Thamzing combines techniques used by cult brainwashers 
  (social pressure, public confessions) and techniques 
  used by military torturers (being tied in uncomfortable 
  positions, being deprived of food and sleep, being 
  periodically beaten).  To many Tibetans, the Thamzing is 
  nothing but sorcery: it is a calculated attempt to destroy a 
  person’s free will.  For the Chinese, who are fighting on 
  both military and psychological fronts, the Thamzing is 
  one of their most powerful weapons.  Although Thamzing 
  has proven itself to work very well on peasant farmers, the 
  Chinese are only starting to try to use this weapon against 
  the trained minds of monks.
  The following information is for GMs only.
  Synopsis
  Characters traveling in Eastern Tibet will come to a small 
  trading town that was once dominated by a Yellow Hat 
  men’s monastery.  A Garrison of Chinese solders have 
  taken over this town.  The Chinese are trying to break the 
  monks of their religious devotion by any means possible. 
  A small army of prostitutes has been brought in to seduce 
  the monks and cause them to break their vows of chastity. 
  The Chinese have run in to resistance in the form of 
  Rigzin Gyampo, lama of the monastery.  Lama Rigzin 
  has been steadfast in opposing the Chinese and has given 
  courage and conviction to the other monks.  The Chinese 
  have begun a struggle session, a fight for the lama’s very 
  soul.  Unknown to the Chinese, a sorcerer specializing in 
  love magic (in the guise of a prostitute), and two Tsen 
  (spirits of monks who died after rejecting their vows) 
  have come to help destroy the Lama.  PCs must 
  take the role of the monk’s protector’s in this 
  spiritual battle.  Several stray dogs (who are the 
  reincarnations of monks from the monastery) 
  prowl the town square nervously.
  Character Introductions
  The PCs will be in Eastern Tibet traveling West.  Some 
  may be fleeing war, some may be returning home, some 
  may be taking goods to Lhasa to sell, some may be on 
  religious pilgrimages.  Most of the PCs will have seen 
  war, famine and Chinese atrocities in the East.
  In Tibet, travelers who meet on the road travel together. 
  They do so to help protect against bandits and other 
  dangers.  If characters are reluctant to travel together, 
  have them hear rumors of bandit raiders (or find 
  bodies).  Once they are traveling together (and have had 
  some time to get to know each other) they will arrive at 
  the town of Hunpyo.
  Hunpyo
  Hunpyo is a small town.  Unless PCs are from this 
  region, they will not have heard of it.  The majority 
  of the town’s population is monks living in a Yellow 
  Hat men’s monastery (which has the same name as the 
  town).  The monastery has about 100 monks and there 
  are about 75 farmers, merchants and craftspeople who 
  live nearby.  Most of the lay people live on parcels 
  of monastery-owned land near the road that the PCs 
  are traveling on.  Before the Chinese, Hunpyo was a 
  peaceful town and a minor trading post.  Now, the town 
  is being forced to house and feed a garrison of Chinese 
  soldiers.  The soldiers are waiting for an official 
  assignment.  While they are waiting they are trying to 
  break the peoples’ reliance on the monastery and turn 
  Hunpyo in to a Communist village.  The lands owned 
  by the monastery have been divided up among the 
  people and the monks have been forced to work these 
  lands in work groups.
  The town itself exists in a small valley that follows 
  the road the PCs are on.  There are small Tibetan style 
  farmhouses scattered along either side of the road.  The 
  monastery is on a small hill overlooking the road.  The 
  monastery is a compound surrounded by a short wall 
  of stones.  The monastery has several small buildings: 
  a kitchen, meditation hall, shrine hall, monks’ quarters 
  and a small house for the head of the monastery, Rigzin 
  Gyampo.  These buildings are now being used to house 
  the Chinese.  The monks have either found housing in 
  the village or have been forced to sleep along the side 
  of the road.  Huyan Chen, Commander of the Chinese, 
  now sleeps in Lama Rigzin’s house.
  In the middle of the town is a small flat area normally 
  used for festivals, games and other public events in the 
  village.  The Chinese teach political lessons here every 
  day.  It has also been the site of struggle sessions that 
  have broken monk after monk.  The Chinese have lashed 
  together a small wooden frame to tie victims to.  The 
  victims are tied, bent at the waist with their arms 
  outstretched.
  
  The Chinese
  There are 95 Chinese soldiers staying in the town (five 
  were killed by rebels and disease on the way to Hunpyo). 
  They all carry rifles at all times and they are the undisputed 
  rulers of Hunpyo.  Only two (the commander, Huyan 
  Chen, and one other private) speak Tibetan.  Most of the 
  villagers and monks speak a little of the Kan Chinese 
  dialect.  Most of the soldiers have seen serious battles 
  and are quick to act if threatened.  They enjoy being in 
  a position of power and will order people around.  If the 
  soldiers see anyone they think might be a rebel fighter, 
  they will likely shoot the person at first sight.
  The Chinese have one machine-gun and a covered jeep 
  that Huyan Chen drives in when the army is on the 
  move.  The Chinese have guards with rifles posted at key 
  points 24-hours a day: two at the machine-gun, one each 
  on the road on either side of the village, two watching 
  over Lama Rigzin in the struggle session area, and four 
  guards at the walls of the monastery.
  Chinese commander Huyan Chen is a very observant 
  man.  He knows that there are things going on in the 
  village that aren’t direct result of Chinese actions.  He 
  knows that when he pays prostitutes to seduce monks, 
  a portion of that money ends up in the hands of one 
  particular prostitute (he does not know her name).  He 
  thinks they are perhaps paying her for advice.  Huyan 
  also knows that the dogs in the town are acting strange. 
  He has thought of exterminating them, but he has not yet 
  done so because he has seen how protective the monks 
  are of the dogs.
  The Prostitutes
  Shortly after the Chinese came to Hunpyo, rumors 
  started to spread that the Chinese were paying anyone 
  who could seduce a monk.  Ten prostitutes from nearby 
  cities traveled to Hunpyo to try to get some of this 
  money.  They understand that they are being used as tools 
  to turn monks in to ordinary peasants, but they do not 
  care.  They are being paid 100 Srang for each monk they 
  seduce, more if the monk is respected and of high status. 
  The prostitutes know, but the Chinese do not, that one of 
  the “prostitutes,” Minla, is really a sorcerer specializing 
  in love magic.  The other prostitutes have been paying 
  Minla to give them love spells to cast on the monks.
  Minla has been staying in the house of a local merchant.  
  The other prostitutes have been spending their nights 
  sleeping on the side of the road with the monks.  The 
  prostitutes spend their days and nights with the men. 
  When the monks sleep, the prostitutes snuggle up next to 
  them.  Every once in a while a prostitute will lead a monk 
  off in to the hills for sex.  The prostitutes have also been 
  having sex with Chinese soldiers in exchange for money, 
  goods and favors.  Commander Huyan Chen disapproves 
  of this but has done little to stop it.
  Minla has recently arranged with the Chinese for them 
  to give her a fee of 200 Srang if she can seduce Lama 
  Rigzin.  Every evening, after the Struggle Session has 
  ended for the day and everyone has gone home, she 
  walks past the guards and up to Lama Rigzin.  She 
  spends hours whispering in his ear and caressing him, 
  all the while using her most powerful love magic on him. 
  So far, Lama Rigzin has resisted all of her magic, yet she 
  believes that it is only a matter of time before he falters. 
  202
  adventures
  Commander Huyan Chen
  Attributes- AGY 9, AWR 16, CHM 14, END 10, INL 11, KMA -20, SPD 16, STH 13, WIL 16, BLD 2, BDY 3,  
  INCY 3
  Appearance- Huyan Chen is in his early thirties yet he has the practiced air of an experienced leader.  Most under his 
  command believe he is older than he really is.  He has small, beady eyes and his face is slightly lopsided (the result 
  of malnutrition while he was a child).  He has short black hair and wears a red scarf around his neck over the army 
  uniform.
  History- Huyan Chen was recruited from a poor peasant family during the Communist revolution in China.  He was 
  charismatic and became an accomplished student of Maoist political philosophy.  He has spent two years in Tibet.  He 
  has only recently been promoted to the head of a regiment of 100 men.  The regiment is a mix of soldiers new to Tibet 
  and soldiers from other regiments who suffered serious losses.
  Personality- Huyan believes that Mao is right, but he also knows that some people must be forced or tricked in to 
  agreeing with Mao.  He doesn’t really care if people really agree with Mao or just pretend to, as long as they act like 
  they do.  He doesn’t mind if some of the Chinese propaganda is lies because he believes that the basic facts are true. 
  He hates people who resist Maoism and cause disunity and he enjoys torturing and breaking them.
  Attachments- Authority, Humble, Moral, Skeptical, Justice.
  Special Skills- Rifle (3) (+12 to vital strike, +10 to strike), Torture (2)
  Special Equipment- Rifle (6 bladed, ROF 3, FR 10 ft./3 m.), Helmet (AR 2, PR 8 bladed 2 blunt)
  
  203
  introductory adventures
  The Tsen
  Two young monks were studying at Hunpyo and were 
  good friends.  They were both adept at meditation and 
  philosophy and received praise from their teachers.  
  However, Lama Rigzin did not praise them.  He criticized 
  them for being too prideful and suggested that they 
  should spend more time developing compassion.  When 
  the Chinese came, these monks decided that Tibet and 
  the Tibetan religion was coming to an end.  They decided 
  that it would be best for them to side with the Chinese 
  as soon as possible.  They repented their vows and slept 
  with prostitutes.  Soon afterwards they started preaching 
  to the other monks how they had “discovered” that Mao 
  was right and Buddhism was a tool of oppression.  The 
  monks gained favor with the Chinese.  About a week 
  before the PCs arrived, the two ex-monks participated 
  in the Struggle Session against Lama Rigzin.  They 
  berated him verbally and beat him with sticks. 
  Later that same day, the two men wandered too 
  far from the village and were confronted by 
  a pack of dogs who tore them apart.
  When monks break their vows, they earn a lot of 
  bad karma.  If they die without having worked off 
  this karma, they will likely be reborn in the hell realms.  
  If the souls stay in this realm and escape rebirth, they 
  become malevolent spirits of the Tsen class (p.187). 
  The two monks became two Tsen spirits who live in two 
  large boulders near where they died.  The spirits can 
  leave these boulders for short periods of time but will 
  always return to them.  If a PC can see the Tsen (e.g. 
  with Mirror Gazing or Pure Vision skill) they appear 
  as men dressed in tattered monk’s robes, with red skin, 
  brandishing red clubs, and with their faces twisted in to 
  angry masks.
  The Tsen are full of hatred and will unleash their anger 
  on anyone they come across.  They are specifically 
  angry at Lama Rigzin.  They want him to share their 
  fate: they want him to reject his vows and then die.  To 
  help achieve this, the Tsen have been frequenting the 
  area of the struggle session.  They try to enter people.  If 
  they can get inside a person they fill that person fill of 
  rage, driving that person to beat Lama Rigzin.
  The Dogs
  If a stray dog is seen hanging around a monastery, 
  Tibetans believe that it is a monk who once studied 
  at the monastery.  The monks may have studied here 
  for one or more lifetimes.  Even though the monk was 
  unable to achieve rebirth as a human, it was drawn to its 
  old home.  Monks are thus very kind to stray dogs, 
  thinking of them as alumnus of the monastery, 
  perhaps even old friends.
  Minla
  Attributes- AGY 7, AWR 16, CHM 17, END 6, INL 
  16, KMA -35, SPD 3, STH 4, WIL 18, BDY 1, BLD 2,  
  INCY 4
  Appearance- Minla is tall, thin and attractive.  She is clearly 
  older than the other prostitutes (in her thirties or forties).  She 
  keeps herself wrapped up tightly in a large sarong and wears 
  sparse but expensive looking jewelry.
  History- Minla was a prostitute in a larger trading town to the 
  East (a town now laid to waste by the Chinese).  She studied 
  sorcery in her spare time.  She paid to learn love magic from 
  old female sorcerers in the town.  Eventually she became 
  proficient enough to become the concubine of wealthy nomad 
  merchants.  When the war started, the merchants left for war. 
  Minla traveled the countryside, preying on people who had 
  been made physically and psychologically susceptible by the 
  chaos.  She has traveled to several villages where the Chinese 
  have paid her to seduce monks and she knows the procedure 
  well.
  Personality- Minla lived most of her life in desperation.  She 
  did whatever she could to get food and a place to stay the 
  night.   Even though she is now a skilled sorcerer, making 
  good money, the sense of desperation still clings to her.  The 
  only time she feels peace or happiness is when she is breaking 
  someone’s will.  The stronger the will of the person, the 
  greater sense of power she gets when she breaks him.
  Attachments- Brutality, Sexual Dominance, Willful, Tricky, 
  Ruthless.
  Special Skills- Disease Sorcery (1), Love Magic (4), Poisons 
  (2), Simple Curses (2), Zor (2).
  Special Equipment- Poisoned knife (1 bladed damage, 
  1 BLD damage per round for 4 rounds), Black Rilzin, 
  Menstrual Blood, water prepared for love magic, Dough Zor 
  (2d20 KMA damage to anyone hit by it).
  Typical Attack- Thrown attack with a Zor at INL (16) + AGY 
  (7) + 1d20 -1 per 3ft. (1m.)  vs. 25  (or 1d20 -1/3ft. vs. 2).  On 
  a successful hit, the Zor does 2d20 KMA damage.
  The Tsen
  Attributes- MSTH 12, AGY 8, AWR 12, INL 12,  
  KMA -30, SPD 7, STH 10, WIL 12.
  Appearance- Red monks wearing red robes, brandishing 
  red clubs, with angry, demonic faces.
  Abilities
   
  Start Fires (Uses 5 MSTH)
   
  Trip People (Uses 5 MSTH)
   
  Throw Small Rocks (1 blunt dmg., Uses 5 MSTH)
   
  Enter a Human (Uses 1 MSTH)
   
  Cause Anger (20 difficulty to save, uses 3 MSTH)
   
  Cause Bad Luck (-4 on all rolls, uses 4 MSTH)
   
  Cause Temporary Insanity (+3 dark attachments, uses 5 
  MSTH/day)
   
  Cause Confusion (-10 INL, -10 AWR, uses 5 MSTH)
  Motivation- Rage towards everyone, specifically Lama 
  Rigzin.  Desire to pull others down with them.
  Typical Attack- If confronted with a threat they cannot 
  enter, they will hurl small (5 lb.) rocks at the person.  They 
  strike at AGY (8) + INL (12) -1/3 ft. (1m.) vs. 25 (or 1d20 
  vs. 5).  Each attempt to hurl a rock uses 5 MSTH.
  
