4.2.2 Illusion enchantments

Enchantment nature: Illusion

Magical skill used: Air, Darkness, Earth, Fire, Illusion, Light, Projection, Water; Illusion magic is best.

Characteristic used: PE

Description: An illusion enchantment is one that allows the caster to produce an audio-visual illusion that lasts for the duration of the enchantment. The range of the enchantment determines the maximum distance away from the character that the illusion can be away from the caster at any time during the duration of the spell. The area of effect determines how big the illusion is.

Power: The power of an illusion enchantment determines the strength of the illusion, i.e. how obvious it is that it is an illusion. To spot an illusion as such, a character must make a dice roll using his/her PE + Reasoning at a difficulty equal to the Power of the illusion.

The minimum Power of an illusion is 1.

Finesse: The finesse of an illusion enchantment is the total of the finesse associated with three elements:

Senses affected Finesse
Visual, sound or smell only 0
Two senses out of visual, sound and smell 1
Visual, sound and smell 2
Complexity of illusion Finesse
Single simple object (e.g. a pillar, a wall, a musical note, etc.) +0
Multiple simple objects (e.g. a row of pillars) +1
Single normal object (e.g. a person, a rose bush, a single voice speaking, etc.) +2
Multiple normal objects (e.g. a group of people, a conversation between two voices, etc.) +3
Single complex object (e.g. a complex piece of machinery, a single voice singing, etc.) +4
Multiple complex objects (e.g. a choir singing in harmony, etc.) +5
Degree of movement Finesse
Static illusion (e.g. pillar, statue, single continuous note, etc.) at a fixed location +0
Dynamic illusion (i.e. itself moving, e.g. person waving arms, musical tune, etc.) at a fixed location +1
Static illusion that the caster can move around within the area +2
Dynamic illusion that the caster can move around within the area +3

Limitations: How the illusion appears is limited by the magical skill used. The referee should apply discretion, but the following list may help.

Skill Illusion:
Air Air illusions. Illusions appear as cloudy forms in the sky. Can be used to create sounds and smells. Maximum Power of illusions that contain a visual component is 1.
Darkness Dark illusions. Illusions appear as dark shadowy images (no bright colours). Visual only. Maximum Power is 1.
Earth Sand illusions. Illusions appear in loose earth as patterns in the sand. Visual only. Maximum Power is 1.
Fire Flame illusions. Illusions must appear within an existing fire and appear as images in the flames. Visual only. Maximum Power is 1.
Illusion Illusions. No restrictions.
Light Light illusions. Illusions appear as bright glossy images (no dark colours). Visual only. Maximum Power is 1.
Projection Mental illusions. Illusions are mental images that appear in the minds of people within the area of effect, rather than affecting anyone in eyesight or earshot of the illusion. Anyone outside the area of effect is completely unaffected by the illusion (cannot see or hear it). Anyone with Mental Resistance equal to or greater than the Power of the illusion will automatically recognise it as an illusion.
Water Water illusions. Illusions appear as translucent patterns in water or ice. Visual only. Maximum Power is 1.

Examples:

Alfredo has an Illusion magic skill of 4 (with +2 specialism in illusions), a PE score of +1 and a talent for Illusion magic. After having been caught trying to illusory gold in the market of a desert town, he is being chased by a mob down a deserted street. Turning a corner, he ducks into an open doorway. He now wants to quickly create the image of a wall blocking the doorway (as if there was no doorway), so that either the mob will keep running past or at the very least will get confused giving him the chance to cast a powerful Concealment enchantment on himself. The doorway is less than 2 metres across, and is within 10 metres of him. He, therefore, seeks to cast an Illusion enchantment with Power 5 (sufficient to stop most ordinary people spotting the illusion), Finesse 0 (Single simple static object visual only at fixed location), Range Close (i.e. 2), Concealment 3 (so that it is not obviously magical), Duration 1 Minute (i.e. 2), Area of effect Single hex (i.e. 1), Investment 0 = Difficulty 13 in total. His basic value is 4 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 9. He decides to use hand gestures and words when casting to give a modifier of +2, giving a basic value of 11. He risks 9 points to get a dice roll of 3D+2 and rolls a 4, 3 and a 5, giving a dice roll result of 14. The enchantment succeeds. When the mob turns the corner, the illusory wall is in place. The referee checks whether anyone in the mob sees the wall and either senses it is magical [by making a dice roll against PE + Illusion, Truth, Enhancement or Counter magic skill at a difficulty of 8 -based on the illusion's degree of concealment] or realises it looks odd and must be an illusion [by making a dice roll against PE + Reasoning at a difficulty of 5 - based on the illusion's Power]. No-one does and the mob keeps running in the direction they last saw Alfredo.

Alfredo casts his Concealment enchantment and now is happy that he will be able to slip out of town without too much trouble. As the crowd rushes past his hiding place, he decides to have some fun at their expense. He has in his pouch a piece of lion skin, and he thinks it would be humorous if a large lion were to appear behind the mob and start chasing them! He, therefore, seeks to cast an Illusion enchantment with Power 5 (sufficient to stop most ordinary people spotting the illusion), Finesse 6 (Single normal dynamic object visual and sound capable of moving within range), Range Close (i.e. 2), Concealment 3 (so that it is not obviously magical), Duration 1 Minute (i.e. 2), Area of effect Single hex (i.e. 1), Investment 0 = Difficulty 19 in total. His basic value is 4 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 9. He decides to use hand gestures and words when casting (+2), spends a minute while the mob is passing to prepare the enchantment (+2), and uses up his lion skin in the casting (uncommon material component, associated with specific magical effect, i.e. +3) to give a total modifier of +7, giving a basic value of 16. He risks 15 points to get a dice roll of 5D+1 and rolls a 3, 3, 2, 5 and a 4, giving a dice roll result of 18. The casting nearly succeeds - Alfredo's player chooses to lose a tiredness level and have the enchantment succeed. While the mob is wondering where Alfredo has gone, a large lion comes round the corner roaring fiercely and chases them down the street.