Forums of the Megaverse®

The Spells Eyes of Thoth.

Question #1:
Can it be used to decipher code like the skills Cryptography?

Question #2:
Can it identify a forgery?

Quetion #3:
Can it read short-hand or otherwise read normally incomprehensible hand-writting as long as it is intelliently written?

Question #4:
If a person can see a DNA profile / blueprint, somehow, could they "read" it?
The advantage, in theory, being able to identify health problems and begin preventative medicine.
Basically, use in medicine.

Question #5:
Read maps?

Question #6:
Read blueprints?

Question #7:
Can the spell be used to read SIgn Languaage?

Question #8:
Can the Spell be used to "read" facial expressions and body language?
I know, I know, the description read that it must be a "written" language but it does not say anything about the medium of which the language is written. So it could be stone carvings, a piece of paper with the dots and dashs of morse code on it. So what about an artist pencil drawing? Does it count as written?
IF it does, I'd imagine the most one would be able to "read" is what emotion they were feeling in the moment. So it is the magic spell equivalent of the psionic power of "Empathy" (provided their face is not covered by a mask or helmet).

Question #9:
Read the foot-prints of an animal or being?
Tracking is too much but if footprints are a written lanuage what does it tell you about a person?
I feel this is tricky so I write more.
I believe that if a person set about to write some message by using their feet to make impressions but their are doing so deliberately and the impressions are made in the shape of letters or symbols.

What I mean is, can the user of the spell tell CSI stuff like:
Foot size: Can indicate overall body size and weight
Arch type: Can provide insight into a person's gait and potential for injury
Gait: The pattern and shape of a footprint can reveal information about a person's gait and walking style, including any potential issues or imbalances
Height: Estimates can be made from the footprints

Q1:
I would say no, though a case could be made for it. I go with no because if it worked on cryptographic messages, it would defeat the purpose of cryptography as it could be easily defeated by the spell and likely put cryptographers out of business (since they aren't out of business...). Even with that said, some cryptographic codes (the simpler the better) might still be rendered "readable" though my default would be to go with no.

Q2:
No, the spell only allows you to read the document. It doesn't allow you to gauge the documents authenticity, the only forgeries it's going to show are ones in "gobbly gook" that are only for show and not real in other words they are using "fake words".

Q3:
I would say yes, though sloppy handwriting might impose penalties to the translation (or just leave gaps that aren't "translated", I would assume names don't get translated either).

Q4:
No. While it's a good idea, I think it gets beyond what was intended as a "readable language". The same thing would apply to Computer Source Code, it won't turn Java program source code into pseudo-code. I'd probably add musical notation here to.

Q5:
Define read maps? If you mean read the text on it, then yes. If you mean read it beyond that for navigational purposes, then no.

Q6:
Again, what do you mean by read blueprints? If you just want the text (and likely measurements) translated, sure it can do that, but nothing beyond that (you'd need appropriate skills).

Q7 & Q8:
No. Gestures, expressions, and other body language type stuff is out.

Q9:
No, they won't be able to do CSI type stuff like that.

Using tracks to leave a message like skywriting I could see working WHEN/IF they can see the pattern(s) as words/letters. If they can't notice that, I would say no.

Thanks for the answers/explanations.

About #1:

A. Spells like "Escape" would also put locksmiths out of business.

B. I agree that NOT all codes are straight translations but can and do allude to things only the people involved know about. "Meet me where we bought those drinking mugs."

C. Most of the Rifts Earth world are illiterate.

New Question:

Does the Spell Eyes of Thoth make it so those who can't read can read?
As in it is a magic spell substitute for literacy like the spell "Climb" is a substitute for the skill of climbing.

Essentially I would treat the Spell Eyes of Thoth (and similarly Tongues) to grant the skill Literacy (Language for the case of Tongues): [insert language here] for every incarnation. So yes you get Literacy, though when the spell wears off you won't be able to "remember" how to read.