Arcane Fate is the tendency of most people, and Creation itself, to forget the Sidereal Exalted and erase evidence of their presence.
Origin[]
After the Usurpation, the Sidereals knew they would face the wrath of Heaven for what they'd done. To cover their tracks, they worked an enormously powerful set of horoscopes in the constellation of The Mask, which governs all things known but hidden. Either by accident or design, the Mask shattered, dramatically warping the nature of knowledge in Creation: common knowledge was utterly obscured, while profound secrets were suddenly known to all. By the time the Maiden of Secrets managed to repair the damage, all physical evidence linking the Sidereals to the Usurpation had vanished, and the Sidereals themselves had their memories so blurred that they could not confess to anything, even if coerced. Everyone knew they were responsible, but no one could prove it.[1]
Effect[]
It soon became clear that this effect extended beyond the topic of the Usurpation, however. People and gods tend to overlook the Sidereals, and usually forget their existence entirely once they're out of sight. Memories shift and edit themselves, and physical evidence like journals or letters have an uncanny knack for being destroyed. Celestial gods and other Sidereals are immune to this effect, as are a few individuals with whom the Sidereal manages to establish a close ongoing relationship, and those outside the Loom of Fate. Otherwise, only those with particularly strong wills have any chance of remembering. This is an enormous advantage for tasks that depend on stealth and secrecy, but it also means Sidereals struggle to build and maintain any kind of social relationships outside of Heaven.[2]
One way to bypass the Arcane Fate, at least temporarily, is by adopting a Resplendent Destiny. These destinies are crafted in the Loom of Fate, and provide a Sidereal with a temporary alternate identity into which they can step. These false identities are not subject to Arcane Fate until the destiny expires, at which point they are forgotten and erased just like the Sidereal's true identity.[3]
References[]
- ↑ Exalted: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 25-26
- ↑ Exalted: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 119-121
- ↑ Exalted: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 193-194