We are combining the Nushi and Totem rules. The way this will work, is that you the players will get to sit down with the staff and flesh out your Totem more. We feel this is fair for when (and if) the game gets large enough to allow Kuei-Jin characters into the game, their Nushi will not be over powering.
You still need the minimum points of the totem background to gain that totem and its passive abilities it gives you, but those points will also count into the Totem's creation points.