Express Delivery

[Pooky the Imp]

Are there any spells (or items or even creatures) that would allow letters or other small items to be sent very quickly across the land? Much faster than normal travel by messengers on foot or horseback, I mean.

I know that you could do it with teleport/teleport circle, but I'm looking for lower-level stuff (and, ideally, means that couldn't just teleport the caster along with the item).

Any ideas?

[Reynaert]

Are there any spells (or items or even creatures) that would allow letters or other small items to be sent very quickly across the land? Much faster than normal travel by messengers on foot or horseback, I mean.

I know that you could do it with teleport/teleport circle, but I'm looking for lower-level stuff (and, ideally, means that couldn't just teleport the caster along with the item).

Any ideas?

For letters, is 60 feet flying speed (I assume 24/7) fast enough?

Dragon heist has the "Paper Bird" wondrous item, which is a piece of paper that you write a message on and then origami into a bird, which then magically flies to the recipient.

[strangebloke]

Are there any spells (or items or even creatures) that would allow letters or other small items to be sent very quickly across the land? Much faster than normal travel by messengers on foot or horseback, I mean.

I know that you could do it with teleport/teleport circle, but I'm looking for lower-level stuff (and, ideally, means that couldn't just teleport the caster along with the item).

Any ideas?

Animal messenger?

2nd level ritual, and the messenger covers "about 50 miles per 24 hours for a flying messenger" which is 1200 miles.... that's a significant portion of a continent.

Sending a level higher is stronger, faster, but has the same problem of being word limited.

Sending Stones are only an 'uncommon' item and cast sending 1/day for free.

You could probably do some shenanigans with Magic Mouth if you're clever.

Skywrite from the druid list also covers a potentially huge area.

[Unoriginal]

Are there any spells (or items or even creatures) that would allow letters or other small items to be sent very quickly across the land? Much faster than normal travel by messengers on foot or horseback, I mean.

I know that you could do it with teleport/teleport circle, but I'm looking for lower-level stuff (and, ideally, means that couldn't just teleport the caster along with the item).

Any ideas?

Does it need to be a physical item or simply information?

[RogueJK]

Animal messenger?

2nd level ritual, and the messenger covers "about 50 miles per 24 hours for a flying messenger" which is 1200 miles.... that's a significant portion of a continent.


It's not 50 miles per hour for 24 hours and 1200 total miles covered... It's 50 total miles in 24 hours. Roughly 2.083 miles per hour.

And the spell has a duration of 24 hours, so without upcasting, you can only send an animal messenger to someone within 50 miles or less of your current location.


If you were to upcast it (which you can't do as a ritual, so would require expending a spell slot), each level of slot above 2nd extends the duration by 48 hours, thereby extending the range by 100 more miles per level above 2nd.

So the most an Animal Messenger could ever cover, by a high level Bard or Druid upcasting it into a 9th level slot, is 750 miles in 15 days/360 hours.

[icedraikon]

Are there any spells (or items or even creatures) that would allow letters or other small items to be sent very quickly across the land? Much faster than normal travel by messengers on foot or horseback, I mean.

I know that you could do it with teleport/teleport circle, but I'm looking for lower-level stuff (and, ideally, means that couldn't just teleport the caster along with the item).

Any ideas?

There's a spell out of Lost Laboratory of Kwalish that does exactly this actually.
Here's a link to the wikidot page: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:galders-speedy-courier
But for a quote,

Galder's Speedy Courier

4th-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (25 gold pieces, or mineral goods of equivalent value, which the spell consumes)
Duration: 10 minutes

You summon a Small air elemental to a spot within range. The air elemental is formless, nearly transparent, immune to all damage, and cannot interact with other creatures or objects. It carries an open, empty chest whose interior dimensions are 3 feet on each side. While the spell lasts, you can deposit as many items inside the chest as will fit. You can then name a living creature you have met and seen at least once before, or any creature for which you possess a body part, lock of hair, clipping from a nail, or similar portion of the creature’s body.

As soon as the lid of the chest is closed, the elemental and the chest disappear, then reappear adjacent to the target creature. If the target creature is on another plane, or if it is proofed against magical detection or location, the contents of the chest reappear on the ground at your feet.

The target creature is made aware of the chest’s contents before it chooses whether or not to open it, and knows how much of the spell’s duration remains in which it can retrieve them. No other creature can open the chest and retrieve its contents. When the spell expires or when all the contents of the chest have been removed, the elemental and the chest disappear. The elemental also disappears if the target creature orders it to return the items to you. When the elemental disappears, any items not taken from the chest reappear on the ground at your feet.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using an 8th-level spell slot, you can send the chest to a creature on a different plane of existence from you.

Spell Lists. Warlock, Wizard

Unfortunately it's only 1 lvl lower than Teleportation Circle, but it still does exactly what you want. Relevant text is bolded: it works instantly.

[strangebloke]

It's not 50 miles per hour for 24 hours and 1200 total miles covered... It's 50 total miles in 24 hours. Roughly 2.083 miles per hour.

And the spell has a duration of 24 hours, so without upcasting, you can only send an animal messenger to someone within 50 miles or less of your current location.


If you were to upcast it (which you can't do as a ritual, so would require expending a spell slot), each level of slot above 2nd extends the duration by 48 hours, thereby extending the range by 100 more miles per level above 2nd.

So the most an Animal Messenger could ever cover, by a high level Bard or Druid upcasting it into a 9th level slot, is 750 miles in 15 days/360 hours.

