I want to create a 'vessel' that will hold some quantity of 'mind'. A device that will grab a thought (or some quantity x of 'mind') and 'store' it to be read by the item's owner later. Perhaps an In(Cr)Me(Te) effect that creates a copy of the thought it read into a physically created thing.
Thoughts?
I think this is usually suggested done via MuMe (transforming the mind into a more solid form), probably T: Part (you only want to affect a thought or otherwise a part of your mind.
Try the search function, I'm pretty sure something will come up
The tricky part is how to use it to transfer portions of the mind to or from a person.
You can change a mind of a person into a bird, but it still remains the mind of that person and allows him to think, act etc. (see the MuMe spell Inmost Companion, from the core book). So, arguably, if you changed a memory of a person into a bird, it would still remain a memory, and would become unavailable to that person only if destroyed (in which case it would be lost forever).
Have you looked at the guideline in HoH: S, p. 70, Headline Other Tricks of Memory?
Not terribly well presented, but there's a guidelne burried that that looks useful.
Perhaps a momentary InMe effect that triggers a CrMe effect with a reasonably long duration? Just trying for another variant.
Chris
Hmm there are the pensieves from Harry potter. An effect that transforms the memory and another effect that maintains the transformation. All you have to do is reach in and touch the memory to experience it again.
A wand with a MuMe effect Target: Part Duration: Concentration would be enough transform the memory into some thing else. A container with a similar MuMe effect Target: Group and Constant Effect could then store the memories indefinitely. (Yes that might stretch a few rules depending on how you interpret target and duration interaction. But it is a good keep it simple silly solution in my book.)
One more thought. We do have to consider if we want the original host to retain the memory (or thought, etc.) as well. In other words, are we copying the memory or stealing it?
Chris
Something along what callen indicated is much of what I have in mind. I'm thinking of a 'lab trap' where an intruder get's hit with a mind read spell. The problem is that if the device reads your mind it needs to store the information somehow so that it could be gotten later. So to be clear, I'm not looking to actually do anything to the target mind other than read it - but since I want to be able to recall what was read by the device later, I need to store it somehow. Now for a specific piece of information that's easy - some kind of text device would do fine. But say you want to scale it up to 'Know the Mortal Mind" level - now I need a vessel to store the contents I think. So I'm thinking of some kind of vessel that you could then do InMe on to get the information after the fact.
Thanks for the guideline finds - I'll see if I have time to look them up tonight.
I think there is an easy solution to this then. It's reletivly easy for hermetic magic to create an item that naturally stores memories. It's called a mind.
Just enchant a house plant (or probably the pot it sits in) with a version of Stir the Slumbering Tree and InMe mind reading spell. The plant will read the intruders mind and remember what it read on it's own. Also the plant will be able to give you a description of the intruder with the "normal human level perception" the awakening effect seams to provide.
You can probably do that trick with other forms too. Awakening inanimate objects, animals, flames and what not. But the Hebam effect is pretty cheap and canonically established. Heck I think you could pull it off with an intelligent illusion to.