Butter of Disbelief
Anti-illusion salve
'I would have sworn it was butter! I can't believe it!'
History
Two countries had long standing hostilities based in both cultural and religious differences, but as time passed, these hostilities had cooled to a non-aggressive, yet stern dislike. During this period, the hostilities became more covert, and instead of sending hordes uneducated farmers with improvised weapons, the countries would secretly engage each other with magicians, either in small groups or as solo operatives.
One effective tactic was to send parties of illusionists, as they could work as a collective in concealing their identities and could strike with impunity unless specialized mages were placed in their way.
One of the countries developed a salve that would allow illusions to be counteracted using various means, all without the need to tie up a valuable magician with defense by allowing mundane soldiers to penetrate illusions.
Full Item Description
There are three primary ways the Butter of Disbelief can be applied.
Firstly, any magician, illusionist or otherwise, that ingests the butter is unable to create or sustain any illusions until the butter passes from their system, typically 8-10 hours, perhaps longer, but this time can be shortened if the magician takes measures to purge this from their system.
Secondly, the Butter of Disbelief can be applied topically, rubbed on the skin, of defender. Used in this manner, the butter prevents any physical reaction to illusions. A soldier thus protected could walk through illusionary fire and never face any danger of being burned, where an unprotect one would feel the false fire as if it were real. The illusionary fire would still be perceived, with every effect the illusion carries with it, except touch. The subject can see, smell, hear and taste illusions, but not feel any illusion. This is the most common application of the salve.
Thirdly, the salve can actually be applied to one or both eyes. It is every bit as uncomfortable as having butter placed in your eye, and further, objects viewed are seen as well as one could normally see out of an eye full of butter. The benefit of treating an eye in this manner is that the eye will not perceive any illusions. Commonly, only one eye is treated, leaving the subject to perceive both illusions and reality and alert other to the differences.
Applied to the skin or eyes, the salve lasts approximately four to six hours.
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? Responses (14)
Amusing, yet strikingly useful and creative. Good job.
Just has to be done, if only for silly value
4/5 for tickling my funny bone
An interesting submission - much better then a simple potion of the same powers.
Good job!
Unsupported pop culture reference... it might need silly freetext
Other than that, it is a useful item.
So why is the salve butter? Why not a more stable ointment? Other than the magic of the association (only found by those who have seen the 20th century commercial), why butter?
Is it served at waysites and inns between the two countries and at the border, to catch the evil illusionists of the other side?
I like it.
A bit whimsical. I like it; the idea of an ointment to see through illusion sounds reasonable.
Pop-culture references to 'almost' butter aside, they'd have to use something as the base for an ointment. Of course, butter wouldn't keep as well as some other materials; they would need to use it before it spoiled.
If it was hard to distinguish from regular butter, some amusing confusion could ensue...
Why butter?
Stealth value comes to mind, as well as simple chemistry 101: Critical ingredients are hydrophobic, requiring an oil base, or else the solution separates out. We're now watching lard, cooking oil, and butter dueling it out as useful bases, given the lack of a petro-chemical industry. And really, it's kind of hard to slip someone whale fat in a sandwich.
That aside, this amused me.
That does it!
After Siren's final observation, I can't help but burst into laughter and gives this its deserved vote. Among all the powerful alchymystic preparates and assorted extracts, there are bound to be some which are not so easy to use, or look funny (actually, most of the stuff is bound look funny, not to speak of the smell ;) ).
Good work, and entertaining as well.
Yes indeed. This is one of those things that could come up as originally an accident, but then the uses are thought out and thus no 'potion of disbelief' was created. Because we all know that normal ordinary people don't carry around bottles of strange liquids, but it certainly wouldn't be weird to be carrying butter to town. The spy applications are quite ponderable...
*random codex thought: Ordinary spy gear. All the things a spy might carry that would fit into his persona easily and without comment...*
You should create that Codex Chaosmark - I've got a couple to add to it!
whimsical, yet I will be using this stuff :) Fun one!
Just the thing for those mage's who cast charisma boosting spells. I thought that guy looked like Fabio...I was blinded by his scintillating man-locks. Pass me the butter promptly.
"Okay, fellow, we're not saying we don't trust you, but first you have to eat this sandwich... "
This item is bound to be invented, wherever illusions are easy to come by. Bump.