Illusion Enhancements

Illusion magic is a little different from other magical skills. Unlike those, illusion magic requires no secret— it is the art of deception and fakery. It may mimic a secret, but it is not real. For this reason, these spells are cast without an associated secret, and are available to any with the illusion skill.

You create some sort of sensory illusion, which can be any size up to the size of the area of effect. An illusion can create an image or hide something (invisibility). Invisibility is basically a visual illusion of nothingness.

Once you set the illusion, it remains the same. If you are within range, you can spend an action concentrating to make slight changes to the illusion or move it, but the general theme must remain the same, and the illusion cannot move beyond the area of effect. You can automatically disbelieve this illusion if you want.

The basic cost of an illusion is determined by its size (the area of effect that comprises the illusion) plus a modifier for its quality. You can build the illusion out of various sensory components.

Disbelief

Illusions do not require an attack roll against creatures, but a Magic check should be rolled to determine the quality of the illusion. If a creature has reason to suspect an illusion is not real, it can make an opposed INT check vs. the pre-rolled Magic check to discern its true nature. If a creature receives actual proof that an illusion is not real (an ally falls through an illusory wall, for example, or an invisible creature attacks the observer), it automatically disbelieves it. Disbelieving an illusion does not remove it; disbelief merely makes its illusory nature apparent to the viewer.

Bundled Senses

When combining multiple illusion types (visual, olfactory, audio, etc.) you can “bundle” the effects to save some MP, as each reinforces the others and helps mask imperfections. Each sense beyond the first is discounted by 1 MP, to a minimum of 1 MP.

Notes on Invisibility

Invisibility is a complex visual illusion. Camouflage can be achieved with a simple illusion (+1d6 to attempts at stealth), and a weak invisibility effect which has a visible distortion effect is an average illusion (+2d6 attempts at stealth). Full invisibility as a complex illusion gives +3d6 to stealth attempts and, of course, renders the target completely invisible (a failed stealth attempt or a disbelieved invisibility illusion—such as if the invisible creature attacks the observer—means that the viewer knows where the invisible creature is due to other clues—sound, moving items, tracks, being stabbed in the face, etc. but can’t actually see it).

Other illusions which mask various senses contribute to invisibility. An illusion that masks all five senses makes the target completely undetectable by normal means: a creature so well concealed doesn't need to roll stealth checks.

An illusion cantrip can create a small, clearly illusory effect for up to one round.

Sound

Audio Illusion, Average. Cost 3 MP. Creating an average sound can make noise as loud as a small crowd of shouting men, with one or two articulate sounds. Thus, you could have a simple song with a few instruments, or a conversation. Hiding an average sound can make a roar sound like a soft quack, make one conversation sound like a different one, or reduce the volume by a substantial amount (granting +1d6 to stealth attempts).

Audio Illusion, Complex. Cost 5 MP. A complex sound can be as loud as a dragon’s roar or an entire parade cheering, and all of it can be as articulate as you want, complete with subtle sounds like kids in the crowd whining to their moms, and the dragon’s roar echoing properly in an opera house. Hiding a complex sound lets you turn any noise into practically anything else of the same volume or quieter. Complete silence is a complex audio illusion which grants +2d6 to stealth attempts.

Audio Illusion, Simple. Cost 1 MP. Creating a simple sound could create any simple repeating sound, like a growl, laughter, or moan of wind, but nothing articulate. The volume can be no louder than four men talking. Hiding a simple sound could make speech sound like an indistinct murmur, or reduce the volume of a sound slightly.

Smell

Olfactory Illusion, Average. Cost 3 MP. An average olfactory illusion could make the air smell like warm root beer, or make an illusory steak taste real. Hiding an average olfactory sensation would let you fool the scent and taste buds of any human except the finest connoisseurs, and could throw animals off your trail.

Olfactory Illusion, Complex. Cost 6 MP. A complex olfactory illusion can be whatever you want, as complicated and subtle as you like. Similarly, hiding a complex olfactory sensation would let you turn any taste or smell into anything else that isn’t very much more or less strong.

Olfactory Illusion, Simple. Cost 1 MP. Creating a simple olfactory sensation can fake intense smells, like blood, sour milk, or ammonia. Hiding a simple olfactory sensation lets you conceal the distinct stench of rotting zombies, or hide your own body odor, but the new smell would be bland.

Touch

Tactile Illusion, Average. Cost 4 MP. An average tactile sensation could make someone feel they’re being jostled by invisible people, or give a visual illusion of a cat a real texture. Hiding an average tactile sensation would let you make blood gushing from a wound feel like worms crawling across you, and could make a suit of armor feel like a fine royal robe.

Tactile Illusion, Complex. Cost 8 MP. Creating a complex tactile sensation would let you make a person feel like he’s on fire, and would put the finishing touches on an illusion of a beautiful nymph: warm, wet, and covered in fine sand particles from the bank of a stream. Hiding a complex tactile sensation would let you make a real object feel like it is intangible, and could turn a lover’s embrace into the segmented coils of a demon leech.

Tactile Illusion, Simple. Cost 2 MP. Creating a simple tactile sensation could make the air feel moist and heavy, or make you feel wet. Hiding a simple tactile sensation could make glass feel like sandpaper, give metal a wood grain, or make a fire feel cold. Hiding a tactile sensation won’t stop a person from feeling pain, but it might confuse him as to how to avoid the injury.

Sight

Visual Illusion, Average. Cost 3 MP. Creating an average visual would let you create a bookshelf with a lot of books that look generally the same, make a ghostly glowing word appear in the air, or create a convincing orc warrior (though if you made several orc warriors, they’d all look alike). Hiding an average visual would allow you to blur your own image as you move, change the appearance of one person to resemble another person, or make an immobile object invisible.

Visual Illusion, Complex. Cost 5 MP. Creating a complex visual would let you make any sort of visual image, no matter how fine the details are.

You could make the illusion of a full person, complete with distinctive markings, unique pieces of clothing, and an expressive demeanor. Hiding a complex visual can make things invisible even while moving, make a group of sneaking goblins look like harmless ducks, or make a worthless rock look like an ornate bejeweled porcelain egg. Attacks against a blurred creature have a –1d6 die penalty. Attacks against an invisible creature have a –2d6 die penalty.

Visual Illusion, Simple. Cost 1 MP. Creating a simple visual would let you make a fairly drab set of clothes, a wall with a repeating pattern of tiles, or a very rough approximation of a living creature. Hiding a simple visual would let you replace a complicated image with a simple one, like hiding a scar with smooth skin, hiding a secret door with flat stone, or turning an elaborate tapestry into a mono-color rug.

Other

Aura Illusion. Cost 3 MP. An aura illusion enables you to create a fake magical aura, or to mask an existing aura.

Reactive Illusion. Cost 4 MP. You can make your illusion react on its own. For example, normally, you could have an illusion of a guard standing watch, shifting occasionally in his stance and appearing to breathe, but not reacting to anyone else. With a simple reactive illusion, the guard would look at and glower slightly at anyone who came by. A standard reactive illusion would let the guard respond to questions with disinterest. A complex reactive illusion would let the guard act exactly as you would want it to if you were there to direct it consciously.