Interacting with Illusions

[Felix]

We were in a fight last session and there was only one bad guy left, but he happened to have a pretty nice gun so he was going to be tough to take down. Being the bard with little in the way of offensive capabilities, I cast Ghost Sound. I bluffed this sentence "Men, prepare to fire and take aim. You there, if you do not surrender, I will have my men shoot you. Lay the weapon on the ground and put your hands in the air." I had Ghost Sound immitate the cocking of a whole bunch of flintlock muskets.

Now, Ghost Sound and a lot of other figments (I think that's which one it is) have "Will disbelief (if interacted with)" for a save. Well, what is interaction with a sound? Hearing it? Seeing that there is nothing there to make the sound? (but then of course, my platoon of musketeers could have been Invisible so...)

My DM was loth to have his NPC give up, and I didn't have a good answer to this question ready. But I want to use Ghost Sound and Bluff in the future. So what does "(if interacted with)" mean?

 

[Felix]

Ok, now that you're not watching the Oscars... care to take a whack at this?

 

[reiella]

Ah I see me thinks.

Ghost Sound has a duration.

For me, interact would consist of individuals trying to :
A) Speak with the Ghost Sound (most commonly when paired with Silent Image)
B) Any (active) Listen check related to the Ghost Sound.

I'd allow the later really for the last Bad Guy to determine how many shooters there are for a Listen check. Ie, the player asks something like "how many arrows did I hear nocked" would constitute an attempt at interaction.

Of course, I'm using discernment as a form of interaction in this case (simply as it's all I can think of for a "single usage" of GS).

Now, if the Ghost Sound continued for a bit and you were elaborating on the sound (such as sound of your 'backup shuffling into position', bolts nocked, some back-babble), then interaction could constitute any attempt the Bad Guy makes to "talk" with them or otherwise investigate the sound while it's duration continues.

[ Doh, forgot it was musketeers ]