Illusions

Illusions are a very complex subject as they effect both the mind and the senses. Basic illusions create only a visual image like a hologram. Creatures are likely to realise the illusion immediately they touch it as their hand will pass right through it. however they may figure it to be some kind of ghost like creature. If a minimal

Illusionists can only create illusions of things which they have studied for 2 days or are reasonably familiar with. Similar items/ creatures may be created but a saving throw bonus would be added. Thus a caster who had studied humans and had some interaction with orcs could reproduce and orc but not as well as a human, in fact the orc may have a tendancy to move more like a human than an orc, this would give the target a saving throw bonus of +1 or +2.

Physical movement cannot be prevented, no illusiary bridge will support a character. Tactile differences however will not normally be noticed,

Illusions are translucent to the caster. Even when saved others cannot see through an illusion

Attributes

The spell phantasmal force is level one but this only produces static light images. To add the other attributes increases the level of the spell. Any of the attributes can be added in any combination however the increases in level are cumulative.

Attribute
Minimum electro-mag level
Spell Level
increase
Movement 2 1
Sound 2 1
Heat 3 1
Smell 4 2
Touch 6 3
Sustain* 2 rnds - +1 Power point

*Sustain allows the caster to continue static illusions after they stop concentrating. This can be chosen as the end of the spell period, it does not increase the level of the spell.

Soft light used to create the touch sensation has a light slightly spongy feel to it. When pressed it possesses enough resistance to let you know it is there but anything heavier than a shrew would sink into it. It has very little thickness, only about that of a gold mark. It is both gas and water permeable though water would pass through slowly.

The absence of relevant attributes decreases the difficulty of the saving throw. Thus a skunk which did not smell, or a lion which did not roar, would be unlikely to be believed. The additional attributes are not created in the fullness of the original, merely enough to aid the deception.

As illusions create actual images in the air they can be seen by all creatures regardless of whether they believe in them or not. If they disbelieve they have noticed the slight imperfections and recognise the illusion for what it is.

Seeing is not believing

Unless a character has a reason to disbelieve an illusion they will assume that what they see is true. Even when a character has reason to think they are seeing an illusion their mind may overrule their intelligence. It is a case of knowing but not believing; the mind, operating at a lower level than the intellect, overrules their logical thoughts. It's all very well to have seen a mage cast an illusion but when you see a fire breathing dragon bearing down on you rational thoughts are forgotten.

The saving throw in this case is the attempt of your rational thoughts to persuade irrational fears and beliefs.

Knowing that an apparition was an illusion would gain a bonus to the saving throw. When an illusion is cast the believability is rolled by the caster, this is the saving throw that must be rolled by the subjects for them to disbelieve the spell. Each characters' saving throw is the degree to which they believe the apparition, this figure is recorded, any subsequent knowledge will add to this roll until the illusion is disbelieved or it disappears.

Saving throws

A normal SPOT save is made against an illusion if the illusion is missing important attributes or the charcter has another reason to disbelieve it such as touching or hitting it. Each appropriate attribute missing will make the save easier by 0-3 points.

Attributes
excluded
Save
adjustment
Sound
+1 to +3
Heat
+3
Smell
+3
Touch
+4
Each successful hit
+1
Informed of reality
-4

For example Against an simple illusionary lion if the target was far enough away to not smell its fetid breath and was obviously quiet a normal save would be made.

If the character walked up to pat the lion (a stupid barbarian perhaps) then the smell, touch and heat would be missing and the save would rise to

12
   Base
-2
   Smell
-3
   Touch
-1
   Body heat
=7
   

and if the lion was to appear menacing it should roar. If the lion looked like it roared but no sound came out it would be an automatic save, if it was possible just growling quietly then the additional +3 would be given.

Creatures saving

As the illusion attempts to fool the senses, creatures save against their perception. This would be modified by their perception of the real world. It would be impossible to fool a rabbit that it was eating a real carrot and exceedingly difficult to even suggest that it was sitting in a patch of grass. The wizards perception of grass and hence his recreation of it would be totally different to the rabbits.

When a save is failed the number is noted. Further saves are not made; instead when the modifiers to apply take the figure up to the save rolled the character recognises the illusion for what it is. In the above case if a 11 was rolled the character would recognise the illusion when he walked up to pat it.

Illusion effects

As the illusions are not solid characters will pass right through them. The effect of this depends upon the circumstance.

Static illusions

Wall in a corridor
Character will pass through
Wall in a corridor with touch
Character will stop if feeling but pass through if they aren't looking or unable to stop.
Wall hiding a door
A save will be given when touched
Pit
The character will fall and sustain half damage from shock.

Monsters

Although illusionists don't make great fighters the illusionary monsters they create can move faster than normally possible which makes up for any lack of combat training.

An illusion of an arrow in flight is worthless as the target will not see it, only large missiles have any effect an like spell effects the target is likely to have shut their eyes and get an additional saving throw.

Missiles will pass right through an illusion. The caster must make a save vs Alertness to make them appear to stick in.

Illusions attacking
The illusion's attack bonus = 2x skill level + melee combat level of the caster in any similar weapon (grouped into small, medium & 2 handed). Damage however is only half the normal (round up) for the weapon and any hit gives a bonus to the original saving throw.
Illusions defending
An illusion's defence is the illusionist's defence +5. If an illusion does not appear to suffer appropriate damage when struck the attacker will gain an additional +1 on their save.
Attacking an illusion.
Character will attack as normal
Defending against an illusion
If anyone disregards a real creature it gains an additional +6 to hit.
Wound points are suffered as normal but are recovered after a fight as if they were 5 minute points. If the character dies they actually fall unconsciousness through exhaustion.

For example
A wizard with 1 skill in swords and 4 skill in electro-magnetism casts a phantasmal force of a guard with an arming sword. The illusion attacks an orc. The casters attack roll is 2x 4 (skill) + 1 (swords) = 9 but only does level 7 damage / 2 (round up).

Spell effects

Spell effects cannot be replicated though their visible manifistation can. A fireball might look real but a character would instinctively shut their eyes and assume they had been lucky and it mostly missed them. This gives them a +4 on their saving throw.

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