Identify

Identify was a divination spell that determined a single feature of a magic item. It was an uncommon, though not unpopular, spell in Faerûn.

Effect
The spell determined the single most basic function of each magic item, including how that function was activated, and if it contained charges, how many were left. If a magic item had multiple different functions that were equally basic, identify determined which was weakest.

Components
The material component of identify was a pearl of at least 100 gp value, crushed and stirred into wine with an owl feather. This infusion had to be drunk prior to spellcasting.

Inscription
According to the tome known as the Book of the Silver Talon, the ingredients for the ink used to inscribe identify into spellbooks were: one ounce of giant octopus ink, a clump of the honey fungus plant, one bunch of fennel, a fist-sized chunk of rose quartz, one drop of holy water, a single saffron plant and a small,flawless diamond.

The honey fungus had to be plucked from rotting tree bark at night and immediately submerged in a silver vial full of the octopus ink and drop of holy water, the entirety of which was heated over a small fire. The rose quartz, fennel and saffron were powdered a with mortar in a bowl of water and added to the vial as it was warming. This concoction was then shaken until properly mixed and cooled in a dark place. The leftover water was boiled in the bowl until evaporation, during which the diamond was to be powdered and combined within. This residue should then have been added to the vial, sealed and stored under a rapid stream of water for six days before it could be used.

Improved Identify
Improved identify was a more powerful version of the original spell, and thus, could only be cast by more experienced mages. The improved spell determined all the magic properties of the item in question, as well as the object's name.

Arcane History
The Netherese arcanist Trebbe was given the credit for the creation of this spell in -2271 DR, originally named Trebbe's scry identify.

Divine History
Identifyhas been available to clerics whose patron-deity's portfolio included magic for as long as gods have been worshiped. Savras always granted use of this spell and Azuth has always granted access to a special version of identify to their priests. Generally, the ability to cast this spell was only granted to other various clerics a couple of years after the Time of Troubles.