  The monastery at Hunpyo has half a dozen stray 
  dogs.  They survived mostly on scraps fed to them 
  by the monks.  Now that the monks have been moved 
  down in to the village, the dogs have congregated 
  there.  They are no smarter than normal dogs, but they do 
  remember certain things: the monastery is their home, the 
  monks are their friends, Lama Rigzin is kind and beloved.  
  All of the dogs once studied under Lama Rigzin, or one 
  of his previous incarnations.  Ever since Lama Rigzin was 
  brought to the public area for Struggle Session, the dogs 
  have been keeping a near constant vigil.  In the night they 
  keep people awake with their mournful howling.  When 
  two ex-monks participated in the beating of Lama Rigzin, 
  a group of dogs followed them when they left the village 
  and tore them apart. 
  The dogs can sense the Tsen.  They don’t know what they 
  are, but know they are dangerous.  When the Tsen are 
  around, the dogs will appear to bark angrily at the air.
  The Chinese soldiers are afraid of the dogs and have 
  already shot a few.  The monks were so angry when 
  they found out that they almost took up arms against the 
  Chinese.  Commander Chen has ordered the soldiers not 
  to kill any more dogs, except in self-defense.  The monks 
  know that the dogs are former monks and that the dogs 
  will help protect Lama Rigzin from anyone who tries to 
  kill him.
  Anyone who has participated in beating Lama Rigzin is in 
  danger from the dogs.  The dogs will not attack them in 
  the middle of a crowd.  Instead, the dogs will follow the 
  person around, hoping to corner the person in some lonely 
  place.
  The Monks
  Most of the monks at the monastery were young men in 
  their teens and twenties.  About a third of these young 
  men have given up on their vows and joined the side 
  of the Chinese.  They have publicly spoken out against 
  the Tibetan government and religion during the daily 
  propaganda sessions.  Some have been seduced; others 
  gave in to the constant Chinese propaganda.  Either way, 
  hunger, exhaustion and fear contributed to their fall.
  Some of the ex-monks have tried to recede in to the 
  background and live life as ordinary peasants. 
  Others have decided to “live it up”: they vie for 
  positions as leaders in the new commune, 
  they wearing Chinese army jackets and they 
  shamelessly consort with prostitutes.
  Of those who have not yet given up their vows, some 
  are lucky enough to have friends or family in town. 
  Those monks sleep on the floor in houses.  Others 
  sleep propped up next to houses or on the side of the 
  road.  They have only their dirty robes and a few spare 
  blankets to keep them warm at night.
  During the day they are forced to work in the fields. 
  At high noon they are forced to sit, with the rest of 
  the villagers, and watch the Struggle Session being 
  conducted against their lama.  The monks fear and 
  despair for their own fate and the fate of their beloved 
  lama.  They try to remember the teachings of 
  impermanence and they spend most of their time 
  in silent or audible prayer.
  204
  adventures
  Typical Stray Dog
  Attributes- AGY 13, AWR 10, END 8, KMA 5, SPD 16, STH 
  8, BLD 1, BDY 2, INCY 5
  Appearance- Large brown mutt with fleas and hairless patches.  
  Weighs 60 lbs. (27 kg.).
  Special Powers- Good hearing and smell (+7 to AWR rolls).
  Typical Attack- Teeth do 3 bladed damage.  They do an 
  extended split jump and strike at 1d20 vs. 8 (and -10 to next 
  action or reaction).
  Lama Rigzin Gyampo
  Attributes- AGY 9, AWR 18, CHM 13, END 10,  
  INL 14, KMA 45, SPD 4, STH 3, WIL 18, BLD 1,  
  BDY 1, INCY 4
  Appearance- Lama Rigzin is a chubby old man, with 
  leathery, wrinkled skin and a round pleasant face.  His short 
  white hair is now greasy with sweat.  Due to dehydration his 
  eyes are sunken and dull.  He still wears his monk’s robes.
  History- Rigzin Gyampo is a minor tulku, a reincarnation of 
  the lama who has been ruling the monastery for generations.  
  This incarnation has been the peaceful ruler of the monastery 
  and the town for more than forty years.  When the Chinese 
  came, he instructed his monks not to resist with violence.  
  He was captured and imprisoned.  Even though forbidden 
  to speak, his demeanor gave courage to the other prisoners. 
  Commander Chen met with him several times to try to talk 
  him in to rejecting Buddhism, but Lama Rigzin showed no 
  signs that he was weakening.  Commander Chen ordered that 
  Lama Rigzin be the subject of a struggle session.  Rigzin has 
  been tied to a wooden frame, given only enough food and 
  water to keep him alive, and has been beaten and berated.  
  Lama Rigzin has figured out that there are two Tsen trying to 
  get him and that Minla is a sorcerer who has been trying to 
  use love magic on him.
  Personality- Lama Rigzin has never reached enlightenment, 
  yet he has hovered close for many lifetimes.  He is 
  accomplished at many Buddhist arts (including a little 
  Tantra) and is a wise and benevolent teacher.  He enjoys 
  being a teacher (perhaps this is why he has never achieved 
  enlightenment, he is too content in his current position).
  Attachments- Authority, Forgiving, Truth.
  Special Skills/Equipment- Breath Tantra (1), Dagger 
  Exorcism (3), Elemental Astrology (2), Indifference (2), 
  Medical Mantras (1), Meditation (5), Omen Reading (2), 
  Philosophy (3), Protective Mantras (2), Pure Vision (1), Wind 
  Voices (1), Yidam Tantra (1), Zodiac Astrology (2).  Rigzin 
  keeps rosary beads (smuggled to him during struggle session) 
  in the sleeve of his robe and counts prayers on them when no 
  one is looking.  When the Chinese arrived, Rigzin had some 
  items buried: 76 Srang worth of jewelry, two WWI rifles, and 
  a phurba.  He has the location memorized and can tell people 
  where to find the items if he thinks it will help them.
  
  205
  introductory adventures
  Silent Valley
  Player Information 
  To Tibetans, the location of a hidden valley is as valuable 
  as gold.  There are thousand of miles of harsh mountains 
  in Tibet.  Hidden between those peaks, one occasionally 
  finds an idyllic valley.  Some of these valleys have never 
  had a human set foot in them. The valleys are an ideal 
  place for Buddhist practitioners to meditate without fear 
  of anyone disturbing them.  They can also be a good place 
  for someone to hide from enemies.  Treasure finders who 
  are able to discover hidden valleys can become rich 
  selling the locations.
  The following information is for GMs only.
  Synopsis
  The PCs are in Eastern Tibet, traveling West, fleeing 
  Chinese controlled areas.  They come upon an 
  abandoned monastery.  That monastery’s lama has 
  stayed behind while his students fled the coming 
  Chinese.  He wishes to move to a hidden valley 
  and spend the rest of his days meditating.  He 
  has a clue to the location of such a valley and will pay the 
  PCs to go ahead and find the way for him.
  PCs will be sent to a village whose residents know the 
  location of the valley but they are sworn to secrecy. 
  They also have another secret: the valley is already 
  inhabited by tantric masters.  These tantric practitioners 
  know rituals to keep themselves young by feeding on the 
  vitality of others.  They perform these rituals in the guise 
  of tantric sexual practice.  They trick their victims in to 
  taking oaths not to reveal what has happened to them.
  The masters believe that they are acting compassionately. 
  They think they are prolonging their lives so they can 
  achieve enlightenment for the good of all sentient beings. 
  When characters become their targets, though, they must 
  confront these practitioners.
  Character Introductions
  The roads are filled with refugees fleeing Eastern Tibet. 
  The Chinese have taken back land from the rebels and 
  are ruling with an iron fist.  They have been committing 
  horrible acts, especially against the monastic 
  community.  The PCs will come across a large 
  monastery.  The need for food and fresh supplies 
  will be motivation to enter this monastery.
  Player:
  Player:
  Player:
  Player:
  Rigzin rejects his vows and dies (-30 XP)
  Rigzin rejects his vows and lives (-20 XP)
  Rigzin dies without rejecting his vows (5 XP)
  Rigzin escapes without rejecting his vows (15 XP)
  Rigzin gains enlightenment (30 XP)
  The Tsen are defeated or driven away (5 XP)
  Minla is defeated or driven away (5 XP)
  The Chinese are persuaded to leave (15 XP)
  PCs stops a monk from breaking vows (3 XP/ea.)
  Worked well as a group (2 XP)
  PCs made friends with each other (5 XP/ea.)
  Personal growth (5 XP)
  Clever Plan (1 to 5 XP)
  Exceptional role-playing (2 XP)
  Succeeded in line with a self-attachment (1 XP/ea.)
  Made correct prediction based on universe attachment (2 XP/ea.)
  Made the world a worse place (-1 to -5 XP)
  Split-up group (-5 XP)
  Player Character Death (-10 XP)
  Total:
  Possible Outcomes
  Without intervention by the PCs, Lama Rigzin will 
  eventually falter and give in to Minla, the Chinese 
  brainwashing or the Tsen.  Every monk and most of the 
  villagers look up to Lama Rigzin.  If he rejects Buddhism, 
  they will all lose any hope of resisting the Chinese.  If 
  the Lama falls, the rest of the monks will quickly follow. 
  The bad karma the village will accrue will doom it to 
  misfortune for generations.
  Rescuing the lama will probably be the first thought of 
  players.  However, there are never any less than two guards 
  watching over the lama.  When there is not a struggle 
  session going on, the Tsen and Minla circle him.  Minla 
  will attack PCs with sorcery if they try to steal Rigzin, and 
  the Tsen will do anything to alert the Chinese.  Many ex-
  monks and farmers are desperate to gain favor 
  from the Chinese and will turn in PCs that they 
  know to be acting against the Chinese.
  Rigzin knows breath tantra and may be able to simulate 
  death. 
  Lama Rigzin would much rather die than be forced to 
  reject Buddhism.  If he dies with his good karma intact 
  he can be reincarnated as a human, become a Buddhist 
  teacher, and continue to help humanity.  Rigzin will 
  allow PCs to kill him if it the only option.  If done from 
  completely compassionate motives, the damage to the 
  PC’s karma should be relatively minor.
  
