Johann 1354 Popular Post Share Posted April 9, 2020 SENSORY ILLUSION — THE ART OF PERCEPTION Introduction The Void is generally regarded across nearly all disciplines of magic as an endless, invisible plane of arcane potentiality, one that can be manipulated and evoked at will for any particular use. A little known fact regarding the void is its ability to act as a facilitator - a binding force, a web - for the thoughts and emotions of those possessing independent thought, a consciousness. Sensory illusion is the practice of interacting with this complex hidden web in the void, manipulating it to the illusionist’s benefits. Many may brand this the art of deception, though, on the contrary, it is the art of perception, one that is not limited to the stigma of underhanded usages, but has uses that extend far beyond this, such as lighthearted entertainment or innocent self-defense. Magic Explanation Being the art of perception, sensory illusion enables practitioners to utilise the void as a mediary for the suggestion of one’s subconsciously conceived senses onto a target, allowing users to instill sensory falsehoods in the mind of another individual, such as illusory sights (bright flashes of light, figmental objects, etc.) and seemingly hallucinatory sounds (scraping metal, ghostly whispers, etc.). Regardless of the apparent realism of illusions procured by this art, it must be borne in mind that illusions are what they are, illusions, and despite their seemingly tangible capabilities, they DO NOT have any effect on the material world (for ex. casting an illusion of conjuring flames, but these flames will not actually have an effect on the material it interacts with; a sensation of heat can be replicated, but there will not actually be burns) A common misconception many hold regarding sensory illusion is that it enables one to directly control the mind of the target - this is false, as illusion only allows one to influence the mind of another to varying degrees, depending on one’s mastery of the practice and the nature of the individual, as well as the illusion being instilled (for example, one may find it much more difficult to produce the sensation of fear in an orc). To convey a particular sense onto another individual requires an illusionist to have experienced said sense themselves, for it is only with the mind’s familiarity to this sense that it will be able to actually fathom comprehending, replicating and transferring it across the void to the mind of another. When a sense is contrived within the mind of an illusionist, with considerable concentration and a connection to the void, they can transmit it across the void to the mind of another. Though instilling a sense to one individual only requires an illusionist to “push” it into the target’s mind, if an illusionist wishes to impose it upon many simultaneously, intermittently or in whatever order they wish, they must weave a web which links the consciousnesses of their targets for their use, a feat that requires even adepts (T3/T4) considerable effort to execute, and considerably more effort to maintain and manipulate. As the conjuration of an illusion requires one to only picture it within one’s imagination then transmit it to another individual, the illusionist is not actually able to perceive the illusion themselves, hence why it is imperative they have a complete understanding of all the senses of what is contrived; only then will they be able to effectively ascertain the correctness of their conjured illusion. When casting an illusion, the illusionist must ensure the illusion is one that is believable, otherwise the mind of the target will reject the feeling that is being illusioned due to a lack of an environmental stimulus for this, breaking the illusion. It must be borne in mind that any illusion is only as strong as it is believable, and any lapse in the logic of an illusion will result in the target’s mind ceasing to accept the illusion. In the case of a light-hearted scenario, where an illusionist is contriving an illusion for recreational purposes in which their targets are open to the idea of an illusion, the eased mental belligerence towards manifestation allows for one to convey senses with much ease while only expending much less mana than an illusion would normally incur. Those that are affected by this blatant illusion can either choose to accept the prospect, or reject it outright if their instinct commands them to do so (for example, if an illusion of a spider is broadcasted across a certain individual, and the individual has arachnophobia while being aware that the spider is an illusion, their consciousness will reject the illusion, however with a lingering awareness of the illusion’s existence.) Learning Illusion As other arcane magics do, Arcane Illusion requires many years of study and constant practice at the cost of a mage’s physical and mental health. While a practicant of Illusion can reach aptitude within sixteen (16) years, more often than not, a mage will require at least two (2) entire decades in order to practice with ease. Arcane Illusion requires that the mage not only recognize and understand the fundamentals of the identifiable physical realm, but also that one procures to fathom the mind— garnering the evermore present ability to understand the rational and irrational mechanisms that lead an individual’s abilities of perception. Cultivating this ability