Not to totally derail this discussion, but the fact that there is such a discussion suggests that this area needs some work, and since I can see problems down the road for lab texts with devices (maybe not this saga but others), let me propose something altogether different.
What if, instead of all this complicated discussion of what's allowed and not allowed we do it as Arya had done it for me? If you find a lab text for instilling an effect into a device (any device, regardless of shape and material and greater/lesser/talisman) it adds a bonus equal to the spell level of the effect being invested to your lab total. Now this is just for the effect, uses per day, penetration, triggers, etc are all up to the enchanting magus to do.
Exampli gratia: Tektonius was given a lab text for instilling The Leap of Homecoming into a device, in that case his talisman. The lab text granted him a +35 to his lab total (spell level).
Why I like it: it allows for a variation of the shape and material, it makes lab texts for devices rather valuable and useful (for trade) instead of nearly useless. I would still imagine that House Verditius is extremely guarded about their texts, this ruling I don't think would change any of that. It also reduces paperwork, as I no longer need to monitor what LT is for what kind of device.
Food for thought, if you guys like it, we make sure everyone has a comment on it and push it as a HR.
Amul: yes, provided the other restrictions are ok, of course.
JL: I liked it at first, but here's a problem
I have Int 02, Re 05, Co 05, MT 03, Aura 03 = 18. Even with a lab text, I'm unable, by the rules, to create such an enchantment. Yet, by this rule, I can, in 2 seasons.
Even limiting the bonus to the lab total means that magi will be able to do enchantments they wouldn't be able to do otherwise. Say, lab total 30, lvl 40 enchantment and lab text => I do this in 2 seasons, whereas I couldn't before.
OOTH, it changes little if your lab total is over the required level
At second thought, I also like the fact that following the recipe is better than changing things ad hoc.
What about these:
You must have a lab total > lab text to be able to make use of it. Else, you just can't understand it.
If you do the same enchantment (as per the RAW), it adds the level to your lab total
If you changes something, it adds level/2, as the insight granted is still useful.
Personally, I'm thinking that lab texts for devices should be, not so constrained in "it has to be exactly this, that and the other" when you instill an effect (as in, the same type of item, e.g. a cloak or broom or wand), but that it should be for the same type. Lab texts for Talismans can work for any Talisman, but not for Invested/Lesser/Charged Item. Likewise, a lab text for an Invested Item can work on any invested item, but not for Talisman/Lesser/Charged items. It seems like there are too many fundamental differences for me to justify using a lab text for instilling a Leap of the Homecoming into a Talisman to make a bracelet that's a Charged Item, say.
My opinion, but that feels more "right" to me than allowing a lab text to be open-source .
Since coming to Mons Electi, Isen has devoted quite some time learning various rituals that would help him strengthen the covenant. He has learned Watching Ward, Rarefy the Crude Stone, and is the caster of our lvl 50 Aegis.
He has Rigid Magic. And I had totally forgotten it.
So, you have two ways to reconcile this...
Learn the spells and have them available with a plan to go into the Magic Realm at some point and transform your flaws into something related or similar to Rigid Magic (Waster of Vis is probably my preferred choice)...
Or pick new spells. You don't have to make a decision immediately and you might learn something if you wait.
Hum... It is too important both for Mons Electi and his plans for its security. The Aegis is a Huge issue, and he plans to make intensive use of watching wards, as well as of elementals, to bolster the covenant's defenses. In fact, I have most of his future going among these lines.
I can see it like he learned these, intending to go to the Magic Realm to get rid of Rigid Magic (Aye! Remember how he proposed to Fiona to go with her?), but was caught up in other things and just couldn't. So it has become a sore point, from "Must do it quickly" to "Must do it ASAP"
....does this then establish that the transformative potential of the Magic Realm is known, and malleable by human intent? That wizards know how it can change a person, and go there seeking specific changes?
I have reservations, since it allows one to quickly create enchantments he normally just couldn't do:
I have a lab text for Leap of Homecoming, which gives me +35.
I have Int 02, Re 05, Co 05, MT 03, Aura 03 = 18.
Under the RAW, there's no way I could invest LoH, even with a lab text.
Yet, by this rule, I can, in just 2 seasons. I don't like this.
Then, there's my variation:
Amul's variation on mine:
Which would mean
You must have a lab total > lab text to be able to make use of it. Else, you just can't understand it.
If you do the same enchantment (as per the RAW), it adds the level to your lab total
If you changes something, it adds level/5, as the insight granted is still useful.
Then, there's Peregrine's option:
So?
I'd say we can do a mix with Amul and Peregrine:
You must have a lab total > lab text to be able to make use of it. Else, you just can't understand it.
If you do the same enchantment (as per the RAW), it adds the level to your lab total
If you do the same general type of enchantment (Talisman => Talisman, Lesser Item => Lesser Item), while not following the RAW, it adds Level/2 to your lab total, which is still a pretty sweet bonus.
If you change the type, it adds level/5, as the insight granted is still useful, but a lot less.
So, I was thinking, what can Isen do to protect Mons Electi even more?
He was pushing through Control, in order to have the more powerful Aegis possible, but that's out for now.
So he'll go to the Vim summa, but that won't go far, although it'll do him some good.
One of his plans involved having Earth Elementals guarding Mons Electi. It costs 6 pawns of vis per Elemental, so, of course, it'll need the council's approval.
It also means he's got to find a way to control them 24/24.
There are 2 ways for him to be doing this:
Wand of Elemental Control: ReTe base 05, +1 touch, +2 sun, +4 constant, +8 Pen 16 = lvl 32. He can do 1 the first season, 2 per seasons later. Good news/Bad news: Anyone with a wand will be able to control the elemental that's linked to it. Good news: It can't be dispelled by a WomS.
Ring of Eternal Servitude: Like "sustaining the demanding spell", but to sustain spells of level 20 or lower, sun duration, +4 constant. This means a lvl 29 effect, that'll maintain one spell flawlessly. Bad news: the maintained spell can be dispelled by the WomS. Good news: these can be used to make any concentration spell of level 20 or lower permanent, although you need one item per spell.
Another of his big projects is the structure-sized Shrouded Glen, to hide a given room. This'd be ReMe 35. He could invent it in 2 seasons. With, say, 7 magi casting WC, he could achieve a penetration of about 39.
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