  Yodru Monastery
  A monk will easily recognize this as a Sakyapa 
  monastery.  It is  large enough to hold 200-300 monks. 
  As the characters enter the main gates, they will not see or 
  hear anyone.  All valuables are missing.  Clever characters 
  may notice that the valuables have been carefully removed 
  (as opposed to ripped out, as the Chinese do).  If the PCs 
  search around they will find three people left: Lama Chusri 
  Kungpo, the abbot of the monastery, and two young monks 
  who have volunteered to stay and take care of him.  Lama 
  Kungpo sits facing a huge stone statue of Öpame, the 
  buddha of light.  He mumbles prayers while his assistants 
  busy themselves washing clothes and cooking tea.
  Kungpo’s Story- Lama Kungpo will explain that he 
  sent his students to go live in a large Sakyapa monastery, 
  far to the West, in rebel controlled territory.  He had 
  heard stories about Chinese atrocities and feared that the 
  Chinese would be coming soon.  Lama Kungpo was too 
  old and tired to make the voyage himself, and so stayed 
  behind.  PCs will know what Lama Kungpo doesn’t: that 
  the Chinese could be at Yodru in as little as a week.
  In the weeks since the departure of the other monks, 
  Lama Kungpo has been studying the volumes detailing 
  the history of this monastery.  There is a mention of a 
  former abbot, some generations past, spending three years 
  in lone meditation in a hidden valley.  The book says that 
  the valley is near the town of Lakza, to the Northeast. 
  Lama Kungpo will explain that Lakza is only a day’s 
  journey away.  If the valley is not too far from Lakza, 
  Lama Kungpo has the energy to make the journey.  Lama 
  Kungpo will confide, with a little smile, that he is going to 
  die soon.  His final wish is to spend the last days of his life 
  in peaceful, uninterrupted meditation.
  The Offer- Lama Kungpo will tell PCs that he has a 
  few holy items hidden away which are of great value.  
  Specifically, he has a human thighbone trumpet, with 
  inlaid gems, that is worth 2000 Srang.  He will give PCs 
  the trumpet is they go on ahead and find the hidden valley. 
  He will be heading to Lakza.  He is hoping that the PCs, 
  who can travel much faster than he, can go to Lakza, find 
  the hidden valley, and meet him in Lakza to tell him the 
  location.
  The Road to Lakza
  PCs will have been given instructions by Lama Kungpo on 
  how to get to Lakza.  Depending upon the length the GM 
  wishes the adventure to be, various travel dangers may be 
  encountered on the road to Lakza.  Lakza is a mountain 
  town and the road to it may contain wild animals, gorges 
  and bandits as the GM desires.
  Lakza
  This is a small mountain town of about 100 people.  Lakza 
  is at approximately 4,200 meters above sea level.  Its 
  economy is based on farming.  Farmers grow crops on 
  flat mountain ridges nearby.
  Government- Lakza is ruled by Tsomo 
  Kushring, an old woman who is the town’s 
  only merchant.  She is the wealthiest person in 
  town.  The town’s life is uneventful and the people 
  are peaceful and law-abiding, so Tsomo rarely needs to 
  exert any control over anyone.  Tsomo’s house is the 
  town’s only guest house.  For 10 Srang per head she 
  will feed characters and give them a place to sleep in 
  her house.  Lakza is built on lands owned by a distant 
  aristocratic family that none of the townsfolk have ever 
  meet.
  Reaction to Visitors- The townsfolk are only 
  dimly aware that the Chinese have invaded.  They will 
  react angrily to tales of Chinese activities.  With the 
  exception of Tsomo (who has access to more news) 
  they will not believe that the Chinese are capable of 
  conquering Tibet.
  The town hardly ever receives visitors.  PCs will soon 
  be flooded by curious peasants, young and old, who 
  want to know where the PCs are from, what they are 
  doing in town and what adventures they have had along 
  the way.  The peasant’s enthusiasm will noticeably 
  lessen if the characters say they are looking for a nearby 
  hidden valley.
  Lakza’s Secret- All of the adults of Lakza know 
  about the hidden valley, which they know by the 
  name “Silent Valley”.  All the adults (and many of 
  the children) have traveled there.  They go these for 
  exorcism, medical care, blessings, prognostication or 
  tantric teachings from the three tantric practitioners 
  living there.  Everyone who has gone to Silent Valley 
  has taken an oath not to reveal the existence or location 
  of the valley to anyone. 
  When PCs ask about the valley, the answer they get 
  will depend upon the impression they have made.  If 
  they have made the impression that they are trustworthy 
  or that they will discover any deceit, the villagers will 
  say something like “I’m sorry sir/madam, I have taken 
  an oath and can not talk about it”.  If the PCs have 
  made the impression that they are dangerous or up-
  to-no-good, the peasants will flatly deny having any 
  knowledge of the valley.
  The Scourge- A hard AWR roll will reveal that there 
  are no old women.  There are plenty of old men in the 
  village, but the town’s only old woman is Tsomo, who 
  is not in the crowd that initially greets the PCs.  The 
  villagers have known for some time that women do not 
  live long in Lakza.  They think it’s either poor luck, or 
  it’s because the climate is somehow “hard on women.” 
  If a character with medical skills examines an adult 
  woman, he or she will discover that the woman is 
  suffering from diseases and problems usually found 
  in a woman twice her age.  Anyone who observes 
  the daily activities of the town’s women will find 
  that they spend around 10 hours a day sleeping, 
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  sleeping, several hours resting and they still 
  seem tired.  Elemental astrology performed 
  on one of the village’s women will show that in 
  their futures they are in danger of a loss of fire and 
  wood, the vital energies which keep the body going. 
  Zodiac astrology will show the peaceful moon (sleep, 
  peace, wealth and friendship) and the wrathful Saturn 
  (laziness, failure, separation) combining their influence 
  in a dangerous way.
  The villagers have never suspected that the three tantric 
  practitioners of Silent Valley are the problem.  Each 
  woman was secretly contacted by one of the tantric 
  practitioners.  She was sworn to secrecy, and then 
  invited to participate in sexual tantra.  Almost all of 
  the women agreed because sexual tantra can help one 
  get closer to enlightenment or, at very least, secure a 
  favorable rebirth.  The sexual tantra was genuine and 
  the benefits real.  However, before it was over, the 
  tantric practitioner slipped in a second sexual yoga, one 
  which only the three practitioners know about.  This 
  yoga allows them to suck some of the vital life energy 
  out of their victims and thereby prolong their own live
  None of these women know that any other women have 
  become sexual consorts.  They are all bound to strict 
  oaths of secrecy, and as far as each woman knows, she 
  is the only one to be a consort.  These are very powerful 
  oaths, much stronger than those villagers take when 
  they promise not to reveal the location of the valley.  If 
  the women tell others about being consorts, they will 
  be attacked by a dharmapala of the demon lord class 
  (see p.188).
  The only person who has refused to become a 
  secret consort is Tsomo.  However, she still 
  travels to the valley for other purposes.
  Finding the Valley
  The PCs now have to deal with the challenge of 
  finding the valley.  If they are lucky, this setback will 
  keep them in Lakza long enough that they can begin 
  to suspect that there is something bad going on in the 
  valley.
  Exploration- A hard Tracking roll will reveal a small 
  path heading out of the village in to the mountains.  This 
  trail will quickly disappear as the trail goes above the 
  snowline.  If PCs start exploring with this as their starting 
  point, each party will have a 1 in 6 chance of finding the 
  valley for each day of exploration.  If PCs get to the top of 
  a major peak to try to see the valley, they will have a 1 in 
  4 chance of finding it.  While exploring and climbing, PCs 
  will have to deal with many problems (weather, supplies, 
  the possibility of getting lost).
  Spying- PCs may choose to try to spy on villagers to find 
  out their secrets.  The people of Lakza go to the valley to 
  bring supplies to the lamas about once a month.  They also 
  make special trips whenever they have a problem they 
  want the lamas to address.  If the players are floundering, 
  the GM may wish to have a party leave for the valley 
  while the PCs are in town.
  The PCs coming to town is the most exciting thing to 
  happen to the village in a long while.  So, if PCs eavesdrop 
  on a random conversation, the chances are that the 
  conversation will be about the PCs.  Villagers will discuss 
  why the PCs are looking for Silent Valley, how likely the 
  PCs are to find it and what the lamas might say about the 
  situation.
  Persuading Villagers- The average Tibetan is very 
  afraid of breaking an oath made to a lama.  This fear, more 
  than anything else, prevents the villagers from telling PCs 
  about the valley.  This fear is not so great, though, that they 
  will not let some information slip if seduced, threatened or 
  offered a considerable bribe.
  There are “loopholes” in the oath the villagers have 
  taken to the tantric practitioners.  Villagers are allowed 
  to lead those in “great need” to the valley.  This is how 
  every villager first learns about the valley.  If the PC can 
  convince villagers that they are in “great need” they may 
  find someone to lead them to the valley.
  PCs can also convince villagers to go to the valley and 
  ask for permission to reveal the secret.  The villagers will 
  describe their impressions of the PCs, and if the tantric 
  practitioners think the PCs are any kind of threat they will 
  deny permission.  Even if the tantric practitioners do give 
  permission, they will likely ask that any weapons be left 
  behind.
  Asking Children- Another option is to ask Lakza’s 
  children.  Different children know different things:
  Some children know that their parents occasionally go 
  off to some secret place.  Their parents bring a lot of 
  tsampa flour, butter and tea.  They are usually gone 
  overnight.
  Tsomo Kushring
  Attributes- AWR 16, CHM 14, END 2, INL 11, KMA 8, 
  SPD 2, STH 3, WIL 12, BLD 3, BDY 1
  Appearance- A very old woman with a plump body and 
  thin limbs.  She has gray hair which is braided in to complex 
  braids with colored ribbons in them.  She wears a lot of 
  jewelry and a fine woven chuba which looks loose and 
  comfortable.  She sits very still and responds slowly when 
  spoken to.
  Personality- Tsomo enjoys life and enjoys dealing with 
  people.  She sees dealing with people as a sort of game 
  where her purpose is to guess the person’s true motives. 
  She is skeptical of everyone, yet she is not pessimistic.  
  Instead, she takes joy in living in a universe where people 
  are more interesting than they first appear.
  Influence- Tsomo is the official leader of Lakza, though she 
  is mainly an advisor to younger people in the town.  She 
  lives with her two adult sons who respect her deeply and act 
  as her servants and messengers.
  Attachments- Skeptical, Willful, Tricky, Respectable
  Special Skills- Trading (4), Elemental Astrology (2), 
  Tibetan Geography (3), Literacy (3).
  
  Some children remember times when they were 
  very sick. They vaguely remember being carried 
  up in to the mountains, and down in to someplace 
  warm and green.  They remember meeting strange old 
  men.
  Some children, usually the older ones, have taken the 
  same oath as the adults.  They fear breaking the oath as 
  much or more than the parents do.  If present, they will 
  silence other children who start talking about the valley.
  The Tulpa
  Road to the Valley- The road is long but it is relatively 
  flat with no harsh climbs.  The valley can be reached in 
  about 14 hours.  It is very roundabout and goes through 
  a few loops and deep gorges.  The road to the valley is 
  haunted by a wild tulpa.
  Tulpa’s Origin- This tulpa was created by one of the 
  tantric practitioners.  He created it hoping he could steal 
  life force energy from it.  The experiment failed.  The 
  tulpa’s physical reality became partially removed and she 
  went insane.  The tulpa is afraid of the tantric masters. 
  She has fled the valley but has been unable to find her 
  way out of the mountains.  Her attempts to escape have 
  been hampered by her instability: her location changes 
  randomly.  The villagers have heard tales that some sort 
  of being haunts the mountains.  The tantric masters have 
  given the villagers a prayer that will chase the being 
  away.
  The Message- The Tulpa knows that the tantric masters 
  created her.  She also knows that they took something from 
  her.  She wants that “something” back.  Yet she avoids the 
  masters because she is afraid they will take even more 
  from her.  When she meets strangers, she thinks they 
  might be able to help her.  She will beg for their help, but 
  she doesn’t really know what she wants.  If she realizes 
  that characters are going to the valley, she will try to warn 
  them.  If the PCs do not heed her warning, she will try to 
  sabotage their journey or physically prevent them from 
  entering the valley.
  Unfortunately, the Tulpa has only limited language skills. 
  She can say “bad place” or “help” or “no!”  She also 
  cannot make herself heard unless she is standing near the 
  PCs (see below).
  The Tulpa’s Instability- The tulpa doesn’t fully exist 
  in the physical realm.  She has the following problems:
   
  She can only exist in one space for a few minutes at 
  a time.  Every round there is a one in six chance she will 
  disappear and reappear at some random point within half 
  a mile (.8 km.).  Although she cannot prevent herself from 
  teleporting, she can will herself to teleport and can control 
  where she is most likely to end up.
   
  She is only visible from certain angles: each 
  character has a one in two chance of being able to 
  see her.  Every time she moves, or the character’s 
  move, the people who can and can not see her 
  changes.
   
  No matter how loudly she yells, she can not be 
  heard outside of a radius of five feet.  Within five feet 
  she can be heard just fine.  She is deaf to any sounds 
  made more than five feet (1.5 m.) away.
   
   The tulpa is partially intangible: Any strike that hits 
  her has only a one in two chance of doing any damage.  
  If PCs pay attention, they can figure out which areas are 
  tangible and make aimed strikes at those parts.
   
  The tulpa does not need to eat or drink in order to 
  survive.
  Silent Valley
  A small stream cuts downwards through the mountains, 
  running through deep crevices and ravines that are too 
  small for a human to pass through.  Between two 
  mountain peaks these crevices widen out in to a 
  valley.  The valley runs roughly North for 300 
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  The Tulpa
  Attributes- AGY 10, AWR 5, END 15, INL 10, KMA -10, 
  SPD 14, STH 13, WIL 14, BLD 3, BDY 3, INCY 6.
  Appearance- An attractive young woman wearing long, 
  straight hair and no jewelry.  She is wearing the white robes 
  of a non-celibate tantric practitioner.  She has no shoes.
  History- The Tulpa was a fully formed tulpa created by Tso 
  Ragung, one of the tantric practitioners in the valley.  She 
  had no self-awareness and served without complaint as a 
  consort for sexual tantra.  Then, the tantric practitioners 
  started performing the rite which would steal her vital life 
  essence. Her mental faculties and physical reality dissolved 
  until she went mad and fled the valley.  Now she is lost.
  Personality- The tulpa is insane, she does not have a 
  completely formed personality and knows little about 
  reality.  Most of her motivations and actions are pure 
  emotion: she fears the lamas and she is frustrated by her 
  inability to communicate.  Her life is too random for her to 
  ever sit down and contemplate her own existence.
  Special Powers- +10 to prowling roles.
   
  1 in 6 chance of disappearing each round.
   
  1 in 2 chance of being seen by each character (-15 to be 
  hit if invisible).
   
  Each strike has 1 in 2 chance of hitting a tangible part of 
  her body.
  Attachments- Irrational, Helpless, Safety, Independence.
  Typical Attack- If trying to stop someone she makes a 
  Grab: Strangulation at STH (13) + AGY (10) + 1d20 vs. 25 
  (or 1d20 vs. 3).  When defending herself she makes blinding 
  strikes with her fingernails at INL (10) + AGY (10) + 1d20 
  v. 30 (or 1d20 v. 10) and reacts with simultaneous blinding 
  strikes at 1d20 vs. 16.
  
