Discern Sire

This spell is very important to the merlane's craft, as it allows the mage to determine the origins of the most strange hybrid creatures he encounters. It is a dangerous spell to cast, as the target must be well within view; often it is performed on the remains of truly fearsome beasts.

When cast, discern sire causes spectral images to rise from the body of the creature. These phantasms are of the original source stock used to create the monster or found in its evolution. For example, when the spell is cast upon an owl bear, the merlane would see hovering over the creature a great horned owl and a grizzly bear.

If the merlane makes a successful Intelligence roll, he also learns some of the secrets in the creation of such a creature. In the above example, he might discern that the images slowly coalesce into a scene wherein an owl's egg is bathed in the blood of the bear, then wrapped in the pelt, all the while kept in total darkness. Now such practice alone will not hatch an owlbear, but with the right magic, a merlane may well succeed in generating such a creature.