Mirage Cloaks

From: Arcane Forges of Lumengarde

Lore: The origins of Mirage Cloaks are shrouded in mystery, often attributed to the enigmatic shadow weavers who reside in the hidden corners of Saṃsāra. These elusive artisans are said to be gifted with the ability to manipulate light and illusion, crafting garments that grant their wearers the power of invisibility.

The first Mirage Cloak is said to have been woven by the legendary shadow weaver, Nyxel, who sought to protect her people from those who sought to do them harm. With the knowledge passed down through generations, the art of crafting Mirage Cloaks has remained a closely guarded secret among the shadow weavers.

These elusive cloaks are said to be made from the finest ethereal fabrics, spun from threads unseen by mortal eyes, and then enchanted with potent illusionary magic. When donned, the Mirage Cloaks allow their wearers to blend seamlessly into their surroundings, making them virtually invisible to those without the keenest of senses.

Specific Tier One Stats:

• Invisibility Duration: 1 minute per short rest
• Use of Stealth: Advantage on Stealth rolls while wearing the cloak

Skills and Requirements: To effectively use Mirage Cloaks, characters must be proficient in Stealth. Crafted by skilled shadow weavers, creating Mirage Cloaks demands proficiency with artisan’s tools (Weaver’s Tools) and a deep understanding of illusionary magic.

Tags:

• Illusionary: Mirage Cloaks possess illusionary magic, granting the wearer invisibility and aiding in Stealth.
• Stealth: Wearing Mirage Cloaks gives wearers an advantage on Stealth rolls, making them exceptionally adept at remaining unseen and unheard.
• Rare: Mirage Cloaks are rare and coveted, sought after by spies, scouts, and those who wish to avoid unwanted attention.
• Additional: Shadow-Woven, Ether-Spun, Ghostwalk Design, Veil of Obscurity, Shifting Silhouette, Arcane Fabrication

Sale and Distribution: Mirage Cloaks is not openly sold in common marketplaces. Instead, they are traded discreetly in secretive enclaves, underground networks, and in the shadows of Saṃsāra’s cities. The shadow weavers, who craft these cloaks, are notoriously elusive and selective about their clientele. They may approach potential buyers through hidden messages or mysterious contacts, ensuring that the cloaks remain hidden from those who would misuse their powers.

Secrecy and anonymity are vital when trading Mirage Cloaks, as they are often sought by spies, assassins, and those engaged in espionage or covert missions. Those who possess a Mirage Cloak are considered to hold a powerful advantage in the world of subterfuge and intrigue.

Usage and Impact: Mirage Cloaks has a profound impact on the world of espionage and stealth in Saṃsāra. Spies and scouts use these cloaks to infiltrate enemy territory, gather intelligence, and move undetected through guarded areas. Thieves and assassins prize Mirage Cloaks for their ability to aid in discreet operations, allowing them to remain hidden from the prying eyes of guards and sentries.

In times of conflict, Mirage Cloaks offers strategic advantages on the battlefield. Skilled scouts can use them to observe enemy movements without being seen, providing valuable information to their allies. Mirage Cloaks can also be used to carry out ambushes or to retreat unseen when faced with overwhelming odds.

However, Mirage Cloaks is not without their risks. Relying too heavily on invisibility may lead wearers to become overconfident, and those with keen senses or magical detection abilities can still detect their presence. Moreover, the ethereal fabrics and illusionary magic used in these cloaks are delicate and require proper care to maintain their effectiveness.

Mirage Cloaks often appear as long, flowing garments with subtle, shifting patterns that seem to move independently of any breeze. The material is so delicate and thin that it appears almost translucent when draped over a surface. In direct light, faint ripples dance across the fabric, creating hypnotic illusions that resemble mirages in a desert. Hints of silvery threads run through the weave, catching even the slightest glimmer and diffusing it into ghostly highlights.

