Heliotrop sign

From Witcher Wiki

The Heliotrop Sign is a simple magical sign used by witchers. It's made by crossing one's wrists, and works as a buffer to the effects of a magical attack. Geralt uses this sign in the short story "A Grain of Truth" when Vereena uses a sonic attack against him.

The wave of sound hit the witcher like a battering ram, depriving him of breath, crushing his ribs, piercing his ears and brain with thorns of pain. Flying backwards he just managed to cross his wrists in the Sign of Heliotrop. The spell cushioned some of his impact with the wall but even so the world grew dark and the remainder of his breath burst from his lungs in a groan. — page 63 – 64, The Last Wish (UK edition)

He also used the sign to protect himself, somewhat more successfully, from Yennefer when they first met in the short story "The Last Wish".

He immediately regretted his sarcasm. The woman raised her hand and a golden streak shot out from her fingers. Geralt reacted instinctively, crossing both hands in the Sign of Heliotrop, and caught the spell just in front of his face, but the discharge was so strong that it threw him back against the wall. He sank to the floor. — page 226, The Last Wish (UK edition)

[edit] In Wiedźmin: Gra Wyobraźni

Heliotrop works as a shield against charms, spells, sounds and similar, but is useless against physical blows and projectiles.

[edit] Notes

• The name of the Sign, which refers to many things, comes from Greek helios, Sun and trepein, to turn.
• Heliotrop is the only Sign not included in The Witcher computer game.
• The FCR mod created by the IFRIT Creative Group implements a version of this sign