Magical Style: Illusionism

The Illusionists

Rivals: The Grey Philosophers.

Illusionists teach that all life is an illusion, that there is no objective reality, and that therefore the highest form of good is in the pursuit of pleasure. They believe the purpose of life is to enjoy oneself and to help others have a good time. Many Illusionists are seekers after enlightenment, but in Illusionism this is no object of quiet meditation, but is rather a drug-soaked, alcohol-powered, and frankly naughty affair.

This has earned them a reputation as abusers of drugs, as well as for sexual excess, and they are considered unserious at best by many other schools of magic. The Grey Philosophers, in particular, hate them.  The Illusionists believe this is sheer jealousy as an Illusionist is almost guaranteed an invitation to the sort of party a Grey-robe is never invited to, and return the hate with mockery.

Illusionists have no real structure to their group, and teach in a master and student relationship much more casual than in most other magical traditions.  The teacher holds himself as more of a guide than an overseer.

Illusionism

13 points

Prerequisites: IQ 11 and Magery 1.

Illusionism teaches that the Material World is but the dream of a sleeping god, and doing magic is doing no more than changing the environment of a dream. Thus, all magic is inherently illusionary, and a student can exceed the limitations of the physical by embracing this. At its core, Illusionism is a philosophical Hedonism school, teaching that pleasure is the utmost good.  In their view, they cannot be certain that we are real, but they can be certain that we feel.

Illusionists are also skilled masters of dream magic, and they also have knowledge of the less supernatural techniques of dream manipulation. The "lesser dreams" of the night are held to be most instructive.

There is some controversy over several spells in the standard repertoire; for example, many Illusionists will neither learn nor teach Emotion Control, as they feel forcing someone to feel "joy" or "happiness" runs counter to authentic experience, while others are of the opinion that since everything but sensation is illusory spell-initiated happiness is just as valid as any other form. Such arguments among practitioners are seldom settled quickly.

Required Skills: Carousing, Dreaming, Pharmacy (Herbal), Philosophy (Illusionism), Teaching, Thaumatology.

Required Spells: Complex Illusion, Control Illusion, Detect Illusion, Dispel Illusion, Perfect Illusion, Simple Illusion.

Perks: Area Spell Mastery (Any Illusion), Improvised Items, Intuitive Illusionist, Kill Switch (Any), Mystic’s Stupor, Reduced Footprint (Any), Secret Knowledge (Hidden Lore: Dream Lore), Secret Material (Soma), Secret Spells (Initiative, Journey to the Dreamlands, Zimbardo's Simulated Prison).

Secret Spells: Initiative, Journey to the Dreamlands, Zimbardo's Simulated Prison.

Optional Traits

Attributes: Increased IQ and HT.

Advantages: Allure, Charisma, Energy Reserve, Illuminated, Recover Energy.

Disadvantages: Alcoholism, Compulsive Carousing, Impulsiveness, Reputation (Sexually Excessive or Hedonist).

Skills: Area Knowledge (Dreamlands), Artist (Illusion), Astronomy, Autohypnosis, Body Language, Erotic Art, Hidden Lore (Dream Lore), Knot-Tying, Mathematics (Applied), Meditation, Sex Appeal.

Spell List

Spell	Prerequisites
Analyze Magic	Identify Spell
Aura	Detect Magic
Body of Air	Shape Air
Cloaking	Complex Illusion and Illusion Disguise
Complex Illusion	Simple Illusion
Control Illusion	Perfect Illusion
Counterspell	Magery 1
Create Air	Purify Air
Create Animal	IQ 12, Magery 2, and Create Object
Create Mount	Create Animal
Create Object	Magery 1 and 8 Illusionism spells
Create Servant	IQ 12, Magery 3, and Create Object
Cure Hangover	Minor Healing or Resist Pain
Daze	Foolishness
Detect Illusion	Simple Illusion
Detect Magic	None
Dispel Creation	Control Creation
Dispel Illusion	Control Illusion
Displacement	Complex Illusion and Illusion Disguise
Divination (Oneiromancy)†	History and six Illusionism spells
Dream Projection	Dream Sending
Dream Sending	Sleep
Dream Viewing	Sleep
Emotion Control	Mental Stun
Ethereal Body	Magery 3 and Body of Air
Foolishness	IQ 12+
Forgetfulness	Magery 1 and Foolishness
Glamour	Six Illusionism spells
History	Trace
Identify Spell	Detect Magic
Illusion Disguise	Simple Illusion
Illusion Shell	Simple Illusion
Images of the Past	Magery 2, History, and Simple Illusion
Independence	Simple Illusion
Initiative*†	Magery 1, Independence, and six Illusionism spells
Journey to the Dreamlands*	Magery 3 and fifteen Illusionism spells
Know True Shape	Magery 1 and Aura or Detect Illusion
Lend Energy	Magery 1
Mass Sleep	IQ 13+ and Sleep
Mental Stun	Daze
Perfect Illusion	Complex Illusion
Phantom Wall	Perfect Illusion
Planar Visit (Dreamlands) †	Dream Projection
Presence†	Eight Illusionism spells
Purify Air	None
Resist Pain*	Magery 2 and six Illusionism spells
See Secrets	Seeker and Aura
Seeker*	IQ 13 and six Illusionism spells
Shape Air	Create Air
Share Energy	Lend Energy
Simple Illusion	IQ 11+
Sleep	Daze
Trace	Seeker
True Seeing	Magery 3 and six Illusionism spells
Ward	Magery 1
Zimbardo's Simulated Prison*	Magery 3 and twelve Illusionism spells.