requires the aspirant illusionist extensive periods of self-reflection and meditation, so as to improve their understanding of the intrinsic nature of the void, and the very same time augmenting their ability to transcend one’s mental state into that of tranquil blankness or tactly alternating compartments, at times when a division of attention is necessary. An initiate’s journey in learning the art of illusion begins with the acquisition of a cognizance of glamours and figments throughout the first month of study, followed by refinement of these techniques in the next month, all under the tutelage of an experienced teacher as is customary. Throughout this process, the illusionist must also procure a comprehensive understanding of the senses, with every sense (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) requiring two Elven weeks of study, in tandem to the student’s continuous practise of their abilities, for an illusionist to effectively replicate. In conjunction to this, throughout the learning process, the student must also experiment themselves with sensations and experiences if need be, for the illusionist requires a personal experience of the sense they wish to contrive in the mind of another, be it a stabbing sensation, or a scorching pain. The responsibility of an effective instructor in sensory illusion is to ensure the student grasps a profound understanding of the material world, as well as a profound understanding of the void, in order to fully comprehend, and thus successfully conjure, that which they wish to cast as an illusion. Posing a similar importance, the honing of a student’s mental capacities is also paramount to the practise of sensory illusion, for it is this mental ability that determines one’s focus, which in turn determines the efficacy of a casted illusion. The student must also comprehend the importance of logic and rationality in a conjured illusion, for they are what give strength and sustainability to its being; neglecting this will result in many mishaps in sense, and ultimately many broken illusions. OOC Explanation - Arcane Illusion is a one (1) magic-slot Voidal Magic. - A Voidal connection is required to practice Arcane Illusion. - Arcane Illusion can be used IRP, once players have an accepted [MA]. - Arcane Illusion can be taught by players who possess an accepted [TA]. Properties of Arcane Illusion Arcane Illusion has differing properties to its voidal counterparts, being that whatever one draws forth from the Voidal Abyss holds no physical characteristics and therefore cannot affect the material realm in such a phenomenon— one cannot any commit physical harm in this regard, rather procuring the mind on a subconscious level. Alongside the stated properties, Arcane Illusion requires far less mana to act unto the mind of another descendant BUT is contrasted with higher demand of concentration from the user, in regards to their connection to the Void. Most Arcane Illusion spells are able to be cast for longer periods of time than other evocations, though require the mage to hold unhindered focus— working alongside their connection to the Void, whilst keeping in mind their own consciousness. As a result of this, flaws are inevitable to a mage that has just embarked upon the study of Arcane Illusion and significant lapses in concentration hold an immediate risk of disrupting their Voidal connection. This can happen if their attention is severely divided or an intense environmental stimulus (a singeing heat, a severe pain, a loud noise, etc.) compels them to lose focus, though tolerance to such stimuli increases with experience, as one may expect. If a flaw is correctly identified by a target and is capitalised upon, the illusion conjured will most certainly break as a result of the target’s mind rejecting the reality that the illusionist has procured through the use of sensory illusion. Illogical illusions will naturally only accelerate this process. Spells and Abilities CASTING MECHANICS Single-target Easiest form of casting, involves the insertion of an illusion into the mind of one person, the success, perception and effectiveness of which is dependent on the individual. Can be utilised by any means the illusionist sees fit. General casting format is as follows: Connection to the void (1 emote) Imagination of the illusion in the caster’s mind (x emotes to ‘focus’, number of emotes depends on the illusion, or 1 emote for non-visual senses, an additional emote is required to magnify its strength) Formation of the illusion (Done in /tell) Multi-target Varying effectiveness, generally very difficult for those below T3, involves the weaving of a mental web in the void, from which an illusionist can transmit their desired illusion to select targets. Can be utilised for combat purposes, to a limited extent, though the maximum people allowed for multicasting will be halved due to the amount of focus required to convey senses of malevolent intent. (refer to tier progression) General casting format is as follows: Connection to the void Weaving of the mental web in the void (Number of emotes varies depending on number of people and the illusion being formed, or 1 emote for non-visual senses, an additional emote is required to magnify its strength) Formation of the illusion (Done in /tell to those affected by the illusion) Broadcast A more difficult form of casting as one is actively trying to compel an illusion