When touched, the cloth feels softer than fine silk yet curiously cool, as if a lingering trace of arcane energy permeates its fibers. Under low light or moonlit conditions, the garment’s surface grows faintly iridescent, revealing swirling shapes that blend seamlessly with the surrounding darkness. Edges and seams are finished with an almost invisible stitch, designed to prevent any telltale fraying that might betray the wearer’s position.

The hood is often cut with a slightly oversized shape to accommodate a smooth drape around the head and shoulders, allowing the illusionary enchantments to envelop the wearer’s form completely. Small clasps or ties, made from similarly elusive thread or dark metal, secure the cloak at the throat. When worn, the garment seems to melt into the environment, diffusing outlines and colors in such a way that the wearer’s silhouette becomes indistinct and difficult to track.

Perception of Activation: When the cloak’s powers stir, the surrounding air takes on a subtle wavering effect.

• User’s Perspective:
  • Sight: Vision of one’s own form starts to shimmer at the edges, as if looking through rippling water. Over a few heartbeats, the outline of limbs dissolves into the background, making it appear that the cloak has “erased” parts of the body from view.
  • Hearing: A faint hush can sometimes be perceived—like distant wind passing through tall grass—hinting that the cloak’s illusion magic is muting small sounds around the wearer.
  • Touch: A cool sensation travels across the wearer’s skin where the cloak rests, occasionally accompanied by a soft static-like tingle that ebbs and flows with each movement.
  • Smell: A barely noticeable wisp of ozone or fresh rain occasionally emerges when the cloak shifts, as though the threads carry a trace of elemental energy.
  • Taste: If the wearer licks their lips or breathes through the mouth while the magic flares, there is a fleeting dryness—almost like inhaling in a desert breeze.
  • Extra-Sensory: A quickening sense of detachment arises, as though the cloak extends a subtle distance between the wearer and the world, granting confidence in being unnoticed.
• Observer’s Perspective:
  • Sight: The wearer seems to flicker or warp at the edges, growing translucent until they blend with the environment. Subtle ripples can appear, like a heat haze, wherever the person moves.
  • Hearing: Slightly muffled steps or rustling may still be audible, but pinning down the exact location becomes harder. Some bystanders may sense a faint disturbance in the air but remain unable to pinpoint its source.
  • Touch (Indirect): If an observer accidentally brushes close, the area around the wearer feels unexpectedly cool, a whisper of chilly air where a person should be.
  • Extra-Sensory: Individuals sensitive to magic or other hidden forces may sense a veil of static when close, as if something intangible is distorting the normal flow of energy.
• Positives:
  • Grants near-complete concealment in many environments, allowing the wearer to bypass detection.
  • Provides a psychological edge, bolstering confidence when slipping past guards or potential threats.
  • Aids in stealth operations, reducing noise and visual cues the wearer might generate.
• Negatives:
  • Overuse can lead to reliance on invisibility, risking unpreparedness if confronted by those with sharp senses or detection magic.
  • The shimmer or haze, though subtle, may still be noticeable to experienced observers or in brightly lit conditions.
  • Even a brief malfunction or flicker can startle onlookers, drawing attention if it happens at the wrong moment.

