The Yogo are masters at creating wards for later use. You gain a Free Raise on all spells with the Wards Keyword and any Calligraphy (Cipher) Roll. You may create a magical paper ward by making a successful roll of Calligraphy (Cipher)/Ring, using the Ring for the desired spell. The TN of this roll is equal to 15 plus 5 times the spell’s Mastery Level. Creating a ward requires a number of rounds equal to the spell’s Mastery Level. If the roll is successful, you infuse a small piece of paper with the prayer to the kami that will cast the chosen spell. Each ward stores only one spell.

Once the ward is created it will hold the spell “latent” until you activate it (as a Simple Action) by placing it on a target. The ward sticks to the target and immediately discharges the spell, whose duration is measured normally from that moment. If an area-effect spell is discharged onto a living target, it will only affect that target. Placing a paper ward on an unwilling target requires a melee attack using a roll of Jiujutsu (Improvised Weapons) / Agility.

During ward creation, the Wardmaster may call 2 Raises on the Calligraphy (Cipher) Roll of ward creation to allow his paper ward to automatically activate on the occurrence of a triggering condition (such as “trigger if someone walks across this threshold” or “when my bushi friend draws his blade, Fires of Purity casts to him”) in the manner of the Silent Waters spells. The ward must be attached to the item, person, or location subject to the triggering condition for the condition to trigger the spell’s release.

Creating a ward does not consume a spell slot, nor does it hold a spell slot until the ward is expended. However, activating the ward use a slot of the relevant element (Void slots may be used), and the ward is only usable once. Tearing an active paper ward requires a contested Ring roll with the caster in the Ring of the spell's element. Destroying an inactive ward is just as easy as scrapping a piece of paper (a Simple Action).

Prepared paper wards may be given to another shugenja or monk, who can activate them with the expenditure of one Void Point.