The mage can alter the terms and
conditions of a Fate-based oath. Note
that a mage trying to get another to
alter the tenets of an oath can easily
constitute intent to violate said vow
(and therefore subject the mage to the
deleterious effects of breaking an oath).
The targeted oath’s Potency acts as
dice penalties to the casting roll. (If
this spell is cast as an extended action
instead of an instant action, the target
oath’s Potency provides the target number
needed.)
Once an oath is so altered, it remains
altered for the remainder of its Duration.
A mage cannot alter an oath she
has made for herself (as under Fate 2)
until she has Fate 4.
Example: Freya once swore to protect
her friend Einar Strombeck from harm.
But her friend betrayed her and became
Angrobda, a Scelestus — one the
“Wicked” (see p. 361). One of her
friends, Morvran, who has remained
loyal, is aware of this oath and knows that
it can only cause her trouble now. Without
Freya’s knowledge, Morvran casts
Alter Oaths to change the conditions of
her oath so that she resists Einar’s attempts
to sway her rather than protect
him. Even though she wants to be rid of
her oath, her Resolve is subtracted from
Morvran’s dice pool as a form of natural
resistance to his magical alteration. In
addition, her oath’s Potency is subtracted
from Morvran’s dice pool.
Silver Ladder Rote: Nullifying the Contract
There are times when it simply isn’t
expedient to be bound by the letter of
the law. When the law is a Fate-enforced
oath, mages of the Silver Ladder
can either endure the consequences of
their promises or make use of this rote.
Free Council Rote:
Of course, willworkers of the Free
Council also enjoy the freedom offered
by this Rote, and are known to alter the “small details”
of binding vows their cabal-mates
make.
