Masquerade

The power to build a false world. To deceive the senses and fool the mind into believing that something unreal has become a reality. This is the power of the Cardinal Rune of the Masquerade. Illusionists have baffled the mind for centuries and have earned a reputation as individuals possessing immense guile, incredible attention to detail and impossible to fully figure out. The mark of an illusionist is an individual who is never fully what they appear to be for in truth, few of them are. More than any other discipline of magic around, Masquerade has been blamed for the cause of chaos and confusion. Some of these claims are warranted, some are not. Regardless, illusionists are powerful for they alone possess the power to project into reality any whim of the imagination purely by thought and willpower.

Origins

It is universally agreed upon that the rune of the Masquerade was a gift bestowed upon by mortals by the Dream God, Thiovan. It has the hallmarks of his divine touch and is a magic that has been used across the ages to make manifest the dreams of those who wield it. Whether for reasons that are pure of heart or of more sinister intent, the Masquerade is a powerful tool in the hands of someone with fierce imagination.

Initiation and Threshold Sickness

As with all Cardinal Runes of Magic, an aspirant illusionist must find a wizard who is both willing and able to inscribe the Rune of the Masquerade upon them. The following threshold sickness is among the most disturbing to behold. Perhaps as a manifestation of their own imagination going wild, the initiate will often grow extra limbs, will grow duplicate organs or sprout a third or fourth set of eyes. All of which are completely useless and which will wither and fall off. Their skin may become completely translucent revealing all of their internal muscle and tissue. They may appear as though they are completely made of mists or gemstone. The experience is among some of the most traumatic for the initiate and while they will heal, if they survive, it is one that is unforgettable.

Overstepping

Overstepping with Masquerade can manifest as either physical or psychological depending on the circumstances in which the wizard over extends themselves. On the lowest end of the spectrum, delirium, dizziness, headaches and nosebleeds are common for minor cases of overstepping. More advanced forms can include the spontaneous manifestation of wounds upon the body or the loss of the use of one of the senses such as hearing, sight or smell. The most severe forms of overstepping are always crippling with madness and some form of deformity manifesting on the body. In such cases it is not unheard of for the wizard to experience one of their limbs crumbling to dust and ash or being plunged into such a strong state of lunacy that death quickly follows due to over use of magic.

How It Works

Despite what stories might infer, the power of a Masquerader does not rest in their ability to manipulate the minds of others directly. Such is the realm of a Mesmer. The power of the Masquerade rests in its ability to project into the world that which the illusionist envisions in their own mind through the utilization of aether constructs. The illusionist stirs their aether into motion and manifests it in the world around them. Beginners are only capable of projecting two-dimensional constructs while masters are capable of projecting far more complex ones. Alone, these constructs are insubstantial. They are nothing more than wisps of aether given a shape by the illusionist’s will. The illusionist must mold their construct in order to give it substance. An illusion will only last for as long as it has aether to sustain it. For constructs being actively maintained by the wizard, the construct will last as long as the wizard has the energy to keep it in place. Any construct put in place independent of the wizard’s active attention will only last as long as the aether put into it allows it to. Beginners can only build constructs lasting a handful of minutes, masters can often put in place illusions that last months if not years.

The Importance of Details

An illusion will only ever be as substantial as its details. Take for instance a brick wall. The masquerader wishing to build a brick wall with one of their aether constructs might understand the concept of a wall on a rudimentary level, but are they familiar with the masonry of a real one? Do they understand how the bricks are laid together? Do they understand the texture, the feel, the smell, and even how the bricks appear in different lighting? While even the most basic beginner might be able to build a brick, one who lacks knowledge in the actual facets of what makes up that brick will find their construct feeble, brittle and unconvincing. The more a masquerader has knowledge of a particular object, the easier it becomes for them to assign those properties to their aether constructs and thus reinforce them making them more substantial. As a result of this need for knowledge of details, illusionists tend to be very attentive to them. Indeed, most illusionists tend to specialize in different forms of illusions much like an artist might specialize in landscapes, still-life or people.

