Illusion

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==Where Used==
==Where Used==
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This one gets lots of use, many of the characters having a good reason to temporarily look like something they're not.  We first see it [http://www.errantstory.com/archive.php?date=2004-02-18 used] by [[Sarna]] to keep her elven appearance secret from the smelly humans.  (Note that [[Suzie]] penetrates the illusion without even consciously casting a spell, which is interesting.)  Later it's cast by [[Bani]] in the [http://www.errantstory.com/archive.php?date=2004-08-06 flashback sequence] that explains how she and Meji came to be friends.  Sarine's first use of it (cited above) is to disguise her hacked-up self as she heads back into the tavern (the [[Well Traveled Woman]]) following her battle with [[Melrin]].  She gets to use it [http://www.errantstory.com/archive.php?date=2005-07-11 again] after the Melrin escapade, to lull bandit [[Jim]] into complacency and an ambush.
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This one gets lots of use, many of the characters having a good reason to temporarily look like something they're not.  We first see it [http://www.errantstory.com/archive.php?date=2004-02-18 used] by [[Sarna]] to keep her elven appearance secret from the smelly humans.  (Note that [[Suzie]] penetrates the illusion without even consciously casting a spell, which is interesting.)  Later it's cast by [[Bani Igaaru | Bani]] in the [http://www.errantstory.com/archive.php?date=2004-08-06 flashback sequence] that explains how she and Meji came to be friends.  Sarine's first use of it (cited above) is to disguise her hacked-up self as she heads back into the tavern (the [[Well Traveled Woman]]) following her battle with [[Melrin]].  She gets to use it [http://www.errantstory.com/archive.php?date=2005-07-11 again] after the Melrin escapade, to lull bandit [[Jim]] into complacency and an ambush.
Interestingly, when [[Ian Samael | Ian]] needs to adopt a [http://www.errantstory.com/archive.php?date=2003-07-16 disguise] to smuggle himself and [[Meji Hinadori | Meji]] out of [[Emerylon]], he does ''not'' use Illusion, but rather a full-blown [[Polymorph Spell]] that physically transforms flesh.  We don't know why.  Possibly he simply doesn't know Illusion -- after all, even a skilled [[mage]] can't know everything.  Or maybe the ability to penetrate an illusion is more widespread than it appears to be.  Anyway, Ian's Polymorph turns out to be important to plot advancement, as well as an excuse for witty sarcasm from [[Ellis]], so it all works out for the best.
Interestingly, when [[Ian Samael | Ian]] needs to adopt a [http://www.errantstory.com/archive.php?date=2003-07-16 disguise] to smuggle himself and [[Meji Hinadori | Meji]] out of [[Emerylon]], he does ''not'' use Illusion, but rather a full-blown [[Polymorph Spell]] that physically transforms flesh.  We don't know why.  Possibly he simply doesn't know Illusion -- after all, even a skilled [[mage]] can't know everything.  Or maybe the ability to penetrate an illusion is more widespread than it appears to be.  Anyway, Ian's Polymorph turns out to be important to plot advancement, as well as an excuse for witty sarcasm from [[Ellis]], so it all works out for the best.

Revision as of 01:50, 27 September 2007

Illusion

First use: {{{First use}}}

Where used

{{{Where used}}}
Notes:

Another of those fun little excursions from reality that we've come to know and love.

Description

Conceptually pretty simple: the spell makes a thing look like something it's not. Sarine, although proficient at casting it, doesn't think highly of the effect (even though it transforms her from looking like an elven knockout to a human knockout at one point), on the grounds that its use is too easy to detect, presumably via a Scan or something similar.

Where Used

This one gets lots of use, many of the characters having a good reason to temporarily look like something they're not. We first see it used by Sarna to keep her elven appearance secret from the smelly humans. (Note that Suzie penetrates the illusion without even consciously casting a spell, which is interesting.) Later it's cast by Bani in the flashback sequence that explains how she and Meji came to be friends. Sarine's first use of it (cited above) is to disguise her hacked-up self as she heads back into the tavern (the Well Traveled Woman) following her battle with Melrin. She gets to use it again after the Melrin escapade, to lull bandit Jim into complacency and an ambush.

Interestingly, when Ian needs to adopt a disguise to smuggle himself and Meji out of Emerylon, he does not use Illusion, but rather a full-blown Polymorph Spell that physically transforms flesh. We don't know why. Possibly he simply doesn't know Illusion -- after all, even a skilled mage can't know everything. Or maybe the ability to penetrate an illusion is more widespread than it appears to be. Anyway, Ian's Polymorph turns out to be important to plot advancement, as well as an excuse for witty sarcasm from Ellis, so it all works out for the best.

An example of a persistent illusion, applied to things (like, say, a warp gate) rather than to people, is here. In this case it's designed to impress the yokels. To the extent that Jon Amraphel is a yokel, it succeeds.

See Also

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