Shield

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Shield

First use: {{{First use}}}

Where used

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Notes:

In context, not part of a set of armor, but a spell. Not to be confused with Barrier, another spell.

Description

There may be several different types of magical Shield, but they have the same general goal: keep bad things from happening to the caster. The first time it's seen by name, Ian is using it to fend off conventional magical attack by Lightning Bolt or Force Bolt or some such. Failure to cast the Shield would result in barbecued Ian, so we can presume that the spell absorbs the nasty magical energy and turns it into something harmless, at least relatively speaking. In Ian's second, hypothesized use (see next section), it's not physical damage, but rather messing with one's head, that's averted by the Shield. The third time, when members of an elven goon squad use it, the effect is different yet.

Where Used

Ian definitely uses it in the flashback sequence, to absorb incinerating bolts of energy being launched at him by Toren. He may also use something Shield-like here, when he gets suspicious about the quiet street, anticipating Toren's attack via Disruption effects. Somehow he manages to dodge the worst of the Disruption attack (in contrast to Meji, who gets flattened by it), so we can infer that he has some kind of magical defense up by the time Toren finishes casting. Whether it's the same Shield spell as in the later combat isn't clear, however.

The elves use something they call "reactive shield effects" that may or may not be distinct from a garden-variety Shield spell. Sara gets flattened by it when Barin, accompanied by elven muscle, visits Miyo Hinadori's apartment and Sara takes exception to his presence. However, it's not magical attack that the reactive shield stops (unless you consider the usual time-ninja shenanigans a "magical attack"), but rather, old-fashioned violence. They also make use of the more traditional shield effects for magical attack, as seen used by Sarine here.

Somewhat like the Borg, the elves in Saus [url=http://www.errantstory.com/comic.php?date=2004-01-19]adapt[/url] to [url=http://www.errantstory.com/comic.php?date=2003-12-26]Jon's bullets[/url] (or maybe the first victim wasn't a proper elf mage) with what seems like some sort of shield effect.

See Also

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