How does sending work?

[MaxKaladin]

This came up during our game today. Specifically, is the communication mental or verbal? If you are the target of a sending, do you "hear" the message in your head? Do you actually hear it? Does it appear in big flaming letters in front of you? Do you get to see an image of the sender talking to you? When you reply, do you just think your reply? Do you have to speak it? How does it work? The spell description doesn't say.

I've always assumed that it was mental in both directions, but I'm not sure if that's something I carried over from a previous edition or what.

Thanks.

 

[Piratecat]

I believe sending is verbal only. You hear it in your head.

 

[Darklone]

You contact a particular creature with which you are familiar and send a short message of twenty-five words or less to the subject. The subject recognizes you if it knows you. It can answer in like manner immediately. A creature with an Intelligence score as low as 1 can understand the sending, though the subject’s ability to react is limited as normal by its Intelligence score. Even if the sending is received, the subject is not obligated to act upon it in any manner.

Words. It says words and you recognise the sender... e.g. probably you don't see him.

 

[hong]

"The voices in my head are telling me to attack the dragon!"

"Oh, that's just the wizard. It's when the voices in your head are telling you to attack the fighter that you should worry."

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

Magic!

 

[MaxKaladin]

I was pretty sure it was mental and that's the consensus we came to during the game but it's nice to hear what others think.

 

[Someone]

I'd go with whatever FX the caster/DM wants, as long the spell's mechanical functioning isn't changed or it adds more functionality.

 

[lukelightning]

Sending only twenty-five words: Smart wizard sound stupid in messages.
Other language words better. Use German: "Drägønwiekness ich mïssingktümmiscale use die drägønsmitenbøwenärrøwzen."

Kind of like that commercial with the guy who called collect and said his name was "Wehaddababby Itsaboy."

 

[Nail]

Kind of like that commercial with the guy who called collect and said his name was "Wehaddababby Itsaboy."

Priceless....and timely!

The bad guys in my campaign have named the PCs with long descriptive names. Frex: "She-Who-Makes-Peace-From-The-Peices-Of-War". I've opted to count that as one word.