Enchantment nature: Detection
Magical skill used: Any (though limitations apply to what can be detected); Truth magic is best.
Description: A detection enchantment is one that allows the caster to gain information about the target area for as long as the enchantment lasts. When a character casts a detection, he/she must specify what he/she is trying to detect. This may be:
Power: The power of a detection enchantments determines whether the enchantment is successful at detecting magically concealed items. The detection power must be greater than the concealment power for the person or item to register on the detection. The minimum (useful) power is, therefore, 1.
Finesse: The finesse of a detection enchantment determines the amount of information that the caster receives about people or items that are detected, as follows:
| Description | General - Finesse must be at least: | Specific - Finesse must be at least: | Individual - Finesse must be at least: |
| Yes/No: The caster receives a blanket Yes/No as to whether anything within the area is detected as meeting the detection criteria. | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Direction: The caster can sense the broad intensity of items/people that meet the detection criteria (i.e. how much they meet the detection criteria), their type (e.g. distinguishing gold from iron when detecting metals, different types of magic, etc.) and their rough direction relative to him/her. A very intense item/person close to a less intense one may mask the latter from the caster. | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Location: The caster can identify the number of items/people that meet the detection criteria, their type (e.g. distinguishing gold from iron when detecting metals, different types of magic, etc.) and their direction and distance relative to him/her. He/she can distinguish between different items/people that are close to each other and can sense each item's/person's broad intensity (i.e. how much they meet the detection criteria). | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Details: The caster can pinpoint the precise location of all items/people that meet the criteria and understand their precise nature and power (e.g. what the skill scores of a magician are, what powers a magical enchantment has, etc.). The referee may rule that it takes time to assimilate all this information if more than one item/person meets the detection criteria. | 10 | 7 | 5 |
Limitations: Exactly what can be detected is limited by the magical skill used. The referee should apply discretion, but the following list may help.
| Skill | Detection: |
| Air | Detect Air. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Winds, Unusual or harmful vapours, Air magical enchantments, Air-aligned beings (e.g. birds, air magicians, air elementals). A general detection (Detect Air) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named air-aligned being, air magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Counter | Detect Magic. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Magicians of all types, Enchantments of one particular magical skill or nature, Magical creatures (e.g. unicorns, manticores, etc.). A general detection (Detect Magic) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named magician, magical creature, magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Darkness | Detect Darkness. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Areas of darkness, Darkness magical enchantments, Darkness-aligned beings (e.g. bats, darkness magicians, dark elementals). A general detection (Detect Darkness) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named darkness-aligned being, darkness magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Death | Detect Death. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Deaths, Death magical enchantments, Death-aligned beings (e.g. undead, death magicians, demons). A general detection (Detect Death) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named death-aligned being, death magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Earth | Detect Earth. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Plants, Stone/Gems/Metal, Tunnels/Caverns, Earth magical enchantments, Earth-aligned beings (e.g. moles, earth magicians, earth elementals). A general detection (Detect Earth) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named plant, gem, earth-aligned being, earth magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Enhancement | Detect Magic. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Magicians of all types, Enchantments of one particular magical skill or nature, Magical creatures (e.g. unicorns, manticores, etc.). A general detection (Detect Magic) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named magician, magical creature, magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Fire | Detect Fire. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Fires/heat sources, Volcanoes/lava, Fire magical enchantments, Fire-aligned beings (e.g. dragons, fire magicians, fire elementals). A general detection (Detect Fire) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named fire-aligned being, fire magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Illusion | Detect Illusion. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Illusions, Concealments, Illusion magical enchantments, Illusion-aligned beings (e.g. illusion magicians). A general detection (Detect Illusion) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named illusion-aligned being, illusion magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Life | Detect Life. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Births, People, Any specific type of animals (e.g. Horses), Life magical enchantments, Life-aligned beings (e.g. angels, life magicians). A general detection (Detect Life) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named life-aligned being, animal, person, life magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Light | Detect Light. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Light sources, Light magical enchantments, Light-aligned beings (e.g. fireflies, light magicians, light elementals). A general detection (Detect Light) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named light-aligned being, light magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Projection | Detect Projection. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Projection magical enchantments, Projection-aligned beings (e.g. projection magicians). A general detection (Detect Projection) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named projection-aligned being, projection magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Stasis | Detect Stasis. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Changes in self (e.g. presence of poison, onset of infection, drugs, etc.), Stasis magical enchantments, Stasis-aligned beings (e.g stasis magicians). A general detection (Detect Stasis) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named stasis-aligned being, stasis magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
| Truth | Detection. Truth magic can be
used to substitute for any other magical skill in casting a detection
enchantment. Thus, truth magic users have a choice of several different
general detections (e.g. Detect Fire, Detect Earth, Detect Light, etc.),
plus numerous specific detections.