Recipe: The Veiled Threads of the Mirage Cloak

• Materials Needed:
  • Ethereal Silk or Shadow-Spun Threads (enough to form a full hooded cloak)
  • Illusory Essence (distilled from illusion-based reagents or acquired from shadowy creatures)
  • Fine Linings (light, translucent fabrics that can blend with the main cloth)
  • Arcane Binding Agents (specially prepared resins or magical adhesives that harmonize with illusionary properties)
  • Sturdy Fasteners or Clasps (small rings or hooks of dark metal, ideally engraved with subtle runes)
• Tools Required:
  • Weaver’s Tools (looms, spools, needles, and threaders)
  • Alchemical Apparatus (for heating or distilling the Illusory Essence into a usable form)
  • Fine Engraving Instruments (to etch minor runes on fasteners or cloth edges)
  • Rune Etching Setup (if weaving in protective wards or advanced illusions)
• Skill Requirements:
  • Proficiency with Weaver’s Tools, ensuring an adept level of textile craft
  • Knowledge of Illusion or Arcana to manage the binding of illusory magic into fabric
  • Familiarity with Stealth or a background in subtlety to shape the cloak’s function toward concealment
• Crafting Steps:
  • Gathering the Shrouded Threads: Begin by preparing the shadow-spun materials in a low-light environment. These filaments are often sensitive to bright illumination and can lose some of their inherent properties if exposed to direct sunlight before weaving. Carefully lay them out on the loom, keeping them loosely tensioned to prevent breakage or fraying.
  • Extracting and Preparing Illusory Essence: Warm a small crucible in your alchemical apparatus to moderate heat. Introduce the illusion-based reagents or any raw extracts harvested from entities with innate invisibility or shadow manipulation. Allow the substance to liquefy, and gradually sift impurities. Maintain a consistent temperature to avoid destabilizing the essence, which should shimmer faintly when it’s ready.
  • Infusing the Silk: Thread your weaver’s shuttle with the shadow filaments, then coat each filament lightly with the prepared Illusory Essence. To do this efficiently, dip a fine-tipped brush into the essence and run it along the length of each thread. The essence may cling or evaporate quickly, so work methodically, ensuring an even application across the strands.
  • Loom Assembly: Arrange the coated filaments into the loom, interspersing them with translucent lining fibers. As you weave, maintain steady, deliberate passes of the shuttle to merge the shadow threads with the lightly reflective secondary strands. This layering effect is key to achieving the cloak’s inherent camouflaging shimmer.
  • Arcane Binding: Once you have woven a sizeable portion of the fabric, pause to apply a thin layer of arcane binding agent. Using a small brush, dab it along the emerging cloak’s surface where the threads intersect most tightly. This ensures the illusion magic is anchored in multiple points, solidifying the synergy between the threads and the illusions they produce.
  • Rune Engraving on Fasteners: While waiting for the binding agent to set, take your fasteners, clasps, or rings and carefully etch subtle runes or glyphs around their edges with fine engraving instruments. These markings help stabilize the cloak’s illusion in areas of higher tension, such as near the neck closure or along the hood rim. Once completed, set the fasteners aside to cool and rest.
  • Shaping the Cloak: Continue weaving until the cloak reaches the desired length. Measure the hood portion to ensure it can drape over the wearer’s head without restricting peripheral vision. If you’re weaving an integrated hood, remember to create gentle contours rather than sharp seams. The aim is to let illusions flow naturally across the entire garment, preventing visual “breaks” that might betray the wearer’s outline.
  • Final Integration and Reinforcement: Attach the engraved clasps or rings at appropriate intervals—near the neckline, across the chest, or at the sides if belt-like adjustments are preferred. Add delicate stitching along the inside hem to strengthen high-stress areas. If using protective wards, embed them by stitching small glyphs into the interior lining. Each glyph should align with the runes on the fasteners, forming a subtle network of supportive magic.
  • Illusory Stabilization: Once the cloak is fully assembled, place it on a stand or hang it in a dimly lit room. Perform a brief, focused invocation—this could be a whispered chant or silent concentration directed at binding the illusions to the fabric. Carefully monitor for flickers or areas where the illusion might “leak.” An uneven distribution could appear as pale patches or faint luminous swirls. If such anomalies arise, gently apply more Illusory Essence or binding agent to the spots until they blend uniformly.
  • Testing and Fine-Tuning: After a short rest period for the cloak (often at least a few hours for everything to settle), conduct a test in a space with varied lighting conditions. Move about in shadows, then near brighter sources. Check that the cloak maintains a steady invisibility or at least a heavily blurred outline. Listen for any rustle that might be louder than expected; if so, adjust the weave tension or add a minimal lining layer. As a finishing touch, consider a mild gloss or finishing spray containing minuscule illusions to reduce any friction-related noises.

