Hi there,
The recent debate about magical senses has left me somewhat wary about a design I was thinking about. To say it bluntly, I have been thinking about a magical item that acts like an area of effect supernatural radar. It would be a portable device that when set up and activated relies information about the supernatural environment to the caster and those around him. (aura type and strength, region boundaries, supernatural creatures in the area of effect, the focus of the aura if there is one…. ).
Now, there are 2 options. Make it rely the information to the one activating it only (and in that case I guess it will be InVi with a Sight range) or rely the information to everybody that can see the item. In the later case I suppose that it requires a linked effect: InVi to spot the stuff and then a CrIm or InMe to give the information to the dudes around it, either directly to their minds (InMe) needing to penetrate their MR or with CrIm to “paint” everything in a supernatural color palette.
How would you do it? 1 effect? 2 effects with a linked trigger? Something else?
So what I thought: First, description and cheesy name:
Mark the dwelling of Ghosts and Angels (InVi)
This item looks like a small oil lamp. When placed in the ground and activated, a smokeless flame ignites the lantern, but does not burn it. The silver light that it radiates permeates everything around it, painting it in a different color depending on alignment and strength. It makes ley lines, region boundaries and supernatural auras visible to the trained eye. To the untrained light, the world just seems to have gone crazy in color-code, so it can be quite disturbing.
The lamp maintains concentration
Does the design look OK? I guess so, but am unsure abut what parameters to use to analyze and rely the information.
OPTIONS
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The design is InVi. No problems at all. The one activating the item is the only one that gets the benefits. Correct?
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The design is InVi with CrMe. The information is given to everybody affected by the CrMe spell
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The design is InVi with CrIm. The item EMITS species that color its surroundings, "painting" everything in color code and shapes that define what things. Anyone that can read those species can understand what info the item is providing. It has the advantage that it is passive (no need to break through your Parma magica) and passive 8does not warp you from constant use) but it gets weird if you are not used tos ee such "fireworks" displays.
Would those work? Which one? Which would not? Thx 
Cheers,
Xavi