Lesser Distraction

With this spell, the caster causes the victim to hear a faint noise or see something indistinct out of the corner of his eye. The caster must decide if the illusion will be auditory or visual but cannot choose to further define the distraction. It will be a sound, but not a footstep or a low moan. Or it will be a glimpse of something, but not of a person.

The victim who does not successfully save vs. spell believes the sight or sound to originate from a direction of the spellcaster's choice. (The spellcaster cannot choose distance. A victim can be made to believe that he heard a sound behind him, but not that it was something moving 30 feet behind him. He can be made to think that he saw motion off to his right, but not that it was something moving at the top of a wall 50 feet from him.)

The victim is free to act as he chooses on the illusion. He may ignore it or may be moved by duty or curiosity to investigate.

Because the illusion is quick and not detailed, the victim has a -4 penalty to his chance to save. If he fails the saving throw, he believes the sight or sound to be real but does not know what made it. If he makes the saving throw, he assumes that he was "seeing things" or "hearing things" and does not act on the distraction. Even if he makes his saving throw, he does not know that he was the target of a spell.

This spell is used by ninja attempting an escape or infiltration. It is designed to encourage a guard to leave his post for a moment.

Notes: Restricted to ninja spellcasters and those trained by them; common.