Mentalism

Legend

“Astral energies can be altered by the strongwilled, sometimes for the benefit of people, sometimes just for the benefit of the mana manipulator.”

Skjald El Mary

Description

Mentalism is the magic of thought, memory, and will — a realm where the mind itself becomes both the tool and the terrain. Practitioners, often called mentalists or thought-weavers, harness the raw potential of cognition: shaping illusions, projecting force, reading emotions, and even rewriting perception. But mentalism is more than mere telepathy or psychic tricks; it taps into the deep strata of ancestral memory, where the experiences of forebears linger like sediment in the soul. These echoes can be awakened, borrowed, or even merged, allowing a mentalist to access skills, instincts, or knowledge they never lived. The mind is not a solitary chamber — it is a hall of mirrors, and mentalism teaches how to walk its corridors.

Unlike other magic realms that rely on external forces, mentalism is entirely internal — its strength drawn from clarity, discipline, and emotional resonance. A mentalist must confront their own fears, desires, and contradictions, for every spell cast is filtered through the psyche. The more fractured the mind, the more unpredictable the magic. Some mentalists specialise in ancestral binding, forging mental pacts with long-dead relatives or forgotten lineages to gain insight or power. Others delve into dreamwork, using sleep as a gateway to hidden truths and alternate realities. The most advanced can even manipulate time perception, making moments stretch or collapse within the mind’s eye.

Philosophically, mentalism is seen as both liberating and perilous. It offers mastery over self and others but risks identity erosion, ancestral possession, or madness. The realm teaches that thought is reality — that belief can shape the world, and memory can rewrite the present. It is often practised by scholars, mystics, and those who seek control over chaos through introspection. But the deeper one goes, the more blurred the boundaries become: between self and ancestor, truth and illusion, sanity and revelation. To wield mentalism is to risk becoming more — or less — than oneself.

Skjald Sigurd

The Hall of Mental Mirrors

The mind, in Mentalist philosophy, is not a singular, stable entity. It is a shifting architecture of reflections, echoes, and constructs — shaped by memory, emotion, ancestral imprint, and personal belief. Each mirror represents a facet of the self: a moment lived, a trauma buried, a desire unspoken, or a legacy inherited. Mentalists learn to navigate this hall not by smashing the mirrors, but by walking among them, discerning which are true, which are warped, and which are not their own.

Some mirrors reflect the present self — the conscious mind, the ego, the mask worn in daily life. Others show ancestral shadows: inherited instincts, forgotten languages, or emotional patterns passed down through blood. These are not metaphorical; advanced mentalists can enter these reflections, experiencing the lives of their forebears, or even borrowing their skills and memories. But the deeper one goes, the more distorted the reflections become. Some mirrors lie. Some show pasts that never were. Some whisper in voices that do not belong to the caster.

This is why mentalists are secretive, elusive, and often mistrusted by divine orders. They do not feed gods — they feed on internal truth, and that truth is rarely clean. Their magic is shaped by what they believe, not what they serve, and belief is a volatile fuel. A mentalist who believes they are invincible may become so — until doubt creeps in, and the mirror cracks. Their power is immense but fragile. And so they blur their actions, mask their intent, and walk their mirrored halls with caution, knowing that every reflection is both a weapon and a warning.

Skjald Vinotis

History

The Drakk Alfar elders claim it was easier to perform void weaving when they lived in it, and back then it was but one art, or Academy if you prefer.

Since it, the art of mentalism has evolved into two academies, each grounded on either the mind or the body of the mana manipulator. As a result, one gets established in cyan and green, or red and pink, while the other slowly  becomes inaccessible, dangerous, or outright forbidden to explore.

Skjald Sejrik

First Age

Rooted in the mind… or the spirit,  both residing in the Husk… originates the energies… of mentalism magic.

Ingredients and gesturing… is not needed… as it’s a matter of presence, wisdom, and empathy… for the mentalist manipulator… to reshape what Vornir or manipulator did.

Skjald Kazumix

Most scholars and mana manipulators believe that mentalism is the peak achievement in mind over matter. Reaching 8th level in any mentalism magic paths demonstrates that one has mastered complicated patterns of mana threads.

Skjald Sigurd