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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mythusmage" data-source="post: 1649412" data-attributes="member: 571">And the price of these services? A simple question. One easily answered I would think. Do you have an answer?Whispering Wind: 2nd level spell . Minimum caster level 3rd. At a cost of 60 gold a casting at the minimum (10 gold per spell level times caster level according to NPC Spellcasting, p149 of the 3e Dungeon Master's Guide®). That's with a range of 2 miles, and a maximum of 25 words. For greater range you pay more. But, there's no assurance that there will be anybody at the target location who will hear the message. Or any assurance that if there is anybody there, it will be the intended recipient.The other spells you listed using the same formula:Animal Messenger:2nd level spell, minimum 60 gold to cast. Oh, and at third level it has a maximum range of 35 feet. Great method of long range communication.Dream: 5th level. Minimum cost 450 gold. Unlimited range. Effectively unlimited message length. If it weren't for the price.Sending:4th for Clerics,  5th for Wizards and Sorcerors. Minimum price; 280 gold (cleric) or 350 gold (Sorcerors and Wizards).Each has additional limitations, but the big one here is price. Sixty gold for a message in a world where the typical peasant would be lucky to see 60 gold in a year. In 19th century America telegraph messages were pricey, but they were not expensive. For the average American of the time a telegraph message was affordable. for the average resident of Aundaire Whispering Wind is not.How often would you use the Internet if you made minimum wage and the cost was $10.00 per hour online? With a baud rate of 9600? What if it was $100.00 an hour for Internet access? Starting to see the problem here?As for house Sivis, nowhere did I see any indication that the gnomes charge less for their services than a caster would. So a Whispering Wind message sent by House Sivis will cost a minimum of 60 gold. With the same limitations, restrictions, and drawbacks as found in one activated by a trained caster.Nitpicking? Hardly. This is a matter that impacts the very nature of the setting. Consider how cheap Internet access opened up the Web. Consider how many people would use Whispering Wind on a monthly basis if the price were to drop to 60 copper pieces a casting. We're talking the end of feudal society in the Five Kingdoms. Remember, the Soviet Union fell in large part because of cheap, reliable communications.The bigger the chunk an item takes of a person's bankroll, the less a person is apt to use it. In D&D® spells take a huge chunk of a person's bankroll.</blockquote>

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