Who can use scrolls and talismans

[Svartalf]

The only requirement to use a scroll is to be able to read the language it's written in... and I guess that the requirement to activate a talisman is the will to do so, so any sentient can achieve that.

[Tor]

I imagine you have to be touching a talisman with your bare skin for it to work. Or if not that, should be in very close proximity (it could possibly still work while wearing gloves, but something like power armor might be cutting it.

[flatline]

I imagine you have to be touching a talisman with your bare skin for it to work. Or if not that, should be in very close proximity (it could possibly still work while wearing gloves, but something like power armor might be cutting it.

We always ruled that it had to be in your immediate possession. So in a backpack doesn't count, but worn about the neck, even if it's outside your shirt, would work. As would holding it in a gloved or bionic hand.

As for who can activate a talisman is something we never properly established. Beings with any amount of PPE seems like a good, if naive, rule. Robots, machine people, etc would be excluded, but full conversion borgs would stil be capable of activating Talismans.

I also think that non-animal intelligence is required. At least enough to desire the effect and understand that it is the Talisman creating the effect. I don't like the idea of cats or dogs activating a talisman, but a chimp or dolphin might be able to.

--flatline

[Library Ogre]

I would require someone without a magic OCC to be somewhat trained in activating a talisman (nothing requiring a skill selection, just a "When you want me, clasp this tight and say 'Cheese Monkey'"), but scrolls are explicitly "anyone who can read the language". Someone with a magic OCC, or even a fair amount of experience with such things, I'd probably let use the talisman if they know what it does.

[Tor]

I believe Machine People can activate scrolls and talismans, they are sentient beings, and PPE is not required to activate these things, it's already stored.

[drewkitty ~..~]

The only requirement to use a scroll is to be able to read the language it's written in... and ....snip

There are two sets of text governing the activation of a Spell Scroll. One from the test of the Create Scroll spell says that the scroll has to be read aloud. The second, I think in the 'official' Rifter Q&A covering magic, that if you read any part of the scroll, even silently, will set the magic to working.

So depending on which set of text you are using. you ether just need to be able to read the language of the scroll, or you need to be able to read and speak the language of the scroll.

I used the ' ' around official because at the time they were published the Q&A's were not noted as being Official Material. But done so after the fact when the "Rifter Index" topic was being put together in the Rifter Forum.

[The Beast]

I thought that you had to be a mage of some kind to use a talisman, but I don't see that limitation in the BoM. Is there different wording in one of the other books for that spell?

[drewkitty ~..~]

I thought that you had to be a mage of some kind to use a talisman, but I don't see that limitation in the BoM. Is there different wording in one of the other books for that spell?

The text for the Talisman spell has been copy and pasted whole from older books.

[Tor]

I'm unaware of Talisman changing in any way, except possibly the PPE amount... though I might be thinking of the Pygmy's version in Africa.