Magic

The primary sorcery of the gnomes, of course, is illusionary magic. This is far more than a practical application of arcane powers, however--in gnome society, the casting of illusions affects all aspects of life from art to romance to celebration to war. A lover might woo his sweetheart with a message borne by a whispering wind spell, for example. For gnomes, illusionary magic is a way of life, not something they use just to make life easier.

Illusions are also constantly employed for practical jokes among these fun-loving folk. Of course, gnomes are more adept at recognizing illusions than are most other creatures, so those illusionary pranks targeted against them must be subtly crafted and strategically planned in order for them to succeed. Invisibility , illusionary script, and wraithform spells are popular choices for this purpose.

Illusionary magic is often used to comple-ment the finest efforts of gnomish craftsmen. A fine piece of jewelry, for example, might be enhanced with a shower of light caused by a phantasmal force, or even a hypnotic pattern, in order to create a truly stunning work of art.

On the practical side, illusionary magic is not usually employed to screen the location or nature of a gnomish community. Though such arcane devices might prove effective at concealing them against mundane detection, the emanation of magical power actually serves as a beacon to those who use spells such as detect magic. The latter enemies are judged, rightly, to be far more dangerous to a gnomish community than the former.

However, on the battlefield or in other contests of might and skill, gnomes will pull out all the stops. Hallucinatory terrain, the various applications of invisibility, and illusionary walls will be used to disguise the true nature of the battlefield, while spells such as phantasmal force, fear, phantasmal killer, and shadow monster will be employed directly against the enemy troops.

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