Illusionism

Illusionism (Syllabus of Deception)

Hijacking sensory interpretation. Illusionism does not reshape matter directly; it reshapes perception and inference. In current play, casting follows Technique Glyph declarations (Intent -> School -> Glyph -> Scale -> Tags). Classification: Core School

Fictional Permission

When you hold Illusionism in your Grimoire, you have specific fictional positioning.

Illusionism CAN:

  • Create false visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile sensations
  • Disguise the appearance of people, objects, or locations
  • Generate distractions (phantom sounds, movement in peripheral vision)
  • Be combined with Conjuration to create tangible holograms
  • Be combined with Mind Magic to create entirely mental hallucinations

Illusionism CANNOT:

  • Create real physical effects on its own (illusory fire does not burn objects)
  • Provide real information about the world (that's Divination)
  • Animate autonomous constructs (that's Animation)

Technique identity: Illusionism defaults to Schleier for concealment and Spiegel for deceptive reframing.

The Core Matrix

Your Illusionism training unlocks cumulative Technique Glyph access:

Use this tier ladder as canonical for live casting.

Stack example: Lace a disguise through a crowd -> Illusionism -> Faden + Schleier -> Standard -> stealth, layering

Cost Examples

Costs follow the canonical scale — see Magic System. School-specific examples:

  • Trivial (0 Ticks): Schleier sensory nudge.
  • Regular (1 Tick): Schleier + Spiegel local disguise effect.
  • Hard (2 Ticks): Hall phantom pressure or persistent false cue.
  • Complex (2 Ticks): Kreis-supported memory framing/manipulation.
  • Miracle (4+ Ticks): total perceptual imprisonment with severe consequences.

Specializations

Specializations now function as Glyph Doctrines:

  • Glamour: Faden + Anker doctrine (persistent disguise framing)
  • Mind Magic: Faden + Kreis doctrine (cognition pressure and memory scripting)

(For sensory detail and deeper theory, see Schools Lore.)

Glamour

Glamour (Environment)

Glamour is Illusionism applied to the self: disguise, altered aesthetics, and quiet deception about the caster's appearance or nature. Classification: Specialization Parent School: Illusionism

Technique Glyph Doctrine

Doctrine Pair: Faden + Anker

Glamour emphasizes persistent sensory framing, disguise continuity, and social scene control.

Glyph Behavior Upgrade: a glamour may be anchored to a small object: the disguise persists while the object stays on the target (fiction-gated, no extra tick).

[!NOTE] Doctrine Move

Second Skin (doctrine move): When you shape a Glamour declaration to disguise someone under scrutiny, roll + Finesse. 10+: it holds; choose one — it survives touch, it covers scent and sound, you layer it on an ally too. 7-9: it holds, but choose one — a tell remains (the eyes), +1 tick, it drops if they act loudly. 6-: the image slips mid-scene; the GM makes a hard move.

Fictional Permission

When you hold Glamour in your Grimoire, you have specific fictional positioning.

Glamour CAN:

  • Completely alter the visual, auditory, and olfactory presentation of a target.
  • Be layered with Conjuration to provide physical, tactile feedback to a disguise.
  • Be cast over willing allies or objects (e.g., making a sword look like a walking stick).

Glamour CANNOT:

  • Actually change the physical structure of the target (that requires Transformation or Alteration). If a human casts a glamour to look like a dwarf, they are still physically tall and will bump their head on low ceilings.
  • Prevent a target from disbelieving the illusion. Disbelieving an optical glamour does nothing. The image is physically constructed of light and sound, so it must be dispelled or physically disrupted.

The Core Matrix

This specialization's live-casting access follows its Technique Glyph doctrine.

Cost Examples

Costs follow the canonical scale — see Magic System. School-specific examples:

  • Trivial (0 Ticks): Tiny static figment. Show harmless illusory mote -> Illusionism -> Faden+Schleier -> trivial effect, near range, fist volume, brief
  • Regular (1 Tick): Bend light into personal invisibility. Bend sight around body -> Illusionism -> Schleier+Spiegel -> standard effect, self range, human silhouette, short
  • Hard (2 Ticks): Swap face and mannerism cues. Wear another's face -> Illusionism -> Schleier+Kreis -> hard effect, self range, head target, sustained
  • Complex (2 Ticks): Layered audiovisual cloak for a squad. Cloak group in shared glamour -> Illusionism -> Kreis+Schleier+Gitter -> complex effect, near range, squad spread, sustained
  • Miracle (4+ Ticks): Marching illusion of a whole army. Project moving phantom legion -> Illusionism -> Kreis+Gitter+Stoss -> miracle effect, horizon range, battlefield spread, sustained

(For sensory detail and deeper theory, see Schools Lore.)

Core-school glyph sets by training level: Illusionism.

Mind Magic

Mind Magic (Restricted)

Mind Magic is the direct manipulation of a living mind: thoughts, emotions, memories, and motor control. It is the most heavily restricted and surveilled branch of magic in the Academy. Classification: Specialization Parent School: Illusionism

Technique Glyph Doctrine

Doctrine Pair: Faden + Kreis

Mind Magic emphasizes cognition pressure and memory reshaping with explicit consent/safety boundaries.

Glyph Behavior Upgrade: a nudge may be seeded: it fires later on a trigger word or gesture (fiction-gated, no extra tick).

[!NOTE] Doctrine Move

Soft Command (doctrine move): When you shape a Mind Magic declaration to nudge or compel in a social moment, roll + Social (or +Willpower to force it). 10+: they comply; choose one — they forget the nudge, they don't connect it to you, it buys real leverage. 7-9: they comply, but choose one — they remember something odd, +1 tick, the law's ears perk up. 6-: the nudge backfires into their mind; the GM makes a hard move. Safety framing per the page's permissions.

Fictional Permission

When you hold Mind Magic in your Grimoire, you have specific fictional positioning.

Mind Magic CAN:

  • Nudge attention, implant whispers, and apply short obediences within Illusionism and academy law.
  • Edit or blur recent memories when your table's safety tools allow invasive play.
  • Create leverage in social scenes: real fictional pressure, not free mind control.

Mind Magic CANNOT:

  • Bypass consent frameworks at your table; permanent personality rewrites are miracle-tier and politically radioactive.
  • Deliver durable physical force (use Projection / other schools).
  • Substitute for Soul Magic bindings or deep identity carving without explicit cross-school framing.

The Core Matrix

This specialization's live-casting access follows its Technique Glyph doctrine.

Cost Examples

Costs follow the canonical scale — see Magic System. School-specific examples:

  • Trivial (0 Ticks): Fleeting mental itch or stray thought. Plant momentary distraction -> Illusionism -> Schleier+Faden -> trivial effect, near range, single mind, instant
  • Regular (1 Tick): Audible whisper only the target hears. Whisper into mind -> Illusionism -> Faden+Schleier -> standard effect, near range, single mind, brief
  • Hard (2 Ticks): One-step compulsion the target knows is wrong but feels pressed to do. Force simple command -> Illusionism -> Kreis+Puls -> hard effect, near range, single mind, instant, coercive
  • Complex (2 Ticks): Excise or replace a short memory window. Rewrite recent memory slice -> Illusionism -> Kreis+Hall -> complex effect, near range, single mind, minutes-long gap
  • Miracle (4+ Ticks): Total personality overwrite: campaign-scale crime. Rewrite loyalty and selfhood -> Illusionism -> Kreis+Gitter+Schleier -> miracle effect, touch range, single mind, permanent hook, restricted

(For sensory detail and deeper theory, see Schools Lore.)

Core-school glyph sets by training level: Illusionism.