*: This is a Secret Spell.

†: This spell’s prerequisites have been altered.

Unique Spells

Cure Hangover

Regular

Does what it says on the tin: instantly cures any pain or nausea from excessive consumption of alcohol.  This isn't exactly a Secret Spell, but only Illusionists tend to know it.

This is ordinarily a Healing spell, but Illusionists learn it as if it were a Body Control spell.

Duration: Instant.
Cost: 3.
Time to Cast: 5 seconds (a.k.a. "Oh, God, why so long I'm gonna be sick this sucks I can't concentrate why didn't I learn Delay").
Prerequisites: Either Minor Healing or Resist Pain.

Displacement

Regular

As Blur but shifts the subject's image in space a bit as opposed to blurring his outline.

This is an Illusion and Creation spell.

Duration, Cost, and Time to Cast: As Blur.
Prerequisistes: Illusion Disguise and Complex Illusion.

True Seeing

Regular

The subject gains the See Invisible advantage with the True Sight enhancement: his vision can penetrate all magical deceptions, camouflage, disguises, and illusions.  This is resisted by any affected spells.

This is an Illusion and Creation spell.

Duration: One minute.
Cost: 8, half to maintain.
Time to Cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 3, Detect Illusion, and Perfect Illusion.

Secret Spells

Journey to the Dreamlands

Special; Automatic Resistance

As Plane Shift and Plane Shift (Other), but only directly to the Dreamlands. Note that this transports the caster's physical body, and can thus be considerably more dangerous than Planar Visit.  Note that this spell may be used as a basis for casting Create Gate.

This is a Communication & Empathy spell.

Cost: 12.
Time to Cast: 5 seconds.
Prerequisites (Standard): Magery 3, the Dreaming skill, and fifteen Communication and Empathy spells including Dream Projection.
Prerequisites (Illusionism): Magery 3 and fifteen Illusionism spells.

Zimbardo's Simulated Prison (VH)

Regular; Resisted by Will

The soul of a victim who fails to resist is imprisoned in a prison in the Dreamlands.  The subject's body falls into a coma (see Incapacitating Conditions, p. B429) without getting the initial HT roll to come out.  The Awaken spell and similar countermeasures cannot restore the subject unless the soul is in some way restored to the body first, which will probably involve an extra-planar prison break.  If the subject's body dies, the soul remains imprisoned and he cannot be Resurrected until the soul is freed.

This is a Communication and Empathy spell.

Duration: Instant, but the soul is imprisoned permanently.
Cost: 20.
Time to Cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisites (Standard): Magery 3, Dream Projection, and Nightmare.
Prerequisites (Illusionism): Magery 3 and twelve Illusionism spells.

Secret Materials

Soma

Soma is a herbal concoction, gathered using Pharmacy (Herbal) or Naturalist.  It helps the user attain mastery of his dreams as well as facilitating dream-magic.  Make a roll against either of the required skills at -3; you gain one dose of Soma per degree of success.  A dose gives +2 to Dreaming skill for a night's sleep, or may be used as a Manastone providing 2 FP per dose to a dream-related spell.  Only the preparer can use it to power spells, but anyone may take a dose for the skill bonus; note that it's mildly psychologically addictive and normally legal.