In the common parlance of the Hsien, Tieh Tan is Metal Alchemy; a branch of Wu Tan that deals with the element of Metal and its correspondences.
Overview
The element of Metal includes all precious and working metals: gold, silver, iron, brass, and steel. While it's scope is rather limited compared to Water or Earth, its overwhelming use is to fashion tools, especially for war. Masters of Metal can be incredible artisans or unassailable warriors.
Metal Soul
The Metal Soul contains a person's sense of justice, honesty, and fair play. It governs Perception and Dexterity as well. Judges, vigilantes, human-rights activists, and civil-rights supporters have strong metal souls.
Listening to a metal soul reveals if one is speaking honestly (the ring of truth). Enlarging the metal soul can make a person tell the truth. Diminishing it makes it easier to lie.
Attributes
- Virtue - Lesser Yin
- Constructive Cohorts - Earth and Water
- Adversary - Fire melts Metal
- Yin Attribute - Perception
- Yang Attribute - Dexterity
Fortunes
- Color - White
- Direction - West
- Dzi Dzat - Images of coins or other metal objects; origami swords, bells, etc...
- Festivals - Martial celebrations like Pennons or craft festivals; festivals honoring Shao Hao
- Kwannon-jin - Chu-ih-yu and Tanuki get an automatic Fortune when using Tieh Tan
- Mu-jen - These figures should either be adorned with metal or destroyed with it
- Poetry - Well-crafted poems about justice, biting satire, or martial epics. Conversely, a brutally self-honest poem may do the job.
- Season - Autumn
- Sense - Hearing
- Skills - Law, Martial Arts, Melee, Crafts, Streetwise, Performance (acting, singing, instruments), etc...
I Chih
Level 1: The Prodigal Tongue
Level 2: Command Elemental Vassals
Level 3: Raiment of the Elements
Level 4: Awaken the Elements
Level 5: Master the Elements, Throne of Jade
References
- CtD. Land of Eight Million Dreams, p. 14, 98-99, 115-116.