into nearby targets through the weaving of a dynamic mental web across a certain area, from which an illusions are transmitted to these select targets. Do bear in mind that this can only be used for non-combat purposes, and the illusions cannot be broadcasted to those blocked by walls higher than 3m. General casting format is as follows: Connection to the void Charging to prepare transmission of the imagined illusion (x emotes to ‘focus’, number of emotes depends on the illusion) Formation of the illusion (Done in #q, #rp or #s as appropriate, with the range being described in the emote) Emote Count Guidelines These are charge emotes that one must add after connection, before the illusion is casted. Glamours: Modifying sensory information of an object -> +1 emote per three senses Magnifying existing sensory information -> +1 emotes Figments Adding more senses to a figment -> +1 emote (defaults with 3 known senses.) Magnifying a sense exhibited by a figment (making a noise ‘blaring’, making a smell ‘pungent’, making a surface ‘searing’) -> +1 emote Casting Web weaving (Charge emotes for casting illusions on multiple people) T1 N/A T2 2 people → 2 emotes T3 2 people → 1 emote 3/4 people → 2 emotes T4 2-3 people → 1 emote 4-5 people → 2 emotes 6 people → 3 emotes T5 2-4 people -> 1 emote 5-8 people -> 2 emotes 9-10 people -> 3 emotes Scaling (Visual figments only, doesn’t apply to glamours) T1 Handheld object → +1 charge emote 1x1x1 m3 object → +2 charge emotes T2 2x2x2 m3 object → +1 charge emote 4x4x4 m3 object → +2 charge emote T3 4x4x4 m3 object → +1 charge emote 8x8x8 m3 object → +2 charge emote T4 5x5x5 m3 object → +1 charge emote 9x9x9 m3 object → +2 charge emote 15x15x15 m3 object → +3 charge emote T5 6x6x6 m3 object → +1 charge emote 10x10x10 m3 object → +2 charge emote 15x15x15 m3 object → +3 charge emote 20x20x20 m3 object → +4 charge emote Spells Glamours: Sensory alterations that are considered the “easiest” form of illusion to cast, for they do not create entire illusory objects but instead only alter the sensory properties of an existing object in the mind of the target. As a result of this, they generally require the least mana and minimal focus to the average illusionist, in comparison to the other denominations of illusion. Spoiler RED LINES: Can only alter externally perceived senses, and cannot alter or produce internal emotions Can only enlarge an object to a maximum of 25% of its original size, any larger would cause the spell be considered a figment Cannot dramatically modify the nature of an object, doing so would be cause the spell to be considered a figment One cannot become completely “invisible” or vanish with a glamour, and must properly emote tells, ex. A shadow of the illusionist, a occasional flickering in the colour of their aura Cannot be used to create disguises, or dramatically alter the physical composition of an object Figments: The second spell in the light illusion subtype, figments are illusory objects or senses artificially contrived from nothing, exclusively in the mind of targets through an illusionist’s connection to the void. Contriving an entire illusory sense in the mind of a target is no easy feat, hence why figments demand more focus than glamours, and require extensive practise to maintain over extended periods of time. Spoiler RED LINES: A figment, as with all illusions, cannot interact with its environment and the material world in any way whatsoever - though responses can obviously be elicited from targets Figments will instantly break if: The illusionist’s connection to the void is disrupted If it is touched, when casted on its own, assuming an imaginary object is being conjured A glamour must be casted on the figment to allow it to stimulate any other senses A projectile, or any object disrupts the integrity of the object figment by passing through it The target, unless possessing extensive knowledge of illusion magic, cannot consciously attempt to dispel the illusion by touch if glamours are casted Though disguises can be conjured through the use of figments on oneself, it generally requires much concentration, with only those T4 or above being able to perform actions while in disguise Enchantments Illusory Enchantments are notably difficult, often by request of the massive amount of mana necessary or required to acquire. Enchantments of Illusion follow the guide as mentioned below. Manipulating 1 sense only (E.x. sight, or sound) - A potent enchantment, highly volatile and susceptible. It would flicker and break, and such must be roleplayed accordingly. At maximum, these enchantments would last from twenty narrative minutes, to one narrative hour depending on the scale, with a 24h recharge inbetween uses. Were one to be engaged or have these senses investigated (E.x. cutting of recoloured hair, breaking of the skin in wound, etc.) the illusion would be broken. Were one to utilize a Grand Enchantment rather than a potent one, the enchantment would still suffer from flickering and breaking, but would last from thirty narrative minutes to two narrative hours depending upon scale. An example of a small-scale simple illusion would be the changing of one's eyecolour, or painting one's fingernails. An example of a large-scale simple illusion would be a different colour of skin and hair. Smaller enchantments last significantly longer than larger ones. Manipulating 2-3 senses (E.x. sight, sound, and