Could there be long-range scrying, magically-enhanced hearing and sight? What other methods could there be?

4664358 *Switch activated* SO! You want to learn about scrying magic! For what purposes would you like the scrying to be?

4664666 Hello, Brawny, love your character profiles.
I already know scrying is the act of observing distant places through a goblet of dish of water with a magic spell. The thing is, you are able to scry places you have physically been too. Which would be most of Canterlot Castle and Grounds.
I want the scrying spell to show ponys talking with each other i.e. the mail-ponys wondering who is sending Flash Sentry letters?
Now we do not know Iron Hoof knows scrying magic. But we may figure out whether or not he is above abusing it to spy on fellow officers and "lesser" Guards. Could he use the spell to watch Flash as he is going to meet Twilight in the maze?
Luna's Night Guard may know scrying magic as well. If their enhanced eyes and ears did not do that for them.

4666978 Well, we do know that a unicorn's magic is linked to their special talent. And we do not know what Iron Hoof's special talent is, though I have a suspicion that surveillance isn't it.

Iron Hoof doesn't seem able to, otherwise he'd have been bearing down on Flash a long time ago. I'm presenting the lack of talkdowns/smackdowns and beratings from Iron Hoof that he doesn't know scrying magic. Also, I present Twilight as evidence as she is a magic specialist in that she could tell if they were being scried upon. Finally, Iron Hoof's surprise in the courtroom is my final piece as he was utterly flabbergasted at how it proceeded. If he knew scrying magic, it would make sense for him to scry on the prisoner in question.

I will also point out that you can scry also on people you physically know as well.

Thank you, Brawny,

Right, Iron Hoof does not know scrying magic. That rules out one method of magical surveillance.

But what about the Night Guard? They have enhanced sight and hearing and they can fly. Could they fly over the maze?

What other methods of magical surveillance do you think there are?

4674226 The Night Guard do have enhanced sight and hearing, but as I recollect, they do not fully answer to Iron Hoof, unless Baddy says otherwise. And while they could fly, I have an itch that they would know better than to spy on one of the Princesses.

Magical surveillance generally boils down to scrying most of the time, but if you want to be creative...

You can set items to alarm, to give you personal notice when someone enters a specific area, and gemstones are a popular choice when making magical cameras that can be synched to a scrying item of your choice, be it a mirror, a pool of water or a crystal ball. And finally, you could claim a sanctum.

The sanctum is basically a specific area in which you are linked with the spirit of that area and as it has full understanding of what is going on there, provided it can actually do that, it shares that knowledge with you, so long as you are within that area. Once you are outside, you don't know what's going on there. Mind you, given that it is Canterlot, it would make sense for Celestia to have it as her sanctum, if such magic even exists.

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Good afternoon, Brawny and thank you for your thoughts. Pleased the series is back?

Now, if the Night Guard were flying over the maze, and saw Twilight and Flash under a sound-proofing spell, could they think it is only for a chat with a friend? Or could they think even bothering with a sound-proofing spell is suspicious? Or, may they assume that Twilight and Flash merely bumped (not as their "human" counterparts did in "E.G.") and stopped for a few words?

One thing, I do not remember Baddy mentioning the sound-proofing spells are opaque. Thus, they are crystal clear. Anypony who knows lip-reading and body-language interpretation will foil the Prime Pair right away. But, Twilight could distort the light entering the area immediately around the sound-proofing spell, making them both invisible.

We do not know Iron Hoof's special talent, but he is adept at remaining scot-free when he abuses a pony socially inferior to him in a quiet corridor.

Maybe Iron Hoof would not use gemstones as cameras, but he would enchant pieces of iron and stick them to the stone walls so everypony does not see them. Gemstones would be too flashy for this kind of work.