Ritual Casting (10 minutes)

The caster places the item to be identified on a clean cloth and sits before it, pearl in hand, pressing it to the item's surface. They close their eyes and begin a slow, methodical incantation — not of power, but of inquiry. The caster's consciousness flows into the object like water seeping into the grain of wood, reading the enchantments layer by layer. Magical items reveal themselves as complex tapestries of interwoven spells; the caster teases apart each thread, feeling its purpose and potency. The pearl grows warm as it channels knowledge back to the caster — a conduit between the item's magical signature and the caster's mind. Curses feel like thorns hidden beneath silk; beneficial enchantments feel like sunlight on closed eyelids. The process is deeply contemplative, and experienced casters often describe it as having a conversation with the item itself — learning not just what it does, but something of who made it and why.