A successfully woven Mirage Cloak should grant its wearer short bursts of near-invisibility, blending perfectly with dim surroundings and muting slight movements. Proper care is essential—store the garment in a cool, dark place and avoid direct, intense light exposure outside of active use.

Song of the Shade-Woven Garment

Long past when the first moon fell into ocean depths, scribes wrote of a thin cloth that hid travelers from mortal sight. Fragments of carved stone proclaim this cloth was birthed by Nyxel, a silent worker who brewed darkness and spun shimmering illusions together. Many references show vague warnings: “Beware the hush-echo,” they say, or “Know not the stealth-lore,” suggesting her people walked in constant dread of unseen hunters. Through hushed chanting near cave-fires, it was told that Nyxel gathered secret threads from midnight air, weaving them beneath the old hanging trees where no sunlight dared flicker. Scholars debate if she drew upon the gloom of starlight or harnessed something older, for the earliest texts conflict. Some mention a swirling pool of dusk-lake water, while others speak of a sky-splinter that pulsed with living shadows.

Once formed, the cloak seemed to swallow color from the daylight, merging figures into smoke-like shapes. Those who wore it stepped beyond watchful eyes as if vanished to a realm between worlds. Surviving scrolls in cracked tongues claim that entire villages revered Nyxel’s creation, praising the hidden seamstress for sparing them from wandering bandits or prowling beasts. Disparate accounts mention a swirling symbol etched in the corner of each cloak, but the design remains lost—only sketches remain, half-destroyed by time and weathering. What is repeated over and again in those scattered texts is the hush that blankets those draped in the garment, an eerie whisper that wards away unsuspecting foes.

Over centuries, the making of these cloaks passed to few dedicated weavers, hidden by oath and craft among the forest edges. Many tried to replicate Nyxel’s art in vain, lacking the knowledge of gathering illusions from unlit places. Reverent scribes recorded that to earn a single thread, the weaver had to outwait the final flicker of moonset, capturing a twilight breath in cupped hands. Though the ritual details were eroded by misinterpretations, the central notion remains: only those attuned to shadowlike forces could keep the illusions intact. Entire communities venerated even a scrap of the cloth; unscrupulous wanderers bartered fortunes for the faint hope of holding absolute silence and sightlessness in their grasp. Such devotion, marred by partial translations and half-true songs, shaped legends across ages yet seldom clarified the garment’s hidden cost.

Moral of the Story: A gift of near-invisibility may save the unguarded, yet trust must guide the unseen path or darkness overtakes the heart.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (Seventh Edition)

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Type: Occult Artifact
• Rarity: Rare/Esoteric
• Game Mechanics:
  • Invisibility: The wearer may attempt to become unseen for up to 1 minute per scene. Roll POW ×4 to activate; success renders the wearer invisible to normal sight.
  • Sanity Considerations: Witnessing this supernatural effect can cause a 0/1 SAN loss in onlookers. Repeated usage may prompt further SAN checks if investigators realize the cloak’s reality-defying properties.
  • Detection & Limitations: Sensitive individuals or Mythos entities might detect a strange disturbance (Keeper’s discretion). A failed POW roll to activate can lead to partial distortion, momentarily revealing the user in flickering outlines.

Blades in the Dark

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Type: Special Item (Arcane)
• Tier: 2 (adjust as needed)
• Game Mechanics:
  • Load: 1 (light garment).
  • Invisibility (Limited): Once per Score or downtime action, the user can become near-invisible for a short duration (about a minute). Roll Attune (risky/controlled position) to maintain the effect. On success, the user gains potent effect for stealth actions.
  • Consequences: A partial success may generate complications (brief flicker, unusual sound, or a minor glitch). A failure might draw supernatural attention or cause the cloak to malfunction (forcing the user to make a desperate Prowl roll to remain hidden).

