Translating voice to text effect

Hi all, long time no see!

So glad to see the forums up again, especially as it looks like I am about to start a new game!

So, lets continue my old theme of asking questions.

Can you translate spoken word, to text, via magic?

I'm planning this item. Will it work? If not, is there any other way to do it?

The Spymaster’s Novel

This large book is set on a lectern and has several powerful effects woven into its pages. It has a small pot of black ink affixed to the spine which needs to be replaced every month. The book is used to detect spoken words uttered within 2 paces of a linked ring (and arcane connection). This ring is given to agents and they can then communicate with Peter by speaking into the ring. Peter can then check the book to see if he has received any messages.

Perceive the Distant Utterance

InIm 15

This picks up any words spoken within hearing distance of the ring the book is linked to. It activates the “The Scribes Invisible hand” when a code word is spoken and turns the effect off when the code word is spoken again.

(Base 1, +4 arc, +2 sun)

+1 two uses per day

+3 environmental trigger (Sun up/down)

Total level = 19

The Scribes Invisible hand

ReHe20

This effect allows the book to write itself based on the input from the “Perceive the Distant Utterance” effect. It requires the book to have blank pages and the ink reservoir to have a fresh (i.e. less than a month) supply of ink. It activates when the “Perceive the Distant Utterance” picks up the code word and lasts until the code word is uttered again.

(Base 10, +1conc, +5 complex effect)

+5 item maintains concentration

+2 three uses per day

+3 linked trigger

Total level = 25

The Percanarius’ Swift Blade

PeHe5

This effect wipes clear a single page of writing from the book, allowing it to be used again. It destroys only the ink leaving the page unblemished. This effect is trigger by rubbing the books large, leather bookmark over the page as if rubbing on a chalkboard.

(Base 4, +1 part)

If the speaker has a mind the item can interrogate with InMe, and the item's wielder knows the language and has the Artes Liberales and Scribe Abilities, this can work.

Otherwise, an Hermetic item cannot understand spoken language. An Hermetic item can also not write on dictation, but requires a user to control its movements. Best check TME p.99f Limitations of Hermetic Theory for a summary, and there especially Magic can Neither Read nor Understand.

AM p.75ff Heron of Alexandria's Legacy introduces Virtues that allow to craft items with Abilities such as languages, Artes Liberales and Scribe, like the Major Supernatural Virtue Mechanica of Heron, the Minor Hermetic Virtue Craft Mutable Device and the Major Hermetic Virtue Awaken Device. Introducing them is meant as a major focus of a saga, not just some other Virtue in character creation.

One can also bind a spirit into an item which knows the Abilities needed and can operate it. Such a spirit can operate an item similar to The Spymaster's Novel.

You mean like... magical dictation
Like in Autodictation (Covenants, p. 96-97) or Thoughts Distinctly Burned (Covenants, p. 97)?

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