> I'd say that a Detect Runic Association would be able to detect a Trickster
> of a Trickster shrine as being of Illusion Rune Power.
I'd have thought this was very difficult to do, when the magic isn't "active".
> But NOT their magic.
> Their magic would not be an of illusion, but of the power that they made.
I think I can see that makes sense in this particular case: presumably a generic Runic Powers ability would tend to pick up the most obvious runic association, rather than necessarily all of them.
I do still think that "illusionness" is in principle detectable, though; the "timer" as someone else put it, or whatever else distinguishes it from a "permanent" object or creature (in the non-mystical sense!).
> BTW, I would think that a Detect Runic Power feat (or spell or whatever)
> would have some of the same limitations that Illusion magic would have.
> That is, if a Trickster had never seen an elephant and used illusion to
> create one, then it would be an elephant as he knows it: some weird
> creature like the elephants illustrated in medieval bestiaries, for instance.
> By the same token, someone with a Detect Rune Power might only be able to
> recognize the powers with which he is familiar. If he's never seen Truth
> magic, for instance, he might just get an accurate reading of "This is a
> rune power you do not know."
> this might be why the God Learners' "rune alphabet" became so widespread:
> it was a pretty good set of complete powers. But nonetheless, unless
> someone had training they might not be able to recognize all the rune
> powers that they detected.
I would have thought that too. And on those grounds it does make sense that "Illusion" might not be a rune, or at least not a major rune, for some cultures -- especially the more "mystical" ones.
> Finally, I am not convinced that "detect rune powers" is a common feat or
> power. It smacks of sorcery to me.
That was my initial (and public...) reaction.
Cheers,
Alex.
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