Portal view

Portal view was a divination spell that allowed people to see through portals.

Effects
As a general rule, portals were invisible, and it was not possible to see what was on the other side of the portal. Mundane methods like sticking one's head into a portal did not work; a person who tried such a thing was immediately sent to the other side. The portal view spell made such a view possible. It made one side, the side where the caster was located, transparent, thus allowing people to see where the portal led. This spell only allowed light to pass through from the destination; it did not allow one to send a spell through the portal.

Components
Portal view required somatic and verbal components, a focus&mdash;a divine focus when cast by a divine spellcaster, a glass eye when cast by an arcane spellcaster&mdash;and ten minutes to cast.

History
By 1372 DR, a magical staff called a staff of portals had been invented in the Underdark that could be used to cast the spell. It required the portal view spell to craft.