Dungeons & Dragons (Fifth Edition)

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Wondrous Item, Rare (Requires Attunement)
• Game Mechanics and Syntax:
  • Invisibility (Short Burst): As an action, the cloak grants the wearer invisibility for up to 1 minute. During this time, attack or cast a spell immediately ends the effect. This can be used once, and the cloak regains the ability to do so after a short or long rest.
  • Advantage on Stealth: While wearing the cloak (even if not actively invisible), the user has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
  • Visual Distortion: Creatures making Wisdom (Perception) checks to detect or track the wearer have disadvantage if the cloak’s magic is active.

Knave

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Type: Magical Garment
• Game Mechanics:
  • Invisibility: The wearer becomes nearly undetectable for up to one turn (about a minute) per rest, allowing them to slip past guards or avoid detection. Any attack or deliberate interaction with an object ends the effect prematurely.
  • Enhanced Stealth: If not fully invisible, the cloak still provides a bonus to stealth attempts (referee may allow rolling under Dexterity with advantage or a similar house rule).
  • Fragile Enchantment: Extended, repeated use in a short span risks depleting or damaging the cloak’s magic. The referee may require a saving throw or cause the cloak to lose function temporarily.

Fate (Fate Core or Fate Condensed)

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Type: Arcane Apparel (Extra)
• Aspects:
  • Weaver of Hidden Steps
  • Threads of Twisting Shadows
  • Vanish into the Gloaming
• Permission: The character must have an aspect tied to subterfuge or arcane training, indicating they can properly use the cloak’s illusions.
• Costs: Typically one point of Refresh if purchased as a stunt/extra, or gained via narrative agreement with the GM.
• Stunt/Extra Mechanics:
  • Once per session, you can invoke the cloak to become invisible for a short scene or conflict exchange. While invisible, gain a +2 bonus on rolls for stealthy movement or evading detection. If you attack or interact overtly with the environment, the effect ends.
  • At the GM’s discretion, a character may pay a Fate point to prolong the invisibility beyond its normal limit or to resist circumstances that would normally break the illusion (e.g., strong magical wards).
  • Possible Drawback: Rolling a Failure on stealth or overcome actions while invisible might cause the cloak to flicker or spark, creating an inconvenient situation aspect such as “Eerie Shimmer” or “Faint Outline Revealed.”

Numenera & Cypher System

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Level: 4 Artifact
• Form: A diaphanous, shifting garment woven from exotic materials
• Game Mechanics:
  • Invisibility Activation: As an action, you become nearly invisible for up to one minute (or a number of rounds the GM finds suitable). Attack actions, major interactions, or harmful environmental effects may cause the invisibility to end prematurely.
  • Stealth Aid: While wearing the cloak—whether or not you’re invisible—you gain an asset on stealth-related tasks.
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d20. Each time you use the cloak’s invisibility power, roll a d20. On a 1, the cloak’s arcane threads unravel, losing function until repaired or recalibrated (GM’s discretion).

Pathfinder (Second Edition)

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Item Level: 5
• Rarity: Rare
• Price: 150 gp
• Bulk: L
• Usage: Worn cloak
• Traits: Conjuration, Illusion, Invested
• Activation: [one-action] Command, [one-action] Interact
  • Invisibility (1/day): By speaking a command word, you become invisible for up to 1 minute (or until you use a hostile action). If the effect ends early, you may not reactivate the cloak’s invisibility until the next day.
  • Stealth Enhancement: While invested, gain a +1 item bonus to Stealth checks. This bonus increases to +2 if the cloak’s invisibility power is currently active.
• Optional Effect:
  • Partial Blur: As a free action (once per hour), you can momentarily gain the effects of a blur-like distortion for a single round, imposing a flat check (DC 5) on attacks made against you.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Rank: Seasoned (or adjust based on GM’s setting)
• Arcane Background: Not required, but characters with Arcane Background (Magic or Psionics) may push its effects further
• Game Mechanics:
  • Invisibility (2 Power Points optional): If a character with Arcane Background wears the cloak, they can spend 2 Power Points and roll Spellcasting (or a relevant arcane skill) to activate Invisibility (per the standard power rules) for 3 rounds (one round per success and raise).
  • Passive Stealth Bonus: Even unactivated, the cloak bestows a +2 bonus to Stealth checks for the wearer, reflecting its shadowy threads.
  • Glitch or Flicker: On a critical failure when activating the cloak’s invisibility, the wearer briefly becomes a shimmering silhouette, granting foes a +2 bonus to detect them until their next action. The cloak’s magic then resets, requiring a full round before it can be retried.