That's....

so dumb

24 hours of travel would make walking there quicker. Do people not realize that carrier pigeons are pretty fast actually and that people used them for a reason? 50 mph is probably too fast, but its closer to reality than a slow walking speed.

[Hytheter]

24 hours of travel would make walking there quicker.

I mean, sure, if you want to spend a whole 16 hours walking. Enjoy your eight forced march constitution saves against exhaustion, the last of which will have a DC of 18. And if you were in your original position for a reason you'll then need to walk back, requiring another 16 hours; if you don't sleep and tank another 16 saves you can make the round trip in just 32 hours! (Fast pace lessens this somewhat but at the cost of -5 PP, which may be just as dangerous)

50mph is definitely too slow for a bird in flight but it's still better than walking unless you have nothing better to do.

I'd almost believe they meant to write 'per hour' but the daily travel pace for a land based animal seems about right, so I guess they just seriously underestimate birds and the power of flight.

[RogueJK]

I'd almost believe they meant to write 'per hour' but the daily travel pace for a land based animal seems about right, so I guess they just seriously underestimate birds and the power of flight.

Or they just didn't want to trivialize cross-continent communication with a mere Level 2 Ritual.

[Sigreid]

Harry Potter it and send your familiar.

[diplomancer]

Harry Potter it and send your familiar.

A Pact of the Chain familiar with Voice of the Chain Master is specially good. You can have him deliver the message and let you know that it's been delivered. You then dismiss him and summon him to your side, with 2 actions.

[Sigreid]

A Pact of the Chain familiar with Voice of the Chain Master is specially good. You can have him deliver the message and let you know that it's been delivered. You then dismiss him and summon him to your side, with 2 actions.
Even better you can have a whole conversation through it IIRC.

[nickl_2000]

Sending could be used as a telegraph type thing. Only allows 25 words, but it's still something.

I could have sworn that there was a magic item (that I thought the Artificer could make) that would allow you to make a small pocket dimension that could have several openings, allowing transportation through that dimension. However, I could be confusing editions and/or PF2e with 5e.

[Mastikator]

Sending, 3rd level. Bard, cleric, wizard. Unlimited range in 6 seconds. 25 words though, no actual letters or parcels.

If you're sending parcels then use animal messenger, choose a snake. They speak parcel tongue.

[Sigreid]

Sending could be used as a telegraph type thing. Only allows 25 words, but it's still something.

I could have sworn that there was a magic item (that I thought the Artificer could make) that would allow you to make a small pocket dimension that could have several openings, allowing transportation through that dimension. However, I could be confusing editions and/or PF2e with 5e.
You're thinking of the many handed pouch.

[diplomancer]

Even better you can have a whole conversation through it IIRC.

Yes, you can. You can just talk through it, and when the communication is done, bring it back to you in 12 seconds.

[nickl_2000]

You're thinking of the many handed pouch.

Yes, thank you! Looks like that never made it out of UA.

[Tawmis]

If you are the DM and need/want, this should be easy enough to homebrew (as mentioned) - something similar to Familiars, who are specifically made to do this. Magical birds, that fly - and can travel through portals to cover large distances.

[strangebloke]

Or they just didn't want to trivialize cross-continent communication with a mere Level 2 Ritual.

Well to be honest the whole spell just raises questions. It feels like this whole spell should just be fundamentally different. from what it is. As it stands its basically just sending with a few extra limitations.

IMO, let it be as good as an IRL carrier pigeon. Huge range, lots of information it can carry, and then have it be appropriately high-level for balance purposes.

Frankly if this game was made by FIGHTERS of the coast what you'd see would be be this consigned to the world of "mundane+" features. Things like "having a magic pet" and "calling a small creature to carry a message for you" really don't need to be spells/rituals.

[RogueJK]

As it stands its basically just sending with a few extra limitations.

As one would expect from a lower level spell of the same "type". Especially a Ritual that doesn't require a spell slot.

When comparing two spells with similar effects, the lower level spell will necessarily be less powerful/have more limitations than the higher level spell.


This is like complaining that Silent Image is basically just Major Image with extra limitations. Or that Disguise Self is basically just Alter Self with extra limitations.

[strangebloke]

As one would expect from a lower level spell of the same "type". Especially a Ritual that doesn't require a spell slot.

When comparing two spells with similar effects, the lower level spell will necessarily be less powerful/have more limitations than the higher level spell.


This is like complaining that Silent Image is basically just Major Image with extra limitations. Or that Disguise Self is basically just Alter Self with extra limitations.

I feel like the bolded bit is intended to be you presenting an unreasonable opinion, and yet it is one I would heartily agree with. But its probably off topic for this thread so I'll make a new one.

[Pooky the Imp]

Does it need to be a physical item or simply information?

It has to be a physical item.



For letters, is 60 feet flying speed (I assume 24/7) fast enough?

Dragon heist has the "Paper Bird" wondrous item, which is a piece of paper that you write a message on and then origami into a bird, which then magically flies to the recipient.

Huh, that's neat. Is it one use, or could a couple of people pass it back and forth if there's enough room left to keep writing messages?



There's a spell out of Lost Laboratory of Kwalish that does exactly this actually.
Here's a link to the wikidot page: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:galders-speedy-courier
But for a quote,


Unfortunately it's only 1 lvl lower than Teleportation Circle, but it still does exactly what you want. Relevant text is bolded: it works instantly.

I was hoping for something a little lower level but that's a really great find, all the same. Thank you very much.