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From: lori@hp-pcd.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Druids - some Useful? discussion
Message-ID: <10500001@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 11-May-84 15:17:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: hp-pcd.10500001
Posted: Fri May 11 15:17:00 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 21-May-84 03:41:07 EDT
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Nf-From: hpcvlo!lori    May  4 11:17:00 1984


   Moshe Eliovson
	philabs!aecom!eliovson
	pegasus!aecom!eliovson
 	allegra!philabs!aecom!eliovson
        decvax!philabs!aecom!eliovson
/*------------*/
does anyone know how to find out what a ring or power word for
a wand is?  my party doesn't have any identify magic- any other ways?
/* ---------- */

There are several ways to discover the activation word on a wand or staff.
My DMs' allow several different ways. One is to find the word written on
the item, or on something the previous owner had. ( Of course the owner 
may have left the codebook at home.) Another method is by experimenting. 
Recently, we found a cloak that radiated magic and from the description,
suspected it to be a Cloak of Flying. Many times the keyword is related to
the magic an item can do. We tried different words in as many languages we
could speak. The activation word was the elven word 'flitter'.
( A mark of a good DM is one who has already figured out what the word(s) 
will be. It's up to you to try everything you can.) The last way allowed
in our games (short of divine intervention.) is to pay a scribe to find 
the word. Look in the back issues of THE DRAGON. I believe the scribe is
fairly well described in the article. Of course, scribes usually concentrate
on one type of magic. i.e. wands, certain types of artifacts, etc.

As for rings, the same pretty much goes. Only it is likely a mage can be
found to do the investigation. Of course, a powerful enough mage may be
able to find the answer through the use of magic, but conversely he may
do just what I have described!

A note of warning. Some deadly magical items look like other beneficial
magical items. Trying to activate what you think is a Cloak of Invisibility
may activate the a Cloak of Poison instead! With rings it is harder to 
determine exactly what they are. We picked up a ring and did our own
experimentation. We thought it was a ring of Invisibility, until our
mage attempted to take it off. It wouldn't.

These methods give the DM a chance to be creative and the players a
chance to outsmart him! Caution DMs, don't make it impossible or you'll
lose your players!

                        Happy Playing
                        -Lori Cook
                         !hp-pcd!hpcvlo!lori
 
              'You're going to pick WHO'S pocket?!'