touch, or touch, hearing, and sight) - A grand enchantment, highly volatile and susceptible. It would flicker and break, and such must be roleplayed accordingly. At maximum, these enchantments would last from ten narrative minutes, to thirty narrative minutes depending on the scale, with a 24h recharge inbetween uses. Were one to be engaged or have these senses investigated (E.x. cutting of recoloured hair, breaking of the skin in wound, etc.) the illusion would be broken. An example of a small-scale complex illusion would be the changing the visual appearance of one's clothing, the feel of the clothing, and perhaps how it sounded. An example of a large-scale simple illusion would be a different persona entirely, different appearance, different voice, and perhaps an artificial scent or feel. Smaller enchantments last significantly longer than larger ones. Spoiler RED LINES: -Enchantment Scale is by judgement of Story Team. -Being in the presence of a Mana Obelisk, Voidal Tear, Voidstalker, or Voidal Heath would allow one's enchantment to stay on indefinitely. -Being in the presence of a Voidal Hollow would warp the enchantment, making it far more grotesque and inhumane looking. -Recharge inbetween enchantment use (24h) is recorded in Real-Life time, and may not be worked around. -To not emote the occasional flicker or breaking of the illusion would be to powergame. - Strict OOC consent is required in order to disguise as other player's characters. Tier Progression T1 (Novice) - Only having begun their studies in sensory illusion, the initiate is only able to glamour an illusion for one elected sense, being unfamiliar with figments, their capabilities in mental compartmentalization limited and focus restrained. This lasts for 3 weeks with consecutive lessons. Spoiler CAPABILITIES: - Max range -> 4m radius - Maximum glamour object size -> 1x1x1 area - Maximum multicasting -> One person, even then finding difficulty maintaining an illusion while in conversation RED LINES: Can only maintain glamours for a short period of time - a maximum of 5 emotes - before losing connection Even the most minor disruption of the illusionist’s focus will result in the illusion becoming dispelled immediately The illusionist must always remain stationary while the glamour is being maintained Conversation is possible for minor glamours, but difficult; flaws will drastically increase in prominence if one continues to speak whilst the illusion is casted until the illusion breaks T2 (Apprentice) - The illusionist has the ability to glamour an illusion for two elected senses, beginning to develop experience in casting figments, only being able to sustain small objects with some difficulty. This stage lasts from week 3 - week 4 with consecutive lessons. Spoiler CAPABILITIES: - Max range -> 10m radius - Max glamour object size -> 3x3x3 area - Max figment object size -> 1x1x1 area - Max people for multicasting -> 2 people, with less difficulty in maintaining glamours, purely non-combat RED LINES: Can maintain glamours and figments for slightly longer periods of time (7 emotes), and limited movement is permitted for minor illusions The illusionist cannot move if they are: Multicasting an illusion Attempting to cast a detailed and/or large light illusion Minor disruption of the illusionist’s focus can result in the illusion becoming dispelled immediately, with some more tolerance compared to the previous tier T3 (Journeyman) - The illusionist is practised in glamours and figments, with moderate competence in four elected senses, being able to sustain small objects relatively easily. This stage lasts from week 4 - week 8 with consecutive lessons Spoiler CAPABILITIES: - Max range -> 20m radius - Max glamour object size -> 8x8x8 area - Max figment object size -> 4x4x4 area - Max people for multicasting -> 4 people, 2 maximum if being used in a combative context - Max broadcast range → 10m radius RED LINES: Can maintain glamours and figments for slightly longer periods of time (10 emotes), and movement is permitted for minor illusions The illusionist cannot move if they are: Multicasting a detailed illusion on more than 2 people Casting a detailed or large light illusion Major disruptions to the illusionist’s focus will result in the illusion becoming dispelled immediately, with some more tolerance compared to the previous tier T4 (Expert) - The illusionist is adept in light illusions of all senses, with the ability to easily hold small illusions for extended periods of time, though large scale or intricate illusions, such as disguises are still very weak, prone to being broken easily (this improves with more practice), lasts from week 8 - week 10 with consecutive lessons and until week 16 Spoiler CAPABILITIES: - Max range -> 30m radius - Max glamour object size -> 25x25x25 area - Max figment object size -> 15x15x15 area - Max people for multicasting -> 6 people, 3 maximum if being used in malevolent intent - Max broadcast range → 20m radius RED LINES: Can maintain glamours and figments for extended periods of time (16 emotes), and movement is permitted whilst the illusions are being casted, as long as the illusion being casted is not stretching or approaching the illusionist’s maximum capabilities The illusionist cannot move if they are: Broadcasting an illusion in an area larger than a 10m radius Multicasting a detailed illusion on more than 4 people Severe disruptions to the illusionist’s