In addition, a specific detection can be used to detect one of the following types: Whether someone is knowingly lying, Truth magical enchantments, Truth-aligned beings (e.g. truth magicians). |
| Water | Detect Water. A specific detection detects one of the following types: Water/moisture, Cold, Water magical enchantments, Water-aligned beings (e.g. fish, dolphins, water magicians, water elementals). A general detection (Detect Water) detects all of the above within the area. An individual detection detects a particular named water-aligned being, water magic item or enchantment that is already known to the caster. |
Examples:
Roger has Countermagic skill of 6 (with +1 specialism in detections) and a PE score of +1. He has come across a mysterious beetle-shaped broach and wants to check it for magic. He chooses not to touch the item. At this stage, he just wants an Instantaneous Yes/No on whether the item is magical, but he wants to overcome a reasonable level of concealment (in case any magical enchantment is screened). He does not mind if the detection is obvious. He, therefore, seeks to cast a General Detect Magic enchantment with Power 8, Finesse 0, Range Close (i.e. 2), Concealment 0, Duration Instantaneous (i.e. 0), Area of effect Single target (i.e. 0), Investment 0 = Difficulty 10 in total. His basic value is 6 + 1 + 1 = 8. He decides to use hand gestures and words when casting to give a modifier of +2, giving a basic value of 10. The enchantment automatically succeeds. The referee tells Roger's player that the item is indeed magical.
Roger now wants to find out about the enchantments on the broach. Because he is not familiar with the magic item or its enchantments, he cannot yet cast an Individual detection. His priority is to find out whether there are any wards on the item (and so whether it is safe to touch it). He casts a Specific Detect Magic enchantment, looking for wards, with Power 7, Finesse 1, Range Close (i.e. 2), Concealment 0, Duration Instantaneous (i.e. 0), Area of effect Single target (i.e. 0), Investment 0 = Difficulty 10 in total. His basic value is 6 + 1 + 1 = 8. He decides to use hand gestures and words when casting to give a modifier of +2, giving a basic value of 10. The enchantment automatically succeeds. The referee tells Roger's player that he does not detect any wards (which means any wards on the item would have to have a Concealment of 7 or more).
Roger decides to risk it and touch the broach. Nothing happens - Roger breathes a sigh of relief. He now wants to analyse the enchantments on the broach. He casts a General Detect Magic enchantment with Power 4, Finesse 7, Range Touch (i.e. 1), Concealment 0, Duration Instantaneous (i.e. 0), Area of effect Single target (i.e. 0), Investment 0 = Difficulty 12 in total. His basic value is 6 + 1 + 1 = 8. He decides to use hand gestures and words when casting, and to take a whole minute casting the enchantment to give a modifier of +4, giving a basic value of 12. The enchantment automatically succeeds. The referee tells Roger's player that there are 3 enchantments on the broach, all made with Earth magic skill, a Resistance enchantment, a Healing enchantment and a Telepathy enchantment.
Roger now starts to investigate what each individual enchantment is. He starts with the Resistance enchantment and casts an Individual Detect magic enchantment with Power 4, Finesse 5, Range Touch (i.e. 1), Concealment 0, Duration Instantaneous (i.e. 0), Area of effect Single target (i.e. 0), Investment 0 = Difficulty 10 in total. His basic value is 6 + 1 + 1 = 8. He decides to use hand gestures and words when casting to give a modifier of +2, giving a basic value of 10. The enchantment automatically succeeds. Roger finds out that the Resistance enchantment is a permanent enchantment conveying on the wearer of the broach a Power 8, Finesse 2, Concealment 3 Earth magic Resistance enchantment. Fuelled with this information, Roger moves on to discover more about the other enchantments....
Having found out the secrets of the broach, Roger decides he wants to be aware of any magic that happens around him. He decides to cast a General Detect magic enchantment with Power 2, Finesse 4, Range self (i.e. 0), Area of effect 15 metre diameter (i.e. 4), Duration Day (i.e. 4), Concealment 3, Investment 0 = Difficulty 17 in total. He decides to use hand gestures and words when casting, and to take a whole minute casting the enchantment to give a modifier of +4, giving a basic value of 12. He decides to risk 4D, and rolls a 4, 4, 2 and 5 making 15 in total. The casting nearly succeeds - Roger's player chooses to lose a tiredness level and have the enchantment succeed.