[OOC: Having just checked up on my own home-brew rules regarding rituals (see here), I now that Guilliame could actually attempt the Identify spell without his spell book.
He has his component pouch with him, the contents of which are listed in the 'Other Possessions' tab of his Inventory. This means he has the material components he needs to cast the Identify spell and so could try to do so from memory by making an Arcana check against a DC of 11 (for a first level ritual spell).
If he succeeds with this check, then the spell would work as normal, though with the normal ritual casting time. If he fails, then he could always try again with his spell book when he gets to it because it is not the Identify spell that has failed (i.e., the long rest limitation on trying the Identify spell on the same object), just his ability to remember the proper procedures without his spell book.
Any components consumed by the ritual would be used in either case, but the Identify spell does not consume any of the necessary components.]
I think for a moment - it wouldn't hurt for Guilliame to start building a relationship with these fellows, "yes, lets have a quick tea, but quick mind you, hope you have some biscuits as well" Start walking to the post.
The four of you make your way towards the northern guard post.
With the worsening weather, there is little traffic on the road and the only out of the ordinary thing that is seen is the first of the night soil carts making an early start to their rounds to get some of their work done before the rain starts.
Jack gives a small chuckle, and says, "Whenever I think my job is hard, just one look at one of those carts reminds me that it could be a lot worse."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist) Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon. The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
"Uncovering a smuggling operation would be well worth it, besides you only have to probe the load with your sword, you don't have to swim in it. Guilliame, do you want to give us a demonstration."
As you get closer to the night soil cart, it becomes apparent that among the crew are a number of children.
[OOC: Night soil collectors are employed in the less affluent areas of Constantine because the city is built on a river delta and the soft ground does not allow for the easy construction of sewers. In the more affluent areas of the city, more sophisticated means are used for the collection of such waste, with magic being used in some cases. Both of you would also be aware that children caught for thieving are sometimes 'sentenced' to work the night soil carts as a punishment for their crimes, rather than being incarcerated.
For Dora:
Dora would know that this is actually not too bad as a punishment because many of the children are homeless and at least this way they get fed and have a safe place to sleep—during the day.
The cart, which is heading towards you, dutifully stops with the driver—a particularly sour-looking individual—scowling down from his seat and saying, "What is it, Handleader? We have not got all night and we have a long route ahead of us."
The light from the lantern hanging from its post at the front of the cart reveals some of the details of the three cloaked people walking beside the cart: a bearded man and two children of, as yet, indeterminate sex.
[OOC: Long work day for me, so no need to respond quickly.]
As expected, there is no suspicious glow of magic from the cart, its contents, the driver or the other night soil workers.
The cart driver sniffs and then starts the cart full of barrels rolling once more. The bearded man and the two children walk on as well, with the man scratching his head in confusion and the two children giggling at something.
After travelling for a few moments, the driver then calls back a snide comment: "Maybe your magus will have better luck on our way back, when there will actually be something in our barrels."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist) Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon. The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
For Guilliame:
[OOC: Having just checked up on my own home-brew rules regarding rituals (see here), I now that Guilliame could actually attempt the Identify spell without his spell book.
He has his component pouch with him, the contents of which are listed in the 'Other Possessions' tab of his Inventory. This means he has the material components he needs to cast the Identify spell and so could try to do so from memory by making an Arcana check against a DC of 11 (for a first level ritual spell).
If he succeeds with this check, then the spell would work as normal, though with the normal ritual casting time. If he fails, then he could always try again with his spell book when he gets to it because it is not the Identify spell that has failed (i.e., the long rest limitation on trying the Identify spell on the same object), just his ability to remember the proper procedures without his spell book.
Any components consumed by the ritual would be used in either case, but the Identify spell does not consume any of the necessary components.]
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Guilliame would not be carrying around his 100GP pearl. This would be kept in the strongbox at home.
For Guilliame:
[OOC: Okay, not a problem. I have moved the pearl out of Guilliame's component pouch. Is there anything else that you would like me to remove?]
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
[OOC: Do the four of you start walking back towards the guard post?]
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
I think for a moment - it wouldn't hurt for Guilliame to start building a relationship with these fellows, "yes, lets have a quick tea, but quick mind you, hope you have some biscuits as well" Start walking to the post.
The four of you make your way towards the northern guard post.
With the worsening weather, there is little traffic on the road and the only out of the ordinary thing that is seen is the first of the night soil carts making an early start to their rounds to get some of their work done before the rain starts.
Jack gives a small chuckle, and says, "Whenever I think my job is hard, just one look at one of those carts reminds me that it could be a lot worse."
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
"I wonder if anyone ever smuggles stuff around in those carts. It would be a great cover."
"Good luck to them," says Jack, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "The city does not pay me anywhere near enough to go searching in those carts."
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
"Uncovering a smuggling operation would be well worth it, besides you only have to probe the load with your sword, you don't have to swim in it. Guilliame, do you want to give us a demonstration."
As you get closer to the night soil cart, it becomes apparent that among the crew are a number of children.
[OOC: Night soil collectors are employed in the less affluent areas of Constantine because the city is built on a river delta and the soft ground does not allow for the easy construction of sewers. In the more affluent areas of the city, more sophisticated means are used for the collection of such waste, with magic being used in some cases. Both of you would also be aware that children caught for thieving are sometimes 'sentenced' to work the night soil carts as a punishment for their crimes, rather than being incarcerated.
For Dora:
Dora would know that this is actually not too bad as a punishment because many of the children are homeless and at least this way they get fed and have a safe place to sleep—during the day.
]
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Calling out to the night cart crew, "Hold up please, we just want to check your load, won't take long."
Then to Guilliame, "Your idea Magus, off you go."
The cart, which is heading towards you, dutifully stops with the driver—a particularly sour-looking individual—scowling down from his seat and saying, "What is it, Handleader? We have not got all night and we have a long route ahead of us."
The light from the lantern hanging from its post at the front of the cart reveals some of the details of the three cloaked people walking beside the cart: a bearded man and two children of, as yet, indeterminate sex.
[OOC: Long work day for me, so no need to respond quickly.]
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
"Yes, I understand but we need to do a check for contraband. It won't take long."
Do a See the arcane looking at the cart with extra hand gestures.
"Thank you citizen. I can see nothing out of the ordinary apart from an extra large stool from number 42. You may proceed."
I laugh. "Trust a magus to find a way around the dirty work!"
For Guilliame:
As expected, there is no suspicious glow of magic from the cart, its contents, the driver or the other night soil workers.
The cart driver sniffs and then starts the cart full of barrels rolling once more. The bearded man and the two children walk on as well, with the man scratching his head in confusion and the two children giggling at something.
After travelling for a few moments, the driver then calls back a snide comment: "Maybe your magus will have better luck on our way back, when there will actually be something in our barrels."
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
I ignore the remark.
"I guess I just don't know shit."
That last comment gets Jack, at least, laughing.
He then says, "Well that means the char is definitely on you. Can you magick one up here for us, Master Magus?"
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Grab a bit of fleece and do a minor illusion of a steaming tea cup sitting on my open palm.