Topic: 'Locate Text' and definition for 'text'

[Dark Schneider]

In essence companion, 'nomenist casting' list, lvl 16 spell is 'locate text', it gives you the direction and distance for a non-magical text, and I tought it can have more uses, like a localizer, but for this I need to know exactly what is a 'text'.

In spell description it says you need 'title, author and general topic of the text', then could this be a letter for example?, the tittle is 'letter to my friends (date)', and the others 2 you know perfectly, so you can localize your friends with that letter while they carry it.

If the 'text' needs to have some "info", then you could include with the letter a 1-page document with any topic of your knowledge for using it as 'text'.

If the 'text' definition is not much restricted, this spell can have many usefull uses, including the original purpose.

i.e. you can use as 'equipment localizer' if you have a 'text' in your equipment, and thieves assault you.
i.e. group can split and then localize others (a different 'text' for any part).
i.e. return to "home" (your current "home base" in campaign), so you can't lose becasue you always can return to home base.

[Arioch]

I would say that "text" is anything written, this definition makes the spell quite versatile, but after all that's a 16th level spell!

In spell description it says you need 'title, author and general topic of the text', then could this be a letter for example?, the tittle is 'letter to my friends (date)', and the others 2 you know perfectly, so you can localize your friends with that letter while they carry it.

Usually if a text has no title (like many poems of the past) the first line of it is used, so the title of a letter would be "Dear xxx" 

[markc]

 First I would say that the GM should define the use of the spell in his game.

 Second, IMO since it is a 16th level spell and could achieve all the above effects you describe as long as each group has a text document. IE they each have to have a paper or hide document with the correct information. IMO just a few lines writen on metal will not thet the spell function but I can see a GM deciding that the spell gets a difficulty roll [so metal might be a hard maneuver to get the right direction]. Another option is to reduce the distance for each type of material over and above paper, hide etc. In fact you could even creat a chart with a bunch of factors that would apply to the spell.

 Also never underestimate the usefullness of of some simple spells.

MDC

[GrumpyOldFart]

First I would say that the GM should define the use of the spell in his game.

That would be the rub, I think.
If an artist signs a painting, does it qualify as a 'text'? How about a label on a wine bottle? Or a T shirt that says, "I'm with Stupid"?
If a prescription says, "3 gt O.D. 2xd", is that a text? Or does it have to actually spell out, "3 drops in the right eye twice a day"? Would Prince's records qualify up to the point where he changed his name, and then not qualify afterwards?
If London's M25 orbital motorway duplicates the sigil Odegra in the secret language of the Black Priesthood of Ancient Mu, does a "Locate Text" spell pick it up? How about the anarchy symbol, obviously based on the arabic letter "A"?
Given the number of things in this world that are labeled with lettering, or some simple variation of lettering, I'd think a GM would want to be VERY specific in defining what is a "text" and what is not. The obvious question to me would be to what extent does it pick up magical symbols?

[rdanhenry]

I would say text on metal is fine, so long as the metal is not inherently magical and has not been enchanted. As for tracking comrades, tattooing a piece of original verse on each would do well.

For quantity, it should at an absolute minimum be two lines, so that you have text distinct from the "title" should one need to resort to title = first line. Perhaps that convention should be disallowed and only text bearing an actual (or given a conventional title by scholars or mass acclaim) should be targetable.

Magical symbols would explicitly not be picked up. The text must be "non-magical".

And if the author must be known, then many texts will be immune to this spell because the text is anonymous or misascribed. (Can I find a Shakespeare play with it if he did not actually write his own plays?)