Illusion
Just because no one works at that brothel doesn't mean I won't have an extraordinary timeWhen the cosmos dreams, it dreams with this force. Or so the most pretentious of illusionists would say. Truthfully, the Dream Force as many call it, seems to be the testing grounds for what reality may give birth to. A place of whim and fancy, where the cosmic imagination mingles with the dreams of sentient minds. To those that are unsure of the place of the importance of Illusion, the importance of dreaming and creativity are lost on them as well. Without such a force it's possible that no shaping of magic could even take place, for no thinking mind would be capable of wondering what is possible. Whether creativity is truly tied to this energy or not is immaterial. What is known with certainty is that Illusion thrives on dreams and bringing imagination to life. A life of sorts anyway. What it creates is only temporary and itself not capable of true creativity, it operates within a programming gifted to it at the moment conception. This is why some particularly observant individuals can piece together the unreal nature of Illusory creations no matter how talented the Illusionist who conjured them. For this reason, some view it as a deceiving force and having rightfully earned the title of Liar's Weave. These lies can overwhelm the sense, swallow words from the mouths of their speakers, and mask any face. They can also generate seemingly real objects or even living things though such creations are ultimately hollow imitations. Illusionists with altruistic aspirations are capable of using these tools to entertain, spread joy, and even use misdirection to protect people. Yet, there are those who can use Smoke Energy to reach into the minds of their foes and empower their deepest fears. Thoughts can quickly turn into a death sentence for those afflicted, their mind deteriorating as its assailed by magnifications of their greatest fears. The victims of a cruel illusionist die screaming, their minds unraveling and their hearts bursting in their chests. Even practitioners of this school of magic are not immune to its effects. Many succumb to a disease known as Phantasmal Craving, finding the pleasures offered by reality pale in comparison to the strange intensity of Grey Dross. For some, the only reason to further their study to create a more convincing facade to lose themselves to. While no culture in Tairos embraces Illusion as a whole, some of its most talented practitioners will be found in Melanthris among the gilded nobility. Many of these Elves are so ancient that the living world has lost all its mystery. Instead, they turn to conjured realities that warp to meet their every desire. Melanthris' military makes use of Illusion and massive amounts of Manacite to create wards that veil their warships with invisibly. This is an arcane technology that the Stormlanders ever desperate to steal for their raiding ships. Many charlatans roam the vastness between great cities, using Illusion and Enchantment to deceive populations into treating them like oracles of the gods returned.
Execution
Subtle gestures and words are employed in the execution of Illusion magic. The point of most spells is to blur the lines between reality and spell effect so grandiose demonstrations are rare and casters often find them more disruptive than helpful. Clarity, creativity, and proper programming are the true cornerstones of talent in an illusionist.
Components and tools
The most common item used to help focus an illusionist's belief are mirrors. Reflective surfaces are found in the toolkit of most casters as are colored powders, smoke, and hearts (for those that wish to prey upon fears).
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