focus will result in the illusion becoming dispelled immediately, with some more tolerance compared to the previous tier Disguises can be maintained as long as the illusionist has a stable connection to the void T5 (Master) - The illusionist has essentially mastered light illusions, being able to maintain large figments and glamours with ease for extended periods of time. After years (16 ooc weeks) of experience, the illusionist has attained a proficient grasp of the nature of all the senses, possessing a refined state of mind for the proper conjuration of illusions. Spoiler CAPABILITIES: - Max range -> 35m radius - Max glamour object size -> 30x30x30 area - Max figment object size -> 20x20x20 area - Max people for multicasting -> 10 people, 5 maximum if being used in malevolent intent - Broadcast range -> 35m radius RED LINES: Full body disguises can be maintained as long as the illusionist has a stable connection to the void. The illusionist cannot move if they are: Multicasting a very large illusion on more than 6 people THE HOLY GRAIL OF GENERAL RED LINES/GUIDELINES: The difficulty of maintaining an illusion is dependent on the factors below - fatigue MUST be roleplayed accordingly: Spoiler Size -> The larger the illusion is, the more details that are needed to be manipulated and maintained in the mind of the target, thus requiring more mana Detail -> The more details one wishes to exhibit on the illusion, the finer its quality will be, therefore the more mana and concentration it will require Proficiency -> One’s efficacy in conjuring light illusions will drastically improve with practice, as one begins to improve in maintaining concentration, clearing one’s mind and compartmentalization for the proper conjuration of illusion. Length of time -> One expends mana to create an illusion, and can only maintain it for so long; as one overexerts, they will begin to feel incredibly weary as mana is continuously drained from their being Range -> The further the target is from the illusionist, the more mana and concentration it will require for them to interact with the target’s mind, as one would expect (reference tier progression specific ranges) Focus -> If the illusionist is inexperienced (below T3), a lapse in focus will most certainly result in the illusion breaking, as maintaining one requires one’s mind to be in a blank, concentrated state, with even conversation demanding some effort If the illusionist is T3 and above, they may recover, with increasing ease with increasing tiers, however FLAWS and TELLS must be emoted accordingly Tells for illusion magic being used must be emoted appropriately. Examples of tells would be: The aura of the mage visible Nosebleeding Twitching And so on so forth. With intensity increasing with the difficulty of maintaining the illusion, of course. Illusions casted must be believable, and logically valid, otherwise it will be broken as the mind of the target begins to question its sense, inevitably rejecting the illusion as a whole The target must be in the illusionist’s line of sight for single-casting. Illusions that involve the magnification or manipulation of light (such as zooming in) will not actually reveal any finer details of the environment. Complete invisibility is impossible. ILLUSIONS DO NOT AND CANNOT AFFECT THE PHYSICAL WORLD IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER NOR CAN IT BE USED FOR MIND CONTROL ACCESSING THE MEMORIES OF OTHERS IS OUT OF THE QUESTION AS WELL YOU CANNOT DISGUISE YOURSELF AS ANOTHER PLAYER'S CHARACTER WITHOUT THEIR OOC CONSENT No unbreakable illusions, one must always give the target some leeway to discover the illusion THE ILLUSIONIST CANNOT SEE THE ILLUSION THEY HAVE MADE, ONLY THE TARGET CAN Hence why it is important for an illusionist to have a comprehensive understanding of the nature of an object/sense that is conjured Recreational illusions made aware by the illusionist to targets require much less focus and mana compared to normal illusions, however can be very easily rejected by targets at their own discretion as they will be aware to an extent of the imaginary nature of the illusion RP Examples Courtesy of @HotArcanismBeam A tier 3 illusionist casting a figment Spoiler Judas glanced over to a bald dwarf drinking ale at a lonesome table in the tavern. His arm began to give off sporadic and irregular shakes. Judas’s pupils dilated as he’d squint at the dwed, quietly grinding his teeth. /msg [username] [!] Out or the corner of your eye, you see something scurry out from under your table, moving far too fast to identify. A tier 2 illusionist casting a glamour Spoiler Judas' fingers began to irregularly rap against the table in the tavern, perhaps drawing attention to him Judas' eyes dilated, focusing in on a white-haired elfess sitting at the front as she was chatting with the bartender. Drops of sweat began to cake the young man's face as his twitching fingers twisted, scraping against the table in his stare. /msg [username] The next time you blink, the white collar of the bartender's shirt would suddenly be pink. [glamour runs its course] Judas fell back in his seat as he broke his eyes from the elfess, staring at the ceiling with exhausted huffs and puffs /msg [username] [!] The collar of the bartender's shirt would become white again within the blink of an eye. A tier 4 illusionist broadcasting a figment Spoiler Judas crossed one leg over the other