maintaining secrecy ?

[KnowTheToe]

All these precautions assume that the bad guys know that the enemy might try to scry and teleport. If they think this is likely, I'd use it as bait for a trap.

Here's one I did once -- the princess was captured, and the bad guys did a trap the soul into a gem. The gem was part of a necklace, worn by the doppleganger who had changed to look like the princess (and had plenty of time to grab info on her personality and knowledge). The party scried, saw "her" (it's where her soul is, and it looks like her...), and whisked her off for the reward.


OfficeRonin

"It's a traaap!!!" -- the immortal words of (Sahaguin) General Akbar.

I like this, especially if you have the doppleganger pull a murder of high ranking officials or some such. The PCs could be looked at suspiciously or just as irresponsable. Either way, some great role playing and an intense hook for the next leg of the adventure.

 

[med stud]

Combine Lord Pendragons cell with deeper darkness with a feeblemind on the victim, so that even if you use message you wont get an answer from it. It makes handling the victim easier, too. You could lead a captured archmage by a leash without problems

 

[Darklone]

Why using a doppleganger for that trick with the gem, use some polymorphed monster

Huge, with many arms to grapple!

The send in your royal assassins, ehm, bodyguards and wipe the floor with the wannabe rescue squad!