On the identify spell,

Identify is likely one of the most common and well used spells to date. All in all it basicaly allows you to to determine the latent and active magic properties found on and in an item, be it a weapon, book, armor and so forth. The primary component used for this spell is a pearl of greater quallity, usualy valued at one hundred gold pieces. The pearl is then crushed into a fine powder. Traditionaly this powder is then mixed with a glass of wine to make it easier to go down and stirred around with an owl feather, water can be used as a substitute. The mixture must be drunk within two hours of the actual spell being cast for its affect to be anything noteworthy. Attempting to drink it after the spell has been cast simple causes the spell in and of itself to completely fail.

The best way to acuratly describe the affects of the spell itself is that it connects to the weave and pulls power to the persons eyes allowing them to see the magical auras much like "detect magi" does it. However this spell has a more direct means and application. Where "detect magic" simple allow you to see magical auras and possibly determine what schools are being used, this spell alows the user to put a finer point on the actual spells that where used to make the object. (Editor: Which offcourse means that the diviner will need to have a good general understanding of what does what. Divination requires education!) You can see the magical auras after a minute or so and with deep concentraition you can determing the exact magical properties are.
As you may or may not know, each spell used has a specific signature or "weave length" for lack of a better term. By studying an object under this spell the lesser powers are always appearing first. Mutiple castings may need to be used to determin all the magical affects on the object if it is highly enchanted (Editor: Or cursed).

When you have studied the magical aura of the object for an hour or so your vision will begin to focus and feel like everything is becomeing "bigger". This feeling is often refered to as "zooming in", though why, i'm not sure. Once your vison has done such you wil begin seeing waves and ribbles in the aura itself allowing you to accurately determine what spell is used in its creation. For each power latent in the object a new casting of Identify may be needed. If you believe an object might be in fact a powerfull artifact I would highly advise the use of shaded glass over your eyes as the auras can be near blinding with such a radiant power. Artifact are extreamly hard to identify however and often have hidden powers underneath other powers makeing them hard to pin point. (Editor: And artefacts nearly always have an agenda! Be wary!)

Thus concludes my esplination of how Identify works. Thank you for your time and reading.

By
Mistress Crystal Dimon, Seer. The Thayan Enclave, Kortuga.

Editor: Nathra Zurn, of the Thayan Enclave, Kortuga.