Fate (MTAw)


 * For other meanings of Fate, see Fate (disambiguation).

Fate is one of the ten Arcana of Mage: The Awakening, and the Subtle ruling Arcana of Arcadia. It's purview covers all aspects of destiny and probability, though it cannot predict the future; that is the purview of the Gross Arcana of Time. Common uses for Fate are creating good or ill forture, bestowing blessings and curses, mystically sealing an oath, or predicting or influencing random events. This last effect is not always clear; mages often differ over whether using Fate to predict a coin toss, for example, informs of the outcome or creates it.

Apprentices of Fate may use special conjunctional effects. A mage may give another spell a "conditional duration", causing it to last slightly longer than normal at the expense of setting a condition under which the spell will cease earlier. The more easily the condition may be met, the greater the boosted duration of the spell. Fate spells with conditional durations are the only spells which can affect living creatures indefinitely (other spells with conditional durations may not). A Fate condition can also be combined with Time magic to set a "conditional trigger" whereby a spell's effect is delayed, starting automatically when the condition is met. A spell delayed only with Time magic must be triggered by the mage. The same mastery of Fate may also be used to define targets to be exempted from an area effect spell.

Mages who become Adepts of Fate are also "Unfettered", gaining a special connection to their own destiny. They are supernaturally aware of being targeted by certain magical effects which would disrupt their destiny, and may instantly attempt to disrupt them with a counterspell.