Identify

Identify was a divination spell that determined the features of a magic item.

Improved identify was a more powerful version of the original spell, and thus it 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.

Effect
The caster instantly learned all properties and features of one selected magic item they could touch, such as how a function was activated and, if it contained charges, how many remained, as appropriate. It did not work on artifacts.

Components
The spell required verbal and somatic components and took a full hour to cast. Divine casters needed a divine focus. Arcane casters needed a material component, namely a pearl worth 100 gp or more, which was crushed and stirred into wine using the feather of an owl. This infusion had to be drunk before beginning casting.

Inscription
According to 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 with a 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 be added to the vial, which was sealed and stored under a rapid stream of water for six days before it could be used.

History
The Netherese arcanist Trebbe was given the credit for the creation of this spell in. It was originally named Trebbe's scry identify.

It was an uncommon, though not unpopular, spell in Faerûn around 1358 DR.

Users
The magistrati, specialty priests of Azuth, were granted access to a special version of identify.