Hi, so in a home campaign we have a quest to locate 7 wagons lost in a sandy dune desert that were lost during a sandstorm. We have access of spells up to lv7 wizard spells, lv5 cleric spells, and lv6 shaman spells. Also have a ranger and a rogue in the party. And we can't be certain to find them from just flying up high an looking. as the storm might have covered them with sand.
My question is, what would be some good ways to quickly find these wagons in this desert.
If you're aware of a creature possibly living in one of the wagons, you can use scrying or greater scrying. You would then be able to use greater teleport to go exactly there.
If there is a person living or dead of some note, or an object of note, on the caravan, you can use vision, which would let you ask a question (such as, where can you find this). The DC would be 25 or 30, and the answer would be incomplete or vague, but it would be a start.
You have access to limited wish, which should be able to solve your problem. I mean, this is definitely in the power of the spell.
The cleric and/or shaman can use commune to ask a series of questions. You have at least 20 questions if both of them cast the spell (13-14 more if the wizard uses limited wish to commune as well). Simply divide up the search area and start narrowing it down: Is it in the north or south of this area… is it in the east or west of this area… repeat repeat repeat. You may be able to come up with a quicker way to use the yes or no questions, but this should narrow it down very quickly.
The shaman can also use commune with nature, assuming the search area is around 11-12 miles or less. Multiple castings could be used to cover larger areas, since there is no expensive material component.
If the location of the wagons are located but teleport is not an option, the shaman can use find the path to get you there.
The shaman can use planar ally to call up an efreeti, then use a wish if for whatever reason limited wish doesn't have the power.
Locate object, possibly metamagiced for range, should be able to help you finish the search, so long as you have an image of a specific item on one of the wagons.
You must use the spell Sift. It was made for this. :-)
/cevah