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  The valley is very warm.  The surrounding peaks 
  shield it from clouds and it enjoys several hours per 
  day of strong sunlight.  The stream provides enough 
  water to keep the valley green throughout the spring.  It 
  is at a low enough altitude that it is below the snowline for 
  almost all of the year.
  Steep, unclimbable rock walls rise up for hundreds of feet 
  on either side of the valley.  There is only one way in and 
  out of the valley, a small natural path that leads down in to 
  the valley.  The entrance to the valley is on the East side 
  between the center and southern end of the valley.
  The karma emanation of the valley is something which 
  should be kept secret from the characters.  A good deal 
  of good deeds have been done in the valley: healing, 
  exorcism, blessings, Buddhist teaching.  Healthy young 
  people have also had their vitality stolen away.  Altogether, 
  the valley does not have a significantly good or bad karma 
  emanation.
  The Practitioners
  The tantric practitioners have been in this valley for 140 
  years.  They have been preying on the villagers of Lakza 
  for generations.  Nobody in the village remembers when 
  the lamas came to the valley.   They are all over 200 years 
  old. 
  Tenpa Sonam- This practitioner lives in the Northern 
  end of the valley under an overhanging rock.  He is the 
  groups’ expert in exorcism.  Villagers come to him when 
  they are being plagued by malevolent spirits.  His only 
  possessions are a brass phurba and a few pouches of 
  colored sand for creating mandalas with.  The phurba is 
  sitting in front of him and has been energized with the 
  animation skill.  If anyone tried to approach the area 
  where Tenpa mediates, and if he does not deactivate the 
  phurba, it will attack that person.
  Norbu Karma- This practitioner lives in the center of 
  the valley.  He sits in constant meditation on a large rock 
  in the center of the stream.  He is an advanced tummo 
  (fire yoga) practitioner and has survived the worst winters 
  wearing nothing but a thin white garment.  Villagers 
  come to Norbu first when they come in to the valley. 
  They stand on the banks of the stream and yell to get his 
  attention.  He talks to them about their problems.  He uses 
  the Omens Reading skill to determine what the nature of 
  their problems and then sends them either North to Tenpa 
  Sonam for exorcism or South to Rabgyal Tsewang for 
  medical treatment.
  Rabgyal Tsewang- This practitioner lives in the far 
  southern end of the valley in a small cave on the side of a 
  rock wall.  Rabgyal was once a treasure finder who found 
  tantric texts in the mental realms.  With the help of the 
  other practitioners as meditation partners, he discovered 
  the tantra that allowed them to steal the life essence of 
  women through sexual tantra.  He also discovered 
  the valley.  Sick people who come to the valley 
  are sent to Rabgyal for treatment.
  Methods- The three tantric practitioners 
  know that they have something to offer to the 
  PCs.  They will ask for something in trade for 
  whatever they offer.  Most likely it will be an oath. 
  The PCs must swear the oath before a dharmapala.  
  The dharmapala will attack any PC who tries to break 
  the oath.  If there are any female PCs in the party, the 
  practitioners will want to speak to each one privately. 
  They do not want to raise suspicion so they will make 
  excuses to separate the PCs or they will contact one 
  character telepathically via the Wind Voices skill.  When 
  one of the practitioners gets a chance to talk to a female 
  PC in private, he will ask her to become a secret consort. 
  The conversation will probably start “I have something 
  very important to offer you, but I can only offer it if you 
  take an oath not to tell anyone what I am offering you.” 
  The lamas will try to isolate PCs by making them the 
  bearer of secrets they can’t tell anyone about.
  The Vitality Attack- The special tantra that lets 
  the lamas extend their lifespan can only be used during 
  sexual contact with a member of the opposite sex.  Only 
  a PC with the Sexual Tantra  skill will be able to tell the 
  difference between this ceremony and normal sexual 
  tantra.  Any person who is subjected to this has her 
  lifespan reduced and permanently loses vitality.  The 
  practitioners know of no way to put this vitality back.
  Each time the ritual is used on a PC, the PC suffers from 
  a permanent -3 END, -2 WIL, -1 STH, -1 SPD, -1 BLD 
  and -1 INCY.  Attribute caps are reduced by the same 
  amounts.
  Normal sexual tantra is, in itself, exhausting.  Thus, a 
  victim will not realize until much later that something 
  has happened to her.  A PC can make an AWR roll at 40 
  difficulty an hour later, at 30 difficulty eight hours later 
  and at 20 difficulty the next day.
  Gender- If there are no female PCs in the party, GMs 
  may want to consider either having a female NPC 
  tagging along or changing the gender of the lamas, the 
  tulpa and the sick villagers.
  Possible Outcomes
  There are two considerations in the outcome of the 
  adventure: the fate of the kindly Lama Kungpo and the 
  fates of the three tantric practitioners.
  It is important to understand that the tantric practitioners 
  are highly advanced in their particular path towards 
  enlightenment.  They are farther from enlightenment 
  than they may believe, but they are much closer than the 
  PCs.  It would be very hard to persuade the practitioners 
  that they are in the wrong.  They are highly advanced 
  in logic and philosophy and can generally out-
  argue any of the PCs.
  
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  Tenpa Sonam
  Level 5 White Robe, Level 10 Ascetic
  Attributes- AGY 5, AWR 16, END 3, KMA 30, SPD 3, STH 2, WIL 18, BLD 2, BDY 1, INCY 3.
  Appearance- Tenpa has long, salt-and-pepper hair going down to his back.  He wears a thick, un-dyed wool robe.  His 
  feet are bare.
  History- Tenpa came from a family of White Robe non-celibate tantric practitioners.  He achieved wealth and prestige 
  in his community doing mundane tasks such as exorcising malevolent spirits and threatening enemies with attack by 
  dharmapalas.  He became dissatisfied with the mundane concerns and sought out more esoteric teachings.
  Personality- Tenpa is involved in the act of becoming enlightened.  He approaches it from a cold, utilitarian viewpoint, as 
  he does everything else.  In his years in the valley, much of his personality has been worn away, leaving only the search 
  for enlightenment.
  Special Skills- Animation (WIL) 3, Breath Yoga (AWR) 2, Dagger Exorcism (WIL) 3, Death Tantra (INL) 2, Fire Yoga 
  (WIL) 1, Indifference (INL) 2, Oath Binding (WIL) 4, Protective Mantras (INL) 3, Pure Vision (AWR) 4, Sorcery Tantra 
  (WIL) 2, Tulpa Creation (WIL) 4, Wind Voices (AWR) 3, Yidam Tantra (WIL) 3.
  Special Equipment- Animated phurba (2 bladed damage) does a vital strike with 1d10 success.
  Attachments- Humble, Utilitarian
  Typical Attack- If forced to attack he will invoke a dharmapala to attack the PCs.  He will roll WIL (18) +4 (skill) +1d20 
  vs. a difficulty of 20 or 30 (depending upon whether the PCs can legitimately be called an enemy of Buddhist practice).
  Norbu Karma
  Level 4 Kagyupa Monk, Level 11 Ascetic
  Attributes- AGY 5, AWR 16, END 12, INL 13, KMA 30, SPD 3, STH 4, WIL 16, BLD 2, BDY 4, INCY 3.
  Appearance- Norbu wears only a thin off-white garment that is so old and holey that both of his shoulders and most of his 
  chest are exposed.  He has thick, leathery skin.  In his hands are prayer beads, cracked from weather and exposure.
  History- Norbu was the son of a poor farmer.  He became a monk at a Kagyupa monastery.  He excelled in logic but was 
  critical of the monastic lifestyle.  He left the monastery to become a wandering ascetic.
  Personality- Norbu seriously believes that he is acting from purely compassionate motives.  He believes that he has a 
  duty to do the most compassionate thing possible: become enlightened.  He does not think any cost for enlightenment is 
  too high.
  Special Skills- Breath Yoga (AWR) 4, Death Tantra (INL) 3, Fire Yoga (WIL) 5, Geomancy (INL) 4, Indifference (INL) 
  4, Omen Reading (AWR) 4, Weather Mantras (INL) 4, Wind Voices (AWR) 4, Yidam Tantra (WIL) 3.
  Attachments- Empathetic, Duty
  Typical Attack- If defending himself, he will set an enemy on fire by pronouncing the syllable for fire.  He makes a Fire 
  Yoga skill roll at WIL (17) + 16 (skill) + 1d20 vs. 40 (or 1d20 vs. 7).  If successful it uses 10 END and the victim 
  takes 2 burn damage (see p.152) per round until the fire is put out.
  Rabgyal Tsewang
  Level 5 Yellow Hat, Level 7 Treasure Finder, Level 4 Ascetic
  Attributes- AGY 1, AWR 19, END 4, INL 20, KMA 30, SPD 3, STH 3, WIL 15, BLD 3, BDY 1, INCY 2.
  Appearance- Rabgyal wears faded monk’s robes of great age; they are full of holes and have many loose threads that are full 
  of dust.  He is completely bald and has a thin beard and mustache.
  History- Rabgyal was the heir to a wealthy merchant.  He discovered when he was young that he had the power to find 
  holy objects.  He was trained at a Yellow Hat monastery where he learned tantric techniques and philosophy.  He excelled 
  in philosophy and worked towards getting a Geshe degree.  Before he could complete it, he was asked to leave the academy 
  because of crimes he committed.  He wandered through the countryside, teaching people tantra in exchange money and 
  searching for more advanced teachers.
  Personality- Rabgyal has eliminated most of his personality except for the ravenous power of his logical mind.  He will not let 
  anything stand in the way of a logical inquiry.  Now he is pursuing the logical path towards complete enlightenment and total 
  knowledge.
  Special Skills- Breath Yoga (AWR) 2, Dakini Language (INL) 3, Death Tantra (INL) 2, Fire Yoga (WIL) 1, Humoural Medicine 
  (INL) 3, Invisibility (WIL) 4, Medical Diagnosis (INL) 3, Medical Mantras (INL) 3, Oath Binding (WIL) 4, Lightness Yoga 
  (AWR) 3, Subtle Self (INL) 4, Wind Voices (AWR) 3, Yidam Tantra (WIL) 3, Treasure Location (AWR) 4, Treasure Meditation 
  (AWR) 5, Treasure Verification (AWR) 3.
  Attachments- Logical, Truth
  Typical Attack- Rabgyal uses his invisibility skill to sneak around and sabotage enemies or attack them when they are 
  vulnerable.  He will pick up a 3 blunt damage rock, then do an Aim, then make an Extended Vital Strike at INL (20) +STH (3) 
  +4 (aim) +5 (extended) +1d20 vs. 40 or 1d20 vs. 8 (and -10 to next reaction).  He will use levitation and his ability to walk 
  through solid objects to escape from danger and get to a place where enemies cannot attack him.
  
  211
  introductory adventures
  Eliminating the Lamas- These are not sorcerers. 
  They are advanced Buddhist practitioners.  They have 
  traveled far down the path towards enlightenment but at 
  some point got off the track.  They have flaws, but those 
  flaws are few.  They can not be tricked, bullied, goaded or 
  seduced.  PCs may be able to kill the tantric practitioners, 
  but it will be a bloody and unsatisfying battle.  If anything, 
  PCs will be lucky if they get out of the valley without 
  having been bound to oaths or having their vitality stolen. 
  The lamas will begin to manipulate the PCs as soon as 
  they enter the valley and will not want the PCs to leave 
  until they have something that the PCs have.
  Warning Townspeople- It will be hard, without 
  proof, to convince the people of Lakza that the lamas are 
  dangerous.  The lamas are the most convenient source of 
  exorcism and medical care for the people of Lakza.  If 
  they could not go to the lamas, they would have to make a 
  much longer trek down to a far away trading town.  Even 
  if characters can convince the villagers that the lamas are 
  dangerous, the men will probably continue to visit them.  
  The lamas may or may not move if they are cut off from 
  their supply of women to feed off of.
  Lama Kungpo- Lama Kungpo will not 
  want to settle in the valley if he does not have the 
  permission of the lamas there.  No matter what the 
  tantric practitioners have done, Kungpo will respect the 
  fact that they are on the path towards enlightenment.  
  He will not want to interfere with their quest, unless it is 
  necessary to do so to save innocent lives.
  If the tantric practitioners can be prevented from preying 
  on people, and if they will allow Kungpo to reside 
  there, Kungpo will go to the valley.  He will happily 
  live out the rest of his days in silent contemplation in 
  the valley.  This is, perhaps, the best solution.  Lama 
  Kungpo’s presence may help teach the three tantric 
  practitioners where they have gone wrong on the path 
  to enlightenment.
  If PCs kill the lamas, however, lama Kungpo will not 
  want to live in the valley.  He is still grasping on to 
  sentimentality.  He will not want to live in a valley 
  where people have been murdered, especially since he 
  will feel that he is partially at fault for the killings.
  Player:
  Player:
  Player:
  Player:
  Lama Kungpo finds place to live out his days in 
  peace (7 XP)
  PC survives the adventure with no permanent harm 
  (5 XP)
  A tantric master is prevented from preying on the 
  people of Lakza (3 XP/ea.)
  A tantric master is prevented from preying on any-
  one (4 XP/ea.)
  A tantric master is put back on the path to enlight-
  enment (5 XP/ea.)
  The danger of the tulpa is eliminated (5 XP)
  Worked well as a group (2 XP)
  PCs made friends with each other (5 XP/ea.)
  Personal growth (5 XP)
  Clever Plan (1 to 5 XP)
  Exceptional role-playing (2 XP)
  Succeeded in line with a self-attachment (1 XP/ea.)
  Made 
  correct 
  prediction 
  based 
  on 
  universe 
  attachment (2 XP/ea.)
  Made the world a worse place (-1 to -5 XP)
  Split-up group (-5 XP)
  Player Character Death (-10 XP)
  Total:
  
