If you can control your mind, you can control anything.
— Mentalist Creed
Mentalism is the magical art of controlling the function of ones own mind. Some of its practitioner liken it to a mindful martial arts - discipline, technique and mastery allow the mentalist to perform feats of mental agility and prowess just as surely as a monk might break bricks or skulls. With Mentalism, a practitioner can turn on and off parts of their mind, channel their thoughts or force themselves to focus. Mentalists are a steely-eyed kind, always in control over themselves to a degree that make some question if they still are human. While Mentalism is subtle compared to schools like Evocation or Summoning, it is no less powerful.
Mind Over Matter
No; I don't think so.
Mentalism fundamentally allows the practitioner to control their own mind. Unlike many forms of magic, Mentalism is entirely internal - the only mind the Mentalist controls is her own. No part of the external world is influenced by the powers of a Mentalist, though they often claim otherwise.
Focus & Fatigue
A Mentalist can sharpen their focus to a razors edge. Once set, they suffer no distractions or errant thoughts. Together with control of their emotion, any task can be approached with liberation from anything like self-doubt, fear or other distracting concerns.
Skeptics of the Mentalist school often claim that this mono-focus robs the practitioner of their ability to allow branching thoughts to inspire them and to enjoy true creativity. The master Mentalist knows better - creativity is just another process
Emotion
No longer a victim to the whim of hormones and impulse, a Mentalist can control their emotions. At first, they can dull or sharpen an emotion - casting simple joys into exhilarating highs or numbing terror into mild concern.
With mastery, a Mentalist feels only what she wishes and to the extent that she desires. Many consider it to be the most useful aspect of Mentalism, finding freedom in this magical self-control.
Thoughts
As with their emotion, thoughts come when bidden to a Mentalist. Some describe it as a sort of filter - every thought is screened before it is either allowed or discarded. Other cast is as a simple ability to chose how they respond to any thought.
The ability to control their thoughts go hand in hand with the control over emotion. Without one, the other tends to fail.
With such self-mastery, some Mentalists lost interest in the world. With every aspect of their inner world open to them, what can flesh and blood possibly offer that could compare?
Perfect Recall
Although not necessarily any more intelligent than anyone else, Mentalists can call on any memory in their minds with perfect clarity. Human memories are notorious for their inaccuracy and the way the mind warps them over time - not so for the mentalist. They remember things exactly as they were.
Even a casual skim through a textbook allow a master Mentalist to seem like an expert, able to recall every single facet of information they read.
Sensory Focus
Related to the memory-magic of Mentalism, a Mentalist can isolate and decipher any sensory input they receive. A sentence spoken in a noisy bar can be picked up and run over in the Mentalists head until it is deciphered. A sight can be memorized so every detail can be studied.
If necessary, a Mentalist can selectively modify their own experiences and blot out unwanted sights or sounds from their memory.
And more
Mentalists are inventive - after all, they control even that. Dedication, willpower, analytical ability, even a martial artists ability to read the opponent - all are mental abilities within the firm control of the Mentalist. Those who master Mentalism find it easy to master anything else.
Most Master Mentalists have a specialty, a skill that have honed. Such obsession is believed to be necessary if one is to unlock the secrets of the mind.
Such abilities transfer easy to the lives of the Mentalist. It allows them to perform tasks for hours on end without distraction or getting tired, restless or bored. Even something as simple as falling asleep on command can be a blessing to those who struggle under unruly emotions and intrusive thoughts.
Madness becomes a chicken and the egg situation. In severe cases of schizophrenia, the would-be mentalists thoughts are often too jumbled to learn without first getting help for their illness. For others, a disease like Chronic Depression might initially hinder progress but fall away as the Mentalists learn to control their own reactions to it and ultimately the condition itself.
But most modern Mentalists tell their apprentice the same - first, seek medical and professional help. Magic second.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Magic is great and all, but modern medicine is pretty dope.
Creator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.