In the world of
Rokugan (from
Legend of the Five Rings), a shugenja is a sort of
holy man, who learns how to speak to the
kami, in the process tapping into the natural energies of
Rokugan and producing what would be best approximated as
spell effects.
They are not the same as traditional
mages and
clerics of
gaming lore, they are a type of person that is more a combination of
wise man,
religious leader, and
historian. In addition to being able to let loose
fireballs and mend injuries with their magics, they are also responsible for performing
death rites,
purifications,
marriage ceremonies, and driving away
angry ghosts.
Shugenja are viewed by the
heimin with a mixture of awe and fear. In their eyes,
nature is something that should not be tampered with, and whenever a shugenja works his ways, they feel shivers up and down their spine- but at the same time, the shugenja are also the ones who know how best to calm down the
Fortunes and speak on their behalf.
Samurai, on the other hand, respect the power that they bring to the battlefield but also know that while one shugenja may be able to take on five
bushi, ten shugenja will have a harder time taking on fifty
bushi. They are a valuable resource, and one best kept safe and secure.