  Glossary of 
  Tibetan Terms
  Amdo- A province in Northeastern Tibet.
  Asura- A type of heaven-being that lives on Mount Meru and 
  battles against the Devas.
  Bardo- The period of 49 days after a person’s 
  death where the soul wanders on this plane before 
  the next rebirth.
  Bodhisattva- A being who became enlightened 
  via the teachings of a buddha but stayed in this 
  world to help sentient beings.
  Bön- Tibet’s pre-Buddhist organized religion; 
  shares much in common with both Buddhism and 
  shamanism.
  Buddha- An enlightened being; either one 
  who became enlightened without the benefit 
  of teachings or is an emanation of perfect 
  enlightenment.
  Cham- Masked religious dances reenacting 
  Buddhist history.
  Chang Tang- The inhospitable frozen plains that make up most 
  of Northern Tibet.
  Chenrezig- The 
  male 
  buddha 
  of 
  compassion, 
  called 
  Avalokitesvara in Sanskrit.
  Chuba- A belted toga-like garment, the standard unisex clothing 
  of lay Tibetans.
  Dakini- A race of beautiful, blue female heavenly beings, similar 
  to angels in the west.
  Dalai Lama- A tulku and reincarnation of Chenrezig who is the 
  head of the Yellow Hat Buddhist sect and ruler of Tibet.
  Deva- A heavenly being living on Mount Meru.
  Dharma- The teachings of Buddhism.
  Dharmapala- A demon or native deity which has been 
  bound by an oath to do good and to protect Buddhism and its 
  practitioners.
  Dharmsala- A town in India hosting Tibetan refugees.
  Dobdob- A monastic police officer.
  Dolma- The female buddha of compassion and consort to 
  Chenrezig.  Called Tara in Sanskrit.
  Dorje Shudgen- A powerful dharmapala of questionable 
  loyalties.
  Düd- A type of malevolent spirit especially associated with 
  lingering illness.
  Dzo- A yak/cattle halfbreed.
  Dzong- 1: One of 53 prefectures that Tibet is divided in to.  
  2: A fort.
  Dzongpon- Local Tibetan government prefects, usually a monk 
  and layman.
  Garuda- A giant heavenly bird that preys on Lu.
  Gautama Buddha- The Buddha of the current age, an 
  Indian prince that achieved enlightenment.
  Gelugpa- The “Yellow Hat” Buddhist sect, the 
  newest of Tibet’s 4 major sects, currently acting as 
  the Tibetan government.
  Gesar- An ancient king, subject of a popular (and magical) 
  Tibetan epic.
  Geshe- The highest degree in monastic scholastics, equivalent 
  to a western PhD. 
  Glud- Any being or object used as a “decoy” 
  to draw out curses or malevolent spirits, often a 
  human-shaped piece of dough.
  Jokhang- The biggest temple in urban Lhasa, the 
  streets surrounding it are a center of pilgrimage 
  and trade.
  Kagyupa- The third oldest of Tibet’s 4 major 
  Buddhist sects, specializing in body-control 
  tantras.
  Kanjur- A book of the teachings of Gautama 
  Buddha.
  Karma- The accumulated momentum of the 
  compassionate and cruel acts in which a person 
  has participated in this and previous lives.
  Kashag- A council of 3 ministers, who are 
  directly beneath the Dalai Lama (or his regent) in 
  the hierarchy of the Tibetan government.
  Kham- A large Eastern province of Tibet, home of the 
  Khampas.
  Khampa- A nomad from Kham, known as fierce warriors 
  and active rebels.
  Khata- A white scarf used as a ceremonial gift.
  Kukuri- A heavy curved knife, used for chopping.
  Lama- A teacher of Buddhist or Bön doctrines.  Also, the 
  person in charge of a monastery.
  Langdarma- The ancient Tibetan king who persecuted 
  Buddhism in favor of Bön.
  Lokbar- A heavier version of the Chuba, worn in extreme 
  weather.
  Lhasa- The capital and largest city in Tibet.
  Lu- A family of malevolent spirits, ranging from large 
  dragon-like beings that live in the heavens to snake-human 
  creatures living at the bottom of ponds.
  Mamo- A class of malevolent spirits, female with jet-black 
  skin, known for sorcery and disease.
  Mandala- A magic painting, usually circular, symbolizing 
  how an enlightened being views the universe.
  Mantra- A chanted formula that has mystical or magical 
  meaning.
  Meru- A heavenly mountain far beyond this world, where 
  heavenly beings and enlightened entities live.
  Migyu- A large, semi-intelligent, furry humanoid native to 
  Tibet.  Known as a Yeti outside of Tibet.
  Milarepa- Tibetan sorcerer turned Buddhist teacher and poet, 
  a popular Tibetan folk hero.
  Mimang- A people’s organization in Lhasa currently 
  protesting the Chinese.
  Mudra- Magical hand gestures with mystical or 
  magical effects.
  212
  appendices
  Pronunciation Guide
  All Tibetan words are 
  spelled 
  phonetically. 
  In some cases, special 
  characters 
  had 
  to 
  be 
  used, 
  they 
  are 
  pronounced as follows: 
  â- like “a” in “father”
  é- like “ye” in “yet”
  ê- like “ai” in “paid”
  ó- like “o” in “sole”
  ö- like “ur” in “urgent”
  ü- like “w” in “wind”
  ú- like “oo” in “moon”
  
  213
  glossary of game terms
  Nyingmapa- The oldest of Tibet’s 4 major Buddhist 
  sects; the one closest to pre-Buddhist Tibetan religions.
  Padmasambhava- The great Indian mystic who traveled 
  across Tibet, conquering the native demons and gods, founding 
  monasteries and hiding Terma.
  Panchen Lama- The second most important Tulku in the 
  yellow hat sect, he is the abbot of the Tashilhunpo monastery at 
  Shigatse.  The current Panchen Lama is pro-Chinese.
  Pehar- One of the most powerful dharmapalas, his oracle 
  is the most powerful oracle in Tibet and advises the Tibetan 
  government.
  Phurba- A ritual dagger with a three or four cornered blade, 
  usually with a vajra and deity image as a handle.
  Qinghai- A Chinese province bordering East Tibet.
  Ragyapa- A caste of unclean corpse carriers.
  Rakshasa- A shape-shifting, human-eating monster from 
  another world.
  Rimpoche- A title of respect given to learned spiritual leaders.  
  It means blessed or jewel.
  Rinsil- A bone concretion found in the remains of a dead lama.  
  They are powerful charms and panaceas.
  Sakyapa- Second oldest of Tibet’s 4 major sects, specializing in 
  logic and philosophy.
  Sanskrit- The ancient written language of India, the language 
  of the Buddhist sutras, adopted as the official written language 
  of Tibet.
  Shambhala- A hard-to-find, utopian mountain kingdom where 
  all are long-lived and wise.  The basis for James Hilton’s story 
  of “Shangri-La.”
  Shigatse- The second largest city in Tibet; Lhasa’s only major 
  economic and political competitor.
  Shinje- A torturer from the hell realms (or a death spirit in this 
  realm).
  Sichuan- A Chinese province bordering East Tibet.
  Songsten Gampo- The first king of a unified Tibet.
  Srang- Tibetan currency, in coins or printed on paper notes. 
  Srang coins are accepted throughout Tibet.
  Sunyata- The doctrine that all dualities are empty, that nothing 
  exists, even non-existence itself.
  Sutra- A traditional book of Buddhist teachings.
  Tantra- Any method of mystical training outside of the standard 
  written transmission of Buddhist teachings.  Tantras offer a 
  quicker path to enlightenment but are much more dangerous.
  Tantric- An adjective referring to practices, teachings or rituals 
  learned from a tantra.
  Tenjur- A book made up of commentaries on the teachings of 
  Gautama Buddha.
  Terma- A discovered holy text or article that had once been 
  hidden because people were not yet ready to have it.
  Thangka- A holy painting on cloth which can be rolled up for 
  transport.
  Torma- A building-shaped sculpture, made of mostly butter, 
  used for ritual purposes.
  Tsampa- Flour made from popped barley.  A staple 
  food in Tibet.
  Tsen- A class of malevolent spirits, often 
  associated with illness, misfortune and hatred.
  Tulku- The reincarnation of a powerful lama or 
  bodhisattva who has retained memories and powers from 
  his or her last lives; usually the head of a monastery.
  Tulpa- A being, resembling a human, created solely from 
  mental energy by means of meditation and magical formulas. 
  These beings may gain intelligence and self-consciousness.
  Vajra- A scepter or cross symbol representing enlightenment.  
  Originally the thunderbolt scepter of the Hindu sky god 
  Indra.
  Yaksha- A type of heaven-being living on the lower levels of 
  Mount Meru.
  Yama- The demon lord of death, a powerful dharmapala.
  Yidam- A type of buddha used in Tantric meditation as a 
  model of enlightenment. Practitioners seek to experience 
  what it is like to be the Yidam being.
  Zhang-Zhung- An ancient pre-Buddhist kingdom in Western 
  Tibet.
  Zhidag- A class of spirits, often malevolent, that protect the 
  earth.
  Glossary of 
  Game Terms
  #D#- A code for rolling dice, the first number means 
  the number of dice rolled and the second number is the 
  denomination of the dice.  2D6 means that you must roll 2 
  six-sided dice and add the values.
  Action- In combat, anything the character initiates (as 
  opposed to a Reaction).  An action could be anything from a 
  strike (a fighting action described in the rules) to scratching 
  one’s nose.
  Adventure- A story characters play in, with a beginning, end, 
  conflict, drama and a chance for the characters to succeed and 
  a chance for them to fail and perhaps die.
  Armor Rating (AR)- A numeric rating of the amount of 
  the character’s body a piece of armor covers, one being the 
  smallest amount and twenty being coverage of the entire 
  body.  A strike must have a success greater than the armor 
  rating in order to hit an unprotected portion of the victim.
  Attachment- A dependence, preference or prejudice for 
  an idea or sensation.  Attachments describe personality. 
  The fewer attachments, the closer a character is to 
  enlightenment.
  Attributes- Numeric ratings for each character that enumerate 
  their abilities in mental, physical and other areas.  Although 
  base attributes are relatively stable over time, events can 
  temporarily change any of them.
  Bladed- Damage that cuts or pierces flesh such as a knife or 
  pick-axe.  Does damage to Blood Points.
  Blunt- Damage that crushes flesh, such as a club or punch. 
  Blunt damage subtracts first from Body Points, then 
  (when they are gone) it does double damage to Blood 
  Points.
  
  Chance Action- An action that the GM determines is 
  heavily influenced by chance (a 1 on the 1d20 roll will 
  always fail, a 20 will always succeed).  Typically a spur-
  of-the-moment activity.
  Character- A character is a fictional person created by a player. 
  The character has his/her own personality, past, characteristics, 
  experiences, and life.  It is through the character that the player 
  plays the game.  A character is a participant in the adventure.
  Character Class- A character creation option that describes the 
  character’s place in society.  Character Class sets the character’s 
  income, the costs to buy skills and may also give special plusses, 
  skills, equipment and disadvantages during character creation.  
  Character class can change during game-play.
  Character Creation- The process of describing a character 
  before game-play starts.  Points are used to buy attributes, skills, 
  advantages and disadvantages.  Equipment is also bought.
  Damage- A rating of the capacity of a weapon to do damage to 
  humans.  Specifically, it is damage which will move a person 
  progressively closer to being dead.
  Deliberate Action- An action that has no automatic success 
  or failure (as a Chance Action does).  This is typically a well-
  considered action that leaves as little as possible to chance.
  Difficulty- The rating of the difficulty for anything a character 
  attempts to do.  To succeed, a character must make a roll of the 
  applicable attribute plus 1d20 and get a result higher than the 
  given difficulty.  Typical difficulties: Easy (10), Moderate (20), 
  Hard (30) and Legendary (40).
  Discipline- A system of study (usually, but not always associated 
  with a character class) that sets a character’s skill costs and the 
  effects of level advancement.
  Easy- A difficulty rating of 10 for an attribute + 1d20 roll (or -4 
  difficulty when dealing with weapon specific difficulties).
  Enlightenment- In game terms, this is when a character has 
  removed the last Attachment and is now a perfect being.
  Experience Levels- As a PC does more he or she gains more 
  experience, and through experience and practice the PC 
  becomes more powerful.  The system of Experience Levels is 
  an easy system for rating this growth.  Characters start out at an 
  experience level of 1 and as they do more and experience more 
  they gain experience points and raise experience levels.
  Experience Points (XP)- As a PC completes each adventure 
  the GM assigns them Experience Points based on their 
  performance in that particular adventure.  Each adventure 
  should have a checklist of things PCs can do to gain or lose XP. 
  XP can be spent at the end of an adventure to buy skills and to 
  raise attributes.
  Functional Range (FR)- A unit of distance in which a projectile 
  weapon suffers a -1 penalty.  For instance, if a weapon has a 
  functional range of 3 ft., the character is at -4 to hit a target 12 
  ft. away.
  Game Master (GM)- The Game Master is a player but does not 
  have a character.  The GM is an impartial intermediary between 
  the game as it appears on paper and the game as played by 
  characters.  The GM is the universe, he or she decides, based on 
  his or her knowledge of the game universe, what happens for 
  whatever action the players take.
  Hard- A difficulty rating of 30 for an attribute + 1d20 
  roll (or +4 difficulty for weapon specific difficulties).
  Incapacity- When a PC is at 0 END or 0 INCY 
  and can no longer stand, initiate communication or 
  make any roll.
  KMA- Karma, an attribute that represents how a character’s 
  past actions are effecting his or her luck.
  KMA Emanation- A measurement of how much a person’s 
  karma effects other people nearby.  Typically one-tenth of 
  current KMA.
  Legendary- A difficulty rating of 40 for an attribute + 1d20 
  roll.
  Maximum Range- For a projectile weapon, this is the 
  actual range that the character can not do damage beyond (as 
  opposed to Functional Range).
  Moderate- A difficulty rating of 20 for an attribute + 1d20 
  roll.
  Non Player Character (NPC)- This is a character, can 
  be a friend, enemy, both or neither, with a personality and 
  intelligence, but this is not a player character: he or she is 
  controlled by the GM.  Mostly they are tools to help the plot 
  along.
  Player- The player is the real human being that participates in 
  the role playing game as a character.
  Player Character (PC)- A character created by and 
  controlled by a player.
  Protection Rating (PR)- A numeric rating that describes 
  how much damage a piece of armor is capable of protecting 
  from.  Any damage that hits the armor has the Protection 
  Rating’s worth of damage removed from it.
  Reaction- The thing a PC can do once in a combat round in 
  reaction to being attacked (includes Dodge).
  Roll- A dice roll with an attempt to get the highest number 
  possible.  An “agility roll,” for example, is the character’s 
  AGY plus 1d20 with an attempt to get higher than the 
  difficulty for the given action.
  Role Playing Game (RPG)- A game where people play 
  fictional characters (roles) having adventures together. 
  Players narrate what their characters do and the GM narrates 
  what happens in response.
  Save Vs.- A roll made of 1d20 plus appropriate attributes in 
  an attempt to avoid something that would otherwise happen, 
  such as falling down or catching a disease.
  Scenario- A scenario is a series of adventures linked together 
  by a common plot element or group of PCs (much like a book 
  trilogy).
  Simultaneous- When a character reacts to being attacked by 
  making an action of his or her own (e.g. let someone punch 
  you, but stab that person at the same time).
  Skill- A level of training or knowledge that allows the 
  character to do something they would be otherwise unable to 
  do.  The majority of skills are INL based (roll 1d20 + INL + 
  any plusses from having more than one level in the skill), yet 
  there are skills based on other attributes.
  Skill Roll- A roll of 1d20 plus the appropriate attribute plus 
  four for every level the character has in the skill above the 
  first.
  Split- When one action or reaction is turned in to two, at 
  +10 difficulty to each (e.g. do a split action jump and 
  strike).
  214
  appendices
  
