Automapping Magic Item?

[kalos72]

Have you guys seen the movie Prometheus? Do you remember those flying orbs that 3D mapped the caverns?

I want one... :)

My group has a LARGE Underdark area beneath the city they are rebuilding and wants it mapped.



Suggestions?

[Diarmuid]

Hire a team of dwarves/gnomes?

[infomatic]

There's an item that does this in the Underdark source book. Greater and lesser version, maps portals/dead magic/etc. within 1 mile/250 feet of itself, but they're both at least minor-artifact status.

[Brookshw]

Well, prying eyes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/pryingEyes.htm) is a start. There's a quill that will write for you so by the two combined you're heading in the right direction I suppose.

[Fouredged Sword]

Planer Ally yourself some earth elementals to map the place for you. 1000gp per HD (summon a tiny one, 1hd) and it will map for 1 day per CL. Be prepared to read in terain.

[kalos72]

Now that is a good start me thinks...thank you!

Now make it invisible, silent, improve the night vision for underground work an a scrying option or something maybe?

Also that range is kinda short...maybe bump that too.

:)

[Nettlekid]

It might take some convincing (and a hole for sunlight to shine through) but I'd say that the Charts of Certainty (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20030302a) could do the trick, especially if combined with a subterranean vehicle like an Earth Sled or Tumbler (both from Magic of Eberron).

[Fouredged Sword]

It has a "nasty exposed to the sun" clause. That would be hard for a subterranean map.

Maybe a daylight spell would work though. Worth a shot.

[Nettlekid]

It has a "nasty exposed to the sun" clause. That would be hard for a subterranean map.

Maybe a daylight spell would work though. Worth a shot.

Or perhaps you can be near a town that has a pipe up to the surface world that the light shines down at a certain time of day.

Alternatively: Gate Rings. One on the surface letting sunlight through, the other next to the map shining the light on it.

[Big Fau]

There's a relic in the MiC/CD that does it, albeit with minimal detail.

[kalos72]

Maybe make up like a cradle for the Prying Eyes...when it comes back it sits in the cradle, transfers the data to the cradle which draws the map maybe?

I like the elemental option too...

I would prefer not to have to send "people" to scout it out...I'd like to done quietly and in such a way as to ensure only I have the maps afterwards.

[Fouredged Sword]

Earth elementals could do it without surfacing. Unless something can see through rock, there is no reason it should be found. Besides, the 1HD ones are tiny, so they get great hide bonuses.

[kalos72]

But once the elementals are done, I still need to get that information mapped out some how.

[CombatOwl]

Have you guys seen the movie Prometheus? Do you remember those flying orbs that 3D mapped the caverns?

I want one... :)

My group has a LARGE Underdark area beneath the city they are rebuilding and wants it mapped.



Suggestions?

The prior suggestion of mind-controlled gnomes sounds like a good one. If you make them undead, they're even fairly portable.

[Psyren]

Create Treasure Map (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/create-treasure-map) is a (rather squicky) way of doing this, but with the bonus of not having surveillance orbs rolling all over the dungeon to give away your presence.

[Osiris]

Use Map of Unseen Lands (MIC) combined with Arcane Eye. Use UMD to fake the halfling bit, unless you ARE a halfling, which means you're fine.

[unseenmage]

I cannot for the life of me find it's name but there's a Druid spell that allows you to see everything underground for quite some distance.

IIRC there are also some magic maps in the Arms and Equipment Guide as well.

[tyckspoon]

You'll still have to do the mapping by hand, but for secure scouting you can't beat a third eye: sense. Manifest Clairvoyance at will, and unlike the spell version the power has no range limit. Sit in your favorite tower and explore the entire under dark until you get bored of it or the DM gives up on trying to make up descriptions.

[Grizzled Gryphon]

The Rod of the Path in the Epic Level handbook might be of use. At least, a (greatly) toned down version that only has this one function:

" Map: Three times per day a section of the rod unrolls like a scroll from a tube, revealing a map of the surrounding area, centered on the location of the rod. The area shown on the map covers an area as small as 50 feet in radius to as large as 24 miles in radius, zooming in or out with a set of command words. The map reveals natural topography and all types of structures (even hidden ones), but it will not show the location of creatures."

I have given out just such an item regularly in the games I have run, minus the "reveals hidden structures" part. I usually drop the max area covered, as well. The surrounding 5 miles is usually more than sufficient. As for a price for the item? No clue, never bothered to find out. Due to its usefulness, no one has ever wanted to sell one.

[Melayl]

I cannot for the life of me find it's name but there's a Druid spell that allows you to see everything underground for quite some distance.

IIRC there are also some magic maps in the Arms and Equipment Guide as well.

Commune with Nature is the spell you are thinking of, I think. Druid 5, Ranger 4.

[Karmea]

Or possibly Commune with Earth (Cleric 5/Druid 5) from RoF. Better for Underdark than Commune with Nature anyhow.

[kalos72]

You'll still have to do the mapping by hand, but for secure scouting you can't beat a third eye: sense. Manifest Clairvoyance at will, and unlike the spell version the power has no range limit. Sit in your favorite tower and explore the entire under dark until you get bored of it or the DM gives up on trying to make up descriptions.

Don't you have to know the area first?

Commune with Earth is a good one for the Sword Mountains to my south or the Crags up North.

[tyckspoon]

Don't you have to know the area first?


That's the fun part of at-will; you can chain manifest it to expand the area you know well enough to target with a clairvoyance. And you can also aim it at areas you expect to be open, too, such as 'around that blind corner' or 'behind that door'. You don't actually need to know the spot if you can designate it clearly enough.