Sending

[Majere]

If a dopple ganger copies an NPC, and you then send a message to then NPC copied with a sending spell what would happen ?

Majere

 

[sledged]

The intended recipient would get it, not the doppleganger. Now if it were a greater doppleganger (Monsters of Faerun) that consumed the intended recipient's identity...

 

[Oscar carramiñana]

I think you submit your message to the real guy.
the Dopplegangler are other guy.

I hope that helps.

 

[Majere]

Ok, that is nice to know.
To give a little context.
In the game we were playing last night we discovered evidence that a queen had been emprisoned by a neighbouring state and replaced with some sort of double. We took this information to the ambassador of the captured queen and presented him with the information we had gathered.
He passed the information up the chain to the queens trusted advisor who asked for real proof and I suggested the following plan.

Wait for the "queen" to be at breakfast/tea/ in the garden. Somewhere where you know her location for sure and send her a sending spell saying "My queen we have recieved urgent news, we must know where you are at once for your safety". Then one of three things will happen:

1) The queen has not been replaced, she replies telling you where she is and all is well.
2) The real queen recieves the message and is able to reply, she tells the advisor she is captured.
3) The queen either cannot recieve or cannot reply to the message. On recieving no reply you know that the "Queen" before you is not the real queen.

This method would provide them with the proof they wanted.

So would this work ?

Majere

 

[Darklone]

Are there methods to block a sending? Just in case the queen usually wears something like that.

 

[Pyrex]

Given the fairly small number of 7th level casters in the world with nothing better to do (i.e. no Sending "spam"), why would someone want an item that blocked Sending?

 

[sledged]

Given the fairly small number of 7th level casters in the world with nothing better to do (i.e. no Sending "spam"), why would someone want an item that blocked Sending?

To control all means of communication to prisioners. In this case, the imprisoned queen.

 

[Pyrex]

That makes some sense, but I was more curious why the queen would "usually wear something like that".

Now to actually answer the question:
The only ways to block Sending in the core rules is to either place the prisoner inside an Antimagic Field or to force them to wear a Ring of Counterspells containing a Sending.

 

[Koewn]

To control all means of communication to prisioners. In this case, the imprisoned queen.

Hm. What would work great for that would be a item that shunts the sending over to someone else, to be answered in the Queen's voice.

Although, in this case, (issuing a Sending to the doppel-Queen while she's in sight) would require some real-time coordination between the doppelgangers and the captors - which, if it's truly a complex plot they're trying to pull off, they'd go for some sort of Permanant long-range Telepathic Bond, so the captor who has the sending "tap" can immediately ask the doppel-Queen where 'she' is, and reply in her voice.

Or, really, a pair of items that shunt any divination or other spell (sending is evocation) meant for the queen to the doppel-Queen would work, and eliminate the middle-man. A high-power Misdirection.

At that caster level, the party cleric would have True Seeing, so it's somewhat moot (assuming the queen's advisor trusts the cleric casting it on him).


And, if not, you could use Arcane Sight or the like to narrow down which item on the doppel-Queen would be providing that functionality. (Where'd that extra ring come from, Majesty? Care if I identify it? It's magic, if you didn't know, and we'd hate for something harmful to be on your person.)

Anywa. I'm rambling.

Koewn

 

[UltimaGabe]

Hmm... although it isn't a divination, I'd rule that a thin sheet of lead blocks a Sending spell.