  215
  wilderness encounters
  Random Wilderness Encounter
  Moun-
  tains
  Plains
  Major 
  Roads
  Haunted 
  Place
  01-01
  01-02
  01-02
  01-03
  Ancient Ruins
  A pre-Buddhist site, may contain hidden treasures or magical objects.
  03-04
  03-04
  04-04
  Battlefield
  The site of a recent battle between rebels and Chinese.  There may be working 
  weapons that can be scavenged.
  02-04
  05-06
  05-05
  Bear
  Will attack humans if startled or if cubs are threatened.
  05-07
  07-10
  06-06
  Chinese Exploratory Party
  A small group of Chinese trying to map Tibet and find exploitable resources.
  08-08
  11-13
  05-08
  07-07
  Chinese Regiment
  A large convoy of Chinese soldiers trying to move without rebels noticing.
  09-09
  14-16
  09-12
  08-08
  Chinese Roadbuilding Crew Chinese and Tibetan laborers trying to create a new road.
  10-10
  17-17
  09-10
  Cursed Bones
  Evil, intelligent, animated human remains.  May try to attack PCs.
  11-12
  18-18
  11-13
  Cursed Phurba
  An evil, intelligent, animated ritual dagger.  May try to trick a PC in to freeing it and/
  or carrying it back to civilization.
  13-18
  19-19
  14-14
  Difficult Climb
  To continue, PCs must climb a steep mountain-face and must make climbing rolls.
  19-20
  20-25
  12-19
  15-15
  Farmhouse: Friendly
  Farmers will welcome PCs to stay the night, will feed them, and if any PCs are literate 
  will ask them to read holy books.
  21-21
  26-27
  20-22
  16-18
  Farmhouse: Poison Bearer
  Looking like a friendly farmhouse, if PCs try to stay the night the lone inhabitant will 
  try to feed the PCs poison.
  22-25
  28-28
  23-23
  19-19
  Gorge
  To continue, PCs must travel through a deep gorge which can easily flood or be the 
  scene of an ambush.
  26-28
  20-22
  Haunted Mountain
  To continue, PCs must travel on a mountain that is ruled by a powerful malevolent 
  spirit attached to the peak.
  29-31
  29-31
  23-23
  Hunting Party
  A group of criminal hunters with hunting dogs.
  32-32
  32-32
  24-24
  24-25
  Lost Hell Being
  May attack PCs out of fear and anger.
  33-33
  33-33
  25-25
  26-28
  Lost Hungry Ghost
  May attack PCs for their food supplies.
  34-34
  34-34
  26-26
  29-29
  Lost Wild Tulpa
  May attack PCs out of madness.
  35-35
  35-36
  27-27
  30-33
  Malevolent Spirit: Düd
  Will attempt to prey upon any PC with low Karma.
  37-38
  28-28
  34-37
  Malevolent Spirit: Lu
  Will attempt to prey upon any PC with low Karma.
  36-36
  39-40
  29-29
  38-42
  Malevolent Spirit: Mamo
  Will attempt to prey upon any PC with low Karma.
  37-37
  41-42
  30-30
  43-45
  Malevolent Spirit: Söndrema Will appear physically to male party members, will attempt to paralyze and kill them.
  38-38
  43-44
  31-31
  46-49
  Malevolent Spirit: Sri
  Will attempt to prey upon any PC with low Karma.
  39-39
  45-46
  32-32
  50-50
  Malevolent Spirit: Trickster 
  Spirit
  Will attempt to play mischievous tricks on the party in the form of a small animal.
  40-40
  47-48
  33-33
  51-54
  Malevolent Spirit: Tsen
  Will attempt to prey upon any PC with low Karma.
  41-41
  49-51
  34-35
  55-58
  Malevolent Spirit: Zhidag
  Will attempt to prey upon any PC with low Karma.
  42-45
  52-52
  59-61
  Migyu
  A large, humanoid primate, possibly dangerous.
  46-50
  36-37
  62-62
  Mountain Pass
  To continue, PCs must travel high in to the mountains and face the dangers of freezing 
  or altitude sickness.
  51-52
  53-58
  38-38
  63-63
  River
  To continue, PCs must forge a river and make rolls to avoid being swept under.
  53-58
  59-61
  39-40
  64-64
  Rockslide/Avalanche
  PCs must make SPD or AGY rolls to avoid getting hit with rocks (1d6 blunt damage) 
  or buried under snow (suffocation and hypothermia).
  59-61
  62-66
  41-48
  65-65
  Small Bandit Group
  A group of bandits looking to politely rob anyone they meet.
  49-49
  Traveling Aristocrat
  Level 1d6.  Probably traveling with servants or bodyguards.
  62-62
  67-68
  50-51
  66-66
  Traveling Ascetic
  Level 1d6.
  52-53
  Traveling Astrologer
  Level 1d6.
  63-63
  69-69
  54-54
  67-67
  Traveling Bön Priest
  Level 1d6.
  64-64
  70-70
  55-57
  Traveling Craftsperson
  Level 1d6.
  65-65
  71-71
  58-58
  Traveling Dobdob
  Level 1d6.
  59-59
  Traveling Doctor
  Level 1d6.
  60-60
  Traveling False Lama
  May try to get PCs to pay for tantric lessons.
  66-67
  72-72
  61-64
  68-68
  Traveling Farmer
  Level 1d6.
  68-68
  73-73
  65-66
  Traveling Gesar Bard
  Level 1d6.
  69-69
  74-74
  67-67
  69-69
  Traveling Kagyupa Monk
  Level 1d6.
  70-70
  68-68
  70-71
  Traveling Mad Saint
  Will appear mad, but will likely have an important lesson for at least one of the PCs.
  71-71
  75-75
  69-71
  72-72
  Traveling Merchant
  Level 1d6.
  72-72
  Traveling Mirror Gazer
  Level 1d6.
  72-73
  76-78
  73-75
  73-73
  Traveling Nomad
  Level 1d6.
  74-74
  79-79
  76-76
  74-74
  Traveling Nyingmapa Monk Level 1d6.
  77-77
  Traveling Oracle
  Level 1d6.
  78-78
  Traveling Revenant
  Level 1d6.
  75-75
  80-80
  79-79
  75-75
  Traveling Sakyapa Monk
  Level 1d6.
  76-77
  80-80
  Traveling Savage
  Level 1d6.
  78-78
  81-81
  81-81
  76-78
  Traveling Sorcerer: 
  Disguised
  Level 1d6.  Will be disguised as a member of another class.
  79-79
  82-82
  82-82
  79-82
  Traveling Sorcerer: 
  Undisguised
  Level 1d6.  Caught red-handed gathering sorcerous components or doing a sorcerous 
  ritual.
  80-80
  83-83
  83-83
  Traveling Treasure Finder
  Level 1d6.  There is a 1 in 10 chance he or she is seeking treasure in a trance.
  81-81
  84-84
  84-85
  83-84
  Traveling Unclean
  Level 1d6.
  82-84
  85-85
  86-86
  85-86
  Traveling Weathermaker
  Level 1d6.
  85-85
  86-86
  87-87
  87-87
  Traveling White Robe
  Level 1d6.
  86-86
  87-87
  88-89
  88-88
  Traveling Yellow Hat Monk Level 1d6.
  87-90
  88-89
  89-89
  Unstable Bridge
  To continue, PCs must cross a poorly maintained bridge that may break.
  91-91
  90-90
  90-90
  90-93
  Walking Corpse
  A dead body walking blindly.  Can kill a PC by touch.
  92-92
  91-93
  91-93
  94-95
  Weather: Dust-Storm
  Lasts 3d6 hours, PCs are blinded.
  95-95
  94-96
  94-96
  95-97
  Weather: Hailstorm
  Lasts 3d6 hours, PCs without protection take ½ blunt damage and must save vs. 
  hypothermia (20 difficulty).
  96-99
  97-98
  97-99
  98-99
  Weather: Snowstorm
  Lasts 3d6 hours, seeing and moving is difficult, PCs must save vs. hypothermia (30 
  difficulty).
  00-00
  99-00
  00-00
  00-00
  Wolf Pack
  A pack of wild wolves, will attack sick or wounded humans.
  
  Selected 
  Bibliography
  Born in Tibet by Chögyam Trungpa and Esme Cramer 
  Roberts.  1966, Penguin Books, Baltimore.
  Cavaliers of Kham: The Secret War in Tibet by Michael 
  Peisrel.  1972, William Heinemann Ltd., London.
  Civilized Shamans: Buddhism in Tibetan Societies by 
  Geoffrey Samuel.  1991, Smithsonian Institute.
  Kundun a film by Martin Scorsese.  1997, Touchstone 
  Pictures.
  Lost Lhasa: Heinrich Harrer’s Tibet by Heinrich 
  Harrer.  1992, Harry N. Abrams Inc., New York.
  Liberation in Our Hands by Pabongkha Rinpoche, 
  ed. Yongzin Trijang Rinpoche, tr. by Geshe Lobsang 
  Tharchin & Art Engle.  The Mahayana Sutra and Tantra 
  Press, Howell N.J.
  Magic and Mystery in Tibet by Alexandra David-Neel.  
  1965, Penguin Books Inc, Baltimore.
  The Nine Ways of Bön by David Snellgrove.  1967, 
  Oxford University Press, London.
  Nomads of Western Tibet: The Survival of a Way 
  of Life by Melvyn Goldstein and Cynthia Bell.  1990, 
  University of California Press, Berkeley.
  Oracles and Demons of Tibet: The Cult and 
  Iconography of the Tibetan Protective Deities by Rene 
  de Nebesky-Wojkowitz.  1956, Oxford University Press, 
  London.
  Religion and Politics in Tibet by Bina Roy 
  Burman.  1979, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 
  New Delhi.
  Revue d ’Etudes Tibétaines a journal directed by Jean-
  Luc Achard.  Langues et Cultures de l’Aire Tibétaine, 
  CNRS, Paris.
  Seven Years In Tibet a film by Jean-Jacques Annaud. 
  1997, Tristar Pictures.
  A Study of the Ldab Ldob an article by Melvyn C 
  Goldstein.  1964, Central Asiatic Journal: 9(2).
  The Tibetan Book of the Dead by W.Y. Evans-Wentz.  
  1960, Oxford University Press, London.
  Tibet: A Travel Survival Kit by Michael Buckley 
  and Robert Strauss.  1986, Lonely Planet Publications, 
  Berkley.
  Tibet Fights For Freedom Edited by Raja Hutheesing. 
  1960, The Indian Committee for Cultural Freedom, 
  India.
  Tibet: The Land of Snows by Professor Giuseppe 
  Tucci.  1967, Stein and Day Publishers, New York.
  Tibetan Life and Culture by Elanor Olson.  1960, 
  Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe.
  www.Tibet.com by the Office of Tibet, the official 
  agency of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in London.
  Windhorse a film by Paul Wagner.  1998, New Yorker 
  Films.
  216
  appendices
  
  217
  appendices
  Tibetan (circa 1959) vs. 
  American (modern) Cultures
  Aspect 
  Americans (today) 
  Tibet (circa 1959) 
  Religious 
  Identity 
  Most belong to religious group or belief-system that is 
  part of their Identity (e.g. I am a Catholic, I am an atheist, 
  I am non-religious, etc.) 
  See different religions (folk religion, Bön, Buddhism) as 
  having different uses in different situations, adhere to each 
  as appropriate. 
  Religious 
  Freedom 
  It is an individual’s right to practice any religion they like 
  as long as it doesn’t interfere with the rights of others. 
  Most Tibetans believe in religious freedom and believe it’s 
  wrong to denigrate anyone else’s religious beliefs. 
  Gender 
  Narrowing difference between men and women in 
  occupations. Women generally considered equal to men, 
  but still subject to prejudice, especially by small groups. 
  Some occupations almost all male and almost all female, 
  yet exceptions exist and are not stigmatized. Women 
  generally considered equal to men (as smart, as assertive, as 
  athletic), except in central Tibetan politics (no women in the 
  government) and with some religious teachers who refuse to 
  teach females. 
  Travel 
  Common. People travel for their job or for vacation. 
  Travel is fast and safe. 
  Common. For job, religious pilgrimages. Slow and filled 
  with many dangers, but surviving these dangers is bragged 
  about later. 
  Medicine 
  Practiced by university-educated professionals. Most 
  diseases explained as organic injuries and infections. 
  Drugs and surgery are common treatments. 
  Practiced by university-educated professionals. Most 
  diseases explained as bad karma, sorcery, malevolent spirits, 
  humour imbalance. Herbs, behavioral changes, exorcism are 
  common treatments. Surgery very rare. 
  Population 
  Majority in cities. Majority are middle class. Very rich 
  and very poor usually in cities. 
  Majority in countryside. Majority are lower class. Very 
  rich and very poor usually in cities. Much of population in 
  monasteries (some the size of cities). 
  Marriage 
  Premarital sex common. Most seek out a mate themselves 
  and choose to enter in to a monogamous relationship. 
  Non-monogamous relationships and marriages exist, 
  but frowned upon. Extra-marital affairs and divorce are 
  common, not heavily stigmatized. 
  Tibetans seek own mate, but choice approved by an 
  astrologer. Monogamy most common, yet polyandry 
  (multiple husbands) and polygyny (multiple wives) is legal. 
  Extra-marital affairs and divorce common, not heavily 
  stigmatized. 
  Death 
  Most Americans bury their dead, mourn them, and feel 
  that the soul has gone on to some form of afterlife. 
  Most Tibetans dispose of their dead in a way chosen by an 
  astrologer. They perform ceremonies to help guide the dead 
  to the most favorable reincarnation. 
  Celebrations 
  Few holidays. During holidays: no work, visit with 
  family, presents, spend money. 
  Many holidays and festivals: mass community celebrations, 
  religious performances by monks. 
  Food 
  High in protein & fat. Wide range of foods. Fresh 
  (refrigerated) foods common. Taste is valued. 
  Mostly barley flour noodles and breads. Yak meat, butter, 
  milk and cheese, imported tea common. Long lasting 
  (doesn’t go bad quickly) is valued. 
  Sports/Games 
  Team sports, especially ballgames. Gambling: card 
  games. Intelligence/creativity based games common. 
  Sports: Archery, horse trick riding. Gambling: mah jhong, 
  dice games. Riddles common.
  Ideal 
  Attributes 
  Independent, not gullible, socially skilled, wealthy, 
  attractive, strong-willed. 
  Intelligent, easy to get along with, compassionate, wise, 
  entertaining. 
  Etiquette 
  To strangers: hand shaking, pleasantries. To superiors: 
  formal language, use formal pronouns (sir, dr., prof.). To 
  hosts: spoken thanks, bringing food or wine. 
  To strangers: bowing. To superiors: thumbs up, tongue out, 
  use official titles. To hosts: white scarf gift. 
  Weapons 
  Carrying concealed weapons generally illegal. Most 
  weapons can be carried with proper permits. 
  All weapons legal for all classes to carry. Most carry knives 
  (as tools). 
  Economy 
  Large companies. Paper and electronic money. Most 
  money stored in banks. Many financial institutions 
  (banks, credit card companies, investment firms). Little 
  bartering. 
  Much bartering & coin money. Most money stored 
  as jewelry. Paper money only in cities. Few financial 
  institutions. 
  Crime 
  Existence of “criminal class.” Most revolves around drug 
  addictions. Crime usually for money, but also recreation, 
  hatred, sexual gratification. Gangs, career criminals, 
  organized crime agencies. Also, “white collar” crime 
  (fraud, embezzlement, industrial espionage). 
  Groups of bandits (even bandit tribes) operate in areas with 
  little govt. presence. In cities, minor street crimes by very 
  poor. Some bribery, forgery, embezzlement by educated. 
  Relationships 
  Mostly defined on a one-on-one basis. Primary is nuclear 
  family (close relatives living together). Also: relatives, 
  coworkers, neighbors, friends. 
  Many relationships of duty, family, friendship and love. 
  Most people have wide circle of friends of every class. 
  Animal Rights Thought of as sub-human. Right not to be tortured. Can 
  be killed for sport or consumption. 
  Thought of as pre-human. Can not be hunted. Butchering 
  looked down upon but acceptable as necessity. 
  Pets 
  Cats, dogs, birds. 
  Dogs (mostly mastiffs), horses. 
  Violence 
  Idealized in the media but feared in real life. Some 
  Americans armed, others not. 
  Some Tibetans are strictly nonviolent, but most believe 
  violence is reasonable (even compassionate) in some 
  situations. Almost all Tibetans armed with at least a 
  knife or iron pencase. 
  