whilst he sat on the bench in Helena, surveying the city's population. A couple beads of blood began to ooze from his left nostril. The bleeding from his nose began to grow slightly more intense as it rolled down his lip and stained his collar. His head would remain pivoting between each denizen. The ringing of church bells could be heard from the otherside of the city, perhaps urging men and women to investigate where the noise came from. Judas wiped the blood from his nose away as his head lulled back onto the bench, panting softly as he watched the population cram its way through the streets. A tier 5 illusionist multicasting a figment and glamour on seven people Spoiler Judas stood idle in the streets of wretched Sutica, peering down at a group of seven mingling elves and humans alike. A mischievous grin overcame his lips as joints in his body began to frequently pop. One of the elves glanced his way, squinting at him for a moment before peering back to gassing with his friends. Judas’ brows knit tightly together as the popping pursues. [1/2 emotes for the seven people to see the illusion] The popping would begin to grow more audible as Judas’ dead on stare continued. He seemed to be drawing some attention to himself. [2/2 emotes for the seven people to see the illusion] Judas body began to periodically tremor, as if some sort of force was pushing down on him. Although all signs pointed to unwellness, the elf’s grin proved otherwise. [Glamour: Modification of sense: sight] A few more faces would glance over at Judas shaking and quivering in the street, though he provided no reaction. [Figment: added sense: sight and sound] One of the elves took a single step over to Judas, parting his lips as if to speak before around the corner a reptilian-like creature would just appear briefly, a gust of flame erupting from its mouth before briefing disappearing, leaving the ground before it scorched with black soot. The elves all scurried over to the scene to investigate. Courtesy of myself. A tier 2 illusionist casting a figment Spoiler Celestia raises a hand at a dagger, palms open as her eyes began to resonate with a golden aura, the high elf beside her watching in perplexity Celestia’s brows furrow, maintaining a concentration on the blade as she performs a circular motion with a hand. /msg [username] [!] The dagger you see before you gradually begins morphing into a crimson rose, its blade transforming into a blossoming flower and its hilt becoming an elongated, thorny stalk, albeit displaying occasional flickers in its structure Celestia smiles in gratification, motioning the elf to touch the rose before him as a hand of hers remains extended towards the dagger Celestia begins take in shallow, but repeated breaths as she remains fixed in position, twitching beginning to manifest on her fingers as she continues maintaining the illusion /msg [username] [!] As you touch the rose, it is to your surprise that the conjuration lacked texture, a brief period of confusion followed by the rose reverting into a dagger as the illusion breaks Celestia lets out a disappointed sigh as she relaxes her arm, the aura around her eyes dissipating ((evidently frustrated at being unable to cast a glamour for the overly detailed illusion)) A tier 5 illusionist casting mind control Spoiler It doesn’t happen. - more to be added - CHANGELOG 15th of April – Incorporated and clarified aspects of the “hypnotist’s boon” in “magic explanation” and “red lines.” Balance changes made. 20th of April – Revision of multicasting and broadcasting. QOL changes and further balance changes made. 8th of June – Made appropriate edits in response to LT feedback. (Changed wording of “global” in broadcasting to 35m radius, removed unnecessary redline) 25th of June – Removed phantasms. 21st of July – Increased emote counts and added clarifications for figment sizes Author’s Note Illusion magic has long been a pivotal part of magic roleplay on LotC, at least to my knowledge in the High Elf community, even having been a common magic prior to loregames when old magic lore was still in place. Already being enthusiastic about magic systems myself, I took it upon myself to perhaps give our current player base the opportunity to relieve the unique rp opportunities that illusion magic brings to the table, a breath of fresh air from the many evocations that one usually finds. With this, I am very well aware of how illusion magic can be very easily powergamed which is why in this rewrite I made sure all the boundaries, red lines and guidelines to properly roleplaying illusion magic were clearly expressed. The main reason why I stuck with the traditional three spells of illusion magic was because of how it could provide players a true sense of freedom in illusion rp while also making sure that the limits of each tier are expressed with clarity. In a way, what I aim to achieve with this rewrite is a compromise between the limits to magic the LT upholds at the present, while maintaining the flavour and fun of illusion magic from the past by adapting old lore into something acceptable to today’s standards. I do hope this is adequate. Credits and References @HotArcanismBeam - For his indispensable guidance, constructive feedback, and being a good lad in general ? @ImCookiie - Helping me find the motivation to start this rewrite and even writing some of the sections himself! @Demotheus – For inspiring me to work on an illusion rewrite in the first place as well as creative consultation in the beginning. @Supremacy – Balancing and advice. And to all those that assisted in writing roleplay examples and giving feedback on the rewrite. Supremacy’s Original Illusion Guide: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/88059-illusion-guide/ Illusion Section of Elindor’s Comprehensive Guide on Voidal Magics: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/106598-comprehensive-guide-to-canon-magic-void/ Moot’s Guide on Understanding Light Illusions: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/100910-a-guide-to-understanding-light-illusions/ 31 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsaaKc 1225 Share Posted April 9, 2020 What a lovely rewrite. I wonder what pleasant player helped. