Spatial Illusion 37 of Abandonment

Lore: Crafted by the reclusive alchemist Venra, the Spatial Illusion 37 of Abandonment was born out of intense loneliness and the desire for isolation. Venra designed this item as a protective measure to secure her personal sanctum, a room abandoned by time and life. She imbued it with spatial illusions to make anyone who entered feel the cold grip of abandonment, mirroring her own emotions.

Stats:

Type: Wondrous Object
Weight: 1 lb
Rarity: Common
Tier: 1
Activation: Manual, requires incantation and somatic gesture

Roleplay: Upon activation, the user recites a mournful incantation, which is a verse of an ancient poem about abandonment and isolation. The roleplay depth at this moment can enhance the power of the spatial illusion. Players are encouraged to express this in character.

Costs:

Material Cost: 20 gold pieces for materials
Magical Energy: Drains 5 magic points from the user upon activation

Magics:

Duration: 2 minutes + 1 minute for each level of roleplay depth
Area of Effect: 15-foot radius centered on the object
Sensory Impact: Affects sight and hearing at tier 1

Tags: Abandonment, Illusion, Spatial, Defensive, Offensive, Abandonment, Illusion, Isolation, Fear, Desolation, Void, Arcane, Haunting, Emotion, Spatial Magic

Defensive Use: In a defensive context, this item can be activated to make a safe space seem eerie and unwelcoming. Intruders feel as if they are walking into a void of loneliness, hearing faint whispers of abandonment and seeing visual illusions that make them feel isolated. This generally discourages entry and may cause intruders to flee, assuming the place is cursed or haunted.

Offensive Use: Offensively, the item can be placed in an enemy camp or stronghold to sow discord. Soldiers and leaders alike will start feeling isolated, hearing the cries and complaints of loved ones long lost or abandoned. The sensory disturbances can cause enough distraction to lower enemy morale or make them less coordinated in battle.

Environments:

Indoor: In closed rooms, the illusion is more concentrated, affecting anyone inside more intensely.
Outdoor: In open spaces, the illusion is less intense but can affect a larger area, making it useful for affecting groups of people.

By incorporating elements of abandonment into the spatial illusion, the item resonates with feelings of isolation and loneliness, adding emotional depth to its magical effects. This makes it particularly potent for characters or settings where the theme of abandonment is relevant.

Perception of the Five Senses and Extra-Sensory Perceptions:

Sight:
- What is Perceived: Visions of empty rooms, desolate landscapes, and vacant expressions on faces.
- Description: Creates an optical illusion that layers these disheartening visuals over the actual environment.
- Positives: Effective in making individuals hesitant to proceed or engage.
- Negatives: No physical harm, easily dispelled by magic-sensitive creatures.
Sound:
- What is Perceived: Echoing footsteps, distant cries, and unsettling silence.
- Description: Auditory illusion that imbues the area with an ambient soundscape of abandonment.
- Positives: Increases feelings of isolation, works well in conjunction with the visual illusions.
- Negatives: Can be negated by those with heightened hearing or specific magic resistances.
Smell:
- What is Perceived: Musty, stale air.
- Description: Introduces a barely detectable olfactory layer that complements the visual and auditory elements.
- Positives: Adds depth to the illusion, making it more convincing.
- Negatives: Least impactful of the sensory illusions.
Touch:
- What is Perceived: Coldness in the air.
- Description: Infuses the illusion with a tactile sensation of chill, as if touched by the loneliness itself.
- Positives: Enhances the realism of the illusion.
- Negatives: Can be easily ignored or countered by warmth.
Taste:
- What is Perceived: Bitter taste in the mouth.
- Description: Leaves a fleeting bitter sensation for those who speak or breathe within the illusion’s area.
- Positives: Adds an unsettling element, contributing to the overall impact.
- Negatives: May be considered trivial or go unnoticed.
Extra-Sensory (Emotion):
- What is Perceived: Feelings of loneliness and abandonment.
- Description: Induces a psychological illusion, manipulating emotions.
- Positives: Strongly resonates with the theme of abandonment, making the illusion very potent.
- Negatives: Highly susceptible to willpower and mental fortitude.

Recipe:

Ingredients:
- Shadowroot Herb (1 bundle)
- Crystallized Essence of Loneliness (3 shards)
- Gossamer Thread of Illusion (10 strands)
- Enchanted Glass Vial
- A drop of the caster’s tear
Steps:
- Preparation: Lay out all ingredients on an altar dedicated to the god of illusions or loneliness.
- Shadowroot Infusion: Boil the Shadowroot Herb in 2 cups of purified water until the liquid turns dark gray. Strain the herbs and keep the liquid.
- Crystal Melting: Place the Crystallized Essence of Loneliness into the Shadowroot infusion. Chant the incantation of abandonment as they dissolve.
- Thread Weaving: Slowly add the Gossamer Threads of Illusion into the mixture while chanting spells of illusion and spatial magic.
- Tear Binding: Add a drop of the caster’s tear to bind the magic with the emotion of abandonment.
- Final Imbuement: Pour the mixture into the Enchanted Glass Vial and seal it with wax. Speak the final words of the incantation to complete the magical link.
- Activation: To activate, the vial needs to be broken or the seal opened, and the correct incantation spoken.

The Spatial Illusion 37 of Abandonment is then complete and ready for activation. It is a comprehensive item that blends various elements and senses into one powerful illusion.

Tale of Lonely Venra and Her Illusion Jar of Desolation

Long time past, Venra, woman of hidden away. Alone she stay, walls of stone her only mates. Silence her friend, emptiness her kin. Venra knew craft of shadow and light, trick of eyes and cheat of ears. She summon elements, blend into jar. Jar hold nothing, yet hold much. Jar hold absence.

People not come, Venra happy. But peace break. Robber-men try enter, wish loot her sanctuary. Venra say, “No!” Take Illusion Jar, break it. Room change, fill with no-thing. Robber-men see not walls, but endless void. Hear not treasure, but lonesome wind. Smell not loot, but stale age. Feel not warmth, but lifeless chill. Taste not victory, but bitter defeat.

Robber-men run, flee from nothing, yet flee from all. They speak tale, but words distort. Jar become legend, yet not clear. Venra remain, in stone walls, in silent company of Illusion Jar she make again. Yet now, she not so alone. Her nothingness fill with whispers of the world, world that fear her empty jar.

Moral of the Story: Loneliness wielded make powerful shield, but shield not keep out yearning for beyond walls.

Suggested conversion to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu