How would you identify a wizard?

[Nightfall]

My PCs will soon be entering a city (Hollowfaust from Scarred Lands). While the Necromancers are interested in encouraging wizards to move on they don't particularly care to much about one wizard entering the city.

I'm expecting to query people about their professions and so forth at the gate entry but a fair number of people pass through and terms like 'scholar' aren't really exlusive with wizards.

So here's my question:
How would a city try to economically set up a system for identifying wizards when they approach the city?

(I'm torn about detect magic picking up wizards.... it would make finding them pretty easy. On the other hand its hard to say that a wizard with a wish and Metor Swarm memorized isn't magical. So if some wizards turn up as magical then it gets to be one of those irritating "where do you draw the line type things".)

Two ways I can think of. One is they have a scrying tower hidden within the Underfaust. The other might just be a true ritual they created after the split inside between the Society of the Immortals and Taason's fellows. After all, it would help to keep out unwanted intruders.

 

[Nightfall]

Kugar, the thing is I think they would discrimatine against sorcerers since they are a MAGOCRACY, not an ARCANOCRACY. (I think that's a word! ) Anyway that's my take. No sorcerers allowed, at least not one they can readily detect.

 

[Mark Chance]

What!?

Make them all wear point conical hats.

GASP! That should already be a requirement. Can't be a wizard without a pointy conical hat. A robe with stars and crescent moons is also mandatory.

 

[Crothian]

Are you sure? I don't have Tome & Blood handy, but I'm not sure, off the top of my head, that making it persistant would eliminate the need for concentration. I don't think having a spellcaster standing and concentrating all day is a reasonable thing.

In any event, all this will do is peg people who have magic items. Lots of non-wizards have magic items. And the wizards still fy invisibly over the walls...

All you need to do is concentrate as the people walk in. 6 seconds per person, simple enough. Have a few mages doing this so they can take breaks. Few, very few people have anything magical so any who do can be questioned. It might catch a few wizards, but it will catch trouble makers.

As for the Invsisble Wizard flying over the walls, that's a different problem. Just like the Wizard who teleports in.

 

[Crothian]

Re: What!?

GASP! That should already be a requirement. Can't be a wizard without a pointy conical hat. A robe with stars and crescent moons is also mandatory.

Isn't that how they get their power? Without the clothes and hat no spells.

 

[Sejs]

they must also have a beard (or attempts therein) and a staff with a knob on the end.


You got ta have a hat for the wizardin'.

 

[Nightfall]

I think for my own campaign, the that each visitor that pratices arcane magics radiates a certain color with special lenses that act as detect magic. Simple yet effective. Save time and money. A more effective way is to have one of the clerics of Nemorga (since he has Knowledge as a domain), forge lenses of true seeing, thus fooling some but not all.

 

[Grraf]

Attack of the Day-glo wizards

Umbran kind of hit the nail on the head. I'm more concerned about economic viability.

To answer the some of the questions: the Necromancers don't give a rats ass about people coming into their city so long as they don't do anything and leave quickly. They don't like wizards hanging around.
Its an Oligarchy IMHO. Its not a Magiocracy. Its a rule by the Seven and their decendants.
While Sorcerors are of titanic taint they are probably treated no worse or better than wizards.
[edit: because whatever else they are the Necros are educated.]

They almost certainly do check every person who comes into the city.

In the Scarred Lands magic items are extremely rare so a Necromacer detailed with peremenent detect magic would notice the party.

As for a scrying tower in the Underfaust... they do have the Readers of the Cracked Bones (and entire school) of Necromancers. I don't really know how a scrying tower would mean much though. Putting someone at the gate would be much easier.
[edit: The readers are deditcated to divination type necromancy. I suspect they have incorporeal police type forces. Maybe six summoned Shades... ala WarcraftIII which cris-cross the city.]

I guess the detect-magic-detecting-people-with-memorized-spells question remains unanswered. While memorized spells aren't spell effects (dispel magic doesn't get rid of your memorized spells when cast upon you) a number of creatures can interact with a wizard's memorized spells including being able to steal them and wizards themselves can use the energy in their spells to do things (Arcane Bolt from R&R). I guess they have to glow then.
And all creatures with spell like abilities? Sigh. The party already uses detect magic constantly.

I'm not too enthusiastic about color-coding arcane casters though.

 

[Sulimo]

Re: What!?

GASP! That should already be a requirement. Can't be a wizard without a pointy conical hat. A robe with stars and crescent moons is also mandatory.

Its got to have 'WIZZARD' emblazoned on it too...

 

[Sidran]

Re: What!?

GASP! That should already be a requirement. Can't be a wizard without a pointy conical hat. A robe with stars and crescent moons is also mandatory.

Not no more, pal we're 3E Wizards now no more pointy hats for this wizard unt uh no way. Me I like Gold Sombrero's and Robes with leopard print. Not to mention the HUGE golden arcane symbol necklass that I wear to strengthen my neck muscles stamina. Thats me the Wizards, Wizard. the Pimp of Bags End thats right mate move over for the Quientesential 3E Wizard

No seriously though Just erect two poles at each gate with a continual Sense magic user spell cast upon it Every time it detects something the Song Black Magic Woman comes on or something.


I really think that it would be way to hard to detect every Wizard or Sorcerer that comes into the city. Probably things already mentioned would work for the Suspicious looking Adventurer.
Instead of Just Wizards have the City rush out all Adventurer Types OR Have the city have a ward just for Adventurers and a Curfew outside the ward at nightfall. Make them by a Five day pass for little amounts, and then If they are caught Inside the walls after that time it becomes a loffty set of fines.

Or you could have it this way and Have each guard give a character a superficial scarring cut so that way when it turns pink the guard knows the characters been their for the alotted time. ( Read that in a Book)