Memory's Visage
In game terms, this spell is treated as being three successes higher against Divination or Abjuration spells that normally counter illusions. Detect magic will still register than an active spell, but the caster needs to roll four successions to know that it's an illusion spell and six successes to identify it as Memory's Visage (assuming they even know about Memory's Visage at all).So if an elderly sorceress is using Disguise Self to look like her younger self, the illusion will probably make herself look prettier than her younger self actually looked because her memory of herself is tainted by nostalgia and vanity. Memory's Visage makes a perfect simulacrum of a target's younger self, blemishes and all. So why bother learning a version of Disguise Self that is less versatile, takes longer to cast and burns more quintessence? Because the spell is very resilient against attempts to counter it. Most illusion spells ultimately stem from the caster's imagination, but Memory's Visage comes from the literal past. The spell is solidified by the metaphysical power of truth. Because of this, Memory's Visage is highly resistant to spells designed to counter illusions.Memory's Visage is one of the so called 'rare spells" that isn't quite so rare. It's practically unknown outside of land of Swynfaredia, but it's relatively common within Swynfaredia. I make it a point to know what my enemies can do, so I studied it. Memory's Visage (a Third Circle Illusion spell) is a highly specialized variant of the more common Disguise Self (First Circle Illusion spell). Memory's Visage allows a caster to look like herself at a previous point in time, whether it be yesterday or 100 years ago. Theoretically Disguise Self can mimic the same effect, but Disguise Self is limited by what the caster can picture in his/her head.
Effect
The caster concentrates on a specific point in the past and casts the spell. He or she will then appear as they did at that point in the past. The spell normally lasts for several hours.
This spell can be used on other people apart from the caster, though it makes the casting harder (+1 difficulty)
The spell can even be cast on corpses to make them look like they did life though that's even more difficult (+2 difficulty, or +3 difficulty if it's been dead for more than ten years).
This can help identify a mangled or partially decomposed corpse and it can restore dignity to the dead at funeral. If a corpse is targeted with this spell, they won't look alive, the corpse will still be cold, not breathing, and not having a heart-beat, but at least it will be an intact and clean looking corpse.
When cast on a corpse, the spell can only show what the person looked like about a week before he or she died. You can't make the corpse look like any point in the subject's life.
by me with Midjourney
Side/Secondary Effects
If the caster is very skilled, the caster can alter the subject's clothes. Some casters have opted to borrow an expensive outfit or a single day, and then use this spell to "keep" the outfit forever. This is almost impossible to achieve on a target who is not the caster herself, since t raises the difficulty by +2 if you want to change clothes, cumulative with other difficulty modifiers.
This spell can be cast offensively to see if someone is disguised, but the subject gets to resist with their Willpower and they get to roll at difficulty 5 while the caster rolls at difficulty 7, so the contest favors the defender. Very few spell-casters that this use of the spell is even possible, few even think to try. Carcelli the Arcane Priestess may be the only living caster on Scarterra who has experimented with this.
Discovery
There are two conflicting stories for who first created this spell.
The first story is that a warlock who was disfigured by a curse created this spell to restore his appearance to before he was cursed (though Swynfaredian Dragonbloods claim it was a sorcerer that did this first, not a warlock).
Tee second story is that a skin changer witch first developed this spell to help hide his/her mutations against magical scrutiny. Skin changer witches still sometimes use this spell in modern times for the same reason. Swynfaredians who believe this origin claim that the skin changer in question was NOT a sorcerer.
In modern times, the vast majority of the people who use this spell are Swynfaredian Dragonbloods that learn the spell purely for vanity's sake. They want to look younger and heartier at important gatherings without being immediately outed by anti-illusion magic.
Outside of Swynfaredia, if a person wants to use illusion magic to make himself look more handsome at a party, he's unlikely to face magical scrutiny, so most mages can usually get by just using Disguise Self.
Optional Prerequisites
Disguise Self, per dot of Necromancy up to three, per dot of Divination up to three
Related Organizations
Related School
Illusion
Effect Duration
two hours per success rolled
Effect Casting Time
one full minute
Range
touch
Level
Third Circle
Applied Restriction
The spell only works on mortals. It does not work on objects, plants, beasts, spirits, or fae.
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