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nozgoth 2897 Share Posted April 9, 2020 nice! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonke 1873 Share Posted April 9, 2020 OOGA BOOGA 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoopie12 817 Share Posted April 9, 2020 Sweet post, defenitely an good rewrite ❤️ 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luciloo 2647 Share Posted April 9, 2020 Neat 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demotheus 649 Share Posted April 10, 2020 I wish I could have been more help or actually finish my rewrite but I suck so... I'll read this when I've got a break at work or after work and give my input but skimming so far looks good. ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeteorDragon 2705 Share Posted April 10, 2020 Gotta love illusions 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nepir 131 Share Posted April 10, 2020 looks good 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Child Neglecter 2104 Share Posted April 11, 2020 pretty nice. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixli 1471 Share Posted April 13, 2020 I don’t remember much of illusion since I’ve left the server, but as someone who had it for a few IRL years and was experienced, this is a solid rework. Keep it up, Johann. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demotheus 649 Share Posted April 14, 2020 I don’t have too many problems with this. My only concern is that the lore team will not like the lack of spells (which I hope the realize is a huge task to undertake if we need to further break down the abilities of illusion and thusly restrict it further than it already is.) One thing I’d like to see added if possible is a certain idea/ability I had that was purely for fluff and fun purposes called “Hypnotists Boon”, as much of what I was writing involved a lot of comparisons to mundane hypnotism. Basically, while in a NON COMBAT environment/situation as well as while using illusions for purposes that in no way try to hide the fact that the thing being done is an illusion (Ie: anything more than a simple prank level of deception which would almost instantly be recognized by most as an illusion or at the very least harmless and not capable of deceiving most people for more than a few seconds) the abilities of an illusionist are effectively limitless. The mana requirement is basically non existent, and the focus requirement for Tier 4 and 5 for any given illusion(s) cast in this manner is also barely an issue. For an example: Standing in front of a crowd and suddenly disguising yourself as a clown. Or, putting on some kind of intricate illusory performance like a play or something else. If you can work in the word “whimsical” and if the intent behind it is obviously not any more malicious than a silly prank you can do it and you don’t even have to worry. Justification? The minds you’re deceiving are far less concerned with these sorts of illusions and therefore less critical. Furthermore they’ll tend to be more open to being “deceived” in these ways, especially if it is for the purposes of entertainment which carries no real risk of anybody possibly losing something they don’t want to lose. This also means these types of illusions can effectively be ignored and ‘faded out’ of the mind of someone who is unwilling to perceive them, becoming illusory ‘shadows’, muffled, and barely registering at all. An immediate example of this would be... If you disguise yourself as a clown in front of everyone nearby in the town square, but someone in that crowd is horridly terrified of clowns as some people tend to be. This illusion can either be immediately dismissed in that person’s mind and shattered for that person. They can still “see” it in a sense that they’re aware that you’re messing about pretending to be a clown so that it’s not confusing to see a crowd of people staring at you and laughing or whatever in a way that makes little sense, but it won’t be ‘vivid’ for them. It’ll just be a thought at most unless they decide they want to perceive it despite being terrified of clowns (for exposure therapy perhaps?). Why have this as a feature? It’s harmless and it is a ton of fun, opening up many opportunities to use illusion without having to bother yourself with redlines that would otherwise be imposed. You CAN make that 2 foot tall purple t-rex as long as either a) the expectation is set up for it to exist in reality somehow or b) it’s obvious it’s not real, not threatening, etc. These illusions can’t be used in a backhanded way to disguise yourself or anything from someone else. If someone wants to see “through” the illusion for any reason at any given moment they just CAN unless you’re using it with the intent to deceive or hide something or whatever in which case: it must follow all the redlines, restrictions, etc. that illusion follows and does not benefit from this boon. This is one of the ideas I had that I was kind of in love with and I hope we can fit that in. If you’re worried that it might delay the approval and acceptance of this rewrite I’m happy to submit it later as a lore addition after this is approved. