Read Magic

Duration: Instantaneous
Range: 0

By means of Read Magic, the caster can decipher magical inscriptions on objects—books, scrolls, weapons, and the like—that would otherwise be unintelligible. This does not normally invoke the magic contained in the writing, although it can do so in the case of a cursed scroll. Furthermore, once the spell is cast and the caster has read the magical inscription, he thereafter is able to read that particular writing without recourse to the use of Read Magic. All spellbooks are written such that only the Elf or Magic-User who owns the book can decipher it without the use of this spell. Each casting of the spell allows the reading of 1d4 items.

If a character loses access to Read Magic (a spellbook is stolen or destroyed, for instance), the character must research the spell as if it was unknown to them and then written up in a new spellbook.