A note on languages and literacy: in a modern setting, your native language (and literacy) is a 0-point Evernyman Skill. Literacy with other languages you purchase is also free in a modern setting. This is NOT valid with Celestial Calligraphy, which is a seperate for of writing Chinese ideograms. In games takling place in a more medieval setting, literacy costs an additional point.
Sanskrit
Devanagari Literacy
The Sanskrit language allows a character to both understand and speak Sanskrit, while literacy in the Devanagari script gives the character the ability to read and write texts in Sanskrit. Devanagari is also used for the Hindu language. Some of the more powerful spells in the 3x3 Eyes setting are in Sanskrit, as are most interesting legends about the Sanjiyan Unkara. These might be rather difficult to understand and might require an INT Roll at some penalty to full decipher.
Chinese (dialect), Japanese
Chinese Literacy and Japanese Literacy
Japanese and Chinese literacy is the ability to read and write the Chinese (Hanzi)/Japanese (Kanji) ideographs and Japanese Kana. Chinese does not include Kana, but does include a lot more ideograms, and refers to the general use script form of that language. The similarities between the Chinese and Japanese ideograms do allow a person to sometimes grasp the basic meaning of an unknown written word in either language.
There are a large number of Chinese dialects. Common dialects are Cantonese (the language of Hong Kong and Hong Kong cinema), Mandarin (spoken in mainland China), Fukienese, Hakka, and Wu. Refer to HERO System 5th Edition, Revised, pages 62-63 for more information on purchasing related languages.
Roman Alphabet Literacy
This is the ability to read and write the Western Roman alphabet and slight variations thereof.
Language: Celestial Calligraphy (1 point)
The Celestial Calligraphy (also called Thunder Writing) is a variation of the Chinese script. It is used by paper charm magicians to draw the charm itself, and it is not meant be used in normal writing. Characters who will be using Chinese paper charms magic are required to know this language.
Perk: Fringe Benefit—Status (Sanjiyan Unkara)
Here is a sample status table for the Holy Land (obviously in a Sanjiyan Unkara point of view):
10—Kaiyanwang
8—Personal circle of Kaiyanwang, Kaiyanwang's Wu
6—Internal circle of Kaiyanwang
5—Very important Sanjiyan
3—Important Sanjiyan or Wu, Powerful or important high-level demon
3—Average Sanjiyan or Wu, High-level demon, human/elven heroes
1—Important non-demon and non-Sanjiyan/Wu character (human/elves) most humanified Sanjiyan
0—Regular humans or any other non-magical race, low level demons
-5—Slave, any race. Weak low-level demons
Usually a Wu must be at least one status rank lower than his Sanjiyan, and this status cannot be more than 3 ranks lower.
Perk—Fringe Benefit—Status (Demonic)
Here is a sample status table for the demons. The status levels on this table are equal to the ones listed above.
10-25—(You don't want to know about it nor meet it)
8—Extremely powerful being
6—Powerful high level demon or some other very powerful being
3—Average high level demon or some other powerful being
1—Powerful low level demon
0—Average low-level demon
-1—Extremely dangerous humans, elves, or any other non-magic-using beings
-5—Slaves, normal humans, elves, and other beings
Area Knowledge
Some characters might have an Area Knowledge for the Holy Land, or the Sanjiyan Unkara fortress. Also, Sanjiyan Unkara and Wu might know the location of some of the gates (Konron), but this is subject to the GM's will. Sanjiyan and Wu living in the Holy Land should know about at least one gate, even without taking this skill.
KS: Sanjiyan Unkara Legends And Lore
This skill refers to knowledge on Sanjiyan Unkara legends and related magical artifacts. This skill is not related to factual or real knowledge on the Sanjiyan culture; it only reflects knowledge of the legends carried on by Earth civilizations that dealt with the Sanjiyan Unkara, often exaggerated or completely untrue. Some of the legends are very near the truth, however, especially those that deal with magic items.
This skill should not be allowed to go above 11- unless the character also knows how to read in Sanskrit, as most of the interesting legends about the Sanjiyan are only found in that language.
TF: Shou-Lin
This skill is used to ride the Shou-Lin beast.
High Society (Sanjiyan Unkara)
Failure to perform according to the correct High Society rules can be very dangerous for a character if he (or she) is talking or dealing with a very important Sanjiyan Unkara or Wu. A High Society failure before Kaiyanwang is guaranteed to be very hazardous to one's health.
High Society (Demonic)
This skill may prove to be very handy when dealing with demons, especially high-level ones that would probably look down on whomever failed to perform according to their social rules. Critical failures in demonic savoir-faire almost always leads to disaster and death.
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