Illusions

Illusions represent the utilization of magic to create false impressions on a creature's senses, causing them to see, hear, or feel something that doesn't exist. Depending on the power used to create the illusion, it may have visual, auditory, scent, and tactile components. When an illusion is created, a Deception check is made to determine how realistic the illusion is. Every creature that comes in contact with the illusion will then make a Intuition check and compare it to the Deception check of the illusion. Creatures whose Intuition exceeds the Illusion's Deception notice something is off or strange about the illusion and realize it to be fake. Creatures whose Intuition is less than or equal to the Illusion's Deception believe the illusion to be real and will act accordingly. The creature will continue to believe the illusion to be real until something occurs to make him believe otherwise.

A creature will immediately realize an illusion to be fake when it defies the laws of reality. For example, an illusion with only a visual component is realized to be illusory once it is touched (and the hand moves right through it). A tactile illusion is realized to be illusory when it no longer behaves like the illusion (such as an illusory stool that cannot hold weight). Depending on the illusion, however, it may be able to react to outside stimuli, allowing a creature to interact with it and still not realize it is an illusion.

It is possible to cast an illusion over an existing object, changing its appearance. Since the object is real, it can affect the environment as the real object does. For example, if an illusion of a throne is placed upon a stool, the stool will still hold the weight of someone sitting on it, so it appears to be a real throne. Likewise, the illusion of a golden gilt sword over a normal steel sword will still damage like a sword.

Illusions can also be placed upon creatures, changing their physical features and even their size. Making a creature appear larger or smaller can be tricky, however, as the illusion cannot make up for the realistic limitations of a creature's size. For example, a large-sized creature can be made to look like a small-sized creature, but that does not mean it will be able to fit through a small-sized doorway. The converse is stranger, a large-sized illusion on a small-sized creature can fit through the doorway, even though it should not be able to (causing the illusion to break for bystanders).

Static vs Reactive Illusions

Static illusions do not change in reaction to creatures or how they interact with it. Even if they are tactile, they cannot be moved, changed, or interacted with, causing the image to be recognized as illusory immediately when it does not respond as it should. For example, if you smash the illusory apple with a frying pan, the static illusion will not change, and the apple remains as it was. That same apple cannot be moved when you attempt to grab it and take a bite. Despite the fact that is looks, feels, and smells like and apple, it cannot be moved. Once these actions occur, the illusion breaks, and the creature interacting with the illusion will realize it to be fake.

Reactive illusions, on the other hand, can change in response to how a creature interacts with them. You can pick up the apple, toss it around, even take a bite out of it, and provided it has all the appropriate sensory components, it will look, feel, and taste like an apple. Likewise, the illusion responds once you've taken a bite, the apple will have a bite out of it, appearing as it should. These illusions are more difficult to detect, but they can still be broken when the reality clashes with the illusion. For example, an illusory stool still cannot hold your weight. You can move it around, set it in front of a high shelf, and it will feel solid beneath your foot as you move to step up on it. But once you attempt to put weight on the stool, your leg will fall through and the illusion will be broken for you. Likewise, and illusory bridge can look and feel solid, until you attempt to cross it and find yourself falling through to the ravine below.

The extent that the illusion can react will depend on the extent of the power creating the illusion. Sometimes the illusion can only change and shift objects that exist within the illusion (such as allowing the illusory apple to be picked up). More powerful illusions can create new objects or even creatures in reaction to the environment. For example, when you fall through the illusory bridge from above, the illusion could create a duplicate image of you crossing the bridge safely (while simultaneously masking your falling form), so that an onlooker may fall into the same trap.

Types of Illusions

There are three main types of illusions, each with their own distinctive qualities.

Figments

Figments are illusions created within the environment by manipulating magic to produce the illusion. Figments can be seen by anyone who comes across them and can be either Static or Reactive. Figments can be simple, affecting a single sense such as Vision and Hearing, or complex, affecting all senses and reactive to their environment. No matter how real a figment seems, however, it has no substance and so cannot hold weight, deal damage, or otherwise affect objects outside of the illusion. For example, an illusory fire can feel hot, even give a creature the pain and feeling of burning when they touch it, but it will not deal damage or mar the skin when it is pulled away.

Glamour

A Glamour is a special kind of Figment that augments the perception of an existing creature or object, such as changing its color or texture. It can create slight differences in perceived location (such as a smooth cloth feeling bumpy, or lengthening a creature's nose to appear larger). It can also completely mask the creature or object from a sense, such as making a creature completely invisible, or inaudible. Glamours are always reactive illusions, staying affixed to the creature or object, and moving as they do. They are different from other Figments, as they can only modify appearance, as opposed to creating a new appearance.

Phantasms

Phantasms are illusions created in the mind of a single creature (or group of creatures) that cannot be seen by the outside world. As they are created within a creature's mind, they are as real as the mind makes them, and when they attack it can deal Psychic Damage to their target. Typically a Phantasm does not require a Deception check to appear real, as it requires an attack versus the target's Willpower instead.

Mimics

Mimics are illusions infused with substance from the Shadow Plane, making them partially real. Mimics act like figments in that they can be perceived by anyone who comes in contact with them, but they are also subject to the rules of reality as they actually have form and substance. Mimics can hold weight, deal damage, and affect objects outside of the illusion. Damage dealt by a Mimic is typically ½ Psychic Damage and ½ real damage appropriate to the damaging effect.