Willpower and Imagination

An illusionist must have a very strong will in order to maintain their aether constructs. Raw, purposeless aether is easily swayed and has a tendency to tack on to the aether of the objects around it. The masquerader who deviates in their concentration risks polluting their illusion with the latent aether in the world around them if they are not careful. Such a contamination will make the construct weak and liable to crumble when it comes into contact with an observer intent on bypassing it. Furthermore, imagination is vital in the forming of any illusion. The inability to envision the properties one wishes to assign to their aether construct leaves the illusion hollow and lacking in substance. It is common for illusionists to use references much like an artist would when building constructs if they have the time to do so.

Can Illusions Harm?

The short answer is that no, they cannot. However, they can fool a person into believing they have been harmed. An illusory fire can be made to seem as though it is hot. It can be made to seem as though it will burn away the very flesh from one’s bones. It is not and it will not. Actually touching the fire is utterly harmless but the Masquerader can give it the appearance of being harmful. However, touching it will cause no physical burns. But if the Masquerader can extend the illusion so that their aether wraps around the body of the victim and makes it appear as though the person is burning, it can fool the mind into believing that pain should be experienced to the degree the person expects.

Illusions fool the senses but at the end of the day, they are not real. Dispel the illusion, and the victim is completely unharmed though they might experience psychological trauma.

Powers and Abilities

Illusory Enchantment

Acquired at Novice. An illusory enchantment is a layer of aether that the illusionist has placed over a person, place or thing. This blanketing of aether, instead of existing on its own, conforms to the shape of that which it is placed over and works to modify that which it is applied to. The simplest enchantments do not drastically change what they are applied to, instead they work to augment or amplify aspects that already exist in or on the object. Small changes are easy, especially when they are very minor in scope (i.e. changing a person’s eye color, hair color or making them appear dirty or as though they are glowing). The more dramatic the change to the object in question, the more draining the enchantment is to sustain. An illusory enchantment that is actively sustained by the wizard will last as long as they are able to concentrate on it. One that is left to stay in place independent of a wizard’s active concentration will last based on how much aether it has to fuel itself.

Illusory Construct

Acquired at Novice. An illusory construct is a collection of the wizard’s aether that has been given a shape independent of an existing object. It is comprised purely of aether. Illusory constructs are generally more demanding of the wizard’s concentration and power. Given that they are fabricated entirely from the wizard’s own magic and imagination, every aspect of the construct must be brought into being by the wizard. An illusory construct is only as substantial as the wizard’s attention to details and their ability to hold them in place. Actively sustaining an illusory construct allows the wizard to shape, change and adapt their illusion to the perceptions of those viewing it. They are able to make changes to the construct as they see the need to. Constructs that are formed and then left in place independent of a wizard’s active concentration will only ever function how they are shaped to do so. Any change must be done after the fact.

Mask

Acquired at Novice. A minor illusory enchantment that requires active sustainment. A mask is the thin application of aether over an existing object. It almost never incorporates more than one sensory aspect and is almost always purely visual in form. This can be used to change a person’s eye color, make it appear as though a scar is not there, or patch a hole in a piece of fabric. Masks do not hold up to physical inspection and will immediately dissipate once they are no longer actively sustained.

Reflection

Acquired at Novice. A minor illusory construct that requires active sustainment. A quick technique wherein the illusionist uses their aether to project a replica of something actively within their line of sight. The replica will mimic exactly that which they are actively reflecting but only visually. It is incapable of possessing other sensory aspects. If the Masquerader loses sight of that which they are reflecting, the illusion will be shown for the falsehood that it is.

Veneer

Acquired at Novice. Veneer is the ability by which a Masquerader can modify existing illusory enchantments or constructs by feeding their aether into the illusion and editing its properties. A Masquerader can only ever apply a veneer to an illusion of lesser or equal power to themselves.

Web

Acquired at Apprentice. A web is an illusory construct or enchantment intended to weave together multiple sensory aspects to include sight, sound, taste, and smell. It is incapable of incorporating the aspect of touch. A Masquerader’s Web can be left in place for a set duration of time or it can be actively sustained. A web, depending on its complexity, can either be simple or very draining upon the wizard's aether. The more sensory aspects it incorporates, the more taxing it becomes.

