Shadow magic

For many centuries the Scorpion have experimented with a peculiar magic first introduced by Soshi. His initial experiments with "shadow branding" proved unsuccessful, but one hundred years of apprentices followed up on his work, resulting in a unique magic type the Soshi call "Shadow Magic".

Shadow-magic provides many advantages for the Scorpions. As other shugenja study the Five Elements, Soshi have tapped into raw shadow, discovering that it, like the other elements has it's own kami.

Using unique powers, the Soshi "imprint" a samurai with the raw element of shadow, branding a kami directly onto his skin and making him one with the element. This process is long and painful, but also highly useful for Shosuro spies. (Way of the Scorpion p.31)