Lore:Mind Magic

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Mind magic (also spelled mind-magic) is an arcane art that involves the manipulation of the mind and memories of living beings. Using mind magic, the caster is able to evoke madness[1] and manipulate the thoughts and memories of their victims without them realizing that their minds have been affected.[2] The Sea Sload are notable for having demonstrated skill in wielding mind magic.[3] Some forest spirits communicate using some form of mind-magic.[4]

Mind magic can also be used to speak directly into the minds of others, which is described as a strange and defiling experience for the recipient.[5] Molag Bal invades the minds of his prisoners as a form of torture, a process that is agonizing for the victim.[6] By forcing his way into a mortal's mind, he can show them horrific visions.[7] When a practitioner of mind magic forces their way into another's mind, they run the risk of opening their own thoughts to the person whose mind they're intruding upon. Those who have been troubled by a mental link of this nature can see through their assailant's eyes if they concentrate hard enough.[6]

Reachfolk witches were known practitioners of magic that enabled them to implant memories into other people's minds. One known subject of this practice was Bjora, a descendant of Faolan.[8]

While potentially similar, Mind Magic is not to be confused with the art of Dream Magic. An example of this similarity is reading the mind of another to see a previous dream.[9]

Mind Traps and the Mindscape[edit]

K'Tora in his Mindscape

A mind trap is an illusion created using mind magic, where the thoughts of the caster become reality. Practitioners of mind magic can use a mind trap to imprison others within their own minds or the mindscape of the caster, to then control the prisoner. From there, they can extract and manipulate the victim's memories.[10][11] One who is imprisoned in the mind trap will fall unconscious, and will not wake up until their mind has been freed, even if they managed to resist the mind trap at first.[12] A mind trap can ensnare many victims by infecting the mind with spell particles, similar to a disease that attacks the mind.[12]

An individual's consciousness reigns supreme in their constructed mindscape. The mindscape is a place where thoughts become reality—thus, it is where an individual is their most vulnerable.[13][14] A mindscape might contain guardians that protect the memories of the host.[15] While inside the mind trap, items that are in a victim's possession are replicated and become real inside the illusion.[10]

Artifacts[edit]

The Ul'Vor Staff

The Ul'Vor Staff[edit]

The Ul'Vor Staff was a mysterious magical staff that shared a name with the underwater Sea Sload kingdom of Ul'vor Kus. Around 2E 582 it is known to have been in the possession of the Psijic Order on Artaeum. Around this time, a Sea Sload named K'Tora invaded Artaeum and captured Ritemaster Iachesis. K'Tora attempted to extract the Ritemaster's deepest memories using the Orbs of B'Raken Drel, but his plan was foiled when the Vestige, with the aid of a Psijic named Valsirenn, retrieved the staff from the Psijic Relic Vaults and used it to breach K'Tora's mind barrier and kill him.[14][16]

K'Tora with the Orbs of B'Raken Drel

The Orbs of B'Raken Drel[edit]

The Orbs of B'Raken Drel are three ancient matching relics believed to have originated in the Sea of Pearls. The Psijic Order long suspected they were connected to the Sea Sload of Ul'vor Kus. This suspicion turned out to be true when in 2E 582 a Sea Sload named K'Tora used the Orbs to enhance his mind magic to delve into Ritemaster Iachesis's deepest memories.[14][16]

History[edit]

In the 2E 230, Iachesis fought a group of four Sea Sload known as the Abyssal Cabal, whose goal was to sink the Summerset Isle and claim it for the underwater kingdom of Ul'vor Kus. One member of the Cabal, K'Tora, managed to overpower the Ritemaster using mind magic, and compelled him to steal the Heart of the Transparent Law, the central part of the Stone of the Crystal Tower. He then altered Iachesis' memories so he would remember defeating K'Tora instead. However, Iachesis was partially able to resist K'Tora's magic. Desperate to keep the Heart out of the Sea Sload's hands, he accepted aid from Nocturnal when she extended an offer. The Daedric Prince called Iachesis to Evergloam, where she taught him a spell to hide the crystal, and declared that without a special passphrase—in a language only mortals could use—no one would be able to find the Heart, not even Iachesis himself. Iachesis then hid the Heart within himself, unbeknownst to Nocturnal. The Ritemaster forgot the whole event when the deed was done.[17] With what was left of his free will, he was able to remove Artaeum from Nirn, out of the Cabal's reach. This freed him from K'Tora's control, but his memories remained altered.[16][2]

After the agents of the Court of Bedlam managed to locate Artaeum by kidnapping an Oracle of the Wyrd, K'Tora used the power of Abyssal Pearls to invade Artaeum. He attempted to pry the location of the Heart of Transparent Law from Iachesis' mind.[16] With the help of the Ul'vor Staff, the Vestige was able to manipulate the mental link between K'Tora and the Ritemaster to enter K'Tora's mind, where the Sea Sload was killed, effectively ending his life.[14] Afterwards, Iachesis gradually regained his memories.[18]

Users[edit]

Gallery[edit]

  • The Abyssal Pearl within the Mind Trap

  • The Tower simulacrum within K'Tora's Mind Trap

  • A Yaghra Nightmare, summoned by K'Tora to guard a memory

  • Bjora under the effect of Reachfolk mind spell

References[edit]

  1. ^ Ifriz the Unraveler's dialogue during Truth, Lies, and Prisoners in ESO
  2. ^ a b c Ritemaster Iachesis' dialogue during Buried Memories in ESO: Summerset
  3. ^ The Myth of the Sea Sloads — Raavarion, Sapiarch of Aquatic Malevolence
  4. ^ Hireling Correspondence in ESO
  5. ^ Indirim's Journal, Assembled
  6. ^ a b The Prophet's dialogue during Daughter of Giants in ESO
  7. ^ Varen Aquilarios's dialogue during Council of the Five Companions in ESO
  8. ^ Events of The Blood of Old Karth in ESO: Greymoor
  9. ^ Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius Answer Your Questions 2 — Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius
  10. ^ a b Oriandra's dialogue during The Mind Trap in ESO: Summerset
  11. ^ Events of The Mind Trap in ESO: Summerset
  12. ^ a b Cainar's dialogue during Whispers from the Deep in ESO: Summerset
  13. ^ Dialogue from K'Tora
  14. ^ a b c d Valsirenn's dialogue during Buried Memories in ESO: Summerset
  15. ^ Verdrangu's presence in K'Tora's mindscape and Valsirenn's dialogue regarding it during Buried Memories in ESO: Summerset
  16. ^ a b c d Buried Memories quest in ESO: Summerset
  17. ^ Ritemaster Iachesis' dialogue during Lost in Translation in ESO: Summerset
  18. ^ Ritemaster Iachesis' dialogue during The Dreaming Cave in ESO: Summerset
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