  Quick Reference
  218
  appendices
  Sample Difficulties
  0- Automatic Success
  5- Walk down stairs briskly. (AGY)
  10- (Easy) Notice a mosquito on PC’s skin. (AWR)
  15- (Easy-Moderate) Paint ceiling from flimsy ladder. 
  (AGY)
  20- (Moderate) Win a game of mah-jongg. (INL)
  25- (Moderate-Hard) Catch paper flying in the wind. 
  (AGY)
  30- (Hard) Get burned and not flinch. (WIL)
  40- (Legendary) Lift a pony over PC’s head. (STH)
  Save vs.
  Rolled on
  Disease Contraction
  END
  Disease Progression
  END
  Fall/Skid Damage
  AGY
  Fear
  WIL
  Heat Exhaustion
  END
  Hypothermia
  END
  Loss of Balance
  AGY
  Nausea
  WIL
  Pain
  WIL
  Paralysis
  END
  Physiological Addiction
  END
  Physiological Drug Effects
  END
  Psychological Addiction
  WIL
  Psychological Drug Effects
  WIL or INL
  Unconsciousness
  END/WIL
  Shock
  END
  Conversions
  1 ft. = 0.36453 m. or ~⅓ m.
  1 mi. = 1.6093km. or ~1½ km.
  1 lb. = .4536 kg. or ~½ kg.
  1 m. = 2.74311 ft. or ~2.75 ft.
  1 km. = .62131 mi. or ~2/3 mi.
  1 kg. = 2.2046 lbs. or ~2 lbs.
  Combat Modifiers
  Aim
  +4 to roll
  Blinded (Full)
  -15 to roll
  Blinded (Partial)
  -7 to roll
  Burst
  -4 to roll
  Extended Action
  +5 to roll (-10 to next 
  reaction)
  Improvised Weapon
  -8 to most rolls
  Leaning
  -10 to roll
  Paired
  -4 to roll
  Simultaneous Act
  -20 +WIL to roll
  Split
  -10 to rolls
  Targeted
  -4 to roll
  Underwater
  -8 to rolls, half damage
  Actions
  Area Attack
  INL+#of shots+1d20 vs. 
  25+area in ft. (or +3/m.)
  Blinding Strike
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Crippling Attack
  STH+INL+1d20 vs. 30
  Disarm
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Grab
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Grab (Pain)
  STH+INL+1d20 vs. 35
  Grab (Strangle)
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Grab (Wrestling)
  STH+INL+1d20 vs. 30
  Knockaway
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Knockdown
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Knockout
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Pain/Stun
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Slash
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Stomp
  SPD+STH+1d20 vs. 25
  Strike (Handheld)
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Strike (Projectile)
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Tackle
  SPD+STH+1d20 vs. 20
  Vital Strike (Bladed)
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 35
  Vital Strike (Blunt)
  INL+STH+1d20 vs. 40
  Wing
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 20
  Reactions
  Dodge
  AWR+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Entangle
  INL+STH+1d20 vs. 30
  Flip
  AGY+STH+1d20 vs. 35
  Drop
  AWR+AGY+1d20 vs. 20
  Jump
  SPD+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Mental Block
  WIL+1d20 vs. 20
  Parry
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Weapon Specific Difficulties
  Very Easy (-8 difficulty)
  Easy (-4 difficulty)
  Hard (+4 difficulty)
  Very Hard (+8 difficulty)
  Improvised Weapons
  Slashing Weapons : 1 bladed damage, -8 to 
  actions except pain/stun, blinding and slash.
  Poking Weapons: ½ point bladed damage, 
  -8 to actions except blinding strike, pain/stun 
  and vital strike.
  Blunt Weapons: 1 to 3, -8 to any actions 
  with these weapons except strike and pain/
  stun.
  Character Creation in Brief
  Step 1: Character Concept- Your idea of the 
  character: name, appearance, values, etc.
  Step 2: Attributes- Split 90 points between 9 
  attributes (min 1, max 20).  Choose optional sub-
  attributes (costs or gives 1 bonus point).
  Step 3: Choose Character Class- Choose the PC’s 
  place in Tibetan society.
  Step 4: Choose Skills- Spend 100 Skill Points, skill 
  costs set by character class.
  Step 5: Buy Equipment- Available money set by 
  character class.
  Step 6: Personality- Choose 5 Attachments, 
  including at least 1 universe attachment.
  Step 7: Bonus Characteristics- PC starts with 
  neutral balance.  Advantages or extra points must be 
  balanced out by disadvantages or fewer points
  Step 8: Character Advancement- Use XP to gain 
  experience levels and improve the PC.
  Common Tibetan Names
  Gender Neutral
  Chetsang 
  Dawa 
  Dhondup 
  Dorjee
  Geshe 
  Gyalpo 
  Gyaltsen 
  Karma 
  Kelsang 
  Lhamo 
  Lobsang 
  Namgyal
  Ngari 
  Ngawang Norbu 
  Nyima
  Palden 
  Pema 
  Phurbu 
  Sonam
  Tashi  
  Tenzin 
  Thondup 
  Thubten
  Tsering 
  Tseten  
  Tsewang 
  Wangdu
  Typically Feminine
  Bhuti 
  Choedon 
  Dechen 
  Deki
  Dolma  
  Khando 
  Lhakyi  
  Lhazom
  Namhla 
  Norzom  
  Pelmo 
  Rinzin
  Tsamchoe Tsomo 
  Wangmo 
  Yangchen
  Yangkyi 
  Youdon
  Typically Masculine
  Bhuchung Chemo 
  Gyatso 
  Jigme
  Kalden 
  Lodoe  
  Rabgyal 
  Sawang
  Tenpa 
  Tsetrung 
  Tsong 
  Wangchuk
  Wangyal
  Kick Damage
  SPD
  1-5 SPD
  6-15
  16-19
  20-30
  31-40
  41-50
  51+
  DMG
  ½ blunt
  1 
  1½ 
  2 
  3 
  4
  5
  Plus to Damage With Blunt Weapons
  STH
  1-5
  6-10
  11-15
  16-25
  26-30
  31-40
  40+
  + to DMG
  -1
  0
  +1 
  +2
  +3
  +4
  +5
  Punch Damage
  STH
  1-5
  6-10
  11-15
  16-20
  25-30
  31-40
  40+
  DMG
  0
  ½
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  Spending BP/XP
  3 skill pts.
  = 1 BP
  =10 XP
  1 attribute pt.
  = 1 BP
  =10 XP
  1 BLD/BDY/INCY pt. = 3 BP
  =30 XP
  250 Srang
  = 1 BP
  N/A
  Climbing Difficulties (with no 
  equipment)
  10 (Easy) Tree with low branches.
  20 (Moderate) Rocky cliff face.
  30 (Hard) Sheer cliff face.
  40 (Legendary) Glacial ice.
  Prowling difficulties
  10 (Easy) Crawling through a field of tall 
  grass with a wind to cover noises and an 
  unsuspecting person nearby.
  20 
  (Moderate) 
  Sneaking 
  up 
  behind 
  someone who isn’t expecting anything.
  30 (Difficult) Crawling in a gutter at night 
  with several people searching for you.
  40 (Legendary) Avoiding someone who 
  is searching for you by staying directly 
  behind them (may also require SPD based 
  rolls).
  Some Altitudes
  0 m.
  Sea level (no part of Tibet exists 
  at this altitude).
  3000 m. 
  Only the Southeast corner of 
  Tibet dips below this altitude.
  3860 m.
  Lhasa
  4000 m.
  The average altitude of Tibet.
  4588 m.
  Lake Mansorovar, the highest 
  fresh water lake in the world.
  5000 m.
  Rongbuk, the highest monastery 
  in Tibet.
  5600 m.
  Mt. Kailash pilgrimage route
  5-6000 
  m.
  Summer snowline (above this 
  it is cold enough to snow year-
  round).
  7600 m. 
  Death zone.
  8848 m.
  Peak at Everest.
  
