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Old 07-08-2019, 08:21 AM   #8
zot
 
Join Date: May 2018
Default Re: Using an Illusion's Senses

Quote:
Originally Posted by MikMod View Post
And he can see things he doesn't know about? New information can be gained using a pair of illusory eyes? I thought you couldn't do that. After all, the new Scout spell would be completely pointless, you'd just run up an image every time, with no 'mammal only' restrictions...
Illusions aren't simple figments of the imagination, they're objectively real in certain respects; ITL p138 describes illusions as being made up of a "knot of forces".

For instance, if an illusion moves, everyone looking will see it move in the same way -- it's not subjective. The viewers all see the same thing -- an illusion of a wolf appears as a wolf to all of the viewers. If the caster specifies that it's a purple wolf, everyone will see a purple wolf (and then, if they saw it appear, they will all get a chance to disbelieve it). There's nothing in the text to imply that they don't all see the exact same wolf, nothing implies there's any subjectivity at all, except in the case of extraordinary things the illusion might do (like if it's an illusion of a famous hero).

Illusions are also not "mass hypnosis" in the sense that you aren't casting a spell on each of the viewers -- it doesn't matter how far away they are. People newly entering the scene will see an existing illusion even though they weren't present for the casting. Someone far away looking through a telescope would see the illusion (and have a chance to disbelieve it).

Also, p139 says that illusions of fire, wall, shadow, handheld weapons, and rope "behave like the real thing". I.e. an illusion of fire can actually burn your clothing. An illusionary knife can cut through a rope. The text says these kinds of illusion have somehow acquired extra power.
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