This spell acts subtly upon inert material in the mage’s immediate vicinity, which defends her from harm.
Air forms a “cushion” that blunts the inertia of an incoming fist. Ambient moisture acts to douse a hurled bolt of flame. A bullet temporarily becomes a bit softer in mid-flight, blunting its impact. The exact method of protection varies from mage to mage and attack to attack. The effect is the same, though: a general protection from almost all sorts of physical harm.
The mage gains one point of armor per dot he possesses in the Matter Arcanum.
By spending one Mana, the Duration can be made to last for one day. Most mages cast such a shielding spell at the beginning of the day, as part of their morning rituals. Successes are used to combat attempts to dispel the shield.
Note
This magical armor does not apply against an opponent’s attempts to achieve a grappling hold on the mage (the Fate, Mind, Space and Time Arcana provide shielding spells to do that). Nor does the spell apply against a grappling opponent’s attempts to overpower the mage. It does, however, protect against attempts to inflict damage upon him (subtract armor points from any overpower roll that intends to damage the mage or attack him with a drawn weapon).
Free Council Rote: Hard Air
This rote defends a Free Council mage behind a shield of lifeless elements:
air, water and whatever else is nearby.
Mysterium Rote: Alchemical Shield
Many Mysterium mages use a similar rote that owes more to alchemy than chemistry.
Ancient Lands Pentalogy Rote: Steelweave [1]
In his sudden conflict with the Storm
Outlaw, Soter utilizes a spell that reweaves the cloth of his
garments into the weave-patterns of steel.
