You've done the written, now the practical

[AntiTrust]

So I've got a player who wants to join the Mages of the Arcane Order and part of the rp aspect to joining is receiving a pendant that will create "various variables and conditions and record the results". Essentially he couldn't join the order at the level he wanted because the city that has this prc is far away so I devised this little device to allow them to test him remotely. The problem is I'm not sure what to have it do and I was hoping the minds here might be able to come up with a few random things the device might do to test him.

[Pyron]

You can have the pendant put him in a mental simulation. In the real world, it'll appear that he's in a trance, however he's in a pocket dream-like dimension that acts as a training course. This training course can have various challenges (traps, monsters, puzzles, etc) where he must his magic and clever thinking to overcome.

Whatever you put in there is up to you.

[Water_Bear]

You could have it be a passive recording device; the 'test' is to use your magical abilities impressively, to show a sense of curiosity and a desire to learn about the world, and the ability to work constructively with others.

The role-playing challenge this gives is that the character is basically under review; they need to be cautious without being suspicious, while avoiding those parts of their character which conflict with the desires of the Arcane Order.

You can also have this as a means to dispense plot-hooks; if the item has 120ft Trueseeing/Mindsense/Blindsense/Life Sense/Arcane Sight then it might pick up an impostor or an invisible stalker, only for the Wizards to reveal that information when your player gets accepted. When the Arcane Order reviews the last dungeon crawl the player was in, they might be shocked to find the symbols of an ancient cult inscribed on the walls. It's a useful tool for introducing new information naturally.

[nedz]

You could have part of the test be on how the PC uses the pendant to access the test.

[QuidEst]

Give it a while to study him. Make it a few combats. Early on, it states that it has to be shown the pages of his spellbook. After its studied for a bit, the challenge is issued. He has to face himself (in some sort of "virtual" battle), with the idea of the challenge being that it's not the power that you have, but how you use it. Before the battle, write up a basic flow chart of how his double will fight, so he really is fighting something they've "programmed".

[Anxe]

It's a completely non-magical pendant. Once he figures it out and contacts them, they'll let him in.

[Erik Vale]

I suggest against the magic battle inside the pendent, unless it is done as an 1 on 1 with the character and the next session you have him having missed some sleep, (probably missing some random spells for the next encounter. Or he/she could just be irritable) to balance out the extra xp/other bonuses from the fight.

The non-magical idea would work if he doesn't have detect magic, but is a good one.

[qwertyu63]

It's a completely non-magical pendant. Once he figures it out and contacts them, they'll let him in.

Do this, but put Magic Aura on it, so it's not as easy as casting Detect Magic.

[Toofey]

seconded.

Do we have a quorum?

[Anderlith]

I had this one test for a mages in one game. All mages, to rightfully be called a Wizard, had to complete three trials.

Trial by Fire
Trial by Water
Trial by Blood.

Different people had different ways of completing the trials, one group took a more symbolic approach & would have a short ritual where they had the initiate grab an amulet out of a brazier, be babtised in a fountain pool, & lastly they cut the palm of their hands & bleed a bit into a cup. Other cultures have some more extreme measures.

The character in question though didn't quite know this didn't need to be a ceremony. His trial by fire was when he ran into a burning forest to battle an enemy his trial by water was when he rescued a drowning person & swam them both to safety, his trial by blood was when he fought an enemy without the aid of his magic.

Maybe you can have the amulet thing respond to those three things (or whatever triggers you decide to make up) & when he completes all the trials it contacts the Wizards that are testing him