  219
  quick reference
  The Sects in Brief
  Nyingmapa
  Sakyapa
  Kagyupa
  Gelugpa
  Strong Points
  Large sect.  Magical means 
  of self defense.
  Logic & philosophy.
  Body-control tantras. 
  Hermitage.
  Large, well organized.  
  Controls Tibet. Virtuous.
  Weak Points
  Unreformed.  Poorly 
  organized.
  Unsavory reputation.
  Don’t stress logic and 
  philosophy.
  No magical self defense.  
  Rejected many tantras.
  Sorcerous Components Table
  01-06: Human Blood
  07-11: Human Flesh
  12-16: Human Bone
  17-21: Human Skull
  22-25: Sandalwood Phurba
  26-29: Juniper Wood Phurba
  30-33: Turmeric Wood Phurba
  34-38: Poison Paper
  39-43: Khram Sing (notched hexagonal stick)
  44-48: Goat Blood
  49-53: Dog Blood
  54-58: Corpse Hair
  59-63: Human skin
  64-67: Live Poisonous Spiders
  68-71: Menstrual Blood of a Prostitute
  72-75: Death Blood Wiped From a Sword 
  76-78: Thighbone of an Indian Brahmin
  79-81: Blood From a Leprous Corpse
  82-84: Brain Blood of an Insane Person
  85-86: Rhino Meat
  87-88: Black Stones From a Haunted Place
  89-90: Right Horn of a Black Yak
  91-92: Blood of a Child Born From Incest
  93-94: Object Used to Commit Suicide
  95-96: Flesh of woman who died in childbirth
  97-98: White Mustard
  99-00: Charcoal from a Funeral Pyre
  Defending Against Sorcery
  Animation
  physical defenses
  Bird Control
  physical defenses
  Demon Sorcery
  Demon Sorcery or various 
  exorcism
  Disease Sorcery
  Humoural Medicine, Medical 
  Mantras or Herbalism
  Gantad Horn
  none
  Life Force Sorcery
  Thread Crosses
  Love Magic
  none
  Poisons
  none
  Simple Curses
  Glud Ceremony or Sucking 
  Exorcism
  Zor
  Glud Ceremony
  Skills and Equipment
  skills
  equipment
  Animal 
  Packing
  Pack Frame
  Archery
  Bow: Long, Bow: 
  Short
  Architecture
  Carving Tools
  Blacksmithing Forge
  Butchery
  Knife, Rope, Sewing 
  Needle
  Carving
  Carving Tools
  Dagger 
  Exorcism
  Phurba: Brass
  Death Tantra
  Thigh Bone Trumpet
  Demon 
  Sorcery
  Sorcerous Components 
  Table (p.103)
  Disease 
  Sorcery
  Sorcerous Components 
  Table (p.103)
  Drum 
  Divination
  Skull Drum, Two 
  Headed Drum
  Gantad Horn
  Sorcerous Components 
  Table (p.103)
  Glud 
  Ceremony
  Glud Mold
  Harrying 
  Exorcism
  Harrying Horn
  Knife
  Knife, Kukuri
  Lance
  Lance
  Mirror Gazing Mirror, Mirror: Silver
  Mountain 
  Climbing 
  Climbing Equipment, 
  Climbing Rope, 
  Climbing Tent
  Music
  Long Trumpet, Skull 
  Drum, Thigh Bone 
  Trumpet, Two Headed 
  Drum
  Painting
  Brushes & Paints
  Pistol
  Pistol (All)
  Printing
  Book Making 
  Materials
  Scapulimancy Scapula: Human, 
  Scapula: Sheep
  Sling
  Sling
  Snare
  Rope, Climbing Rope
  Sound 
  Exorcism
  Long Tumpet, Thigh 
  Bone Trumpet
  Staff
  Staff
  Sucking 
  Exorcism
  Ceremonial Arrow
  Sword
  Sword (All)
  Tailoring
  Sewing Needle
  Textiles 
  Loom
  Weather 
  Prediction
  Two Headed Drum
  Weather 
  Sorcery
  Thigh Bone Trumpet
  Whip 
  Whip
  Zor
  Sorcerous Components 
  Table (p.103)
  Current KMA 
  and Most Likely 
  Rebirth
  -15 or worse: 
  Hell Being
  -5 to -15: 
  Hungry Ghost
  -5 to 5: 
  Animal
  5 to 20: 
  Human
  20 or better: 
  God
  Some Karma Causing Actions
  +1 KMA or -1 KMA
  Cause lust, anger or envy or help someone overcome 
  lust, anger or envy.
  Help support a holy person (ascetic, revenant, holy 
  pilgrim, monk) or hinder a holy person.
  Give someone a gift they enjoy or take away a 
  person’s prized possession.
  Insult someone or tell a lie to someone.
  +2 KMA or -2 KMA
  Create or destroy a beautiful piece of artwork.
  Feed the hungry or cause people to go hungry.
  Give a large contribution to a monastery.
  +3 KMA or -3 KMA
  Make a pilgrimage to a holy place.
  Help a killer reform or turn someone in to a killer.
  Mutilate someone or save someone from being 
  mutilated.
  Print or destroy a common holy book.
  +4 KMA or -4 KMA
  Cause or cure a debilitating or possibly fatal 
  illness.
  Save the life of an animal or kill an animal.
  Torture a being or save a being from torture.
  +5 KMA or -5 KMA
  Bind a dharmapala to an oath to be good or free a 
  dharmapala from an oath to be good.
  Cause a person to abandon a vow or cause a person 
  to take a vow (vows include nonviolence, celibacy, 
  poverty and vegetarianism).
  Convert someone to Buddhism or cause someone to 
  stray from Buddhism.
  Save a human life or kill a human.
  Save or destroy the only copy of a holy book.
  Num. of 
  Attachments
  Max. Cap. for KMA
  0
  None
  1
  100
  2
  50
  3
  33
  4
  25
  5
  20
  6
  17
  7
  14
  Miracle
  Difficulty
  See in the dark or while blinded
  40
  Feel someone’s true emotions
  45
  See invisible beings
  50
  Reincarnate as a tulku
  55
  Read another’s mind
  60
  Talk with animals
  60
  Heal someone of an injury or disease
  60
  Glow with light
  65
  Teleport
  70
  Live without food
  70
  Longevity
  70
  Transmute objects
  75
  Burst in to flames but not get hurt
  75
  Shrink or grow to giant sizes
  80
  Invisibility
  80
  Look like another person
  80
  Cause earthquakes
  80
  Discovering an Attachment
  (INL or AWR + 1d20)
  10 for physical attachments
  20 for self attachments
  30 for universe attachments.  
  Eliminating an 
  Attachment 
  (KMA + WIL + 1d20)
  Attachment  Difficulty
  Last           100
  2nd             90
  3rd             80
  4th             70
  5th             60
  6th             50
  7th             40
  
  CONCEPT
  Name           _______________________
  Player Name  _______________________
  Attachments
  _____________________________     _____________________________ 
  _____________________________    _____________________________ 
  _____________________________    _____________________________ 
  Appearance
  _________________________________
  _________________________________
  _________________________________
  Advantages
  _________________________    _________________________
  _________________________    _________________________
  _________________________    _________________________
  _________________________    _________________________
  Disads
  _________________________    _________________________
  _________________________    _________________________
  _________________________    _________________________
  _________________________    _________________________
                               ATTRIBUTES
   
   Base 
  Current Plusses/Minuses
  AGY 
  _____   ______   _________________________
  AWR _____   ______   _________________________
  CHM _____   ______   _________________________
  END 
  _____   ______   _________________________
  INL 
  _____   ______   _________________________
  KMA _____   ______   _________________________
  SPD 
  _____   ______   _________________________
  STH 
  _____   ______   _________________________
  WIL 
  _____   ______   _________________________
  Health Attributes
  BLD 
  _____   ______   _________________________
  BDY 
  _____   ______   _________________________
  INCY _____   ______   _________________________
                                   SKILLS
                   Skill              Attribute   Type       Levels      AV
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
     _________________  ______  ______  OOOOOO  ___
  EQUIPMENT
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  __________________________   __________________________   __________________________
  ADVANCEMENT
  Skill Costs: Combat ____  Crafts ____  Divination ____  Exorcism ____ Folk Knowledge ____  Medicine ____
  Scholarship ____  Sorcery ____  Tantra ____  Travel ____  Weathermaking _____  Western Knowledge ____
  Special Skill Costs _______________________________________________________________________
  Unspent XP______   Total Earned XP________    Levels/Disciplines________________________________
  Age       _____
  Gender  _____
  Character Class   __________________
  Home Area 
    __________________
  TIBET the role playing game
  KMA
  Emanation
  ________
  
  ARMOR
   
  COMBAT SKILLS
                Skill             Levels                       Actions/Reactions
   ________________  _____  ________________________________________
   ________________  _____  ________________________________________
   ________________  _____  ________________________________________
   ________________  _____  ________________________________________
   ________________  _____  ________________________________________
   ________________  _____  ________________________________________
   ________________  _____  ________________________________________
   ________________  _____  ________________________________________
   COMBAT RANGES
  COMBAT MODIFIERS
  Aim
  +4 to roll
  Blinded (Full)
  -15 to roll
  Blinded (Partial)
  -7 to roll
  Burst
  -4 to roll
  Extended Action
  +5 to roll (-10 to next 
  reaction)
  Improvised Weapon
  -8 to most rolls
  Leaning
  -10 to roll
  Paired
  -4 to roll
  Simultaneous Act
  -20 +WIL to roll
  Split
  -10 to rolls
  Targeted
  -4 to roll
  Underwater
  -8 to rolls, half damage
  ACTIONS
  Area Attack
  INL+#of shots+1d20 vs. 
  25+area in ft. (or +3/m.)
  Blinding Strike
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Crippling Attack
  STH+INL+1d20 vs. 30
  Disarm
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Grab
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Grab (Pain)
  STH+INL+1d20 vs. 35
  Grab (Strangle)
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Grab (Wrestling)
  STH+INL+1d20 vs. 30
  Knockaway
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Knockdown
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Knockout
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 30
  Pain/Stun
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Slash
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Stomp
  SPD+STH+1d20 vs. 25
  Strike (Handheld)
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Strike (Projectile)
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Tackle
  SPD+STH+1d20 vs. 20
  Vital Strike (Bladed)
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 35
  Vital Strike (Blunt)
  INL+STH+1d20 vs. 40
  Wing
  INL+AGY+1d20 vs. 20
  REACTIONS
  Dodge
  AWR+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Entangle
  INL+STH+1d20 vs. 30
  Flip
  AGY+STH+1d20 vs. 35
  Drop
  AWR+AGY+1d20 vs. 20
  Jump
  SPD+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Mental Block
  WIL+1d20 vs. 20
  Parry
  STH+AGY+1d20 vs. 25
  Combat Sheet for _______________________
   
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 121314151617181920
  O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
  O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
  O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
  O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
  O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
  Armor Name
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
          PR                  Penalties   
  ___________   _____________
  ___________   _____________
  ___________   _____________
  ___________   _____________
  ___________   _____________
  UNARMED
  Punch Dmg _____  Kick Dmg _______  Unarmed Plusses______________________
  Action/Reaction  Att1 + Att2 + Skill + Miscl = Total + 1d20 vs. Difficulty
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  MELEE WEAPONS
  Weapon________________  Dmg_________  Range____  Pierces As_______
  Action/Reaction  Att1 + Att2 + Skill + Miscl = Total + 1d20 vs. Difficulty
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  Weapon________________  Dmg_________  Range____  Pierces As_______
  Action/Reaction  Att1 + Att2 + Skill + Miscl = Total + 1d20 vs. Difficulty
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  PROJECTILE WEAPONS
  Weapon________________  Dmg_________  FR____  MR____  ROF_____
  Pierces As_________  Clip Holds________  Amount of Ammo __________
  Action/Reaction  Att1 + Att2 + Skill + Miscl = Total -1/FR+1d20 vs. Difficulty
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____    ____             ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____    ____             ________
  Weapon___________  Dmg______  Range____  Miscl___________________
  Action/Reaction  Att1 + Att2 + Skill + Miscl = Total + 1d20 vs. Difficulty
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  _____________  ____   ____   ____   ______  _____                  ________
  TIBET the role playing game
  
  222
  appendices
  
  223
  index
  Index
  Animals .................. 9, 27, 28, 53, 86, 112, 162, 180
  Armor ...................... 113, 151
  Astrology................. 29, 67, 97
  Attachments ............ 105, 129, 149, 166
  Bardo ....................... 16, 28, 92, 99
  Bön .......................... 6, 11, 32, 67
  Books ...................... 15, 30, 114, 148, 155
  Britain ..................... 7, 42, 56, 137
  Buddhas................... 20, 21, 33
  Charms .................... 14, 26, 86, 117, 136, 149
  Chenrezig ................ 6, 21, 33, 37, 81
  Chinese .................... 7, 38, 41, 53, 55, 169, 171, 186, 198
  Chuba ...................... 13, 115
  Cities ....................... 12, 44
  Clothing................... 13, 115
  Combat .................... 18, 56, 95, 125, 156, 221
  Communism ............ 55, 170, 171
  Crime ....................... 11, 43, 54, 69, 88, 180, 190
  Dalai Lama .............. 7, 37, 41, 43, 46, 57, 59, 117, 174
  Damage ................... 150, 152, 159
  Death ....................... 16, 82, 88, 101, 148, 151, 193
  Demons ................... 6, 23, 24, 55, 104, 174, 187, 189, 
                                  194
  Dharmapalas ........... 23, 30, 50, 78, 81, 174, 188, 190
  Disease .................... 29, 52, 101, 122, 152, 186, 190
  Divination ............... 30, 67, 75, 97, 119
  Dolma ...................... 6, 21, 121
  Drugs ....................... 121, 122, 137, 138, 152, 153
  Enlightenment ......... 21, 22, 28, 32, 33, 38, 92, 129, 166,  
                                  182
  Exorcism ................. 15, 29, 70, 90, 98, 119, 142, 195
  Farmers ................... 9, 48, 50, 71, 198
  Gesar Epic ............... 16, 72, 81
  Ghosts ..................... 24, 28, 31, 50, 81, 184, 193
  Government ............. 9, 35, 41, 46, 52, 59, 60, 65, 72, 91, 
                                  143, 171, 174
  Guns ........................ 42, 58, 126, 162
  Heavens ................... 19, 23, 192
  Hell Realms ............. 20, 25, 28, 82, 191, 195
  Hermits .................... 37, 50, 66, 74
  Himalayas .............. 44, 50, 72, 84, 178
  History .............. 6, 15, 34, 73, 189
  Humours ...... 29, 70, 101
  Hungry Ghosts ........ 24, 190, 195
  Karma ...................... 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 35, 44,  
               63, 66, 88, 117, 139, 147,  
                                  166, 184, 193, 195
  Khampas ................. 51, 56, 57, 60, 77, 169
  Lamas ...................... 11, 17, 21, 35, 37, 56, 134, 143,  
                                  169, 170, 173, 175
  Law ......................... 43, 65
  Lhasa ....................... 27, 43, 44, 57, 59
  Malevolent Spirits ... 23, 24, 27, 98, 184, 193
  Martial Arts ............. 18, 37, 49, 95, 156
  Medicine ................. 29, 57, 70, 101, 121, 124, 151, 
  163
  Migyu ...................... 54, 84, 135, 181
  Milarepa .................. 15, 36, 83, 85, 114
  Monasticism ............ 10, 34, 35, 43, 48
  Monasteries ............. 10, 11, 31, 34, 35, 43, 48, 49, 50,  
                                  51, 59, 69, 76, 183, 195
  Mongols .................. 7
  Monks ..................... 10, 11, 13, 32, 34, 35, 69, 74, 78,  
                                  83, 91, 199
  Mountain Climbing . 72, 108, 128, 176
  Mountains ............... 19, 44, 50, 53, 84, 176, 184, 194
  Music....................... 16, 97
  Nomads ................... 9, 13, 17, 43, 57, 60, 76, 142, 179
  NPCs ....................... 138, 145, 198
  Oracles .................... 30, 78, 190
  Padmasambhava ...... 6, 21, 23, 81
  Phurbas .................... 49, 98, 120, 195
  Potala ....................... 43, 46, 59, 90
  Rebels ...................... 51, 57, 59, 60, 77, 169, 174
  Reincarnation .......... 28, 37, 137, 148, 183
  Seduction ................. 100, 146
  17 Point Agreement . 7, 28, 41, 56
  Sex........................... 40, 43, 54, 106
  Shambala ................. 20, 87, 184
  Sorcery .................... 26, 27, 29, 36, 40, 43, 85, 87, 90,  
                                  103, 119
  Tantra  ..................... 32, 36, 38, 60, 74, 78, 87, 92, 105,  
                                  143, 166, 182
  Travel ...................... 16, 108, 168, 169, 176
  Tulpas ...................... 40, 107, 140, 196
  War .......................... 9, 56, 76, 169, 170, 175, 186
  Weather ................... 54, 90, 109, 152, 176, 177, 186
  Women .................... 10, 13, 34, 60, 196
  Yaks ......................... 9, 14, 88, 113, 117
  
  also available from Vajra Enterprises:
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Tibet/Tibet Corebook.pdf