I find it interesting that the normal solution for dispelling illusions that look dangerous is to use one’s body, rather than testing it with an object (like the backpack, in this case), first. It certainly shows his faith (like the Indiana Jones references), but if they had laid any traps behind the veil, he could have been in trouble.
(I recently saw an episode of the Twilight Zone, where a guy decided to prove his theory of an airplane being an illusion by walking into the running propeller blades, rather than using a rope or something else.)
I know exactly which episode you’re talking about! And I think part of that is, if they used a “third party object” – like the rope or a stick or wrench or what-have -you, it wouldn’t work, because their already fuddled sense would tell them that it behaved absolutely exactly as they believed it would. Whereas if you throw YOURSELF into it, and 4 out of 5 senses tell you that ” Umm… nothing happened”, THEN the eyes get recalibrated to see why it DIDN’T chop you up into so much roadkill. Just my thoughts. 😀
Ah yes, I remember that one! The fan explanation was that since the illusion was so comprehensive that they could all see the plane, touch it, climb aboard, any secondary interaction like putting a stick in the path of the propeller wouldn’t work, he had to do something that his brain COULD NOT be deceived by. And not losing a hand would do it.
Yes, but if the illusion is so real that they can climb aboard, even though it is fake, it would make me even more hesitant to walk into the blades. If I don’t fall through a fake airplane, who’s to say that a fake airplane couldn’t also kill me. If knowing it was fake was enough, then I should be able to throw a rope over it, and pull it through.
I figured there would be a few people who remembered that episode, either from years ago, or that had also recently seen it. If it would be real enough to chop up a stick or something, I would consider it a theory not worth the risk of proving, for the reason stated below.
So apparently the majority of commenting readers are skeptics of the highest order and even if they had “faith” like Indy, would have tested their theory before putting their lives on the line. I think this means we all would fail in epic fantasy quests. lol
Holmesian logic. That a plane could land with no pilot, crew, or passengers; that three men could see different colored seats and numbers when looking at the same plane; that an engine could start with no one at the controls: These were impossible, the investigator concluded. And as when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth, that meant the plane was not there and his hand would be safe. And that certainty ended the illusion.
His only failing , if that, was in not figuring out why he was seeing the illusion.
On the other hand, we would survive in less epic fantasy quests.
Also remember, just because what you see is illusion doesn’t mean it’s safe. What if the illusion would only mask staircase around the side of the cliff? You make one step, “see, it’s illusion”, then another … “aaaaaaaaaaaaah”.
I understand the logic he used (though, to be fair, there was a story of an airplane of that make landing at an airfield without any passengers, crew, etc. in 1957). However, if he reaches the only logical conclusion, that the plane can’t be real, then using a rope could also dispell the illusion, since he knows the truth.
If the illusion is strong enough to persist from active attempts to dispell it, from one who knows it is false, then the same logic would hold that it might also be able to persist long enough to cause harm. If physical contact was enough, after knowing, he could just pass through the stairs, or make other, non-violent contact.
Yup.
You have chosen… wisely.
“Only in the leap from the lion’s head will he prove his worth.”
Ah, the Indiana Jones Last Crusade references… my favorite… “You have chosen… wisely.” Beats turning into a pile of dust in 30 seconds! 😀
And we live again! (Disney’s Gargoyles)
So the portal is just beyond the false gorge?
We’re zoomed-out pretty far but I’ll bet anything Nicole’s face right now is saying
‘Bruh.’
I find it interesting that the normal solution for dispelling illusions that look dangerous is to use one’s body, rather than testing it with an object (like the backpack, in this case), first. It certainly shows his faith (like the Indiana Jones references), but if they had laid any traps behind the veil, he could have been in trouble.
(I recently saw an episode of the Twilight Zone, where a guy decided to prove his theory of an airplane being an illusion by walking into the running propeller blades, rather than using a rope or something else.)
It would be funny if there was a log there. So he fell over.
Yes! It is behind a veil of enchantment! But it’s also in a forest. 😀
Ah yes, the good Old Glamour spell, feeding into and off of the human’s belief that “Seeing is believing”…
I know exactly which episode you’re talking about! And I think part of that is, if they used a “third party object” – like the rope or a stick or wrench or what-have -you, it wouldn’t work, because their already fuddled sense would tell them that it behaved absolutely exactly as they believed it would. Whereas if you throw YOURSELF into it, and 4 out of 5 senses tell you that ” Umm… nothing happened”, THEN the eyes get recalibrated to see why it DIDN’T chop you up into so much roadkill. Just my thoughts. 😀
Ah yes, I remember that one! The fan explanation was that since the illusion was so comprehensive that they could all see the plane, touch it, climb aboard, any secondary interaction like putting a stick in the path of the propeller wouldn’t work, he had to do something that his brain COULD NOT be deceived by. And not losing a hand would do it.
Of course, if he’d been wrong…
Oberon: “They would keep it hidden behind YYYAAAAAAAA!!!” falls into the chasm.
Titania: “Oh dear. Apparently it wasn’t an illusion, after all.”
🙂
Sounds like a fun thing to pull on somebody in a game of D&D.
The veil of enchantment is now broken?!?
What else has Abaddon left on our world? Mayhaps his shadow wraiths might’ve collected weapons from OUR world to conquer Dreamland???
in 9 pages it’s party time.
I probably would’ve tossed a rock out or something, but sure 🙂
Yes, but if the illusion is so real that they can climb aboard, even though it is fake, it would make me even more hesitant to walk into the blades. If I don’t fall through a fake airplane, who’s to say that a fake airplane couldn’t also kill me. If knowing it was fake was enough, then I should be able to throw a rope over it, and pull it through.
😀
Well played. (Bad puns are the best puns!)
I figured there would be a few people who remembered that episode, either from years ago, or that had also recently seen it. If it would be real enough to chop up a stick or something, I would consider it a theory not worth the risk of proving, for the reason stated below.
*looks for Like button…gets frustrated* Thumbs up for this comment! (Because I’d have been making that face)
So apparently the majority of commenting readers are skeptics of the highest order and even if they had “faith” like Indy, would have tested their theory before putting their lives on the line. I think this means we all would fail in epic fantasy quests. lol
Here, you test it!
*push*
Oops! Well, I guess that wasn’t an illusion after all…
Even Indy thought to throw sand to test his theory.
Maybe he had a ring of feather fall, just in case.
He threw the sand after he tested it so the others could find it when the followed.
“Veil of Enchantment?” No. That spell falls under the school of Illusion.
Holmesian logic. That a plane could land with no pilot, crew, or passengers; that three men could see different colored seats and numbers when looking at the same plane; that an engine could start with no one at the controls: These were impossible, the investigator concluded. And as when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth, that meant the plane was not there and his hand would be safe. And that certainty ended the illusion.
His only failing , if that, was in not figuring out why he was seeing the illusion.
On the other hand, we would survive in less epic fantasy quests.
Also remember, just because what you see is illusion doesn’t mean it’s safe. What if the illusion would only mask staircase around the side of the cliff? You make one step, “see, it’s illusion”, then another … “aaaaaaaaaaaaah”.
I understand the logic he used (though, to be fair, there was a story of an airplane of that make landing at an airfield without any passengers, crew, etc. in 1957). However, if he reaches the only logical conclusion, that the plane can’t be real, then using a rope could also dispell the illusion, since he knows the truth.
If the illusion is strong enough to persist from active attempts to dispell it, from one who knows it is false, then the same logic would hold that it might also be able to persist long enough to cause harm. If physical contact was enough, after knowing, he could just pass through the stairs, or make other, non-violent contact.
“The spell is broken!”
Well thank you Captain Obvious!