Magical Photographs?

[Oramac]

Pretty much what the title says. Is there any way to take a photograph within the rules? It doesn't have to be a perfect picture; just the equivalent of a high-quality drawing. But explicitly not a drawing.

In my game world, necromancers (rare though they are) exist and are tolerated. Not welcomed, but tolerated. I've had the idea that they might have a system for only raising the bodies of people who volunteered while alive. But to do so they'd need a way to prove the person volunteered. I imagine this would include a picture of the person since just a signature on parchment might not be trusted. But I'd need a magical way to take a reliable picture of the volunteer.

[stoutstien]

One level dip in artificer can do it with magical tinkering pretty explicitly.

[Mastikator]

3rd party witness, contract copy held by 3rd party.

[Oramac]

One level dip in artificer can do it with magical tinkering pretty explicitly.

Huh. I totally missed that. Thanks! It would take a tiny bit of handwaving if the necromancer wanted to raise more than 5 bodies, but I suppose that's not really a big deal. Besides, how many people would really volunteer for it anyway? :smallbiggrin:


3rd party witness, contract copy held by 3rd party.

Also a good idea. Probably best combined with the picture.

Thanks y'all!

[kingcheesepants]

Upcasting major image to make a permanent image of the individual could also work if an artificer dip is off the table for whatever reason.

[P. G. Macer]

In Keith Baker’s personal version of Eberron (https://keith-baker.com/ifaq-photography/), there are primitive cameras akin to tintype from our own late 19th century, with smaller camera-like devices requiring the Dragonmark of Shadow to use. All these devices use some form of illusion magic, with Baker calling out a modified version of illusory script being a likely candidate.

[Oramac]

Upcasting major image to make a permanent image of the individual could also work if an artificer dip is off the table for whatever reason.


In Keith Baker’s personal version of Eberron (https://keith-baker.com/ifaq-photography/), there are primitive cameras akin to tintype from our own late 19th century, with smaller camera-like devices requiring the Dragonmark of Shadow to use. All these devices use some form of illusion magic, with Baker calling out a modified version of illusory script being a likely candidate.

Good stuff. I didn't know that about Eberron. Thanks!!

[Christopher K.]

It wouldn't be the photograph you're looking for, but if you're already using necromancy, I think Speak with Dead would be your best bet. If anyone had a dispute over whether the body was volunteered, you'd pay a court fee to have a cleric Destroy Undead (incidentally, does Destroy Undead actually render the corpse unusable?), then Speak with Dead to verify that the person consented to being raised as labor posthumously.

[JackPhoenix]

You can also just interrogate the necromancer under Zone of Truth.

[Grim Portent]

Or have a licensed guild of some sort that oversees this sort of contract. For an annual fee a necrcomancer gets to be certified by the 'Right and Honourable Guild of Necromagi and Barber-Surgeons' or something, with the good conduct of members being backed by the guild. Little plate on the wall next to a small shop notifying that the necromancer is a paid up member in good standing, and so any guild stamped contracts they possess can be presumed legitimate unless proper cause is given to think otherwise. If a necromancer gets caught reanimating bodies without the proper paperwork, the guild levies a hefty internal fine and might kick them out, hampering their future business, and the necromancer or guild have to pay a fine to the family of the deceased.

Opens up potential for plots around people trying to screw the guild out of legitimate contracts, the guild trying to get bodies illegally, non-guild necromancers being leaned on by the guild despite being legit, so on and so forth.


It's more or less how some business worked when guilds were a thing. If a shop paid it's dues to the guild and maintained the quality expected of a guild member, they got to use the guild's stamp on their products to assure people it was quality stuff. Get caught using a guild's seal without being in the guild, then you get into legal trouble. If your product is faulty and bears the guild's seal of approval the guild is liable for it, so they (ideally) self police their membership.

[Mastikator]

One thing to consider is guilds. A guild could vet necromancers and issue licenses to animate dead. A necromancer without a license is automatically suspicious. A necromancer who is caught creating undead without volunteers will lose their license.

This could also add quest hooks for players to hunt down rogue necromancers, with bounties on them issued by the Friendly Necromancer Guild. "They violated our code of ethical necromancy conduct"

Edit- Ninja'd by @Grim Portent. So uh, what he said :smallbiggrin:

[Unoriginal]

Pretty much what the title says. Is there any way to take a photograph within the rules? It doesn't have to be a perfect picture; just the equivalent of a high-quality drawing. But explicitly not a drawing.

In my game world, necromancers (rare though they are) exist and are tolerated. Not welcomed, but tolerated. I've had the idea that they might have a system for only raising the bodies of people who volunteered while alive. But to do so they'd need a way to prove the person volunteered. I imagine this would include a picture of the person since just a signature on parchment might not be trusted. But I'd need a magical way to take a reliable picture of the volunteer.

I mean, any magic picture can be faked as easily as a signature. More essily, in many cases.

Simply having an official notary ratify the contract, and maybe some trusted-by-the-community person witness the corpse's animation, would be much more likely to convince people the necromancy is done legitimately.

And/or maybe the temple officials can give a written notice allowing the trade to occure.

[Oramac]

Or have a licensed guild of some sort that oversees this sort of contract.
snip


Edit- Ninja'd by @Grim Portent. So uh, what he said :smallbiggrin:

I hadn't thought of that! Kinda mad at myself, come to think of it. That's a fantastic idea.


Simply having an official notary ratify the contract, and maybe some trusted-by-the-community person witness the corpse's animation, would be much more likely to convince people the necromancy is done legitimately.

And/or maybe the temple officials can give a written notice allowing the trade to occure.

Which piggybacks on the guild thing quite nicely.

I think y'all convinced me. Now I have more writing to do. (Which is a good thing)

Thanks!!

[Joe the Rat]

Don't forget that cameras capture a piece of your soul! That should be sufficient for binding.

[stoutstien]

Don't forget that cameras capture a piece of your soul! That should be sufficient for binding.

That's mirrors not pictures outside of Dorian grey which more about inner/outer self and popular double self writing of the time even that is nothing more than reframing "devil bargain"