Pricing a minor wonderous item...

[RndmNumGen]

I'm trying to create a small item to give my players(currently level 2) after they beat the next boss. I want it to be a form of magical communication device, which can use to send messages over long distances. I immediately looked at the Sending spell, but using the SRD's magical item pricing guide that gave me 4 spell level*7 caster level*2000gp /5(1 use/day) = 11,200gp. That's way too much! So I found the Missive psionic power, which is only a 1st level spell that lets someone send a one-way message of 10 words... that's adequate, I guess, and an unlimited use item of Missive would cost 2,000 gp, which is far more reasonable... only it has a Close range, which means it only works up to 25 feet! It's supposed to be a long-ranged communication device!

I could always houserule it or homebrew a spell, but I still need some general guidelines to work with... the item is more of a plot clue than something they need, though I'm sure they would find it rather useful anyway.

EDIT: Woops, meant to put this in roleplaying games instead of homebrew... oh well, I suppose it fits just as well here.

[Land Outcast]

If by "long range" you mean "miles", then you're pretty much down on your luck here...

Except... well, you could use animal messenger as the basis. Sure, it would have a delay, and the need of an animal is tricky, but an eagle can fly up to 64 miles per day.

Then -but this depends on how you understand summons to work- you could have a 2-piece item which upon command casts speak with animals upon the user, followed by summon nature's ally I, a specific eagle answers the summons, you tell the message to the eagle and the spell ends. One round after the first spell ended the other piece of the item casts speak with animals upon the user, and the following round summon nature's ally I summons the same specific eagle, which then delivers the message. The price would be that for casting two level 1 spells at CL 1, twice.
- The item could be a pair of those gloves used normally in falconry.

Spoiler

Show

Summon nature's ally: 1*1*2000*2/5
Speak with animals: (1*1*2000*2/5)*0.75
=1,400 gp

All the other options I can think of involve spells of level 4+

[chrono9665]

Try sending Stones in the Magic Item Compendium. They let the user send a message as the spell sending three times a day to a person holding the matching stone. It kind works like two cans and a string.

[RndmNumGen]

Try sending Stones in the Magic Item Compendium. They let the user send a message as the spell sending three times a day to a person holding the matching stone. It kind works like two cans and a string.

Thanks, that should work fine.

[Asheram]

How about an aspect mirror or two? (complete scoundrel, p113)
If they only need to communicate with one other person.