Spell to know if someone is alive or dead

[heliodorus04]

I'm writing a character background, and the character's father has gone 'missing.' The plan is to have the father alive and for a future reunion to take place.

My question is whether there exists a spell in the rules (I'm kind of new and my spell knowledge is very limited) that would enable my character to know whether his father is alive or dead?

Presuming such a spell exists, I'd like the character to know that his father is at least alive (or at least 'not dead' depending on how the spell may work).

This is on Golarion, by the way, if it matters. And the folks involved are Elves.

[Malignor]

Deathwatch.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/deathwatch.html#deathwatch

[KestrelZ]

Deathwatch works 30 ft away from the subject, so likely not what you are looking for.

Divination might give you the answer if worded carefully - though it is somewhat subject to a GM's whims.

Commune is a better choice for a yes or no answer spell.
(Is father alive?)

Of course, Discern location or find the path spells will just point the way to a specific person (living or dead). If living, fine. If dead, a reincarnate spell is actually cheaper than Commune or Discern location spells.

There are a lot of other options to find out if someone is alive or dead, as well as simply pointing where they or their remains are located.

[heliodorus04]

Okay, thanks. In general, then, no one will have a problem with my character knowing his father is alive, but missing. He would already have information as to where his father went missing (Cheliax, queue diabolical music).

[LordSynos]

Blood Biography was a spell I enjoyed using to learn more about enemy combatants post fight. As long as you have some bloody, you can learn about the creature/person from which that blood came. In this case, if you have any of your father's blood, old or new, for whatever reason, you could ask the spell on the blood. If it failed, you know they're still alive (the dead get no save against it).

Commune, Divination, Discern Location, Find Quarry, Find The Path, Legend Lore, Locate Creature, Scrying, and Greater, and Vision are all the spells I can find for searching out a specific person, on a quick glance. All are from the Divination school.

[LazarX]

Just remember just as there are spells for divining such things, there are others which exist to keep such knowledge hidden.

"Your friend is ... gone."

"What do you mean Aang is gone?! Does that mean he's dead."

"No, Naga could find him if he was dead. Your friend is gone."