This branch of magic involves the control of visuals and sounds that are not real. It tricks the senses and hides things. While illusion itself cannot be used to directly harm an opponent, it is extremely potent and powerful magic if used creatively. Illusions are excellent tools to misdirect, hide, startle, and disorient!
Some schools may touch on Lucid Dreaming in their Illusion classes, though officially such studies are under the branch of Onierology. Illusion does not cover the use of manifested Radiant or Shadow (Aether) energy, but instead only the visual use of light and dark.
Areas of Study[]
Phantasms: Mental[]
This type of illusion is purely within the target's mind as a hallucination only they can see or hear. It can be resisted by those with strong Mental defenses, and has overlap as Telepology.
Glamours/Figments: Manifested[]
These sorts of illusions can be perceived by everyone: they are a manifestation of visible light, but lack any actual substance. They are mirages, ghosts, or holograms! Such magics are often used to entertain. They can also be used to create walls that are not really there, or even to cover traps with a false rug or to hide where the first step of a stairwell begins. Illusions can be used to enchant a ceiling to look like the night sky, or transform an entire stone-walled room into what looks like an enchanted forest!
The easiest illusions are small and do not move. Experts are able to create moving illusions, such as an illusory copy of themselves that makes it hard for opponents to figure out where to strike (see combat spell: Mirror Image), or a dragon swooping past and breathing illusory "fire" upon a crowd. The most difficult is full invisibility, which is mostly limited to powerful artifacts, though lesser Chameleon-type spells are prevalent among skilled mages.
Most illusions only impact one sense (usually sight). Elemental Evocation magic can be used with these illusions to add sensations of wind, heat, or dampness, or cold, and conjuration can be used to add smells to the air.
An example spell is Minor Illusion, with the casting word, Crea Phasma. It creates a stationary, immobile, illusory image that can be used to create a hiding place, cover a trap, leave a message, etc. Minor illusion is a visual effect only, and if done sloppily, is easy to tell something is amiss because it might not match, look too simple, or have other oddities. Detect Magic or touching it can definitely reveal the effect for what it is, because it's only a magical illusion and not physically present.
Illumination/Shadow[]
The simplest form of illusion magic is conjuring light to see with. Such light is heatless and insubstantial, merely shedding illumination over an area until it is dispelled. The inverse of this is to suppress natural light over an area. Example spells include:
- Utility spell: Mage Light
- Nightfall
- Total Darkness
Known Academy Staff[]
- to be added