Interesting ways to move around planes [3.5]

[Adam...?]

So in the campaign I'm running, the PCs are looking to get themselves off of the Prime Material plane for the first time. One of their friends got himself whisked away to Carceri, and they want to go rescue him. Given that they're around level 15, I figure it's about time they go and do some extraplanar exploring.

At the end of the last session, they asked a wizard ally of theirs (a former PC) to help them figure out how to get there. So my question to you is: what are the most interesting ways to get to Carceri? Specifically, which would make for the most entertaining session?

Ideas:
-The wizard is a high enough level that he could cast Plane Shift, but I've previously hinted that obtaining the proper spell focus could be an obstacle. Doing this, the session would pretty much be "find the focus, then wander 5-500 miles through Carceri."
-Colored portals in the astral plane. The PCs could wander around until they find the right portal, THEN wander through Carceri."
-Traveling down the River Styx. They'd have to get there first, but it could be interesting.
-Finding specific portals?

Most of these just sound it'd end up being a string of random encounters. How could I make this more fun?

[Keneth]

I've always liked planar travel through the plane of shadow via shadow walking. It might be because I've been in a few campaigns where that was the only way to travel between planes. It makes for a long journey though.

[Slipperychicken]

Maybe the portal is protected by someone who doesn't trust/like them very much. The party can either befriend them, and gain passage in exchange for some task or wealth, or they can sneak/kill their way through to the portal.

The only known Plane Shift focus in the area might be kept in the temple/tower of another powerful spellcaster, who won't take kindly to PCs trying to take his mojo.

[TheDarkSaint]

Getting a Plane Shift without a focus is pretty easy.


Lesser Planar Binding: Janni

they are just enough hitdice to summon and they can planeshift. They make great guides and it is in a spell range that most mid-level casters can handle easily.

[BWR]

Carceri is easy to enter, difficult to leave. Take a ride on the Styx for half price with a marraenoloth, stumble over gates or conduits. Find people who just happen to know someone who will send you there cheap. Let your players be surprsied at how easy it is to get there compared to what they expected.
They will arrive on Othrys, and have to find their way around from there.

Getting home is difficult. There are few gates out, only 1 per five orbs. These gates are guarded by powerful folks who are just a bit resentful of others who try to leave when they can't, so you aren't going to be able to deal sensibly with them (leaving violence).
Hitching a ride with a marraenoloth is possible, but finding one is going to be difficult, and when you finally see one, it will pass you by. When you finally flag one down, it will demand outrages amounts to get you home (at least 5000 gp in magic per person), and finally (quite possibly) leave you stranded somewhere else on Carceri.

Lastly, though this is not written anywhere, I suggest you make it so that spells or magic items that cross planar boundaries don't automatically work. this is merely in keeping with Carceri's jealous prison nature. If you are nice, merely make it a very high Spellcraft or caster level check to successfully cast (Spellcraft DC 30+spell level, or Caster level 25+spell level are what I'd go for, minimum). At worst, make it an expensive spellkey (spell keys are specific extra components the planes require to make magic work the way it normally does). Something like leaving a friend behind or bringing an extra prisoner to the plane specifically for that purpose would work.

Deals with locals are going to go sour, because if there is one place where 'look out for number one' is the way of life, it's Carceri. They will be unable to help themselves, and working with someone else, even in their own self-interest is a challenging thought for any of them.

[Alleran]

Unless Carceri is an explicit exception, a wish spell should let you jailbreak the place, since it works regardless of local conditions.

[BWR]

The most important thing to note is that the gates of Carceri do not function on prisoners (any one brought to Carceri against their own free will), unless prisoner somehow becomes more powerful than the person who put them there. The details are vague, saying only "mentally, physically or emotionally more powerful".

This is why beings the power of the Greater Titans have not yet broken free of their imprisonment. A jailbreak would, in my book, constitute overcoming the power of the person who imprisoned you. And depending on the power of the imprisoner, the more obstacles one will have to overcome to break free.

The limitation on gate travel is not explicitly stated as applicable for other methods of planar travel, but I consider it likely. Things would be a bit too easy if you could just climb out the windows if the doors are locked.

[Darrin]

I've always been fond of the Ether Scarab myself (MMII).

[almightycoma]

there is a creature I believe its called an else-whale(idk something like that)anyway they are pretty sweet. riding around thought the planes in the belly of a whale would be fun.A party could have a session hunting one down with an extra flavorful sea captain.

[Nettlekid]

+1 for Ether Scarab, which is cool.
Also, Phoenixes never get lost when flying through portals on the Astral Plane. So instead of having the trouble to find the focus and then marching through Carceri, you could have them quest to find a Phoenix, Plane Shift to the Astral Plane, and then persuade the Phoenix to take you to Carceri.

[BWR]

If we're talking Planescape, Ether Scarabs won't work. No connection to the Ethereal Plane ön the outer planes.
Dunno how the OP will run his cosmology.

[Darrin]

If we're talking Planescape, Ether Scarabs won't work. No connection to the Ethereal Plane ön the outer planes.
Dunno how the OP will run his cosmology.

Ether Scarabs can create a planar rip between any two planes. It doesn't have to be the ethereal plane.