Quote from Guilliame >>

OOC Would holding something silver possibly drain magick out?

[OOC: Guilliame would know that silver is commonly used by mages as it is an extremely magickal metal and can assist in the casting of spells and many magickal focuses are made of silver. Copper and bronze are also used extensively for focuses, though they are not as magickal as silver. Iron on the other hand is not used by sorcerers as it does tend to drain magick from its surroundings. In fact, Guilliame would remember being told that the fact that his iron armband triggered his latent sorcery was unusual.]

In answer to Guilliame's question, Tambor, looking a bit shaken, says, "I have just made a withdrawal from the bank. Do you think the money is cursed?"

"I doubt it very much but I suppose it is possible. This sounds very suspicious but if you like if you take all your coins out I can check." 

Tambor pulls a small wooden box out from under his seat and opens it to reveal a small fortune packed tightly within. There are coins in neat piles, copper, silver and gold, and three ingots of a silvery white metal.

Guilliame closes his eyes and opens then with his Mage Sight active. A brief examination reveals that there appears to be no magickal spells associated with this wealth.

"Anything?" asks Tambor

"No. The only thing I can suggest is that you come to the school and get someone with more expertise look."

Tambor doesn't respond to Guilliame's suggestion and remains worried-looking and silent while the carriage finishes crossing the bridge and at last enters the Scholar's Ward.

"I am afraid I cannot come with you now," he says finally. "I have an important appointment at the calling of the next candle; an opportunity I do not want to miss." 

He then turns to Guilliame and says, "Look again. Is the spell actually doing anything? Or is it dormant, perhaps waiting to be triggered by something? ... I certainly cannot feel it doing anything. In fact, until now, I have felt in perfect health."

[OOC: This time roll a Perception check.]

12

Quote from Guilliame >>

11

[OOC: That is a fail. Roll again for experience.]

[OOC: Guilliame cannot tell whether the spell is dormant or active. All his Mage Sight shows is concentrations of magic particles in some sort of non-random pattern that holds its shape over time. This is similar to what an active spell looks like, but it is not in any sort of configuration that Guilliame is familiar with.]

"Well?" asks Tambor. "What can you see?"

"There could be an active spell but I can't tell what it is. It doesn't look really strong but something is there."

[OOC: Don't forget to roll again for experience.]

Strangely, Tambor suddenly nods. "I think I know what it is," he says. "I was accosted yesterday in the streets by an old Stemian woman who was upset with what the crown had done to her family fortunes with it taxes. I didn't see her do it... but I think she might have put a minor curse on me."

He then gives Guilliame a weary smile. "I have heard of other servants of the crown having something similar happen to them. I will make enquiries at court to see what they did to get the curse removed, but from what I have heard, the effect is not great."

Seemingly more relaxed now, Tambor then adds, "We will be at my office soon, and I might just have enough time for us to have a look at one of these items I told you about. Are you available now?"

19

"I have some time but I need to have certain equipment with me. I can take an item with me and look this afternoon if that is convenient."

[OOC: No experience, I'm afraid.]

"I would like to be present when you do the magick," says Tambor. "Perhaps another time then. Are you free tomorrow morning?"

Then, after a glance out the window to see as to their progress, he turns back to Guilliame and asks, "What sort of equipment? Tell me everything. I am very interested."

[OOC: From my point of view it would be interesting to get your take on Guilliame's previous uses of the Identify spell. However, you don't have to go into detail if you don't want to, and we can move forward to the end of the carriage journey if you like. Your choice.] 

"The spell takes 11 minutes to cast and uses a valuable pearl and an owl's feather. Depending on my affinity with the item and area of knowledge I learn various characteristics of the spell or magick properties of the item. Sometimes things are set up for an individual or limited number of uses. Sometimes they are enchanted more permanently. There is always an element of luck in how much knowledge I obtain. You are welcome to watch if you like."

"I would love to," says Tambor, clearly fascinated. "Do you mind doing it at my residence? We could use my study... It sounds like some sort of ritual, perhaps you could teach it to me. I already know several."

[OOC: FYI, Identify can always be cast as a ritual, taking the time you mentioned above. However, if Guilliame prepares it as one of his spells for the day, then he can cast it in 1 minute for the cost of a 1st level spell slot. Just a reminder.]

OOC Is it considered kosher to train non-school attendees in rituals? How obtainable are the identity pearls?

[OOC: The School of Occult Studies is not the only place that teaches rituals. In fact, the use and teaching of rituals is quite common in certain professions in this world. However, it is likely that the School is the only place that the Identify ritual could be learned, as it is more concerned with arcane matters than the more practical rituals commonly in use.

The school has no rules against alumni teaching others magic, as far as Guilliame knows. So, he could try to teach someone else a ritual, with that person's chance of success being dependent on their ability scores, background, proficiencies AND them having the right Ritual Caster feat. You might like to read about the Ritual Caster feat (here) and my homebrew rule (here). Basically, in Magudonya, anyone could possibly be a ritual caster because of the nature of the world, even zeroth-level characters as they can also have a feat. However, the character would have to have taken Ritual Caster as a feat. Guilliame can do rituals because the wizard class has it as a feature of their class, and Tambor has previously mentioned that he knows a few rituals already, so he most likely has the feat.

Finally, there is nothing particularly special about the pearl Guilliame uses other than its size/value. However, he has heard stories about some pearls supposedly giving better, or more consistent, results than others.]

OOC Is the pearl Guilliame has useable by others?

Quote from Guilliame >>

OOC Is the pearl Guilliame has useable by others?

[OOC: Yes. Although he now has his own pearl, the pearl he used when being taught the spell belonged to the School.]

"I can teach you although it will take a while. Also I may be able to identify the spell that has been caste on you if you come back to the shop using the same ritual."

The carriage is approaching the Ward's Sheriff Office as Tambor replies to Guilliame's suggestion. [OOC: The Sheriff's Office is also also his residence. It takes up the entirety of a small block close to the bridge that leads across to the main island.]

"Not today," says Tambor. "As I said, I have an important appointment shortly. Perhaps if you were to drop by my residence later tomorrow afternoon we could do it then? You could also tell me how your first night with the guard went."

Tambor then leans out the window and talks to the driver. "Pull up out front. Master de Marchant wants to get out."

Dutifully, the driver slows the horses and very soon they are stopped out the front of the Sheriff's Office.

"So, shall I see you tomorrow afternoon?" asks Tambor as he opens the door for Guilliame to get out.

"Yes, thank you sir."

Head back towards school.