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johann 1354 Author Share Posted April 15, 2020 On 4/14/2020 at 2:57 PM, Demotheus said: I don’t have too many problems with this. My only concern is that the lore team will not like the lack of spells (which I hope the realize is a huge task to undertake if we need to further break down the abilities of illusion and thusly restrict it further than it already is.) One thing I’d like to see added if possible is a certain idea/ability I had that was purely for fluff and fun purposes called “Hypnotists Boon”, as much of what I was writing involved a lot of comparisons to mundane hypnotism. Basically, while in a NON COMBAT environment/situation as well as while using illusions for purposes that in no way try to hide the fact that the thing being done is an illusion (Ie: anything more than a simple prank level of deception which would almost instantly be recognized by most as an illusion or at the very least harmless and not capable of deceiving most people for more than a few seconds) the abilities of an illusionist are effectively limitless. The mana requirement is basically non existent, and the focus requirement for Tier 4 and 5 for any given illusion(s) cast in this manner is also barely an issue. For an example: Standing in front of a crowd and suddenly disguising yourself as a clown. Or, putting on some kind of intricate illusory performance like a play or something else. If you can work in the word “whimsical” and if the intent behind it is obviously not any more malicious than a silly prank you can do it and you don’t even have to worry. Justification? The minds you’re deceiving are far less concerned with these sorts of illusions and therefore less critical. Furthermore they’ll tend to be more open to being “deceived” in these ways, especially if it is for the purposes of entertainment which carries no real risk of anybody possibly losing something they don’t want to lose. This also means these types of illusions can effectively be ignored and ‘faded out’ of the mind of someone who is unwilling to perceive them, becoming illusory ‘shadows’, muffled, and barely registering at all. An immediate example of this would be... If you disguise yourself as a clown in front of everyone nearby in the town square, but someone in that crowd is horridly terrified of clowns as some people tend to be. This illusion can either be immediately dismissed in that person’s mind and shattered for that person. They can still “see” it in a sense that they’re aware that you’re messing about pretending to be a clown so that it’s not confusing to see a crowd of people staring at you and laughing or whatever in a way that makes little sense, but it won’t be ‘vivid’ for them. It’ll just be a thought at most unless they decide they want to perceive it despite being terrified of clowns (for exposure therapy perhaps?). Why have this as a feature? It’s harmless and it is a ton of fun, opening up many opportunities to use illusion without having to bother yourself with redlines that would otherwise be imposed. You CAN make that 2 foot tall purple t-rex as long as either a) the expectation is set up for it to exist in reality somehow or b) it’s obvious it’s not real, not threatening, etc. These illusions can’t be used in a backhanded way to disguise yourself or anything from someone else. If someone wants to see “through” the illusion for any reason at any given moment they just CAN unless you’re using it with the intent to deceive or hide something or whatever in which case: it must follow all the redlines, restrictions, etc. that illusion follows and does not benefit from this boon. This is one of the ideas I had that I was kind of in love with and I hope we can fit that in. If you’re worried that it might delay the approval and acceptance of this rewrite I’m happy to submit it later as a lore addition after this is approved. I’ll probably add a section in magic explanation, redlines and properties to incorporate your idea. I do think there is already an implicit guideline in sensory illusion that illusions are easier to make if the target is more open/partial to the idea, as it would in turn make the suggestion much easier to manifest in the other person’s perception or otherwise... however I don’t see the harm in adding explicit remarks on special, non-combat scenarios where singlecasting, multicasting or even broadcasting nonsensical/recreational illusions are much easier. Thank you for the suggestion, @Demotheus. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Askuzai 492 Share Posted April 16, 2020 bring this magic back or riot 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermy 1346 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Good work Johann, stronk rewrite... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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