Sketch

Acquired at Apprentice. The Rune of the Masquerade bestows upon the bearer a keener sense of awareness when it comes to the details of their surroundings. One of the ways this awareness manifests most strongly in the form of a Sketch. A Sketch, with regard to Masquerade, is a minor illusory enchantment that is small in scope but flawless in its detail. Using a reflective surface, the Masquerader conjures the illusory enchantment they wish to imprint permanently to memory. They saturate their own body with aether and then project their illusion onto its intended recipient. They then spend time meditating without losing eye contact with the reflection of the illusory enchantment in the reflective surface. By studying every facet of it in excruciating detail, the Rune of the Masquerade enables them to commit it to memory without error after a period of time. Usually upwards of an hour or more. A Sketch is purely visual. It does not incorporate any other of the senses.

Masqueraders typically have multiple Sketches at any given time, common illusory enchantments that they use frequently and desire to perform with minimal effort. The wizard is able to swap out Sketches for new ones at any time but are limited in the amount they can commit to memory based on their level of skill in Masquerade. Committing a new Sketch to memory means the loss of an old one.

Figurine

Acquired at Apprentice. Counterpart to the Sketch, the Figurine is the same general principle applied to the illusory construct. Quickly formed aether constructs that the Masquerader can recall perfectly and in exact detail. Just as with the Sketch, the Masquerader must saturate their own body with their aether, project their illusory construct onto a reflective surface and meditate while studying every facet of its details. A Figurine, as the name implies, is minor in scope such as a wall, a two-man tent, or perhaps a small plant. A Figurine is purely visual. It does not incorporate any of the other senses.

Given that illusory constructs are generally more nuanced and complex than enchantments, Masqueraders typically only possess a select few Figurines in their repertoire. As with the Sketch, a Figurine can be swapped out for a new one at any time. It merely takes time and meditation. A new Figurine will take the place of an old one.

Palette

Acquired at Journeyman. Requiring the use of either Aetherite or Mnemonosyte dragonshards. A Masquerader’s Palette is a selection of either Illusory Constructs or Enchantments that, while not being permanently committed to memory, are permanently imprinted upon the aether of the dragonshard. A Palette is created by the Masquerader funneling their aether into the dragonshard imprinting either the requirements for the construct or enchantment onto the crystal. The amount of time it takes to prepare a Palette is proportional to the complexity of the illusion. Simple illusions take a handful of minutes and only need Lesser or Minor crystals, truly complex illusions require powerful dragonshards and may take days of continuous preparation to complete. Once prepared, the Palette can be used on a whim and will be projected from the crystal in perfect detail as it has been written upon the aether of the dragonshard.

The desirability of having a Palette is that while Sketches, Figurines, Portraits and Idols are limited, a Palette can incorporate all of the senses. Once the Masquerader has imprinted upon the dragonshard, there exists a bridge between their aether and that of the crystal. As a result of this bridge, there is a continual feeding of their aether to the dragonshard and thus only a handful of Palette’s can be maintained at any given time. A Palette must remain on the wizard’s person or in relative close proximity to them otherwise this bridge will snap. It, and the illusion, must then be rebuilt within the dragonshard. While the Palette is projected from the crystal, the Masquerader can manipulate it at will with minimal expenditure of their own aether. While still requiring some effort, it is much smaller than would be normal. The Palette will be projected until either the aether within the dragonshard fizzles out and must renew or until it is dismissed by the illusionist.

Portrait

Acquired at Journeyman. An evolution of the Sketch, the Portrait functions in exactly the same manner but has grown to be able to facilitate more complex illusory enchantments. A Portrait can incorporate visual aspects and one other sensory aspect.

Idol

Acquired at Journeyman. An evolution of the Figurine, the Idol functions in exactly the same manner but has grown to be able to facilitate more complex illusory constructs. An Idol can incorporate visual aspects and one other sensory aspect.

Simulacrum

Acquired at Expert. An illusory construct that is capable of incorporating all of the senses: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. However, touch is a precarious sense that only ever exists on the surface. Charge at an illusory wall and one might experience resistance for a moment but it will ultimately collapse and be revealed for the fake that it is. An illusory sword cannot actually cut or pierce flesh. Aether constructs are ultimately just that, nothing more than aether that mimics what it has been programmed to. Any real application of force will destroy it.

