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Sending Stones

Sending Stones
  • Category: Wondrous Item
  • Rarity: Uncommon

Sending Stones come in pairs, with each stone carved to match the other so the pairing is easily recognized. While you touch one stone, you can cast Sending from it. The target is the bearer of the other stone. If no creature bears the other stone, you know that fact as soon as you use the stone, and you don't cast the spell.

Once Sending is cast using either stone, the stones can't be used again until the next dawn. If one of the stones in a pair is destroyed, the other one becomes nonmagical.

Tactical Applications​

Long-Distance Communication: Enables reliable communication across any distance once per day. Exceptional for coordinating separated party members, maintaining contact during split operations, and emergency communication in dangerous situations.

Class Synergies:

  • Any Class: Universal utility for communication regardless of class or spellcasting ability
  • Leaders/Coordinators: Perfect for characters directing split party operations and tactical coordination
  • Scouts/Explorers: Essential for characters operating independently while maintaining party contact
  • Support Specialists: Excellent for characters providing remote assistance and information sharing

Build Considerations: No attunement required but limited to once per day usage. Most valuable for parties that frequently split up or operate across large distances.

Acquisition Methods​

Crafting Requirements: Requires communication magic, connection enchantments, and telepathic essences. Creation cost 1,500-3,000 gp and takes 6 weeks.

Common Sources:

  • Communication specialists and telepathic enchanters
  • Treasure hoards of legendary messengers and communication experts
  • Commission from enchanters specializing in communication magic
  • Found in the collections of diplomatic corps and long-distance coordinators
  • Sometimes discovered in communication networks or obtained from telepathic creature encounters

Alternative Acquisition: Often found in locations with strong connections to communication and coordination activities.

Value & Trade​

Estimated Value: 2,000-4,500 gp per pair, with higher demand among adventuring parties and communication specialists.

Trade Considerations: Popular among separated families and anyone requiring reliable long-distance communication.

Character Integration​

Roleplay Elements: Suggests experience with coordination operations, long-distance relationships, or professional roles requiring reliable communication.

Character Concepts:

  • Coordination specialist with communication expertise and tactical leadership experience
  • Long-distance operative using communication for mission coordination and emergency contact
  • Character with extensive experience in split operations requiring reliable party communication
  • Communication expert combining magical messaging with traditional coordination techniques

Adventure Hooks​

The Split Mission: Operations requiring party separation where communication provides crucial coordination and safety.

The Emergency Contact: Scenarios where reliable communication enables rescue operations and emergency assistance.

The Coordination Challenge: Complex missions where communication determines tactical success and objective completion.

The Distance Relationship: Personal storylines where communication maintains important relationships across vast distances.

Variants & Customization​

Greater Sending Stones (Rare): Enhanced with multiple daily uses and longer message capability.

Network Sending Stones (Very Rare): Includes connection to multiple paired stones and group communication.

Emergency Sending Stones (Uncommon): Optimized for crisis situations with enhanced priority messaging and automatic activation.

Specialized Variants:

  • Military Command Stones: Enhanced for tactical coordination with improved message clarity and strategic information sharing
  • Family Connection Stones: Optimized for personal relationships with enhanced emotional resonance and comfort messaging
  • Merchant Communication Stones: Specialized for trade with enhanced business coordination and commercial information sharing

Lore & History​

Origins: Created by ancient coordinators who needed reliable communication for their complex operations and distant relationships.

Historical Significance: These stones enabled crucial mission successes and maintained important relationships across vast distances.

Cultural Impact: Represent the human need for connection and the magical solutions to distance barriers.

Magical Craft: Demonstrates understanding of communication magic and the processes required for telepathic enhancement.

Balancing Notes​

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 3-12 when party coordination becomes important and communication provides significant advantages.

Campaign Impact: Provides useful communication balanced by daily limitation and paired stone requirement.

Coordination Focus: Most valuable in campaigns featuring split party operations and long-distance missions.

Encounter Design​

Recommended Challenges:

  • Split operation scenarios where communication enables coordination and tactical success
  • Long-distance missions where reliable contact provides safety and objective completion
  • Emergency situations where communication determines rescue success and assistance coordination
  • Complex coordination challenges where messaging advances strategic planning and tactical effectiveness

Communication Adjustments: Encounters may need to account for reliable long-distance coordination capabilities.

Communication Items: Other items that enhance messaging and provide coordination capabilities.

Coordination Equipment:

  • Items that improve tactical coordination and communication effectiveness
  • Equipment for long-distance messaging and telepathic communication
  • Tools for communication magic and coordination enhancement

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance communication abilities or provide additional coordination benefits.

Roleplay Opportunities​

Communication Mastery: Characters develop expertise in coordination techniques and long-distance relationship maintenance.

Coordination Leadership: Communication capabilities create opportunities for leading split operations and complex mission coordination.

Connection Excellence: Reliable messaging enables impressive demonstrations of tactical coordination and relationship management.