Divination and Counter Measures

[Slim]

Hi!
The group I dm is currently being hunted by assassins, who use a diviner and his imp familiar to keep tabs on the party. The players have recently found out about the scrying and are planning countermeasures.
Aside from no-brainers like detect dcrying or nondetection, which spells might be useful in this context? I'm especially interested in spells they might use to follow the trail of magic back to its source, the diviner.
Any ideas or official and unofficial magic tricks?

Slim

 

[Thanee]

I think Detect Scrying is probably the best bet, since it gives you a chance to see the offender.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Bad Paper]

I'm especially interested in spells they might use to follow the trail of magic back to its source, the diviner.

A DC 30 Caster Level check will allow a person who notices that he is being scryed to note the name, race, and location of the scryer. DC 50 CL check lets you return the scrying.

 

[Whimsical]

Since scry requires a will save, a DC 25 + spell level Spellcraft check can have the target determine that they were targeted by a scrying spell after rolling a saving throw against the scrying. No action required.

My DM doesn't use 3.5 scrying, so I would every so often make an intelligence check against DC 20 to detect any scry sensors in the area. Normally I would take 20 to do this if I had the time.

Even if I didn't sense any scrying sensors (but absolutly when I did), any time that we would discuss any sensetive information I would cast a message spell on all of the party members and have everyone cover their mouths while we whispered to each other so that our lips couldn't be read. This was the simplest and best countermeasure that I could think of against scrying or any conventional spying that we weren't aware of. Although someone who made a DC 25 + distance Listen check would be able to hear the content of our whispers. Most people who can cast scrying would not be able to hit that. And even then I had a chart of the languages that everyone knew and I would use the most obscure language that I could with the people I wanted to communicate with. Another idea that I have used is to use the "delivering a secret message" ability of the Bluff skill for quick messages or communicating while around other people. If I wanted to quickly communicate with someone while a scry sensor was around, I would whisper directly into the ear of the person, preferably in an unCommon language.

Just recently, my bard 10/rogue 2 picked up detect scrying as his first 4th level spell. The fact that I did that indicates how serious a problem scrying has been for us.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

It doesn't specifically address scrying, but anticipate teleportation (and, if necessary, a rod of extend spell) are a good counter for the scry/buff/teleport trick. They turn it into scry/buff/teleport/ end up in a field of evards black tentacles with a delayed blast fireball set to go off the round you land and a summoned monster there to kick your tail and your prey already teleported away.