What else is arcane mark for?

[Gerion of Mercadia]

IMC, Arcane marks are virtually impossible to forge. If a document needs an Arcane Mark to be authentic - +50 when it comes to the forge check.

 

[TYPO5478]

Excellent idea! Anything else?

 

[fafhrd]

Nothing like scrying bonuses?

Oh, I dunno. Giving a girl a tramp stamp oughta make her "familiar" doncha think?

 

[Jack Simth]

Sure. You just need to cast a whole lot of Arcane Marks and use a binary code - Mark, Space, Mark, Mark, Mark, Space, Space, Mark...

-Hyp.

You can get a higher information density by giving the Mark a meaningful orientation; a simple four-point (Up, Right, Down, Left - indicated by which direction the "top" of the Mark points) doubles your information density. The greater amount of discernment you can get out of your minions, the greater information density you can put into a given mark.

 

[ThorneMD]

I use them to rework the teleport spell in my world. Basically, you can only teleport to areas that have your arcane mark and there is a limit to the number of arcane marks used for this purpose. Something like 1/5 wizard or sorcerer levels you have. So a 20th level wizard can always teleport to 5 desired locations.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

This spell allows you to inscribe your personal rune or mark, which can consist of no more than six characters.

Six characters can include a great deal of information. Just look at the old Signals Books from the British Navy in the age of sail. A few guidlines and a simple code can carry a lot of information. First character is X category, Second Y, etc. combined with single-character signals for things you expect to commonly be communicated. Hell while I'm at it I could base it on a simplified version of the procedure for reporting enemy activity

 

[Mistwell]

Really?

This spell allows you to inscribe your personal rune or mark, which can consist of no more than six characters.

Are you saying you cannot alter the orientation? That your mark cannot be an arrow-shape? That you cannot use multiple castings to form an orientation of a larger symbol?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Six characters can include a great deal of information.

Yes, but it's not a variable six characters.

For example, my personal rune or mark of six characters or less might be "-Hyp."

I could cast Arcane Mark to inscribe -Hyp. on a sword, or to inscribe -Hyp. on a wall, or to inscribe -Hyp. on a harlot's shoulder. But I couldn't cast Arcane Mark to inscribe "GOWEST" at one intersection, and "GONRTH" at another intersection, despite those being only six characters long, because they aren't my personal rune or mark.

-GONRTH.

 

[fafhrd]

Yes, but it's not a variable six characters.

For example, my personal rune or mark of six characters or less might be "-Hyp."

I could cast Arcane Mark to inscribe -Hyp. on a sword, or to inscribe -Hyp. on a wall, or to inscribe -Hyp. on a harlot's shoulder. But I couldn't cast Arcane Mark to inscribe "GOWEST" at one intersection, and "GONRTH" at another intersection, despite those being only six characters long, because they aren't my personal rune or mark.

-GONRTH.

Why not? Is it stipulated somewhere that you can't change your mark?

 

[Alpha Polaris]

Similar to the boon trap keying, I use them when casting Glyph of Warding and specifying the trigger condition as "anyone not bearing my arcane mark" (glyphs can be set according to physical conditions). Allowing this for alarm spells or other magical traps wouldn't be too far fetched, I guess.