Shadowrun (Sixth World Edition)

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Type: Awakened Stealth Garment
• Availability: 8R
• Cost: 10,000¥ (adjust as needed)
• Game Mechanics:
  • Invisibility Field (Simple Action): The wearer activates an array of embedded light-bending enchantments. Roll Magic + Willpower (3) to sustain the effect for a number of Combat Turns equal to net hits. This effect mimics improved invisibility, applying a –4 dice pool modifier to Perception Tests against the wearer unless observers have means to penetrate magical concealment.
  • Noise Dampening: The cloak incorporates subtle sound-muffling fibers, granting a +2 dice pool bonus to Sneaking Tests even when the invisibility field is not active.
  • Overload Risk: If a background count or mana ebb of Rating 2+ is present, the cloak flickers unpredictably, requiring the user to reroll activation at +2 Threshold.

Starfinder

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Item Level: 8
• Price: 9,000 credits
• Bulk: L
• Descriptors: Hybrid, Illusion
• Game Mechanics:
  • Enhanced Invisibility (1/day): As a standard action, the user may activate the cloak to become invisible (as per the spell invisibility) for up to 1 minute. Attacking or casting spells ends the invisibility. The cloak regains this ability after a 24-hour period.
  • Partial Concealment: When not fully invisible, the cloak projects minor illusions around the wearer’s silhouette, granting a +2 insight bonus to Stealth checks.
  • Sensor Interference: Against typical technological scanning (cameras, infrared, motion detectors), the cloak imposes a –1 penalty on checks to detect the wearer unless the detection method specifically bypasses illusions.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Type: Exotic Stealth Device
• Tech Level: Advanced or Unclassified (the item’s origin is mystical rather than purely technological)
• Cost: 60,000 Credits (reflecting rarity and unique construction)
• Game Mechanics:
  • Active Camouflage (Action): The cloak bends and refracts light around the wearer, providing a DM +2 to any Stealth-based checks for a maximum of 10 minutes per use. Extended use in a single day may require an Endurance check to stave off exhaustion or strain.
  • Detection Drawback: Sophisticated sensors or scientific scanning devices may recognize anomalies in the environment, negating the bonus if a Recon or Electronics (sensors) roll of 8+ is made.
  • Cultural Reactions: Locals or authorities might treat possession of such an item as contraband or evidence of taboo. The GM can introduce legal or social complications for merely owning the cloak.

Warhammer (Fantasy Roleplay Fourth Edition)

Name: Mirage Cloak

• Item Type: Arcane Artefact
• Encumbrance: 0 (treated as negligible weight)
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Game Mechanics:
  • Cloak of Illusory Veils: Once per day, the wearer may spend an action to become invisible for a number of Rounds equal to their Willpower Bonus. Attacking or casting spells while invisible immediately ends the effect.
  • Stealth Boost: The cloak grants a +20 bonus to Stealth Tests under normal or darker lighting conditions, even when not fully invisible.
  • Miscast Danger: Characters with the Second Sight Talent detect powerful illusions swirling around the cloak. Any attempt to enhance or alter the magic using Channeling or Extended Language (Magick) Tests has a –2 SL penalty and may trigger Miscasts if failed by –6 SL or more.