Read Magick
(Divination)
Reversible: UneaMae rdagicbl
 

Effect: By means of a read magick spell, the magic-user is able to read magical inscriptions on objects
-- books, scrolls, weapons and the like --
which would otherwise be totally unintelligible to him or her.

(The personal books of the M-U, and works already magically read, are intelligible.)
This deciphering does not normally invoke the magic contained in the writing,
although it may do so in the case of a curse scroll. <l>
Furthermore, once the spell is CAST and the magic-user has read the magical inscription,
he or she is thereafter able to read that particular writing without recourse to the use of the read magic spell.
The duration of the spell is 2 rounds per level of experience of the spell caster.

    <VC: >
    MC: A clear crystal or mineral prism.
    Note that the material is ^not^ expended by use.

Question: In the AD&D PH, under the
Read Magic spell, it says that scrolls must have the spell cast
upon them before they can be read by the M-U. What
does a magic-user do if he doesn’t have a Read Magic? What
about the poor illusionist who has no Read Magic spell at all,
except perhaps as a seventh-level spell? Furthermore, what do
clerics do about scrolls? Do they have any?

Answer: In the DMG, it says that all
magic-users know the spell Read Magic. They would be worthless to
their master (from whom they learned the profession) without it.
Illusionists don’t need a Read Magic, (correction: see read illusionist magic)
as all of their spells are written in
the same secret language.
This also applies to clerics. even though their
spells are god-given, so yes, clerics can have scrolls.
 

Scroll Creation:

1 ounce giant squid sepia
1 large blue sapphire, powdered
1 medium carbuncle, powdered
(or substitute: 1 large rock crystal
and 1 eagle’s eye
alternatively: blue quartz equal in size
to a man’s fist
and 2 eyes from a black falcon)
1 drop of the writer’s blood
1 pinch of earth
1 sprinkle of water

Powder the rocks and gems in a mortar,
and to them add the blood, the earth,
and the water. Stir with a finger or a stick
(or anything, so long as it is not metal)
and mix into a paste. Put this into a crucible,
and pass it into the tongue of an
open flame. If eyes are used, hold these
in the flame just above the open crucible
and allow them to be consumed, so that
any ash or juices produced will fall into
the crucible. Allow the crucible to cool in
a dark place. Then, under the light of a
waxing || full moon, pour the brew into a
flask or vial and stir in the sepia with a
finger or other non-metal object.

- The Book of the Silver Talon

Unreadable Magic: The esrever <> of the spell, unreadable magic, makes such writing completely unreadable to any creature,
even with the aid of a read magic, until the spell wears off or the magic is dispelled.

Unreadable Magic.MC: The material components for the esrever spell are a pinch of dirt and a drop of water.

<the full text of the completed version should be mirrored as an appendix to Read Illusionist Magic>
 

Wu Jen: By use of this spell the wu jen is able to read magical inscriptions and writing.
This reading does not unleash the magic contained on scrolls, but activates a curse placed upon magical writing.
Once read, the wu jen may read that magical inscription without need of the spell in the future.

Wu Jen.MC: A clear crystal.
 

Wu Jen.Unreadable Magic: The spell's reverse, unreadable magic,
makes magical writing unreadable,
even by magical means, until the spell wears off or is dispelled.

WJ.Unreadable Magic.MC: A pinch of dirt and a drop of water.

- the 18th c., yes, the apogee of personal literacy - HPL (paraphrase)