Canvas

Acquired at Master. An illusory construct within which the Masquerader can project any detail they can envision. To create a canvas, the illusionist completely blankets an area with their aether. While in this area, the wizard is able to not only create any illusory enchantment or construct they can envision but it will also spin webs and constructs in response to what affected individuals experience. Swing an illusory sword at a person, it will spin the web necessary to deliver the appearance of a cut on the person’s skin. Bite into an apple, it will produce the sensation, taste, smell and sound of biting into it though it will offer no sustenance whatsoever to the eater. Canvas is a powerful tool but a dangerous one. They are always draining and prolonged or repeated use of the technique is ill-advised for even the most adept masters. The most elaborate canvases are the product of multiple illusionists working in tandem.

Tier Progression

Novice (1-24)

Just beginning to grasp the extent to which illusions can be applied, the novice masquerader finds the majority of their illusions to be two-dimensional. Masks and Reflections require a great deal of focus and attention to detail. Creating an illusory construct is draining and leaves them depleted. The novice’s illusions are purely visual, lacking in any other sensory aspect.

Apprentice (25-49)

Capable of now spinning an illusory web, the apprentice masquerader finds their repertoire of illusions truly grows. The more complex the web however, the more taxing it is for them to produce. Webs that are actively sustained are easier and weaving together a web that can be left in place without their direction attention is a lengthy process and requires devoted concentration. A web left in place in this manner will last up to two hours at most. An apprentice is only capable of incorporating of perhaps two or three sensory aspects to their illusions at most and are incapable of producing physical sensations. Having gained the ability to create Sketches and Figurines, the versatility and adaptability of the Masquerader grows considerably. An Apprentice can only ever maintain (3) Sketches and (2) Figurines.

Journeyman (50-74)

The powers of a Masquerader truly blossom upon reaching the level of Journeyman. Masks are like breathing and they are able to sustain a handful of them at once without much effort. They need not worry about their Reflections deviating from their appearance if they glance away for a few moments. The Webs they are able to spin can incorporate sight, sound, taste, and smell and given enough time to prepare, are less taxing to produce. They can actively sustain a handful of webs at once or leave in place a web for upwards of a day or two. With the ability to create Palettes, Portraits and Idols, the illusionary repertoire of the Masquerader becomes an arsenal of false realities. A Journeyman illusionist can only ever have (2) Palettes, (4) Portraits, (2) Idols, (6) Sketches and (4) Figurines.

Expert (75-99)

With the ability to create simulacri at their disposal, the power of an expert masquerader grows exponentially. Their skill and ability to sustain all previous powers expands. While fashioning their simulacri they can apply all aspects of the senses, sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. Simple illusory enchantments can be sustained with minimal effort. Aether constructs can be left in place for up to ten days depending on the amount of effort used in their creation. By this stage, most illusionists have made a habit of focusing on a distinct variety of illusions. Whether that be landscapes, entertainment (i.e. culinary, music, finery), animals, objects or even people is entirely up to them. Rather than going out of their way to explore new types of illusions, most Experts delve into understanding the variety they have chosen to focus on. This is usually reflected in the types of permanent illusions they keep on-hand at any given time. They commonly spend more time applying Veneers to illusions in order to refine their mastery over them as opposed to creating extraordinary new ones. An Expert Masquerader can maintain (3) Palettes, (6) Portraits, (4) Idols, (8) Sketches and (6) Figurines at any given time.

Master (100)

Reality is what the master masquerader decides it is. With the power of the Canvas, the illusionist creates their own reality, molding perceptions and how people experience them according to their whims. The gifts of a master of the Masquerade are as limited as they are in that it boils down to what they themselves have the strength, knowledge, and attentiveness to fashion and maintain. Lesser illusory constructs and enchantments can last for months or years depending on their simplicity. Stronger ones can be left in place for a month at a time at the very minimum. The Master can maintain a total of (5) Palettes and (10) each of all other forms of permanent illusions at any given time.