You place a hand on the object, gloved or not, and glare into its figurative or literal soul. You may even sniff or lick it depending on how confident you are that it won't kill you right away. Observers to this act may feel a mild to intense discomfort depending on what item it is (pray that it's not someone's clothing, cough cough) but you can insist that this is all for the sake of science.
On testing:
Delphyrion has always wanted to know everything. However, no matter how strong one's background is in chemistry, you'd usually need equipment and time to study an object's composition. Not to mention the amount of harm it could do to the item.
On chemistry:
This gift could be groundbreaking, but only if you know what you're looking at. There's no point if you don't recognize what chemical or molecular structure you find in the item, or what you can do with it. Chemistry is all about using what you have, and what's the use of a weapon that you know nothing about?
On questionable acts:
Look, living creatures are born with five senses for a reason. Delphyrion will use all five senses if it means new knowledge can be found. Sure, they've gotten sick from licking stuff for no reason, but at least now there is a reason to do so. This will do wonders for their immune system.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Investigation at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
You may only use this Effect once per day.
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
Marie carefully brushes the dust and grit from an object, deeply examining it to determine a variety of historical markers. So familiar with the various types of sediment, dust, and wear on a given object, she is easily able to determine the environment an object would have recently been. With a few more deductions and close observations, she begins to understand the strange, unworldly qualities of the given item. With each fact, she quickly runs to a journal to write down what she has learned.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute to activate. Select a target Object within arm's reach. You must actively and obviously use a brush to activate this Effect. At the end of your investigation, roll Perception + Investigation at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
Elizabeth reaches out, touching the object of interest. And she whispers a question to the Mists.
And they whisper back, quiet voices in her ear, telling her some of the object's secrets.
Spend 2 Actions. Select a target Object within arm's reach. This Effect cannot be used unless you are fully enveloped in the Mists. At the end of your investigation, roll Perception + Investigation at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 1.
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
The Thief examines an object closely for a minute to appraise its value. As their eyes dance across the subject, their pupils split vertically, and their irises fade to gold. If it is a particularly valuable item, the Thief may greedily lick their lips, revealing a forked tongue.
Within a minute, they have determined how materially valuable the object is and why.
Exert your Mind and spend a half hour. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Thievery at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
Possession of this Power grants the following Trauma at all times: It's All Mine Roll self control to not attempt to automatically steal whatever this is used on.
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
Cthulhu-like tentacles come out of the lens and touch the object all over and makes sure they know where this came from.
Spend 2 Actions to activate. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Perception + Alertness at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see Cthulhu-like tentacles come out of the lens.
This Gift's Cost is capped at 2 and cannot be increased further.
Bill is an avid investigator. He has spent his career hunting the next big lead. As he has begun writing the stories of the supernatural he has started to manifest abilities. His book "The Drawing of Spirits" seems to drain the readers of their curiosity and feed it to Bill. He has been granted the ability to see people in the objects that have had pass interactions with. Bill just needs to hold the object and open his mind to aether. As Bill manifests his power his eyes go completely white, as if his pupils don't exist. He can learn who has interacted with the object.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Perception + Alertness at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
The Thief examines an object closely for a minute to appraise its value. As their eyes dance across the subject, their pupils split vertically, and their irises fade to gold. If it is a particularly valuable item, the Thief may greedily lick their lips, revealing a forked tongue.
Within a minute, they have determined how materially valuable the object is and why.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Charisma + Culture at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.