The mage shields a target from harm for a short time. The target doesn’t avoid harm through obvious magical intervention but through lucky coincidence. For instance, the target might suddenly decide to drive home by a different route, thus avoiding a traffi c accident that might otherwise have claimed his life.
The number of successes required for this spell depends on what the mage wishes the target to avoid:
Danger / Successes
- Embarrassment = 1 success
- Inconvenience = 3 successes
- Injury = 5 successes
- Death = 10 successes
If the spell succeeds, the target is protected from the specified danger for the duration of the spell (one hour or one scene, unless additional Duration factors are included in the spell). This spell does not function on other mages, as they take on entirely too much responsibility for their own destinies for such manipulation. Anyone with an active Blessing spell stands out to Fate 1 The Sybil’s Sight.
Once the specified danger has been avoided, the spell ends, regardless of how much Duration remains. All such protections take the form of coincidence and happenstance that remove the target from harm’s way, rather than making harm actually miss the target. If the target seeks out danger of the appropriate type, the spell still protects him once, but offers no further benefit. For instance, a Blessed target enters a burning building. The floor gives way under the weight of a couch before the
character steps on it (thus avoiding injury or death for the target). If the person continues on into the house, though, the spell no longer aids him.
If the target is nursing a death wish or is hell-bent on getting into trouble, then he can (unconsciously) contest the magic with a Composure roll.
Adamantine Arrow Rote: Protecting the Home Front
Although many mages sever ties with Sleeper society upon Awakening (as best they can), some willworkers attempt to have a family as well as perform their duties to the Wise. The soldiers of the Adamantine Arrow use their rote to keep their loved ones safe in times of danger. The Silver Ladder sometimes uses this rote to keep those they have earmarked for eventual Awakening safe as well.
