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.
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:
This Gift's Cost is capped at 2 and cannot be increased further.
You may only use this Effect once per day.
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
Open up a musky tome. Its pages flutter as it turns to a page it did not previously have: a description about the object right in front of you! The book will answer your questions about where the object was made, who by, and how it is used.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. You must actively and obviously use An old musty tome to activate this Effect. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means. If you fail or Botch, you receive one Mind Damage and a new Trauma. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Occult at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
Bruno's tentacle stretches to engulf the target's head. Revitalizing just enough of the target to view their most prized memories.
Spend a minute. Select a dead body within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Brawn + Investigation 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 a pulsing tentacle engulfs the dead body's head.
This Effect is obviously Alien and eye-catching across its range to those witnessing it, and you are obviously the source.
This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 2.
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
Plant matter is sprinkled on in a double helix pattern over of the targeted object, sprouting into a bush bearing orange eye like fruit that Devonia eats to learn about the potentially alien nature of the object, and how that alien nature manifests and how it may be channeled to the target
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. You must use up a pound of Plant matter in order to activate this Effect. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Occult at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
Futuristic looking eye-like device implanted within the eye socket of Sevi's missing eye. When used, it will light up and whir, inspecting the object, and wire the information directly to Sevi using state-of-the art tech.
Spend 2 Actions. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Perception + Science at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
This Gift's Cost is capped at 2 and cannot be increased further.
Upon activation, a purple swirling light is seen emanating from each amethyst shard. The swirling lights converge around the target briefly, before dissipating. Nobody except the wearer can see the actual past of the target. The ring's bearer will see the room enveloped in a purple hue, with the target's past surroundings being shown first. The target's creation will be shown afterwards, with the purple hue becoming much darker to the wearer beforehand.
Expend a point of Battery and spend 2 Actions. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Brawn + Investigation 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.