Illusionist

Seldom is the word 'illusionist' spoken, as it is a dark name given to the most misunderstood and feared spellcasters of them all. They originate in the study of magic, where many prospective magic-users wash out through lack of funds, intelligence, or some other circumstance. While most accept this fall from grace, some turn to other methods to achieve the power they desire. A small minority of them come into contact with the Terror Druids of the Realmic Conjecture, and through them fall in with It-Is-Lies. Though they never go so far as to outright worship the primordial entity, these power-hungry dropouts form a symbiotic relationship, trading their most closely-held secrets for a power that few can rival.

Attributes

Akiviras illusionists function much the same as magic-users, but with a few key changes both from them and the original PHB illusionists. For starters, they use a d6 for hit points rather than a d4, though they are still incapable of using armour of any kind. Second, their weapon proficiencies include both short swords and long swords. Their magic item-creating abilities still only extend to items that create or sustain illusions, due to the differences in their casting. They rarely take any followers at all, as they tend to be dour and solitary types. Even if they choose to take followers, they will seldom exert any kind of control over a domain or freehold, having more important things to occupy their time with. They can be of any non-good alignment, and are typically neutral.

Spellcasting

Illusionists have possibly the most unique and distinct means of casting spells on Akiviras. They draw their power directly from It-Is-Lies, and as such do not cast spells very often. This is because, in order to cast a spell, an illusionist must give up a secret they hold. This secret can be anything; a deed that went unnoticed, a lie that was never discovered, or even a part of themselves that they have never revealed. It must be something that the illusionist would rather keep secret, as It-Is-Lies is rather discerning when it comes to what does and does not warrant a reward. The more potent or deeply hid the secret, the more powerful spells it can fuel. Once given up, the secret will become common knowledge to anyone involved, within reason. Should the illusionist desire a spell such as Shades but fails to produce a potent enough secret, a lower level version of the spell may occur, such as Shadow Monsters. Therefore, any illusionist desiring frequent casting had better keep a large number of secrets up their sleeve. This is precisely why many of them turn to evil; the more despicable deeds they commit in secrecy, the more fuel they have for their magic.
Another unique feature of illusionist casting is that once cast, their spells are permanent until dispelled. Illusions and protections they create remain in effect until they are destroyed or disbelieved. Summoned monsters, such as Shadows, remain with the caster until they are destroyed, staying out of sight if possible and refusing to interact with other creatures unless mentally commanded to move or attack by the caster. They cannot be turned or destroyed in any other way.